‘I hope you’ve got some good news for me, George,’ said Earl. ‘Did our man take the bait?’
‘It certainly looks that way,’ replied the colonel. ‘He’s already quite protective of the asset.’
‘Why do I sense that you don’t approve, Colonel?’
‘I’m just worried he may be a little too protective, that’s all. Since you brought Cruz onboard I’ve gone over his file countless times. I’m still not sure we can trust him.’
‘Trust is the reason I insisted on recruiting him for the job. Emmy Rayne is nobody’s fool. She’ll only cooperate if she feels completely secure. She’d spot a faker all too easily. With Cruz as the filter, she’ll believe what we tell her. I have personal experience of this guy. He’s got a soft spot for the weak and vulnerable. That’s why he left the service in the first place and it is also why he’ll stay with us this time.’
‘If you’re wrong it could prove costly. What if he actually sides with the girl when we have her?’
‘When you have Emmy Rayne in custody, Esteban Cruz will be the least of your worries, believe me. Besides, if we’re to lead the field in this area, we need Dr Rayne spearheading the research and Cruz is the only man capable of bringing her in.’
‘I hope you’re right, sir.’
‘So do I, Colonel. So do I.’
Chapter 6
Alex arrived at the house just after five o’clock. As usual, dinner was waiting on the table. Adam was not much of a cook and whenever they ate together they got takeout, as the alternative was a ready meal from the local supermarket and these did not tend to agree with his delicate tastes. Alex, on the other hand, could eat anything. She came from a line of hard drinkers (on the male side of her family) and had a constitution like a nuclear power plant.
As far as the rest of the world was aware, they had been together for six months. The lie had initially been his idea, but what he did not realise was that it was she who had the most to lose should the truth ever come out.
They started dating not long after she had taken up a post at the school. Aside from the protection their arrangement gave them both, they genuinely got along well with one another. Under different circumstances, they may actually have made a good couple.
‘How was your day?’ he asked, not just to break the silence, but because he genuinely wanted to know.
‘I’ve had more stimulating days at work,’ she replied.
Even now he had no idea what she had done as a job in her former life. She liked to tease him with the odd hint now and then to keep him intrigued. Anything that could be perceived by an outsider as chemistry between them was good.
‘Did you speak to Amy Brewster?’
‘Yes, I did, but how’d you know about that?’
‘It’s a small town and I’m her headmaster. Her Mom called and told me about her uncle. The kid must be going through some pretty tough emotions right now and I guessed she would turn to you. Were you able to help at all?’
‘It’s a little early to tell, but I think I’m getting through to her. She has real potential. If she has the sense to leave this town she could go on to become quite a scientist one day. When one of my kids cures cancer; that’s when I’ll know I’ve done a good job.’
Adam laughed.
‘Curing cancer, huh? I’d be happy just for some of them to make it into university. Seriously, though, it’s good that you’re able to make these kinds of connections, it’s not easy gaining their trust at that age. But perhaps you could ease up on some of your more outlandish theories?’
She sensed an undercurrent of disapproval in his tone.
‘Outlandish?’
‘Don’t play the innocent with me. Big bangs and monkeys becoming men are one thing, but there has to be a line drawn somewhere. Amy’s mum told me you gave her a book titled How to Build a Time Machine. She’s terrified the kid is actually going to do it and undo existence or something.’
This time Alex was the one who laughed.
‘It’s purely theoretical. Unless she’s hiding a black hole in her bedroom, there isn’t a lot she can do with the advice given in the book. Anyway, I thought you approved of us encouraging the kids to think outside the box. Wouldn’t life be dull if everybody just inherited the prejudices of their parents?’
‘That isn’t the issue here, but nice try. Just ease up okay, sweetie.’
Alex shrugged. She knew he would not push the matter, but he did have a point. There were many ways to draw unwelcome attention to oneself and angering parents was one of the surest.
‘How about you?’ she asked, hoping to change the subject. ‘Are you still planning on heading into the city this weekend?’
‘I’m taking the train right after work on Friday. Are you sure you don’t want to come? I have some friends I think you may like.’
‘That’s not really my scene. I’ll just stay at home and pine for your return like the loyal and devoted girlfriend I am.’
‘Are you sure? What I mean is that people may think it a bit strange that we spend so many weekends apart. If you don’t want to come with me, perhaps you could spend a few days elsewhere and then we’ll meet up to straighten our stories before getting back to work on Monday.’
‘That’s far too complicated. If anybody asks, I’m happy to go along with the usual story about your mother.’
Adam shook his head.
‘Not my mother again. You can’t keep saying that to people. Once word filters down to the kids they’re going to think I’m a complete mother’s boy. You know how cruel they can be once they get started.’
‘Believe me when I tell you there are worse things the kids could be calling you. Besides, your reputation at school is just fine. You’re dating the smoking hot science teacher – you’re like the coolest headmaster ever.’
He nodded with a sense of smug satisfaction.
‘I am cool, aren’t I?’
‘The coolest man between here and the moon, and I would know.’
