The Alpha Strain Read online

  Noticing the hint of fear in Alex’s voice, Sam raised his glass. “Here’s to making history, my beloved. To you, me and Africa; once again! Now, when do we leave? I will let Professor Keating know first thing tomorrow. He’ll be thrilled to have the University involved.”

  “Not going to be possible, Sam. He can’t know anything. No one can. Not even your mother. This assignment is top-secret. As in, you, me and these four walls ‘top-secret’. Understand?”

  “Gee woman! You sound serious. What’s the big deal?”

  Alex rose and walked across to the kitchen to get another bottle of wine. Her heart pounded heavily under the knowledge of needing to declare the full mission to Sam.

  “The mission is a tad more complicated than anything we’ve attempted before, Sam. It’s an ICCRU mission and…well, the United Nations is behind it. Our conditions will be somewhat of a challenge”.

  “Go on.” Sam urged her as he pulled the cork from the wine bottle.

  Alex cleared her throat and took a deep breath. “South Africa is at war, Sam. A massive politically charged one at that. As far as I know it’s racially motivated and goes back to apartheid.”

  “So what you’re saying is we’d be dropped in a war zone.”

  “Yup.”

  “How violent is it?”

  “Don’t know. Apparently it’s really bad. The previous team never made it to the check-in point. The conditions aren’t clear at the moment, but I have the assurance of the South African air and military forces that they will be taking every measure to ensure our safety. We’re expected to leave in forty-eight hours. Our full briefing is tomorrow.”

  Sam downed his glass of wine. “And what exactly do we need to retrieve?”

  “Teeth, the molars to be exact. It’s been proven the molars are most effective in DNA testing.”

  “Teeth! You might as well tell me we need to find that proverbial needle in a haystack on Old MacDonald’s farm. Where would we even start?”

  “I don’t think I’m equipped to handle this one without you, Sam. I need someone I trust to have my back, and well, you’re him. I know it’s going to be a bit of a challenge, but with the army protecting us, we just follow the clues. Nothing we haven’t done before. ”

  Sam sat back in his chair and marveled at the excitement in Alex’s eyes. “Let’s do it! We have nothing to lose and everything to gain, my love. The way I see it, we have the opportunity of a lifetime!”

  Chapter Four

  Alex tightened the military aircraft’s seat belt over her shoulders and double-checked the three-point buckle around her waist. This assignment had her more restless than any of their usual missions and she found it difficult to settle in on the flight. The thunderous power of the airplane’s engines brought little solace as she eyed the short line of seated combat soldiers opposite her. Eight in total. Most of them were in their twenties; someone’s son, husband or brother. She wondered if she’d ever have it in her to see her child go off to fight a war. Sitting shoulder to shoulder with them in a combat plane was upsetting enough let alone waiting months on end never knowing if they’d return home.

  She wasn’t sure why this mission had her so restless. Perhaps it was the fear of the unknown. She had never been in a war zone before. The ICCRU briefing said little about the current conditions once they landed in Johannesburg. Her mind recalled the images of Iran that had been on BBC news channel that morning. It wasn’t something she’d want to experience. She forced it out of her mind and tried to focus on something else. Amid her angst she managed to curl the corners of her mouth into a slight smile as her eyes met the blank eyes of the soldier’s gaze directly opposite her. He didn’t react. Instead, his eyes looked right through her. Like he was in some kind of a trance. She shuffled uncomfortably as it left her somewhat embarrassed. These soldiers were trained to block their minds and not feel anything. Adjusting the noise protection earphones that were at a minimum two sizes too big for her head, she looked down the row to the next soldier. Determined to find at least one soldier who showed some emotion, she allowed her eyes to follow the line of combat troops down the wall of the fuselage, but they all had the same motionless stares on their faces; ostensibly in the same psyched realm as the one opposite her. She forced herself not to ponder on what they might have already experienced at such a young age and turned her attention toward the back of the plane where a journalist sat typing on his laptop. As with all humanitarian missions, the United Nations allowed a curated reporter and his cameraman to accompany their relief missions and this mission was no different. Except, this time, once the plane touched the ground, no one knew what to expect.

