by Clare Revell
Evan gritted his teeth. “Well, it’s done now. Where is he?”
“In the control room,” the Colonel said, “with what he claims are original blueprints.”
“He stole them. Monty Sparrow is not part of Xenon, nor will he ever be. He’s part of the whole reason this dam is about to collapse. Call him back up here now.” Evan trembled with fury. “I gave explicit instructions…”
Lou tuned him out. There really wasn’t time for this. “I’ll head down there.”
None of the three men were listening to her. Gripping the case in one hand and the stair rail in the other, she trotted down the stairs as fast as the dizziness would allow her.
Monty glanced up as she entered the control room. “I was wondering when you’d get here. You had to stick your nose in, didn’t you?”
“Your father sent me up here,” she retorted.
“I know. According to him he couldn’t simply fire you or discredit you because you’re the best in your field. No one would believe his side of things. This way you investigate, he fires you, whatever you say looks like a vendetta against you.” He pointed to the blueprints. “What you’re searching for is here.”
“Where?” Vibrations ran through the dam, causing her to lose her footing. She gripped the table.
Monty pointed. “The problem is, even if we reached the vault, when this thing goes it’ll take the vault with it.”
“What?” Evan spoke sharply from the doorway.
Monty grabbed Lou and pulled her towards him. “Don’t come any closer.”
“For Pete’s sake, Monty,” Lou hissed. “Are you really doing this now? We have a bigger problem here than you, me, and your father.”
“You think I like what he does? Letting me tidy up after you? Take what should have been your glory, your papers, and put my name on them first? He treats me like a child. I made one mistake, and he’s making me pay for that the rest of my life.”
“You’re acting like a child now.” Evan moved slowly across. “Why don’t you show us what you found? You could share the discovery.”
Lou raised a hand and gripped Monty’s arm. “Evan’s right. We should do this together. I no longer work for your father. I quit and have no intentions of going back. He doesn’t deserve my loyalty any longer.”
“You did? I thought he was winding me up with another promise he wasn’t keeping. I never wanted your job. I still don’t.”
“I quit all right, and if I were you, I’d do the same before this all comes crashing down on him. What did you want to be growing up?”
“A fireman.” Monty let go of her.
“Then do it,” Lou told him. “Do what your heart tells you and not what Daddy wants for once in your life.”
Evan stepped to her side. “I’d phrase it differently, but I agree with her.”
Lou nodded. “Let the docs check you over first. It’s the same for everyone who’s been around the dam and the lake. I need you to bring me up to speed first, and tell me what you know.”
Monty frowned. “I always thought the stories of the sickness were to keep me away from here when I was a kid.”
“What?” Evan exploded. “He knew all along before he did the blasting down there?”
Monty nodded. “He’s always known from his Grandad’s journals.”
Lou shook her head, instantly regretting it. She closed her eyes, head reeling.
“Lou, are you sure you’re all right?”
She forced open her burning eyes. “Yes, Evan, I’m fine. Stop fussing.” She focused on the blueprints on the table. “I love the overlay of the two. Did you do this, Monty?”
“Yes.”
“It’s a great job. So we’re here.” Her finger ran along the tunnel. “The crack runs down to there and…there’s the sealed vault. How come no one knew about this?”
“I haven’t seen these before. May I?” Evan pored over them. “These are original plans from when it was first built, and these show the vault and access tunnel. These were supposedly lost in the fire at the manor.” He glanced at Monty. “Where did you get them?”
“Dad had them in his office. There’s other stuff there that belonged to your family, too. Didn’t you know that his grandad set the fire at the manor?”
Evan’s eyes glowed hot. “He. What?”
Lou put a hand on his arm. “We can discuss that later. Monty, why don’t you go and get checked over and find those other papers for us? You can take them to Evan’s offices in London. They’ll be safe there.”
“OK.” He headed over to the door.
Evan studied the blueprints. “So, if I’m right, there should be an access tunnel right behind that panel.”
