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enough to use the word instead of companionship, but he might as well have because every man in the room was looking lustfully from Sue to Lea to her. Where were the other five women on this base? Locked in some sex dungeon on some of Jack’s weird restraint beds? Her fingernails drummed the table as the captain spoke. She didn’t miss that his men wore the same dress code of a navy jacket, white shirt and black pants like the captain, others were in combat uniform. What she’d thought were a ragtag gang of men appeared to be a more cohesive unit.
    â€˜Now we come to the most popular part of the evening. The reward ceremony for the bravest and hardest working men,’ Jack said.
    Ruth watched as a couple of slabs of beer were carried out and placed on a nearby table. She was surprised to see these were still available, given how Australian men liked to drink. There were also cartons of cigarettes and a terrifying looking machine gun. No doubt the ultimate boy toy accessory.
    â€˜We’re well aware that the men who volunteer for extra braindead clearing patrols receive the best rewards. Armstrong. Stand. Vassar.’ The captain continued to call out names of the men Ruth had seen on patrol.
    The men stood and saluted their captain.
    â€˜We have a choice of rewards tonight. The alcohol cannot be consumed on duty but will be rewarded to you on your rest day. Lieutenant Armstrong. You haven’t had a day off in a month. We don’t know how many people fled the area when the virus took hold, but we do know that Mosman had a population of 26,000 people. Fortunately, we are well stocked with ammunition. The braindeads are gonna be eating bullets until every single one of them is gone and it is safe to walk the streets. You’ve shot more of them on patrol than any other man. Choose your reward.’
    Ruth recognised Armstrong as the man who had joked about her well-dressed cancer patient, the woman who had tried so hard to preserve her dignity. He’d also locked her and her friends up like animals with no more explanation other than, ‘captain’s orders’. He hadn’t even offered them water to wet their fear-parched throats. Though not as tall as the captain, he looked like he could have stepped out of The Sound of Music casting call as he stood there in his uniform with perfectly cropped, blond hair and ice-cool, blue eyes. She hoped he suffered one hell of a hangover if he selected the beer. Armstrong looked longingly at the alcohol before turning back to the captain. ‘I’ll take Lea, sir.’
    â€˜What!’ Ruth gasped.
    Lea stood, put her hand to her mouth but said nothing.
    â€˜As you wish, Armstrong. Your duty is to protect her with your life, honour her wishes and serve her to the best of your ability. Lea is the treasure of our base. Most importantly, she was working on a cure for this virus until her lab closed. Our lives, our hopes, our very futures lie in her hands.’
    The room erupted with loud cheers and applause.
    When the noise calmed down Armstrong saluted his captain, turned and walked towards Lea and took both of her hands. ‘Lea, I will give my life to protect and serve you.’
    Lea stood dumb-stuck staring up at Lieutenant Armstrong as if she couldn’t believe her ears. It dawned on Ruth that naturally shy Lea was getting more male attention than she’d probably had in her whole life. No wonder she was shell-shocked. At twenty-five, she’d quietly confessed to Ruth she was still a virgin.
    Someone had to stop this madness. This crazy male-dominated system that put women on a par with beer or a fancy gun. It made a mockery of everything Ruth had strived to achieve in her own life, all the long hours at medical school and later in the hospital treating bashed women in the trauma section, working with the social work team to organise counselling and a shelter place for them, so they could learn not to accept ill-treatment