Chapter Eighteen: A Rift Grows

The weight of the situation was hitting Jason now. Without radio communication, they had no idea if the others had left or even if they were still alive. The Tallentiri would be searching for them now to either kill them or capture them. On top of that Jason had the guilt of knowing that he had failed Celeste who, Jason realised now, he was slowly falling for. And now he had no one to watch the military network he could trust. If the spy knew that was Claire was taken, they would know that they now have free access to the network. As much as he hated Claire, no one deserved to be taken by the Tallentiri.

‘It’ll be dark soon. It was late when we left’ Miles said.

‘Yeah. I don’t think we’ll make it before dark’ Jason replied.

‘So where do we go?’ a soldier asked. They had stopped in the middle of the freeway.

‘Parliament House’ Jason replied.

‘That’s incredibly dangerous, sir’ Miles told him.

‘Every second we stay here is dangerous. We’re in Tallentiri territory now. We certainly won’t get out of here today or tonight. At least there we have cover and a defensible position’ Jason retorted.

‘Maybe we should just keep moving. If we stay in the one place, it just gives them more time to find us’ another soldier said.

‘All the more reason to stay there’ Jason said.

‘You did hear him right?’ Miles said.

‘Yes I did. But they are more active in the dark, move in larger numbers. If we tried to move during the night, we’d certainly be caught. At Parliament House, we’re under cover, we’ll have food and water. Certainly better defended than if we stay here’ Jason replied. There was silence for a few moments.

‘Fine, we get in and go to the top floor’ Miles said, with a hint of command in his voice, which Jason chose to let slide.

‘If they’re not there now’ a soldier said.

‘They won’t be. They’re too busy with Perth, they won’t be watching the outer buildings’ Jason told them.

When they arrived, what Jason said was in fact true; the building was deserted, but had no power.

‘I don’t suppose there’s any stairs in the place?’ Miles asked, standing in the middle of the marble floor.

‘Not that leads all the way up. The kitchen is also protected electronically’ Jason answered.

‘How do you know that?’ A soldier asked him.

‘I was here a few weeks prior to the invasion. School excursion’ Jason replied.

‘We should go up as far as we can’ Miles said.

‘Yes we should. We stay in the upper Gallery. There’s only one entrance in, easy to defend, but I doubt we’ll need to’ Jason agreed.

‘That’ll be uncomfortable. Sleep on the floor or chairs-‘

‘I’m sorry, I thought that was part of survival training. I remember because I was there for that part’ Jason cut across the soldier. ‘I’m going up there, feel free to join me after you’ve grown a pair’ and without a second glance, Jason made his way to the stairs and walked up to the third floor, the highest he could go without elevator access. He opened the door carefully, barrel first, his body slowly behind. The deep green walls and the Jarrah wood backs of the chairs with deep green cushioning greeted him as he discovered that the room was empty. He walked over to the railing and looked down to the rows below where the politicians would sit, argue and get nothing done. Jason walked back, collapsing onto one the chairs, sighing and letting the gun fall to the floor.

‘You wanna tell me what that was about?’ Miles said, walking up behind.

‘Not particularly, Captain’ Jason replied. Miles sighed and sat down next to him.

‘Ok. You lost someone under your command. It happens. But you are the commanding officer. You don’t get to feel sorry for yourself. You have to move on for the sake of those you lead. Understand?’ Miles told him.

‘That’s the thing. I didn’t lose just one person. I lost ninety people in total, possibly more’ Jason replied.

‘I’m going to give you some advice I was given a while ago, by your father. A good commander isn’t so callous that he stops caring, but just enough so he can keep going,’ Miles said. ‘The other soldiers and I are going to check out a few more rooms, see if there’s any other food anywhere in the building and then we’ll come up’ Miles added before walking off.

‘I’m going back for them. Two in particular but I plan to get as many out as possible’ Jason said. Captain Miles stopped at the door.

‘That’s suicide’ he said.

‘I have to try. I’ll leave tomorrow morning’ Jason replied.

‘Who’s in command?’ Miles asked.

‘After I leave, you are. Until you get to the racecourse. Celeste is in charge there’ Jason told him.

‘Alright, sir, you need to stop this. She is not command material’ Miles said.

‘She’s the only person I can trust, one hundred percent’ Jason replied, looking up at Miles.

‘What about Carlisle?’ Miles asked.

‘Not one hundred percent. Look, I can’t tell you how or why I don’t trust him, because I don’t trust you’ Jason said.

‘You don’t trust me’

‘There are very people I can trust. Don’t get me wrong, I think you’re a trustworthy person-‘

‘Then why can’t you trust me?’ Miles retorted. Jason stood up, walked over and held the door open for Miles.

‘I thought you were just leaving’ Jason said to him, dangerously. Miles stared him down.

‘Yes sir’ Miles replied, malevolently and left the room. Jason heard thunder outside the building.

‘Great,’ Jason sighed, walking back over and sitting down in the seat. ‘A storm is just perfect right now’