The Cure

by Jeremy P Horgan

  ‘Why use any kind of plan? Why not just bring us back to the table and let us meet Mr. Miller? Surely based on his findings we all would have agreed that the plan was misguided,’ said Pitkin.

  ‘Well, this brings me to my next point. Having spoken to Martin we realized that despite the inconclusive nature of his research that there was a faction within this room that wanted the plan to go ahead regardless of the results. Martin had provided this information directly to someone within this room who had doctored the paperwork for their own agenda. Someone who believed that murder was the only option available regardless of the impact to men, women, children who had suffered already.’ The President now had both hands-on Goldsmith’s shoulders and Goldsmith was sweating profusely through his suit.

  ‘Martin, one last question, who did you give your findings too?’

  ’Sir, that would be the Commander General.’

  The General jumped up from his chair, but two soldiers had already pinned him back down into it.

  ‘This is absurd,’ he stammered.

  ‘General Roderick. We’ve known for some time that you had the data and that you and a few members of your close team of military support, which are now also in custody, had this agenda planned. We knew that you would manipulate the weakest member of the board, with the most influence, to put forward the plan to poison the population. Sorry Goldsmith, they used you too I’m afraid. Had it come from the General himself he knew it wouldn’t get passed without an enquiry due to his position on the military fleet. However, coming from a man of figures and on the board of directors with Wanikiy’s backing there was only ever one outcome. Thankfully Wanikiy doesn’t have very much good to speak of you and therefore when I put it to him to question the plan he didn’t have to think too hard about it. We only let the plan go on for as long as it did because we needed to pick out everyone involved.’ said The President. ‘General, one question though. Why? When Martin gave you the information you must have known then that it was inconclusive and that by killing half the population it could have absolutely no impact on the current situation.’

  ‘Are you really that stupid?’ said the Commander General. ‘It was a power play. You were getting nowhere. You are leading us all to our deaths down here. You’re weak. The plan was meant to put the people down here at ease and give them hope. Something they’ve never seen before under you as leader,’ he hissed.

  ‘Hope’ said the President perplexed. ‘Hope is something we have always had down here. Now hope is something we can have up there too. Take him away.’ The soldiers picked the Commander General out of his chair and marched him in handcuffs out of the room. ‘Let’s bring our kids home,’ he said and walked out the room.

  The General was in cuffs and would be sentenced along with his men for the part he had played in the potential genocidal catastrophe.

  Running down the base corridors Wanikiy was searching for something, anything, to help Tallulah. He turned a corner and came face to face with the Commander General and his escort.

  ‘The hypocrite himself,’ said the General stopping suddenly, and bringing the soldiers to a halt.

  Wanikiy tried to compose himself ‘How so General?’

  ‘Look around you, you fool. This. All this was down to you? You single-handedly brought the world to its knees. What does it feel like to be the man who destroyed the planet?’

  ‘Destroyed it? I tried to save it, but men like you, all you see is greed and how you can exploit people. I may have created the trigger, but you and your government pulled it,’ said Wanikiy.

  ‘Come on now Wanikiy. Like there wasn’t a small part of you that knew what you were doing was wrong. Disease is part of our makeup. It’s the fail-safe to ensure the planet keeps on turning. You just had to interfere and now look at us.’

  ‘A fail safe?’ he shook his head ‘You have obviously never seen a child diagnosed with Cancer. Their body ravaged not only by the disease but by the poisons we inject to kill that disease. It not only affects them, but it affects their whole family, their friends. You have obviously never watched a loved one wither away in front of you, not knowing who you are and suffering in unimaginable pain. We needed cures, we needed to stand up to these horrible diseases that don’t discriminate against anyone, good or bad, young or old. Every single person that ever worked to help get rid of these diseases is a hero. This was never God’s plan. Disease is the work of the Devil and you took something that was good and turned it into evil.’

  The General stood back shocked out the outburst ‘HaHaHa, he laughed hysterically. Very good. Very passionate. But here we are, and if indeed I am evil then surely, I have won. The world is in turmoil and what is left of its inhabitants will likely be dead within months.’

  ‘Maybe you have General, but as long as there is life in me then I won’t give up on these people and those people out there.’

  The General sneered at Wanikiy and nodded to the soldiers. It was time to move on.

  Chapter Eighteen

  ‘We can’t just wait here and hope everything is alright,’ said Chuck to the others.

  ‘We’ve come this far, right?’ said Scott

  ‘Oscar,’ said Chuck, ‘you got anything other than planes to get us back in one piece?’

  ‘I’ve got just the thing in the prison garage,’ said Mendez.

  As Mendez opened the door to the garage he grinned ‘If you thought the planes were good.’ As the door swung open so did the boy’s jaws. The garage contained cars that they had never seen before other than in books. ‘You’re loving me now, right?’ laughed Mendez.

  Chuck had his hand on his head.

  ‘Baggsy the Ferrari,’ said Seth, who had never driven anything other than a tractor before.

  Meanwhile the others were all climbing into various sports cars.

  ‘Whatever you want, it’s yours,’ said Mendez.

