“What, Stonehenge?”
“Yes, the one that is South from here.” Blondie paused for a moment before continuing. “The Spiritual energy at Avebury boosted my consciousness enough to allow for a telepathic link to a phased Beam ship that had been awaiting our arrival.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, there was one of your ships there?” Archie wasn’t best pleased with the revelation. “Why didn’t they help us?”
“They would have been destroyed. You saw the Battle Cruiser. It didn’t just turn up when it did; it was there the whole time. It only revealed itself as a show of force - probably to encourage us to surrender. There is no chance a single Beam ship could win in a fight against it. It was better to make contact and arrange another rendezvous point. That is why we must go to the other Circle.”
The engine was screaming as Archie drove like a mad man. Hitting the T junction at the end of the track, he swung the vehicle right onto the A4. He knew that Stonehenge was directly South of their current location and about fifteen miles as the crow flies. They would be there in no time. He just had to keep heading South until he hit the A303 and head West, take the right fork onto the A344, and the Stones would come up on the Left. Or alternatively, stay on the A303, and they would come up on the right, but that would mean they would have a longer trek across the field to get to them. Fuck it, we’ll take the shorter walk.
“Okay, so what happens if we get to the Stones to find more enemy are waiting for us? I mean, it must be pretty obvious to them where we’re heading. What if there’s another Cruiser there?” Archie was naturally concerned about the ship.
“Things are being prepared for that eventuality,” Blondie replied, but he didn’t elaborate any further.
“I hope you’re right, mate, or we’re dead men.”
The roads were pretty much all winding country lanes, which suited Archie down to the ground. He had trained extensively on this kind of driving through the Ambulance Service, and any pursuer would have to be going some to catch them. Using the system of car control, he was taking the sweeping bends at 70 – 80 mph, doing so with ease. If there was one thing he was really good at, it was throwing a motor about at speed. In his younger days, he’d even been offered a job as a getaway driver for one of Joey’s crews, which he’d politely declined.
Blondie was a terrible back seat driver. He was gripping the dashboard and pushing his feet into the footwell so hard that Archie thought he was trying to do a Barney Rubble and stop the vehicle with his great big feet.
“Relax, you doughnut,” Archie said, laughing at the Pleiadian’s terrified look. “I can drive. I just want to put as much distance between them and us as possible.”
Archie’s amusement vanished in an instant as he heard the distant sound of rota blades again. He was really beginning to hate those things. Looking out of the window, he saw it approaching from the right. The road they were travelling on had forced them to go East, and he hoped that was the direction that the helicopter would report them heading in, rather than the Southerly direction they needed to go in. The closer it got, the more obvious it became that the jig was up, they had been found. The firearms they had weren’t enough to bring it down.
“How powerful is your laser thingy?” Archie asked over the noise. “Can it bring down that helicopter?”
“Yes, but I am forbidden to harm humans. That is why I wanted you to engage them during the fight.” Blondie’s voice was solemn, as though he knew the statement would piss the Earth Born off.
As they got to another T junction, Archie slammed on the brakes and brought the vehicle to a stop. “What the fuck are you talking about? Can’t harm humans? They’re going to KILL us!” he shouted.
“I cannot do I…” Blondie started to reply, but Archie cut him off.
“Set the thing up and give it here. You might not be able to kill people, but I fucking can,” he exclaimed as he got out of the car.
As he got to the passenger side door, Blondie opened it and handed the remote to Archie and showed him what button to press. The Pleiadian’s words were ringing in his ears, “Don’t miss – it uses a lot of energy and takes several minutes to recharge.”
I won’t fucking miss, he thought as he ran to the side of the road and hid in a bush. Within seconds, the helicopter was hovering just to the South, no more than fifty feet away. From his hidey hole, Archie took aim through the holographic sights that popped up from the screen and pressed the button; the weapons discharge was unexpected and threw him backwards. He landed on his bruised arse… again! As he picked himself up, there was a massive explosion as the chopper impacted the ground and was engulfed in a fireball.
“Good shot,” Blondie said as Archie got back into the driver’s seat. “Though, I am surprised that you actually hit it,” he added as the remote landed on his lap.
“So am I, but fuck it, it’s done. Now let’s double back to the right, and we’ll be heading South again” Archie replied, as he hit the accelerator causing Blondie to resume his, Brace for impact position. This brought another smile to Archie’s face.
The clock said it was fast approaching 7 am, it would be daybreak soon, they could already see the sky getting lighter in the East. Archie was starting to doubt the plan, but the optimist in him was saying that daylight would hinder the enemy as well as them. They’d just have to wait and see what happens.
As Archie turned onto the A345, compulsion told him to slow the vehicle right down. This was the road that would lead them to the roundabout, from which they would take the A303 to Stonehenge. As he approached the junction, they saw that the traffic was beginning to build up. He tried to blend in with the other motorists, but around three hundred yards from the roundabout, traffic slowed to a crawl and eventually came to a stop. He was torn between getting out of the car to have a look up the road, or whether to stay put. Getting out might give them away if there was a roadblock up ahead, but not getting out might leave them severely limited in what action they could take if there were some sort of checkpoint. In the end, he just hopped out and had a look; the risk in not knowing what was ahead was just too high.
