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“Yeah. We haven’t had time to sort out a Secret Santa,” Nulce added sarcastically, glancing at his companion.

The Colonel remained silent.

“This is all a bit odd.” Sherman sat back and looked at his superior. “I’ve just met my team. We haven’t had time to go over the information together.”

“With all due respect, Sir,” Madrid broke in. “I agree. I was assigned to this project by Central Command. I’m supposed to assess your progress and report back before any human testing is done.” She looked around at the others. “I’d like a chance to look at the equipment and find out more about the team before we actually go into the simulation. I’ve just arrived after a long flight and I’m tired and hungry.”

“And I have no intention of getting bogged down in red tape.” The Colonel shot Madrid a look of barely suppressed resentment. “While you’re here you operate under my direct command. We go in an hour. You can make your report when your task is completed. I’ll take full responsibility.”

“That could be a career ending decision,” Madrid pointed out.

“I’m willing to take the risk. Just get it done.”

Madrid stared at the Colonel for a few seconds.

“Yes, Sir,” she said finally.

“Look. I know this is very all unusual.” The officer’s voice lightened a little. “But this project is only partially military. It’s heavily financed by private companies who expect a lucrative return on their investment. Those backers would pull any future aid if they knew the way this experiment is turning out.”

The hardness returned to his voice and he looked pointedly at Madrid.

“This is still my project and I’ve no intention of having it taken away from me at the eleventh hour.”

He turned his steely gaze on the others. “To demonstrate just how important this mission is, our private investors are prepared to offer an attractive incentive.”

“I’m a soldier, Colonel.” Madrid said. “All you have to do is order me.”

“The hell with you.” Nulce’s eyes widened. “I’ll do my duty all the better if I think there’s some cash involved.”

The Colonel clasped his hands in front of him and took a deep breath. “If you can successfully retrieve a sample of MR12, each of you will be paid two million pounds. You have my guarantee. In writing if you like”

The silence round the table was palpable. Darren gave a small cough.

“Did you say two million?”

“That’s correct.”

Now it’s starting to feel like Christmas,” Nulce beamed.

All of them looked at Madrid.

“As you say, I’m under your direct command for the moment,” she told the Colonel. “And I intend to make a full report when this is over.” She gave a little shrug. “I’ll still accept the two mill though.”

“Then get yourself to the Infirmary.” The Colonel beckoned to his team. “They’ll prep you and set you up for entering the simulation. “As they say, time is money. As far as I’m concerned you’re good to go.”

17.15

Cruikshank followed Olly and Doctor Monk out of the elevator and into the corridors of the lowest level. Behind him was Lieutenant Dunwoody, Major Cowper and three armed guards.

“After she was bitten, we put May Rose in an isolation booth.” Monk said. “We have a bio-safety level four lab with an air locked door and decontamination shower next door but, at the time, we didn’t see any need to move her there.” He looked nervously over his shoulder. “She seemed perfectly fine and we didn’t consider there was any risk of infection. The team that went in to examine her were wearing gauze masks and sterile gloves but no biohazard gear.”

“What happened to them?” Dunwoody asked.

Olly and Monk had stopped at a metal door.

“You really think the boy should see this?” Olly remonstrated.

“We don’t have a choice.” The Commander approached a control panel on the wall and punched in a long code. Olly put his hand on Cruickshank’s shoulder.

“This isn’t going to be pleasant, kid,” he whispered. “But you hang in there, OK?”

There was a click as the locking mechanism rolled back and the door slid open.

Cruikshank found himself entering a narrow room. Facing him was a large observation booth with reinforced glass. It reminded him of the monkey house at a zoo, but without the smell.

May-Rose sat on a chair at one end of the booth, staring at the floor. Behind her was a narrow bunk, attached to the wall. She didn’t look up.

At the other end of the booth, four men lay on the floor, surrounded by a vast pool of congealed blood. Their lab coats, once pristine white, were now stiff and dark with gore. Cruikshank felt a thick queasy feeling rise in his stomach and Olly tightened his grip on the boy’s arm.

Dunwoody stepped forward.

“What the hell did she do to these men?” he said. He tried to keep his voice steady but it was obvious that even this hardened soldier was shocked.

“She didn’t do anything.” Olly broke in. “They did it to themselves.”

“What?”

“They killed each other. They were all carrying medical kits. Scalpels, syringes, that kind of thing.”

“Can we talk to her?” Dunwoody looked at the intercom system, set beside the door.

“The intercom is broken and the booth is soundproof.” Major Cowper tapped the glass. May Rose didn’t look up. “But you can talk to the survivor.”

“Survivor?”

“He was outside watching the other men,” said Monk caustically. “That’s why they call it an observation booth.”

“He’s next door.” Olly continued, fumbling awkwardly with his beard. “Does the kid have to come? Hasn’t he seen enough?”

“I like it less than you,” Cowper snarled. “But I suppose we need him.”

“Hey. The kid is standing right next to you.” Cruikshank straightened himself to his full height of five feet. “Remember?”

He looked up at Olly, who avoided his gaze. But Cowper and Monk were staring at him. Cruikshank narrowed his eyes.

“Exactly why am I with you?” He turned and glared at Monk. “Its obvious none of you want me around or think you need my help. So what am I doing here?”

“Since the incident, May Rose hasn’t been able to talk with us,” Monk said. “And we can’t let her out, in case she somehow caused this… mess. But she has managed to communicate one message.” He walked over to the thick glass and thumped loudly on it.

This time May-Rose’s head shot up.

Cruikshank took a step back. May-Rose had dark, oriental eyes and he had always found it hard to tell what she was thinking. Now they were fastened on him and he suddenly didn’t want to know. He really didn’t want to know.

May-Rose stood up. She moved slowly towards the party, never taking her eyes off Cruickshank. She reached the glass and opened her mouth wide. The boy felt the hairs on his neck rise.

May Rose breathed on the glass, five or six times. With one finger she wrote on the foggy surface, inverting the letters so that everyone on the other side could read them.

She stepped back and pointed at the boy. Cruickshank felt his stomach grow cold as he read what she had written.

Want to talk to you.

17.20

Jimmy Hicks sat at his computer console in the dormitory. Beside him lay a tiny walkie-talkie. Diddy Dave had spent the afternoon making one for each of them and they transmitted on low power at a frequency the army didn’t use.

Jimmy picked his up and clicked a button on the top.

“Puddle Pig,” he said quietly. “This is Swamp Rat. Are you in position? Over.”