Summer Lawns Ch. 15 - D-Day!

Sandra went deeper into the murky underworld of deceit, and past a message onto Mr Cheesman, letting him know, she was willing to give him the diamonds back. The reply soon came, and Cheesman was more than willing to discuss matters and asked for a meeting.

Charles found himself sitting in the Range Rover overlooking the river Welland as the early morning mists drifted across the valley. He had agreed to be part of the meeting but was beginning to regret the decision as the cold crept up his bones.

"Here they come." Sandra sat bolt upright in the seat, as the other car came into sight. It made its way through the trees, shrouded in mist and came to a halt.

Bob Tailor and Stan Wigmore were both there, and although Charles hated being in the same vehicle as them, he had to admit they added a sense of safety. They were both trigger happy men, who cared little for the prison sentences which would hang over their heads if this went wrong.

Sandra climbed out of the Range Rover and walked towards the other car. She showed no sense of fear and walked right up to them. Soon Mr Cheesman stepped from his car and they both faced each other. He too was accompanied by two brutish looking men, who seemed well aquatinted with danger and the prison system. One walked over to Sandra's car and held out his hand, to which Charles stepped out and handed over the case of diamonds.

On his return, the case was opened for Cheesman's inspection, to which he nodded agreeably.

"My dear Mrs Draper, what a wonderful pleasure." Cheesman beamed his usual welcoming smile, drawing victims into his confidence.

"It's no pleasure meeting you Cheesman; or should I say, Chesterton?" She looked closely at him, wondering why she had come so far and done so much, just to stand here and look at this man now.

"Oh, that's an old name. Like you, I changed my name to fit in with the modern world, and how wonderfully you have done too?" Cheesman looked around at his guards as if sharing the joke with them, but they stood stony-faced.

"You obviously did well after the war? What do you intend doing now? You realise I cannot let you continue destroying the world this way?"

"My dear Sandra, you have got it all wrong." Then Mr Cheesman did something very strange. He put his hand into his pocket, which prompted Tailor and Wigmore to reach for their guns, but Cheesman produced a ring.

Sandra put her hand out to calm their nerves as she saw what it was, and a massacre was averted. Then she looked at the ring.

"So that is my ring?"

"Yes, I never realised it could be traced through time, so as soon as my money went missing, I realised something was wrong. When I received your phone call, the penny finally dropped. I had been caught in a trap, fair and square. There is only one thing puzzling me Sandra, what do you want now?" Cheesman handed her the ring and acted as if he had not a care in the world. As if none of this bothered him.

"Back in 1745, I wanted revenge, pure and simple. But now, I'm not so sure. What I would like, is an explanation as to why you attacked the village?" Sandra replaced the ring upon her finger and looked at the man, as the mists rose off the river all around them.

"Simple, we were commanded to. Your people were far too powerful to stand in the way of Cromwell and Halifax. We could never run the country knowing you were there to oppose us. It was not my view, however, and I have been proved right and Cromwell wrong. He was a fool and clearly went mad towards the end. We realised we had to live in harmony if we wanted the country to become a place fit to live in."

"Why the massacre?" Sandra wanted to know, a little anger entering her voice now.

"We only killed those who opposed us. Anyone standing to one side was spared. Your parents died by their own hand, not mine or my commanding officer." Cheesman tried to press this point strongly.

"Whom might that be?" asked Sandra, already knowing the answer.

"Why you have met him, and even worked out a wonderful deal with the man. It is the man you now call Councillor Dual. He was never a very good officer, that was why he fled, once he had learnt the Magical skills." Cheesman paused to reflect on the wisdom of that decision.

"He learnt Magic? How?" Sandra found this difficult to believe.

"You Magical Order was very co-operative once we won the war. The Reverend Fanshaw knew there had been collaboration, that is why he raised that creature Gremalgin, to try and stop us. But remember we can travel back and forward through time, and for my part, I have no quarrel with your Order, at any time." Cheesman wondered if she believed him at this point.

"We shall see about that Mr Cheesman, for I intend to go back and ask them." Sandra began to walk back to the Range Rover, but he stopped her.

"Is that wise dear girl?" Cheesman came forward and held out a hand. "You might hear things which could distress you. I have travelled back many times and believe me, it sits uncomfortably on returning to this time."