“Bollocks! There’s a military roadblock up there,” he said after getting back in. “We won’t get through without a fight.”
“That is not good news,” Blondie replied, clearly disappointed. “What do you think we should do.”
“Well. We’re not turning around,” Archie said with confidence. “We’ve got somewhere to be, and we’re going to get there, one way or another.”
The map told him that there was nowhere else to go. It was evident that taking any other route would be pointless, there would be checkpoints on all access roads around the Henge, so they might as well front this one out. There was nothing else for it.
“We’re going to run into these roadblocks no matter what way we go.” Archie started before pausing for a moment, he knew that Blondie wasn’t going to like the new plan, but there was no other choice. “We’re going to have to fight our way through, mate. They would have closed off the 303 in both directions around the Stones, so logically, there should be two checkpoints North and South of the roundabout. If you look at the junction, there are a load of trees, and big bushes that block the view to the South. That should give us enough cover to hit the Northern roadblock without the other one seeing us. Then we’ll go through the junction and hit the second checkpoint. We’ll have to do this as quietly as possible, but once we’re through, it’s just a case of staying on the 303 to the Stones. What do you think?”
“I am not sure about this, Archie,” he said. “It sounds like a lot of people are going to die.”
“I really can’t see any other way, Blondie. It doesn’t matter what way we go, someone is going to die, and as long as it’s not you or me, I’m good with it. At least if we do it here, they can’t bring in the Draco because of all the civilians.” Archie was racking his brains, but he just couldn’t find another way. “Are you still going on about killing humans? If it comes to
it, I’ll do this on my own, but this is the way forward. Anyway, what happened to protecting me at all costs?”
“That order stood until contact with you was made. Now that it has, the order has been rescinded, and I am expendable, remember?” Blondie replied.
“Well, I can see your logic, but it’s rubbish. There’s another way to look at it; what’s the point of keeping me alive just until the point of contact? I am about to put us into a situation that could see us both killed so contact would have been a complete waste of time. So you might as well have a say in its outcome. Besides, you said earlier that you have to follow my orders and my orders are simple – keep us both alive by any means necessary. So that there is no confusion here, I’ll be specific – kill any human that needs to be killed so that we don’t die – end of story. You can’t get in trouble with the Council if I told you to kill, because their orders are for you to follow my orders. So, man the fuck up and do what I tell you to do.”
Blondie’s face told Archie that he wasn’t happy, but he seemed to get it. “I do not think that the Council will find that acceptable.”
“I don’t care what the Council thinks. If you’re right about why I’m involved, then they sanctioned my being here for a good reason, and with that, they have to accept that I will decide what is appropriate to accomplish the mission and ensure its security. Which, by the way, could be severely compromised all the time you’re on the ground. Furthermore, if they really have a problem with it all, then they will have to pull me out. You can also tell them that I will not accept any form of punishment that they might decide to place on you either.” Archie was serious; if this was all true, then he meant what he’d said. To place blame at Blondie’s door was unacceptable.
Since rescuing him from the crashed ship, Blondie had been emphasising Archie’s importance to the Pleiadian mission on Earth, and now the human was going to use it in his favour. To Archie, it was apparent that they were going to have to fight their way to the Stones, but he couldn’t do it alone; he needed Blondie to be able to kill people to achieve their goal.
“No one has ever defied the Council of Light, Archie.” Blondie had real concern in his voice.
“Well, I don’t like saying it, but I think it’s about time someone did,” he replied. “But if you think about it, I’m not actually defying them, I’m just doing what needs to be done to complete this part of the mission, and that is to get you home” he paused for a moment before speaking again. “Sometimes, we need to make sacrifices, and they will have to accept that this is part of my mission decision-making process, and if they can’t accept it, then that’s their problem. They’ll have to pull me out and start again. And we both know that could take another forty-odd year’s for the incarnation to come to fruition and by the looks of things, that’ll be too late.”
Blondie sat there in silence as he digested what the Earth Born had said, and while he did, Archie was planning how to deal with the checkpoint up ahead. Whatever he chose to do, he would have to be fast in doing it, as well as quiet. For the next ten minutes or so, he just watched the soldiers, noting their movements, their numbers, their reactions to the cars that approached, and their attitudes.
They certainly looked the part, in their military BDU’s, but they also looked overconfident. Though, there were probably a lot of people who would ooze confidence while wearing Battle Dress Uniforms, carrying rifles and stopping cars. The soldiers were chatting and joking as they waived cars East. Archie felt that they were not the same breed of soldier that he had encountered so far. No, definitely not specialists, he thought. They looked like regular squaddies, and he would have been surprised if these guys had any idea what they were really here for or what had happened over the last few days. If he had to bet, he would lay money that they didn’t even have any live ammunition in their weapons. Two guys were working the traffic and another two leaning against the jeep that was parked across the road that made up the checkpoint.
