Winters turns back towards the wide corridor. “Come on,” he tells Sam. This time, he breaks into a jog as he goes down the long corridor, obviously hoping to catch the Major before he leaves. Sam finds it easier to keep up with him at jogging pace but is at a loss, as to what is going on.
They reach the end of the corridor and turn right into the lift area just in time to see Major Rees and another soldier about to go through the open lift doors.
“Major!” Winters shouts.
Major Rees, startled, turns to look at Lieutenant Winters and Sam rushing towards him. He has a sudden horrible feeling that something else has gone wrong.
“What is it now?” Rees asks quite abruptly.
“Sir,” Winters starts, slightly out of breath. “I thought it would be a good idea if you took Sam with you, Sir. She is familiar with the data and would be an asset in continuing to analyse it, Sir.”
Major Rees immediately suspects that Winters’ reasoning for making his suggestion isn’t entirely as stated. He suspects the real motive is getting her out of the danger zone more than anything. The suggestion isn’t without its merits, however. Sam has proved herself to be an excellent analyst and she is indeed already familiar with the data.
Sam is taken aback by the Lieutenant’s suggestion; she hadn’t considered it. She had assumed she was here for the long haul, something she really doesn’t fancy now things have taken a turn for the worse. It suddenly dawns on her that that is the reason Lieutenant Winters is doing this, to get her out. She has seen the way he looks at her and her feelings grow for him because of his unselfish act.
“A very good idea, Lieutenant,” Major Rees agrees.
“Thank you, Sir.”
“Are you in agreement, Sam?” Rees asks.
“I hadn’t thought of it, Major. I am supposed to be reporting back to my superiors. I haven’t been cleared to leave.”
“I will sort that, Sam, but you will have to go now. Major Rees cannot be delayed,” Winters tells her.
“But I haven’t got my belongings?”
“Is there anything important in them?”
“Not really. My phone charger and coat. I have my wallet and ID card,” Sam says, slightly embarrassed by their insignificance.
“You will have to leave them. You can get new ones,” Winters tells her.
“Yes, you’re right, silly of me.”
“Shall we then?” Major Rees says.
“Can you give me one minute with the Lieutenant please, Major?”
Major Rees looks at the two of them before he and the other soldier go into the lift. “I will hold the door for you.”
As Major Rees disappears into the lift, Sam turns to Winters. “Thank you, Lieutenant.”
“There is no need to thank me, Sam. It just makes sense for you to carry on the work with the Major,” Winters tells her, not wanting a fuss.
“I don’t even know your name, Lieutenant?”
“It’s Robert.”
“Robert, I am not bragging but I am one of the top analysts at GCHQ, so I know how to read things. I know when someone is watching out for me and the reasons why. I’ve seen the way you have been looking at me.”
Winters feels himself blush with embarrassment. He has been found out, which is not something he is used to, especially in this type of situation. To make matters worse, he tries again to hide his real motives by starting to say something too ridiculous to deflect, but Sam is having none of it.
“Robert,” she says, placing her hand on his shoulder. “There is no need to be embarrassed. I’ve had my eye on you too and if things were different, maybe we could have explored it. It’s a shame; perhaps we will see each other again, so in the meantime please accept my thanks for getting me out of here, okay?”
“Yes okay. You have caught me. I do hope we see each other again, but you had better go. The Major is waiting. Good Luck, Sam,” Winters tells her.
“You too and try not to feel too bad for the orders you gave out; it had to be done.” Sam leans in and kisses his cheek. “Goodbye, Robert and good luck.”
“Goodbye, Sam.”
Sam turns for the lift and Winters watches her all the way, her forthrightness making him even more attracted to her. She turns back to look at him as she enters the lift, smiles and is gone. Winters hears the lift doors close, but he doesn’t move for a moment as he wonders if he will see her again. It’s just his luck that he actually finds someone he is interested in and she is out of reach. He is sure he made the right choice to get her out while he could. However, anything could happen here now.
Winters starts to make his way back up the corridor towards the command room. As he reaches into his pocket for his phone, he decides that it is quite possible he will see Sam again. There is a chance Colonel Reed will decide to evacuate, and Porton Down is an option to relocate to. He consoles himself with that.
Josh feels his phone start to vibrate in his hand at the same time he sees the screen light up. At last, Lieutenant Winters is phoning him back.
“Hello Sir, thanks for calling me back. We have been extremely nervous here, as you can imagine,” Josh says quickly into the phone, afraid that the Lieutenant will have to hang up for more important business at any time.
“Hello, Josh. I’m not surprised; things have taken a bad turn. The base has been breached and infected are outside.”
“How did that happen, Sir?”
“One of the incoming helicopters was overrun. That is what caused all the explosions. We have infected outside this building as we speak,” Winters informs him.
“Fucking hell, what are we going to do?”
“I don’t have that information yet
