Don't Look Back (Warders of Earth) (32 page)

“Yes.” Garroway placed a hand on an unopened container. “Since we have the vaccinations, we may as well use them. Alex, ensure our group receives the first batch.”

“Yes, Sir. I’ll round them up.” Alex walked off.

About to follow, I was halted by Garroway digging his fingers into my wrist.

Hard.
What was his problem?

He leaned down. “If you’ve lost us this one chance, you won’t have to worry about the Mundos Novus forces. I’ll kill you myself.”

And as if contact with me had contaminated him, he flicked my hand aside, his expression twisting into disgust.

***

An hour went by which I spent in a daze slumped against the wall while everyone in the bunker was vaccinated. Pain splintered like lightning strikes inside my brain, one after the other. My entire body throbbed. What I wouldn’t give to lie down and sleep for a century.

But rest was not an option.

Not for me.

There was no time. I had to make contact. But how? Where?
Biting my lip my blurry vision took in the faces of everyone I loved so much it hurt.

It was time for me to leave.

Me and Alex, that was.

As if I’d called his name, he was there, before me.

“Ready?” He rubbed his thumb in tiny circles on my temple, his worried eyes examining me.

A little of the pain eased even as bile formed into a ball in the pit of my belly. I knew what he was asking. My nails dug sharply into my palms when a wild rush of panic temporarily blinded me.

Faces of everyone I loved flashed through my mind. Images of the places where I’d lived while on the run unfolded like a power point presentation of the wonders of Earth then stopped on a vision of my vegetable garden. Closing my eyes, I could almost smell the rich scent of freshly dug earth, the tang of horse manure, hear the contented clucking of hens, the cackle of the kookaburra that lived in the tallest gum tree just outside our fence, feel the life-giving beat of heat from the sun on my skin.

My fate lay elsewhere. Not here. Not where I belonged. If I could save my family, my friends, my people, the land that I loved so much by facing some hideous alien, than nothing, nothing was going to stand in my way.

Opening my eyes to meet Alex’s intent gaze, I nodded. “I’m ready.”

And just like that, my migraine vanished, the sickness clogging my throat settled. A sense of peace settled in my heart. “I can do this. Don’t worry, I won’t let anyone down.”

Alex released a noisy breath, stood taller, his shoulders a rigid straight line. “I’ll be with you.”

“Thank you.” I smiled into his face, recognising the vow in his deep voice. I looked up to see my family and friends watching us.

Dan swung his backpack to and fro in one hand and winked.

“No way.” I held my hands up.

“I’m coming with you, Sis.”

I ruffled his hair one last time. “No, you have to be my back-up plan. You know that don’t you?”

“I guess.” Dan snivelled and looked away. Wiping his nose with the back of his hand, he mumbled, “Will I see you again?”

“I don’t know.” Did that confident, calm voice really belong to me? “Be safe, be strong. I love you little brother.”

“Right back at you, Sis.” We hugged.

And my heart broke all over again.

Nic, with his arm around Marnie, came out of the broom closet. Relief had me clutching at Alex to say upright. Slowly, they crossed to my side.

“It’s working. I can feel it.” Marnie grinned.

Her eyes were clear and colour had returned to her face. “I’m going to make it, Tara. Thank you. Now, I can go and find my little girl.”

I thought Marnie’s smile the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.

“
Grazie
, Tara,
grazie
.” Nic kissed my cheek.

I frowned. “I guess I can’t talk you into staying here where it’s safe.”

“I feel my daughter needs me, Tara. Dan found an address. Nonna will stay here and do what she can to help but Nic and I are leaving too.”

Em joined us.

“You’re not leaving too?” I said.

“Don’t worry. I have no intention of facing whatever’s out there.” Em jerked her thumb towards the ceiling, rolling her eyes. “I’ll do my best to look out for your Mum and Dan, Tara. You just...” She blinked mistily. “You just come back to us. Okay?”

“I’ll try.” Opening my arms wide, I embraced my friends in a group hug.

Stepping away, I brushed the tears from my cheeks then found Mum beside me. I fell into her arms. Words rushed to my throat and were lost in the well of grief constricting my chest. I rather thought Mum had the same problem for she seemed unable to speak. Merely held me tight as if she never wanted to let me go.

The feeling was mutual.

I drank in her warmth, the comforting familiarity of her lavender scent and wondered whether this would be the last time I’d ever see her.

Alex cleared his throat. In a low voice he said, “I’m sorry, Mrs Ferguson but we have to leave.”

Reluctantly, Mum gave a shuddering sob and changed her hug to gripping my hands in hers. Leaning closer she pressed her forehead against mine and whispered, “Your father would be so proud. We never stopped loving each other or either of you. The divorce, the living of separate lives was a plan we dreamt up to keep you and Dan safe. Another smoke screen.”

“But the drugs and Dad’s depression?” I mumbled, feeling dazed. Who would have thought they’d be such good actors?

Mum smiled. “Another smokescreen.”

“Then you and Bob Garroway...”

