The Tower Grave (11 page)

             
“Hey!” said David playfully.

             
“Sorry, Dave. Ok, I don’t see why we need one, but anyone got any ideas?”

             
“What about Time Hunters? Time Chasers? History Chasers? Truth Hunters?” said Jake.

             
“What are you, five years old?” Charlotte laughed. “Ok, what about Time Bandits?”

             
“Time Bandits?” John shouted, chuckling. “Come on, Charlotte! Seriously, has anyone got any decent ideas? Anything less cheesy?”

             
“What about ‘The Infiltrators?” said Chris.

             
“It’s been done, but I like the less geeky twist.”

             
“The Raiders of Time?”

             
“Almost, but it’s a bit Indiana Jones.”

             
“Blimey, John, don’t get too picky. Ok, what about ‘The Time Raiders’.”

             
“Perfect, I like it.”

             
“Me too,” said David.

             
“The Time Raiders it is then! Come on!”

             
Inspired and excited, they all stood, shared a moment of understanding as they looked at each other, then left the room together.

             
“Have a good beer, you lot,” said John as they stepped into the bar. “And have a good day tomorrow. I’ll see you by five to collect our equipment.”

Nine

              From the back of the crowd, John watched the others enjoying themselves as they entered the compound bar and knew he’d seen all he needed to see to feel confident in them. As they met the other staff members, John scanned the room then stepped the other way towards the bedrooms with a smile.

             
As he got to room four, he took a deep breath and knocked a few times.

             
“Hang on, hang on,” came a rushed female voice from inside. After a few moments of audible bustling, the door opened to reveal Jane wrapped in a white towel and her hair wrapped in another on top of her head. “Oh no!” she said and slipped behind the door. “I’m not ready, is there something going on?”

             
“Only a debt to be paid,” John said, feigning confidence.

             
She slowly re-appeared, looking shy for the first time since he’d met her.

             
“Nice hat,” he said.

             
Going red, she chuckled and pulled the towel from her head, letting her wet hair fall loosely around her shoulders and leaving one strand over her face. John stepped into the doorway and gently swept the hair back, kicking the door shut behind him. In silence, she took hold of his belt buckle with the fingers of both hands slipping into the top of his jeans and pulled him towards her.

             
“You smell like vanilla,” he said quietly as he slowly weaved his hands through the folds of her still-fastened towel and took hold of her waist.

             
“Mmm-hmm,” she replied. “You like vanilla?”

             
“I like vanilla,” he teased, sliding his hands further around her. He stepped closer as the bottom of her towel opened and revealed her naked, lower body; exposed but still out of sight from where he stood.

             
Without a word or a kiss, she unfastened the belt of his jeans and popped open the buttons of his fly. She smiled at his obvious arousal as she slid his jeans over his buttocks and let them drop.

             
“Commando?” she whispered playfully.

             
“You can talk,” he replied, stepping out of his jeans and feeling their skin touch as they pressed their hips together.

             
She put her hands around his neck and jumped up, wrapping her strong thighs around his waist. Held up by his hands on her thighs, she slipped her hand between them and took hold of him gently, making him gasp. She guided him to her and grinned again at his expression as her own arousal became evident and they joined with ease. From the moment she felt him inside her, she buried her face in his shoulder and began let out quiet, barely stifled moans, growing in intensity as they moved together with increasing urgency. Almost as quickly as they had begun, her body reacted and she forced herself deeper onto him, pulling him ferociously tight and letting out a desperate gasp. Her sudden, pulsing tightness caught him off guard and in an instant they came to orgasm together, shuddering with the speed and intensity of their climax. John moaned loudly in shock as his legs almost gave way and they gradually reduced to a panting statue, her legs wrapped tight around him and her towel still flowing beneath.

             
“That was quick,” John said, smiling and out of breath.

             
“That was amazing,” she said as she looked into his eyes and kissed him hard on the mouth, squeezing her hips around him playfully.

             
Without letting go or parting, John turned around, backed up to her bed and sat down. Her legs trembled as she straddled him on the edge of the bed and she looked at him closely, biting her lip for a moment.

             
“You will get back, won’t you, John? I’ve really fallen for you these last weeks. I’d like to really get to know you. You know, in the real world.”

             
“Of course I will, and I’ll come back for you. You’ll wait for me then?”

             
“Wait? It’ll be instantaneous, John. You’ll go in and come back out. Only you’ll have six weeks without me on your mind while you’re there.”

             
“I won’t ever get you out of my mind. I’m hooked. I won’t forget you, Jane, and I will come back.”

             
“You just make sure you do,” she said and smiled, pulling his shirt up over his head and arms. “But first I want a go on these muscles,” she said, rubbing his chest with both hands.

