THE LAND FARMERS AND THE SAILOR BOYS
Back at the Cottage
By the time Jamie and the Buzzard Patrol had returned from their expedition, Long Tom, Vic and Zac had already arrived at the Cottage ready for a council of war. Long Tom was the Scouts’ field general. He was over 180 cm tall by the time he was thirteen, now that he was fifteen, he was even taller, about 195 cm, and had developed in proportion. He was an historical re-enactor who, as a Celtic warrior, was used to “fighting” bare-chested and painted with mock woad. He was heavily muscled and well defined. This “battle” experience made him a good tactician in the wide games and skilled in the sheer casual treachery practiced between the Scouts and the Sailor Boys.
George was missing on family business.
Taking no more time than necessary for a shower and a change of clothes, Jamie joined his companions and tucked into the food that had been prepared for him. Long Tom had already been briefed about the situation concerning Little Steve, Scott and the Twins but the news that Jamie imparted was a complete surprise. He wanted to offer himself in exchange for Scott and, more especially, for Little Steve.
After Jamie had convinced the others that he was not in serious need of medical assistance, the boys discussed plans for making sure that the Twins were safely delivered to the Sailor Boys as early as possible on Monday morning. Tom summed up the position clearly, reasoned against silly suggestions like a full-frontal assault (hopelessly outnumbered and the Buzzards, besides being too young, had no parental permission to stay) and outlined his suggestions as to what should be done. Everyone agreed and Long Tom said that he would fill Little Steve and Scott in on the details in the morning.
Once they had rehearsed all the arrangements once more, Vic made a phone call to Sam, who answered his phone with the usual casual insults.
“OK, never mind the abuse, Stickboy, just shut-up and listen. Jamie wants to parley. He’s got an offer to make. We’re on our way over.”
Sam reminded him that there was no way Jamie, or any of the rest of the Scouts except himself, was setting foot on their property except as a prisoner. Jamie agreed. He’d already changed into his jammers before dressing to avoid the previous embarrassment of bring tied up in his underwear. Vic went and changed into his long, button-fronted boxers because he knew that he wouldn’t be allowed onto the Sea Scouts’ premises without stripping down.
The Sacrifice
Zac packed plenty of rope and tape, just in case the Sea Scouts demanded its use, for securing Jamie at the other end of the journey. Vic grabbed Scott’s discarded clothing, Zac grabbed Little Steve’s and the four boys set off for the Log Cabin. The journey wasn’t as quick as Zac would have liked; Jamie had just returned from an overnight exped., Long Tom had spent two days fighting alongside his Celtic warriors and Vic was simply smaller than the others. Zac was getting quite frustrated about the lack of progress by the time they got to the gate to the Log cabin. They took a few moments to compose themselves just out of sight of the Cabin, geed one another up and swapped high and low fives before presenting themselves at the gate.
Jamie started stripping off and Vic got on his phone, (not that the Sailor Boys didn’t know that they had already arrived) and Sam came to the door.
“OK, Jamie, you want to parley, you know what you need to do first, come half way when you’re ready. Just your wrists bound will do. Only you come onto the site; the others stay there.” He noticed that, in addition to his brother and Jamie, Long Tom and Zac were also present.
Jamie insisted that Zac do the job properly so that the Sailor Boys would see that he was sincere. He was only glad that they hadn’t insisted that he should be blindfolded or that he had a rope bound tightly round his biceps as happened on his previous visit. By the time Zac had finished tying Jamie’s wrists in a cross behind him, he was in a pretty inescapable tie without any extras being applied. In any case, there’d be no point in escaping and leaving his men in captivity.
“I’m ready, permission to come on board?”
“Come on, half way. That’ll do. Now turn round so that I can see your wrists. Good enough, now face me and kneel down.”
Jamie knew that he had to get it right if he was even to get a hearing, let alone achieve his required objective. He knelt, crossed his ankles and sat on his heels.
“Before you start. You three, keep your hands where we can see them. On the fence.” The Scouts did so. It had dawned on the Sea Scouts that George wasn’t in sight, a matter of some suspicion, but a good guard was being kept on the hostages and a sweep of the area around the Cabin failed to find him so the older boys joined Sam and the novices joined Action Man and Alex in guarding the hostages. The Sea Scouts seriously suspected a rescue attempt, which I suppose it was really.
“OK, Jamie, what do you want to say?”
Jamie explained that he was offering himself as a hostage in place of the two volunteers. He would surrender himself completely to be kept however they wanted until the Scouts could deliver the Twins tomorrow morning.
Sam offered to swap Scott for Jamie but, if only one hostage was on offer, Jamie wanted Steve to be released. Not being stupid, Sam knew that Scott wouldn’t care about remaining in captivity so he didn’t consider that a very good deal.
“Either you can have Scott and we keep Little Steve and you or it’s two for two. Final offer.”
“That’s not fair. I intended to surrender myself but none of these guys did.”
“OK, Farmer Boy, see you tomorrow morning with the Twins! Oh, and Vic, don’t forget your little Speedos for the change over.” said Sam, making to turn away.
“No, take me as well and release both our men.” offered Vic in an uncharacteristic moment of altruism.
“If we’d wanted you as a hostage, I could have taken you at any time from home.” explained Sam, “Tell you what, we’ll take Jamie and Long Tom. Without them, the rest of you are less likely to betray us during the exchange.”
“I can’t ask Tom to do that.” said Jamie starting to stand up to go.
“Wait, I surrender; give me a minute.” called Tom, and Jamie knelt down again. Tom took a couple of minutes to remind Vic and Zac about tomorrow’s routine and to take a precautionary piss.
