The Cure, стр. 47
‘What about the infirmary?’ he said.
‘No, I don’t think so Mr. President,’ said Rose, knowing full well Logan was heading there.
‘OK, I need to get there. Put out a message on the speakers and get off the base as soon as you can,’ he said. ‘Oh, and thank you, Rose,’ he smiled.
Rose picked up the phone and started speaking ‘If you are hearing this message the Commander General has escaped from custody and has planted explosives on the base. Please evacuate immediately. All remaining military personnel proceed carefully to the loading bay. The general and his men are armed and dangerous.’ Then she was gone.
The general’s men had already set off the charges but hearing the message they turned their weapons on all and anyone left in the area. People were running for cover wherever possible, hiding behind anything they could. Bullets rebounded around people’s heads as the men provided cover for the approaching General. ‘Pull out,’ he commanded as the Humvees sped out of the loading bay and up the ramp.
The base was complete panic with people grabbing what they could and jumping into trucks being driven by the remaining loyal soldiers. There were people screaming and running everywhere in the loading dock holding their worldly possessions in just one hand and their loved ones in the other. Soldiers directed them onto the transport and when the last person was on one of the army captains shouted, ‘All Clear,’ and the truck started its engine.
‘Wait, wait,’ came a voice. It was Rose.
‘Ma’am, you need to vacate this area,’ said the captain, just as an explosion somewhere in the building went off. ‘Holy Shhh,’ he said ducking.
‘It’s the President,’ said Rose. ‘He’s still in the building.’
‘Smith,’ he shouted to one of the other soldiers ‘Get this lady out of here. The President is still inside. I’m waiting.’
‘Yes Sir,’ said the soldier, helping Rose onto the truck.
***************
Meanwhile, amongst the sounds on explosions, Goldsmith sat alone at the boardroom table his head in his hands going over the events that had just happened. He had conflicting emotions of relief that he had not been caught up in the deception of the Commander General, but also the embarrassment that he had been duped into playing an important part of the General’s wicked plan. Not to mention the fact that the President was unaware he had put the children’s lives at stake and sent McGregor after Danny. His rage began to boil over and he was aiming it at all the wrong people.
In his mind he felt Wanikiy should have told him of the President’s plan and he should have been in the know about the General’s wrongdoing from the outset. Yes, Wanikiy and his daughter were the reason that he was feeling this way. He had been made to look stupid and Goldsmith did not like this feeling at all. He stood straight up, sniffed and removed a revolver from inside his jacket. He checked it was loaded and set off to find Wanikiy.
When Goldsmith got to the infirmary, he looked through the window and to his astonishment he saw Logan and Wanikiy sat around the bed and Tallulah sat upright smiling at them. ‘What the Hell. How was she alive?’ he thought to himself. More of Wanikiy’s trickery and deceit no doubt.
The infirmary was the furthest point from the loading bay, with no comms unit, and they looked unaware of what was going on.
He puffed up his chest, hid the gun in his pocket and walked into the room smiling ‘Tallulah my dear, so good to see you up and about. I just wanted to come and check you were alright and apologize for the way I acted in the Communications Room. I’m sure your father has filled both yourself and Logan in on the excitement. I, of course, had no idea, or I wouldn’t have acted the way I did,’ he turned his head towards Logan. ‘Dear boy, so good to see you back safe and sound. You must have had a right time of it out there,’ he waved his hand around for effect.
Of course, no-one was pleased to see Goldsmith, and he took offence at this ‘Come now, I knew nothing about this plan of the General’s. I was acting in the best interest of the country, as I’m sure you thought you were too,’ he said. ‘I’ve come here to apologize, and I would like us to move forward together and let bygones be bygones.’
Tallulah looked at her father and Logan with a bitter taste in her mouth from Goldsmith’s words. The plan that he had put into action had resulted in the death of two of her closest friends, and although the General had orchestrated it, she held Goldsmith equally responsible.
‘I suppose you know nothing about planting a mole in our team or the whereabouts of my brother?’ Logan said to Goldsmith.
‘As far as I am aware the troops sent to distribute the poison have been updated and recalled from the reservoir. As for a mole, it sounds like the boy was acting on his own,’ replied Goldsmith.
‘Yes, of course. We shall see what Danny has to say when he returns,’ said Logan ‘Is there anything else you wanted? We need to get off this base,’ said Logan.
‘No, no. I just wanted to pass on my apologies for the things out of my control,’ he said.
Goldsmith turned his back on them and started walking towards the door, then stopped. He could have easily left them to die in the carnage of the oncoming annihilation of the base but instead he felt for the gun in his hand and swung back around lifting it towards Wanikiy.
‘What are you doing Goldsmith?’ said