The fallen soldier had gotten up and limped back to us. He joined the one who now had his gun aimed at Charlie. Together they guided him toward the doors.
“You hurt him, and I’ll hurt you!” I yelled after them. The other two soldiers pushed me up the stairs, their guns still at the ready. I looked back once more and saw them take my Charlie away from me. The veil of darkness fell over me again.
Upstairs they put me in one of the classrooms. Unfortunately, it wasn’t mine; it didn’t have a storeroom. My guards remained outside the door. I guessed they didn’t expect me to jump through a window. I crossed the classroom and leaned my head against the cold glass. I spotted Charlie being escorted into one of the other buildings. They’d probably interrogate him further before sending him on his way. In contrast, I had no idea what they were going to do with me.
I didn’t have to wait too long for the answer. I soon heard steps coming toward the classroom. They sounded like eager steps. The person entering the classroom wore a white lab coat. He was a skinny, old man with horn-rimmed glasses and a nose like a hawk. If I’d met him on the street, I’d have taken him for a prison camp survivor.
Maybe he is a prison camp survivor.
“I’m Doctor Hayley,” he said, “and I’m going to take a couple of blood samples from you.”
No ‘how are you feeling today,’ or the other usual chit-chat doctors always had while you knew there were at least five more patients in the waiting room anxiously looking at their watches as their appointment times had come and gone. This guy’s communication was short and to the point. He told me to sit down and roll up my sleeve.
The old man had brought a tray with him. On it was a rack with different sizes of glass tubes, each having a different colored stopper. I found the number of tubes frightening, but apart from the initial jab, I felt no pain when he switched one tube for another tube on the back end of the needle.
I tried to read the text on the tubes. The only one I could make out said IgG/IgM. I knew from my studies that this had something to do with immunity.
While the doctor was changing out another tube, I couldn’t help but look at the veins standing out in his skinny, long neck. They were so very inviting, and my mouth started to water. I swallowed as I was appalled by myself for even contemplating putting my lips on this old man’s neck.
“Don’t even think about it,” Dr. Hayley said without looking up.
My stare went from his veins to his eyes.
Says he who is draining me of my blood.
“Can I get a replacement for that?” With my free hand, I pointed at the tubes on the tray that were already filled with my blood. I hadn’t told Major Moore that the infected get stronger when they drank more blood as newborns, so I thought it was worth trying to ask for some. Dr. Hayley looked at me briefly but didn’t answer my question.
When he was done, he stuck a bit of cotton with a Band-Aid on my arm. He told me to fold my arm to keep the pressure on it and to open my mouth. With a long cotton swab, he swiped the inside of my cheek. The swab also disappeared into a tube with a stopper.
The doctor picked up his tray and left without a word. The guard who had come in with him shut the door behind him and joined the other guard on duty in the hallway.
I walked back to the window and looked at the schoolyard. It was a lot busier than it had been earlier. For a second it appeared like a normal school day at lunchtime. However, instead of children, there were now soldiers running around. Something was afoot. I hoped they were working very hard on finding Caleb and Sasha. My worries would be over when they were found.
I sat down next to a window and resigned myself with the thought that what I had done was the right thing, and I would soon be reunited with Charlie. I didn’t care what they did to me afterward, as long as they let me be with Charlie one more time. I needed a proper goodbye.
While watching the scene in the schoolyard, I realized the army was doing more than making war. Yes, they had soldiers, tanks, and weapons, but I also noticed they were bringing civilians in from the surrounding villages, taking them to safe places. I saw trucks loaded with water, food supplies, and blankets. They were driving off in various directions. The army was doing its best to make life possible for survivors.
***
I had been sitting in the classroom for several hours when I noted a movement in the corner of my eye. Most of the action outside was purposeful yet muted. This movement at the far corner of the parking lot, however, was chaotic.
I could make out two people being escorted from a truck by soldiers. One was tall, of muscular build, and dressed in camouflage wear; a soldier. The other, smaller one was fighting, resisting the transport. This one had two guns aimed at the head by guards, being pushed forward by them. This person was obviously not entirely agreeing with what was happening. Profanities were being yelled that I had never heard before, but it somehow sounded familiar. Then I recognized the nasal voice.
I did a double take and couldn’t believe my eyes. They were Harry and Rhona.
What the fuck?
Chapter 57
Adrenaline rushed through my blood. Why the hell were they back here? I got up and placed my hands on the window, multiple thoughts running through my head. I began banging on the glass, trying to get Rhona’s attention, hoping to warn her, to make her get out of here.
This will be a bit tricky, of course, with guns pointed at her head.
Rhona was too busy insulting the soldiers with all she had, but Harry noticed me. I stopped hitting the window when he looked up. I didn’t understand what I saw. When I read his face, it was … cold. There was no smile, and his eyes seemed as hard and dark as lava stones. He looked so unlike the kind, helpful Harry that I knew. They disappeared into the building.
I sat down hard on one of the wooden chairs. My mind raced. What had Harry done?
Would he have done a 1-80?
Why would he do that? He loves Rhona. I am one-hundred percent sure of that.
