Excerpt
The water pools around me as my eyes adjust. What the hell happened? I try to move from the seat but my seat belt is stuck. Road block. Guns, lot's of guns. My lungs burn, it's getting darker and I can't find her. A scream as the water zooms closer. Where is she? I turn my head and see him, eyes wide in fear, hands clutching to his throat, belt tight around his neck. He let go of the steering wheel, he's the reason we crashed. She got free and killed him before we even started falling. My hand cuffed to the left back door, holding me to my death, to my promise.
I can't breathe.
He twitches in his seat. Oh god, I don't want to be one of them. He notices my struggling and pushes hard against his restraints. I'm going to die....
.. I still can't breathe.
I open my eyes as the plane jolts upwards abruptly, a hand pats my shoulder and I look up smiling tiredly and stretching my arms as my best friend Mark passes me. "We've started our descent." He tells me and I nod, rubbing at my face as the persistent feeling of exhaustion starts pushing at me again. We won't rest until we've taken HER down.
"We won't be down long." Another voice tells me and I look across to Mark's sister Regina, she looks as tired as I feel and I nod, Regina hates flying. We're never down long.
"They've been bombing Scotland on and off for three days, we can't risk staying down." I tell them both, my voice rough with sleep, I check my seat belt and look around for Charlie, my eyes find the closed door of the pilots cabin. She get's less rest than any of us, she's struggling to keep us fighting.
"She's been in there since you fell asleep, I don't think she trusts him to keep us in the air." Mark attempts to joke and I nod at him but can't bring myself to do anymore, looking back at Regina. She doesn't trust anyone anymore, not after Nelson.
"We'll be on the ground for fifteen minutes, Callum's group will load up the guns, and Mark and I will refuel." Regina assures me tiredly and I nod. It's the same routine every time we stock up.
"How far out is our ship?" I ask them curiously and Mark looks at me. Stupid question, you already know the answer.
"She hasn't told us anything Heather." Mark is stressed by this, he hates not knowing the plan; he usually creates them. When we were still the good guys... but there's no such thing as good guys anymore. No, we are Void now.
"I'm sure when we need to know we will know." I try to assure them both as we jolt forwards, landing on the tarmac. They can't lose faith in her. The engines are kept running; Mark, Regina and I open the cargo hold and I lead in Callum's men, while Regina and Mark focus on getting us refueled and up in the air.
Charlie enters the cargo hold as Callum's men finish loading the guns; she hands Callum a case of money and then she's hurrying Regina and Mark. She's always hurrying, one of us will go down for it.. don't think like that. Positive thoughts, she would never risk you. Positive thoughts. She won't do it without you... at least.
"The World Defense Unit will be conducting an air sweep in five, we need to be ahead of them." Charlie tells me and I nod checking that all the crates are secure as Charlie paces the ramp; Mark and Regina run up the ramp looking worried. No one wants to let her down.
"We aren't finished on the refuel and Callum has a few people who need out of Scotland, they're two minutes out." Mark tells us as Regina hurries past us opening a gun crate and slinging a machine gun over her body, picking one up for Mark. They're being careful, prepared. They shouldn't have gone out unarmed..
Charlie is pacing the cargo hold, hands fidgeting with her hair, shirt and whatever else she can grasp, she's stressing about the wait. "Charlie.." I start calmly and she glares at me. It's the only way she'll make eye contact, scared I'll be disappointed by her any other time.
"Don't Heather, just don't." She tells me sternly and I shrug going back to watching the blue sky above us. "The longer we are on the ground, the more time President Fitzgerald and her army are able to track us." Charlie tells me tiredly as she comes to stand with me, she leans against me letting my calm soak into her. I know they can trace us, I've seen the damage a trace can cause.
"She can't have many troops in Scotland, not when they're leading the resistance now." I try to assure her but she shakes her head, taking a breath and watching the sky with me. What is that? That's not a bomb is it? Make her open her eyes, dammit Heather say something! Anything! "Is it my imagination or is the sky red?" I ask her seriously finally voicing my thoughts. You were too late, this is on you. You'll take the blame for this. Charlie's eyes snap open, and she stands straight as a rod, tension rolling off her; we both watch the cloud of red spreading towards the airfield.
