Luke's Diary: An Unlucky Man In A Zombie Apocalypse. Entries 1158 - 1358

Entry 1177: Tuesday 17th December 2019

Entry 1177
Tuesday 17th December 2019

What a day! Drama, gun shots, stand-offs and a few interesting and unexpected twists and turns – especially at the end of the day.

I didn't go to work today. What with all the drama going on I just couldn't bring myself to go to the prison and wipe surfaces and mop floors. I was worried about Sophie, and I was also worried about what might happen when Naomi met Tara.

The day started with me standing with Ash and Naomi in their kitchen drinking tea and talking about what was going to happen at 12pm. "OK," I said, "I know we've done this a few times, but can we just go over the plan again. Now, Naomi is going to take the fake virus Harold has given her and go to the back of the abandoned NatWest in the centre of Cowes. Tara will turn up with Sophie. Naomi will give Tara the fake virus, and Tara will give Sophie back to Naomi. That's when the GRID guys will swoop in." "What if Tara keeps hold of Sophie whilst she checks the virus?" asked Ash. "Well, it won't matter," I said, "GRID will swoop in and get Tara and save Sophie." "I hope all this works out," said Ash. "Me too," I said. Naomi looked nervous I gave her a kiss and rubbed her back. "Try not to worry," I said, "We're going to get Sophie back. God, that bl**dy Tara. All this to make money from selling the virus." Naomi looked at her watch. "It's OK," I said, "It's only about 8am. Try to relax." "Sorry, but I need to go out and get some fresh air," said a worried Naomi, "My head is all over the place." "Do you want me to come with you?" I asked. "No," said Naomi, "I'll be OK." "Well, don't be too long," said Ash, "Tinsley will be here in an hour and a bit?"

Naomi left leaving me discussing the situation with Ash. "F*cking Tara," I angrily snapped, "I can't believe you used to work with her." "That was a long time ago," said Ash. "It wasn't THAT long ago," I said. "Why are you having a go at me?" asked Ash, "I'm not the one who kidnapped Sophie. I'm just as bothered about all this as you are." "Yeah, OK," I said, "Sorry. This whole thing bothers me. It's bad enough we're living in the middle of an apocalypse but when we have nutters like Harold and psychos like Tara it makes the whole thing worse."

Ash and I made another cup of tea and as we waited for Naomi to return, and I brought up the subject of Ash and Helen. "Anyway, what's going on with you and Helen?" I asked. Ash slammed his tea down on the counter and rolled his eyes. "What is this obsession you've got with me and Helen?" he said, "We just get on. We like spending time with each other. There's nothing more to it than that." "Really?" I asked. "Really," said a blunt Ash, "And anyway, even if there was, so what? I can do what I like. I don't interrogate you on your love life, which up until recently has been disastrous, so don't interrogate me on mine." "OK," I defensively said, "OK." "She talks to me about her daughter, and I talk to her about my wife." "So, she's not your wife?" I asked. "What?" asked Ash, sounding shocked. BANG! BANG! BANG! Ash and I were suddenly interrupted by three faint noises that sounded like explosions going off in the air. "What the Hell is that?" I asked.

Ash and I walked into the living room, opened the front door and stepped outside. A few people had gathered on their doorsteps to find out what the noise was. We all looked up at the sky. Someone was setting fireworks off in the distance. We all looked up as the morning sky illuminated with bright explosions. "It's not even nine in the morning," I said, "Who the f*ck is letting off fireworks?" "What did you just say to me in there?" snapped an assertive Ash. Before I had a chance to respond, Mia suddenly appeared at the end of the garden in a state of panic. "Oh, thank God," she said looking at Ash and I with obvious worry on her face, "I need some help. Quick. We need to do something. Come on!" "What's going on?" I asked. "Come on, just hurry up," said Mia. Mia ran off and feeling intrigued Ash and I followed her.

