The Power of Five Oblivion

academy and all the rest of it. He fought in Iraq in Operation Iraq Freedom, but that didn’t quite prepare him for shape-changers and demons. He still thinks this is a conventional war.”
    “How many people are there here?”
    “At the last count, there were two thousand nine hundred and there are more arriving every day. I don’t think there’s a country in the world that isn’t represented. Russia, China, Japan, Australia … you name it. In a way, it’s quite amazing.”
    “How long have they been here?”
    “The longest … a couple of weeks. And that’s the main problem. We can make our own water but there isn’t enough food to go round, particularly for the people who came on ordinary boats. Two or three more weeks. That’s all we can manage. People are already cold and hungry and they’re beginning to get weak. We can’t let that happen.”
    “Has Cain said when he wants to attack?”
    “Yes. Tomorrow. If you’d come twenty-four hours after you did, it would have been too late. Scarlett’s going to raise a blizzard and we’re going to use it as cover when we cross Oblivion.”
    Matt glanced at Scarlett.
    “I’m not sure if he believes me or not,” she said. “I’ve been trying to make it warmer here, to get the sun to break through, but I don’t think I’ve been able to make much of a difference. It’s too much for me. I told the commander I could give him a snowstorm for the attack but he probably just thinks that there was one on the way anyway.” She sighed. “I’m fifteen years old and I’m a girl. Commander Cain doesn’t really like having me around.”
    “I’ll talk to him in the morning,” Matt said. He had eaten the fruit and cheese and quickly drained his glass. “Right now, I’m tired. I need to sleep.”
    “We’ve got more camp beds set up in premium economy,” Richard said. “Larry and Zack prefer to sleep in first class … but I suppose it’s their plane. I’ll show you.”
    He led Matt out of the front cabin. Lohan stayed behind with Scarlett. The two pilots still hadn’t returned but there was guitar music coming from below, soft and strangely comforting in the pale grey night. There were half a dozen bunks spread out with blankets and pillows. Richard took Matt to the one at the very end.
    “You can go next to me,” he said.
    “Thanks, Richard.”
    Matt lay down on the bunk and pulled the cover over himself.
    “Tell me about Scott,” Richard said. “You knew it was going to happen, didn’t you?”
    Matt wasn’t sure how to answer. “I had an idea. Yes.”
    “Couldn’t you have stopped him?”
    “I don’t think so.” Matt propped himself up on one elbow. “I never thought it would end this way,” he said. “Everything seems so different now. When you and I first met, in Yorkshire … did you have any idea?”
    “If I’d had any idea, I wouldn’t have spoken to you. I wouldn’t even have opened the door.”
    “Do you remember Jayne Deverill?
    “I’m hardly likely to forget her.”
    “That was ten years ago,” Matt said. “That’s what I have to keep reminding myself. Ten whole years have gone by since then … at least for everyone else. And nothing’s the same any more.”
    “But we’ll win in the end,” Richard said. “Won’t we?”
    “It’ll all work out the way it’s meant to.” Matt sank back onto the bunk, curling his body with his head against the pillow. He smiled tiredly. “I’m glad to see you again. You’re my closest friend. At least that hasn’t changed.”
    “You still haven’t told me about Brazil,” Richard said.
    But Matt was already asleep.

FORTY-EIGHT
    Commander David Cain, senior officer on the US sixth fleet aircraft carrier Pole Star , holder of the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star Medal, acting chief executive of the World Army, stood on a raised dais, addressing the one hundred and fifty servicemen and resistance leaders who had been invited into the tent. This was his moment. There was nothing left to discuss. As far as he was concerned, all the decisions had been made.
    “Ladies and gentlemen,” he began. “We have arrived at the day of Oblivion. This is the day we bring the fight to the Old Ones and take the world back into our own hands. I’m not pretending it’s going to be easy. Only a fraction of the people here have been combat trained and the great majority of them have never seen action before. We have done our best to equip them. Since we have been here, we have