Sherman launched himself out of the trees and began to run towards the lean-to. After a few seconds his frozen legs gave way and he crumpled into a heap. Crying uncontrollably he began to crawl. With each thrust his uncovered hands sank into the snow, spreading the numbness past his wrists and into his forearms. Stumbling, cursing and sobbing he threw himself forwards, pulled himself upright and flung himself forwards again.
Finally he collapsed beside the fire, holding his hands as close to its glowing heart as he dared, until smoke began to form around his fingers. Agonising pains shot through the knuckles and up his wrists but he gritted his teeth and kept them centimetres from the radiant wood. Sherman pulled the gun from his belt using his palms and tried to hold it. It dropped through his worthless hands into in the snow.
There was a bellow from the edge of the forest as the Grizzly emerged from the trees and headed towards him. Sherman trapped the gun in the crook of his knee and tried to cock the hammer using the palm of his hand, but the revolver kept slipping away. He forced one finger over the trigger with his other hand but knew immediately there was no way it could pull it, even if he had been able to point the weapon.
The bear had covered three quarters of the distance between them.
Sherman scuttled over to the powder barrel, raised himself up and brought both elbows crashing down on the top. The wood splintered. He did it again. The bear steadily closed the gap, never making a sound. Its face showed no anger. There was no malice in its black eyes. Only simple determination to reach its victim and tear it apart.
At the third try the snow-spoiled lid of the keg broke. Sherman scooped up a burning stick from the fire and plunged it into the shattered top.
As the bear reached him and a claw tipped arm cut into his chest, a ball of white hot flame engulfed the lean-to and blasted them both into oblivion.
16.00
Leslie, Simon and Jimmy Hicks were playing baseball a few hundred yards from the main buildings of Pinewood, in a scrubby triangle of grass laughingly known as the exercise yard. Beyond that a yellow painted line marked the farthest point that unauthorised personnel were allowed to stray from the main compound. Behind the line was a twenty yard stripe of grass. After that, a swathe of forest leading to a high electrified fence, with a lookout tower visible above the tops of the trees.
This was the location of the secondary gate, much smaller than the main one and the only other exit from Pinewood. As well as the tower, the fence and gate were guarded by laser topped cameras and a lock that could only be activated by a constantly changing security code.
“What the hell are we doing? Simon was almost apoplectic. “I’ve just made one of the major scientific breakthroughs of all time, and we’re out here for a ball game?”
“You’re just scared of getting beaten by a girl.” Leslie wiggled the bat at him.
“I should be in there doing calculations!”
“Will you calm down?” Leslie continued breezily. “You’re as uptight as Hicks here. You could run a power station off his latent anger.”
Simon blinked in surprise.
“She reads too many women’s magazines.” Jimmy tossed the surprised boy the ball. “What you’ve done is brilliant, Simon. But it’s Christmas Eve and none of the top technicians are around. They’re all concentrating on whatever is going on in Bunker 10.”
“You’re up first, Jimmy. Try not to trip over your own explanation.” Leslie handed the boy her bat.
“We should tell someone, at least,” Simon said stubbornly. “This is important to me.” He pointed a finger at Jimmy Hicks. “What if your escape attempt screws this up?”
“Leslie.” Jimmy ignored the accusation. “You throw.”
The girl fetched the ball back from Simon, still absently holding it by his side. Jimmy took up a stance, legs apart. Leslie swung her arm back behind her head and let fly with a near perfect pitch. Even Simon was momentarily distracted.
But Jimmy made no attempt to strike and the ball whistled past his head, landing several yards away and bouncing across the torn grass.
“I’ve been practising,” Leslie whooped, running after the baseball. Jimmy turned quickly to Simon.
“Listen. How do you think the military will react to a thirteen year old boy wiping the floor with their top scientists, not to mention beating Einstein at his own game?” He looked round to make sure nobody in uniform was within earshot. “You think they want that kind of publicity focussed on Pinewood?”
Simon’s eyes widened.
“Heads up!” Hicks spun round as Leslie unleashed another sizzling throw. The ball whipped between himself and Simon, almost taking the boy’s glasses off. Jimmy let it go.
“What Hicks is trying to say is that we’re all in trouble.” Leslie came running past, grinning in mock triumph.
“She’s awfully cheerful for a Goth.”
“Don’t let her hear you say that.” Jimmy’s expression became serious. “She’s right though. The military advantages of faster than light travel are incalculable. Top Brass aren’t going to let you publish your findings or even talk about them. There’s no way they’ll allow you to take the credit.”
“That’s not fair!”
“This is the army.” Jimmy took up a baseball stance once more. “What’s worse is that the rest of us know what you’ve done. Now we’re all at risk. Stand back.”
Simon stumbled away, his mouth open. The ball whizzed past Jimmy once more and Leslie raced after it like some dark but happy sprite.
Simon’s lip trembled and he felt hot bubbles of misery clog his throat. This discovery was his. Even the great Jimmy Hicks couldn’t do what he had done. The army couldn’t just take it away.
Only he knew they could. He clenched and unclenched his fists, fighting not to cry.
“We need to create this escape route more than ever.” Jimmy said urgently. “It’s not just an opportunity to for Leslie and I to sneak off any more. We may all have to get out some time soon◦– and take your discovery with us.”
“You mean it?” Simon blinked back tears.
“Ready, Hicks?” Leslie said. But there was something different about her voice.
“The same angle as the other times, only this time, twice the velocity,” Jimmy replied. “Think you can do it?”
“I got magical hands.” Leslie grinned and rubbed the ball against her leg in preparation.
“No putting me off!”
She drew back her arm and let fly. The ball travelled faster than Simon’s eye could follow, a white missile heading straight at Jimmy Hicks. He took one step back and swung with every ounce of strength his arms could muster. The bat connected with a nerve jangling crack and the ball arced up and away into the sky. Simon gave a gasp as it sailed over the tops of the trees and vanished into the forest.
“Nice shot,” Leslie trotted over and giving Jimmy a kiss.
“It’s all in the angle.”
“There’s one of your transmitters inside that ball isn’t there?” Simon said suddenly.
“What makes you say that?”
Simon pointed to the spot where the baseball had come down.
A hundred yards further, in exactly the same direction, was the lookout tower guarding the back gate.
16.10
Sherman’s eyes shot open. He was lying on a soft pallet in an empty room. A woman in a white lab coat stood beside his head. Sherman grabbed her arm and she let out a small squeak.