“Not one person from outside the village was infected. Not one person from the clean up or investigation. The trial was a complete success.”
“You can’t blame Mark for that one though. He was on campus, I saw him.”
He shoved another bag toward Teresa and Fern, who seemed to be working in relay, taking his bags outside.
“You think the authorities will believe his innocence, when there is so much evidence against him? When they find the schematics of the theatre, and the detailed layout of the village in a secret folder on his private computer?” He laughed.
“How?”
“All with your help. I must say, if it wasn’t for you, Rozlyn, this project would have been a damn site more difficult. If you hadn’t broken into Mark’s house and bugged it, my Fern here would never have had the opportunity to plant the information. Thanks to you, Rozlyn, my informant got in and out without suspicion. Because of you, Rozlyn, your friend will be sentenced with terrorism and put away for a long, long time, while I walk free.”
He handed Fern a bag and slung another over his shoulder.
“But, why?” I shouted, “all those people?”
“All those people?” He scoffed. “By sunrise, my work will be regarded as the must-have in biological weaponry. Do you know how many people will be clamouring for my research, what they will offer?”
“You’re doing this for money? You want to sell your research?”
He spat on the floor, his glob of saliva landing inches from my face. “You would pair me with a common criminal? You believe I could assort myself in such ranks? I do not desire money.”
“Then what will you get out of this?”
“What does any self-respecting leader desire? Power. He who holds the key for destruction, holds the key to power. That, my dear, is what feeble minds such as yours could never fathom. Which, it would seem, is why you were all so easy to persuade and deceive.”
He threw a small box toward Fern.
“That’s the last of them. Load them up and come back to help set the timers.”
I jumped and flailed on the floor. “What timers? What are you doing?”
“Conducting the final test. Each and every one of you will be my message to the world.”
I clenched my teeth, pulling against the restraints. “You’ve set another bomb? Who’s it targeting?”
He looked at me unblinking. “Everyone. I’ve been exposing you all to Mark’s formula for the past two weeks. It should be nice and settled within your major organs by now, a ready and familiar target for my toxin.”
“My team? You’ve exposed all of my team?” My voice broke with the thought of my friends succumbing to the poison.
“What a narrow vision you have.” Levins shook his head. “Why would I perform an experiment smaller than the last?”
I sucked in a breath, feeling the bile rise up my throat. “Everyone? The entire university? But that’s, over a thousand people.”
He was laughing as I spoke, nodding enthusiastically. “And you have a front row seat. Now, just stay here like the good little helper you are.” He patted my head condescendingly as he passed.
“I will not help you!”
He stopped by the door. “You’ve never stopped helping me. While I escape, your friends will be too busy looking for you in the rubble to bother following me; the ones who don’t die instantly, that is. Thanks for that.” He closed the door, leaving Warwick and I bound on the cold floor.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
I twisted on my side, bending my wrists against the sharp plastic tie. It wouldn’t budge. Warwick groaned again and I tried to shuffle toward him. My shoulder slammed into the hard floor over and over as I thrust my hips to propel me along the floor. I got close enough to nudge him with my knees. Each time I leaned against him, the binds on my ankles felt like they were ripping through my boots.
“Warwick,” I shouted. My voice echoed through the empty room. “Warwick!”
His eyes twitched. I screamed his name again and again, my throat raw. After what felt like the hundredth scream, he finally stirred. I watched as his face slowly reflected his shock. He twisted against his restraints, helplessly.
“It’s no use; I think they used cable ties. We’re never going to break free,” I said.
“What the hell happened? One moment I was stood over there, then bang. Who hit me?” His voice was a mixture of anger and weariness. His eyes didn’t look to be focusing.
“We were right, it was Levins.”
“Levins hit me? I’m going to bloody kill him.”
“No, he came in afterwards. Teresa hit you. Then Fern hit me.”
“What? Fern? But we just…” he broke off, lost for words. “They’re both working with him? How didn’t we see that?”
