The Alpha Strain Read online

  “We’re going to have to jump,” the commander replied. “I’ll summon the men and prepare the civilians. Try to keep it steady if you can. I’ll be back.”

  Alex unclipped her seatbelt and pulled her knife from her boot. With one backward motion she slit the blade through the woven fabric that dangled from the chair.

  “Here, let’s see if we can tie the steering wheel into position. It won’t hold but hopefully we’ll have enough time to jump.”

  “Good idea, climb over and grab the wheel. I’ll secure it.”

  Alex pulled back hard on the wheel. It shook vigorously under her hands draining just about all her strength from her arms.

  The commander barged in just as Sam fastened the last knot on the seatbelt around the wheel.

  “It’s now or never. My troops and the passengers are in position and the ramp has been dropped. We’re losing altitude — fast! We don’t have a lot of time if we want the chutes to open before we hit terra firma. Have either of you jumped before?”

  “Yep, we both have. We’re good. Let’s go.”

  Cold air hit their faces as the trio made their way from the cockpit to the cabin where the troops had lined up the reporters and relief team in front of the gaping ramp. From the top of the lowered steel floor, houses and green open spaces moved leisurely below the panicked stares of the relief group.

  “I can’t do this!” The woman screamed in horror as she stood frozen in front of the gaping fuselage floor. “You can’t make me jump! I can’t do this!” She screamed.

  Alex watched with empathy as the commander entered into an argument over the severity of the situation; resulting in another bout of hysteria.

  “I’ve got it, Commander.” Alex intervened, pulling the woman out of line clipping her cord onto the rail in front of her.

  “It’s ok to be scared,” Alex started, gripping the woman hard by her shoulders forcing her to make eye contact. “My first jump was one of the scariest things I have ever done but you can do it. I’ll be right behind you. You’re much stronger than you think. Don’t dwell on the fear. Just take one big stride and relax. Think of it as the next step in a dance. When it’s your turn, don’t hesitate or we’ll all go down with the plane. The cord will deploy your chute automatically. All you need to do is step out and focus on taking deep breaths. Once the chute opens you take hold of the two levers that will come down above your head. That’s what you’ll use to balance the chute and steer yourself with. Follow the folk ahead of you and straighten your legs forward and up when you come in for the landing. Got it? You’ll be fine.”

  The woman’s bulging eyes from underneath her goggles and fast breathing told Alex that her pep talk had fallen on deaf ears.

  “What’s your name?” Alex continued in an effort to distract the woman from the situation as the commander performed the last of the safety checks in front of them.

  The woman’s face relaxed somewhat. “Elaine.”

  “Elaine, that’s a pretty name. I’m Alex and this is Sam. We’ve got your back, Elaine. You don’t have much choice in the matter. It’s either you jump or you die with the plane. So which is it?”

  Elaine’s freckled face went pale as she promptly nodded in acceptance and turned to face her fears.

  The commander performed his due diligence on her chute and cord before checking both Alex and Sam’s. He proceeded to clip his own cord in at the back of the line behind them.

  “Soldiers ready?” he shouted over their heads as his men collectively answered.

  “Soldiers ready, Commander.”

  “Civilians ready?” he shouted again.

  “Civilians ready, Commander.”

  “On my ‘go’! Three, Two, One, GO! GO! GO!” the commander shouted propelling the first of his troops to jump followed by the reporter, his cameraman and the three male humanitarians.

  “I’ve got you Elaine, you can do it!” Alex assured the nervous woman when she was three soldiers away from jumping and, much to everyone’s surprise, Elaine bravely leaped into the air.

  Alex didn’t hesitate and jumped immediately after Elaine. Her skin pulled as the force of the air filled her cheeks, threatening to blow her face right off. The air was icy on her skin. Moments later her body jerked up through the air as her parachute opened above her, affecting her breathing for what felt like several minutes as opposed to mere seconds. Once she settled into a steady glide she steered her chute into the direction of the soldiers and the rest of the party beneath her feet. Shrill screams filled the air when adrenalin kicked Elaine’s voice into action as her lungs finally filled with air again.