He looked at her, inquisitively.
‘Is that a science teacher joke?’
‘No, it’s an astronaut joke.’
He rolled his eyes.
‘Astronaut? One day I’ll get to the bottom of the enigma that is Alex Rose and when I do, I’m pretty sure it won’t involve space travel.’
‘Why not; don’t you think I have what it takes?’
‘I know for fact you don’t have what it takes. Sure, you’re smart and with your figure you could pull off any look – even a spacesuit. I just can’t imagine you ever getting into a rocket. You had to drop out of the conference in Perth because you’re too afraid to get on an aeroplane, remember?’
She could not help but smile to herself. She had no problem with flying. In fact, she loved being in the air. What really frightened her were airports. Or put more accurately – airport security.
‘Expertly deduced, Watson. You are correct; I have never been an astronaut.’
Adam cocked his head to one side, like an inquisitive canine.
‘Surely, I’m Holmes, not Watson. He’s the one that does the detective work.’
‘You’re right, but Watson is the sidekick. That’s what made it an apt comparison.’
‘I’m your sidekick?’
‘For the time being. I prefer to work alone, so you should consider yourself lucky.’
‘Positively honoured, darling.’
‘Sarcasm is lost on me, so I’m taking that as a compliment. Now, is there anything you need me for or can I head home?’
‘Actually, I was hoping you would stay over tonight; what with me being away at the weekend and all.’
‘Stay over again – you’ll have the neighbours talking.’
‘That’s the idea.’
Chapter 7
The office was a definite improvement over the cell. Jimmy had never been for a job interview or had to meet with accountants or lawyers, so the only comparison he could draw upon was with his old schoolmaster’s office. Fo
r some, such a memory might be connected with unhappy times; of their first experience of authoritarian discipline. To Jimmy, the memories made him feel safer than he had done for a long time. When at school, he was never a troublemaker or a bully, but he had often fallen victim to such practices. The Headmaster’s office was the one safe haven among the adolescent jungle, where bullies could never reach him.
The room he now occupied was shared with two other men. Though he had come into contact with one of the men before, he recognised them both by voice only. The marksman from the Opera House was standing in a corner whilst the other was seated behind a large wooden desk.
The seated man was the older of the two. He was African-American, with strong right angled features and a distinguished brush of tightly cropped silver hair. His attire was military; the ceremonial as opposed to combat kind, with an impressive array of medals on display. His smile said trust me whilst his eyes said fear me. The other man looked to be in his late twenties with a lean, athletic build and naturally tanned skin. He was clad in the same black combat attire of their previous meeting. His smile was apologetic and his eyes heavy with guilt.
‘I’m Colonel George Rodman,’ said the seated man. ‘Agent Cruz, you have already met.’
Jimmy responded with a rigid salute using his right hand. No disrespect was intended.
‘I think you now know why we brought you to this facility,’ the colonel continued. ‘As you can probably guess, the matter is of the highest concern and I assure you that only the best men have been assigned to the project.’
This time Jimmy did not bother to respond. He knew all too well how important the matter was. The bodies he had stumbled upon were at the forefront of his mind. Each one looked exactly how they had in his dream. They were people he had grown up with. They were people he had long thought dead. He now knew they were not dead, yet something told him they were not properly living either. A part of them was missing. When he had looked down on their still, but still breathing forms, he could not help but feel they were missing their souls.
The colonel leaned forward, levelling his eyes with Jimmy’s.
‘You have to believe me, Son, when I tell you we intend to do everything within our power to bring those people back. That’s why we had to bring you in. I believe that with your special gifts, you’ll help us achieve that goal in next to no time.’
Jimmy looked to the man standing in the corner, who immediately turned away, avoiding his gaze. He knew this was not a good sign.
‘How do I know I can trust you?’ Jimmy asked, returning his attention to the colonel.
‘We know, as you do, there’d be little point in deceiving you,’ replied the colonel. ‘Do I need to say more or have you already heard it?’
The reference to Jimmy’s sixth sense re-engaged the attention of Agent Cruz, who Jimmy could see visibly stiffen in the corner of his eye.
‘I see and hear nothing,’ replied Jimmy. ‘I don’t have any real control over it. Sometimes it’s there and sometimes it’s not. I think stress increases it, but shock has the opposite effect. The only guarantees are when I am in danger. When that happens, it sort of takes over.’
‘So if I were to pull a gun on you right now?’
‘I wouldn’t recommend it...sir.’
The earnestness in the boy’s voice indicated to the colonel and Esteban that this was not so much a threat or even a warning. It was merely a plea to spare them all the consequences of what introducing violence to the situation would bring.
‘Tell him about the woman; this scientist of yours,’ said Esteban, hoping to diffuse the situation by showing more transparency to their prisoner.
The colonel shot the soldier a stern look. This was a wanton disregard of command protocol, but he also had to concede that it was a good idea. Jimmy was from Jackson’s Hill and probably knew more about what happened in that town than was contained within a hundred classified files on the subject.
