Alien Virus (9 page)

“And now?”

“Oh, that ended about a year ago. We’re
still friends – but the relationship thing has ended. We won’t go
back now. Too much has happened since then – we’ve moved on.”

Kate smiled. “Sandi and Gareth seem to be
hitting it off,” she observed, changing the subject.

“Yes – just like Sandi to find a
toy–boy.”

We talked about our families for a while,
then finished our drinks and headed off for the Ferry.

*

Scrabster is a cold, soulless port, with the
roll–on, roll–off ferry the main feature. A small hotel is located
along the entrance road to the terminal and, on the cliffs above
the road, stands a village. We parked the vehicle in a queue for
the boat, and I left Kate in the car whilst I purchased our return
tickets from the ferry office. To say the staff was unfriendly is a
gross understatement. Everywhere we went, there seemed to be no
warmth, no brightness or life in people – particularly in
Scrabster. I talked about this with Kate as we waited to board the
boat.

“It’s the virus,” she said. “People are now
no more than automatons at times – you’ve probably noticed. The
last time I came up here – as a child – everyone was so welcoming
and friendly. Now it’s hard to even get a smile.”

We were beckoned towards the boat by a
serious–looking man, and we drove through the ship’s hull into the
parking lanes. On board the ferry, people stared out of the windows
or read newspapers. Nobody spoke.

As the boat departed, Kate and I left the
warm cabin to stand on deck – looking back as we pulled away from
the mainland. It was cold and windy in the sea air, and we were
glad of our warm coats and woolly hats. Automatically, I drew her
towards me. She looked up into my eyes and smiled, encouraging me
to hold her closer.

The swell of the sea made the boat roll and
dip. Ahead of us lay the Orkney Islands – faint outlines on the
horizon. Was this to be our new home? The journey took us close to
Hoy, the most mountainous of the islands, and we
marvelled
at the Old Man of Hoy, a sandstone sea
stack standing 137
metres
high. Time
passed quickly, and it wasn’t long before we were heading toward
the town of Stromness – and old fishing port on the West side of
the Main island.

It was nine in the evening by the time we
drove off the boat, and we decided to stop in Stromness before
driving to Kirkwall, the main town of the County, the next day.
Kate remembered a small hotel in Stromness where she had stayed
with her parents, and fortunately they had a room for the night.
The owner was surprisingly friendly and hospitable, and it made me
wonder if the virus had not penetrated this far north. I surmised
that the sea air would not be to its liking. Our room was warm and
comfortable, and after the long journey, fresh sea air, and two
large brandies, we drifted off soundly to sleep.

*

The next morning after breakfast, we packed
our bags in the car and headed off in the direction of Kirkwall.
The route was a narrow road, flanked by grey stone houses in rough
grassland. The lack of trees was compensated by views of other
islands at practically every turn. There was something untouched
about Orkney that made me feel comfortable and safe
straightaway.

Whereas Stromness had felt old worldly, like
an eighteenth century fishing port, Kirkwall had more of a modern
feel in comparison. We parked the car in the town centre and looked
for signs to the Tourist Office. Our plan was to get information on
the islands, and properties that might be for sale. From Kirkwall
we could sail to all the Northern Orkney islands, and we decided to
try each one in turn – in alphabetical order (it was Kate’s idea).
Studying the map in the Tourist Centre in Albert Street, I saw
three islands with names beginning with an ‘S’, one with an ‘N’,
one with ‘R’ and another with ‘W’. Then Kate pointed to a small
island right in the centre of a group.

“Here Kevin – there’s one beginning with ‘E’
– that’s our island!”

“Ah, you’re right! So
Eday
it is
then.”

***

Twelve

In London, the Special Branch had been busy.
They’d pulled together just about everything about Sandi and I that
was on record – passport details, drivers
licence
s
, bank account
details, car registrations, mobile phone numbers and lists of calls
made. Plus full medical records, criminal record checks, school
reports and work references, including background information from
interviews with Trevor and other work colleagues. What pubs and
restaurants I frequented, my
favourite
drinks, which shops I purchased goods from, and the football team I
supported – no stone was left unturned. They also knew – from
Trevor – that I’d been on an assignment to Scotland, and knew I
stayed in Edinburgh (from hotel records).

