The Dust: Book Three - Sanctum

by Sharp, David H

  ‘He doesn’t even know you’re alive.’ Angel led the horse forward to start walking down the hill.

  Roger laughed. ‘Yes, that could be a bit of a shock.’

  The small party got to the bottom of the hill, but they could see no buildings.

  Harry James stood on the wagon to get a view over the high hedgerows.

  ‘Anything?’ Roger asked.

  ‘Just fields.’

  ‘Can you see a river?’ Angel remembered Jake telling her about the river Lemon.

  ‘No, but I can hear water.’ Harry James jumped up and down, but still couldn’t see any rivers or streams.’

  ‘We need to get over to that bank.’ Naomi pointed to the steep incline, opposite to where they had stopped.

  ‘It’s the best vantage point around.’ Roger tied his horse to an overhanging branch.

  ‘I’ll come with you.’ Harry James jumped off the wagon onto the dusty pavement.

  ‘No you won’t.’ Angel gave him a glare. ‘You will stay here and look after the girls.’

  ‘And the horses.’ Roger added.

  Harry James was a tad disappointed. He was chomping at the bit to get more involved; especially after he had showed his worth when the infected had attacked the wagon a few days before.

  Angel tethered her horse to the wagon and grabbed some hay from the bail hung up on the back. She walked over to Lou Pepper.

  ‘Stay close to Naomi and Harry and don’t go wandering off. Okay?’

  Lou had been picking dandelions. ‘Okay.’ She replied, only half listening to Angel.

  Angel walked across to Naomi. ‘You’re in charge, just watch him; I still don’t trust the wanker.’ She motioned her head over to Harry James.

  Naomi winked back at Angel. ‘Don’t worry, leave it to me.’

  ‘Okay, let’s go.’ Roger started to walk back up the hill, to see the best point to gain access to the steep grassy bank.

  The couple had to walk nearly a mile around to the lofty incline.

  ‘This place really is a safe haven.’ Roger took a sip from his water bottle.

  ‘What place?’ Angel smiled. ‘We haven’t even found it yet.’

  ‘Exactly. It’s well hidden, that’s for sure.’ Roger watched his footing as they started to traverse the bank.

  After a few minutes of precarious crisscrossing the pair found a good vantage point, from where they could see most of the valley below them.

  ‘There!’ Angel said excitedly. ‘I can see a river.’

  Roger had to look around a bit, but Angel was right; in the distance he could see babbling water passing under a willow tree.

  ‘We need to move over some more.’ Before Roger could stop her, Angel was off.

  ‘Watch yourself.’ Roger held out a hand as Angel slipped. She regained her footing and continued. The walk along the hillside was becoming treacherous.

  ‘I can see someone!’ Angel turned to Roger, wobbling with imbalance.

  ‘Sit down.’ He pleaded with her. The incline would see you tumbling down without stopping. Jutting from the thick grass were nasty looking rocks. One crack on the skull off one of them and it would be goodnight Irene.

  ‘I can see two.’ Angel paused. ‘Children, they must be children.’

  Roger narrowed his eyes. Children out playing? A rare sight. He hadn’t seen children playing in a carefree fashion since the dust had taken a grip on the country.

  Angel grabbed Roger’s hand and pulled him close. ‘Can you see them?’

  Roger, to his amazement, could see them. Two children were playing in the shallow part of the river. Without a care in the world.

  ‘And a dog!’ Angel was getting more animated by the minute.

  ‘Can you see a house, a cottage?’

  ‘No, just the kids and a smallish dog.’ Angel turned to Roger. ‘Do you think its Amber?’ Her heart skipped a beat. Could Jake be within touching distance?

  Roger squeezed her hand. ‘There is only one way to find out.’

  Angel knew what he meant. ‘Come on, let’s get back to the others. I can’t waste another second.

  With that, the pair got up and gingerly made their way back across the steep bank.

  ***

  ‘How many tins of beans do we have?’ Jake was writing out an inventory. The early morning raid on the local post office, a mile down the lane, had proved fruitful.

  Klaudia tapped each one with her finger. ‘Seven tins of baked beans.’ She laughed. ‘What is with you English and you’re beans?’

  Jake picked up a tin. ‘Breakfast, lunch or tea. Come to think of it, suppertime too. Hot or cold, you can eat baked beans.’ He then tossed it back over to Klaudia.

