Dr Oystein is in one of the rooms overlooking the river and the Houses of Parliament. It’s a stunning view but he’s not paying attention to it. He’s sitting in a chair, bent over a map on a small table. Master Zhang is discussing something with him.
Emma and Declan, a pair of living humans, are also present. We chanced upon them before I was kidnapped by Barnes and taken to HMS Belfast. They came to live here while I was being held prisoner. Emma is bouncing Declan up and down on her lap. He’s smiling but he doesn’t laugh out loud. He hasn’t said anything since she brought him here. He’s the quietest little boy I’ve ever met. I suppose silence is a useful tool when you’re trying to stay alive on the zombie-infested streets.
The twins leave us and Dr Oystein settles back in his chair. ‘Well, I think you all know why you are here.’
‘A mission,’ Shane yelps, clenching his right hand into a fist – but not closing it all the way, because of the bones sticking out of the tips – and shaking it.
‘It should not excite you,’ Master Zhang frowns. ‘This is a serious business, not a game. Perhaps we should assign this task to one of the other groups.’
As Shane’s face falls, Dr Oystein smiles. ‘Take no notice of Zhang. He has a dry sense of humour. We understand how frustrating life is for you, stuck here, training so hard. Your excitement is understandable and I am confident you will put it to one side and focus on the mission once the initial, thrilling flush has passed.
‘Now for specifics.’ He waves a hand at the humans. ‘The reason I have chosen you for this mission is that it involves Emma and Declan. They have been happy here, but it is time for them to move on.’
‘We’re not ungrateful,’ Emma says. ‘I just think it would be healthier for Declan to be with other children … other living children I mean.’ She blushes as she says it and looks away.
‘No need to feel guilty,’ Dr Oystein says sweetly. ‘We would all want the same thing for him in your position. We would have sent you with the children from the cruiser if he had not been ill at the time.’
One of the creeps on the Belfast – the despicable Dan-Dan – kept a bunch of children below deck to torture and kill. Angels took those we rescued to stay in compounds in the countryside. Declan caught a bug shortly before they were due to leave. He was vomiting and coughing. Dr Oystein considered postponing the exodus of children, but Emma didn’t want them to be put at risk on her son’s account. She insisted they depart as scheduled and has been waiting here since. She hasn’t put any pressure on the doctor, refusing to accept his offer of a private escort out of the city.
‘A couple of our Angels recently discovered a small group of people sheltering in a building in Hammersmith,’ Dr Oystein says. ‘We are going to lead them to a place beyond the city limits, where they can join a community of other survivors. I would like you to escort Emma and Declan to Hammersmith, then travel with the group to the compound.’
‘We’re getting out of London?’ Carl asks, his face lighting up.
‘For a while, yes.’ Dr Oystein stands, looks briefly out of the window, then faces us again. ‘Do not underestimate the dangers of this mission. Other zombies leave you alone when you are by yourselves, but they will not ignore you when they catch the scent of fresh brains. You will have to move swiftly and cautiously, and you will almost surely be called upon to fight.
‘You might also come under attack from living forces. The city and countryside are full of angry, bitter people who are trying to execute as many of the undead as they can. They will not distinguish between a revitalised and a revived. Most do not know that there is a difference. And most would not care.
‘It is a hostile, threatening environment, and I would like each one of you to think carefully about it before deciding whether or not to accept this assignment. No,’ he adds as Rage starts to speak. ‘I do not want your answer now. Rest on the matter overnight and give it serious consideration. If you accept, you will not have to leave until morning. You can let me know your verdict then.’
The others file out of the room, trying to act sombre, even though they’re wild with glee inside. There’s not a chance that any of them will turn down this opportunity to get out of the city. But I suppose we have to go through the motions to keep Dr Oystein happy.
I don’t retire with the rest of my group. I want to ask the doc something. He sees that I have a question and nods for me to stay behind as Zhang, Emma and Declan slip out. He sits in his chair again and beckons me forward.
‘Fine.’
The doc hasn’t been here a lot over the last few weeks. He has a secret lab somewhere, and spends a lot of his time there, working on ways to wipe out the undead hordes.
‘I wanted to ask you about the babies,’ I mutter. ‘You haven’t said anything about them since you got back.’
Dr Oystein makes a small sighing noise. ‘There is not much that I can tell you at the moment. There are things I am considering. I do not like to keep secrets, but it is a case of deciding how much information I think it is fitting to share with you – or any of the other Angels – right now.’
He crosses his legs and studies me closely. ‘I am still troubled by the fact that you dreamt of the babies when you were alive, and that Owl Man knew of your dreams. I have been researching ways in which I might induce a sleep-like state in a revitalised.’
I frown. ‘I thought we could never sleep again.’
‘I thought so too,’ Dr Oystein says. ‘And that may well be the case. It is not something I ever gave much thought to, since it seemed a trivial issue. But I would be keen to find out if you could still have the dreams, and if we could learn anything from them.
‘I have started to experiment. It might lead nowhere, and even if it does, there is no way of telling how long it will take before I am successful. But if I can find a way to make you sleep, would you be prepared to brave your nightmares again in an attempt to explore them further?’
‘I would if you’ll tell me what you know about the babies,’ I reply.
‘That sounds like a fair deal,’ he smiles. ‘I promise to reveal all before you agree to any tests, assuming we get that far.’
Dr Oystein stands and stretches. ‘Come, I am heading to my laboratory here, and I would like you to accompany me some of the way.’
I fall in beside him. ‘You know, if you can find a way for me to sleep, the other Angels will want to snooze too. Time drags when we’re awake all night. This could be one of your more popular inventions, up there with the Groove Tubes.’
‘You think so?’ Dr Oystein looks surprised. ‘I had not realised it was that important. I know lack of sleep is a nuisance, but I had not thought it a serious handicap. Perhaps I should have turned my mind to the matter sooner. I will give it all of the attention that I can over the next few –’
‘Demon!’ someone screams and we both jump with alarm.
I look up and spot Mr Burke in the corridor. He has a face like thunder and he’s holding a gun. As I stare at him, bewildered, he bellows ‘Demon!’ again. Then he raises the gun, aims at us and opens fire.