Episode 11: Calum's Retreat

By Leigh Barker

Another Bitesize Read. Clan, Episode 11 - the penultimate 1 hour episode following our hero, Calum Maclean.

Calum and Big John desperately chase Colonel York, who has finally captured the prince and is taking him to London to hang.

They gallop around a bend in the road to find York and Weasel waiting for them, pistols in hand.

They have 1 second to react. Live or die.

If they die, Charles Edward Stuart and the rebellion die with them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Leigh Barker
• Release date: May 4, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310656576

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 11)

Calum's Retreat

Copyright 2014 Leigh Barker

Published by Leigh Barker at Smashwords

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ISBN: 9781310656576

Calum’s Retreat

Calum saw York flinch as he pulled the trigger and anticipated the flash of powder from his pistol. Down!

John had already seen Weasel also screw up his eyes against the expected flash and was rolling out of the saddle as the musket ball blasted through the space he’d just vacated.

Calum hit the ground, rolled and came to his feet, still holding his pistol. John grunted as he landed heavily and sprawled across the road, ploughing up the snow as he went. But he kept his pistol held high and out of the snow.

York cursed and pointed at the prince. Slit his throat!

Weasel thrust his pistol back into his belt and drew his dagger as he backed up his horse towards the prince.

Both Calum and John shot him. John’s shot ripped off most of Weasel’s hand, but he was past caring. Calum’s shot hit him just above his ear and tore out a chunk of his skull.

York glared at Calum and reached for his sword, intending to charge the man down and get it over with once and for all. Then a small voice of sanity whispered through the anger, and he pulled his horse around to leave. Almost as an afterthought he snatched the prince’s reins and led the black stallion away down the road, with the prince cursing and looking left and right as he considered jumping. Within the time it took him to think about it, it was no longer an option with the horses now at full gallop.

Calum and John ran towards their horses, but the pistol fire had spooked them, and they were in no mood to be caught. In sheer frustration, Calum ran after the galloping horses, leaving John to watch and shake his head.

York was starting to feel better. It appeared his plan was still going to work. He looked back past the cursing prince, and a wave of elation swept over him.

He turned back slowly and saw Gordon standing in the middle of the road, his pistol aimed right at him.

Gordon pulled the trigger, but nothing happened.

York drew his sword and pushed his horse on.

Gordon dropped the pistol and drew his dirk. The dagger would be useless against York’s sabre, but the colonel wasn’t his target.

York raised his sword and tensed to chop the man down, but he’d gone.

With York’s horse almost on him, Gordon stepped across in front of it and crouched. There was no time for York to do anything except charge right on by.

Gordon changed the dirk to his left hand and rammed it into the prince’s stallion with about half a second to spare before it rode him down. The impact of the blade stabbing into the