It was mid-afternoon before the soldiers returned. They did not speak as they entered the canteen, they just wandered in as though they were lost and sat quietly at a couple of tables. Singleton stood still, a feeling of utter dread pounding through her. She counted them all and stopped at eight.
“Where are Captain Lewis and Sergeant Straddling?” she asked, feeling nausea rising in her stomach.
Bannister turned wearily in her direction. “S’all right ma’am, they’re just locking the main doors. They’ll be up in a jiffy.”
All ten had made it back. Lewis and Straddling walked in and slumped listlessly down beside the rest of their team, looking utterly spent.
“Everything okay?” Singleton asked nervously.
Lewis nodded. “Everything’s okay. I guess we’re all just a little tired, that’s all.”
He reported on their mission in faltering sentences, not at all his normal loquacious self. His eyes were blank and staring as he spoke. They had successfully cleared the secondary laboratory. They had encountered a number of infected but had dispensed with them without any more injuries to themselves. There were no further survivors to be found and they had secured the building. They had gone on to patrol the grounds surrounding the complex, as far as the inner fence that was topped with barbed wire. There were no signs of any breaks in the fence. Its integrity was intact and so they concluded that as far as that fence, they were all indeed safe. Now, Lewis thought, what his men really needed was a rest from all of the killing, at least for a while. A time to consolidate and recuperate. A period to grieve those they had lost and prepare for whatever may lie ahead for those who remained. Surely, he reasoned, that wasn’t too much to ask; was it?
CHAPTER 16
Life in general assumed an uneasy rhythm, revolving almost entirely around keeping busy and working on the cure. Lewis remembered a conversation he had had with Group Captain Denny a couple of weeks previously. It seemed so distant now, another lifetime away, when things had been so very different and all they had known was the perceived security of RAF Headley Court. He had spoken of what he thought they should all be doing to survive on a daily basis and what their longer aims should be. It occurred to him now that, ironically, they were all focussing almost exclusively on the long term, looking to create this elixir and save what they could of humanity. In order to do that however they had to maintain a clear focus on their short-term needs. To relax their guard and consider themselves on the home straight meant to court disaster. He knew he could not help with the creation of the drug but he could most definitely do his utmost to keep them secure and motivated in the meantime. His breakdown in front of everyone had actually been extremely beneficial. Not only was a weight truly lifted from his shoulders, but it reminded them all that he, along with everybody, was only a fragile human and they all had to pull together if they were to survive. Tempers had previously been getting frayed and arguments had been spiralling out of proportion, but for the past couple of days each person was trying their best to be supportive and cooperative.
Straddling was no exception. It seemed that wherever Lewis went his senior sergeant was right behind him, barking out orders in his stead, chivvying the soldiers and generally making his life as easy and effortless as possible. On several occasions Lewis had to stop himself from smirking as Straddling went on the offensive, supposedly on his behalf. It was this new air of bonhomie that made Lewis re-evaluate recent events.
“Sergeant,” he said to Straddling when the two of them were alone, doing a tour of the grounds together.
“Yes boss?”
“There’s something I need to talk to you about. Something I think I should apologise to you for.”
“Oh? Whatever it is, I’m sure you don’t need to boss.”
“Yes, I think I do. When we were at the weapons store the first time and you were insisting on forcing our way in, I pulled my gun and threatened you. That was out of order and I’m sorry. You were acting in the best interests of us all and at the time I couldn’t see it. If we don’t stick together then what chance do we have? The only reason any of us are still alive is by our maintaining a coherent unit and looking out for each other. What I did was wrong and I apologise. You’re an excellent soldier and I am very glad to have you by my side.”
They had continued walking while Lewis spoke, both of them looking ahead. Straddling now stopped and stared at the floor in silence. Lewis wondered whether he had been right to open up old wounds. His sergeant had become a model soldier. By revisiting such a conflagration had he reintroduced a simpering grievance?
“Boss, I think I owe you an apology as well,” Straddling mumbled eventually, still staring at the floor, unable to meet his commanding officer’s eyes. “I doubted your command and was beginning to wonder if you were fit for the task. I was starting to question your decisions and thought that perhaps we might all be better off if we did away with the military rank and order, and governed ourselves through a more ‘democratic’ arrangement.”
Lewis shrugged but Straddling now looked Lewis straight in the eyes and continued. “Sir, I was wrong. Without you in charge I doubt very much we’d be here now. It’s precisely at times like this that we need a strong leader, someone to make those unpleasant decisions, to cut through the preamble and just say ‘this is how we’re gonna do it and that’s final.’ I’ve not been the most supportive of sergeants to you and I know it’s been real tough at the top, but that’s not going to occur again. Whatever happens from now on, I’m right behind you sir. And one last thing; back at the weapons store you were absolutely right.”
Lewis nodded and clasped his sergeant firmly by the shoulder. “You’re a good man Stradz. Don’t ever change. And if you think I’m being an arse, for God’s sake, tell me. No leader should be surrounded by sycophants.”