             
“You wait your turn,” he said as he un-tucked the fold of her towel and swept it back to reveal small, tanned breasts that reached out to him as they met the cold air of the room. Caressing one breast with his hand, he leaned close and kissed her collarbone while pulling her hips closer onto him once more. She took his chin and kissed him, gently and deeply, arousing him beneath her again. Giggling as his reaction forced itself against her, she pushed him back onto the bed and they playfully made love once more.

Ten

24
th
June 2014

             
Having been woken by an alarm every day for three weeks, John was surprised when he was woken by Jane sitting on top of him, fully dressed and kissing his chest. She brought him breakfast, which they shared and then they spent the morning together in her room before he’d kissed her goodbye and driven over to see his children.

             
He and Sophie had talked cheerfully before he’d taken Holly and Danny out for the day. From what he’d been told, David had returned to London to his wife and baby daughter; and Chris and Charlotte had both gone to see their respective parents.

             
It was at just before five as John pulled up at the farmhouse that evening ready to face his last night on earth as he knew it. As he pulled up he saw Jake sitting on the front step of the house. He looked upset but got up and walked away before John could get out of his car.

             
“Jake?” he called out at his back, but the young agent simply ignored him and walked on. John frowned. Whatever was up with him, it was hardly the time to lose focus. Even so, John knew Jake wasn’t the type to slack off, so decided to keep an eye on him and intervene if he didn’t improve.

             
John went to his room and changed into some shorts before heading down to the lounge to meet the others and gather their equipment. As he walked in the full team was present. Jake sat silently while David and Chris listened, smiling, as Charlotte animatedly described her day with her parents with pure glee and excitement on her face.

             
“Oh, it was so nice to see them,” she sighed as she came to a stop. “I hope I get to see them again,” she added and her eyes moistened visibly as David sat next to her.

             
“Let’s pray we all do, Charlotte,” he said, looking grim.

             
“What about you, Jake?” Charlotte asked suddenly.

             
He shrugged and looked at her silently.

             
“Well? We’ve all talked about ours. How was your day?” she asked as John watched with interest.

             
“Same as always; trained a bit and stayed here.”

             
“You stayed here? Why?”

             
He shrugged again.

             
“Jake, come on. You could die before you leave this farm again. Didn’t you want to see anyone? Not even your family?”

             
“No.”

             
“Well what if they want to see you? Don’t you think you’re being selfish?”

             
And at her final words, his face contorted as he jumped up in rage.

             
“Shut up, Charlotte!” he bellowed.

             
“Pardon me? Shut up?” she asked, looking confused and annoyed. “Who do you think you...”

             
“Charlotte, leave it now,” he interrupted, his tone carrying a coldness that stopped her dead in her tracks.

             
Looking quite upset and frustrated, Charlotte let it drop and noticed John in the room for the first time.

             
“Hi boss,” she said in her eloquent tone, hiding the quiver behind it.

             
“Hi Charlotte,” he replied. “How are you all?”

             
“Good thanks,” she replied, starting everyone off on a discussion about their days once more. As they talked together for a while, John noticed Charlotte look at Jake sideways a number of times, the sorrow showing in her eyes. He watched Jake too, and though he only looked at Charlotte once, John thought he saw regret in his expression. The rest of the time, he looked down and seemed to be holding back tears.

             
“How was your family, John?” David asked.

             
“Great, mate, thanks. I’m going to miss them badly. What about you?

             
“Yeah they’re fantastic. Emma’s really starting to walk well. They won’t even notice I’m gone, but I’ve just got to see them again.”

             
“You will, mate. You will,” John re-assured him, and as crazy as the mission was, he was starting to believe he was right.

             
In near silence, they collected a bag full of clothing, an array of steel and wooden weapons, and their technical equipment. Fixed up with micro clothing-cameras, audio equipment, closed loop mobile phones, micro remote-CCTV systems, tablet screens for viewing and an abundance of memory sticks and batteries; John smirked at the designs and camouflage of the larger equipment such as the screens disguised as parchment books.

After a few quiet words and a quick drink, the team went their separate ways to their rooms. John met with Jane who accompanied him to his room and the rest left alone.

              “Jake!” Charlotte called out as he opened his room door. “Can I have a chat?”

             
He kept quiet but opened the door for her to enter first.

             
“What do you want to talk about, Charlotte?” he asked wearily as she sat on his bed and he closed his door behind him.

             
“I don’t want to argue. I really feel like we’ve become friends, and well, I’m sorry for going on.”

             
“That’s fine, Char, it really is. Don’t worry about it.”

             
“But I just have to know why? Why did you get annoyed over that today? I only asked why...”

             
“Because I didn’t want to talk about it.”

             
“About what? About why you didn’t go to see your family?”

             
“Yes, that.”

             
“Well, why didn’t you?”

             
“Are you serious? You think I want to talk about it now?”