Or am I so stupid to have misunderstood him all along? He does wear army clothing.
I didn’t understand it. I couldn’t make any sense of it at all. For at least ten minutes, I racked my brain about what I had just seen when I heard Rhona coming up the stairs.
“Get your fucking hands off me, you clusterfucking scum bag!” she shouted and much, much more. I imagined steam coming out of her ears. If I thought I had been cursing too much lately, I knew I could learn a lot more from Rhona.
Who would think that such a sweet little thing is able to utter such unpleasantness?
The door flung open. Rhona was thrown in the classroom.
“Fucking ass wipes!” she yelled back at the soldiers before they shut the door.
“Rhona,” I said and made my way over to her.
She turned around as she heard my voice. I don’t think she had realized I was there when they had thrown her in. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her face flushed with all the yelling she had been doing.
“Oh, Kate,” she said as we hugged each other, and her body began shaking with sobs. Before I knew it, she was bawling her eyes out. I let her cry for a while, but after a few minutes I tried to calm her down. Wiping the tears from her mascara-streaked cheeks, I told her to take deep breaths.
“Come, sit down. What’s happening? Why are you and Harry here?”
“They’ve taken Harry away,” she cried, tears still streaming down her face.
“What do you mean, ‘taken away’?”
My mind went into overdrive again.
Had she decided to come to the army like me, and now Harry is being questioned like Charlie?
No, that is highly unlikely. It was obvious Rhona did not come here out of her own free will.
Why would they want to split Harry and Rhona up? How did they know she was bitten?
“What do you mean, Rhona? Please tell me what is going on,” I urged her.
She calmed down a bit and in between sobs told me they had come upon
an army roadblock when they wanted to cross US Highway 2. They’d thought they would get through without a problem as it was daylight but had been pulled over. The soldiers had forced them out of the car and had driven them back to Bullsbrook.
“Why would they do that? Did they think you were infected?” I didn’t understand how this could be possible as we had discussed earlier that they would try not to talk to anybody to hide their fangs. I knew Harry was an awesome actor and had thought he’d be able to pull it off easily.
“No, it’s much worse,” she said with hatred in her voice and her chest moved in shocks as she exhaled. Her eyes turned cold, like Harry’s eyes earlier.
“What, Rhona? What?” I was holding my breath and almost died with her not telling me.
“Harry’s father put an APB out for him. They were looking for him.” She doubled over crying again.
I got up and walked to the window. The pieces of the puzzle fell together. Harry’s father put out an APB for Harry. Harry had told us before that his father was in the military. Suddenly, in my mind, I saw the eyes of Harry morph into those of Major Moore’s. Major Moore was Harry’s father.
Fuck!
I cursed under my breath. Now I realized why Moore’s eyes made me feel so at ease with him. And why he’d said having fangs didn’t mean I was infected. Moore must have suspected Harry was in serious trouble because of his natural fangs and probably wanted to get him off the street and into the safety of army protection. He hadn’t anticipated Harry getting an infected girlfriend in the meantime, of course, especially not one who could walk in daylight.
“That’s not all,” Rhona continued, trying very hard to stop her sobs. “There’s more you need to know.”
I turned around to face her when she didn’t continue.
“We were told they hadn’t been able to find Caleb and Sasha and are going to get all the infected in this area tonight, to make sure none of us will ever walk in daylight.”
She had stopped sobbing and sat with her hands folded in her lap, her face emotionless, staring in front of her.
As I turned back and stared out of the window, I saw rifles being handed out to soldiers. I half sat-half fell on to a chair. Rhona’s words implied that all the infected in the area weren’t allowed to live, which included her and me and Julie.
No, no, no! This isn’t happening!
My hand went to my mouth, and I began biting my nails while I frantically tried to think of a way to turn events around. I remembered the tubes of blood from Dr. Hayley.
They’re working on a vaccine.
And they’ll probably find one. They always do in the end.
Harry had said that being a daywalker had something to do with my immunity. If they found a vaccine, they would be able to cure all the infected in the future, only not the packs of infected running around in this area. Not Caleb’s or Duncan’s packs, which I didn’t have a problem with, but also not Julie’s. None of these infected would be given any time to wait for the cure as I had just signed their death warrant. The army would never let them get away. They'd never let the secret get out.
All because of me.
I clenched my teeth. The thought of my sister being wiped out while a cure was on its way was something I couldn’t live with. She was my sister, and I loved her. I had to stop this. I had to save her. So I made up my mind.
“Rhona, I’m getting out of here. I’ve got to warn my sister.”
Chapter 58
Rhona didn’t have a chance to react to my statement as the door opened. Dr. Hayley came in, holding another tray with empty tubes. Rhona looked at me as if to say, ‘what now?’
I needed more time to come up with a plan. I slowly blinked and dipped my head which made Rhona stay seated. Dr. Hayley introduced himself to her and told her to follow his instructions, so he could take blood samples from her.
While Dr. Hayley was doing his thing, I circled as inconspicuously as I could toward the soldier who’d followed Dr. Hayley into the classroom. He had his gun aimed at Rhona. Since my arrival in the classroom, I had been no trouble to the soldiers. I had come here of my own free will and had given them no reason to think I wanted to get out. The second soldier remained keeping watch in the hallway, not minding me.