"You don't think?" Charlie starts but shakes her head and runs to the side of the plane. Doesn't matter what I think, we need to get clear. "Get in here now!" She yells at Mark and Regina, I move towards the phone and pick it up scrambling to dial Mason.
"Get us in the air!" I shout into the receiver but Mason doesn't answer. He's probably sleeping. Mark and Regina scramble into the cargo bay and Charlie slams her hand against the doors control pad.
"Look for the gas masks, we need to split up." I yell at Regina and turn to the phone again dialing Mason. Mark can deal with him. I need to get Charlie out of here.
"What about the plane?" Mark asks me and I shake my head. You're not going to like this. You never like me going off on my own. Especially when Charlie's has that crazy look in her eyes.
"No answer from Mason." I tell him honestly as Regina passes out the gas masks, we slip them on quickly and I grab Mark's arm dragging him over to Charlie and Regina. She's cooking up something crazy Heather.. change her mind!
"You two take the plane and get out of here, make sure you aren't followed and get back to the ship." Charlie yells at them both. This is the part we aren't going to like, I just know it. Mark and Regina move about securing all the loose cargo and Charlie looks at me with a tired smile. "Let's give her what she wants." Charlie suggests and I shake my head. She can't be serious. We can't give ourselves in.
"No we can't, she'll kill us." I tell her angrily, standing my ground. More than that, we'd be tortured for information first, then depending how well we co-operated we'd be brainwashed into her clutches again.
"The lives of the few to save the many, you taught me that Heather." Charlie tells me as she opens the cargo door and walks towards it. Should've know that was going to come back and bite me. "She's doing that right now bombing the city with the virus, people will die." Charlie tells me as she continues walking towards the tarmac. She's really serious about this, dammit! Don't let her do this.
"People will die anyway, but you'll still be fighting, we'll still be fighting." I counter and Charlie shakes her head. She's determined now, she's doing this.
"We started this and we can finish this we both know that. Don't make me do this alone, you promised I wouldn't have to do this alone." Charlie stops walking and turns to me, pleading with me. You were different then..... I promised to come back.
"Charlie please..." I beg her but she shakes her head walking back up the ramp and taking my hand. You'll do this for her, because you love her. Because she's your best friend and you're all she has left in the world to care about.
"It's you and me." She assures, repeating the words I said so long ago, in another life. Why does she want to do this?
"It was different then, I thought you were dying." I yell losing my temper You did die. You died and woke up here, where I wasn't. You became cold and harsh, everything you never wanted to be. In a place where you made an enemy of the worlds most powerful woman and her allies. Charlie shakes her head.
"I did die, and I woke up to a new world. A world that didn't have you and that made me feel so lost and alone, a world that tried to kill me." Charlie tells me and I nod in understanding. Those months without her, I couldn't save people.. I refuse to do it again. Stop fighting her, help her!
"We'll do this together? Die together, and take her with us?" I ask her, looking for the Charlie that used to fight; her eyes shine with promise, the mask makes her look like she's crying. She doesn't show weakness anymore, it's to risky; to easy to be over thrown.
"You and me." She promises with a true and genuine smile and I smile back at her; Mark and Regina are still working behind us, unaware of this decision. You need to tell them goodbye. They need to say their goodbyes. "We'll catch up with you soon." Charlie promises them both, Mark and Regina glance at us standing on the edge of the cargo hold, ready to disappear.
"Don't do anything stupid." Mark tells us tiredly. If only he knew, he'd kill us on the spot. He'll make a good leader.
"There is a World Defense office 3 blocks into town, give them hell." Regina tells us and I know she's heard the conversation, she's already crying. I'll miss them so much, Mark will keep her safe. Always will. But he won't forgive himself either Heather, because he couldn't save you.
"Regina?" I call before I step off the plane and she looks at me. "Life's beautifully haunting... remember that okay?" I tell her and she looks confused but nods at me anyway; I step off the plane hand in hand with Charlie, she smiles and starts leading me towards the city. This is the worst plan we've ever had.
