The Dust: Book Two - Pursuit (20 page)

‘Something in our blood, A positive to be precise that seems to be unaffected by whatever has polluted the atmosphere.’ Townsend tapped the piece of paper which explained the dust or something airborne with the dust had entered the bloodstream of Human Beings.

Hoskins placed the sheet of paper on his desk. ‘Obviously that’s only part of it, if it’s that at all. The manic behaviour that seems to have taken hold of them, they couldn’t quite work out but they are still studying the live subjects we have left them.’

‘What about the Tinnitus theory?’

Townsend nodded. ‘That is the most obvious but can’t be proved. I suppose some constant ringing or white noise would make you go mad but would it drive you to the heights of insanity that you see displayed by these infected humans?’

‘I don’t know, like I said we are not doctors.’ Hoskins took another sip of vodka. ‘Maybe, one day this madness can be cured but for the time being they must be wiped out, they cannot be controlled.’

Townsend agreed. ‘Trying to domesticate these savages has proved a complete failure, they need to be removed from the equation.’

‘We are close to ridding the South West of this evil terror.’ Hoskins could feel himself becoming animated once more. ‘We are the organisation to do it, no one else. If people don’t want to ally themselves with us, and our cause, then I’m afraid they too must go the same way as the infected. There is no room for discussion.’

‘A policy I couldn’t agree with more.’ Townsend readily agreed.

Hoskins lunged at Townsend and grabbed him with both clenched fists nearly lifting him off his feet. ‘Whatever it takes, we will succeed. Whatever you need you will find, it has already been set out before us. We cannot fail!’ He then released his second in command who fell back onto the sofa.

Hoskins opened his arms out wide and stretched them as far as they would go. ‘I’m the new saviour of this country, I am its spiritual guide.’ He leant over to Townsend how was now watching him with a transfixed gaze. ‘I am the Doyen.’

Chapter Twenty Two

Jake walked back to the small camp that Yanto had now set up.

‘Still no sign?’ It was Angel who appeared in front of him before he could get too close to the others.

He shook his head. ‘Nothing I’m afraid, and the light is now fading.’ He looked down at the floor and let out a deep sigh. ‘Tomorrow we must push on.’

Angel took his hand and slowly led him away from the camp. ‘What are we going to do when we finally reach your house tomorrow?’

Jake shrugged, and then smiled. ‘Change my clothes, check on my neighbours.’

‘Are we all invited?’

‘Of course.’ He gently squeezed Angel’s hand. ‘Christ knows what we are going to find down there though.’

‘Try not to think about it too much, just be positive.’

Jake stopped walking and looked over to where the others were. The dark concealed them and he felt brave enough to make a move. He pulled Angel close and looked into her eyes, he kissed her gently. ‘I don’t want you and Lou to come into Wales.’

Angel pulled away slightly; it seemed an odd thing to say straight after a kiss. ‘Why?’

He put his arm around her and they slowly began to walk to the perimeter of the field. ‘I don’t know what I’m going to find over there, my parents.’ He stalled and swallowed hard. ‘My little girl, let’s face it.’

Angel stopped him. ‘Think positive, if she is anything like you then she is a survivor.’

Jake slipped his arms around her waist. 'Where have you been all my life?’ He realised what a corny line that sounded and laughed. ‘I’m glad you are here now.’

Angel caressed the back of Jake’s head and kissed him passionately. ‘I’m glad you found me.’ They kissed again. ‘I think we should be with you in Wales, I don’t want to be apart from you.’

Jake smiled, God how he had wanted to hear that. His stomach turned and his whole body felt warm. ‘Okay you have talked me around.’

Angel smiled. ‘I’m pretty good at that.’

‘I wish.’ Jake looked up at the stars but decided he wouldn’t finish the sentence.

‘What do you wish?’

‘Nothing, just me being stupid.’

Angel continued to ask. ‘Go on tell me, I can make wishes come true too.’ She smiled at him and kissed his cheek.

‘Wish we could spend the night together, alone, just me and you under the stars.’

Angel pointed a little way over to the left. ‘Look over there,’

Jake could make something out, the outline of something square lying on the ground. ‘What’s that?’

Angel took his hand and tugged him over to the blanket on the ground.

Jake could see the huge rug and a couple of sleeping bags and a bottle of brandy. ‘Oh my God, when did you do this?’

‘On your last watch, I knew you would need cheering up so I asked Yanto if we could camp out on our own.’