It was just as well I’d left both my car and
mobile with Tony. Several days after I rescued Sandi from the
hospital, it was easy to forget that the police never do forget –
not when they’re controlled by the virus. What I didn’t know, as we
were perusing the island brochures in the Tourist Information
Centre in Kirkwall, was that someone had already put the finger on
Sandi.

“Are you sure it was her?” the policewoman
asked the dark woman who was standing in front of her at the
counter.

“No question – look…” Emily pulled out the
newspaper article about the ‘abduction’ of Sandi from the hospital
in Fulham. “I was reading this article in the hairdressers just the
day before I saw her. I’m certain it’s her.”

“And you say she was with your boyfriend at
the time?” Emily nodded. “Well, it would really help to have his
contact details – email address, telephone number… anything like
that.”

Emily stopped for a moment. It was one thing
rubbing that woman’s nose in the shit after what she’d done to
Gareth – it was quite a different matter getting Gareth into
serious trouble. She pondered. “What will you do to Gareth –
what’ll happen to him?”

“We need to find the woman because she could
be seriously ill and need hospital treatment – and she could lead
us to the man who abducted her. I don’t know how much Gareth is
involved with them – I’m sure he’s not done anything wrong. But we
do need to question him – only about the woman.”

Emily thought again for a minute. “Okay,”
she said eventually, “do you have a pen and paper?”

The officer passed her an A4 pad and a biro,
and Emily wrote down Gareth’s details – still feeling a little
uneasy about the whole thing.

“I do want him back, y’know.”

“I know you do dear,” the officer
smiled.

*

As arranged with Tony, Gareth and Sandi were
out shopping – for salt. It was important to get in as much as
possible ahead of the proposed ban on sales – except for
emergencies. The quantity of salt in their trolley at the
Supermarket raised the eyebrows of the cashier.

“That’s a lot of salt!”

“Very observant of you,” quipped Sandi.

“I’m not sure if we can allow that… ” The
cashier pressed a buzzer near the till, then smiled falsely at
Sandi. “Won’t be a minute.” Sandi looked at Gareth quizzically, as
if to say, ‘shall we leg it?’ Gareth shook his head and intimated
that everything was all right. After a few moments, a supervisor
arrived. As soon as he saw the trolley full of salt, he turned to
Gareth.

“Can I ask the purpose of your purchase of
so much salt, sir?”

“It’s for the slugs…” replied Gareth. “God,
you should see them.”

Sandi caught on straightaway and added,
“We’ve tried pesticides, but the slugs are immune. Salt’s the only
thing that works.”

“It’s not illegal to buy salt, is it?”
Gareth asked the supervisor.

“Er, no – not yet.” He reluctantly nodded to
the cashier, smiled awkwardly at Gareth and Sandi, then left.

On the way to the car, Sandi looked at
Gareth.

“I’m glad you said that – I was about to
duff him one.”

“We found this was the best way – there’s
nothing they can say. They have it to sell, and until it’s
withdrawn they haven’t a leg to stand on. Aliens or not.”

With the salt loaded in the boot, they drove
back to Gareth’s apartment. As they turned the corner, Gareth saw
something.

“Shit!” he exclaimed.

“What is it?” asked Sandi.

A police car was parked outside the front
door of his apartment block.

“Keep your head down…” Sandi did as
instructed and Gareth drove past the door without looking at his
apartment. When they’d driven for a few minutes, he stopped in a
side street.

“It should be okay now.”

“What was that – surely not about the salt?”
she asked.

“No, it can’t be that.” He thought for a
moment, and then it dawned on him. “Emily!”

“You mean she told them about me?”

“I’d put money on it,” he said.

“So what do we do now?”

“We’ll drive to Audrey’s – the long way
round. Then I’ll call Tony.

*

Sitting in Audrey’s lounge, Tony was not in
a good mood. Gareth had just told him about Emily.

