CHAPTER 34 (PART - B) end of chapter 34


Benton followed Eric who was bolting for his truck and saying a few words under his breath.
“Something about those blokes don’t sit right with me…” Eric mumbled.
“I don’t like this Eric, you’re scaring me” Benton said with panic in his voice.
“Just don’t turn around, look forward” Eric said as they got in his truck starting it up.
Shortly after they got out of the truck the officers came outside getting into a beat up looking car. Benton could see in the side mirror two other men got in the back.
“Hold on tight!” Eric said throwing the truck in reverse fast enough that they spun out speeding off back through town. Other drivers were beeping their horns shaking their fist at Benton and Eric.

“Watch where you’re going you buggers!” one man shouted from his car.
The town farmers’ market luckily was the opposite way they were going but many people coming to town to stroll or shop was impeding their movement.
“Oi! Move it will ya?” Eric shouted beeping his horn.
Benton could see the beat up looking car coming up behind but luckily they were able to continue on.
“Maybe they won’t continue to follow us?” Benton hoped.
“I don’t know, I don’t want to give them the chance to find out” Eric had serious doubts as he could see they were clearly trying to follow them in a non police vehicle which made further made him more suspicious.
“I know this area really well. We’re taking the back roads to your house!” Eric said as they quickly left town going down the old country roads.

As soon as they got out of Ipswich they were taking every dirt road they could think of. Eric suddenly got another idea.
“What are you doing?!” Benton looked a bit surprised as he began driving through someone’s field.
“Making sure they don’t find us” Eric laughed.
“Fair enough ha!” Benton cheered as the ride suddenly became bumpy.

The bumpy field made them move a bit slower otherwise Eric’s truck would be damaged. After fifteen minutes of taking back roads they returned to the main road thinking they were home free. They were five minutes away from Benton’s house when a dark robed man was standing in the middle of the road.
“What is this bloke playing at?! Crazy or something?!” Benton shouted.
“Hold on!” Eric yelled as they swerved to the side to avoid him.
“Did you see that!?” Benton asked noticing a bird mask on his face.
“No, I was trying to avoid that darkly clothed man” Eric said looking up seeing two dogs ahead.
“What’s this!?” Eric shouted.
“Watch out!” Benton yelled as they tried to swerve but cut the turn too quickly causing the truck to turn over on its side.
Benton and Eric luckily only received some minor bruising.
“Are you alright?” Eric asked.
“Yes, I think I can still walk, but your truck!” Benton gasped.
“Let’s get out, I have a bad feeling about this” Eric advised. Slowly they crawled out of Eric’s truck.

“Now if we could just get the truck right side up” Benton lamented. “Can you run?” Benton suddenly asked looking a bit terrified.
“I think so” Eric nodded.
“Good because we need to run now!” Benton turned and started running. Eric did likewise taking a glance behind him and could see two big dogs coming several yards behind them.
“Come on, my house isn’t too much further we can get inside and should be safe there” Benton wheezed as they ran.
“Who is after you anyways? Have you been gambling on darts again?” Eric gasped knowing about Benton’s way of cleaning drunks out of their money.
“Not these blokes…” Benton continued running. Eric glanced back behind them and the dogs were no longer in pursuit.
“Where did they go?” Eric slowed down. Benton slowed down and looked back and there was simply no trace of them.
“This is really strange… hurry let’s go to Lucille’s parents house” Benton motioned.
They continued to jog but when they arrived back at Benton’s house the beat car pulled in behind them.
“Impossible! We lost them!?” Eric said in disbelief.

Suddenly the car doors flew open, “Halt Tintin! If you take another step, we’ll shoot!” someone’s voice projected across the front of his house. Benton and Eric were a few meters from the fields.
“Eric, make a run for it through the fields… I’ll dash the opposite way. Get to Lucille and tell her to contact my brother” Benton whispered.
“What about you?!” Eric asked with concern.
“Don’t worry about me, you can worry about getting to Lucille alive! Now go!” he prompted running for the field. Since Eric was closer he made a dash for it as well.
“Kill the other one… but don’t let Tintin escape…we need him alive!” Allan instructed.
“Got it boss!” Tom said joining Allan who was also dressed as a police officer.
Mikhail and Ivan ran after Eric taking shots at him. The field grass and weeds were high making it extremely difficult to see him. The high field weeds were almost five feet tall, but would they be sufficient enough to keep him hidden?

“The boss said we could kill this one” Mikhail smiled evilly.
“Well don’t tell me do it!” Ivan said as they continued to shoot.

Eric ran with every fiber in his body, but a stray bullet grazed his shoulder, and another his leg. The searing pain was horrible, but he knew if he stopped he would be a dead man. He continued to run while more shots were fired in his direction. Eric knew that the fields stretched a long way and that his best bet was to get far enough and find an area and hide, but would he be able to pull it off successfully?

Benton ran in another direction opposite of Eric in hopes that one of them would escape. Benton noticed the car was gone, had Lucille come to the house and left looking for him? Benton only hoped she didn’t come back with the kids until he could figure out what to do about this newest problem.

Benton could hear shots being taken at him but none seemed to hit him luckily or were they purposely trying to miss him. He had no idea, but all he knew is that he didn’t want to die here, not before getting to tell Lucille he was sorry and to see his kids one last time. A sudden surge of adrenaline hit him and he was able to run a bit faster through the fields. He only hoped that if he didn’t make it that Eric would, he heard the shots and hoped they were all misses. Eric’s screams broke Benton out of his thoughts.

“Eric! Noooo!” You bastards!” Benton screamed making it easier for Allan and Tom to find him.
“Put your hands up Tintin! End of the line!” Allan said looking dead at Benton as he finally caught up with him.
“I’m not Tintin you idiot!” Benton spat.
“Oh yea? Funny because you kind of look like ‘em” Tom pointed his gun.
“What did you do to my friend!?” Benton demanded.
“Don’t worry, that’s not what we’re going to do to you. Fortunately for you we need you alive” Allan said keeping his gun trained on him.
“I may not be Tintin, but I don’t like you buggers either!” Benton said getting louder with rage.
Benton finally realized what was going on and decided to take advantage of the fact they needed him alive. He quickly rushed at Tom punching him in the face surprising him.
“You little…” Tom said getting knocked back by Benton’s punch.
Allan quickly tried to grab Benton in a half nelson move but Benton proved to be quicker elbowing him in the chest knocking Allan back, but Tom recovered quicker than Benton anticipated. Tom took his officers baton and whacked Benton over the head knocking him cold as he fell to the ground.

“Good job Tom, now let’s get him and get to Glasgow before the real officers come. Tom picked the unconscious Benton up slinging him over his shoulder.
“Boss, are you sure we got the right bloke? I mean Tintin never sounded like this one” Tom asked as they rushed back to the car.
“We don’t have time to figure that out right now Tom, we’ve got to move quickly!” Allan said urgently.
When they arrived at the car Mikhail and Ivan were waiting by the car with smirks.
“Did you get the other one?” Allan demanded to know.
“Yes” Mikhail smiled.
“Get in and tie his wrists and ankles!” Allan ordered and they sped off down the road.
“How did you know where they were going boss?” Tom asked curiously.
“Let’s just say a little bird told me hehehehe!” Allan laughed as Mikhail and Ivan began laughing finding humor in his comment.

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