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As griradually crept across another cold, wet and foreboding , so Cooper&039;s orientation and recollection slowly returned Landhts and reassure hiht direction They passed through a lifeless village which he clearly remembered Ees and horound, others were charred and scarred by smoke, dirt and decay Sudden ines caused nearby bodies to ee towards the road Their reactions still relatively slow, the bulk of the bodies did not appear until the vehicles had passed by A lone corpse, however, stumbled into the road a short distance ahead of the van

Cooper accelerated and obliterated the creature with a brief moment of effort and no consideration or ree and back out onto an empty and exposed country road which twisted and turned precariously as it worked its way between fields and hills The narrow road began to clis, Cooper turned the steering wheel to the right and sent the van careering down an even narrower track which sloped doards and which was virtually invisible froe followed, slowly coaxing the cumbersome prison truck down the track whilst, at the saht of the soldier ahead Ar the third vehicle was not

His pulse raced and his hands werehell,&039; he snapped as his truck began its unsteady descent The height of the bonnet in front of him mean that he drove the first few feet virtually blind More through luck than judgeed to keep the vehicle on course The track straightened out quickly, running below but parallel with the road Donna sat in the back of the van and wondered just how many hidden routes like this existed They would never have found this place if they hadn&039;t had the soldier with them If he had chosen to stay behind in the city then they&039;d have been forced to do the same

Whether the others liked it or not, each one of theht quickly followed by another steep descent and then the track suddenly cut across a wide field buried deep within a steep and otherwise inaccessible valley The shadows of huge protective hills reared up on either side Donna felt safer already &039;You never knohere these places are until you&039;ve reached them,&039; Cooper yawned as they trundled down the hidden road &039;So if we&039;re going to have trouble finding it,&039; Donna said, leaning forward and peering over the soldier&039;s shoulder, &039;then this base should be pretty safe&039;

&039;You&039;d hope so&039; The track began to cli a wide streah the water, sending loaves rippling away on either side Cooper could see the tops of the first few trees ahead He knew that they were close now The sides of the track became steep banks and he increased his speed Phil Croft wiped his face and forced himself to concentrate on the uneven road which stretched out in front of hi of the prison truck now, but driving awhich didn&039;t coer truck in front was being driven with obvious skill and precision by Aruidance the smaller vehicle skidded and slipped across the uneven road surface alarly

He could hear murmurs of concern and discontent fronored thereater hardships to get this far At the front of the convoy Cooper yanked the steering wheel around to the right to follow a sudden and unexpectedly sharp bend in the track The steep banks on either side had fallen away again leaving a clear view of the narrow roadway as it disappeared into a dark and dense forest of brittle branched trees With real concern for the others he looked into his e slowed down to a virtual stop and teased the heavy truck around the bend More dips, furrows and twists in the track as it began to wind its way through the grey and shadowy forest There were bodies nearby Are point

They were staggering through the undergrowth, tripping over rocks and half-buried tree roots and then scra towards the unexpected convoy The truck driver didn&039;t say anything to the others travelling with hie He knew that these few diseased cadavers posed no threat Cooper knew that they had almost reached the base The last traces of doubt and uncertainty in his ate and over a cattle grid which shook the van and its passengers As the trees and vegetation around the he allowed himself to put his foot down on the accelerator and steah a relatively featureless field and then quickly cliht rise The base lay on the other side

&039;Must be getting close now,&039; Are h the gate he increased his speed toto the sudden increase in the speed of the other two vehicles, Phil Croft looked up and panicked Afraid of losing sight of theh he knew there was no way that he would) he too slammed his foot down on the accelerator pedal

The truck began to lurch and sway uncomfortably &039;Bloody hell,&039; Paul Castle er seat, &039;sloill you&039; Croft wasn&039;t listening He yanked the steering wheel hard to the left, trying desperately to follow the track and get through the gate

The police van disappeared over the ridge As Arlanced back in his mirror and watched helplessly as the front wheel of the smaller truck behind him hit a moss-covered boulder and was forced up into the air The sheer weight of the unbalanced truck tipped it over onto its side and the speed at which it had been travelling caused it to skid along the atepost The battered machine came to a sudden halt half in and half out of the forest Dazed, Croft lay still, slu in mid-air and held in position by his safety belt Beneath him lay the dead body of Paul Castle who had been thrown out of his seat by the force of the iainst the windscreen

Oozing blood lass around his lifeless face Croft ed to lift his head and open his eyes momentarily He are of an to beat against the shattered windscreen he lost consciousness