Charlie and I get picked up a block away from the air strip, not too surprising because we are two of the worlds most wanted. We were put into transport after they'd alerted President Fitzgerald that we'd been captured. Surrendered but what's the difference really. Considering the terms of our capture we were to be transported to Wales where a plane would transport us to America and the waiting interrogation of President Fitzgerald and her cronies.
They're not really smart though, transporting us with one guard while the rest fight off the pathogen they themselves released. If only they knew the depths of Fitzgeralds deception. Charlie is handcuffed to the car door on the right and I'm on the left handcuffed the same way; Charlie is leaning against the door eyes closed almost like she's sleeping. She always looks so peaceful when she's thinking up ways to escape. We are coming up to a check point, it's not a World Defense check point. I don't think our driver has quite figured this out. "Did anyone ever tell you that life's beautifully haunting?" I ask him curiously from my seat, he glances back at me through the rear view mirror and shakes his head.
"Be quiet." He snaps and I glance at Charlie, her hand twitches slightly at his words but her eyes remain shut. I should keep distracting him. "Seriously though, you live and you experience all that life has to offer, love, passion, hatred, fear; but in everything you do, you are haunted by the threat of death." I continue and his jaw clenches as I talk at him. I glance at Charlie and she smiles slightly, she knows what I'm doing. She'll get us out of this, make Fitzgerald hunt for us and forget the rest of our allies."I don't care about your stupid theory, so shut it." He tells me angrily and I smile politely at him. He has no idea what he's doing. "Don't you find it interesting though? You a man of low rank lower rank than I am and you are asked to transport two of the worlds most wanted, but not only are we on that list but also on President Martha Fitzgerald's personal hit list. Do you really not find my theory to be an excellent example right in this moment?" I talk at him cheerfully and he sighs in frustration. She's almost free, keep it up."I'll only tell you one more time. Keep your mouth shut." He tells me angrily and I smirk at him, as I start humming instead; we're close to the check point now. Hope they know how to use the guns they're showing off. "I told you to keep your mouth shut!" the driver yells angrily, taking his attention of the road and pushing it onto me; Charlie takes the moment lunging from her seat and wrapping the belt around his neck tightly.
"You don't get to talk to her like that." Charlie tells him, her voice cold, lethal; his hands leave the steering wheel as he clutches at his throat, choking. This is the Charlie I've missed, the protective one, ready to fight for me without thought or fault. We start losing control, the car swerving dangerously towards the river near the checkpoint; the driver lets out one last mangled choking sound before his hands stop struggling, frozen at his throat and Charlie looks at me. "I'll find you." She tells me and I look at her incredulously. What the hell?"Charlie, what?" I ask but the cars crashing through the guard rail and I lose sight of her as we fall over the edge. Find her, Heather. Charlie! My head smacks against the head rest as we fall and I struggle with my handcuffs. Did Charlie scream? Heather, did Charlie just scream? We hit the water and my head smacks the window.
The water pools around me as my eyes adjust. What the hell happened? I try to move from the seat but my belt is stuck. Road block. Guns, lot's of guns. "I'll find you." My lungs burn, it's getting darker and I can't find her. A scream as the water zooms closer. Where is she? I turn my head and see him, eyes wide in fear, hands clutching to his throat belt tight around his neck. He let go of the steering wheel, he's the reason we crashed. She got free killed him before we even started falling. My hand cuffed to the left back door, holding me to my death, to my promise.
I can't breathe.He twitches in his seat. Oh god, I don't want to be one of them. He notices my struggling and pushes hard against his restraints. I'm going to die... As long as Charlie's safe. I'm fine to die.
.. I still can't breathe.I feel hands grabbing at my body and I struggle hard letting out any air that I have left; suddenly everything is cold and hands are pushing against my chest. "Breathe!" I'm told as my savior starts to push hard against my chest. Why am I being told to breathe, aren't I doing that? "Heather, breathe!" The voice clearer to me now, and I feel the water rising in my throat as Charlie rolls me to the side and I start coughing up water. She's okay. I'm okay. "Heather?" Charlie asks me quietly and I look up at her, she smiles at me relief flooding her features. "Come on, we've gotta move. The whole check point is infected, she's trying to block us in." Charlie informs me quickly and I nod tiredly, Charlie pulls me to my feet and allows me to lean into her as we walk away from the river. She always comes back, I don't know what I was so worried about.