“I know. I’m sorry, Warwick.
He shook himself, as if forcing focus. “Doesn’t matter now.”
I kicked the edge of the table and winced as the pain shot through my ankles. “We didn’t see anything. He’s been playing us all this time. Drugging Bree to distract us, framing Mark; he’s had the whole thing planned and we played along exactly how he wanted us to. He even mentioned a body. Warwick, I think he might be responsible for Karissa too.”
He held his breath, eyes closed. Seconds passed while he regained control.
“Then, what now? Where did they go?” He looked around the empty room.
“I don’t know. They packed a load of bags and left. Warwick, he said he’s going to conduct a test bigger than the last.”
I watched as his expression changed from slow understanding to horror. “He’s going to blow us up? We have to get out of here!” He gritted his teeth and tried to pull his arm apart.
I twisted on the floor, searching for anything to break out binds with. The lab was clean. No sharp edges to rub against or fallen objects to sharpen. Like a snap of lightning, the memory hit me.
“My boot. Warwick, there’s a knife in our boots.”
I watched as he contorted backwards, curving his legs up toward his tied hands. He fumbled along the edge of the boot until finally, he pulled the tiny knife free. He twisted the blade up and began to rub it against the taught plastic strip on his wrists. It took only moments for his hands to break apart with a snap. He reached forward and began cutting through his leg restraints when both our heads snapped up and looked to a sound at the door. He thrust the knife into my hands and retook his position on the floor beside me. We watched in silence as Fern and Teresa entered the room.
“Do we really need to set this next one? He’s already leaving,” Fern whispered, to Teresa.
“Of course we do. There can’t be any witnesses. If these blab, then we’re all done for.” Teresa opened a low cupboard and plugged in a laptop. She began entering a sequence of numbers from a sheet of paper which was shaking in her hand.
“But, what about all the others? They don’t need to die. We should just set the one here. Forget about the others.”
I rubbed the knife against my wrist restraints in silence. Watching the two accomplices argue from the other side of the room.
“Are you trying to back out? Seriously? Why don’t you just lie down over there with your friends?”
My hands froze in place as Teresa pointed at is in disgust. Fern’s head refused to look in our direction.
“I’m not backing out of anything,” Fern said, with an edge of determination. “I just didn’t want to kill more than necessary.”
Teresa scrunched up the paper and threw it over her shoulder. “Well, not to worry. It’s all set. Now, let’s get moving, we’ve got exactly,” she clicked her watch as she looked at the laptop, “fifteen minutes to get clear.”
I jumped as Warwick leaped to his feet. I watched as he charged toward the two women. They screamed and ran in opposite directions. I forced my wrists apart, gouging the knife into the plastic. It snapped apart, stinging my torn flesh. Ignoring the burn from my protesting muscles, I tugged at the binds on m
y ankles, ripping through the tie with the knife.
I leaped to my feet, hurling myself across a table to reach Fern as she ran toward the door. In the distance I could hear Warwick fighting with Teresa. Fern swung her fist toward my face. I didn’t duck in time. She caught me hard on the temple. I staggered to the side, my vision blurring. My fists gripped hold of her jacket as I fell, bringing her down with me. I watched as her face slammed against the table leg.
Her eyes didn’t open as we lay together. I held my breath as I watched her chest, still. Lifeless. I felt the strangled cry grasp my throat as the seconds dragged.
I killed her.
I killed my house mate. I had grabbed her as we fell and killed her. Why didn’t I check where I was falling? I killed her. My horror struck eyes turned toward the crashing sounds behind me. Warwick was restraining Teresa beneath a work bench. He reached up to grab a rubber tube from the desk. With it, he stretched it around her wrists and bound her hands behind her back.
He looked to me as he kneed Teresa back to the floor. “Get her tied, we can’t risk her telling Levins we’re free.”
I sank back and crammed my hands over my mouth. “She’s dead. I killed her.”
