Below the Radar - Cyprus Summer of '74

Chapter 9 : En Route to the Disco (Cool)

In the first taxi everyone was breathing deeply, otherwise silent. Exhausted, bruised, relieved, emotionally overloaded. As the adrenaline rush eased, Simon was first to speak, easing sideways to look back at the three in the rear.

Addressing them all, but looking directly at Alex he asked, "You guys ok?" Ryan and Ned continued gingerly rubbing various aches and lumps but responded quietly in the affirmative. Alex met Simon's gaze and nodded silently. They lapsed back into silence once more.

Two minutes further on the taxi took the sharp right hand bend that marked the end of the by-pass and the outskirts of Limassol. Seeing the by-pass slip away behind them Ryan shook his head and at last looked up, impossible to keep the silence any longer. As his face split into a wide grin, he slumped and breathed out loudly.

"Shiiiiit that was fuckin' crazy! What a mess. How on earth did we get out of that in one piece? Your bloody plan worked Si."

"Don't speak too soon Ry. The guys in the other taxi may not think so. It looked like Dan and maybe Rick and Nige took a beating". As he spoke Simon turned fully round in his seat in the front, looking at all three before adding with a grin, "But you're right it was mental. That wanker Nige though, what on earth was he up to? You're quiet Ned, I know you don't say much, but what do you reckon to that little rolling brawl?

Ned almost jerked up from his position looking out the window, seeming surprised anyone, let alone Simon, was addressing him directly or actually might want his opinion.

When he did reply, staying true to his own odd manner, it seemed he must have been giving the issue some serious thought, or perhaps he just wanted to impress Simon.

"What me, oh yeah, I'm fine. It was a precarious situation for a while. All that ridiculous running I mean. I couldn't have run any further along that bloody by-pass, I'd rather have just stopped and had one great big brawl. With their superior numbers they should have hammered us anyway, but once I clocked that huge guy they didn't seem so keen did they? Did you see that? I really did splatter him".

The other three looked at each other, open mouthed in amazement before Simon snorted out a strangled laugh. Ryan joined him and gave Ned a playful, though still slightly tentative nudge with his shoulder. It was the most they'd ever heard Ned say in one go, which caught them out for a couple of heartbeats.

Alex smiled and chipped in. "Ooooh 'precarious situation' and 'superior numbers' eh Ned, where did that shit come from - you swallow a dictionary or what? It was just plain daft if you ask me. You remember that long chase in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? Even as we jogged and ran along the by-pass I was thinking about that, looking back at that bloody 'posse' behind us. A bit different I know, none of them had a big white hat, but they just kept chasing us and kicking up all that dust along the way. Only we ran into a bloody steak restaurant to hide instead of jumping off a cliff! Anyway. Honestly, I was shit scared. And all I did was run for my life and make sure I stayed close to you guys. I'm sure glad you were with us Ned, even if you do talk gibberish when you eventually speak. I just hope Dan is ok".

The look on Ned's face had changed several times as Alex spoke, a short flash of anger being was quickly replaced by an oddly pleased smile, but he ended up just shrugging his shoulders and turned back to look out the window.

Ryan picked up on Alex's last thought. "Oh don't worry about Dan, he'll be fine. He was ugly enough before, what with that huge honker of his. A few lumps and bruises will do him good. Give him some character and a story to tell".

He turned serious for a moment and spoke quietly to Alex who was right next to him. "Don't worry Alex, you weren't the only one brickin' it back there", allowing a short silence before adding with a wink "I bet Rick nearly wet his pants....."