By now it was really late, they had been driving around for a couple of hours and Clare was sleepy. "Let's go home," she said, "I'm all in."
❧
It was on TV the following morning. Rufus was his usual self, and the kids were full of beans, but mom and dad were rather fragile. "Shush," Clare suddenly gestured, "quiet, there's something on the news." Everyone became silent, even Rufus, for a second or two. Clare went over to the TV to listen.
"What is it Sweetie?" Steve asked.
"There's been an accident in Russia," she said, "some sort of explosion at a factory."
"Must be bad to make the news," Steve said, "I wonder what kind of factory it was?"
"Don't know," Clare replied, "but it doesn't look good. There are mass evacuations taking place." Steve just caught the end of the item.
'
Sabotage cannot be ruled out
,' came the voice from the TV.
"Well, at least it's not nuclear," Chris piped up, "remember the last time?"
"Yes, that's good," Clare, said, "the last one caused a lot of suffering."
Steve left for work as usual. He had no idea what would be waiting for him on his arrival, and his mind was racing with thoughts of being arrested for breaking and entering, with squad cars and blue and red lights everywhere. He needn't have bothered though, everything was just like any other day. There was no sign that anything had happened during the night.
'This can't be right,' Steve thought as he entered the building. 'Vink must be going out of his mind by now seeing his precious data erased.' There was nothing. All was calm.
"Hi Jimmy," Steve called out, on seeing him, "anything happening yet?" he asked, knowing that Jimmy would know if anyone did.
"Nope, not yet," Jimmy replied, "just another boring day!"
"It should be anything but boring," Steve said, under his breath, whilst heading for his Lab.
It was lunchtime before Steve had a chance to quiz anyone else, but his opportunity came when he bumped into Janice in the canteen.
"Hi there," he greeted her, "how's uncle Vink' today?"
"Well, funny you should ask Steve, but he's not here. I haven't seen him all day and his office is not locked."
"Doesn't that strike you as odd?" Steve said, "do you think we should take a look, just in case?"
"I don't really know," Janice, replied, "it is very unusual."
"Come on," Steve said, taking her arm, "let's go and check, this is a top secret organisation after all."
They ran to Vinkle's office, and sure enough the door wasn't locked. They went in and couldn't believe what they saw. Everything was a mess.
"Wow," Steve said, "someone sure did a number on this place, call security."
"Right," Janice said, looking for the phone. "The files are all gone," she said seeing the empty cabinet.
"Computer's gone too," Steve, said, "this is not good."
Security arrived and took over, there were procedures in place for just such an event. The whole building was put in lockdown, all doors locked and all personnel taken to a secure waiting room.
"I hope we're on overtime," Jimmy said, grinning.
"I wonder what happened to Vinkle?" Kay asked, "I do hope he's all right."
Jimmy looked with disbelief at that last remark. "I hope who ever took him is all right," he laughed. The laughter stopped abruptly as Carter walked in.
"I want to see each of you in the office," he said gruffly, but Steve had a feeling he wasn't as mad as he was making himself out to be.
"Guess this will be the third degree," Jimmy said to no one in particular.
"Could be Jimmy," Steve said, "we'll soon find out."
Steve arrived home a little early that day. "Hey, you're early," Clare called out to him as he entered.
"We need to talk," Steve said, greeting her in the kitchen. They went to Steve's study and closed the door.
"Uh oh," Chris said, to Shelley, "this looks serious."
"Well, whatever it was, you shouldn't have done it!" Shelley responded.
"But I didn't do anything!" Chris protested, putting the TV on.
"So, Vink' has gone missing," Clare said.
"Yes, and all his files and computer too, the place was a real mess. Carter conducted the interviews himself, but it seemed that he was not really interested, I think he knew all about it and was just covering his tracks."
"So what now Hun, what's the next move?"
"I don't know Sweetie, I wasn't expecting this."
They came out of the study to hear the newsreader on the TV say:
"
the outbreak is localised to the surrounding regions. The Russian government has issued a statement claiming that there is no link to yesterdays explosion, and that all necessary precautions are being taken to minimise the risk of further cases of the mystery virus.
"
"What was that about guys?" Steve asked the kids.
"There's some kind of sickness broken out in Russia, near where that explosion was, and no one seems to know what it is."
"Has anyone died from it?" Clare asked expecting the answer.
"Yes, mummy," Shelley said, "more than a hundred so far."
"A hundred dead in less than twenty-four hours," Steve said, looking knowingly at Clare. "It's a cover up," he said, "it's got to be. No known virus can kill a hundred people in that amount of time, I've got a really bad feeling about this."
"Steve," Clare said slowly, "you don't suppose this is anything to do with MBA do you? Carter is in the army..." Her voice trailed off as she heard,
"
missing scientist
," on the TV.
"Coincidence?" Steve asked.
"I certainly hope so," Clare said, "cos if you're thinking what I'm thinking, we're all in a lot of trouble."
