by Aline Riva
“I guess we'd plummet down to the bottom, our lives over in seconds, we'd be pulverised...just a bloody mess of slop in a crushed tin can...Apparently it's happened here once before...that reminds me, I really fancy tinned tomatoes with breakfast in the morning...What's up, Marie? You've gone pale...”
She caught the look on his face as his serious expression slipped and amusement twinkled in his eyes.
“There's no chance of this place having a fault anywhere,” he admitted, “This is a top secret base. I couldn't estimate the millions that have been poured into it. The lift's just fine. It's good to see you look worried for once.”
As the lift stopped and the doors opened, she shot him a look of annoyance.
“Arsehole!” she said, but he noticed the hint of a smile about her lips.
They stepped out of the lift together, to be met by Captain Swan, who greeted them with a smile.
“It's good to meet you, Mrs Harley,” said the Captain as she shook her hand, “When David radioed in on the way back and told me how good a shot you are, I couldn't refuse a useful team member. Apparently you've been to the Arctic before?”
“A study trip when I was a student, many years ago,” Marie replied, “Studying wildlife.”
“Mrs Harley?”
David tensed as he glanced past the Captain to see she had gathered the others together to meet the new recruit for the mission – including Tara, who had just spoken up. Suddenly it was hard to look her in the eye, but somehow he managed it.
“My former wife - yes, Tara,” he said, suddenly aware there was a rather chilly atmosphere building between Tara and Marie, and he was caught in the middle of it.
Then the Captain spoke up again.
“I'm Captain Swan, as you probably realise,” she said, “And I shall leave David to make the introductions, I have a mission plan to complete. Excuse me.”
Then she walked off and David felt awkward, catching sight of Tara's furious glare as he looked away, beginning the introductions.
“Marie, this is Tara – my current partner...” as he spoke Tara looked away, “As for the rest of you guys, I know you'll make her welcome, this is my former wife Marie Harley she's coming with us to the Arctic...”
One by one the group greeted her. Vince was first, giving her a smile and a brief handshake, then Toby did likewise.
“Welcome on board,” said Jason as he introduced himself, then Flossie darted down the corridor, stopped and stared at the new arrival as she clutched her icky stick, then the child scampered over to Lois and Rick, standing behind them as she cautiously regarded Marie.
“That's Flossie,” David said, “She's a B Virus animal infected child – not dangerous and not contagious. She's with Rick and Lois, they look on her like family -”
“Nice to meet you.”
The words were spoken coldly as Tara held out a rigid hand. As Marie accepted it, she got the briefest of handshakes before Tara dragged her hand back as if recoiling from her touch. Marie looked away, smiling at Lois.
“I didn't mean to stare at the little girl – I didn't know about the B Virus, I've been living out in the countryside for the past few months, we were a small group...”
“You'll learn a lot on our team,” Lois replied, and then she looked to David.
“Flossie is going to the Arctic. And so are we. The Captain wants us to man the communications post. That means we can keep in touch all the time and check on her.”
“And you'd better look after her,” Rick warned him as he cast a hard glare in David's direction.
“I said I would and my word is good, you know that,” David reminded him.
Then Rick looked to the woman who stood there in tight leather trousers and a clinging black vest, he stepped forward, running his gaze from her blonde hair to her blue eyes, then his gaze lowered all the way down her body, back up again and he smiled as his hazel eyes filled with desire.
“Blimey David, what did you divorce her for? She's stunning!” he exclaimed, giving Marie a wink and then letting his sights settle on her firm, perfect cleavage, “Very nice...” he murmured.
Marie looked past Rick, fixing her sights on David.
“Who's the pervert?” she asked casually, clearly not amused by his attention.
“No...no!You got it wrong,” David said quickly as Lois grabbed Rick by the arm, pulling him back as she spoke stern but hushed words about being inappropriate, “He's my friend...I told you about him... this is Rick Lester.”
At once she recalled their conversation about all that had happened, Rick and the mall massacre and the fight to the death with Mortiz, a fight that had left him with a serious head injury...
“Sorry,” she said, looking to Rick.
He was still in conversation with Lois as she reminded him to keep certain thoughts to himself, and as he looked over at her there was a trace of apology in his eyes.
“No, I'm sorry,” he told her, “I speak without thinking sometimes...”
“That's fine, no harm done,” she replied, noticing the scar on his head as he had turned back to her.
For a moment Rick's gaze lingered on her, but this time as he looked into her eyes and Marie looked back at him, feeling struck by something between sympathy for the man who had lost so much and paid such a high price for revenge, and silently acknowledging that perhaps she found him attractive too...She would have, perhaps she already did, but it was a thought she didn't want to linger on because that scar was recent and he was clearly still recovering, with Lois to look after him, too – Lois his partner... She smiled at Rick and he smiled back, saying no more as he looked to Lois and then leant over to talk to Flossie, his back now turned.
“I'll show you to the accommodation area,” David said to Marie.
“Yes, you do that,” Tara said frostily.
“This is going to end badly...” Jason muttered, then he turned away and walked off up the corridor as David and Marie went in the opposite direction, Leaving Tara standing alone.
