Reclaiming England. (Nano Novel 2016)

Chapter Seventeen: Infiltration

Morderd smirked slightly as he watched Arthur ride off. It was all too easy really. Arthur and those loyal to him had left Camelot for his taking.

He smiled, turning away from the walls. He had been working towards this for a very long time. Ever since he had been old enough to know who Arthur was – his father.

Arthur had nearly killed him when he was a child. Following Merlin's warnings, the young king had killed anyone born on May Day – May first, the day Morderd had been born. He was the only one of the shipload of young children who had survived.

He had been taken care of by a kind man who had raised him, but eventually his mother and aunt had found him again. Morgause – his mother – told him who his father was, and her sister – Morgan le Fay – taught him Arthur was to be hated.

So he had trained, and once he was old enough, became a knight of the Round Table. Bah! Foolish chivalry! He cared nothing for it. But if it brought him to his goal, it was a sacrifice he was willing to make.

And then he had found out about the affair between Guinevere and Lancelot! It was too perfect. He recruited Sir Agravain, a knight who eagerly helped him try to catch Lancelot and the queen in the act. Unfortunately, Lancelot had killed him, so Morderd was on his own.

But now, after a few well-placed words from Morderd, Arthur had left the country to chase after the traitor Lancelot! The kingdom was ripe for the picking.

Morderd allowed himself another smile as he moved inside. Give it a few weeks; he would forge a letting from France saying Arthur had been killed. Since he was next in line, he would become king.

He would take Guinevere as he wife, and he would rule England. Soon. Soon. He could wait a little longer.

Maria lost track of time under the sheets, passing in and out of sleep. She could feel the truck moving under her, Katrina and Lance breathing around her, the pressing of the rough sacks on top of her.

She could hear the murmur of the soldiers outside, the growling of the truck and the shifting of the men around her.

She could smell the petrol from the truck, the sweat from those around her, the sacks around her.

But she couldn't see anything.

Eventually the truck stoped. Maria was jerked awake by the lack of movement, and at once alert.

"Alright, everyone out, we fly out in an hour," Masters' voice filled the truck, and it shook as the men clambered out. They were left in silence.

After a long moment, Maria could feel Katrina moving beside her. Deiciding they had to move, she pushed the sacks off her, blinking in the sudden light.

"Ugh," Katrina said, straightening her hat. "Let's not do that again."

"Sounds good," Maria said, shaking Lance awake. He blinked and grinned up at Maria. She laid a finger on her lips and he nodded.

"Let's take a look around," Maria whispered.

She moved to the back of the truck, carefully prying the door open. There seemed to be no one around, so she jumped down, laying a hand on her gun as she did.

Katrina and Lance landed beside her, and they closed the truck again.

They were in a large airport – where, Maria had no idea. The truck were parked on one of the runways, and across the field was an aeroplane, people moving about it and shouting.

"We need to get over there," Maria said.

"How?" Lance asked.

"Yeah, there's a huge open space between here and there. We'll be seen," Katrina said. Maria frowned, trying to think of a plan.

She glanced to one side as a baggage carrier rolled past, the driver dressed in a bright reflector suit.

"I have an idea," she said. Darting forward, she grabbed onto the back of the carrier, and ducked among the baggage. Moving forward, she carefully stepped over the bags, making her way to the front. With a single move, she knocked the driver from her seat, and slipped into place, driving the car around the side of the truck.

She leapt off, grinning at Katrina, and rushed to the knocked out driver. Pulling her behind the truck, she pulled of the reflector suit, and handed it to Katrina.

"You're the best driver. Lance, you and I are hiding." Lance grinned, clamouring onto the back as Katrina slipped on the suit, grinning.

"How do we know they're on the plane?" Katrina asked.

"Worth looking, we can check the main building later," Maria said. "Now go, they might wonder where you are."

Katrina nodded, slipping into the driver's seat.

They were soon on their way, Maria and Lance again hidden under bags. Maria's heart was thumping as they drove along the airport. There were so many ways this plan could go wrong, and her mind decided to run through all of them.

Lance shifted beside her and she glanced over at him. He seemed calm, a small smile on his lips. He noticed her looking at him and grinned.

Don't worry, he mouth. Maria scowled, don't worry. Why shouldn't she worry? There were a lot of things to worry about.

"Hey there, you got the stuff?" a voice called, and Maria froze.

"Yeah, I got your bags," Katrina answered – in a voice deeper than her own. "Where you want 'em?"

"Round the other side," he said. "Hey... you look familiar, do I know you?"

"Where would you know me from?" Katrina asked.

"Dunno... I just feel like I've seen you. On TV or something." There was uncertainty in his voice.

"Well, I've never been on TV, so you can't have. Now, I'd best be delivering this stuff, someone over there?"

"I'll send Jeff to help you."

"Yah think that just coz I'm a girl I need help? Huh, men."

"Well... if you're sure you don't need help..."

"I don't now let me go to my job, and you go to yours."

The truck began moving again, and Maria let out a small breath.

Again they stopped, and Katrina removed one of the bags over Maria.

"Come on, they'll be round in a sec," she hissed. Maria nodded, standing on the back on the cart.

"You put the bags in," Maria said. "I'll see if they're in there."

She pulled herself into the aircraft, and stood among the bags. Moving through the mess, she began to explore, looking for any sign of her friends.

A sound caught her attention, and she spun, only to see Lance scrambling into the plane. He put a finger to his lips and ducked behind a bag, and Maria did the same.

"Yeah, just about finished," Katrina said from outside.

"Alright, close up," the man said.

"I said just about finished," Katrina said quickly. "I ain't finished yet."

"Allow me to help you." A bag came flying into the hold, nearly nailing Lance on the head.

"Thank you," Katrina said mockingly, and then the hold was plunged into darkness, the door closed with a slam.

Maria stood – as well as she could in the small confinements, and moved to join Lance. He grinned at her slightly, and bit his lip.

"Well, that didn't work well," Maria muttered. "We don't even know if they're here, and now we're stuck in the plane."

"We'll be okay," Lance said.

"I hope so," Maria answered.

It seemed like an age as they sat there, sitting in the semi-darkness. There was complete silence.

Eventually,Maria heard the sounds of the plane propellers, and she licked her lips. Theplane moved forward, building speed, until finally it left the ground and flewinto the air. They were on their way to America