Riders of B E R K

Part 27: I won't let them hurt you

"So the message cut off and you couldn't raise a response?" Spitelout leaned over the com console and the young operator-Andrus Devine-shook his head.

"The channel was open and then cut off. The carrier ident confirmed it was Commander Haddock," he reported.

"Play it again."

"Mayday, Mayday, Mayday! We are under attack! Dark grey SUV heading towards base on the village road. They are trying to run us off the road! Repeat-Hofferson and Haddock code seven. Mayday, May..."

"Lieutenant Hofferson and Commander Haddock were out on passes to the village-due back at 20:00. The call came in at 19:03. They are out of range of visual or sensor scans." Spitelout frowned and peered at the operator.

"Any Riders on base?" he asked. The young man typed an enquiry into the security system.

"Er, Corporal Eretson, Rider Oswaldson, Rider Harrigan, Rider Bucket Pertwee, Rider Mulch Pertwee," her reported.

"And the rest?" Spitelout asked. "Where is my son?"

"Sergeant Jorgensen, Specialist Tuffnut Thorsten, Specialist Ruffnut Thorsten, Rider Larsson, Officer Ingerman and Rider Voleur are all off base without leave," Devine reported. Spitelout facepalmed.

"Leaving us without adequate cover because most of the Team have gone off to the pub," he groaned.

"Should I log this, sir?"

"NO! I will speak with them. Order them back NOW!" he groaned then scowled. "Heather is in Solitary and Bucket and Mulch are dealing with the Changeling: the damned thing has gotten out of control again. Harrigan is helping them. Get me Eret!"

"Report!" Stoick growled, erupting into the room. Spitelout looked up from where he was leaning over the console.

"Mayday from Haddock and Hofferson," he rported. "They say they've been run off the road on the way back to base."

"Prep the team-three vehicles-now!" the General ordered. "You're with me, brother."

"You ordered me to report?" Eret asked, running in.

"Rescue mission-grab a weapon, Corporal," the General growled. "Spitelout-bring your trigger happy goon squad!" He gave a savage grin. "Hiccup was correct about that, at least. You are senior Rider on base, Eret-so you're with me!" And he spun and headed for the garage. Within minutes, three military jeeps were bouncing down the track, packed with soldiers armed to the teeth with tranquilliser guns and conventional weapons and equipped with night vision visors and active coms. Spitelout peered at his palmtop scanner.

"Ahead," he said to Stoick, who was driving and he saw the General grimace and drop his foot. Eret scanned the road and pointed.

"There!" he shouted, springing from the moving jeep at the place where the skid marks vanished down the slope, followed by three of the security team. The jeeps all cautiously perched on the edge and they trained their searchlights on the wreckage at the bottom of the twenty foot slope. Eret raced down, searching beyond the pool of light and not seeing any threats. But the four by four jeep was on its roof with the doors wrenched open. Eret peered inside, seeing the seatbelts hanging empty. The glass in the windows, though, was smashed inwards and he frowned then lifted an object: a handbag.

"Are they here?" Stoick asked, arriving, his gun raised with Spitelout at his back. The rest took the perimeter around the wreck. Eret shook his head.

"Empty-and I'm certain they didn't go of their free will," he reported. He pointed. "Vehicle tracks, leading away...and they knew the way back to base. If they were okay, we'd find them on the road, walking back up the hill. " Stoick frowned.