♠ Airport ♠

Bjorn started coughing. A wheezy cough at first, then hacking. His face turned red and he put his hand out to one of the tables to steady himself.

The other man smacked him on the back without taking his gun or his gaze from Connor.

“Thanks, Vihaan. OK, this is the way it’s going to go.” Bjorn got to his feet again. “We’re on our way to a flight that leaves in about ninety minutes. Gertie missing this flight would be bad. For everyone. I’m talking the entire world.”

“Start talking then. And talk quick.” Connor looked over his shoulder briefly to the ground below. “I’m not letting go of her so if you shoot me, I’m going over the edge and taking her with me.”

“Alright.” Bjorn lowered his gun.

Vihaan looked at him. “What are you doing?”

“Mission directive. Rescue the girl. Don’t harm civilians.”

“He’s not a civilian, he’s got a gun. We should just kill him.”

“Hey! That’s not friendly!” Connor yelled back at the pair.

“Listen to Bjorn, you Neanderthal!” Gertie screamed.

“Bjorn. Start talking. Time’s ticking. I gotta get her to Lanseria, maybe we’re going to the same place? Sounds like you’ve got a plane there too.”

“Rand airport, you mean. What used to be Germiston, before it was levelled,” Bjorn corrected.

“Levelled? Keep talking.” Connor enjoyed learning new things.

“We’re a UN special task force. Parachuted in with specific instructions to find this girl. There were a dozen of us to start with, now it’s just us two. Henry is downstairs in the garden. He took a bullet when we rescued Gertie. The Covid-19 seeped into his wound. There was no saving him.”

“What’s so special about Gertie?” Connor asked. He turned to look at the girl in his arm. “You know, no offence.”

“She’s immune. She’s the last one,” replied Bjorn.

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