Firestorm - 15. FS Chapter 15

“We appreciate what you have done for us so far, please don’t put your career in jeopardy by doing this for us” Angela said, and I smiled, “The army is already involved, as it was them that called the rescue helicopter to collect us last night, or early this morning, and my Warrant Officer went back to collect Tom’s and my backpacks and my car, so we will wait and see what my CO says, oh and because I am with the Special Air Command, we need to keep that hush hush, as we try to keep as low key as possible” I whispered.

Once I had let Tom talk to his mum for a little longer, before I took him back to Aunty Jean’s place, and I was preparing to head to the base, when Aunty Jean asked to speak to me alone, and she lead me to the study at the back of the house. “I know you are planning to speak to Lt Colonel Harding this afternoon, to get permission to hide Angela and Tom at the base or at Bindoon, but I have an alternate location, where they can stay” my aunt said to me, and I looked at her in a confused way, and she smiled to me.

“I may be an old-women, but I am also good with my investments, as well as this property, I also own the house next door at number 27, and three doors down at 35 and the house next to that at 37” my aunt announced to me, and my mouth dropped open in surprise and shock, and my aunt chuckled when she saw this. “the house next door – number 27 has just became vacant, after my long-time friend was taken into Palliative care, and her family have cleared the house of her belongings, and I have purchased her furniture, so the house is ready for a young family to move in right away” my Aunt said to me.

“Aunty that is very generous of you, I will gladly pay the rental fees for the property, can we get Tom and take a look at the property now?” I replied, “Yes we can go and take a look now, as you may have noticed, it has a good-sized wall and vegetation to hide most of the house from the street. We can keep the front pedestrian and driveway gates locked from the inside, and there is a hidden side access gate near the back veranda of both houses” my aunt announced, as we stepped out of the study, and I called for Tom.

“I have been meaning to ask you about this gate, I noticed it again when I was pruning the creeper on the wall, and the overgrown trees the other day” I said as we stepped off the veranda, and made our way to the gate, where Aunty Jean produced a set of keys, and unlocked the large gate. “I did a check of the place yesterday, the garden is very unkept, and the pool has been empty for some time, and the lawn needs a good clipping” my aunt said to me, as we entered next doors back yard.

The yard was a reasonable size, and the pool was about 12 metres long, as we stepped onto the back veranda, and we followed Aunty Jean into the back of the house next door, where the house has 4 large bedrooms, two at the front and two in the middle, a lounge, and study, just back from the front small bedrooms, a good-sized kitchen and dining room, a laundry and family bathroom, and a wide front veranda. “How would you like this to be your new home?” I asked Tom, “I think it would be awesome, especially if we are living next door to you” Tom replied with a big smile.

“We have a lot of gardening to do, before your mum gets out of hospital, will you help me with that?” I asked Tom, “You bet I will” Tom replied, and we all laughed at his eager response. “I guess, I had better make a phone call to cancel a meeting, then we can get started on the garden” I said to my aunt, who smiled as she led the way back to her property, leaving the gate open and unlocked.

Ten minutes later, Tom and I retrieved a heap of tools from the garden shed, loading it all into a wheel barrow, and we went next door, where we pruned a number of oversized tree branches, that were hanging over the pool, and some overhanging on the two side boundaries. Once this was done, we raked up and bagged all of the leaves on the lawn and in the garden, before I mowed the small amount of overgrown lawn.

By the time we had finished this, it was starting to get dark, and the back yard was starting to look a lot better. While Tom went next door, I went to check the two front gates, which were both closed, but there are no locks on them, so I made a mental note to make sure that locks are put on both gates first thing in the morning. I noticed that the front garden was quite over grown, but I thought that maybe it was a good idea to keep it like that, to give it the appearance, that the house was not being used.

The next day, with it being my last day off, from my 6 days of leave, I went to the hardware store, and bought some very large chains, and padlocks, and when I returned to my aunt’s house, she and Tom were having breakfast. “Good you are back, I had a call from the hospital, Angela is well enough to be discharged from the hospital, if you would like to take Tom with you to collect her, and I suggest that you take some precautions, just in case someone is deciding to follow you, to track down Angela and Tom” my aunt said to me.

