Andy McNab - War torn

The man led them to a tiny mud-walled enclosure in one corner that might be a dog kennel. There was no dog now but evidently until recently there had been a very big animal here because its turd burned hot in the sun and a large chain was attached to one wall of the doghouse. The places where the chain had been dragged across the ground had been rubbed bare of vegetation and had turned to dust as fine as talcum powder.

The man gestured and said something.

Angus and Finn were behind Weeks.

'Maybe he wants to sell you a dog,' suggested Finn.

'Cover me, I'm looking inside,' Angus told them, sinking onto his hands and knees and crawling into the kennel. Its door was already open but he pushed it open further. Inside it was dark and smelly. He crawled in. There was nothing, except a mattress on the ground.

'Holy shit! Holy fucking shit!'

But there was no time to show the boss what he had found because they were in contact again. Evidently the insurgents had regrouped. There were tracers whizzing in both directions. The men dived for cover. It took a moment for them to realize that no one was firing at them. The fight was going on over their heads across the courtyard and neither side had registered their presence among the trees.

The boss advised the old man to get down. The man ignored him and returned to the house, walking past the rounds as though he was invisible.

'The doghouse is good cover,' the boss said reluctantly. He crawled in, followed by Angus and Mal.

'See that?' said Angus, his huge body concertinaed into the small space. 'He was here! Martyn was here!'

Gordon Weeks twisted round and saw the word MARTYN was scratched into the wall. He could not hide his excitement. Finn was so pleased he kept fingering the name.

'Shit, he was here! Shit, we're hot on his trail!'

The boss gave a sit rep over the radio and then the news about Topaz Zero's signature.

Angus and Finn were in their firing positions, lying in the dog's doorway now. Finn nodded to the turd.

'Glad to see Marty finally had that crap.'

'The shit's old. He left at least a day ago,' said Angus.

'But at least he's still alive!' said the boss from behind them.

Angus grinned. 'We're going to find the old bastard. We might even get to him before they cut off his bollocks!'

'He liked you,' said Finn. 'All that shit about your dad… He pissed me off big-time for telling you but he did it because he liked you.'

'Know what I was thinking when he told me?' Angus said. 'I was wishing that Martyn Robertson was my fucking dad.'

'That's why you want to rescue him,' said Finn. 'If the Taliban got their hands on your real dad you wouldn't give jack-shit.'

'Nah, I'd buy them a pint,' said Angus. 'But I'm bloody sure we'll get Martyn back.'

'We all are,' agreed the boss. 'Especially now we're hot on his trail.' Angus started firing but Finn paused to think. 'I may have to shorten my odds. I've been offering Burlington Bertie on Marty being found alive but I could go bankrupt on that. If you're interested in a flutter, boss, it'll have to be fifteen to eight now.'

'Didn't Dave Henley stop you taking bets?' asked the boss, watching tracers cross the courtyard like fireflies.

'What he don't know about he can't grieve over.'

'And is it right to turn Martyn's misery into a bookie's opportunity?'

'Boss, trust me. When we get Martyn out alive his first question's going to be: Finny, what odds did you have on me?'

'Stoppage,' said Angus, falling back. 'Get on with it, Finny.'

Finn shuffled forward.

'You're doing well, Angry, with that fiver you gave me at a hundred to thirty. That's looking like a very good punt now.'

Angus said: 'Don't you ever fucking shuddup? Look, there's a bloke on the roof there.'

Finn fired and the man teetered along the edge and then, as though in slow motion, fell, arms first, into the courtyard.

'This is a shit-hot position. We see it all and no one sees us. From now on, everywhere we go, I'm heading straight for the fucking doghouse.'

The battle was easing. Some well-aimed mortars from 2 Platoon produced a massive dust cloud and then silence. 2 Platoon began to advance through the compound.

'Just go firm, 1 Platoon,' said the OC. 'We don't want a blue on blue.'

Angus, Finn and the boss waited. Finn sorted out his ammo.

'I miss Marty, because he's the only real betting man in the place. No one else risks more than a fiver.'

'No one else earns enough,' said Angus.

'Officers do,' said Finn pointedly.

The boss sighed. 'Oh all right, Finny. I'll do a tenner at fifteen to eight if you don't tell Dave Henley. But I'm just going to make bloody sure we find Martyn so I get my money back.'

STEVE DIDN'T ARGUE WHEN LEANNE ANNOUNCED THAT SHE WANTED him to come home from Headley Court for a day. Since everything he did and said felt hurtful now, she took his failure to put up a fight as indifference.

'For heaven's sake,' said Jenny. 'You've turned into one of those things in rock pools at the seaside that close up when you touch them. They even close up when they feel your shadow.'

'Sea urchins?'

'No… I've forgotten. My brain can't remember more than the time of the next feed. Anyway, I'm trying to say, stop being so touchy. Steve's happy to spend a day at home. You're happy he's coming. Act happy. The old Leanne would have been laughing and joking all the way down the M3.'

Jenny was changing the baby's nappy. Vicky and the twins were watching TV. Leanne, who was folding washing for her friend, paused thoughtfully.

'What did the old Leanne do if Steve went all silent on her?'

'I expect he did it all the time and she didn't even notice because she was too busy being a stand-up comedian.'

'I don't do funny any more.'

'Well, start again.'

Leanne sighed. 'I'm going to ask Kylie at nursery if she'll take the boys for the whole day.'

'Oh, Leanne, I wish I could help…' Jenny gestured around the room. It was strewn with discarded clothes, pink toys and dirty washing. 'Now Mum's gone, it's chaos here.'

'The boys'll be fine with Kylie.'

'She split up with her boyfriend. Ben. The one who lost a leg. People are saying nasty things about her for not sticking by him.'

'Not me,' said Leanne quietly. 'I don't blame her.'

She was nervous when she arrived at Headley Court to pick up Steve. She half expected to find that he had forgotten or wasn't ready, and as she parked she prepared herself to get upset. She sat in the car in a disabled parking place near the guardhouse, chewing her lip. It was a windy autumn day. Each gust buffeted the car and threw rain against it. She jumped when her phone rang.

'Anemones!' said Jenny's crisp voice.

'You what?'

'Sea anemones. They're the things that pull in all their petals if they see your shadow because they think everything wants to hurt them. That's what you mustn't be, Leanne.'

'So how am I supposed to be again? Just remind me, Jen.'

'Big, noisy, happy, loving, lots of fun, very funny. In other words, just yourself.'

'Christ. I can still do big. But that's about all.'

'Oh, and sexy.'

Leanne swallowed again.

'At the moment we're two people who don't fancy each other.'

'You can change all that.'

'Jen… listen. I told you I saw his leg. What's left of it. His stump. I told you I saw it in hospital. But I sort of didn't because it was still bandaged. I haven't really seen it yet.'

Jenny sighed.

'You'll have to see it some time.'

'Yeah.' Leanne's voice was very small.

'Just brace yourself and tell him he's still gorgeous and don't start looking sorry for him. And if he tries giving you shit, don't burst into tears, for God's sake.'