The White Death (30 page)

“ETA?” asked Christopher.

“Almost there. Get ready.”

“Time to go,” he said. Suiting up, Peter and Christopher locked in their small handguns. No one, apart from Marina, was carrying larger weapons. She had an assault rifle strapped to her back.

“Problem?” asked Christopher, spotting Peter’s awkward expression.

“I’m a scientist, not a soldier. Isn’t exactly comfortable, is it?”

Christopher rolled his eyes.

Peter looked to Marina. “Where’s her body suit? I feel fifty pounds heavier with all this armor.”

“I once asked her that during another mission.”

“Her response?” asked Peter. He put a handgun in his trouser leg pocket.

“Apparently, she’d rather die in style,” said Christopher.

“And you accepted that?” said Peter in shock.

“Peter,” said Christopher, patting him on the back, “sometimes you just need to accept the little quirks in people. Your temper, her coat, Freda’s hair, my chocolate… Everyone in Section 51 comes with them, that much I’ve noticed. Besides, we give up our lives to work for the betterment of humanity, in an underground base. Our quirks are all we’ve left. Ready in here, Marina.”

“Time to create a distraction.” Marina fired two missiles at the largest Chinese skyscraper in the far distance. It exploded, crashing to the ground and causing the entire city to shake.

“What the hell did you do that for?” shouted Christopher, mouth gaping.

“Look!” she said, pointing downwards. Chinese citizens were now all running, in thousands, toward the site of the explosion.

“A distraction,” said Christopher. They were emptying every building, running toward the new sign of trouble.

“Indeed. Now, sit down. It’s time to land.” She scanned the target building and selected some rooftop obstacles that were hindering their landing. Firing precision lasers, she incinerated them with minimal noise.

“Impressive,” Peter noted.

“Bertha is the latest member of the team.” Marina winked.

“Ready?” said Christopher.

“Let’s get this show on the road.” Marina piloted the helicopter down to an expertly soft landing on top of the Ministry of State Security Building, or what was left of it. Smoke and fire billowed from every floor window now, and Bertha had to shoot out some fire-dispensing foam around the roof as Marina landed her. “Gentlemen, we stay in tight formation. Remember, one momentary lapse of concentration and we may end up staying here permanently. There will still be some infected lurking inside. Vigilance, people—I demand vigilance.” The chopper’s radio crackled on, and a warning message was transmitted loud and clear.

“Unknown aircraft, this is the United States of America Pacific Naval Command. You have entered restricted airspace. If you do not leave within fifteen minutes, we will launch long-range tactical missiles to destroy you.”

“Do we reply?” asked Peter.

“No,” said Christopher, and Marina agreed. She switched the radio off. “I’ve been trying to get through to Richards on the way over here but can’t, and we don’t have time. Could this helicopter withstand the impact, Marina?”

“One, yes. A few, certainly not. We now have fourteen minutes forty-five seconds. I suggest we get a move on.” They all put on special breathing masks, and then Marina swung back the thick chopper door and jumped out.

“My God,” said Christopher, carefully stepping out.

He was stunned by the desolation of Beijing. The city was apocalyptic, burning buildings everywhere. The air was repugnant with the smell of death. The staircase door had been destroyed, now just a jagged hole in the roof, allowing them to jump down into the top floor of the building, making quick progress.

“Main reception, four floors from here,” said Peter. “Barrington said they gained access via a door in the reception back office.”

“Then that’s our destination,” said Marina. With haste, they fought fires and thick black smoke to make their way downwards. They quietly opened one of the gray doors and peered into the main reception hall, their weapons ready.

“God,” whispered Christopher.

“Oh, that man is no use to us now,” said Marina. The ground was covered with burned bodies, no doubt from the explosion Barrington had reported. There wasn’t one piece of flooring to be seen, and Peter visibly flinched as they walked on top of corpses. With each step, they could hear and feel the crushing of bones. Every crack echoed.

“I’m going to faint,” said Peter.

“They’re already dead,” said Marina. “Don’t let the dead frighten you, Peter. It’s the living you should be afraid of.”

“I’m detecting no life signs at all,” said Pete, her words of wisdom not helping. “But my scans can’t penetrate the lower level.”

Once in the main reception room, Marina locked the door behind them as Christopher knelt down to examine a corpse.

“Chinese secret services?” asked Peter. Christopher had found a dog tag among the corpses and examined it.

“Top-level government agents. They work directly for the Chinese premier.”

“Does that mean he’s still alive?”

“I don’t know. We lost contact with the premier as Beijing became infected, though I’m sure he was evacuated. Probably in some underground bunker deep in the mountains.” Christopher set the dog tag back down in the same place, wanting to respect the dead operative.

“Aww crap,” said Marina. Standing at a door arch, she gazed down at a huge pile of debris.

“I presume this was the elevator shaft?” said Peter.

