The Huvark Experiment

Chapter 9

Lily's POV

I approached the capital of Chad, N'djamena. I had been driving for a day, being here only because I had discovered an abandoned Land Rover. When I saw it, I had begun to get hopeful.

I had pointed Steve's keys at it and pressed the 'unlock' button. To my surprise, it opened. Inside, I found lots of slightly stale cake, some clothes and Henry's phone.
I had felt a rush of excitement. A phone! I quickly saw that it was on aeroplane mode. I turned it off.
Suddenly, Henry received thirty-six texts from his mum (All in capital letters, of course). I wrote a text to her roughly explaining what had happened. I turned 3G on and went onto maps to find out where I was.

The tank was running out of fuel, so I ditched it and continued in the Land Rover (My dad is a taxi driver; he taught me to drive).
Three hours later, I came across a village. I filled up the car with diesel, then went into the inn for some food. The barman took my order and friendlily had a chat with me while I waited for my pizza. Turned out he was called Derek. The name rang a bell, but I couldn't quite remember where I'd heard it before.
When I asked him if he knew anything about the Huvark Experiment, he quickly explained about Henry and Steve passing through this same village. He said that they must have taken the long way to the Lab because I did it in three hours and they did it in five.

Derek said, "Do you mind if I come with you? Because I'm worried about Henry and Steve, and I can because I won't be getting many more customers this year. Also I'm bored and the inn's running out of croissants of doom."
I felt a surge of relief. I wouldn't be alone any more!
"Yes, Derek. Please do come with me!"
A few minutes later my pizza arrived. Derek got himself a croissant of doom (A delicacy in this particular inn).

I looked at my watch. It was already eight.
"Derek, can I stay here for the night?"
He shrugged. "Room 206." He tossed me a key card.

"And how much will that cost?"

"Oh yeah! Forgot about that... ummmmmm..."
He ummmmmed for five minutes nonstop.

"I suppose you can go for free because I can't be bothered to do anything involving money."
I finished my pizza (yum yum olives!) and went upstairs to my room. I tried to have a shower, but I got Stilton all over my left foot. Trying to wash it in the sink resulted in the creation of Stilton-and-foot-flavour Boursin. In the end, I hopped to the well-hidden bathtub.
Fortunately, the bed was clean. I slept.

The next day, we entered N'djamena.
On the way, we decided to go to the police, and if they let us, the government. They could talk to other countries and sort it out. The only problem was, how could they organise and carry out an attack in only five days?

* * *

We parked Steve's car outside the police station at 2:30. As soon as we'd said what had happened, they gave us each a jam doughnut because we were hungry and whisked us over to the government buildings.

The politicians knew we were telling the truth, because Huvark had been threatening them for months. The president said that Huvark has been attacking coastal towns and cities with warships.

Two hours after getting into the building, the President of Chad came to a decision:

"I will speak to the leaders of the nations of which Huvark's prisoners belong to– being Egypt, us, Nigeria, Britain– and get together an attack force. Lily, you will be needed to show us the way round the Huvark Lab. Derek can come too, if he so wishes to."

I patted my pocket. I didn't have the map, but I'd memorised it.

I looked at Derek. From what I could see, he was thinking,"Asdflusebfoudfhnrfkfirhrbnfjfgfenqppwmfbhxcyvyifekrnodyvvtbtugiejekwql!"
But he said, "Yay battle! Shooty shooty fighty fighty!"
Derek never could pass for normal. Not after the cheesey shower/sink incident at his inn.
We walked out of the building and went towards the accommodation the government had provided.

Plymouth, UK

Sunday 9th August, 7:19 pm.

The ship approached the city slowly. Most people thought it was a ferry, but as it came closer, it became rather obvious that that was not the case. What ferry is white, and has a big sphere on it? What ferry has large dangerous-looking guns sticking out of it?
When the guns became visible, most people fled the area. They woke their small children, took their babies and fled their homes.
Within twenty minutes, a large line of police with shields were demanding that the ship immediately leave.
The battleship, Siege Engine, did absolutely nothing for half an hour. In that time, the RAF had been sent to support the warships coming from Portsmouth. But the warships would take a while.

Just before the RAF arrived, the Siege Engine opened fire. Not at the police, but at the buildings behind them.
At 7:55, the bombers arrived. Most bombs missed, but one struck the front of the ship and exploded, though not much damage was dealt. The battleship fired another volley.

At 8:01 exactly, a barrage of guided missiles was fired by the Siege Engine at the beach and at the bombers. More missiles struck over ten seconds.

When the chaos and confusion of the attack was over, the Siege Engine had disappeared.

* * *

Over the past few months, attacks like this were common. But this, and the knowledge of the two British hostages, was enough for Britain.
[Put Mission Impossible on the radio now, OK?]

After talking to the Chad authorities, sixty British troops, ten tanks and a helicopter gunship were sent over to Chad.
Tension was rising between the affected countries and Huvark.

In a few days, battle would commence.

But could it happen before doomsday?