The Savage Day - Jack Higgins [63]
I turned to Binnie. 'All right, drive on.'
As we started to move, the corporal ran alongside. 'You want to watch it on the way in, sir. That crowd is in a bloody ugly mood.'
Binnie accelerated and we moved down the centre of the street. People stood outside the small terrace houses, huddled together in groups. As we passed, heads turned and the insults started to come thick and fast. A stone bounced from the canopy and then another.
But worse was to come, for when we turned the corner the streets were jammed with an angry mob and beyond them in the square the Highlanders were drawn up in a phalanx, transparent riot shields held out before them. A petrol bomb curved through the air and exploded, carpeting the area in front of the troops with orange flame. They moved back in good order and the crowd surged forward.
Binnie said, 'This doesn't look too good. What do we do?'
'Drive like hell and don't stop for anything. If that lot get their hands on us it's a length of rope and the nearest lamp-post.'
At that moment someone at the rear of the crowd turned and saw us and raised the alarm. The howl that went up was enough to chill the blood. I ducked instinctively as a shower of stones came towards us, though most of them rattled harmlessly enough from the body-work of the Land-Rover.
A petrol bomb soared through the air, Binnie swerved violently and it exploded to one side. And then we were into the crowd. He slowed instinctively, couldn't help it as they crowded in, men, women, even children, howling like wolves, hands tearing at the Land-Rover as we passed. Some madman jumped into our direct path, arms wide, bounced from the bonnet into the crowd like a rubber ball. Binnie slammed his foot on the brake.
It was like that last great wave one reads about sweeping in. I did the only possible thing, leaned out of the window and fired a burst from the Sterling above their heads. The effect was all that I could have hoped for and everyone scattered.
I shook Binnie by the shoulder. 'Now let's get moving.'
We shot forward, swerving to avoid someone lying on the ground, narrowly missed a lamp-post and drove through the debris of the square towards the line of Highlanders. They opened their ranks to receive us and Binnie pulled in beside an ambulance and an armoured troop carrier.
A young lieutenant in camouflaged uniform, flak jacket and Glengarry bonnet came forward and saluted formally. 'A near thing, sir. For a while there I thought we might have to come and get you. My name's Ford.'
'Major Parker, Second Paras.' I held out my hand. 'Sorry to descend on you like this, but I didn't have much option. I've been ordered to report to police headquarters in Coleraine as soon as possible to have a look at someone they've picked up in connection with the Brigadier Ferguson kidnapping. If it's the man they think it is I can identify him positively. Can we get through?'
'I should think so, sir,' Ford said. 'Only a church and a few almshouses on that side. Not many people around.'
There was a sudden cry, and as we turned, at least half a dozen petrol bombs burst in front and behind his men. There seemed to be flames everywhere, smoke billowing across the square. For a moment, there was considerable confusion and the Highlanders scattered.
One young soldier ran towards us screaming, his legs ablaze, still clutching his transparent shield in one hand, a riot stick in the other. Binnie got to him before I did, sticking out a foot deftly to trip him up. We beat at the flames with our hands, then someone appeared with a fire extinguisher from one of the Land-Rovers and sprayed his legs.
The young soldier lay there crying helplessly, his face screwed up in agony, and a couple of medics ran across from the ambulance with a stretcher. One of them got a morphine ampoule out of his first-aid kit and jabbed it in the boy's arm.
Binnie stayed on one knee watching, his face very white, the eyes full of pain. I pulled him up. 'Are you all right?'
'It was the stink of his flesh burning,' he said as they carried the