The ground moved beneath their feet. Lou’s gaze flicked up, locking with his. The same terror shone in his gaze that she knew was in hers. “Tremors are getting worse. Whatever you’re gonna find, do it quickly.”
44
Evan grunted as he crawled through the access tunnel to what the plans said was a ladder. He wasn’t large, but the people who built this must have been midgets. The vibrations were worse here, and he could hear the dam creaking. He knew the dam was collapsing; the only uncertainty was when.
He reached up to the radio attached to his suit. “Ralph, it’s Evan.”
“Hey, boss. How’s it going?”
“We don’t have long. Get everyone to a safe distance and higher ground.”
“No can do. At least not until you and Dr. Fitzgerald are out of there.”
“Don’t argue. I want that two-mile exclusion zone adhered to. The dam is collapsing.” He reached the top of the ladder.
“You’re the boss. Tell Dr. Fitzgerald the team from Porton Down just arrived.”
“I heard that. Tell them we’ll be as fast as we can.” She sneezed.
“Bless you.” Evan’s concern for her grew. “Have you got a cold?”
“Allergies pick the wrong times to show up. Remind me to take my migraine meds when we get up top.”
“Have you still got that headache?” The plague symptoms ran through his mind.
“Yes, and my vision is beginning to get impaired. The meds will sort it.”
Praying she was right, Evan shone his torch down the hole. “OK, we’ve reached a long ladder.” He began climbing. “Forgive me for not letting ladies go first.”
She snorted. “Age before beauty every single time, mate.”
“It must be a couple of hundred feet.” He glanced down, still not able to see the bottom.
“The plan said one hundred and fifty.” She paused. “The vibrations are almost constant now. Hurry.”
Finally, Evan reached the base of the ladder. A small steel room, no more than five-feet square was lit by a single bulb. A steel door and locking ring set to the far wall. He twisted the ring slowly and the door swung open.
“I’ll go down,” Lou said.
He shook his head. “It’s my job.”
Lou held his gaze. “No, it’s mine. I want you to stay up here and keep watch.” She squeezed his hand. “I won’t be long.” She climbed over the door and vanished into the blackness.
Evan stepped to the door. “Lou?”
“Still here.” Her breathless, tense voice crackled over the mic.
He shone his thermal camera over the walls, checking the structural integrity. “Hurry. We don’t have long.” The blue cold spots highlighted on the screen in front of him grew. “You have one minute. Then I’m going to toss you over my shoulder and carry you out of there.”
“I’m coming.” She appeared a few seconds later, tears running down her face, her suit covered in what appeared like dust. She gripped the sample case tightly.
“Are you OK?” He went over to her, but she moved backwards. “Lou?”
“Don’t touch me,” she whispered. “Just in case your suit has a hole.”
His stomach dropped as he realised it wasn’t dust she was covered with. “You go first. I need to do a thermal check of the vault itself.
”
She nodded and began climbing up the ladder.
Evan moved to the doorway and aimed the camera around the walls. Watching the readouts, relief filled him. The vault was intact. So far. He shut the door, making sure the wheel was tightly locked.
“Evan?”
“I’m coming.” He began climbing the ladder. “Good news is the vault doesn’t show signs of the breach.”
Lou sneezed.
“Bless you. Are you topside yet?”
“No.”
It didn’t take him long to catch up. The climb was long and arduous. The dam shook constantly. Worry for Lou increased with every rung as her upward momentum slowed. “Maybe you should go see the doc when we get up there.”
“I’m fine. I get migraines all the time. I don’t usually climb ladders with them. I have the meds in my bag in your car.”
“Boss!” Ralph’s panicked scream came over the radio. “It’s going. The dam is going. Get out of there.”
“We’re in the control room. Give us two minutes.”
“You don’t have two minutes.”
Evan caught hold of Lou’s arm, his other hand grabbing the blueprints off the desk. “Run.” He half-pulled, half-propelled her along the corridor leading to the surface.
