Tooth and Nail by Chris Bonnello

Author:Chris Bonnello [Bonnello, Chris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781789650969
Publisher: Unbound

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It was Shannon’s third consecutive night in the Boys’ Brigade attic, having had only a daytime’s break between the Oakenfold mission ending and New London beginning. She had become used to the dark and dingy nature of the Underdogs’ comms unit, and this time the company wasn’t much brighter. Mark was stood downstairs near the entrance, using a tiny window on the front wall as a vantage point to watch for possible invaders. And next to her in the attic, Lorraine sat unsmiling next to a cold mug of tea.

Lorraine had changed over the course of the week. Or maybe hidden parts of her personality were becoming visible as times became more desperate. The uncompromising but loving nurse who had greeted her at Spitfire’s Rise three weeks earlier had become a harsh, openly wounded figure. By operating on McCormick, perhaps she had altered something inside herself too.

Shannon didn’t know whether Lorraine would allow a well-meaning conversation or dismiss it hurtfully, but it was worth a try. The silence in the attic was nothing short of painful.

‘Did I ever thank you?’ asked Shannon. ‘For taking care of me when I arrived?’

‘I didn’t do it to be thanked.’

Her voice was gruff, but not unkind.

‘Well… thank you anyway.’

‘You’re welcome.’

The answer might have been genuine. Shannon didn’t get the impression that Lorraine was trying to shut her up. But she was uncomfortable with the unenthused, generic responses, which suggested that Lorraine didn’t value her own place in the group as much as she deserved to.

‘You’re allowed to be proud of what you do, you know…’

Lorraine shot her a glance that was halfway between disbelief and offence.

‘And what makes you think I’d be proud?’

‘You save lives. Remember the last trip to New London? You treated Alex and Kate’s gunshot wounds, and even Ewan would be dead from infection if you hadn’t—’

‘I know the importance of what I do,’ Lorraine answered in a condescending voice. ‘But pride isn’t something I’m into. I do what I do out of duty, not to feel good about myself.’

Lorraine’s tone gave Shannon the temptation to drop the subject altogether. But she couldn’t.

‘Can’t you at least be happy that you save lives?’

‘Happiness doesn’t come into it either.’

Shannon had seen miserable people. There had not been one happy human in the whole of New London’s Outer City, including herself. But even so, she felt hurt by Lorraine’s refusal to even consider positive thought.

‘How can you think like that?’ she asked.

Lorraine paused, and took a sip of her cold tea. For a moment it was unclear whether she would respond at all, but eventually she did.

‘Shannon,’ she asked, ‘do you believe the world is a beautiful place?’

Shannon paused.

‘No,’ she answered, honestly.

‘People get to know me and assume I’m the same. The truth is, I do believe the world is beautiful. And I thank God every day for what we do have.’

Shannon looked at her, confused.

‘Yes,’ Lorraine continued, ‘I’m a believer. I’m not a shout-it-from-the-rooftops believer like Raj was, although I used to be.

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