  Chuck shook Mendez’ hand and then embraced him, tears in his eyes. ‘We will be back,’ he said.

  ‘I should hope so,’ said Mendez ‘We’ve got a world to fix.’

  Seth looked up from the Lamborghini he was sat in, donning sunglasses he’d found on the dash ‘Let’s do this.’ He revved the engine. Then stalled.

  Mendez lifted the shutters to the garage workshop and the sun shone onto the silver rims of the cars blinding him. ‘Good Luck,’ he whispered to himself and watched them drive away back to their home.

  ***************

  Back at the base, the President hadn’t finished with the General Commander and he caught up to him with the military police hauling him towards the base lockups. He was unrepentant and sneered when the President caught his eye.

  ‘You’re weak Nathanial. I thought you were better than this,’ he said.

  ‘Weak? I called you out though didn’t I? What were you thinking?’

  ‘I was thinking about the country I love. It’s called Patriotism,’ he replied.

  ‘That country no longer exists. We aren’t at war with the people above ground. We’re in this with those people. We should have integrated a long time ago. All you have achieved in doing is making me open my eyes to what we should be doing. Sharing the knowledge we already have with the people outside of this base,’ said the President.

  ‘You’re a fool Nathanial. So, the data was inconclusive. It doesn’t mean what we did was wrong.’

  ‘What you did was wrong on so many levels I don’t know where to start. You talk about patriotism and then try to kill half of the population. You’re no better than a terrorist,’ he said.

  ‘You’ve sentenced the people on this base to death. How long before our secret base isn’t so secret when you start spreading your word to the outside world. You and I both know what is out there lurking. We’ve seen it. Murder, cannibalism, death is waiting for you to come knocking on the front door,’ said the General.

  ‘You sound like you’re scared General.’

  ‘You’re damn right I’m scared. It’s the end of the world. B
ut I don’t think you’ve noticed. Now, if you don’t mind Nathanial, I have places I need to be,’ he smiled.

  The guards around the General turned and pointed their guns at the President.

  ‘You may have underestimated my reach Mr. President. It seems like these patriots also want to live,’ said the General. ‘Now if you wouldn’t mind stepping into that cell.’ He pushed the President backwards and slammed the door shut.

  ‘You won’t get away with this,’ shouted the President.

  ‘I already have,’ retorted the General.

  He turned to his men and the guards ‘Are the charges set?’

  ‘Yes General,’ one of the men said.

  ‘Good. Is this everyone?’ he said counting the remainder of his army.

  ‘I believe so,’ said the same man, stepping up to the General’s right side.

  ‘A fierce and brave set of men if I do say so myself. Are you ready to make America proud again?’

  ‘Sir, yes sir,’ came the reply from the men.

  ‘Gather as much food as you can carry and load it along with the weapons into the Humvees. We move out in 15 minutes. Set the charges. After that you are either in those Humvees or you’re dead. Understood?’

  ‘Sir, yes Sir.’

  ‘Goodbye Mr. President, it’s been a blast,’ he smiled through the vent in the cell door.

  The General headed off with half the men whilst the others set about the stores and carrying what they could to the transport area. No-one questioned what they were doing because they were still dressed as military guards. Within minutes the cars were loaded and ready to move out.

  The general stood back away from the window of the boardroom out of view watching Goldsmith talking to himself.

  ‘Ah, what a shame our partnership has come to an end Goldsmith. Your stupidity was your downfall, but your salesmanship was of great benefit,’ he said quietly.

  ‘Would you like us to dispose of him Sir?’ said his new Lieutenant.

  He thought for a moment ‘No, let’s see if cockroaches do survive,’ he said.

  ***************

  As Xander brought the Cessna to a halt Logan was wondering how he would get back onto the base without being noticed. As it was, when he got to the entrance it couldn’t have been easier. The main ramp was down, and people were running past him in blind panic, too busy to even notice him.

  ‘Xander, follow these people. Find out what has happened. Most of all keep safe. Something’s kicking off and we want to be on the right side of it,’ said Logan.

  ‘And you?’ said Xander.

  ‘I’m going in. I’ve got to find her before it’s too late. If it isn’t already.’

  He shook Xander’s hand and pushed past the people coming towards him running into the base.

  Gunshots rang around his head and he wondered who was attacking them. This wasn’t the time though. He needed to get to the communications room straightaway. He covered his head and started running in the direction of the communications rooms, where he thought Tallulah still was.

  When he got there the room was empty. ‘The infirmary’ he thought to himself and turned, heading back along the corridor. ‘Soldier,’ a woman’s voice came from behind him. ‘You need to get out of here. The whole place is coming down.’

  ‘I need to get to the infirmary,’ said Logan

  ‘It’s a suicide mission. This place could go at any point,’ said the woman.

  ‘I don’t have a choice,’ he said looking down at the activated charcoal in his hand, and he ran off.

  ‘I know,’ she said, as he ran past.

  Turning back to look at the woman, Logan shouted ‘Where you headed, exit is back this way.’

  ‘To the cells,’ said Rose.