  Vast open stretches of farmland steadily drew nearer. Unable to get a clear view of Sam over the cloth canopy above her head, she called up to him after which he promptly hollered back at her.

  Relieved, she set her sights on the first soldiers who were due to touch the ground. The thunderous noise of the plane crashing somewhere behind them sent fresh vibrations of terror through her body. A silent conversation with God shifted her mind to once again focus on the soldiers below. Her brief moment of calm dissipated as snapping sounds in quick succession shattered the almost tranquil silence. There was no mistaking it. It was gunfire. Her stomach tensed up as she frantically searched where the bullets were coming from. Another series of gunshots resounded through the air and Alex watched in horror as one of the humanitarian’s parachutes collapsed over his head and sent him spiraling to his death. They were all open targets with no means of escaping the fierce rain of bullets that were aimed directly at them. All they could do was pray it miraculously missed their bodies — and parachutes.

  As the first soldiers set their feet safely in the middle of a field on a farm below, they executed their tactical combat skills and fired back at the shooters. Elaine’s deafening cries echoed through the air as she neared the ground.

  “Pull the chords, Elaine!” Alex shouted landing instructions just in time to see Elaine respond to ease her not too graceful landing. It was seconds before Alex touched down alongside an adrenaline pumped Elaine who was tangled underneath the parachute.

  “Stay down!” Alex called out urging Elaine to also stretch out onto her stomach underneath the parachute. Squinting against the low beams of the sun, Alex searched the sky for Sam. Her body went numb as her eyes caught sight of his parachute that tilted sideways. When another bullet sliced through the air behind her, forcing her back down on the ground, her breath lodged in a space somewhere between her ribs and her throat. Distraught her eyes searched Sam’s chute for bullet holes and found that somehow it was still intact. Realizing he had lost one of his guide ropes she remained fixed on Sam as he fought control over the out of kilter chute. She watched as he floated faster than called for toward the earth. With seconds to go before he was due to hit the ground Alex spotted movement from her right. One of the soldiers ran toward Sam just as he came crashing down and without hesitation, the soldier wedged himself between Sam’s body and the ground.

  From underneath Elaine’s sprawled out chute, Alex stared at the two motionless men that lay on the ground.

  “Sam! Are you ok?” Alex yelled across the field as more gunshots flew over their heads. Sam didn’t respond.

  Taking a chance between the oncoming bullets, Alex crawled on her elbows and stomach toward them through the field of tall yellow grass.

  Soft groans escaped the soldier’s mouth from underneath Sam’s inert body. Alex yanked Sam’s goggles off his face.

  “Sam! Wake up,” she called out with a trembling voice as she tapped both sides of his face and lifted his eyelids apart. He was out cold but still breathing. Her eyes skimmed his body for bullet holes but there were none.

  “Sam,” she spoke again in a low tone while pulling him gently off the heroic soldier’s back. Sam let out a low groan as she pulled him by his arm. He was alive but he had injured his arm. The soldier gently slid out from underneath him, wheezing as he gasped for air.

  “You ok?” Alex asked t
he soldier with concern.

  The soldier loosened his helmet’s strap below his chin and pushed himself onto his elbows. “I’ll be fine Ma’am. How about your friend?“

  “I think he’s ok, yes. I can’t see any bullet wounds.”

  When the heroic serviceman lifted his head for the first time, Alex spotted he was the young soldier who sat opposite her on the plane.

  “Thank you. You saved him,” Alex whispered.

  Chapter Six

  “What’s the status, Private?” The commander’s deep voice came from behind.

  “One comrade and a civilian killed in action, Sir!”

  “Who?” The commander responded in a dejected tone.

  “One of the relief men, and Murray, Sir.”

  “Bloody bastards. How many hostiles?”

