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# Holocaust

Ifedayo Adigwe Akintomide

Copyright 2017 – Smashwords Edition

Copyright © Akintomide Ifedayo Adigwe 2017

The right of Akintomide Ifedayo Adigwe to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted with the Copyright right Patents and Designs Act

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author and the publishers

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not be by way of trade or otherwise be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that which it is published.

ISBN - 9781370323722

God helped me to finish. I cannot but thank HIM! Thank you Jehovah Jireh! You are forever worthy to be praised.

# Chapter One

Collins crouched low his eyes fixed on the blackish red stain on the earth in front of his two bedroom apartment. He reached down placing his fingers on it. It was dry and cold. His hazel eyes narrowed. The day had been blazing hot, how on earth could the ground be cold?

His eyes drifted skywards. The sun shone brightly, almost too brightly. Sweat trickled down his back beneath the red polo shirt he wore. He could feel sweat streaming down his thighs underneath his blue jeans. A sound made him whirl around in fright.

"Relax __" She growled peering out of the half open door. "It's just me."

A relieved sigh left his lips. The door creaked as she pushed it open stepping onto the veranda. "What are you looking at?"

"This stain __" He murmured. She frowned. His voice was so low she could barely hear.

"Oh that! Gabriel next door serviced his car yesterday. That's just part of the drained oil."

His eyes narrowed. Could it be that simple?

"Oh come on! It's not a giant conspiracy. It's just spilt engine oil."

There was a fifteen second pause and he rose, his eyes still fixed on the sand stain.

"Jesus you really are paranoid nowadays."

"Speak for yourself Judith __ I don't see anything wrong with being cautious. Maybe you've forgotten so quickly those horrible events eight months ago?"

He felt a thrill of satisfaction seeing the fear flit through her eyes. She spoke again before he could fully savour it.

"Speaking of eight months ago __ you better come see what's on TV. That's why I came out."

His eyes narrowed growing a little thunderous as he spun on one heel entering their two bedroom apartment. The 32inch flat screen TV was on and it was tuned to AGT a popular Nigerian news network.

Radiation poisoning is rife on the mainland after the bomb blast the federal government authorized on the island a month ago. Israel has kept mum on the particulars of the weapon they were granted permission to use. The president will be giving an address later today. Riots and protests have been nonstop outside the gates of Aso Rock (Nigeria's Presidential Villa) for the last four days. The families of those lost are demanding restitution from the federal government for what they've lost.

Key sources speculate on the issues the president plans to address. This is of great importance in light of growing reports of Evonso virus frightening spread. Fifteen states of the federation have submitted alarming reports of viral spread. WHO and Red Cross officials are on site advising the military and other law enforcement agencies how to contain the virus. We have to wait and see if their efforts will yield positive results. This is Kenneth Ibanga signing off from Benin.

Collins eyes hardened as he listened to the report. Judith stood a few feet behind her frightened eyes drifting between the television and the back of his head.

He turned setting his grim eyes on her. "What do we do?" her voice was low and squeaky.

"We might have to move further in."

"Further in?"

"I have to go out for a bit. Lock the door after me __ should be back in an hour or so. Don't let anyone in under any circumstance. Is that clear?"

She nodded violently. He sighed about to step past her when something made him pause and he rested his hand on her slightly swollen belly. His eyes grew worried and sad. This was the second time she was getting pregnant for him. The first had been in Oraromi. It seemed like a century ago. He'd had her abort that pregnancy.

He shivered as the memories came rushing back. There'd been so much blood. At the time it was unclear if she would ever be able to conceive again. The good Lord had been merciful. Her swollen belly was proof of God's goodness.

A sad smile lifted the corners of his lips. Yeah! Strange he was such a fervent believer in God now. He hadn't given him much thought during his time in Oraromi. He'd almost paid for that negligence with his life.

"What is it?" She asked when she saw the serious look in his eyes.

"Nothing __ let me go. Be back in a few. Lock the door after me."

She nodded following him to the door. The lock gave satisfactory series of clicks as he walked away following a narrow path leading into the bushes on the right.

His thoughts drifted as he walked. There was a plume of dark smoke rising in the distance. The smoke was accompanied with the somewhat sickly stench of burning meat. His eyes narrowed and his hands clenched and unclenched. It was happening again.

It had been on the news too. Some people had taken to burning the bodies of the infected they killed. Many seemed to think it stemmed the onslaught of the virus. He didn't believe it did.

The path started to slope downhill. Trees grew on either side, tall with wide sweeping boughs offering great circles of shade. Children played around many of them. His eyes saddened as he looked at them. The world seemed to be tittering on the brink of disaster and salvation was nowhere in sight.

He lengthened his strides heading right. Another path opened up leading away from the one he was following. Ten minutes of walking brought him before a cluster of hut like structures.

He headed for the one directly facing him. The door was open the opening shadowed by gloom. As he watched someone appeared in the doorway. The man was average height, about five feet seven inches dressed in long black slacks and a white singlet.

His hard jaw was covered by a thick shadow of beard. His eyes red and blood shot, his feet bare. The look on his face grew grimmer when his eyes settled on Collins approach.

"Had a feeling you'd show up."

"Did I have a choice?"

A long pause followed.

"Come in."

Collins smiled grimly and followed him into the house.

# Chapter Two

"What are you thinking Collins?"

"Nothing Matthew."

"You sure? You haven't said a word in over ten minutes."

"What do we do?"

A long sigh.

"How is it out there?"

"Not good __ the burning pits are lit up every day."

"Are the soldiers still monitoring?"

"Not for the last week and a half. I heard since the bomb dropped Evonso outbreak has tripled, especially in the south and north east. That being said their attention is needed elsewhere."

There was another pause.

"You heard about the radiation poisoning on the mainland?"

"Who hasn't? I am told its total anarchy."

"The Israelis still haven't come clean about the sort of weapon they used?"

"No they haven't. Word is it was experimental."

"Experimental as in untested?"

Matthew gave him a long suffering impatient look. "Yeah that's what am saying."

There was more silence.

"I am thinking of moving further in."

"You mean deeper into the forest?"

He nodded, slowly.

"Is it safe? What if the infected have gotten there?"

"Heard the isolated areas are still safe__"

"Where will you stay? Remember Judith has a baby on the way __"

"What choice do I have? If an outbreak occurs here __ I wouldn't be able to protect her."

Matthew rose slowly __ "I am guessing you have to prepare."

Collins rose nodding too. "I need your help__"

"What do you need?"

He leaned forward whispering in his ear.

Elsewhere (Abuja)

Taiwo Betiku fiddled with the collar of his pristinely starched white shirt watching as the makeup artists prepared the president for his speech. He looked worn out and harried, with great black bags under his eyes. Taiwo felt a little sorry for him. He looked like he hadn't slept in days.

There'd been numerous times he'd envied men with power, especially men with riches, but now, as he looked at him; he was glad he was just an ordinary citizen.

President Mahmud Abdusalam turned and waved him over. Taiwo sighed and walked over.

"You look terrible."

Taiwo chuckled. "You don't look that good yourself sir."

"I know __" His tired sigh came out in a breathless whoosh.

"When did you last sleep sir?"

"Thirty six hours ago ___ and counting."

There was a pause.

"What are you going to tell the people?"

"Not sure yet __ I'll make something up. I always do." There was something fatalistic about the way he said it.

He started to walk away followed by seven members of his security team. Taiwo let him reach the end of the corridor before he asked the question.

"Sir?"  
"Yes?" He said turning around.

"What about General Mako? Is he still fighting the infected?"

The president nodded and walked off to give his speech. Taiwo watched him till he disappeared from view and entered a side room a few feet to his left to watch the proceedings.

The landscape was sloppy and uneven. Three dozen soldiers crouched behind a large cluster of rocks piled on top of each other. A tall bulky looking man stood in front of the pack. He had binoculars aimed at the valley the slope overlooked. A small settlement filled its tiny confines. The slope they were on and another adjoining one nestled the settlement.

To the left was a wide path, one of two ways out of the valley. Hundreds of red glows marched on the wide path heading towards the settlement. Mako's eyes grew grim __ the infected were on the move. They could sense the uninfected.

"They're heading to the settlement. What do we do sir?"

Mako lowered the binoculars turning to face the muscled man behind him.

"We engage of course. Let's move."

More than two dozen rifles were cocked at once. The soldiers raced down the hill towards the horde.

An old man in his sixties staggered out of the shadowy confines of his dingy hut. He scratched his right butt cheek absentmindedly as he made for the bushes to the right. His bladder was threatening to explode. He knew the ten shots of palm wine he'd had earlier had been a mistake. Well that was what he got for his stubbornness. He was barely able to get his junk out of his black ragged trousers before he started squirting out his load.

He was so intent on what he was doing he didn't see the long line of red dots in front. It wasn't until he heard the crunch of more than two dozen footsteps that he looked up shocked to see the slurring, staggering forms heading his way.

The bright half moon slid out from behind the clouds showering the landscape with silvery light. Their scarred and extremely terrifying faces came into view. Their skins were blacker than tar and red greenish viscous liquid dribbled from their mouths. They looked at him with eyes that were red glows of hostile intent. He knew the look, one word encompassed it. DEATH!

The ones in front broke into a sprint. He yelled tearing towards the door of his hut. He glanced back shocked to see they were about two paces behind. His eyes grew grim. He wasn't going to make it. The bang seemed to come from far away. The infected reaching for his shoulder dropped like a log its head a red pulpy mass.

Ten others quickly followed. They dropped like flies before they reached him and in seconds he was inside the hut slamming the door shut behind him.

The uproar in the village grew. Villagers poured out of their homes in droves. They were herded in the opposite direction by a group of fifty soldiers. Another fifty engaged the infected streaking into the settlement.

A lone figure stood on the slope Mako and his men just left. He had large binoculars aimed at the horizon beyond the path. The black pupils that stared into the glass dilated and widened, in fear.

He raised the walkie talkie in the other hand to his lips. "Sir __" He stammered.

"What???" Mako's voice sounded sharp and harried.

"We can't save the village sir!"

"Why not?"

"There is a horde coming. We haven't the numbers to repel them."

A long sigh poured from the speaker of the walkie talkie. "Thank you for letting me know, over and out."

The walkie talkie was swiped out of his hand by a hard fist. He ducked the long shiny incisors by inches and put a bullet right between the infected man's eyes.

Two more surged forward with long arms extended. The long frizzy looking hair of both infected women made them look like hags out of a terrible horror movie.

He squeezed the trigger yelling out in alarm when it gave two loud clicks. The chamber was empty. He ducked low, grabbed the first one by the knees and tossed her over his shoulder like a bag of rice. He threw his elbow forward ramming it into the throat of the second. It gasped, the blow sending it back a few paces.

Pulling the sidearm off his belt he squeezed off two shots. The head exploded. He swung with the same motion squeezing off another two bursts. The second head became a circle stain on the ground.

He took several steps back ducking under the low roof of a small veranda. His cell phone came out in seconds.

"Yes General Mako?"

"We need an airstrike."

"Not sure that's possible __ the planes are engaging __"

"I don't care where they're engaging. We need one now."

There was a long pause.

"I'll see what I can do."

"Don't make me call the president. If that strike is not authorized the people here will die."

He hung up and shoved another magazine into his rifle his eyes drifting over the rapidly deteriorating situation in front. His eyes grew hard as he leapt back into the fray squeezing burst after burst of bullets.

# Chapter Three

The fighter jets wide wings cut through the smooth night air with engines screaming at mach two speeds. The settlement came into view, a small speck of dots, some of the dots red and fiery. The pilots activated the targeting system and waited to come into range. A minute later they did and the missiles went flying.

Mako blew his way through a dozen infected with a hand grenade. He raced up the slope and stopped, staring in shock at the tidal wave of infected streaking towards the town. There were at least eight hundred strong and they were coming fast.

He brought out his cell phone again. "Get everyone out Peter. We've lost this round."

"Yes sir __"

He lowered the phone as the screech of aircrafts engines rent the air. His eyes lit up; maybe there was hope after all. There was a loud swooshing sound and then the sky lit up at a point almost at the opposite horizon.

He raised his arm to shield it from the blinding glare. A high wave of fire engulfed the mass of running bodies. Mako's eyes widened when he saw how fast the fire was moving. He turned going into a fast sprint. His men and all the settlements inhabitants were racing up the next slope a mile away.

Picking up speed, he threw himself forward, rolling down the sloping landscape as the fire engulfed the settlement leaving nothing but ash in its wake.

" _My fellow Nigerians, this is a time of great turmoil. Evil spreads over our land like wildfire. Many of our brethren are dead, most without the right of a proper burial ___ the others__"_ He paused choking up, looking at the teleprompter. His Aide de camp gave him an encouraging nod. He swallowed and summoned the courage to continue.

" ____ the others walk the streets; part of the evil desperate to destroy us. We are at war. In the past, it was thought our enemies would come from outside. It never occurred to us that the enemy we fight today would be the tailor next door, our humble church going neighbour or even members of our own family. These are people we love and have a solemn duty to die for._

" _I am not here to offer platitudes or even excuses. Neither am I here to excuse the mistakes and lapses committed by my government. To put it bluntly we were careless, this was a two part problem. One, we didn't get the information on time. Two, we underestimated the deadliness of the virus and its frightening rate of infection._

" _Our brave soldiers are at this moment fighting to contain this scourge. As I speak, battalions are engaging hordes of infected trying to keep them contained to certain areas. To a certain extent we have succeeded. Our scientists have informed me a more effective and workable vaccine has been developed. We will be shipping it to all corners of the country soon. It is our hope this scourge will be over latest by Christmas._

So my fellow countrymen, I urge you to be strong, stay hidden and above all keep your faith up. We will overcome, do not fear. We will win."

"Do you think he feels bad about lying so blatantly?"

Jire swung around surprised to see Modupe standing behind him. She was a tall striking beauty dressed in a short tight fitting blue dress. He was so engrossed in the president's speech he hadn't even realized there was someone else in the house.

Dupe's mum had stepped out an hour ago. He didn't know the specifics; just something about going to the market to get food. He prayed she remembered to buy a lot, enough to last four months at least. The way things stood he didn't see the situation getting better anytime soon.

His eyes slowly focused and he drifted back to earth. Modupe had an impatient look on her face. She was probably waiting for some sort of response. Not having one to offer he simply shrugged. She smiled knowingly.

"They all lie. The stupid bastards! It's because of them we are in this mess in the first place."

He hated to agree with her but she was right. If they had been more expedient in their actions the virus might have been contained. The phone rang. He and Dupe exchanged troubled glances. She walked over picking it off one of the sofas.

"Yes?"

She paused smiling.

"It's your father."

He smiled, rising and walking towards her.

"Hello daddy__"

"Jire Bawo ni now? (How are you?")

"I am fine daddy. How are you and mummy?"

"We are both fine. But your mother is worried sick about you. When are you coming over?"

"The roads aren't safe daddy. We hear of attacks every day."

"Are you safe where you are?"

"Yes __ its real quiet here. Though am not sure for how long."

There was another pause.

"You be careful Jire. I wish you were here with us ___ if things improve try and get out to us as soon as possible."

"I will daddy. How are you and mummy doing? Is everything safe?"

"Yeah __ we've been keeping our ear to the ground. But so far there hasn't been any disturbance, beyond the usual at least. There've been rumours of a safe zone in the west ___ Idanre hills to be exact. Your mother and I are thinking that should things here deteriorate that's where we'll go."

"Sounds like a good plan. I will keep my ears down here too. Should things go bad, I'll make my way to you."

"Be safe Jire __"

"You too daddy."

The connection cut with a click and Jire sighed, feeling more alone than he'd ever felt in his life. He was so embedded in his thoughts he didn't hear Modupe walk forward, until he felt her warm fingers squeeze his shoulders.

"It's going to be ok Jire."

He sighed.

"I hope you are right dupe. I really hope you are right."

# Chapter Four

Wole took one look at Baba Adora's face and knew all was not well. He heard Tunrayo and his mother rise behind him. They knew this moment would come. But no one expected it to come so soon.

"We have to leave ___ NOW!"

His hard voice brooked no argument. Wole heard his mother tear into her room to get the bag that was packed there in preparation. They all had a prepared bag. Wole leaped to his feet and hurried to his room with Tunrayo following closely. Their bags were placed side by side. He picked both of them swinging them over his shoulder with some difficulty.

"My you are really playing the gentleman aren't you?" She said chuckling. Her voice sounded light and amused enough, but he could see the fear dancing in the depths of her eyes.

"We best hurry __"

She nodded making for the door. Baba Adora had his back to them staring out of the front door. His white ashoke (expensive Yoruba cloth) gown looked resplendent in the bright afternoon sunshine. The large white cane he leaned on was glowing, faintly.

"What about my uncle?" Anike (Wole's mum) asked in a quavering voice.

Baba Adora sighed. "We have to leave __ there isn't enough time to go look for him."

"Try his cell phone." Wole's voice was grim. He didn't like the man much, but that didn't mean he wanted something awful to happen to him either. Family was family whichever way you wanted to look at it.

"You know he rarely carries his phone." She snapped dialling his number. As expected the automated tone said 'the number you are trying to call is currently switched off. Please try again later __ thank you!'

"His phone is switched off."

Baba Adora gritted his teeth.

"If we don't leave now __ none of us will get out."

Wole, his mother and Tunrayo exchanged long earnest looks for a couple of seconds before striding for the door. Baba Adora sighed in relief and led the way.

He led them to the east of the settlement, away from the north which would have been their path if this was a normal day. They followed obediently. They'd long learned the wisdom of listening to his instructions.

Thick bushes rose up ahead __ there was a barely discernible path a few paces to the left. Baba Adora followed it walking at a brisk trot. They had to jog to keep up with him. The bushes ended thirty meters ahead. Baba Adora slowed, gingerly pushing through them. He gave a warning wave before he headed right, walking sideways.

Wole came out of the bushes shocked to see the steep drop falling hundreds of feet below. He edged after Baba Adora also giving Tunrayo and his mother a warning wave. Tunrayo came out next, followed slowly by his mother. A low whimper burst from her lips when she saw the drop.

Baba Adora whirled around giving a sharp shushing sound. His mother bit down on her lower lip to prevent more sounds from coming out. It was then they heard the loud terrified screams, punctuated by slurring growls. The infected were here.

"We must hurry __" Baba Adora whispered furiously.

They set off at a brisk trot, keeping as far away from the edge as they could. Baba Adora slowed after a few meters giving them another warning shush. They paused listening. It took a few moments but eventually they heard it.

Several dozen footsteps marching towards the settlement; there was a staggering quality to the sound. Tunrayo and Anike had their hands over their mouths while Wole attempted to take a step towards Baba Adora.

Baba Adora waved another warning glaring at him. He froze shivering. The footsteps moved towards the settlement and the sounds faded away. It all seemed quiet but Wole sensed something was amiss. He was proved right a few seconds later when the bushes a few inches away from his right cheek parted.

A thick muscled jaw came out; the jaw line covered with red and green mucus like material dribbling from both sides of the mouth. The nose came next and he saw the nostrils flare as the infected person took deep sniffs of the surrounding air. The eyes were invisible, hidden in the bush.

Wole swallowed barely managing to keep a scream in. He started to take a step back when Baba Adora waved violently instructing him to keep still. He obeyed, unsure how he managed to keep his limbs still.

The infected man sniffed three more times and headed back into the bush. Seconds later they heard his racing footsteps receding into the distance. What followed was absolute silence. Wole released his breath in a whoosh and hurried towards Baba Adora who started hurrying forward again. Tunrayo and Anike followed, quiet sobs shook Anike's shoulders. She knew her uncle was dead.

Idowu raised his head slowly peering out of the thick blades of elephant grass in front. Long lines of military vehicles lumbered on the deserted express road. They were headed to Lagos, no doubt reinforcements sent to try and restore order to the chaotic situation on the mainland. He didn't see them having much luck with it. According to what he'd been able to glean from the reports he listened to on his shortwave radio, things weren't looking good on the Lagos Mainland.

Not only were the infected running wild, radiation poisoning was rife, making many survivors very ill. It was a humanitarian nightmare. The Red Cross and WHO were using strong words. Words like genocide and mass murder.

The Secretary General of the United Nations visited the president in his Aso Rock villa a few weeks ago. Many said it was to scold him on his genocidal techniques. Since the situation on the world stage had also taken a turn for the worse, the international outrage had all but petered out.

Many states in the US lay in ruins. The military was still engaging what many were simply calling the darkness. The sad thing was most of these world powers, in-spite of their powerful weapons and such; were unable to destroy the darkness. It was like no matter how hard they hit it, the more powerful it became.

The rumour making the rounds now was countries like Russia, China and Germany were considering the nuclear alternative. He shivered just thinking about it. He couldn't bear to think what would happen if they did choose a nuclear response.

So with the turmoil around the globe, it was no wonder everyone was uninterested in the Evonso virus spread in Nigeria and neighbouring African countries.

A report said the darkness had overrun Libya. He didn't know how true that report was. He prayed it wasn't true. If it was __ he swallowed. The last vehicle drifted by and about ten minutes later everywhere was quiet. He rose keeping low and slunk deeper into the bushes. When he felt he'd reached a safe enough distance he took off running. The hill which served as his hideout rose in the distance. He made his way towards it as fast as he could.

The white helicopter slowly came in for landing on the wide expansive grounds of Aso Rock. Half a dozen mean looking soldiers waited to receive them with their weapons held at the ready. The pale faced doctor in the cabin sighed when she saw them.

The doors were opened as soon as it touched down and the soldiers surged in shinning UV style lights on their eyes. The infected tended to have extremely high body temperature. So temperature readings were the most reliable way of spotting an infected person.

Satisfied they helped her out while giving an all clear wave to four men standing some distance away. The men surged forward meeting her halfway. The one in the middle stretched out his hand for a handshake. She chose to ignore it.

"So you're here __" He growled fixing a hard look on her pale wan features. She wasn't beautiful, far from it. She couldn't even be characterized as pretty. She was just there; bland. She had one of those faces you forgot almost as soon as you saw them. And the dull lifeless way she dressed didn't help matters much either.

Her colours were all wrong, grey with brown that was more grey than anything else. Her shoes looked at least two sizes bigger than what she should wear and worst of all she had bags under her eyes.

"Yes I am __" Her disinterested gaze swept over them and she turned as more soldiers lugged a huge trunk out of the helicopter.

"Be careful with that __" She yelled.

They gave her long startled looks as they hurried to the main building. She set off at a brisk walk. The men hurried to catch up.

"Is the president ready to see me?" She barked as one fell into step with her.

"He is. Were you successful?"

She cast a hard look on him.

"My report is for the president and the president alone." Her tone was hard and unfriendly.

He nodded falling silent.

Taiwo sat in the president's office watching and listening as the president and ten of his advisors argued back and forth on the next step to take. He looked worriedly at the president's pale face. He prayed the man didn't collapse. He looked exhausted.

As the discussion started to get very heated there was a loud knock on the door. A cold silence fell over the room. The president looked livid. Who dared interrupt? He'd given explicit instructions not be disturbed.

"Yes??"

"Sir Doctor Kemisola is on the way to see you."

"Kemisola?? She is several days ahead of schedule."

"Yes __ and she has the vaccine."

Everyone started talking at once.

Thirty minutes later

The conference room was wide and oval shaped filled with thirty two people, most, members of president Abdusalam's cabinet and security. The mood around the round conference table was morose and subdued.

President Abdusalam sat at one end of the table while doctor kemisola was at the opposite end. They faced each other directly.

"So doctor Kemisola__ it's my understanding you have the vaccine."

"Yes __ it took a while __ but__" She shivered her eyes growing wan and vacant.

The men on the table exchanged troubled glances. When she remained silent after fifteen seconds Abdusalam leaned forward and spoke.

"Doctor ___ we are waiting __"

"Sorry __ drifted off a bit. Well like I said we have the vaccine, I have ten thousand shots here, more than enough for everyone here and some __" She paused drifting off again.

Abdusalam's eyes grew impatient. "What are your plans to administer it to the infected populace?"

"We haven't come up with a full proof plan yet sir. You'll agree it's going to be rather difficult because of their violent nature. I am proposing (and my counterparts in Ghana and Cape Town agree with me) we convert the vaccine to aerosols."

"Aerosol? You mean make a spray out of it?"

"In layman terms, yes! The vaccine I developed not only inoculates the uninfected from infection, but also cures the infected making the virus go into remission."

"Has it been tested properly? Is it viable? We wouldn't want a repeat of what happened at the Lagos Centre for Infectious Disease Control and Prevention. My men are still engaging those dark___ things with little success __"

"The vaccine has been well tested I assure you sir. We are confident the aerosol conversion process should be completed within a fortnight at most.

"A million shots are on the way to Lagos as we speak. We are replacing the bullets of the security agencies with tranquilizer like shots which can be administered on the field. Once shot, the infected will go unconscious. We estimate a five hour window from drug administration to cure. So we should have the virus under control within the next six months at the most, three once the aerosol form comes into effect."

Taiwo sighed in relief when he heard that. If what she said was true this was the first ray of sunshine they'd had in a long while. Maybe Nigeria could be saved after all. His thoughts for some strange reason drifted to the Evonso spirit and he shivered. He couldn't fathom why he was thinking about the vile creature now. It was responsible for the spread of the Evonso virus. Last he saw of it, it was running wild in Oraromi. Only God knew what it was planning now.

# Chapter Five

A thick cloud hung over Oraromi. The bright sunshine lighting up the sky unable to penetrate the darkened shroud hanging over everything; the streets were deserted, devoid of human or animal presence. Many buildings were destroyed, the result of the bombing campaign undertaken by the federal government in an attempt to contain the virus. It didn't work however.

A cold wind rustled through buildings scattering leaves which almost completely covered the town. The air reeked of abandonment and decay. Dark shadows flitted by every few seconds. They moved so fast it was almost impossible to see if you weren't paying close attention.

The intermittent growls and slurs were also impossible to ignore. It was like constant rumbling, throbbing like eerie background music. This got louder as you approached the town's outskirts. To the north lay the hills and the shrine.

The slurs and growls were louder here. So loud in fact it was almost unbearable to the eardrums. A pile of rubble lay in the centre of the hill cluster. It was the remains of the tallest hill which once housed the shrine; the Evonso spirit's prison.

A cloud of dust approached from the north of this rubble. From far off it appeared like a real big dust devil but as it got closer the dark shapes racing within became clear and evident. One shape was larger than the rest. It was over twenty feet tall, humanoid with glowing red eyes illuminating the gloom around it. Its long horns pointed skywards as if challenging it to some sort of duel.

The race towards town stopped as it screeched to a halt looking up at the sky as if seeing something only it could see. Hundreds of infected gathered around, looking in wonder and puzzlement.

It retained that rigid stance for almost five minutes before it let out a high pitched screech. The frequency was too high for human hearing. The sound carried, covering hundreds of miles in seconds. It kept up this screech for a total of thirty minutes before it stopped and continued its journey to Oraromi.

Elsewhere (Ghana)

Deep in the heart of Sekondi – Takoradi, a city comprising of twin cities (Sekondi and Takoradi) lay a ten story industrial complex. It was a tall monolithic structure with wide windows covered by reinforced steel bars. At first glance, a passerby could easily assume it was some sort of prison but that was far from the truth. The first five floors housed company offices, mostly advertising agencies and telecommunication call centres. The top three stories however were another matter. Very few knew it was a government research facility tasked with genetic research built in part by the USAID group. And even fewer knew it was one of three research facilities presenting converting the Evonso virus vaccine into aerosol form.

A dark skinned man in a long lab coat stood in the building's elevator with his head pressed against the wall. Sweat poured down his body in streaks and his eyes were a sickly grey colour.

The grey long sleeve shirt he wore under the lab coat was soaked around the abdomen area and he winced every time a piercing sensation came from it.

His thoughts were scattered, he couldn't remember much of anything. He barely remembered who he was. All he knew was he had the driving urge to enter the lab. Why he did made no sense and if anyone asked him he wouldn't be able to come up with an appropriate response.

If his scattered thoughts could be trusted he wasn't even supposed to be on duty today. He had three days free; a result of several shifts done for colleagues over the last two weeks.

The elevator gave a loud ding as the doors opened. He stepped into the long well lit corridor starting towards the round cylindrical shaped structure which served as the decontamination room.

The door slid open as he approached and he stepped in staggering. The decontamination process lasted a few seconds and the door opened from the other side.

He stepped into a wide room filled with four wide tables arranged side by side. Scores of men and women in white lab coats walked round these tables priming and topping the liquid swirling in hundreds of tiny vials. There was a door at the opposite end. He made for it waving greetings at some. Fortunately no one seemed to notice his wan sickly appearance.

The door opened with a whoosh leading into another long corridor. This one was wider and longer than the first. There was a door at the far end. Several people passed him but he didn't call out greetings to any of them, he kept to the shadows so no one noticed his sick look.

He eventually reached his target. A large room filled with two dozen cylinders. The word danger and explosive content was printed in large words on them. He walked to the largest one and tore off the pipe covering the valve. The effect was instantaneous. A sweet sickly scent filled the room.

He started to twitch like someone in the throes of an epileptic fit and collapsed on the cold floor.

'Not yet __' he thought to himself. He still had a job to do. Though why he had to do this was a mystery. It was like something compelled him to carry out this dastardly act.

The lighter came out in a flash. He took several deep breaths and lit it. His last thought was 'Wow! Look at how bright the world is.' And the next thing was absolute darkness.

South Africa (Same time)

A rotating cable car made the slow climb to the flat top of the imposing Table mountain. Tourists came here all the time to enjoy sweeping views of the city of Cape Town. From here you could see the busy harbour, boats heading for Robben Island which housed the notorious prison that once held Nelson Mandela; now a museum.

A man exited the cable car. He was alone. His superiors had seen to it no one was allowed up here today except him. He made his way to the extreme end of the mountain top. When he reached the edge he looked down. Nothing seemed out of place on the hard rock beneath. As he watched the rock surface slid apart and a steel ladder emerged. He took a deep breath and descended his hard muscles bulging against the black leather jacket he wore.

Two feet down he reached a steel pad about the side of his hand. He pressed it and the rock opened and he and the ladder slid into a wide passage way.

He stepped off with a grunt and walked right, a hard frown roughening his brow. There was a much easier way of entering this facility but his superiors weren't taking chances. Evonso virus outbreak at the foot of the mountain made the area teem with police and security presence, most of who weren't cleared for this place.

They planned to use the mountain as a vantage point to disperse the aerosol when it came online. All in good time __ all in good time he couldn't help thinking.

The beautiful Catherine Kachifo was there to greet him. She was one of the Nigerian researchers working on the project. The word was she reported directly to Doctor Kemisola. That was as high up as it got in his book.

"Welcome Donald __"

"Hello Catherine __ how goes the work?"

"We're almost there. A few more days at the most."

A thrill of impatience surged through him. She noticed.

"What's wrong?"

"I was hoping it was ready."

She gave him a long look.

"I did say a few days didn't I?"

"You did but__"

"But what?"

"We have a security concern. The labs in Sekondi and Cairo just went dark."

"But those are the two other places working on the aerosol dispersal."

"Exactly! So you can see why I am here."

"What happened?"

"We don't know. Both places went up in smoke. Security agencies are still trying to ascertain if it was a terrorist attack or something else."

"When you say something else what do you mean?"

He shrugged. She opened her mouth to ask another question when the loud explosion of gunfire rent the air.

"What the hell is happening?"

"I should be asking you __" He growled pulling out his sidearm. "Stay here." He yelled making his way towards the noise.

He smelt the smoke long before he reached the disturbance. Even if he hadn't the red glow at the end of the hall was still a dead giveaway. The screams and shouts were ear splitting. He coughed as a bit of smoke entered his lungs.

The wide area which had once been a large clean room/research floor was in disarray. Bodies littered the floor, some torn in half. Five security guards stood at the far corner firing at something he could not see. He hurried towards them keeping as low as he could. There was a flash and one of them screamed disappearing into thin air. His footsteps slowed considerably and he raised his gun.

A deluge of crimson poured from the roof followed by two large chunks of flesh. Bile rose in his throat. It was the security man's top and bottom half. The dark shape dropped once again crouched in a corner. It rose slowly standing at over nine feet tall with long limbs and six inch claws extended. His eyes widened in fright when he saw it. Could this be? Could it be? What did the Nigerian populace call it again? He took aim his finger slowly tightening around the trigger.

"No__!" The word was spat out in a furious whisper.

He turned startled to see Catherine Kachifo crouched beside him. She must have really quiet feet. He hadn't heard her approach.

"What are you doing here?" He whispered angrily. "Do you want to get yourself killed?"

"Do you? Let's go back __ it hasn't seen us yet."

"I have it in my sights. I could drop it easy."

"Not with that slingshot you can't. I know what that thing is and the gun you have in your hand can't kill it. You need something bigger."

"How much bigger?"

"Like four times a shotgun bigger. That thing there is a darkling; a result of the mutation of the first vaccine. It doesn't have great visual acumen. So if we leave now we might just escape with our lives."

Donald flinched as it seized another guard ripping his head off his shoulders. "I can't just leave them __"

"If you stay here Donald you'll die. Trust me on this. When we get to safety we can ask the government to send in the military."

Watching its highly efficient killing method as it dispatched a third guard, he wisely decided to take her advice. He turned giving her a nod. They pulled back slowly, heading back the way he came with the loud screams and frightening gunshots ringing in their wake.

Lagos (Mainland)

The armoured vehicle rumbled towards Ojota shaking the dozen men huddled inside it rather badly. Two more vehicles followed and the men inside those primed and checked their weapons.

The trucks were of the newer variety, retrofitted to deal with the radiation poisoning now rife on the mainland. It was sealed off from the outside world with its own air dispersal system. No outside air was allowed into its cabin.

The men had grim looks on their faces looking uncertainly at the new guns in their possession. It had a huge cylindrical chamber which housed the vaccination darts and could be clipped on the bottom of the long barrel.

The truck shook as the driver began to slow down. "Masks on men!" They reached for their masks and slid it on clasping it tight like they'd been taught.

"There are a bunch of infected not far away. This is a test run. We want to see how effective the vaccine is on the field. They say it's been well tested in the lab but we know what happened with the last vaccine that was sent to us. It brought us the darklings. So we must be careful and vigilant. Is that understood?"

"YES SIR!" They yelled in unison.

The sound had barely petered out when the truck stopped and the doors slid open automatically. A green haze filled the air. They were parked in a Total petrol station beside what used to be Ojota motor park.

The leader leaped out first. As he said there were about seventy infected a few yards in front. He raised his rifle and fired a quick burst. The dart struck the closest infected in the neck and it went down immediately snoring peacefully.

Courage filled the hearts of the men behind when they saw that and they raised their weapons firing long steady bursts. The infected dropped like flies. Dozens of infected men and women lay in scattered heaps and piles, breathing very deeply. When they had all of them down, they were on the verge of celebrating when a loud slurring rumble shook the air.

The leader headed further down. What he saw made him stop and start to shake.

"Fall back __" Were his only words as he took to his heels heading back the way they came. His man paused and took a good look at what was coming and froze swallowing. They took to their heels racing after their boss as a tidal wave of infected swept down Ikeja Along racing towards them.

A dozen rotor blades shattered the calm a mile away; in the direction the soldiers were headed. They looked up as they ran shocked to see half a dozen helicopters headed their way.

These helicopters swept past them heading towards the wave of infected. The guns on the sides flared as the soldiers opened fire, showering the mass of infected humanity with volley after volley of vaccination darts. These helicopters were gifts from the UN; as were the pilots.

Dozens dropped. The helicopters made pass after pass. After sixteen passes they'd dropped barely a third. A sound on the radio brought their attention up short.

" _Pack it up __ you've done all you could. Ground troops will sweep at night to pick up the cured. Mission is a success, we've established the vaccine works."_

"But sir __ we can still make some more passes __" The lead pilot began slowly.

