Broken Arrow

'I seem to recall that you got me to strip off the last time we met. So, how's about we start by you returning the favour.'

'Please… My son.'

'What about him?'

'You can't, not in front of him.'

'Listen, I've been banged up in that fucking hotel jail the best part of a year, bitch. I haven't had any in all that time, so I'm going to make up for it. Just a happy coincidence that it's you, so I can kill two birds with one stone. Now, put him down so you can get on with things.'

Gwen closed her eyes out of resignation. It was all happening again, wasn't it? It would happen in this room, just as it had before. But instead of the Sheriff it would be some wet behind the ears young thug. Only she'd changed so much, been forced to change. She'd do what he wanted, just until she could get that piece off him. Then she'd fucking well blow his brains out.

'I said put him down!' shouted Jace.

Gwen placed Clive Jr in the corner, telling him everything was going to be okay. Then she turned to Jace.

'Make it nice and slow. I don't want to miss nothing.' He said.

Swallowing dryly, Gwen took hold of the bottom of her jumper and began to raise it. She took her time, like he said, but was apparently taking too long, because Jace jabbed the gun in her direction and told her to get the jumper off. 'Now! I want to see.'

Gwen pushed her elbow into the hem of the jumper and peeled it off. It wasn't particularly cold but she shivered anyway, and thanked God she'd worn a bra today. It was the last thing standing between Jace's beady little pig-eyes and her nakedness.

'That too,' Jace ordered, indicating the bra. He licked his lips, eyes glued to her chest. With his free hand he began to undo his belt, his trousers swelling where he was growing excited.

Gwen began to walk towards him. 'Wouldn't you like to get a closer look, Jace? Maybe touch them?'

He straightened his gun arm and pushed her back. 'I'm not falling for that twice. I'm not a moron.'

Are you sure about that? thought Gwen. Quick as a flash she flung the jumper at him, knocking the gun sideways and allowing her a clear shot with her foot, to kick him between the legs. Jace managed to twist around, though, and the kick caught him on the thigh.

Angrily, he pushed her back, shrugging the jumper off his gun and pointing it at her again. 'Gonna regret that.'

Gwen tensed herself, but the shot didn't come. He didn't want to kill his plaything. Instead, he turned the weapon in the direction of Clive Jr.

'No, please. Not my son. I'll do anything.'

'You will anyway,' Jace reminded her. 'Remember what you said to me last time, how was I going to do anything with my 'maggot'? Heh. When I've shut the kid up, I'm going to show you exactly what I can do.'

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. As she flung herself across the room — in an effort to put her body between the bullet and Clive Jr — Gwen noticed every tiny detail. Like the slight pressure on the trigger of the pistol; Jace's forehead crinkling as he concentrated on shooting her boy; the scar along his chin stretched tighter than ever. And the exact moment Jace's expression changed, his face creasing up in pain rather than concentration. At the exact same time a trickle of blood sprang from the corner of his mouth and began its downward journey.

Then there was the flash of metal and Jace was pitching forward, the gun falling from his grasp. He caught her eye as he followed it, dropping first to his knees, before coughing up blood. She knew he was thinking: Why is this happening to me? I'm not such a bad guy.

Gwen felt nothing as he collapsed onto the carpet, but she could now see the vicious blow that had caused his death. A long cut across his back, so deep it had probably severed his spinal column. And behind Jace, his attacker. The man she hadn't even seen or heard come in.

He stood there, blade dripping with Jace's blood, the hood he wore obscuring his features. But Gwen knew what he looked like. Knew it was him.

Knew that under that hood there was a painted face, a skull. Lifting the machete, he wiped the blood off on the edge of his dark robes.

Frozen in the process of running to Clive Jr, Gwen gaped at him, not comprehending. Skullface had just saved her, and her child.

Clive Jr! Gwen found she could move again and went to her son, gathering him up into her arms. She didn't once take her eyes off the cultist, though.

He had something in his other hand, the one not clutching his huge knife. He tossed it over, and when she held it up she saw it was one of their robes. 'Put it on,' he said. His voice was flat, robotic, but was she imaging things or was there a hint of humanity in there? (She thought this regardless of the fact this man had just killed someone in cold blood without showing a trace of emotion.) At first Gwen thought he might also be telling her this to cover up her dignity — as she was still standing in only her bra and jeans. Then she realised he had other plans.

'They will be coming for you soon,' he stated. 'You must leave the castle.'

'Who will? The soldiers? Are they going to kill us?' Gwen placed Clive Jr down by her feet a moment while she slipped into the robes.

Skullface, who still hadn't removed his hood, answered: 'They are taking you and the other women to the forest.'

'What?' Gwen was more confused than ever. Why would they take them to the forest to kill them? And why just the women?

'You are to be bait.'

Bait? She still didn't understand… unless Robert had returned to Sherwood? But then surely they'd take just Mary? Gwen cast her mind back to the hostages that had been on the gallows when De Falaise had been at the castle — Robert had been willing to come into the castle grounds alone to save them. Perhaps they were banking on him coming out because they had some of his closest friends? Closest female friends? The sexist shits.

It still didn't explain why this guy was helping her escape, why he'd stopped Jace from attacking them. From attacking Clive Jr…

'Why?' she asked as she scooped up Clive Jr again, joining the cultist at the door. 'Why are you doing this for us? For him?'

'He must be kept safe,' said the man in that monotone voice, tinged with the slightest hint of compassion. 'Hide him under your robes.'

Gwen did as she was told, covering Clive Jr as much as she could, before pulling up the hood to conceal her features. Their saviour led them out of the office and into the castle, where other robed figures were waiting.

She didn't have much option but to go with them, especially as they were able to move freely. Where they were taking her, she had no idea, but Gwen began to hope again.

For her there was always New Hope.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

It was already dark by the time they arrived, and they hit the mist about a mile outside Sherwood. The moon was on the horizon and Tanek recognised its red tinge instantly. He knew all too well what they called it.

Fog lamps kicked in and allowed the drivers of the armoured vehicles to see roughly a car's distance ahead of them. They'd brought three AFVs — a couple being Armoured Personnel Carriers, while theirs was a cannon- wielding BTR-90 — and a couple of jeeps. All they'd need to tackle a few fugitives.

Tanek rode with The Tsar and the twins. The Tsar had insisted on coming along personally, he'd said because he didn't want Hood and his men escaping this time. Tanek suspected it was more to do with keeping an eye on him. They were coming to a parting of the ways, anyone could see that, but it was fine. The Tsar and his men had played their part. Tanek was based back in Nottingham again. And, by a twist of