Salby Damned (27 page)

Chris didn’t have to wait long as sporadic fire to the tree line sent rounds pinging past him, the guards laying down cover while he knelt outside the defences with the scope at Nathan’s chest. As Nathan turned slightly to face him, Chris whispered under his breath.

“Please, live to forgive me, my friend.”

The dart found its mark, puncturing the thin cotton of the shirt and penetrating the fleshy skin at the right breast, entering deeply as the impact activated the syringe tip and pumped anaesthetic into the striding body of his mate. He counted from the impact, watching as Nathan continued to stride forwards, one step, two steps, three steps, not quite four, and his legs crumbled beneath him, sending him sprawling forwards not far from the body of the woman they had tried to save.

Chris wished he had not made that call to Nathan now. His stomach turned cartwheels at the sickening feeling inside as he watched Nathan fall. He dropped the pneumatic rifle, sliding it back towards the guards at the gate, and rising fast, he moved towards the unconscious body of Nathan that had just toppled, whilst four of his colleagues followed.

“You two cover us. You two get the woman. I’ll get Nate. When we get in, someone call the medics and tell them we have two infected and that one of them is Sergeant Nathan Cross, move!” Chris shouted, his frustration clear but had to be controlled, he knew.

With no need for further orders, two of the four-man crew took defensive positions, cutting down two more infected souls as the other two men carried the body of the woman back to the gate. Chris rolled Nathan onto his back, sitting him up and placing his hands under his armpits; then he lifted until he could lean his friend against him. He rounded quickly to Nathan’s front, allowing gravity to help the unconscious body to fall forwards as he bent, lifting between the legs and carrying him on his shoulder, back towards the gate.

The two covering guards laid down fire as they retreated to the safety of the base. Someone had already called the incident in and a Land Rover waited with the engine running just inside the fence. Others helped Chris lower the body of his friend gently into the vehicle, laying him flat in the back, side-by-side with the captured woman. Chris popped the passenger door, telling the driver to go, desperate to get them to the Military Police HQ without wasting unnecessary time; he wasn't sure how they could help Nathan, but he hoped beyond hope that they could.

*******

Charles Fitzgerald rushed towards the private quarters of Lieutenant Colonel Connell, banging loudly upon the door in haste and having to wait a few minutes before it finally opened.

“Richard, we have an incident. You need to come quickly, now.”

“Charles, what is it? Something happened?”

“Get dressed. I’ll tell you on the way. We need to wake Dr. Shepherd.”

Forfeiting formal dress, the C.O. donned lightweight trousers, shirt, and shoes before leaving his room. The sense of urgency and concern was rarely seen in the face of his old friend.

“What is it, Charles? What’s going on?” he asked, as they left the building, striding towards the main residential block.

“We have captured another infected victim, a woman who displayed different traits to the others. In the process, we have lost one of our own. Sergeant Cross has sustained a gunshot wound and been bitten. We have the two of them stable in the Police HQ building now.”

“Jesus Christ! Cross? Nathan Cross? I served with him many years ago. A fine lad. Is he stable, did you say? What of the woman, has she sustained any injuries? How did it happen?”

“No, she’s okay. He tried to save her and was attacked from behind. Chris, Staff Sergeant Stewall, managed to keep one off him, but they just came too fast. One of the guards put a bullet in his thigh after he was bitten, which slowed him slightly. We have him in surgery removing it at the moment. This is going to hit Evelyn hard, Richard. I need your support.”

“Whatever you need, say the word; you know that, old friend. I’ll have a helicopter and crew on standby. You’ll need to get to the facility as soon as possible; better equipped there. I’ll have the radio ops get word to Salby and let them know we’re coming.”

“That’s good, good,” Charles said, as he approached the door to Evie’s room.

He knocked quite loudly and heard the shuffling feet over the floor, followed by the lock turning. She stood, not quite awake but alarmed to see her boss and the C.O., both at this hour; she knew something was wrong.

“Charles? Sir? What?”

“Can we come in, Evelyn?” asked Charles gently.

“Of, of course, what is it? Are the children alright? What’s happened? I knew I should have stayed with them.”

“It’s not the children, Evelyn. Sit down.”

“It’s not the children? Then what? Tell me,” Evie said, still standing. Her senses prickled and screamed that something had happened.

“The night guards have captured another infected victim, Evie, a woman who displayed odd behaviour prior to her capture. However, in the process, Nathan has become infected and sustained a gunshot wound. He is stable and undergoing surgery to remove the bullet.”

