Chapter 37

Ryan was sympathetic towards Serena, but he advised that she would have to be questioned as she had spent time, albeit against her will, with Bertie and his men. They would return to the unit's headquarters where she would be checked by a doctor. He promised that she could have a hot bath and a meal too.

The colonel had said nothing to Dan about Serena but he had noticed that they were close. Too close for people who had just met. There was a story there and he would have to talk to Dan to find out more. He did not want to make it a formal interrogation, he liked the inventive Daniel Ellis, but he needed to know the full details.

Once back at the base Dan made two phone calls. One to his home where he spoke to Phyllis confirming that he would be home in a few hours and one to Eric. He would wait until he was face to face with Phyllis before he broke the news about Bertie. He told Eric everything that had happened at the dockside.

He was eating in the mess with Ryan. They were discussing the operation and the chances of Bertie having survived his plunge into the ocean. The gunfire that had followed would surely have finished him off. They hoped that a body would be found putting an end to the speculation about the rebel leader.

The gas canisters had been recovered, which was a major part of the investigation. When Ryan went to report to the ministry, he would be able to confirm that a dangerous weapon had been neutralised. He would also say that, on the balance of possibilities. Bertie was dead. The rest of the men who had accompanied him to the dock had been killed and a woman who had been their prisoner had been rescued.

That took Ryan's thoughts back to Serena and he spoke to Dan about her.

"You knew her before today didn't you."

His new friend looked worried but answered yes.

"It's a long story. The short version is that she was at the farmhouse where I met Bertie."

Ryan suggested that they go to his office and Dan complied with little enthusiasm. He did not want to have this conversation.

Ryan was a colonel in the OWG's army. Dan was facing having to admit to an involvement with the rebels which was greater than he had previously stated. He knew Ryan in his old world and he had seen glimpses of the same character of his old friend in the new version. He would talk to him frankly and hope that it would not get him into trouble.

They were in Ryan's office sat either side of the large desk. The colonel's aide left the room shutting the door behind him and Ryan simply nodded in Dan's direction. It was time for an explanation.

"I take it you are aware of the report of how I got caught up with Bertie? Well, that was the abridged version. I actually met them a few more times than I actually said."

He had taken the plunge and now Dan opened up more.

"I was looking for Bertie because of Phyllis. I did get directed to the farmhouse for a meeting. The truth is I also had a certain amount of sympathy for their cause. We live in a society run by old men with old ideas and some modernisation is required. I wanted to learn what those in the labour zone thought about their lives.

I went to a couple more meetings and each time, I had taken the chance to talk to Serena. She was strong and dynamic. Not like the women I knew. Not like Sam. Females are so undervalued and could give so much more to society. I realised how radical Bertie was, and the danger I was putting my family and me in, and backed away from it all."

Serena had been appalled by Bertie's actions as well. She had tried to leave his group but he had stopped her and held her prisoner. She had managed, at great risk to herself, to get a warning to him that Bertie was out for revenge. His alarm system had worked but sadly his wife had been killed by Bertie during his attack.

Please don't arrest Serena or punish her. She may not agree with how the OWG run things but she also doesn't agree with taking violent action to make them change."

Dan had appealed to Ryan and now he waited to see exactly how much of a problem this confession would be.

Ryan was taking his time. He was thinking carefully about what he was going to say in response to Dan's words. Finally, he gave his verdict.

"I understand what you are saying. Many people, in all walks of life, including the military, know that there are sections of society who are unhappy with the OWG. It is my job to deal with those who would use violence to get what they want. Neither you, nor Serena fall into that category."

So far so good thought Dan as he waited to hear what else Ryan had to say. The colonel was struggling to find the right words but eventually he spoke again.

"I'm not going to repeat what we have talked about in this room. I will make sure that Serena is released after I have spoken to her. A time will come when changes will have to be made within the OWG and I think that people like you and I can help to push for that. Anything we do will have to be lawful and responsible."

Dan simply nodded and left the room after shaking Ryan's hand. They would talk again many times in the future, he was sure. Ryan was going to interview Serena, so he was going to wait for her release. What would happen after that he had no idea. It would not be appropriate to take her back to his home where his children and Bertie's mother awaited him.

Serena had been taken away from her home town by Bertie when he went on the run. This meant that she had not gone to her job in a shop for months and had not been able to inform them why she had been absent. She left her interview with Ryan clutching a letter that he had written, absolving her of any blame for not attending work. She hoped that she would be able to resume her role as a shop assistant.

This meant that she would be returning to Marlborough and Dan was a little disappointed. In reality they had only met a handful of times and, although they had made a connection, it was not feasible for her to move closer to him at this point. They promised to stay in contact and he was hopeful that their bond would draw them back together once the dust had settled on this terrible adventure they had shared.

He was going home to his family and had the dreadful job of telling Bertie's parents about the battle on the docks. Dan would see his children and would then settle into a routine of working for Ryan's unit. He hoped that he would also be devising ways to lobby the OWG and push for the changes which were so desperately needed.

The inner workings of the government were a bit of a mystery to Dan and he would be asking Ryan and his father-in-law about it. He wanted to know who the men involved were and who were the most powerful. He wanted to know whether there were potential reformers within the cabinet or whether they were deliberately excluded.

He arrived at his home and embraced his anxious children. They had lost their mother and they were obviously concerned that Dan might have gone too. His return had made them feel better, but they were still very clingy. He sat at the dining room table with Phyllis and her husband Peter after the kids were in bed. He told them about the hunt for Bertie and what they thought had happened to him.

Phyllis was understandably upset at the news of her son's death. Peter exhibited the stiff upper lip which was expected of men in this world. He looked a little older and a little smaller after the news though. They were going to stay overnight and then return to their own home in the labour zone the next day.

In the kitchen, Dan put the kettle on whilst Phyllis stood and watched. Still in shock from the news, she had shut down.

"I'm so sorry Phyllis. Bertie chose a life that was full of risk and it caught up with him in the end."

"Somehow, I always thought it would end this way."

They embraced and Dan was glad that he could offer some comfort to this poor woman. He could make the tea, as well.