Dan nodded and wiped the tears from his face. “He was a good guy.”
“The best,” Liam said. He grabbed onto Cassie and held her so tight she thought he might suffocate her. He flinched and let go. He held his arm out, the bleeding, which had all but stopped was running again.
“There’s a first aid kit in the cabinet. Tie some gauze around them, Cassie.” Ed indicated where it was with a flick of his head.
Cassie got up, and fought a woozy feeling in her head. She found the cabinet, and yanked open the doors. She found a decent sized box with a medical symbol printed on the side. Amongst the other items inside was a container of bandages. She wrapped one around Liam’s wounds, tied it off and did the same for Dan.
“Your leg,” Liam said pointing. “You’re hurt.”
Cassie had forgotten about that. There was a large tear in her trousers and blood caked on her exposed skin and just looking at it made her thigh start throbbing painfully. She grabbed a pad and put it on the wound, tying it on with the last of the bandage. She winced as she pulled it tight. Riding her bike was going to be hard, she thought as she got back onto her feet. She could hardly stand, how on earth would she pedal?
“We have to go now.” Ed grabbed his bag and shouldered it with care. The virus in his bag, and the question of safety came to mind for a moment, but there was no time to worry. How long before those huge German guards followed the route of their dogs?
Their guide opened the door and checked for watchers, then wheeled his bike out. Moments later, he was riding off down the street. Apparently he was finally going through with his threat and not waiting for stragglers.
Cassie climbed onto her bike, grimacing at the throbbing pain deep inside her thigh. She noticed Dan and Liam gingerly grabbing onto the handle bars. This was not the easy raid she’d imagined. Two of their number dead. All of them injured. And still a long way to go. Cassie pushed down on her pedals, and strove to keep up.
She couldn’t help but think it wrong to leave John in the middle of the floor. He should have had a hero’s cremation. Not left abandoned on a cold floor for the enemy to find. If she’d had the time, she would have unrolled one of the bedrolls, and covered him with it. Liam had pushed Dan out. Everyone was crying, even now as they put miles between them and the German border and that huge ugly concrete wall. Except for Ed. He cycled way ahead, making the rest of them struggle to keep up. Maybe that was the plan. Otherwise they might stop and never get going again.
The pain in her leg was getting steadily worse. Blood had seeped through the bandage not long after they left the German border, but she didn’t want to bother Ed. Not that she stood a chance of catching up if she wanted to, and she didn’t dare shout for him. Maybe when they stopped for a break, she could try and fix on a fresh bandage. Did all the safe houses have first aid kits? Slowly, Cassie fell to the back of the group. Each pump of her left leg let out a bolt of pain that darkened her vision for a moment.
“You okay?” Liam slowed up to join her.
“My leg hurts a bit. And I feel a bit faint.” Cassie cradled her stomach with one hand. “And a little bit sick.”
Liam checked on the bandage, a look of horror on his face. “Have you seen your leg?”
Cassie nodded. “It’s been like that for a while.”
“I’ll have to tell Ed.” Liam pedalled off.
Maybe he’d convince their guide a stop was needed. The sun was coming up. Strange, she hadn’t slept yet. So much had happened in just a few hours. At least the Germans didn’t appear to have followed them. Maybe they thought the border buildings were still infectious as well.
Cassie focused on the red glow of the sun as it rose in the sky and over the buildings in the east. But if day was breaking, why was everything getting dark again? Cassie blinked, her lids heavy. Then everything went black.
“Wake up.”
Somebody sprinkled cold water on her face. She blinked and tried to focus. Ed’s voice. He was kneeling beside her.
“Drink this, you need it.” He lifted a cup to her mouth and helped her take a little water.
“What happened?” Cassie tried to sit up.
Ed gently pushed her back and said, “You fainted. Loss of blood. I’ve stitched you up, and all of you have had a shot of antibiotics. Dogs have dirty mouths. Had to stitch Dan up as well. Liam seems to have got off lightest.”
“Where are they?” Cassie tried to sit up again. This time, Ed gave up and let her.