“Fuck it Gareth you should have told me
about this before. Sorry Audrey,” he added seeing her reaction to
his language. “We’ll have to be much more careful from now on – we
can’t afford to slip up. They’re looking for the least excuse to
take us into custody – then who knows what will happen? It just
takes a medical exam, and then you’ll be pumped full of the virus –
and that’s the end. It doesn’t matter how dedicated you are now –
once the concentrated virus is in your bloodstream, you’ll shop
your own mother.”

“I’m sorry Tony… I didn’t mean…”

“It’s not safe for you to go back to your
place – not now. Maybe not ever.”

“What about Kate’s apartment?” Sandi asked.
Tony turned to Gareth again.

“Is there any way they would know about
Kate? Did you ever tell Emily about Kate – or Audrey or me?” Gareth
was offended.

“No – I’d never do that... what do you think
I am?”

“I’ve just got to know for sure, Gareth.
It’s very important. I’m sorry. We’ve really got to watch our backs
now – too much is at stake.

“Okay. Well, I never told Emily anything
about the group – or about you or Kate or Audrey… or even
Frank.”

“What about in your flat?” Gareth looked
puzzled. Tony explained. “If the police go to your flat, is there
anything there leading them you us – address book, notes?” Gareth
thought very carefully.

“I don’t know for sure, Tony. I can’t say –
I’m sorry.” He was clearly upset. Tony patted him on the
shoulder.

“It’s okay. It was always going to come to
this one day. Did you get the salt?” Sandi nodded. “Good. Then this
is what we’ve got to do...”

*

At four–thirty pm, Tony drove Audrey to
Gareth’s apartment. They stopped in the next street, and Audrey got
out with cleaning materials – bucket, mop and cloths. With Gareth’s
key, she opened the front door, watched by two plain–clothes
policemen sitting in a car on the opposite side of the road. On
seeing her, they quickly got out of the vehicle and reached the
door just before she had time to close it.

“Excuse me, Madam,” one said. “Can I ask
what you’re doing here?”

“Who are you?” Audrey asked. The policeman
pulled out his ID.

“Oh, well, I’m breaking into Mr Morgan’s
flat to steal his silver…” She winked at him.

“Oh, right,” the officer said, seeing her
cleaning materials and implements. “Can you tell us when Mr Morgan
will be back then, hen, we’ve a few questions to ask him.”

“He’s usually back at six. You should catch
him then. Now if you don’t mind…”

“Oh, sure – no problem. And thanks very
much.” The officers returned to their vehicle whilst Audrey closed
the door, locking it, and started to search the flat for Gareth’s
address book, notebook and any other references to the group he
might have left in the apartment. He’d told her the usual places he
kept these things, and she found the address book straightaway. The
notebook was harder. But after five minutes, she located two
notebooks – one under the bed and another in a chest of drawers.
Next the leather jacket Gareth had asked for. Whilst she was
looking, she also found his bank books, some spare cash and his
passport and driver’s
licence
. Hiding the
valuables and books in her bucket, she switched the radio on and
hoovered around the lounge with the vacuum cleaner she found in a
cupboard. A squirt or two of disinfectant in the bathroom to
freshen it up, and after fifteen minutes she was done. Picking up
her things, she left the flat and double–locked the front door.

Outside, she smiled and waved to the police
officers, pointing to the leather jacket.

“Dry cleaning,” she called out. The officers
nodded and waved back.

Meanwhile, Gareth and Sandi drove to Kate’s
apartment. They collected everything that Sandi thought Kate might
need, as well as Sandi’s own belongings, and put them in two
suitcases they found in the flat.

Back at Audrey’s house, they resigned
themselves to the next step.

“Well, this is it, folks. Much earlier than
anticipated – but it was always going to happen one day.” As Audrey
came from the kitchen with a tray full of hot drinks, Tony turned
to her.

“Audrey, what about you? I know you weren’t
keen to move just yet – and at the moment there’s no need to.
Nothing can connect you with us. If you stay here for now and hold
the fort, we’ll set something up in Orkney. And when you’re ready,
we’ll come back for you.”

“Well, I must admit, I’d like that better.
This is my home, and I’m not really ready to go yet. But if you
need me…”

“You know we’ll always need you. But if you
stay here, we know we’ll always have somewhere to stay when we
return.”