“That’s very sweet of you Scovell, my mistake. You’re absolutely right; I shouldn’t have come out here alone. I won’t do it again.” For all of Scovell’s over-exuberance and inane chatter he was a good lad and never more so than at that moment. Society may have been turned upside down, but every once in a while, there were reminders, however fleeting and small, of what could be good with the world, little shafts of sunlight and radiance.
“I stand corrected,” Squadron Leader Anna Singleton murmured from the window looking out onto the lawn. She had witnessed the moving scene and although she could not hear what had been said, she had correctly guessed the emotions at play. She realized now just how much stress Lewis had been under. When he had told her, so many days and deaths before, that even he got frightened and needed someone to lean on, he had not been fobbing her off just to make her feel better. He had actually been opening up to her and exposing his soft underbelly and she felt he was a better man for it, for having had the strength to be vulnerable.
Everyone was stirring now. None of them could claim a decent night’s rest. With the morning’s light their situation did not seem quite as terrifying as in the darkness, but was, nonetheless, just as sombre and depressing. Nobody else was keen to venture out to perform their morning ablutions alone so guarded shifts were arranged. Already there were bangs and crashes emitting from the depths of the kitchen as Sergeant Vallage busied himself in preparation of as decent a breakfast as he could muster. To him it felt as though he had dozens of house-guests who had slept over, and it was his duty, as sergeant in charge of catering, to ensure that they were all hosted properly.
Corporal Charlotte Collins rubbed her eyes and half smiled when there was one particularly loud crash from the kitchen. “You hungry?”
Sergeant Wood returned the smile. “Nope, not really.”
“Well I don’t think you’re going to be allowed to go anywhere without eating a hearty breakfast.”
Wood groaned and rolled his eyes comically. “Lord help us all.”
“I think he kinda likes you. He sees you as some kind of prodigal son figure.”
“More like the black sheep of the family.”
In due course a breakfast was presented to everybody consisting largely of watery porridge, tinned fruit and scrambled eggs made from some dried mix that had been found in a supermarket.
“Thank goodness for preservatives,” Private Bruce Matthews of the Supply and Logistics section mumbled to nobody in particular.
When they had all finished they sat quietly, sipping coffee or tea and waiting. Just waiting. Quietly, expectantly, fearfully. Normally people would have congregated at vaguely the same time for breakfast before dispersing gradually, but it had always been a more casual affair that appeared almost normal at times. Today there was no dispersal. Everyone sat glumly, awaiting their fate like condemned men, morbidly curious to see who would be next to die.
Captain Lewis sat on a table with Squadron Leader Singleton, Sergeant Straddling, Flight Lieutenant Walkden and Group Captain Denny, and Sergeant Wood was called over to join the discussion. It was clear what had to be done; it was just a case of deciding exactly who should be chosen to go on this most daunting of missions to rescue Vida, and how to go about it. The number of surviving personnel with battle experience was dwindling and whilst they had to take sufficient troops with them for their mission, they also had to think more carefully about leaving an effective defence. It was clear now that the integrity of the station would not be preserved merely by the gates and perimeter wall. The vampires, unlike the infected, would not be kept out so easily. It was decided that those who had not yet been on foraging excursions would remain behind. The medical staff were now too valuable to risk, given that they potentially had information required to concoct some kind of cure or antidote for the infection. However, being an army medic, Corporal Newman’s frontline experience was considered valuable so he, at least would go. Sergeant Vallage was significantly overweight and hence not ideal for an excursion involving potentially intense fighting and there was never even a mention of Group Captain Denny going. Leading Aircraftmen Neale and Mayoh had not fared well off base and so would remain behind, as would Corporals Gillen and Bell, and Leading Aircraftman Allen, all three of whom had extremely limited experience off base. Flying Officer Oliver Frost and Private Bruce Matthews had not been on any missions at all, and Corporal Bamburac of the RAF Supply and Logistics Section had been suffering from stomach cramps and had not eaten for a couple of days. Corporals Gray and Pellegrini were two soldiers from the Coldstream guards who had been patients at Headley Court having been injured in a roadside ambush in Kandahar. Although their convalescence had progressed well it was thought that they may still prove too much of a liability. Lastly were Bannister, Masters and Pethard and there were obviously compelling emotional reasons for leaving all three of them behind.
There were therefore just nine troops to venture forth and of those, only Lewis and Straddling were officially from the station’s security force. This left Lewis feeling decidedly uneasy, once again going out on a limb, but with his options closing in on him he could see no palatable alternative. He stood up to speak. Immediately there was hush. He looked out at all the drawn faces with sunken, tired eyes. I know how you feel, he thought. He tried to harden his gaze, balling his hands into fists behind his back. He spoke briefly. He did not have the energy to even begin to try to comfort or counsel. His voice cracked as he spoke. He outlined who was to go and what was expected of those remaining. He could hear various gasps and sighs, presumably of relief from those not going or distress from those who were. After he had concluded, as everybody bustled about, he noticed Corporal Bannister making his way towards him. His eyes looked strained and hollow but even from a distance there was an old, familiar lucidity in them that Lewis only now realized must have been missing for several days.
