She stared out the window at the Coromandel coastline whizzing by. The chopper was flying low over the Firth of Thames, hugging the coast. All was dark, and Dee wondered if anyone had escaped the scourge and headed for the bush-clad mountains of the interior. She knew just how littered it was with valleys and gorges, trails and old huts.
The NH-90 helicopter flew up the coast, skimming over the town of Thames, lying silent and dead. It followed the Waihou River south for twenty kilometres before turning south east. Dee recognised the blunt, rocky cliffs of Mt. Karangahake emerging out of the dark.
She raised her eyebrows. They built a lab, here? Where?
Movement from the cockpit made her look up as Ben returned to the hold.
“All right. We’re two minutes out. I want a clean exit, just like we practiced. We’ve got a five-minute hike from the LZ to the entrance. The scientist is a Dr Katherine Yokoyama. She should be there waiting for us, just inside the lab entrance. We grab her and go. Stay frosty. Possible Variants in the area.”
Ben turned without waiting for them to answer. Dee knew it was expected they understood.
She watched him grab his gear and assemble it in smooth, practiced motions. She looked across at Eric and Tony.
Tony was grinning at her. “You two lovebirds ready for some real action?”
She shook her head at him as he made thrusting pelvic motions. Dee knew he was just blowing off steam, acting all brave.
The hold fell silent as each of the Renegades prepared themselves to enter a night that was full of terrors. She felt the bump of the chopper as it hit the ground. Eric slid back the door in a quick, fluid action. Dee jumped out and spun left, checking for Variants. Leaves and dust spun around, agitated by the wash of the blades. She stared over the sight of her rifle, ignoring it. Tony grasped her shoulder and Dee headed off into the darkness. Jack went right with Eric. She glanced back and saw the muscular frame of Ben bringing up the rear. Eager to get on with this mission, Dee took a few breaths to calm herself, then jogged along the gravel road leading up the mountain.
Jack strode up the narrow gravel road, the sharp bits of rock crunching under his feet. He swept his rifle left and right looking for any contacts, his ears straining for any noise. He had the route to the lab plotted out in his head, so had no need to consult his map. Jack struggled to grasp the fact that there was a secret government lab hiding in this mountain. He and Dee had hiked this area extensively over the years. Once a source of coal, and more importantly, gold, the landscape was a warren of valleys, rivers, and soaring andesite cliffs veined with quartz. The quartz had brought the early settlers, who’d had a tendency to dig mines, hunting for treasure like dwarves.
A few buildings emerged out of the gloom; they looked like barns to Jack. He could see two to his left, and there was a large vehicle shed with a couple of tractors and a 4x4 sitting dormant inside, waiting for their owners. Owners who would never return. Not, at least, in human form. Directly ahead lay their target. A large corrugated iron shed, its dark paint blending it into the bush behind it. The shed was nestled against the mountain, with its back end hard up against the earth. The people who had built this lab had been clever; they’d hidden the entrance within a working farm, so any strange vehicles coming and going wouldn’t raise an eyebrow. Jack wondered what was so important that the government had gone to all this effort. Pausing, he glanced to his left, checking Dee’s and Tony’s positions.
Jack crept up alongside the corrugated iron-clad building. It bothered him that they hadn’t heard any Variants yet. It was too quiet. He couldn’t even hear any of the birds that frequented the area. Stopping at the corner of the building, he risked a quick scan of the tree line.
Jack took a deep breath, savouring the smells; the farm, the rusting iron, the wet long grass mixed with old manure. A strange chemical smell from inside the building reached him. He scrunched his nose at its pungency. Jack turned, catching a glimpse of Ben moving up behind him. Ben flashed the “Go” hand signal for him to proceed. Taking a calming breath, Jack sprang around the corner, keeping his rifle up and searching for hostile targets. He saw the sliding doors a few metres ahead and jogged to the far side. Crouching, he took a covering position and waited for Eric to reach the other side.
Dee ran up, and Tony and Ben crouched in front of the doors.
Jack, seeing that everyone was in position, pulled back on the door, straining with the weight. The door slid along a well-oiled runner, silently gliding open. Dee, Ben, and Tony disappeared inside.
Jack glanced over at Eric, watching as the soldier scanned the farm. Eric gave him a quick nod and Jack searched into the gloom, looking for any of the horrors he knew waited out there. He sighed, struggling to keep his building apprehension from bubbling to the surface. He needed to keep focus. Ben had said this scientist could hold the key, the key to their salvation.
Did she have a cure?
Jack continued to look out into the chilly night, his eyes and ears straining for any indication of the Variants. A soul-destroying screech shattered the silence, followed by a cacophony of howls and screeches. Jack glanced over at Eric, meeting his fearful eyes. Eric reached down, clicking on his radio.
“Captain. We have company. Over.”
“How many?”
“No visual yet. Over.”
“Hold position, we’re on our way. Out.”
“Wilco. Out.”
Jack’s hand tightened on his AR-15, as he felt along and flicked off the safety. He’d known the bastards had been out there waiting, but had hoped they could just do this one thing without being harassed.
Bloody Variants.
He heard muffled footsteps thumping onto the concrete floor as Ben, Dee, and Tony emerged with the scientist, joining him in the doorway. Jack glanced up at Katherine. She was petite with toned, wiry muscles. Small-framed glasses perched on her nose, and her blue eyes stared back at Jack as if assessing him. He saw fear in her eyes, but also determination. He glanced down at the small metal case she gripped tightly in one hand. Was this the cure?
Another screech tore through the night, grating on his mind. He looked over at Ben, waiting for the signal to go, as the thumping of the chopper reached him. Jack watched in horror as he saw it lift off above the trees, banking sharply away from the mountain.
Ben’s radio squawked. “LZ is hot! I’ve got multiple direction hostiles. Renegades, get out of there. I’ll extract you from somewhere else. Protect the asset. Find me a new LZ.”
Ben spun around. “Back inside the lab. Now!”
The Renegades fled into the barn. It was piled high with fertiliser and drums containing God-knows-what. The stench was making Jack’s eyes water. He pulled up his buff, covering his mouth and nose, trying to block it out.
Up against the back wall was a smaller shed that reminded him of a cool storage area. Once inside, Katherine spun a wheel attached to a door, granting them access to an alcove. She raced to a keypad still glowing, Dee hot on her heels, and punched in a code. A final internal door hissed open, revealing tunnels behind. Emergency lighting lining the walls threw out a warm orange light, illuminating the smooth concrete walls and ceilings. The floor was lined with a hard rubber mat. Jack glanced back at Ben, Tony, and Eric filing in behind him. The Renegades crowded into the corridor. He was happy to hear the door slam with a hiss, locking out the Variants.
Jack’s head swam as he stood apart from the other Renegades, glancing around the inside of the lab. He couldn’t believe the chopper had taken off without them. The concrete tunnel-like corridor stretched away. Jack could see multiple doors on both sides.