The Dust: Book Three - Sanctum Read online

  ‘Culled?’ Roger edged his seat closer to Jeremiah.

  ‘They will use his blood.’

  ‘What?’ Angel’s eyes widened.

  ‘They will drain him of his blood. The Purebloods, they are stock piling it.’

  ‘Jesus.’ Jake drained his glass.

  ‘Anyone that is of no use to them or won’t join forces with them,’ He paused. ‘Well, they are taken away and you never see them again.’ He looked at Angel. ‘I fear that is what happened to Ken Morris and the others. They just disappear.’

  ‘Why keep the blood?’ Klaudia asked.

  ‘It’s a precious commodity.’ Jake answered. ‘It’s rare.’

  ‘It is.’ Jeremiah nodded. ‘They are also trying out some experiments.’

  ‘Oh God, what?’ Angel poured another glass of wine in anticipation.

  ‘They are trying to transfuse the blood into the infected.’ Jeremiah looked at all the faces around the table. ‘They are trying to create a sort of drone, a slave.’

  ‘That’s crazy, it can’t work.’ Roger reached for a glass off the dresser. ‘The body would reject it.’

  ‘Well, they had enough guinea pigs to work on. Until Sharon released them all.’

  ‘Why the hell did she do that?’ Roger poured himself a small wine.

  ‘Misguided loyalties. An idea in her head, it’s all very sad.’

  Angel held the old farmers hand. ‘You obviously tried to stop her?’

  ‘Yes, and failed. That’s why the Purebloods think I was a part of the whole escape plan. We came in together and we were very close.’

  ‘Do you think?’ Angel stopped herself.

  Jeremiah gritted his teeth. He shook his head. ‘I can’t see it; the whole plan was a suicide mission.’

  The old farmer picked some dried blood from under his thumb nails. His mind went back to the beating he took to protect Sharon Gough.

  ‘They were also working on a virus.’

  ‘A virus?’ Roger asked.

  ‘The norovirus; they are going to spray it over the country.’

  Roger’s eyes narrowed. ‘Why?’

  ‘Apparently some of the infected have caught it naturally, and died.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘It was early stages. The doctor we were assigned to, he was working on it.’

  ‘Then why try and save them with blood transfusions?’ Angel looked at Jake.

  ‘Again, that had come to nothing.’ Jeremiah said. ‘For the time being that is.’

  ‘It’s like the bloody Nazi’s experimenting on the Jews.’ Roger shook his head in disbelief. ‘It’s immoral, sick and immoral.’

  Jake blew out a mouthful of air. The tightness in his stomach loosened slightly. The whole situation in Taunton sounded hideous. ‘We need to get Yanto out as soon as.’

  Angel nodded, and winked back at Jake. They were the two that were closest to Yanto. They both knew what a special guy he was.

  Sudden the kitchen door burst open, and in ran Naomi and Harry James. Young Red, who had been lying on the mat, scampered under the table with fright, paws skidding on the flagstones.

  ‘Infected! Lots of them.’ Naomi panted, trying to catch her breath.

  ‘Where?’ Roger jumped out of his chair.

  ‘Rocks.’ Harry James too, struggled to speak.

  ‘Rocks?’ Roger asked with urgency. ‘What rocks?’

  ‘Big rocks, to the east.’ Naomi stood up straight. ‘Must be fifty, sixty infected. Seem to be congregating there.’

  ‘What do the rocks look like?’ Roger asked.

  ‘Big.’ Harry James cut in.

  ‘How big?’ Roger was losing his patience.

  ‘Like they don’t belong there.’

  ‘Haytor.’ Roger spun around to Jake.

  ‘Yes, Haytor rocks.’ Jake clicked his fingers.

  ‘Well I wouldn’t go there, whatever it’s called.’ Harry James regained some composure. ‘It’s a no go area. Dead men walking.’

  Jeremiah finished his wine. ‘Sharon.’

  Angel squeezed his hand. ‘Do you think?’

  ‘It has to be her work. She was talking about releasing them onto the moor.’

  ‘We need to see this.’ Roger pulled on his coat.

  ‘No!’ Angel shouted. ‘We have only just come together.’

  ‘We need to see what we are up against.’ Roger zipped up his jacket. ‘They could be heading this way.’ He was adamant.