  “Not sure, Sir. I spotted three behind the barn and gunfire from inside the house. We got the civilians out of the line of fire but the female is still unaccounted for Sir.”

  “Negative. I got her taking cover under her chute over there. She’s fine,” Alex interjected.

  “Ma’am, we need to get you and Dr. Quinn to safety.“

  “And what about Elaine? We can’t just leave her there on her own. I’m pretty sure the adrenaline from her jump has worn off by now. She’s in no condition to be left alone. Who knows what she might do?”

  “Ma’am, you and Dr. Quinn are our primaries. We got strict orders. We’ll come back for her. Now stay down and move as quick as you can.”

  “I think my arm is broken Commander. I’m going to need some help low crawling across this field.”

  “We’re going to have to make a run for it then. Alex, cover us.”

  Alex had no time to argue. The commander and his valiant soldier flanked Sam’s sides and started running toward the others. The crackling sound of bullets pierced the late afternoon air as soon as they moved through the tall grass. Alex fired her gun at the enemy affording enough time for them to get to safety. The trio ran towards the hay bales, dragging Sam across the field. Elaine let out a high-pitched scream of panic from where she was still lying underneath her cloth canopy. Without a second thought, Alex crawled through the grass to Elaine.

  “Let’s go!” Alex directed the paranoid woman when the gunfire ceased.

  “I’m not moving! I’m staying right here.”

  “How long, Elaine? Huh? You can’t stay here. They know you’re hiding under the chute. We need to get to safety. Now, let’s go!”

  “They killed him,” Elaine broke down into sobs. “They killed Geoffrey.”

  It dawned on Alex that Elaine was referring to the humanitarian who had fallen to his death.

  “I’m sorry, Elaine. I’m truly sorry, but I don’t think Geoffrey would have wanted you to die along with him. I’m sure he would much rather have you fight back and get home alive. What about your kids and your family back home?” Alex had no way of knowing if she had kids or not, but the clock was ticking and they had to get out of there.

  Her wild guess paid off and Elaine wiped her face with the back of her shirt. “You’re right, dearie. I signed up for this relief mission and Elaine McDonald always finishes what she starts. What do I do?”

  Amused at Elaine’s inner resolve, Alex squeezed her hand. “We’re going to crawl on our elbows to the bales over there. Whatever you do, do NOT stand up, ok? Stay down and use your knees and feet to push you forward as fast as you can. Ready?”

  “Ready,” Elaine whispered as she took in a deep breath and crawled alongside Alex to where the rest of the survivors lay behind a large hay silage.

  Narrowly escaping the crossfire between their attackers and the defending troops, they managed to safely join their party.

  “There’s my girl,” Sam said with pride as Alex ducked in behind the makeshift barrier taking cover.

  Alex smiled with relief to see Sam sitting against the hay. “How are you holding up?”

  “I’ll live. My wrist is broken though.”

  But hidden behind their eyes Alex and Sam were fully aware of the repercussions of his injury. With his shooting hand’s wrist broken the risk for him to continue with the mission was too great.

  “No time for chit-chat kids. Listen up,” the commander’s voice cut in. “Stay put. I repeat, Miss Hunt. STAY PUT. Out here there’s no place for heroics. Clear?”

  Alex wasn’t sure she liked the commander’s sarcasm, but knew she was no longer in charge of this mission and she had no choice but to comply. “Clear Commander.”

  “Soldiers,” he continued. “We counted three behind the barn and unconfirmed hostiles inside the house. Take your mark and infiltrate with caution. Adjust as directed. Miss Hunt, cover us. The rest of you, stay down. Soldiers, on my mark!”

  The commander paused to make eye contact with each of his men; communicating a silent language of camaraderie between them as they prepared to attack.

  “Advance!” he ordered followed by the soldiers taking up their positions in a synchronized onslaught on their enemy.

  Using the hay as a barrier, Alex opened fire at the opposition while the commander and his troops moved in on the farm house. In a frenzied shootout the small army of servicemen skillfully attacked the opposition and in less than fifteen minutes had forced seven hostiles out of hiding and gunned them down.

