“I thought you said that Benton had made those huge infected.” Chris said, spooning a grey sludge out of a packet.
“That’s what we were told.” Amy said, leaning back in the damp grass at the side of the road.
“Then where in God’s name did all those fuckers come from? They seemed to be on every other street as we left.” He asked, crushing the packet and throwing it away.
“I think they were there before we went to rescue Jane. To be honest, they knew I would come to save her, but what they didn’t know was that I would bring friends and come by boat. I think that might be why there were so many of them.” I said, watching the long grass sway on the other side of the road.
“You m…..” Booommm!
Chapter Ten
I lowered my pistol as the infected slowly fell out of the grass and onto the road. Its black blood and green brain matter rained down around its body.
“You were saying?” I asked, grinning.
Chris just shook his head and replied “I was saying that you might be right.”
The long grass further up the road parted. I lifted my pistol and watched Spirit come trotting out. She wandered up to the now fully dead infected. She sniffed at the ruined skull, lifted her leg and pissed on it before heading over to sit beside Amy. I slowly put my pistol back into my holster and stood up. Looking around, I could see more movement in the grasses.
“Might be an idea to get moving again.” I said, pointing out into the field.
Amy bundled Spirit into her makeshift carrier and passed her over after I climbed on to my ATV. We headed toward the lifeboat station and weaved along the country roads. We came to the road leading to the station and turned off. As we travelled along the road, the grass and trees slowly changed to crab grass and sand dunes. Just up ahead we saw a large concrete building with the tell-tale ramp leading out into the sea.
We slowed our approach to the lifeboat station. I pulled up a short distance from the station and I could see a Land Rover parked outside. Letting Spirit out of her carrier, she jumped down and stood looking toward the doorway. Chris climbed off his ATV and walked over to the door.
He banged on the door and called out “Oi! David, Mike you in there?”
The door creaked open and David stuck his head out and said “Never mind Oi. I was fucking asleep.”
“Well, you both can get up, you lazy gits!” I called over climbing off the ATV.
“Marc! Thank fuck!” He said, grinning.
“Never mind any of that. Get a fucking brew going.” I called out, laughing.
Shaking his head, he disappeared inside, shouting as he went.
Amy walked past carrying her rucksack and said “Well, at least someone is happy to see you.”
“You what?” I called at her back.
She just lifted her hand and flipped her middle finger back at me.
Chris walked over laughing and picked his rucksack up off the floor and laughed “Do you think she has been around us too long?”
“She might have.” I said, watching her entering the building.
We walked inside with our gear. There was a small reception area that had a small counter and a bench. Directly opposite the entrance was another door which had been left open. Spirit came trotting past and went through the open door without stopping. I could hear voices coming from further inside. Shrugging my shoulders, I walked further inside. The door from the reception opened into the large dock area of the lifeboat station. In the middle of it stood a large orange and white boat. I had to admit that it looked fantastic.
“Looks like it might do the job.” Chris rumbled as he walked toward another door against the wall where the voices were coming from.
I followed and cast another look at the lifeboat. I stepped through the door and saw what must have been the recreation room for the lifeboat crews. There was a couple of large couches with a coffee table between them. Along one wall were some white cupboards. David was standing at the cupboards making the cups of coffee. Mike was on one of the couches with his boots up on the coffee table. Spirit was slowly walking round the room sniffing everything. Amy had dumped her rucksack in the corner and was looking out of a small window at the sea. Chris dropped his rucksack at one end of a couch and flopped down onto it.
Standing there at the doorway, I was the surprised at the way they all just relaxed in each other’s company. I lowered my rucksack against the end cupboard and walked over to where Amy was standing.
“A penny for them?” I asked standing behind her.
Without turning, she replied “Is this the right thing to do, Marc?”
I sighed and said “I hope so. It’s just that it feels like the right thing to do. Well, at least for me anyway.”
Turning around she looked up at me with large eyes and said “I’ve finally found you and since then we have been running around putting our lives on the line for other people. When will we ever have time for just us?”
Tell the truth, I didn’t have an answer to that. The way I saw it was that if people back at the Bunker had truly put their faith in me, then I need to make sure that they all survived and lived on even if I died trying to do that for them. Over Amy’s shoulder I could see the dark grey North Sea and the waves pounding the beach that was not even a hundred yards away.
I looked into her face and gently put my hand to her cheek saying “Amy, I don’t know if we will ever get to have any time just for us. The world has changed into an ugly place and we are all going to have to fight for our places in it.”
She pressed her head into my hand and sighed. Turning around, she leaned into my chest and we both stood watching the waves beat themselves against the beach.
“Brews are made.” David called.
I turned my head and nodded in his direction. Amy stood forward and we both headed over to sit down on the free couch. We all sat there in silence drinking our hot drinks.
Knowing no one was going to speak first, I decided that it should be me.