“Sir, I’d like to go with you.” It was less a request, more just a statement of fact.
Lewis shook his head decisively. “Given what happened last night I’m sorry, I just can’t chance it.”
“Sir, I know that I screwed up but my head was not in the right place. As ridiculous as it sounds I truly believe I was under some kind of spell of the vampiress. I’m not under any spell now. My head’s totally clear.”
“And what if it happens again when you see this ‘vampiress’? What if you freeze? Or worse still, she puts you under her spell once more and you turn on us? I’m sorry, I just can’t take that risk.”
Bannister was still speaking slowly with clarity but there was something else, a real firmness, a determination in his voice that gave Lewis pause.
“Sir, Millington was my best friend. I want to go with you. I won’t freeze and I won’t let you down. He was my best friend.”
Sergeant Wood materialised at Lewis’s shoulder and spoke softly. “Sir, we are rather short of experienced men and Bannister has a very good record off base. We could do with him out there.”
Lewis looked at Wood with a raised eyebrow, then back to Bannister. He had noticed that relations between the two men did not appear to be exactly cordial so was surprised by this defence of Bannister’s suitability. It was true, they were short of soldiers and life was all about risk-management at the moment.
He sighed and reluctantly acquiesced. “Okay Bannister, you come, but don’t let me down. Don’t make me regret my decision.”
“No sir, I won’t. Thank you sir.”
As Lewis walked away Bannister turned to Wood and for the first time ever since having met him he actually felt a flush of bonhomie towards this relative newcomer to the station.
“Thank you,” he mumbled.
Wood coldly regarded Bannister for a moment before replying in a quiet voice that Lewis would not hear. “We do need all the experience we can get today and you are a good soldier, but just remember, I’ll be watching every move you make. If I so much as think you’re about to step out of line, I’ll put you down mys
elf.”
As he too marched away Bannister watched him go, and muttered quietly to himself. “Hard bastard.”
His attitude towards the man had changed from one of envy and jealousy to grudging admiration, moderated with dislike. Like himself, Wood was clearly an experienced soldier and did not panic under pressure. Bannister could not deny that Wood was a definite asset to keeping them all alive. He did consider him very disagreeable though, and wondered what it would take to make the man actually laugh or loosen up.
Lewis immediately found himself cornered once more by a somewhat more impassioned Pethard and Masters. Reggie Pethard was speaking a lot more quickly and with a lot less control than Bannister had done.
“Sir, I want to go with you. They killed my wife.”
Lewis did not have the heart to point out that it had not been vampires that had killed his wife but one of the infected; and Sergeant Matteo Abbott, one of their own, at that.
“Look, I don’t think you’re in the right frame of mind to come with us. The last thing we need is for one of us to lose it out there and start shooting up the place. Enough of us have been killed as it is without any friendly fire incidents.”
“Believe me sir I won’t be wasting my ammo on any of these faggots. My bullets will be saved purely for the enemy, and trust me, I know who that is.”
Lewis started to refuse again and to point out that he was needed to help look after the two children that had been found but Corporal Pethard butted in.
“Look I’m sorry sir but I’ve just got to say again; they killed my wife. There are many other people here who are just as able as me to look after the kids. I need to get out there and set things even. And if you say no then I’m just going to follow behind after you’ve gone anyway, so you may as well take me with you. Besides, I’d say you need all the manpower you can get. You may be glad of an extra gun.”
Lewis resigned himself to losing a second argument. The thought of going into the vampires’ lair under-manned seemed close to suicide so extra soldiers would not go amiss. If this soldier was so determined to go on this mission, then so be it.
“Okay. You come then. But keep your gun facing away from me and towards any potential enemy. You follow my orders to the letter. If I say we’re done, then we’re done, whether or not you’ve got yourself any scalps. You may be arguing with me here but I won’t tolerate any dissent in the field. Is that understood?”
Pethard stood stiffly to attention. “Yessir. Thank you sir. You won’t regret it. And sir, just one more thing…”
“Yes?” Lewis sighed.
“Masters is coming too sir.”
Lewis stared at the man behind Pethard, looked deeply into his red-rimmed eyes and could see the profound well of remorse and the simpering desire for revenge, but also the steeled look of a man who will not be swayed.
Senior Aircraftman Masters opened his mouth to speak and his voice croaked and choked out of him. “They’ve got my wife.”
Lewis could feel the argument was lost already and sighed again. He knew that if he was going to allow Pethard to go then he could scant refuse Masters. On another day he might have battled a little harder but there would be enough fighting today as it was without internal strife amongst themselves. Besides, he just did not have the energy to continue the argument.
“And I guess if I say no then you’re going to follow behind us as well?”
Masters just nodded, a single solitary nod.
“Okay, but both of you, just remember out there - I’m in charge. This is not your own personal vendetta. There is a whole load of us here all relying on each other. If you screw up then you could cause the deaths of some of your colleagues so just keep that in mind. Is that understood?”