"This time is riddled with filth and corruption, and the likes of you Sir, are solely responsible for it!" Sandra turned on him and spat the words.

"Now think about what you are saying, Sarah? I had no part in bringing this evil to the world. Truly there have been mistakes, but we can put the balance right. You understand the Tree of Life, so you must understand that balance and harmony are important parts of the cycle of life. Now show some wisdom and act accordingly."

"We shall see. I will visit the Reverent Fanshaw, and we will find the truth. If what you are saying proves to be actually true, then I agree we will find a balance." Sandra still walked to the car, happy with the way things were going.

"Then think on this Sarah? Ask yourself why London is so corrupt, and find out who is behind it? Remember Dual escaped because he was a bad officer. He learnt nothing from that time, and even less from this. The one thing we agreed with your Magical Order, was that corruption should be routed out. After all did we not get rid of Cromwell in the end?"

"He died anyway?" said Sandra.

"Yes but we restored the King. We agreed to add the balance, and life went on. Councillor Dual wants to upset that balance today." Cheesman knew he had caught her attention.

Sandra stopped and turned back towards him.

"What does he intend to do, to upset that balance so much? Tell me?"

"Your village of Ampstwell. He wants to build a motorway through it, a new link road for these highways, that scar the landscape. Half the money from these diamonds are his after all, and he needed that for financing the evil deal."

"If this is true, it is grave news indeed sir!" Sandra was overcome with hate at that moment.

"I agree, and I also oppose the building of such a road. So maybe together we could unite against a common enemy?" Cheesman smiled his sweetest smiled and edged forward.

"What's in it for you?"

"Councillor Dual has made my life very difficult. Look at the business with the protection money? It's no fun any more. So his removal would help us both."

"We shall see. I shall ask the Reverend Fanshaw and make my judgement upon his decision. I have opened a portal to the past in the Maze." She pointed to the Manor House beyond the trees. "I can go back, and find out."

No sooner had she said the words than a shot rang out.

The first of Cheesman's guards jumped in the air, the blood spurting from him in a tall arc. He had dropped the case of diamonds at his feet, as he lay wriggling in his last moments of life. Then everyone sprang into action. Tailor and Wigmore dropped behind the Range Rover and looked towards the trees.

"I can't see anyone!" Wigmore shouted, pointing his pistol to where he thought the shot came from.

"Just get down Sandra!" Charles rushed from the car and tried to grab her, but she was having none of it and just stood there, defiant.

"Find out who the hell that is!" She was either very brave or so full of rage she did not care but pointed to where she knew the shot came.

"He's dead!" cried the other guard as Cheesman stepped over him.

"Just get in the car and get us out of here," said Cheesman as another shot smashed a window in their car, the glass flying into the air.

"What about the diamonds?" asked the man, looking at the case lying at the feet of his dead accomplice.

"If you want to go out and get them, be my guest!" With that, Cheesman could see the man was overcome with greed and got behind the wheel of the car. The remaining guard was about to rush out and grab the case when a shot caught him in the arm, it's power flung him round to lay twisted on the ground.

"We'll meet again!" shouted Cheesman as he flung the car into reverse, and speed off through the trees.

"Help me!" cried the man lying in a pool of his own blood, as more shots cut through the air.

"We have to get him back," said Charles, as he finally managed to pull Sandra behind the Range Rover.

"Leave him!" replied Tailor. "They only want the stones. Let's follow Cheesman and run?"

"I want to know who is firing those shots." Sandra had remained calm throughout the fight and looked at the men, cowering down behind the metal shield.

"Lady you go and find out!" shouted Wigmore, as another shot hit the dying man and finished him off.

"Sandra we have been set up. All we can do now is retreat. You don't need the diamonds?" Charles tried to reason with her, but did not like the look in her eye, as she scanned the trees.

"Come on Charlie, we'll find out. You two, bury that man." With that, she was gone.

"You be a hero," said Wigmore looking at Charles beside him, as Sandra dashed into the bushes.

"Just get the bodies out of here."

Charles seriously doubted the wisdom of what he was doing now, as he ran after Sandra. He crashed into the bushes and made his way to where he thought the shots had come from. Neither he nor Sandra was armed, so what they were going to do on confronting the assassin, he had no idea.

