2041 Sanctuary (Let There Be Light) (51 page)

‘Do they, Jessica Klein?’ Bic said.

‘You’ve changed your mind? After everything you’ve said in the past? After everything you’ve done?!’

‘If what Professor Steiner says is true, disclosing the truth will cause a catastrophic failure of human civilisation. The GMRC will collapse inside and out and those on the surface will seek to prise open the gates to the safe havens beneath. One by one the bases will be breached and the human race will destroy itself in an attempt to preserve its whole, when only its heart can survive.’

‘So you think we should do nothing?’ Eric said, appalled.

Steiner’s hopes rose; was the hacker having a dramatic change of heart?

‘I didn’t say that, Eric,’ Bic said, ‘but I need to rethink my plans. I don’t want to be the person responsible for the demise of the human race. Professor Steiner, if the intercept missions were sabotaged, it means there was a chance they’d be successful, don’t you agree?’

‘Maybe, but even if we could resurrect them – if that’s what you’re getting at – they were only ever meant to stop four of the six. Two were always destined to impact in 2042 regardless.’

With his image still displayed on the wallscreen, Bic shifted in his seat and frowned. ‘I find that hard to believe. If you can stop four, why not all six?’

‘I agree, on the face of it, it doesn’t make much sense, but there is method to the madness,’ Steiner said, his mood grave.

‘Go on, Professor,’ Eric said when he failed to continue. ‘Why would they only stop four?’

‘After the Space Programme’s many failures,’ Steiner continued, ‘budgets were redirected to the subterranean response and it was decided only the largest two of the four asteroids due in 2042 would be targeted for deflection. The decision was a difficult one, but it was predicted the Earth could withstand strikes from the smaller two of the approaching rocks.’ Steiner paused for breath. ‘You asked why, though, and aside from the reasons above, the answer is simple. Because the first asteroid which makes landfall in the United States is half the size of AG5 and, like the second, which will impact in northern Africa, both have thin, elongated profiles, which favour more accurate composition analysis due to the lack of a large core. The density of both and their likelihood of fracturing in the atmosphere appeared to indicate their fallout would be catastrophic for the closest regions, but the impact winter from AG5 would not be significantly extended.’

‘Appearances can be deceptive, Professor Steiner,’ Bic said. ‘What if the analysis is wrong?’

‘Then the surface will descend into chaos faster than envisaged.’

Bic’s brow furrowed in concentration. ‘So even if the intercept missions were successful, the Earth would still experience mass upheaval. But say only the two asteroids impact in 2042; will they destroy civilisation as we know it?’

‘Not completely,’ Steiner said, ‘but the USA will be decimated and Europe will be in a state of total collapse. It will effectively end global cohesion. Only fragmented nations will remain as mass hysteria takes hold.’

‘But there will be some functioning states left – China, Russia – is that right?’

‘Perhaps. It depends.’

‘On?’

‘On how ruthlessly they control their populations.’

Bic moved closer to the camera. ‘So there would still be a possibility we could resume an assault on the final asteroids due in 2045.’

‘There would no point if the four due in 2042 had already impacted,’ Steiner said.

‘But if they didn’t, if only two made it to Earth.’

‘It’s extremely unlikely that—’

‘Unlikely,’ Bic said, ‘but not impossible. As you have already said, Professor Steiner, humanity can achieve the improbable.’

‘And how do you propose this could be done?’ Steiner said. ‘If there are elements within the GMRC that want the asteroids to hit – as hard as I find that to believe – then there is nothing we can do. The GMRC’s power is total.’

‘Not quite,’ Bic said. ‘Just prior to the 2042 impacts I imagine the beast will no longer have its head, am I correct?’