Brilliant sunshine blinded him as they emerged on top of the dam. Overhead a helicopter hovered, dust blowing around them as it landed on the shaking dam.
Two men in hazmat gear leapt out and seized them. “We need to get you clear. Now.”
The dam swayed under their feet as they were helped into the chopper. “Go, get out of here,” one of them yelled at the pilot.
Before the door was even closed, the chopper lifted into the air.
Evan stared in horror, his heart in his mouth, as the dam gave way with a roar and a crash, the resulting cacophony a sound he could never put a name to. Rocks, concrete, and water erupted outwards and downwards, turning the river into a swirling mass of destruction.
He glanced at the officer, not wanting to think how close a call he and Lou had had. “Is everyone out?”
The officer nodded. “Two miles away. We’ll land you there.”
Evan’s gaze returned to the destruction beneath them. Frozen, he watched his car float away on the tide.
“My meds…” Lou whispered. She closed her eyes. “Need to go back to the manor to get the others.”
“We’ll get you some more. How bad is it?” He reached out for her.
She pulled away from his touch. “Don’t.”
He held up his hands. “Already covered, see?”
Lou leaned against him, and he wrapped an arm around her. “Pretty bad,” she whispered.
Evan glanced at her. “Ralph, you still there?”
“Yes, boss.”
“Ring Ira. Get him to bring Lou’s meds to wherever you are. They’ll be in her room at the house. He’ll need to use her car. Mine just got swept away. We’ll also need a change of clothes each. Warm ones, preferably.”
After another few minutes, the helicopter landed in a clearing. Evan helped Lou out. “Let’s sit you down.”
She shook her head. “Where’s Peter?”
“Here.” A tall man came over to them. “Did you get it?”
Lou handed over the case. “The vault is about two-hundred feet below the dam. It should hold.” She closed her eyes and wobbled.
Evan grabbed her, holding her securely. “I got you.”
“Are you all right?” the man with the case queried.
“People need to stop asking me that. It’s only a migraine. It’ll go once I take the meds.”
“OK. I’ll get this analysed.”
Lou leaned heavily against Evan. “Sorry.”
“Let’s get you decontaminated and then your meds will be here. Ira’s bringing them in your car.”
“OK.”
He led her over to where men with hoses and a curtained area stood.
“You might have to support me,” she whispered. “Just don’t tell Dad…”
“It’s fine.” He wrapped his arms around her, keeping her balanced as the water sprayed the suits. He didn’t let go as they removed suits and clothes, standing there shivering in their underwear as the water drenched them.
Once finished, Evan tenderly wrapped her in a towel and carried her over to where Jack and Ira stood waiting. “Did you bring the meds?”
“Yes.” Ira held out the box.
“Lou?” Jack touched her dripping hair. “You OK, hon?”
She opened her eyes. “Hi, Dad. This doesn’t look good, does it?”
Jack’s eyes twinkled. “I thought we’d had this discussion, to be honest.”
Evan sighed, knowing the man was teasing, but playing along. “In my defence, we’re surrounded by a million or so people.” He set Lou down in the front seat of her car. “Let’s get you dried and into warm clothes.”
“I’ll do that.” Jack nodded. “You see to yourself.”
“OK.” Evan stepped back, not wanting to leave her.
“I’ll be fine, Evan. Don’t want you catching a cold on my behalf.”
“Honey, here’s the meds,” Jack said. “How many?”
“Two.”
Evan turned away to find Ira holding out a towel. “Thanks.” He changed quickly, pulling the jumper on as well. “How bad is the flooding?”
“It could have been worse, had you not ordered the run off increased.” Ira held out his jacket. “Zach asked for a couple hours personal time. I didn’t see a problem as you, the general and I would be with Dr. Fitzgerald.”
“He gives me the creeps anyway. You know he was listening earlier right when we read that journal? Just like he listened in on me and Dad last night.” Lou slid her small hand into Evan’s. “You’re cold.”
