by Peter Hoole
“It’s a skill. You don’t always have a phone, Jackson.” Dunleavy said as the phone rang.
After a few seconds, Dunleavy spoke.
“It’s Mike.” He replied to whatever the question was “While that sinks in, I’m gonna put you on speaker.”
Dunleavy pressed the speaker button on the phone and placed the handset back down.
“Can you hear me?”
The voice on the other end was no more than a whisper.
“Mike… what the fuck is going on?” the voice responded, his Australian accent obvious, “Tell me what the news is saying is not true.”
“I’m not a fucking terrorist.” Dunleavy said with a slightly raised voice, “You should know that.”
“Of course, I know that. Shit, do you think the CIA is the only one that watches people? We know more about you than we need to.”
“Good. Because we really need some help.”
“Can you at least tell me what’s going on?”
“Too much to explain over the phone. We need your help.”
“Help? What do you need?”
“We need a place to lay low for a night. Somewhere local.”
“What do you mean local?” he asked, “Shit… you’re in Sydney aren’t you. Caller ID says you are.”
“Yeah we are.”
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
“Like I said, too much to explain right now. Can you get us a place?”
The voice took some time. “I know a place about twenty minutes south of the CBD. How far out are ya?”
“Not quite sure…”
“OK, Mike, here’s the address…”
The man on the phone gave Dunleavy the details.
“Thanks”
“No problem. There should be no one there. But there is a pin code on the front door – 9981 – Just put that in, and you’ll have access to the place. I’ll try get there as soon as I can, ok.”
“Thanks.” Dunleavy said again. He ended the phone call and turned to Caleb.
“See… piece of cake.” Dunleavy said with a smug grin on his face.
Caleb was not so sure.
It all seemed a bit too easy.
Chapter Nine
They had been given the address, and according to the GPS on the car, they were only a few minutes away.
As Caleb was unsure of whether to trust Dunleavy’s contact, he decided to err on the side of caution. So, they did some reconnaissance first.
They turned in to the quiet suburban street. Cars were along both sides of the road. While the street was designated two ways, it would have been difficult for two cars to traverse at the same time.
Once they had sighted the house, Caleb told Dunleavy to keep driving. After about two hundred yards, Dunleavy pulled over to the side of the road.
“Ok… I know Mike trusts this guy, but I’m not so sure…” said Caleb to know one in particular, “You all stay here while I go check it out. Mike, keep the car running in case we need to get out of here.”
There was an air of agreement in the car, and no one sought to argue.
Caleb left the car and walked south along the path. The area was close to the central business district, flashing with remnants of historical construction that demonstrated the character of the City.
The houses were piled on top of each other, as though no forward thought had been given to the urban sprawl that many large cities now took for granted.
He approached the house – number thirty-six.
There was nothing remarkable about the house. The red-brick façade and green picket fence were unassuming, and the overgrown plants in the front yard indicated they had not been properly tended to in some time.
None of this was of concern to Caleb, and the fact the house’s garden was slightly overgrown was only of benefit.
At the side of the house, a pathway lead towards the back garden. Caleb walked softly on the ground, lightly stepping.
He had done the movement so many times, he was able to walk quietly and swiftly at the same time. As he moved towards the back of the house, he noted the surroundings.
The pathway was about three feet wide. Made of broken concrete, it was easy to manoeuvre and would provide an adequate escape route should they need it.
He rounded the back of the house into the garden. The area was broken up into various sections by brick-work and steps – no doubt to separate the various seating and barbeque areas Australians were so accustomed to.
The area itself was deceptively large, with a distance of about sixty feet between the back of the house and the back fence.
Not wanting to be too cautious, Caleb walked the entirety of the garden.
The area was unlit, so he took his gun from the holster on his hip, and pointed it in the direction he was facing. So as to avoid alerting any potential ambush in the house, Caleb kept the attached torch off. He relied on his training to effectively see in the dark.
After a few minutes of scrutiny, Caleb’s was satisfied the area was secure.
He moved back down towards the house.
Modelled on the same brick work as the front exterior, the house remained unassuming. Caleb imagined it played a big part in why it had been chosen it as a safe location.
As he approached the house, he could not see any movement either outside or within. Unfortunately, this was as far as he could investigate.
Dunleavy’s contact had given them a code for the front door, and Caleb figured that should he try gain entry without it, alarms would sound and potentially alert ASIO they were there.
While he had no reason to distrust the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, he knew they could not afford to take the risk.
He was as satisfied as he could be, so Caleb radioed the car.
“All clear guys. Wait for two minutes, and then head over. That will give me enough time to clear the building.”
“Roger that.” Murphy replied.
Caleb walked down the side of the house. As an apparent security measure, the entry to the house was located there rather than the ubiquitous front of the house.