  The polish woman shook her head. ‘I’m not too sure about these beans. They look too.’ She had to think of the word she wanted to use. ‘They are too orange.’

  Jake shook his head and grinned. How could anyone not like baked beans? ‘Right, how many tins of tuna do we have?’

  He had enjoyed Klaudia’s company the past couple of days. He had missed adult conversation, adult humour. For a woman well over ten years older than him, well, she was quite attractive.

  Only yesterday evening, after seeing Amber to bed, he had made his way across the landing. Noticing the flicker of candlelight in the bathroom, he had stopped at the door. It had been ajar.

  Stood with her back to him, Klaudia had been washing herself in the sink. With just her underwear on Jake made out her curvaceous body. A woman half her age would have been proud to have a body like hers. It was only when the floorboard beneath his foot creaked that he had made his way hastily downstairs.

  He had felt guilty, as if he had been unfaithful to Angel.

  Later that evening the pair had shared a bottle of red wine, and Jake explained the whole blood theory to her. Klaudia, in turn, had told him of her life in Poland.

  By the end of the evening Jake’s guilt had subsided, once again he put his curiosity down to human nature. He was missing his girlfriend. He had done nothing wrong, just a bit of window shopping.

  ‘Twelve cans of tuna.’ Klaudia’s reply jolted Jake from his musings.

  He jotted down the figures. ‘Bags of rice?’

  Klaudia was stacking up the small packets, counting them as she went. Then there was a knock at the door.

  This unexpected turn threw both of them.

  Their first thoughts were of the children.

  ‘Where are Amber and Oskar?’ Jake asked, not moving a muscle.

  ‘Outside, I think.’ Klaudia dropped the bag of rice she was holding onto the cellar floor. It split open, and grains spilled over her feet.

  Jake opened up the metal cabinet and grabbed his air rifle. Without saying anymore he sprinted up the stone steps.

  Klaudia followed closely, the two ran through the corridor towards the kitchen.

  Jake stopped; there was a figure behind the frosted glass. He looked back at Klaudia.

  She stared at the door with anticipation. Slowly she walked over to the kitchen table and picked up a carving knife. Whoever, or whatever, was behind the door, they would be ready.

  Jake ever so carefully stepped over Young Red’s water bowl. His rifle was locked and loaded.

  He deliberately turned the door handle, ever so carefully. He held his breath and swung the door open.

  Lowering his rifle to get a better view he looked straight up, and into the eyes of his beloved Angel.

  His woman was home.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Jake touched Angel’s cheek. It was soft, almost cool to the touch. She murmured and stirred slightly, so Jake retracted his hand.

  He gazed over at the window. The light was just starting to seep through the narrow gaps in the heavy curtains.

  Angel gently rolled over onto her side and she now faced Jake.

  Lightly brushing her hair from Angel’s eyes, Jake shivered and goosebumps invaded his skin. He still couldn’t quite believe his Angel was lying beside him.
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  He remembered the conversation back at Bath, when they decided to go to Old Mill cottage. It seemed a pipe dream, an unreachable goal. Yet now, under one roof, were the four original members of the little gang that came together at Hexham.

  The surprise on Jake’s face when Roger strolled through the front door was there for everyone to see. The two of them embraced as if they had been apart for many years. It was fantastic to see his friend. He had hoped he would see him again, but after leaving Bath and getting separated from the others, he thought that chance had vanished.

  The happy reunion had been tinged with sadness though. The news that Yanto hadn’t made it had hit Jake harder than he had expected. The large Welshman was so charismatic. He would leave a hole in everyone’s life that he had touched.

  Jake leant over and kissed Angel on the cheek. He slid his bare feet into hers, intertwining them both. Her smooth skin aroused Jake, and he longed for his girlfriend to wake.

  Last night Roger and Klaudia made sure the two young girls and Oskar where put to bed early. Naomi and Angel had done up the main bedroom, whilst Jake had chatted with the others. The girls had made it special.

  The whole night was so very special.

  Jake guessed the time must be around six in the morning. They had both only had a couple of hours sleep. They had spent hours making up for lost time. Jake couldn’t remember a night so intense.

