The Power of Five Oblivion

Scarlett hated Lohan for the way he had asked that. He reminded her of a sulky child. “I can’t explain it to you,” she said. “He’s one of the Gatekeepers. So am I. If he had been killed, I think I’d know.”
    “Then maybe it’s worse than that.” Lohan’s face was hard. “If they’re keeping him alive, try to think what they might be doing to him. They’re certainly not going to let you get anywhere near him. Either way he’s finished. You might as well leave.”
    Scarlett’s temper flared. “You go if you want to,” she said. “It’ll only be the second time you’ve walked out on him. You go and save your precious skin, Lohan. You can go to Australia, or what’s left of it. I’m sure you’ll manage to survive quite a long time before the Old Ones find you. Thanks for your help. It was great knowing you.”
    There was a long silence. Lohan seemed to be examining the floor in front of him. Then he looked up. “Matt told you about Serra Morte.”
    “Yes.”
    “It’s not how you think. I wasn’t going to leave him behind.”
    “Really?” Scarlett didn’t hide her contempt. She looked out of the window again. There were fewer people on the ice, the last of them moving steadily towards the edge. “Well, you’re leaving him behind now. And me. You’d better hurry up and get down the cliff face. You’ll miss the last boat.”
    “What will you do?”
    “Why should you care?”
    “Tell me.”
    Scarlett shrugged. “I’m going to find my way into the fortress.”
    “That’s not possible.” When Scarlett didn’t reply, Lohan went on. “The doors are locked. The walls weren’t even cracked by the air bombardment. And you saw that other trick they played. There could still be hundreds of them camped out on the ice.”
    “Who says I’m going in that way?” Scarlett stood up and let the blanket slide onto the floor. She was still wearing her outdoor gear. “From what I understand, Scott appeared on the beach – at Skua Bay – on his own. And the fly-soldiers dragged Matt and Richard away.”
    “What about it?”
    “Well, unless Scott has learnt how to fly, he must have walked there. There must be a path that nobody saw, leading from the beach through the cliff face. Maybe it goes right into the fortress. I’m going to get a Zodiac and go round and find out for myself.”
    “That’s madness, Scarlett. If there is a path, it will be guarded. And if it leads into the fortress what good will it do? You’ll be walking into a death trap.”
    “You’re right, Lohan.” Scarlett pulled on her gloves. “But I’m too tired to argue with you, and anyway, I don’t want to waste any more time. Thank you for helping me get out of Hong Kong. I hope you get back there and find your dad and all the rest of it. Maybe I’ll see you again one day. Maybe not.”
    She brushed past him and took the spiral staircase down to the lower deck. The plane door was open, a few flakes of snow spinning round outside. She climbed out and crossed the ice shelf, following the last stragglers, suddenly one of them. She took one look back at the distant fortress … the great walls, the barbican, the four towers. In her heart, she knew that Lohan was right. She had no hope of saving Matt and if she was discovered that would probably make everything worse. But at the same time she was certain that if she simply left without trying, she would never forgive herself. The Old Ones might have defeated the world. But she wasn’t going to give up and let them beat her too.
    It took her an hour to reach the beach. There were officers from the various navies ferrying passengers out from the edge, many of them being lifted in on stretchers. Most of the smaller boats had already gone, motoring or sailing towards the horizon, disappearing into the Antarctic mist. Eventually she managed to find an American marine who had just pulled up in a patrol boat. There were already a dozen or more people on board and there was little space left. The water, freezing cold and silvery grey, lapped close to her feet as she waved across the shingle.
    The marine saw her. “I’m with the Pole Star ,” he shouted. “Climb on board and we’ll get you out of here.”
    “I’m not coming!” Scarlett shouted back. “I need a Zodiac.”
    “There are no Zodiacs! And you can’t stay here, miss. We’re pulling out.”
    “You don’t understand. I’m with Matt. I have to go to Skua Bay. Please, can you help me…!”
    “You