“Ok, so Amy and the not so friendly giant found me in Hull, and you two…” I pointed at Mike and David “came here to find a lifeboat, which you have. So here comes the hundred dollar question. Do any of you know where Benton’s ship is?” I asked.
I was surprised when it was Amy who answered. “It’s not a ship.”
There were several what’s spoken at that little nugget.
Raising my hands I said “Come on, guys, let her say her bit.”
I turned my head and looked at her. I could see the guys on the other couch lean forward as though they had hearing difficulties.
“I said it’s not a ship. You remember when we first met Rosa and Tom?” She asked.
“Yeah, she said her dad was some kind of big yup yup.” Chris said.
Amy looked sideways at me and said “Her second name is Benton.”
The room sort of tilted on its side and it felt hard for me to breathe.
“We’ve been living with her for weeks!” Mike said, standing.
“I know, I know.” Amy replied.
“How long have you known?” I whispered.
The rings round Amy’s eyes were starting to turn red, she turned her head away and said “She told me just after we got back from rescuing Jane and the others.”
“Hold on. So if it isn’t a ship, what the fuck is it?” David said.
Amy hitched in a few breaths before saying “It used to be an oil platform. She told me everything after we got back and saw that Chris and Marc had been hurt.”
“So Tom knew as well?” Chris asked, with his huge hands flexing beside him.
“No. Tom knows Rosa’s second name and what her dad did but not where the oil rig is. Rosa has been there a few times with her dad.”
“Does she know exactly which oil rig? Because there are quite a few out there.” Mike said.
Amy nodded and reached inside her jacket and pulled out a sheet of paper with some numbers and letters on it.
“She gave me
this before we left to come and find Marc.” She said, handing it to Chris.
He looked down at it and said “Its coordinates. This must be where the oil rig is in the North Sea. When were you going to tell us that you had these?”
“I was hoping to convince Marc to come back to the Bunker. But I realize now that the only way that I can keep him safe is to go with him.” Amy replied with a flash of something behind her eyes.
Everyone went silent and I caught a few glances directed toward me from the other couch. The thing was, Amy had knocked me sideways with her little announcement just as much as she had the others.
It was then that a scruffy looking puppy wandered into the room. We all heard Spirit issue a growl from low in her chest. I looked over at her and saw she had her ears laid back against her head with a snarl on her long mouth.
“Spirit, stop that!” I said.
She stopped and cast a look toward me that could have only been called hostile. The pup had his long bushy tail between his legs and skirted round the room toward where David was sitting. David leaned over the side of the couch and lifted the pup onto his lap. Spirit issued a huff and walked over to Amy and sat down at her feet.
“Right, back to what we were talking about.” Chris said.
I looked over and asked “So you knew all about Rosa and her father?”
She sighed “Yes, but she was frightened that you and the others would kick her and Tom out of the Bunker because of it.”
I felt my face slowly redden. I had to admit that back then I probably would have kicked them both out on their butts, but with everything that had happened lately, I probably wouldn’t have. Human life had slowly become the most important thing on the face of the planet and any loss would be that step closer to it ending.
I rubbed my chin with my hand before saying “I might have in the past, but with the way things are now, I don’t know.”
“Well, I would have.” Chris said, his face red with anger.
“No you wouldn’t have.” David said with a small smile.
Chris squirmed on the couch “Ok! Maybe not, but I would have kept a better eye on them.”
“We are getting off track here. We are going to have to decide if what Rosa has given us is reliable or not.” Mike said as he scratched the pups head.
Amy stood up and said “Well, I believe it. Rosa came to me after she found out what had happened at the ship. She was in tears. Rosa couldn’t believe that her father was behind all of this. That’s when she told me of the oil rig and other places around the country that her father’s company owned, but she was adamant that the oil rig would be where the company would be.”
“I have to admit that would be the best choice seeing as the country is swarming with the infected.” David said, nodding his head.
Chapter Eleven
Amy walked over and poured another cup of coffee before returning back to her place on the couch. Taking a long gulp of my coffee, I looked over our little group.
“So taking out an oil rig is going to a little harder than a ship.” I said, putting the cup down on the coffee table.
The pup jumped down from David’s lap and slowly padded toward Spirit. She lifted her head and looked at him and let out a small growl. The pup probably didn’t have much sense because he kept going. Spirit decided to pretend that he wasn’t there and lowered her head again.
“Look, what we need to decide on is if it is worth carrying on.” Mike said.
“Look, I already…” before I could finish there was a small yelp. The pup had got a little too close to Spirit and got a small nip to his side. He shot back to where David was and cowered against the large man’s legs.
“Like I was going to say, I have already decided to try.” I said, standing up and walking to the window.
“Marc, we are not saying that it isn’t the right thing to do but it is going to be nearly impossible to destroy the rig, and even if you did managed it you would probably die as well.” Mike said, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.
He did have a point. I would probably die, but when I had to shoot Matthew back in the pub I made a decision that Benton wouldn’t get away with what he had done.
“Mike, mate, you are probably right but I am still going to try.” I replied.
