Tunnels 06 - Terminal

my son used to say about the Styx,’ Parry replied. ‘So, Bob, I agree there’s no question that the Armagi are on the move, but is the threat that great?’ Parry asked, trying to see if there was any reason he could find to divert the missile attack. ‘I mean, why aren’t the Armagi airborne? That way they could spread more quickly.’
    ‘For reasons of stealth, I guess. They’re harder to detect in the water,’ Bob answered. ‘Or, maybe, by swimming they’re conserving energy, so they can cover greater distances. Say to the US, for example? That’s what one of our scientific advisers is suggesting anyway. But your guess is as good as mine.’
    ‘And precisely who’s approved this strike?’ Parry said, his voice uncompromising. ‘By what authority is this being done, because I hope it’s not the good ol’ US playing world policeman again all on its tod?’
    ‘Er, Parry, I have no idea what most of that meant, but it’s actually strike s , plural – there’s a series of nuclear strikesscheduled. And, basically, every nation in the world has endorsed the action,’ Bob answered. ‘The US Senate and the Pentagon … Russia, all the Arab states … and there’s unanimous consensus from the European Military Council, and throughout the whole of Eastern and Central Asia except for … er … Kazakhstan, who don’t seem to be able to make their minds up. So we’ve effectively got full and unconditional global consent for a preliminary hit in London, followed by a join-the-dots sequence along the Thames, your southern coastline and your international waters.’
    ‘You make it sound so clinical,’ Parry said. ‘This is my country you’re talking about.’
    ‘Sorry, but like us, the rest of the world doesn’t want the contamination to spread any further than Engl—’ Bob started to reply.
    ‘You’ve got to buy me some time,’ Parry interrupted him sharply. ‘Can you delay the strike?’
    ‘And why should I do that?’ Bob challenged.
    ‘I’ll give you the address for another satellite link and we’ll get a camera on the situation where I am. We believe some of our people made it back from the inner world, and something very strange is taking place. We may be close to getting some new information that can help us,’ Parry said.
    Bob wasn’t convinced. ‘You’re not giving me anything I can use at this end.’
    ‘I haven’t got anything yet,’ Parry admitted. ‘But you’ll see from the video feed that the Armagi are congregating here in huge numbers, but then they’re not moving. Seems that something’s drawing them here, and – who knows – this latest development could be a game changer.’
    ‘Look, I’ll see what I can do,’ Bob said hesitantly. ‘But Ineed something concrete from you, and yesterday.’
    ‘Understood. Bob, I’m going to hand you over to one of my men for a moment, but stay on the line,’ Parry said, passing the satphone to the soldier at the laptop. Then he immediately went back to join Eddie and Danforth at the parapet. ‘As if we don’t have enough on our plate already.’

    Drake had stretched out on the cabin floor with a rolled-up tarpaulin for a pillow. His eyes were closed and his face was so drained and pallid he appeared more dead than alive.
    ‘I wish there was more I could do for him,’ Jiggs whispered to Elliott as they looked at Drake with concern.
    ‘Please don’t talk about me as if I’m not here,’ Drake said, keeping his eyes shut, but managing a grin.
    ‘Didn’t think you were still with us, old man,’ Jiggs laughed.
    ‘Two fish in a tank,’ Drake mumbled. ‘One says to the other, “How do you drive this bloody thing?”’
    ‘That bad?’ Jiggs groaned, exchanging glances with Elliott. They both knew Drake only too well – the worse the situation, the worse the joke.
    ‘’Fraid so,’ Drake mumbled. ‘Now, can we just fire up this bloody thing and ride it out of here?’ he begged. ‘Maybe making ourselves a new door at the other end of the building in the process, as no doubt there’ll be more prawns out front by now.’
    ‘No!’ Elliott burst out, with such vehemence Drake opened his eyes. ‘I can’t go. Not yet.’

    Tucked down against the parapet by the edge of the roof, Parry was using his binoculars to try to see inside the cathedral where the tank had reversed. ‘We need to know who’s in that Challenger, and what they’re doing here. Because whatever they’re up to, it’s acting like a