“Could I suggest that you keep Tom with you, and get their house ready for them, I will go and do some food shopping first, before I go and collect Angela, and we will go to Campbell Barracks, to see if we can shake anyone that may be tailing us, we can leave via a back gate, and come back here from there, and maybe I better use your car Aunty, as mine is a little too easy to spot” I suggested.

“Yes, very well, we will do that, here are my keys, she will be waiting for you when you get there, maybe see if you can leave the hospital via a back way” my aunt said to me, “I am sure that we can do that, as it is a big hospital” I replied with a smile, and I ruffled Tom’s hair. When I left the house, I drove around the western suburbs, stopping at two shopping centres, where I spent about half an hour at each place, before going to a small carpark near the back of the hospital.

Fifteen minutes later, after walking along a number of very long corridors, and going up three levels, I arrived at the ward where Angela was waiting for me, and she smiled when she saw me arrive. “Hiya Angela, are you ready to go?” I asked, “You bet” she replied as I picked up her backpack, and I chuckled at the same response as her son said yesterday, and I we made our way towards the back of the hospital, where the car was parked.

Fifteen minutes after leaving the hospital, we arrived at Campbell Barracks, and as I was showing my Army ID, I asked the gate guard to keep an eye out for any vehicle that may hang around near the entry, after we have entered the base, and report them immediately to Lt Colonel Harding’s office.

A few minutes later, we parked outside the administration building, and I led Angela inside to the admin reception, “Yes, he has just walked in, hang on” I heard the Corporal at reception say and she handed me the phone. On the phone, I was informed by the security that a car did indeed stopped and waited around for a few minutes, until he went to speak to the driver, when the car raced off.

The security guard informed me that the car details have been forwarded to the police for investigating. I thanked him for his assistance with the matter, and ended the call, before turning to Angela, “It appears that your ex-boyfriend has managed to locate you again, but this time we have a plan to keep you well hidden, I will tell you all about it on our way to my home not that far away” I said to Angela, as I saw WO Owens approaching.

“Hi Mitchell, I have been briefed on what is happening, and I suggest you change cars with me, and take the back gate back home, and get your guest to stay low and out of sight, we can swap cars back when you come to work tomorrow” WO Owens said to me with a smile, as he handed me his keys.

Knowing where his car is parked at the back, I told Angela to wait here at reception, while I moved my aunt’s car to the back of the building, and I transferred the shopping and Angela’s backpack to WO Owens car, and once this was done Angela and WO Owens appeared via the rear door, and I asked Angela to climb into the back seat and to lay down low.

Fifteen minutes later, we arrived at my Aunt’s home, and I drove the car down the side driveway to the car bay behind the house, where Tom and Aunty Jean were waiting for us, having sent a text to Aunty Jean to say we were on our way back. After giving his mum a hug, Tom retrieved the backpack, while aunty Jean and I collected the shopping, and followed Tom to the side gate and to the back door on next door.

“Tom and I have been busy making beds, and doing some cleaning in the house while you were away, I even managed to get a couple vases of roses in the loungeroom and Angela’s bedroom. Tom has the other bedroom opposite, behind the study, and he told me that he likes his new home very much” Aunty Jean informed me, as we entered the house, and Angela was looking around the kitchen as we entered, and immediately began to unpack the shopping that I had brought.

“I can’t say how much I feel, about all the help that you have done to look after us, once again thank you” Angela said as she loaded the shopping into the pantry and fridge. “Now for tonight, you will be having dinner with us over at my place, we have a chicken casserole planned, and you are most welcome to come over at any time” Aunty Jean said to Angela. “Now just a few things, in regards to security for you both, the two front gates have been locked with heavy chains and padlocks, and I suggest that you stay away from the front yard, which we have left looking over grown, so it looks like the house is not in use.

There are two small bedrooms at the very front of the house, that I suggest that you use for just storage purposes, I will install some bolt locks on the doors, so they are locked from the hallway, in case someone breaks in through the windows, I will do the same with bolt locks on the front door, and I will get some window alarms installed, in case someone tries to open the windows from the outside.