“Don't worry,” Toby said as he prepared to head back to his room, “She's not his wife. She's his ex. There's a reason for that – just chill.”
“I'm fine!” Tara said stiffly, feeling caught out.
The others were walking away now, but Toby lingered back as he spoke sympathetically once again.
“Don't start anything,” he said quietly, “She's just another recruit for the mission. We're a team – remember that.”
“I wouldn't endanger the team!”
“I know,” Toby replied, “Just don't forget it.”
Then he walked away and Tara stood there alone, looking up and down the corridor, feeling alone in a way that alarmed her – everyone else seemed so set and understanding of their place in this crazy world, as suddenly all she felt was deep insecurity, as if Marie's arrival had been a sign that all her worst fears were about to come to pass...More than that, Toby's suggestion had just shocked her deeply as she asked her self that question and found there was no answer to it, just her own echoing doubts running silent about her mind:
I wouldn't endanger the team...Or am I already doing it?
After leaving Marie to settle into her accommodation, David went up to the next level to the planning centre that had been slowly getting busier as the weeks had passed by. From here the Captain had been overseeing plans for the mission, while staff worked in the background she sat before an illuminated map of the Arctic, watching as areas lit up and details were listed as she ensured all plans were going steadily towards the target of total mission set up.
As David entered the room she looked up from her desk.
“What can I do for you?” she asked.
“I just wanted to thank you for allowing Marie to join the mission.”
Another light came on. She touched the screen, read the details then turned her chair to the side of the desk, looking up at David, who now stood beside it.
“No problem. We have a heavy military presence planned but any additi
onal fighters are most welcome. We could come up against little resistance or a great deal and every person capable of fighting is welcome, is needed. The world isn't what it used to be.”
“I think we all mourn that fact,” he replied.
Tina Swan nodded.
“Yes, it's a sad fact that one day there will be a last generation that dies out, taking with it memories of all we used to call normal,” she replied, “But soon there's a chance to claim some of it back...”
She turned the screen around. David studied it, seeing a map of the Arctic and several areas around the arctic perimeter lit up. The area with the most lights was close to East Pinnacle, just seeing the base camp area where so many lives had been lost sent a chill through his blood – one that was quickly cancelled out by the fire of a fighter that rapidly rose within him as he recalled the events of the past months in a single, horrible moment : This time he wouldn't flee. He was returning to fight...
“I see lights around the perimeter,” David said, “What are they, possible entry points?”
“Secured areas.”
He blinked, looking to the map and then back at the Captain.
“Secured? But we haven't arrived yet..”
“The main team is yet to leave, but I sent ships with weaponry to several points on the Arctic perimeter three weeks ago. We also rounded up a pride of mutant lions thanks to a joint effort from a team of mine and one from the undersea base near Fearland. So we have our pack of hunters, David. The outer perimeter is empty – which means the undead are deep in Antarctica, I have no idea how far in we will have to go. The East Pinnacle Base was found vacant and functional, we have communications set up and ready for use and the rest of us fly out there taking the usual route – first a plane to Chile, then on to the Arctic. The airport was over run with undead so we have a makeshift departure point set up several miles south of there, in a secure and rural spot.”
“You have a secure zone in Chile?” he said in surprise.
“This mission has taken up all that remains of British Military forces. Other countries are willing to unite with us on the neutralising gas if the experiment is a success – can't blame them for holding back for us to do the test – we all have to hold on to our own defence troops until we can be sure there's a way to succeed. If we do succeed, it's going to become a worldwide effort to manufacture then distribute the gas. It's estimated it could take another year to have the gas go global and wipe out the remaining undead, but it's in our hands now...the whole future of humanity. We either win or lose out there in the Arctic. We leave in forty-eight hours, David.”
His eyes widened.
“Two days?”
“That's right,” she replied, “You'd better get the news to your people. Two days from now, we fly to Antarctica.”
Rick had not been present when David had called a brief meeting to tell the others it would be two days until they headed out to the ice. Instead Lois had gone along, the meeting had been brief as David had promised more details soon, and then she had gone back to their shared living quarters, where she found Rick in the bedroom, sat at
a table near the wall where a mirror had been placed, his metallic hand had been detached and he was looking into the glass, just fixing his gaze on his reflection as his eyes shaded with sadness.
“Rick?” Lois said as she approached him, “We leave in two days. Did you hear me, I said -”
“Yes I heard you...”
He blinked several times, glanced at her from the mirror and then kept on studying his reflection, it was then she realised he had been crying.
“Oh no, what's wrong now?” she said gently, stepping closer and placing a hand on his shoulder.
His gaze was still fixed to the mirror.
“I never meant to speak to Marie like that.”
“I know, but you're still healing -”
“It's no excuse,” he replied, then his voice became laced with bitterness that she completely understood as he spoke again, emotion choking his voice.
“I keep thinking back to how I used to be...I miss my hand, and this...I hate this...” he ran his fingertips over the scar still visible through his hair as it slowly grew back, “My body is wrecked, my mind is damaged – what sort of a future will I have if we do win this war, Lois? My life is over!”
