The Deviant Strain by Justin Richards

Author:Justin Richards [Richards, Justin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, General, Science Fiction, Comics & Graphic Novels
ISBN: 9780563486374
Publisher: BBC BOOKS
Published: 2005-09-07T07:00:00+00:00

Rose stepped in front of him, keeping him back. ‘It’s not OK,’ she told him. ‘She was old, dying. Then she sort of revitalised in a chair thing.’

Jack looked from Rose to Sofia, who was standing with her arms folded and watching them with amusement. ‘Really?’

‘Really. That was after she tried to kill me, of course.’

Sofia unfolded her arms and started across the ship towards them.

‘I shall make a better job of it this time,’ she said.

All trace of tiredness or age had gone as she leaped at them. Rose recognised the knife from the kitchen as it swung towards her.

Her cry was lost in the sound of the gunshot. The knife went flying.

Sofia was clutching her bloody hand. Jack was standing with the pistol braced in both hands. Rose’s coat had fallen from his shoulders and lay in a heap on the floor.

The second shot caught Sofia in the chest, driving her backwards and knocking her off her feet.

Rose grabbed her coat. ‘Come on.’

But Sofia was struggling slowly to her feet, chest a mess of red, hands slick and wet as they scrabbled for a hold on the floor to push herself up.

Another shot. Then Jack was grabbing Rose’s hand and pulling her the other way – back towards the medical area.

‘No, no,’ she protested. ‘We can get out down the tunnel.’

But Jack wasn’t listening. He dragged her through the hatch and slammed it shut behind them.

‘She’s dead,’ Rose protested.

‘Sure? Because I’m not hanging around to check.’ He was spinning the locking wheel on the outside of the hatch. ‘There has to be a way to keep this closed.’

‘Why does there?’

‘Because we need it.’

‘And what now, then, Mastermind? I thought you’d had enough of swimming.’

‘I have.’ He was smiling. ‘We go up the steps.’

‘You what?’ Rose turned to see where Jack was pointing. ‘Oh, right.’

95

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