"Where are we gonna go?" I ask her after I've yawned for what feels like the hundredth time, Charlie checks the surrounding area and helps me walk up the steps of an old farm house. She's worried, knows something I don't.
"Just gotta get in for the night, and then I'll tell you what you missed." Charlie tells me she's slightly out of breath from carrying the extra weight for miles. She doesn't want me to worry. "Just sit here for a second, while I clear the place." Charlie tells me softly, back into survival mode as she presses a heavy object into my hands. A gun, she's worried about an ambush? "I know you're tired, but if anything moves towards our position you shoot first ask questions later." Charlie instructs and I nod at her words. So tired, gotta keep Charlie safe.I don't hear Charlie walk away but I know she's gone because I don't feel safe anymore; the surrounding area is so still. It's too still, what does this remind you of Heather? Not a creature insight. Keep your eyes open, and think. Long grass surrounding the house, trees to the left of the house and the river to the right; no sign of a driveway. Probably hidden in the grass. It feels familiar, you've done this before. I look at the gun in my hands. No sign of life, easy to hide, old house.... oh god. A moan sounds from the trees on the left and I pull myself off the steps. "Charlie?" I whisper as I stumble up the top step, desperately trying to not turn my back. The last mistake I'll make. "Charlie!" I whisper yell, I can hear the fear in my voice. You'd be an idiot not to be afraid. The front door opens and I hear Charlie step out, she touches my shoulder and I put my finger to my lips. "The checkpoint, all zombies right?" I ask her and she nods at me with an 'I told you that already' look. "She wants to control the world." I tell Charlie but she shakes her head.
"She wants to destroy the world that she can't control. If we can find a radio we can get out of here." Charlie tries to assure me. An abandoned farm house, no radio and we're surrounded by zombies. Not a great way to survive the night. "If they're waiting us out it means there are a few 4's in the area." Charlie voices her own thoughts and I look at the darkness as it seems to spread around us. "We've survived this before." I blurt out trying to brighten up her resolve. Oh god, did I just. What are you even thinking Heather? Charlie rolls her eyes at me. I need a better filter. Another moan floats around us, prompting more zombies to moan in response. "Never get used to that." I tell Charlie as a shiver runs up my back and she nods, pulling me back towards the house and shutting the front door. If they really want in, it won't stop them."We only survived this before because we died and woke up here." Charlie starts as she pushes me onto the old couch in the room. She's worried.. Can't exactly escape a horde of smart zombies. "Remind me, remind me what you started calling them." Charlie commands and I look up at her as she checks the windows. That was so long ago now. "Heather?" Charlie calls worried, I meet her eyes and nod. What did we call them? Why did we name them it's so stupid now."Ah, the Average Joe; as basic as the name implies, nothing overly special about them." I tell her quickly, not wanting to disappoint her. She's looking at me again, what was the next one. "The Streaker, covered in black lines of infection, they look like veins but they're more dangerous obviously; still pretty average but not as easy as the first lot." I explain tiredly, Charlie sits herself next to me on the couch and waits for me to tell her more. How was this even a good idea. "The Holy Roller, pockets of infection eating at the flesh and oozing from the holes the infection creates, definitely a long range kill." I remind her and she smiles at my words. "The Hunter, they see better at night, so keeping a safe place lit up always deters them and they travel in pairs." I remind her and she nods along with my words; she touches my arm and looks at me sadly.
