Tunnels 06 - Terminal by Roderick Gordon

Author:Roderick Gordon [Gordon, Roderick & Williams, Brian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-09-19T16:00:00+00:00

In broad daylight, Drake and Jiggs stole through the disused airfield until they found the Portakabin where the security men were usually based. The door was unlocked and nobody was inside, nor was there any sign of a vehicle.

Jiggs tried the light switch, clicking it on and off. ‘No power. Somebody forgot to pay the bill,’ he commented.

Drake had gone straight to the telephone on one of the desks. ‘This is dead too,’ he said. As he replaced the receiver, he noticed some unfinished tea in a polystyrene cup. ‘There used to be an around-the-clock guard on this place, but there’s mould growing on that drink. Appears that nobody’s been here …’ he pulled a face as he peered at the mould in the cup, ‘… in weeks. Wonder why that is?’ For a moment Drake considered the bars of light coming through the strip blinds, where motes of dust danced slowly. ‘Anyway, the priority is to get in touch with my father or Eddie. Let’s figure out the fastest way to do that without compromising ourselves.’

There in the cabin they carried out an equipment check, laying each item of kit out on the floor. The problem was many of the items that Drake had had on him or been carrying in his Bergen had been badly burnt in the nuclear blast.

‘This is totally kaput. The circuits are fried,’ Drake said, lobbing his satphone over to Jiggs, who also tried to make it work. ‘So we’ve got some weapons and ammo, a couple of empty booster rockets, my lens, a tracker and a couple of beacons.’

‘And my knackered shortwave radio, which won’t get us anywhere,’ Jiggs added, putting it on top of the pile. As he began to pack the equipment away again, Drake slumped into a chair at one of the desks.

‘We have to get to the nearest house with a phone and leave a message on the remote server,’ Drake said. ‘As we have no idea where Parry’s got to, it’s the only way I can think of to contact him, and find out how the operation’s gone up here on the surface.’

‘I agree, but unless we’re lucky and find a vehicle, we’re going the slow way – on foot,’ Jiggs replied, swinging the Bergen onto his shoulders.

‘So be it,’ Drake said, hauling himself up wearily.

Although it was still winter, the sun was shining brightly in the clear sky as they ducked through an opening in the airfield’s perimeter fence and headed across a field of wild grasses towards the nearest road.

‘Warm for the time of year,’ Jiggs commented, undoing another button on his shirt.

Drake tried to catch the rays on his face. ‘This is glorious. Funny how much you take for granted,’ he said poignantly, allowing his eyes to shut for a moment. ‘I’ve probably been out in the morning sun on a thousand days precisely like this one, but this is first time I’ve really felt it.’

They pushed through a hedge and scrambled down a grass verge, finding themselves on a minor road.

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