The Fourth Phase

ONE

Jack tried to keep the cold autumn rain out of his eyes, but he was failing miserably. Looking through the scope, he searched the dark bush looking for any sign of Dee and the soldiers. After only a week of training with Captain Ben Johns, he, Dee, and two others had flown with Ben to Great Barrier Island, located 140 km north of Mayor Island off the northern tip of the Coromandel Peninsula. The Colonel had moved his Forward Operating Base here a week earlier, as it had greater strategic value, more space, and a larger natural harbour.

Ben had wanted to test them in the thick bush and mountains that covered the island. The island was secluded and had a small population, vital factors to escaping the notice of the Variants. Ben called them his little Recon and Rescue team. The Colonel had named them “The Renegades” after their rescue of Jack from the nest.

Jack adjusted his cap in an attempt to stop the rain dripping into his eyes. So far he hadn’t spotted anybody, and his patience was beginning to wear thin. The combination of little sleep, little food, and this persistent rain were really testing his temper. Jack had worked hard over the years to keep his temper under control. It was only in times of great stress, and when he was tired, that it erupted now. He took some calming breaths, practicing the technique the Buddhist monk had taught him on his trip to Thailand. He concentrated on letting go of his anger and focusing on the task at hand. He could feel his muscles relax with each deep breath.

Jack glanced over to where Ben had set up camp. Ben had dumped Dee and the other two soldiers at one end of the island, and Jack at the other. Then he had set up a camp at one of the trig points, high up in roughly the middle of the island, on Mt. Hirakimata. Dee and the two soldiers’ task was to reach the camp and claim the flag by midnight. They had been at this for twenty-four hours now. He looked at his watch: 22:54. Just over an hour to go. Jack’s task was to find them and report their positions to Ben. Where the hell are they? This is the only way to reach the camp.

All the hours of solitude for the past three days had made Jack think a lot about his lucky escape from the Variant nest. Subconsciously, he rubbed the scars on his leg. He wondered again, for about the one hundredth time, why he had woken from his coma? No one else had. Well, apart from George. Why them? Everyone else stuck in that meat locker had been in a persistent state of unconsciousness. Back on Mayor Island, he had asked the doctors and nurses if they had a reason. No one had any idea. The not knowing annoyed him immensely. He hated not understanding something. With no Google or books to reference, it bugged the crap out of him. Not that it will make any difference. This is a new kind of terror.

Trying to focus his wandering mind, Jack scanned the track leading up to the camp. Ben had set his camp up well. It was high, on a rocky bluff, out in the open, with only one way up or down. Jack had hiked through the interior of the island for eighteen hours straight to reach this spot. Most of the training he had received from Ben involved weapons. Guns◦— both rifles and handguns. A small amount of knife work. Ben had thought Jack’s bush skills and fitness were satisfactory to not need any other training.

A flash of red streaked across his scope. Scanning the area, Jack couldn’t see anything. Great, now I’m hallucinating as well. His mind often played over the killing of the man in the red trucker’s cap back in that Variant nest.

Jack shivered at the memory. At the time he’d shrugged it off, but when everything had calmed down, it had made him sick to his stomach. That he had taken another human’s life so easily, as if it meant nothing to him. Killing the Variants was a breeze, especially when they were trying to kill him or anyone he cared about. The doctor called it PTSD. Jack knew that he had it, but then everyone who’d survived had it. He wasn’t alone, so why did he feel so alone? He’d discussed it with Dee. She seemed to be handling it better. She had been supporting him and talking about it with him.

“Time, laughter, and meeting you is what healed me.” Dee had said. “You shared your love of nature, your love of movies, books, trivia, and fun with me. You helped me forget about the monsters in the world. Sadly, now there are real monsters to deal with.”

Jack agreed, but he was struggling. He took some more deep breaths, wiped the rain from his forehead, and focused on finding Dee and the two soldiers.

Fourth phase: We fight back.

Seeing movement, Jack swung his AR-15 around and looked through the Nikon P-223 BDC 600 scope. Adjusting it slightly, he could see the two soldiers creeping up the track. They were about one hundred metres below Ben’s camp. So, where the hell is Dee? He reached for his radio.

“Captain, do you copy? Over.”

“Receiving. What have you got for me Jack? Over.”

“Two bogies approaching from the north. It looks to be Eric and Tony. Approximately eighty metres out, over.”

There was a pause. Jack assumed Ben was searching the area.

