“Sorry,” she said from behind her mask. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t expecting that.” She stepped forward again and tried to retake Kiera’s arm. One of the nurses grabbed the other arm furthest from the two doctors.

“This is ridiculous,” Vardy said, watching the body twist and contort. “I’m going directly for the heart. Can someone get her chest uncovered?”

Nobody made any move.

“Oh come on, someone!” Vardy was clearly losing patience. Reluctantly, Mandy came forward. There was no sheet covering Kiera, but she was wearing a gown that buttoned down the front. The nurse undid the first four buttons and pulled open the garment, revealing a chest that was every bit as blotched and blemished as the patient’s bare arms.

“Hold her down,” Vardy commanded. He gave the syringe a quick flick with his finger, then in one smooth and confident motion he plunged it into Kiera’s chest.

Janice couldn’t help but look away. As she did so she caught sight of Lucya doing the same.

“There, all done. Thank you people, you can let go now.”

Within seconds, the convulsions had stopped. Kiera lay motionless, save for the gentle rise and fall of her chest.

“Well, it hasn’t killed her yet, so that’s a good start,” Vardy said, trying to keep the atmosphere light. Nobody seemed to appreciate the comment.

“How long before we know?” Lucya asked.

“No idea, to be honest,” Vardy replied. “She’s a long way gone; it’s going to take time to see any real improvement. If she comes round, that will be an excellent sign, but I’m not counting on that. Realistically, if we see some of her normal colour return then we can assume we are winning.”

• • •

The massive door laboured away, rising inch by inch like a portcullis, taking forever to open. Beyond it lay a black abyss. Jake waited for a full minute, hoping that perhaps some lights would come on of their own accord.

“Hello!” He tried to shout, but found he was weaker than he thought. His voice made barely a sound.

Hesitantly, he pushed his trolley towards the darkness. No light from the tunnel spilled into the space behind the door. It was as if there was another reality beyond, a place disconnected from the rest of level four.

The front wheels reached the threshold. He paused, then with the biggest effort he could muster, pushed hard against the floor, launching the little chariot forwards.

As he passed through the opening, the sound of the trolley changed. No longer was he rolling on grated metal. Instead he was on something hard, something solid. He realised for the first time just how much noise he had been making as he had trundled down the tunnel. Now he rolled forwards in silence.

Jake suddenly felt very tired. The buzzing in his head had grown more intense. All he wanted to do was sleep, to escape the sickness that was invading every part of his body, attacking every cell.

Something beeped once behind him. Directly above him a fluorescent tube flickered, trying to illuminate. It took its time, blinking on and off, before eventually catching with a little ding. Further away, another light was also blinking to life, and another, and another. While Jake observed, a whole line of lights were coming on, apparently awoken by his presence. Either side of the first tube, two more rows were also bursting into action. And more each side of those. With every one, a little more of the space was illuminated.

He remained on his trolley, awestruck, as he watched the strange place wake up. He gazed left and right. He looked up, and down. In spite of the pain and the fatigue, a smile crept across his face. In that instant, Jake Noah knew that this base was to be their saviour. No longer did it matter that he would surely be dead when they eventually came back for him; this amazing, wonderful, incredible place was going to help save the rest of the human race.

Satisfied with his discovery, Jake rested his head against the handle of the trolley and let his heavy eyes close at last.

Twenty-Three

LUCYA HAD FOLLOWED Janice and Vardy back down to their deck one lab. They had waited and watched Kiera for half an hour, and she did indeed seem to be showing signs of improvement. Now the doctors had gone to check on their next batch of the antiviral remedy.

The three of them walked into the lab to find the machine beeping away impatiently.

“Looks like the next lot is ready,” Vardy said, silencing the equipment and removing the little jar of milky liquid. “This needs to be set aside; it’s the basis for replicating larger quantities.”

“What about the base liquid? You said we needed that, to make more?” Janice asked.

“That shouldn’t be a problem, it’s pretty common stuff.”

“Really? You think there will be some knocking around on a cruise ship?”

“Oh I think so, yes.” He smiled knowingly. “Okay, yes, there will be. The base liquid is milk.”

“Milk? As in the stuff that goes in coffee and on cereal?”

“Yes. It’s the lactoperoxidase enzyme in it—the machine uses that to grow the antiviral culture at high speed.”

“But—” Janice was momentarily lost for words. “But vaccines, antivirals, these things take months to manufacture. It’s a huge problem. The pharmaceutical companies have worked for years trying to come up with improved methods. And you’re telling me you can pour milk into this machine of yours, and produce our medication in half an hour? Come on…you’re kidding, right?”

“The pharmaceutical companies have…had, a vested interest in keeping an antiquated and very expensive system running. The Ministry of Defence, less so. These machines aren’t common, but I know this one had been on the base for years when I first used it. I wasn’t privy to the details, but it was my understanding that equipment like this was made in a secret government facility at Porton Down. They based it on a commercial machine, but it was very heavily modified. Like I said, I don’t know the details.”

“This is all fascinating,” Lucya piped up sarcastically, “but can we go and save Jake now?”

Vardy and Janice stopped and looked at her.

“Lucya, our place is here. Our priority is getting as much of this antiviral out there as we can. Talk to Coote. Maybe he can spare Eric and Ewan for another round trip.”

“What? You promised Jake you would help him!” Lucya was incredulous.

“And the best way to do that is to make more of this.” Vardy waved a syringe in the air; it contained a tiny amount of antiviral.

“If you’re not going to help him, then I am!” Lucya grabbed the syringe from his hand and stormed out. Vardy tried to come after her, protesting loudly, but she could hear Janice trying to calm him down. The pathologist’s intervention gave her the time she needed to get away.

She was heading for the Ambush, in search of someone to help her. She didn’t need to go far. Coming over the walkway towards her was Submariner Ewan Sledge.

“Ewan! I’m going to find Jake. We’ve got a cure, Vardy made it work!” She held up the syringe. “Will you and Eric help me?”

“Eric is with Coote, debriefing him. There’s no way Coote will let us go back over there until he’s finished filling him in on all the details. He’s not keen on anyone going back at all. He thinks the secret level we found is too dangerous.”

“Fine. Well I’m going, and he can’t stop me. He’s not my captain. Where can I get a rubber suit from?”

Ewan hesitated, weighing up whether or not to help Lucya.

“Come on! We’re wasting time. I need to get over there and give him this medication. Do you want to be responsible for him dying there?”

That made up his mind. “Wait there. The suits are back on the submarine. I’ll be two minutes.”