Doctor Who_ Bunker Soldiers - Martin Day [69]
Curtains are pulled back. The target approaches, places a comforting hand on the spy’s chest. Optimum times are calculated and recalculated.
And then the spy attacks.
There is a flurry of activity, cries of alarm and calls for help.
But by the time the first weapon is used, the spy has fled for the corridors, leaving madness and guilt in its wake.
The mission is almost over.
Result of action:
Target BDR-997-XRF attacked and compromised. Dome compromised.
Mission success index: 98.7%.
After the fire and the other terrible events of the day, sweet silence gripped the governor’s residence and the city beyond its walls. Dodo was in Lesia’s room with another pitcher of water but, having seen no change in her friend’s condition, was drifting off to sleep.
Suddenly the city was alive.
Dodo snapped into wakefulness in a moment. The oppressive fear that gripped the people was as palpable as a coming storm. She ran to the window.
She could see little through the translucent horn strips, but could hear the cries of confusion and alarm well enough. The streets rang with booted feet; women sobbed and cried in shrill hysteria.
Dodo moved towards the door, hoping to find out what was going on. As she did so, she noticed for the first time that Lesia was moving. Her arms and legs were sweeping in gentle arcs beneath the heavy blankets.
‘Thank goodness!’ Dodo cried, running to her friend’s bed.
She held her slender hand tightly. ‘It’s all right, Lesia. You’re going to be OK.’
As she poured some cool, fresh water into a tankard, she saw the young woman’s eyes flicker open.
Steven sat on the edge of the bed reflecting, as Dodo had done, on the change of atmosphere within the city. Kiev had rarely been a place of laughter and love, but now the mood had darkened still further. On their return journey to the governor’s residence he had sensed an almost overwhelming sense of resignation; even Isaac seemed less than his usual cheerful self.
Given that only a few hours earlier the old man had been in very real danger of losing his life, it seemed more than likely that he was still suffering from shock.
Steven’s thoughts were interrupted by a polite knock at the door.
‘Is that you, Dodo?’ He opened the door, and was surprised to see that it was Yevhen.
Paradoxically, the adviser looked less agitated than Steven had seen him look for some time; perhaps he was admitting to himself that he was out of ideas.
‘I thought you should know,’ said Yevhen. ‘It is as we imagined: the Tartars on the hillside are scouts ahead of the main army.’
Steven nodded, remembering the Mongols’ torches. ‘I’m not surprised,’ he said. ‘At least they’re not planning a surprise attack. How far behind do you think the main army is?’
‘Less than a day’s ride,’ said Yevhen. ‘The scouts seem happy to remain within sight. It seems they wish to observe and intimidate.’
‘They’ve succeeded with the latter,’ said Steven.
‘We still have faith in our protector,’ said Yevhen.
‘Is that enough?’ queried Steven.
Yevhen paused. ‘Our people are frightened for their very lives,’ he said. ‘We do not want to die – and I have done everything within my power to see that that does not happen.’
He took a few paces further into the room, as if appealing to Steven. ‘But even if we die, do not think we have failed.’
‘No?’
‘People die of old age – or worse – with every day that passes. It is the true nature of this fallen world. The people of God are not immune from death.’ Yevhen paused for a moment.
‘You do not believe in heaven, do you?’ he queried directly.
‘I.. I’m not sure. I have seen little evidence for it.’
‘Until tonight, my own eyes had seen no evidence of the Tartars that threaten us. But now they are here!’
‘So what are you saying?’
‘We pass through this world in the twinkling of an eye on our way elsewhere. Even if our lives here are bitter and full of pain,