The Good Samaritan

Chapter 4

Three weeks later, Rob was sitting in one of the Harper MacLaine cars, a black BMW X5M which developed 575 bhp from its powerful 4.4 litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine. But most importantly, sitting in a car park overlooking Salisbury Plain on a chilly Spring morning, with the frost covered grass sparkling in the early sunshine, the car had heated seats and a heated steering wheel. That trumped the sheer power of the vehicle.

Rob had been one of the first on site and was watching the various factions arrive, be checked in by his team and greeted by Sir Andrew and his people from SGS. Rob was a thinker. Some of the soldiers he commanded in his Special Forces group said he thought too much, while others reminded them that on occasions it was Lieutenant MacLaine’s quick thinking, that had kept them all alive in dangerous, life threatening, situations. As Rob sat in the warm cabin of the BMW, waiting for the others to assemble, he thought back over the last few, life changing months of his life. He looked at his reflection in the rear view mirror. Rob had a face that turned women’s heads to look twice. Once to admire the handsome tanned face, short blond hair and piercing blue eyes, which could either melt a woman’s heart or send a shiver down the spine of someone who’d got on the wrong side of him. Twice to stare at the vivid scar which ran diagonally across his left cheek.

Ten months ago, Rob had bumped into – literally bumped into, Justine Fellows, an intelligent, beautiful, tall, blonde woman of around his own age and simply, fell in love with her and she with him. Although not directly linked with that meeting, it marked the start of a series of events which literally changed Rob’s life for ever. He was summoned in mysterious circumstances to return to the island estate, his family home where he spent his early years, before being banished by his father at the age of eighteen. That fateful return saw Rob reunited with his childhood soulmate Lorna Cameron. He broke up a people smuggling operation his brother had been involved in, saw Justine and Lorna kidn*pped by his brother and witnessed his devious brother’s murder. Through a second series of events, Rob had been reunited with his mother and his elder brother, neither of whom he had seen for sixteen years. He negotiated to buy full ownership of the family’s estate on the island of Achravie, which he and Justine now ran with the help of Lorna Cameron and Fraser McEwan, the estate ghillie. Ten weeks ago he and Justine were married in the church on Achravie. Boy! You couldn’t write it,”Rob thought to himself as he looked back across at the reception marquee.

He felt the growing need for a coffee so he switched off the car’s engine and walked over to the hospitality marquee where the parties were gathering. The warm air fan heaters were working away quietly in the corners, keeping the ambient temperature at a comfortable level, despite the just above zero outside. Sir Andrew Savage saw Rob approaching and signalled him to join a small group of people he was with. He introduced Rob to the group which consisted of the CEOs of the Drone manufacturer and the munitions supplier who, according to Sir Andrew, would actually manufacture the smart bullet which would incorporate SGSs guidance software. They were joined by their Sales Directors and one of their senior technical people. As they talked, Ian MacDonald, “Big Mac” to those who knew him, arrived in a Harper MacLaine car. He and Rob greeted each other with the gusto of long lost friends and Rob introduced him, firstly to Sir Andrew and then to the wider group. As they talked, the two technicians excused themselves and moved over to the coffee station where a young man sat in a wheelchair, he had arrived in the marquee just before Big Mac. Sir Andrew saw Rob’s attention move to that corner and excused himself, taking Rob’s elbow as he did.

“Let me introduce you to Ryan, I mentioned him to you the last time we met. Interesting chap,” he said as they crossed the marquee.

“Ryan, good morning, sorry I haven’t had a chance to say hello yet. Truth be told, I was waiting for this man to arrive and thought I would kill two birds with one stone,” Sir Andrew shook Ryan’s hand as he spoke.

“Ryan, this is Rob MacLaine, CEO of Harper MacLaine, I think I mentioned him to you. Rob, this is Ryan Hughes, he has done some software development for both the Drone control system and for our guidance system.”

Just then, the Junior Defence Minister arrived, driven in a dark red Jaguar and accompanied by a close protection officer from the Metropolitan Police.

“Can I leave you to chat,” Sir Andrew said “I’d better meet and greet.”

“Hi Ryan, Andy speaks very highly of your work. He was keen for us to meet.”

Ryan Hughes shook Rob’s hand firmly and smiled, “So, a real live Laird. I’ve never met one of those before.”

“Oh!” said Rob slightly taken aback, “You know about that”

“Yes, in fact I know quite a lot about you. Sir Andrew said he would introduce us today, so I did a bit of research on you and Harper MacLaine for that matter. Old habits die hard. Don’t know what’s more impressive, the work you did with the Regiment or Harper MacLaine’s track record.”

“My work with the Regiment?”

“Yeah, you’ve been to a few places for Queen and country that you shouldn’t have been anywhere near, Lieutenant MacLaine. Don’t look so shocked, the information is all out there if you know where to look.” Ryan laughed, “Promise I won’t tell.”

Rob looked at Ryan and frowned “I might have to kill you if you know that much about me,” he said quietly, then smiled. “You can really find your way into information like that? Andy said you were an interesting character.”

“Oh yeah. Although, the way I get there is just as off the books as some of your activities, so I guess that means we might have to kill each other” This time they both laughed.

“We need to talk, Ryan. I take it you wouldn’t be averse to picking up some work with Harper MacLaine?”

“Sounds right up my street. You haven’t mentioned my wheelchair Mr MacLaine”

“You didn’t ask about the scar on my face so it seemed a bit unnecessary,” Rob smiled “and it’s Rob. Mr MacLaine was my father and I didn’t like him very much.”

“Not surprised,” Ryan countered, “Oh yes, I know about that too, you’ve had an interesting life Rob” he laughed.

Rob shook his head, with a wry smile and handed Ryan a business card, “Seriously Ryan, call me. I think we would work well together.”

“Despite the wheelchair?”

“I don’t see the wheelchair, Ryan. I see a guy whose skills and attitude impress me.”