Chapters (37)
‘I’ll report this to Grant immediately,’ came Salter’s voice, which had lost its bored monotony. ‘Vehicle staff, confirm that the rebels actually are deceased, then advance to Office 35 near Stairwell 15X for a formal identification. I will meet you there.’
Alex leapt into the van to check Kate and McCormick’s pulses, and gave a thumbs down to the guards. Ewan climbed inside, and they took one body each. With a nod to the inspection guards, their interaction was over.
‘Other vehicles,’ Salter’s voice continued through the radio, ‘be vigilant. There has never been an attack by only two rogue humans. There may be more hidden in the convoy, and they might have heard you shooting their teammates.’
Ewan smiled as discreetly as he could at Salter’s words, as he slung Kate’s body over his shoulder. Alex was unable to complain about being left with the heavier body, and followed with McCormick on his back. They climbed out of the van, leaving the dozen heavy boxes of paper for someone else to sort out.
Ewan had expected an intense, dangerous amount of interest from other clone soldiers in the vehicle port. He was surprised when they turned back to their vehicles and continued their job as if nothing had happened.
Well, I guess Underdogs are less interesting when they’re dead.
Ewan and Alex made their way through the vehicle port exit and the heavy door slammed behind them, leaving them and the bodies on their shoulders isolated in the corridors of Floor Z.
‘Thank bloody hell for that,’ said Alex with a laugh as he lowered McCormick from his shoulders. Ewan lowered Kate to the floor with a relieved smile across his face.
‘And you all doubted me,’ said McCormick, resting a hand against the wall and straightening his back. ‘I told you, didn’t I? If we can’t sneak in unnoticed, we might as well be noticed and not be seen as a threat.’
‘Good job the clone blood lasted all the way through the journey,’ added Kate, double and triple-checking the rucksack to ensure nothing had fallen out while she had been carried. ‘We’d have been less convincing covered in powdery blood.’
Ewan shrugged, not entirely surprised. The blood had been fresh when they had killed the driver and passenger at Oakenfold – with nice, silent stab wounds – and daubed the blood across Kate and McCormick’s stolen uniforms. The blood had jellied a little, but the powdering stage usually didn’t happen until after a day.
‘Guys,’ he said, ‘are we really going to stand here chatting in clone uniform? We just pulled off something brilliant. Let’s not ruin it now.’
‘Fair enough,’ said Alex. ‘What’s the plan?’
‘Well,’ answered McCormick, stretching his legs and readying himself for a jog, ‘Arnold Salter is on his way to Office 35 on Floor X, preparing to meet us and identify our bodies. Let’s make his acquaintance.’