Free Something of the Night by Paul Cave

to
attack the fuel depot without first understanding what resistance we’d
encounter?” Jacob asked, rage building inside him.
    “We’ve been through this. We
were caught in unexpected crossfire. I wasn’t to blame,” Banantyne
muttered.
    Major Patterson’s head
dropped momentarily as he remembered the day Captain Banantyne had returned
with half his platoon missing or dead - Hannah included. He gave a weary sigh.
“Okay, the truth is we can’t afford to lose a single man, especially you Jacob. But neither can we lose our best mechanic, Squirrel, or our offensive
will end real abruptly if all our transports fail.”
    “So what do you propose?”
Jacob asked.
    “That Captain Banantyne leads
the rescue, if they’re still alive to be rescued,” the Major said.
    “Sir, that’s ridiculous!”
Banantyne spat. “We need my men as keenly as we do him.” His eyes rested on
Jacob’s weathered features.
    The Major focused on his
subordinate. “Don’t worry, Jacob’s going too.”
    “What?” Jacob asked,
open-mouthed.
    “It’s time you two ended this
feud of yours. I need you both to start working together if we’ve any chance of
defeating Ezekiel, and now’s a good time to begin. Captain, you and Jacob will
take two men only. You’ll go on foot, so Jacob will lead the way. Once you find
them, and if they’re still … pure, I want Jacob to pull back and you’ll
coordinate the extraction.”
    “But if we meet heavy
resistance?” the captain asked.
    “If you feel you’re likely to
be outnumbered then I want you all to pull back,” Patterson stated.
    “But what about Squirrel and Alice ?” Elliot
asked.
    Patterson turned towards the
older brother. “If they’re already captured or undergoing the change, then it’s
too late for them.” He paused momentarily, as his next comment struggled to
form itself. “Elliot, you’ll make the third man. If they have already been
changed, then it’s your job to get in close enough to take them out.”
    “Take them out?” Elliot
questioned.
    “Alice Hammond and the
mechanic, Squirrel,” Patterson said, forlornly.
    “What?”
    “We can’t allow them to
compromise the location of this base, so I need you to make sure they don’t,”
Patterson said. “That’s why I’m allowing this mission to go ahead. If they have
fallen into enemy hands then we’re all at risk. Elliot, I’m aware you’re close
to Alice but you’re also the best marksman here, and if anyone can get in close
enough to deal with the situation, then it’s you.”
    “Deal with the situation …”
Elliot mumbled.
    “Son,” Patterson began, “we
can’t afford for one of those bastards to get in here. You understand that,
don’t you?”
    Elliot’s head dropped. “Yeah,
I understand.”
    Jacob reached over to place
his hand on his nephew’s shoulder. “Let’s make sure it doesn’t come to that.”
    Daniel Harper stood and
joined his brother. “Okay, what are we waiting for?”
    Patterson shook his head.
“Not you Daniel. I need you here.”
    A fleeting look of anger
fixed itself to the younger brother’s face. “What do you mean?” he asked.
    “You’re gonna have to sit
this one out,” Patterson said. “I need you elsewhere.”
    “Where?”
    “I’ll explain later,” the
Major replied. He turned to Captain Banantyne. “Pick your final man then move
out immediately.”
    Banantyne’s hand snapped out
a stiff salute “SIR!” The hand dropped to his side and he looked towards
the table. “Lieutenant Hutson, come with me.”
    The young brown-haired woman
stood and joined her superior.
    The party of four was now complete.
    “Okay, let’s go,” Jacob Cain
said.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Twelve
     
     
    The flatbed truck worked its way through the dark
forest. A group of human refugees sat huddled together in the rear, desperately
trying to stay warm, the wind