" _Pack it up soldier! That's an order. It will be dark soon and we need you to return to base. Is that understood?"_

"Yes sir __"

" _Good!"_ and the connection was cut.

# 

# Chapter Six

Taiwo followed the big bulky men headed to the president's quarters to give him the bad news. Usually he wouldn't even be allowed near the man but since his return from Oraromi the president insisted he never leave his side. Why? He honestly did not know. For some strange reason the man seemed to think he was effective but he somehow doubted that.

He hadn't succeeded in any mission he'd been sent on. He didn't succeed in capturing patient zero; neither did he get a blood sample from him. All he did in both instances was to survive while the tough war hardened soldiers sent with him died like cattle. Perhaps that was why the man respected him. Maybe cos he survived when more trained people could not. It got him wondering sometimes.

The door opened before they reached it. Five heavily armed men stood inside his expansive quarters giving the visitors hard glances. The president snored quietly many meters away. Taiwo couldn't stop a quiet gasp from leaving his lips when he saw how big the man's bed was. It was the size of a small continent when compared with his, stuffed in a tiny apartment in the chaos that was now Lagos.

"We have to wake him __" The lead escort barked at the stony faced guard towering over him.

"What's this about?"

"Wetin you think e dey about?" The leader snapped switching to Pidgin English. "It's about the disease and the vaccine. Now would you please wake him up so we can give him the information?"

Both men exchanged hard glares. Taiwo shifted uneasily, praying with all his heart that the situation did not degenerate into a free for all. The guard eventually backed away heading to the president's bed. They waited, watching as he tapped him gently. He didn't stir. It took four hard shakes before he was able to rouse him. Taiwo felt sorry for waking him. He needed to sleep. Unfortunately, it couldn't be helped.

Abdusalam's eyes narrowed when he saw them standing by the door. His gaze grew troubled. Rising quickly, he hurried towards them.

"What is it?"

The leader swallowed and spoke.

"The research facilities in Ghana, Cairo and Cape Town have been destroyed."

"WHAT???!!!"

"I am afraid so sir."

"What happened?"

"We are not sure __ security operatives are still investigating."

"All of them! At the same time!! This can't have been a coincidence."

"We don't think it is sir."

"What about the vaccine? Were they able to complete the conversion process?"

"I am afraid the vaccine was completely destroyed in Ghana and Cairo. No aerosol was developed in either place. "

Abdusalam's eyes narrowed.

"What happened in Cape Town?"

"It was attacked and destroyed as with the other places. But fortune smiled on us __"

"Explain_"

"Well one of the South African security agents found his way to the research facility just before the attack. He managed to escape the facility with a cylinder of completed vaccine aerosol."

"Was he the only survivor?"

"No __ one of the lead researchers got out with him. The aerosol hasn't been certified for testing yet. They were going to test it over the next couple of days__"

"So in effect __" Abdusalam growled interrupting. "__ that is the only vaccine in aerosol form that we have."

"Yes sir it is."

"Can it be duplicated?"

"Dr Kemisola seems to think it can __"

"Can it be done here?"

They exchanged troubled glances.

"What is it?"

"Well __ it can be done here __ in Nigeria __ but only in one place."

"And where is that?" Abdusalam asked his heart filling with dread. He suspected he wasn't going to like what he was about to hear.

"The Lagos Centre for Disease Control and Prevention."

"But Lagos is a death zone!"

"So you see the problem sir."

A long silence engulfed their ranks.

"Where is Doctor Kemisola now?"

"In her quarters resting."

"Get her to the conference room immediately."

"Very good sir __"

"And get me General Mako on the phone." He growled striding for the door of his wardrobe where his robe was hanging.

"General Mako is on the field sir leading the troops to contain the horde of infected."

"You think I don't know that?" Bring him in immediately I have a more important assignment for him. Is that clear?"

"Crystal sir!"

"Good! Now get to it."

The men cleared the room fast. Taiwo brought up the rear.

General Mako had a large binoculars pressed to his face as he watched the chaotic scene unfold before him. Thousands of infected raced down a wide grass covered plain heading towards the two thousand strong military force he commanded.

The three tanks he brought on this engagement rumbled out of the midst of his soldiers. They stopped ten feet in front, their long guns swinging into position. His order to fire was a simple nod.

The crack of the tanks guns going off at once deafened every man present. A cloud of fire blanketed the slope raising a searing cloud to the heavens. The tanks pounded the slope for ten minutes before he gave the order to stop.

It took another five minutes for the wind to blow the smoke away. Piles of mangled, burnt and bloody corpses littered the ground covering a five mile radius.

The roar of rotor blades made he and his soldiers look up. A military helicopter was coming in for landing. One the helicopter's occupants had a white lab coat on. A doctor __ that didn't bode well.

It landed, scattering dust and sand everywhere. Mako walked forward swinging his rifle over his shoulder. The doctor alighted, quickly heading his way.

"General Mako?"

"That's me!" Mako shouted yelling to be heard over the screeching rotor blades.

"The president needs you to come in."

"What for? The north east as you can see __" He began making a sweeping motion across the corpse riddled plain. "__ is overrun with these things. We are the only thing standing between them and the uninfected population. If we leave __"

"General sir __ I think you misunderstood me. The president isn't asking your troops to pull out. He wants you to come with me. He has a very important assignment for you."

"Why didn't he call me himself?"

"I am not sure you've noticed, but we've been having increased problems with our communication network. The virus spread has affected civilian communication. Its effectiveness is now down to fifteen percent."

"What is the job?"

"Come! I'll tell you about it on the way."

Mako paused turning to face his second in command, a beefy scar faced behemoth with dull bloodshot eyes.

"You are in charge Mustapha. I'll be back as soon as I can." He nodded slowly barking out a sound which Mako assumed to be affirmation.

He and the doctor raced to the helicopter and clambered in. The helicopter took off heading in a westward direction.

# Chapter Seven

"Why are you looking at me like that sir?" Taiwo asked shifting uncomfortably under the president's intense scrutiny.

"I have something to tell you which I am not sure you're going to like."

"What is it sir?" Taiwo growled. Though he suspected what the president wanted to say.

"I want you to go with General Mako to the Lagos Centre for Disease Control and Prevention."

His heart fell. Even though he expected it, it was still a shock to hear it said out loud. His heart started to race and he could have sworn he heard the sound of loud slurring growls.

"Are you alright Taiwo, you look a little pale __"

"It's nothing sir __ I am just a little tense; didn't realize I'd be facing those things again so soon."

"If you'd rather not go __"

Taiwo was about to be relieved when he looked deeply into the president's eyes. He could make it out to seem he had a choice in the matter but he could see he was going whether he liked it or not.

"No problem sir __ I'll go."

"Am glad __" was it his imagination or did his voice sound rather brittle.

"Just for clarity sir __ why am I being included in this mission? Aren't there people more qualified than me?"

"Well yes __ there are more qualified people but no one has more experience with these creatures than you do. Plus you seem to lead a charmed life. If this goes south I need to be sure at least one person will get out with the aerosol in play. You think you can do that?"

"I'll give it my best shot sir __"

"Good! I couldn't ask for more than that."

Silence drew out between them. Silence that Kemisola broke just as it was becoming uncomfortable. The sigh that burst from her lips was so loud it wasn't dissimilar to a cry.

Nine other people in the conference room gave her long pointed looks. She ignored them, her gaze long and distant, obviously entrenched in her thoughts.

"If you don't mind my asking sir __ what's her story?"

"Dr Kemisola?"

"Yes." Taiwo growled still glaring at her.

"I don't know. Some sort of tragedy, not sure of the details. She's a very private person."

"How did she start working on the Evonso problem?"

"It's a long story. After the failure of the first vaccine and the emergence of the darkling's; we sort of lost the help of our foreign allies. I held dozens of meetings with members of the African Union (AU). We decided to pool our resources together, the result being manpower; funding and scientific knowledge sharing would be employed.

"She was working with WHO at the time stationed in South Africa. She got in touch with us having had two months to study the virus and the rest they say is history.

"I must say we were quite fortunate to have her with us at all. She is directly responsible for the perfection of the vaccine. We'd barely have scratched the surface without her."

Abdusalam opened his mouth to continue when the door of the conference room was thrown open and General Mako walked in escorted by five members of the president's security team.

"Mr President __" He growled hurrying towards Abdusalam with a bow and hand outstretched.

Abdusalam took his arm in a firm handshake and pointed at the chair beside him. He sank into it slowly giving Taiwo a nod.

"So sir __ what was so important that you had to remove me from the front?"  
"There has been a development, a complex development. Doctor Kemisola will fill you in."

His eyes drifted around. "Where is the good doctor?"

"Right here!" She snapped rising to her feet. His deep penetrating gaze lingered as she walked over stopping a few feet away.

"You and your men have to get me into the Lagos Centre for Disease Control and Prevention."

His eyes grew wide at that and he turned facing the president. "She's joking right?"

Abdusalam shook his head slowly. Mako took a deep calming breath and leaned forward.

"Sir __ with all due respect __ Lagos is __" He paused, appearing deep in thought.

"Yes __" Abdusalam prompted raising one eyebrow.

"__ how do I put this __ Lagos is a dead zone. I wouldn't bet on a mosquito being safe there at the moment. You weren't there on the ground sir. What the bomb the Israeli's dropped didn't kill, the radiation did. And what survived will kill anything that moves on those streets. The vaccination darts is all good in itself but how do we administer it to that horde?"

"That's why it's imperative we succeed in this mission General__" Kemisola interrupted. "We have an aerosol form of the vaccine in our possession. What that means is, with enough of it we can spray the air over areas infested by the infected curing thousands in one swoop."

"So what's stopping you? Why don't we organize an airborne mission and spray what you have over the Lagos mainland?"

"Because what we have will not be enough to cover a land area as wide as that__

"We need to get into the LCDCP building so I can make more."

"How much more do you think you'd be able to make with the materials on site? And how long do you think it will take you?"

"I am not sure __ five, maybe ten hours!"

"Five to ten hours!!!" Mako yelled leaping to his feet. "Are you insane? Even if it was just a get in and get out mission it'll still be too risky to stay longer than thirty to forty minutes at the most. And you want us there for five to ten hours? Tell me you've been taking your medicine!"

The room grew ice cold at Mako's outburst. He stiffened as he heard Abdusalam rise, turning slowly.

"You have to learn to control yourself General." Abdusalam growled his eyes as hard as granite.

"You don't understand sir __ neither of you have seen these things in action. If there was one in this room, I wouldn't feel comfortable even with the five or so plus guards we have in here. And I have it on good authority that it's not just infected we have running around the mainland we have the darkling's too."

He paused, his eyes drifting to Taiwo who kept his peace throughout the entire exchange.

"Ask him __ he knows what I am talking about. Do you think it's wise being at the LCDCP longer than a few minutes at most?"

Taiwo sighed taking a deep breath. "I'd prefer if you didn't drag me into this General."

"Well you are part of it Taiwo __ so you best say what's on your mind." It was Abdusalam speaking this time.

He coughed nervously and spoke. "I think the General is right __ for us to stay on site for longer than a few minutes at once is tantamount to committing suicide___"

Mako turned smiling smugly.

"___ however __ the aerosol vaccine might be the only way we can stop this. I don't think we have a choice. We have to risk it."

It was Kemisola's turn to level a smug gaze on Mako's thunderous face.

"You all don't realize the enormity of what you're attempting to do. I have fought these things longer than any one of you, and am telling you with the state of things on the mainland doing what you want us to do will be a near impossible task. If we were fighting the infected alone, I'd say we have the smallest smudge of a chance. But add the darkling's to the mix __" He paused shuddering.

"Stop complaining and tell us how many men you need for this mission." Abdusalam snapped.

" __ in my honest opinion we need an army." He returned grumpily.

"I don't think we should go with a whole battalion of soldiers __" Taiwo piped up. "Why not go small? Two or three helicopters filled with soldiers, which should be close to eighteen soldiers plus the good doctor and I. We could fly in from different directions, thus increasing the likelihood of at least one party succeeding.

"Is there another doctor capable of carrying out the conversion process?" He asked facing Kemisola.

She nodded slowly.

"Then its settled __ one doctor on each helicopter. We'll enter the LCDCP from two points, each party converging at the lab. Whoever gets there first begins the conversion process."

They exchanged approving glances.

"Well done Taiwo __" Abdusalam gushed. "That's a very good plan."

He shivered suddenly wishing he hadn't said anything. His legs started to shake. He'd barely got away from these things the last time. Maybe he was pushing his luck. Perhaps this time wahala (trouble) would finally catch up with him.

"You have your orders General Mako. Prep your men and ready the helicopters. You leave in thirty minutes."

Mako's angry gaze locked with Abdusalam's troubled one. Mako lowered his gaze after six seconds and headed for the door. Taiwo, Kemisola and three of the president's security guards quickly followed suit.

# Chapter Eight

Taiwo frowned as he pulled down the edge of the bullet proof vest he wore which was digging into his chin. He didn't know what was wrong with it. Maybe it was a size too big. It seemed to fit when he was standing but immediately he sat down as he did now it poked his chin.

The roar of the rotor blades powering up was a dull throb in his ears. His heart raced like an express train. This was it __ he looked around examining the cabin. If he was a betting man he'd swear most wouldn't make it back. The seated men seemed to have the same thought because they all had frightened looks on their faces.

He sat beside the window. He watched the other helicopter powering up.

"You look like you're about to mess your pants."

Kemisola's voice had a laughing quality to it. Only problem was, her face was still as expressionless and stoic as ever.

"Only a fool wouldn't be afraid. I don't think you're a fool so I'd advise you DO be afraid. Mako is right __ I have seen these things in action, the worrisome thing is their numbers. Don't take this venture lightly otherwise you might not survive it."

"And you think I haven't seen them in action?"

"Have you?" His voice was hard and challenging.

She sniffed turning away. Incensed he continued staring out the window.

Mako sat in front with the pilot, he gave the signal and the helicopter took off. The second one followed and they increased speed, streaking westwards towards Lagos.

Idowu looked up sniffing the air. It smelt wet, dank even. Rain was coming. A lightning bolt flashed as if in affirmation. It was followed by a rumble of thunder. He wasn't wrong __ rain was coming. And he hadn't gotten the supplies he hid a few miles into the forest.

He didn't like leaving his food in one place. He looked round the tiny cave. He'd been living here for over a month undiscovered by soldiers or the infected.

He'd come across one or two exploring the forest, fortunately none had come here. But to tell the truth he didn't know how long his good luck would last. He'd come to terms with the fact that in the very near future he might have to abandon this hill and the myriad of caves within it. So just to be on the safe side he'd left caches of food scattered across the forest in a five mile radius, mostly non perishable items like biscuits, indomie noodles, uncooked spaghetti. Yeah he'd raided a downed army vehicle. The headless man in it sure had no use for it.

What floated his boat were the many rounds of ammunition and guns he found stacked inside. He could defend himself from the infected quite well now.

The thunder rumbled again snapping him out of his thoughts. Everywhere appeared darker than usual. He stood up. If he didn't go out now, he might not go at all. And that meant going hungry tonight. He reached down and picked up his semi automatic rifle. He examined it for a few seconds before slinging it over his right shoulder.

If he saw any game he might take another shot. Though he hadn't had much success the two dozen other times he tried. Perhaps today might be his lucky day __ he snorted. He seriously doubted it. With his luck he probably had more chance shooting himself in the foot than getting any game. But like they said ___ if at first you don't succeed __ his thoughts drifted as he took off into the forest at a run.

He kept up the sprint for almost ten minutes before he slowed going into a more leisurely jog. It was almost pitch black. Drops of rain started to fall. He went into a sprint again. His cache wasn't far, a half mile at best.

He wasn't sure when he started to hear the sounds. The hint of a growl here, a slur there and a crack, as a twig snapped underfoot. He slowed his pace pulling the rifle from his shoulder, eyes glinting with fear.

They were here ___ all around him ___ in the trees. The heavens opened, rain fell in sheets, he could barely see a thing. Twirling around in a half circle, a shudder ran down his spine when he saw more than a dozen glows light up in the dark. He crouched low, deciding then and there that it was time to return to the safety of the cave; if he could make it that is.

Firing a quick burst straight ahead, he turned, racing back the way he'd come. For a few precious seconds, he was relieved to hear no sound of pursuit. His relief was short lived however when he heard the thunder of more than two dozen footsteps racing after him.

The rain became heavier, the earth bogged up and mud slid down the slightly sloppy landscape. It was becoming difficult to run. He prayed he wouldn't fall. The running feet were getting closer. He glanced left and saw a deep hollow a few feet away filled with water and mud.

Reaching a decision he leapt to his left, sinking knee deep into the mud. A cluster of tree branches hid his body from view. He tried to remember what the radio stations and documentaries said about the infected. The authorities weren't sure they responded to smell. If they did he could only pray the mud would mask his scent.

They stopped ten feet away from the tree he cowered behind. Their heads were lifted as if searching for something amongst the stars. The biggest who wore a tattered blue suit stepped out from their ranks. His nose was held high and he kept sniffing intermittently as if trying to catch a scent.

Idowu held his breath. This was the moment of truth. The moment he found out if they could smell him. It wasn't looking good so far. The infected man turned, his dull red eyes fixed in his direction.

Idowu held his breath, his heart raced as if it wanted to explode from his chest. The man took a step forward. Idowu's fingers tightened around the gun as he prepared to fire.

The roar of rotor blades intruded on the sound of falling raindrops. For a second he felt he'd imagined it until he saw the infected react too. They screeched loudly for fifteen seconds before they took off, racing in a northwards direction leaving a cold silence in their wake.

Idowu waited almost twenty minutes before he summoned the courage to come out from behind the tree. Taking a deep breath, he swung his rifle over his shoulder looking up at the cloud covered sky for a few seconds before racing back to the camp.

Thirty minutes later

He took the long narrow corridor like opening in the centre of the hill at a sprint, passing the cave he called home and making his way to the top where the outcrop jutting out of the hill was.

He reached it in moments. Pulling small binoculars from his cavernous breast pocket, he raised it looking eastwards towards the Lagos Mainland.

The helicopter swept towards one of the tallest buildings. Several dark shapes approached from the west leaping from building to building. They were big and bulky, much bigger than any infected he'd ever seen.

Bright tracer rounds spat from the helicopter showering the building walls with bullets. Hundreds of bullets struck these dark shapes but didn't stop them.

They closed the distance in a flash and leapt up. Everything went in slow motion. Three of the creatures smashed into the side of the helicopter and it plummeted streaking towards the roof of a smaller building.

A mushroom cloud lit the sky as it struck. He heard the faint boom of the explosion and sighed. What the hell were they doing flying over Lagos? Didn't they realize it was a dead zone? He couldn't help feeling sorry for the poor bastards in the helicopter. Sighing deeply, he turned returning to his cave. If memory served him well he should still have a couple of biscuits in his back pack. They'd probably be soft by now but he really didn't have a choice. If he was wrong and the back pack was empty, he'd have to go hungry. Go figure __ at least he was alive, unlike those idiots in that downed helicopter.

Taiwo slowly came to, the roars and screams ringing out around him seemed to come from far away. His gun lay a few feet away. He reached for it and rose, staggering before he found his balance. Loud familiar cries rang out ahead. He looked up raising an arm to shield his eyes from the heat and fiery glare of the helicopter's smouldering remains. The mask on his face was tight and uncomfortable. They all wore one. Radiation poisoning was still a real and present danger.

Kemisola was perched on the edge of the building's roof. An infected woman approached slowly her eyes shining with hostile intent. Taiwo raised the gun firing twice. The woman's head turned to a red pulpy mass.

Kemisola shot a look of gratitude his way but he didn't have time to process it. Gunshots rang out behind the burning helicopter. He couldn't see who was firing. Where was Mako? He prayed the hardened bastard wasn't dead.

Ducking low, he raced round the burning chopper screeching to a halt when he saw Mako and two of his men firing at a group of ten infected closing in on them. He tried not to ponder on the fate of the four men also in the helicopter with them.

Before he could dwell on that further, four darkling's approached from the north yelling their fury into the pouring rain. His eyes drifted to the rocket launcher lying a few feet away. He raced forward, picked it up and took aim.

It bucked as the missile spat out of the launcher. The fiery end streaked faster than a bullet embedding itself in the side of the building. There was a massive explosion and a maelstrom of fire, concrete and steel erupted in a thick cloud showering the ground below with debris.

The roar of the darkling's faded as they plummeted disappearing into the gloom. Mako turned with an incredulous look on his face.

"We best get a move on __ we don't have time."

"No we don't __" Another soldier said grimly. They turned facing where his eyes were cast. He faced a westward street stretching into the distance. Innumerable infected raced towards the building they were on. The din of their screeches was unbearable to the ears.

Taiwo turned taking off at a run. He reached Kemisola's side in seconds and grabbed her arm pulling her towards the door leading into the building.

He paused for the briefest of seconds to fire a round at the lock. It shattered as the bullet struck it. The door opened with a grating groan. Flinching, he ducked in with his weapon raised.

Several steps in, he was incensed to discover Kemisola wasn't following. He was on the verge of yelling for her when she ran in clutching the silver cylinder of prototype vaccine.

"I was afraid we lost that __" He growled.

"If we did __ getting to the LCDCP would be a complete waste of time wouldn't it?"

He nodded in agreement moving forward quickly. A bright light burst came on behind. Mako surged to the front holding a halogen lamp.

"I am not going to ask where you got that."

Mako didn't even glance his way. The long corridor ended at a staircase. He paused for the briefest of seconds before starting down taking them two at a time.

Taiwo followed, his movements stiff as he readied himself to dive in front of Kemisola if need be. If she died or turned to an infected it was more or less over. He doubted the assistant doctor in the other helicopter could see the aerosol production process to completion.

Mako held up his left arm in warning. They froze, their hands tightly clenched on their weapons; prepared to start squeezing if they heard or saw something underhand. The sound of faint slurs reached their ears. They waited some more. It faded out, eventually disappearing.

Mako started to move again. Taiwo moved closer, getting as close as he could without actually running into him.

"How far do you think we are from the LCDCP?"

"At least two kilometres."

"Jesus Christ! We're dead!" A soldier piped up from behind.

"Shut up!" Mako snapped in a furious whisper.

The staircase ended. They were on the ground floor. Mako peered around the side of the wall. The foyer was empty. He stepped out, slowly. A terrifying roar rang out behind and an infected leaped out of the gloom, its sharp incisors aimed for his throat.

The shot came so close to his left ear he was momentarily deafened. The bullet blew a hole the size of a ping pong ball in the infected woman's head and she fell backwards plummeting like a stone into the darkness behind. Taiwo lowered his gun slowly willing his racing heart to slow its beating.

"Thanks!" Mako growled heading towards the door leading into the street.

He paused with his hand on the aluminium frame.

"What?"

"Once we exit these doors run like hell. Is that clear?"

They nodded, their muscles tense as they prepared. He took a deep breath and pushed the door open. He took off running, heading in an eastward direction.

Taiwo followed. Kemisola came behind and three other soldiers followed, one of whom was carrying the cylinder. They didn't know how long they ran, the fortunate thing was they met no infected on the way.

The tall imposing gates of the Lagos Centre for Disease Control and Prevention came into view. It looked abandoned, with grass already starting to grow around the gate posts.

Mako paused at an intersection his back pressed against the side of a building to his right. The street ahead was empty, devoid of human or infected movement. Cars littered the street. Most had thick films of dust covering their surfaces. They'd obviously not been driven in a while.

He took a deep breath and glanced round the edge of the wall he was leaning against. Scattered dots of infected stood at varying points, their backs facing him. They had this twitchy uncoordinated movement about them. He took a deep breath and turned facing the others.

"What do you see? Is it clear?"

He shook his head slowly taking another deep breath. Their eyes fell at his words.

"So what do we do now?"

"Not sure __ I am hoping we can sneak by without alerting them to our presence."

"Are you mad? Aren't they looking in our direction? Of course they will see us."

The glare Mako sent her way would have floored most men. Sadly, Kemisola wasn't most men. She was a woman and a no nonsense one at that.

"They've got their backs to us OBVIOUSLY! I wouldn't have suggested it otherwise."

"You don't have to use that tone with me ___ just asking is all."

Mako's face started to blacken with rage. Sensing an explosion Taiwo instantly stepped in.

"We should go then __ am sure you all agree that the sooner we get what we want the faster we get out of here."

Mako glared at him as he counted to three on his fingers. Once his third finger went up he darted onto the road, crouching low he ran to the gate.

Taiwo took a deep breath and raced after him. The others followed keeping as low as they could. The infected remained stationary their eyes facing the sky as if awaiting instructions from a heavenly being.

He reached the gate sliding his arm through the space between the bars to reach the bolt. It was open. His hand slid up stopping at the cold hard chain wrapped around it.

'Now what could they do? Shooting the chain would work. The only snag with that idea was the infected would be on to them like white on rice.' They had to consider other options.

"Maybe we could climb the gate."

Mako paused looking thoughtful. Maybe they should. They simply had to get into the lab by all means necessary and start cooking the vaccine.

He stepped forward running his arms around the lock of the gate. His hands circled around the lock. Besides the chain there was nothing else. Still looking thoughtful he reached forward pushing the gates. The gate swung open noiselessly.

They exchanged relieved looks and snuck in. Mako went in first, waiting till the others had gone through before he closed the gate as carefully and quietly as he could.

# Chapter Nine

Taiwo led the way this time. The drive leading to the hospital's main entrance was long and windy. Wide expanses of carpet grass covered grounds stretched off on either side.

They broke into a jog. Taiwo reached the main building first. He froze when he took a good look at it. The paintwork was scratched with long gashes in the underlying concrete.

Every window in the upper stories was smashed. The concrete around the front of the building was stained, smeared with what looked disturbingly like dried blood.

"What do you think happened here?" Kemisola asked, her whisper shattering the quiet stillness hanging over everything.

"Madness!" he growled heading for the door hanging drunkenly on its hinges.

He pushed it aside and stepped into the foyer raising his halogen lamp high. The foyer was empty. Mako gave the elevators a cursory glance before heading for the staircase on the left.

"Aren't the elevators working?" her words were like a shout in the absolute silence.

Mako froze taking several deep breaths to calm himself.

"Have you heard anything since we walked in?"

She shook her head slowly.

"I am glad we agree on that ___ so do you think the building has ___ well I don't know ___ ELECTRICITY??!!!"

Her eyes hardened. She was tempted to give him a what for but changed her mind. Fighting him would serve no purpose, it was counterproductive. Not when they had the pressure of the vaccine production to worry about.

He'd been hoping his words would incense her to the point of lashing out so he could give her a piece of his mind. Unfortunately, she didn't, which was more galling for him.

He climbed the stairs taking them two at a time.

"Don't you think you should slow down? Those things might be up there."

"I know they're here. That's why I am hurrying. I want to kill as many of them as possible."

"With all due respect Mako this isn't a video game where you play the action hero. In the real world people die. They don't just power up using an extra life they bought in some far away fantasy place. This is real. If you don't realize this none of us will make it out alive."

His peace said, Taiwo pushed past him heading down a hall leading to the R&D department where the vaccine was going to be produced.

"Speaking of power, we're going to need to find and start the generator. We can't produce the vaccine without electricity."

A grim look came on Mako's face. "We best split up when we reach the research and development lab."

The corridor stretched off into the distance. A staircase leading up lay at the end. They took it slowly with their weapons raised. There was a scuffling sound coming from the top.

Taiwo reached the top first. An infected man lay in front of the closed double doors. He was gasping and twitching as if in the throes of death. Taiwo walked forward aiming his weapon.

"NO!!" Mako barked hurrying over. "If you fire your weapon you'll alert the others to our presence."

"So how do I kill it?" Taiwo asked looking very impatient.

"Allow me __" he swung his rifle over his shoulder and walked towards it pulling a razor sharp knife from his belt. Kemisola turned away looking squeamish as the knife slid into the man's skull. The scuffling sound stopped instantly.

Her eyes drifted upwards resting on the sign which had the words 'Research and Development' written on it.

"Seems like we've found it__" Her voice like her body was shaking.

Mako reached up pulling at the crack between both doors. It didn't budge. Taiwo tapped him on the shoulder pointing at the keypad on the right side. It needed electricity to open.

"Where is the generator?"

"Downstairs __ back of the building."

He sighed facing his men. "Taiwo! You and the doc remain here. Me and the others will try and find that generator. Keep her safe Taiwo. Cos if she dies or turns ___" his voice drifted off. Seconds later, he and his men were gone, disappearing into the gloom leading down the staircase.

Taiwo and kemisola exchanged locked gazes. "You think they'll make it?"

Her voice was still shaking. He sighed his eyes drifting back to the door.

"They have to."

Mako slowly stepped off the staircase warily examining the dark corridor in front. It formed a tee junction a foot from the staircase. He examined both turnings as best as he could with the lamp off. He didn't want to attract any attention at this point.

"I think we're going right. The buildings schematics say this corridor leads to the back."

He nodded, hurrying right. His men followed, with two facing the opposite direction with their weapons aimed at the gloom.

The corridor continued for so long he was tempted to stop and go back. The end appeared just as he reached a decision. It was a single door, thick and formidable looking.

He tried the handle. As expected it didn't budge. His eyes hardened in frustration.

"We don't have a choice sir __ we have to use our weapons." His frown deepened. Even though he hated to admit it, he knew they were right. Taking a deep breath he raised his rifle and took aim. Firing two quick bursts into the lock, he stepped back and turned the handle. It opened immediately.

The sight that greeted his eyes made his insides turn to water. The generators lay fifty meters away in wide concrete sheds. Between them and the sheds were almost two dozen infected who turned as the door opened.

"Olorun Oba mi!" *My God, My King!

Their slurring growls turned to screeches as they raced forward. Mako jumped out firing burst after burst. His men followed suit laying down covering fire as two darted through the narrow opening their bullets created.

One of the men racing to the generators was felled by a downed infected. The bullet that brought him down didn't quite kill him only taking half of his face. The soldier yelled and kicked out. He wasn't fast enough. The result; long saliva dripping incisors sank into his thigh.

His scream was like a stake driven into Mako's heart. "KEEP RUNNING!" He yelled at the last soldier.

The man nodded increasing speed. He reached the generator glancing over the controls. The fuel tank was half full. It had to do. An infected screeched a few feet away but was brought down by a well placed bullet. Its head fell inches from his foot. He yelped reaching for the generator's key. He turned it but it didn't make a sound.

"IT'S NOT WORKING SIR!"

"Is the choke off?"

He glanced down at the choke realizing it wasn't on the off position. Correcting it quickly he tried the key again. This time it started immediately. There was a circuit breaker on the wall to his left. He raced to it and pushed the lever up.

The building was instantly lit up like a Christmas tree. It worked. They had power.

"GET BACK INTO THE BUILDING NOW!!!" Mako yelled backing to the door. His men followed. Seeing no way past the mass of infected the soldier at the generator raced round the side of the building heading to the front. He was pursued by seven infected.

"God be with you!" Mako murmured as he slammed the door shut.

# Chapter Ten

Taiwo and Kemisola jumped startled when the lights came on. "They did it." She said in a breathless whisper as if she couldn't believe it.

"I guess they did. Do you have the code to open this door?"

She nodded hurrying to the keypad. It opened with a four digit password like an ATM card. She quickly typed in the number and the doors swung open with a soundless whoosh.

His eyes widened at the array of scientific equipment stretched out in front of him. Kemisola hurried in lugging the cylinder of prototype vaccine with her. Taiwo stepped into the room as the doors swung closed behind him. He took position in front of it with his back to the room and his weapon held at the ready. Kemisola went about preparing the aerosol, cooking up the ingredients in a machine that looked like a giant oven. Taiwo gritted his teeth with his finger curled around the trigger of his gun as the seconds ticked by.

Mako got to the landing of the staircase when a hand grabbed his ankle bringing him crashing to the floor with a slam. He gasped and turned, drawing his sidearm in one smooth motion. Squeezing the trigger twice, the infected man's grip loosened as his head exploded and the body slid down the stairs.

Mako was up in a thrice racing upwards. Two of his men hurried after him. One had an infected riding piggy back taking chunks out of his neck. The man's screams reverberated down the hall. Gritting his teeth, Mako turned firing twice. The infected and his man fell, disappearing down the long staircase. The man running beside him shot him a long look.

"He was already bitten. There was nothing we could do for him."

The two that remained raced to the R&D department. The door was closed. Taiwo and Kemisola were nowhere to be seen.

"They must have gotten in."

Mako nodded the look on his face grim. They reached the door at the same time and began to pound on it.

"Who is there?"

"It's us you fool! Open the door."

The growls and slurs coming from the staircase were impossible to ignore. They'd soon be upon them. He turned aiming his weapon. Their heads were just starting to appear. The door swung open with a whoosh. He backed in firing his weapon. The door closed as the first infected reached it.

"Tell me you have something __" He snapped swinging on Taiwo and Kemisola.

"In a few hours we'll have the beginning of something." She said unperturbed as she watched the machine countdown on a digital clock kind of thing. Sort of like the timer on a microwave.

He walked over to get a better look. The number on the timer read 6hrs 15mins. His eyes grew wide and incredulous.

"Are you kidding me?" He yelled.

"No unfortunately."

His face seemed to grow blacker as he stormed off going to stand beside Taiwo at the door. The thuds outside were growing louder.

"Let's pray they don't get through that door before that stuff she's cooking gets ready." Taiwo said in a grim tone.

"Even if the door holds, how do we get out of here after she finishes? Have you stopped to consider that?"

Having no answer to that, Taiwo lapsed into silence. The hand holding the gun tightened over the barrel. Either way you looked at this, they were screwed. A cold silence filled their ranks.

Abuja

Five and a half hours later

President Abdusalam stood at the window of his office looking down into the expansive grounds of Aso Rock, the Nigerian Presidential Villa. Five men stood behind watching. Three were his security team, two his political advisors.

"Any word from General Mako?"

"None sir __"

"Do you think the mission failed?"

"It's too early to tell. The doctor did say that preparing the vaccine would take a couple of hours at least."

"But we should have heard word from them."

"It's hardly surprising. Civilian communication is down to almost five percent, and we all know it was never that good to begin with. Let's give them some more time."

A long pause followed the advisor's words.

"Do we have more troops in the area?"

"Yes __ we've mobilized almost ten thousand soldiers to march onto the LCDCP at your command."

"What about air support?"

"We have six helicopters providing support and four tanks to aid our troops on the ground."

"I want them to start moving in as soon as we receive confirmation the vaccine is in play. The helicopters will move in for immediate extraction and administration."

"Sir ___ are you saying what I think you are saying?"

Abdusalam gave them an angry almost impatient look.

"Sir it sounds like you are thinking of administering the vaccine immediately. Do you think that's wise?"

"And I suppose you are going to tell me why that's a silly idea?"

"Sir it's untested. Remember what happened with the last vaccine."

"Kemisola assures me it will work. The prototype has been tested and it works perfectly."

"But sir __"

"I'll have no debate over this. It will be administered immediately. I don't want to hear anymore on the subject. Is that understood?"

They nodded looking unconvinced.

# Chapter Eleven

"Almost done __" Kemisola called from the back of the lab.

Taiwo and Mako gritted their teeth; the barrels of their guns still aimed at the door. They'd been like that for over five hours. The last soldier stood over Kemisola his weapon hanging restlessly at his side.

The thuds on the door were ear splitting. You could barely hear yourself think.

"Is there another exit?" Taiwo barked casting a glance back.

"I don't think so __"

Mako swallowed. He'd never heard her sound so grim. His thoughts started to race. If they couldn't figure out a way to get out of this lab, the vaccine wasn't worth a thing.

His eyes drifted to the grenades he had strapped to his belt. There were two of them. Would they be enough to blow a hole through the door and the horde gathered outside? Only time would tell.

"Try to work faster."

His back was turned so he didn't see her disgusted look flash his way. 'Does the moron think I have any means of hurrying the process? He is an imbecile."