A tear ran down his face and she wiped it away, then leant closer and quickly pulled him into her arms, hugging him tightly.
“Stop that, Rick!” she said firmly, her arms still around him as she met his gaze, then she ran her hand over his cheek where the deep gash earned in the fight with Mortiz was healing to an almost invisible level, thanks to the careful stitching done after their rescue from Fearland. As she held his gaze, she spoke again, from her heart as she hoped what little words she could offer would be enough.
“You will get better. Maybe not completely but you'll still be you. Your prosthetic hand was built by the best designer around -”
“Now you're flattering me,” he said, and it warmed her heart to see him smile again.
“And we will have a future and its going to be a good one. You'll figure out what to do next when the world starts claiming everything back. If that gas works, it wont take long for survivor networks to link up – and there are a lot of them, Rick – they've just gone to ground – it won't be long before the world starts to feel more normal again. Then you'll know what you want to do. And if you don't - if you can't - I'll take care of you, okay?”
Pain reflected in his eyes as he looked up at her.
“I'm worried that you might find that turns into a full time job.”
“Looking after you, my brave fighter?” Lois said tenderly, “Don't worry, Rick. It's an honour. I love you so much.”
“I love you too,” he said wearily, and as she drew him into a comforting embrace once more he closed his eyes, wishing he could stay there forever, or at least until he could wake and find the events of the passing months had been no more than a terrible nightmare...
After hearing the news they would soon be leaving for the Arctic, Marie had gone off alone in search of the Captain to ask more about the mission. David had said more details would be along shortly, but she wanted to know facts now, she wanted to arm herself with as much knowledge as she could – it was all the preparation she would get... But she couldn't reach the end of the corridor. A child was blocking the way. It was Flossie, the grey faced mutant who stood there in the middle of her path, dark eyes set on her as she picked something grey and bloody from a stick she held, pulling off tiny morsels and popping them into her mouth.
Remembering B Virus children were harmless to the living, Marie walked up to her with confidence, smiling down at the mutant child.
“David tells me you're coming with us, Flossie. He said you can help us track the undead...Do you actually understand what this is about? Do you know it could be very dangerous?”
Flossie looked up at her, holding out her icky stick. It was then Marie realised what was impaled on it – diced, fresh human brains...
“Oh, no thanks...you hold it.”
Flossie kept the stick thrust towards her, warmth set deep in her black eyes.
“Uurgh...if you insist...” Marie muttered, taking the end of the stick from her, holding it cautiously, focussing on Flossie as she tried not to think about what was on that stick, or how much the mutant child enjoyed eating it...
Then, with both her hands free, Flossie continued to look up at Marie, trying to convey something silently with her dark gaze, and then she raised her hands, making the shape of a heart. She smiled as her dark eyes glittered darkly, then she snatched back the icky stick and scampered off up the corridor. Marie turned in surprise and watched as she ran off, wondering, had that child just tried to tell her she wanted to go to the Arctic because she wanted to help?
The atmosphere was frosty in the room David shared with Tara. As he focussed on packing he said little, until Tara spoke up, and if there was ice that needed to
be broken, it was shattered with her single remark.
“Of course she's coming with us. I think that's why you went to find her. You want her back. Am I wrong? Please tell me, David. I need to know.”
David stopped packing and turned to face her.
“She was the only one left in her group, the others were dead. I saw how she handled that shotgun. She's got Arctic experience and she's been a gun holder for many years. She was going to stay where she was, but then she changed her mind because I told her about the mission. Does that satisfy your suspicious thoughts, or would you like me to write you a statement, then you can read it every time you get these moments and save me a lot of wasted time? And while were on the subject of time, which is now in short supply for some of us, you're no fighter, Tara. I taught you to shoot but you recall how bad it got back at the start and I really don't think you should be on this mission.”
Tara's eyes flashed with anger.
“So you can be with her?”
“This is about saving the fucking world, not us!” David raged as the look in his eyes matched her own fury.
“You think we need saving? Has it gone that far?”
David guessed he had gone too far with that remark, so looked away and carried on packing.
“You've gone too far,” he said quietly.
“I'm still coming with you,” she said defiantly, “You're wrong, I can handle this. I don't care what you think - I'm going to the Arctic!”
And you'll get yourself killed, David thought silently as he closed his bag, tugging hard at the zip as in that moment he couldn't meet her gaze, because he had an awful, sickening feeling that he was right:
Tara wasn't capable of this, and if it got as bad as predicted, he wouldn't be able to watch out for her, because this wasn't about what they shared – this was about the future of humanity, the battle had to come first, all else would be cast aside...
Chapter 5: The Journey Back
The first chill of approaching Autumn was in the air on the morning of departure. The group left the base for the last time, joining the convoy of military vehicles that drove to a nearby secured airport where a single plane waited for take off. The mood was heavy as the group gathered in the departure lounge, David and his people along with the Captain and a handful of soldiers took their seats as they waited for baggage to be loaded and last minute checks to be performed on the aircraft as soldiers patrolled outside, watching for any hint of a threat to the mission.