"Were there anymore?" Charlie hesitates at her choice of words. "After I died, did you guys name any more?" She asks me and I nod, looking at my hands. They were all named by me. "Yeah, the Needle Point; mutated a lot further, it didn't need to bite you it just pinned you down and injected you with the virus, they looked more like people and are a threat at all times." I tell her and she nods. She's going to hate this next one. "That Special Someone, they're top of the scale, but extremely rare this early in the stage of release; contains the same attributes as the needle point but it's smart like the hunter.." I tell Charlie and she looks at me expecting more. This is crazy, you never confirmed it. "We started to think that the zombies were using a hive mind to communicate, and I thought that, that special someone was the leader; they acted like a pack, circling and pushing you into a corner so they can feed." I finish telling Charlie and she looks at the windows. We have to get out of here. "Okay, so we either leave or die. That is what you're trying to tell me isn't it?" Charlie asks me and I nod at her. She always knows how to read what I'm saying. "I'm going to check the shed for a car maybe they left something useful behind." Charlie tells me and I nod standing up with her swaying slightly on my feet but she pushes me back down. "You're going to stay here, you are having trouble walking, you're tired and you lost conciousness twice after the accident, to me that's a concussion. I need you to be okay but that means I need to leave you behind." She tells me seriously and I nod at her leaning my head against my arm. And Doctor Pierce makes an appearance. "I won't be gone long, I promise." Charlie tells me with a reassuring pat to the shoulder and she's off out the door.
The wind makes the house creak and I sit up straight looking around the room and checking my gun is still in hand. You shouldn't have let her go alone, that's the stupidest idea ever. I get up and stumble to the kitchen, I open a draw and pull out a knife, the only knife left. I stumble back to the front door, I lean against it heavily as I feel a little dizzy as I lean down and shove the knife into my boot. Get your shit together Heather! I hold the gun out in front of me and open the front door, I stand in the doorway waiting; an Average Joe shuffles out of the trees slowly, I've got time to get to the shed. Where's the shed? Think Heather... Turn around! three o'clock. I turn quickly and fire a single shot at the body running at me, it drops down with a thud and I walk closer to it, rolling it over and cringing at the black veins covering it's face. This is a more mutated strain, it's been altered... she wants to decimate the free world. I round the house and see the shed, I move as fast as I can towards it.
I pull the door to the shed open and hold my hands up quickly. "It's me." I tell Charlie as she flies around ready to shoot me down. Idiot, you could've been killed.
"Don't do that!" Charlie exclaims angrily, I turn around and shut the door looking around at the old shed. This place wasn't abandoned that long ago. "There isn't much here, an old motorcycle but nothing here to fix it." Charlie tells me as I walk towards the bike covered by a sheet, I lift the sheet up and take in the sleek frame. This could work. I open the fuel tank and shake my head at the empty tank, I turn and look around the shed, in the rafters is a Jerry can. "Up in the rafters, could you get the Jerry can?" I ask Charlie and she looks at me skeptically but climbs the ladder to the rafters and starts shuffling along carefully. She pulls the Jerry can towards her and it sloshes slightly. "Hopefully it's fuel." I mutter, walking to the ladder and holding my arms out for the Jerry can, Charlie drops it into my arms and starts climbing back down the ladder. "It's fuel." Charlie breathes a sigh of relief as I open the can and the smell of fuel enters the air, I pour the fuel into the tank until it's full and replace the cap; the key is still in the ignition and I turn to look at Charlie. If this works, I'll do whatever it takes to get her out of here. "Heather, even if the bike starts, I can't drive one and you aren't driving." She tells me sternly and I look at her, she's more worried than anything. She worries to much, I'll be fine to get us out of here. "I'll be fine, we've gotta leave as soon as possible, this virus that they released is different, fast acting mutation." I tell Charlie honestly and she looks at me skeptically not accepting my words as the whole truth. She'll just have to trust me. "Trust me Charlie, it's you and me so trust me." I plead, but her resolve falters at my words and she nods, I lean over the bike and turn the key preparing to start the engine. I sit myself on the seat, check it's in neutral and flip the kill engine switch to the on position, I kick the kickstand up with my left foot and I hold down the ingnition switch. The bike struggles to start on the first go but after a few tweaks to the fuel line and holding the bike in neutral it starts. I roll the bike back and turn it around so it's facing the doors and I smile at Charlie. She was never the biggest fan of motorbikes. "Come on, it's now or never." I tell her and she smiles at my excitement, pushing the door open and hurrying back to get on the bike. "Be ready to shoot at anything that moves." I tell her seriously, Charlie pats my shoulder twice and I know she is ready to move.