The soldier standing over her couldn't hear her silent words, but he had a good idea what they were. He averted his gaze turning towards the door. A faint smile lifted the corners of her lips very slightly before she faced the dial of the machine once again.

The machine gave a shrill beep as the process finished. The front slid open revealing two dozen canisters filled with aerosol vaccine. They were the size of small plastic coke bottles with an insecticide like nozzle on the top.

"Is it done?" Mako yelled whirling around.

She nodded looking very weary. What she didn't tell them was the machine had also produced enough aerosol spray to fill a sixty thousand gallon tank underneath the building. It was being pumped to Abuja as they spoke.

They raced over pulling out long burlap style sacks folded into the packs on their backs. The canisters were loaded in seconds and their troubled eyes returned to the door.

"What do we do?"

Mako removed the grenades. Taiwo's eyes widened when he saw them.

"You sure about that?"

"No I am not ___ but what choice do we have?"

They lapsed into silence as he hurried to the door laying the grenades on the floor in front of it. He cast a glance back locking gazes with Taiwo who nodded slowly and ducked down behind the machine. Kemisola and the last soldier did the same as he pulled the pins. He barely made it to the back of the machine before they exploded blowing the doors off their hinges and flinging them and almost a dozen infected down the staircase.

They rose coughing as thick smoke filled the room entering their lungs. Taiwo and Mako led the way firing. Their hearts almost stopped beating when they saw the horde of infected racing up the staircase. No way were they getting through that.

"The roof!"

Mako glanced right only just realizing the staircase still went up. Firing more long bursts cleared the path. He raced to the stairs followed closely by the others. They reached the staircase without incident taking them two at a time.

Taiwo waited for the soldier to race past struggling under the weight of the vaccine canisters. He gave covering fire until he heard them reach the next landing before racing after them. He emptied the spent clip and slid in his last one. Things weren't looking good at all.

The door leading to the roof was open when he reached it. Mako peered round the edge urging him to make haste. He nodded grimly and increased speed streaking through. Mako slammed it shut behind him sliding a thick bolt into the lock. The door bent slightly as the horde slammed into it.

Kemisola was perched on the edge to the far left, her eyes wide and frenzied. She looked like she was seconds away from leaping off the edge. Mako dumped his backpack on the floor in a thrice rummaging through its darkened depths.

"What are you looking for?" Taiwo snapped impatiently. His gun was still aimed at the door which had caved out more under the barrage of blows.

His hands closed over what he was looking for and he pulled it out with a relieved sigh bursting from his lips. He held a satellite phone in his hands.

"You had that with you all the time?" Kemisola gasped with a 'are you kidding me look on her face.

"They gave it to me for emergency use only. We all have our mobile phones after all."

"How do I put this in a way you'll understand __" Kemisola began trying to calm herself by taking several deep breaths.

"__ the phones aren't WORKING!!!! Are you that thick? Or you just take great pleasure in being ANNOYING?"

Mako ignored her. He punched in the number and waited. It was picked up at the second ring.

"We have the vaccine! We're on the roof of the LCDCP! Come pick us up NOW!"

The others listened intently trying to make sense of the unintelligible babble coming from the satellite phone. Mako had a relieved look on his face when he lowered the phone.

"They're sending the army in. Helicopters are already moving in on our position."

"I pray they get here in time." Taiwo growled looking at the door which had caved further out. It wouldn't be long now.

Abdusalam jumped startled as the door to his office was flung open violently. His security operatives raced in, one carrying a satellite phone.

"We just received word from General Mako. They have the vaccine."

"Where are they?"

"On the roof of the LCDCP."

"Send the army in for extraction."

The man nodded slowly raising the phone to his ear.

Colonel Johnson (a big bulky sulky looking man clad in army green combat fatigues) sat in the front seat of an armoured Toyota Prado Jeep parked just beyond Berger area. A horde of men, tanks and trucks were parked behind with their weapons at the ready.

The satellite phone on the dashboard gave a shrill peal. He exchanged looks with the driver before lifting it up and pushing the answer button. He listened intently for about ten seconds before lowering the phone.

"What's the word?" The driver asked. His voice sounded bored and irritable.

"We are to push forward, our destination is the LCDCP. We have people there that need extraction."

"O__k! What's the plan to get through that?" He asked pointing.

The road a few miles ahead was overrun with thousands of infected. Johnson had never seen so many people gathered in one place before. The only thing separating them from the horde were the seven thick meshes of barbwire arranged fifty meters apart. Scores of infected were entangled in the last two preventing those at the back from pressing forward.

"Bring the tanks to the forward position."

"You intend to blow through them?" the driver asked aghast. "Since we have the vaccine style tranquillizer darts why don't we use them?"

"That would take too much time. We have to get to them now."

"But sir__"

"Do you have any suggestions how to get to LCDCP on time without blowing them up? Because if you have another way I'd gladly hear it__"

The man lapsed into silence raising a walkie talkie to his lips.

"Sir?"

"Bring the tanks to the forward position."

"Yes sir!"

The ground shook as half a dozen tanks powered out from behind the long line of trucks and rumbled to the front. They arranged themselves side by side and slowly lowered their guns into position.

"FIRE!" Johnson barked into the walkie talkie.

The sky seemed to crack open with thunderous explosions as their long guns went off at once. A fiery red miasmic cloud covered everything as the horde disappearing in a haze of fire.

The roar of rotor blades intruded upon the explosions. Johnson leaned out of the jeep looking up at the sky. Six helicopters flew overhead heading deeper into the Lagos metropolis.

"Where are they going?"

"Where do you think?"

"LCDCP??"

Johnson nodded slowly as the tanks moved forward still firing into the crowd of infected. Blood and guts filled the streets. Some soldiers grew queasy just looking at everything.

"We best follow __"

The jeep's engine started with a healthy growl and they moved forward. Hundreds of vehicles followed with the soldiers firing sporadic bursts at pockets of infected who managed to escape the tank barrage.

# Chapter Twelve

"What was that?" Kemisola yelled crouching low at the faint thunder of explosions rumbling their way.

"The army must be engaging. They're pushing their way towards us." Mako's tone was grimmer than they'd ever heard it.

"The grim way you say it doesn't fill me with confidence." Kemisola snapped back.

"And we have another problem __" Taiwo said pointing at the door.

There was a crack along the top hinge. The door was coming down in a big way any second from now.

"How many bullets do you have?" Mako asked.

"Not enough __ one clip left."

"You?" He asked turning to the other soldier.

"Two clips__"

"They better __" the scream of a dozen rotor blades interrupted him.

They turned gasping in relief when they saw three helicopters streaking their way. "We are saved!" Kemisola gasped.

"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you." Taiwo growled as the top hinge snapped with a resounding crack. The door leaned out and the rabid screams and slurs poured out onto the roof. Taiwo squeezed off two short bursts into the gap and would have continued to do so if Mako didn't grab his arm.

"Save your ammunition until you have something to shoot at."

The lead helicopter hovered ahead and a ladder was thrown down.

"Kemisola first!" Mako shouted.

She grabbed the ladder and started up in a flash. Mako nodded at the soldier holding the bag of vaccine. He grabbed the ladder and started up as fast as he dared.

"You're next __"

"You go up first." Taiwo insisted.

"No! You first! That wasn't a request. It was an order."

They locked gazes for a few seconds before Taiwo grabbed the ladder swinging his gun over his shoulder as he did so. The last hinge gave out at that instant and the door came crashing down.

"Look out!" Taiwo screamed as a tidal wave of infected poured out of the door.

Mako turned firing into their ranks dropping them like flies. "GO UP NOW!"

The helicopter pilot started to ascend pulling Taiwo with it. The bullets Mako fired couldn't stop the onslaught. The first ten slammed into him so hard he was flung into the air like a skittle, bouncing on their shoulders before he and over twenty infected went over the edge of the building plummeting to the ground below.

"MAKO!!!!" Taiwo screamed. The enraged slurs and growls were the only response to his agonized screams.

Kemisola was wailing in despair when he finally got into the helicopter's cabin. The pilot was trying to get something across but it didn't seem to be penetrating her traumatized haze.

Taiwo caught a few words and instantly grew still. "Kemisola! Focus! NOW!"

She froze her tears ceasing instantly. "Listen to what he is telling you."

She took several deep breaths and faced the pilot. "You were saying sir."

"The president insists the vaccine be dispersed immediately. Is there a way you can do that now?"

She nodded. "It is engineered to merge with the air and be carried with the currents covering wide ranges in the process."

"How much of it do you have?"

"Two dozen canisters."

"How do we disperse it?"

"You will have to fly higher. Once we're high enough I'll simply release it into the air."

He nodded pulling hard on the controls. The helicopter climbed going higher and higher. When they had reached the required height she unscrewed six canisters and released them into the air. The green vapour dissipated quickly merging with the colourless air.

"Now we wait and see how effective it will be."

"You did say you tested it well right?"

"Of course I did." She snapped whirling on Taiwo so fiercely he leaned back.

"The reason I ask is we cannot afford another incident like the first vaccine."

Her eyes grew grim but she said nothing more.

Elsewhere

Baba Adora hurried into the thick underground at such a swift pace the others could barely keep up.

"Where are we going Baba Adora?" Wole cried panting heavily. Tunrayo and his mother didn't look any better. If he had to say it, he'd say Tunrayo was seconds away from collapse.

"There is a hut not far away from here. We should be safe there for a while."

"A while? Why a while? We're miles away from everyone or anything."

He stopped turning around slowly. Cold fear slithered down their spines when they saw the terrified look on his face.

"What's wrong Baba Adora? What happened?"

He swallowed taking several deep breaths before he could speak.

"The Evonso Virus just became airborne."

"WHAT???"

"HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?"

"They thought they were making a aerosol vaccine. But there was something wrong with the conversion process. It mutated the virus. Now it's airborne."

"What happens now?"

He shrugged and started for the hut as fast as he could with them struggling to keep up.

## After things went horribly WRONG!!!

In the first few weeks after it was confirmed the Evonso virus was unstoppable I kept a diary. I can't remember what I wrote in it. It got lost one afternoon after I was attacked by a horde of infected. Almost didn't escape with my life. That's what you get when you go hunting without proper preparation.

The world is a shadow of its former self. The darkness many of us argued about has been proved to be real. Creatures I cannot describe or explain their existence have come into being. They swept from the deserts in North Africa until they covered the African continent leaving nothing but death and destruction in their wake.

Radio communication, TV, Internet and all other forms of connectivity has gone dark. Last I heard what remains of the world powers were planning to use the nuclear alternative. If they have used it or are still planning to use it is what I do not know.

I live in seclusion. I never go more than a few miles away from my hill. The last time I tried it, I almost didn't return. I don't know what the rest of the country is like.

I don't run into the infected that much again; perhaps cos I keep close to the hill. When I stand on my outcrop and scan the landscape using the binoculars. I see strange sights. I see dragon like creatures whose bodies are awash with bright red flame.

They have gleaming green eyes, like the view through night vision googles as I have seen in countless movies. Then I see fifty foot tall giants, robotic looking, with heads that seem to part the clouds. I don't know what they are. The first time I saw one of those I almost fell from my perch.

Sometimes it's frustrating having so little information. Coming from a world so connected you knew what was happening in the opposite corners of the globe, to zero communication; it was like a junkie going cold turkey in one night.

I fiddle with my short wave radio at least ten or fifteen times a day. Hoping to get something __ anything __ but all I get is static. Not sure Nigeria still has a working government. And even if we do __ there is nothing it can do to help us. We are on our own. The darkness has come to stay. It is now a part of us and our homes. We are ALONE!

The helicopter came in for a landing on the expansive grounds of Aso Rock Villa. Taiwo alighted first followed closely by Kemisola. Ten heavily built men parted their ranks allowing the president to walk forward.

"Mr. President __" Taiwo said bowing slightly.

"Taiwo __ very good to see you alive and well."

"Kemisola __ congratulations on a job well done."

"Don't thank me yet sir __ until the results come."

"Did you spray some of the vaccine over Abuja?"

"Yes we did __ the pipeline brought the vaccine here as scheduled. It's being sprayed over the city as we speak."

Kemisola nodded in approval while Taiwo's gaze drifted from Abdusalam's face to hers.

"Why wasn't I told about this plan?" his voice had a hard edge to it.

"Because it was on a need to know basis, you had enough on your plate without worrying about pumping the vaccine to Abuja. Your primary assignment was to protect Kemisola and you did that quite well __" He paused as if just considering something.

"__ where is General Mako?"

A deep sigh burst from Taiwo's lips while Kemisola's eyes filled with tears.

"He didn't make it sir __"

A cold silence greeted his words.

Taiwo shifted uncomfortably when he saw Abdusalam's eyes fill with tears. He turned quite quickly so they wouldn't see it. Wow! He didn't realize the president liked Mako that much. As brash and annoying as he could be sometimes he missed him. The guy was a freaking force of nature, larger than life and seemingly indestructible. It was hard to accept he was gone.

Abdusalam broke the silence that was just starting to get uncomfortable.

"We best go in __ we have much to discuss."

They nodded looking very subdued as they followed him through the wide twin doors leading into the foyer of the presidential villa. Taiwo's thoughts drifted in a confused somewhat scattered way.

Mako's plummet from the roof of the LCDCP kept replaying in his head like a broken record. Even through his haze of sadness he couldn't help respecting the man. Most men would have screamed as they fell from such a height but not him. He was too calm and composed for that.

Something started to niggle at his subconscious as one of the president's men twitched in a funny way. It registered but didn't quite sink in. It wasn't until he heard the president's voice ring out that he focused; his eyes taking in his surroundings.

"Femi what's wrong with you? Why are you shaking like that?"

The man stopped walking still twitching. The rest of Abdusalam's security stopped and walked towards him. One reached up touching his soldier. Femi whirled around sinking his teeth into the man's arm.

The man's scream rent the air. Taiwo had his gun out in a flash. His finger curled around the trigger and he was about to fire when he heard the screeching and slurring growls erupting from EVERYWHERE!

"We have to go now sir __" Taiwo yelled rushing forward and grabbing Abdusalam's arm. The door of the conference room burst open and six infected soldiers raced out screeching at the top of their lungs.

Taiwo spun on his heel pulling Abdusalam and Kemisola back to the exit. He fired three quick bursts dropping four infected twitching at the door. They burst out onto the lawn. The grounds were a warzone. Those unaffected by the mutated vaccine were firing at the infected, some who were still in the process of turning.

The helicopter's rotor's blades were whirling fast. The pilot was taking off. Taiwo paused a few seconds to examine him. He looked ok.

"Let's go Mr. President __" He yelled taking off at a run. Abdusalam gasped as he struggled to keep up.

"STOP!"

The pilot turned pausing the helicopter's ascent when he saw the president. They reached it and leaped in.

"Take us UP!!" Taiwo yelled firing wildly into the mass of infected racing towards the helicopter.

Kemisola's scream was like a mantra in the cabin. The helicopter lifted off but not before three infected leaped inside. Taiwo managed to put a bullet in the heads of two. The third seized Abdusalam around the knee sinking his teeth into him breaking the skin.

The pilot swerved to avoid a telephone wire and Abdusalam and the infected fell out of the open door plummeting to the ground fifty feet below. Taiwo watched the falling bodies hardly daring to believe it. Tears filled his eyes streaming down his cheeks in long streaks.

"What do I do sir?" The pilot asked yelling to be heard over the screech of rotor blades and high winds.

"Let's get out of here __" Taiwo gasped struggling to spit out the words.

"__ we can't do anything for him anymore."

Kemisola's cries increased as the helicopter rose higher. He got why she was so devastated. Hell he felt the same way. Everything was falling apart. Why didn't it work? It should have worked.

They were so consumed by their thoughts they didn't see a lone infected crawling out of a high window to their left a few meters ahead. It paused for the briefest of seconds as they approached and leapt into the air smashing into the pilot's window.

The helicopter plummeted instantly as the pilot's neck snapped. Taiwo grabbed hold of the back of the pilot's chair as the helicopter began a tailspin. They were about a kilometre beyond the gates of Aso Rock.

Kemisola's screams became silent when the craft side collided with the earth. Everything went black for a few moments and then blinding white. A loud buzzing filled his ears and then silence.

He came to in stages. First he smelt the smoke, a burning electrical style stench, next a dot of white in a cloud of black. The white brightened, he felt something wet dribble down his arm. What was that? His eyes fluttered, the cabin was a twisted and mangled mess.

There was something heavy on his chest. He pushed it. It didn't budge. He tried again. It shifted slightly, very reluctantly. Pushing with all his strength he succeeded in freeing his arm. A cracking sound came from the back. He froze. It sounded suspiciously like flames.

Straining like crazy the debilitating weight slid off his chest, it fell a few feet striking what used to be the roof of the helicopter. His eyes locked on it. It was the door.

He ran his hands over his chest. There didn't seem to be anything broken. Sitting up, he tried to stand. His right leg couldn't move. What remained of one seat wedged his foot against the window bar. He twisted it slowly and it came free.

His eyes darted around the crumpled cabin. Smoke and fire drifted from the back. It wasn't a blaze yet but __ it was slowly getting there.

"Kemisola!" He yelled making his way to the big hole in the side.

He stepped out into thick bushes turning to give the helicopter a once over. A crumpled shape a few feet away caught his eye. His blood grew cold as he walked towards it.

Her body was broken in three places, the neck, waist and legs. It looked like she'd been flung from the helicopter before it rolled over her. How exactly that happened was what he did not know.

His rifle lay half buried in the dirt. He picked it up and examined it closely. It didn't look like there was anything wrong with it. The faint yells and slurs reached his ears. His eyes grew grim and he hurried further into the undergrowth. He raced through the bushes pushing aside the blades of grass as fast as he could. He decided to keep inside the cover of the bushes until he could no longer hear the sound of the infected. His decision made he increased speed, streaking into the distance and disappearing from view. He heard the explosion of the helicopter when he was a mile away.

# Chapter Thirteen

Jire crouched low hidden behind the sitting room sofa. The slurring growls were coming from the kitchen. The infected were here, he'd know that sound anywhere.

His frightened eyes drifted to the door. The kitchen was a few feet away. If he moved there was every possibility the creature would be alerted to his presence.

His eyes flitted back to the door. He could make it. He had to. Rising, he crawled as quietly as he could towards the door. Where was Modupe? He had to warn her. Perhaps when he got out he'd circle round to her room and get her out that way.

The growls stopped and the sniffing started. He froze! Footsteps approached the kitchen door, coming into the sitting room. Sweat streamed his face in streaks. His eyes locked on the empty doorway as a dark shape filled it. The red eyes glowed like coals in the gloomy sitting room.

The Power Holding Company had taken off the electricity three hours ago. It was almost sixty thirty pm so everywhere was getting dark. He started to pray the creature couldn't see him.

He realized his prayers were pointless when it gave an incensed shriek and raced his way. He and the creature leaped at the same time. It smashed into the sofa hitting the head on the carpeted floor with a dull thud. He couldn't help grimacing at the sound.

It rose twitching as it did so. The blue dress it wore was like searing shock in his memory. Oh my God! He gasped bursting into tears. It was Modupe. How did she get infected?

She snarled once more and lunged at him. He ducked, she flew past smashing her head into the texcote painted wall. Growing still, she slid to the floor in a crumpled heap leaving a dark red botch on the wall.

He picked a glass stool and walked towards her slowly. Pausing for a bit, he looked down at her still body. As he brought his foot to nudge her side she reared up hissing again. Reacting instantly he brought the stool down on her head. It shattered on impact. He continued to hit her with the aluminium legs until her head resembled red paste.

Sobbing as if his heart would break he staggered to her mother's bedroom. He heard the slurs as he reached for the handle. Shaking his head in despair he made for the entrance snatching the car key off the glass table.

The front door slammed shut after him and moments later came the growl of the car's engine starting. The screech of tires filtered into the room for a few seconds before it was replaced by cold silence.

Collins walked deep within the trees heading back towards the small hut like structure he'd taken residence in about a week ago. Judith would probably be worried sick. He'd been gone for hours already.

His work boots were dirty and covered with mud. His black jeans didn't look any better and the short sleeved shirt and black cardigan had spots of mud on them too.

The rifle he carried hung on his left shoulder. His right pocket also bulged with the sidearm stuffed into it, all gifts from his friend Matthew. This spot was a couple of miles from the small house he and Judith now called home.

A sigh left his lips as he recalled the series of events that led him to this moment. They were lucky to be alive. There was no gainsaying it. Considering his disreputable past it made him wonder why God saved the people he chose to save.

Thousands died (or changed) in Oraromi almost a year ago. He could bet a good number were more pure and holy than he was. But yet here he was, still alive and surviving while they were dead; or un-dead, the distinction was faint at best.

He couldn't say what alerted him. Maybe it was the sudden stillness in the air. The familiar noises and scuffling prevalent in the bushes at this time suddenly grew quiet.

Birds chattering on the trees overhead took flight racing east. His rifle came off in a smooth motion and he crouched low examining the bushes around him.

It took a while, about two minutes in total; when he heard the throbbing of feet, like the sound of distant thunder. Something was coming his way and FAST.

The bushes a hundred metres to his left started to tremble. There was a tree to his right. He raced to it ducking low behind; peering around the scratched bark carefully, time seemed to freeze. One moment there was calm and the next a horde of infected burst out of the bushes streaking past his tree and running in an eastward direction.

His chest tightened in horror. They were headed straight for Judith and there was not a damn thing he could do about it. He didn't have enough bullets in his gun to stop them. Some of the mangled and in some cases, rotting faces were familiar. He knew them from the village; Matthew's village. What happened? Did it mean the whole village had been overrun by infected?

His eyes hardened. He couldn't allow them to get to Judith. He'd get to her first even if it killed him. He rose, their numbers were dwindling. Only the stragglers remained at this point.

Their numbers continued to thin until one remained. He waited for it to go but it didn't. It paused, sniffing the air and looking in his direction. He ducked back behind the tree trunk. His eyes blazed impatiently. Let the damn thing go already. But it didn't. It continued to sniff the air taking several steps towards the tree.

Collins hand tightened around the gun. He didn't want to shoot it. The noise might draw the attention of others who might be close by. Not to mention the horde presently racing towards his Judith.

A twig snapped underneath its heavy foot. He gritted his teeth. The slurs and growling sounds coming from its throat made his skin crawl. He returned the rifle to his shoulder and brought out his sidearm. He'd use this. The noise would be less than the rifle. Another twig snapped underfoot.

He closed his eyes and swallowed, it was behind the tree. Well it had forced his hand. Running out, he squeezed the trigger twice. The first bullet went through its skull while the second tore a hole in its throat. It released a wheezing sound falling backwards where it landed with a dull thud.

Faint growls rang out from every direction about a mile away. There were others and the gunfire had alerted them.

He took off, heading south east. There was a shortcut. If he got it right he should arrive before they did. The slurs turned to rabid screeches. He knew what that meant. They were after him now.

# Chapter Fourteen

Judith walked around the hut glancing at the closed door every few seconds. She felt uneasy. She couldn't figure out why. Most times she liked to chalk it down to her emotional state; with the baby and all that. But truth be told she hated it when he left going out for long periods. It made her uncomfortable.

She knew he had to try and get food for them and all that but __ her eyes drifted across the room. It was small, having only a mattress, a few pots and pans and a small generator. A wire with a bulb at the end dangled from the roof. Collins turned on the generator for a few minutes at night. She hated to think what would happen when the fifty litre keg of petrol they brought with them finished. She shivered just thinking about it.

Her hands drifted over her belly in long measured strokes. The baby kicked. She smiled. Her face lit up for the briefest of seconds before falling slowly. This wasn't the sort of existence she wanted to bring her child into. If she had a choice ___ she shook her head, trying to stop her train of thought. It didn't work. She started to do it again when she heard a humming sound coming from her handbag. Like something was vibrating inside it.

She raced to it. How could she have forgotten? There was a phone there. Collins said Matthew gave him two of them. Think they called it a satellite phone. She couldn't help wondering where Matthew had gotten one from.

It came out in a flash and she pushed the answer button.

"Judith you have to leave the house right now. They're coming! Go to the stream, like we practised. Don't bother packing anything, just GO!"

She whimpered tearing to the door. Opening it carefully, she peered out and listened. She heard nothing for a second and then it came ___ the faint sound of slurring.

She took off, heading to the back of the hut. A narrow path snaked out in front. She took it running as fast as she dared. She was almost five months pregnant. She didn't want to do anything to endanger the baby.

The land sloped downhill. She slowed; it was rocky at this point. She had to be careful. The stream came into view; a thin slivery trickle of beauty. She approached, slowly. Coming out from behind a tree she was alarmed to see a tall dark shape standing on her right. As she prepared to scream he spoke.

"It's me!" she heaved in relief. He sounded winded and out of breath.

"What do we do now Collins?" She got out in a breathless whisper.

He walked forward and grabbed her arm. "We RUN JUDITH!"

And they were off again.

Judith was gasping horribly. Collins looked at her worriedly He was breathing pretty hard too. They had to stop soon. His eyes kept drifting to the bulge in her belly. The baby had to be alright. 'Hang on little one'

He tore left pulling Judith with him. There was a hollow depression in the earth leading down a slope. He approached it carefully pushing Judith ahead so he could walk behind her.

The slurs behind were getting louder.

"Where are we going Collins?"

"Not sure yet __ we have to get away from them __" he turned raising his gun. The bushes three hundred metres behind started to shake. They were almost upon them.

"Let's go faster dear __"

"I can't __" Judith wailed.

"Try honey __ please try."

They stepped into the depression. It snaked forward for several hundred metres eventually disappearing into the bushes.

"It stops here __" Judith gasped as she reached the end.

"Keep going darling __"

She took a deep breath and reached forward, pushing through the thick hedge of elephant grass. The darkness here was almost complete. They hurried along; not running, but simply walking really fast.

After almost ten minutes of fast walking a light lit up ahead shinning through the gaps between the trees. Collin's eyes narrowed as he took the lead.

The light brightened and he was through. A well maintained four lane express road lay ahead. A bright half moon hung low in the sky bathing the road in a silvery grey light. The bashed carcasses of half a dozen cars lay dotted at varying points.

There were faint screams coming from their far left, too far away to see who was screaming. Collins eyes darted left and right. One of the cars looked less damaged than the others. A 2010 metallic grey Honda Accord. He hurried towards it.

"Where are you going?"

"That car __" He cried pointing.

They reached it in minutes. He glanced in __ the windscreen was smashed on the right side and stained with dried blood. The interior was scratched, seats showered with glass. There was blood on the dashboard too.

He touched the bonnet, it was warm. It hadn't been abandoned for long. That meant whoever owned it couldn't be far away. The frightening part was he or she could be changed, one of them.

He reached into the car, relieved to see the key was still in the ignition.

"The key is there. Get in."

Judith hurried to the other side. Collins brushed the glass off both seats and entered the driver's seat. Judith practically leaped in. He turned the key, the engine started with a healthy growl.

The headlights came on illuminating the road ahead. Collins shoved it into gear slamming his foot down hard on the accelerator. The car leapt forward as it had been stung.

He looked into the review mirror shocked to see the crowd of red eyed bodies racing after the car. He pushed the accelerator down to the floor and quickly left them behind. In minutes he couldn't see them at all.

"Where do we go now Collins?"

A long pause followed as he considered her question.

"I don't know Judith. I honestly don't know."

# Chapter Fifteen

Donald looked out of the window as the plane came in for landing. He was part of a fifteen man security delegation sent to brief members of the AU (African Union) on the rapidly deteriorating situation in South Africa.

His eyes drifted around the plane's cabin. It was a large Gulfstream, chartered by the South African president Kungawo Lethabo. Evonso virus outbreak has spread across major cities like Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria and even as far down as Port Elizabeth.

The engineered vaccine had turned out to be viable but people seemed to be getting infected ten times faster than they could cure them. Something else was going on.

Kungawo had been on the phone severally trying to get in touch with Nigerian President Mahmud Abdusalam but had been unsuccessful. The whole system of government seemed to have gone dark. Internet access, communication systems and all that had practically ground to a halt. Word on the vine was, only satellite communication worked now.

All borders surrounding the country had been closed by surrounding nations. But with the porous state of the borders millions were still sneaking through ensuring the virus kept spreading. It was a humanitarian nightmare.

He heard Cotonou gave its border patrol a shoot on sight directive for anyone seen crossing the border.

The plane landed with a screech hurtling across the runway towards a contingent of men in black suits standing beside six black SUVs. The pilot slowly navigated the plane towards them and it came to a complete halt a few feet away.

Two hard faced men approached. They had what looked like UV lights in their hands. Each man was subjected to the UV glare. Their temperature readings were also taken. It wasn't a foolproof system but it was still the best means of early detection developed so far.

Satisfied they weren't infected they escorted them to the SUVs. They divided themselves into groups of three, each group hopped into an SUV and they were off.

The men took them through a long route. Donald had been here before, on several occasions in fact. But he recognized none of the roads taken.

"Why are we taking this way?" he asked, his question directed at the driver.

"The major roads are __" He paused, swallowing and taking a deep breath before he could continue.

"___ over run. This is the last airport still operational. If you hadn't come in today you might not have been able to get in at all."

Donald's eyes widened at that.

"So it's that bad here?"

The man turned, his cold frightened eyes locking with Donald's own.

"It's worse!"

"But I don't get it. I spoke with president Kungawo before takeoff and he said he'd been in contact with your president. According to him they spoke at length; and he specifically mentioned your president telling him the situation here wasn't in such dire straits."

"What do you expect him to say? After this briefing we're hoping we can get you guys back to the airport so you can get out because the way I see it, no one is coming in by flight from this moment; except of course if we can get the spread of this thing under a semblance of control."

No more words were exchanged. The radio was kept on but they got mostly static. Even the stations they did managed to connect to never stayed longer than a few minutes at a time.

After almost three hours of driving they approached a dome shaped building. It was on the city's outskirts. They could see the skyline ahead with several tall skyscrapers. But they had an abandoned look about them.

"Anyone there?"

"Yeah __ some."

"Infected?"

"Mostly __"

There was a faint crack and the earth trembled. Donald and the driver locked gazes again.

"The army is engaging. It's __" He paused. "__ a nightmare."

The building had a large gate in front of it which looked electrified. The wall surrounding the compound was nine feet tall with rolls of barbwire strung across the top.

The gates swung open at their approach and hefty soldiers waved them to halt peering into the jeep's cabins as they examined each man's face in turn.

"It's ok Sollasse! They're clean." The driver barked impatiently.

The men nodded slowly and backed off allowing them to enter. Donald examined the wide compound surprised at how big it was. It was hundreds of feet across on all ends with the building sitting in the centre. More heavily armed men gathered in front of the building's entrance, which was a set of twin glass doors. The glass surface was tinted making it impossible to see what was on the other side.

Donald jeep parked in front of it. One of the men stepped forward opening the door for him. He stepped out as did the two others. The car moved forward and the next one slid into its place. When they were all down they walked towards the entrance which slid open at their approach.

The foyer was expensively furnished done in white and gold tones and hues. Directly ahead were twin elevators. They were led to the one on the right.

The doors swung open a few seconds later and they stepped into a long corridor with high walls covered with oak panelling. A large door loomed on their right. It opened into a conference room with twelve men seated around a circular table. They all had frightened looks on their faces.

It took a few seconds for Donald to notice the man standing close to the wall on their right with his finger touching a screen presentation beamed from a projector on the opposite side of the room. His eyes were just as grim as the others in the room.

An extremely weathered and brow beaten old man rose from his position at the head of the table his claw like fingers clutching a large cane.

Donald had never met the man face to face. But shrunken though he was he carried a presence even men half his age couldn't replicate no matter how hard they tried.

President Miguba had ruled his people with an iron fist for close to thirty years and if the Evonso virus didn't wipe out the whole continent, Donald was sure he was prepared to rule them for another thirty. If his body held out that long that is.

"Donald Thato! How nice to finally meet you."

Donald grimaced at his nearly toothless grin surprised at the strength in his voice. He had to be at least eighty six. The grey suit he wore hung like a bedspread on his frail shoulders. If he noticed Donald's grimace his face gave no indication of it.

"Sit down, sit down __ our virologist up there was just in the process of scaring us silly. We've just heard from the Nigerian contingent __" His gnarly finger drifted to a plump pale faced man wearing a white agbada.

"What's the word from Nigeria?" Donald asked locking gazes with the man.

The man sighed rising to his feet slowly.

"My name is Raphael Adelokun, Minister __" He paused. "__ perhaps I should say former Minister of Health. The word is there is no word. We have no working government. Doctor Kemisola managed to finish the conversion process in the Lagos Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (LCDP). But something went wrong. It wasn't properly tested, it appears the virus has mutated."

Donald swallowed very afraid to ask, but he couldn't stop the question from leaving his lips.

"When you say mutated what does that mean exactly?"

"It means __" The virologist at the screen interjected. "___ its airborne which explains why people have been getting infected faster than we can cure them. The only uninfected people at the moment are the ones with natural immunity."

"So that means everyone in this room is immune?"

"Not exactly sir __ it could simply mean the airborne version of the Evonso virus hasn't gotten here yet. But with the winds movements and speeds we could have all of Africa blanketed with infection in the next six months."

"But thought you said you had a working vaccine? I read the report. The vaccine doesn't only cure the infected it inoculates the uninfected against the virus."

"That was before the mutation sir. Now that it's airborne those rules might not necessarily apply."

"What are you saying?"

"Am saying the vaccine might not work effectively with this new strain __ those we felt were inoculated could very well find themselves prone to infection again."

A cold silence greeted the virologist words.

"So what do we do?" Donald asked quietly. A thrill of irritation surged through him when he heard how his voice was shaking.

The virologist sighed. "At the moment sir __ I am not sure there is much we can do."

No one said anything more. The terrified gazes told their own stories.

# Chapter Sixteen

Jire shot the car into fifth gear as he sped deeper into the Idanre township. If his sources were correct he was on the last stretch to the hills.

His worried eyes drifted around. Everything looked deserted. He hadn't seen a single soul since he turned off the Ondo – Akure road. What happened here?

He picked up his cell phone and quickly punched in his father's number. It wasn't until the call disconnected abruptly that he realized there was no network signal. Perfect!

He pressed his foot down on the accelerator harder. The road started to curve and slope upwards. Beautiful blue grey hills rose on either side. The beauty was lost on him though. He wondered if his parents were here. They did say they would make their way to the Idanre hills if the situation took a turn for the worse.

The hills seemed to get larger. The road continued to snake ahead; it straightened after a few kilometres ending in front of a mammoth sized hill, a blackish grey behemoth with stone steps cut out of its sides.

The bottom was deserted like the rest of the town save a single individual leaning against the backdrop of stone puffing what looked suspiciously like a stick of weed.

He lifted his foot off the accelerator and slowly pressed the brake. The car slid to a halt ten metres away from the man. Jire looked at his torn and faded clothes with distaste. His eyes narrowed as he gave the man a close look. He didn't look infected but ___

He wound down the car window slowly. "Hello __" his voice was low and croaky. The sound of his words didn't even carry far. For a few seconds he was very certain the man hadn't heard him until he spoke. His voice was even more disturbing than his appearance.

"What are you doing here?" it was gruff, a tide brittle with a hint of a cackle about it. Yeah! All those characteristics at once.

"Where is everybody?"

"O dahun Ibere pelu Ibere!"* You answer a question with a question __

"Ma binu! Sho le so English ni?"

"I speak English very well __"

"Good then __ I am looking for sanctuary."

He smiled.

"Isn't that what everyone is searching for?"

A cold pause greeted his question.

"Where are you from stranger?"

"Abeokuta __ before that __ Lagos."

"Aahhh A Lagosian___ heard things aren't very good there at the moment."

"Yeah __ not particularly."

"So sad __" His voice trailed off. Jire's frown deepened. There was something off about this guy __ he was still trying to figure out what it was.

"You probably think I am out of my mind don't you?"

