by Mainak Dhar
It was Arun; Alice could recognize him from his clothes.
‘Arun, are you okay?’
She dismounted from her bike and ran towards him, and then skidded to a stop when he raised his face to look at her. His right hand was clearly broken and hung limp at his side, his face was bloodied and torn, and he had several bite marks visible beneath his tattered and bloody shirt. His bald head was covered with blood and his red eyes had a vacant look in them. He looked at Alice and snarled and then took a step towards her, baring his teeth. Alice sensed Satish come to a crouch beside her, his rifle at his shoulder.
‘Don’t shoot,’ she warned.
Alice had done this dozens of times with Biters that had joined her band, only she had never imagined doing this with someone who had been a person she had spoken with just hours ago. Removing the charred book from her belt, Alice held it above her head with her left hand.
‘Stop and look at me!’
The way she had screamed her command startled even Arjun and Satish, who had never witnessed this ritual and took a step back. Arun bared his teeth and jumped at Alice, who sidestepped him and kicked him down with ease.
‘You fool! Do you think I am a mere girl to be bitten? Look at me!’
Arun’s eyes went to hers. He stopped.
‘I am your Queen and this is the book that contains the prophecy that is our fate. As long as I hold it you will obey and follow me.’
Arun snarled again and was about to leap when Alice kicked him hard in the chest, sending him sprawling.
‘Follow me or I will tear you to pieces. Look at me, look at the book and remember that you are destined to follow me.’
Arun stayed crouched, his voice a low growl, but he did not attack. Edwards had been curious about how Alice got the Biters to follow her, and she had told him her about her own experiences and also what she had witnessed among the Biters who had followed Dr. Protima. Edwards had said that perhaps it reflected the fact that even though they were now no longer fully human, Biters perhaps had one thing in common with people. Like people, Biters needed symbols to follow and believe in, and the charred copy of Alice in Wonderland had become such a symbol.
Alice knelt down and took a closer look at Arun. When Satish and Arjun joined her, he snarled at them but did not attack. Alice heard Satish draw in his breath.
‘My God, who did this?’
Arjun replied, ‘Probably one of those damn Biters the Red Guards seem to have following that Red Queen. Though why they would do this escapes me.’
Bunny Ears emerged from the darkness, looking first at the figure and then Alice.
‘Bunny Ears, take him with you and teach him how to follow you. Keep him safe till we figure out what’s going on.’
The bunny eared Biter grunted and then pulled Arun to his feet. As the trio watched him disappear into the darkness, Arjun said in a low voice, ‘I may not have agreed with him, but he was not a bad man. He was just blinded by his ambition and the hate he had for Biters. Sometimes when we hate something too much, we are fated to become the very thing we hate.’
They took their time coming back into Wonderland as they swept the area where they had found Arun. Satish found indentations in the sand that could have been created by the landing gear of a helicopter but there was no way of being sure. They found some blood nearby, presumably Arun’s, and a discarded signal flare. There was no doubt that Arun had come out here by himself to meet someone, but whom that had been was a mystery. Alice’s mind went back to the so-called Red Queen she had encountered in battle and she found it easy to imagine her and her Biters setting an ambush for Arjun, though what the Central Committee would gain by doing this was uncertain.
Their first stop back in Wonderland was the Looking Glass, where Danish was waiting for them. When they told him what had happened to Arun, his eyes widened.
‘I have a really bad feeling about this.’
Vince arrived at that moment. To Alice he said, ‘So far the Reds have been playing us quite well. They’ve alienated you and Satish from the rest of Wonderland; they’ve made the humans and Biters stop working together; and they’ve got the youngsters in Wonderland eating out of their hands. Whatever they’re trying to do with Arun has to be a part of that plan: gradually dividing people in Wonderland to weaken it.’
As if on cue, Danish spotted a new message flashing on the Central Committee Intranet. It was an invitation for the people of Wonderland to gather and watch a special news broadcast on TV that morning.
The word had spread like wildfire by the time of the broadcast, so thousands of people were gathered around the Council building, and Arjun had to bring the TV outdoors so more people could watch it. When even more people landed up, he ended up hooking up the second TV, too.
Several of those gathered asked where Arun was.
Arjun stepped up on a table. ‘Folks, I have no idea what they want to broadcast, so please be silent so we can all hear.’
He made no mention of Arun. He, Alice, Satish, Vince and Danish had resolved not to let anyone else in on the secret of what Arun’s fate had been until they got a better idea of what the Central Committee was up to.
Before long a red star replaced the static and then the familiar newscaster appeared. Today she looked even more somber than usual as she began her report.
‘It is with profound regret that we must report the passing of one of our dear friends and a steadfast champion of the fraternal bonds between the Mainland and Wonderland.’
A buzz spread through the gathered crowd as she continued, ‘Late last night, Arun Chowdhury, the Prime Minister of Wonderland, was apparently set upon by a group of wild Biters and killed. Please wait as we show photos from one of our circling drones.’
A series of photographs flashed across the screen. They were fuzzy and the night-vision optics gave them an eerie glow, but what they showed was clear enough. Arun lay sprawled across the ground with two Biters leaning over him.
