Episode 2: Calum's Call to Arms

By Leigh Barker

Clan - Episode 2:
The second Bitesize Read ~ a 1-hour episode following our hero, Calum Maclean, who has sworn to stay out of Bonnie Prince Charlie's rebellion against the English, but is drawn again and again into the conflict.

Calum's young nephew swears vengeance on the English colonel who had his family slaughtered and sets off alone in search of the English army.

To bring him home, Calum must accept a commission into Bonnie Prince Charlie's army.

So he finds himself once again leading a few good men into the jaws of cannon and shot.

And slowly Fate pulls the strings a little tighter...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Leigh Barker
• Release date: Mar 27, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310323287

Leigh Barker

Leigh was born in Dudley in the middle of England. He has been a merchant seaman, a (useless) electronics salesman, a programmer, and a business analyst. And now he is a full-time writer, but that doesn't make him a bad person.He is presently writing 4 series:Clan, following the adventures of Calum Maclean as he tries to avoid the Bonnie Prince but still protect his beloved Highlands.The Hellfire Legacy Series follows US Marine Master Sergeant Ethan Gill and his team as they take on the jobs too hot for other special forces. They go where they're sent; South America, Middle East, Korea, but their most dangerous missions are on US soil.Volume #1: A Whisper of ArmageddonVolume #2: The Hellfire LegacyVolume #3: The Orpheus DirectiveEden, a three-volume series -Trinity is at war with Lucid, the son of Lucifer, and he will do whatever it takes to win. The Archangel Gabriel has an army but he needs more. He needs heroes, but they are few and far between. Which is why he gets Dylan and co. Not too much luck in Heaven then.Volume #1: Eden's Last HeroVolume #2: WinterwoodVolume #3: Requiem for Eden.Soldiers is set in 1914 and follows John Regret and his 12-man squad on their suicidal mission to find and destroy the German howitzer nicknamed Big Bertha. Find it before it drops it's thousand-pound shells on the allied army retreating across France. A seemingly hopeless mission that just cannot fail.Other occasional series include:Anarchy, the 'completely true' stories of men doing what men do when there's nobody to keep them in check. Create mayhem and behave like monkeys on speed.Coffee Break Reads - each issue has 5 stories short enough to read while taking a break from life. A mix of adventure, love, disaster, and fun. All with one thing in common; for a moment they transport the reader to another world.Episode 1 of each Season is free and can be picked up with other free books at:https://leighwbarker.com/my-library/Just copy the link above and paste it into your browser and you're there...

Book preview

Clan

(Season 1)

(Episode 2)

Calum's Call to Arms

Copyright 2013 Leigh Barker

Published by Leigh Barker at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

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ISBN: 9781310323287

Calum’s Call to Arms

Calum Maclean was wet and cold, but it wasn’t the first time, and he let it fall below his consciousness until he could do something about it. He wiped the rain from his eyes and scoured the glen stretching away into the eerie mist turned luminous grey by the early dawn light that struggled in vain against the rolling black clouds. He couldn’t see the enemy that was making his hair crawl and his skin tingle, but knew they were there.

He put his hand on his friend’s arm, and Big John Mackintosh stopped instantly and turned to face him without speaking. He knew Calum’s warrior sense and trusted it without hesitation. It had saved them many times before, both here in the Highlands of Scotland and on the battlefields and back roads of Europe. He reached out and tapped Angus Mackintosh’s shoulder.

Angus jumped and spun around, clearly about to speak, but saw they were now crouched with their swords drawn, and followed suit.

Calum squinted into the rain, nodded once, and pointed into the growing darkness. They could just make out the grey silhouette of a small cottage nestled against the windswept hillside, smoke rising from its stone chimney to be whisked away by a gusting wind switching direction as it dipped into the glen.

Angus was the chief of hattan, so Calum was one of his clansmen, but he knew when to shut up and let the better man take point, and obeyed without question when Calum signalled that he should go left, with John moving right in front of the old barn and Calum going straight in, head on.

John stopped for a moment and looked into the dark barn. There were ragged bundles that marked sleeping soldiers, but no movement, so he strode across in front of the cottage and joined Calum and Angus as they approached the entrance. Calum glanced at them, drew his sword, and pushed open the creaking wooden door. And stopped.

Angus stepped in beside him and lowered his sword. It being the sensible thing to do when facing four muskets held by very professional-looking highland soldiers who would have blown their heads off if they made one wrong move. Calum casually closed the door with his heel, leaving John outside.

Calum looked past the muskets pointing at his head and recognised one of the four men sitting round the battered table. Charles Stuart, known affectionately as Bonnie Prince Charlie, looked up and frowned. Twenty-six years old, good looking in a pinched sort of way, and exuding arrogance as only the truly privileged can.

The other three men were highland officers. Two colonels and a captain. They did not look pleased to see the visitors.

Good morning, gentlemen, said Charles. Though it is a little early for a social call.

Calum shrugged and tried a smile, with no great success, but it was better than nothing