"Well__ I__" Jire stammered.

"No need to deny it. You won't be the first who thought so. The town is deserted cos most people succumbed to the __ sickness __ whatever they call it."

"The Evonso virus __"

"Yeah __ that. I even heard the president is dead __"

"Where did you hear that?"

"Radio broadcast __ a few days ago. Before everything stopped that is; haven't heard a decent bit of information in almost a week now."

Jire's eyes narrowed.

"You said almost everyone succumbed to the virus. Where are the rest?"

He sighed pointing upwards. Jire glanced skywards with a puzzled look on his face.

"Where I don't see anything?"

"On top of the hill __ the few that weren't infected climbed the hill on those stairs." He pointed a bony finger at the staircase.

Jire started towards it immediately. The man spoke as he started to climb.

"I must warn you that almost a dozen infected followed them up the hill __"

Jire froze.

"How long ago was this?"

"About two days __"

His heart skipped a couple of beats. Two whole days __ his parent's were old and frail __ could they __ he shook his head to clear it of the unwholesome thoughts. They'd be alright. He had to believe they were alright.

"What's your story? And why are you here?"

"They don't bother me much __ I am not sure why __"

Jire's eyes narrowed and he started up the staircase taking them two at a time.

He reached the top about forty minutes later feeling winded and out of breath. The top stretched out like a tableau for a few feet and dropped off, connecting with an adjoining hill.

There was an edge five feet to his right. He walked to it. The town of Idanre stretched out beneath him in a most picturesque way. His eyes drifting to the adjoining hill, he took off at run skidding to a halt inches from the drop.

The black rock sloped down for a few metres connecting with the next hill. He clambered down slowly and leaped on the next. Going up this one was harder because it was steeper than the last. As he rounded its sloping top, he heard what sounded like a faint scream. This was followed almost immediately by another.

Both screams came from opposite directions; one dead ahead and the other back where he was coming from. He decided to go forward.

Five more minutes of running and climbing saw him on top of another hill. There was a footprint ahead, embedded in the black rock. He walked forward till he stood over it. Something compelled him to put his foot into it. It fitted him perfectly.

He'd heard about this footprint. The legend was it had been in the rock for centuries and a foot of any size could fit into it perfectly. No one knew what the mystery behind it was. And the guides that escorted people here never really explained. Some said only the true inhabitants whose family lines came down for generations knew the story behind it.

"Over here __"

He jumped looking around to see who had spoken. There was a hollow depression in the rock some distance away. He walked to it. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the tiny cave at the extreme end of the depression. The voice probably came from there.

He slid down slowly, his feet coming to rest on the hard rock beneath. A shadowy form stood at the cave entrance.

He paused not going forward. "Who are you?"

He saw the shape stiffen and then walk out of the gloom. He couldn't believe his eyes when his father's dirty and wan looking face came into the light.

"Jire __"

"Daddy __" He growled racing forward. They swept into each other's arms holding on as if they would die if they let go.

"Am so happy to see you're ok." Jire cried his eyes filling with tears.

"Same here son __ your mother and I were worried sick."

"Mummy nko*? Where is she?" *Yoruba slang/expression

"In the cave, she's fine; just not as strong as she used to be. We best go inside. They'll be on the prowl soon."

Jire nodded grimly. He didn't need to ask who they were.

# Chapter Seventeen

Jire listened to his parents narrate how they ended up here. His eyes glistened with pity and respect for them; they'd been through so much. The tale of how they managed to get here was not only frightening but fraught with risk and danger. The driver that brought them as far as Idanre perished along the way. They were attacked by the infected as soon as they reached the town. He died trying to protect them.

There were six other people in the cave with them; two men and four women. From the looks of things they'd been here for a while. There was a good supply of food, firewood and other odds and ends needed for survival.

"They took several trips to get them__" his father said with a smile noticing his gaze.

"You mean back down the hill?"

"Yes __"

"Jire omo mi.*" His mother cut in. *Jire my child. "Bawo lare e?"*

*How are you feeling?"

"Mo wa ok mummy. Shey e wa pa?" *Am fine mum. Are you ok?

"I am fine__" She grunted looking haunted. "I never thought I would live to see a day like this. The bible sure knew what it was saying when it said we were in the last days."

Jire rolled his eyes. He so wasn't in the mood for his mum's long tirades about God's faithfulness and such. If God was indeed as faithful as everyone claimed he was how could he let Modupe die?

'His ways are not our ways, neither are his thoughts our thoughts __' his face grew even more thunderous when he recalled that verse of the bible. He felt tempted to swear at the Almighty God. Yeah you always have an answer to everything.

'Mike check __ I wasn't the one who killed her __ you did with your own hands.'

'If I didn't she would have killed me __ or at the very least infected me. How can you defend this? Why let her get infected in the first place?'

'O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!'

He shook his head violently ending his silent debate with himself. An argument with God was something he wasn't capacitated to win.

"What's wrong son?" His father's quiet voice broke through his troubled haze.

"Nothing!" He growled leaping to his feet and striding for the door.

"Don't go too far from the entrance __" His mother called after him. "__ they're usually on the prowl around this time."

He didn't even dignify her words with a response. He stepped out taking a deep breath of the cool night air.

His mother and father exchanged sad looks. She patted him on the arm and he rose striding after his son.

Jire sat on a large boulder not far from the entrance staring at the stars. He was so entrenched in his thoughts he didn't hear his father come out. Not until he leaned on the black rock by his side.

"What's wrong?"

The tears he'd been struggling to keep at bay filled his eyes and streaked down his cheeks.

"She died daddy __ she __ I had to __" he stammered gulping back sobs.

His father leaned forward patting him on the shoulder. "It's alright __ it's alright __"

"The world has been overrun with madness father __ I followed the news reports. They said the infection could only be passed through a bite. She wasn't bitten. We never even left the house since we got there. But she suddenly turned ___ for no reason __ what is happening in this country?"

"It's not just the country Jire. The world is in trouble. When the news was still on we saw the earth's super powers engaging some sort of force. As at the last news report I heard they were no closer to subduing it. That gives me even more cause to fear __ than all this __" He said giving a sweeping motion with his hands.

"I heard that too. Word is they were contemplating nuclear weapons."

"I hope that word turns out to be false. If it's true __ we might be looking at the extinction of the human race."

"Haba Daddy! Isn't that some extreme thinking? Using nuclear weapons could kill the thing."

"And what happens afterwards? What will be the effect on the earth's ecosystem? Or worst case scenario __ what if it doesn't kill it? What then?"

Jire's heart grew cold at his father's words. "What? No response? You're speechless?"

His father asked chuckling.

"Am sure they've done their research. If they do decide to use them __ I am sure it will destroy whatever that thing is."

"I sincerely hope you're right. I really hope you're right cos I hate to consider the implications if you're wrong. We best go in __ its not safe out here, especially at night."

Jire nodded slowly following his father into the cave. The two other men dragged a heavy log of wood across the entrance effectively sealing themselves in. What neither of them saw were the glowing pair of red eyes watching them from a hundred metres away.

Taiwo stirred scratching his stomach. He yawned peering through the blades of grass. The road ahead was empty devoid of any activity and movement.

Cars were scattered about, abandoned by their owners who turned. He swallowed taking a deep breath. The evonso virus had spiralled out of control. When the conversion process was done he'd hoped, he'd sincerely hoped they had finally gotten the upper hand over this thing. How wrong he'd been.

His eyes drifted to the battered radio and satellite phone lying on the grass beside him. A turned soldier had dropped it, flinging his bag into the bushes. He peered out of the grass again. There was no one in sight. Nothing that could hear him __ he hoped. That left behind __ he took a deep breath and rose striding deeper into the bushes. He scouted around for a two hundred meter radius in all directions before returning.

Satisfied he was alone he turned on the radio keeping it on a low volume. The screech of static greeted his ears. He scanned all frequencies but got nothing for his efforts. On the verge of switching it off he decided to try it one more time. This time he got something. It was a low warbling sound. Like a whisper of a voice clouded by a cacophony of noise.

He tuned it carefully struggling to get it clearer. After almost five minutes of trying he succeeded. His worried gaze drifted to the battery. It was about half full. He had to be careful, who knew when he'd get electricity to charge it.

"Is anyone out there? If you can hear this please respond __"

He paused considering whether or not to answer. He decided to wait and hear what the person had to say.

"If there are any military or police personnel out there listening to this broadcast please answer. We need your help. We are presently on the outskirts of Abuja with no way of getting back in. If you're still in the metropolis, close to the presidential villa we need you to pick up some very important security personnel trapped in an office complex not far from Aso Rock.

"Saving them could mean the difference between the end of our country and its continued existence. Please respond __"

Well here goes nothing __ he thought grimly as he picked up the receiver to answer.

"Who are these important personnel and what is their station? State their relevance and importance."

"Who is this?"

"My name is Taiwo Betiku. I am a former District Police Officer. I am not far from the presidential villa."

There was a pause.

"Where did you get this radio?"

"A soldier turned __" He swallowed grimacing.

"You said former __ why aren't you still a DPO?"

"Wait is this question time or do you want me to try and save our personnel?"

There was another pause.

"Alright __ they are in an office complex about five kilometres from the presidential villa. They took refuge there when the situation grew untenable. We need you to get to them and if possible get them out."

"Who are they?"

"One is a doctor who worked on the virus conversion process in South Africa. She landed in Aso Rock as the virus became airborne__"

So it was airborne. That made sense. It explained the sudden madness.

"__ we need her alive to fine tune the conversion process. It's our thinking that because of the haste Doctor Kemisola made an error with the cooking process. This doctor we believe can fine tune it."

"Have you been in radio contact with them at all?"

"Yes we were. Contact ended about an hour and a half ago."

A pause followed the man's words. "When you last spoke to them what was their condition?"

"Condition?"

"I mean were they injured? Were there any hostiles? And if so how many; that sort of thing.

"The soldiers guarding her said they were minutes away from being overrun."

"By the infected?"

"Obviously!!"

"Do you have an exact figure __"

"They weren't specific. They did mention something about them being in the hundreds."

Taiwo's face grew grim. This was beginning to look like a suicide mission with every second that passed.

"How many of you are in your unit?"

"I am the only one."

The person on the other end gave a low whistle. "You haven't a chance in hell of getting into that building."

"Watch me __" Taiwo growled as he switched off the radio. He put the strap of his gun over one shoulder picking up the radio and satellite phone. When he was done he backtracked, heading towards the presidential villa and what he was sure was certain death.

# Chapter Eighteen

He found the building without much difficulty. It was a tall stout structure with five stories glistening with brown texcote paint which looked as if it had been painted on recently; lying just beyond the Nigerian Presidential complex, Nigerian National Assembly and the Nigerian Supreme Court. These buildings were empty devoid of their usual hustle and bustle save a little slurring and growling every couple of minutes.

Even if the structure hadn't matched the description he'd been given, the hundreds of infected in front would have still been a dead giveaway. He swallowed suddenly finding it very difficult to breathe. What in the world was he doing here? He should have gotten into one of those abandoned cars and made his escape as quickly as he could but nooo he had to come here to try and play the hero.

'If you don't do it who else will?'

He nodded at his silent question. Maybe this was what he was created for. President Abdusalam kept him on the team because he seemed to have a charmed life. He'd despised that line of thinking when he heard it but now he wasn't so sure.

His eyes focused levelling once again on the building and the horde in front. How did he get in? Almost thirty minutes was spent pondering before an idea came.

Ducking low he backed into the bushes slowly taking off into the trees. He ran due west for two hundred metres eventually ducking back on the main road leading to the gates of the presidential villa. He could see it from far off. There was a disturbing stillness about the place which sent shivers down his spine.

His errant thoughts stilled as he remembered what he was looking for. Bodies lay strewn in a two mile radius. Most were civilians with a sprinkling of a soldier every now and then.

He began to search each soldier's pockets. He went through almost fifty before he found what he was searching for. Three hand grenades. Examining them with satisfaction he headed back.

The infected were still standing the way he'd left them with a rumbling slur rippling through their ranks. There was the most awful racket coming from the second floor with the intermittent retort of what sounded suspiciously like gunfire.

The people he was supposed to lead to safety were being engaged by the infected. He had to hurry. He pulled the pin of the first grenade and tossed it into their centre ducking low as he did so.

They whirled around as the grenade went off engulfing a quarter in red fiery flames. He tossed another ducking behind a large tree ten feet away from the horde of infected.

There was another explosion; thirty people were flung into the air as if they weighed no more than dolls. A narrow path snaked between them.

Saying a quiet prayer he ducked out from behind the tree and took off towards the entrance at a fast sprint. Luckily for him, the explosions disoriented them making many not notice him. The few that did were too far into the crowd to get to him before he smashed through what remained of the two sliding glass doors.

Nine infected loitered in the lobby. He pulled his rifle off his shoulder and opened fire dropping them like flies. His scared eyes drifted left and right, flitting between the elevator and the staircase.

He tore to his right taking the stairs with long bounds. He could hear the thunder of at least half a dozen feet racing after him. His hand went for the last grenade in his pocket but he stilled it, freezing. Not yet __ the situation wasn't that dire. He might still need it. The second floor was empty devoid of any presence save about a dozen dead bodies. His eyes narrowed in suspicion. He could have sworn this was the floor the ruckus came from.

There came a loud crash from the storey above. He grimaced with every limb trembling. The growling slurs coming from the staircase were getting closer. He took off, racing up the stairs heading to the upper story. As with the one below, this too was empty with bodies littering the floor.

A soldier twitched a few feet away. He looked like he'd just been bitten. Taiwo raced to his side. His body was a riddled mass of bites and cuts. The red blood started turning green as he watched. He'd soon be one of the infected.

Removing his sidearm he put a bullet in the man's head before tearing up the stairs to the fourth floor. Five infected gathered at the bottom of the stairs. He started firing immediately. He dropped three; the two that remained were dropped by shots fired from the landing above.

"Who goes there?" A gruff frightened voice barked from the top of the stairs.

"Your backup. Don't shoot __"

He took the stairs two at a time coming face to face with a burly light skinned man.

"Where are the others?" The man asked looking over his shoulder. "Are you it?"

Taiwo nodded. The man's frightened look returned. "Are there more coming?"

"A whole lot more. We have to move."

Taiwo led the way this time and they reached the final storey in seconds. A very attractive woman in a dirty grey skirt suit stood by the door leading to the balcony. She looked even more terrified than the rest of them and her beautiful face was stained with dust and dirt.

"Are you the doctor?" Taiwo asked taking position in front of her. He stood shielding her with his body.

"Yes I am __" She stammered.

The roar of infected racing up the stairs was ear splitting. "What do we do?" a soldier asked. His hands were shaking so bad his rifle was rattling.

Taiwo tore to the staircase bringing out his last grenade. He tossed it down as the face of the first infected creature appeared on the landing. It exploded bringing a sizeable section of the stairs down in deluge of flame, concrete and steel. A cold silence immediately followed.

Taiwo stood by the door listening. He didn't hear a thing. Sighing he turned facing the frightened group behind.

"What's your name doctor?"

"Catherine! Catherine Kachifo. How did you find us?"

"Someone put a message on the radio. He said he's on the outskirts of the FCT (Federal Capital Territory), which is where we have to get to."

"How do we do that?" a soldier asked pointing at the damaged staircase. "Even if we do succeed in crossing that __ there is no way we get past the horde am sure are waiting for us on the lower floors."

Taiwo's eyes drifted to the balcony railing. He strode to it peering down. There was another balcony below. Each floor had one. His eyes drifted to the drainage pipe running down the wall beside it. It reached the ground. If there was any way out of here that was most definitely it.

"How good are you at climbing?" He asked with one eyebrow raised.

She looked at him as if he was crazy. "You aren't serious are you?"

He shrugged turning away. "You either climb or become food for them."

The slurring growls started again. They were coming at great speed and he didn't think the damaged staircase was going to stop them.

He climbed over the railing, moving right in a slow smooth motion and stretched out his left foot. It touched the pipe __ just. He lowered himself, grabbing hold of the concrete the floor of the balcony was built of.

Finding a firm foothold and grip he started to descend. Two soldiers followed next. The third gently steered Catherine towards the railing. She looked faint. This was a no brainer. Falling five stories was still preferable to being eaten. There was no gainsaying it.

She started down with the help of the soldier. Unable to find a foot hold with her heels she kicked them off and started to descend. Her confidence grew. It was easier than she expected. She tried not to look down. This was way out of her comfort zone cos she had a fear of heights. Amazing what one would do if you were desperate.

Though Sheldon of the big bang theory would be quick to point out that a fear of heights was preposterous. It would be more reasonable to suggest a person had a fear of falling.

Her eyes grew amazed. Why in the world was she considering such a thing now? The mind was a strange complicated thing. She took a deep breath and looked down. Taiwo was on the ground with his weapons raised. It seemed to take forever but eventually her feet touched ground. She had never felt so relieved.

They took off in an eastward direction. Catherine saw he led them away from the major road which was puzzling. Why were they going this way? Unless__

"There are too many on the road. There is a secondary road not far from here. We should be able to find a car that'll take us to the outskirts." He explained as if he could hear what she was thinking.

"Do you know how to start a car without the keys, because, I most certainly do not." A soldier growled.

"We won't have to. Most turned while driving their vehicles. I saw quite a few cars as I approached. The keys were still in the ignition."

They reached the road as he was speaking looking left and right. It was a side street, there were a few cars dotted around. Five infected people stood a mile away. They had their backs to them and seemed unaware of their presence.

Taiwo nodded striding to a gleaming black Toyota Corolla. He wasn't an expert on cars but it looked like one of the newer models. He strode to it grimacing at the long crack on the windscreen which marred the aesthetic beauty.

He tried the door and it opened easily. The driver's seat was stained with a little dried blood. He looked in the back, asides from a little blood it was empty.

Entering the driver's seat he heaved a sigh of relief when he saw the key still swaying in the ignition. It was quite fortunate it wasn't one of those push to start models. Cos the key would have been in the pocket of whoever owned it. He turned it and it started with a healthy growl.

"Get in __" He barked at the others hovering outside. They nodded leaping in. He put it into gear and swept away from the curb heading towards the major road.

"Keep the windows up. Under no circumstances do you roll them down understood?" They nodded. His worried gaze drifted to Catherine who was already starting to sweat.

His eyes shifted to the dashboard. He found the air conditioning and turned it on. Cool breeze flooded the cabin refreshing everyone so good they sighed.

"Thank God for technology!" one soldier murmured. Taiwo smiled weakly as he eased the car on the express road. The road ahead was blocked with cars. Long lines of crimson stained the road at varying points but there was no sign of the infected.

Taiwo pushed hard on the brake and drew to a screeching halt. Catherine turned in her seat looking out the back window.

"We might have to go back."

Taiwo looked back too. She was right. The road behind was clear. Out of the corner of one eye he saw Catherine snap her seatbelt in place.

"What's that for? The road safety officials aren't likely to book you. I am sure they have more important things on their minds right now."

"Force of habit." She said smiling weakly. He nodded understanding. She needed a sense of normalcy. And the seatbelt was that, for the time being at least.

"Loookkkk!" A soldier cried pointing his meaty hand through the space between the two front seats.

They turned gasping when they saw a host of infected flood out of the trees on either side of the road. They were like a black swarm innumerable in their numbers.

"I think we should get out of here." Catherine said in husky whisper.

Taiwo nodded shoving the gear into reverse. The corolla swept backwards picking up speed. When he felt he'd gathered enough momentum he spun the wheel, making a perfect hundred and eighty degree turn. He shoved it back into drive as he completed the turn without the engine stalling for a second.

"Good driving __" She gasped.

In-spite of his fear he couldn't stop a tiny smile from lifting the corners of his lips ever so slightly. The mass exodus of infected from the bushes on either side continued. They were like locust streaming out in droves, in an attempt to overrun the car. They kept ahead by inches, barely.

A particularly large group smashed into the Toyota's rear end almost forcing it into a tailspin. The corolla swerved from left to right. Taiwo was barely able to keep control of it.

The four hundred metre tall monolith that was Aso Rock (Landform the presidential villa derives its name from) loomed on the skyline to his left. Hundreds more swept in from that direction. He mashed his foot down on the accelerator hard. As he measured the distance between this new swarm he silently debated their chances of escape if the car was overturned.

It took a few seconds, ten in total when he was absolutely certain they weren't going to make it.

"Brace!" He yelled.

They smashed into the side of the corolla so hard two of its wheels were lifted off the ground. Taiwo drove the car on two wheels for twenty metres before it slammed down on all fours again. He mashed the accelerator to the floor and they were off again speeding towards the outskirts of the city.

"Thank God they didn't break the windows."

Taiwo gave Catherine a 'are you kidding me look.' She smiled. Looking at her smile made his lips start to twitch for some strange reason. Soon he was laughing. The soldiers at the back gave themselves puzzled glances. But soon they too were chuckling. Soon everyone in the car was laughing, the strain of their near death experience momentarily forgotten.

# Chapter Nineteen

They had been out of Abuja for almost ten minutes before they saw the military convoy parked on both sides of the road with a thick mesh of barbwire blocking movement.

A tall well built soldier surged to the front waving them down slowly. Taiwo wound the window on his side down smiling at the soldier. The man didn't smile back. Neither did the sad haunted look in his eyes escape Taiwo's notice.

He bent to look into the car freezing when his eyes settled on Catherine's wan face. She smiled obviously recognizing him.

"Corporal Olatunji."

"Catherine Kachifo. How long has it been?"

"About twenty two hours give or take."

He smiled for the first time and his face lit up like a Christmas tree. "I am so glad you're unhurt."

"You can't be as happy as I am __"

His eyes drifted to Taiwo. "You must be the former DPO."

"So it was you on the radio?"

He nodded slowly.

"How did you do it?"

He continued at Taiwo's puzzled look.

"How did you get them out?"

"God! A stroke of luck __ I don't know. You take your pick."

"You my friend have just done the impossible." He cried slapping Taiwo on the shoulder. His eyes grew grim as he said this.

"What's the situation now?" Catherine asked getting out of the car.

"Bad __ we don't know the extent of the damage because communication is basically zero."

"What about the president? I was on the way to see him when the mayhem started."

"We have no information on the president __ we're hoping he is still alive."

"Quell that hope__" Taiwo said cutting in. "He's dead. I watched him fall from a helicopter. The same helicopter I was in."

A sad terrified silence followed his words.

"What about the vice president?" it was one of the soldiers in the back seat asking this time.

"Like I said __ we have no word."

A long silence followed.

"What do we do?"

"At this point we're not sure. We received word another battalion of soldiers are headed this way. We want to gather as many battle ready units as we can and then hit upon a plan."

"What about fine tuning the conversion process? You did say that was the reason you wanted Catherine saved didn't you?"

"Yeah that was the plan __ but __" His words drifted off.

"I hate it when there is a but __" Taiwo growled stroking his chin.

"The problem is we have no where for the doctor to work. Not sure there is a lab capable of completing the process that isn't overrun."

"A mobile lab could do it __ if we could get one that is."

Tunji's eyes narrowed. "Do you have any idea how we could get one?"

"There is a man I can call __"

"Who is he?"

"Donald Othako. He works for the South African security service. If anyone could get one here am sure he could."

"But how does he get it to our location?"

"That's the tricky part. We might have to get to the airport."

"And how in the world do we go about doing that? I am not sure you've noticed but Abuja has been overrun."

"You can't get your hands on a helicopter? Aren't there still some available to the army?"

"I wouldn't know. A lot of military helicopters have been downed. Curse our government for not giving us the funding we needed."

"Aren't you glad the extremist concerns came up? That's why the army has even this much funding. Think of what the situation would have been if the government didn't pour more money to combat Boko Haram."

Olatunji sighed weakly.

"Even if there were any more helicopters who would fly them? The Evonso virus is airborne now. Only those with natural immunity are still __ normal."

"How many do you think will be infected when all's told?"

"I can't say __ but based on what happened in Abuja, if it repeats itself that way in other places let's say at least two thirds of the country will be before all is said and done."

"Two thirds! Jesus Christ!"

"Don't exclaim yet __ that's just a conservative estimate. My guess is its going to be higher. Much HIGHER!"

They shivered at the grim tone in her voice.

"But say you get it right __ would it cure those turned by the airborne version of the virus?"

"I don't know ___ it's too early to say."

"Let me get you a satellite phone. Maybe you can contact this Donald character."

"What makes you think he would be keen on helping us?" Taiwo couldn't resist asking.

"He has to. It's the problem of the entire continent now. Before I left South Africa the Evonso virus spread was quite alarming. If there is a way to cure this thing am sure the South African authorities would be glad to hear it."

A soldier hurried up interrupting their conversation. "Sir__" He said saluting Olatunji.

"Yes?"

"There is something I think you need to see."

Frowning Tunji hurried after him. Catherine and Taiwo followed closely. They were led into the back of a large armoured truck. There was a TV in the back connected to a medium sized dish attached to the roof.

The picture was skewered and blurry but they could still make most things out. It was a CNN broadcast and the camera was showing the skyline of a city. There was a word written under the image. Taiwo moved closer to get a better look. It said Moscow.

There was a thick cloud of darkness in the city centre ravaging and destroying buildings, bringing them down in thick clouds of dust and plaster.

Something lit up the skies, a flash followed by a long trail of smoke which streaked towards the dark blob. It took a few seconds before it hit. There was a blinding flash followed by an almost one hundred foot high mushroom cloud and the screen went dark.

The dishevelled newscaster came on a few seconds later. "Those were live images from Moscow. The Russian government has just used the first nuclear weapon. We're shocked by the audaciousness of the act, especially when you consider many of their citizens are still trapped there. But the world waits to see if this will be effective since other weapons have failed."

The broadcast continued for a few minutes more and grew skewered before cutting off completely. A grim silence filled the truck. They exchanged long terrified glances.

"What do we do now?" Catherine asked. Her voice like her body was shaking violently. Taiwo glanced at her worriedly. She looked like she was going to have a seizure.

"You better get on the radio and call that Donald Othako character. Let's see if he can get the lab down here as soon as possible. I'll try and get in contact with other army officials. Who knows? A few helicopters might still be air worthy. We'll need it to get to the Abuja airport. I don't see how anyone will get there by road anymore."

He mumbled a few unintelligible words and leaped out of the truck, quickly disappearing from view. Two soldiers followed him leaving Taiwo and Catherine alone.

She collapsed, leaning her back against the wall taking deep heaving breaths as she did so.

"Are you alright?" Taiwo cried hurrying to her side.

"I am fine __ it's just a lot to take in."

"The viral spread or the nuclear weapon?"

"Both I think __" she paused. "Do you think the world is ending?"

Taiwo swallowed locking gazes with her. He looked even more frightened than she did.

"I am afraid to say anything for fear it turns out to be true."

"Please say something __ I need to hear it even if it's terrible."

He swallowed, shaking his head as if to say 'your funeral'. "If I am to comment on it ___ I'd say YES! I think our world is coming to an end."

Catherine cried out in fear starting to shake in earnest. As much as she claimed to want to hear what he had to say she regretted and resented him for saying it.

The frightened silence that encapsulated them was complete and total.

# Chapter Twenty

Sirte Desert (Thirty six hours later)

Thirty six Bedouin soldiers crouched low in the desert sand. The masks' covering the lower parts of their faces was coated with white dust. This prevented dust from entering their lungs. The combat painted vehicles parked about a mile away were hidden from view by the rocky state of the terrain.

The Sirte desert lay along the Gulf of Sidra and it separated Tripolitania and Cyrenaica giving a rugged coastline to Cyrenaica forming a plateau encompassing Benghazi, Darnah and Al Bayda. Not far from where they were towards the south were oases like Al Jaghbub and Jalu. Libya lacked perennial rivers, so these oases were God sent for the area's watering needs.

The soldiers' eyes weren't fixed on the rugged coastline or the Mediterranean sea beyond it, their gazes were levelled on the desert landscape to the north.

The tall bulky man in front who was their leader had a pair of binoculars pressed against his forehead. His face was grimmer than the others had ever seen it.

"What do you see Tareq?"

He paused lowering the binoculars to the sand beneath him.

The man's worried gaze swept over his leader's stiff body and he crawled forward till they lay side by side. Tareq handed him the binoculars without another word.

He took a deep breath raising it to his eyes. Strong winds shifted the desert sand in a barely concealed fury. His first thought was it was simply dust devils having their fill of the loose sand covering the surrounding landscape. He was wrong. The wind changed direction and the dust covered haze cleared somewhat. His eyes grew so wide they threatened to pop out of their sockets.

It was the giants ___ huge metallic looking beasts that put the fear of Allah into him. They were over a hundred feet tall with hard scaly skin that glittered in the hot sun. Behind walked thousands of black muscular creatures whose top halves seemed too big for their lower parts. Their eyes were red and they twirled in their sockets in a disturbing uncoordinated way.

The sky above them was suddenly lit by fiery red flames and huge dragon like creatures burst out streaking ahead of the horde heading their way.

The man lowered the binoculars and wiped his eyes in a bid to assure himself that what he was seeing wasn't real. He took another look and shook when he saw the apparitions were still there.

Tareq looked as if he was on the verge of bursting into tears. So great was his fear. That made his subordinate even more frightened. Tareq was leader of one of the largest militia controlling most of Libya's south. Men quivered in fear when they heard his name. Since Ghaddafi lost his life several years before, the country had plunged into chaos with hundreds of militias springing up all over the place. Tareq headed the most feared.

As long as he'd known him, he never believed him to be afraid of anything. But looking into his eyes now he saw great fear. Fear was something he recognized easily. He'd seen it in the eyes of hundreds of men since his leader's rise to power and significance. His words when they came were shaky and quavering.

"What do we do sir?"

Tareq levelled his terrified gaze on him. "We run Hamza! We run for our dear lives."

They took off at a run heading towards their vehicles. They reached them after an almost twenty minute sprint. The drivers started the engines putting the cars into drive and they were off, heading deeper inland towards their strongholds.

Collins looked up at the house on top of the slope to his right. It looked abandoned, but who could tell. Judith crouched in the back seat quavering. His eyes narrowed at her wan look. She was exhausted. They both were. He'd been driving for almost ten hours straight. It was time to rest.

His hand started to drift to the door handle when it stopped frozen by Judith's words.

"You sure it's safe up there?"

"We don't have that much of a choice darling. We both have to rest and catch our breaths for a bit."

"Can't we sleep in the car? I am not sure I'd feel comfortable in that house. What if an infected person is still in there?"

"We can't stay in the car Judith. One of the windows is smashed for one and two it would be too dangerous. The house is more defendable. You stay in the car. Take this __" he said handing her a sidearm. "__ just point and shoot. Let me go check it out."

She nodded slowly still looking unconvinced. The car door opened with a slight creak. He winced stepping out. Metal was dinged rather badly around the lock area. He must have run into something in his haste to get away.

His eyes drifted to the house growing troubled when he recalled Judith's words. 'What if an infected person is up there?'

A thrill of fear ran down his spine. What if she was right? What if it wasn't one but dozens?"

He swallowed trying to take a deep breath at the same time almost choking in the process. His rifle came out of the car next followed by box of shells. He loaded them quickly and stepped towards the house and his destiny.

The veranda was dark and forbidden looking. He sighed stepping towards the door. It creaked open before his hand reached the handle. His eyes narrowed and he stepped back. The little of the inside he could see was it was shrouded by darkness.

He took another deep breath and pushed the door open with his foot, turning on the torch on his phone as he did so. It opened into a large sitting room, it was expensively furnished with plush leather seats, quality POP ceilings and crème coloured walls all around.

He stepped in twirling around slowly to ensure no infected person hid in any corner of the room. The light from the torch cast eerie shadows everywhere. A faint scuffling sound erupted from the back. He swung around with his weapon raised shinning the light of his torch on the floor. A mouse scuttled away from the light's faint glare. He sighed in relief heading for the bedrooms. They were all empty, devoid of any infected activity.

His search complete he made his way back to the front door. Judith was shifting about nervously in the back seat as he approached. Her eyes were wide and frightened. Calmness filled them when she saw him approach and he could see a faint tired smile lift the corners of her lips slightly.

"The house is empty?"

"Yeah it is ___"

She nodded and reached for the door's handle. He opened it for her and she stepped out taking a deep breath of the cool evening air.

"We best go in quickly. It's not safe to be wandering around at night."

She nodded and started for the house. He looked into the car to check if there was anything they had forgotten. It was empty. His eyes grew dark with concern. They left in such a hurry. There were supplies in that house in the forest. Supplies they needed. He'd been too afraid to stop on the way to gather stuff they might need. Well he'll cross that bridge when he got to it. First things first ___ they had to get a good night sleep.

The walk to the house was quick and hurried. After shutting the door he made sure it was securely locked and bolted. He led her to the bedroom laying her down gently on the mattress. The sheets smelt fresh and sweet with a hint of pine about it. They had obviously been washed recently.

When she was settled he turned and made his way to the kitchen. A large gas cooker stood beside the back door. It had two large pots on it. Opening the lids, he was pleasantly surprised to see one filled with still warm vegetable soup. The second had a rice and beans mixture in it.

He bent low and took a whiff. The contents of both pots smelt alright. That meant the owner of this house had either turned or was still coming back.

That thought made a thrill of fear run down his spine. He ran back to the sitting room. As he made his way towards Judith he caught a slight movement out of the corner of one eye. He twirled around; the window in front of him was opened slightly. Out of the crack he saw a dark shape moving in the hedge of rose bushes.

He cocked his gun and strode for window keeping as low as he could. Peering over the edge of the sill he watched the infected woman strolling around aimlessly heading back the way they'd come. She was dressed in short white nightgown. Her hair was wrapped and packed in a hair net and her eyes shone like twin red globes.

He didn't allow her to see him. She paced restlessly for two haunting minutes before walking off into the distance eventually disappearing from view. Only then did his racing heart settle into a pace of normalcy. Something told him the woman outside was one of the former occupants of this house.

Taking a deep breath he returned to the kitchen. When he had filled two plates with good helpings of rice and vegetable soup he walked to the Judith's room pausing outside the door.

A sad smile lit up his face as he stared at his sleeping companion. She must really be tired. There was a chair to his left. He went to it and sat placing both plates on the floor beside him. He continued to watch her for a total of fifteen minutes before he too drifted to sleep.

#

#

# Chapter Twenty One

Olbia, Libya

A town between Marj and Bayda in Cyrenaica Libya; Libyans had a modern name for it. They called it Qasr Libya. There wasn't much to it, it was small, somewhat decrepit looking with two Byzantine churches, one integrated into the Qasr.

To the east of this was a newly constructed military compound, built against the backdrop of a hundred foot high mountainous structure. Nine foot tall wrought iron gates marked the entrance. These gates were usually shut, but today they were open with dozens of trucks, tanks and armoured vehicles streaming through the entrance.

Tareq stood on a raised platform built in the centre of the compound watching the proceedings with wide terrified eyes. His greenish grey militia uniform clung tightly to his broad heavily muscled body and he clutched his semi automatic rifle tightly in one hand.

He kept glancing repeatedly at his watch as if expecting it to explode from his wrist. His second in command strode his way from the left taking the steps leading up to the platform two at a time. He had a techno tablet computer in one hand with a video streaming.

Tareq's heart skipped a couple of beats. Something told him he wasn't going to like what he saw.

"We have a problem boss __" The man began grimly. Tareq rolled his eyes. 'Tell me something I don't know.'

He handed Tareq the tablet and his eyes grew grimmer still as he watched the events slowly unfolding on screen. It was difficult to tell where the camera was placed. The video was jerky and skewed as if the camera was being rattled about.

A dozen military planes with weapons ready streaked towards the horde of giant and flying dragon like creatures. The planes let fly and missiles streaked away engulfing the horde in a cloud of searing flame.

The camera panned backwards. Showing miles and miles of open dusty plains; filled with almost a hundred thousand soldiers, assisted with tanks, armoured vehicles and mortar. This was the bulk of the main Libyan army.

