Bab’s New year’s Resolution 55

©Beverly Taff 23rd April 2020

List of Characters.

Lola Smith Bab’s adopted trans daughter.
Callista Denton (Callie). Transgendered Duchess of Denton.
Margaret Denton (Maggie). Callie’s wife.
Molly Denton Callie’s grandmother
Ellie Denton Callie’s mother.
Bab’s Barbara Smith. Lola’s adoptive ‘Nana’
Olivia Smith Bab’s adopted daughter.
Angela Smith Bab’s newly adopted daughter
Erica Bab’s foster daughter.
Sergeant Bridie Davies Lady Police detective protecting the girls.
Sergeant Brian Davies. Bridie’s twin brother.
Inspector John, Heading up the anti-rape-gang operation.
Gareth Jenkins, Police office trained in firearms and protection.
Belinda Harrington Bab’s university girlfriend.
Aaron Talbot Surgical registrar – married to –
Shirley Talbot Lecturer at Local university.
Mickey Talbot Aaron and Shirley’s oldest son.
Jessica Talbot Aaron & Shirley’s middle daughter.
Bianca Talbot Aaron & Shirley’s youngest daughter.
Henry Denton Callie’s only son.
Charlotte Denton Callie’s only daughter.
Beverly. Callie’s maternal great aunt (Ellie’s paternal aunt)

Chapter 55

The Superintendent frowned as he held Callie’s gaze.

“Are you not going to stay around?”

“I’d like to but there’s little more I can do in the practical sense. I think it best if Lola and I just go and sit in the helicopter well out of the firing line or any stray bullets.”

“What about your phone connection.”

“That’s exactly why I’m staying clear of any possible stray bullets. Any damage to my phone will kill the connection, besides, the chopper’s got a battery charger so my phone won’t go dead.”

“Very well, but I’d like one of my men to accompany you. One of the sharp-shooters.”

“I thought they’d all be crack shots.” Lola opined.

“Some are equipped with sub-machineguns while others have sniping rifles. Best we send a sniper with you because your chopper’s a goodly distance away.”
Callie and Lola both nodded and soon a sniper was brought to escort them and guard them in their helicopter. Naturally, when they were ensconced in their plane, the girls immediately struck up a conversation with the police officer. Details of the gun were noted and they continued talking until the chatter of an automatic weapon alerted them.

“Shit! I hope nothing’s gone wrong!” Callie declared fearfully. “Gunfire usually means they’ve been forced to use desperate measures.”

“We can only wait and see.” The sniper observed before he tensed.

“Hey-up! Somebody’s sneaking along the far hedge and it’s not one of my mates.”

“He’s got Erica with him.” Lola squealed.

It was at that unfortunate moment the fugitive spotted the helicopter and immediately decided to investigate any potential for escape. Sitting in the pilot’s seat and visible to all was Callie with nowhere to hide.

The fugitive immediately (and correctly) concluded that Callie was the pilot and here was a perfect opportunity to hijack a means of escape. He pointed his pistol directly at the helicopter and violently yanked Erica along with him. The police marksman whispered to the girls as he slithered backwards from between the pilot seats and lay almost invisibly flat on the passenger floor.

“Just tell me which side he’s going to try and enter when he gets closer, and do not look at me.”

Being smart girls, they both understood what the marksman was about so Callie set about a stratagem to unbalance the fugitive’s plan. She explained to the marksman without turning around.

“I’m going to start the engines slowly to unsettle him then I’ll shout to him to distract him. That way he’ll have to come to my side to make himself heard over the turbine.”

“Good idea, anything to add to his sensory burden will affect his awareness.” The marksman declared.

With their plan quickly hatched, Callie started the engine as she pulled back the little side window to shout at the approaching criminal. As she leant her head out of the little opening, she surreptitiously secured the cabin door on her side. Then she shouted a confusing message about fuel.

“If you’re thinking of hijacking this thing and flying to France or Ireland, you can think again. I’ve only got fuel enough for about ninety miles!”

Her voice was partially drowned by the increasing whine of the turbojet engine as the rotors started to whirl progressively faster. When he finally reached the chopper, he was eventually able to make himself heard and demanded that she just take them away from the farm. Callie shrugged and reached back to release the door that he had started tugging. The door remained stubbornly closed as she knew it would so she told him to lift and then twist the handle.

“It’s a safety door!” She screeched as he redoubled his efforts and finally got the door open.

