The Word of God (19 page)

Now that the fear was subsiding he paused to enjoy the water. He splashed it over his face and arms and felt instantly refreshed. He also felt slightly foolish.

Maybe we are just imagining all of this and scaring ourselves,
he thought.

Stephen met him in mid-stream. “Where you going Pete?” he asked.

“To get our gear.”

“No need. The knights are bringing it,” Stephen replied, indicating where the remainder of the party were making their way down out of the trees.

Peter remained where he was and washed his face more thoroughly. He guessed that, if he found the crossing difficult without his gear, then Joy would have a problem. In this he was right. Stephen, being experienced, made it easily, as did Gwen, but Joy and Megan both found themselves in difficulties.

Peter was able to grab Joy as she lost her balance. On her the water was waist deep and she was having trouble keeping her feet. He showed her how to swing her staff forward so that the current pushed the tip down among the rocks upstream of her. That helped as she was then able to lean on it. Peter helped by grabbing her pack and taking it off her.

Gwen had sensibly insisted that all cross with their packs and webbing undone and slung loosely over their shoulders so he was able to lift the pack off, just as it began to slip into the water. Joy smiled her thanks and let him support her arm. Peter could tell that she was scared, and he admired her attempts to hide this.

Two minutes later they were across. Peter at once went back to help Megan, who was also floundering and stumbling. Sir Miles held her till he arrived. Peter took her pack and webbing and returned once more to the far bank. By now he was soaked from the waist down but the water felt good and he was much more relaxed.

When all were across the gear was sorted out. Graham moved back to join them. “What do we do now?” he asked.

Sir Miles pointed downstream. “We are going to talk to those two men,” he replied.

“What do you want us to do?” Peter asked.

“I think it would be best if you stayed here. If there is any trouble or a trap you then have a chance of escaping,” Sir Miles replied.

Graham looked at his watch. “We are supposed to go to Little Mulgrave to meet Capt Conkey,” he added.

Sir Miles began unbuttoning his shirt. “We will change back into our own clothes now thanks.”

The knight's clothes were extracted from packs and handed to them and they moved away behind trees to change. A few minutes later they returned and the uniforms were handed back and packed. Sir Miles held out his hand.

“That is twice you have saved out lives. Thank you again.”

Gwen took his hand and shook it, followed by the others. Mr Jones added his heartfelt thanks and Sir Richard nodded and also put out his hand, although it seemed to Peter that he did so with ill-grace.

Sir Miles then said: “We will say goodbye now. We have to talk to these men and it is private business.”

“That's alright. We understand,” Gwen replied. Sir Miles turned and led the other two to one side.

“What do we do?” Megan asked.

Stephen pointed to the vehicle track that led up over the high bank a hundred metres away. “Go to Little Mulgrave I suppose,” he replied.

Peter also checked his watch. It was now 4:30pm. “We can wait a few minutes,” he said.

“Why don't we go now?” Megan queried.

Peter shrugged. “I'm just curious to know what is going on.”

“They won't tell you,” Stephen said, indicating the two knights, who were deep in conversation with Mr Jones. The three men started walking towards where the two men waited.

“So let's go,” Megan grumbled.

Gwen shook her head. “I'd like to know what is so important that all this secrecy is required,” she put in. “I want to stay and watch. A few more minutes won't matter.”

Megan looked stubborn. Joy supported her. “What if Capt Conkey is already there? He will get worried won't he?”

That made Peter feel uncomfortable. “Perhaps a couple of us could go on to Little Mulgrave?”

Graham shook his head. “No. Not a good idea. But I'm sure a few minutes won't matter. Let's walk closer and find the track out of this place at least. Then we can say goodbye and get going.”

The others accepted this. They hoisted on their packs and followed the two knights and Mr Jones along the vehicle track.

The two men had a white 4WD which was parked ready to drive up a steep, narrow dirt track which led up over the bank through the trees. The men were seated on folding chairs beside a smoky fire where they were barbequing meat. They looked quite non-descript working class types. Both wore old shorts and the tubbiest wore a stained singlet. Both had ‘stubbies' of beer in their hands.