We make it to the river before Zombies are running out at us, and Charlie is doing her best to shoot them while I speed along the bank as fast as possible; I spot a main road up ahead and swerve towards it quickly, Charlie holds me tightly as we hit the slightly rough surface on the side road.
A zombie darts out in front of me and Charlie shoots it down quickly, a glance in the mirrors tells me we are being chased by a horde, a large one; I push the speed up on the bike and Charlie holds me tighter as I swerve to miss pot holes and debris from the wind. There should be a town or service station up ahead, I can get Charlie there and she can radio for the team; she can get out of here. I get off the main road as the traffic starts to build up, and ride along the edge. Charlie holds onto me and relaxes slightly at the sign of civilization before realizing they are now food for the already large horde of zombies. The first wave will be decimated and the second will turn. I pull over at the service station and wait for Charlie to climb off, she runs inside and comes out with a walkie talkie. "Radio the team Charlie, I'll draw what I can away from you." I tell her sternly, Charlie shakes her head. I'm breaking my promise. "Hide in the boot of a car and wait for the team." I command and she shakes her head. She has to survive.
"No Heather, you can't leave me." She tells me sadly and I look back at the chaos starting to unfold. "You promised me, don't leave me." She begs and I look at her sadly. She's my best friend, I'm the only thing she has left and I'm going to leave her alone. "Charlie, you have to lead the fight, you know how to fight this and they can't do it without you. It's always been you Charlie, I was just along for the ride." I tell her honestly and she shakes her head. She started the fight in the real world, and I wouldn't be here without her. "We have no time to fight this." I tell her and she shakes her head, tears starting to fall; I open my arms and she hugs me tightly. "I'll always be with you." I promise and she shakes her head. "No you won't. You're going to die." She tells me quietly, her voice is barely a whisper in my ear, I push her back and she takes a shuddering breath. Say you're goodbye Heather, you're running out of time. "Charlie.." I start sadly and she looks at me heart brokenly. She'll fight, she'll have something worth fighting for... vengeance. "I gotta go." I tell her honestly and a sob rips through her silent tears. "No you don't." She persists through her tears and I shake my head. This is the right thing.
"I'll see you soon." I promise changing the gears on the bike and driving away, I stop up the road a ways watching the horde start to regather and sniff the air for their next feed, I pull the knife from my boot and draw the blade across the sleeve on my arm pushing hard to draw blood quickly; I force the knife back into my boot and wait for the wind to lead them to me.
A streaker catches the scent first, head searching around wildly, then two hunters start moving towards me quickly grabbing the attention of the zombies already there and those just starting to turn; when a few of them are close I start driving up the road, slowly at first but as more pick up the scent of my blood I push the throttle and make them move faster.
As I approach a bend in the road something crashes into me hard and I fly off the bike landing in some mud and shallow water, I instantly start to ache. The hell was that? The bike is on it's side, I look around for whatever hit me. In the water behind you. I scramble out of the water as best I can, I pull the knife from my boot as the zombie climbs out of the water. That Special Someone, 5 1/2 on the scale, absolutely deadly. I hold the knife out ready to fight but more shuffling starts behind me and I see more zombies coming towards me. Hive mind, they're trying to distract me, hold me in so I will turn. I pull the gun from my waistband and start shooting down the zombies that come towards me, I stop after the third one drops and turn around looking for the one that took me down. You shot one at the farm and three here, check your ammo! I drop the clip and sigh at three bullets left, I load the clip back into the gun and turn back to the advancing horde. I shoot at one but hit it's shoulder. "Now isn't the time to screw up." I reprimand myself and I shoot again planting the bullet straight through the forehead. I'm hit from the back and drop the gun, I turn quickly and feel fear run through my veins like ice. Keep fighting, keep fighting. For your parents who perished in the first attacks on Australia; for Mark and Regina who you've let down too many times. Fight for the child she took from you, and every person she killed for her cause. Fight for Charlie, because you owe her so much. You owe Charlie everything.I push against the zombie hard as he tries to inject me with the virus, and I cry out as he jabs me; I struggle against his hold but he doesn't budge, my hands grasp at mud and I feel the blade of the knife. I reach for it, my hands slippery with blood as I bring the blade up and stab him in the back first, he jabs me again closer to my heart as I try to keep hold of the knife; I raise my hand up tiredly and stab him behind the ear. Once, twice, he slumps down on top of me and I push him off me weakly; my vision is blurring and I stumble towards the road, I pick up the gun as I make my way towards the end.