Caleb took the three steps up, reached the side of the door and found the number panel.
Simple in design, it was a numerical keypad with buttons rather than touch screen. Caleb liked the simplicity. It made his life easier. Too often he had had to deal with technology that didn’t work when it was needed.
The tried and true simplistic methods had always held Caleb’s favour.
He typed in the code – 9981 – and the door clicked, notifying Caleb the door was unlocked.
Caleb turned the knob and swung the door open. He immediately raised his weapon in preparation, once again thinking there may be someone on the other side of the door.
As he entered, the lights came on. This was not something Caleb’s wished for, as he preferred to survey areas in the dark – less chance of him being caught.
He quickly put it out of his mind, as he often did in situations he could not change.
The interior of the house matched the external façade. The internal balustrades were last created circa 1960, and the off-white paint on the walls were peeling away.
The room was no more than ten feet by ten feet. There were a couple of recliner chairs, and a television with an antenna out the top.
It was clear there would be no creature comforts on their sleepover.
Caleb exited the far side of the room, and entered a hallway to the rear.
The rest of the house – the bedrooms, small kitchen and rear outdoor entertaining area - reflected the outdated furnishings and decorations of the rest of the house.
None of that interested Caleb. He was only interested in the houses safety.
After a thorough inspection, he was comfortable that the house was clear.
Just as he finished looking around, he heard the front door open.
Darcy, Dunleavy, Casey and Murphy came through the door, with the two prisoners – Jane and W
illiam – wedged between the two marines.
“All clear, Cap?” asked Casey.
“All clear.” Caleb nodded.
He was as satisfied as he could be that Dunleavy’s contact had come through for them.
“Where do you want these two?” asked the Sergeant.
“We’ll keep them in here,” Caleb said, “Easier if we’re all together for now.”
Casey and Murphy, without hesitation, shoved their respective prisoners to the floor. After they sat, Casey pulled out some cable ties from his back pocket and fastened Jane and Williams hands together.
“Ouch.” cried Jane, showing her discomfort at the tightness of Casey’s binding.
Casey didn’t react.
“Have a seat, babe” Caleb suggested to Darcy.
Darcy didn’t wait and took Caleb up on his suggestion, and sat on the couch, facing towards the two people on the floor.
“Now…” Caleb said to the prisoners, “We’re going to have a long conversation.”
William barely moved, showing a hint of disdain for Caleb and the situation he was in.
Jane, on the other hand, shook with distress.
Caleb could sense the nurse’s unease. Normally, he would feel some empathy for a captured enemy.
But not this time. After all he had been through with Matthew and Jacob the previous day, Caleb was in no mood to feel any pity for anyone that was their opposition.
“But... before we begin…” Caleb said, as he turned to Casey and Murphy, “You two need to talk.”
Caleb was well aware of the relationship Murphy and Casey had formed over the years they spent together. While he was keen to get some further answers from Murphy, he was sure Casey was even more desperate for answers.
“There’s two bedrooms back there” Caleb indicated towards the back of the house, “Take your time.”
“Thanks Cap,” replied Casey.
While she looked a bit apprehensive, Murphy nodded her appreciation.
The two marines left the room, leaving Caleb, Darcy and Dunleavy alone.
Caleb looked at the pair, and said with as little emotion as possible, “Now… which one of you is going to break first?”
***
“What do you mean ‘Not quite’ ready?” Robert said, the veins on his forehead beginning to expand, “You said we were good to go?”
The Zone Three leader was visibly upset. His demeanour had changed with the latest revelation. Unlike Zach and John, Robert had been quite comfortable with how the plan was coming together.
He had not known either of them for as long as they had known each other. Robert was recruited into the group not long after Cooks apparent death in Hawaii.
He had always been a soldier, and quite a formidable one at that.
It was during the revolutionary war that Robert first felt the taste of battle. He had been a major part of the American capture of Stony Point in 1779.
Led by General Wayne, Robert and his fellow fighters were formidable, and the British were defeated.
The battle was not without cost, though, and Robert was unable to see out the battle.
Fortunately, Cook was on the move, and he was recruiting. While he had little recollection of the incident, Robert remembered waking up in a house he did not recognise, surrounded by British officers.
Robert was eventually convinced by Cook to join the Colonials. Later, he found out he had been revived by the Source.
Since that day, Robert had been a loyal servant of the Colonials, with Cook as his leader. He was surprised, however, with how little emotion he now felt at the death of the man he admired.
For so long, he had focused on the plan, and doing his part to ensure it succeed. Now that Cook was gone, Robert would leave the inevitable power struggle to Cooks Lieutenants. He was, after all, still a soldier.
So focused was he on the plan, that what he had just been told made him angry.
“It’s just about ready,” Saunders replied, “I just need another day or so.”
“Why? What will another day do for you?”
