The soldier to the far left of May Rose fell backwards, a fountain of blood spouting from his forehead. Cruickshank flung himself to the ground again as May-Rose’s other bodyguards returned fire. His only ally evaporated in a mass of blood and bullets. Somewhere in the distance a Klaxon horn began to wail.
The boy buried his head in his hands to block out the sight, bile rising in his throat.
“Go and see if the elevator is still operating,” May-Rose motioned to her escort. “My friend and I have to talk.”
The men turned as one and marched towards the lift. Cruickshank tentatively raised his head and May-Rose gave him a reassuring smile.
The boy was definitely not reassured.
“We haven’t got very long to get to the surface,” May-Rose said calmly. “Any minute now the Ops Centre will panic and change the security codes that operate the lifts.” Her voice was soft and childish with only a hint of her Asian origins. “Then we’ll all be trapped.”
Cruickshank kept silent. He was still sprawled on the floor, trying not to retch. There was a lump in his throat the size of a potato.
The girl raised a knowing finger. “But Jimmy Hicks and Leslie intended to install an override code on all the security functions,” she continued. “As part of their escape plan.”
She turned the finger and beckoned to the sprawling boy. Cruikshank got unsteadily to his feet, on legs that would hardly support him, hands held out placatingly in front.
“I don’t know anything about that, May-Rose.” he pleaded. “Honestly. I wasn’t in on the scheme until this morning and you had me brought down here before they got properly started.”
“Ah well, even geniuses make mistakes.” The girl’s narrow black eyes twinkled with misplaced humour. “I imagine that Lieutenant Dunwoody and his squad have instructions to kill anybody trying to get to the surface anyway. It’s called a containment contingency.”
She sighed wistfully.
“Jimmy’s override code would have come in very handy in the fight that’s coming. Cause, let’s face it, the only way you and I are getting off this base alive is to outwit Dunwoody’s men or kill them.”
The soldiers reached the elevators and one of them punched in the old code. It was obviously still working, for a whirr of cables indicated the elevator was descending. They stood back, not talking, not looking at each other.
“What have you done to these men?” the boy whispered.
“They’re under my protection and guidance now.” May-Rose smiled in their direction. “The human race has strayed, Cruikshank and I will gather or lay waste to those I meet, depending on whether or not they decide to join me.”
She gave an impish grin that made Cruickshank’s flesh creep.
“I’m here to save humanity from its sins.”
18.14
“Simon. You want tae come an take a look at this.” Diddy Dave was bent over his computer. “There’s something awfy funny goin on with the systems on the lower levels.”
“Are you still hacking into base security?” Simon scowled. “That’s asking for trouble.”
“Ahm jist havin a wee nosey.”
“What do you mean, funny? What kind of funny? Is this because of something we did?”
“If it wuz, we better get packin now.” Dave rubbed his greasy hair. “Communications are down and alarms are goin off all over the base.”
“Dammit. I knew Jimmy’s plan would backfire!” Simon snarled.
“Ah think we’d better find oot exactly what’s happening.” Dave said, tapping at keys. “Jimmy’s transmitters are powerful enough to reach the Ops Centre, an they work as receivers too. Let’s see if we can pick up signals from in there.”
“Are you crazy?”
The door of the dormitory burst open and Barn ran in. The other two almost fell off their seats. The larger boy stopped and began slapping snow from his legs.
“Were you born in a barn, Barn! Ever hear of knocking?”
“What’s going on guys?” Barn was bent double, breathing heavily. His face was an alarming shade of purple. “There’s sirens hooting all over the place.”
Simon bit his lip.
“All right Dave. Tap into the Operations room. See what kind of mess we’ve made.”
“Aye, aye Captain.” Despite his joking, sweat was standing out on the boy’s white forehead.
“Ah just hope there’s somethin we can dae tae fix it.”
18.15
There was a ping as the elevator reached the lower floor. May-Rose’s escorts stepped back and pointed their weapons at the door, just in case. As it slid open a metal canister was flung out, landing between their feet.
“Grenade!” One man shouted.
May-Rose’s soldiers flung themselves away from the cylinder, landing on the floor and curling into balls to minimise the impact of the blast on their bodies.
Major Cowper stepped out of the elevator, rifle in hand.
“Actually it’s a tin of spray paint,” he said, opening fire. “Thought I’d taught you better than that.”
The men on the floor were dead in seconds.
May-Rose turned and faced him.
“You don’t want to kill me, Major,” she said loudly. “I’m your salvation.”
Her voice had changed. Cruikshank couldn’t say how, but it definitely wasn’t the same person talking. He voice seemed to make the very air hum with a high musical sound and there was something so commanding in her tone that he couldn’t imagine anyone disobeying her.
Cowper seemed unfazed. He tossed the empty rifle into the elevator and drew his pistol. Then he advanced down the corridor towards the children◦– gun clenched, execution style, in both hands. For the first time Cruickshank noticed that the Chief of Security had white wires coming from his ears. A tinny sound accompanied the Major as he approached.
“Stop right there Major Cowper,” May Rose commanded, even louder.
“Can’t hear you I’m afraid,” Cowper shouted. He raised his weapon and pointed it at the girl.
“He’s wearing my MP3 player!” Cruikshank stammered.
May-Rose clenched her fists in fury. Cruikshank could almost feel her massive mental processes looking for a way to overcome this hurdle.
“Cruikshank, get into the elevator and take it to the surface,” Cowper yelled. The boy glanced at May-Rose then began to edge past her towards the Major.
“Stay where you are,” May-Rose hissed.
Cruickshank stopped dead, as if he had been slapped in the face. Though he strained every muscle to move, his legs refused to take him any further. He tried to will himself forward. It was no use.
Cowper strode forwards, grabbed Cruikshank by his blonde hair and pulled him roughly along the corridor. His gun was still trained on May-Rose.
“Get going!” he yelled at the boy.
Tears welled up in Cruickshank’s eyes.
“I can’t,” he pleaded in a small voice.
“You’re not going anywhere,” May-Rose said in her terrible commanding tone. Major Cowper’s face darkened. He swung his gun and pointed it at Cruickshank.
“Wait a minute! It’s not my fault!” the boy screamed.
Major Cowper fired. The bullet whizzed past, inches from Cruickshank’s head. He felt a burning sensation near his temple and a loud ringing filled his ears, momentarily deafening him.
“Go!” Cowper shouted. He lowered his gun and fired again. The floor between the boy’s feet exploded and splinters of wood and hot metal from the ricochet embedded themselves in the flesh of his legs. With a howl of pain, he turned and ran. Major Cowper kept firing and Cruikshank saw gouges appear in the floor beside him as he raced towards the elevator.