The Sixth Extinction (Book 4): The Ark by Glen Johnson Read Free Book Online Page A

control room.
    “ My names Heather Kennedy.” She held out a hand to Melanie, while giving Doctor Hall an evil glare.
    With all the shouting, the booms of explosions, and the muted sound of gunfire through the walls, Melanie found it strange that this woman wanted to shake her hand.
    “For god’s sake Heather, we haven’t got time for fucking pleasantries,” Doctor Hall said through clenched teeth.
    Heather dropped her hand before Melanie could grasp it.
    “Jesus, Albert, do you always have to be such a cock!” She marched off towards a set of sliding doors, not caring if either of them was following her.
    “You’ll have to excuse my ex-wife; she always was such a bitch!” Doctor Hall stated, as he took a cigarette out of the packet from his breast pocket. He followed Heather out into the hallway, while lighting the cigarette and inhaling deeply.
    “What?” Doctor Hall said as Melanie caught up and walked along next to him.
    “I think a little cigarette smoke is the least of everyone’s problems .”

 
    18
     
    Noah, Red, and the Squad
    Dartmoor National Park
    Princetown
    In Dartmoor Prisons Chapel
    3:4 1 PM GMT
     
     
    “ B ull help me,” the Captain said, as he wedged his shoulder against a wooden barrier. However, just as they were both about to push, the hidden entrance swung open.
    “Bull,” a voice said. A soldier stood in the glaring light from the exit, which was a wooden panel in the small antechamber next to the main chapel.
    “Clint?” Bull said.
    “I’ve been sent to take you directly to the General,” the soldier stated. He looked at the six people exiting the tunnel.
    “Only four of you made it back, along with two civilians?” Clint asked. He was young and tall, and covered in masonry dust.
    “It is crazy out there,” Echo said as she pushed by , glad to be out of the claustrophobic tunnel.
    The booms of exploding poppers were much louder aboveground. The rat-a-tat-tat of gunfire echoed around inside the chapel, with the screams of dying soldiers mixed in. Different blasts could now be heard, not the dull popping of bloated bodies, but the sound of grenades and missile launchers.
    “The way is clear for now, but they are swarming into the prison through multiple breaches.” The soldier pushed open the thick chapel door. The sounds triple d in loudness.
    The chapel was close to the back wall, which was breached. However, even though the thick wall had caved in, a tall security, metal linked fence was still holding the swarming creatures back.
    The chapel’s back door exited onto a forty-foot compact dirt area, used for storage that had a few smaller stone huts against one side, along with a long polythene greenhouse. A thin concrete path led to the back of the hub building, next to a row of what looks like prison warden houses.
    A line of soldiers stood in the dirt, firing repeatedly through the fence, cutting the creatures down.
    The Captain noticed what was happening.
    “Stop firing!” he hollered. The sound of the rifles and large M2 miniguns drowned his cries out.
    The Captain could not understand how the soldiers were so blind. The horde was climb ing on the dead, using them like a mound, and now they could reach the top of the fence. They swarmed over.
     

 
    19
     
    Doctor Lazaro and Doctor Hall
    Dartmoor National Park
    Princetown
    The Preparation Area in Dartmoor Prison
    3:42 PM GMT
     
     
    “ Y ou know you’re not meant to smoke inside?” Heather said over her shoulder, without bothering to turn around.
    Doctor Hall simply ignored her , and his next exhalation was even louder.
    Heather returned the favour and ignored him.
    The sound of fighting was dull but could still be heard through the thick walls. The muted explosions vibrated through the soles of their shoes.
    “The Preparation Area is in the center of the building, right above the main lift shaft,” Heather explained for Melanie’s benefit. “Sadly though, almost a hundred Adam and Eve Finalists failed