We will keep the gate between the two properties unlocked all the times, so you can get to us quickly, and I will see if I can install some security sensors and cameras, to monitor the outdoors, when you are inside” I said to Angela, who looked a little glum, and she nodded her head in understanding, and Aunty Jean and I left Angela and Tom to get settled into their new home.

I spent most of the afternoon, finishing cleaning up the back yard of next door, and by the late afternoon, I had the whole back yard back in good order, and I had cleaned out all of the leaves from the bottom of the pool, and began filling it up part of the way. When it was time for dinner, Angela and Tom arrived with smiles on their faces, “You did a wonderful job of the backyard thanks Mitchell” Angela said to me, as we sat down to eat.

“It’s my pleasure, we needed to get the place looking suitable for your outdoor living space” I replied, and we chatted about a few things as we ate. “If I give you a list, can I get you to get some education supplies for me, so I can resume home schooling for Tom, please” Angela said to me, “Yes that will be fine, I can do it during my lunch break tomorrow if you like” I replied. “Thank you very much, and maybe you can supervise me with swimming practice” Tom added, “Yes young man, I can do that at the end of work” I replied.

After dinner, Angela thanked Aunty Jean for the delicious dinner, and I walked her and Tom over to their house, and said good night to them, reminding them to make sure all of the doors and windows are locked. After helping Aunty Jean to clean up, I had a shower and went to bed, since I had work in the morning. The next morning, I was up at 0600, and as I stepped into the living area, I found Aunty Jean in the kitchen preparing breakfast for me, and she smiled when she saw me.

“Good morning Aunty, you know you don’t have to do this for me, I can look after myself” I said with a smile, “You are my nephew and I love you dear, I am more than pleased to prepare meals for you” my aunt replied, as I sat down at the table and she placed some toast, a cup of tea and a cooked breakfast in front of me. When I arrived at work, Warrant Officer Owens and the three Corporals were waiting for me in our work area, where we have been planning the cadet camp.

“Good morning all, I hope everyone has had a restful weekend” I said with a smile, and I hear WO Owens chuckle, as we sat down and started reviewing what we had done so far and discussed what else needed doing. “The CO has approved the hiring of a scaffolding platform, a water tank and two portable toilets, we have added a generator, and fuel to that list, all which are booked and will be ready to be collected on the Monday before the camp,” WO Owens announced.

With just two weeks till the camp takes place, I was starting to get a little worried that we had forgotten somethings, even thou Warrant Officer Owens had everything organised in the way of food and drink supplies, and large tents to accommodate all of the cadets. “I’ve already had a call from a friend in the AFP, regarding that car that followed you to the base. The car was stolen a few days earlier, and was found abandoned near the Fremantle train station late yesterday afternoon.

So far, they have found no finger prints or DNA, to give a clue on who it is that was following, and they cannot locate the ex-boyfriend of your friend” WO Owens reported, “I understand, thank you for what you have done so far sir” I replied. For the remaining two weeks, we were all kept very busy at the base, I used various vehicles to and from the base each day, and a few times, I noticed that I was being followed, so I made sure that I made plenty of detours, to lose the car following.

When it was getting hard to lose them, I would go into a multi-level carpark, and leave the vehicle there, and catch a taxi home, jogging the last kilometres, as I would be dropped off at different locations, in case I was still being followed. The CO continued to update me on the police investigation, regarding the ex-boyfriend of Angela’s, and each time they got a licence plate number, it ended up being a stolen vehicle.

I had Aunty Jean take greater care when she went out to do some shopping, for us and for next door, and three days a week, Angela and Tom would have dinner with us, so they could socialise a little. Tom was enjoying the swimming pool, even thou it was a little too cold, he still went swimming every day, to get some exercise. On the Monday morning, I had packed my luggage for the next two weeks, as I would be spending it at the training facility at Bindoon, and I took my own vehicle this time, and took a different and longer route to Campbell Barracks.

When I arrived, I parked my vehicle behind the building so it was out of site from any public road, I was surprised to learn that the scaffolding had already arrived and was loaded into the back of one of the army trucks. The CO asked for me to see him as soon as I arrived, and I went directly to his office, where the whole planning team was gathered, and waiting for me.