“Resting.”
Cassie spotted them, crashed out on bedrolls.
“And you’ve been out for almost twelve hours.” Ed got up and went to the door, watching through the glass at an angle.
“Everything okay?”
“No. I think we were followed.”
“You’re kidding.” Cassie tried to stare out the window, but it seemed she’d lost another day, and night had fallen again. All she could see was black. “The Germans or the French?”
“Not sure. If we’re lucky, the natives.”
She tried to picture which would be worse – crowds of slow-moving half-starved zombie people, or a small group of those well-fed Germans. She nodded in agreement with Ed. Being found by the natives would be a thousand times better.
Ed had his hand on the taser. “Wake them and be ready to move out. I’m going to find out who’s out there.” Ed opened the door and slipped out.
Dan awoke the instant she touched him. He whipped around and grabbed her by the wrist, his eyes wide – dangerous. “It’s me,” she said. “Relax.”
Dan released her hand and rubbed his eyes. He yawned widely as he surveyed the room quickly. “Where’s Ed?”
“He said there’s someone following us. He’s gone to see who. I’ve got to get you two up and ready to go.” She gulped down a sudden need to cry. Only three of the original group left.
Dan nodded and gave Liam a shove. “Time to move,” he said and shoved Liam again.
Liam sat up with a jolt. “What?”
“We’ve got to be ready to go. Ed’s off stalking a latch-on.” Dan got onto his feet and went over to a bag. “Well at least he must be telling the truth, he’s left the case here.”
“Worried you’ll be left behind?” Cassie shouldered her bag and grabbed her bike. “Not a nice feeling, is it?” As soon as she said it, she wished she’d kept quiet. After everything they’d been through, all the times Dan had protected her, it was time to forgive. Liam gave her a hurt look, and Dan looked so sad suddenly. She was about to apologise when outside there was a loud bang, and then shouting.
“What’s going on?” Liam ran to the door and peered out the window. Hands slapped on the glass. Liam shrieked and leapt back. “I’m armed! I’ll kill you!” he yelled.
“It’s me, let me in!” It was Ed, hollering from the other side of the door.
Liam ripped the door open, and grabbed Ed and pulled him inside. Their guide held one arm close to his body and he had the beginnings of a black eye. A second punch to the face had swollen one side of his mouth, and from the red stain on his teeth as he grimaced, Cassie guessed he might have lost a tooth. The scratches the rats had given him back at the safe house had gone bright red.
“It’s the Germans. They’ve got us surrounded.”
“Oh Jesus,” Liam said. “What do we do?”
“I don’t think we have a choice. Enjoy your last moments on Earth.” Ed leaned up against the wall and slid to the ground, holding onto his injured arm.
“You still got your taser?” Dan asked.
Ed shook his head.
“That’ll make things a little harder.” He seemed deep in thought, a frown creasing his brow. “I think I might have a way out. But we’ll have to make a quick get away.”
“What’ve you got in mind?” Ed asked.
Dan tapped the side of nose imitating Ed. “I got a plan, don’t you worry.” He approached the door, one hand in his pocket. “How many?”
“Maybe twenty.”
&nb
sp; “Fine, the more the merrier.” Dan opened the door a crack, took something from his pocket and shoved whatever it was out into view. “Do you see what this is?” he shouted out. “Here goes nothing,” he said to the rest of them and stepped outside. “I hope some of you speak English, because what I’m about to say is really important.”
Ed followed Dan and stood behind him. He repeated Dan’s words in German. Cassie peeked around the door. She glanced at Ed, then to where he was staring – at the thing in Dan’s hand.
“Oh my God, do you see what he’s got?” Cassie whispered.
Liam nodded grimly. “Get the bikes. This is all going to go down quickly. You wait and see.”
Seconds later, they were back in the doorway, each holding onto a couple of bikes. Faces peered back in the dark. They must have been dressed all in black, and the faces appeared to be floating. Creepy, Cassie thought as a crop of goose bumps rose on her arms.