“Right you are boss,” Straddling replied with a twinkle in his eye. “Just one thing has been on my mind though. Would you have pulled the trigger?”
Lewis smiled. He had wondered the same thing himself. What would have happened if the people inside the gun store had delayed for a few seconds longer? “I’m just glad we never had to find out.”
It had been a couple of days since they had cleared the secondary laboratories and they had all been furiously busy since then. It was as though they were trying to act normally, as they would have done whilst still at Headley Court, without acknowledging their change of circumstance. Bannister and Matthews took to exercising together by running around the building. They would sprint along one corridor and then jog slowly along the next to recover, or pound up and down staircases. Much to Matthews’s surprise Bannister always led him by a couple of paces. Clearly Bannister had not previously been making idle boasts. In their life-or-death race against the Incarcerated he would indeed have left Matthews for dust, had he not delayed to fire his weapon and attract their attention.
“All that running from the PoPo,” Matthews again joked.
Collins found that the urge to go and visit Wood was compelling although she knew by now that she would be horrified by what she saw. Taking care of Wilson was precisely what she needed. The puppy’s bountiful energy gave her a focus for her despair and was exactly the right distraction. She spent much of her time tending to her new charge. Like all of the survivors they had rescued, Wilson was severely malnourished. He had been part of the animal trials for the Dem-buster. It was likely that he had only recently been introduced to the programme, given his relatively good condition, but he did have some stitches and areas of shaved fur. Most of all though, he had been badly shaken and was in need of a lot of love. In that they were similar, and ideal for each other. She also helped to look after the children a lot. The puppy was a great tonic for them also.
Rhind was not as successful as Collins at staying away from his beloved. He split his time between working on the antidote and visiting his wife. He tried to ignore her ranting and spoke evenly to her, believing that she must ultimately be aware of who he was
on some level. He refused to accept that more than twenty years of happy marriage had not left some imprint on her cognitive processes, and it was important to him to constantly remind her of his presence. He was still in a weakened state but refused to let it stop him. Singleton would occasionally find him slumped over his desk in a daze as his energy flagged.
It was a Sunday although nobody cared what day of the week it was anymore. Whilst Collins was walking her new dog she heard voices coming from Vida’s room. She slowed her pace, trying to ascertain the nature of the dialogue. She had been visiting Senior Aircraftman Masters daily and he was usually alone. There was a sudden cry which made her hasten.
“What is it?” she asked as she peered into the room.
Masters was perched on the side of the bed and did not turn to look at her. His attention was entirely captivated. Vida was awake and staring at him curiously, like a cat eyeing a mouse. She sat up slowly and curled a hand behind his head.
“Ahh, my love,” she purred. “Where have you been?”
“I’ve been right here,” he stammered but she interrupted him with a kiss. Clearly he was taken aback by the vigour of her sudden desire as he flinched but her firm hold on his head kept him close.
After several seconds Collins shifted uncomfortably. “I’ll, err… I’ll go and get the doctors,” she said. As she departed Vida was starting to work across Masters’s face, planting kisses on his cheeks and down onto his neck with some force.
Collins burst into the dining area with Wilson yapping at her heels. She was delighted to be the bearer of happy news for once. “She’s awake,” she cried out.
Everyone immediately stopped what they were doing. Nobody needed to ask who she was referring to. Within seconds the entire able-bodied personnel of RAF GVF were running towards Master’s room. When Singleton and Handley arrived they pushed their way through the throng. Vida’s ardour seemed to have waned and she lay back on the bed with her eyes wide open. As the crowd gathered outside she looked at them all, blinking and smiling.
“Where are we?” she asked. “I don’t recognise this place.”
“We’ve left Headley Court babe,” Masters whispered through the tears as Singleton started to check her over. “We’re at the GVF labs. This is our new home now. We’re safe here.”
“How do you feel?” Singleton asked, holding her wrist and checking her pupils.
“Thirsty,” she croaked, “so thirsty.”
“Temperature’s almost back in a normal range, about thirty-seven point five” she said over her shoulder to Handley. “Dilation good and pulse is weak but regular.”
Lewis gently started to usher everybody away as the doctors continued to check her over. By the time he returned she was propped up on pillows, still looking bewildered but with a large glass of water.
“What happen, my love?” she said to Masters who was completely beside himself with joy.
“How much do you remember?” Singleton asked.
She did not answer for a moment as her brow furrowed in consternation. Masters gripped her hand, staring hard at her.
“I guess I remember the soldiers. They return from their mission to GVF laboratories,” she replied eventually in her lyrical Spanish accent. “We were all happy but also a little sad, I remember that. And then, nothing. I don’t remember what happen after that.”
“You’ve been asleep for a while, in some sort of coma. But the church…” Singleton probed gently. “Do you remember the church?”
She seemed puzzled and shook her head sadly. “I don’t remember,” she whispered.
Unsure of how much to burden her with, Singleton changed the subject. “I think we need to get you to our new medical area so we can check you more thoroughly. Can you organise a trolley bed for her?” she said to Dr Handley.