Commissar Hu appeared on the screen next.
‘I mourn the passing of a statesman who had the vision to see that our nations could put aside past misunderstandings and start a new relationship. It is clear that with the Zeus traitors having been exposed for the criminals they were and the so-called Queen losing control of her Biters, the people of Wonderland need security. If the Prime Minister, our dear brother, could not be protected, what will happen to ordinary citizens of Wonderland?’
Alice felt a stirring in the crowd and one or two teenage boys pointed at her and Satish. But what Hu said next scared her more than any potential disturbance in the crowd.
‘Dear brothers and sisters in Wonderland, we will not abandon you in this time of need. Until you are able to secure your own borders and elect a worthy successor to Comrade Arun, I am dispatching a small force to help secure your borders and protect you from these heinous Biter hordes.’
***
‘Dakotas at Netaji Subhas Chandra.’
It was the fifth time that day that the Americans had made that enigmatic transmission on the radio. While Danish had been unable to access the American websites, he had hidden Arun’s old ham radio set when the Red Guard technicians had come, and had been using it to listen into what the Americans were saying. He had caught snippets about ongoing battles in the American Deadland and also repeated pleas for Wonderland to re-establish contact. Then had come the mysterious transmission, repeated several times every day for the last two days.
Vince asked, ‘What the hell are they talking about?’
After the last TV transmission, Alice, Satish, Vince and Edwards had essentially sought refuge inside the Looking Glass. Satish’s men were on edge, but he had asked them to stay in their barracks. Arjun was spending every minute passing through Wonderland, trying to soothe frayed tempers and nerves. A few young men had decided that attacking Satish would be a good idea, but Arjun had dissuaded them at the point of a gun. Wonderland was a powder keg about to explode at any minute, and Alice worried that w
hen the Red Guards arrived they would be able to essentially take over Wonderland with little resistance.
‘I have no idea how, but the Reds have made a mistake and we need to use that against them.’
All eyes fell onto Arjun. He continued, ‘They left Arun there, thinking he was dead. That Red Queen of theirs did not get transformed by being bitten. She and her Biters were created in a lab, so she probably has never seen a human get bitten and transformed. She did not know that a person looks dead and then wakes as a Biter after a few minutes. From their TV transmission, the Reds believe Arun is dead, maybe because they spotted Vince’s helicopter and scooted before Arun woke up as a Biter.’
‘Let’s call everyone and tell them what’s going on now! We must get organized and ready before any Red Guards get close,’ Alice cried.
Satish shook his head. ‘We will get ready, and we do need to tell people what happened to Arun, but we need to wait.’
‘For what?’
‘For us to be ready. I want all my recon teams back in the Deadland to act as a tripwire for Red Guards and to give us some warning, and I want my SAM teams deployed before we do anything that may get the Reds to act. But I can’t do that now, not with the tensions in Wonderland. Let’s wait till nightfall and get my men deployed. Then first thing tomorrow morning we can get Arun back here.’
Alice did not like the idea of waiting for one more night, but she saw reason in what Satish was saying. Armed troopers out in the streets now would likely only provoke confrontation. She also needed to get word to Bunny Ears, and that would take some time.
Suddenly Danish stood up, excitement shining in his eyes.
‘I got it! I can’t believe I never made the connection earlier!’
‘What?’
Danish grabbed Alice by the shoulders, unable to stop himself from smiling.
‘I figured out what the Americans have been trying to tell us. They would have seen Doctor Edwards’ last post and I’m sure they’re trying to get him out.’
Alice still had no idea what Danish was talking about.
‘Netaji Subhash Chandra International Airport was the name given to the airport in Calcutta.’
Vince completed the thought for him. ‘And Dakotas would refer to airplanes. Old DC-3s. It makes sense that without satellites for GPS or networks to run the navigation computers, the first planes flying are the old propeller driven ones like the Dakota. They must have made landings in Calcutta.’
Alice felt a surge of excitement. The Americans had found a way to reach what had once been the Indian subcontinent! They had found comfort in the radio broadcasts and web posts they had shared with the Americans since they told them that they were not waging a solitary war. Now there was a chance to make direct contact and, critically, to get Edwards to a location where he could help create a vaccine or a cure.
‘Vince, you said you could get the helicopter to Calcutta, didn’t you?’
‘Yes, Alice. If I top up all the tanks and carry a bit of extra fuel, I could make it quite easily.’
‘Then you must take the doctor and leave as soon as possible.’
Edwards stood up, shaking his head.
‘Alice, an attack on Wonderland is imminent. We cannot abandon you at a time like this!’
Alice countered, ‘That is precisely why you need to get away as fast as possible. I know that you need my blood sample and you are the only one who can help find a cure or a vaccine with it. We cannot risk you being here when the attack comes. Vince, take the doctor and get to Calcutta tonight.’
For a moment he seemed to weigh the decision. Finally, he said, ‘I’ll do it.’
Then he was gone, riding his bike as fast as he could to get to the airport to prepare for the long flight.
To Arjun, Alice said, ‘You need to make sure the doctor gets on the helicopter and leaves safely. Danish, tell the Americans that we are sending someone to Calcutta in a way that the Red Guards won’t understand even if they intercept the transmission.’