As the vehicles were prepared by Flight Lieutenant Walkden, Sergeant Hutchison and four armed guards, Lewis busied himself making sure the defence of the base would be sufficient. Roughly half of those remaining would be stationed in the medical centre which was conveniently positioned right next to the station radio centre. The other half would be patrolling the grounds and trying as best they could to ensure that no infected or vampires breached the walls or gate. Squadron Leader Singleton and Dr Handley were both keen to get back to check up on Private Darby, to see how the infection was ravaging his body, but they had to wait until their armed escort was ready. Singleton did not say anything to Lewis as she walked away but the look in her eyes was enough. Without needing to acknowledge it, they were all getting very familiar with saying the word ‘goodbye’ but meaning it in the sense with which it was intended in old English: God be with you. They were all well aware that every time they said goodbye it may well be the last. Shakespeare may have said that parting was such sweet sorrow, but there was nothing sweet about this. Just bitterness that felt like bile in the pits of their stomachs, a reluctance to let go.
There was more noise from the kitchen and it appeared that Sergeant Vallage had not quite finished whatever he had been doing. Just as the soldiers were assembling at the gates preparing to depart, he emerged from the building holding a large bowl and a serving spoon. He cleared his throat to attract attention. It was the first time that Lewis had heard him addressing a large gathering without shouting and swearing. He seemed quite nervous and started to speak a couple of times before coughing and starting again, and Lewis stifled a rare smile.
“I just wanted to say, before ya go, I don’t know if this is going to help at all but as you’re going out to fight the forces of darkness, I thought you may well need every last bit of help that you can get. I took the liberty of saying a few prayers over this here water in the hope that the forces of evil may respect a God-fearing man.” He tapped the bowl with the spoon. “If ya don’t mind I’d like to bless you all afore you go,” and he started to mutter some prayers. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want…”
Lewis glanced around and caught Wood’s eye. He looked bemused and shrugged.
Vallage was not waiting for anyone to sanction his actions. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil…” He dunked the serving spoon into the water and cast it several times over the soldiers before him, sprinkling them all with the cold water.
Scovell, who was standing at the front of the assembled troops, got a full spoonful over his head. He sniffed and turned to Straddling standing beside him. “Strewth Sarge, what’s that wiff?”
“I think that’ll be garlic in the water, laddie. To keep ya safe, from the grasp of the evil wee vampires.”
“Blimey, they’ll smell us coming a mile off with that stench. That would even repulse a Frenchman. He must have crushed up an entire string of garlic bulbs.”
“Aye lad, he did,” Straddling answered with a twinkle in his eyes.
At a quiet moment Masters again approached Lewis.
“Sir, I just wanted to apologise. I know that we’re all going out there to rescue my wife, and if it wasn’t for her we’d remain secure behind these walls today. I do know that you’re all jeopardising your lives for her, I just wanted to apologise for putting you all in that position and to say, well, thanks.”
He had stared at the ground throughout and could hardly meet Lewis’s gaze. Lewis put a consoling hand upon his shoulder.
“For one, there’s absolutely no need to mention it. We’d be doing the same for anybody on the base. And secondly, we’re not just going out there to rescue Vida, although that is a large part of the mission. Those people, vampires or whoever they are, broke into our home last night, unchecked. They killed three men. We can’t have that happening again and we can’t allow it to go unpunished. We have got to go out there and ensure they can never again cause any harm to us. So I appreciate your words but please, don’t feel responsible. They are responsible.”
Masters looked up at Lewis finally with relief in his eyes. “Thank you sir. I won’t let you down today, I give you my word.”
Lewis smiled. “I know you won’t. And we will find your wi
fe today, I give you my word.”
The soldiers had finished checking weapons and started to get nervously into their vehicles when Lewis noticed Wood walking towards him purposefully.
“Ah, I wanted a quick word with you Wood,” Lewis said before Wood had a chance to talk. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry that Charlotte Collins has to accompany us. I know she’s the only woman coming and that the two of you have got quite close, but I think she may be important to us today.”
Wood looked mildly embarrassed and waved it away. “No need to apologise sir. It’s absolutely the right call. She may well come in useful. I’ve been thinking though, about our mission today. Given that they killed the two men in the medical centre in a matter of moments, they could easily have killed Vida as well. The fact that they carried her away with them must have been more inconvenient for them than just killing her there and then would have been.”
Lewis had an uneasy feeling building but nodded and quietly waited for him to continue.
“Well, assuming that they are indeed vampires, which, until we discover otherwise I think we’ve pretty much got to accept, I was asking myself exactly why they would have bothered to abduct her.”
“Yes?” Lewis was certain he was not going to feel any better after Wood’s conclusion but he had to know the other man’s thoughts. Wood was clearly a thinker and considering all plausible scenarios might just keep them all alive a little longer.
“Well I guess they must have taken her to feed from her. I presume they will want to keep her alive for a while. But why did they take Vida and not one of the two men from the medical centre? Instead they killed them both and then went in search of someone else to carry away, which increased their time on base and hence the possibility of them being seen and confronted. They seem to be plenty strong enough so it wouldn’t have been any more of an encumbrance for them to carry a man instead of a woman. So why take Vida and not Hanson or Howes?”
Twice Bitten, Twice Die (The Blood of the Infected Book 3) Page 4