His radio crackled back to life. “Got them. Good work, Jack. Now find me Dee, over.”

“Wilco, out.”

Jack watched Eric and Tony for a bit before turning his attention to the hillside below. Where is she? Have I got everything covered?

Dee squirmed her way up the steep ravine, under rotting logs and through thick vines. Metre by metre, she crept on. She had spent the last day and a half slowly wriggling her way around the rocky bluff, and now she was heading up towards the camp. Her small frame was suited for this type of exercise. She leant against the rock and risked a glance up. The bright yellow flag that was her goal fluttered above her in the chilling sea breeze. Inhaling, she savoured the pungent but pleasant smell of the forest undergrowth. Dee pulled her woolen cap down over her ears. The cold May air was stinging her exposed flesh. Cupping her hand around her watch, she checked the time: 22:58. She had just over one hour to reach her goal.

It hadn’t taken her much to convince Eric and Tony to follow the obvious route up to the camp, allowing her to circumnavigate Jack’s position.

She had settled well into military life. She loved the routine and the sense that she was part of something bigger, a machine. A way to fight for their freedom, to not be afraid of the Variants.

Perhaps we deserved it?

Humans are like a virus. Feeding, devouring everything. Depleting all before moving on.

It took a virus to destroy another virus. If that’s even possible.

Dee shifted her weight, trying to relieve her cramped, tired muscles. She hadn’t had any sleep for the last twenty-four hours. And the persistent rain made this climb extremely perilous.

She strained her ears for any sounds above the pattering of the dripping water, for any sounds of discovery. Satisfied, Dee glanced around one more time. She checked her rifle and secured it. Reaching up above her, she gripped her next handhold and hauled herself up another metre. After several more aching metres, she paused again. She was so close now.

A couple of voices filtered down to her. She could just make out what they were saying.

“C’mon. The All Blacks would have won the Rugby World Cup, for sure.”

“I don’t know, bro. We’re good, but the Aussies always rise to the occasion.”

“Maybe, but we won the last one, bro.”

“True, too true cuz. ’spose we got that monkey off our back?”

“One word, bro: Richie!”

“Richie!” they chorused, their laughter echoing out.

Dee grinned, her cheek muscles twinging with the effort. Man, I’m exhausted. Those idiots were at least giving her the chance she needed. Using the distraction, she gripped the wet rock above her and, with her last bit of energy, hauled herself up and over the shelf. Rolling, she looked up, expecting to see the yellow flag above her. Instead, Ben’s eyes stared down, dark and wide, his rifle held over her.

A tight grin spread on his face. “Nearly, Dee. Very close.”

“Damn it. How did you know?”

“I knew these two were the bait you sent ahead, so I let them talk. Plus, this is the only other climbable route up here.” He reached down and gripped Dee’s hand, hauling her to her feet. “We’d better let Jack know. Do you want to radio him?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

He handed Dee his radio, turned to his camp stove, and ignited it. Dee watched hungrily as the flame sparked to life. She dearly looked forward to getting some food into her growling stomach. She pressed the talk button. “Jack, this is Dee, over.”

“Dee? How the hell?”

“Thought you had it all covered, eh?”

“Yeah I did. How?”

Dee shifted her weight from foot to foot. “I came up the other side. Up the ravine. It’s okay. I didn’t get the flag. Captain spotted me before I could, over.”

“Yeah, look, sorry Dee, I’m just tired. Congrats anyway. Should I come to camp, over?”

Dee looked at Ben. He nodded.

“Affirmative Jack, out.”

“Wilco, out.”

Jack slid the radio back in its pouch, and busied himself breaking camp. It didn’t take him long, as he had kept himself ready to go at a moment’s notice, per Ben’s orders.

Be ready, at all times.

He adjusted the pack on his back and secured the waistbelt so that some of the weight lifted off his shoulders. Jack glanced out at the grey Pacific Ocean, blanketed in rain. A silhouette looming on the horizon made him peer through the approaching gloom. It looked like a large ship, perhaps a container ship? He lifted his rifle to his shoulder so he could look through the scope. Scanning left to right, he couldn’t see any running lights on the port or starboard sides. On closer inspection, Jack frowned, perplexed: a large Navy vessel was steaming directly for the island.

That’s too big to be one of ours! If it isn’t ours, then whose? Australia? America? Two smaller vessels slid out of the rain, looking more like NZ Navy ships. A cold shiver went up Jack’s spine, the tingles webbing across his head.

He unhooked his radio and raised it to his lips.