Bic is living up to his billing as a quick thinker
, Steiner thought before a disturbing idea shook him.
Is Brett right? Was the footage of the NASA astronaut faked somehow? If that’s the case I’m revealing highly sensitive information to the one man who can utilise it to maximum effect
.
Don’t be stupid
, Steiner reasoned with himself,
if that is the case he already knew about the asteroid threat and the intercept missions
. ‘The world’s leaders,’ Steiner said, proceeding with caution, ‘those that are aware of the upcoming events, will retreat below ground to continue governing the new civilisation. And yes, before you ask, that will include the GMRC’s ruling hierarchies.’

‘And so the GMRC personnel remaining on the surface will be left to die like everyone else,’ Bic said, ‘which means they will experience the same disruption as everyone else. They’ll be scared and confused and open to coercion.’

‘Possibly,’ Steiner conceded, ‘but what do you expect me to do about it? I have no power and my criminal conviction put paid to anyone left who would have listened to my counsel.’

‘Not you, Professor Steiner, us.’ On-screen, Bic stood up and pointed to Jessica. ‘We have at our disposal the world’s foremost newsreader and journalist,’ his finger moved to Steiner, ‘and the GMRC’s most influential leader. And if you excuse my self-adulation,’ he pointed at himself, ‘the greatest hacker the world has ever seen.’

‘And
Das Gespenst
,’ Eric said.

‘Forgive me, Eric. And we have Germany’s foremost hacker at our disposal, not forgetting a federal agent and a leading NASA astronaut.’

‘If he survives,’ Steiner said.

‘Yes, if he survives. But if I had to assemble a team of six people to save the world, we would be in my top ten. Don’t you agree?’

Professor Steiner felt a thrill of belief send tingles up his spine, but the sensation ended as quickly as it began.
Could they really make a difference, so few?
He looked to Eric and Jessica, their expressions full of renewed hope, before his focus switched to Brett, who stood at the back of the room having returned unseen. Arms folded and grim-faced, the FBI agent avoided his gaze.

Steiner returned his attention to the wallscreen and the hacker he’d once proclaimed as ‘
the
single biggest threat to the Subterranean Programme
’.

‘It’s just over three years until 2045, Professor Steiner,’ Bic said with a glint in his eyes. ‘What do you say … shall we save the world?’

Chapter Sixty Two

Deep inside the Anakim creation of Sanctuary Proper, a small light bobbed in the silent ether of the pitch-black. As time passed, the tiny illumination crept forward while the dark, bottomless lake closed in around it on all sides. From afar, the sound of the cold surface being broken could be discerned, the soft splash of water tickling the quiet with a delicate caress. The illumination continued its advance, the flat calm disturbed by the lone swimmer at its heart.

Breathing hard, Corporal Walker trod water while holding onto the limp form of Richard Goodwin. Weighed down by his decontamination suit, it was all he could do to keep the two of them afloat. He searched about for signs of the fearsome creatures he knew lurked in the depths. Sucking in another gulp of air, he struck out again, being careful to keep the sound of his passage to a minimum.

His legs burned with fatigue and the lights on the lake’s shore grew ever closer before the voices of his comrades encouraged him onward. Relief flooded his exhausted body as his men waded forward to meet him.

Hands grabbed Walker’s aching arms and dragged him to dry land. He dropped to the ground, coughing and gasping, then crawled forward before rolling onto his back as he sought to reclaim his breath.

Torchlight shone in his face, forcing him to shut his eyes.

‘Is he dead?’ someone said.

A woman shrieked. ‘Let me go!’

Still tired, Walker wiped water from his goatee and waited a few more moments before forcing himself into a sitting position. At his side, the exiled Director of USSB Steadfast lay unmoving, his helmet half-filled with some kind of black oil that covered his face.

Rebecca rushed to Goodwin’s side and pulled in vain at the suit’s mechanisms. She looked round at those gathered. ‘Help me!’

The man Walker knew as Priest bent down, unlatched the complex catches and removed the director’s helmet. Thick fluid oozed out onto stony ground, accompanied by a foul stench that made Walker gag.

