Hot Zone (25 page)

"Oh my god, oh my god." Jordan said, shaking. "You ever get that feeling that you're going to die, really going to die, and then you don't?" Jordan was still trembling.

"About once a week, you don't know whether to laugh or cry." Ice replied

"I'm thinking cry."

"But you're not hurt?"

"No. But the French guy that was chasing us isn't chasing us anymore."

"What happened?"

"The birds, Ice. I thought the lights affected them, at first they couldn't see, they looked like they were in pain. Then it was like something inside them switched on, they adapted. And they saw me."

"And you're not dead?"

"That's just the thing. They must have seen me moving. I slipped back against the wall and froze, I didn't even blink."

"And?"

"One of them came up to my face, touched me with its beak. I felt like he was never going to leave. I was sure he could smell my blood, too. Then the French guy made a noise. Game over."

"Are you telling me they only respond to movement and sound?"

Nodding her head, eye's wide Jordan said: "Yeah. That's exactly what I'm telling you. Once I stopped moving it didn't know what to do. It was nudging me, daring me to make a move, either that or it was feeling me out, seeing if I was a thing worth eating."

"So we have to move slowly and deliberately when we leave this room."

"And quietly."

There was an uncomfortable silence as the two reflected on their situation.

And then: "What does the journal say?" Jordan asked.

"I'll read it to you, it's not pretty, Jordan."

"He made it back to the room then?"

"Oh yeah, he made it back. He wished he didn't."

"Oh brother."

39

I was gone for a day I think. Time down here has no relevance and one does not know when day takes over from night. After making my way to the kitchen unnoticed by the birds I began taking what long lasting foods remained. Flour, rice and water are really the only things that would last more than a day. Most of what is left has already gone bad, what hasn't is not far from it. I found Frederick behind the main counter, he had taken his own life. I imagine he took this option instead of the alternative which he may have faced: the birds.

On my knees, looking at Frederick wondering at what point he decided it was time to take his life I heard cackling across the cafeteria and instantly recognized that a bird was in the room. I crouched low behind the counter, gun in hand and waited. I wasn't sure if my weapon was enough to stop the bird, most likely the only kill shot would be to the head, between the eyes.

If he attacked I would only have time for one shot, it would have to be perfect.

It was then that by the hand of god or perhaps just sheer luck that something most terrifying and yet extremely needed happened. The ground started shaking violently, lightening bolts appeared in the concrete walls and I heard the bird. It howled wildly for a moment and with a swoosh it left the room.

Struggling to stand as the earth continued to shake I grabbed what supplies I had and began stumbling back to the living quarters, gun in one hand, a bag of food in the other. It lasted about thirty seconds in all. I wasn't even half way back to the room when I heard the first shot. It was followed after a short break by a second. I had to assume my brothers were shooting at the birds.

I was wrong.

I'm still not sure how I made it back here without my creatures wreaking their revenge and at this point there is a part of me that wished they had. My friends are all dead. They did not wait for me to return before they carried out their plan. Perhaps they thought I was already dead. Perhaps they wanted me to find them this way. They didn't say it but it was implied: This was my fault.

All my fault.

I am the only one left now. At what point do I follow in my brothers footsteps? Should I end it while the decision is still mine? Do I give myself to my evil creations that lurk outside my door? I know they want me. Within their cackles I can hear them calling me. Minute after minute I feel as though the Legion has left us here to die. They are not coming for they would have been here by now. Perhaps they think we are all dead. Perhaps the tunnel collapsed and they cannot get to us. It is still unclear to me how we ended up under water and at this stage it does not matter.

It's over.

It's while writing this to you, whoever you are, that I make this decision. How long can I sit in this room? Staring at my rotting friends, listening to the scratches on the other side of the door.

My gun is my hand now, staring down that short and dark barrel I see my past, my many mistakes, my few successes, my wife and child back home. They haven't seen me in two years. I haven't spoken to them in eight months. I am sure she has moved on yet I hope she misses me and I hope she finds out what happened down here. There was so much left unsaid between us but that is not for this journal.

So this is it, there are no more words to put in this book. The chapter is closed, the story over.

I am sorry.

* * *

"That's it? He killed himself.”

"When you don't have any hope it doesn't take long to get to that point, Jordan. I remember when the towers fell in New York. People swan diving from the top floors. They'd rather end it their own way then choke on the smoke or wait for what eventually happened. I can't say I know what that feels like but I believe if we are faced with a choice like that we'd choose the same route."

