Melanie swung from Coco’s muscular back. She was slipping in and out of consciousness.
When the soldiers reached the building, they kicked the door open and fanned out inside to check there were no Blinkers, Stare-ers, Eaters or Poppers – the names the soldiers had labeled the four different stages.
After “Clear!” was shouted from each room, the building was determined to be deserted.
Melanie was propped up in a dentist’s chair on the top floor of the clinic. Coco had sat her in the comfortable chair, and then stated he would be back after they had made the perimeter safe.
She then slipped back into unconsciousness. She was woken up by the sensation of water on her lips.
“Sip it slowly Doc,” a scrawny twenty-something lad said, who was riddled with acne, and who had been sitting next to her on the flight. He poured a little water from his canteen into her mouth. “I’m Jimmy, the squad’s medic.”
“Don’t worry about me, see to your wounded,” Melanie muttered. Her mind flashed back to all the bodies lying motionless in the helicopter.
“You’re my only patient, Doc. The others were too far gone–” his words trailed off. He shifted. Melanie got the impression it was not from being in an uncomfortable position, but from the conversation.
Melanie could hear the other soldiers moving around furniture on the floor below.
“Only nine of us made it out alive. Including you.” Jimmy was rummaging through his medical backpack. He pulled out some cotton wool and poured a clear solution over it. As he dabbed it on her forehead, she stifled back a scream. She bit her lip instead.
“Sorry. You must have been hit on the head when we crash-landed. Just cleaning up the cut.” After the initial shock of the sting, she settled down as Jimmy cleaned the wound, and then placed a couple butterfly plasters over it.
“The wound needs stitches, but this will have to do for now.”
That explains why I keep falling in and out of consciousness, and why I feel so queasy.
“I gotta make sure you stay awake for a while, because of the bash on the head.”
Voices could be heard in the hallway outside. Two soldiers walked into the room.
“Doctor Lazaro, I’m glad you’re still with us,” the man stated. “I’m the leader of what’s left of this squad. It’s my job to get you safely to the Dartmoor facility.” He gave a sigh. “I know I’ve not been doing too well so far, but hopefully I can redeem myself.” He sat upon a stool by a work surface that was covered in dental instruments. He reached inside his jacket and pulled out the folder that was still inside the waterproof sleeve.
Melanie was relieved. Thank God, at least I still have the documents.
“I just hope whatever information you have is worth the sacrifices?” He just stared at the plastic sleeve, as if being able to read its contents. He dropped it onto the side.
A tall thin soldier walked into the room. He had long thin features, with large protruding teeth, as if they were too big for his mouth. “Captain, everything has been secured. The two entrances are barricaded, and all the windows on the lower levels are secure. And everything that could be salvaged from the helicopter has been brought to the building.”
“Good.” He rubbed a hand over his face. The action reminded Melanie of Brigadier General William Hay, before he was shredded by flying glass.
So many have died today.
“Rogers, get Echo to prepare food for everyone as soon as she finishes positioning her packages.”
“Sir, yes sir.” Rogers did not salute; he simply turned and went to carry out his orders.
“Captain,” another soldier said, as he came through the doorway. “Bull has the radio all set up ready for you. He’s talking to General Philips as we speak.”
“Tell him I’m on my way. And please assure him she’s fine.” He wearily got to his feet.
“Captain,” Melanie said.
“Yes.” He turned slowly. The crash left his body badly bruised.
“Thank you for rescuing me.” The images of the horde of naked creatures attacking the university flashed through her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut to blank them out.
“I’m sorry for everyone who has been lost.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “But trust me when I say that folder contains information that needs to reach someone in the Dartmoor labs.”
“It is that important?” he asked.
“It’s the cure,” Melanie stated. Even though technically it was not a cure, but a prevention, she did not think that mattered.
The room went silent as the ramifications of her statement sunk in.
“Jesus,” Jimmy muttered.
“Captain,” Rogers said as he walked back into the room. “We have a problem. General Philips said he has no more birds at his disposal; his other two are apparently not responding to radio contact. In addition, the three groups of Huskies that are on patrol – that he sent out this morning – aren’t due to return from missions until tomorrow afternoon.”
“So we’re on our own.”
“Yes sir. We have no back up and no transport. But on the plus side, we do have shitloads of ammo and firepower.”
The Captain looked at his blood-flecked boots, while considering his options.
“Get Coco, Trev, and Franco ready. Within ten minutes, I want them out commandeering a vehicle big enough to transport us all.”
“Captain.” Another soldier strode into the room. “We have a problem.” The soldier looked like a poster perfect image for the military; muscular frame, chiseled square jaw, with a flawless center parting in his dirty-blonde hair, even after everything they went through.
“What’s the problem, Spice?”
“It seems we missed a small cloakroom when we cleared the building, and it has three Stare-ers comatose inside.”
“Shit,” Jimmy muttered.
“That’s not the worst of it,” Spice stated. “Two of them are children.”
24
Noah, Red, Betty, and Lennie
Newton Abbot, King Street
11:12 AM GMT
Red’s warning echoed in Noah’s ears as he tried to take in the situation. The old woman did not seem to be a threat; rather, she was also running for her life along with Red.