Rebecca scooped away the black slime and removed the breathing mask that covered Goodwin’s nose and mouth. She checked for a pulse and then leaned down, listening to see if he breathed. Without hesitation she moved her hands to his breastbone and administered thirty rapid chest compressions before tilting his head back, pinching his nose and blowing two rescue breaths into his mouth. She then switched back to complete another thirty compressions, followed by two more rescue breaths.

Sweat glistened on her brow as she continued to work while Walker’s men stood by in silence.

Minutes passed and the rhythm of her compressions slowed. Walker, recovered from his exertions, moved to her side and grasped her arm.

‘Let go!’ she said, shrugging him off to continue the CPR.

Walker glanced round to see a look of hunger and discontent in the eyes of his ragtag unit. He grabbed Rebecca round the waist and threw her into the waiting arms of Priest.

Rebecca kicked and screamed.

‘Hold her!’ Walker said before straddling Goodwin’s prone form and taking over the resuscitation effort. More time passed in a rhythmic blur and his thirtieth set of compressions came and went before he tired. He sat back, out of breath and gave a shake of his head. ‘It’s no good, he’s gone.’

‘NO!’ Rebecca struggled against her captor’s hold. ‘Let me go!’

Walker stood up and gave Priest a gesture to release her.

Rebecca scrambled back to the cold body and restarted the compressions. ‘Come back, Richard. Do you hear me?! Come back!!’ She struck his chest with her fist, once, twice, three times before collapsing on him in a fit of sobbing.

Walker hung his head. Their mission had failed. Without the director to find his route out of the chamber they remained stuck in their subterranean tomb. But now things were much worse. Major Offiah and the director’s bitch, Vandervoort, would blame them for Goodwin’s death
. What will they do?
A picture of a noose came to mind.
Either that or a firing squad
, he decided. Walker looked round at the angry, accusing glares his men were giving him.

‘What now?’ someone said.

Priest picked up his rifle. ‘Now we’re screwed.’

‘Someone else has to go into the lake,’ another man said.

‘You volunteering?’ Priest said.

The man stayed silent and took a step back amongst his fellows.

‘Thought not.’ Priest turned to Walker. ‘I think the man who got us into this mess should be the one to go.’

Walker stared at the rifle now pointed at his chest.

‘What do you think, lads?’ Priest said.

A murmur of agreement swept through those gathered.

Walker held Priest’s gaze. The man was physically larger than him, and had been helpful in cementing Walker’s role as leader. But now things had changed and it seemed that if you lived by the sword, you also died by it.

‘You really want to do this?’ Walker said, his cheek twitching while his hand drifted to the pistol at his belt.

Priest cocked his rifle. ‘I really do.’

Walker froze his motion. He smiled and held up his hands as Priest sent someone else to disarm him.

Walker was stripped of his gun and knives before being handed Goodwin’s discarded helmet. He looked at the black mess inside the transparent headgear. ‘I think I’ll use a clean one, if it’s all the same to you.’

Priest stood aside to let Walker past.

Moving through the men, now a sheep among wolves, Walker collected the spare helmet and breathing apparatus they’d brought along, and then returned to the water’s edge. He looked at Priest. ‘You’ll be next.’

Priest grunted. ‘We’ll see.’ He gestured for him to move into the water.

Walker turned back to look at the dark and forbidding lake. He attached the breathing mask, lifted his helmet up over his head, secured its fittings and then shouldered the oxygen canisters.

‘See you on the other side,’ Walker said and stepped into the freezing liquid.

♦

Rebecca wiped the tears from her face with her sleeve and turned away from Goodwin’s lifeless body to see Corporal Walker enter the lake. The decontamination team’s new leader, the grim-faced Priest, remained at the shoreline as an armed deterrent against any change of mind on the part of his former superior.

Rebecca struggled to her feet, ignored the suggestive calls from some of the soldiers, and moved to Priest’s side. ‘You know he hasn’t got Richard’s resolve. He won’t make it – that’s if there’s even anywhere to find.’