  ‘He’s right.’ Jake grabbed his coat. ‘The problem won’t go away just by ignoring it.’

  Angel sighed. ‘Well if you two are going, then I’m coming too.’

  Jake smiled at her. ‘Go and grab the guns.’

  Chapter Twenty

  Emma Davis looked up through the sunroof of the truck. The helicopter was just about visible through the thin wispy clouds.

  For two days the team had been zigzagging across Somerset and Devon. So far the search had been fruitless.

  ‘Go right at the next junction.’ Willoughby’s voice came through the handset Davis was holding.

  ‘Did you get that?’ She asked Travers, who was driving the Toyota Hilux.

  He nodded to confirm.

  The truck took the right hand turn and entered the massive expanse of Dartmoor.

  ‘Can you see anything?’ Davis asked the crew in the helicopter.

  ‘Nothing yet.’ It was Gilman who answered.

  ‘Just sheep.’ Waters shouted.

  Davis smiled. She had asked to go up in the Sea Sprite, but Willoughby had wanted her on the ground. The second part of her mission was also on her mind. Willoughby had been good to her, he was a nice man. Now she had to dispose of him. How, and when, she quite hadn’t worked out yet but she knew the opportunity would come. For now she had to concentrate on finding the renegades.

  ‘Can you see the rocks?’ Willoughby crackled through the radio after twenty minutes of radio silence.

  Davis, who had been gazing out of the passenger window, blinked and turned her head. ‘Where?’

  She could then hear the noise of the helicopter above the truck.

  ‘From where you are, about two o clock.’

  Davis looked up at the Sea Sprite, and then out of the windscreen and across the moor. In the distance she could just make out a few lumps. ‘There?’ She pointed.

  ‘Yep, I can see them.’ Travers pulled his visor down as the sun broke through the cloud.

  ‘We’re going over to take a look.’ Willoughby signed off.

  Travers pressed hard on the accelerator to try and race the helicopter.

  ‘What’s the point?’ Davis sat back in her seat.

  ‘Because I’m bored.’ Travers lifted his foot. ‘This is like looking for a raisin in a sea of porridge.'

  ‘Patience is a virtue.’ Davis reached down to check her hand gun was still in her hip holster. She had toyed with the idea of popping one into Travers, and feigning an accident. With the helicopter landed, she could take Willoughby out and leave Gilman to Waters. She hadn’t told Waters anything of the plan to kill Willoughby, but he would go along with it. Especially when he knew what he would get at the end of it all.

  ‘Jesus Christ!’ Gilman’s voice screeched through the handset.

  Davis grabbed it and held it close to her mouth. ‘What’s wrong?’

  ‘The rocks; don’t go near the rocks.’

  With that instruction Travers brought the truck to halt.

  ‘Why, what’s happened?’ Davis looked up, but couldn’t see the Sea Sprite.

  ‘Infected everywhere.’

  ‘What, how?’

  ‘We cleared them all out.’ Travers opened the driver’s door.

  ‘Are you fucking mad?’ Davis leant over and slammed it shut. ‘Did you hear what he said? Infected everywhere.’

  Travers sat back in his seat. He pressed the central locking button and the doors clicked.

  Willoughby came over the radio. ‘Must be seventy, maybe eighty. Crawling a
ll over the rocks like ants.’

  ‘How many went missing from the camp back in Taunton?’ Davis asked.

  ‘Forty four.’ Willoughby answered.

  ‘We obviously didn’t get rid of them all then.’ Davis said to Travers. Clicking the handset back on, he spoke into the metal grill. ‘What do you want us to do?’

  There was a pause for about a minute. Gilman then came back onto the radio. ‘Turn around and head south. We will investigate this on the way back.’

  ‘Roger that.’ Davis answered.

  ‘Priority is to find the renegades.’

  ‘Roger and over.’ Davis placed the handset back onto the dashboard. She then made a note on the map. ‘Let’s head south.’ She told Travers.

  Travers swung the Hilux around. ‘Fucking infected scum. They make my skin crawl.’ He then sped back down the road and across the moor.

  ***

  ‘This place is idyllic.’ Angel held Jake’s hand as they walked out of the large garden and into the orchard.

