The Cure, стр. 35

‘Something like that,’ said Zack ‘I’m thinking more of a hostage situation to be honest. I hadn’t thought that far ahead,’ he snorted.

‘So, Goldsmith didn’t trust me? That’s interesting,’ said Logan ‘I’m a little distrusting myself if I’m honest. I mean like Jay just slipping like that. Sounded a bit fishy to me. You just turning up and finding him. Now you got to know that felt off to me,’ Logan started walking towards Zack.

Zack started to feel a bit nervous and waved Logan away with the gun.

‘I’ve got no problem taking you out soldier boy. This is my destiny man. Save mankind.’

‘Hey, you know what, it’s almost like you think I didn’t know Goldsmith was going to have me watched. Trust is a two-way thing. That’s why I trusted everyone in this team, except you. That’s why I gave you an unloaded gun back at the base,’ said Logan.

Zack froze like a rabbit in headlights and pointed the gun towards Logan’s chest. But Logan kept walking towards him. ‘You’re bluffing,’ he said.

‘Are you asking me or telling me?’ Logan smiled until the gun was now pressed against him

‘How? How did you know? You’re lying.’

‘Truth is I wasn’t sure back at the base about you. I had my doubts then. However, it wasn’t until Jay came around about half hour ago and contacted us on the satellite phone that I knew everything. He told me the last thing he saw was you in the reflection of a mirror in his room standing behind him.’

‘You’re lying,’ he panicked.

‘Why don’t you pull the trigger and find out.’

‘Logan, no,’ said Tallulah.

Click. The gun went silent. Click, click, click. Nothing.

Two of Mendez’s men ran towards Zack and pushed him to the floor his hands behind his back.

‘Very clever Mr. Mathers,’ said the Professor ‘Maybe I should give you more credit for this plan after all. You seem to have thought of everything.’

‘If there’s one thing I knew I could count on it was Goldsmith finding out what we were doing. He knew I’d struggle with the decision to use the toxin, and I knew he would send someone after me. I thought it would be McGregor though. Which means chances are he’s been sent after Danny. We need to let him know. What you going to do with Zack?’ he looked at Mendez.

‘If there is one thing we have in bountiful supply it is prison cells. Take him away,’ he motioned to his men who dragged Zack away, his legs flailing on the floor.

‘Jay also told me that our father has given the order to send the toxin to the reservoir. They will be there within two days. If Danny is still alive, we need to get him to put everything in place in case you can’t deliver an antidote,’ said Zack.

‘Logan, I hate to tell you this but the chances of me being able to create an antidote are slim. Given the circumstances and my limited access to any chemicals I don’t know if I can find an antidote in the next ten years, let alone two days,’ said the Professor.

‘We don’t have two days,’ Tallulah spoke up ‘We’ve got less. I’m going back to the base and I’m going to get them to either change their minds or get a message out to the rest of the country not to drink the water,’ she pointed up at the television in the corner of the room.

‘Tallulah, no. I don’t want you going back. We need you here,’ said Logan.

‘Ah, Logan, you obviously do not know the Wanikiy stubbornness,’ the Professor said perceptively.

‘I’ve got to do this Logan. I need to right my father’s mistakes.’

‘But how will you even get back to the base?’ said Logan.

Mendez stepped forward and waved out an arm ‘perhaps I can help with that. Follow me.’

Following Mendez along the prison corridors, Logan and Tallulah filled in the rest of the group with what they had been told about The Cure and how it had been orchestrated by the government. In between gasps and Chuck’s ‘goddamns’ Mendez led them to the very back of the prison to two massive rear exit gates.

‘Through here my friend,’ said Mendez.

The double door opened, and sun shone through them blinding them. Their eyes adjusted onto a huge airfield of around twenty airplanes ranging from small light aircraft to a military cargo plane.

‘Goddamn,’ said Chuck.

‘Goddamn indeed, although it was not God who got these planes,’ said Mendez.

‘This is amazing,’ said Logan. He looked at Tallulah. ‘you got to do this right?’ She nodded.

‘One problem,’ said Mendez. ‘We have lots of planes, but not so many pilots.’

‘But you do have a pilot?’ said Logan.

‘Mmmm. Yes. Kind of,’ replied Mendez.

‘Kind of?’

‘He can be a little grumpy. He’s over there by the gates.’

Everyone turned to the gates, but no-one could see anyone. They shrugged their shoulders looking at each other. ‘Over there,’ Mendez pointed towards some broken crates and old potato sacks.

‘Hod! Come, meet our new friends. I have a mission for you,’ said Mendez.

The sacks moved and what looked like a man on his knees held his arm up to shield the sun from his face.

As they watched the man it became apparent that he was not on his knees, but he was stood a full three feet and change tall. Not only was he a dwarf but he had a patch over his eye.

‘A one-eyed dwarf?’ said Chuck to Mendez.

Mendez shrugged ‘I think the term is one eyed midget.’

‘This is crazy,’ said Logan. ‘You expect this man to fly Tallulah across the country in a plane.’

‘Very good pilot Mr. Mathers,’ said the Professor ‘He made many flights across the border and hardly ever crashed, isn’t that right Hod?’