  On the far end of the paratroopers were a small group of UN humanitarian civilians; three men and one woman roughly around fifty who looked more like they might have just left the 1969 Woodstock festival. The woman’s plump rosy cheeks and red hair hinted that she might be Scottish. Alex was unable to hear anything over the noisy aircraft, but the woman’s effervescent personality was evident as she sat talking to the man next to her. They looked like they’d known each other for a long time.

  Alex was still deep in thought when the plane shuddered beneath her and from the corner of her eye she watched as the platoon leader rushed to the front of the plane and disappeared into the cockpit. It wasn’t long before he charged back into the cabin area and shouted a string of military commands at the soldiers. Immediately three of his men jumped up and hastily made their way to a palleted crate in the rear end of the plane.

  Alex elbowed Sam who had fallen asleep next to her and pushed her chin toward the three soldiers who were busy untying the large crate of army equipment.

  Without warning the aircraft suddenly dipped to the left almost causing the three soldiers to lose their balance. Another command ordered three more soldiers who got up and clipped red cords to their waists and the other end to the overhead handrail. The plane tilted sharply to the opposite side and Alex fell forward into her harness causing her oversized ear cups to slip off and slide across the floor. The deafening noise from the aircraft’s roaring engines reverberated through her body.

  “What’s happening?” Alex shouted to the soldier opposite her who stood firm in the centre of the plane; seemingly unnerved by the unsteady aircraft. He ignored her.

  “Sit back, Alex. I’m sure it’s just routine checks during turbulence. They know what they’re doing,” Sam called out at her over the noisy engines.

  “Something’s gone wrong, Sam!” Alex disagreed as she watched the soldiers lock themselves in on the overhead rail and busying themselves with what looked like parachutes. Their faces still displayed emotionless expressions, but their bodies emitted urgency.

  Split seconds later there was an explosive sound and the plane lurched first backwards and then sideways. Alex stiffened as she realized they’d lost power in one of the engines. Within moments a piercing siren commanded the remaining soldiers to their feet as, one by one two more men clipped their individual red cords onto the overhead hand rail. Undeterred by the unsteady movement of the aircraft, synchronized to perfection, they pulled their assault rifles across their chests and delivered a sequence of clicking and cocking actions before placing their weapons back into the safety position behind their backs. Waiting for further instructions the combat soldiers stood planted in their places facing the rear end of the plane; a look of pensive determination in their unexpressive eyes.

  Alex had enough knowledge of the situation to know that military troops only prepared ammunition when they were readying themselves for combat. She bit her lip. Something was definitely very wrong. She looked back at the two reporters who were also on tenterhooks; now anxiously hanging onto their gadgets and seats. A strong odor of burnt oil and smoke filled the fuselage and Alex found herself tensing her back against the hard surface of the plane. The aircraft quaked violently as if shaken by an invisible hand. The flashing red alarm cast rotating beams of bright red across the silver metal grid floor.
r />   Fear gripped her insides as she tried to take control of the panic that threatened inside her. A clanking noise somewhere beneath the floor had Sam instinctively lift his feet and he pinned his arm across her body. His face was unyielding and now fully engaged in the seriousness of the situation. With her eyes shut Alex curled her arms in a firm clasp around his and tucked her head behind his shoulder. Several more quick successional clanking noises hit the metal under their feet. Panicked shrieks from the Scottish woman echoed through the cabin.

  The plane made a sudden drop in altitude lifting its passengers off their seats before turning sharply. Alex tightened her grip on Sam’s arm; steadying herself against the plane’s sudden change of direction. The commanding officer’s deep voice bellowed from the front of the plane.

  “Listen up! We are under attack. I repeat. We are under attack. You will be handed a chute and my team will assist you in putting it on. Please remain calm. It is a precautionary measure only. I repeat. Please remain calm!”