  ‘I use to count the days to my summer holidays. I loved coming down to Old Mill.’ Jake swung Angel’s hand.

  ‘Shall we run through the grass?’ She laughed. ‘A bit cliché.’

  Jake stopped Angel and pulled her close. ‘We could lie down in the grass.’ A cheeky smile appeared. ‘No one could see us down here, beneath the daises.’

  Angel smiled, she like that idea.

  Children’s voices, followed by Young Red barking, could be heard down by the river. Both of them turned to see Lou, Amber and Oskar trying to make a dam in the river.

  ‘Maybe now isn’t the right time.’ Angel slid her hand from Jake’s.

  ‘That’s a pity, I’m in the mood.’ He went to kiss Angel.

  She playfully pushed him away. ‘You’re always in the mood.’

  The two stood in the orchard and passionately kissed. Old Mill had been everything they had wished for, and more.

  After the search of Haytor they had all decided to retreat back to Old Mill. It was a big problem, but nothing they couldn’t handle. Jake and Roger drew up another patrolling plan, and a search for more weapons was number one priority. Rifles were needed; and when everyone was fit, a programme of picking off the infected would begin.

  In parties of three, a sniper, a spotter and a standby, they would take part in dawn raids at Haytor. This was to try and reduce the numbers of infected. The natural camouflage Old Mill found itself in was to their advantage. Hit fast and then retreat. All had agreed this was the best way forward.

  When it was thought safer to move freely, that is when Yanto would be rescued.

  Angel ran her hand down Jake’s cheek. Her smile turned to anxiety. ‘I have something to ask you.’ She could barely get the words out.

  Jake could see Angel’s mood change. ‘What’s wrong?’

  Angel, who was always strong and never let emotions get under her skin, felt uncomfortable. Jealousy was something that didn’t sit well with her.

  ‘Have I got anything to worry about?’ She asked.

  Jake looked surprised. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Klaudia?’

  Jake was now confused. ‘Klaudia, I don’t understand?’

  ‘The two of you are very close. She obviously fancies you.’

  Jake laughed. ‘What?’

  ‘Don’t laugh.’ Angel walked back a few paces. ‘This is really hard for me.’

  Jake walked forward and held her shoulders reassuringly. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh.’ He paused. ‘I don’t understand though. Where has this come from?’

  ‘The flirting; the way she looks at you.’

  Jake was dumbstruck, he didn’t know what to say.

  ‘Look, if anything happened before we came, I don’t want to know. All that matters is that we are okay now.’ Angel swallowed hard trying not to cry.

  ‘No, no.’ Jake started to panic. ‘Nothing has happened, I wouldn’t want it to.’

  ‘If anything has happened though, she will have to go.’

  Jake pulled Angel close. ‘Nothing has happened. I promise you.’ He looked deep in her eyes. ‘You are the one for me, I love you.’

  Angel sunk her head into Jake’s chest. She felt a weight lift from her shoulders. ‘I love you too.’

  The two of them stood holding each other for a few minutes. Jake rubbed Angel’s back. ‘I think she is just thankful.’

  ‘Thankful?’

  ‘Yes, because I took them in. We do get on well. Maybe the Polish are more expressive than us. I’m sorry if it looked like something else.’

  Angel burst into tears. ‘I missed you so much. I thought we would never see each other again.’ She ran her hands through his hair. ‘I couldn’t bear to be without you, not for a second.’

  Jake kissed his girlfriend. ‘You won’t need to. We are home now.’

  Angel smiled, and wiped away the tears from her cheeks. She felt a bit silly. ‘This bloody world we now live in. It fucks with your mind.’ She forced out a small laugh, trying to disguise her insecurity.

  Jake put his arm around her. ‘Well you know what? I haven’t been this happy in years.’

  Angel kissed her man. ‘Or me.’

  They watched as the kids ran along the riverbank, chasing Young Red. Lou was holding his lead.

  Amber was complaining that Young Red was her dog, and not Lou Pepper’s. The two girls both folded their arms and turned their backs on one another, Jake laughed. He tugged Angel closer. ‘And so it begins.’

  Then they both walked back towards the cottage. Lunch was beckoning.

  ***

  ‘I can see some buildings, a church on top of a hill.’ Waters pointed to his left.