“It would never happen. I love your father now and always. There could never be another man for me.” She gave a sudden roguish smile. “We used to meet out by the creek, just the two of us.”

“Mum!” Tears welled even as I cringed at the thought of my parents making out like a couple of teenagers. But it was so typical of them.

“Now don’t be sad for us. We made the most of every day we had and neither your father nor I ever entertained any regrets. Be careful sweetpea. Remember everything we’ve taught you.” A warning gleamed in Mum’s steady blue gaze and I nodded.

Be careful who you trust.

***

It was a considerably smaller group that left the Chamber’s property as dawn peeped over the horizon and bathed the land with golden light.

Garroway had decreed we take the jeep and leave Alex’s car for use by the refugees in the bunker. With its armour plating, it would make the perfect means of transport around town, either looking for other townsfolk to retrieve and bring to safety or in the search for further supplies.

Nic and Marnie followed in Nic’s ute as the jeep sped along the main road leading out of town. They’d left the dog behind with Marnie’s grandmother.

Alex drove with his father seated beside him. Shay and I sat in the back. The guys were all armed to the teeth, rifles slung by straps over their shoulders, guns in holsters and grenades hanging from their belts.

It should have made me feel safer, instead, the further away from the town centre we drove the vulnerable I felt.

Grief weighed me down like I had rocks in my pockets.

I sat slumped in the seat, staring out at the passing scenery, my mind numb. I stirred. “I thought, Bob, you were supposed to be looking out for my brother.”

Garroway didn’t bother to turn his head. “He’ll be safe enough for the moment. What’s imperative is to ensure neither you nor Alex screw up this mission.”

The censure in his voice told me louder than any words, he was still stewing over our racing off in search of the medicine. I bet he’d torn strips of Alex, once he’d gotten him alone.

He didn’t trust either of us to get the job done.

I turned to Shay and lowered my voice. “I thought you and Marnie…”

His face tightened. “Orders. When this is over, I’ll find her.”

Nodding, I picked at the ragged edge of a fingernail while I looked out the window. The residential streets gave way to hobby farms, a car wrecking allotment and before long we approached the showground with its white timber fencing surrounding three acres of browning paddocks, two rickety grandstands and an assortment of tin sheds.

“What’s that smell?” I took a deep breath and wrinkled my nose as the pungent stink hit the back of my nostrils. Waving a hand in front of my face, I peered across Shay to stare out his window as the showground came closer.

Clouds of smoke billowed from four large mounds of...
burning clothes
?

The jeep sped along the narrow tarred road.

Horror froze my mind.
Surely....? OMG!
I averted my gaze, jerked back into my seat.

Bodies.

Human bodies.

Alex twisted round to look at me. “The infected. If the antidote isn’t given in time, there’s no cure but death. It makes sense to burn the remains.”

Nodding like a Noddy on steroids, I slunk lower. That’s it. I wasn’t looking out any window ever again.

“We’re coming up to the edge of town fast,” Garroway warned his son.

“I know.”

This was where we’d part ways. Marnie and Nic would stay on the main road then turn onto the highway that led to the coast. They intended to bribe the soldiers stationed at the roadblock with a small container of vaccines. As the disease spread over the country, the world even, the price of one vaccine would soon be immeasurable.

And I would stay with the Warders while they sought a more covert route past the Mundos Novus Forces.

I looked behind me, leaning my arm over the back seat.

Through the grimy rear window and the short expanse of space separating the two vehicles, my gaze met Marnie’s.

I smiled a little as Marnie waved a frantic hand out the window.

Then Alex swung the wheel and the jeep careened off the road, bounced as it flew over a narrow ditch and picked up speed as he sent it down a narrow dirt track that wound through a field of sunflowers.

I kept watching until Marnie, Nic and the ute could no longer be seen.

Feeling as if I’d been gutted, I turned slowly to face the front.

“This track doesn’t look as if it goes anywhere.” Garroway flapped a map in the air.

“I know what I’m doing Sir. I spoke to the owner myself. This road should turn to the left up here a bit. We follow it to the edge of the field where it ends near the house. Then we cut through another paddock and we should join up with the highway about five kilometres away.”

“Let’s hope the Mundos Novus Force has failed to secure private roads.”

Alex shrugged. “I’m banking even if they do have a patrol here, it will only be a small one. Their unit must be spread pretty thin by now what with mopping up duties in the town.”

“Horrible.” I muttered, still dealing with the knowledge I’d said goodbye, like forever, to another friend.

“Perhaps, but it’s for the greater good,” decreed Garroway coldly.

“Once we’ve got past the soldiers, then what do we do?”

Garroway flicked down his visor. His flat grey eyes met mine in the mirror's reflection. “We secure a site on open ground and you fulfil your mission.”

“How much longer do we have? Those meteorites look awfully close.”

Alex didn’t respond, instead he pressed down harder on the accelerator. Gripping the jeep’s side handle, I closed my eyes.
This is it. I can’t believe the fate of the world is on me. What if I blow it?

You won’t, you’ll do just fine. Remember, I’ll be with you.

Oh, Alex, I wish we’d had more time together.