Jake couldn’t hide his glee. ‘You are unbelievable, full of surprises.’

Angel pulled him to the ground. ‘And Iris and Hannah are looking after the girls so we don’t get disturbed.’

‘We have babysitters?’ Jake laughed.

‘We do.’ Angel unscrewed the bottle and poured two glasses. She handed one to Jake. ‘To us and our safe passage to Old Mill cottage.’

Jake clinked his tumbler against hers. ‘To us, to all of us.’ They sipped the fine Napoleon brandy and then embraced, they had both waited long enough.

***

The next morning was misty; Yanto had been up and out as usual and caught a couple of grey Squirrels. They were quickly skinned and gutted and the little meat he had ripped from the carcass was now boiling in the pot with some rice he had found in the back of the old army truck. He had never met Roger but he could tell with the supplies he and Iris had accumulated over the past few days he was an organised type of guy. Yanto hoped for Roger’s own sake and the sake of his friends that he would return safely.

‘Early bird and all that?’ The soft Irish accent made Yanto smile as he turned to see Iris walking over to the camping stove with Hannah and the girls.

‘What’s for breakfast Mr Yanto?’ Asked Alice.

‘Well Half Pint, it’s a little bit of rice and some meat.’ Yanto avoided the Squirrel word knowing the little girls wouldn’t approve.

‘What kind of meat?’ Lou Pepper enquired.

Yanto smirked to himself,
little girls loved to ask questions!
‘Well my little French Fry it’s a special meat from the truck, it’s called breakfast pudding.’

‘Oh I like the sound of that.’ Alice’s eyes widened as she stared into the cooking pot.

‘I’ve never heard of breakfast pudding.’ Lou wasn’t having any of Yanto’s story.

Iris looked over Alice’s shoulder. ‘Yes I have and it looks very tasty.’ She winked at Yanto. ‘Can I have the first bowl please?’

Before he could answer Alice butted in. ‘No Mr Yanto I saw it first, I want breakfast pudding.’

Lou joined in too. ‘I’m the hungriest, I want it first.’

Yanto removed the pot from the heat and stood up. Removing the wooden spoon from the rice he gently tapped Alice on the head with it. ‘Half Pint can have the first bowl as she is the smallest.’ He then tapped Lou Pepper on the top of the head, ‘French Fry second.’

Lou rubbed her head. ‘Excuse me Mr Yanto my name is Lou Pepper not French Fry.’

Yanto laughed. ‘The lovely Hannah can have the third bowl and Irish can have the fourth.’

‘That’s original.’ Smiled Iris, she had already fallen for the large Welshman’s charms.

‘Why over complicate things.’ He winked back.

As Yanto doled out the rice and Squirrel the temporary silence that was the anticipation of the breakfast pudding was broken by two more voices.

‘What’s all the commotion?’ Angel walked over to the camp holding Jake’s hand. ‘We could hear you a mile off.’

‘Something smells nice.’ Jake looked over at the steaming pot

‘Worked up and appetite have you boyo?’ Yanto whispered as he walked past the pair.

Jake tried to hide his grin. ‘I could eat a scabby horse in between two pieces of stale bread.’

‘Me too.’ Added Angel as they squeezed their hands together still not letting go.

‘Yukk.’ Lou wasn’t impressed with the thought of a rotten horse.

‘We are have breakfast pudding.’ Alice showed her full spoon as she guided into her mouth.

‘Sounds interesting.’ Angel looked across at Iris who was trying not to laugh.

‘Just rice for me.’ Hannah added. ‘I eat nothing with a face.’

Yanto tutted to himself, he could never get to grips with anyone who couldn’t eat a bacon sandwich or a nice steak.

‘Are we moving out first thing?’ Iris looked at the meat in her spoon wondering what the hell it actually was.

Jake sat down waiting for someone to finish their food so he could use their bowl. ‘With a heavy heart I have to say yes.’

‘We will leave a note though.’ Yanto scrapped the last bits of rice from his tin mug. ‘You like your cryptic noted don’t you?’ He nudged Jake.

‘Yes, I want him to know exactly where we are going.’

‘The cottage in Devon?’ Hannah asked.

‘Yes everything.’ Jake rubbed his leg. ‘I know he will make it, I know we will see him again.’

‘Of course we will.’ Angel sat beside Jake and placed her hand on top of his. ‘He’s a survivor, I know in my heart he will return.’

