Chapter 3: The River

Paul and Maya sat on the dusty floor of the van and watched each other in silence as it drove on.

She wasn't police or army.  The curved blade she wielded looked like a sharpened gardening tool and the weapons across her body looked like they had been taken from a kitchen.  She wanted to look professional, Paul could see that, but she looked more like a video game character.

"Where are we going?"  Paul Said.

"Battersea power station."  Maya replied smiling.

"But it's derelict."

"I know."  

"Am I going to die?"

"Everyone dies.  You'll get over it."  Maya winked.

"If it leaves me, will I live?  Did the man on the train live?"

"He's one of us.  You thought he was having a fit?  He wasn't.  He was giving birth."

Before Paul could reply there was a series of bangs followed by the screech of metal on concrete.  The van swerved violently, slammed into something hard and stopped dead.
Paul peered out from the rear door of the van, they were on Vauxhall Bridge.  Three men were walking towards them.  They wore black general service respirators, NBC suits with the hoods pulled up and carried L85A2 rifles.  They moved in that way only professional soldiers can.

One of the rifle muzzles flashed.  The bullet slammed into the door of the van.  Paul fell back screaming.  Maya slid the side door of the van open.  She looked outside and turned back to him.

"You need to trust me, you have to jump or you'll die."  Maya said and leapt out of the side door.  Paul looked out, there was a small barrier and past that a 50ft drop to the river below.

Paul ran at the door and jumped, he was just over the barrier when a shot rang out.  The bullet hit him in the ribs, under his left arm, sending him spiralling into the icy water of the Thames.

Panic over took him as he fought for breath, it didn't last long, his mind fell to a singularity and he died.

Paul awoke, fish were swimming above his head and a group of people were gathered around standing on the river bed.  Maya smiled, her hair splayed out, lifted by the water.  She looked beautiful Paul thought.

"Thank you."  She said without moving her lips.  Paul looked at the others.  The man from the train, and the one with the belt were amongst them.  "You are one of us now."  Maya thought to Paul.