Nor could he find Sandra, and he wondered if she had already been hit and was lying in the bushes somewhere. So he crawled on.

Just as he came out into a clearing, he heard a voice.

"So she sent you Charlie?"

There, standing in the clearing with a pistol in her hand, stood Gremalgin.

"You?" cried Charles. "But why?"

"Why not? She gets all the fun, and I get nothing. Hell, she has more money than she knows what to do with, why can't I have some? And don't tell me she would have given me my share because I know better. You, humans, are all alike." Gremalgin walked around the clearing looking through the mists.

"What the hell are you going to do now?" asked Charles, still lying on the ground.

"When she said she had opened a portal back to the past, I knew that was my cue to leave the stage. Don't try and stop me, Charlie, I wouldn't want to kill you."

Then Gremalgin disappeared through the bushes to get the diamonds. She walked to the bodies of the dead men and picked up the case. Just at that moment, Tailor poked his head above the bonnet of the car. They both looked at each other in the eye, but Gremalgin raised the pistol, whereas Tailor screamed.

One-shot rang out and sent the wing mirror flying into space. But as she pulled the trigger again, nothing happened, and the gun jammed. Useless, Gremalgin threw it away and ran off back to the Manor House.

Before her stood Sandra, poised to grab her, but Gremalgin quickly picked up a piece of wood and swung it in the air. Just as Sandra was about to grab her, Gremalgin brought it crashing down on Sandra's head. As she hit the ground Gremalgin stood over her with the piece of branch and looked at the girl. Charles rushed forth and bent to see if she was still alive.

"My bloody head!" groaned Sandra as Charles rolled her over.

"Think I'll take that." Gremalgin took hold of her hand and pulled the Cleopatra ring from it. "Very valuable where I'm going. See you, Charlie."

With that, she was gone.

"Get my ring back Charlie, she can do untold damage with that."

So Charles knew he had to follow and ran after her.

Dashing through the garden gate, they both made straight for the Maze. The morning sun was coming through the mist now, and Gremalgin halted at the entrance to turn around and smile at Charles.

"Be seeing you!" she laughed and ran in.

Now Charles had no idea what dangers lay inside that Maze, but he felt that letting her go was a defeat. Failure had haunted him all his life, and not facing danger would only go to mock him more. So he ran in after her.

At first, nothing happened, and the Maze was its usual self of twisting corridors of Yew hedging and short grass. Then Charles felt his head spinning and though he was going to faint.

When he had recovered he looked up. Surely nothing had happened? Things still looked the same and he felt the same. So what was wrong?

Charles soon found out what was wrong with this world as he stepped outside the Maze. The first thing which greeted him was the khaki drab uniform he now found himself wearing.

"What the hell's this?" Charles asked himself as he inspected the new clothes.

He could not understand why he was now wearing an army uniform, completely authentic, down to the identification papers in his pocket. In fact, it was this very same document he was holding when the military police walked up to him.

"Ok soldier where the hell are you supposed to be?" The man shouted in an American accent and grabbed the pieces of paper from his hand.

Charles just looked in wonder as the two men studied the papers.

"Right, No 2 convoy, and don't be late. This is the big one, and it ain't no picnic!"

Charles was pushed strongly across the lawn until he found himself amongst a group of men dressed in the same uniform.

"I just want to get off that beach and hit those krauts!" said one young man chewing gum.

"I just want to get off the god-damn landing craft. Hell, I get seasick on Coney Island!"

Charles wondered if this was all an elaborate game he was caught up in. Maybe a re-enactment society pretending to be in the war? But sadly as the day went by, he found it was no re-enactment, but the real thing and the terrible truth was beginning to dawn on him.

Sandra had promised that she would open a portal to the past, right enough, but Charles had expected it to be 1745, not 1944! This meant he was right in the middle of the D-Day landings. To add to his dilemma, Sandra had clearly provided a disguise to enable her to move about with freedom. Why it had worked on him, Charles had no idea, but it was very effective. They all thought he was a member of the Rangers special amphibious forces, and headed to the Normandy assembly points.

