these, and for safetyt sake, Ir strongly recommend that you burn the shoes and clothing you used in tonightt operation when you get home.?
Mur mumt gonna love having to shell out for two new pairs of trainers,?Kyle said, as he helped James limp through a connecting door into a smartly fitted kitchen.
Money is one thing the AFA doesn't worry about,?Mark smiled. TEl sort you out with enough cash to replace everything before you go.?
Ts this your house??James asked.
Mark shook his head as he leaned into the garage and flicked out the light. Ttt a holiday let. We're nicely out of the way and were paid for two weeks?rent, so IEl have plenty of time to clear up after youre gone.?He glanced at his watch. Tou three don't want to be hanging around this area for too long, but I know youre been on the go for hours, so you're welcome to take a breather before setting off in the other car. IEl put the kettle on, theret samosas in the fridge, or I can make sandwiches if your prefer.?
Eamosas sound great,?Kyle said, But I'll worried about the state James is in. Het all grazed and bloody and heEl stand out a mile if the cops stop us at a roadblock or anything. Can he take a shower??
Eounds like a sensible precaution,?Mark nodded. The bathroom is at the top of the stairs. Clean towels are on the rail. IEl make sure everything is scrubbed down with bleach before I leave.?
TEl help you up the stairs,?Kyle said, looking at James.
James hobbled out of the kitchen and along a short hallway. He looked back at Kyle when he reached the bottom of the stairs. TEl manage,?he said.
TEl make sure Mark and Tom don't come upstairs,?Kyle whispered rapidly. Take the quickest shower you can, then check out the bedrooms and see if you can find any of Markt stuff. This is gonna be our only chance to get something solid on the AFA before we're dragged into the major operation.?
MK,?James nodded. But I'll not gonna be moving anywhere quickly, so your better kick up a fuss if anyone starts up the stairs.?
*
Mark gave them another map with a different route home. It was farther, but quicker because it involved crossing back into England and riding the whole way on the motorway.
The car was a chunky Nissan X-Trail and it was 2:30 a.m. by the time they set off, so the traffic was light. Tom dozed in the front passenger seat and James laid out in the back.
Kyle was shattered and fought to stay awake as the catt-eyes marking out the lanes tried to hypnotise him. He played mental games to stop himself from nodding off: doing times tables and working his way through the alphabet trying to think of car brands, rock groups, or foods that started with each letter.
He knew that driving when you
But despite drifting out of lane a couple of times and one hair-raising moment when he found himself closing up rapidly on a coach that had no business in the fast lane of a motorway, everyone was still alive when he pulled into Rigsworth services at a quarter to six in the morning.
The sky was a mix of orange and mauve as he stopped in a bay twenty metres from where her collected the van eleven hours earlier.
Kyle unclipped his seat-belt and gave Tom a shove. Takey, wakey.?
Tell me that wasn't all a dream,?Tom grinned, as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Te kicked some ass, didn't we??
James glanced at his watch before sticking his head between the two front seats. Tou made good time, Kyle.?
T'll wiped out,?Kyle said. Now're your war wounds??
James pulled up his T-shirt and inspected the purple and black blotches across his chest. Tender,?James said, prodding himself gently. T don't reckon anythingt broken though, it doesn't hurt bad enough.?
That about your ankle??
Ttt swollen, but I can't really tell until I get out and put some weight on it.?
All three boys needed the toilet. They gathered up their stuff before popping their doors open. James was first out, leaning against the roof as he took his first tentative steps. Each one sent a sharp pain up his leg, but her walked off a similar injury during basic training and at least this time he didn't have to run an assault course while an instructor screamed that he was a lazy worm who was faking the injury.
Tre got to shut the keys inside the car,?Kyle said,