“It’s better if I show you.”
Chapter Ten
The two men left the room. Roberts’s office was much like the rest of the colony, reflecting James’ desire for consistency. Robert and Saunders walked down the plain looking hallway towards the elevator.
“Just tell me,” Robert demanded of the scientist.
“Fine.” Saunders replied.
Saunders too had had the Serum, and looked a spritely thirty year old once again. His grey hair had been replaced by the blonde he had forgotten, and his muscle tone and energy had also improved. He was not a tall man, but his intellect had always made him feel superior to those around him.
With his newly rediscovered youth, he had also found his playful side.
“Ok… so you know how the virus works right?” he asked Robert.
“It attacks the cells at a molecular level, causing the infected person’s blood to…” Robert replied.
“Boil…. Indeed.” Saunders interrupted, “And once the blood literally boils, the rest of the body reacts in a most unpleasant way. Several minutes later, the body stops working, and the person dies.”
“Yes… I know all this. What’s your point?” Robert said as they entered the lift.
“Bio-Lab,” Saunders said commanding the lift, “Well… I’ve been working on a more, let’s say, effective method of distribution.”
Roberts’s curiosity was piqued. They had planned to release it into the water supply of various towns and cities around the globe. With that, their came a strong element of risk, and there was always a chance people would discover the source of the virus. This may cause people to avoid the water, or even worse, establish a cure.
“What do you have in mind?” asked Robert.
“That’s what I need to show you.”
They walked the short distance from the elevator to the lab. The lab was a little different to the other rooms in the facility and in other colonies. Such was the importance with Saunders experiments, Cook and the other Colonials made sure the doctor always had everything he needed.
And he was allowed to get away with a lot more than most others.
The first thing that struck Robert was the mess. Strewn throughout the room was paper, beakers and other chemistry-related paraphernalia.
In the middle of the room was a large, steel table, with steel shelving to the sides. There were many reference books on the shelves, some of them written by some of the more prominent chemists and virologists the world had known.
Along the back wall was a large glass window. Standing fifteen or so feet from the window, Robert could make out two individuals, neither of which he recognised.
“Who are they?” Robert asked the doctor.
Saunders gave a small smirk, “We don’t give them names. Just think of them as ‘people that got a bit too close’.”
Robert noted the appearance of the men. Both were around thirty years of age. One was a bit shorter than the other, with wavy blonde hair.
The taller man was more on the chubby side of the weight scale.
Not wanting to give them any further humanity, Robert turned his attention away from them.
“Why are they here?” he asked, a little bit angry, “Don’t you know it’s a risk to keep them alive?”
The doctor again smirked, as though he was privy to info Robert was unaware of.
With the same cocky attitude he often showed, Saunders press the button on the side of the glass.
“You can begin,” he said into the room.
Three others emerged from a door to the side, two men dressed in military fatigues and a younger man.
As they entered, the two prisoners jumped back, startled by the disturbance.
The two guards grabbed a man each, pinning their arms behind their bodies.
As they struggled, the younger man approached the shorter, blonde man. As he got closer, he pulled a syringe from behind
his back, and plunged it into the blonde man’s abdomen.
After the liquid inside had been purged from the syringe, the three men left the room.
The man slumped to the floor, the others looking on with apprehension.
“Now… we wait.” Saunders said.
Robert was confused, “What do you mean? Was he injected with the virus?”
“Indeed he was.”
Robert looked back at the room. In the previous tests, the test subjects had writhed in agony and died almost instantly.
“What’s happening?”
Saunders, even though Robert didn’t think it possible, looked even smugger.
“I have changed the virus.” Saunders answered.
“Changed it? Changed it how?”
“I have given it an incubation period.”
“Incubation period?”
“Yes. Would it help if I just explained it all?” Saunders said, his frustration apparent, “You keep interrupting by asking me to repeat myself.”
The doctor’s cockiness infuriated Robert. If it had been up to him, he would have nothing to do with Saunders.
“Fine. Just tell me.” Robert said through clenched teeth.
“The subject is infected. He will die. Now we wait,” Saunders explained, “We wait to see the effects. I have modified the virus so that it won’t kill the subject straight away. Now… once a person is infected, the virus becomes airborne. And anyone they come into contact with will be infected.”
Robert, couldn’t help himself and interrupted, “So, how long until he dies?”
“From the moment of infection, the subject has about twenty to live.”
“Why so long?” Robert asked.
“No real reason, it’s just the way it’s worked out. I could try shorten it, but I think a day is long enough to complete our task.”
Robert contemplated what Saunders had just said.
“So… once we infect someone, we just let them go?”
“Exactly. They’ll unknowingly infect everyone they encounter, and then those people will infect those they encounter.”
“How long until we have complete success.”
“I would estimate no more than a week.”