Warwick shoved away from Teresa and crouched over the limp body of Fern. I blinked away the tears as I watched him feel for a pulse.
He smiled. “She’s alive. You just knocked her out.”
The flood of relief washed over me. Without thinking, I reached for Warwick and hugged him tight.
“Alright, Roz. Still got a bomb to stop.”
Leaving the two women bound to table legs, we raced to the door and yanked it open. The next room was clear. I flicked my earpiece through the channels, calling my friends names in turn. The line buzzed without a response. I grabbed a high stool from beside a work bench and held it above my head. With it poised to attack, I kicked open doors. Each one revealed yet another empty room.
“We can’t search for much longer. We need to find the bomb,” Warwick shouted, as I kicked open another door. “Where do you think he set it?”
“I don’t know, maybe…” I froze in position, straining my neck to the side. “Did you hear that?
Warwick nodded and pointed toward an oversized metal door. We moved in silence waiting for a second sound. A moment later, a soft moan fluttered from within.
“You think it’s another trap?” Warwick asked.
I held the stool, ready to slam it into any oncoming attackers. “On three?”
Warwick slid his hand over the long metal handle, ready to pull. He nodded to me, mouthing our countdown. On three, he thrust the handle down and yanked the door open. A battle cry erupted from my chest and I thrust the stool down toward the opening. A strong fist caught the stool, twisting it from my grasp.
“What the bloody hell?” Ash shouted. He threw the stool across the lab and turned to help Owen to his feet.
I rushed forward and helped him steady Owen. “I’m so sorry. We thought it was another trap.” We pulled Owen toward a table and leaned him against it. “What happened to you two?”
Ash leaned forward and brushed my hair back from my face. My head stung as he touched it. “Who hit you?”
“Later,” I said, “what happened to you guys?”
He put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. “We were making our way through the rooms as planned. Owen found a decent looking computer, so I watched while he got to work.”
“Didn’t watch the right area?” Warwick laughed.
“Oh, I did. It just didn’t make any difference.” He punched his leg in frustration. “I took down the first three. But, by the time I had them down, they had Owen. I let go of the fourth, so they would let him go.”
“But they didn’t,” Owen said, his voice gravely. He leaned over the side of the table and threw up. It spattered the floor noisily.
Ash held his shoulder for support. “No, they didn’t. As soon as I let him go, they smacked Owen with a baton and from the feel of it, they did the same to me.” He rubbed the back of his head as he spoke. “We woke up in the fridge. They were all in stealth black, no clue who they were.”
Warwick walked to the other side of the room and began to pace, his hand repeatedly scuffing through his hair. The doors swung open behind him and he crouched into an attack position.
“Down boy, it’s just us,” Bree said, as she passed into the room, patting Warwick as she walked. “Take it you guys were a little tied up too?”
“Where did they get you?” Ash asked.
Jay slid himself up onto the table beside Owen. “Few doors down, out front. There was just too many of them. All hooded, the cowards. They must have been in a rush to get the rest of you though, they just tied us up and left us.”
I moved out of Ash’s embrace and reached out to Owen. His face was colourless. His body trembled, and his eyes were scrunched closed. I held him up as the strength left his body.
“Owen, are you okay?” I asked.
“He’s got a concussion from the looks of it.” Ash said, as he slid his arm under Owen’s. “We need to get him to the hospital block.”
“We don’t have time for that,” Warwick shouted. “If we don’t get going, Owen’s injury won’t matter.” He stumbled as he spoke, clearly feeling the effects of his own blood loss.
“What?” Ash shouted, looking at Warwick incredulously.
“He’s right,” I said, “Levins told us, he’s set another bomb. Here. He said, by morning we would all be dead. Ash,” I lowered my voice, wishing I could deny the truth, “he meant everyone. We think he’s going to hit the entire university.”
“All? Where did he put it?” Ash demanded.
