and loosened the coat so it fell at her feet. Then she took off her gloves and glasses and looked straight at Rajiv. There were gasps all around her, and one or two women screamed. Rajiv stumbled back, holding onto another man for support as he looked into the decayed, lifeless eyes and the yellowing, bloodied arms of the Queen. No one said anything for a few seconds, and then Alice's father spoke.
'Dr. Protima, if this vaccine got into the right hands, could it save any more humans from being...'
As he fumbled with what to say, she answered.
'Yes. It would ensure that no more humans have to worry about the virus being transmitted through a bite. Imagine what that would do to the chances of people finally coming to grips with the fact that we are not just dangerous animals and an existential threat to be wiped out? What would that do to Zeus's fear-mongering which they are using to wipe us out and bring all of you under their control?'
Alice heard many murmurs of approval in the crowd, as the Queen now looked straight at her.
'But there's more than that. Before it all went out of control, we were working on antidotes, not just vaccines. If I can get the vaccine to a good lab, we should be able to create a cure. It may take time, but I know it can be done. I don't know how much brain damage has already happened to those infected, or whether it can be reversed, but there is at least hope. Alice, I told you my prophecy was what would lead us to a way out.'
Nobody else present understood what she meant by the last comment, but they were all looking at Alice with a mixture of shame and awe. They had doubted and rejected her, but now they had proof before their eyes that she had been right. Moreover, they suddenly found themselves the bearers of a terrible secret. Many people began speaking at once, everyone with their own idea on what to do, but everyone in agreement that they needed to help get the vaccine into the right hands.
Alice's father spoke next and what he said stunned everyone into silence.
'The men who caused all this will not let us succeed so easily. We know they have been hunting Dr. Protima and now they will come for us.'
Nobody said anything for a few seconds. Alice was about to say something when the silence was shattered by the sound of an incoming helicopter.
***
SEVEN
Everyone at the settlement was watching, most down the sights of their guns as the black helicopter landed at the foot of the hill leading to their village. Alice had her sniper rifle at her shoulder and while many of the younger kids were babbling about this being an attack, she knew better. If Zeus had wanted to launch an attack, they would have come from the skies, raining rockets and bombs from high above, while Alice and the others at her settlement would have been impotent to do anything about it. By landing the helicopter in such a vulnerable position, whoever was coming was indicating that they came in peace, at least for now.
Alice put down her rifle to motion to some of the men behind her to not get trigger happy and wait for her signal before doing anything. When she looked back towards the helicopter, she did not need her sights to know who was coming. The imposing bulk and bald head of the uniformed man now making his way up the hill told her who it was.
Why would Appleseed be coming alone? Alice had spent the last few days in the fear that he would lash out with an unexpected attack, so why was he coming here like this?
When he reached the gates of the settlement, Alice's father asked for the gates to be opened and Appleseed walked into the midst of two hundred armed, scared and jittery people.
'Gladwell, tell your people I pose no threat. You can all see that I am unarmed.'
Appleseed held up his hands to reinforce the point, but even that did little to defuse the tension. Everyone at the settlement had
'Dr. Protima, if this vaccine got into the right hands, could it save any more humans from being...'
As he fumbled with what to say, she answered.
'Yes. It would ensure that no more humans have to worry about the virus being transmitted through a bite. Imagine what that would do to the chances of people finally coming to grips with the fact that we are not just dangerous animals and an existential threat to be wiped out? What would that do to Zeus's fear-mongering which they are using to wipe us out and bring all of you under their control?'
Alice heard many murmurs of approval in the crowd, as the Queen now looked straight at her.
'But there's more than that. Before it all went out of control, we were working on antidotes, not just vaccines. If I can get the vaccine to a good lab, we should be able to create a cure. It may take time, but I know it can be done. I don't know how much brain damage has already happened to those infected, or whether it can be reversed, but there is at least hope. Alice, I told you my prophecy was what would lead us to a way out.'
Nobody else present understood what she meant by the last comment, but they were all looking at Alice with a mixture of shame and awe. They had doubted and rejected her, but now they had proof before their eyes that she had been right. Moreover, they suddenly found themselves the bearers of a terrible secret. Many people began speaking at once, everyone with their own idea on what to do, but everyone in agreement that they needed to help get the vaccine into the right hands.
Alice's father spoke next and what he said stunned everyone into silence.
'The men who caused all this will not let us succeed so easily. We know they have been hunting Dr. Protima and now they will come for us.'
Nobody said anything for a few seconds. Alice was about to say something when the silence was shattered by the sound of an incoming helicopter.
***
SEVEN
Everyone at the settlement was watching, most down the sights of their guns as the black helicopter landed at the foot of the hill leading to their village. Alice had her sniper rifle at her shoulder and while many of the younger kids were babbling about this being an attack, she knew better. If Zeus had wanted to launch an attack, they would have come from the skies, raining rockets and bombs from high above, while Alice and the others at her settlement would have been impotent to do anything about it. By landing the helicopter in such a vulnerable position, whoever was coming was indicating that they came in peace, at least for now.
Alice put down her rifle to motion to some of the men behind her to not get trigger happy and wait for her signal before doing anything. When she looked back towards the helicopter, she did not need her sights to know who was coming. The imposing bulk and bald head of the uniformed man now making his way up the hill told her who it was.
Why would Appleseed be coming alone? Alice had spent the last few days in the fear that he would lash out with an unexpected attack, so why was he coming here like this?
When he reached the gates of the settlement, Alice's father asked for the gates to be opened and Appleseed walked into the midst of two hundred armed, scared and jittery people.
'Gladwell, tell your people I pose no threat. You can all see that I am unarmed.'
Appleseed held up his hands to reinforce the point, but even that did little to defuse the tension. Everyone at the settlement had
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