Islands of Hope

Chapter 47

"This is amazing," Eric said through a full mouth. His sharp knife cutting through the thick chunk of meat.

"So, let's talk more about these aircraft," Du Puteron interjected.

"Are you just feeding me to make me talk?"

"Yes."

"At least you're honest."

"The good news for you though, is that when we get the information we need, you can go free. You can even join us here if you are willing to work, you don't even have to get involved with the rebellion."

"I'm not sure I can really trust you."

"Well, it's us or Princips, and I know who I would trust."

"You make a good point."

"So, shall we get back to the planes? We have been told about fast enemy ships, so anything that will help our fighters would be most gratefully received."

"Before I answer, what about my friends...erm...colleagues?"

"I think a few days in the cell will cool them out. They have been fed and watered. After a brief resistance, you know the stuff, spitting water in faces, throwing trays off food across the cell, they have now decided to eat and keep silent. Deep down they know I will not harm them, so they will just have to put up with it."

"So they're getting this food too?"

"Oh, no no. Only the best for my informants, the riff raff can have sausages or something."

"What's riff raff?"

"That doesn't matter, now back to the planes."

"I don't really know much about the planes, it's not my area."

With no food in front of him, Du Puteron could place both elbows on the table, something his mother had often told him off for. He leaned forward and, breathing out deeply, said, "I am starting to get a little annoyed. You know I am a good man, I know I am a good man, but good men can do silly things when they get angry. You see, these fast fighter planes are causing us some problems, and I would rather we did not lose many of the wonderful men and women who fight for the freedom of this world. Do you want the world to be free?"

Fork midway between plate and mouth, Eric froze. "Yes," he managed, before adding, "sir." Many people said 'sir' because the situation demanded it, maybe they were at school or talking to a boss. Du Puteron was a gentle old soul, but his demeanour demanded respect. He was, for all intents and purpose, the sort of person the word sir was created for.

"So then, what do you know about the planes?"

"Very little really, it's not my area. But I do know something interesting about the guns we use."

"OK then, tell me that."

"Because of the different types of bullets used, the barrel rotates."

"I know that," Du Puteron said, as if this was common knowledge.

"Yes, but they move when you're shooting. After a few rounds they click out of position, you then have to push them back in. It gives whoever you are shooting at a few seconds of respite to stage a counter attack."

"Well, that's better than no news. Still would have preferred some intel on the planes."

Eric shrugged, he thought he was being helpful, almost as if he was one of the rebels now.

"And you're sure you don't know anything else about Ukrit's death?" Du Puteron asked, more out of desperation than hope.

"Sorry, again I didn't have clearance for that type of information. You need a manager, I'm just a lackey really."

"Sometimes it's the man on the ground floor that knows the most, the one who keeps his eyes open and sees all the little things going on." Du Puteron did not really believe that, but he had to say something to make Eric feel like he was doing the right thing, even though doing the right thing was yielding very little results.

"I just take it day by day really, just do what I'm told and try to keep out of trouble. Well, trouble I am not supposed to be involved in." Eric gave a brief laugh, Du Puteron gave nothing.

"What about this spy in our ranks, what can you tell us about her?"

"Again, I don't know much. She's a young girl, I know her arrest was staged, that she had only committed a minor crime but was harshly punished. They had a few candidates, I think. When I was on security detail, I saw a few young girls come and go. One of those might be the spy, they might have been there for other reasons."

"What did they look like?"

"I don't know."

"Come on, you see pretty young girls walking in, surely you take a look."

"Pretty!" Eric looked offended, "some of them were like fourteen."

"Well yeah, but not all of them."

"Well, no. There was a really good-looking one with dark hair, I remember a ginger one too and one with really dark skin. She was one of the youngest, didn't look like she would be cut out for spying."

"Why do you say that?"

"Don't know, she was your stroppy teenager type. Think she would talk too much." Eric laughed once more, this time Du Puteron joined in, to ease the tension if nothing else.

"Well," Du Puteron was getting bored with this, and the frustrating lack of information meant he was getting annoyed. Annoyance led to anger, which meant saying something he would regret later. He also knew he needed to contact his team, the battle had been going for an hour or so now and he had only managed to get titbits of information. He was more concerned about not being able to talk to Luka. His first port of call after this meeting would be to contact his second in command. "It has been enlightening, but I must go talk to my acquaintances. Nigel will escort you back to your room, hopefully you will remember more important details before our next meeting."