I heard someone stand and turned to see Chris standing up. I actually thought he was going to come around the couches and smack me one.
“Look, I have been with you every step of the way, mate, but I need to ask you this one last time. Are you sure this is what needs to be done?” He said stood there looking me full in the face.
I looked at each of them in turn whilst trying to arrange my thoughts into words. The pup had finally got close to Spirit and was laying down alongside her.
I smiled at the dogs and said “Look, even if we didn’t try to stop them, then who’s to say that this time next year Benton wouldn't have managed to wipe the Bunker and everyone staying there off the face of the map? Before any of you say it, there is a small chance that they leave us alone, but from everything that we have found out about these arseholes, they will come for us and either enslave us and our families or conduct experiments on us. Now, I for one don’t want that to happen to anyone. That was why I did the midnight flit. Look, everyone here has a reason not to go and I have never once twisted an arm or threatened them about it, but whichever way this turns out, I am going to fight these bastards.”
“Ok”
Amy looked at Chris and asked “What do you mean ok?”
“I mean ok. I’ll team up with Marc.” He said, sitting back down.
David smiled and said “Well, if you put it like that, then I suppose I’m in as well.”
“I’ll have to go now, if only to look after my little girl’s boyfriend.” Mike said, standing and walking over to pour another cup of coffee.
I just smiled and shook my head at them. They were like a set of brothers trying to one up each other. Amy just sat there looking like she had been slapped across the face. I did feel sorry for her, but when you get men like the four of us in a room then she should have known that each of us would back any of the others to the hilt. The light outside was starting to dim and I watched as the color seemed to leech from the sea leaving only black waves with white crests crashing against the sand.
“You do realize that trying to bring down an oil rig is going to be impossible.” Amy said, looking at each one of us.
“That’s where the fun is.” Chris replied.
“Look, it’s getting on and we won’t get much done now. I suggest we all get some sleep and figure out what we are going to do after a good night’s sleep.” David said.
We all grabbed some food and ate in silence. Night had closed in quickly. After eating our MRE’s I took Spirit outside to let her do what she needed. I watched as she bounded away into the darkness with the pup following in her wake. I stood listening for any of the infected but only heard the sound of the waves crashing against the beach.
“You do realize it’s going to be a hard fight.” A rumbling voice said from behind me.
Turning around, I said “I know and you know that I wouldn’t force anyone to come with me.”
Chris grinned and patted me on the shoulder “Like I said in there, we have been together since this all began. If Jay were here, he would say the same thing that I said.”
Spirit sprinted out of the sand dunes and a short while later the pup ran towards us. He stopped short of us and let out a short bark. I crouched down and held out my hand to him. Creeping forward, he got close enough to sniff my fingers. Taking a few sniffs he crept further forward and I leaned forward and gave his head a gentle stroke and was rewarded with a quick lick in return. He squeezed through the gap between Chris and myself disappearing inside the building.
“I miss Jay.” I said, standing up.
Chris chuckled “He would have loved the idea of blowing up an oil rig.”
I could just imagine the gleam in Jay’s e
ye at the idea.
“Let’s get inside.” I said.
I followed Chris back inside and back to the kitchen. There was a lantern lit that was giving the small room a warm glow. Amy was busy laying out her sleeping bag on one of the couches. Spirit was lying asleep at the end of the couch with the pup curled up next to her.
Amy looked up at us as we entered and said “David said that Chris is welcome to sleep on the lifeboat with him and Mike. They thought that Marc and I would prefer to sleep in here.”
Chris walked over and picked up his rucksack and headed back to where the lifeboat was “That gives me someone to talk to.” he said walking out of the room.
I grabbed my rucksack and pulled out my sleeping bag and laid it out on the other couch. Sitting down, I started to pull my boots off.
“Marc, I don’t want us to do this.” Amy said.
I lay down on my side and looked over at her before answering “Amy, this needs to be done otherwise this whole mess is going to get worse and may never get better.”
She sighed.
“Benton will just make every survivor's life a living hell and I can’t have it on my conscience.” I said, lying back and looking up at the ceiling.
She turned the lamp down and I heard her settle into her sleeping bag. Moonlight filtered in through the small window and my eyes slowly got used to the dark. Pulling open my sleeping bag, I climbed inside and zipped it closed.
“Marc, I think it might be best if I head back to the Bunker in the morning.” Amy whispered in the dark.
That shocked me and I turned over to look in her direction.
“Why?”
“I can’t see anyway that you and the others are going to survive this and I don’t want to be there to see you die.”
“Who says that any of us are going to die?”
“It’s an oil rig in the middle of the sea. How are you going to escape it? Let alone how the hell are you supposed to get on board?”
Tell you the truth, I hadn’t thought of that oil rigs were huge platforms that were in the middle of the North Sea. They rested on huge legs. That the platform and machinery rested on. Then a thought came to me out of the blue.
Suicide Run (The Infected Book 5) Page 6