As the knights approached the two men stood up and faced them across the small sandy clearing. Peter did not hear what was said but it was obvious it was the right thing as the men relaxed and motioned to the knights and Mr Jones to be seated. As the cadets approached the bearded man obviously asked who they were as he looked at them and Sir Miles turned towards them.

The cadets reached them while Sir Miles was explaining. The man looked worried and grunted. Stephen said ‘hello' and got a perfunctory nod.

We aren't welcome here,
Peter sensed.

He called: “We will go to Little Mulgrave now. Does this track go there?” The bearded man nodded. “Yes. Follow it out to where it joins a bitumen
road just near this end of Fairweathers Bridge, turn right and it is a kilometre or so to the pub.”

“Thanks. Well, we'll be off. Good luck with your… with your search,” Peter said.

Sir Miles stood up and said: “I'd like to thank you again for your help. You saved our lives. We won't forget. And I'm sorry we can't explain what we are doing.”

Gwen smiled. “That's alright. It's none of our business,” she answered.

Graham started walking up the track. Peter and the others followed. It was a short, steep climb of about twenty five metres through a tunnel of trees. Head-high guinea grass lined both sides of the narrow, rutted track.

Half way up Peter glanced back. The men were seating themselves around the fire. Once again he wished he could find out what the object of the knight's quest was.

Oh well, we will probably never know,
he told himself.

At that moment there was the sound of a vehicles engine. No sooner had Graham called a warning than another white 4WD burst into view. The vehicle was being driven much too fast for safety on the narrow track. It crested the rise and was on them before the driver saw the danger.

“Lookout!” Graham shouted. He jumped backwards into the long grass. Peter sprang aside, bumping into Joy and sending her sprawling backwards as he did. Overbalanced by her pack she tumbled into the long grass. Peter was about to move to help her when his mind registered that the vehicle was skidding to a stop.

Devil Worshipper! The driver was dressed in black and wore a rolled up black balaclava on his head. Even as the vehicle stopped right beside Peter the man acted. The door was flung open and he stepped out, a pistol in his hand. Peter could only gape.

The Devil Worshipper looked just as astonished as them but he quickly recovered. “Hands up! Move over there. All of you. Get in a group where I can see you.”

Gwen stepped back. “No! Who are you?” she challenged.

“Don't argue. Just do as I say,” the Devil Worshipper snapped, waving the gun at them. “I am police special branch; and this gun is loaded, now move!”

Police? It was possible, but Peter didn't think so. However he could not think of any alternative to moving so walked over beside Graham and Stephen.

Gwen still stood her ground. “I don't believe you. Show me your badge, or card or whatever.”

By now the Devil Worshipper had seen the group down at the fire. Peter glanced that way and sucked in his breath in fear. Both Sir Richard and Sir Miles had drawn pistols and one of the men had produced a rifle from somewhere. In two steps the Devil Worshipper was beside Gwen. He grabbed her arm and placed the muzzle of the pistol at her head.

“Nobody move or she gets it! You people drop the guns.”

Peter felt his heart squeeze in apprehension. That Gwen was in mortal danger he had no doubt. But what to do? He was sure that the meeting was not planned. The Devil Worshipper had been as surprised as they were and appeared to be trying to extract himself. A glance showed that the men had not obeyed. They began walking towards them and spreading out.

Fear showed on the Devil Worshipper's face. He moved to use Gwen to shield himself and repeated his threats. “You blokes drop the guns or I shoot the girl.”

Sir Miles aimed his pistol. “You do and you die as well,” he replied. “Not before I kill a couple more of these kids,” the Devil Worshipper retorted. He waved his pistol at the group, who were now clustered on one side of the track. Sir Miles gave an order and the men stopped moving but still kept their guns ready. Peter measured the distance with his eye, hoping for an opportunity to somehow grab the man's gun.

The Devil Worshipper divined their intentions. He stepped backwards, dragging Gwen with him. For a moment he again took his gun away from her head and pointed it. “Lie down over there, all of you. Quick, or the girl gets it!”

