by Taylor, Dan
“Yeah, we’re not doing the interviews here,” Lydia told Angus, who looked at her aghast. “It looks like the set of a hostage video. No, I will find somewhere better and a little less Taliban-y.”
“Right you are, I did agree to let you do this your way. You can use anywhere on the sub,” Angus sounded gruff but he was pleased she was doing this on her terms. She was the professional and she did have a point about his chosen set.
Further down the hull, Lydia found the perfect spot. A metal desk with charts and maps sprawled across it. Interviewers and Interviewees could be sat opposite each other in a more natural conversation setting. Above the desk was a dinner plate sized porthole. The blackness of the deep contrasted against the pained white walls in a pleasing way.
Lydia turned sharply at Angus, “First, I want to interview Abel, then Klutz, yourself, Callum and finally that Dr Leitner guy.”
Not long later the studio lights were moved, Abel was in position and the camera was set up. Angus hit the record button.
The interviews were completed in a day and gad ended disastrously. The sub was raised out the water. It had sustained some severe damage and the passengers and crew took emergency life rafts ashore. They were, by now, off the coast of the Faroe Islands. One of the fishermen took the digital copies ashore, along with copies of all of Lydia’s notes and photos to distribute to a list of every news outlet they could collectively think of.
Chapter 55 – Abel’s Interview
The CNC news centre was a buzz with activity. The events of the terrorist attack in England had been an ever-growing story that they had captured the attention of the world. The past week they had filled their primetime with survivor accounts, witness footage and data on the middle eastern terrorist cell responsible. A young university intern had been tasked with sorting through the hundreds of videos sent in to find new and exciting footage. On top of today’s post was a package from the Faroe Islands with a USB stick inside. She plugged the USB into her laptop and clicked on the video file.
Abel Adjusted himself uncomfortably in the metal seat. “I guess I should start by saying. My name is PC Abel Coleman and I am one of the only remaining surviving police officers from Bayhollow.” ‘God, I hope I’m not the only survivor’ he thought to himself. “I am onboard a submarine somewhere under the sea or ocean, I guess. They haven’t really told me where we are exactly. It doesn’t make any difference anyway as I am here against my will. Just to be clear I do not support the Fishermen of Stornoway and I condemn their actions one hundred percent.”
‘Such a policeman-like way to start this interview’ Lydia thought. She had interviewed policemen and policewomen before so she had some idea of how this interview would go. “Thank you, Abel, this is a chance for you to tell your story. What did you see and do during the outbreak of Brain-dead madness at the town of Bayhollow? When did you first encounter the outbreak?”
Abel gathered his thoughts. He was cautious and deliberate with his words, a natural reaction for someone who has been on the other side of interviews and interrogations on many occasions. “I had completed a long shift and was getting ready to finish, when all available officers were called to a riot at the Royal Duchess Hotel. I wasn’t the first on the scene, in fact, I was probably one of the last. When I arrived, I saw my Sergeant, Sergeant Green, barricading a door. I was told inside the hotel were people acting violently and so I needed to help with the barricade. At that time the theory was that the people inside the hotel were from a satanic cult of sorts.”
“Did you agree with that theory?” Interrupted Lydia.
“No, I did not,” Abel was searching for the explanation why. “The reason, I think, is that there was no direct evidence of a cult and there had been no history of Satanism or any behaviour like this in the area. The people inside were wild. Acting without reason or any consideration for their safety. It was like their basic instincts to protect themselves from harm was over ridden by a compulsion to harm others. I left to scout the grounds for anyone who may have escaped the hotel building. I discovered a man, in the lake who was cleaning himself. His eyes were wild like the men at the hotel but his actions were calmer and more deliberate. He attacked me but only as far as to incapacitate me. Then he escaped into the woods. He was the most terrifying thing I had ever seen.”
“You describe him as a thing. Don’t you mean person?”
“In that moment he was not a person. He was a towering monster. I do not believe there was any humanity in him. So, he left into the woods and I was radioed to come back to the hotel. As I was approaching, I saw Army trucks and soldiers encircling the hotel and the police barricading it. Then it happened. The soldiers murdered everyone. They indiscriminately shot everyone. Whether they were police officers, civilians or crazed criminals. It didn’t matter. Then I knew I had to get away so I ran into the woods too. I thought I would be better off in the woods with one lunatic than have a whole squadron lined up to shoot me. That’s when I met up with you and we escaped that hellish town.” He was silent and contemplative for a few moments. His expression, hollow. His bright eyes which Lydia had loved now conveyed pain. Their reflection glassy and mirroring the horrors they had seen. Lydia had to break the tension, she could see he was conscious that this was being recorded.
“That is right, we met up and we saw some horrible things and you were incredibly brave. Me and Angela would not have made it if it wasn’t for you. Had you seen anything like that before in your career?” She knew this was a dumb question but smiled at Abel innocently to encourage him along.