They opened fire showering the enemy with cluster bombs, tank fire and heat seeking missiles. The firing continued for ten minutes before the commander gave the order for a pause. The smoke cleared slowly. The air was calm and peaceful for a few moments before __

The giant's struck first, clearing a path through the Libyan army like men wading through mud. They kicked, stamped and literally barged through. The army was helpless against the assault. It was over in minutes. The images on the screen shook violently for a few seconds before going dark.

Tareq took a deep breath and faced his man. "Was that live?"

"No sir __ it's a recording, made almost thirty six hours ago."

"So that means?"

He got no further. There was a loud explosion and a quaking rumble shook the entire compound. His eyes swung to the open gates. Thick black smoke rose into the air two miles out.

"Boss what do you __"

"They're here. Let the troops get ready __ we go out to engage."

"Sir I don't think we can win this."

"Me neither __ but we must do what we can so our women and children can get out."

The man nodded racing towards the gate. Tareq turned giving the men behind a quick nod. They tore towards the back gate where a great crowd was already gathering; mostly women and children. The gates were flung open releasing a tidal wave of bodies who streaked further south.

'Go!' He thought slowly. 'We'll hold them off as long as we can.'

The sky turned fiery red. He gasped looking at the flying dragon like beasts streaking towards them. Their mouths opened and they blew out a searing wave of flame which engulfed the gates melting them like wax. His rifle came up and he opened fire spraying bullets in a wide arc. It was a desperate move; one he knew wasn't going to yield any results.

The flame came quickly. He couldn't have ducked even if he wanted to. The pain was unbearable for a total of ten seconds before slowly tapering out into soothing blackness.

Wole's eyes narrowed to slits as he watched Baba Adora climbing further up, leading them up the slope. Anike and Tunrayo breathed deeply as they struggled to keep up.

"Don't worry __" He said turning around. "We are almost there. It won't be long now."

Wole's eyes rolled around in their sockets. He said that two hours ago. Truth be told, he was really very tired of it all. They'd stopped at a settlement outside Osogbo. The abandoned house was supposed to be their resting place. 'Supposed' being the operative word; they'd barely been there two days before Baba Adora insisted they move again.

It took every ounce of willpower they possessed before they could agree to follow him. As Anike aptly put it ___ he'd saved their life once before. So wisdom demanded they acquiesced to his instructions.

The steep slope started to even out. It was almost flat now. A cluster of homes rose in the distance. They exchanged several wary glances. Baba Adora piped up as if he could hear their thoughts.

"The homes are abandoned. We'll be safe here ___ for now."

They shivered when they heard 'for now'. The path evened out until it was completely flat. The first house was only fifty meters away. It was a small bungalow like structure with wide sliding glass windows and red velvet curtains blocking the interior from view.

Baba Adora walked past as if he didn't see it. Wole and Tunrayo exchanged puzzled looks. Anike who wasn't known to hold her peace spoke up immediately.

"That house looks good to stay in __ why didn't we stop there?"

"There is an infected child in there." He replied without breaking stride.

"Thought you said the houses were abandoned?"

"Yes I did __ more or less anyway."

Anike's hard glare could have levelled a city block. He walked past the first, then the second but stopped at the third. Striding to the door, he tapped his staff twice on it and the locks clicked open. It swung inwards without a sound and he stepped in glancing around the dark passageway warily.

There was a cold musty smell about the place. It hadn't been inhabited for at least three weeks. He could bet on it.

The others followed picking their steps gingerly. The passage led into a sitting room with a green five seater sofa set. A thick film of dust covered everything. Baba Adora took one breath and walked to the window sliding it open slowly. A cool draught of fresh air entered dispelling the musty stench to some degree.

Wole strode to the next one and opened it up. More air came in, the room now smelt normal. Anike and Tunrayo walked in slowly.

"We'll be safe here for a while. You guys settle in __ there is a supermarket not too far from here. It's abandoned, but there are one or two things we can use. I'll go and get some supplies for us."

"Let me go __" Wole said.

All eyes turned his way. "You're joking right?" Anike asked with one eye raised.

"No mother am not __ I could be there and back in half the time it'll take Baba Adora to walk to the door __ no offence__" He finished flashing a smile Baba Adora's way.

"None taken __ but it's still best I go. I can sense the infected so it'll be easier for me to avoid them."

"Then I am going with you __"

"As much as I would love the company __ you need to stay here and look after Tunrayo and your mother."

"Thought you said the houses here were abandoned?"

"They are __ but __ we must be vigilant. The Evonso virus is everywhere now. Be back as soon as I can __"

And with a whoosh he was gone. If Wole didn't know better, he'd have sworn he disappeared. Anike and Tunrayo looked just as puzzled and startled as he did.

"We best get the house in order __" He began striding deeper into the house. "__ he'll soon be back." They nodded and followed him slowly.

Baba Adora approached the supermarket cautiously. It was a wide rectangular shaped structure with a red gable like roof and wide sliding glass doors. The red and white paint covering the exterior glistened as if it had been applied recently. He sank down on one knee eyes drifting over it searching for any sort of movement. There was none.

His senses told him there were at least four infected in that building. It wasn't a totally accurate thing. There could be much more or much less. He swallowed and rose lifting his staff off the floor. It glowed more than usual. His eyes hardened and he walked towards the door. It opened at his approach. That surprised him for a second until he looked up and saw the electricity was on. Wonders upon wonders __

The aisle beyond the door was empty. To the left was the checkout counter. He stood on tiptoe peering over it. The cashier's seat was empty much to his relief.

A long line of high shelves stretched to the opposite end of the store. Each shelf had a sign tacked to the top of it. He could see that meat and food lay at the back, almost at the opposite wall.

A long narrow walkway stretched between the stack of shelves, so there were shelves on either side of it. He sighed and walked forward raising his staff to light up the gloom hanging over the back.

His eyes drifted to the right and he saw a stack of large paper bags folded in several neat piles. He picked half a dozen and started to fill them up. Bread, jam, butter, bottles of juice, all manner of cereal and a host of other items went into the bags.

As he started for the meat section he heard a low scuffling sound come from his far right. He froze turning slowly.

Three infected persons stood at the far corner watching him with glowing red eyes. One particularly large individual clad in what he assumed was the supermarket attendant garb walked out from behind the shelf joining the three presently eying him like a piece of prime roast beef.

They started towards him slowly. Red and green mucus dribbled down their chins and the red colour of their eyes alternated between blue and red. His eyes narrowed. This was new. He raised his staff. The end of it released a blinding glow which lit up the back like beams from a halogen lamp.

They screeched and backed up slowly. His eyes drifted to the four paper bags he'd managed to fill. Wrapping his hand around the ends tightly he hoisted them over his shoulder and slowly backed away from them. They followed but at a distance, hanging just beyond the wide beam of light.

The door swung open at his approach. A flood of relief filled him. He was seconds away from escape, any moment now. As if the infected could hear his thoughts the big one screeched and raced towards him at breakneck speeds. The others strangely did not follow.

He raised the staff higher and mumbled the strange words that came to his lips. A strong pulse burst from the end hurtling towards the attacking infected who'd now leaped into the air. The pulse struck him in the midsection flinging him back into the store.

Baba Adora didn't wait to see anymore. He took to his heels racing towards the bushes and the narrow path leading back to the house. He heard a loud crash and pained screams before he broke into the bushes and disappeared from view.

# Chapter Twenty Two

Catherine Kachifo hankered down between Taiwo and another bulky soldier looked with glazed eyes through the windscreen as the truck hurtled towards the Abuja airport. They were on the wrong side of the road, the reason being the right side was blocked with a long line of abandoned cars.

"Any word on the helicopter?" Taiwo asked turning to face Olatunji who sat beside the driver.

"No news ___ the connection is horrid. Haven't been able to get a call in__" the frustrated look in his eyes told their own story.

"We might not be able to reach the airport by road __ the abandoned cars for one __ and for another __ the infected. You won't believe the numbers we encountered as we fled the presidential villa."

Olatunji shrugged. "They know where we're headed. If they found one they will be on their way towards us as we speak."

"I hope you are right __" Taiwo said in a grim tone. "I sincerely hope you are right."

No one spoke for several minutes __ until __

WHOOP WHOOP WHOOT!

"What is that?" Catherine asked leaning forward.

"It sounds like rotor blades."

The driver slowed and wound down the windows looking up at the sky where the sound was coming from. A pleased smile broke out on his face.

"I think the helicopter is here."

"Stop the car __" Olatunji barked opening the door; he leaped out before the car came to a halt. He had his weapon raised and aimed at the approaching helicopter before they got out.

It came in for landing touching down ten meters from the bumper of the truck. Two grim faced soldiers leaped out ducking down to avoid the spinning rotor blades. It was a large military helicopter, Taiwo wasn't too sure of the make or model, but it could seat fifteen people easy.

Olatunji surged forward. He and the men exchanged a few words before hurrying back to the trucks.

"They found one __ Catherine, Betiku, Idris, Muktar, and Saheed, you're coming with us. The rest find your way to the hospital if you can. We might need back up."

Everyone whose name was mentioned nodded and raced to the helicopter. They boarded quickly and it took off streaking towards the airport. Catherine watched the convoy of military vehicles below quickly become dots in the distance.

"I hope your Donald Othako comes through."

"He will!" Catherine said with more confidence than she felt. The cabin of the helicopter was immediately engulfed with silence.

A Boeing C-17 Globemaster painted in green and black military colours altered course and entered the Nigerian airspace with a screech of its four powerful engines. It was a NATO aircraft presently on loan to South Africa after details were revealed on the sensitivity of this mission. Contrary to the belief of Nigeria's remaining military forces, what remained of the developed world was watching the events unfolding on the African continent (especially Nigeria) with great interest. What the gross darkness hadn't consumed, the evolved strain of the Evonso virus did. It was now a global pandemic intent on human extinction. When you combined that with the destruction brought on by the darkness things were looking pretty bleak worldwide.

The screech of the engines was numbed into a quaking rumbling in the plane's interior. The sound proofing inside the plane deafened the din to a bearable degree but a few of the soldiers strapped into the hard uncomfortable seats wore ear muffs to block out the sound.

Their greenish black combat fatigues were tucked into mud stained black boots. A few medical personnel filled their ranks also. They primed and prepped the three large mobile laboratories which took up more than eighty percent of the plane's interior leaving barely enough space for the crew and soldiers. Donald Othako rose striding towards the cockpit to talk to the pilots.

This wasn't the only mission. After they dropped off the mobile laboratories for Catherine Kachifo they had to rendezvous with other NATO forces. He wasn't sure of the specifics yet __ the president promised to brief him when they returned to South Africa, assuming all went well.

Both pilots looked up as he walked into the cockpit. They had grim looks on their faces.

"What's wrong?" He asked noticing.

"Nothing sir __" one said. His statement would have been convincing if his voice wasn't shaking.

"Tell me __" He growled leaning forward, his eyes darting over the controls. His untrained eyes couldn't see anything wrong but who knew

They exchanged troubled glances for a few seconds before the one on the left summoned up the courage to speak. He cleared his throat three times before his lips began to move.

"We're in Nigerian airspace __" He began.

"So?"

He took another deep breath before he could speak again.

"Sir it's common knowledge the Evonso virus is airborne."

There was a long pause.

"So?"

"So??? Sir is it wise our coming here? What about us? We have families. I personally would like to get back to them."

Donald sighed deeply before he spoke. "You are afraid __ I get that. I am not an epitome of bravery either. But this has to be done. If we don't do this, no one on the continent and perhaps the world will be safe."

"I am not sure the spread of the Evonso virus matters in the grand scheme of things." The pilot on the right growled in disgust.

"Oh really? Please enlighten me."

"Isn't it obvious sir? The darkness has laid waste to most cities. There are reports that Libya is a dead zone. What does it matter if we stop the Evonso virus or not? We stay worldwide extinction for a few days or weeks at the most ___ only to come face to face with it later. What's the point?"

"One step at a time guys, one step at a time; despite your misgivings we are doing this. This is our mission and it's our responsibility to get this done. Once we succeed we can worry about the darkness. One step at a time, ok?"

They nodded but didn't look convinced. Donald turned to exit the cockpit and paused. "Put your masks on __ just in case __ you did say the virus is airborne didn't you?"

They swallowed looking quite ill. He let out a guffaw of laughter and stepped back into the cargo area.

Taiwo stared out of the helicopter's window his eyes blank and unfocused. Catherine sat some distance away watching his every move. The looks on every face looked as grim or grimmer than Taiwo's face did. It was also as silent as a grave yard.

Seeming to grow weary of the silence Olatunji turned on the radio.

Breaking news __ THIS JUST IN! America has just launched its first nuclear weapon. Its target was the thickest cluster of darkness in Illinois. Most civilians have been evacuated so casualties should be minimum. It didn't work in Russia so there is no reason to suppose it will work here __ but ___"

There was a screech and whine and the radio went dark.

Catherine's eyes grew even more stricken. Taiwo turned at that instant locking gazes with her.

"It seems the world is disintegrating into madness faster than we envisioned." His words like his face were grim. She shivered not deigning to respond. She wouldn't have known the words to speak even if she wanted to.

"Look __" A soldier cried pointing. They were flying over miles of runway. They'd reached the airport. Several dark shapes raced around on the tarmac. Taiwo leaned forward to get a better look. Their movements were too smooth and fluid to be infected.

"Bring the helicopter closer __" Taiwo growled reaching for a pair of binoculars a few inches from his seat.

The pilot nodded grimly and brought the chopper closer to the ground. Seven guns cocked at once.

"Look sharp people. The infected could be everywhere."

The pilot continued to descend until he hovered six feet above ground.

"That's enough!" Taiwo growled heading for the door. He slid it open and leaped down to the ground below.

One of the dark shapes headed his way at a sprint. The men in the helicopter had their guns out in a flash the barrels aimed at the running man. Taiwo raised his hand to stay them as the man slowed, striding his way.

He was a soldier__ wearing blackish green uniform with two stars sewn on the shoulder. The cut and colour wasn't one Taiwo was familiar with. One thing was certain however, it didn't belong to any of Nigeria's armed forces.

"Hello sir __" The man said giving a sharp salute. Taiwo saluted back awkwardly still trying to place the man's colours.

"Who are you? And what are you doing here?"

"I report to Donald Othako. We are here to meet with Catherine Kachifo. Is she with you?"

"Did you bring the mobile labs we requested?"

"I am only authorized to speak to Catherine Kachifo. Where is she please?"

Taiwo sighed. It was obvious he wasn't going to get anymore out of the man. He raised his arm and waved. The men in the helicopter attached lines to a hook on the door and slid down in their ones and twos. Catherine was the last to descend, helped by a burly surly looking soldier.

He waved her over as soon as her feet touched the ground. She strode forward slowly nervously patting her hair which looked rather frizzled.

"Are you Catherine Kachifo?" The soldier asked giving her a long look. She nodded slowly, casting a worried glance at Taiwo. He smiled to put her at ease. It didn't work.

"Come with me __" He said breaking into a jog. They exchanged puzzled glances before tearing after him. The wide departure lounge they stood in front of shielded the rest of the tarmac from view. A ten minute jog brought them to a wide stretch of runway on which sat the biggest plane they'd ever seen.

Twelve men stood in front of it with sophisticated looking guns held at the ready. A worried smile lifted the corners of Catherine's mouth as she recognized the man in front. Donald Othako! He stood a foot taller than the rest.

They reached their side in moments with Catherine and Donald sharing a long and somewhat disturbed gaze.

"Nice to see you again Catherine." His voice was a low growl in his throat.

"You too Donald. How have you been?"

"So so ___ busy mostly, you?"

"Same __ did you get me what I asked for?"

He nodded waving at the men behind. The back of the plane opened slowly revealing the cargo area. Three men drove three mobile laboratories down the ramp onto the runway. Catherine's heart skipped a couple of beats when she saw them. These mobile labs would either be their doom or salvation. Time would tell which one would prove true.

"Here they are __ as requested."

Catherine nodded at Taiwo who nodded at three men behind him. They sprinted to the labs and got behind the wheel driving them towards the gates.

Donald, Catherine and Taiwo watched them go with glum looks on their faces. As they exited the gates they turned facing each other.

"So what now?"

"I work on reengineering the vaccine."

"And how long will that take?"

"Not sure ___ there are over a thousand variable combinations. If I work fast __ maybe anything from three weeks to a month. It might be sooner __ but who knows."

Donald's eyes grew grimmer still. "I am not sure the world can hold out for a month Catherine __ we need a solution NOW!"

An annoyed looked flashed through Catherine's eyes. "I can't just whisk a cure out of my hat for you Donald. I wish I could but I cannot __ perhaps if Doctor Kemisola were still alive, she might have been able to get it done sooner. But I am not Kemisola; unfortunately."

"Kemisola wasn't infallible so let's not start worshipping her. She is the reason we are in this situation in the first place."

"I wouldn't put all the blame on her Donald. Viruses have been known to mutate. There was no way she could have foreseen it changing as the aerosol mingled with the air."

"You're saying air was the catalyst that brought about this new mutation?"

"I am not saying anything yet ___ but it is possible. Until we investigate we won't know what really happened."

A tall extremely muscled soldier walked forward whispering in Donald's ear. He nodded listening to what the man was saying.

"I am afraid this is where I leave you my friends, duty calls. Keep in touch and let us know what you find ok?"

Catherine nodded slowly as Donald turned and started back to the plane. She and Taiwo turned heading back to the helicopter when they heard it. It was a loud rumbling wave of sound. Like ten thousand slurring growls going off at once.

Taiwo and Catherine exchanged frightened looks and took off at a run screaming instructions at the soldiers milling in front of the departure lounge of the airport.

The soldiers snapped to attention holding their guns at the ready. Risking a glance back, Catherine saw Donald and his men were sprinting towards the airplane.

Two hundred meters from the runaway where the plane's engines were presently idling was a seven foot barbed wire fence. Thousands of infected streaked to the fence their disjointed mouths yelling out their growls. They hit it so hard that it snapped creating a wide hole for the ones in front to get through.

A pencil thin flood of infected bodies sprinted towards the plane. Catherine didn't wait to see more. The helicopter was fifty feet away and closing. She put up an extra burst of speed, even managing to overtake Taiwo in the process. She was that scared.

The soldiers were already leaping onto the helicopter which was already off the ground. Streaking towards it she leaped up seeming suspended in midair for a few seconds below she felt hard metal beneath her feet. She was in. Taiwo leaped in barely three seconds later.

The loud explosion of gunfire deafened. She had to cover her ears with her palms. Her eyes drifted to the tarmac. Infected were streaking towards the helicopter like a tidal wave. Bullets rained into their midst dropping them like flies.

The pilot gave the engines more thrust and they went high __ too high for even the most agile infected to leap to. Only when the milling bodies became small dots on the ground did anyone in the helicopter release their bated breath.

The Boeing thundered across the runway. Catherine's eyes narrowed as she watched it streak away. A mass of infected clung to the tires as it gathered momentum for takeoff. It took a few seconds; ten in total and it lifted taking to the skies.

They watched it go with long terrified gazes. They didn't have to turn to each other for confirmation. They were pretty sure at least eight infected had gained access to the cargo hold through the tire compartment. No one wanted to voice out their realization for fear it would somehow make it real. A cold silence filled the cabin of the helicopter as they hurtled towards the outskirts of Abuja.

# Chapter Twenty Three

The men in the plane had to wait at least five minutes before their hearts stopped racing. After the seatbelts sign went off Donald paced across the floor of the cargo hold restlessly. If he was a more religious man he'd have said a prayer for Catherine so she'd quickly find a cure to this deadly virus before it wiped out the planet. That's if the darkness didn't do it first.

His thoughts drifted as he paced. He glanced at the watch strapped to his wrist. They'd be back in SA in a few hours, to pick up the president and head off on an unknown mission. The president hadn't been very vocal about the mission. All he'd said was it involved rendezvousing with NATO forces somewhere on the Black Sea.

A US carrier the SS Harrier was presently stationed there, battle ready for missile strikes on the darkness presently ravaging the Asian pacific.

NATO meetings as he understood it had to be held on the go. The darkness was spreading everywhere; almost as fast as the Evonso virus. Protecting world leaders demanded them being kept mobile. That made them less easy targets for the darkness and its minions to hit.

As he paused his thinking he heard the scratching sound. It was coming from below. His frown deepened. There was a hollow space between the cargo hold and the bottom of the plane. They called it the avionics room, whatever that meant. Something was moving around in that room.

His eyes drifted to the men seated a few feet from him. Their eyes were hard and narrowed. Apparently, he wasn't the only one who heard the movement below.

"Is anyone down there?" Donald barked raising his gun.

His men shook their heads slowly. Most rose raising their weapons high in the air.

His eyes drifted to the far right side of the plane. There was a trapdoor there. He nodded slowly and two of his men strode to it. It opened without difficulty and a cold darkness yawned open. They exchanged troubled looks and one descended down the ladder.

Donald's eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed on the black opening. The seconds ticked by and then there was a gut wrenching scream followed by an explosion of gunfire.

Three of his men raced for the trapdoor with their fingers curled around the triggers of their weapons. Four infected leaped from the dark opening as if shot from a cannon.

Two men were brought down instantly, the infected crouched on their chests taking big chunks out of their necks. The men in the cargo hold fanned out firing their weapons sporadically. Donald opened his mouth to yell they exercise caution with the way they were spraying bullets when six more leapt out of the trapdoor.

The red gleam in their eyes put the fear of God into him. He raised his weapon and squeezed off a few bursts catching one in the eye. It was flung back as if smacked in the face by a really large bat smashing into the side of the plane with a resounding crack.

Two more soldiers lost their necks. Donald and four others backed away still firing. After decapitating the soldier it was feasting on, the tallest amongst the infected rose striding after the retreating soldiers.

The soldiers rained bullets into its chest which now looked more like a ragged bed sheet. It yelled in a loud shrieking tone and leapt high into the air.

The three men under its falling body increased fire. One bullet swept under the infected man's armpit taking off a hair as it did so. This bullet ricocheted off a steel bar on a small armoured vehicle sitting in the centre of the cargo hold and swept straight to the window. The window shattered on impact and the cabin depressurized instantly.

The men lost their weapons and were thrown upwards smashing into the roof of the cargo hold so hard that two lost consciousness instantly. The infected man was pulled towards the window by the pressurized air escaping the plane. The force sucked him through with a sickening sloshing sound and he was gone leaving a film of crimson behind.

The plane started a steep descent dropping from almost thirty thousand feet to twenty in less than five minutes. Donald groaned as everything around him swam. On the periphery of his consciousness he heard the pilots shouting from the cockpit.

The plane was still plummeting. If they didn't even out soon they would give whoever was on the ground a nasty scare.

Slowly however the plane started to even out. Donald shook his head and rose to his feet. He reached for his sidearm and drew it slowly. There were no infected in the cargo hold anymore. Wiping the blood trickling from one side of his mouth he turned and staggered to the cockpit.

The pilots were in a state of panic when he stepped in. "How are we doing?" Donald gasped shaking his head.

"Not good __ there aren't any airports close enough for us to land."

"What does that mean for us?"

"Nothing good sir __ we are going to hit hard. I suggest you strap yourself in and brace for impact."

Donald nodded and raced back into the cargo hold. He sank into the chair and quickly strapped himself in. The plane shook violently and went into a steep dive again. He gritted his teeth and started to pray. He could hear the pilots screaming from the cockpit. He stiffened his body and prepared for the crash. He didn't have long to wait. There was a shuddering quake followed by the greatest bone shaking he'd ever felt. Seconds later the explosion rocked the plane and he knew no more.

President Kungawo Lethabo looked up as the tall dark soldier entered his office. One look at the man's grim face and he knew something was wrong.

"What is it Gabriel?"

"We lost contact with Donald's plane about an hour and a half ago. We think it went down."

"Where?"

"We're not sure. We are still trying to find out."

Kungawo's eyes grew grim. This was something he didn't need right now. If anything bad happened to Donald __ he swallowed. It couldn't bear thinking about. That man practically ran the country with him. Not only was he a trusted secret service officer, he was also a valued advisor.

"Ok keep looking. Get the word out and keep me informed."

The man nodded and quickly exited the room. Kungawo's sighed and leaned back in his chair rubbing his hands over his face. The office suddenly felt too quiet for some reason. He got out from behind his desk and strode for the door. He suddenly needed some air.

Donald came to slowly. The cargo hold was a smoky miasma of twisted metal. Metal that looked like the remains of the plane's frame was twisted inches above his body. He sighed and slid out from under it rising shakily to his feet.

Bright sunshine streamed in from a massive hole in the plane's hull. He walked to it listening for any movement or sign of life. He got nothing. He decided to call out.

"Anyone still there? Is anyone alive?" A numbed silence was his only response.

He exited the plane kicking away a shiny plate of metal before tripping and collapsing on the carpet grass covered stretch of land beyond.

About two hundred people from a nearby village were gathered. He paused startled poised to run if any were infected. They sure didn't look infected, worried was more like it.

"Are you alright?" A tall woman gasped stepping forward. Her English was slow and halting, as if she wasn't used to speaking it. He couldn't quite place her accent. If he was to guess he'd say it had a French lilt to it. He could be wrong.

"I am fine. Where is this?"

"Cameroon __"

He sighed. He hadn't gotten far at all.

"Where can I get a phone? I need to make a call. It's very important."

She nodded slowly. "Come with me __ a phone is not far from here."

He nodded and strode after her. Only then did he see the cluster of small buildings about two miles away. If the plane crashed any sooner, it would have ploughed through it. He sighed and increased his pace to match the woman's own under a hundred shocked gazes.

# Chapter Twenty Four

Kungawo stretched out on a resplendent white leather sofa in his private quarters watching a breaking news program on a sixty inch LED TV. The picture was grey and skewered as if the camera hadn't been properly coupled and adjusted. It jerked every couple of minutes.

It was a report on the security situation in the aftermath of the nuclear explosion in Illinois. Four bombs had been used since then in four other cities with no success. The darkness was still as strong as ever. Some argued even stronger.

Germany, France, China and North Korea had followed Russia's lead; it had been a wasted and extremely costly endeavour. Millions had died with little or no success in repelling the darkness forces. The phone rang before he could give the matter more consideration.

"Yes??" He barked into it.

"It's me sir __"

Kungawo leaped to his feet. "Donald! You're alright __ what happened? Where are you?"

"Somewhere in Cameroon __ not sure exactly __ but yes __ I am alright."

"Find out where you are ___ I will send men to come get you or I could get on the phone with the Cameroonian President. His people will pick you up and put you on a plane to South Africa. How does that sound?"

"Very good sir __ I want nothing more than to be back home now."

"Good! How did the drop go?"

"It went well."

There was a long silence on the other end.

"Do you think she can rectify the vaccine with those mobile labs?"

"Honestly sir ___ I really do not know. I sincerely pray she can but ___"

Kungawo sighed. "Anyway that's not important at the moment. Get back here first. All will follow in good time."

Donald nodded and was about to hang up when he remembered. "What about your meeting with NATO?"

"It's still on __ will leave in a couple of hours. I delayed it as long as possible cos I wanted more information on you and your mission."

"Could you delay it a little longer? I'd like to accompany you if that's ok."

"You sure you're up to it?"

"I am sir. I was lucky, got out without a scratch."

"That's good. I will delay for a few hours longer. Get here as soon as you can. Will call the Cameroonian President as soon as am done talking with you__ ok?"

"Ok sir __" and the connection was cut. Donald sighed and leaned back in his chair rubbing his head in his hands.

Fifteen hours later

Donald's eyes fluttered as he struggled to stay awake in the rumbling confines of the Gulfstream which was one of the many planes in the South African presidential fleet.

Kungawo Lethabo dozed on a comfortable looking sofa not far from him. Members of his security force loitered at varying points in the Gulfstream's expansive cabin.

He rubbed his eyes, still fighting slumber. He knew he really ought to try and get some rest. He hadn't gotten any sleep in almost thirty six hours and counting. The strain was starting to tell. Not to mention having survived what should have been a fatal plane crash.

When Kungawo saw images of the wreckage he'd insisted the doctor's give him a thorough medical examination. That delayed their takeoff time for two hours. Miraculously the doctor's weren't able to discover anything wrong with him. He'd escaped from the wreckage without so much as a scratch save a few superficial bruises. Life was strange like that.

His eyes hardened. Almost twenty men had been with him at the start of the mission. Now he was the only one that remained. He was tempted to ask the powers that be why but dismissed the urge to question to the heavenly bodies obviously looking out for him. He wasn't a religious man, but he was wise enough to realize that his survival was nothing short of miraculous.

His thoughts drifted, centring on the one and a half hour security briefing he'd received upon departure from Durban. NATO forces were calling a meeting of all remaining head of states worldwide. The venue for this meeting was the aircraft carrier, the US SS Harrier presently navigating the now frigid waters of the black sea.

He hadn't had time to study the flight plan, but their destination was a small airstrip in Russia. From there they would be flown to the SS Harrier via military plane.

He closed his eyes again and would have drifted to sleep if he didn't hear loud cries coming from the cockpit. He leaped to his feet instantly drawing his weapon.

Five other soldiers did the same as Kungawo stirred.

"What is happening?" He demanded his eyes wide with fright and worry.

"Stay here sir __" Donald barked leading the men to the cockpit. He prayed it wasn't another infected attack because he was so not in the mood.

He reached the cockpit door and put his ear against the shiny polished wood. There was no sound. Taking a deep he reached for the door handle. His hand tightened around the gun and he pulled the door open.

The pilots were staring out the window with gaping mouths. He frowned and stepped in to see what they were looking at. His jaw dropped. At a point almost at the opposite horizon he saw tall hulking shapes. They were over ninety feet tall with black metallic looking skin that glinted like steel.

Their huge legs waded through the sea in a slow leisurely pace as if they had all the time in the world. Fiery dragon like beasts accompanied them flying over their shoulders like pets with red eyes fixed on something in the distance ahead.

"What in the world__" Donald gasped lowering his weapon slowly. "Is everyone seeing this?"

"Yes sir __" A man stammered behind.

"I have altered course slightly __" The pilot said in a shaky voice. "We might lose an hour or so but __" He paused swallowed.

"But what??" Donald asked turning to face him.

"Nothing sir __ our previous course was taking us directly towards them."

"But you've corrected that?"

"Yes sir."

"Good! Increase speed, let's try and put as much distance between us and them."

"Very good sir ___ but what do we tell the president?"

"Nothing __ no need to alarm him unnecessarily. Samson __" He began turning to the man behind him.

"Stay with the pilots and keep me informed on any developments."

He started back. It was the pilot's voice that stopped him.

"What if they attack us?"

Donald paused not turning around. "We run __ and if that doesn't work __ then we die."

His grim words left a cold silence in the cockpit.

The president had his eyes fixed on his face as he approached.

"What was the problem?"

"Nothing sir __ the pilots were simply sharing a joke. No biggie __"

Kungawo cast a disbelieving look his way but shook his head deciding not to push the issue. He leaned back in his chair and promptly went back to sleep.

Donald sighed as he and the men of Kungawo's security team went back to their seats and strapped themselves in. One crossed his fingers while another began to say a quiet prayer under his breath. Donald fixed a preoccupied gaze on the praying soldier. Yeah maybe he was the smart one. If he knew any prayer he would probably say one now.

That thought stayed with him so long he decided to act. Taking a deep breath he closed his eyes and said the words

"Help us father __"

His eyes opened once more and he sat tensely waiting. He'd soon know if his prayer was answered.

# Chapter Twenty Five

Catherine frowned as the lab shook violently. The fluid she was trying to pour into a test tube almost spilled in the process. She was tempted to yell at the driver to drive more slowly but somehow managed to quell the urge.

That was the third pothole he was running into in the last two minutes. Her eyes drifted around the lab's expansive confines. It was built like a motor-home. There was a leather couch a few feet away, a toilet at the back and even a bedroom.

The table she was working on was riddled with sheets of paper, test tubes and beakers. She wiped her hands on the stained apron she wore glancing at chemical formulas opened on a spreadsheet on the Dell laptop to her right.

Her eyes drifted around the lab once more. She was alone. Taiwo and Olatunji were in front with the driver. Four armoured vehicles stuffed with soldiers followed. They'd decided to let her work in peace. She snorted in disgust. They could have saved themselves the trouble. She was no closer to figuring this thing out than she'd been when they were with her looking over her shoulder.

She'd kill for Kemisola's help at the moment. That woman was a genius. It was just a pity she had to die before her work was fully completed. Catherine could bet all she had that she'd have had all this figured out in moments. Well bully for her. It sucked being the second in command, the underling. A few more disparaging adjectives came to mind but she dismissed them. Now was not the time to start second guessing herself. She had to stay focused. Focus was key. It could be no other way.

She settled down to work some more when lab pulled to a halt with a grating groan. Her eyes widened and then narrowed. What was wrong? Was there trouble?

Her arms fell to her side and she walked to the door. There was a loud knock as she reached for the lock. She leaped back startled.

"Who is it?" She asked in a shaky voice.

"It's me _" Taiwo replied in a weary tone. She sighed and unlocked the door.

"What's wrong?" She asked her eyes taking in his dishevelled and extremely weary appearance.

"Nothing's wrong. We've stopped for the night. Olatunji feels this is a good spot to rest and recharge our batteries until tomorrow."

"Are we going to stay here for some time? A couple of days at least__"

"Don't think so __ he feels we should keep on moving. I agree with him. Everywhere is riddled with infected activity. Your work is too important to take chances with it. We must be as careful as we can."

She nodded slowly glancing at her stained apron. It would take a good round of cleaning to get the stains out of it. She didn't relish thinking about it.

"Any luck?"

His words brought her out of her reverie. For a few seconds she was confused, not having the slightest clue what he was talking about. Seeming to sense it he spoke again.

"The cure I mean __ or vaccine or whatever it's called."

She shook her head slowly. A tired sigh burst from his lips.

"I didn't think there would be anything yet. Olatunji insisted I ask you."

"Sorry I haven't been able to work any miracle yet."

"Nothing to be sorry about, we all know you're doing your best. I only pray there will still be a world by the time we get the answers we're searching for."

Her eyes hardened as she searched his face for any trace of condemnation. She saw none, save sympathy. Her eyes filled with tears but her gaze grew determined. She wouldn't disappoint them or the world. She would perfect the vaccine, even if it was the last thing she did.

She stepped further in to the lab. "I'd like to go back to work now."

He nodded sensing a change in her mood. Whatever it was it looked like she was more than ready to get back to work. He could see the drive burning within her. That was good. They needed that if there was even the slightest chance they got out of this thing alive.

He stepped back from the door closing it slowly behind him. It closed with a loud click. He heard the locks sliding into place on the other side and he sighed walking back to the campsite area.

Olatunji looked up as he approached his grim face becoming almost thunderous when he saw the emotions flitting across Taiwo's face. Taiwo raised his gaze from the path he'd been tracing on the ground, locking eyes with Olatunji.

"So?"

He shook his head slowly. Olatunji sighed deeply.

"I didn't expect her to have found something so quick anyway. It's a miracle they engineered the vaccine as quickly as they did. I remember thinking it happened much too quick. I wasn't surprised when I heard it had kinks."

Taiwo shrugged glancing at the men milling around. Some were groping through the bushes looking for God knew what while others were simply loitering around.

They were on a lonely stretch of road which seemed to be miles from anywhere. Taiwo had never seen this area before and he'd been to Abuja several times.

"What are they doing?" He asked pointing at the men groping through the bushes.

"They are looking for firewood. We're thinking we'll make a fire later, for warmth. It gets kind of chilly at night."

"You sure that's wise? Won't the fire just draw them?"

Olatunji didn't have to ask who he meant by 'them'. He paused, troubled by Taiwo's words.

"I hadn't considered that."

"I don't think it's a good idea. Is this road well used?"

"No not really __ it's a secondary road. It has never been well used ___ even before the Evonso scourge."

