Untitled (28 page)

coughing started again, a wet hacking that ended with Peter spitting. "I'm bleeding."

       "It's gonna be OK, Peter." Megan felt around for the clasp to the straps holding her in the seat.

       "Don't worry about me. I'm alive," Peter groaned. "Check on the others."

       "Gotta get free before I do anything."

       Megan located the clasp and felt around, her thumb finding the quick release catch. Before depressing it she gripped the strap tightly with her free hand, ready for gravity to take effect.

       "Here goes nothing." Megan applied pressure to the release button and it popped open with a metallic snap.

       With the support of the strap gone she would have fallen on top of Peter if it hadn't been for her forward thinking. She held on tight, halting the sideways descent and cursing at the jolt of pain in her shoulder as she took her own weight.

       Megan swung her legs out, wedging them into the rear of Harrison's seat whilst she found a more secure handhold. It was slow going, but she finally managed to manoeuvre herself between Harrison and Kaci, laying awkwardly between the two seats.

       The light outside was fading fast, making the task of checking for injuries next to impossible. She reached out and tenderly placed two fingers against Harrison's neck, moving them around in search for a pulse.

"I'm alive," Harrison stated, his voice hoarse. "I hurt all over, but I'm alive."

       "You don't know the meaning of the word pain," Kaci added.

       "You want to swap places?" Harrison asked.

       "I'll swap places with either of you." Peter attempted a feeble laugh, but it turned into another bout of coughing.

       "He doesn't sound too good," Kaci noted. "We gotta get out of here."

       "And go where?" Megan asked. "Those things will be waiting."

       "Not so sure about that," Harrison said. "If they were then why didn't they kill us?" he mused. "Judging by the light it must be early evening. That means we've been out cold for a couple of hours."

       "Your point being?" Kaci queried.

       "They could have taken us easily, but they didn't," he replied. "They may have moved on."

       "And if they haven't?" Peter croaked.

       "Then we're still in the shit."

       Kaci ignored the conversation, instead focusing on the control panel before her. She reached out and flicked at a switch to her right. The speakers in her helmet came to life with a burst of static.

       "Great, it's working," she said out loud.

       "Tell me that's good news," Harrison joked feebly.

Kaci glanced at him and gave a weak smile, flicking a second switch and transferring the static to speakers built into the rear wall of the cabin.

       "This is Juliet, Victor, one, Zulu," Kaci spoke quickly and with surprising calm. "We have a mayday. Helicopter is down and we have an injured party, over."

       The only reply was the crackle of more static, the dead air of white noise.

       "This is Juliet, Victor, one, Zulu, over."

       "Come in Juliet, Victor, one, Zulu." The reply was blunt and lacking the official use of the word
over.

       "Please identify yourself, over," Kaci asked.

       "My name is Chappell, Dr Adrian Chappell." There was a pause, the line once again filling with static. "It sounds like we may need each others help."

       Megan heard the voice, a voice she'd never expected to hear again, a voice that brought back more memories than she cared to remember. She kept these thoughts to herself and allowed the conversation to unfold.

       "At the moment we aren't much help to anyone, over."

       "You mentioned an injured party... are you able to move him?"

       "Listen Doctor, injuries are the least of our problems," Kaci snapped into the helmet mounted microphone. "You couldn't imagine the shit we're going through."

       "You've seen them too, haven't you?" No one picked up on the excited tone of Chappell's voice.

"What do you know?" Kaci pried.

       "They killed my research team and left me for dead," Chappell explained with a lie. "I've been trying to call for help ever since."

       "Where are you located?"

       "A cathedral ruin, about a half mile East from where you landed?"

       "Landed?" Kaci didn't hide her suspicion. "How'd you know we flew here?"

       "A helicopter makes quite a lot of noise," Chappell replied. "I saw it arrive earlier today and when I heard your call sign I assumed it was you." He paused for effect. "Forgive me if I have made a mistake."

       "What facilities do you have on site?" Kaci asked, needing to weigh up the options.

       "I have a full medical unit and experience," Chappell answered. "If you can make it here I can treat the wounded and my employers have assured me that a team is on its way."

       Kaci leaned forward and flicked another switch, muting the line before looking at Harrison. "I don't trust him," she stated matter of factly.

       "You shouldn't," Megan agreed.

       Harrison craned his neck to look at Megan. "Why'd you say that?"

       "Because he's been dead for nearly seven years."

Chappell waited, listening to the silence with a patient smile on his face. He didn't have to wait long.

       "Chappell, this is Juliet, Victor, one, Zulu, over." Chappell sensed the mistrust in the pilot's voice, but ignored it.

       "This is Chappell." He stroked the radio handset as he spoke.

       "Prepare for our arrival, casualty may have suffered broken ribs"

       "I can assure you that I'll be here waiting." Chappell grinned.

"Arrangements have already been made for your care and treatment."

       "ETA thirty minutes, over and out." Communication was cut, the line replaced with the static burn of dead air.

       "That one's going to be trouble," Chappell mused out loud, dropping the handset and leaving it to bounce on its coiled wire.

       Chappell returned to the examination chair and laid back, his mind no longer in the room, his thoughts going out to the Slavis.

       
"Watch them carefully,"
he ordered them. "E
nsure they are safe."

       
"Safe?" re
plied the Slavis, a multitude of voices echoing over each other.
"Safety does not concern us... only freedom."

       
"You shall have your freedom soon enough,"
promised Chappell. "A
nd
you shall feed on their souls, but not until I allow it."

       
"You play a dangerous game, Dr,"
the Slavis snarled. "Y
our hold over us
is limited, it will not last."

       
"The Slavis do not threaten, Dr." C
happell felt the anger building within them. "We
are older than time... we have seen the likes of you before and we do
not fear you." T
heir words burned into Chappell, intended to cause him pain.

       
"And do not forget that I am the one offering you freedom," C
happell retorted. "T
hat offer can easily be rescinded," he c
ontinued, unwilling to show weakness. "I c
an just as easily imprison you for another Millennia."

       
"We shall see, Dr... we shall see."

       It hadn't taken much for Harrison and the others to determine that Peter had more than just a broken rib. In his panic he hadn't secured himself into his seat and when the helicopter had gone over it had thrown him sideways.

       With only a cursory check over Kaci diagnosed what she suspected was a dislocated shoulder and what was clearly a compound fracture of Peter's fibula, the rough end of the break having torn through the skin like it was nothing more than tissue paper.