The passenger door opened and Whittaker climbed in. The car moved forward at a slow speed, both men looking keenly into the trees, searching for any scarred barks, any sudden movement.
What do you think?' Whittaker asked, his eyes still scanning the forest. We haven't seen any signs for two weeks now, not since the gassing.'
Fender shook his head. 'I don't know. I'd like to think we got them all, but I still feel uneasy.'
'Why? Nearly every inch of the forest has been covered and there's only a few buildings left to search. Even the one ahead has been cleared by the helicopter reconnaissance -the pigs running loose up there all seemed healthy enough.'
'I still won't be happy until every building has been crossed off our list.'
'Maybe you're right. I'll certainly feel relieved when the whole area has been given a clean bill of health. Even then I think I'll be a little scared of the forest for a few years to come.'
Fender brought the car to a halt before the rough wooden gate and cattle-grid that barred the entrance into the rising field leading up to the desolate mansion.
You won't get the car up there,' Whittaker said. 'It's hard down here, but the pigs have churned the track into a muddy swamp at the other end.'
'Okay, we'll walk.' Fender quickly ran his eyes over the surrounding fields, studying the wooded fringes. He was glad to be clear of the pine forest, the memory of the mutant rats leaping from the trees still all too vivid. Ahead, to his right, he saw the small round copse that had made him feel uneasy on his last visit to this place. It would have to be searched later. He reached for the two-way radio lying on the back seat and informed the Operations Room at the Centre of their precise location, a strictly adhered-to procedure for any of the search parties in the forest. Then he strapped a gun holster around his waist.
'Okay,' he said when he had finished, let's take a look.'
Whittaker pushed open the door and clambered out, the sun reflecting sparkles of light in his silver-grey protective suit.
'Hey! Helmet,' Fender said reaching down into the front floor-space where the tutor had carelessly thrown the headgear.
'Oh, Christ. Is it still necessary?' Whittaker complained.
'Carry it. You never know.'
Whittaker took the plastic-visored helmet and tucked it under his arm.
He gazed around him, fingers scratching his beard.
'It's so bloody peaceful,' he said. 'It seems impossible that it all happened such a short time ago.'
Fender closed the car door, and smiled grimly. 'Let's hope it stays this way,' he said.
They walked towards the gate, carefully negotiating their way across the metal cattle-grid. Fender released the catch and swung the gate open a few feet, lifting it clear of the rutted earth at its base. The tutor passed through and Fender made sure the entrance was closed properly before catching up with him. They trudged along in silence, the track becoming muddier as they went The rat catcher examined the rough soil on either side.
The pigs don't leave much, do they,' he commented.
'No, they eat anything and everything. That's what makes them so cheap to keep. These free-rangers virtually look after themselves.'
'I don't see any,' said Fender, craning his head round.
They'll be up at the house in the shelter there. We can look in on them to set your mind at rest.'
The mud began to pull at their boots now, making walking awkward.
'I'm surprised this hasn't dried up,' Fender said, 'with all the bright weather we've been having.'
'It's become too water-logged over the years. It'll never dry up now.
It gets worse further on.'
Once more there was a silence between them as they plodded through the oozing mud, and Fender felt the tutor's resentment towards him. He'd been conscious of it before, on the other days he and Whittaker had teamed up as a search-party, and had ignored it. The tutor hadn't actually said anything antagonistic towards him, nor indicated his feelings over Jenny and Fender's relationship it was more an underlying animosity tempered by the fact that Fender had pulled the rat from him during the attack, possibly saving his Me, or at least saving him from serious injury. But it was coming, and Fender could sense it.
He almost smiled when Whittaker said, 'Look, Luke, about Jenny...'
Fender kept walking, his eyes searching the empty windows of the building ahead. 'What about her?' he said.
'You know she's in a confused state at the moment. This business with the rats has upset her terribly.'
Fender remained silent.
'What I'm trying to say is, she's very vulnerable right now ... I don't think she knows her own mind.'
'I don't agree. She seems to me to be very clear-minded.'
Whittaker reached out a hand and brought the rat catcher to a halt.
'Look, what I mean is, I'd hate to see her taken advantage of when she's in this state.'
Fender faced him. 'Listen,' he said through tight lips. 'I understand your problem, but it is your problem. It's nothing to do with Jenny and me. Jenny's neither confused nor being taken advantage of. I could explain to you how we feel about each other, but that has nothing to do with you.'
There was a flush to Whittaker's face. 'Before you came along...'