"Please tell me we won't get to that ‘point’, Ice. We're going to get out of here right?"

"One way or another, I'll get you out. It's gut check time for us now. We know what's out there, now we have to face it, no matter what."

Nodding Jordan said: "We've come this far, what are a few more feet?"

And with that Ice lead Jordan out of the generator room and into the eyes of the beast.

40

Roo and Jansen sat solemnly next to Ghost. Roo had checked Ghost's pulse, then heart beat, then breathing: Nothing.

Ghost was dead.

Roo hadn't known Ghost long but that didn't matter. They trained together, went into battle together, they should have gotten out of this together. He was the second brother lost on this day and two more were missing. He knew this was part of the job, he also knew there were times and places for this to happen.

This wasn't supposed to be one of them.

A simple search and rescue had turned into a desperate battle where suddenly survival was not only the main objective but also unlikely.

Jansen didn't know what to say. He had seen some death in his life but this had a whole new meaning. Ghost had died in part because they had been searching for him. Although Roo had not said it, he had felt that he was partly to blame for all that was happening to them now.

"We can't leave him here like this." Roo said.

"We can't exactly take him with us either, Roo."

"No. I know. Shit! Bloody hell."

Roo removed the dog tags from Ghost's neck and placed them in the side of his right boot. "We have to find Jordan and Ice and get the hell out of here before someone else bites it.”

"The frogs aren't here. You think they're waiting for us in the dark somewhere?" Jansen asked

"I hope so Pete. Payback's a bitch."

* * *

Grosjean's plan for the Americans was a bold and risky one. If something went wrong this be a one way dive for him but he at least would die knowing he kept a secret France had kept buried for decades.

It was simple really. Grosjean had dived with eight charges strapped around his waist. Charges made of semtex which would have enough explosive power to collapse the compound in on itself, imploding into a pile of rubble. And should anything remain, the nuclear blast which was just eighteen hours away would ensure any evidence was wiped off the map.

There was one thing he
was
sure of. The Americans were not going to be able to escape the blast and they were never going to find all eight charges in time. He would however leave one in plain sight in the hope that it would encourage them to waste their time searching for the other hidden charges. Meanwhile he and Claude would have begun their steady ascent to the surface. Once there he would activate the distress beacon strapped to his bicep and the Legion would send a boat to retrieve him.

Perfect
. Grosjean thought as he placed the first charge in the wall of the main cavern in plain view.

Claude stood watch behind Grosjean. He was to be the eyes and ears throughout the compound as Grosjean set the charges. The birds after all were still out there and could strike at any time. And so could the pesky Americans.

"Claude. You must watch out for the birds. In this light it is easier for them to see us, but just as easy for you to see them. You shoot for the head, between the eyes. No misses."

"Yes sir, no misses."

Grosjean stood and lead Claude out of the main cavern back down the tunnel to the living quarters.

On the charge left behind the timer started:

3:00.00

2:59.59

2:59.58.

41

Skip and Storm saw the Kitty Hawk in the distance. It was anchored where it had been when they had left it earlier in the day. Both men were exhausted, sore and eager to get back out to their team. Both had similar thoughts running through their minds: they wanted to know what had happened once Ice and the crew had disappeared below the surface. There had to be some kind of exchange between the dive teams if what they had experienced above the surface was anything to go on.

The two men they killed were good but obviously rookies. Neither had the combat skills to take Skip or Storm and if that was indeed the case there wasn't a lot of worry to be had for Ice and the crew. That being said it was imperative they get back out there to lend a hand.

Skip pulled up toward the stern of the boat. A small platform in the hull lowered, allowing the zodiac to drive straight inside. The platform whirred as it rose and with it, Skip and Storm, already out of the zodiac were met by a long-faced Mark Stevenson.

"Tell me you boys aren't all that's left?"

Skip shook his head: "I don't know mate. Ice and the crew broke the surface, we stayed when we spotted the French. They were dispatching a dive team in the same area."

"Seems so." Storm said.

"You lost radio contact?" Stevenson asked.

"Lost everything. Pilot, chopper, all gone, god knows what happened to the team. I gotta believe they made it down there, we have to get back and save them, help them fight the remaining french." Skip said.