“Well I’m not sure that I can help you with that Major, I wouldn’t know where you could find them. If the representatives were unable to get into the bunker or out of the city, it’s unlikely that they survived. I passed through the outskirts of London myself. It’s hard to believe that a soul inside the M25 survived that day.”
“Yes Madam. That is why we are here. Speaking with you.” He fell silent. Kate and Liam were staring at me, I couldn’t get my head around what it was the Major was trying to say.
“I don’t follow.”
“There were twelve members of parliament not in the capital that day, nine of them are confirmed dead or missing. You are the only one alive to my knowledge and is at this moment, available.” My jaw dropped.
“You can’t be serious? I haven’t stepped foot in parliament in over a year. There must be someone more suited to the job?”
“Madam I am afraid that you are the only elected official available to us at this time. By rights you are the one obligated to lead us through this, albeit difficult time, as a country.” Kate placed a fresh cup of coffee in my hands. I could smell the sugar before I had even brought it to my lips. She had sweetened it to help me deal with the shock. Yes, my sister knew me very well. Perhaps better than I did myself. I can’t believe that she hadn’t mentioned this! Annoyed, I looked over at her before I responded to the Major’s request.
“I may have been elected by my constituents Major, but the country did not elect my party. I was on the side of the opposition.” Major Benjamin Bradley shrugged and looked me squarely in the face.
“Elizabeth, this is not something I ask of you lightly. If I may speak freely?”
“Please do.”
“I would have much preferred a candidate who had the knowledge and experience which a position like this requires. However, in my opinion, someone who must be convinced to take up the task of leadership is preferable to those who have volunteered their service due to the alluring attraction of power. It will not be an easy title to carry. You need to think very carefully about what this will mean for you going forward.”
It had been over a year since I had left my position on the shadow cabinet to have Rosa. If I was being honest with myself, I wasn’t sure that I would have returned.
Before I had met Matt I had my sights set on becoming the leader of the party one day. It was something which Kate knew all too well. She would tease me about it when I was starting out. She believed that the power to make any significant change to the state of affairs in Britain was far out of my reach and that I was wasting my time in politics. Something which I too had begun to see myself before long.
Now, this. How could I possibly say no? This man was right. It is my duty, at least until another politician came forward who was better suited to the position of leader. It was a lot to take in.
“I believe there is only one answer I can give. In light of the information which you have received regarding the fate of my peers. It is, as you say quite rightly my responsibility.”
I stood to shake Major Bradley’s hand. “I accept.”
34
EVERY DAY FOR the next week a car was sent from the Army base to pick me up in the morning at 6 am. Shadow accompanied me on each trip which gave me some sense of comfort. I was presented to endlessly. I received daily reports from many high ranking army officers. Their sleeves adorned with brand new insignia.
There had been a great many promotions in the past three months. Some of these officers had moved up to ranks that they had previously expected to take them a lifetime to achieve in just a few short days. We had lost almost all of our country’s defences in the attacks. Along with the Army base which was now also the hub of central government, there was one RAF base in Cumbria which had survived unscathed. The entire Royal Navy was currently MIA. It would be difficult to determine which of our overseas battalions were still operational without working comms.
No one knew if this was the first phase at the beginning of a war or the end of an unpredicted one. Without knowing the full details of what had occurred on that afternoon in June, it was impossible to prepare an intelligent defence.
“I believe our efforts now are best spent trying to keep as many of the survivors alive. It’s not a kind environment out there. We must restore order and public utilities.” Major Bradley and I worked through the night as we mapped out areas to begin these projects. Communication with the public was proving difficult. Sending the available troops into the local towns to help restore shelter and provide those who were sick or wounded with aid sometimes proved impossible. The demand was too high for the meagre number of men.
In the evenings I arrived home exhausted from listening to the wide-eyed accounts of soldiers reporting one after another of what they knew of the hardships facing different sections of the country. I wasn’t sure how much more I could hear and still retain my sanity. I had thought that I knew what was going on out there. I saw so much first hand on my journey here from the south coast but what I heard now chilled me to my very core. Along with destroying the towns and cities of our nation, the attacks had laid waste to our people’s decency and humanity.
Stories of murder, rape and slavery were only too commonplace at these briefings.
I had been avoiding Kate to an extent. She spent her days looking after Rosa. It seemed whenever I came home Rosa was asleep and I was always leaving as she was waking up. Some days we managed to have breakfast together which was a happy relief from the horrifying reality which awaited me on the army base.
Liam had joined Kate in caring for the garden and local animals which would be our family’s food supply. Rosa tried to muck in too which was heartening. Liam had developed a sort of contempt for me since I had accepted my role in the rebuilding of our country. We hadn’t so much as spoken alone since the night we had shared a bed. I got the feeling whenever we were together that he wanted to talk to me privately, but with everything going on I hadn’t had the time.
One afternoon I had returned early from the base and saw him working in one of the barns by the farmhouse. Shadow had immediately run over to greet him and he’d walked over to take my bag.
“Thanks. How’s everything here?” I made an effort to smile at him.
“Rosa’s just getting washed up. She fell in the chicken coop and Kate had to go in after her. They were both a bit of a mess.” I smiled.
“I can imagine. I’m sad to have missed it.”
“I wanted to talk to you. Can we?” Before giving me time to reply he placed his open palm on the base of my spine and guided me over to the barn that he’d just walked out of. “I tried to tell you this the day after, in the morning. But then all of this happened and I feel like you should hear it.” I listened. There hadn’t been a day since that I hadn’t thought about that night. I hadn’t imagined that he would have been thinking about it too.
“What is it? You want to apologise?”
“For God’s sake Elizabeth.” He hit the wall behind my head and moved his body so that he was directly in front of me. “No, I don’t want to apologise. Unless it’s to say that I’m sorry it hasn’t happened every night since and that you’re a pain in the arse. I wanted you to hear this from me before one of your new army buddies find out for you.” I looked at him. His eyes locked on mine. “I didn’t tell you the truth about my situation when we met.”
“What do you mean your situation?”
“ I hadn’t just got out of prison.”
“What? Why would you tell someone you’d been in prison if you hadn’t?” He wasn’t making any sense. His hand slid down the wall behind me and fell on to my shoulder.