Free Noah's Ark: Encounters by Harry Dayle Page A

I’m calling Max.”
    “Sure, go ahead, but he’ll tell you the same thing, once he’s through hollering at you.”
    “And why would he ‘holler’ at me?”
    “Because he’s briefing the captain on this operation right now. And you know how cranky he gets if he’s disturbed for no good reason. So, you know, just tread careful, okay?”
    Bembridge looked unconvinced, but Grace had planted enough doubt in his mind to make him think twice. “How long are you going to be here?”
    “Ten minutes, twenty tops.”
    “I want you gone in ten. Otherwise I’m calling Mooting and I’ll make sure you suffer the consequences.”
    He pushed his way back through the queue and disappeared out of sight. Grace smiled to herself, and carried on checking papers.
    She didn’t need the ten minutes he’d given her. Six minutes after Bembridge’s interference, her stakeout was over.
    “Security check, can I see your ration paper please?”
    “What?”
    “I need to see your ration paper, ma’am.”
    “Oh, yes, here it is. There are two. One’s my husband’s. He’s feeling under the weather. I’m collecting his meal for him.”
    “No problem, that’s within the rules for married couples, Mrs…” She read the name on the dog-eared slip that the elderly lady had handed her, and her heart sank. “Mrs Moran.”
    • • •
    The cabin was in darkness when Dan finally returned. He hoped that she was asleep, that she hadn’t been worried about him being gone for such a long time. It was the longest he had left her since — he had to think about it — since they had been aboard the ship, he realised with alarm.
    “Dan?”
    Her voice drifted up from the bed. Not asleep, then. Not quite.
    “Yeah. Sorry I was so long. There was trouble. At that meeting.”
    She sat up and brushed her long dark hair from her face, then fumbled around for the light switch. “Are you okay? What kind of trouble?”
    “Nothing serious, don’t worry. Here, here’s your dinner.”
    She smiled at him weakly. He put down the plate on the little round corner table and helped her from the bed.
    “So?”
    “They found a ship. A boat, really. Small, they said. Probably more survivors on board.”
    “No land?”
    He shook his head, and sank to the bed, watching with hungry eyes as she tucked into the meagre rations of pasta, a tiny slice of ham, and a watery sauce. He would have settled for the little slice of bread on the side, but her need was far greater than his. He felt his belly rumble, and tried to mask the sound with a pillow. She looked at him, pity in her eyes.
    “Did you find anything? Here, take the bread.”
    “No. You eat it. You need it. I saw Elizabeth. She found me something. Honestly, I’m fine.” He hated the white lie.
    “More survivors? They might know where there’s some land.”
    “Maybe.”
    She continued to eat in silence. When she was almost done, mopping up the rest of the flavourless sauce with the bread, Dan coughed and shifted uneasily.
    “Elizabeth said that the survivors might need medical attention.”
    “Yeah, probably.” She spoke through a mouthful of wet bread.
    “She said that medical could be overworked when they come aboard.”
    “Hmmm.” She swallowed the bread and looked at him, waiting for him to continue, but he just sat there, looking at her.
    “Oh,” she said, as it dawned on her what he meant. “She thinks there could be another virus, like before?”
    “Maybe. Or something like it. And I was thinking, she’s right.”
    Some of the colour drained from her dark olive skin, making her look quite ghostly in the low light. “We can’t put it off any longer, can we?”
    He shook his head. “I’ve been thinking about it all afternoon. We have to go sooner or later. It’s not going to be any easier, waiting longer.”
    “No. You’re right. We should go. We will go.” She stood, taking him by surprise.
    “Now?” He looked up, wide-eyed.
    “When will we be picking up these other