Big mistake, boys.
As I neared the soldier guarding Rhona, he threw an uneasy glance at me. I was getting close, but I wasn’t close enough yet. As I walked on, I tried my cutest smile on him, tilted my head which exposed my neck, and seductively let my fingers trail a desk. I’d completely forgotten I had fangs now. They must have tipped off the soldier of my intentions. He was quick-witted and realized the mistake he and his colleague had made.
He called out to his comrade as he swung his gun at me, but I was close enough now. I lunged. A moment later, he was unconscious on the floor. The other soldier came into the room with his gun at the ready. He pointed it at me, at Rhona behind me, then settling on me again. I was still on top of his colleague and too far away to do anything. Slowly I got to my feet. It had all been for nothing.
The soldier unexpectedly raised his hands. I heard Rhona speak.
“Drop it or the doc gets it.”
I turned around, and there she was; this tiny, fragile little thing, so innocent looking, holding Dr. Hayley with one hand by his wrinkly neck, and with her other hand holding a needle to his jugular. She had her thumb on the back of the syringe, threatening to pump Dr. Hayley’s vein full of air.
Way to go, Rhona.
The soldier was well trained. He carefully put the gun on the floor, kicked it in my direction, and stuck his hands in the air again. I picked up the gun as fast as I could. I’d never held one before and was surprised how light it was, probably because I was stronger now than I’d ever been. I had a quick look at it. The marking told me it was a 9mm M9-P. Beretta. I aimed the gun at his head and told him to move away from the door. Rhona pushed the doctor toward the soldier and came to stand beside me.
“What do we do now?” she asked.
I licked my dry lips. My heart pounded in my chest. I had never held a gun, never threatened anybody with their life, and, to be honest, I was a bit surprised we got this far.
“We’ll have to lock them up, so they won’t sound the alarm,” I said.
“No,” Rhona said, “we have to take one with us as a hostage. Otherwise, we’ll never be able to get out of here alive.” Rhona sounded like she’d done this many times before and knew exactly what would come next.
So why did she ask me what to do?
I threw a quick frown in her direction.
“You don’t watch a lot of movies, do you?” she said.
And you don’t know how little spare time teachers have.
I made a split-second decision.
“Okay, grab the doctor. He seems less expendable than the soldiers.”
Rhona grabbed the man by his skinny neck again. I told the soldier to drag his still unconscious comrade with him and walk in front of us into the hallway. As we followed him, I studied the fallen soldier. I had expected him to have gained consciousness by now.
I hope I didn’t give him any permanent brain damage when I hit him.
We took them to my classroom where I took hold of the doctor while keeping my gun aimed at the soldier. I instructed Rhona to get some zip ties from one of the shelves in the storeroom. She tied the soldiers’ hands behind their backs. While she attached them to the workbenches, the unconscious soldier began to come to.
Phew! That weight’s off my shoulder.
I was thirstily licking my lips looking at the soldier’s muscly neck. Glancing at his buddy, I saw the scared look on his face. I firmly closed my mouth and reminded myself I didn’t want to doom anybody to the same fate as me.
Rhona and I proceeded down the stairs with the doctor in front of us. I had flicked the safety switch of the gun as I was terrified of accidentally shooting the man through the head. Halfway down the lower staircase, we were spotted by two soldiers o
n guard at the exit. They reached for their weapons, but I warned them with as much conviction as I could muster not to do anything foolish.
“One move and the doctor gets it!” I yelled, copying Rhona’s phrase.
Charlie would be so proud of me if he could see me right now.
One of the soldiers continued to reach for his weapon, and I made a show of flicking the safety switch. That stopped him in his tracks.
Ha, I’m not stupid, you know.
I told that soldier to go and get Moore. I didn’t need any heroes close by. It didn’t take long before Moore appeared.
“You can’t go anywhere, you know,” was the first thing he said.
“Yes, I can, and I will. You’ll do as I say, or the doctor gets it.”
To prove my point, I pushed the gun to Dr. Hayley’s temple. I was so glad the man didn’t struggle as I had no real intention of hurting him.
“You will take Rhona and reunite her with Harry,” I commanded Moore.
“No!” Rhona yelled before I could continue. She had not seen this one coming. “Kate, I’m coming with you.” She was pulling my sleeve as she said it, not making me any more comfortable holding the gun to Dr. Hayley’s head.
“No, Rhona. You’ll be safer here with Harry.” I kept my eyes on Moore. To him I said, “You’ll keep her safe until this is all over and give her the vaccine you’re working on.”
Moore’s expression became puzzled. I guessed he wondered how I knew. He nodded.
“What do you want?” he said.
“I want a car and safe passage out of Bullsbrook.”
“I can’t let you go.”
I pushed the gun harder against Dr. Hayley’s temple, pushing his head to the side this time.
Moore put his hands up.
“Where will you be going?”
“To the others. To my sister Julie.”
“I can’t let you do this.”
I liked the man, but he was getting on my nerves with his repeated statements that I couldn’t have my way.
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