‘Daddy!’ Olivia pulled the belt from her jeans – pink with the word Angel written in glitter – and handed it to Vic.
‘Clever girl,’ Jayne whispered.
The scream came again, much quieter now. Back the way they’d come.
‘Who’s left back there?’ Sean asked.
Vic was looping the belt through the doors’ handles. ‘Holly’s in Secondary.’ He paused, knowing that if he tied it too tightly—
The zombies crashed into the doors, shoving them back. The belt halted their movement, and three arms reached through the narrow opening. Vic and Sean leaned hard against the doors and Vic pulled the belt tighter, slipping his own through the handles as well.
‘Daddy,’ Olivia said, tears breaking her voice.
‘Come on, sweetie.’ Vic held her hand and ushered Lucy and Jayne ahead of him. Not far now, he thought. Thirty seconds down to Control, then through the breach, then—
The belts snapped and the doors burst open. Behind him, gunshots.
‘Go!’ Vic shouted, shoving Olivia after Lucy, turning, firing three quick shots. Five bodies fell, others were trampled. The zombies’ numbers were slowing them down. But Vic knew he might not be that lucky again.
‘Not far,’ he said to Sean.
‘I’ll stay and give you time.’
‘Fuck you will.’ He grasped Sean’s arm, pinching skin, eliciting a brief yelp. Vic laughed, high-pitched and crazy-sounding.
They ran, entering the staircase and securing the doors behind them. These were stronger; they might last longer. Down the staircase, veering around the slow bend towards Control, and when he saw the glass wall Vic put on a burst of speed, glancing through, terrified that he’d see the dead staring back. But Marc was there, standing defiantly just outside the breach containment and arguing with Drake. Several more of Drake’s people stood poised, their crossbows pointed at the open doorway.
Vic stood in the doorway and winced, realising his mistake, braced for the impact of a bolt. ‘We’re fine!’ he shouted. No one fired.
‘About fucking time,’ Marc said.
‘Come on!’ Drake waved them down to him, and Vic stood back to let Sean and Jayne pass. He snatched Sean’s gun as he went by, and the older man paused only for a second.
‘Vic?’ Lucy asked. She grabbed Vic’s arm as Olivia tugged at her other hand.
‘Mommy, Daddy, we’ve got to go!’
‘Come on!’ Drake said. He was pushing Marc towards the breach, gesturing for Sean and Jayne to follow. The Gaians withdrew in a tightening circle around the breach.
He heard them pounding against the staircase doors one level up.
‘Holly,’ Vic said.
‘Vic . . .’ Lucy gasped.
‘She’s in Secondary. Shutting the breach for a short time. Otherwise the bastards’ll run straight through after us, and we won’t be ready.’
‘No,’ Lucy breathed, her eyes searching Vic’s face. He blinked.
‘I’ve got to help her,’ he said, but they both knew that was only part of the truth. The other part – the greater part – was that he could never leave Holly behind.
‘Damn it, Vic,’ Lucy said. She picked up Olivia and carried her down towards the breach.
‘Daddy!’ Olivia screeched. Vic watched them go. His wife’s hair was dirty but still looked gorgeous, and he wanted to run his hands through it one last time.
‘We’ll be the last ones through!’ he shouted. ‘Three minutes. Don’t shoot us.’
Before he ran, he tried to smile at his wife. But she did not once turn back.
9
Holly watched the group passing into the breach, but Vic remained behind.
‘Shit.’
Her finger hovered over the keyboard.
There were no longer minutes left. Only seconds now. She was closer to God than ever before, and yet Vic stood between them.
Holly grabbed the satphone and dialled.
Vic left Control and she lost sight of him. His phone rang but he did not answer.