Episode 4: Calum's Expedition

By Leigh Barker

Clan: Season 2, Episode 4. Calum’s Expedition

A Bitesize 1-hour Read.

With the psychopath, Metzger, hot on his heels Calum Maclean and Big John Mackintosh agree to help Magdalene find her missing brother.

At last a straightforward adventure. What can possibly go wrong?

As John says, “This easy trip is going to be a nightmare.”
“Why? What do you know?”
“I know Calum Maclean.”

Facing the new wilderness and its hostile Indians with Magdalene along for company may just be a step too far for our heroes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Leigh Barker
• Release date: Mar 24, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310304217

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 2)

(Episode 4)

Calum's Expedition

Copyright 2015 Leigh Barker

Published by Leigh Barker at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

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ISBN: 9781310304217

Calum’s Expedition

Calum stood in the shade of a sorry-looking tree and watched the redcoat guard leaning against the wall at the gates to the barracks. Across the busy street John and Magdalene were engaged in conversation as they walked slowly up to the gates.

The guard ignored them, but if he’d looked more closely, he would have seen that the big Scot and the man across the street were wearing the same tartan, though even then he probably wouldn’t have given it a second thought. New York was teeming with Scots from every clan, and like most English soldiers, the guard couldn’t tell which clan a tartan belonged to. And wouldn’t lose any sleep over his ignorance.

Calum looked along the street and saw the break in the horse traffic he needed, waited a moment, then strode across. John saw him coming and stopped in front of the guard.

You’re a man of the world, are ya not? he asked the guard.

The guard looked up at him with tired eyes and was about to tell him to get lost. John stepped up very close to him. Blocking his view of the gate.

This woman, John said loudly, and pointed at Magdalene, says wearing no clothes around the house is good for her body. He shook his head slowly. Have ya ever heard of such a thing? Naked as the day she was born canna be good for her body. Look at it.

The soldier looked. Magdalene pushed out the important bits and smiled at the result.

Now that’s something I’d pay money to see, the guard said, and winked at John.

You’d no need money for that, John said with a long sigh. She does na mind who sees her. He put his hand on the guard’s shoulder and pointed at Magdalene.

Calum slipped into the barracks through the unguarded gate.

Away with ya, woman! John commanded. We’ve wasted enough of this fine gentleman’s time.

The guard looked her over one last time as John took her arm and led her away. Magdalene swished her long skirt for maximum effect and the guard sighed heavily and settled back against the wall.

Calum had no trouble finding the stables. This was a city barracks and space was scarce. Walking out three horses wasn’t going to be as easy as he’d hoped. He stepped up close to a barrack block across the narrow alley and watched the farrier working at his forge. It struck him that it might have been better to have thought through the whole horse-stealing thing before walking into the middle of several hundred English soldiers. Too late for thinking now.

He strode up to the farrier and waited for him to come to a natural break in his pounding of the red-hot horseshoe. The man looked up. His face was sooty and streaked with the tracks of sweat that ran off him in a steady stream. He didn’t speak, but his bloodshot eyes squinted in irritation at the interruption.

I’m here to collect the horses for Captain… Smith.