He studied her carefully. Her white face, along with sunken, red eyes set a million alarm bells ringing in his mind. “And you look sick. You need to go see a doctor. Jack, tell her.”
“I have, and she’s not listening to me.”
She pinched the bridge of her nose and sneezed. “I’m fine. Let’s go find these caves of yours. How far away are they?”
“Twenty minutes by car.”
“Then let’s go. Ira or Dad can drive us. I can doze on the way, and I’ll be better when we arrive.” She glanced over at the raging river.
“It could have been a lot worse,” Evan said. He held her gently. “I’ll rebuild the dam. Clear the bottom of the lake properly first. Maybe use the rubble to build a monument to all those villagers who died.”
“All of them?”
He nodded. “Yeah, all two hundred of them from Abernay and however many it was in Finlay.” He glanced at Jack. “I’d like you to come as well. Ira, you can drive.”
45
Evan shook Lou gently as Ira stopped the car. “Lou, we’re here. You can stay in the car if you want.”
Her eyes fluttered open, and she raised her face to stare at him. It was all he could do not to recoil. She looked awful, almost gaunt. She shivered in his arms and sneezed again. A faint smile creased her lips. “I’ll come with you.”
Evan had never had a migraine, but his mother had occasionally. She’d go to bed in a dark room and just stay there. “Maybe we should get you to bed. We can do the caves later.”
She shook her head, wincing, and was that a moan?
Jack turned around and studied first her, and then Evan. “Honey, I really think you should do what Evan says.”
“Not married. Therefore, I don’t have to obey him,” she quipped. “I can sleep later. We’re here now.”
Evan put a hand on her forehead. “You’re burning up.”
A half smile greeted him. “Are you trying to tell me I’m hot, mister?”
“Well, yeah.” He kissed her forehead.
She chuckled, her cheeks rosy. Too rosy. “Should you say things like that with my dad in the car? Besides, I’m not that hot.” She shivered again and sucked in a deep breath. “Co
me on. Sooner we’re done, the sooner I can go sleep off the darn headache.”
Evan kept hold of her hand as they walked slowly along the narrow path leading to the cave. Jack walked on the other side of her, Ira right behind them.
Evan stopped as they came to the cave entrance. He pointed. “Lou, look. Those stones have moved. They covered the entrance the last time I was here.”
She scrunched her nose and rubbed a hand over her eyes. “Maybe they did it themselves. Fell in a landslide or something.”
“Even you don’t really believe that.” He shook his head. “No. They’d be everywhere if they had. Those are in a neat pile.”
“Then maybe use your phone and call Ira and get him and his gun to go first,” she said. “In case they need shooting or something.”
Evan looked askance at Jack and Ira, and then twisted her to face him. “Lou?”
“Though if Dad were here, he’d say man up and just go in there.” Her eyes shuttered.
“Yup, that’s exactly what I’d say, kiddo.” Jack clutched her hand. “Maybe we should stay here and let Ira and Evan go in.”
“Dad? Good, you got out.” Her eyes closed again, and she wobbled. “Stop the world. I want to get off.”
Evan caught her. “This isn’t a good idea. Let’s get you back to the car.”
“I’m fine,” she objected.
Jack glanced at Evan. Concern etched into the lines on his face. “I don’t like this.”
“Me either.”
“Will you stop talking about me as if I’m not here?” Lou’s voice was stronger and clarity shone in her gaze. “Are we doing this or not?” She pulled away and straightened her shoulders before heading into the cave.
“For crying out loud,” Jack muttered.
“Lou, wait!” Evan called.
She stopped. “Waiting…” She glanced over her shoulder. “Christmas is ninety-six days away and will likely get here before you do.”
Evan pushed aside the fact she was counting the days until Christmas.
Ira pulled out his gun and nodded. “Ready.”
Evan strode over to Lou. He held her hand. “You could get lost in here easily. So just stay with me.”
Lou started singing “Stay with Me” under her breath.
“Thanks. That will be stuck in my head for the rest of the day,” Evan muttered.