“Shot? They shot him? His own colleagues shot him? Where?”

“Evie, he’s been bitten. The gunshot wound is to his upper left thigh and not serious by comparison.”

“No, no, he can’t be. Are you sure it’s him?”

“Yes, Evie, his security ID card confirms it, I’m afraid,” Charles said and handed her the plastic-coated card.

She looked at it and gazed at the picture for almost a minute. Charles caught her as she crumbled and held her up against himself as her body shook against him. Richard could only stand and watch. For several minutes, she cried uncontrollably, trying to form words as the tears poured from her eyes. Her mind slowly began to process the information, working out what to do next.

“Is, is he stable?” she said.

“We have him in theatre to attend the bullet wound, and he’s stable and will not be aware of the situation. We’re going to move him and the other two to the facility at first light, an hour or so from now. I hate to be brutal, but we have much work to do now if we’re to try to save them.”

Evie wasted no time, dressing quickly and grabbing the bag she had containing her essentials. She then followed Charles and Richard out to the Military Police HQ building, which doubled as a secure medical facility.

When they arrived, she could see Nathan but he was covered over with just his left leg visible. A facemask was over him to prevent infection, and there were restraints on his arms and ankles to protect the team of surgeons during the operation. It hadn't taken too long to remove the bullet and put in a few stitches. They wrapped an iodine-soaked surgical pad tightly around it. Nathan, or what was left of him, was then taken back to the secure cell with Evie close behind, keen to take a look at him and make sure that he would be comfortable.

The C.O. had already ordered a helicopter and crew on immediate standby, and preparations to move the other two infected detainees were well under way. The Salby facility had confirmed they were ready to accept them.

***

The noise of the activity on the base immediately after the incident woke Colin Snape, but it didn’t matter because today was going to be the day. He had meant to ask Meriam to join him, but for some reason, it had slipped his mind; it didn't matter though, there would be others, he thought.

Snape stood at the window, craning his neck to watch the unfolding events, as people moved quickly from one building to the next and Land Rovers whizzed past, travelling far too fast for the hour. Looking at the horizon out over the base, he could see the sky begin to lighten, signalling the coming of the new day. There had been substantial rain in the night; puddles lay scattered over the tarmac ground and small droplets still remained on the single window of his room. He decided to go and eat, not caring for the excited and usually loud chatter of small children at the start of a day. He preferred silence and the chance to relax while he ate.

At the cookhouse, he sipped hot coffee and ate breakfast, which consisted of two bacon rashers, a sausage, powdered egg mixture, and a choice of tinned beans or tomato. Not a bad attempt at breakfast, given the situation he thought. He noticed a flurry of staff coming and going in the general direction of the Military Police HQ building and the faint sound of a helicopter could be heard above the constant hum of the kitchen vent system.

Finishing his meal, he placed the cutlery neatly on the plate but then stared at the knife. Taking a look around to make sure that no one was watching, he secreted the implement. It wasn't the sharpest but he thought that it might be useful later in the day. Snape saw the huge whale-like double rotor Chinook transport helicopter begin its final descent to the landing field. The distinctive chug, chug, chug of the engines increased in volume as it began to close the gap between it and the ground.

He decided to return to his room to collect the shoulder bag and laptop, then come back to bide his time, waiting for a chance to put his plan into action and leave this place forever, he mused. Meriam could come if she chose, but he didn’t need her; with so much money at his disposal, he could buy anyone he wanted.

***

The ground crew refuelled the helicopter as word reached the Military Police HQ that it would soon be ready to depart on the next mission. The exhausted base medical team, who had been working through the night non-stop, prepared the three patients ready for transport to the facility labs. Evelyn stuck to Nathan’s side as he was moved to the aircraft, checking and re-checking the intravenous fluid drips placed in his arms.

They lifted him into the aircraft, strapping the whole bed down for security. Sliding the two remaining patients alongside, they made sure each was secured for the short flight. The flight was held for Charles and Richard to board, leaving the base once more in the command of Major Sower. Evie packed light, taking only her observational notes and a basic wash kit bag; she knew that it was going to be a long, long day, and she had no intention of resting until real progress had been made.

Nathan can't die; I won't allow it, no matter what. I think I love him.