“No Lydia, I have never seen anything like that.” He smiled quickly towards her. A shadow of his normal self-flickered and this made Lydia’s heat swoon. “We were hunted by infected who swarm together like angry ants. The town has been destroyed, there is no fixing it now. Neighbours and friends could be seen tearing each other apart. They were all innocent, they were not to blame. When we did eventually escape, we were held captive by the British Army and a company called HIVE. I’m not sure just how much the Army knew about what HIVE’s intentions were but HIVE was most certainly calling the shots.”
Lydia interjected before he could carry on. “You said that the townspeople were not to blame, so who was?”
“The Fishermen of Stornoway,” Abel replied coolly.
“That’s enough,” Angus called in sternly, “This interview is over.”
“No, it isn’t,” Lydia turned sharply. Pointing an index finger into Angus’s chest. She had been taught that pointing was rude but this time it was necessary. “You promised me I could do this interview my way. You can’t stop it because you are not happy with what is being said. I am after the truth, not one person’s view of the truth but a collective truth. This is why we have separate interviews. You will have a chance to have your say and if you cannot keep calm, I will have to ask one of your fishermen buddies to do the camera work instead.
“Right you are,” he replied gruffly. Lydia stared at him using her best dirty stare. “I’m…sorry,” Angus muttered.
Lydia swung back around, “Sorry Abel, you were saying?”
Abel looked straight into Angus’s eyes. “I was saying the Fishermen of Stornoway were the ones who plotted and successfully released the virus into the town of Bayhollow. They did this as a purposeful act of terrorism and no matter what justification they have for their actions, they are criminals who have committed a variety of crimes including mass murder and terrorism and should be treated as the worst kind of criminals.”
“And what about HIVE?” Asked Lydia.
“HIVE maybe just as guilty. I have not seen any hard evidence of the crimes they have allegedly committed. But they are most definitely involved. Whilst held in their custody at Camp Nectar, we discovered a laboratory with test subjects for the Brain-Dead Madness inside. We also saw files regarding a ‘Project Cauldron’ which I have been told was a government sponsored secret project to create biological warfare weapons. I was subject to their interroga
tion where they were clearly testing to see if I knew too much to be let go. With my police officer hat on, I would say there needs to be a full investigation into HIVE as a matter of national security, but first you must capture and arrest the Fishermen of Stornoway.”
“And without your police officer hat?”
“HIVE appear to have roots deeper than we can imagine and investigating them could be reveal some truths a lot of powerful people will want hidden.”
Chapter 56 – Klutz’s Interview
“Please can you tell us your name, who you are and where you are?” Asked Lydia politely.
“My name is Ronnie Campbell, but everyone calls me Klutz. I am onboard a submarine that belongs to an organisation called the Fishermen of Stornoway.” His hands were shaking on his lap like jelly in an earthquake, he was clearly very nervous.
“Why do they call you Klutz,” smiled Lydia sweetly trying to ease his nerves.
“Are you kidding? I tripped over the lights just getting to this chair!” He remarked enthusiastically. “Also, you asked who I am. I am, or was, an employee of the royal Duchess Hotel. Now I don’t know what I am. I have been called Patient One, a clone, a monster, infected and cured. I was bitten by Patient Zero, the one who started this outbreak, and was infected with the Brain-dead madness or emerald wasp serum as I have since learnt it is called. Since then I have been experimented on by HIVE scientists and they have now stated that I am cured. But I’m not.”
“We plan for this to be broadcast to the world, Klutz. Maybe you can explain how HIVE think you were cured, why you think you are not and what this means for the others who are currently infected,” Lydia asked this softly. Klutz was a sensitive soul who had been put under enormous stress. She had seen him broken at the Viking pub and she did not want to break him again. He was kind and gentle when not in a feeding rage and one of the few people she had met who truly cared for others above himself. This made the fact that he has been forced into this violent lifestyle even more tragic.
“Sure. When I was first infected, I had no control. It was like my body was no longer doing what my brain was telling it. Like I was a character in a video game being controlled by a psychopath with a joy stick. And that psychopath made my body do terrible things no matter what my brain told it not to do. Over time I started to gain more control but this was very slow and every other person I saw that was infected was the same. Then when I was taken by HIVE, they infected me with more of the virus. Overloaded me with it. It was explained to me that the virus essentially eats your cells one by one and copied them almost like converting a VHS tape into DVD Blue Ray. They both do the same thing but one is slightly better. And that’s what I supposedly am now. A slightly better version of me. I’m stronger and quicker but with one major catch. I can only survive from eating raw human flesh. So as far a cure goes, I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. For the infected in Bayhollow, I guess there is a chance. If they live long enough to be fully copied by the virus and someone somewhere comes up with a proper cure then there is hope. But they would not want to live like I am.”