  Logan reached the infirmary and Tallulah was lying in bed, limp and grey. He burst through the door and Wanikiy looked up from where his head lay in her hand on the bed.

  ‘Am I too late?’ he said.

  ‘She needs an antidote for the toxin,’ said Wanikiy. ‘We don’t have any on the base.’

  ‘Activated charcoal,’ said Logan out of breath and holding out the bag.

  Wanikiy leapt to his feet, taking the bag and mixing some of the powder with water in and pouring it between her lips. Nothing. No movement. ‘More,’ he said and made up another batch, forcing her mouth apart to swallow down the medicine.

  Both Logan and Wanikiy stared at Tallulah urging her to move, but nothing. Then a twitch. First her finger, then her hand. ‘Tallulah,’ said Logan. Her eyes slowly prized apart, and she blinked. ‘Logan?’ she spoke.

  He grabbed her up in his arms. ‘You’re alive,’ he said.

  ‘Well, if you don’t crush me, I am,’ she smiled.

  ‘We need to get out of here. Something’s going on. The whole base is evacuating,’ said Logan.

  ‘It’s the Commander General. Two soldiers came by about half hour ago to take Jay out, but I couldn’t leave her. The whole plan to release the toxin was a ruse. The Commander General was behind it, but your father and I had to go through with it to flush him out. He’s escaped and plotting to destroy the base. He’s planted explosives everywhere,’ said Wanikiy.

  Logan looked at Wanikiy and then Tallulah. ‘Thank Wakan Tanka you got here in time Logan,’ said Wanikiy.

  ***************

  The President had been banging on the cell door in the hope someone would hear him and let him out. Then, just when he didn’t have anything left in him and his voice had become hoarse from shouting so hard, he heard a voice on the other side of the door.

  ‘Mr President is that you?’ came the voice.

  ‘Yes, let me out. The General has escaped and locked me in here,’ he replied.

  The bolt on the door clanked as the person on the other side unlocked it.

  ‘Thank you,’ he said walking through the door. ‘I know you?’ he said.

  ‘Rose,’ she replied.

  He nodded, having never seen her in his life before.

  ‘Do you believe in fate?’ she said.

  ‘I do now,’ he replied. ‘We need to get word to the rest of the base that the General and his men are still in the base and that they are planning to blow it up. They are in army fatigues and were headed for the loading bay.’

  ‘So, just put it out on the speaker system?’ she said pointing to a phone on the wall. ‘That covers the stores, sleeping areas and the loading bay I believe.’

  ‘What about the infirmary?’ he said.

  ‘No, I don’t think so Mr. President,’ said Rose, knowing full well Logan was heading there.

  ‘OK, I need to get there. Put out a message on the speakers and get off the base as soon as you can,’ he said. ‘Oh, and thank you, Rose,’ he smiled.

  Rose picked up the phone and started speaking ‘If you are hearing this message the Commander General has escaped from custody and has planted explosives on the base. Please evacuate immediately. All remaining military personnel proceed carefully to the loading bay. The general and his men are armed and dangerous.’ Then she was gone.

  The general’s men had already set off the charges but hearing the message they turned their weapons on all and anyone left in the area. People were running for cover wherever possible, hiding behind anything they could. Bullets rebounded around people’s heads as the men provided cover for the approaching General. ‘Pull out,’ he commanded as the Humvees sped out of the loading bay and up the ramp.

  The base was complete panic with people grabbing what they could and jumping into trucks being driven by the remaining loyal soldiers. There were people screaming and running everywhere in the loading dock holding their worldly possessions in just one hand and their loved ones in the other. Soldiers directed them onto the transport and when the last person was on one of the army captains shouted, ‘All Clear,’ and the truck started its engine.

  ‘Wait, wait,’ came a voice. It was Rose.

  ‘Ma’am, you need to vacate this area,’ said the captai
n, just as an explosion somewhere in the building went off. ‘Holy Shhh,’ he said ducking.

  ‘It’s the President,’ said Rose. ‘He’s still in the building.’

  ‘Smith,’ he shouted to one of the other soldiers ‘Get this lady out of here. The President is still inside. I’m waiting.’

  ‘Yes Sir,’ said the soldier, helping Rose onto the truck.

  ***************

  Meanwhile, amongst the sounds on explosions, Goldsmith sat alone at the boardroom table his head in his hands going over the events that had just happened. He had conflicting emotions of relief that he had not been caught up in the deception of the Commander General, but also the embarrassment that he had been duped into playing an important part of the General’s wicked plan. Not to mention the fact that the President was unaware he had put the children’s lives at stake and sent McGregor after Danny. His rage began to boil over and he was aiming it at all the wrong people.

  In his mind he felt Wanikiy should have told him of the President’s plan and he should have been in the know about the General’s wrongdoing from the outset. Yes, Wanikiy and his daughter were the reason that he was feeling this way. He had been made to look stupid and Goldsmith did not like this feeling at all. He stood straight up, sniffed and removed a revolver from inside his jacket. He checked it was loaded and set off to find Wanikiy.