The sun came up on another day, a day that many would never forget. The helicopter ambled into the sky, bound for the underground facility, while Chris remained at the base with a mission to capture more of the infected. They still needed victims of different ethnic origins, but most of all, he needed to do something, anything, to help save his best, most trusted friend.

The camp began to wake up, and it carried on as if nothing had happened during the night; after all, the last five nights had been fraught with gunfire with lots of people hurrying about. What was so special about today?

***

Corporal Simms had woken at 0600 hours ready to assume her duties for the day. There were no new messages on her tablet device, having checked first thing. She'd had a full night's sleep and felt much better for it. With the cookhouse in mind for some breakfast and a kick-start from a cup of coffee, she made her way across the damp tarmac.

After food, she would check with the C.O. for any new orders, and then she would resume tracking the greased weasel that was Colin Snape. She immediately picked up on the buzz in the air surrounding the base. Clearly, something had happened in the night. Making her way to the cookhouse hangar, she hoped she would hear something on the camp grapevine. Recognising the two SGFC employees approaching the cookhouse, she nodded, offering a curt “Good morning” but not waiting for the response, such was her haste to find out what was going on.

***

After a leisurely stroll to the cookhouse where they ate, Brian and Meriam sat for a while, discussing their boss and the outcome once the crisis was over.

“I mean, we haven’t done anything wrong, have we, Brian?” said Meriam.

“Not unless there is something you’re not telling me, love, no. I’ve only ever done my job as best I can. Hell, I even paid the parking ticket the last time the company van got done, and without claiming it back on expenses,” he added, chuckling.

“They’ve got nothing on us, no matter what’s on the laptops. I reckon that little scroat Snape was just trying to scare us to make us help him save his own skin. You know, we haven't heard a thing from him since he found the laptop and I gave him the files,” Meriam added.

“The man is a selfish arrogant ass, honey; we're better off without his attentions, especially you.”

Meriam shivered as she thought of that disgusting man touching and kissing her; he was the most repulsive man she had ever known, and she wasn’t sorry that he seemed to have lost interest in her. They decided to keep out of his way by offering their help to the volunteers taking care of the children, good to do something to help.

After clearing away their plates, they walked to the entertainments and activities hangar; they'd try to assist in the day’s events to keep the children busy, and they surprised themselves by finding it very therapeutic. Several times they spotted Colin immersed in concentration, jotting down things on a pad before moving along, trying his best not to look suspicious. If only he knew just how many people had a growing interest in his actions, he would surely think twice.

“He’ll get what’s coming to him, love.” Brian assured her.

“People like that always do.”

They both turned in unison to witness the huge aircraft lift off, cumbersome but graceful at the deft hands of the pilot.

***

The huge Chinook helicopter whined into the air; the front end pulled the back end off the ground before the double rotors levelled the fuselage out, dipping the nose slightly to allow it to make forward progress. Inside the main cargo hold with the vast loading ramp now sealed at the rear, basic seating allowed provision for crew and passengers. On this flight, every seat was taken.

Evelyn kept a watchful medical eye on Nathan and the other two patients throughout the flight. In the other seats, Lieutenant Colonel Connell and Dr. Charles Fitzgerald sat in silence; there was nothing that could be said that would help the situation. The flight took just over thirty minutes; the airspeed of the Chinook slightly lower than that of the smaller aircraft. No one looked out as they passed over the scenes of carnage below, until they got nearer to their destination, the walled private estate, a genteel façade over what lay beneath, surrounded by military personnel.

***

As the aircraft came to rest, teams of doctors, nurses, and members of the ground guard assisted in lifting the three patients out, wheeling them into the nearest three houses, each with its own lift down to the facility below. There was an air of determination and a sense of urgency; clinical professionalism kicked in, but Evie felt a huge burden of guilt. It was, after all, her creation that now saw him fighting for his life.

She stayed with Nathan, delivering him to the sealed bio-room safely; this would now become his temporary home and hopefully not for long. Charles stood beside the wheeled bed, looking at the unconscious body of Nathan Cross as he supported Evie’s arm.

“The bio-lab is ready, Evelyn. I called ahead to prepare it, and samples of the virus have been taken. Team priorities have been changed; antidote formulation is the number one priority, not only for this facility but also for outside agencies. I’ve instructed civilian pharmaceutical companies to begin formulation in any labs still operational, the more people we have on this, the better. Updates from other facilities with live specimens will be sent nightly. I’ll be leading a team myself, and we’ll check in and compare notes daily. Okay, let’s get to it,” Charles said.