I don’t know for how long I’d been sitting there, alone with my thoughts, but even the hard wooden stairs were more comfortable than my cramped little concrete cell, and, quite honestly, I was too tired and unhappy to move.
I heard uneven footsteps approaching and when I looked up, Dr Bairstow stood before me. Scrambling stiffly to my feet, I said, ‘Good evening, Dr Bairstow.’
He looked at me for a while and then said, ‘I wondered if you would care to join me for a moment.’
Mystified, I followed him back to his empty office.
He pulled open a drawer and brought out a bottle and two glasses. He poured generously and passed me one.
He stood, in the dark, his back to me, looking out of the window.
His first words surprised me. ‘We can’t win this. I am presiding over the end of St Mary’s as we know it. No matter what they say, I should send everyone away.’
‘If I might argue with you briefly, sir …’
‘The word briefly never applies to any of your arguments, Dr Maxwell. The word interminable is a far more apt description.’
‘Well, actually, sir, the word compelling best describes my arguments, but, be that as it may, you should consider this. Everyone here is a volunteer. You heard Mrs Enderby. She said she believed in what we do here. We all believe in what we do here, sir. Some of us think it an honour and a privilege to be offered the opportunity to defend something as important as St Mary’s. Personally, sir, I count myself in good company.’
‘As do I, Dr Maxwell, the very best company. With one or two notable exceptions, I could not have asked for better people around me, which makes it all even more of a waste, I think. When I consider the planning, the effort, and the sacrifices made … and not just by this unit.’
‘Sir, if it was easy then everyone would be doing it. It’s no fun if it’s not difficult.’
He turned from the window to look at me through the gloom. I still couldn’t see his face.
I sat quietly, facing him. The light from Mrs Partridge’s office was behind me so he couldn’t see my face, either.
I thought about what this meant to him. This was his unit, his world. This was the culmination of everything he’d worked for. He’d built it up from scratch. He’d sacrificed his future to jump back and found St Mary’s. He’d fought the good fight up and down the timeline. He wouldn’t allow anyone to take it from him. He wouldn’t go quietly into the night. He would fight to his last breath.
And so would we.
I said nothing. Around us, St Mary’s settled and the last noises died away. The silence was very heavy.
When I had control of my voice, I said, ‘When Leon was here, what did he say?’
‘According to Leon … the day after tomorrow. The attack is scheduled for the day after tomorrow at about five o’clock in the morning.’ His face was still in shadow. ‘If they come …’
‘This is about much more than Helios, isn’t it?’
?Yes. I’m sorry you’ve been caught up in this, Max. You and Leon deserved …’
‘Don’t be, sir. Perhaps some things are just never meant to be.’
He drew a breath and topped up my glass.
I changed the subject. ‘Sir, I haven’t thanked you for taking me in.’
He said gently, ‘I think that between such old friends as us, Max, thanks are not needed.’
I took a painful breath. ‘Will they come?’
I looked directly at him and he paid me the compliment of looking directly back.
‘Yes. I’m sorry, but I think they will come.’
I knew what he was saying. If they came, it was because Leon had failed. It would mean all the other St Mary’s had been unable to hold them back and that Leon was dead.
Chapter Fifteen
Midnight.
Team Markham assembled at the foot of the stairs, behind the big barricade. We checked each other over, tightening straps and slapping helmets. Mrs Partridge stacked her spare ammo. I inspected my weapons – two 9 mm semi-automatics taking 30 round clips, and a wide beam blaster, fully charged. Never having envisaged a situation where all of St Mary’s would be in the firing line, Major Guthrie didn’t have enough equipment for everyone and priority, obviously, went to the Security section. I had some armour and a helmet, but no night vision.
I stood at the foot of the stairs, got my bearings, and noted who was where. I verified my allocated target areas and the range. Beside me, Peterson was making sure his weapons pulled free from his sticky patches without snagging or catching on anything.
When we were satisfied, we sat down and made ourselves comfortable.
Then we waited.
Would they come?
I could hear breathing and the occasional rustle of clothing as someone shifted position nearby. Around us, the building creaked and settled.