“I think people would like to know how you are coping and surviving on a submarine,” asked Lydia.
“Well Maybe I can show you. Follow me Angus.” Replied Klutz cheerful to get out of the interview chair and away from the lights.
Angus gave Lydia a look which said, ‘I do not want the world seeing every aspect of this submarine in case it gives away any information I does not want to give.’ Lydia replied with a look which told him, ‘This is my interview, we’re going.’
Klutz, took them down a hallway to a cramped room with a mattress in a cage, a wooden wardrobe and a side table with a green desk lamp on it.
“This is where Me and Callum sleep. Callum is Patient Zero. The room is reinforced and is locked from the outside in case one of us feels the hunger in the night. That hasn’t happened yet.” He took them to an adjacent room.
“This is where they make our food.”
Inside the room was a desk with several fridges’ underneath. On top of the desk was a glass box the size of medium fish tank. Inside the glass was a curious looking machine that had a large black box as its base with different coloured wires and instruments rising from it.
“That is the 3D printer. It prints food for me and Callum. I’m not exactly sure how it works but I think someone donates some cells from a finger or their tongue and they use the machine to grow the cells and print them into a disk shape. Like a burger except made form tongue or finger, I guess. Man, I really wish I could eat a cheeseburger. That’s the really strange thing, I can remember how delicious a cheeseburger tasted but if you put it in front of me It would be disgusting. On the other hand, the thought of eating human flesh turns my stomach but if some was in front of me it would appear appetising.”
“Is there anything you would like to end the interview with?” Lydia asked.
“Just to say, I am really sorry for the people I have hurt because of this disease. I know some people will say it’s not my fault but I feel responsible and I know the people still trapped in Bayhollow are feeling the same. For the friends and families of those who did not make it I am sorry, and for those who have family that is still there, do not give up on hope of a cure.”
Chapter 57 – Angus’s Interview
Back at the desk with the maps, Angus sat down. He wore a thick duffle coat which was buttoned to the top. His wiry ginger beard covered his mouth and neck like tiny rusty springs. He sat with his arms crossed and scowled. The first two interviews had been very anti the Fishermen of Stornoway and the story was being twisted in a way he did not like. He looked at his reflection in the small, black pothole window. The bulbus nose and wrinkled, sun damaged face was not the face of a revolutionary. He had never been considered good looking nor had he been the face of anything before, except a crew of trawlermen where looks did not matter. ‘I must not come across as a maniac’ he thought to himself which made him more nervous. He felt a frog in his throat and his armpits wet with sweat.
A small part of Lydia was pleased to see he was nervous. He had been so bossy and salty so far. Getting him out of his comfort zone allowed her to peel away the stern front he used and for the true Angus to come out. Abel was manning the camera. Lydia felt having a police officer here might inspire some sort of confession which was what she was hoping for.
Angus gripped a pile of printed white A4 pages in his rough hands. He had told Lydia he had a statement to read which he had prepared but she could feel free to ask questions after. She agreed to his conditions. It was best to give him some sense of controlling the information. Angus sipped from a canteen of water before clearing his throat and starting.
“In 1952, a group of scientists built a large pontoon used to carry out secret germ warfare trials off the coast of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. They were testing a variety of different diseases and hybrids of diseases including a Bubonic Plague-Rabies hybrid. They experimented on animals kept in cages on the pontoon by dropping bombs which would release a disease cloud upwind of them. One evening, as a trial was about to start, my grandfather’s trawler sailed unexpectedly into the danger zone. Rather than stop the tests, the captain of the naval ship gave the order to continue, and the germs were released into the path of the trawler. The scientists told the Admiral that there was a risk of contamination. The matter was dealt with at the highest levels, with the involvement of the First Sea Lord and Rab Butler, who as Chancellor of the Exchequer was deputising for the absent Winston Churchill as Prime Minister. It was considered of the highest ‘political consideration’ not to alert the nation to what had happened. My Grandfather’s trawler was boarded and the scientists destroyed all the stowaway rats. The ship was fumigated but one member of the crew had sadly been infected. It was my Grandfather, Fergus Anderson. He had what was the first iteration of, what the newspapers have called, the Brain-Dead Madness Virus, but what is was already named by HIVE as, Emerald Wasp Serum.”
; Angus paused to flip the piece of paper he was reading from.
“After my Grandfather was murdered, it had been decided by the government that they could not be directly involved with biological warfare, and so created a new task force, separate from the government called HIVE. HIVE have been perfecting Emerald Wasp Serum and other drugs since. They have tested on human populations all over the world. They are no longer governed by our rules and regulations and sit above our, and all governments, creating weapons and selling them to whichever groups they feel will further their business strategies. They murdered, my Grandfather and have silenced his family and colleagues ever since.”