  Moments later an organized frenzy erupted among the soldiers as parachutes were handed out down the line and passed to the six civilians. The cameraman frantically started taking photos before swinging his heavy television camera over his shoulder.

  Before Sam had a chance to stop her Alex had unclipped her seatbelt buckle and pushed her way through the soldiers toward the cockpit.

  “Ma’am, please return to your seat and put on your chute,” the officer in charge’s authoritative voice stopped her.

  “I demand to see the captain,” Alex shouted over the ear-splitting noise of the aircraft’s engines.

  “That will not be possible. The captain cannot be disturbed right now, but I assure you all is under control. Please return to — ”

  “Don’t patronize me, Commander. I demand to know what’s happening? What do you mean ‘we are under attack’?” Alex argued back.

  The commanding officer who was of average height but every bit in charge gripped her arm firmly and pushed her toward one of his men who held up a parachute for her to put on.

  “Get your hands off me! I have every right to know what’s going on. I demand you take me to your captain this instance!”

  The commander ignored her request and instructed the soldier to take her back to her seat.

  “Let me go! Get your hands off me!”

  “Let her go!” Sam’s voice cut across the commotion. Two strides later he pulled Alex from the soldier’s grip and walked up to the commanding officer.

  “Sir, whilst we have every intention to comply with your instructions, she has the right to know what’s going on. Heck, we all do, so I suggest you let us in on what we’re facing here.”

  Sam’s towering height was as intimidating as the stern tone of his voice, and it didn’t take the commander long to realize that if he wanted to avoid grabbing the attention of the rest of the civilians and reporters on board, he needed to satisfy them with some answers. Chaos midair was best avoided at all cost. He dismissed the soldier and beckoned Alex and Sam closer.

  “I apologize, Ma’am, but I need you to put on your parachute immediately. It’s for your own safety. It’s just a precaution at this stage. Our plane came under open fire as we approached the city. They’re preventing us from landing or coming anywhere close to the city’s perimeters. One of the bullets hit the number three engine so the captain has diverted off course with the hope of finding a safe place for us to land. Now, I need you to please stay calm, put your parachute on and return to your seat. I assure you everything is under control,” and with that, he turned and disappeared into the cockpit behind him before either of them could respond.

  Sam hurriedly grabbed the parachute from the nearby soldier and put it on Alex who was still processing the commander’s words.

  “Let’s just do as the man says, Alex. This aircraft is one of the world’s best. The Hercules was built for combat and extreme situations. I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about.”

  “Did you hear the part where he said they shot out the engine? SHOT! As in guns shooting at us.”

  “One of the engines Alex. There are four. Extremely powerful ones at that, so we’re not going down anytime soon, I assure you.”

  Sam beckoned a soldier to perform the checks on their parachutes. When they got the all clear, Alex scooped up her earphones from below one of the seats and sat down. She’d expected the mission to be perilous to some extent, but coming under attack this early in the game was not part of the plan. Perhaps this was the precise reason the previous team never made it to the site.

  She barely had a moment to compose herself when a loud bang resounded through the air as the plane’s right wing took a massive blow. The heavy aircraft shook violently as it wrestled to gain equilibrium.

  Several of the soldiers dangled from their red cords and struggled to get back on their feet. Instead of chaos ensuing, the passengers became deadly silence as they watched the paratroopers get back into formation. Miraculously the plane managed to straighten out. The reporter who sat nearest to the window, unclipped his seatbelt and looked out the window.

  “Can you see anything?” one of the humanitarians asked.

  “Looks like the engine was destroyed. There’s too much smoke to be certain but the wing looks intact,” the journalist reported.

  “So we’re down to two engines then?” One of the others shouted across the cabin.

  Alex felt her stomach turn as she grasped the accuracy of the relief worker’s assessment. The noise levels increased several decibels as the plane continued shuddering. Panic lay across the faces of everyone except the soldiers’.