“In my hand I have a vial that I stole from a laboratory in your country. I’m guessing that’s why you’re here.” He turned around slowly to the left, and then the right, making sure each one of the Germans saw what he was holding.
Jesus, he had a vial of the virus – in his pocket this whole time? Cassie went cold at the thought. How dare he endanger them all like that!
Ed translated, and Dan started up again. “Give us safe passage, and I will not throw this vial at you.”
A man shouted back in a heavily accented English, “But you vill die as vell.”
“I’m prepared to die for my cause. Are you?” Dan jiggled his arm, and the faces in the dark moved back just a little.
“Even if they say they’ll leave us alone, don’t trust them,” Cassie heard Ed whisper in Dan’s ear.
“I wasn’t planning on it,” Dan replied. Then loudly he said, “Do we have a deal?”
No one replied.
“One of you must be a leader. Say something for Pete’s sake. My arm’s getting tired. Then the vial will drop, and we will all die,” he checked his watch in exaggerated movements, “in about twenty-four hours.”
Still no one did anything.
“Fine, shall I give you a count down?” He stuck his index finger out and said, “One.” He waited a second then stuck his middle finger out. Now the vial was held with his ring finger and pinky, and held in place with his thumb. “Two,” he said loudly.
A face shuffled forward out of the dark. Cassie could just about make out his form. “You have a deal,” he said. “Go.”
Dan and Ed stepped further into the street. “Oh, and give my friend his taser back.” Dan was enjoying this. Cassie could see a slight smile, as if he were repressing it unsuccessfully.
There was talk among the Germans, and a taser was tossed towards them. Ed picked it up and pocketed it. “Danke,” he said and dipped his head. But Cassie didn’t think he meant it.
“Hand the bikes over,” he said to her and Liam, without turning to face them. “Mount yours and get ready to ride. We’re going to have to be really quick.” Dan took his and mounted, the vial still held at an arms length, although he’d wrapped his fingers around it again.
Suddenly she realised what he was going to do. “Oh my God, you’re not…” Cassie shook her head. “You’re insane, we’ll all get infected.”
“Not if we’re quick. And we’ve no choice. These guys will find us and ambush us properly the next time.” Dan didn’t take his eyes off the Germans. “This is the only way.”
Liam patted Cassie’s arm. “We’ll get out in front. Get ready to pedal as fast as you can.”
Dan stayed behind at the back of the group, his arm still held out. The eyes of the Germans all focussed on the vial. She could see it then, as if they were waiting for the container to be slipped back in a pocket. They would attack then, even before they’d had a chance to cycle down the street. Men had hands on weapons. Her eyes had adjusted to the dark, and little things were coming into focus. Like the man slowly inching down the street when they thought no one was looking. They were trying to contain them in a circle. Dan was right. It had to be done. There was no other choice.
“Everyone ready,” Dan asked. But he didn’t wait for a reply. He lobbed the vial high into the sky. Moments later, he was racing past her, Ed hot on his trail. Cassie and Liam pedalled fast. She got a sudden urge to turn around, see if the vial had landed yet. See if it had smashed, and if the Germans had run away. She dared sneak a look. Incredibly, the vial was still arching through the sky, as if in slow motion. Men ran in the opposite direction. Dan had been right! Then the vial smashed. She fancied she heard the tinkle of glass, but in reality, they were already too far away to have heard it.
“Pedal as fast as you can,” Ed yelled.
Cassie’s leg hurt. She wondered if she’d burst the stitches Ed had sewn her together with. No time to care though, only time to ride hard. Cassie withdrew inside herself, so all she saw was Dan ahead of her. Her vision tunnelled down, blacking out the concrete jungle of France. They didn’t stop for hours. She watched the reddening of the sky several hours later as another day dawned. All she thought about was keeping that leg pushing. Making it work, when what she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry from the pain. Because if they slowed, they might still be close enough for infection. To die like Jessica after a day, bleeding from the eyes, vomiting blood, neck swollen up like a blackened balloon, she didn’t want to be that person. Whatever it took to keep going, she would do that.