The next day the news was worse, the TV news stated:
"There have been several hundred more deaths in the region around the recent explosion in Russia. World experts are flying out to see if they can help with this tragedy. The Russian people are distraught at this loss of life in such a short period of time. World health organisations are rushing aid and emergency supplies to the region.
"Another VIP is missing. General George Carter, the chief of staff and advisor to the government has gone missing. His home was ransacked in the early hours of this morning. His aid discovered the disappearance when he called for the General to take him to a NATO conference. There is still no news of Dr. Henry Vinkle, the missing scientist. A representative for Star Labs said, 'we are unaware of Dr. Vinkle's whereabouts'. When asked as to the nature of Dr. Vinkle's work, they made no comment."
"I sure hope that virus doesn't come here," Chris said, looking at his parents.
"Don't worry son," Steve said, "I won't let anything happen to you...to any of you." He looked at each one in turn with a reassuring smile. The phone rang.
"Hi, Steve Forester here."
"Don't come in to the Lab today Steve," it was Janice's voice, and she sounded distressed. "They're closing everything down, all the labs are being stripped and all the computers have gone."
"Thanks Janice, you've been a real friend, say farewell to anyone you can for me, and tell them to remember my mobile number, they may need it before too long."
"I will," she said, and hung up.
"Right!" Steve shouted. "Everyone listen, I want you to pack a case each, just one, we're leaving in fifteen minutes. GO!" He cried at the top of his voice.
Foresters scattered in all directions, and all was turmoil from then on. Cases, kids, and dog were flung into the car.
"Where are we going Hun?" Clare asked jumping in and fastening her seat belt.
"I don't know," Steve answered, "but we need to be away from here, anywhere where we are not known will do. Every-body ready?" he asked, turning to the kids. He could see that they were scared. "Everything is going to be all right," he reassured them, "just treat this like an adventure holiday, Ok?"
"OK daddy," came their reply. Steve started the engine and they were off.
They had just reached the end of the road, when Steve saw the van arrive at their house in the rear view mirror. He saw the soldiers jumping out as he rounded the corner and was gone.
Chapter Four
Chapter 4.
Hide and Seek
"Where are we going daddy?" A plaintive little voice asked, from the back seat of the car.
"I'm not sure yet," Steve answered, without turning his head. He looked to Clare. "Where's the best place to hide?" he asked.
"Well, you hide a tree in a forest..."
"I've got it!" Steve said, turning the car around, "we'll hide where they've already looked."
"Not the house Steve, they'll be watching there," Clare said.
"No, not the house," he smiled, "Star Labs. There's a little hotel right across the street from it. They'll never think to look for us there."
The hotel could be approached from Star Labs' blind side, so they were able to arrive unseen. Steve drove around the back to the rear car park.
"All out," he said, "we're here." They all piled out of the car and into the rear entrance of the hotel.
"Good day folks," came a welcoming voice, "welcome to Stieners Hotel, the best in the neighbourhood."
"Thanks," Steve said, "we need your biggest room."
"Sure thing sir, how long will you be staying?"
"Not really sure yet, but a couple of days, maybe a week."
"That will be fine sir," the desk clerk told them, "your room is number two-seventy-one. It's at the top of the hotel, but it's the biggest room we have."
"That will do nicely," Clare said, trying to hang on to Rufus, "where are the lifts?"
A bell was rung, and a boy came to escort them to their room. It was quite a trek to get there, but when they arrived the room was perfect. It faced directly towards Star Labs.
"Excellent," Steve said to Clare whilst pointing to the view.
"I see what you mean," she replied.
Rufus had had enough of this being carried lark, and wriggled out of Clare's arms and jumped down onto one of the beds.
"Smart thinking Hun," Clare said, stroking his hair, "Not just a pretty face, are you?"
"Not compared to you Sweetie," he answered.
"Ugh, I think I'm going to throw up." Chris said, who couldn't stand all the romantic stuff.
"Yap!" barked Rufus.
Shelley laughed, Steve and Clare laughed, and eventually, Chris laughed too.
"I'm not sure what we're laughing about," Clare struggled to say, "the army and a nutty professor are out to get us, and there's an unknown virus on the rampage."
That had reminded them, "Turn on the TV Chris," Steve said.
"OK dad," Chris replied still laughing.
The TV crackled into life.
"Please stand by for a news flash."
All their laughing ceased.
"Samples taken from the victims of the mystery virus have been sent to all the world's major laboratories for analysis. We have to report, that almost five thousand people have now died, and an epidemic warning has been issued. A leaked document has been printed in a Russian newspaper, claiming that the factory that was blown up, was in fact, being used to develop biological weapons. The Russian president has strongly denied this, claiming that all such experiments ceased in 2010. World leaders, however, remain unconvinced and have accused Russia of violating the world treaty of 2011, banning all such weapons."