  “How far do you reckon this plane can fly on two engines alone?” Alex spoke in Sam’s ear.

  “Not sure, but to my knowledge the Hercules is as tough as nails. These planes can take quite a beating before they hit the ground,” Sam shouted back.

  Alex tugged at her tight harness. The situation made her very uneasy. Across from her the only other female on the plane sat praying; her eyes shut tight and her knuckles white. Alex guessed her to be roughly fifty-five. She wore no make-up and her bright red hair rested disheveled on her shoulders. Alex was pretty certain she had never been in a distressed situation or jumped from a plane before.

  It was Sam’s turn to be restless. “What do you think the commander is up to in the cockpit? He’s been in there a while already.”

  Contemplating the weight of Sam’s question, Alex realized he had a point.

  “Where are you going?” Alex shouted after Sam as he jumped to his feet and walked in the direction of the cockpit. She followed, but nothing could have prepared the pair for what they found when they opened the cockpit door.

  Chapter Five

  “Commander!” Sam shouted as he rushed toward his unconscious body on the floor.

  Tremors ran down Alex’s spine as her eyes remained fixed on the two blood drenched bodies of the pilots.

  “Sam! Who the heck is flying the plane?”

  Leaving the commander’s side, Sam leaped over to the first pilot’s body that sat pinned down by his seat belt. He was greeted by a bloody mess as half the pilot’s face was missing. A rush of air whistled through several bullet holes in the cockpit window.

  “He’s dead too, Sam,” Alex reported as borne out by the number of bullet wounds in the co-pilot’s chest confirmed. Frantic thoughts flooded Sam’s mind. He looked back at where the commander still lay unconscious on the floor.

  “See if you can wake him up, Alex. He’s still alive”.

  Alex knelt at his side and slapped the commander hard across his cheek. “Commander! Wake up! We have a situation.“ Alex shouted. A second slap across the other cheek made him groan as he slowly regained consciousness.

  “What the hell are you doing? You can’t fly this plane!” Alex yelled, suddenly aware of Sam taking position behind the wheel.

  “Do you have a better idea?” Sam shouted back over the aircraft’s noise while clipping the blood drenched
seat buckle in position around his torso. Alex climbed over the two dead bodies Sam had piled on top of each other behind the seats and clipped herself into the co-pilot’s seat.

  “Sam, this is insane! We don’t know the first thing about flying a plane. Much less one that is faulty.”

  A multitude of levers and gauges stared back at her. “How the heck do you switch this thing on?” Referring to the aircraft radio receiver she now held in her hand. Fiddling with the buttons on the panel in front of her she shouted into the mic.

  “Mayday, mayday, aircraft in distress. Can anyone hear me, over?”

  There was no reply and Alex tried again, switching the dial to the next channel. The plane shuddered and the nose took a sudden dip toward the ground below. Sam’s large hands gripped the aircraft’s control wheel as he fought to steady the plane. Beads of sweat formed on his temples.

  “Come on, come on!” Sam encouraged the plane to respond; his eyes fixed on the artificial horizon indicator on the panel in front of him.

  “Mayday, mayday, aircraft in distress. We need assistance. Can anyone hear me, over?” Alex tried again.

  The crackling noise of the radio frequency echoed back.

  “The comms must be out. It’s no use.” The commander’s strained voice filled the cockpit as he rose from behind holding his hand over his bleeding brow.

  “What happened, Commander?” Alex asked with urgency as Sam finally managed to steady the wings of the plane.

  “The captain prepared for an emergency landing and the next thing we knew, we were under attack. Last thing I remember was falling back onto the corner of the chair before I blacked out. I guess I was lucky.” He glanced at the bodies on the floor.

  “Seems you got away with just a grazed brow from the bullet, but I won’t be so quick to assume we’re going to stay alive here though, Commander. This bird is losing power fast and I’m not sure I can hold her in the air for much longer. We’re down to one engine now.”