Brandon’s face reappeared, framed by the, now clear night sky.
‘Won’t be long,’ India he called, ‘Just going to get some rope to pull you up.’
‘No problem,’ said India, and took the opportunity to look around the tomb once more. The beam from her torch fell on the broken urn and she walked over to examine it more closely. She picked up a piece of the pottery and examined the exquisite decoration.
As her hands disturbed the ashes, something beneath caught her eye and she brushed the ashes away gently to see what it was. The item was dirty with age but before she could make any assumptions, Brandon called out from above.
‘Come on, India, we’re ready here.’
India placed the item in her pocket and rushed over to the rope dangling from the hole above. She put her foot in the loop at the end and gripped tightly with both hands.
‘Okay,’ she shouted, ‘Start pulling.’
‘Where is she?’ asked India, when she was finally pulled free.
‘In safe hands,’ said Brandon, ‘One of the Nuns is looking after her and there is an ambulance already on its way.’
‘I must go to her,’ said India and ran into the Convent. She found her in the hall, wrapped in a blanket and being spoon fed warm soup by Sister Agnes. India walked quickly over and knelt in front of her.
‘Hello, Camille,’ she said
‘Are you India?’ asked the girl.
‘That’s right, I told you I would follow.’
‘You are very pretty said the girl.’
‘So are you,’ laughed India, ‘Though very dirty.’
‘I haven’t washed for ages,’ said Camille.
‘Me neither,’ said India. ‘Did they give you any chocolate?’
‘No,’ said Camille sadly.
‘I tell you what,’ said India, ‘When this is all over, and you are well again, I will buy you the biggest bar of chocolate I can find for being so brave, how about that.’
‘I would like that,’ said Camille.
The door opened and a team of paramedics came into the hall.
‘Will you stay with me?’ asked Camille.
‘No, you have to go home, now. These people are like doctors and will look after you. Is that okay?’
Camille nodded.
‘Good, and I will see you again real soon.’
‘Don’t forget the chocolate,’ said Camille.
‘I won’t,’ laughed India, and blew her a kiss.
Camille returned the compliment and smiled before being led away by the female paramedic.
Brandon came in and sat next to India.
‘You okay?’ he asked.
‘I think so, she said, wiping away a tear.
‘You’ve been great,’ he said, ‘But it’s all over now.’
‘Any longer and she may have died,’ said India.
‘If it wasn’t for Mike and his gang, we would all be dead,’ said Brandon.
‘Just as well you called them,’ said India.
‘I didn’t,’ said Brandon, ‘I made the arrangements with Mike, but didn’t operate the beacon. The last time I saw it was in Sister Bernice’s cell.’
‘You think she operated it?’
‘Pointless, it works using the satellite system, and there is no signal in the valley.’
‘Why don’t you ask her,’ said India.
‘I will,’ said Brandon looking around, ‘I wonder where she is?’
Two miles away, on top of the hill at the end of the valley, a squad of soldiers were searching the snow covered forest floor, their eyes seeking something very specific. One stopped in his tracks and put his hand up to signal those around him.
‘Stop,’ he shouted, ‘I’ve found it.’ A mound of snow lay at his feet, and just beneath the surface, the flashing lights of three LED bulbs were flashing green. He knelt down and scraped away the snow to expose the beacon.’
‘Shit,’ said the soldier and scraped more snow away revealing a grey frozen hand still clutching the beacon.
‘Poor sod,’ said one of the soldiers, ‘Who is it?’
The first soldier scraped away more snow and stood back in surprise.
‘Fucking hell,’ he said quietly,’ It’s a Nun!’
All four soldiers stared down at the frozen features of Sister Bernice.
‘Wow!’ said the soldier, ‘She must have come up here in the storm. Didn’t stand a chance, poor cow.’
Chapter 37
Littlewick Green — England 2010
‘So,’ said Brandon, ‘I hear you went back to the Convent recently.’
‘I did,’ said India, ‘The new Mother Superior kindly allowed me back into the Tomb where we found Camille.’
‘Really? Why go back down there?’
‘Oh, just something I had to do. When I was down there the first time, I accidentally broke an urn of ashes. I couldn’t leave them like that, all over the floor, so I had a new one made and the convent arranged for a small internment ceremony to re dedicate the ashes.’
‘Oh,’ said Brandon, I see.’
The sun beat down on both of them. It had been several months since the Cult of Mortuus Virgo had been uncovered and they were back in the village of Littlewick green. They had lunched at the pub and taken a stroll around the church of St Lawrence. Now they both sat on a bench against the church wall, overlooking the massive Oak at the centre of the peaceful cemetery.
‘I haven’t heard much about it on the news,’ said India.
‘No, and I don’t think you will.’
‘Why not?’
‘I don’t know,’ sighed Brandon, ‘But it seems Gatilusi was right. These people have friends in the highest places. The gunmen have disappeared, Gatilusi claimed diplomatic immunity and is back in Samothrace, and we have been instructed we are not to talk about it.’
‘But that’s mad,’ said India, ‘What about those girls?’
‘The ones from the convent are being looked after by social services.’
‘And Camille? Surely her abduction hasn’t been covered up?’
‘Her family has asked for no publicity. They want to be left alone.’
‘But she’s the Prime Minister’s niece.’
‘Look,’ said Brandon, ‘I don’t know the details, but like I said, they have friends in high places.’
‘Then it has all been for nothing.’
‘Not really, at least no more girls will be abducted around here.’
‘But what about the others? Jacob said there are similar places all around the world.’
‘We can’t change the world, India,’ he said, ‘Leave it to the authorities. Anyway, forget all that, why did you call me?’
