In the first taxi everyone was breathing deeply, otherwise silent. Exhausted, bruised, relieved, emotionally overloaded. As the adrenaline rush eased, Simon was first to speak, easing sideways to look back at the three in the rear.
Addressing them all, but looking directly at Alex he asked, "You guys ok?" Ryan and Ned continued gingerly rubbing various aches and lumps but responded quietly in the affirmative. Alex met Simon's gaze and nodded silently. They lapsed back into silence once more.
Two minutes further on the taxi took the sharp right hand bend that marked the end of the by-pass and the outskirts of Limassol. Seeing the by-pass slip away behind them Ryan shook his head and at last looked up, impossible to keep the silence any longer. As his face split into a wide grin, he slumped and breathed out loudly.
"Shiiiiit that was fuckin' crazy! What a mess. How on earth did we get out of that in one piece? Your bloody plan worked Si."
"Don't speak too soon Ry. The guys in the other taxi may not think so. It looked like Dan and maybe Rick and Nige took a beating". As he spoke Simon turned fully round in his seat in the front, looking at all three before adding with a grin, "But you're right it was mental. That wanker Nige though, what on earth was he up to? You're quiet Ned, I know you don't say much, but what do you reckon to that little rolling brawl?
Ned almost jerked up from his position looking out the window, seeming surprised anyone, let alone Simon, was addressing him directly or actually might want his opinion.
When he did reply, staying true to his own odd manner, it seemed he must have been giving the issue some serious thought, or perhaps he just wanted to impress Simon.
"What me, oh yeah, I'm fine. It was a precarious situation for a while. All that ridiculous running I mean. I couldn't have run any further along that bloody by-pass, I'd rather have just stopped and had one great big brawl. With their superior numbers they should have hammered us anyway, but once I clocked that huge guy they didn't seem so keen did they? Did you see that? I really did splatter him".
The other three looked at each other, open mouthed in amazement before Simon snorted out a strangled laugh. Ryan joined him and gave Ned a playful, though still slightly tentative nudge with his shoulder. It was the most they'd ever heard Ned say in one go, which caught them out for a couple of heartbeats.
Alex smiled and chipped in. "Ooooh 'precarious situation' and 'superior numbers' eh Ned, where did that shit come from - you swallow a dictionary or what? It was just plain daft if you ask me. You remember that long chase in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? Even as we jogged and ran along the by-pass I was thinking about that, looking back at that bloody 'posse' behind us. A bit different I know, none of them had a big white hat, but they just kept chasing us and kicking up all that dust along the way. Only we ran into a bloody steak restaurant to hide instead of jumping off a cliff! Anyway. Honestly, I was shit scared. And all I did was run for my life and make sure I stayed close to you guys. I'm sure glad you were with us Ned, even if you do talk gibberish when you eventually speak. I just hope Dan is ok".
The look on Ned's face had changed several times as Alex spoke, a short flash of anger being was quickly replaced by an oddly pleased smile, but he ended up just shrugging his shoulders and turned back to look out the window.
Ryan picked up on Alex's last thought. "Oh don't worry about Dan, he'll be fine. He was ugly enough before, what with that huge honker of his. A few lumps and bruises will do him good. Give him some character and a story to tell".
He turned serious for a moment and spoke quietly to Alex who was right next to him. "Don't worry Alex, you weren't the only one brickin' it back there", allowing a short silence before adding with a wink "I bet Rick nearly wet his pants....."
Simon looked up through the front window as the taxi came to a halt at the junction near the left turn past Kolossi Castle. The original castle had been built in the early 13th Century as a Crusader stronghold and been garrisoned both by and later the Knights Templar, prior to their disbandment in 1312. The present castle had been built in 1454 and the impressive square three storey keep loomed above them as the second taxi rolled to a halt close behind and Simon spoke up.
"Quick Alex, check the guys behind. Give them the thumbs up, see if they're ok."
Turning Alex did so and was relieved as Will, in the front seat, responded in the same manner, plus a rueful shake of the head and thin smile. Alex could see past Will to Dan. He was sat in the middle of the back seat and though he had a hanky held to his left eye and some blood on his shirt he was chatting and gesticulating animatedly to Rick and Nige.
So, everything seemed ok, but Simon still looked pensive.
The taxis moved off again leaving the castle behind on the right. A mile further on they passed a second turn off, also on the right towards RAF Episkopi. Had they taken that turn they would have headed past the village of Episkopi on the way to the RAF base, along the ironically named M1. The so named stretch of 'motorway' which, though admittedly straight, was only two or three miles in length and had but a single lane in each direction. Ignoring the turn off the two taxis raced along the straight tree-lined road leading through Phassouri Plantation, half way along its' length moving into the Western Sovereign Base Area.