‘As you must no doubt have guessed; this facility isn’t strictly military in its applications,’ said the colonel. ‘It is also a centre for the research and treatment of infectious diseases. It’s one of many such facilities around the globe that was built to deal specifically with the event of a biochemical terrorist attack. We, however, are using it to combat an entirely new type of warfare altogether.’
‘To earn your trust we had to allow you to discover what you saw on your own,’ added Esteban. ‘That is why we left your cell unlocked. It was your insight that led you to where you had to be.’
‘How many are there?’ Jimmy asked.
‘As far as we can tell, the entire population of Jackson’s Hill is in that room,’ replied the colonel. ‘There are a few who didn’t make it, but you can be assured none of these were part of your family. They’re all infected by some sort of psychic radiation. It’s the same radiation that gives you your unique foresight. Their comas are chemically induced. If we allow them to wake whilst still infected they attempt only to harm themselves. Believe me, there’s no other option – we discovered this the hard way.’
Jimmy sat back in silence whilst he took in the news. Before his escape the last people he saw had fit in with the colonel’s assessment of madness. If the army had not intervened, the town would certainly have torn itself apart. In the end, somebody else did that for them. Jimmy never saw Professor Jackson Fox in person. He had only heard the stories about the man. People said he would change the world someday and make the town famous. Jimmy always assumed this would be in a positive way. He was mistaken. Everybody was.
‘What do you want from me?’ he asked.
The colonel placed an A4 sized photograph onto the desk in front of Jimmy.
‘Do you know who this is?’
Jimmy did not look at the picture.
‘She’s a scientist. I only ever saw her around town once or twice. She always preferred to stay at the observatory. You think she can help bring those people back?’
‘We aren’t sure about that,’ replied the colonel. ‘What we are sure of is that she’s dangerous. She helped create the poison that took your old life away from you. We have to make sure she does no more harm and just maybe, like you say, she could help us in the process.’
‘She will help,’ replied Jimmy, with great confidence. ‘She was the one who stopped her grandfather from doing anymore damage.’
Esteban looked at the colonel. There was no mention in the file of Dr Rayne working against the professor. So far as he had been led to believe, she was his accomplice.
‘So you’ll help us?’ the colonel asked. ‘I want you to do whatever you can to focus your gifts on finding her. She’s made it clear she doesn’t wish to be found, but I have every confidence you can do it. In the meantime, we’d like to run a few tests to see if your unique situation can help us discover a way to cure your kinsfolk.’
It was Esteban, not Jimmy, who stepped forward to voice his objection.
‘What kind of tests are we talking about?’ he asked. ‘If Jimmy is to help us, he deserves something in return. I want an agreement drawn up that protects his rights and guarantees him immunity from prosecution...or experimentation.’ The last part of the sentence was forced through gritted teeth.
‘Don’t worry,’ said Jimmy. ‘I’m in no danger. All that matters is bringing my people back. When we find Dr Rayne, you’ll soon see the truth.’
‘The truth – about what?’
‘Everything.’
Both the colonel and Esteban felt a chill run through their bodies. When the boy talked it was impossible to discern if he spoke through experience or foresight. When it came to the latter, it reminded them just how little in control of the situation they really were. Soldiers prepare themselves for the worst, but accepting one’s fate and knowing it were far from the same thing.
Chapter 8
The weekend had little impact on Alex’s morning routine. Even without the prospect of facing the classroom, she still got up immediately after hearing
her alarm sound at 6am. A quick trip to the bathroom was followed by forty five minutes on the treadmill and a half hour of yoga. She then showered, put on her clothes and made breakfast of cereals and fresh fruit. The Saturday of Adam’s trip to the city began no differently to any other.
After breakfast she spent some time online checking the news reports for any unusual activity. One story in particular had her concerned. The American military was increasing its numbers within the country. This was supposedly in response to China’s rapid rise as a global superpower and Australia offered an attractive strategic position due to its growing presence within the Asian economy. She, however, suspected there may be another cause.
She had tried going back to the old town just once in the three years since she left. It was like a fortress with a ten foot high fence encircling the entire perimeter, covering the town through to the observatory and all the animal breeding grounds in between. There were signs warning of a toxic spill at regular intervals just in case some did not get the message that this was a dangerous place.
Finding a gap in the fence had not proven too difficult. The animals in these parts had an uncanny knack of finding any and every weakness that could be exploited within their environment. She squeezed through a small hole that had been dug out by a large marsupial – possibly a wombat or maybe even a kangaroo - their behaviours were so different from the norm that it was impossible to tell. Once inside, she followed the road towards Jackson’s Hill, or at least what was left of it.
When a bushfire destroys a forest, the plants have adapted to survive and in some cases even thrive on the resulting devastation. As the old vegetation becomes ash, the heat opens up new seeds, ensuring there will be fresh growth. In just a couple of seasons the landscape is restored to its former vitality. However, when fire destroys a town there is no such regeneration. The only way a town can recover is if there are people there to facilitate the rebuilding. Unfortunately for the town of Jackson’s Hill, it no longer had any people.
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