Get to the road and she'll be able to find you. I taste bile and I think I'm shivering. I, I.... My legs collapse beneath me as I hit the road and I reach for the gun just out of reach again.Help I pull myself forwards as a helicopter flies above me, bright light searching. Charlie. I pull the gun to my head and squeeze my eyes shut.
Charlie's POVWe found Heather's body a few miles from where she left me, Mark said by the look of things Heather took as many as she could with her. They wouldn't let me see her body, they wouldn't let me help find her; but when Mark came back with a body wrapped so tightly in a sheet and plastic, tears streaming down his face I knew it was bad. That he'd never forget it. We burried her near the ocean, a small coastal hideaway that she liked to call Bardo; it's just off the main land of Scotland, where we can visit and she can watch over us. "Charlie." Regina's voice calls from behind me, the wind carrying it towards the sea, I turn around to look at her. "It's time to head out." She tells me and I turn back to Heather's grave sighing.
"I'll see you soon." I assure Heather before following Regina back towards the boat, I follow my team towards the fight of our lives.
On the boat I don't talk to anyone, Mark watches me from his spot on the observation deck as I head for the communication room.
I sit at the table and pull on the headphones, I turn on the radios and tune to a loud frequency, I don't care if the World Defence Unit hears us, the world needs us. "Is anyone listening?" I ask cautiously as a few replies come through the radios in the room. "Life is beautifully haunting and in seconds it can change. I never understood those words before Sergeant Warren died, but now I've seen just what she was implying and I know that this life has to be what you make of it." I continue my message, just wishing Heather was here to make these transmissions, she was always better at connecting with people.
"No matter how many times we lose sight of the goal or want to stop fighting we have to remember what we lost, what we will lose and what others who have fallen or been captured have given so that the Void could keep fighting, so we can keep our world. My name is Dr Charlie Pierce and this is my fight, I started this war when I learned the truth and now I'm calling out to you. We are the Void and if you can hear us, if you want to fight we will find you." I feel slightly proud of my transmission, and I turn back to see Mark and Regina standing in the doorway with slight smiles on their faces.
"We're glad to have you back Charlie." Mark tells me proudly and I smile at him, Regina can't fight the full smile that forms on her face.
"We've received a new distress signal on the bridge." Regina tells me and I push my chair back stand and walk over to them."And?" I ask her slightly excited at the thought of saving someone, Mark smiles and moves away from the door leading us towards the bridge. "It's coming from New York." Mark tells me and I feel my smile drop, Regina places a hand on my shoulder.
"A trap?" I ask and Mark chuckles.
"Definitely a trap." Regina tells me and I smirk at her words, we enter the bridge and Mason waits patiently with Clarke on what the next move is.
"Well let's play along shall we?" I suggest and Regina laughs cheerfully.
"Mason set a course for New York, we've got a party to crash." Mark tells Mason and Clarke moves away from the radio she was standing above. "Play the message." Mark tells her and Clarke nods at him playing back the message.
"If anyone can hear me, please help us." A male voice sobs into the radio. "She's lost it, releasing the virus in New York, please help us." The man keeps begging and I turn to Regina as we listen. "We're in the Empire state building, but we aren't safe. She's controlling them." The signal cuts off their and I shake my head. "That's her Vice President, she has really committed to this." Regina voices and I turn to Mason. "Change of plans, head for Alaska, they're on our side; we will fly from there." I tell them all and Mason starts moving instantly."So the Empire state building." Mark starts and I move to the planning board. "How are we getting in?" Clarke asks us, she looks nervous."We jump." I tell everyone seriously, Regina and Mark burst out laughing, Mason shakes his head and all the colour drains from Clarke's face.