Even before the doctors had left the room Vida had returned her attention to her husband. For one so weakened it was astonishing, and a little strange, to see the look of hunger that flickered across her eyes so evidently, as she leant forwards to embrace him once again.
There was a background buzz of excitement from everybody as she was whisked through the dining area and into the medical rooms. She seemed to be extremely interested in her immediate surroundings. She was staring all about her but had not asked anything further regarding the previous few days and what had befallen her. It was as though she had forgotten that she had been in a coma and her memory loss had already become an inconsequential matter. Lewis trailed the doctors by a few paces. He noticed the objectionable expression on Bannister’s face as Vida passed him, almost as if a bad odour had just wafted by. He could not tell if it was dislike or distrust. It was fleeting and certainly entirely an unconscious reaction to something that Lewis could not even try to guess at.
Even though Vida was very weak it took a lot of convincing to stop her from leaping out of bed and exploring. She seemed to be viewing the world with fresh eyes for the very first time. Although she had never been to GVF Laboratories before, there really was not an awful lot to inspire even the most curious of imaginations. Despite that, she was inquisitive about everything and the doctors virtually had to restrain her. Her blood pressure was low, her pulse still erratic and she was understandably emaciated after her ordeal, but otherwise she seemed to be healthy and normal. In fact, she looked remarkably well, all things considered. Singleton again quizzed her about her memory and again a cloud darkened her features.
“I just don’t remember anything,” she breathed. “Nada.”
“And the vampires…?”
Vida cradled her face in her hands and shook her head. “Lo siento, nada. Everyone came back from the ‘excursion’,” she said, pronouncing the word with a strong Hispanic lilt, “and everyone was happy at first, I do remember that. There was a new survivor that had been found, but that nice boy Freddie Samuels had been killed and so we were all very sad as well. And then I just can’t remember…”
Lewis was watching silently from the doorway. Granted, Vida was tired and confused, but he was surprised that she had not reacted more at the mention of the vampires. Vida started to sob and Singleton placed a hand gently on her arm.
“Hey, there’s no need for that. You’re okay now. You’re safe.”
For now the questioning was abandoned. Whatever the reason was for her awakening, it was fantastic. They were still not sure what had caused her condition in the first place, probably shock, but they were all badly in need of some good news and Vida’s return to them was exactly that. Her bubbly personality could most definitely help to lift spirits. She got on with everybody and seemed to spread happiness and energy around her, one of life’s truly infectious and luminescent personalities. At the moment however she just seemed to be insatiably thirsty and somewhat absent-minded. She was kept in bed on a drip in the medical area, and was constantly sipping from a glass whenever Lewis checked in on them all. He was happy to have her back but certain things were troubling him badly. He did not want to alarm Masters so he requested Straddling, Singleton and Handley accompany him to a side room where they could talk. He also ordered Collins and Bannister to join them.
He closed the door with a grim expression. They stared back at him, each looking pained and weary, all of them bearing the wounds of battle to a greater or lesser extent. They had certainly been through the wars, he thought, and he wanted to keep life as straightforward and safe as possible from now on. There was just this last matter to try and conclude.
“I guess you know why I have asked you here,” he said.
Straddling and the doctors looked blankly at him but Collins and Bannister both nodded slowly.
“It’s been almost a week since she was abducted by these… whatever, ‘vampire creatures’,” he continued and saw the look of comprehension spread now across all of their faces. He found that it was still hard to just call them ‘vampires’. That would be to acknowledge what they were. He almost had to rationalise the word by adding ‘creatures’ to it, allowing for the
unknown and the possibility that they may be something else.
“We’re not exactly talking about unicorns or the female G-spot here” Bannister interrupted. “I mean these vampires are real. They actually do exist sir.”
Lewis frowned and nodded. “Okay, well for most of this week Vida has been in some kind of coma with her temperature out of control, and either catatonic or thrashing about as though possessed. Now she wakes up and seems perfectly fine, if a little ‘odd’. I would like some answers. I want to know better what we might be dealing with here. Have we just been very fortunate, in that they took her and fed upon her and now she is back with us and relatively unharmed? Or are we opening ourselves up to further peril?
“Bannister and Collins,” he continued without waiting for an answer, “you have better knowledge of this than anyone. Bannister, let’s start with you. You were bitten by one of these creatures. What happened to you? How did it make you feel?”
Bannister wore a resigned expression. He knew that he could not hold anything back. All of their safety may very well depend upon his candour, but revisiting the experience was painful for him, especially because, in his eyes, it had led directly to the death of his best friend.
“When I first saw her, at the petrol station it was as if I was under her spell, right from the start. I guess it must be how a drug addict feels. I just wanted to go to her immediately, regardless of the consequences. I knew she was not safe but couldn’t resist. When she bit me, I kinda knew again that what she was doing was wrong but it just felt so natural, as though everything I had ever believed was mistaken and this was the new right.
Twice Bitten, Twice Die (The Blood of the Infected Book 3) Page 28