Chapter 28
“We stop here for a half hour.” Ed pulled up to a building. Another safe house.
Despite the monotony of the landscape, Cassie thought she recognised it as one of the places they’d stayed before. They pushed their bikes into the room, and Cassie nodded to herself. It was the first place they stopped. That meant they were nearly to the tunnel. Bloody hell, they’d ridden far.
“You recognise it?” she asked Liam, unable to suppress a smile. “We stopped here for a night’s sleep. It means we’re nearly home.” She limped over to him and held out her arms for a cuddle.
“Do you think the virus will get here before we have a chance to leave?” Liam held her close, stroking her hair in long sweeping gestures. It felt so good to be held, to be loved.
“I don’t know. I’ve been trying not to think about it. Just been trying desperately to keep going.” She lowered an arm and rubbed at her leg. “I think I should probably sit down and rest while I can.”
They sat together and quietly ate a portion of a nutrient bar. Dan and Ed were over to the side, keeping an eye out of the window.
“Were we followed?” Liam asked.
“Even if some of them tried to, they were close enough to the vial when it shattered that they’ll be ill by now. Very ill.” But Ed watched anyway. His black eye had matured and spread partly over to the other side of his face, and now resembled a badly made mask.
“It was a good idea, wasn’t it?” Dan smiled weakly. He sat down carefully, and took out some food. The bandages on his arms were blood stained, but to Cassie it looked dried and old. Hopefully he’d started scabbing.
Seeing his blood reminded her that she needed to check on her leg. Cassie pulled her trousers down. Everything looked fine, but the wound throbbed, attacking her in great waves of pain. Maybe it was just a mixture of the injury and the desperate non-stop cycle through France. She gently touched the area, her skin was hot. If she was careful, she could check under the bandage. She lifted the edge. Yellow pus seeped from between the stitches. She’d got an infection. Cassie glanced about to see if anyone else had noticed. Dan was rubbing his arm in gentle circular motions. Liam was deep in his own thoughts, and Ed was propped up by the door keeping watch.
“Anyone out there, Ed?” Cassie asked.
“No. I think we got away clear. Almost time to get moving again. I don’t want to be about if that virus sweeps up this way.”
“But we’re miles away. Could it move that fast?”
Ed took a deep br
eath. “It’s a German virus. For all I know this is an altered variation. Who knows what they’ve done, or how it’s mutated naturally.” He looked tired, really exhausted. “I don’t want to be around if it does spread this way.”
“Time to go then?” Cassie started to get onto her feet. Her leg had stiffened. She stretched the muscles as much as she could.
Liam and Dan didn’t need telling. They were already up and wheeling their bikes over to the door.
“Not far then?” Dan asked.
“Another few hours, then an easy ride back through the tunnel.”
They rode off, less urgently than before. Cassie guessed they’d all used up their energy in the rush away from the broken vial. She’d been paying attention. None of them had a cough or cold. The symptoms were supposed to start quickly. Not long after they’d left the Germans, Liam had let out a belting cough and she’d almost died of a heart attack. But there’d only been the one.
Calais arrived quickly. Funny how trips back always seemed quicker. The journey to the first stop had taken ages, and seemed so long ago. A lifetime ago. They parked their bikes in the back of the vehicle and hopped inside. They’d be back on English soil soon.
No one really spoke on the way back through the tunnel. Cassie didn’t sleep. She wondered how those German men were. How the sickness was affecting them. Were any of them dead yet? Had that whole region of France been warned to stay indoors? The image of one of the women she’d seen, the one clutching a dead baby haunted her. A vision of how England would be, what, a year in the future? A chill went down the back of her neck. The worry about remaining in France, about the devastation of the virus they’d released, that was England’s future. And soon.
Ed slowed the vehicle, and pulled up near the end of the tunnel. A black van waited for them on the road outside.
“How’d they know we’d be arriving now?” Liam said as they climbed into the back.
Ed climbed in with them. “There’s a communicator in the vehicle. I pressed it the moment we got in.”
The Ultimate Choice Page 22