  ‘Yes, roger that.’ Gilman confirmed. He picked up the radio handset. ‘Ground crew, can you see the church on top of the hill? Over to your left.’

  Emma Davis wound down the window of the truck. She stretched her neck a little to get a better view. ‘Yes, I can see it, just about.’

  ‘We will fly over, see if there’s any movement.’ Gilman signed off.

  ‘Roger that.’ Davis placed the handset back onto the dashboard.

  ‘Park up by the church?’ Travers asked Davis.

  ‘As near as we can. The light is fading, so whatever we find we will have to return tomorrow.’

  ‘Why?’ Travers couldn’t work out why the light would make a difference.

  ‘We can’t take people on in the dark. Not on their turf, it’s suicide.’

  Travers shook his head. ‘Let’s just see if they find anything.’

  ‘My stomach is telling me that it’s nearly the end of today’s shift.’ Willoughby shifted on the hard seat he had been perched on for the last nine hours.

  Waters ignored his superior’s grumbling and started his account of the buildings below.

  ‘Church and church yard, small car park, all clear.’ He looked out of the other side of the cockpit. ‘Small public house, still no movement.’

  Gilman scribbled the verbal account down on a notepad.

  The helicopter swung right. Hovering only meters from the buildings below, the untethered hay scattered across the fields.

  ‘Many farm buildings.’ Waters continued. Some sheep grazing in a field. A couple of dead cows.’

  ‘There!’ Gilman shouted. ‘Infected male wandering from hay barn.’

  Waters moved to the left to get a better view. ‘Roger, he must have been sheltering there.’

  ‘Out of the way.’ Willoughby barged past Gilman to get a better look.

  ‘Excellent, this one is mine.’ He grabbed snipers rifle. ‘You bagged the last one, now it’s my turn.’ He slid back the side window and hung the barrel out into the air.

  Waters got as close as he could without putting themselves in danger. ‘Take your shot.’

  Willoughby squinted through the telescopic lens and lined up the cross hairs.

  ‘Shoot him.’ Gilman urged, knowing the dangers of hovering at such a low hei
ght.

  Willoughby’s heart thumped as he squeezed the trigger.

  The gun exploded into action; Gilman jumped, even though he knew the sound was coming.

  The Infected male’s head popped as the bullet whizzed through it. He fell to the ground. Lying motionless, arms outstretched, his hands covered in dust.

  ‘Bingo!’ Gilman patted Willoughby on the back.

  ‘Good shot sir.’ Waters turned around and smiled.

  Willoughby lowered his gun and sat back in his seat. ‘That was fantastic.’ He grinned. ‘Almost better than sex.’

  ‘Good work sir.’ Gilman took the gun from him. His stomach stirred as the helicopter rose high once again.

  ‘Another farm building, looks like a small holding.’ Waters again continued his account.

  Willoughby wiped the cold sweat from his brow. That actually was better than sex. He smiled to himself. All he wanted now was a feast to celebrate his kill. And then maybe to do some more killing; he liked it, he liked it a lot.

  ‘We have movement.’ Waters words kick started more activity at the back of the Sea Sprite.

  ‘Your turn this time.’ Willoughby went to pass Gilman the rifle, which was now back in the rack.

  ‘It’s not infected, looks like kids.’ Waters added.

  ‘Kids?’ Gilman leant forward.

  ‘Down there, blink and you’ll miss them.’

  ‘Where?’ Willoughby scurried to the window.

  ‘Hang on, I’ll take another pass.’ Waters swung around again. ‘Look directly below, just past the Willow trees.’

  Gilman pressed his nose against the glass; he still couldn’t see any children.

  ‘There!’ Willoughby shouted. ‘I can see them.’

  Gilman moved over to Willoughby. ‘Yes, I have a visual.’

  Down below they could both see three children playing by a river. A dog also ran free in the field opposite.

  ‘Any others?’ Waters asked.

  ‘Nope, just three kids.’ Gilman confirmed.

  ‘And a dog.’

  Waters turned to his two passengers. ‘You can bet your bottom dollar that where there are kids, there are adults. It must be them.’

  Willoughby grabbed the handset. ‘Davis, can you hear me?’

  Emma Davis was brought out of her musings when the handset in the truck rattled into life. ‘Roger that, receiving you loud and clear.’