A line of lights was moving fast down North Road. There were at least ten vehicles speeding along the road.
Halfway down, one of the vehicles peeled away from the others and drove out onto the field on the far side of the road. It bumped across the dirt for a short distance before coming to a stop. A figure jumped from the back and jogged towards the shuffling shape of a V42 plant. Seconds later, a bright stream of fire came from the figure. It shot across the field and swamped the plant, turning it into a pillar of flames.
The other vehicles continued down North Road at speed, heading for Crooked Oak. But every now and then one would break away from the others and head left or right into the fields, with someone leaping out and shooting flames.
Soon there were pillars of fire burning on both sides of North Road.
One of the vehicles drawing closer spotted Pete, Nancy and Krish. It was a grey Humvee, which veered off the road and sped straight towards them. The vehicle skidded to a stop just in front of them. For a moment, nothing happened. It just sat there, its engine running.
Pete, Nancy and Krish shielded their eyes from the glow of the headlights.
After a few seconds, the passenger door of the vehicle opened.
A soldier strode towards them wearing the same uniform as the ones who had been working in the Vault. Except this one had two silver stripes on his shoulder, as if he was more important.
“What the hell are you kids doing out here?” the soldier demanded.
Pete, Nancy and Krish stayed quiet. None of them knew what to say.
Then the soldier saw the remains of the plants all over the ground, and his expression changed from one of anger to one of admiration.
“You did this?” he asked, looking around. “You three kids did all of this?”
Nancy nodded.
“So you’re the ones Doctor Valentine told me about?” the soldier asked. “The scientist you saved up at Hilltop.”
“Yeah,” Pete said.
The soldier nodded. “I’m impressed,” he said. “Fire’s easier, but those RipSaws work too. How many plants did you kill?”
“A lot,” Pete said.
The soldier shook his head, clearly surprised. “Well, you’re the bravest kids I’ve ever met, but we need to get you somewhere safe. Put those things down and come with me.”
Nancy set down the RipSaw with relief. Pete and Krish did the same, then they followed the soldier to the vehicle and climbed into the back seat.
The soldier took them to the road to collect their bikes and put them in the Humvee, then he drove towards Crooked Oak.
“Did we stop them?” Krish asked as they bumped down North Road. “Did we stop the plants from getting to school?”
The soldier looked back at them and frowned. “What plants?” he asked.
Pete, Nancy and Krish shared a confused glance.
“The ones we were fighting,” Nancy explained.
“Variant 42,” Krish added.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the soldier said. He turned to look out of the windscreen again. “I haven’t seen any plants.”
“But there were loads of them!” Pete insisted. “You saw them!”
“I don’t know anything about plants,” said the soldier. “But there has been an outbreak of anthrax. Everyone has to stay in their homes. We’re putting up roadblocks so no one gets in or out of Crooked Oak. We’re locking down the village until we find the infected animals and clear up.”
“Cover up, more like,” Nancy mumbled.