Taiwo lapsed into silence pondering on Olatunji's words. Olatunji waited for him to respond. When four minutes drew out and he still said nothing he spoke.

"What do you suggest Taiwo?"

Taiwo looked up startled as he came out of his deep introspective thoughts.

"We could give it a try. If the roads are as quiet as you claim we shouldn't have any problems. But make sure you post lookouts everywhere. Let the men take shifts. We can't afford another attack, at least until she comes up with something." He said pointing back at the mobile lab with his thumb.

Olatunji nodded grimly and walked off, going to supervise his men. Taiwo watched him go and squatted down in the dirt with his eyes closed. He said a quick prayer and sat leaning back on his palms. His eyes continued to drift round not missing a thing.

'What if she never finds the cure?'

He shivered at the question. The voices in his head were up to their usual tricks. He couldn't afford to dwell on that possibility. If he did he wouldn't be able to plough through and do what he had to do. He shook his head slowly and closed his eyes. The flood of peace was instantaneous. The sounds around faded away too.

Hours later

Catherine heard the cackles of laughter, the rumble of discussions and general movement of the soldiers at the campsite. From the red glow shinning in one of the windows she surmised they'd lit a fire.

A frown roughened her brow as she thought about that. She wasn't sure lighting a fire had been the smartest thing to do and she had to quell the urge several times to go out and tell them so. She probably would have if she didn't have the burden of perfecting the vaccine. It felt like she held the fate of the continent and perhaps the world in her hands.

A sigh left her lips as her thoughts drifted. She never liked bearing too much responsibility. It was a throwback from her childhood years when she'd been responsible for supervising a play her class was to present at the school's awards ceremony and she messed it up. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment as she remembered.

Her mum would argue that her pathological fear of responsibility had cost her much in her career. She should be a more senior researcher than she was now which was true, but she didn't mind the fact too much. It kept things safe. If things got bungled the leader would have no choice but to take the fall. And now for some strange reason responsibility had been thrust on her by a queer quirk of fate. Life was strange like that.

She continued working with greater vigour and zest. Three more hours passed. She was tempted to stop at a point but pushed on; counting down the thousand combinations the vaccine ingredients could be mixed.

She kept getting failed results. As she made the four hundred and fifty fifth attempt the room started to swim before her eyes. Only then did she accept the signals her body was giving her. She stepped away from the table and rubbed her eyes with the back of one gloved hand.

She could still hear the sound of laughter and discussion outside. Her eyes drifted to the bed on her far right. It beckoned but no __ not yet. She hurried to the door and opened the locks stepping out into the cold night.

The camp fire created eerie shadows everywhere. The slightly disturbing part of the whole thing was__ asides from the chatter from the men surrounding the fire, everywhere was deathly quiet.

The sound of crickets, mosquitoes, mice and other creepy crawlies that might otherwise grace the environs of any known bush were strangely absent. It was as if such things did not exist.

The sentry sitting a few feet away from the loud talkers gave her a surprised look when he spotted her walking towards the campsite. He gave her a polite nod which she responded to as she walked past him. She couldn't help looking back at him as she moved away. He'd resumed looking into the bushes, his head drifting from right to left.

No one saw her until she was two feet away from the fire. Some grabbed their guns and were on the verge of firing when they saw who it was.

"Jesus!" Olatunji gasped leaping to his feet. "You almost gave us a heart attack. What are you doing out here at this time of the night?"

"I got bored of work so I decided to stroll. Some soldiers you are __ if I'd been an infected I would have killed at least two of you before being stopped."

"The sentries would have alerted us __" Olatunji growled looking shamefaced.

"Yeah __ go that route if it makes you feel better." She snapped sinking down on the ground beside the fire with a dull thud.

A few of the soldiers exchanged embarrassed looks and slunk off. One mumbled something about needing to check their surroundings. The others didn't speak at all.

They began to leave in their ones and twos until only Taiwo and Olatunji were left. Taiwo and Olatunji exchanged wary looks and looked off in opposite directions avoiding her gaze. There was a long moment of awkward silence as she scrutinized each of their faces.

"What's the next step?" She growled fixing her gaze on the burning flames.

"Not sure __" Taiwo breathed with a sigh. "We keep moving around I guess."

"What do you think Olatunji? Or do I call you Tunji?"

Olatunji's grim eyes locked on Taiwo's own. "You can call me whatever you wish. That's hardly important at the moment is it?"

Taiwo shrugged lowering his gaze. Catherine watched them her eyes drifting from one to the other.

"You didn't answer the question__" her words were like a breath of air. You almost couldn't hear them. But their impact was undeniable.

"Honestly??" He growled turning an irritated glance Catherine's way.

"I don't know what to do ___ perhaps if you got the vaccine fixed now __"

Her eyes hardened at the sting of his words. She rose, about to stride back to the lab. Taiwo's words stopped her in her tracks.

"Wait Catherine __ don't go. Let's not bicker __ we need to come up with a plan."

Her glare burned holes in Olatunji's head for several seconds before she sank down on the ground once more staring off into the distance. Olatunji cast an apologetic glance her way before turning to Taiwo.

"Even if we do perfect the vaccine in record time how do we disperse it?"

Taiwo took a deep breath not responding. Olatunji waited __ impatiently.

"Let's solve one problem at a time __ the most important thing is getting the kinks in the vaccine fixed."

"Yeah __ I am the one slowing down the process aren't I?" Catherine spat out.

"No one's saying that __" Taiwo said gently. "We all know how difficult this is."

Catherine's eyes rose up to meet his. He looked sincere. Perhaps he meant it. Who knew? One never knew with men.

"I have gone through about four hundred different combinations but the result is still the same; failed. It's tiring and more than a little frustrating."

"How many more combinations do you still have to try?"

"A little over six hundred."

Both men sighed. "That could take weeks."

"Weeks is an optimistic estimate. I am thinking more of months. If I wanted to be a bit morbid there is a possibility we might not even find the right formula in the combinations generated by the system."

A cold silence greeted her words. Silence Taiwo eventually broke.

"I choose to proceed on the side of optimism for the time being Catherine. We simply have to find the solution. If we don't, our country and perhaps the world might be lost."

Catherine shrugged and resumed staring into the flames. Taiwo took another deep breath and faced Olatunji.

"Tunji do we have contact with any remaining military force still out there?"

"Nothing so far __ we're still trying. Since civilian communication all but ground to a halt __ it's been __ challenging to get the word out and receive word in return."

"We have to keep trying __ who knows__ we could get lucky."

His words drifted off as he looked into the distance. There was something dark coming. He could feel it.

"Taiwo __"

He snapped out of his reverie and looked into her eyes.

"What gives?"

He shivered looking off into the distance again. "Nothing really __ just a feeling is all __"

"What sort of feeling?" Olatunji growled. His pupils were as hard as pebbles.

"Never mind __ it's not important. Let's ensure we leave here at first light tomorrow. The situation demands our __"

His words drifted off. Olatunji and Catherine exchanged puzzled looks again.

He rose __ locking glances with each of them in turn. "I am turning in for the night __ going to sleep some distance away. Take care __ until tomorrow." And he slunk away going to join some men lying on the ground ten feet away.

"I should turn in too __" Catherine said beginning to rise.

"Are you feeling sleepy?"

"Not really no __"

"Then why not stay up for a bit. We don't have to speak but I am betting you could use the company."

She paused considering his words. She sat after a total of fifteen seconds. A slight smirk lifted the corners of his lips ever so slightly. She spotted it, barely.

It irritated her for some reason and she was seconds away from walking off when he spoke again.

"I am sorry about what I insinuated earlier. It was uncalled for __ I have no excuse save to say I am a little overwhelmed by it all."

"We're all overwhelmed by it. How do you think I feel having the fate of the country and perhaps the world in my hands? It's not a pretty sight and feeling I assure you. But I can't say because I am under pressure I will take it out on everyone can I?"

"Well __ you did kinda take it out on us."

"Remind me when I did that __" She began glaring at him.

He shrugged unperturbed.

"Your greeting when you walked up to the campsite wasn't exactly stellar was it? Anyone with a brain in his head could see you were wound up in knots __ and you gave us a grilling __ though a little one." He smiled to take the sting out of his words.

Her glare lingered for a few seconds before slowly fading away. "Maybe you're right __" She conceded after a while.

"Maybe?" He prompted with one eyebrow raised.

"Don't push your luck __" She shot back beginning to glare again.

He laughed. She shook her head slowly unable to stop a small smile from lifting the corners of her lips.

"It will be well__ I hope!" he added when he saw the hard look enter her eyes again.

A comfortable silence ensued. Catherine's thoughts started to drift when he spoke again.

"What about your family Catherine?"

The question drove ice into her veins. She lowered her head trying to stop the shaking in her hands. When she couldn't she looked up meeting his gaze.

"Asides from the attack on the South Africa vaccine facility, they were the reason I was so eager to get back here. I thought perhaps they escaped __ Now ___" Her broke. His eyes softened in understanding.

"They were living on the Island __"

He grew cold at her words, his eyes shining with sympathy. "I don't know if they made it off before the bombing. But somehow __" She stopped unable to continue.

"__ there's still a chance __"

She smiled sadly. "I know you're just saying that to make me feel better. We both know the odds of that happening are slim at best. The bombing of the Island by the Israelis wasn't a public decision. They were most likely caught unawares. Not to mention the island was condoned off from the mainland weeks before the bombing."

"You heard what was happening __ did you try to contact them when you were in South Africa?"

Are you blaming me now?"

"NO of course not __ why would you even think that? I am just trying to get a sense of what happened."

She sighed looking contrite. "I am sorry __ just stress is all."

"No problem __ did you?"

"Did I what?"

He sighed looking impatient. "Did you try and get in touch with them while you were in South Africa?"

"I tried __ severally; was never able to get through. Considered flying down many times, but with the pressure on us to find a workable vaccine it was impossible. I only wished I'd been able to say goodbye properly."

A long silence followed her words.

"We've all suffered loss __ sometimes it's almost to go on__" his voice shook as he said this causing her to look at his face. What she saw brought tears into her eyes.

"Who did you lose?"

"My wife and young son __ the town was overrun by infected. The army had to sanitize it. I got the news after it happened."

"They could have gotten out __" She began.

"They didn't! I checked."

"Sorry __"

Another long silence ensured.

"Tell me about your childhood years."

She looked up in surprise. He nodded giving her an encouraging smile. It was forced so it came out looking like a snarl, but she got the idea. Leaning back on her palms she began.

# Chapter Twenty Six

"My childhood years were nothing fantastic. I was an only child and my parent's doted on me. I am not sure they wanted any more children. They didn't say and I didn't ask. I was content and very well provided for.

"Dad was a doctor __ and a damn good one. He had several hospitals scattered across Lagos and some as far as Abuja and Port – Harcourt. He did well __

"Mum was a lecturer at Corner Stone private university. I guess it was a given I'd enter the medical line. Mum always said since a young age I'd always been intrigued with hospitals and such.

"I'd hang my dad's stethoscope around my neck and place it on my doll's chest as I'd seen him do a thousand times. It always made them laugh. When I started to damage and misplace his they bought me my own __ a toy one of course."

Olatunji watched her as she talked. The love and animation in her eyes and words were impossible to ignore. She'd had a good childhood which was fortunate for her. Most weren't that lucky __ he sure wasn't.

His thoughts drifted as he remembered. Growing up in a slum in some forgotten area of Lagos didn't exactly live up to the image of an idyllic childhood.

He was in trouble more often than he wasn't, going to school had been more of a fluke than anything else. After spending some time in prison on a misdemeanour charge he'd signed up for military service and the rest they say is history.

But the years there had proved beyond reasonable doubt that this was what he was born to do. His men and colleagues were his life and family. It wasn't meant to be any other way.

Her voice seemed to fade off into the distance as he drew more into his thoughts.

Collins glanced out the window watching a cluster of infected stumble by. His eyes narrowed as he looked at them. There was something slow and staggered about their movement. He'd seen such signs before. A dog he'd had years ago showed similar traits. It walked in a staggered fashion whenever it was hungry.

His eyes grew wide as he considered that. They were hungry. Probably hadn't fed in a while. Most of the uninfected were staying hidden or moving from place to place. So it was becoming more and more difficult for an infected to find a decent feed.

They swept past eventually disappearing into the distance. Only then his stiff stance relax; a sound behind made him turn. She stood at the door looking as beautiful as ever. She was almost seven months pregnant. Asides from the swollen belly you'd be hard pressed to realize she was expecting. She didn't have the bloated look many pregnant women had.

"You're up?" He said smiling.

"Yeah __ it was getting too hot. I was baking."

"Yeah sorry about that __ would have put on the generator but don't want to attract undue attention."

A resigned look came into her eyes. "Yes ___ I can see how that would be a problem."

He smiled walking towards her. "What were you doing at the window?" She asked as he took her into his arms.

"Just checking out the terrain, we have to be more careful now __ I think they are running out of food."

She stiffened. "And you know this how?"

He squeezed her shoulders twice and stepped back. "It's just a hunch! I pray I am wrong __"

He stepped past her heading to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I have to look for supplies. We need fuel to keep the generator going."

"To keep our phones charged? Why bother? There isn't any signal anyway __"

He shrugged.

"Ok __ I just get really worried when you leave. I am always afraid you won't come back."

"Why won't I come back?" He asked hurrying back to her. "I am not that guy anymore. Now I always come back __"

She slid into his arms hugging him as if he was her last link to life. He let her hold him for almost three minutes before he extricated himself.

"I have to go babe. Be back as soon as I can."

She nodded slowly as tears slid down her cheeks. Wiping them away he stepped back again and headed out of the sitting room into the corridor beyond it.

She heard the back door close and he was gone.

Collins jogged round the back to where he parked the car. The 2010 Honda Accord they'd acquired to make their escape weeks ago. One of the side windows was still smashed. An irritated look entered his eyes when he saw it. He still couldn't use the air conditioning. Bully for him!

The engine started with a healthy growl and he swerved out of the parking area speeding to the front of the house. The car scraped the curb as he descended onto the road.

If he remembered correctly there was a fuel station/supermarket not too far from here. He mashed his foot down hard on the accelerator increasing speed. If he hurried Judith wouldn't be left alone for too long.

After almost fifteen minutes of driving he saw it rise ahead in the distance. He reached it in seconds and swung in. He kept the engine idling at the entrance for almost five minutes before he drove to the front of the supermarket. There didn't seem to be any trace of infected activity as far as he could tell. But one couldn't be sure.

He turned off the car's engine popping the trunk at the same time. Exiting the car he retrieved the jerrican from the boot and headed to the manhole style cover that marked the opening of the underground tanks.

Pausing over it, his eyes drifted around; his ears perking to hear even the tiniest sound. There was no movement neither was there the slightest sound.

He relaxed and crouched down in front of the cover. A tiny padlock prevented it from opening. A quick glance around eased his concern and he reached into his pocket removing a deadly looking handgun.

He considered shooting off the padlock but decided against it for two reasons. One was the chance of explosion and secondly he didn't want to attract the attention of any infected that might be lurking around.

He gave the butt of the gun a quick examination and eyed the padlock again. Looking around once more he drove the end into the padlock as hard as he could and with a satisfactory clicking sound it snapped open.

He lifted it grimacing as the strong smell of petrol hit him. It was so strong he gagged. Removing a pencil slim flashlight from his left pocket, he turned it on, shinning it into the opening.

The underground tank was filled to the brim. All he had to do was reach down and fill his Jerrican with fuel. His eyes drifted around again. A pale green bucket lay on the floor some distance away. He retrieved it, relieved to see there were no holes. He leaned down once again dipping the bucket into the tank. Filling it he brought it out, empting the contents into the jerrican.

He repeated this process five more times before the jerrican was full. Once done, he walked back to the car and dropped the jerrican in the trunk. Giving his surroundings one more glance he walked round to the driver's seat. His fingers closed around the handle when he realized he hadn't closed the underground tank cover properly.

He did that quickly and started back to the car. His eyes drifted to the supermarket and he paused. He almost forgot to get supplies. Taking a deep breath he pulled out his gun and walked to the entrance.

The inside was dark and gloomy. A quick kick shattered the glass and he walked through. His eyes swept through the supermarket's expansive confines. There was no movement. The shelves were high, crammed with goods of all kinds.

There were several trolleys stacked to his right. He took a deep breath and picked one up. The walk around the shelves took no time at all and in minutes he had all he needed.

He hurried outside and froze when he saw an infected man standing beside his car. Where did he come from? His hand tightened around his gun while he gave his surroundings a careful sweep. For the moment it seemed like he was alone.

He cocked his weapon and strode forward. The infected man looked up spotting him. His mouth opened in a snarl and he hurtled forward, running in a staggered sort of way.

Collins raised his weapon and fired. The bullet struck him in the head dead centre flinging him back a foot where he collapsed on the concrete. He twitched a couple of times and became still.

Collins continued to look around as he hurried to the car. He was in the driver's seat in a flash and turned the key. The engine spluttered but didn't start. A chill ran down his spine. He looked up as a slurring wave of sound reached his ears.

Hundreds of infected gathered three hundred meters ahead pausing for the briefest of seconds before hurtling towards him; he swallowed and tried the key again trying hard not to panic. The engine spluttered again but didn't start.

They were a hundred and fifty meters away and closing. He tried it again and this time it started. He punched the gear into drive and did a sharp a hundred and eighty degree turn before racing back the way he had come.

The horde started to recede in his review mirror until he could no longer see them again, only then did his racing heart slow. 'You were careless.' An accusing voice said in his subconscious.

"To hell with you!" He yelled out loud. Forgetting he was talking to himself.

He'd checked out his surroundings about half a dozen times. Where had they come from? He'd been extra careful. It must have been the gunshot. It had to be. How else could they have known he was there?

He snapped out of his reverie when he noticed a cluster of at least fifteen infected walking ahead. His eyes drifted to the right and he spotted a hundred more walking across long stretches of well tended fields.

He put on an extra burst of speed. Some turned starting to shriek when they saw the speeding car. He increased speed again driving the needle of the speedometer to a hundred and forty kilometres per hour.

Two infected raced to intercept him. He smashed into them so hard that the force tossed them almost fifty feet into the air. There was a sickening sloshing sound as their bodies connected to the asphalt.

The others gave chase but he quickly left them behind. He was in the clear; all that remained was Judith and home.

# Chapter Twenty Seven

Smolensk North Airport (Oblast, Russia)

Donald pulled his thick black overcoat closer to his body as he stepped out of the Gulfstream onto the runway. He'd never known cold like this. His breath and the breath of the men he followed came out in thick white gusts.

According to the Russian officials escorting them, it was quite warm for this time of the year since they were nearing the end of their winter. He begged to differ. The cold was killing him.

His eyes drifted around the wide tarmac and he sighed. He'd dug up some information on this place on their way here. From what he had been able to uncover, it was a decommissioned airbase located four kilometres from the city of Smolensk. It was now used strictly for civil and military flights.

Two Russian MiGs lay a few feet away. His eyes drifted to Kungawo. The man was shaking like someone in the throes of an epileptic fit. It appeared he was having more trouble with the cold than he was.

The MiGs were going to be their transport to the US SS Harrier where NATO leaders were meeting. Their Russian escorts saw them to the plane and helped them aboard. The president went first of course before he was escorted to the second MiG. He climbed in quickly and was strapped in by the pilot. It took a few minutes for ground control to give the go ahead and they taxied onto the runway preparing for takeoff.

With a loud screech of engines the MiGs streaked across the runway sweeping into the air like the most graceful birds of flight. Donald felt the bottom drop out of his stomach. Unable to bear it he closed his eyes and started counting down from hundred.

They were in the air for almost an hour when the pilot's loud yell roused him from his counting and introspection.

"There it is __" He said pointing.

Donald sighed looking where he was pointing and gasped. He'd never seen anything quite like it before. The hundred thousand tons of steel cut through the cold aggressive waves with what appeared to be an air of casual indifference; the massive steam powered catapult aboard this floating fortress flung hundreds of American fighters into the sky to combat a myriad of threats worldwide.

Since the emergence of the blackness, that number had doubled. The MiGs swept in for landing aiming for the long runway. Coming for landing on its 6.5 acre deck was unlike anything Donald had ever felt before.

The plane's tail hooks trap caught wires pulling the aircraft to a halt in four seconds. The move drove blood into their heads briefly making them see red. Donald started counting down from ten continuously until the plane slid to a halt. They had arrived.

The descent to the runway took some doing. He discovered his leg were stiff for some reason. His eyes drifted, his hard gaze falling on Kungawo. The man was basically stumbling. He was going to have to be carried if care wasn't taken.

As if they could read his thoughts two of Kungawo's soldiers stepped forward and lifted him in the air. Two strong US army officers walked forward stopping in front of them. Their cold emotionless eyes seemed to drill holes into Donald's insides.

"President Kungawo __ we welcome you to the US SS Harrier. If you'll come with me please __"

Donald nodded slowly and followed. They were led below deck into a series of corridors which meandered off in half a dozen different directions. Donald was astounded at how massive the place was. He knew they were big __ but nothing could have adequately prepared him for the mammoth scale of it.

The conference room came into view; Donald took a deep breath and stepped in looking at the almost two dozen people gathered. He recognized most of them which was surprising; he was so bad with faces.

Kungawo's men stood him up outside the conference and helped him limp through. Donald saw sympathy in many faces but none voiced it out.

A tall well built man in an expensive suit rose when Kungawo was seated. His blue eyes glistened behind horn rimmed glasses which looked a little too small for him.

Donald's heart skipped a couple of beats when he saw him. He was looking at Kyle Stanton __ Harvard trained lawyer who was now the President of the United States.

Before communication went down it had reached the ears of the world press that President Howard had died. The darkness attacked the white house killing him and everyone in it. President Stanton took over from then on.

A quiet stillness rose over everything. They watched Stanton with bated breath wondering what he was going to say. They'd been hit by tons of bad news over the last couple of weeks. Many felt it was too much to hope that good news was in the offing.

"Gentlemen ___ ladies __ I called this meeting for one reason and one reason only __" He paused. Many eyes widened, willing him to continue.

"___ to put it plainly __ we are losing this war __"

"Our most powerful weapons are ineffective against this thing. What do you think we ought to do?"

A cold silence greeted his question. Many leaders; especially the Russian and Chinese contingent looked positively livid.

The Chinese leader rose spitting out a flurry of unintelligible words. Kyle looked to his advisors helplessly.

"Does anyone have a translator?"

A stocky Chinese rose from the desk behind his leader and began to translate speaking with impeccable English.

"Our great leader Yin Jo Juao is grieved that you called us here for mere small talk. He was of the opinion you had a solution for us."

Kyle Stanton sighed deeply. "Then I am afraid I am going to have to disappoint him. My advisors and I are beginning to think there isn't a solution for the darkness problem."

A horrified silence fell on the room. Even the Chinese who seemed inches away from outright protest stared with gaped mouths at the American president.

"So why are we here?" Another voice barked from the far right corner.

They all turned, staring at the tall confident looking man in a black suit. He was in his mid forties, athletic and striking, with flecks of grey on the sides of his head.

His steely blue eyes seemed to lay your insides bare and his brow was roughened by a hard frown. He had a commanding presence, one that befitted the Prime Minister of Israel.

"Yosef __" Stanton got out quietly giving him an acknowledging nod.

Yosef nodded too __ his was so slight and quick that you'd wouldn't see it if you weren't paying attention. Stanton's eyes grew hard.

America relationship with Israel had been troubled of late. Late President Howard viewed them as unstable and excessively rigid with their state level interventions.

They were a wild bunch, some had gone as far as to term them vicious; making themselves judge, jury and executioner on everyone with the misguided notion of doing their nation and people harm.

They weren't great sharers of information either. Some key CIA sources hinted they knew of the coming darkness but did nothing to alert the rest of the world.

There were also rumours Mossad had a hand in the many assassination attempts on the scientist who brought the darkness into earth. The darkness many arms of the US military had taken to calling the ether-tome.

It was common knowledge they provided the weapon the Nigerian government used to sanitize Evonso Virus explosion on the island of Lagos. A weapon that caused the death of more than half a million uninfected people and infected a million others with radiation sickness.

The US state department was still in uproar about that and had wasted no time expressing their grievances to the Israeli's who until now had refused to comment. An anonymous source inside Israel's government stated they did what was necessary. Thinking of that information made him seethe with rage. The response was not only insensitive, but indifferent to the disastrous consequences of their actions.

This brought him to the conclusion that either every Israeli was a potential genocidal maniac or they were trying to stave something worse.

His eyes drifted through the ranks of those gathered. Nigeria was not represented at this gathering. A sigh burst from his lips. It wasn't surprising. Word was the country's government had crumbled. Repeated calls and trials of contact had yielded no positive result. The evonso virus he learned about a week ago was airborne. That in itself was another problem he'd much rather not have to deal with.

Yosef shifted ground eyeing him warily as did everyone in the room. Noticing, he cleared his throat and began to speak.

"My government is working on something. It's unclear if it will be a viable solution at the moment."

A ripple of noise ran through their ranks. Few faces looked pleased at Stanton's evasiveness.

The Chinese representative burst out with expletives. Stanton sighed looking at the translator for help.

The man stepped forward once, took a deep breath and started talking. Donald raised his eyebrows in irritation. His stance and poise was like someone about to say his lines at a stage play or movie set.

He couldn't help hoping not all Chinese were like this. It bordered on the melodramatic.

"Our esteemed leader insists you give us something. The way you choose your words irritates him greatly __" He paused when he saw the thunderous look flit across Stanton's face.

Dark war or not __ it wasn't wise to aggravate the Americans unnecessary.

"__ he requests you explain what your plans are. We cannot go back to our premier without something concrete to tell him."

Stanton's angry look softened somewhat. His aides and security operatives on the other hand still looked furious. They looked like they were inches away from pouncing on the Chinese and flinging them off the carrier.

Stanton closed his eyes and took another deep breath. "I cannot reveal specifics __ but we are working on something to protect us from the darkness's attacks."

Two dozen eyes narrowed at his words. The Russian contingent stepped forward, their eyes as wide as saucers.

"Is it a weapon?"

"___ I wouldn't go as far as to call it a weapon. It's more of a shield."

"Shield? Are you joking?" It was the French representative speaking now.

"__ nothing shields us from the darkness's attacks. If this is a new preventive technology that can help the world and the rest of us __ I think now is the time you share it. We cannot afford to keep secrets from each other, not now, especially at a time like this. Countless lives are at stake."

Stanton sighed glancing at his advisors. Many were shaking their heads. It was a bit premature to reveal it. He got that much from their body language.

"You won't happen to be talking about project Biosphere would you?" Yosef asked with one eyebrow raised.

Stanton's jaw dropped. His aides and advisors had livid looks on their faces. A few started making furious phone calls. All representatives started talking at once.

Stanton stalked to Yosef seizing his arm in a vise grip. His security operatives were by his side in moments with their weapons held at the ready. As if on cue, dozens of heavily armed American soldiers surged into the room.

Donald edged in front of Kungawo prepared to shield him if the bullets started flying.

"How did you know about the Biosphere?" Stanton asked in a furious whisper. Even the head of CIA is unaware of it. So how did you discover one of our most closely guarded secrets?"

The smug smile that lit up Yosef's face made Stanton want to punch him. Add that to the numerous reasons he wasn't fond of the Israelis. He couldn't believe people complained when Netanyahu was in power. Yosef was ten times worse.

"We have our ways Kyle __ you should have realized that by now. I'd advise you don't rely too heavily on the Intel your off-world friends keep giving you. Chances are they have their own agendas and who knows? Might even be in league with this darkness that plagues us all ___ *for clarity read the 'Event Series'

"__ if there is no further business my people and I would like to take our leave. There are preparations to make for the darker days ahead. Would you please let go of my arm?"

Stanton hissed and released him. Still smirking Yosef walked off followed by six of his armed guards.

Donald watched them go with some trepidation. This meeting wasn't going the way he'd envisaged. He and Kungawo had come here seeking absolution for the Evonso virus plague and the threat of the darkness hanging over them. But as things stood they'd gotten none of that. All they had were a few veiled promises which no one was prepared to authenticate or verify.

Two dozen voices were still going on at once. He heard the word Biosphere used several times. But with the closed look on Stanton's face, Donald knew no one was getting anything more out of him.

Collins eased into the backyard of the bungalow they commandeered. It was getting dark but the lights were off, which was a good thing when all was considered.

He and Judith had blocked out the windows. It wouldn't do to have the infected getting attracted by the light. Even the generator they used was placed on a panel five feet into the well. That muffled the sound somewhat. And even if it didn't, it was some distance away from the house that only the well was in any danger.

He caught a furtive movement at the curtain and sighed. Thank the gods she was following his instructions to the letter.

He got out of the car pulling the shotgun and bags of supplies out with him. The lock on the back door clicked open and Judith waddled out.

"Are you ok?" He asked noticing the wan look on her face.

"Am fine __ just worried about you is all. You were gone a long time."

"Got accosted by infected. Almost didn't make it out."

"You see? I knew it __ you shouldn't be going out on your own. I wish I could accompany you, to watch your back if nothing else."

Collins leaned back and let out a guffaw of laughter. "You'd make a pretty sexy lookout my dear __" the grin on his face was positively devious. She couldn't help smiling.

"You don't change do you Collins?"

"If I changed my love you wouldn't love me anymore."

A twig snapping in the undergrowth made him whirl around with his gun raised. Judith backed back into the house with fear shinning from her eyes.

Tightening his hand over the bag, Collins slowly backed towards the back door. The rustling and snapping continued. He reached the door dumping the sacks on the floor in the corridor beyond it. Shifting the gun from his right to his left he reached for the handle and slowly slid the door closed.

A big rat crawled out of the undergrowth just before the door slid shut. A relieved sigh burst from his lips. They were still safe here it seemed. He'd loath to leave this place so soon, especially when you considered how comfortable it was.

He turned, smiling when he saw her hiding in the shadows.

"Scared my love?"

"Terrified __" She murmured with a shiver.

He crossed the intervening distance with a few long strides and took her into his arms. She hugged him tight breathing deeply into his chest.

"What was it?"

He frowned at the trembling in her voice. She was scared witless.

"Twas just a rat __"

"You sure? It made quite a racket."

"It was a big rat."

"I am scared Collins."

He sighed hugging her tighter still. "It will be alright."

She leaned back looking into his eyes.

"Do you really mean that or are you just saying it to make me feel better?"

A long pause followed her words.

"I think it's a little of both." His mischievous grin could not be ignored. Her lips curled of their own accord and she grinned back. Tapping her on the back gently, he led her to the sitting room.

"Would you like to watch a movie?"

"You sure it's safe?" she asked worriedly, her eyes drifting to the window which was taped up.

"You sure the light from the TV won't reflect outside?"

"We've been through this Judith ___ I've checked it over a dozen

times at night. We shouldn't have any problem as long as we keep the volume real low."

"If you're sure it's safe __" She said with a resigned sigh. Personally she wouldn't have risked it, but she couldn't blame him. There was literarily nothing to do all day except sit. You could go crazy with boredom. Not to mention the cable companies had since stopped broadcasting. It was an entertainment nightmare.

He smiled and kissed her forehead. A warm smile lit up her face. She didn't recall ever feeling this loved. Say what you like about Collins, he had a way about him. God blessed him with the ability to make you feel better with just a couple of words, a touch or even a smile. He'd sure come a long way from the egotistical womanizing creep he'd been when they lived in Oraromi. Time and several near death experiences had a way of sobering a man up. Then he'd been a boy, now he was a good and loving man.

God was indeed a miracle working God. There was no gainsaying it. She let him help her onto the sofa as he walked to the TV to turn it on. Surfing through a large DVD collection they eventually decided on 'The Mummy' which was a movie they both loved and adored. Minutes later their shared chuckles and muffled laughter rang through the sitting room's small confines.

# Chapter Twenty Eight

Wole's eyes drifted across the plain from his perch on the thirty foot outcrop of rock a few miles from the house. Baba Adora crouched a few feet away looking at the scores of infected trudging across the plains in a slow staggering fashion.

Wole glanced at Baba Adora and back to the plains again. His eyes repeated this action six times before he cleared his throat and spoke.

"Why did you bring me here Baba Adora?"

A deep sigh burst from Baba Adora's lips. His troubled gaze fixed on a spot on the hard rock beneath him before rising to meet Wole's inquiring one.

"You worry about leaving Tunrayo and your mother alone right?"

He nodded slowly. There was no reason to say anything. Many people might have been surprised by Baba Adora's deep insight but he wasn't. It was to be expected, he was a seer after all. And the word was seers knew most things.

"They'll be fine. I wouldn't have left them otherwise."

His words were followed by a long pause. Wole waited patiently never taking his searching gaze off Baba Adora's face for a second.

"Remember the old woman we swung by to see before we went to save Tunrayo?"

Wole's eyes narrowed in puzzlement. An impatient sigh burst from Baba Adora's lips.

"The dark frightening one ___ the one who's been alive for centuries."

Fear flitted through Wole's eyes as he remembered. A shiver ran down his spine. He masked it by shifting position. A knowing look came on Baba Adora's face and he knew he hadn't fooled him. Anger flooded his insides. The seer thing could be a bit annoying sometimes.

"What about her? She isn't here is she?" just asking made the shakes come even more.

"No she isn't ___ at least I don't think so anyway __"

"You're saying you're not sure?"

"It doesn't matter." Baba Adora snapped with an impatient snort. "What matters is __ she and her kind are coming together to make a stand."

"Stand? Stand for what?"

Baba Adora's eyes rolled around in their sockets. "Turn the power on Wole __ honestly!"

Baba Adora's disparaging tone stung more than he cared to admit. He quickly quelled the urge to smack him on the face.

"Wise choice __" Baba Adora said with a hard tone. For a second Wole had no idea what he was talking about until the itch in his hands returned. He was tempted to scream. This seer thing was way past annoying.

"__ to stand against the forces of the darkness, and perhaps shield Nigeria from their incursion."

Wole's eyes grew sceptical. "Do you honestly think that's possible?"

Baba Adora shrugged. "We will simply have to wait and see."

A few seconds of silence followed as Wole waited for him to say something more. He spoke when Baba Adora showed no sign of speaking again.

"That still doesn't explain why you brought me here Baba Adora."

"I brought you here to see Wole __"

"To see what???? There is nothing here __"

"To the casual eye that might appear to be true __ but if I do this __" He waved his right palm in front of Wole's face in a wide circular motion.

Nothing happened for about a minute. Wole's eyes drifted across the now empty plain but he couldn't see anything. A few more seconds passed and it was as if a veil was removed from his eyes.

There was a great host gathered, at least two thousand strong. They all wore black ragged robes with yellowish red glows for eyes. If it wasn't for their smooth easy movements there was nothing to differentiate them from the infected.

A bent extremely haggard form stood dead centre. The eyes of this one were black.

"Yes __ that is her." Baba Adora whispered, knowing when Wole spotted her.

Her lips kept moving as she swayed her arms in an angry defiant motion. They couldn't hear what she said but it was obvious she was prepping them for a fight.

"She is insane." Wole got out in a breathless whisper.

"Why do you say that?"

"Does she actually think she can win this war?"

"She wouldn't be prepping them for battle if she didn't __" there was a sardonic lilt to his voice.

"But if all you've told me about the darkness is true __ what chance do any of them have? Not to mention the fact that __" He paused, his brow scrunched up as if he was trying to remember something.

"What?"

"Nothing __ it's just something my mother always says__"

"What is that?"

"Don't really remember how it goes __ mum has so many parables and wise sayings it's difficult to keep track of them all."

"Try __" Baba Adora growled sounding impatient.

"Well __ it's something about two of the same thing fighting against each other never works well."

Baba Adora's face grew blank for a few moments before the implication dawned on him.

"Oh! I think I know what you're trying to say."

"Good! Cos I am not sure I do anymore."

"Is it a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand?"

