(no subject)
"And on that farm we have lots of vermin,
Ee ii ee ii ooooh.
With a squeak squeak here, and a bugger there's a rat there,
here a squeak, there a squeak, everywhere a splat SQUEAK."
Johnny slings the bag carefully over one shoulder, looking around at the two lads behind him.
"Okay, we're getting close to Wig's group. You two are going to have to get used to the idea of this little lad being handed over."
"But corp, he's in the middle of a war zone." One of the lads says, coming alongside. "He's not going to be in the mood to be given his nephew."
"We're in the middle of a war zone. Gotta do what's right lad." Johnny says quietly. "He's not ours to keep."
"But what if he doesn't want him?" the other lad asks worriedly.
"Then I'll adopt him. But I won't do that until I've checked with every other living relative on this tree of his."
"Or not." Says a voice from their side. All three freeze. Johnny looks into the eyes of the man in the bushes, and nods.
"Thought I'd be seeing you around here somewhere. Lads, set up camp and make the sergeant a cup of tea."
The lads looked at one another, aware of the code in the message, and set off at normal pace into the next part of the forest, breaking into a run as soon as they were out of sight.
"Tea eh Corporal?" The sergeant grinned nastily. "I think I can wait long enough to get that. You, on the other hand, are under arrest, right now. You will be taken to the keep and court marshalled, probably for execution."
Johnny nods calmly.
"What about the kid? One of my lads had him, he's got an uncle we were heading for."
"We will find a woman for him, then find his uncle. Hand him over."
"Can't he stay with me for now?" Johnny asks, the first hint of emotion in his voice.
The sergeant grabs the bag, Johnny sighing and hoping he can trust them. And then both are startled by the bloodcurdling scream the baby gives. Johnny actually jumps; every time Edward's cried before it's been a quiet whimper, but he's never heard anything like this even from the dying. The sergeant actually looks quite panicked.
"All right, have it back for now, just shut it up before the enemy gets us."
Johnny picks Edward up, cradling him gently in his arms.
***
The cell is cold. Nobody has managed to remove Edward from Johnny without making a really enormous noise, and as such, haven't really tried. The plan has changed to bringing the foster mother or uncle to the baby.
At Johnny's insistance, the baby got fed. He didn't. He doesn't care. Court marshall in the morning, what's one missed day's food going to matter?
No escape.
Maybe one.
The smallest of smiles passes his lips as he gets up and walks the baby around the cell.
On the third lap, he disappears through the wall.
Ee ii ee ii ooooh.
With a squeak squeak here, and a bugger there's a rat there,
here a squeak, there a squeak, everywhere a splat SQUEAK."
Johnny slings the bag carefully over one shoulder, looking around at the two lads behind him.
"Okay, we're getting close to Wig's group. You two are going to have to get used to the idea of this little lad being handed over."
"But corp, he's in the middle of a war zone." One of the lads says, coming alongside. "He's not going to be in the mood to be given his nephew."
"We're in the middle of a war zone. Gotta do what's right lad." Johnny says quietly. "He's not ours to keep."
"But what if he doesn't want him?" the other lad asks worriedly.
"Then I'll adopt him. But I won't do that until I've checked with every other living relative on this tree of his."
"Or not." Says a voice from their side. All three freeze. Johnny looks into the eyes of the man in the bushes, and nods.
"Thought I'd be seeing you around here somewhere. Lads, set up camp and make the sergeant a cup of tea."
The lads looked at one another, aware of the code in the message, and set off at normal pace into the next part of the forest, breaking into a run as soon as they were out of sight.
"Tea eh Corporal?" The sergeant grinned nastily. "I think I can wait long enough to get that. You, on the other hand, are under arrest, right now. You will be taken to the keep and court marshalled, probably for execution."
Johnny nods calmly.
"What about the kid? One of my lads had him, he's got an uncle we were heading for."
"We will find a woman for him, then find his uncle. Hand him over."
"Can't he stay with me for now?" Johnny asks, the first hint of emotion in his voice.
The sergeant grabs the bag, Johnny sighing and hoping he can trust them. And then both are startled by the bloodcurdling scream the baby gives. Johnny actually jumps; every time Edward's cried before it's been a quiet whimper, but he's never heard anything like this even from the dying. The sergeant actually looks quite panicked.
"All right, have it back for now, just shut it up before the enemy gets us."
Johnny picks Edward up, cradling him gently in his arms.
***
The cell is cold. Nobody has managed to remove Edward from Johnny without making a really enormous noise, and as such, haven't really tried. The plan has changed to bringing the foster mother or uncle to the baby.
At Johnny's insistance, the baby got fed. He didn't. He doesn't care. Court marshall in the morning, what's one missed day's food going to matter?
No escape.
Maybe one.
The smallest of smiles passes his lips as he gets up and walks the baby around the cell.
On the third lap, he disappears through the wall.