The boys had walked this strangely eerie but peaceful two mile stretch through the plantation several times on their way to Akrotiri. Even on the hottest days of summer the rays from the sun could barely penetrate the canopy cast by the huge Cypress trees which lined the full length of the road, meaning the road surface was always cool. Leaving the long tree lined 'tunnel' behind the taxis followed the road as it skirted the western edge of the salt lake, home to a large native regiment of pink shaded greater flamingos. Tonight only their spooky outline was visible against the quickly deepening night sky.
Entering RAF Akrotiri they passed the Lightning and Whirlwind gate guardians. The two aircraft paid as much notice of the eight British lads in the taxis as did the small section of bored guards themselves. RAF Akrotiri itself was a large and self-sufficient base covering the full 47 square miles of the peninsular. It took another ten minutes before all eight climbed out of the taxis just a short walk from the Youth Club. In those ten minutes they had passed just a small proportion of the bases many barracks, married quarters, shops and shared facilities and were now only a few hundred yards from the edge of the functional centre of the base - the large airfield.
***
The banter started as soon as they came together again. Incredibly they quickly confirmed everyone was pretty much ok. Cuts compared, bruises blackening and lumps lamented they began an instant replay of events. Only thirty minutes had passed and already differing individual recollections and upbeat versions of what had occurred were apparent.
Alex looked sheepishly at Dan. "You alright mate? You took a bit of a kicking getting into the taxi didn't you? "
"I'm ok 'X', my shirt's messed up though. That arse Nige didn't help. He couldn't follow one simple instruction and jumped ahead of me into the taxi".
They walked up and over a steep grassy bank and down towards a short paved path leading to the youth club. The club was based in a large brick and concrete building set some way back from the main road, with a large external patio area to the rear. Several couples could be seen half concealed as they embraced in the bushes outside the club. Simon caught up with Alex and Dan. "Glad you're ok Dan, well done mate. It was pretty rough back there but you didn't let us down", breaking into a smile adding, "Not sure what you're going to tell your old man about that bloody shirt though" and clapped him on the shoulder.
Paying the ten mill entry fee, roughly equivalent to ten new pence, they entered the club. Immediately from the plain entrance hallway it was clear the place was already full and buzzing. Twenty to thirty boys and girls milled around the entrance. It was a simple square room, leading into a high ceilinged hall. Moving slightly down the short hall way they could hear Eric Clapton belting out Layla from the disco, located in a spacious and much darker room some 20 feet ahead. Groups of girls, some in floral patterned dresses and others in short skirts and tops, mingled with both girls and boys with wide flared trousers or corduroys. Shirts and blouses were equally brightly coloured, smart button downs alongside long pointed collars. In a separate knot across the dance floor were a smaller group of boys and girls wearing simple blue jeans and check shirts. Amongst them was a sprinkling of Fred Perry style polo shirts and some with hooped tank tops.
Before they reached the noisy dance floor, Simon stopped them and pulled them all to one side. The seven stood around him a loose circle as he started.
"Look guys, I was thinking on the way here. Let's try and stay quiet for the moment about what happened tonight eh. We don't know if that first lad or anyone else for that matter might have been hurt badly, even though we got away lightly. We all heard the police sirens arriving as we left. I doubt anyone recognised us, but you never know. We've only been here a couple of minutes yet I saw a couple of lads looking at our ripped jeans and bloodied shirts. And you Nige, you daft pillock, you need to zip it and keep your nose out of any more trouble tonight. We could just as easily have been in hospital or down the police station right now instead of being here. Either way it would have been down to you."
"Alright Simon I know. Will has been on my case all the way in the taxi, I get it", adding with a slight sneer. "I thought you lot were up for a rumble and I wanted to show you all what I could do."
"You what? Just cos' you had a tiny bleedin' part in West Side Story last year, doesn't mean we're the bloody Sharks, or the Jets or whoever. We love a good time and don't back off if we get into trouble, but clouting a young lad with a plastic bag full of beer cans. You think that impresses anyone? What on earth did you think was going to happen for Christs' sake? We'd all break out in spontaneous applause at your heroic act?"
Nige visibly bristled and Alex thought he was going to come back again, as Simon looked him straight in the eye. He ended up blinking a couple of times, appeared to think better of whatever it was that went through his head and as the others looked silently on, he turned and wandered sheepishly off.
Rick looked up, for a moment without a smile on his face. "I'm with you Si. I'm not sure what Nige was up to, but he stitched us up good and proper. Even right at the end he nearly got the crap beaten out of Dan", before breaking into a huge grin. "So, we're agreed then, he's a nutter who can't follow a simple plan and then gets all Officer Krupke on us".
As everyone shook their heads at Rick's pathetic little joke Will jumped in, "Ok whatever, we're all agreed on that, but back to the point. Let's try not to draw too much more attention to ourselves tonight eh....."
Dream on.
Alex looked silently round at Dan's bloodied shirt, Ryan's ripped jeans plus a variety of other cuts, bruises and grazes and shook his head slowly. The dimly lit disco hall would only hide so much.
***