GUIDESTAR

Chapter 2 'The Core'

"I thought you said you couldn't afford to get it fixed." Carrick let out a deep sigh and reluctantly confessed.

"Well, I managed to wangle some expenses from the BBC, didn't I?" He knew damned well that wouldn't be the last of it and he even counted to himself in his head, timing the response, one, two...

"You got money for that poxy radio interview? You capitalist pig! You shit bag, Carrick, you bloody hypocrite!" Paige stormed off across the large quadrangle into the darkness. Carrick took a deep breath and sighed before trekking off after her.

"Paige, do you want a lift or not?"

She stopped but deliberately didn't turn around to face him as she spoke.

"How much of your little secret stash have you got left then?" Carrick paused, desperately trying to think of the best way to appease his furious friend. He foolishly tried gentle persuasion.

"I've got enough to buy us both a drink and a pizza in the Mandela bar..."

A sharp reply ensued.

"Don't talk shite Carrick, how much have you got left?" Carrick sighed once more,

"A couple of hundred, maybe a bit more, not much anyway, why?" Paige left a long, punishing silence and let Carrick squirm before she spoke again.

"Right, well you can spend some of it on more paint for the anti-GM crop banners, you owe me two good long ropes and a windlass which you left jammed in the fence at Faslane if you remember. And you can bloody well spend the rest of it on a decent new coat for Hannah." Carrick's gestures suggested mild protest but he didn't speak.

"And don't even think about whinging Carrick, if you'd been looking after her properly those bastards wouldn't have ripped her coat to shreds in the first place." Paige finished her noble speech with arms triumphantly folded knowing full well Carrick had absolutely no room to manoeuvre.

"OK, ok whatever you say. Now are you coming back with me on the bike or not, because if you're not, you're going to miss the meeting and I really could do with you being there." Carrick waited patiently for a reply.

"So you'll get Hannah a new coat then?" Paige always did drive a hard bargain.

"Yes you can have the bloody money, get what you want with it." Paige began to smile again before she twisted the knife.

"Come on then, hand it over," said Paige holding out her hand victoriously.

"Since when have you been treasurer?" Carrick immediately saw his mistake in her eyes and retreated.

"OK, OK, I'm sorry, here take it..."

             As the beautiful old chrome and bright red BSA motorcycle thundered to a majestic halt outside Carrick's large, if somewhat tired campervan, Paige jumped off the back of the bike and pulled off her helmet.

"Whoo hoo that was good!" said Paige bouncing around like a half-crazed cartoon tigger, her long colourful hair becoming little more than a frenzied cloud-like aura around her.

"So, you're happy with how I spent some of my evil capitalist gain then are you?" said Carrick trying to tease his pretty friend.

"Might be, a bit, it depends." Carrick was drawn in hook line and sinker as usual.

"Depends on what, you fruitcake?"

"On whether you take me to Brighton on it on Sunday!"

Carrick tried gently to win back some lost ground,