Blasted Past: Part Twenty-Four

"The what?" Sparrowhawk looked up at her father with blig blue eyes. The look that crossed Sir Richard's face suggested that he could not have denied her request even if he had wished to do so.

"My dear child," Sir Richard sighed. "Just because of all the things you have done, you don't know everything. In fact, as I recall, there was a time when no government wanted you to know anything - especially about nuclear bunkers."

"Just because someone came up with a dumb idea about surviving a nuclear war," the girl in leather rolled her eyes, "that didn't mean I was some Greenham Common girl. After all," she struck a pose, "I'm a hell of a lot prettier than them."

"Speaks my dear daughter," Sir Richard shook his head. "But the fact remains that you were not aware of the final refuge for the British Cabinet that happens to be buried under that old hill-fort up there." He pointed to the towering bulk of Pen Dinas. It was abandoned years ago, the entrance tunnel sealed with concrete. Nothing was said, since the place is listed, and there would have been the most awful stink if anyone had found out. Of course, I may be wrong, but it seems to be the obvious place for a super-villain to set up home."

"At least, in the absence of an extinct volcano," Ms. Madison added. Sparrowhawk laughed, catching the girl's eye.

"Let's begin, in that case," the Green Man strode towards the mighty hill, looking up at the column that topped the mighty hill.

The quartet began to climb, Sir Richard keeping pace with the younger people, in spite of his years. He smiled, swinging his cane and whistling. He had exchanged his bowler and dark suit for tweeds and a flat cap, giving the impression that the venerable squire was out for a shoot - he probably was, but the quarry was human. And villainous at that.

"We can extect to avoid any guards for a while," Sir Richard led them up the hill, to a leafy path leading towards the top of the hill. "This is a popular place for walkers. Of course, there is the problem of the fact that two of us are obviously not casual walkers and what have you. I suggest that I take the rear, and the Green Man the van. - Meaning the front, before you crack any jokes, young lady," he looked sternly at Sparrowhawk.

"Boo," she stuck her tongue out at her father. "You used to be more fun, daddy."

"I used to let you get away with murder," Sir Richard shook his head. "Are you all right with the three of us blasting any bad guys were happen to find?"

"I'll try not to be too disturbed by it," Sparrowhawk shook her head. "But I still think we don't need to kill in most cases. Break a few bones and they can't then hurt you."

Sir Richard led them off the path suddenly. A shot winged overhead.