  He placed his head back down onto the pillow, maybe he could get another hour of sleep. He moved closer to Angel and closed his eyes. They had a long day ahead of them. The news that Jeremiah Rosser was being held captive at Taunton was another mind-blowing surprise.

  Angel was determined to get him out, and Jake fully supported her. All they needed now was a plan.

  ‘Oskar, Oskar.’ Lou Pepper giggled. ‘He’s so cute.’ She smiled at Amber.

  Amber laughed. ‘Lou and Oskar sitting in a tree.’ She started to sing.

  ‘Noooooo!’ Lou screamed. ‘Stop it, stop it.’ She then chased Amber, who in turn screamed and ran out of the room.

  Oskar, who was sat at the window gazing out at the big lawn, was slightly bemused at their odd behaviour. Apart for the fact he couldn’t really understand what they were saying he had little time for girls. They didn’t like what he liked. He just wanted another boy around, to kick a football on the big lawn.

  ‘Hey you two, slow down.’ Roger nearly tripped over Lou and Amber as the squealed their way into the kitchen. ‘I’m trying to make breakfast.’

  ‘Lou and Oskar kissing in a tree.’ Amber started to sing once more.

  ‘Stop it, stop it!’ Lou shouted. This time her mood had changed. The laughing had stopped; an angrier face was now shouting back at Amber.

  ‘Roger, Lou fancies Oskar.’ Amber giggled, tugging at the back of Roger’s shirt.

  ‘No I don’t!’ Lou was now close to tears. ‘Stop saying that.’

  Roger turned around, spatula in his left hand, wagging. ‘Will you two girls sit at the table please? Amber, stop teasing Lou.

  Lou Pepper poked her tongue out at Amber.

  Roger pointed his plastic spatula at Lou. ‘And you should know better. Stop goading.’

  Amber smirked back at Lou.

  ‘What’s goading?’ Lou didn’t understand the meaning of the word, but she knew Roger was telling her off.

  ‘What’s all this noise?’ Jake asked, as he entered the kitchen.

  ‘Daddy, daddy, Lou’s being horrible to me.’ Amber jumped off her chair; she ran to her father and gave him a huge hug.

  Jake looked over to Lou Pepper. She looked slightly crest fallen. She had been used to being the only little girl. She had been the one that had given Jake hugs. Now Jake could see she felt as though she was being pushed aside.

  ‘Where’s my hug from you?’ He asked Lou.

  Lou Pepper smiled and slowly slid off the seat.

  ‘Well come on then.’ Jake laughed.

  Lou ran over and hugged Jake too. She felt nice and warm, as if she belonged.

  After a hearty breakfast Jake and Klaudia washed and wiped up the pots and pans.

  ‘Fair dos; Roger, you can make a mean omelette.’ Angel carried the last plate over to the sink.

  ‘I like to think my culinary skills are pretty advanced.’ Roger smiled as he polished off his morning coffee.

  Angel placed the dirty plate on the work top next to the sink. As she did, Klaudia flicked bubbles at Jake, who retaliated by throwing the dish cloth back in her direction.

  Angel stood back from the horseplay. ‘Now, now, children.’ She said, glancing a cautionary eye over Klaudia, whose face lit up as she laughed at Jake.

  Jake turned to Angel and blew some bubbles from the sink in her direction.

  ‘You two carry on, I’m going back over to the table with the grown-ups.’ Angel threw another cursory glance at Klaudia.

  ‘Yes!’ Roger called over to them. ‘We need a plan. To get Jeremiah out of that prison.’

  ‘Prison?’ Jake quizzed.

  ‘Whatever it is; it does have a lot of razor wire around it.’ Roger replied.

  ‘That could be there to keep the infected out.’ Naomi added.

  ‘Yep, that’s a point.’ Harry James agreed.

  ‘Well whatever it is, we need to get in.’ Angel sat back down at the table.

  ‘First light or last, that’s the question?’ Roger tapped his mug on the wooden table.

  ‘Last light.’ Jake wiped his hands on the tea towel and plonked himself next to Angel. ‘That way, if anyone follows us, we have a bit of cover.’

  ‘Soldier’s friend?’ Roger nodded in agreement.

  ‘The best friend he will ever get.’ Jake smiled at Angel and squeezed her thigh. She seemed to be a bit frosty.

  ‘Soldier’s friend?’ Harry James asked.

