Authors note: - This is a follow on to the previous episode of Becca XXX. Spring Tide. Please read it before reading this or you will not understand the plot or characters
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Becca XXX. Spring Tide. Ch 09.
We left Valentin's burning house raging behind us and drove back towards Sennen Cove. The flames and smoke could be seen from miles away and it was only a matter of minutes before we saw the first fire engine scream past us on the main road. It had its siren on and blue lights flashing, but it didn't give us a second glance as we drove steadily away.
We watched The Crow turn back towards Penzance to set the gloryhole toilet block on fire, but we headed for The Surfiety at Sennen Cove.
The sun was rising and it was starting to get light as Natalie comforted the girls we'd rescued. They were all still pretty much out of it, but Nat used the time to uncuff the girls and make them as comfortable as she could. She also used the time to stow our weapons back into their hiding places, ready for our arrival back at Reef's place.
I wanted nothing more than to watch the video of the kidnapped girl on Valentin's laptop and snoop through his files to gather more clues, but with me driving and Natalie doing her thing, it would have to wait.
The smell of almonds was still in my nostrils mixing with the smell of sweaty young women in need of a good clean up and plenty of loving attention. Somewhere in the back of my brain I knew what the marzipan smell was, but I couldn't pinpoint it. I hoped that Katya and Reef weren't going to be too upset when they found out who we really were and why we were using them as part of our cover story. The fact that we'd rescued five girls from rape and abuse would surely win their favour.
I was thankful that the night had been as successful as it was even if it hadn't gone according to plan. Valentin and some of his men were dead, but we had no idea what effect, if any, that would have on Victor and his crew. Valentin had unwittingly told us that the attack was only a week away, but we still had no idea where or what it was.
As we entered Sennen, we pulled into a housing estate and did a series of right-hand turns, stopping for five minutes outside a bungalow to make sure we weren't being followed. We were about to bring five of Valentin's girls to The Surfiety and the last thing we wanted to do was bring a group of angry Russians to their doorstep.
"I think it's clear," said Nat, looking out of the rear window. "They'd be on us by now if they were following."
"Agreed," I said. "Let's go and face the music. I hope Reef and Katya are as understanding as they appear."
"I'm sure they'll forgive us for deceiving them once they understand what's at stake. Valentin was willing to die for his cause rather than tell us anything. This may be bigger than we thought."
"He told us enough," I said. "Let's get back and check his laptop. We've got a lot to get through."
We rejoined the main road and drove directly to our camp. It was only six a.m. and it felt weird to be driving through the sleepy tourist town after what we'd done only an hour before. The holiday maker's lives were nothing like mine and they would have no idea what was going on just a few miles up the road. Most of the population would be glued to their phones and wouldn't have a clue what was happening ten metres in front of them, never mind a few miles away.
Sandy Corner Lane was deserted as we drove through The Surfiety's gates, but not everyone was asleep. These guys were early risers, usually for the surf or for farm work and today was no exception. Reef, Waxer and Katya were walking from the shower block to the barn as we pulled in and they stopped to give us a wave. The vans were parked up on the hard standing and our space was still vacant, but we headed for the barn.
Reef looked bemused that I was the only one in the front seat and he looked even more confused when I parked up next to him and got out. I wanted to explain things before they got a look at the girls, but in my haste, I forgot what a mess I must have looked. I was still wearing the same clothes which were covered in mud and grime from crawling through the undergrowth. My face was grubby with dirt and sweat and my hair was a greasy mess.
"Jesus, that must have been some party you went to in Bristol," he gasped. "Are you ok?"
"It's been a hell of a couple of days," I smiled. "But I'm fine."
"Where's Natalie?" asked Katya with concern in her voice.
As she said that, Nat opened the front passenger door, having climbed through from the rear. She didn't want to open the sliding door as this would have alerted everyone that we had five naked drug addicts in the back.
"I'm here," said Natalie, looking as dishevelled as I did. "You can't get rid of me that easily."
Natalie's hair was a mess and she had blood spatter on her left cheek. It must have come from one of the guys we'd shot and in all the commotion she hadn't even noticed it.
"Are you bleeding?" asked Waxer, moving in to take a closer look. "And why do you smell of bonfires?"
"We have a confession to make," I interrupted. "We may not have been entirely truthful about why we are in Sennen Cove or about who we are."
"That's not what we're about, Becca," said Reef, holding his hands up to us. "We don't need to know any of that. We accept you for who you are. We don't need to know what you do for a living, that's why I've never asked. You are just two like minded souls who have found sanctuary and peace through the love of the waves. We're all equal here."
"We are, but we need your help with something," I replied. "You said this place was like a rehabilitation centre for rape victims, right?"
"Among other things, dah," Katya nodded. "Has something happened to you? We can go inside and discuss it if you wish, yes?"
"Nothing has happened to us... well not exactly, but something has happened to these girls," I slid the side door of the van open to reveal the five girls we'd rescued.
They were sitting on the floor and on the rock and roll bed which was folded up to form a seat. They squinted their eyes at the bright sunlight that was now spilling into the van. Maybe they'd been kept in the dark for so long that they'd forgotten what sunlight even looked like.
"Holy fuck," exclaimed Reef. "Where did you find them? Who are they?"
Katya, Reef and Waxer moved in for a closer look as the girls stared back at them with wide frightened eyes.
"Remember that guy you told us about, Katya? Valentin from Penzance? We rescued them from him," said Natalie. "We didn't know where else to take them after you told us that even the police are in his pocket, we had no choice but to bring them here."
Reef looked past the van towards the entrance to his camp. I knew what he was thinking so I put his mind at rest.
"You're safe," I said. "No one followed us and Valentin won't be bothering anyone again."
"How can you be so sure?" asked Waxer.
I gave him a look and a tiny shrug, raising my eyebrows at him and pursing my lips to one side.
"You killed him?" he gasped. "What the fuck? Who the fuck are you two?"
I was about to tell him when Reef cut in.
"It doesn't matter who they are," he said calmly. "They have done an amazing thing. We need to get them all cleaned up and into some dry clothes. Katya, can you help them into the shower block and then get them some hot food and drink? It looks like we have a lot of work to do here."