We ended up at Mia and Harold's house.  Ash and I followed Mia into the property, and as soon as we walked into the living room we saw that Harold was sitting on the floor with blood trickling down the left side of his head. He had gaffer tape wrapped around his wrists that he was pulling off and discarding on to the floor. Mia tended to Harold as he attempted to compose himself. "What happened?" I asked. "Your fiancée," said a firm Harold, "That's what happened." "What?" gasped Ash. "You're saying Naomi did this?" I asked. "Oh, you're smart," said a sarcastic Harold, "You figure things out quickly, don't you? "Yes! I'm saying Naomi did this." "B*llocks, I don't believe you," I snapped. "It's true," said Mia, "I was in the bathroom cleaning my gash, and she just appeared in the doorway holding a gun to Dad's head." "A gun?" I said, "Where the Hell did, she get a gun from?" "Tara," said Ash. "She said she was really sorry and that she was doing what she needed to do to keep Sophie safe. I walked towards her and she hit me on the head with the back of the gun and knocked me out. When I woke up I came downstairs and found Dad tied up with gaffer tape with his head covered in blood." "OK," I said, putting my hands out in front of me, "Let's just stop for a minute here. Why would Naomi do ANY of this?" "Are you deaf as well as stupid?" Harold snapped, "Mia just told you; she did this for her granddaughter." "But we've got a plan! I exclaimed, "Naomi's going to meet Tara in a few hours. We talked about this yesterday. This just doesn't make any sense." "Oh, dear me," said Harold, rolling his eyes, "If you engage more of your brain and less of your mouth, I think you'll find it makes perfect sense. I told you Tara was clever and I told you she would have a plan B. This is it." "OK," I said, "Looking confused. I don't get what's going on here. You're going to have to explain." "Of course, I am," said Harold in patronising tone, "Now don't worry, I'll speak slowly and try and use words of one syllable, so you understand." "Just f*cking get on with it," I snapped. "Naomi is terrified of what Tara might do to Sophie," said Harold, "She remembers how she ran off with your Kyle, so she believes that Tara's very capable of running off with her granddaughter. She's worried that if we go through with the plan we discussed yesterday that Tara would get away and take Sophie with her." "But GRID are going to be there watching," I said, "They'll grab hold of Tara before she has a chance to know what's happening." "This is Tara, remember," said Harold, "She's clever. Almost as clever as me and certainly a lot cleverer than those GRID fools. She fooled you and pretended to be a journalist for months, remember? She lied to you all." "So, did you," I firmly said. "The point I am making you pea brained idiot," said Harold, "Is that Tara is clever and Naomi knows this. Naomi came round here and said she wanted the real virus. She said if I didn't give it to her, she would kill me and ransack the house until she found it, and as she seemed rather unhinged and pointing a gun in my face given to her by Tara, I reluctantly handed over a genuine copy of the virus, that I had inside the house in a secure place. Naomi set off the fireworks we heard just now. They're a signal to Tara to let her know that GRID know all about today's scheduled meeting behind the abandoned NatWest, and that it's time to go to plan B. Tara seeing those fireworks means that she's NOT on her way to meet Naomi behind the abandoned NatWest in Cowes; instead, she's going to meet Naomi in another location where Naomi will hand her the virus – the real virus, and Tara will return Sophie." "God, I don't believe this," said Ash. "Where's the other location?" "She didn't say," said Harold. "You'd better not be lying to me," I snapped. "I'm telling the truth," said Harold, "I didn't want to hand over the virus, but I had no choice. We have to do something. I don't want Tara getting her hands on my virus." "I couldn't give a f*ck about your b*stard virus!" I loudly snapped, "I'm worried about Sophie and Naomi!" "The point is," said Ash, "We need to do something. Tinsley's going to be turning up, the GRID lot will be in position near NatWest in a couple of hours and right now Naomi is God knows where with the virus, a gun and psycho killer." "We're going to have come clean to Tinsley and tell him everything," I said. "No," said Ash, "You know what he's like. He'll hit the roof, have a go at us for wasting their time, and throw Naomi in prison." "No, he won't," said Harold, "I'll deal with Tinsley." "What do you mean YOU'LL deal with Tinsley?" snapped Ash, "Why should he listen to you?" "He tends to listen to me these days," said Harold, with a smug smile, "I don't like the man but he has a small army at his disposal. He can send his soldiers out there to look for Tara and Naomi. Hopefully we'll get Sophie AND my virus back." "You and your f*cking virus," I snapped, "This is all – ALL because of you!" "We haven't got time for this," said Mia. "Mia's right," said Harold, "The more time we stand here arguing the more time we are wasting." "Yeah, but where do we even start looking?" asked Ash. "Use your brain Ash," said Harold, "I taught you better than this." "OK," said Ash, trying to think, "The fire works were set off about five minutes ago. Naomi left the house about twenty minutes ago. She was on foot, so she can't be too far." "There we go," said Harold, "All that training wasn't wasted. You two search the area. I suggest somewhere that is near the shoreline or in a wide-open space." "Why?" I asked. "If Tara thinks she's getting the virus, then she will want to make a quick escape once she's got it," said Harold, "Chances are that will be via helicopter, hence the wide-open space, or via boat, hence the shoreline. You get looking and I'll radio though to Tinsley." "Well, hang on," I said, "What are you going to tell him?" "The truth," sad Harold. "F*ck off," I exclaimed, "You wouldn't know the truth if it came up behind you and bummed the sh*t out if you." "Charming," said Harold, "But instead of throwing insults around I suggest you get out there, start looking, and leave me to deal with Tinsley." "I don't want him throwing Naomi in jail," I said. "I'll explain things," said Mia, "She's just trying to get Sophie back." "Mia, sweetheart, she assaulted you and me," said Harold. "Because she wanted to get her granddaughter back," said Mia, "I'd do anything to keep Tinkerbell safe. Wouldn't you do anything to keep me safe." Harold lowered his head. Mia's words clearly had an impact him. "You go look for Naomi," Mia said to us, "We'll speak to Tinsley and explain that Naomi didn't have a choice. Go on, off you go."