Arrowland Read Online Free
driver, Mick, thought about this for a moment. "I suppose when you put it like that... You still could have warned us you suspected an ambush today. And that bloody Rangers were hiding in our cargo."
"We needed you all to act as naturally as possible," Robert explained.
"Running scared, you mean?"
"To keep them lot on the back foot," Bill told him.
Before the discussion could go any further, Azhar joined them to report - or rather to whisper his report to Bill. The dark-skinned young man didn't say much, and when he did it wasn't to an audience. "Ta, lad."
Robert inclined his head, waiting for the information to be relayed.
"He says the raiders are rounded up - didn't put up much o' a fight. Weren't expectin' this kind of resistance."
"Excellent," said Robert. "And do we have confirmation about who runs their operation? Is it the person we suspected?"
Bill said nothing.
"Then let's find out, shall we?" Mary said. She pushed the barrel of her Peacekeeper into the face of the closest raider, tearing the goggles and breathing mask off. "Who do you work for? C'mon, talk."
The man shook his head. Mary smiled, then grabbed his privates with her free hand, squeezing. "Now, if I don't get a name, I'll just keep twisting until they come off. Understand?"
The raider nodded vigorously.
"So?"
"T-the Widow." the raider gasped. Mary let go and the man breathed a sigh of relief.
"I knew it," said Robert.
"Widow?" asked Mick.
"Someone we'd heard rumours about, but couldn't confirm the existence of until now," Robert said. "She's been gathering troops in Scotland, and by all accounts generally making a nuisance of herself with the local population. That tartan they're wearing must be her personal calling card."
"Seems like it's time the Rangers looked into this Widow character more closely." Mary said.
"Agreed, especially if we're to cultivate better links with the Scottish people, and recruit more local Rangers to help police those territories."
It was something they were already experimenting with in places like Wales, and even down South. Robert realised he was running the risk of being seen as just as much of a dictator as the men he'd fought against in the past, but that was so far from the truth it was funny. All he wanted was to extend the protection he was offering people in and around Nottingham outwards, across the land. He envisaged local Ranger stations being run by locals. It was the only way to stop people like this Widow from rising to power. And it was the only way to keep invading forces out. If they saw a more unified territory that could fight back, they'd definitely think twice before coming here.
It wasn't going to be easy, Robert understood that as well, but then it hadn't been easy getting the Rangers off the ground in the first place. Hadn't been easy rebuilding what they'd lost when the Tsar had almost brought them to their knees over a year ago. But then what worthwhile thing was ever easy?
Robert noticed Bill was frowning, rubbing his chin. "What is it?"
"Hmmm." He was looking at the jeep next to them, then at the bikes that had fallen by the wayside during the attack. Bill bent and picked up one of the raider's pistols.
"Bill?" prompted Robert.
"AGF Serval jeeps, Motorrad motorcycles, Heckler & Koch P8 handguns. And can I see a few MP7 rifles, tucked away in the jeep there?"
"So?" Robert was tempted to add how scary it was that Bill could recognise that kind of weaponry and equipment now; his interest in military aviation having extended further over the past couple of years.
" So ," said Bill, "they're all German issue, Rob. Don't that strike ye as a bit odd?"
Robert considered Bill's words for a moment. Was this kind of equipment freely available over here? He didn't have a clue. But yes, it did seem strange that it should all be German. He didn't know what that meant just yet, or what connection it had with the Widow's people, but he intended to find out.
And where to begin was with
"We needed you all to act as naturally as possible," Robert explained.
"Running scared, you mean?"
"To keep them lot on the back foot," Bill told him.
Before the discussion could go any further, Azhar joined them to report - or rather to whisper his report to Bill. The dark-skinned young man didn't say much, and when he did it wasn't to an audience. "Ta, lad."
Robert inclined his head, waiting for the information to be relayed.
"He says the raiders are rounded up - didn't put up much o' a fight. Weren't expectin' this kind of resistance."
"Excellent," said Robert. "And do we have confirmation about who runs their operation? Is it the person we suspected?"
Bill said nothing.
"Then let's find out, shall we?" Mary said. She pushed the barrel of her Peacekeeper into the face of the closest raider, tearing the goggles and breathing mask off. "Who do you work for? C'mon, talk."
The man shook his head. Mary smiled, then grabbed his privates with her free hand, squeezing. "Now, if I don't get a name, I'll just keep twisting until they come off. Understand?"
The raider nodded vigorously.
"So?"
"T-the Widow." the raider gasped. Mary let go and the man breathed a sigh of relief.
"I knew it," said Robert.
"Widow?" asked Mick.
"Someone we'd heard rumours about, but couldn't confirm the existence of until now," Robert said. "She's been gathering troops in Scotland, and by all accounts generally making a nuisance of herself with the local population. That tartan they're wearing must be her personal calling card."
"Seems like it's time the Rangers looked into this Widow character more closely." Mary said.
"Agreed, especially if we're to cultivate better links with the Scottish people, and recruit more local Rangers to help police those territories."
It was something they were already experimenting with in places like Wales, and even down South. Robert realised he was running the risk of being seen as just as much of a dictator as the men he'd fought against in the past, but that was so far from the truth it was funny. All he wanted was to extend the protection he was offering people in and around Nottingham outwards, across the land. He envisaged local Ranger stations being run by locals. It was the only way to stop people like this Widow from rising to power. And it was the only way to keep invading forces out. If they saw a more unified territory that could fight back, they'd definitely think twice before coming here.
It wasn't going to be easy, Robert understood that as well, but then it hadn't been easy getting the Rangers off the ground in the first place. Hadn't been easy rebuilding what they'd lost when the Tsar had almost brought them to their knees over a year ago. But then what worthwhile thing was ever easy?
Robert noticed Bill was frowning, rubbing his chin. "What is it?"
"Hmmm." He was looking at the jeep next to them, then at the bikes that had fallen by the wayside during the attack. Bill bent and picked up one of the raider's pistols.
"Bill?" prompted Robert.
"AGF Serval jeeps, Motorrad motorcycles, Heckler & Koch P8 handguns. And can I see a few MP7 rifles, tucked away in the jeep there?"
"So?" Robert was tempted to add how scary it was that Bill could recognise that kind of weaponry and equipment now; his interest in military aviation having extended further over the past couple of years.
" So ," said Bill, "they're all German issue, Rob. Don't that strike ye as a bit odd?"
Robert considered Bill's words for a moment. Was this kind of equipment freely available over here? He didn't have a clue. But yes, it did seem strange that it should all be German. He didn't know what that meant just yet, or what connection it had with the Widow's people, but he intended to find out.
And where to begin was with
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