The huge man stood at the doorway, his hands covered in blood. Then he grasped the doorframe with both hands and with one leg, he kicked into the room. Noah could not see what he was kicking, but he knew whatever it was it could not have survived the impact.
“Run!” Red screamed again as she reached Noah. Red had her own cloth bag on her back, and she was struggling to carry Noah’s. As she ran past, she pushed it into his arms.
The old woman was moving fast for her age, and as she also passed Noah, she screamed, “You deaf Sonny? Run!”
Noah fumbled with the large pack as he swung it onto his back, while keeping hold of the cardboard box, and running to catch up. With a backward glance, Noah noticed the giant was lumbering along with a limp, following them.
“Keep up Lennie,” the old woman shouted over her thin shoulder.
A piercing, guttural scream echoed off the buildings as a naked female, and a teenage boy exited the breakroom, hot on their heels.
“Shit!” Noah muttered as the screams made him run even faster. We won’t be able to outrun them.
The female was skinny, covered in filth and dried blood, with long matted blonde hair. She was running too fast and slammed against the wall. She skidded on the ground, as she ripped at the floor and wall with twisted, bleeding fingers while trying to get back up. The male teenager ran past her, straight at Lennie, who was at the back of the retreating group.
Fuck! Noah thought.
The huge man was just too slow.
Noah dropped the pack off his back and let it fall to the ground.
The rifle won’t stop them, but maybe I could use it as a club.
Just as that thought passed through his head, the giant of a man stretched out a big hand an
d grabbed the shopping trolley that was resting on its side. In one swift move, Lennie twisted and swung the trolley in a large arc, pivoting on one leg as he twisted around. The trolley caught the naked teenager full force, knocking him sideways like a ragdoll. The body hit the Renault Clio like a bag of bones, and slid along the ground, unmoving.
The screaming female seemed undaunted and charged straight at the giant man. Lennie lifted the trolley above his head in both hands, and just as she reached him, with her bloody hands outstretched, Lennie slammed the trolley down with so much force; he twisted the metal frame. The female’s body became unrecognizable. Blood started to pool around the crushed trolley and heap of dirty, mangled flesh.
Bloody hell, I’m glad he’s on our side; Noah thought. Then added, is he on our side?
Red and Betty stopped running about thirty yards up the road.
“Good boy Lennie. You showed them,” the old woman shouted. “Now get moving. Come on, stop staring, and catch up. More could be just around the corner.”
Lennie turned, and with his blank stare stumbled past Noah as if he was not there.
“That’s right, come on Lennie,” the old woman prompted, as she leaned forward with her hands on her knees, catching her breath.
Noah hoisted his bag back on his back, and with one last glance at the two crushed bodies, he started to follow the giant.
“We need to get out of the road,” Red stated, as they all grouped up behind a large blue van. “There could be more of them around.”
“I need a cuppa tea,” the old woman mumbled with a wheezing breath.
“Over here,” Noah stated as he walked to the closest house. The green front door was wide open. The front hallway’s carpet was soaking wet, and leaves, and rubbish had blown in from the January winds.
“We need to get out of the street.”
The others followed him in without a word. As they filed past Noah used his shoulder to wedge the door shut, which was tight because the wood had warped from the rain.
Noah walked down the hallway, past happy smiling faces in the photo frames. The others gathered in the large kitchen. Red dropped her bag and then slumped down onto a chair around a large, old style, kitchen table.
Lennie stood in a corner; blood covered hands limp at his sides. He stared, unblinking at the middle of the table.
The old woman pulled a dishcloth off the side and started to soak it under the running water. She then proceeded to clean the blood off her grandson’s hands.
Noah dropped his bag and then tipped the contents from the box upon the table.
“I have a mask and several goggles,” he stated.
Red was leaning forward, with her head in her hands; her red hair covering her face. With the sweep of one hand, she tossed her hair back over her shoulders.
“Goggles?” the old woman asked as she continued to wipe spots of blood off Lennie’s face.
Noah pulled off his gasmask and dropped it onto the table. He wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“Yes. What was chasing us seemed to be just one stage of whatever is happening to those who become infected. Eventually, they become bloated and pop, spreading black spores.”
“Is that why you wear a gasmask?” she questioned.
“It is.”
Red picked up the filtration mask and tried it on.
“But we only have the two masks. I didn’t know you would be joining us,” Noah stated. “But we have enough goggles for everyone.”
“We can grab more masks on the way past, once we decide what we are going to do,” Noah stated.
“Sit down Lennie,” Betty said, while pulling a stool out from under the table.
Lennie did not remove the bag, because he had not been told to, instead, he lowered himself down onto the stool. The wood creaked under his weight.
Betty dropped the blood-soaked rag in a flip-top bin and then washed her hands in the white porcelain sink.
“I believe the gunfire came from Courtney Park,” Noah said.
“Probably something to do with the helicopter that flew over,” Betty added.