Danish nodded. ‘If only I could disable the bloody bugs those Red Guards placed in our computers I could have just messaged them.’
Next Alice looked at Satish. ‘We need to get ready. The Red Guards may be here any time. I doubt they will launch an all out attack at first. They have been winning this war with deceit and stealth, and they will try to continue that. I expect them to start patrols outside Wonderland and then perhaps start dictating our policies and getting people to work on the old farms in return for their supposed security. I’ll go and alert Bunny Ears and the others and get Arun ready; you get your men to prepare themselves.’
***
Chen looked out of his window to see the black transport aircraft landing at the far end of the airstrip, well away from the prying eyes of the Red Guards at the base. Three of them had already disgorged their passengers and he had been told there was to be one more planeload. As soon as they landed, the passengers were met by Li on the tarmac and then herded into the far end of the base. Hundreds of Biters had been brought in for the coming operation and Chen felt a bit sick at the thought of what was to come. He had dedicated his life to the Central Committee under the illusion that the war against the Biters was necessary to protect what was left of human civilization. It was truly a perversity that the same Central Committee was now freely using Biters created in its labs to serve its purpose. However, all these thoughts were buried in Chen’s mind, as Commissar Hu was standing right behind him, having flown in the previous night to personally oversee the operation – and while it had never been said aloud, to ensure that Chen stuck to the plan.
'Comrade General, are your men ready?'
Chen stiffened, weighing in his mind how he should reply, since the question was about the readiness not just of his men, but himself.
'Yes, Comrade Commissar, we are ready, though I must confess some of the men have been grumbling about policing duties in the Deadland when they had thought that phase of the war had long ended.'
Hu chuckled. 'Your men should learn to play chess, Comrade. That war never came to an end. We were just waiting for the right time to make our move. If my calculations are correct, the puppet government of this so-called Wonderland is now leaderless and their people are divided. Many of their youth, fed on our food and clothed in our finest fabrics, will see security in embracing us, and once more join our fold. Then, Comrade General, these savages will do as they were meant to: serve us in the farms in the plains. Food will once again flow to the Mainland, and our people will enjoy the prosperity of the people's revolution. We will win this war with little or no bloodshed, Comrade.'
Chen said nothing, but he knew that only politicians and fools believed that any war could be won without bloodshed.
***
Alice watched the helicopter take off and fly eastwards. She hoped Vince and Edwards would get to their destination safely, but for now her concerns were more immediate. Satish had been getting in touch with his men, telling them to be ready. In the darkness of night, six missile teams armed with surface to air missiles and RPG launchers had moved to the outskirts of Wonderland. Arjun had also begun mobilizing his men. He knew that many of them had mixed feelings about Alice and Satish after the Biter attacks and the Red propaganda, so he told them that he wanted them to be on guard against any unrest caused by the power vacuum left by Arun’s death. Despite the late hour, he had many of his men start neighborhood patrols, which ensured that if there was any trouble he would have a ready reserve of armed men to back up Satish’s teams.
Alice felt a familiar buzz that she always seemed to feel at the prospect of upcoming battle. She had been told she had a keen edge when it came to combat, partly driven by years of training and living in the Deadland, and partly perhaps by her nature. Dr Protima had told her that part of the infection that turned humans into Biters activated the most primitive parts of their brain, making them hyper-aggressive. At times Alice wondered how true that was for someone who was only part Biter like h
er. Though she had kept it to herself, since her transformation it took a conscious effort to think strategically instead of impulsively in battle. That was what she was trying to focus on now.
'Alice, we cannot really do much if half of Wonderland thinks we are the enemy. What do you want to do about that?'
Alice turned to face Arjun.
'I am on my way now. You need to call a Council meeting and ensure as many people as possible join.'
There were still a couple of hours to go until sunrise and Alice pedaled her bike furiously as she crossed over to the Deadland. She passed one of Satish's recon teams hidden behind some bushes. She waved to them as she passed and while she did not hear them, the men whispered to themselves that when the Queen was up and about, battle would not be far behind.
She soon saw that danger was much more imminent than she had imagined. The light of a fire burned in the distance, and Alice ducked behind cover.
Poor stupid kids, she thought, wondering just how green these conscripts must be to light up a fire which would be visible for miles around. The thought that they were probably only a few years older than her never crossed her mind. She looked through the scope of her rifle and through the greenish glow of the night vision optics she saw six Red Guards huddled around the fire. Part of her felt sorry for them, but then in choosing to obey their orders they had sealed their fate. In her young life, if there was one thing she had learnt it was the fact that there was always a choice when it came to accepting tyranny. The cost of saying no might come with hardships and sacrifice, but it was never acceptable to say that there was no choice.
She would have preferred to bypass the six Red Guards, but they were directly in her path. Alice thought she could handle the six of them if she had the element of surprise, but there was no way of knowing how many other such teams had been inserted in the night in the name of providing security to Wonderland. Alice allowed herself a grin as she remembered what her father had once told her: that no matter how hard he tried subtlety was never going to be something he could teach her.