Copyright © 2011 preciious-diamondz
Chapter 8
Marian and Lucy were still sitting on the bed, looking at pictures Marian had.
“So that’s Lachlan?” asked Lucy, holding up a picture.
“Yup, I have pretty much a profile on every bad guy there is around here,” replied Marian.
“Hey, I think your phone is ringing,” said Lucy, nodding towards the vibrating phone on the bed.
“Oops, I must’ve forgotten to take it off silent,” said Marian, picking it up.
“Hello?” she said, answering it.
“Hey Marian it’s Archer. I have a favour to ask you if you have time.”
“What?” asked Marian, rolling her eyes.
“We kind of need a car to take the camping equipment to the edge of the forest. Since we can’t take the SUV out of the forest without going past our house – I was hoping you could drive down here and pick up the stuff,” said Archer.
Marian thought for a second. “Yeah, we’ll be down in a second. I’ll take Lucy’s car since she’s here at the moment. Where are we meeting you?”
“Flitchers Road, you won’t be able to miss a bunch of guys with a massive box.”
“Okay, we’ll be there soon,” said Marian, hanging up.
“We’re using my car for something?” asked Lucy.
“Uh yes, Archer and his friends need a ride to the edge of the forest.”
“Why?” asked Lucy.
“It’s a long story but after Lachlan’s men were after them, I told them it was best not to go back to the house. So the best they can do right now is camp in the forest that backs out onto my house.”
“Can’t they go tell the police?”
Marian sighed. “Lucy, you know what the police are like around these parts – they rarely do anything remotely heroic or brave. They’re too worried about their own skin to bother helping others in this town. And since Lachlan’s one of the worst criminal figures to run into, no one is willing to stand up to him.”
“Except you and Archer,” said Lucy.
“And Lucas,” mumbled Marian.
Lucy grabbed Marian by the shoulders and said, “Lucas died protecting you and your secret idenity. He did this so you could help more people. He chose to stand up to Lachlan. By helping people like Archer, as well as doing what you have always done – you are also making a stand against Lachlan. Don’t let Lucas’ efforts be in vain. Now let’s go help Archer.”
Marian nodded. Lucy was right. Lucas would want her to continue what she did – and she would. But for now she had to go help Archer.
Lucy and Marian raced each other down the stairs. “We’re going out for a drive, I’ll see you in an hour or so!” called Marian to her father.
“Okay, be safe,” he said from the study.
Marian slammed the front door shut behind her and ran after Lucy towards her car.
“There is no way I can fit six boys in here,” said Lucy, getting into the driver’s seat.
“Well we’ll just have to make them all fit,” laughed Marian.
“Where are we going?” asked Lucy, driving down the road.
“Flitchers Road,” replied Marian.
Lucy nodded, putting her foot on the gas a little more.
“You know, when Archer first came back – I think I was a little rude trying to push you two back together. I mean you were still shocked about him coming back after not hearing from him in so long. So I just wanted to say I’m really sorry for doing that to you. I was acting like a giddy school girl and it was out of character for me.”
Marian smiled. “It’s okay – you thought it would all go back to normal and he would make me happy again. Don’t worry, I wasn’t mad at you. I just thought you were a little bit crazy.”
“Just a tad,” agreed Lucy.
“Turn here,” said Marian, who was concentrating on the road more than Lucy.
“There they are!” said Lucy. “They look like a couple of dorks standing there with a massive cardboard box.”
“Mmmm, they do indeed.”
Lucy pulled up next to the boys and wound her window down. “Pop that thing in the back of the car and get in. It’ll be a tight fit but we should be right since it’s only a short journey by car.”
The boys went round the back of the car and lifted the box into the boot. They shut the door and made their way to both side doors.
“There are only three seats,” whined Tyler.
“Get over it,” said Seth, pushing him in.
“Okay, we can only fit four on the seat,” said Ryan, who was between Tyler and Dan.
Marian rolled her eyes. “You boys are gonna cause a scene if you don’t hurry up. Archer and Alex, just sit on the floor of the car and keep your heads down – we’ve got way too many in this car and the cops aren’t gonna be happy if they catch us.”
Archer and Alex somehow managed to fit in and shut the side doors.
“We all ready?” asked Lucy happily.
“Yes,” replied the boys in unison.
Lucy put her foot down and sped off down the street.
“Hey not so fast missy – it would be such a shame to get pulled over for speeding and then also get fined for having six boys in the back when we’re only meant to have three,” said Marian, checking the right side mirror for police cars.
“Whatever, it’s not like the mysterious hero has done anything worse than that,” laughed Archer.
“I’m sure he doesn’t,” replied Marian sarcastically.
“You mean she,” said Tyler, who was confused at what Marian had said.
“Nope, people believe I’m a guy under that disguise and I’d like it to stay that way.”
The car remained silent for the rest of the ride to the forest.
Lucy parked the car a outside of Marian’s house and turned to look at her best friend.
“How is this going to work?”