“A helicopter?” Red questioned. She spun her head to stare at Noah. “You didn’t mention anything about a helicopter.”
“While in the Paint Center, I saw one flying toward the train station. But I think it was damaged, because it was trailing black smoke, and it went down spinning.”
“There were obviously survivors if there is gunfire,” Red stated.
“I know,” Noah said. “And if their transport is too badly damaged, others will be coming to get them.” He let that hang in the air. “That’s why you are all going to stay here, where it’s safe, and I’m going to find them, and get us rescued along with them.”
25
Doctor Lazaro and the Squad
Dentist Clinic
Courtney Park, Newton Abbot
11:17 AM GMT
“Children?” The Captain asked.
“Yes, a mother, and her two children. One boy who looks about four, and a girl who looks about seven.”
“Shit!” The Captain gave a long sigh, while holding the bridge of his nose in his hand. “I will take care of it personally.” He went to exit the room.
“What are you going to do?” Melanie asked. She was too weak to leave the chair, and she was using all her strength just to stay awake.
“What needs to be done,” he answered while not turning to look at her.
“But they are just children,” she whispered.
The Captain stopped. He still did not turn around.
Jimmy was knelt by his medical supplies, packing them away. His hands had stopped moving, while he listened. He kept his head down.
Rogers stared at his blood-speckled boots.
“Do you want them to change while we are here? Do you want to take the chance that we will be safe?” He let the words hang in the air.
“The children are gone. They died the instant they were infected. Now they are something else. Just a means of transport – a shell.”
The room went silent. They all knew the truth. They all knew how it had to play out.
Melanie closed her eyes. She knew, deep down, there was no other way. She had seen what they would become. The image of the twin children in the pod, ripping apart the cow, flashed in her mind.
The Captain left without another word.
Rogers closed the door gently as he followed.
Jimmy cleared his throat. “Don’t go to sleep Doc.”
“I’m not sleeping,” Melanie stated as tears streaked her face.
“I know,” Jimmy muttered. His hands were still in his medical bag, unmoving. Waiting.
Silence filled the room. A clock ticked on the far wall. A minute passed. A couple sniffs from Melanie seemed to be the only sound in the whole building.
The BAM, BAM, BAM, of the guns retort blasted throughout the dental clinic, echoing off the walls.
26
Noah, Red, Betty, and Lennie
Newton Abbot, In a House on King Street
11:21 AM GMT
“What do you mean you’re going on your own?” Red’s head flew up. “Do you think you’re going out there on your own with those things around?” she stated while glaring at him.
“Without my pack, and on my own, I can travel faster.”
Betty was rummaging through the fridge. There was nothing edible, just a large chunk of mold in the plastic bottom tray. She started going through the cupboards.
Lennie sat staring at his hands on the tabletop.
“I can cut through the back gardens, over the walls, and–”
“What, you don’t think I can climb over a bloody wall?” Red interrupted.
“You will all be safer if you stay here. I–”
“I met you only an hour ago and already you’re telling me what I can and can’t do. You don’t know me. You don’t know what I’m capable of.” Her own words seem to make her think for a minute. Red went silent. She lowered her head
. Her hair cascaded down around her face.
They both sat in silence.
“Runner bean chutney. I haven’t seen any of that in years,” Betty stated, while rifling through a draw for a teaspoon.
“Tired,” Lennie mumbled.
Betty had a mouthful of the chutney. She swallowed. “Do you need a nap, Lennie?” Using her sleeve, she wiped some chutney off her lips.
Lennie stood up. This was his way of answering her question.
“Let’s see what we can sort out in the front room.” Betty held her grandson’s hand and led him down the short hallway.
“I can be there and back in twenty minutes,” Noah stated. “I will go over back walls and through houses.” He fiddled with his gasmask, turning it over in his hands. “If the army is there, they will protect us. That’s their job.” He sat in silence.
“I’m not useless,” Red muttered.
Noah looked over his shoulder, down the hallway. “We can’t drag them over walls; she won’t make it.” He shifted closer. “I need you to stay and look after them until I return with help.”
Realization dawned that it was not about her being a girl, and slowing him down, but rather, he needed her to protect Betty and Lennie.
“Okay,” she simply said.
Noah removed his phone from his pocket. He was surprised it was not broken. He had not checked it in hours. There was no signal.
“Does your phone work?”
Red removed an iPhone 5 from her pocket. She checked it. “No, there’s no reception.”
“Same here.”
The mobile network was down, but there was another option – wi-fi. He checked to see if the house, or one around it still had the internet working, and if so, if their wi-fi was still on.
“Bingo!”
A few wi-fi networks were broadcasting. BTHub3-6SDK, SKY29781, Virginmedia1759781. The strongest was Simons_Place, and luckily; it was unlocked.
With a few swipes on his Samsung Note, Noah was on the internet. He used an app and called up Google Earth. Within thirty seconds, he was looking down at a view of the houses and streets separating him from the park. He now knew how to get to the park without having to travel along too many open streets.
The Sixth Extinction & The First Three Weeks & The Squads First Three Weeks Omnibus [Books 1-10] Page 9