‘Very well it’s settled.’ Yanto handed his topped up mug to Angel. ‘After our feed we make tracks to Jake’s place, see what we can find. Agreed?’

Everyone nodded in agreement, it was time to push on and find Amber.

***

Harry James slammed the small rock down onto the black beetle that scurried past him. He looked over from his sleeping bag as the others were still lying motionless yet to stir from their slumber. Was this the time to just get up and leave? How long would he last? He would take the gun with him, and some provisions. He could join another band of survivors or maybe find one of those army bases that were being set up and seek solace there. No one would know what he had done, what he had been a part of. He could start afresh; wipe this whole sorry nightmare from his memory.

He didn’t even know what was going on, Archie and Gold weren’t telling him anything. All Harry James knew was they had stayed put for nearly a day now and the boss was acting all agitated. He had gone over to Archie to ask him what was happening but in the end he just couldn’t be bothered. Harry had just given up, didn’t want to be a part of whatever scheme they were cooking up.

Quietly walking across the road he went over to the trees for a morning piss. He looked over at the truck, he still couldn’t believe that Gold was keeping those creatures locked up in a cage.

Why?

There was no possible purpose to have them. Then again there was no possible purpose in chasing a woman and a child halfway across the country.
How had he been sucked in by this whole crazy plan?

Harry James had made a decision, he was going to cut and run. It was no use in trying to talk Archie into coming, he had gone in too deep with Gold. The Archie he knew had long gone, Gold had corrupted him.
For Christ’s sake he had even raped a woman!

Harry stood there and unzipped his trousers but before he could do anything else his eyes were transfixed on the figures coming towards him.

Stumbling back across the road he then noticed about five mini buses and pick-up trucks winding their way across the bridge and heading straight for them. Harry James’s plan would have to wait, he needed to warn Gold and the others and get the hell out of this place.

He didn’t trust them one bit but he fancied his chances with them compared to the white suited gun touting bald men he had just seen clambering up the steep bank towards him. He had been lucky they hadn’t seen him.

He ran over to the cab of the lorry and hammered on the driver’s door. ‘Get up!’ He yelled.

Harry James looked over his shoulder and could see the dust rising from the track as the vehicles were moving closer. He banged on the metal once again. ‘For fucks sake open the door!’

The big driver’s door flew open nearly taking Harry’s head clean off. Inside a bleary eyed Lonny Gold coughed and growled. ‘What the fuck is going on?’

‘Don’t ask questions just get this truck moving.’ Harry then ran over to the women waking them up.

‘What’s happening?’ Archie stretched his arms and licked his dry lips.

‘I don’t know but I think it’s serious.’ Gold placed a cigarette in his mouth and lit it. ‘I think we have company.’

Harry roused all the women and ushered them back into the truck using his gun as a cattle prod. As the last one climbed in shouting her protestations at him he slammed the tail gate shut and closed the canvas curtain. He sprinted back around the lorry to the cab.

‘Let’s get out of here.’ Harry jumped on to the footplate shotgun pointing up in the air as his other arm pushed through the open window and held on tight to the inner handle.

Gold pressed hard on the accelerator pedal and the truck started to move.

Harry looked behind him and he could still see the dust cloud rising into the sky but no vehicles. He then glanced over to the trees but the white suited men still hadn’t appeared.

‘Bald heads?’ Gold shouted to Harry who was hanging on like a cowboy on a station wagon.

He nodded. ‘Ten, fifteen of them all with guns snaking their way up the grass bank.’

‘Any vehicles?’ Gold could see the dust cloud.

‘Yes, about six, heading this way.’

Gold patted the hand of Harry James as he turned off the A road and back onto the motorway from where they once came. ‘Good boy Harry James, I thought we had lost you back there.’

Harry said nothing.

‘You’re back in the fold!’ Archie shouted over and then whooped. ‘Let’s get outta here.’

Again Harry James didn’t reply, he just kept his eyes on the road ahead and his hand firmly on the door handle.

***

‘Please be careful!’ Angel called up to Jake as he manoeuvred his feet from the steps onto the metal ladder.

Jake looked down, then he wished he hadn’t. Another fourteen feet to climb and then he would be at the top of the RAC tower. He could see the top of the communications mast from his bedroom window. The large vehicle recovery centre stood tall and proud over the M4-M5 interchange. Jake knew it would be the perfect lookout post to see exactly what was going on in his home town of Bradley Stoke.