The Dust: Book Two - Pursuit by David H Sharp Page A

She fell dead to the floor as if her legs had been taken away from her, the other women all screamed and scattered across the street.
    Harry James jumped at the sound of the two blasts and then realised the women were running. Archie had already gone chasing two of them down the street. ‘Stop or I will shoot you dead right here right now.’ He snapped the shotgun shut and blasted a round over their heads. The recoil nearly sent him back but he stood firm. ‘Fucking hell.’ He laughed at the top of his voice. ‘Did you see that?’ He looked over to locate Harry James.
    Lonny Gold fired a shot into the air and most of the women ducked for cover. ‘Get back over to the truck or I will start killing the young girls.’ He ordered.
    All of the women stood still, no one wanted anymore death. Iris held Sarah’s hand and looked at her.
    ‘Just keep down.’ They were crouched near the back of the truck. Naomi had her hands over her eyes as she couldn’t bear to look at the dead woman lying still in the middle of the road.
    Hannah was holding Alice close to her making sure she couldn’t see what was taking place, she glanced up at Iris who had lost most of the colour in her cheeks.
    Iris looked down at little Alice and then over to Naomi. ‘Oh my God, what the hell has happened to us all?’ She knew they needed to get away from this monster Lonny Gold but they couldn’t do it alone. She had heard of a woman and a little girl who had escaped a day or two before she had been picked up. Iris wondered if they were still alive or had the savages ripped them to pieces? The way things were going she fancied her chances better with the naked monsters rather than this clothed tattooed one.
    ‘Right you ungrateful bastards.’ Lonny Gold and the boys had now managed to get the women all back in one bedraggled group. ‘If anyone else wants to say anything to me then please feel free.’ He tucked the handgun back into his belt. He was met with silence. ‘That dead twat over there is a lesson to you all, don’t fuck with me or I will fuck you up.’ He then turned to Harry James. ‘Go and find somewhere to bed down for the night, try that hut over there.’ He pointed to the village hall at the end of the road.
    ***
    Jake took another swig of water from the canteen, his throat was still sore but he felt well enough to get back on the move.
    ‘Right buddy boy we need to make tracks. Soon this place will be crawling with naked flesh and unfortunately it’s not going to be the kind you would want to take advantage of.’ Yanto screwed the lid back onto the canteen and secured it to the saddle.
    ‘Are we going back for one of the vehicles?’ Angel asked, not thrilled at the prospect of returning to Wisteria Hall.
    ‘God no.’ Yanto mounted his big white stallion. ‘Can you two beauties ride?’
    ‘A horse?’ Jake replied.
    ‘Yes of course a bloody horse, I’m not going to return here with a couple of billy goats am I?’ He tightened the leather reigns in his huge hands and turned the mighty steed to face Angel.
    ‘Can I get more sense from you?’
    ‘Yes I can ride.’
    Yanto smiled. ‘I bet you can my little cariad.’
    ‘I can a bit.’ Jake piped up.
    ‘Well that’s good enough for me.’ He dug his heels in and moved to the opening at the edge of the woods. ‘Don’t move from here, I've saved both your arses once this evening so please my little beauties, stay here and keep quiet.’
    Yanto then shot off into the murkiness of the evening light.
    ‘Who the hell is he?’ Jake asked Angel.
    ‘His name is Ianto Theodore Whitehead.’
    ‘Bloody hell that’s a mouthful.’ Jake stood up.
    ‘I know, he said to just call him Yanto.’
    ‘Okaaay.’ Jake said slowly never hearing of such a nickname.
    ‘And what the fuck is a cariad?’ Angel asked offering Jake a smoke.
    ‘Now that I can help you with, I think it’s Welsh for beloved, or is it butterfly?’ He declined the cigarette.
    ‘So basically you