"Yes __ that's it!" Wole cried clapping his hands.

"Sshhhh!" Baba Adora's hands were over his mouth in a flash. "Silly goat! Do you want to alert them to our presence?"

Wole shook his head slowly. Giving him one harder glare, he slowly lowered his hand from his mouth.

"Usually they'd join him ___ when I say him I mean the darkness __" He said shooting Wole another hard look.

"I know what you mean __" he snarled. He couldn't understand it. Baba Adora was being more annoying than usual, which was so unlike him. He tended to keep the annoying gauge level; it was probably stress.

"___ but the reason they've chosen to fight it, if the darkness is allowed to continue its suppression of earth, it will destroy EVERYTHING!"

"When you say everything ___ do you mean __ EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING?"

The grim look on Baba Adora's face could not be misinterpreted. There was no need for him to speak.

"Then by all means let them fight __ even if they lose, more of those dark frightening stuff will be destroyed."

Baba Adora nodded again but did not speak. A flurry of activity on the plains drew their eyes back to it. Something was happening __ they were taking off.

They turned into dark shadows and took to the skies faster than any bird of flight.

"They're off!"

"Where do you think they're headed?"

"If I were to guess __ I'd say they were off to find the Evonso spirit first."

"Why him?"

Baba Adora shrugged giving him a long look. "Because he'll be easier to deal with___"

A cold silence surrounded them like a shroud. The quiet was disturbing and more than a little frightening.

# Chapter Twenty Nine

The largest shadow at the back picked speed and hurtled to the front. Her essence could barely keep up with the deluge of input. She could feel and sense everything. The rustling of the smallest blade of grass to the squawk of the largest birds in the air; she was at one with nature.

She enjoyed moments like these the most. When she could shed her haggard mortal form, which had been severely battered by age, she'd transcended, at one with the elements and disturbingly part of everything.

The surroundings whizzed by at a breathtaking speed. They rose higher, climbing to high altitudes where the air was thinnest. Their speed was fastest at this height. Seconds ticked into minutes and minutes into an hour and they descended falling below a hundred feet. The familiar landscape of Oraromi came into view.

Cold and mist mixed in a chaotic miasma. Visibility was basically zero. The fortunate thing was creatures like them did not need to see with their eyes.

Miles ahead they heard the roar of the Evonso spirit. It was too far away to be heard by human ears. Luckily, there wasn't much human left in any of them anymore.

"Get ready__" her words were like the lowest whisper of air. Even the sensitive hearing of a wild cat couldn't have picked up her words if it wanted to.

Long razor sharp talons sprouted from their fingers. A few of her minions grew large and bulbous, standing close to twenty feet tall with long razor sharp scythes whose blades were shrouded with thick black smoke.

Her glowing red eyes grew dull and brooding. Even with the arsenal at their disposal _ she couldn't help questioning if this was a war they could win.

The Evonso spirit roared again. It was closer, about half a mile if her senses could be trusted. Fifteen inch glinting claws pushed themselves out from under her skin. It was time to go to WAR.

The Evonso spirit hurtled between a thick cluster of tall teak trees with almost two hundred infected racing after it. A steep drop loomed twenty paces away. He continued to hurtle forward. For a few terrifying seconds it appeared it was going to hurtle down the edge of it; seconds from dropping he spun on one heel the claws on one foot raking across the edge and pulled to a grinding halt. Thick dust covered him like a shroud as he took deep gulps of the clean rain scented air.

A thunder of slurring growls rose around him deafening the distant rumble of approaching rainfall. His red eyes grew yellowish and he snorted in what appeared to be fury.

He took to his heels once again, his large horns cutting a thick path through the mist above. If he knew what fear was he might have been tempted to feel it. It didn't take a genius to know he was being hunted. For a creature that had lived as long as he had, he was all too familiar with the hunted feeling. Not to mention he caught the unforgettable scents of one of those who'd put him in his prison in the first place.

His mallet sized hands clenched and unclenched. Perhaps it was just as well __ there would be a reckoning this day. He would have his vengeance on those who placed him in that crypt centuries ago; and in so doing end them for EVER.

A high pitched screech left his lips, too high for the human ear. But those that could hear it __ responded immediately.

She swept low, diving underneath a very large branch. Her minions followed as quickly as they could barely managing to keep up. It wasn't surprising, she'd always been quicker than most; she found it extremely satisfying that even after so many centuries and so much dark magic she was still quicker than all of them.

She sensed the danger as soon as she entered the tree line. The thick foliage seemed awash with it. It knew! The deadly spirit knew they were after it.

"Look sharp people ___ it knows we are coming." Muttering a few spells under her breath her senses extended, covering almost a five mile radius.

There were seven blind spots within the umbrella range of her senses. One was ten metres away. Her glowing eyes swung in that direction but she wasn't click enough and felt the hard blow which rocked her to the very depths of her being.

She plummeted hearing the furious roars of her minions ring out around her. Her scattered thoughts struggled to come up with an explanation to how it was able to hit her in her spiritual state.

She hit the ground hard digging a deep crater into it. Winded, she struggled to catch her breath. Rising slowly, she was perturbed to hear a slurring wave of sound ring out from every side. She was surrounded, by the Evonso spirit's minions; the infected.

Fifty leaped from their perches in the trees covering her with snarls and bites. She could feel every punch and every bite. She couldn't fathom how that was possible. She was in a transfigured state after all.

A flurry of spells burst from her lips in an agonized screech. A scorching wave of heat burst from the depths of her being, exploding outwards, carrying the attacking infected with it.

The wounds were serious but not fatal. They weren't physical wounds __ some of her kind would argue spiritual wounds were the hardest to recover from. It needed treatment that required a skill few of her kind possessed anymore.

She could heal from these wounds herself. If it was the Evonso spirit that bit her __ that would be another matter. Her eyes whirled around in a wild frantic way.

More infected leaped from tree to tree __ approaching her at speeds to rival the quickest cheetah. Her claws extended even more as she leaped backwards executing a perfect seven foot long back flip. A mass of infected struck the ground with a sickening crack yelling their slurring gasps into the air.

Two more leaped over their felled comrades with gaping fangs extended. She did a triple flip spinning in midair like a spinning top. When the infected struck the ground their bodies were without their heads.

Landing perfectly, she took two steps back raking her claws through the air in a slow threatening way. Her eyes burned like hot coals ___ the silent dare not too subtly implied.

The crumpled pile of infected rose swaying drunkenly; several seconds ticked by. None moved a muscle __ the only constant was the ring of slurring.

They darted forward without warning. A quick spell muttered almost soundlessly sent her hurtling into the air as if shot upwards by a jet engine.

Their clawed hands raked empty air. She muttered a few more spells in a flurry of words. Fire burst from her hands in wide scorching bursts incinerating the horde crouched beneath her.

She did a quick sweep with her senses. Her minions were gone __ she couldn't sense any of them. Could it be? Were they all __ gone? The cold chill of fear raced down her essence. Before she could give into it completely she sensed something else. It was huge and approaching at great speeds.

Whirling around, a long surge of flame burst from her arm __ but she wasn't quick enough and she felt its raking claws slash through the flame erupting from her arm, cut through her protective shield and pierce her essence. The cold icy chill of death was instantaneous. It flooded her insides like a tidal wave that she knew no level of dark magic could stop.

Her yellow eyes grew glazed and unfocused as she caught a fleeting glimpse of the grotesque face of the Evonso spirit. It's burning gaze locked and held with hers.

" _It's been years, centuries since you trapped me in the throes of the unending sleep. In the chaotic miasma that was my dreams I imagined how it would feel when I slew you and your minions as I just did. My wildest imaginations could not however have prepared me for this. This peace, glorious satisfaction, this insane bliss; though I must admit there is a hint of sadness knowing I have little to look forward to now I have conquered you in a way and manner my dreams could not have conceived._

" _Alas __ I am a bit forward. I do have something to look forward to __ how stupid am have to have so easily forgotten the monumental destruction that still lies ahead of you and your species."_

It leaned forward not stopping until their faces were only inches apart.

" _I shall cherish the day when you and your entire species are wiped off the face of the earth. That day cometh soon; die with the knowledge that in just a few of your earth months, most of the human population will be nothing more than a distant memory __"_

And as if obeying his words she closed her eyes and died completely; for the first time in almost six hundred years.

# Chapter Thirty

Taiwo tried to keep his eyes open as the truck shuddered when the tires ran over several really large rocks. The terrain was uneven and more than a little rough. He was seated beside the driver in the passenger seat watching the unfamiliar landscape drift by. They were on a rough pot holed filled dirt road which looked as if it hadn't seen traffic in years.

One of the soldiers, a resident of this area insisted this was the road they wanted to be on if they wanted to keep a low profile. His eyes drifted to the side mirror inches from his outstretched arm. The mobile lab was following closely. His eyes narrowed as worry flitted through them. The lab was having more difficulty navigating the rough road. He squinted leaning closer to the mirror. He could just make out the strained somewhat nervous look on the driver's face as he tried to take the lab around the potholes as gently as he could.

A sigh burst from Taiwo's lips. He didn't blame the man for being nervous. Five feet away from the rolling tires was a steep drop of at least fifty feet. That was bad enough in itself, but the ground was caked with mud.

A wide clearing loomed ahead. The earth there looked firm and sturdy. The driver of Taiwo's truck increased speed gently. A few minutes passed and they were in the clearing. It was just about a hundred meters across, cutting into a two lane express road. Two scores of infected milled around in small groups. Taiwo's eyes narrowed as he looked at them and he put his arm into the car and quickly wound up the window.

A low chuckle burst from the driver's lips. Taiwo's hard gaze settled on his face.

"Why are you laughing?"

"The speed at which you withdrew your arm; better to be safe than sorry right__"

Taiwo's hard gaze did not soften. Call him a sour grape but he couldn't find anything remotely amusing about the situation. Seeming to sense this, the driver's smile faded and he faced the infected that were now tearing towards their convoy.

The sunroof of the truck's behind theirs popped open and soldiers squeezed through opening fire on the horde heading their way. They dropped them like flies clearing a bloody, rotted carcase filled path to the express road.

Taiwo's truck got through first, hitting the road with a screech of tires and sparks as the bumper struck the road with a loud clang. The other trucks followed quickly and soon they were speeding due east, the air calm and peaceful once more.

His eyes drifted to the satellite phone lying on the truck's dashboard. He couldn't decide whether to call her or not. He didn't want to spoil her concentration if she was busy __ but they kind of needed the airborne version of the vaccine like YESTERDAY!

His mind made up he reached for the phone.

Catherine rubbed her eyes slowly trying to stiffen a yawn at the same time as she waited for the machine to run through the present combination she was trying. It usually gave a loud irritating ding when it was done which was super annoying. So it was this ding she was waiting for. The ding for the last eight hundred and twenty times she'd tried was the ding of failure. There was no reason to suppose this time would be different.

The satellite phone rang out and she jumped banging her arm on the ceramic counter. "Oowwwwww!!" She yelled leaping to her feet. She circled around in agony for a few seconds before snatching up the phone.

"Who is this?" She growled through clenched teeth.

"Is something wrong?" Taiwo asked. It was the worry she heard in his voice that cooled her rage.

"I am fine__" She sighed. "The ringing of the phone startled me so much I banged my arm."

"So sorry about that __"

"No biggie __" She sniffed. "I guess you're calling to ask for a progress report."

"Well __" His voice drifted off. There was no need to deny it.

"Hang on a minute __" She said bending to look at the machine. Five seconds until she knew. It slowly counted down and gave its usual ding. Her eyes narrowed as she read the results. Her heart started to race. She raced to the computer and ran a visual simulation with the results; she ran the computer's combination with a sample of infected blood she kept on hand.

After application she put a drop of blood on a slide and ran it under a large microscope. The angry spiky grey looking blood cells slowly shrunk, reddened and became normal. She'd found the right combination. The vaccine was done.

"I think I've got it Taiwo __ I think I have got it __" She shrieked.

"Oh my God!" Taiwo gasped hardly daring to believe it. "Oh my GOD!!!"

The compound of the Benin air-force base was massive. Two extra acres had been added since the start of the Boko Haram extremist explosion in the north and Evonso virus eruption. Government had invested heavily on military capability and ordinance in the last six months; a sum many suspected approached three quarters of a billion dollars.

Just recently, twelve Chinese Chengdu F- 7s and eleven Dassault – Donier Alpha jets were added to the fleet. This sum set the Nigerian government back over $370 million; non-inclusive of the five F – 15s donated by the United States as part of its effort in assisting Nigeria in its peace keeping efforts in the African sub-region.

Each air-force base was usually a beehive of activity. But this one looked abandoned. A mesh of barbwire had been erected around the thirty something plus hangers and administrative buildings. They gleamed in the early morning sun. A keen eye would observe they were new and had obviously been put only recently. A sea of infected surrounded the mesh; some were even entangled in it, the cruel barbs firmly lodged in their flesh.

To the casual eye it would appear the buildings beyond the wire mesh were abandoned. But that was not the case. Six shapes moved within the largest building's confines keeping to the shadows as much as possible.

Wing commander Diran Akinifesi stood some distance behind the four other men peeping out of the window. He was a lean wiry looking man who had a wild eyed look about him. His green flight suit was torn in several places and there were dark bruises under one eye. He looked like he'd just come in from a fight which wasn't that far from the truth.

One minute they'd been going about their daily duties when everything went crazy. His colleagues, men he'd known for years suddenly went crazy and started eating their comrades. He and the men that remained in this building were the only survivors. But their survival didn't come by chance. They had to fight their way out through a crowd of flesh hungry infected to get to the sanctuary of this building.

Because of the absence of effective communication it took them several days to discover the Evonso virus had gone air-borne.

They had been holed up here for almost two weeks; many men were starting to hint they abandon this base and find some way to make a bolt for it.

On a normal day Diran might have agreed. But these weren't normal times, neither were they normal days. They had gone over more than two dozen scenarios; none of which were viable from a realistic stand-point. Some of his officers were still willing to take the risk but he'd been hesitant. He wasn't sure why exactly. Something just kept telling him that their presence here would be a blessing at some point.

He hadn't revealed this conviction to his men. They'd probably laugh him to scorn and think he was out of his mind. A tired sigh left his lips as he considered this.

If he wanted to play good cop, bad cop with himself (which wasn't pleasant all things considered) he'd realize they were slowly running out of time to make any sort of break for it.

Most infected he'd seen and studied didn't hang around a particular spot. They moved around to hunt; if fresh food became limited or unavailable they most often moved to another area where they continued their feasting until they ran out of uninfected and the cycle continued.

At the current rate, if the few reports they got could be believed; the infected were scheduled to run out of food in the next year or year and a half at most. And yeah it spread that fast ___

The hall they were in had once served as the mess hall. Even though he knew it'd just been two weeks, it still felt much longer than that. It felt like a year at least.

The mess hall had been converted to a staging area/HQ. The windows afforded them good views of the surrounding mesh fence, the road directly beyond that led to the gates of the base. Diran eyes saddened as they fixed on it. It was a lost cause. There were almost five hundred infected between them and freedom. His eyes drifted around the hall. There were only twenty five of them. Good luck twenty five getting past five hundred.

At the far right hand of the hall was a small mountain of radio equipment set up on two large tables. A frustrated looking private sat in front of it with DJ style headsets covering his ears. The headsets gave a continuous drone of static; prolonged listening had deafened him a little. His eyes were red and bloodshot and he looked like he was seconds away from collapse.

They were almost knocked over when they heard the break in static and a voice came on.

" _This is Corporal Olatunji. Is anyone out there receiving me? Please this is a secure military transmission, are there any military personnel out there who can hear me? We need your help at ONCE!"_

Diran raced to the radio with wild eyes. He could hardly believe it. After weeks of trying to establish contact they'd eventually hit the jackpot.

He snatched the radio from the private's hand and raised it to his lips.

"This is wing commander Diran Akinifesi from the Benin air-force base ___" he swallowed and paused. He'd been on the verge of asking how they might be of assistance when he remembered they needed help too.

"Oh good! For a minute I was afraid we weren't going to get anyone on the radio. We've been trying for hours."

"Yeah it's hard ___" Diran agreed quietly. "You're the first person we've spoken to for weeks."

"That long??? We still got in contact with part of the northern regiment a week ago."

A long pause followed his words.

"You still there?" Diran asked leaning forward. He had a stricken look on his face as did most of the men in the hall. It wouldn't do to lose contact now. They might never get it back.

"You there sir?" Diran asked. His voice trembled a bit much to his inner chagrin.

"Yes I am still here. We need your help. One of the doctor's working on the Evonso virus vaccine has stumbled on a cure ___"

"You sure it's a real cure?" He asked with a derisive snort. "The cure before the last brought us the darkling's; and the last radio transmission we received before yours made us believe the attempt at a second vaccine mutated the virus into going air-borne. So am a little sceptical of this supposed cure."

"I am afraid we do not have the luxury of being suspicious Diran. We have to test it out. We need two Chengdu air-crafts to do it."

"What do you mean? You want to use the planes to disperse it? Even if we could get the planes off the ground (and that's a big if) we don't have enough fuel in them to cover a landmass as vast as Nigeria."

"I am not sure of the science __ she did try to explain (with the help of a meteorologist) but am afraid it sounded like gibberish to me. But what I could get from what she explained is; the new vaccine's chemical composition is such that it is able to bond with the air components. It essentially becomes part of the air we breathe. So with a bit of luck the wind will do most of the work for us."

A breathless silence fell over the hall as the men present drank in his words. Was this real? Or just another sick joke ___ much like the last solution vaccine that only brought more horror.

"So??? ___ you guys still there?"

"We're there __ but __"

"But what? This is no time for hesitation ___ we need fast, decisive action if any of us are to come out of this in one piece."

"Sir with all due respect __ I am not sure how much help we can be. We are basically trapped; hiding in what used to be the mess hall. We're surrounded by at least five hundred infected; and that is a conservative estimate.

"It wouldn't bother me so much if they weren't right between us and our planes. We couldn't get out of here if we wanted to sir."

A short pause followed his words.

"Well you boys are just going to have to figure something out. Administering this aerosol version of the cure is time sensitive, so it needs to be done within the next forty eight hours at the most. The plan is to start with Lagos. Find a way to meet us at the Air-force base in Ikeja."

"LAGOS!!!! Are you out ___" He bit his lower lip drawing blood, barely able to contain the expletive that was determined to burst from his lips.

"Chose your next words carefully soldier __" Olatunji's voice was quiet and deadly.

Diran swallowed and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. "Sir __ am sorry if what I had been about to say was insulting __ I was just shocked __ Lagos is a dead-zone. My more spiritual friends would call it a lost cause.

"Not only is it swarming with infected (Five million strong) if the last news report we got can be believed; but the air is un-breathable. Not to mention the mainland is overrun with those things. The army wasn't able to get through, how in God's name are you going to get to the Ikeja air-force base?"

"Simple! By helicopter __"

All the men present exchanged puzzled looks. "But if you have a helicopter why don't you simply administer the cure yourselves?"

"We can't because the vaccine needs to be administered at a particular altitude, which I am afraid only a plane can attain. So are you done with all the questions? Or do you have some more to ask?"

Diran shook his head slowly, forgetting Olatunji could not see. "From your silence, am willing to assume you don't __ so without wasting any more time __ do everything possible to rendezvous with us at the air force base. Is that understood?"

"Yes __" Diran said through gritted teeth. His men looked at him in stunned silence.

"Good! You have 36 hours. Over and out__" and the connection went dead. A cold silence filled the hall.

# Chapter Thirty – One

Diran crouched low staring at the schematics of the building in the passage leading away from the mess hall. Five soldiers crouched beside him, their faces as grim as his own. The passage was dark and gloomy __ the only illumination came from a Lontor rechargeable lamp clutched in one soldier's meaty hand.

"You sure we can't get out through the maintenance tunnel beneath the building?" Diran asked placing a sweaty finger on the map.

"Sir __ we cannot __ we already tried. It's stuffed with infected __ we still don't know how they got there."

"What about the door on the south side of the building?"

The soldier took several deep breaths and counted to five before he responded. He was seconds away from punching Diran in the face.

"For the tenth time sir __ NO!" His voice came out harsher than he intended and he swallowed under the withering look Diran threw his way.

"__ If you're done giving me attitude maybe you could listen more carefully to what am telling you __ IS THAT CLEAR??!"

The soldier nodded, looking a bit shamefaced.

"Now if we are done measuring our penises why don't we continue? What I meant was, aren't the infected at that side of the building less than the ones in front?"

His men nodded giving him puzzled looks wondering where he was going with this.

"So __ how many grenades do we have?"

"Two __ but I don't think two will be enough to blow a hole wide enough for us to escape through. Neither do we have the bullets to shoot through five hundred or more infected."

"I wasn't talking about escaping yet __ what I am suggesting is blowing one of our grenades at the south side taking out as many of those things as possible. We've seen they respond to loud noises right? So once the grenade goes off they're likely to go to that side of the building leaving this side empty or at least heavily depopulated.

"Twelve of us could try and get to the Chengdu's while the rest make it to the trucks. With any luck we could all make it out of here."

The men exchanged thoughtful looks. It was obvious they were all wondering why they hadn't thought about it before. Their worried looks grew confident. Yeah it was a good plan. It might just work __ they set off to make preparations.

Diran's hands sweated like mad as he and ten of his comrades crouched in front of the building's main entrance. Each man checked their weapons while trying to slow their racing hearts. No one wanted to dwell on the fact that there was a very strong possibility that most of them would not make it out of here alive. That was assuming they could execute this daredevil plan of theirs.

A man prayed in a fevered almost manic way inches from his ear. Diran was tempted to yell but somehow managed to keep the words from exploding from his lips. The man could very likely die; it was only fair he be allowed to pray to whatever God he believed in. He considered praying but quickly dismissed the idea. Why pray? God wasn't likely to answer; at least not to a sinner like him.

His mind drifted as his life started to flash before his eyes. He pinched himself, snapping out of his reverie. That wasn't a good sign. Sighing deeply he rose several inches peering out of the glass in the door. Hundreds of infected milled in several clustered masses fifty feet ahead. There were at least three hundred of them between them and the gate. He swallowed; praying to God their plan worked. Failure or success was the difference between life and death right now, there were no second chances.

The roar of the explosion came before the shuddering quake. The shaking was so great bits and pieces of dirt and debris fell from the roof. His brow roughened with a hard frown. That wasn't quite right. No grenade could generate the explosive power needed to shake a building this size. Unless __

"Some smart idiot must have tossed it among the kegs of aviation fuel we have sitting close to the south wall."

Diran turned to face the man with a puzzled look on his face. "Are you telling me we have aviation fuel stacked on the south wall?"

"Yes ___ what did I just say?"

"And you didn't think to mention it before now?"

The man shrugged. "I only remembered it now."

Diran shook his head rising a few inches to peer out of the glass. His eyes lit up with joy. Their little ruse was working, all the infected were tearing towards the south side of the building. He raised the walkie talkie to his lips.

"Get back here now __ you have a whole horde of infected heading your way."

"Yes sir __ we don dey come now."

He switched off the walkie and tossed it to the praying man beside him who caught it clumsily almost dropping it. The locks were opened in a flash and they were out sprinting to the planes which were some distance away.

Diran's hand clutched his gun so tight his knuckles were grey, his eyes drifted right and left in a manic way as he scanned his surroundings for infected. There were none in sight. The plan was working. He prayed the rest could make it out in one piece.

They reached the planes without incident. Releasing the clasps and tethers took only minutes. They didn't have to worry about fuel. The base commander always kept every plane fully fuelled and battle ready. The army had long realized they had to be in a constant state of readiness since the outbreak of the Evonso virus.

He clambered up the ladder in seconds and slid into the plane's cockpit. Prep time for flight usually took five to ten minutes. But he couldn't afford to wait that long. He skipped all but the most essential checks and got the Chengdu's engine going. Seven Chengdu's started simultaneously making him grit his teeth at the din.

His eyes drifted across the base and he froze. About a dozen infected rounded the corner of the building shrieking their displeasure into the winds. It took seconds, maybe even microseconds and they were tearing their way.

"We have to get out of here now __" Diran yelled moving his plane towards the runway. The other Chengdu's followed post-haste as more infected poured out from behind the building. It was like a dam bursting. He'd thought he knew the meaning of fear; but seeing the seemingly endless flood of infected; he realized he'd barely scratched the surface.

The door they came from burst open at that instant and fifteen of his men came out sprinting for the trucks. 'Smart move' he couldn't help thinking. The trucks were parked barely thirty feet from the building. There was no way they could reach the planes now. It took about a minute before any infected spotted them, by which time most of them were already in the truck, starting the engines.

Diran's plane picked up speed streaking across the runway like a flash of black. Six seconds later he was in the air sighing in relief as the ground fell away beneath him and the plane climbed to high altitudes. The last thing he saw was a mass of infected climb the last truck smashing their way through the windscreen. His heart grew heavy. He didn't need a crystal ball to know the men in that truck were not going to make it. He shook his head to clear it of the sad thoughts and focused on the skies ahead.

# Chapter Thirty – Two

Olatunji and Taiwo crouched by the door in the helicopter staring down at the Lagos Mainland beneath them. Hundreds of infected thronged the streets, even this high they could hear the din of their slurs and growls.

The gas mask and hazmat suits they wore were itchy and uncomfortable but they didn't dare remove them. Catherine did a quick test as they entered Lagos airspace. It was like the reports said __ the air here was toxic to everything including bacteria. Though for some strange reason, the infected didn't seem too disturbed by it which was a little disconcerting.

Catherine sat some distance away shaking like a leaf. Since boarding she'd stubbornly refused to go anywhere near the door. Taiwo frowned as he looked at her. He couldn't decide whether to feel angry or sorry for her.

He still couldn't understand why she'd insisted on coming along. The vaccine had been poured and outfitted into canisters. With her detailed instructions they could easily administer it themselves.

"We're minutes away from the base __" The pilot said __ he yelled to be heard over the helicopter's loud engines. Olatunji nodded grimly and started to check his weapons as did the five other soldiers with them.

"Wouldn't the Ikeja base be over-run with infected?" Taiwo asked quietly. So quietly Olatunji almost couldn't hear him.

"That's why we have these?" Olatunji said with a devilish smile raising a fire extinguisher sized canister. Taiwo was on the verge of asking him what the heck it was when he tossed it out of the open window.

He looked out at the falling canister shocked to see they were just flying over the Ikeja Air-force base. It exploded on impact with the ground spewing out a thick cloud of white smoke.

The infected standing close to it started to twitch violently for a few seconds before collapsing on the hard tarmac.

"What did you hit them with? What was in that canister?"

Olatunji's smile broadened even as Catherine answered for him. "That's the vaccine __ I hooked you up for the air-force base incursion. I knew it would come in handy."

Her voice trembled as she said this and she looked seconds away from throwing up. The anger faded from Olatunji's body and he started feeling completely sorry for her.

Six more canisters were dropped in quick succession. Olatunji and Catherine exchanged anxious looks.

"What?" Taiwo asked looking worried. Looks like that hardly ever meant anything good.

"Each canister is designed for a five hundred meter spread. It is my hope the six canisters will cover the air-force base. If it doesn't you and your team will be on your own with only your wits and training against the onslaught of the infected; their edge is their numbers. But if we're lucky we shouldn't be on the ground longer than fifteen minutes. If all goes well that is."

"We just have to hope the Benin air-force pilots get here in time."

"If we could just drop the canisters and have them do the work why do we need the air-force?" Taiwo asked with a puzzled look on his face.

Olatunji took a deep breath and counted to ten. "Haven't you been listening to anything we've been saying? The vaccine needs to be administered at a certain height in the atmosphere which will enable it to bond with it. That way it will slowly spread over the country___ is that clear enough for you or do you need me to spell it out over again?"

Taiwo shook his head slowly looking a little shamefaced. It was only after he asked the question remembered how much time Catherine had taken to explain.

The chopper hovered in midair while Olatunji and five other soldiers hurriedly fixed their lines. Once they had them secured they zipped down in their ones and twos onto the smoke covered ground below. Taiwo took several deep breaths to calm himself and slowly reached for his line.

"Good luck __" Her voice was so low he barely heard it. He nodded slowly and leaped out sliding to the ground below.

He had his gun up the instant his feet touched the ground. His eyes did a one hundred and eighty degree sweep as he let go of the line and hurriedly cocked his gun. The sound echoed in every direction and he winced. It was no secret the infected were drawn to sound. His gun cock could spell his doom if there were some infected who hadn't been in the vaccine's radius.

"Well done you hear__" Olatunji snarled irritably a few steps to his right. His voice came so suddenly Taiwo was an inch shy of swinging the gun on him and blowing his head off.

"__ please don't do that again __" He snapped in a furious whisper. "Do you realize I could have blown off your head? You startled me."

"I won't be the only thing startling you if you keep cocking that gun. We both know these things are drawn to sound and yet you keep cocking. Don't ruin this mission before it has even begun __ is that understood?"

Stung and furious, Taiwo gave a violent nod his eyes drifting from left to right as he waited for Olatunji to lead the way. The other soldiers drifted their way with hard looks on their faces. Olatunji gave them a curt nod and headed southwards towards a cluster of building about a mile away.

Taiwo exchanged looks with the others and followed. The screech of the helicopters engines grew fainter as it flew further away. The agreement was they'd fly some distance away and look for a safe landing site. Though thinking about it now that might be a tall order __ the city was almost completely overrun by infected. It would be a miracle if they could find one close by.

A scratching sound about a hundred meters to his left made him pause. His eyes drifted that way as did his gun. He reached up with one hand and adjusted his gas mask. It was screwed on too tight and was starting to become uncomfortable. Well there was nothing he could do about that now.

He moved towards the sound, slowly and warily, struggling to see through the thick cloud of vaccine filled smoke. The smoke cleared as he got closer to the sound. An infected lay a few feet away jerking spasmodically and hitting its face into the tarmac. He circled around it keeping the barrel of his gun aimed at its head.

Its face was a red pulpy mass. It was difficult to tell if the vaccine was having any effect on it.

"What in the world are you doing?"

He turned frowning when he saw Olatunji standing a few feet away. "Heard a sound __ came to check it out __"

"Good for you __ well some of us have found the main admin building. We've decided to wait there for the Benin air-force pilots to arrive. Are you coming or not?"

Taiwo took a deep breath to calm himself before hurrying after Olatunji. The man was starting to seriously vex him. If he was a different sort of person he'd put a bullet into him and be done with it.

They reached the admin building. It was a massive structure __ three stories high with dust and soot covered cars in front. The air reeked of abandonment as if no one had been here for years. But he knew it couldn't have been more than a few months at the most.

The door opened as they approached and they darted in swinging their guns in a wide circle. Three of the five soldiers who accompanied them stood in a wide area filled with tables and chairs arranged in a wide circle.

"Where are the others?" Olatunji barked lowering his weapon.

"They went to check out the rest of the building. They should be back any minute now."

He nodded walking towards the closest chair and sank into it. Taiwo watched him yawn. His hand went to his eyes and he tried to rub them forgetting he had a gas mask on. The fatigue was getting to all of them. They hadn't gotten much sleep for over a week now. If that didn't change soon, some of them might start breaking down. He shivered just thinking about it.

"How long do we wait?" His words were a low growl in his throat.

Olatunji eyes drifted his way. There was no warm lurking in their depths.

"As long as it takes."

"Are you sure they'll be able to make it out? Didn't they say they were trapped in the mess hall?"

Olatunji nodded gritting his teeth as he did so. Taiwo's eyes narrowed. It appeared he was irritating the good Colonel Olatunji; for some strange reason that realization brought him nothing but pleasure.

He was on the verge of exacerbating his irritation when they heard the faint roar of air-craft engines. The glum looks on every man's face turned to excitement. It was almost too good to be true __ they made it __.

The roar grew louder. Taiwo and Olatunji exchanged looks and raced for the door. The runway lay about fifty meters from the admin building, high above that were four small dots; Planes!___ coming in for landing.

The reinforced barbwire fence surrounding the entire base was covered by hundreds of infected. The screech of air-craft engines snapped them out of their lethargy and they began to push against the fence snarling in fury.

Taiwo and Olatunji exchanged worried glances. "They'll push down that fence if they keep that up." Taiwo said in a quavering voice.

"I agree __" Olatunji said quietly giving the fence a speculative look.

"What?" Taiwo barked noticing.

"Nothing __ you stay here and keep watch. I have to do something." And before Taiwo could protest he took off at a fast sprint towards the fence.

Swinging his gun over his shoulder as he ran he reached into his backpack and pulled out four large canisters. 'What did she say about the distance? Five hundred meters? Well he was about to find out.

The race across the runway took almost no time at all. Reaching the fence he ran alongside it tossing canister after canister over it into the crowd of rabid infected.

He paced himself, running for almost five hundred meters before tossing the next one. They started to explode spewing thick clouds of vaccine gas into the air.

The infected dropped by the hundreds until most lay in twitching heaps. The fence was secure for now. He stopped running, leaning down to catch his breath as the planes came in for landing.

The screech of their tires hitting the tarmac was something he knew would stay with him for a long time. Taking another deep breath he sprinted for the slowing planes as they sped towards the admin building.

Before the plane had completely ground to a halt the pilot was already forcing the glass shield aside and un-strapping his seatbelts and harness. He leaped out of the plane landing with a loud whump on the smooth tarmac.

Olatunji was by his side in minutes with Taiwo joining him seconds later. Their eyes ran over the wiry intense looking pilot standing in front of them.

"Wing commander Diran Akinifesi?" Olatunji asked with one eyebrow raised.

He nodded with a deep sigh. There were deep shadows under his eyes, and Olatunji knew he could do with some rest. They all could, but there was plenty of time to do that once they got the Evonso virus situation sorted out.

"So you made it __ was afraid you wouldn't."

He shrugged holding Olatunji's gaze with an impatient one of his own.

"Well __ I'd love to stay here and chat but why don't we get this job over and done with."

Olatunji nodded turning to face the soldier coming out of the administrative building. The man stooped slightly under the weight of the backpack he carried.

He set it down carefully and opened it; inside were six especially large canisters built differently from the ones they tossed from the helicopter less than forty minutes ago.

"Is that it??" Diran asked with one eyebrow raised. Olatunji nodded slowly.

"Ok good __ how do we do this?"

Another soldier came through the administrative building. He had a set of tools and what looked suspiciously like a pair of electric sockets.

"What is that?" Diran asked with a wary look on his face.

"He is going to attach them to your missile chutes. Not sure how exactly he wants to do that ___ but __ he is the expert."

"So you're saying I just fire the canister like a missile?"

"Yes __ that's about it."

He looked sceptical but didn't say anything more. The soldier got to work. The process took about forty five minutes. By the time he was done Diran was practically grinding holes into the heels of his shoes.

"Done!" The soldier said with a sigh as he stepped away from the plane.

Diran nodded in relief and started clambering back into the plane. Some of Olatunji's men had gotten a ladder from somewhere and set it against the side of the plane. He was up in seconds and strapping himself into the cockpit.

A quaking rumble made him freeze and he looked up his hands shaking violently. Olatunji and Taiwo spun round with their weapons raised.

Bright bursts of flame lit up the northern horizon like fireworks. "What now?" Olatunji growled under his breath. They didn't have long to wait. The flames grew brighter and as they watched they saw it wasn't flame bursts as they first thought, but what looked like large lizard creatures whose bodies were awash with flame.

"You best go __ NOW!!!" Olatunji yelled backing towards the administrative building.

"What altitude do I have to hit before I fire the missiles?"

"At least forty thousand feet; anything below that will be a waste of time___"  
Diran cast a worried gaze at the approaching lizard like creatures before he started the plane's engines and sped down the runway. The plane picked up speed and to his immense relief took to the air. His escorts took to the air too flanking him on the left and right.

Two approached speeding from the west blowing out thick clouds of flame bursts. Diran banked swiping low to avoid them. He barely managed it. The plane's throttle screamed as it struggled to compensate for the swift shift. There was a debate whether they were as manoeuvrable as the F18s the Americans favoured.