At that moment Joy stepped out from behind the man's vehicle. Peter saw her and the angry thought crossed his mind that he shouldn't have let his eyes give her away as the Devil Worshipper started to look over his shoulder.

Before he had time to do this Joy struck. Her staff whistled down to whack into the Devil Worshipper's wrist. The pistol went flying and landed on the dirt. The Devil Worshipper yelled in pain and fright and spun around but by then Joy had raised her staff again. Fear showed on her face and in evident self-defence she brought the heavy stick down hard again, hitting him right on top of his skull with a loud thud. The man just buckled at the knees and collapsed. Peter sprang forward to get the pistol but Stephen was quicker. He dived forward and snatched it up. Graham joined Peter in holding the man down, both kneeling on him.

“Out like a light. Bloody good hit Joy!” Graham said.

Joy however looked very distressed. “I didn't kill him did I?”

Graham shook his head. “No, the mongrel's still breathing.”

At that Joy turned and embraced Gwen and both girls burst into tears. Megan moved to comfort them. Sir Miles led a rush up to join them.

Graham did not wait. “Steve, get up to the top of the slope and warn us if any more of these buggers are coming.”

Stephen nodded, checked the pistol and pushed his way up past the vehicle, which completely blocked the track.

Sir Miles and the others joined them. “What happened? What is going on?”

“A Devil Worshipper,” Graham said. “Get some rope Pete and we will tie the bugger up.”

The man in the singlet stepped back and cried aloud: “A Devil Worshipper! Here? In North Queensland? It isn't possible!”

Sir Miles gave a grim smile. “I'm afraid it is. They captured us two days ago and tried to sacrifice us. These cadets saved us.”

The man blanched and crossed himself, muttered a prayer and peered down at the Devil Worshipper. “Where did he come from?”

“He is probably a local,” Peter replied. “They have a branch in Gordonvale apparently.”

Again the man crossed himself. The look of pure fear on his face made the hairs on the back of Peter's neck stand on end.

Sir Miles said: “They must be still after us. I thought they might lose interest now that the police are after them.”

Sir Richard shook his head. He looked very agitated and fingered his pistol nervously. “Not Devil Worshippers. They won't give up. They are too scared of Satan.”

That sent a shiver of fear through Peter. He looked anxiously around and the horrible thought crossed his mind that they might be hunted for the rest of their lives
Which might not be all that long!

The second man looked aghast. “Are you sure they are Devil Worshipers?” he asked. He looked very pale and had broken into a sweat, which did nothing to ease Peter's growing alarm.

Graham looked up and shook his head. “No, but it would be a mighty odd if he was just a harmless picnicker the way he carried on,” he replied.

“He said he was police,” Megan put in, her voice cracking with anxiety.

“Crap! He is a crook!” Graham snorted. “Soon check anyway.” He proceeded to search the man's pockets while Peter dropped his pack and fished out some nylon cord.

A quick search produced nothing other than a name: Leroy Morris.

“There might be more in his vehicle,” Peter suggested. He moved to the 4WD and began to search.

Gwen joined him. “What was he doing? Why is he here?” she asked. She was very white and shaken, but anger sounded in her voice.

Sir Miles looked around anxiously. “Looking for us I suppose,” he replied.

“Which means we lost them when we turned off along the river bank,” Graham said.

Megan waved her arms and looked agitated. “Come on, let's get out of here!” she cried.

“Good idea,” agreed the man in the singlet. “We don't want any trouble from these fellows.”

“Can you drive and get the police please?” Peter asked as he rummaged among a litter of clothing and articles on the front seat.

“Yes.”

Megan again insisted they move. “Stop wasting time talking! We need to go before any more come along. Let's go!”

“Calm down Meg,” Graham said. She turned and snapped at him, her voice almost cracking with hysteria.

“No! I want to get out of here. I'm going!”

“Not before we do,” the man in the singlet said.

Gwen looked at him. “Can we go with you in your four wheel drive?” she asked.

The man shook his head emphatically. “No fear! We don't want to be seen with any of you! We have to live in this place and we don't want anyone to associate us with you, not with Devil Worshippers looking for vengeance.”