Chapter 42

The car and the petrol situation were a bit less strict with Ryan signing his paperwork. Dan could make the journey to see Serena without coming up with an elaborate excuse. He would travel in the afternoon and then meet her when she finished work. They would not have a lot of time together before he had to return, but it was better than nothing.

Serena awaited his arrival with butterflies in her stomach. He got out of the car outside of the shop and before he could reach the door, she was through it and in front of him. They grinned at each other like teenagers before embracing for a long time. Townsfolk averted their eyes from what was, obviously, an intimate moment.

Dan took her to the local café and they ate cottage pie. It would have been awkward to take her to the more upmarket restaurant in the town where she worked. There was no rule about who was allowed to use it, but it would cause a stir. The shop assistants and other employees were supposed to return to the labour zone at the end of their shifts. Some day they would buck the trend, but not this time.

There were many times during every day that Dan thought about his other family and about the world he had left behind. This was not one of those times. Sitting and talking with Serena made him forget his troubles. She had been through so much yet she was still determined to help in the fight against inequality.

He had to make the journey back home, but the kiss they shared sustained him as he drove. The turbo on his car and the familiarity with the route made the trip quicker than he remembered. Dan could see himself visiting Serena many times in the future. It would be complicated, but he felt sure that they were the two people most able to overcome any difficulties.

Dan travelled to see Serena another four times over the next few weeks. It was a strangely, old fashioned, courtship with their dates consisting of sharing a meal and then holding hands across the table. They were becoming closer and the time was coming when they would need to consider what happened next.

Serena could get a lift to District 31 in an OWG lorry, her old mode of transport, to visit Dan at his home. She was going to stay there overnight and meet his children. She knew that Phyllis and Peter were Bertie's parents and they knew about her. Dan had explained that they wanted to meet her because she could tell them more about their sons last few years. Serena had agreed that she should gloss over some of his actions.

There was a spare bedroom where Serena would sleep. Dan had made sure that she knew that she had options. If she wanted to take things further, she could and if she wanted to wait, she could do that instead. He was obviously hoping for the former. Grace and Alex had been told that daddy's friend was visiting and they had been inquisitive, but not anxious in any way.

At one of their lunch meetings Dan had confided in Ryan about his meetings with Serena. The colonel had been pleased for him and had clapped him on the back when he learned that she was visiting for an overnight stay. Everyone at his home was quite calm about Serena's impending arrival except Dan.

Her journey had started at 5am and it was 10am by the time the lorry dropped her off near Dan's house. She was ushered into the large home by Phyllis who insisted on taking her coat and small overnight bag. Serena was not used to having someone wait on her and she found it rather uncomfortable.

Dan appeared and his children peeked shyly from behind his legs at the lady who was their father's friend. Grace was fascinated by Serena's glossy red hair and eventually she approached and was allowed to touch it. Alex had a new person to play with and he took full advantage of Serena until Dan dragged him away.

Lunch brought some calm and conversation and Serena and Phyllis cleared up afterwards. They took the opportunity to chat and Phyllis learned about Bertie's increasingly militant campaign. They were both aware that certain difficult subjects were skimmed over. Bertie's violence and his treatment of Serena towards the end were topics which were avoided.

The warm afternoon weather enabled them to go into the garden. Serena, Dan and Phyllis sat and watched Grace and Alex run around. Peter arrived home from his driving job and joined them. Alex was his usual boisterous self. Too boisterous for Grace who retreated to the patio with the adults. Alex made an attempt to kick a football, ran after it and then tripped smashing his head into a tree.

Everyone was on their feet within seconds and running towards the little boy. He had knocked himself out. Dan carried him inside and then made a phone call to Derek Frobisher. The genial doctor said that he would come around straight away and look at the boy. Eric walked into this pandemonium. He was passing and thought he would stop in to say hello.

Phyllis made tea and they waited for the doctor. Alex was awake and a bit groggy after ten minutes which was a good sign. There was a knock at the door and Peter said that he would go as everyone else was doing something. Dan and Eric were sat with Alex. Grace was on Serena's lap and Phyllis was dispensing beverages.

Peter returned not with the doctor, but with Ryan and Sebastien. They had been out in a car when it had started to make an alarming sound. Ryan knew that they were near to Dan's home so he had headed there hoping that he could assist. As they stood in the doorway of the lounge the doctor appeared behind them. They moved out of the way to let him through.

Everyone except Dan, Alex and the doctor went into the dining room whilst an examination was carried out. The torch was deployed to look in the boy's eyes and Derek asked him some questions. Alex had a limited vocabulary, but was able to indicate that his head hurt and that he felt a bit funny. He would have to go to bed and lie down. Alex was a bit reluctant to go because of all the people at the house, but the promise of ice cream later convinced him.

Dan and Derek went into the dining room after settling Alex and found the others sat around the table.

"It's like we are having our own cabinet meeting." Eric said.

His words were followed by a pause. Dan broke the silence with an observation.

"I don't think this group would do things the same way as the OWG."

"Good." Eric replied to everyone's surprise.

Hours passed as the disparate band exchanged their experiences and misgivings about life under the OWG. Eric was at the heart of the government and spoke about the tense meetings chaired and dominated by Nicholas Salter and his allies. There were those that wanted reform, but they had to be careful about revealing their thoughts. If a minister said the wrong thing it was likely that they would be removed from their post.

Ryan and Sebastien had both had bad experiences in the army. They had felt uncomfortable at what they had been asked to do in what was, optimistically, called a peacekeeping role. Their generals were dictated to by Slater and his posse and were oblivious to what was actually happening in the world.

Derek had seen the, two tier health care system first hand. New drugs and treatments for the leadership class and barely enough for those in the labour zone. He had many stories about the withdrawal of help from those that were considered to be of less value. He wanted to offer the same assistance to everyone whatever their circumstances.

Phyllis, Peter and Serena had all lived in the labour zone and been excluded from the luxuries which the leadership class took for granted. They had known people who had disappeared or had been the victims of travesties of justice. They had seen people of enterprise and imagination stuck in mundane jobs. They dreaded getting old in case they were sent to some dismal care home to await their demise.

Dan wondered what quirk of fate had brought them all to his home on the same day. It was providence and they had to take full advantage of the opportunity they had been given.

"This is a group of people who could do things. We have connections and some influence and we are smart. If anyone can overthrow Salter it's us." Dan watched his guests nodding in agreement and he smiled.

***************

Bertie hit the cold water and his breath was knocked out of him. The soldiers would be heading towards the water's edge and then the bullets would be flying. He had just seconds, to work out how to try to stay alive. If he swam away from the dock, he would be an easier target. He would turn back and try to get to a ship which was moored close by. He was so cold and the shooting had started. It was not far, but it seemed like a thousand miles. He sank beneath the water and wondered whether he would be able to make it back to the surface. He was cold and tired. He was struggling. He was so cold.