Damien climbed down off the barricades to join up with Nancy. He wanted to meet Alice before it was too late.
I can’t believe she’s alive. Nancy knew. All this time, she knew.
Tosco met him on the ground before he reached Nancy. “It’s a team from my boat,” he said, nodding towards the helicopter. “I can barely believe they made it here. I wish they hadn’t.”
“You think that chopper can start getting people away from here?”
“No more than twenty at a time. It would be almost pointless. We do need to start getting people on the boats somehow though. There’s no time left.”
Damien agreed. “Running is the only option. Kielder fell, and now Portsmouth will. There’s nowhere left. Not here, anyway. Maybe we can head somewhere else on the boats.”
“Most don’t have much fuel,” said Tosco. “Staying together will be impossible. Still, it’s a chance.”
Colonel Wanstead was arguing with Mass over by the helicopter. Damien knew little about either man, but he could tell they were the ones who were calling the shots in Portsmouth. He hurried over but didn’t interrupt. Instead, he listened.
Colonel Wanstead shook his head. “You can’t abandon us in the middle of a fight. We need every soldier we have to hold the line while we evacuate the civilians. We have children to think of.”
“I understand,” said Mass, “but I’m going. Closing the gate will save lives, even if it ain’t ours.”
“You don’t even know if this so-called giant gate is still there. You could be leaving us for nothing. I can’t allow it.”
Mass reared up and glared at Wanstead. “I don’t recognise your authority, so shove it up your arse. Amanda Wickstaff built this place. You’re nothing more than a goddamn guest. Try to stop me and I’ll shoot you.”
Damien shivered. Whoever this Mass was, he was a badass. Nothing about his tone or expression suggested he wouldn’t do exactly what he said.
And is he talking about closing a gate? The same one Damien – the other Damien – was talking about?
Wanstead backed off a little. “Mr Mass, please?”
Damien couldn’t hold his silence any more. “Is somebody heading to the gate near here?”
Mass turned to him. “You know about that?”
“Yeah, I… I kind of told myself about it.”
Mass chuckled. “I warned you. Where is Damien Two, anyway?”
“Here,” said the other Damien, standing nearby, somehow unnoticed until he announced himself. “Believe me, I would rather be anywhere else. Turns out that the me from here is kind of a dick.”
Damien rolled his eyes. “If anybody is heading to the gate, I’m coming. We need to close it.”
Mass nodded. “That’s exactly what I’m doing. You want to come, you’re welcome. I need a team to get me close enough.”
“You know where it leads, right?”
“Yeah, I know the drill. Straight to Hell for me. I’m fine with that.”
I was right. The guy’s a badass.
Tosco intervened, having been listening from a few feet away. “Those pilots are my men, and I won’t force them to take you anywhere unless they want to. I’ll go speak with them.”
“Please,” said Wanstead, imploring Mass with his hands, “stay and fight. Help me get these people onto the boats.”
Mass bunched his hands into fists. “I don’t know what to make of you, Wanstead, but no matter what happens, you still killed my friend. Me leaving is the best thing for you, trust me.”
Wanstead was breathing heavily. Damien didn’t know what events Mass was referring to, but Wanstead grew anxious. “Then I fear, if we meet again, it will be a rather bloody affair.”
“It won’t be,” said Mass. “It’ll be quick.”
Wanstead nodded. “Who are you taking with you?”
“Just a few of my guys. Cullen will stay and lead the rest of my guys to help with the evacuation. Damien, if you want company, better get it fast. I won’t wait for you.”
Damien glanced over at Nancy and thought about asking her, but she had just found Alice. They needed to stay together. “I’m only bringing two people,” he said. “I just need to say goodbye to someone first.”
“Then go do it.”
Damien hurried over to Nancy. When she saw him, the smile on her face stretched right up to her eyes. It was the happiest he’d ever seen her, but there was a sadness there too. “Damien, I’d like you to meet someone.”
Damien offered a hand to the beautiful young girl who looked so much like her mother. “I’ve been dying to meet you, Alice. I’ve heard so much about you.”
The girl shook his hand, not shyly as he would have expected, but firmly and confidently. “Thank you for keeping my mom safe.”
“My pleasure. Do you mind if I just speak with her alone for a second?”
“Go for it.”
Damien had to drag Nancy away. Even then, she kept glancing sideways to make sure her daughter was still there. “You need to get Alice on a boat,” he told her. “Portsmouth is finished.”
“I really wish this place had stood a chance. We should leave right this second. I have to get Alice to safety.”
“You’re both getting on a boat. I’ll make sure there’s a place for you both.”
Nancy frowned, clearly noticing his carefully selected words. “What about you?”
“I have some place else to be. Don’t worry, okay? You have Alice and that’s all that matters. I love you, Nancy. You made the end of the world bearable. Thank you for that.”
She reached out and held his hand in hers. “That sounded like a goodbye.”
“Reminds me of not so long ago when you were setting off to go find Alice. That turned out all right in the end, didn’t it? Take care, Nancy.” He glanced at Alice. “She looks just like you.”
He turned away and Nancy didn’t stop him. They were both too grown up for that. Loss was the only thing left in this world, and there was no point fighting it.
Damien grabbed Harry and Steph. They were reloading their