“Yes, Sherlock.”

“Suggestions?” asked Christopher.

“A variable impact removal grenade,” said Marina. She removed a dull gold-colored VIRG from her utility belt. On the side of it was a small gauge, which allowed the user to select the damage level and damage vicinity area. Created by Section 51, they were designed to clear specific obstacles with pinpoint accuracy.

Christopher nodded his approval, and Marina dropped the grenade down the shaft before stepping back. There came a loud pop, followed by a quick crackle and a lot of red smoke rising up. The handle on the door they just locked started to shake.

“Someone’s out there,” whispered Peter. “One life sign.”

Chapter 58

“Quiet,” said Christopher. His heart was racing. Reading about infection and coming face to face with it were different feelings.

“It might be Chinese security back again,” said Peter.

Just as Peter spoke, they heard a few grunts and a roar, the door handle nearly being ripped off.

“Well, I doubt that,” said Marina, pulling an inquisitive face. She raised her gun, aimed, and fired. A heavy thud to the floor told them she’d been right on target.

“So calm,” said Christopher with admiration. He always thought he’d have dropped out of the army if Freda hadn’t plucked him from it for Section 51.

“Calmness leads to precision,” said Marina.

“Time?” said Peter.

“Ten minutes five seconds.”

“We’re falling behind,” said Christopher. He pulled out a rope gun and fired it toward the ceiling.

“Maybe you should stay here,” said Marina.

“Why?” said Christopher. “I’m not infirm just yet.” He wasn’t as flexible anymore, but there was no way he was going to stay away. They were in this together.

The trio scaled down the shaft and into darkness. Clicking on flashlights, they made their way carefully into the main corridor, shining light through the glass walls into each lab.

“Ursula,” said Marina loudly.

“Shut up,” said Peter quickly. “Commander Nelson was infected. He may have escaped.”

“Scan for him then,” said Marina.

“It’s not working,” said Peter, showing her his radar tablet. It was blank.

“Anything that comes at us and isn’t in a white lab coat is getting shot,” said Marina. The flashlights weren’t doing much for line of sight.

“Oh, isn’t that selective?” said Peter.

“Children, behave,” said Christopher. Then, “Over there.”

He pointed to the middle of the lab, left-hand side.

“Stay here,” ordered Marina. Taking another pistol out, she held both up, going to investigate. Every noise registered, and the balance between safety and time was becoming impossible.

“It’s a test subject.”

“The carrier,” said Peter.

“Must be,” said Marina. “Did you hear that?”

“What?” said Christopher, standing still, not daring to move.

She scanned the area, activating her night vision lenses, but there was too much interference.

“Ursula,” said Christopher. He ran forward, relying on the stick.

“That wasn’t what I heard, though,” said Marina to herself. She kept her guns raised.

Ursula’s eyes widened. “What are you lot doing here?” she said in that usual abrupt English accent.

“Saving you,” said Peter as he pulled her up. “We need to leave. This building is going to be destroyed in…”

“Seven minutes thirteen seconds,” said Marina, but she had her back to everyone, taking steps into the darkness.

“What do you see?” said Christopher, coming up behind her. He couldn’t see anything at all.

She didn’t reply, instead focusing solely ahead.

“Nelson,” said Ursula, knowing.

“Is he still alive?” asked Christopher.

“He was when I lost consciousness.” She scrambled to a computer and began downloading everything onto her portable pen.

“Then you’re infected?” said Peter. If it weren’t for their masks, they’d have jumped back in horror.

“No,” she said, coughing. “When the earthquake happened, I knew the glass would break and I’d become infected. I took the first vial of my experimental vaccine.”

“It must have worked,” said Peter, amazed.

“Try not to look too astounded,” she replied, taking some water from Christopher. “Marina, Nelson will still be deadly.”

“We need to go,” said Christopher, nervously reaching for his gun.

“One moment.” She kept walking, not using her flashlight in case it startled the commander.

Nelson let out an earth-shattering growl, and they could hear him coming toward them, jumping from desk to desk like an ape.

Without hesitation, Marina fired two shots.

“I worked in the military, Christopher. I would never leave behind a fellow comrade in such a state.” Marina looked down at the fallen commander, bowing her head for a few moments. He had done his duty to his country, but now she had to get on with hers.

“He would thank you,” said Ursula, remembering Nelson’s earlier statement.

“Right, let’s get outta here,” ordered Christopher.

“What about her?” asked Peter, looking at the woman in white.

“She won’t recover,” said Ursula. “I did some digging, and the experiments they subjected her to down in that Bernay lab … well, there’s nothing that can be done for her now.”

“We can’t take her,” said Marina. “We have no time.”

“Agreed.” Ursula was grim. Calling up a command button on the Chinese computers, she activated extermination procedure ten. The team looked on as fire engulfed the sealed glass chamber containing the woman in white. She didn’t scream or cry in agony.

