Adrian Smith - The Fourth Phase

Dee walked along the boardwalk, struggling to match Ben’s long strides as they made their way down to the smaller of the two jetties. A white and blue boat was slowly chugging its way towards it. Armed soldiers lined the jetty, Dee heard the synchronised sound as they clicked their rifles off safety.

The boat nudged the jetty. One of the soldiers jumped on board and tied the painter to the bollard. He lashed it tight before standing back, rifle raised and ready. Dee caught a glimpse of blonde hair in the wheelhouse. The door to the cabin creaked open. The soldiers on that side of the boat tracked it opening. A blonde-haired figure emerged from the cabin.

Dee’s heart leapt in her chest as she recognised the figure. “Don’t shoot! I know her.”

The woman turned towards Dee. Her mouth dropped open. “Dee?”

“Alice!” Dee leapt onto the boat and wrapped Alice in a hug. “I can’t believe it! You’re alive. What about Matt? Austin?”

Alice shook her head, tears falling freely down her cheeks. “Dee, I saw Boss. Some big ugly Variant had him.”

“What? Really? Where?”

“Back in Tauranga. Maggie… she… she went after them.”

“Maggie? Who’s Maggie?”

“She helped us escape the camp. Rescued the kids.” Alice paused and pointed to the cabin. “Becs, Leela. Kids, you can come out now.”

Dee watched as a girl with red hair exited the cabin, a small blonde-haired girl in tow. More children followed them out one by one. Dee counted six all together. The kids’ eyes went wide at the sight of the soldiers and their guns.

Ben turned and waved them away. He reached out and shook Alice’s hand. “I’m Captain Johns, but please call me Ben. C’mon. Let’s get you guys fed.”

“Ben, she has intel on Boss. She saw them in Tauranga. The Trophy King had him. I suspect George too.”

“Alice, was there a red-haired boy?”

“Yeah, there was.”

Dee looked down at her feet, thinking, trying to gather her racing mind. Alice had just confirmed her and Jack’s worst fears. That was it. Tomorrow she was going to end this.

She caught Ben’s eye. “We have to go after them, Ben. I’m not taking no for an answer. I’ll take this bloody boat and do it myself if I have to.”

“Okay, Dee. I believe you and I agree. Get them up to the villa. I’ll tie up some things down here, then join you. It sounds like we have a lot to plan.”

“Thanks, Ben.”

Dee reached out and hugged Alice again. She couldn’t believe it. Alice here, on this island? Somehow, against all the odds, she was seeing her friend again. She had hoped they had made it to Alice’s family’s sheep station, but with the horrors she and her friends had faced, barely escaping with their lives both times, her hopes had faded.

Alice reached down, grasped the little blonde girl’s hand, and helped her off the boat and onto the jetty.

Dee turned and helped the red-haired girl. “I’m Dee, what’s your name?”

“Rebecca. But everyone calls me Becs.”

“Well, Becs, it’s nice to meet you. You hungry?”

“You have food?”

Laughing, Dee replied, “We sure do. C’mon.”

Dee led them off the jetty and up the path towards the villa. The kids followed, with Alice bringing up the rear. The children looked wide-eyed at all the soldiers walking around, guns slung over their shoulders.

Reaching the old house, she ushered them into the kitchen and pointed to the table. A few of the kids asked for the toilet. After Dee showed them where it was, she returned to the kitchen. She never would’ve thought she would be preparing a meal for six hungry children. It was only after the end of the world and meeting Boss and George that she started to warm to kids. Seeing the children sitting at the table gave her a warm, motherly glow. She subconsciously rubbed her belly. Maybe she and Jack still had time for children.

The kitchen door banged open and Jack walked in, his legs bandaged around the thighs. Dee smiled at him as he took in the scene. Max padded in behind him and gingerly sat down on his bed next to the fire. Alice stood up from the table as Jack walked over.

Dee kissed him on the cheek, searching out his blue eyes. “You good?”

“Yeah. Just a flesh wound.”

Dee elbowed him in the ribs. “’tis but a scratch,” she replied.

Smiling, Jack glanced over her shoulder at the dining room. “What’s all this?”

She turned away from the stove. “Alice. Jack. Jack. Alice.”

Alice pushed back her chair and moved around to meet them in the kitchen. She reached out and hugged him. “ The Jack?”

Dee barked out a laugh. “Yes. The Jack.”

Jack looked between the two women. “Okay? What’s going on?”

Dee turned to him. “Alice hid with me down in the basement back in the beginning with the others and Boss. Jack, she saw Boss, George, and the Trophy King in Tauranga.”

“When?”

“Earlier today.”

Jack pursed his lips together. Grimacing, he rubbed a hand through his hair. He let out a sigh. “That must have been those boats we saw from the chopper. We’re definitely going after them tomorrow. I don’t care what Ben says.”

“He’s already agreed, Jack. Let’s eat. Ben’s coming up later to talk it through.”

“All right. I’ll give you a hand.”

Dee turned back to her cooking, busying herself with the task. Thoughts of what that abomination was doing to her boys frightened the hell out of her. Jack moved over next to her and started cutting up some vegetables. She smiled at him, grateful for his silent encouragement. She knew that he was just as keen to get them back. Dee felt wrung out and turned around. In the last twenty-four hours she had found out her mother was probably alive and an animal geneticist, she had hiked up a mountain to escape a Variant horde, and to top it all off, the Alpha they called the Trophy King had attacked their haven and captured her boys.

Dee stared down at the bubbling cheese sauce. It was time to end this.

The star cluster known as Pleiades hung low in the early morning sky. James smiled at the sight. The festival of Matariki was tonight, his favourite time of the year. Commonly known as the Maori New Year, it was an occasion to remember those lost in the past year, among other things. The civilian population had insisted they celebrate it. He was happy to oblige, and thought it would be a good way to welcome the new arrivals from Indonesia.

He turned, looking over the campground he had sequestered for the refugees. The medical staff were bustling around in preparation. He had insisted that everyone be tested for the Hemorrhage Virus and other common diseases, as well as malnutrition, before being placed in the temporary housing. His gaze drifted out into the bay. HMNZS Te Mana had arrived last night to assist. Seeing the ship settled his nerves somewhat. So far, Captain Koto had kept his word that they were merely seeking refuge. James was a cautious man, so he had ordered his men to stay alert and vigilant. Satisfied with the preparations, he jumped in the awaiting Jeep and headed back to the FOB. He had a helicopter pilot to discipline.

James looked over the man standing to attention in front of him. He kept his face clear of emotion and stared into the man’s eyes. He was struggling to keep his seething anger in check. The pilot had dark hair and brown eyes. He carried a little weight around his middle, as though all the sitting down in the cockpit had forced his fat to his middle.

“You know what, Evans? I don’t even want you to explain to me why you abandoned Team Renegade. Because of you, the one scientist left alive in New Zealand who had any chance of finding a cure to this mess is dead. Gunner Tony Jones is dead. Captain Johns and the rest of his team are lucky to be alive, no thanks to you. I’m stripping you of your wings. You have six months of sentry duty. I look forward to Captain Johns catching up with you.”