Marian thought for a second. “Okay, we’ll both go inside and make sure my father’s either in his office or asleep. If he is then you’ll go out and tell this lot to get the box out of the car and go up the side of the yard and into the forest.”
“Yeah, but what if he’s not?” asked Dan.
“Then we’ll have to distract him I guess,” said Marian shrugging.
Marian and Lucy got out of the car and walked up to the house.
“I hope he’s having a nap or something,” muttered Marian.
She took her key out and unlocked the door.
Marian walked in with Lucy following closely behind her.
“I can hear light snoring,” whispered Lucy.
“Me too. Looks like you can go tell the boys it’s safe; and tell them to be quick and quiet. I’ll stay here in case my father wakes up.”
Lucy nodded and walked back outside over to the car. The boys had already climbed out and were standing around the boot.
“I thought Marian said to wait for me to tell you it was okay,” said Lucy.
“We were hardly going to wait were we?” replied Dan sarcastically. “It was really cramped in the back.”
Lucy rolled her eyes. “Well whatever, just get that box out of my car and up the side of the house. Marian’s father is asleep so if you’re quiet you should be right to get it out the back.”
Seth opened the boot of the car and began to heave it out. “A little help would be wonderful,” groaned Seth, who was struggling with the weight of the box.
Archer and Alex immediately went to help with the lifting of the box, with Tyler shutting the rear door once it was out of the car.
“Okay, let’s get this thing safely out into the forest,” said Archer.
The boys moved as quickly as they could, stopping a few times for a quick break. Within a couple of minutes they were in Marian’s backyard, hauling the box over her little picket fence.
Just as they were disappearing into the forest, Marian came running out.
“Everything okay?” she asked Lucy.
“Yeah, it was funny watching them try and haul a massive box over the picket fence. Even funnier when they realised there was a latch to open the back gate.”
“What did you expect from a bunch of guys?” laughed Marian.
“Well for starters...” said Lucy, looking thoughtful.
“Marian!” called her father from inside the house.
“That’ll be him wanting to cook dinner. I’ll talk to you again soon,” said Marian, hugging her friend.
“Bye, have fun,” said Lucy, walking back to where her car was parked.
Marian watched as she left than ran back inside, ready to help her father with the dinner.
***
Archer and Tyler had gone ahead to see if their SUV was still in the forest, while Seth, Alex, Ryan and Dan slowly made their way in towards the middle of the forest. They picked the middle so they wouldn’t be bothered by others, but also not too far away from houses – especially Marian’s.
“This is a good clearing,” said Alex, letting go of his side of the box.
The boys put it down in the middle of the large clearing and looked around. The ground was flat – which would making camping a little more easier for everyone.
The boys heard the distant hum of a car engine and saw Archer and Tyler trying to weave their way through the trees. Tyler had a panicked look on his face – compliments of Archer’s driving.
In a few minutes they had the car parked to the side of the clearing. They both got out, with Tyler gripping the side of the car to stabilise himself. Archer walked over to the box and knelt down.
“Okay guys, we should probably set up the tents before it gets dark,” said Archer, taking out his Swiss Army Knife and dragging it across the top of the box.
He pulled the two flaps apart and opened up the box. The others quickly gathered around him and began to pull out different items. Seth grabbed the freezer and put it down near the car and went back for more.
Ryan and Dan were struggling trying to pull out the massive tent.
Seth sighed at their efforts.
“Here let me taking it,” he growled.
Both boys gratefully handed him the heavy tent bag and went to help bring out the lighter things.
Soon, the ground was littered with camping items.
“Wow, the sales guy really gave us everything we needed,” said Tyler happily.
“Well we were going to buy it straight away – and in cash,” commented Alex.
“Can we just get our camp set up, we’re loosing precious daylight,” whined Dan.
Archer nodded. Dan was right. The last thing they wanted to be doing is fumbling around in the dark trying to set up a big tent.
He took the instructions out of the box and walked to where the tent equipment lay.
***
“Thank you for the dinner Marian,” said her father, starting to walk up the stairs.
“Going to bed already?” asked Marian, who had just finished washing up.
“Yes, I’m feeling tired,” replied her father.
“Good night then,” smiled Marian.
“Good night.”
Marian waited until she heard his door shut. She wanted to go see how Archer and the tohers were going. It was almost completely dark now – plus they probably had nothing to eat. Marian opened the pantry and pulled out a box of cookies.
“This should do.”
She went up to her room and put the food in her back pack. She stopped for a moment and thought about what she should wear. She opted for her disguise – just in case there was trouble.
After a few minutes, Marian had her full disguise on and backpack in hand. She ran over to the window and climbed out.
***
“Finally!” exclaimed Tyler.
The boys had just finished setting up the tent and had begun to hang torches and lanterns from the trees that surrounded the clearing. She and Alex had put the other equipment inside the massive tent.
“Where’s the lighter Archer?” asked Tyler, who had made a place to start a fire.
“I have one,” said a figure, stepping out from behind a tree.