“Time’s up, Tom, get ’em off.” Long Tom stripped down to his white briefs. Let’s face it: he hadn’t dressed for staying. He still had the remains of the “woad” patterns on his torso and arms where he had not had time to get properly clean following Vic’s earlier call to arms. Unlike Jamie, who already had quite a tan, the dark-haired Long Tom was still quite pale-skinned with quite a touch of redness. It seems that Celtic warriors didn’t use strong enough sun block!
“Make sure you tie this one up tightly. A pressed man night not be quite so dedicated to the cause.” called Sam. “Wrists, arms and eyes; then Vic can lead him in. Don’t forget, bro’, you need to get ‘em off as well. You know that, as long as you do, you get safe conduct.”
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you, you skinny streak of bat’s piss?” Vic called to his brother as he started to strip down to his boxers. Sam just grinned and nodded. He had time!
Zac tied Tom’s wrists as he had Jamie’s and then wrapped four rounds of gaffer tape tightly around his body and arms, just below his pecs. He knew that, if he showed any mercy to his mate, the Sailor Boys would just refuse the exchange.
“Sorry, Tom, I’ve got to do it.”
“I know, let’s get it over with, deal with the blindfold.” and Tom closed his eyes while Zac pushed a short piece of gaffer tape into the contours of his eyes.
“Do it properly, he could soon fidget that little bit of tape off. Wrap him up thoroughly.”
“Sorry, Mate, I did try.”
“It’s OK.” and Zac wrapped about four layers of tape round Tom’s head leaving no chink for light to penetrate.
Vic started the next round of negotiations, “OK you’ve got Jamie now bring Scott out here.”
Sam thought that was reasonable and asked Acton Man and Alex to bring him round to the front. Alex unlocked the chain attaching the two hostages together from around Scott’s neck and padlocked it to the iron eye so that Little Steve was still unable to move very far away from the concrete block. Leaving the novices to guard Steve and to look out for any possible double-cross, Action Man and Alex dragged Scott round to the front of the Log Cabin and laid him about a metre in front of Jamie.
Scott looked up and grinned, “Hi!”
“You OK, Man?”
“Yes, just a bit bored today. But it’s not been too bad.”
(Mark was thinking that it was just like old times. How many years ago now? He knew that it would not have been appropriate for him to join in, but he was glad to see the old traditions and rivalries still being kept up by the younger ones. He just kept a low profile and remained in the Log Cabin happily re-living old memories.)
“Right, there’s Scott. Now bring Long Tom here.”
Vic, by now in just his underpants, asked Tom, “Ready, Mate?” and Tom nodded. Vic took him by the arm through the gate and up the path next to where Jamie was kneeling. The two boys ended up kneeling side by side with their arms touching. Tom was surprised not to have his ankles bound but, reading between the lines, reckoned that, in that case, Jamie and he would not be left as they were for long.
Now that both the Scouts had been delivered, Vic demanded to see Little Steve. “OK, back off.” demanded Sam. “Either leave the premises or kneel down with your ankles crossed and your hands on your head.” Vic chose to leave rather than to adopt the surrender position.
Alex and Action Man returned with Steve and laid him next to Scott.
“Oh, thank fuck for that.” said a relieved Steve. He wasn’t normally prone to strong language but he thought that he’d already done his bit for the Troop and really relished the idea of release. But he already knew that nothing would stop him becoming involved again.
“OK, Guys, won’t be long.” assured Jamie.
“Don’t worry, we’ll come and get you tomorrow. With the Twins!” assured Scott.
“OK, Vic, come and get them. Just you. Not Zac.”
Vic came back through the gate and Action Man approached him with a padlock key and a few other items. There was a wordless exchange between the two boys as they both came level with the prisoners. Vic unlocked the padlock holding the bag round Steve’s neck and handed him his swimming shorts. Steve wriggled into them before emerging from the yellow sack and stretching his muscles prior to slipping his feet into his walking shoes and tying the laces out of the way.
Scott, as usual, had a more direct way with things: once the chain had been unthreaded, he climbed out of the sack before replacing his garish square leg briefs and carried his boots. Both former hostages went to the gate with Vic where Zac handed over their clothes. After a short break for Steve and Scott to dress and a remarkable variety of shouted imprecations to different members of the Sea Scouts, the Scouts left for the Cottage. Now that Steve and Scott had left the premises, Action Man kept a very careful eye on Jamie who could easily have made an escape attempt.
GP brought a roll of tape, a football sock and his last remaining rubber ball out of the “toybox”. He shared T-Boy’s hygiene obsession; he wouldn’t dream of putting a used ball in someone else’s mouth, even an enemy’s, unless it had been well disinfected and there wasn’t time for that. Upon hearing GP lament the fact that he could only gag one of the hostages properly, Action Man went to the Cabin and returned with a small bag.
He’d come a long way to overcome his shyness during that paint-ball torture. He emptied the contents of his bag on the ground and blushed at the thought of his mates seeing the items that he’d brought along “just in case”. GP’s eyes lit up at the sight of a fair-sized red ball gag lying there. It even had a small padlock with it. He’d remember the other items in case they were needed later but for now the ball gag was a gift from the Gods. He grinned and looked meaningfully at Jamie who sagged resignedly and gave him one of his burning looks.
Jamie submitted to being gagged and didn’t have to wait too long after he heard the padlock click before his eyes were taped over as well. Action Man was a bit happier that Jamie could not easily escape any more and he took the rubber ball and inserted it into the sock. Long Tom didn’t really know what had happened to his companion but he felt his head jerked back and the gag inserted before he could prevent it. Action Man tied it tightly in place and GP taped round it to prevent Tom expelling it.
There was a certain amount of comfort to be had from being in contact with one another but both hostages suspected that that was the most comfort they were likely to experience over the next twelve hours or so. They were not to be disappointed.
TBC