  “Clear!” the first soldier shouted out after which six more soldiers reported the rivals were obliterated and the coast was clear.

  Proceeding with caution, Alex kept her finger on the trigger and her gun in position in front of her chest as she slowly stepped out from behind the hay. Satisfied they were out of danger she turned back.

  “You can come out now. We’re safe.”

  “Sir! We have a friendly!” One of the soldiers shouted to the commander as the small group of survivors stepped onto the farm house’s porch.

  They watched as the commander rushed to where his men had uncovered a small bunker under the kitchen floor and the partially bald head of a man in his late sixties appeared from underneath the floorboards. Clearly shaken by the events the man climbed up the ladder and raised his hands over his head.

  “It’s ok, sir. We’re SADF. Are you the owner of this house?”

  Relieved at the introduction of the South African Defense Force the man nodded.

  “Are you alone?”

  “In the house yes, but my workers live down by the river behind the house.”

  The commander signaled to four of his men to investigate before continuing his probing.

  “What’s your name?” The commander proceeded.

  “Van, short for Van der Merwe.”

  Alex pulled out a chair at the modest kitchen table and encouraged Van to sit down.

  “Are you hurt anywhere?” she asked.

  Van shook his head and gulped down the glass of water the reporter placed in front of him.

  “What happened here? Who were these guys?” the reporter cut in.

  Van rubbed his forehead and the back of his neck before replying. “This, my friend, is the new South Africa. The free-for-all people taking over this country.”

  “What did they want?” Sam asked as he shuffled into a chair at the table.

  “My farm, what else? It’s sanctioned now for anyone to lay claim on any piece of land they so want and who better to steal it from than us farmers. It doesn’t matter if my father and his father before him built all this with their own hands. They can waltz in and claim it just because they believe it once might have belonged to their ancestors.”

  “You mean they buy it off you.” The reporter commented for clarification.

  Van sat back in his chair and let out a sarcastic laugh. “No friend, you’re not listening. They can TAKE it without any compensation, explanation or paper evidence and they can move in with all their wives and all their children and do with it as they please.”

  “And if you refuse?” Sam asked.

  Van repeated his question. “Refuse? There’s no such t
hing as refusing them. They simply kill you and anything that moves and seize your property.”

  “So you didn’t fight back?” Alex asked in surprise.

  “Ma’am, even if I fought back and killed them, the government is on their side. I’d be thrown in jail faster than I can get my hat. There are no laws protecting the whites anymore. The government already passed law on land grabbing. Apparently it’s their way of punishing us for ‘Africa’s original sin’ as they call it. It’s no longer the whites against the blacks in this country. It’s the blacks against the whites. You might have won the battle today, but there will be more coming for this piece of land. It’s the only one they haven’t seized in the area.”

  The atmosphere in the kitchen lay thick with horror in the wake of Van’s declaration.

  “Awaiting your orders Sir,” one of the onlooking soldiers prompted.

  “You’re right, Private. Let’s secure the perimeter and seal off the entrances.”

  “Sir, our comms took a bullet. It’s out.” Another soldier reported as he propped the satellite communications bag on the table in front of them.

  “What do you mean out?”

  “The Sat phone took a bullet, Sir. I might be able to get a morse code distress out but I’m not sure yet. It will take some time.”

  Annoyed by the news the commander inspected the bag. “Van, where’s the phone?” Turning his attention to the farmer as his eyes searched the room.

  “Ha! Phone? You’re in the middle of nowhere, my friend. There’s no phone lines or internet out here. I suggest you take your vehicle to the nearest town about thirty miles from here — that’s if the town is still standing.”

  Ignoring his sarcasm, the commander summoned his men and went about securing the doors and windows before setting off after the rest of his platoon.

  “We parachuted!” Elaine yelled out with a tinge of boasting in her voice.

  “Parachuted? You jumped from a plane. Where are you lot from?”