All this additional activity had momentarily allowed Erica to stand aside and duck down to avoid the door swinging against her head. In that moment of separation, as the door swung open to interfere with the gangster’s gun hand, the marksman had a clear unrestricted view of his head. Without hesitation, he put a single shot into the fugitive’s ear.

It was over.

ooo000ooo

In the pilot’s seat, with the gun sounding off behind her, Callie’s head rang like a bell while Erica’s scream only added to the cacophony as blood splattered over her leggings. Only Lola and the marksman were immediately composed enough to attend to the terrified Erica as she continued screaming hysterically. Lola leapt out from her side of the chopper while the marksman secured his weapon and slid down from the chopper to make certain the thug was dead,

Finally, as Lola eventually reached Erica to wrap her arms around her, Calle recovered her composure and closed down the engines. Once he was sure the thug was dead, the marksman radioed his colleagues.

“Situation all secure at the helicopter sir. Is it safe to return to the farm?”

Confirmation was made and the four paused briefly to make sure the two armed coppers rushing towards them were on their side. Each of the girls and even the marksman were unsure who to trust. Once they were close enough they removed their face protectors and the marksman recognised them.

“What kept you?” he asked with uncalled for levity.

“It’s not funny Mac ! The old lady’s been shot again!”

It was Lola’s turn to let out a squeal of despair.

“Aaah no-oo! Is she dead?”

“The officer asked into his radio and received confirmation that the ‘old lady’ had received a severe shoulder wound but that her chest was okay. Lola sagged with relief as Erica braced to support her. The sniper quickly assisted and the trio struggled back to the barn as Callie finished closing down the helicopter and asking one of the officers to guard it while she joined the others.”

When they returned to the barn they learned that Babs and Henry were being kept in the farmhouse until the ambulance arrived The police were treating the bullet wound in Bab’s shoulder with their patrol car first aid kits. It was basically a sterile dressing pressed against the entry wound.

The shock on Bab’s face said it all; she was in agony. As she saw the treatment Callie let out a curse

“Oh shit, I should have realised, I’ve got pain-killers in the chopper, I’ll go and get them.”

“What is it?” The police inspector asked.

“Morphine; needles that is. I know how to administer.”
Even as he checked, Bab’s pallor worsened and he nodded.

“Be quick. There’s no exit wound so we don’t know how bad the internal damage is. Do you know how to administer.”

“Yes, and where to administer it with a wound in that location.”

“Okay. Go and get it. The ambulance will be half an hour. We’re out in the sticks here.”

When Callie returned with her first-aid kit she frowned at Bab’s worsening state.

“We could use my chopper but there’s no first-aider if I’m piloting.”

This left the police inspector in a dilemma.

“Well she’s going to be here until the ambulance arrives, and all we’re doing is stemming the blood. Perhaps the chopper will be best. We can stem the blood just as well while we’re airborne.

After administering both needles, Callie and the police team took Bab’s to the chopper while Lola and Erica reassured Henry with the remaining police. In no time Callie was airborne and streaking towards Hereford hospital A&E (Accident & Emergency)

The police had pre-arranged everything with their radios and a crash team was waiting on the helipad when Callie swept in fast and low. The casualty consultant frowned as Callie landed but she was too preoccupied with arriving quickly to notice his concern. It was not until he was in the calm of the casualty area that he censured her.

“You should have circled at least once to make sure it was clear to land.”

Callie almost bit his head off.

“That’s not an air ambulance, that’s my own chopper! I came as fast as I could because we had no doctor or paramedic aboard. And anyway, it’s a bloody hospital helipad, where would any obstructions be?”

“My staff were not expecting such low, fast approach.”

“I was cleared to land and I landed. I’ve been flying choppers since I was eighteen, report me.”

The surgeon shook his head and closed the theatre doors behind him as the nurse stood prepped to dress him. Callie wasted no time returning to the farm and collecting her passengers. Then she cleared again to use the hospital helipad before meeting the police to give her statements. It was getting dark by the time they were finished giving evidence and Callie decided to park overnight at a local military airfield. This was allowed after Lola’s bodyguard had cleared it with the commanding officer.

“Sergeant Bridie and Inspector John will be waiting for you at the base.”

“Is that the SAS base?” Henry asked expectantly.

Callie nodded. “Yes, but don’t expect a Cook’s tour. They do all their secret training there so we’ll most likely be landed and out of there straight away.”

It was a disappointed child who stepped out onto the landing strip.

ooo000ooo