One of the creatures swooped down to compensate and resumed attack. His hand drifted to the missile launch button out of habit. He stayed it with some difficulty only just remembering his missiles had been replaced with canisters of the vaccine.

He jerked the throttle back and the plane climbed, streaking to the high points of the upper atmosphere. His other pilots rallied to cover his ascent. He felt a sense of relief when he saw them let loose missiles which turned the flying beasts into flaming ash. So their weapons weren't useless against them. They could be destroyed.

Tracer rounds spat out of the guns on their underbellies, lighting up the sky with bright tiny dots of firework style lights. The infrared picked up a gigantic surge of heat coming from behind. It took a split second for his brain to register what that was. He pushed the throttle forward taking the plane into a steep nosedive.

He wasn't a moment too soon because a large wave of fire swept across the flight path he'd been on seconds ago. His instruments started to screech as he struggled to regain control. He spun around in a wide circle and pulled up once more.

Tracer rounds swept past the windows of both sides of his cockpit. He knew what that meant. His escort pilots were giving cover fire. He looked back catching the remains of what looked like white fluff. Ash ___ they were bringing the fire breathing lizard creatures down by the dozens.

He looked at the altitude indicator on the screen above the throttle. He was at thirty thousand feet. That meant he had about ten thousand feet to go.

He pulled the throttle back further. The plane's engines let out a piercing scream. His finger slowly caressed the missile release button but he didn't press it__ anytime now___

The indicator slowly inched to thirty eight thousand feet. He was almost there. The plane's body suddenly shuddered as if something struck it and his speed started to drop. He was still climbing but __ slow and sluggish like.

Puzzled, he glanced out of his right window, his heart filled with lead. There was smoke. The engines started to cough and splutter. He wasn't going to make it. His eyes drifted to the altitude indicator. He was at thirty nine thousand feet and starting to plummet. He decided to go on faith. Depressing the missile release system, there was a loud swooshing sound and the canisters took off, streaking into the upper atmosphere.

It got to about a thousand feet before it exploded spewing a thick white cloud. A smile lit up Diran's face for about a second before the engines stalled totally. Diran felt the heat from the explosion as he pulled the ejector seat. His screams could be heard from miles away.

# Chapter Thirty Three

Taiwo and Olatunji watched the drama unfold from the tarmac with wide horrified eyes. "Do you think he got the vaccine out before the plane exploded?" Taiwo asked in a shaky voice.

"I am not sure __ but what I do know is we have to get out of here."

He tore towards the gate even as he said this. His walkie talkie came out in a jiffy and he started barking commands into it. Through the din, Taiwo could only hear words like 'get us out' ___ wa gbe wa.* *come get us!

A crumpling metallic sound rang out from the east side of the compound. "Ki tun niyen???"* Taiwo barked stilled running. *What is that now??"

"I think that might be the fence." Olatunji said in a grim tone. They increased their pace. No one needed to voice out what might have caused the fence to collapse.

The back windows of the administrative building exploded outwards about fifty meters behind. Olatunji glanced back as he ran. Three of his men were just picking themselves up; three others were already sprinting towards them.

The blackened depths of each broken window remained empty for a total of five seconds before a dozen infected leaped out after his fleeing men.

The outpour was so great some got firmly wedged between each frame, the jagged pieces of glass gouging hollows in the sides of their abdomens.

The main gates of the airbase approached. Their racing feet slowed when they saw the hundreds of infected bodies mashed against the gates. Save a miracle, no one was getting out through those gates.

"What do we do now?" Taiwo asked running alongside Olatunji.

"Let's pray the helicopter gets here."

"LOOK OUT!" A soldier barked from behind. Taiwo dived hitting the dirt hard. He saw something huge sweep over him out of the corner of his right eye.

Olatunji wasn't fast enough and he was bludgeoned, flung like a ragdoll over twenty feet before hitting the ground hard. He became still, his right leg twisted at an awkward angle.

The creature that hit him rose to its full height roaring its fury into the cloudy skies. Its torso was huge, seemingly able to crush his tiny limbs beneath it. It's heavily muscled hands had six inch claws attached to them.

"Is that___" Taiwo began swallowing.

"Yes __" Another soldier murmured behind him. "I think that's what they call a darkling."

Taiwo swung around startled. He hadn't even heard the man approach. The creature roared again and streaked towards them. Taiwo and the other soldier raised their weapons firing hundreds of rounds into the creature's chest. It took both of their full clips to bring the thing down.

Only then did their hearts slow somewhat. The loud whoop whoop of an approaching helicopter interrupted the deathly quiet that ensured. They looked up; the helicopter was a mile out and closing. Relieved and excited gazes were exchanged as it approached.

Soldiers manned the long guns sticking out of both sides of the chopper. Their eyes and faces were grim. Taiwo squinted, just able to see Catherine crouched in one corner at the back.

Taiwo raced to Olatunji's crumpled body and crouched down beside him. He winced when he saw the darkening bruise on his forehead. His eyes drifted down, eventually stopping on his leg. It was definitely broken. He could see a bit of bone poking out just beneath the knee. He swallowed closing his eyes to shut out the gruesome image.

This was a bit of a dilemma. How did they move him without damaging the leg further? His eyes drifted to the approaching helicopter. It was barely five hundred meters away. They didn't have a choice. They had to move him. It remained to be seen what the consequences of that would be.

"Help me get something to wrap the wound." The soldier behind nodded and raced to the medic some distance away who was firing into the rabid mob of infected racing their way.

Two soldiers were brought down as he watched. The medic took to his heels racing his way. The soldier gave covering fire bringing down dozens of infected. The medic sprinted past hurtling to Taiwo and the downed Olatunji while the soldier continued to fire. The gun gave a loud click as the magazine ran out of bullets.

Turning, he raced after them struggling to reload. Taiwo and the medic already had Olatunji on his feet but he didn't seem to be conscious.

He glanced back; a dozen infected were a hundred yards away and closing. A rumbling wave of sound suddenly drifted their way. It came from behind the administrative building. Even as he watched a violent rabid mob of at least two thousand poured out from behind the building.

A dozen hands were almost scratching his back when the din of exploding guns rang out. Startled the soldier looked up. The soldiers manning the guns on the helicopter were firing into the crowd of infected just an arm reach from him. They fell like flies spilling their bluish green blood into the dirt. A rope and two ladders were flung down.

Taiwo quickly snapped Olatunji's harness onto the rope and he was pulled upwards. The rest of the soldiers clambered up the ladders barely managing to keep the infected's fingers from grabbing their heels. Bullets fell like rain dropping the infected by the dozen's but more kept coming.

Taiwo clambered into the bowels of the helicopter relieved to see Olatunji lying at the far end still unconscious. The helicopter jerked violently. Puzzled Taiwo scrambled to the door looking down in horror at the mass of infected now climbing the ladder. Two soldiers were a foot above them. But even with just a quick glance Taiwo knew there was no way they could let those men in without getting swarmed by the mass of infected racing after them.

"What do we do?" It was the same soldier that stood behind him on the ground what seemed like years ago.

Hearing the question, the soldier firing the gun stopped firing and faced Taiwo.

"Why are you asking me?" Taiwo growled uncomfortable with having to seal the fates of two men.

"Because until he wakes up __" He began jerking a thumb Olatunji's way. "__ you are the one in charge."

"But am just a police man; how can I give commands to soldiers?"

"I think we're past the level of rank now. You and I both know if we let those men in we've sealed our fates."

Taiwo's eyes grew sad. "Drop the ladder __" He barked. Those were the hardest words he'd ever had to say in his life.

The soldier at the gun reached down and unclasped it. There was a sickening snap and both ladders dropped. The piercing screams of both men was like a stake driven into Taiwo's heart. He walked to the extreme end of the helicopter and sank into the chair snapping himself in as the helicopter rose high and turned flying in an eastward direction.

Taiwo's mind drifted as they flew. What did they do now? It was unclear if the vaccine would work and even if it did where did they go from here? The country's government was basically nonexistent. The number of infected person's had grown exponentially. If the vaccine was ineffective there was probably no hope for any of them. That was even in the event that the flying monstrosities could be ignored, which he was willing to bet could not. It was a grim group that made the long flight back to the mobile labs. Catherine assured them they would know the results in a few days. He prayed to God she was right and had done her calculations well.

# Chapter Thirty Four

A week later

Wole crouched low half running and half sliding beneath the low branch in front of him. Baba Adora's black cloaked shape disappeared a few meters ahead in the gloom of the trees. A hard frown roughened his brow. The old seer seemed to be moving faster than usual which was surprising.

Their excursions into the town had been getting more frequent of late. Wole wasn't sure why __ but Baba Adora never did anything without a reason.

His black shape disappeared completely. A thrill of unease rippled through Wole. He best not have lost him. He didn't much relish having to scour the depths of this mini forest to find his way back.

He increased speed, running so fast he was like a streak of black racing through the woods. A low hanging branch suddenly came out of nowhere and he ducked. He was barely able to avoid it. That terrified him so much he slowed, taking a calm more leisurely pace.

A bright spot of light appeared ahead. His frown deepened and he approached it, increasing his pace again. The light led into a large clearing. He half expected to see Baba Adora standing in the centre of it. But it was empty.

He stepped out into the clearing looking up at the clear cloudless sky. If it had been a couple of months ago he would have been tempted to admire the beauty of it, but not this time. Not with all he'd seen.

"Are you going to stand there daydreaming or do we continue?"

He swung round, startled to see Baba Adora floating in mid-air with his black robes releasing an ethereal white glow. Wole took a deep breath, swallowed and pointed.

"You do realize your clothes are glowing don't you?"

Baba Adora nodded without looking down. "Evil is everywhere __ I can se__" his words drifted off and he looked northwards.

Wole faced the direction he was looking and frowned. He couldn't see a thing. Could this be another seer thing? He sincerely hoped not. Seer things hardly ever meant anything good.

"We have to move. There is a change __ a seismic change. We have to move." He streaked forward, floating at twice the speed he was going before.

Wole sighed and raced after him. Eight minutes of running brought him before a cliff which overlooked a large town or city. He wasn't sure which.

Baba Adora's eyes were fixed on something below. He glanced down and almost squeaked. It was more than fifty feet down. He'd never been that good with heights.

He gritted his teeth and forced himself to keep looking. There was a large mass of infected milling around the bottom of the hill they were on. But there was something strange about this particular group of infected. If he wasn't mistaken they appeared to be sweating. He had never seen an infected person sweat. And more puzzling was their usually blackish green skin was now growing pale, returning to a healthy chocolate sort of shade. His eyes widened. Could they be getting better?

"I think that's what happening. They are getting better. She succeeded!!"

"Who succeeded??" Wole asked looking puzzled.

"Catherine ___ Catherine Kachifo. She just might have given us a fighting chance."

Wole shrugged. The name meant nothing to him. If Baba Adora seemed to think a strange woman's actions were going to make a difference who was he to say otherwise. If he knew what those actions were it would help clear part of his confusion. His eyes drifted to Baba Adora's face. He was tempted to ask but something told him he wouldn't get a satisfactory answer anyway so why bother.

"We best be getting __" Baba Adora began stopping when he saw some of the infected beneath them start to collapse. They fell in their ones and twos until all of them were down.

"What just happened?"

"I am not sure__" Baba Adora said shaking his head. He floated closer to the edge his eyes fixed on the crumpled cluster of bodies. As they watched their skin tones turned normal and their rapid raucous breathing quietened and evened out.

Baba Adora's feet touched the ground and he sank into a sitting position. "We best wait and see how this plays out." He said in a grim voice.

Wole sighed and sat down beside him, chewing on his lower lip as they waited.

It took about an hour before any of them stirred. By which time Wole was almost ready to explode with impatience. They released long groans and rose slowly. There was a sickly pallor to their skin but it was obvious they were on the mend.

"It's impossible!" Wole gasped shocked.

"I believe the impossible has just become possible." Baba Adora said his voice filled with awe and no less shocked and surprised by this new development.

I wasn't sure when exactly it happened, but a strange calm came over the countryside. Twas like Lagos and the outskirts became a different place; somewhat like it used to be __ only with much less human and vehicular traffic.

I saw less infected. And the few I did see seemed to be undergoing some sort of change. Their blackish green skin had become natural. The ebony black beauty of the average Nigerian; one could also walk about more freely now. You still had to be careful though, cos darkling and dríegon attacks were getting more frequent. You're probably wondering about the term 'dríegon' __ yeah I get that could be puzzling. It was a term the US military had taken to calling the flying incandescent beings causing chaos across the globe.

As at the time I had these thoughts Africa hadn't had an encounter with the Higuan giant. I didn't know then that that encounter was going to come much sooner than anticipated.

Jire looked at the still body of his mother and tried without succeeding to still the sobs racking his body. He raised his head looking at the destruction around. The cave was riddled with blood soaked bodies. His father stood some distance away leaning against the cave's entrance nursing a cut that was bleeding freely.

His eyes narrowed as he looked at it. During the attack he'd seen an infected tackling him. That wound was most likely from an infected attack. But why hadn't he changed yet? It was common knowledge that the infection took only minutes, at most hours. So why hadn't his father succumbed to the infection?

He rose, giving his mother one last tearful glance before picking his way through the blood soaked bodies and making his way to his father's side.

"How is the wound?"

"Painful ___" His father groaned through gritted teeth.

"Let me see it__" He said reaching for his leg. The cut was just beneath the knee. Looking at the blood flowing freely made him feel all queasy inside.

A dead body lay a few feet to his left. He reached over tearing off a large chunk of the man's grey shirt. Using it as a bandage he wrapped the cut around his father's leg ignoring his moans and grunts of pain. He wasn't a medical expert but something told him the wound might need stitches. Good luck finding anyone to stitch it on this hill. By the time he was done his father looked greyer than the strip of shirt he'd used to bind his wounds.

"You might need to have that wound stitched." Jire said quietly.

"Wouldn't surprise me __ it hurts enough __" He gasped gritting his teeth.

Jire sighed feeling tearful again as his thoughts drifted to his mother and then Modupe. He didn't know how he was still alive. The pain was just too much. It made him wonder what his father must be feeling. Their marriage had been a blissful and happy one. It wasn't that they didn't have problems, but they somehow always managed to work around them.

He gave his father another concerned stare. There was a sadness to his eyes that hadn't been there before. But asides from that you wouldn't know he'd just lost the woman he'd lived together with for the better part of forty years. A sad smile lifted his lips slightly. His father was a remarkable man. And looking at him now Jire realized how much he'd underestimated how remarkable he truly was.

"__ Not that I want to dampen your mood son but __ you do know an infected gave me this wound?"

Jire sighed becoming very sad again. It took a herculean effort on his part to stay the tears.

His father smiled sadly. "I remember promising myself when you were younger that I would make sure I was never the reason you'd have a look like that on your face. It seems circumstances have forced me to break that vow."

"You've always made me so proud. Even when you couldn't get a job for years you always retained your courage and kept pushing. That's one of the most admirable traits about you. I need you to continue to do so __ just in case __"

"Don't you dare say it __" Jire spat out in a roar as he leaped to his feet.

The smile on his father's face became broader. "Another promise I made to myself is never to tell you lies or offer palliatives when you needed to hear the truth. We both know what a wound from an infected person does to you. Would you rather kill me now or be forced to kill me later?"

His father's words drove a chill down Jire's spine. He couldn't allow his father to go __ not right now __ not after all he had lost.

"But something isn't quite right __ you should have turned by now. Why haven't you? It's been hours."

His father's face grew puzzled as he considered it. "That part I am not entirely sure of. From what I was able to get from the news before everything went dark, people turned after a few days of being exposed to the virus. But that time shortened to about three hours in the last few weeks or months.

"It's been five hours since I was wounded. I can't fathom why I am still __ normal __"

"Maybe the virus is going into remission __" He pressed on bravely at the sardonic look on his father's face. "__ or it could be you are one of the few that is immune to it."

"Somehow I doubt it."

"We can hope can't we??"

His father's face clearly showed he thought little of the plan to hope, but fortunately he didn't say anything. The hill shook under their feet as they both started to drift into their thoughts. They exchanged troubled gazes and rose to their feet.

The edge of the hill lay about fifteen metres away; Jire reached it in seconds, while his father got there much later.

About fifteen miles eastwards they saw a large being striding through what used to be Idanre Township; Jire had never seen anything that big before. His heart started to race like an express train as he looked upon it.

"What is that?"

"I honestly do not know sir __" He murmured quietly. A cold silence engulfed them and they turned heading further up the network of interconnected hills to find another safe place to lay their heads.

Taiwo stood from distance away from the mobile lab with his men milling around him and talking in loud voices. Most were demanding what they do now. Many offered suggestions and counter suggestions but none seemed viable or even practical. The worst part was they still weren't sure whether the vaccine had been effective. There was simply no way of knowing.

A scream from the mobile lab made him turn towards it. His eyes grew grimmer. Olatunji was being operated on in there. The doctor was trying to put the bone back into his leg. They'd been fortunate __ Catherine was able to get them in touch with an orthopaedic surgeon and he'd been flown here to perform the operation.

The mobile lab wasn't the best place for such an operation but they were fresh out of options. He could only pray Olatunji would survive. They needed soldiers and leaders like him if they were to get through this in one piece; men who could lead them through whatever else was coming.

A cold thrill ran through him. Something else was coming, something big; he could feel it. The screams grew louder. He grimaced. That was another reason it was debatable he survived. The doctor didn't have the required anaesthetic for an operation like this. What he had was __ for lack of a better term __ more like a sedative. It wasn't powerful to keep the patient under and out through the pain of the operation. He stayed under for a few minutes top and then come to. He'd probably come to again.

"Sir??" A soldier barked. He looked up snapping out of his reverie. The man was hurrying his way carrying what looked like a two way radio.

"You have to listen to this __"

His face grew grimmer as he took the receiver and raised it to his lips. "Who is this?"

"This is Colonel Adamu. I am from the 86th battalion; northern regiment."

Taiwo released a big sigh of relief. "Thank God! You are the second regiment we've been able to get in touch with in the last week__" he was about to continue when Adamu's grim words cut him off.

"I wouldn't thank God just yet __ we have another big problem."

Taiwo swallowed. It took him almost five seconds to summon up the courage to ask "What's the problem?"

"There are giant creatures marching through our borders from Borno. There are rumours these creatures have gotten to the south. A few companies have engaged them with crippling losses. We have no weapons capable of destroying them."

"What are you saying?"

"I am saying we have no way of defeating this new breed of enemy. One of the north eastern battalions engaged with tanks, planes and helicopters. All were destroyed __ and in a matter of minutes I was told."

"But __ how many of these giants did they engage?"

"If what am told can be believed, they engaged only two __"

"Two???"

"Yes __"

"You're telling me two of those creatures destroyed an entire battalion of soldiers and artillery?"

"I am afraid so __"

A long silence drew out between them.

"You still there?" Adamu barked after almost two minutes of silence.

"I am here __" His eyes drifted to the mobile lab. There was a cold silence coming from it. His heart started to race. He prayed Olatunji was still alive.

"What do we do?"

Irritation rippled through him. Why did they keep asking him that? They were the soldiers. Let them devise the solutions.

"We might have to regroup __"

"Regroup?"

"Yes regroup __ gather our scattered forces into one cohesive unit."

"Do you think that's wise?"

"Why not?"

"Because if we are scattered there is less chance of us being wiped out at once."

"Yes __ but what about communication? For that plan of action to be effective we have to be able to communicate, network. Once I hang up this radio I have no way of knowing when I'll be able to get in touch with you again. You see the problem??"

"Yes __"

"So let's gather everyone we can get hold of and tell them to meet up. We find a safe haven and get all forces to meet up there. Once most are gathered we can begin to make plans and deploy soldiers to hotspots to help people out there who are under attack by these __ things; attack and evade is the army's watchword for now."

There was a long silence from the other end and then __ "Sounds like a good plan."

"Good __ my men and I are about eighty miles from Abuja. It's a small village, miles from anywhere. It's a good place to set up HQ. I'll send you coordinates; get your men here as fast as you can. And as you're coming gather all the weapons, ordinance and food you can find. Something tells me we are going to need them."

"Very well ___ send the coordinates."

"Will do that now __"

Taiwo was on the verge of signing off when the man spoke again.

"There is something else __ I told your sergeant when we first got in touch. The infected seem to be recovering."

Taiwo's heart skipped a couple of beats. So it worked___ it actually worked! Wow!

"How do you know this?"

"We saw it __ their skin tones returned to normal and they began to speak coherently."

"Really??"

"Yes really __ I don't know how it happened but it appears something is healing the infected. God hasn't completely forgotten about us it appears."

Taiwo exchanged glances with the soldier who handed him the radio. They locked gazes for a few seconds before he handed the radio back. He turned without another word and headed towards the mobile lab with the soldier looking at him with an incredulous look on his face.

The walk to the lab seemed to take years; he was so lost in his thoughts. He was a second away from bashing his head into the lab before he stopped and put his hand on the handle. Pausing for a bit he put his ear to the door and listened. There was little sound, save the faint clatter of instruments being washed.

Taking a deep breath he knocked.

"Who is it?" Catherine's impatient voice barked from within.

"It's me __"

"You can't come in __"

"I know __ how is he?"

"It's too early to tell __ but for now he's stable."

"Thank God!"

"Yeah ___ anything else?"

"Yes __ I thought you'd like to know that the vaccine worked."

"It did!!! How did you find that out?"

"We were able to get in contact with part of the northern regiment deployed to fight Boko Haram. They said they witnessed it first hand."

"Wow! So I really succeeded in making it work."

"Yeah __ apparently you did. Just thought you'd like to know."

"Thank you Taiwo __ I don't know what to say."

"I can think of several things but __ you could say thank God."

"Yeah I could __ thank God."

Smiling sadly Taiwo slowly walked away from the mobile lab.

Wole, Baba Adora, Tunrayo and Anike gathered around a small battery powered rechargeable light in the sitting room of the house they were staying in.

All had their eyes fixed on it as Baba Adora spoke. None of the faces there were happy. They all looked sad.

"The Evonso virus has eventually been cured; but like I told Wole earlier it doesn't really do us much good. What comes next is too frightening to even contemplate. It is my hope we will survive it but that I fear might be a false hope on my part.

"It is no secret the world powers have begun using nuclear weapons. Their continuous usage is going to take us into what some call nuclear winter.

"The air we breathe will become poisonous. This will happen on a global scale and Nigeria will not be exempted except for a few places. Ninety six percent of the world population will perish in the next two years. What follows afterwards only God can tell. There is no easier way to say this but this is the Holocaust we've been warned about for centuries. It is finally upon us.

"Tomorrow we leave this house and move to the hills and caves in the south west. We'll carry as much food as we can. If we can get a car we'll travel with all speed. Who knows? We might just live out the rest of our lives in relative safety and tranquillity."

He paused looking around. The glum faces told him no one believed his words. They were staring death in the face and no one was in the least bit hopeful about what the future held for them. The cold silence lingered for hours after Baba Adora was done speaking.

The next day was one of the drabbest they'd seen in a long time. Thick gloomy cloud filled the skies; so thick it was impossible for the bright sun's rays shinning behind to penetrate its thick cloudy depths. Tunrayo and Anike sat in a corner underneath a large almond tree a few meters away from the house.

Their eyes drifted over the large bags stacked in a corner which contained all their possessions. Wole and Baba Adora had left the house since the early hours of the morning, to look for transport. Their hearts were frightened and anxious. Their success or failure in reaching the hills west of the country would be largely determined on their being able to acquire a vehicle.

With the rampant rate of destruction plaguing the country, it was debatable they reached the safety of those hills even with a car. A deep sigh left both their lips at the same time and they looked up as Baba Adora drove or rather struggled to drive a gleaming maroon Honda accord.

He eventually managed to get it parked in front of them. They leapt to their feet and hurriedly began to toss their bags into the trunk he opened.

"You sure you can manage to drive this thing to the west?" Anike asked with an uncertain look on her face.

"We don't have a choice __" Baba Adora growled breathing deeply. "If there was a more capable driver I'd gladly relinquish the controls to him, but unfortunately am the only one ___" He paused looking off into the distance as if some great powerful force had paused him.

"What is it?" Wole asked grabbing his arm.

It took several seconds for him to respond. When he did, his eyes had a wild eyed look that none of them had seen before.

"I have a little bit of good and bad news __"

They exchanged worried glances.

"Do I proceed?"

They nodded slowly. He took a deep breath and continued.

"I think I've solved our driving problem. Do any of you remember Collins? The guy we escaped Oraromi with. They all nodded slowly.

"Well he and his girlfriend Judith are holed up not too far from here. We have to find them."

"Ok __ let's go then __"

"I just hope we are not too late __"

"What do you mean by that?"

His only answer was to leap into the driver's seat and start the engine. They set out a few minutes later.

Three hours later

Collins strolled to the window of the sitting room for the umpteenth time. He couldn't place the source of his unease but his insides kept telling him that something wasn't right.

He'd awakened around 3am and hadn't been able to sleep since. A bright spot of light deep within the bushes ahead caught his attention. His eyes drifted to the clock on the wall. It said 7.15 am. Judith wasn't up yet. As she drew nearer to term she'd gotten more tired and weary than she usually felt.

He picked up the large shotgun a few feet away and marched to the front door. The light brightened as he stepped out with the gun held at the ready.

The trees started to move as if something large walked between them. He swallowed raising his gun slowly. Forty eight seconds the trees were pushed aside and a Higuan giant stepped out of the bushes. He yelped in fear and opened fire peppering its torso with bullets. It had no effect.

The chamber gave a loud click as the gun ran out of bullets. He took several steps back struggling to load it. That was why he didn't see a large shadow sweep his way. By the time he looked up it was already too late.

The hand came smashing down, luckily for him the giant's aim wasn't true and its palm collided with the earth about a metre from his foot. The earth shook and the impact flung him almost ten feet away where he smashed down hard three metres from the front of the house.

Bright lights lit up the sky above and he looked up shocked to see a wave of flame bearing down on him. He leaped to his left barely managing to make it behind the trunk of a large mango tree before it struck.

Heat flooded the trees trunk like a massive tidal wave. Sweat streamed down his face, back and thighs in torrents. He thought he heard Judith scream from inside the house. His eyes darted towards it and his heart started to race when he saw the front awash with bright red flames. Judith was still inside. He leaped out when there was a break in the surge of flames, slamming the final bullet into the chamber of the shotgun which miraculously he'd managed to hold onto.

He rolled and came up squeezing. The first two shots took off the heads of two dríegons while the last bounced off the chest of the Higuan giant. He lowered the gun slowly and swallowed. He was screwed. The thing came in fast swinging a foot the size of a football field his way.

He dived barely managing to escape the vicious kick. The foot smashed into the house flinging a great chunk of the front a hundred feet into the air. The last dríegon swooped in blowing out another wave of flame. The flame struck the ground in front of him and exploded flinging him backwards where he smashed into what remained of the mango tree.

The tee-shirt he wore was awash with flames. He tore it off flinging it on the ground in front of him. He saw it swoop round coming in for another pass. The Higuan giant's red eyes scoured the ground looking for him. The mango tree's thick branches hid him from view for the time being.

There was clattering sound coming from the house. Judith was still alive. His face hardened and he rose coming out from under the shelter of the tree.

It he had to sacrifice himself for her so be it. Fear greater than anything he'd ever known surged through him when he saw the Higuan giant's red eyes focus on him. He was dead and he knew it. Out of the corner of one eye he saw a bright white flash light up the heavens.

The dríegon hovering in the distance dissolved into a thick cloud of ash. It's dying scream reverberated over the landscape. The Higuan giant turned searching for what brought down the dríegon. There was a faint scuffling sound behind. He turned shocked to see Judith being helped from the wreckage of the house by a teenage boy.

His eyes narrowed. He'd seen him before. Oraromi __ he could never forget a face. The giant roared and walked off into the bushes its eyes fixed on something he could not see.

He raced to Judith and the boy. "We have to leave NOW! Baba Adora caused that distraction but I don't think he is powerful enough to face a Higuan giant on his own."

Collins nodded slowly hurrying after Wole who led him down a long narrow path in the depths of the bushes. They walked for about ten minutes before they came upon a gleaming maroon Honda Accord. A woman in her fifties sat in the back biting her nails. She gasped as they appeared her hand pressed against her chest.

"You saved him __" She gasped.

"Not me __ Baba Adora did."

Collins eyes narrowed when he saw the beautiful teenage girl step out from behind the car. He hadn't even seen her standing there. He knew her as well __ they'd escaped from Oraromi together.

"What do we do now?" He asked quietly still shocked that he and Judith were alive. His eyes locked with hers and then drifted to her swollen belly. The silent question hung in the air. She smiled nodding. A relieved sigh burst from his lips. The baby was still ok it appeared.

"We wait for Baba Adora. He has a plan __"

"I hope it's a good one __" Collins growled under his breath.

They didn't have long to wait. Baba Adora burst out from behind the trees a few feet to their right startling them all.

"We best get moving NOW!" He tossed the car key to Collins as he said this. Collins caught it expertly and leaped into the driver's seat. The engine roared to life and they were off, speeding off into the distance. Miles away Collins saw the giant come out of the bushes through the review mirror. It didn't see them. Only then did his breathing slow.

# Chapter Thirty five

Taiwo stood some distance away watching as the large Apache helicopter came in for landing. One of the few gifts they had left from the US military.

Hundreds of men were in the process of rebuilding a large wall around the compound. They were almost done. The part that collapsed was almost done and they were adding an extra six feet to the height.

Other men were weaving a mesh of barbwire on top of the completed portions. A grim look came on his face. Hundreds of military and civilian personnel had poured in over the last few weeks. This was as a result of their continued radio broadcasts on certain popular radio frequencies indicating safety and protection.

For once they were not plagued by dissention and disunity. Everyone was united for one thing; and that was mutual survival. Even now as he looked at their motley group he didn't hold out much hope for their collective survival. That wall wouldn't hold up against the might of a Higuan giant. But they had to do what they could.

"WE HAVE SOLDIERS COMING!!"

He spun around walking briskly to the gate. "Are they ours??"

"Yes sir __"

"Open the gates __"

The ten foot tall gates were flung open. And a convoy of twenty trucks, two tanks and almost six hundred men flooded the compound.

At this rate they were liable to be over run if this inflow kept up. A stern looking man leaped out from the lead truck swinging his assault rifle out of the way.

"Taiwo Betiku??" He barked.

"Yes __" Taiwo said reaching out for a handshake. They shook hands. The man's grip was hard and firm; his gaze grim and forbidding.

"So what's the plan?"

"We survive __ that's as good a plan as any."

A sad look flitted through the man's eyes. He nodded slowly and walked off to direct his men on how they unpacked and set their gear. Taiwo watched them for a few moments before he set off towards one of the largest buildings about five hundred meters to his left.

Pushing the door open when he reached it, he stepped into the gloomy interior his eyes struggling to adjust to the gloom. Catherine sat some distance away watching over a figure lying on a large bed.

"How is leadership treating you?" His voice sounded weak but it was a relief to see he was on the mend.

"Not good __ I can't wait for you to get back on your feet so you can take over."

Olatunji gave a loud chuckle. "I thank you both for all you did. I couldn't have survived without both of you __ you especially." He finished facing Taiwo.

"Thank God for that __ I had little or nothing to do with it. It was a miracle we got off that base at all."

A long silence followed his words.

"So what happens now?" It was Catherine who asked this time.

Deep sighs burst from both men.

"We do all to survive. We know the vaccine worked __ it remains to be seen what we can do about the darklings and the Higuan giants. We know the darklings can be killed __ but I can't say the same about the giants. Only time will tell how we fare."

A cold silence greeted Taiwo's words.

Wole sighed looking down at the beautiful view from the top of the large hill, Baba Adora and Collins stood. The view was breathtaking; they could see miles in every direction. Looking at the picturesque vision beneath you'd been hard pressed to believe the instruments of destructions lurking in the quiet stillness beneath.

"We made it __" Collins said in a breathless whisper.

"Yes __ it remains to be seen if we'll survive."

Looking northwards they saw the head of a Higuan giant rise out of the thick forest. They all stepped back taking deep breaths.

"We best get back to the women."

Collins and Wole nodded slowly and set off towards the cluster of interconnecting hills.

# Epilogue

Seventy years later

It's getting much harder to breathe __ there is no word. Everything is dark. Communication is zero. I am alone. My body is on the verge of shutting down. If I had imagined a million and one ways my death would come, this wouldn't have been it. I put these words on paper not knowing whether any will eventually read it. This is a frantic soul fighting to preserve posterity. Alas posterity might just be an elusive dream which might never become reality.

The pen dropped from his hands as the coughing spasms came upon him again. The blood he didn't cough out dribbled from both sides of his mouth. He was done. He knew these were his last few seconds. He slid the book into a transparent cellophane bag, folded it into a small tube like tin can and dropped it into a crack in the rock face.

His eyes drifted around the cave with fondness. It had been seventy years he'd lived here. Seventy years of fear, danger and the constant battle for survival. Well all good things ended. Idowu Owolabi was eventually kissing the world goodbye. And with a deep sigh he gave up the ghost and died. The musty smelling cave echoed with grim silence.

Nephilim (150 years later)

The mutated camel like creatures approached what remained of the hill like structure. The eyes of the men hidden behind large gas masks dimmed with disappointment. They'd hoped it would provide shelter. But that hope was dashed and with the Higuan giants prowling, one couldn't be too careful.

"What do we do?" The shorter men asked the taller one who was their leader.

"Let's make camp. We have no other choice. The animals are weakened from our travels. They must rest."

His men reluctantly agreed. He removed a large box from his robes and set it on the floor depressing the button in the centre and it instantly became a large tent structure. The surface of the tent glimmered as they watched and slowly became invisible blending with the environment. The adaptive camouflage had kicked in.

They entered the tent and sank down on the hard rocky ground finding spaces between the large rocks riddling the landscape. This was the life of a nomad. The constant travelling, the regular encounters with dangers, the list went on.

The leader placed his head close to a small slit in the rock. Something tickled him on the back of his head. He sat up giving the rock a closer examination. There was something there. He poked his fingers in and brought out the shredded remains of a cellophane bag.

It looked like it had been there for years. The lack of air and absence of insects seemed to have contributed to its survival. There was something in the cellophane bag, paper, of a strange feel and texture. He pulled it out. It looked like writing, a journal of some kind.

He started to read, most of the words were illegible. He could barely make out the story. The little he did make out read like this

I got a radio and was able to listen in on the Nigerian army communication. They rallied and started waging war on the darkness's forces guerrilla style. Most were destroyed in the following years by the darklings, giants, dríegons and other forces.

The few that survived were for the most part eradicated by radiation poisoning. Before communication died out completely, I heard tales of the US military finishing construction on something they called our salvation. We were encouraged to make our ways towards it. But how do I get there. I can barely get five miles away from my cave without encountering danger.

The country I loved and grew up in is gone. I am alone __ these are my final seconds. May God have mercy on my soul; I pray we all wake up in a better world___

The nomad stopped reading and glanced at the wasteland that surrounded him. The walls of the tent were transparent. You could see what lay outside, but those outside couldn't see what lay within. A sadness greater than anything he'd ever felt surged through him. The poor devil's hopes were dashed. The better world he died hoping for had turned into a worse one.

He looked at his companions and slid the remains of the diary into the folds of his robes. He would share his find with his companions eventually. But for now he wanted nothing more than to digest it __ alone.

# The End

# Authors note

This rounds up my work on the event series. I know those unfamiliar with the series might be confused about the references. For better clarity I'd advise you get the books Amnesiacs, Might's Odyssey, Absolution, Virus, Plague and read. Once you do, the events in Holocaust will make much more sense to you.

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Recommend this book to a friend and spread the love and the good Lord will bless you exceedingly.

Akintomide Ifedayo Adigwe

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