“I don’t know,” I replied. “We need to find this bomb in enough time to stop it. Jay, where do we stand on communication?”
Jay hopped down from the table, his hand remaining on Owen’s shoulder. “As I’m sure you noticed, our transmitters were sabotaged.”
“I figured as much. Do you know how we can fix them?”
He shook his head. “Will take too much time. I’ll run and grab some new ones. Be back in five.” He turned to Ash as he turned to leave. “Get him to the hospital.”
“I will.” Ash replied.
Jay ran from the room. I watched the door swing closed and hoped that wasn’t the last time I would see him.
“He’s aiming for something bigger than the village,” Warwick said, as he continued to pace, “so the blast would have to hit as many people as possible in one go.”
Bree stood beside him. “But, the toxin can reach further, can’t it? It could be anywhere on campus.”
Owen coughed. “It could, but…” he retched again. We waited for him to finish before resting his head against the cold metal table surface. “But, he would want the blast to begin in the centre of the highest concentration of people, to be sure he reaches everyone. From all the other bombs, we can see he’s got a thing for the dramatics.” He collapsed onto the table his eyes closed.
I rushed forward and shook him gently. “Owen, you have to stay awake.” I turned to Ash. “He can’t wait, we have to get him help now.”
Ash leaned over and yanked Owen to his feet. “Come on mate, keep those eyes open.”
“Alright,” I said, positioning myself in the centre of my group of friends. “We don’t know where he’s hidden it and we don’t know how to stop it. But, we have to try. Ash, you’re the only one who’s going to be able to carry him.”
Ash nodded, and walked to the door. “Then I’ll get him to the hospital building now. I’ll be back, just figure out where I need to be.”
“I’ll help you move him,” Warwick said, “then I’m going to call for help. There must be some kind of emergency communication in this place I can get to without Llamp knowing.”
He took Owen’s other arm and helped Ash pull him to his feet. They ran from the room, Owen’s feet dragging along the floor behind them.
“That leaves us,” Bree
said, a nervous smile forced in place.
I pulled on her arm and walked from the room. Outside it was an oddly warm night. The muffled thumping still resonated from the tower of flats. The cool breeze was hardly noticeable. We walked away from the science labs and stood at the miniature crossroads. Gravel paths spread out in every direction.
In turn, I glanced at the modern lecture buildings, the keep and the remainder of the castle buildings. Enclosing us all completely, were the walls of ivy. He could have hidden the bomb anywhere. I thrust my hands into my hair, my mind racing without an answer. I knew he wanted maximum exposure, a place with a concentration of people. I looked to the food hall, the coffee shop; they sat black in the night air.
“What do you think?” I asked.
Bree folded her arms and shrugged. “He wants a show. Maybe the Keep?”
“Teresa said they had fifteen minutes. That was, I don’t know how many minutes ago. That building’s empty until morning. He’ll have put it somewhere with lots of people.”
The two of us looked to the left as one. The pounding music wasn’t enough to cover the sound of hundreds of cheering drunken voices.
“The tower block party,” we said, together.
Without another word we took off toward the sound of the raging party. Lights flashed through each of the windows. The silhouettes of students danced through the glass. I craned my neck up and took in the dizzying height of glass and stone. I counted up seventeen levels.
Bree followed my gaze. “How the feck are we supposed to find it in all that?” She looked at her watch. “I’d say we had five minutes, at most.”
“Guys!” We span on the spot to see Jay running toward us. “He’s over by the garages, I just saw him.”
“Who, Levins?” I asked.
Jay leant over panting, with his hands on his knees. “Yeah. Him and that Teresa. Looks like they’re taking one of the cars out of here.”
“We should go after them,” Bree said, ready to sprint away.
I held her arm back. “We can’t. Disarm the bomb first. Then we go after Levins. We have to stop it.”
“But, if I can stop him, he can’t set any more bombs.”
Trials in Walls of Ivy (Triskelion Trilogy Book 1) Page 26
