There was an uncomfortable silence for a few moments, which was eventually broken by Thornton. 'How many rats attacked you? Have you any idea?'
Fender shook his head. 'It seemed like thousands they were everywhere but in reality I don't think there were more than a couple of hundred.'
'Good God, that many? We imagined they were a small isolated group.'
'Hopefully, there's even less now. We ran into your reinforcements on the way up. They should have destroyed quite a few.'
'I'm afraid not.' Captain Mather had appeared at the rat catcher side.
We've just had word by radio. When the troops got to the area, there were no rats in evidence. Plenty of dead ones those we killed but no living rats. Apart from what was left of our men, and the vermin corpses, the area was deserted.'
Fender made his way towards the improvised medical room at the end of the corridor the same room where Jan Wimbush had been attacked only two nights before. He glanced into a classroom to his right as he passed, surprised at its dramatic transformation. It now had the total appearance of a military operations room, banks of radio equipment stretched along one wall, blocking out half the light from the picture windows, an enlarged, mounted map displaying numerous coloured pointers spread out on the joined tables in the centre of the room, and machinery some looking like television monitoring sets, others like radar scanners that Fender could not hope to recognize. A constant hubbub came from the room and he wondered how anyone could think, let alone direct operations from there. Mingling with the brown uniforms of the military were the dark blue uniforms of the police. A joint operation. He hoped they wouldn't get in each other's way.
He passed on and entered the last classroom where the injured soldiers were being treated. It wasn't meant to cope with any serious crisis, for there were enough proper hospitals in the surrounding suburban areas; it was only a place to attend to minor injuries, cuts and bruises. The Warden's wife, Tessa Milton, was busy organizing tea and coffee for the soldiers who were good-humouredly asking for whisky and gin, while the medical officers were dabbing at their wounds with treated pads. He saw Vie Whittaker near a window, Jenny clearing the blood from the gash in his face, and he headed towards them.
Tessa Milton caught him lightly by the arm as he passed. 'Oh, Mr.
Fender. Is there any news of the other groups?'
They're being called back in,' the rat catcher told her, realizing she was concerned about her husband who was with one of the search-parties.
They haven't run into any trouble yet they'd have radioed in if they had. We were just unlucky, that's all.'
She smiled up at him, the anxiety still in her eyes. 'I'm sure you're right. Did you get hurt?'
'A few flesh pinches, bruises. No cuts.' He was suddenly aware of just how painful those 'pinches' were.
'Jolly good,' she said brightly. Would you like some tea? Or coffee?'
'No thanks. I've got to get back out there. We're going to gas the sewers.'
Tessa frowned and was about to ask another question, but Fender excused himself and walked over to Jenny and Whittaker.
Jenny's smile was radiant when she saw him. 'Are you okay, Luke? I've been so worried about you ... all.'
'I'm fine,' he assured her. He looked down at Whittaker and studied the deep wound on his face. You'll have a handsome scar there,' he told him.
'It's the rest of my body that really hurts,' said Whittaker. 'I feel as though every inch of skin has been bitten.'
We had a lucky escape. If it hadn't been for Captain Mather keeping a cool head, we'd have been finished.'
Whittaker looked down and studied his hand which was red and raw with teeth marks. 'I want to thank you for helping me back there, Pend ...
Luke. I don't think I could have held that bastard away from my face much longer.'
Fender said nothing.
'You're going to need stitches, Vie,' said Jenny, 'so I'll let the experts take care of that. Let's have your shirt off and I'll treat the bruises.'
As the senior tutor peeled off his shirt Jenny turned to Fender, concern in her eyes.
'Are you sure you're all right, Luke? Let me have a look at you.'
Fender grinned. 'Jenny, I've got bruises in places you wouldn't believe; but I haven't got time to let you examine them.'
You're not going out there? There's nothing more you ...'
We're going to gas the sewers a little earlier than planned.'
'But they don't need you for that.'
'I'm going to be there.' Any warmth had left his face and she knew it was pointless to argue.
What if they get out?' Whittaker said and both Jenny and Fender winced as they saw the red patches and teeth indents all over his torso. Large areas of skin were already turning a yellowish purple. By tomorrow, he would hardly be able to move.
The troops are moving in,' said Fender. 'It's something we should have done in the first place. Instead of sealing any exits with cement, they'll keep them blocked with fire and bullets.'
'And the rats that are already outside those that attacked us?'
'Disappeared. When the other soldiers got there, the rats had all gone. Hopefully, they found their way back
