underground. Jesus. Crap.’
‘I don’t get it, Boss,’ said Tear.
‘It’s an S.V.317 walkie-talkie. Swiss manufactured. Used by their Army before the fall. It was a favourite among specialist because they never had to leave a man behind. They would always know where he was as long as the unit was intact. Pretty old tech, but they used it for about fifteen years until subdermal implants became the standard. Not as reliable as this thing though. Tough as hell. Still working after all these years.’
‘So they can hear us?’
‘No, Tear. The problem with the S.V.317 was that it didn’t work underground. The problem for us is that its last location is marked on a satellite uplink to the controller’s system when it goes down. We can only assume it’s still functional.’
‘Fuck.’
‘Exactly. We’ve just been had by vampires.’
*
Chapter Fifteen
Fallon Corp.
Level 4 Quarters/Level 13
Marie was woken by a vivid nightmare. She was strapped to a bed and a vampire leaned over her, pushing a knife into her heart. She tried to push it away but in the dream her arms had no strength. She tried to cry out but she couldn’t form the words. He leaned down and began lapping at the wound as her strength failed.
She woke with a scream on her lips. She was covered in sweat. Her sh eets were wringing wet. At first she thought it was blood, but the lights clicked on with her voice command and pushed the nightmare away.
After a shower and a change of clothes she walked down level 4’s hallway, took the elevator down to level 13. It was 7.00am. She’d slept two hours.
She nodded to Frank, who had taken her place on watch.
‘I’ll take it from here.’
‘I’ve got two hours to go.’
‘I’ll take it.’
Frank nodded, relieved. Nobody wanted to kill one of their own, even if it was necessary. Frank was a good man. He knew as well as she did that if Tom turned he would be dissected and studied. Even when a human was cured, they didn’t stop being a man.
How long was it until mankind became as cruel as the cured?
‘I hope you don’t have to…you know. I liked Tom.’
‘He’s not dead yet,’ she said in a voice harsher than she had intended.
When Frank left she took up her position and watched Tom through the glass. He was in the same position as before, curled on the floor. His trousers had dried, and for that she was thankful. At least if he came out of this he could retain some dignity.
Forty minutes to go.
Her heart was beating too fast. She tried to calm herself with some breathing exercises while she waited. She checked her weapon over and over, paced the room, always returning to the window to watch Tom.
With five minutes to go the Samson came into the holding cells, carrying a bottle.
‘Shit,’ she said under her breath. She knew what was in the bottle. A powerful sedative, effective on vampires. He knew what she intended. He’d second guessed her. She couldn’t shoot Tom with Samson watching.
‘Sam,’ she said.
‘Marie. How is he?’
‘He’s going to be fine. I’m not so sure about you.’ She met Samson’s eyes. He didn’t look away.
‘I’m looking out for our best interests, Marie.’
‘Bullshit. You just want another experiment.’
‘If he turns we can’t afford to waste him.’
‘Fuck off, Sam.’
‘You’d like that, wouldn’t you? A quick shot to the head, Uncle Tom checks out. You haven’t got the stomach for this, Marie. Why don’t you go and get a cup of coffee or something.’
‘No. I’m staying.’
Sam checked his watch.
‘Shall we?’
Marie swore. She pulled the door open though, and made sure she was in the room before Samson. Her heart was pounding again. She was out of breath. Tom opened his eyes and looked up at her. Winked.
‘I’m bored,’ he said with a smile. ‘Disappointed, Sam?’
Samson ignored the jibe. He knelt by Tom’s head and examined his eyes. Then he got up and turned the lights to
‘I don’t get it, Boss,’ said Tear.
‘It’s an S.V.317 walkie-talkie. Swiss manufactured. Used by their Army before the fall. It was a favourite among specialist because they never had to leave a man behind. They would always know where he was as long as the unit was intact. Pretty old tech, but they used it for about fifteen years until subdermal implants became the standard. Not as reliable as this thing though. Tough as hell. Still working after all these years.’
‘So they can hear us?’
‘No, Tear. The problem with the S.V.317 was that it didn’t work underground. The problem for us is that its last location is marked on a satellite uplink to the controller’s system when it goes down. We can only assume it’s still functional.’
‘Fuck.’
‘Exactly. We’ve just been had by vampires.’
*
Chapter Fifteen
Fallon Corp.
Level 4 Quarters/Level 13
Marie was woken by a vivid nightmare. She was strapped to a bed and a vampire leaned over her, pushing a knife into her heart. She tried to push it away but in the dream her arms had no strength. She tried to cry out but she couldn’t form the words. He leaned down and began lapping at the wound as her strength failed.
She woke with a scream on her lips. She was covered in sweat. Her sh eets were wringing wet. At first she thought it was blood, but the lights clicked on with her voice command and pushed the nightmare away.
After a shower and a change of clothes she walked down level 4’s hallway, took the elevator down to level 13. It was 7.00am. She’d slept two hours.
She nodded to Frank, who had taken her place on watch.
‘I’ll take it from here.’
‘I’ve got two hours to go.’
‘I’ll take it.’
Frank nodded, relieved. Nobody wanted to kill one of their own, even if it was necessary. Frank was a good man. He knew as well as she did that if Tom turned he would be dissected and studied. Even when a human was cured, they didn’t stop being a man.
How long was it until mankind became as cruel as the cured?
‘I hope you don’t have to…you know. I liked Tom.’
‘He’s not dead yet,’ she said in a voice harsher than she had intended.
When Frank left she took up her position and watched Tom through the glass. He was in the same position as before, curled on the floor. His trousers had dried, and for that she was thankful. At least if he came out of this he could retain some dignity.
Forty minutes to go.
Her heart was beating too fast. She tried to calm herself with some breathing exercises while she waited. She checked her weapon over and over, paced the room, always returning to the window to watch Tom.
With five minutes to go the Samson came into the holding cells, carrying a bottle.
‘Shit,’ she said under her breath. She knew what was in the bottle. A powerful sedative, effective on vampires. He knew what she intended. He’d second guessed her. She couldn’t shoot Tom with Samson watching.
‘Sam,’ she said.
‘Marie. How is he?’
‘He’s going to be fine. I’m not so sure about you.’ She met Samson’s eyes. He didn’t look away.
‘I’m looking out for our best interests, Marie.’
‘Bullshit. You just want another experiment.’
‘If he turns we can’t afford to waste him.’
‘Fuck off, Sam.’
‘You’d like that, wouldn’t you? A quick shot to the head, Uncle Tom checks out. You haven’t got the stomach for this, Marie. Why don’t you go and get a cup of coffee or something.’
‘No. I’m staying.’
Sam checked his watch.
‘Shall we?’
Marie swore. She pulled the door open though, and made sure she was in the room before Samson. Her heart was pounding again. She was out of breath. Tom opened his eyes and looked up at her. Winked.
‘I’m bored,’ he said with a smile. ‘Disappointed, Sam?’
Samson ignored the jibe. He knelt by Tom’s head and examined his eyes. Then he got up and turned the lights to
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