Chapter Seven: The Campbell Barracks

‘How far away are they?’ Celeste said, carrying Sarah over to them.

‘A couple of minutes’ Jason replied.
‘We’ve got company!’ Sarah yelled. And indeed they did. Tallentiri were appearing again in all directions. Jason quickly delved into his bag and pulled out two pistols.
‘You two know how to use these?’ both Celeste and Sarah shook their heads. Jason cocked both pistols.
‘They’re already loaded. All you need to do is point and shoot. They both took one and Jason opened fire. Tallentiri were slightly apprehensive, but angry and soon they were swamped. Jason took a quick look at where they Helicopter was. It couldn’t be more than thirty seconds away.
‘I’m out!’ Celeste screamed at him.
‘We just have to hold out for thirty seconds!’ Jason yelled back, reloading. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of shooting at these things the strong wind of the Helicopter’s Main Rotor Blades spinning embraced them as it landed in the basketball court behind them.
‘Go!’ Jason said. ‘Move now’ bullets whirred past him as he pulled Claire’s unconscious body towards the Helicopter. The soldiers helped them in and when they were up in the air, safe, Jason leaned back and sighed.
‘You’re Colonel Blake’s boy, aren’t you?’ one the soldiers said to him. Jason nodded
‘He was a good man. Strong fighter’
‘You knew him?’ Jason asked.
‘I served with him. Saved his life in fact; Saudi Arabia twenty fifty-four’ the soldier responded.
‘Sergeant Williams right?’ Jason asked.
‘The one and only’ Williams replied. Jason noticed Celeste looking out the side. It was early afternoon. The high sun lit up everything they could see. Destruction everywhere; buildings destroyed. People who were outside when the bombardment began lay dead in the streets.
‘Where are you taking us?’ Celeste asked.
‘Campbell Barracks in Swanbourne,’ Williams answered. ‘We were supposed to find more survivors, but she needs urgent medical attention,’ he said, pointing to Claire. ‘It’s safe there’ they flew a little further and heard the pilot talking through his radio.
‘Falcon One to Command, come in’
‘We read you loud and clear Falcon One’
‘We’ve done a recon as requested and found four survivors. Request permission to land’
‘Negative, Falcon One. Turn around and find more survivors’ Sergeant Williams turned and grabbed the radio.
‘Command, this is Sergeant Williams. One of the rescued survivors requires urgent medical attention. We also have the son of the late Colonel Blake’ Williams said. There was silence for a moment and then.
‘Copy that. Permission to land granted. Proceed to Campbell Barracks’
The Barracks unfolded itself in front of them. A large rectangular structure built into the dune just a few hundred meters from the ocean. There were several roads leading to a helipad in the centre of the courtyard.
‘Once we’ve landed, you two,’ Williams said gesturing at Jason and Celeste. ‘Will be given a quick tour of the Barracks, and be given a list of duties. The other two will be taken straight to the medics. That leg of yours needs fixing’ he added looking at Sarah. Once they landed, they were hurriedly ushered off, Claire was stretchered off and Sarah was helped by the medics to the Hospital wing.
‘Jason,’ Williams said. ‘This is Lieutenant Spire. He’ll take you on the tour’
‘Thank you, Sergeant. You’re dismissed,’ Spire said in a gruff voice; Jason could immediately tell that he either hated his job, or hated Sergeant Williams. ‘I’ll just show you the main sections that you’ll need to know; your quarters, mess, etcetera. Hospital wing is straight through those glass doors behind me. Follow me and please do not wander off’
Spire lead them to the mess hall first, a large room with a high ceiling, several tables with benches and something resembling a buffet at the end. He then showed them to their quarters which were almost exactly like a small house, except there was no Laundry. Spire explained that the military deals with that.
‘Ok,’ he said. ‘That’s basically it. If you can’t find anything, ask a guard. The General did ask to see you Mr Blake. He has some personal affects that your father left here’ Jason gestured for Celeste to follow him but Spire stopped her.
‘Mr Blake only’ he said.
‘I’ll go and see Sarah then. And she left. Spire then lead Jason into the lower floor of a tower and escorted him to the top floor where he was pushed into a room, alone.
‘You know, your father was a good man. Certainly didn’t deserve what happened to him,’ came a voice. Jason stepped forward and a man in his late fifties stepped out of the shadows in military camouflage. ‘But he, like all soldiers, knew the risk with war. Victory cannot be obtained without loss of life. Death is necessary to be victorious. Do you understand that, Jason?’
‘Yes General Carson’ Jason replied.
‘Good. The things your father left here have been kept in his quarters on the second floor in the west wing, room two hundred and thirty-two. Here is the key. While you are here, feel free to wander around the Barracks, use the firing range as you please. There is one thing I must tell you though. Do not enter the top floor of the science lab’ General Carson told him.
‘Why General?’ Jason asked.
‘They’re researching a potential way to fight the Tallentiri on a biological level, unfortunately the stuff they’re working with is potentially lethal to humans at the present time. Therefore, only those working on the project, are permitted to enter. Do you understand?’ Carson replied. Jason nodded.
‘Good, then I shall leave to do whatever you please’
Jason turned and left and headed straight for the Hospital Wing, knowing that something was going on, on the top floor of the science lab.