The truck rolled on with Charles and the other soldiers in the back. Heading further south to the ports, where a huge armada was being built up, ready for the sea-born invasion. In all this time, Charles could see no way out of the dilemma. If he stood up and told the truth, he would be put straight on a charge. After all, this was a top-secret project, and anyone breaking confidentiality would face either prison or a firing squad.

The disguise provided by Sandra was so good, no one questioned him. Whether this was the same disguise Sandra would have provided for herself, was quite another matter. But the magic was strong enough to help anyone who needed it. Sadly for Charles, it was working too well, and he looked with horror on the morning of their departure.

There before his eyes lay the invasion fleet. Hundreds of small landing craft were being loaded onto ships. Thousands of troops made their way along the quayside to await their orders of embarkation. Everything was carefully planned out and everyone had their place.

Charles and his unit were marched up to one huge ship, already groaning with men and equipment, as the loading got underway.

"The Germans must know we are coming by now? Just look at this! They must be able to see it from across the channel?" One of the young soldiers next to Charles was clearly frightened, not just by the coming conflict, but the spectacle of it all. For once onboard, as far as they could see, were grouped ships such as their own, all waiting to attack the French coast.

Charles knew he could say nothing. Who would believe him anyway? But he knew that the Germans were expecting an attack further up the coast and would suspect nothing of their build-up. He also wondered how he was going to get out of this. Would Sandra come and rescue him, and would she make it before the invasion?

None of these questions were being answered as the day drew on. Fleets of aircraft flew overhead, and even more armoured vehicles crowded the quayside. Several nations were joining in the build-up now, as French; Canadian, and a variety of British units all made their way to the edge of the sea.

They waited on the ship all day, then all night, as the weather took a turn for the worse and the tides would be against them. So the next day would be on the 6th of June.

All this time Charles had wondered how he would escape. Obviously, Sandra would realise something was wrong in her own time and conclude that he was trapped in the plan she had created. He hoped that Sandra would also realise that Charles had gone in after Gremalgin, and had pursued her in order to get the Cleopatra ring back. The demon could do untold damage with such a powerful weapon, and he for one, was not prepared to just stand there and let someone harm his home; friends and family. He was sure he had moved for the best, and although the scene was becoming more and more frightening, he would stick it out.

Just as Charles was drifting off in a dream, a Sergeant came and shook his shoulder.

"Hey! Someone on the quayside wants to talk to you. Seems urgent." The big man seemed not to care about the rude awakening. After all, they would face death in a few hours, why worry about a few hurt feelings? So Charles came with him, thinking that his cover had been blown, and wondering what was the worst thing that could happen to him. A firing squad?

It was to be no such thing, and the terrible truth came to him as Charles saw the face of the person waiting on the dockside.

Gremalgin smiled and began walking through the rows of trucks. So Charles ran after her until he grabbed her arm.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Charles had to whisper the words, in case the army of military police that surrounded the dockside overheard them, and they would have to undergo some difficulty explaining.

"Just staying alive Charlie."

"Why take the ring?"

"I had just as much right to this ring as she did. We owned it long before her family. Anyway, why the hell did you follow me? Look at the mess you are in!"

Tanks rolled by in the darkness, still loading up on the ships.

"I know what you are going to do with that ring. You will use it to harm the village of Ampstwell. To build those motorways across the land." Charles waited for the reply as a flight of aircraft droned overhead, on their way to drop paratroopers in Normandy.

"I can't answer for what will happen. All I know is that the Magical Order will send me back to the other side, and I want to stay in this world. I want to stay in your time and enjoy sex. Don't you?" Gremalgin looked so vulnerable and pathetic in the moonlight she was almost believable.

"I mean you no harm as long as you don't hurt us." Charles wondered if he was making a big mistake trusting this girl.

"Look let's make a deal. If we get to the other side of the channel, I'll give you the Cleopatra ring?"

"Just how the hell do you propose to stow away on a military landing craft?"

"How did I get the Sergeant to wake you off the ship? Magic Charlie! I have some power, but not as powerful as Sandra. I can hypnotise people to a certain degree, but I can't make it last. For that I need you. Sandra has worked such a good spell, that everyone believes you are an American Ranger. Just look around you. No one questions whether you should be here. So how about it?"