“Part of me thinks she’s glad,” said Ursula. “Who wouldn’t be?”

“I agree with you there, but we really do need to go. Now,” said Marina.

“Agreed, let’s go.” Christopher and Peter supported Ursula while Marina led the way.

“We’re running out of time,” said Peter.

“I can read the clock,” warned Marina. “I’ll go up first. MOVE!” Marina dove on the group, sending all of them crashing back into the corridor as the floor above them gave way.

“The whole building sounds like it’s about to collapse,” said Peter.

“The building’s in pretty bad shape,” said Ursula.

“We don’t know how long those fires have been going for,” said Marina.

Christopher didn’t need a scanner to tell him they’d need more grenades to get out than they had with them, by a long shot.

“It would probably cause the building to collapse on top of us anyway,” said Christopher.

“Three minutes fourteen seconds,” said Peter.

“We need options,” demanded Christopher, still supporting Ursula. He wasn’t going to have the mission fail now.

“Don’t bet on it,” said Ursula. “There’s no way out. I’m sure Nelson checked every nook and cranny.”

“We can’t escape,” agreed Marina, looking around her with dread. The air was getting hot and stuffy, all electricity cut, including the ventilation system

“Then we need to power up one of the computers,” said Peter.

Loud explosions and the creaking of steel support beams told them just how serious their situation had become. A fire started.

“We need to get details of the vaccine back to Washington!” said Peter.

“Peter, this is a dead area down here, and none of us have anything to power a computer up,” said Marina.

“Maybe if we configure one of the power cells in our masks,” said Peter.

“Or from our visors?” offered Christopher, starting to cough with the smoke.

They all began arguing about what approach to take, disorder quickly growing.

“It sounds like you need a plan,” came a voice from the bottom of the corridor, shrouded in darkness and smoke. The sound echoed around the empty labs, causing the team to whirl around, readying their weapons.

“Who goes there?” shouted Christopher.

Marina held up two guns, her fingers on the trigger. “Bring it.”

“A friend,” said the elderly woman, coming out of the darkness and into the light of their flashlights.

“It can’t be,” said Ursula. “Have I died, Christopher?”

“I hope not,” replied Marina. “It’ll mean I’m dead, too, and I don’t like the idea of this being heaven.”

“You’d never get into heaven,” muttered Peter.

“Freda,” said Christopher, not believing his eyes as the figure emerged from the smoke. There she stood, in her dark lavender woolly coat, gloves, and perfectly kept hair. As if nothing had changed.

“My dear friend,” she replied, and they hugged tightly.

“How? When? Why?” Christopher was stuttering, not believing his eyes.

Marina spotted him blinking back tears.

“Boss,” said Marina, nodding her head with respect. Freda and she had always gotten along, and Freda admired Marina because she reminded her so much of herself at one point—a no-nonsense character who wasn’t afraid to break the rules to get things done. “We have less than a minute left until our chopper on the roof gets blown up.”

“Best we all get out of here then. Link up!” The team was familiar with that usual expression and all held hands, Ursula following their lead. Freda transported them up to the roof of the building, right beside Bertha. Marina activated the pre-flight routine from her cell phone, and everyone began piling aboard, with Christopher and Freda getting a helping push.

“Ten seconds,” shouted Peter.

They turned to give Beijing one final look, before the door sealed behind him.

“Here we go,” said Marina in reply. Bertha shot high up in the air, quicker and more abrupt than even she was designed for. Without a second wasted, they quickly propelled forward, putting as much distance as possible between them and that damned building.

“VIX, activate maximum armor,” she ordered. The group of threatened missiles flew past them, impacting the target roof and obliterating the entire building. Everyone cheered and clapped, with Christopher letting out a sigh of relief.

“We still need to get home now,” Marina reminded everyone.

“What do you mean?” asked Freda.

“Well, we went against top-level orders to rescue Doctor Barrington,” said Christopher. “She had discovered vital information regarding the virus. I decided it was best to recover her despite the orders, ma’am.”

“Christopher,” laughed Freda with mock indignation. “You’ll never change.”

“It seemed … logical,” he replied happily.

“Patch me through to General Richards. I’m sure my voice will still carry some weight with top brass.” Her personal transporter wasn’t charged enough for a full team transport to Section 51.

“We can’t get through to anyone—our communications are down,” said Peter.

Freda looked at Christopher.

“We don’t know if it’s network jamming or what,” he said.

“That’ll certainly make the trip home more interesting,” said Freda. “Maximum speed, Marina.”

Christopher accessed his pad, wanting to try different communication channels now. Even with all their problems still ahead of them, he smiled. They had recovered Ursula, made a breakthrough on the virus, found Freda, and the old team was now back together. Maybe, just maybe, victory would be theirs after all.