  ‘The dark.’ Roger, Angel and Jake all answered in unison.

  ‘Okay that’s agreed, last light.’ Naomi looked at everyone.

  ‘How are we going to get in?’ Harry James asked. ‘A break in, or in disguise?’

  ‘Break in.’ Angel was adamant. ‘It’s quick, and we don’t draw attention to ourselves.’

  ‘Agreed.’ Jake nodded along with the others. ‘It’s quick; in and out, job done.’

  ‘How will we know where he is?’ Naomi got up from her chair. ‘It could be the old needle and haystack scenario.’ She poured herself a small glass of water.

  ‘There was a yard at the back.’ Angel turned to the teenager.

  ‘Yes, an exercise yard.’ Harry said excitedly. ‘Wait for him to come out and bang.’ He thumped his fists together. ‘Get him out.’

  ‘It won’t be that easy.’ Angel turned to Harry James. ‘And you won’t be going.’

  ‘What! Why?’

  ‘This is a job for me, Jake and Roger. We knew him.’

  ‘No hang on, I have proved myself.’ Harry James started to shout.

  ‘Right calm down.’ Roger cut in. ‘Let’s not run before we can walk.’

  Jake detected the bad atmosphere between Angel and Harry James. She had skimmed over it last night; there were more pressing things to do. ‘We will probably need all the hands we can muster.’

  ‘I will help.’ Klaudia had been listening intently by the sink.

  ‘Jesus, let’s send a carnival up there.’ Angel shook her head and rolled her eyes.

  The group sat in silence for a minute before Naomi spoke up.

  ‘Jake, Roger, Angel and Harry James should go. Me and Klaudia will stay here and look after the kids. Keep the home fires burning.’ She smiled over to Angel.

  ‘I like that.’ Jake looked at Roger.

  He nodded in agreement. ‘That’s it then. When do we set off?’

  Before anyone could answer Angel cut in. ‘Tonight.’

  ‘Tonight!’ Both Harry James and Jake were surprised.

  Roger wasn’t. He knew how much Angel had wanted to get Jeremiah out when they first found him. ‘Yes, tonight. We hav
e waited enough.’ He winked at Angel.

  ‘That’s settled then.’ Jake held up his mug of tea. ‘This time tomorrow Jeremiah will be sat at our table.’ The others clinked their various drinking vessels with him in compliance.

  ‘To Jeremiah.’

  Chapter Seventeen

  ‘Oh yes Travers, that’s the jackpot.’ Willoughby started to count the barrels of aviation fuel his men had found at the depot.

  ‘Don’t know how much is there, but it might be enough to spray a few areas.’ Travers pulled back the tarpaulin fully, to expose their bounty.

  ‘Spray?’ Gilman, a younger pureblood, looked a tad confused.

  ‘The virus, like a crop duster.’ Travers shook his head. The youth of today were definitely getting thicker.

  ‘Great thinking Travers.’ Willoughby rubbed his hands together. ‘What brought you here?’

  ‘My cousin worked here. At Filton. I know they make planes, but I remember they had a small airstrip too. She must have told me as it was stored in the old memory banks.’

  Willoughby chuckled. ‘Of course, Airbus. Do you think there will be planes here? I mean ready to fly?’

  ‘God yes, should be a few.’ Travers looked across the airfield at the closed hangers. ‘All we need is a pilot.’

  ‘I’m sure we can wheedle out a pilot or two.’ Willoughby turned as the noise of a vehicle approaching interrupted the trio.

  The three men watched as a dark blue transit screeched to a halt. The passenger door flew open and a woman jumped out, wearing shades and a baseball cap.

  ‘Ah, young Emma.’ Willoughby said to himself as he walked towards her.

  ‘You’re a hard man to find.’ Emma Davis said striding over.

  ‘Trying to get this norovirus operation under way.’

  ‘Well there will be an extra thirty four infected bodies to wipe out.’ Davis removed her sunglasses. ‘That’s how many were taken out of Taunton.’

  ‘Did you find out anymore?’ Willoughby asked.

  Slightly ashamed she had failed, Emma glanced down to the floor. ‘No, he wouldn’t talk.’

  Willoughby was surprised. ‘Did you interrogate him?’

  ‘Yes.’ She looked back up at her boss. ‘Waters had to drag me off, it all got a bit messy.’