To Be A Leader

Chapter 60: Holding Out For A Hero

The sound of the helicopter is overwhelmingly loud as I dangle from the rope ladder. Jaime holds out his hand to me, sensing my fear.

"It's alright, Five. You're not that high up."

"Leave me alone, Jaime!" I shout, jumping from the rope to the rooftop. I stumble when my feet hit the ground, and he and Sam grab my arms to steady me. "You know I don't like heights."

"You're gonna hate this place then," He replies before looking up. "Alright, Steve, we're all safely down. You can head off now. Thanks for all you've done, mate!"

Steve says some smooth reply before flying off, but I don't really hear it. My mind is too focused on the fact that Sam is here with us. I've had a vision of him being on a run with us, although I can't remember the details. Sam remembers bits and pieces of what I told him. There was probably only bits and pieces but o begin with.

What he does remember though, is that I told there was something to do with robots... and cameras.

Amelia huffs. "I'm not sure I'm feeling particularly safe, thank you."

Sam shrugs before wrapping his arm around my shoulder. "Yeah, what I've learned about these missions is that I never feel safe. And yet, we both came back alright from Finland, didn't we?"

"Speak for yourself. I fell down an icy ravine in Finland and lost a very attractive Cartier watch."

I sigh wistfully. "Ah, good times."

"You know, Five, when you say things like that, I get the feeling that you don't like me."

"Really?" I reply coyly. "I don't know why you would ever suspect such a thing, Amy. It's not like I've said the words, 'I really don't like you' several times before or anything, or threw things at your head any time you were inappropriate towards me or my husband."

She almost looks amused. "Well, anyway, I do feel like I've done my part."

A second later, as if on cue, a drone flies towards us, whirring rather loudly.

"And here it is, a drone from my ex. How appropriate-droning and so on. Deliver your package now, drone." She waits for it to open, and she pulls out the vials from the small compartment and puts them in her pack. "Right. I have both the Flurosept and the six-stage Junin2 vaccine for those babies and mothers. So, we all want to get the babies, we're all going to keep me alive."

"We're going to keep everyone alive, Miss Spens," Janine replies over the headsets. "That is my solemn promise. You're on the roof of the Ministry steelworks now. The hatch next to you is the most secure and least dangerous way to access the building. You will, I'm afraid, have to fight your way through the building to reach the basement level where the mothers and babies are being held."

Jaime nods curtly. "Can do, boss."

"Runner Five, you will lead the way. Run along that gantry and enter the building via the steel hatch. Then run along the length of the building to the staircase at the eastern end. From there, you will be positioned at the upper gantry. And hurry. We know the Minister is trying to evacuate those babies now. We haven't got a second to spare. Go!"

I gently push Sam's arm off my shoulders and head for the hatch. It's easy to reach, but I have to bite back a whimper of fear when I open it. There's a ladder I have to climb down, which I find stupid since after running I have to go to a staircase, which I know Amelia and I are both going to hate. My legs are still burning from running up the stairs in that lab in Battenbury. I think if Sam hadn't been sweet enough to fix me another cup of coffee, I would have conked out.

I mean, I went on that run with Veronica and Nadia yesterday evening around nine o'clock. It's nearly four in the morning now, and I'm definitely feeling the effects of no sleep and constant exercise.