Dark Allegiance

Chapter 4

FOUR

Hannah was pleased to see the book had given some zing back to Justice’s steps, and hoped her guess about having to return to the monastery was right. Despite her assurance that the vaccine had to be what Gaea had meant about cleansing the sins in blood, a niggling doubt ate away at her. What if she was wrong and there was something else Justice needed to do involving blood? The answers might be contained in the monastery, though she knew it would not be easy for her friend to return there.

But with Jackson by her side, as well as Hannah, Justice would be well cared for as she confronted such dark memories in the flesh. That is, if she could convince Justice to wait until after she had the rest of the vaccine ready to go and they had completed their raid on Brimfield.

Leaving Justice to read, Hannah returned to her microscope and prepared another slide. She was working on a way to boost the antibodies in her blood, in case Jackson was not able to get enough blood from the freaks he was curing at Harlington. There was no guarantee any of them would agree to the request, once they discovered how they had been infected in the first place.

That Randolph—the then leader of the half-breeds—had been aware of the practice had sent a shock wave through the rescued people.

Thoughts of the man who had attacked her, who had been intent on handing her over to General Butcher, made Hannah shudder. He had returned to Harlington, along with most of the half-breeds he had once led and a number from Brimfield as well. With the defeat of Butcher’s forces, those with young families and many of the older half-breeds had decided it was safe to return to civilisation. Brimfield was closed to all of them, thanks to Councillor Dillon, but Harlington offered a new life.

Though Hannah had been sad to see them leave, it had made it easier on their meagre supplies and cramped accommodations. All of Hanson’s construction crew had remained at the compound, as had Felice and several young, single half-breeds who did not want to return to a life of menial labour for humans who looked down on them and paid them a pittance.

They would need to do a supply run soon—find a town willing to trade the vaccine for food and other supplies, though Hannah did not like the thought of withholding a cure if a town was unwilling or unable to pay for it.

She also didn’t like the idea of having to return to Brimfield in the near future. The airship they had used to spray the infected citizens with was the easiest way for them to cure the greatest number of freaks in a short time. But stealing the airship, for a second time, would have to wait until she had the vaccine to use. It would be a couple of days before Jackson and the others would be expected to return with the blood.

It was a surprise when she heard his voice in the corridor outside the lab.

She looked over to Justice, who was still engrossed in her book. ‘Jackson’s back.’

‘He’s here?’ At first Justice wore a smile, but then her brow creased and she shook her head. ‘It’s too soon. Something must have gone wrong.’

Justice tossed the book on the table and strode for the door, with Hannah on her heels.

Jackson, talking in a low voice to Hanson, looked up at their arrival and gave them a grim smile. ‘We’ve got a problem.’

He filled them in on what Captain Murphy had revealed. ‘I’ve got Jensen and Carstairs putting together supplies. We’ll have to visit Brimfield sooner than planned. Two teams. One to secure the airship and one to get blood.’

Hannah grimaced, knowing it was going to be a nightmare to find people willing to donate enough blood for her to make a sufficient quantity of vaccine. With Councillor Dillon out to kill every single one of them, they would have to dodge his security forces to do it.

As Jackson and the others left the lab to get the incursion organised, Hannah was flooded with dark memories of the battle to get out of Brimfield before the mob caught up with them. Hanson shot, face pale, unconscious in the back of the truck. Body bags lined up, a stark reminder of the cost of their freedom. No one had died when they’d gone back to test her theory about cured freaks being the best candidates for the antibodies she needed to create her vaccine, but it had been clear the people of Brimfield wanted to kill them rather than help them.

That was why Jackson had decided to go to Harlington instead.

With that option lost to them, Brimfield was the last hope she had of making enough of her vaccine to make a difference. Taking a deep breath, she gripped the edge of the bench and closed her eyes, working to block out the memories. This time, it would be different. It had to be.

She opened her eyes and scanned the lab, trying to determine what she would need to take with her to collect and transport the blood safely back. Jackson would want to get going as soon as possible, so there was no time to waste. She went to the storage cupboards lining one wall. Hands shaking, she pulled one open and grabbed out syringes and blood bags, placing them on a nearby bench.

Soon she had a pile of gear and was stuffing it into two backpacks. Her hands had steadied as she worked and by the time she was done, her resolve had strengthened. One way or another, she would get the blood she needed and help cure the world of freaks.