“Well?” he asked the Pleiadian. He had a plan but needed to know where he stood with Blondie.
“I will follow your commands,” he replied solemnly. It was clear that the Pleiadian didn’t like the idea of killing humans, but he was also resigned to the fact that there was no other way.
“Good. I’ve got an idea. All you have to do is be ready to react just in case I’m not quick enough, but by the look of this lot, I don’t think it’ll be a problem,” Archie said as Blondie nodded.
Before moving the vehicle forward, he checked that the pistol was good to go and that the silencer was in place. Then he laid the map across his lap and slid the fish knife between its pages. He was ready, he just had to wait for a line of traffic to build up at the checkpoint. He hoped that when he initiated the contact, the people in the cars would panic and start running around, looking for cover, or even better, try to drive through the roadblock…the more confusion, the better.
Several minutes passed before a small convoy of three cars passed them, Archie knew it was time as he pulled in behind the last vehicle. He drove slowly and deliberately as he psyched himself up. His mind raced as he thought about what lay in store; What if this? What if that? He tried to calm himself as he realised that the answers to his what if’s would be answered no matter how much he obsessed over the questions. He put it all aside as he pulled up to the small line of traffic and stopped the car, he needed to be in the moment, and not thinking of anything else.
As the soldier started talking through the drivers’ window of the first car in line, Archie got out with the map in his right hand, his fingertips between the pages, holding the base of the knife’s handle. His heart rate went through the roof as he started walking towards the front of the traffic. When he got to the second car back, he slipped in behind it and moved to the curb, heading towards the second squaddie, who wasn’t paying any attention whatsoever.
“Yeah, we’re doing an exercise, that’s why the road’s closed.” Archie heard the soldier say to the driver, as he got to the back of the first car. At the same time, he felt the Compulsion not to initiate the contact. He didn’t know why, but his intuition was screaming at him again. He followed the guidance and approached the squaddie on the curb with a big friendly smile on his face.
“Hello mate. What’s going on?” Archie asked politely.
“Exercise.” The minute the guy opened his mouth, Archie knew that the man was pissed off.
“You don’t seem too pleased about it.” Archie was using his best conversational tone.
“We’re not, mate. They dragged us out of bed at 3am for this. Where do you need to get to?” Although the soldier was pissed off, he was still trying to be helpful. Shame I might have to put a bullet in your head, Archie thought.
“We were going to have a look at the Heritage site, up the road there, but it looks like that’s out of the question now,” he answered in a friendly way. “I guess we’ll find a café, have some grub and go home.”
“Yeah, sorry. The site is shut for the day. I don’t even know why we’re here; we can’t even do anything around the place anyway, it’s protected land. This is nothing but a waste of time.” The guy spoke in a tone that made it clear he wasn’t a happy camper.
As the squaddie continued to moan, Archie was looking around to see if he could figure out why he had been Compelled to refrain from instigating the firefight. There, just on the other side of the jeep… Smithy. Archie couldn’t believe his eyes. Jason Smith had been one of Archie’s closest friends right up until the man joined the Army twenty years ago. According to Blondie, he was also an Earth Born Pleiadian. They had kept in touch over the years, but with work and family commitments, they weren’t as close as they once were. The last time Archie had seen Jason was at least four years ago when he was just about to leave the Army. Wait, I thought he left…
Was this synchronicity again, or was it just coincidence? No, it wasn’t a coincidence – it couldn’t have been. This was all happening for a reason. Jason’s eyes locked
onto Archie’s, it was clear that he had recognised his old friend, but Archie gave a quick shake of his head as if to say, You don’t know me. Smith got the message and gave the slightest of nods in return.
The difference between Jason and the other soldiers was as clear as day. If not by the clothes they wore but by the way they carried themselves. The others were wearing the standard military garb, while Jason was wearing blue jeans, a black T-shirt, and trainers; then there was the high-powered pistol he had strapped to his leg, that was definitely not standard issue, and neither was the short-barreled rifle in his hands. Archie had known for a long time that his friend had gone into the Special Forces, but he had never expected to see him at work. Wasn’t it against the law to deploy the military in combat roles on the streets of the UK outside of war? He couldn’t remember, and it didn’t matter.
“Okay, Dave I’ll deal with this,” Jase said to the soldier as he approached.
Archie turned his back to the motor and started walking back towards the people carrier as Jason fell into stride alongside him.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Archie asked, “I thought you were out.”
“I got a call from my old C.O saying I had been recalled. This is no exercise, we’re really on a terrorist job,” he said before adding. “Anyway, what the fuck are you doing here?”
“You’re not going to believe it, mate, but I’m the one you’re looking for,” Archie said quietly.
Jason stopped dead, “What? Why?”
“It’s a long story, but suffice to say, I’m in the shit. I can tell you it has nothing to do with terrorism.” Archie hesitated and debated whether he should tell the truth. “I was on a fishing trip, saw a few ufos. One crashed, I rescued the alien, and now the government and you won’t believe this, but the government and their own alien cronies are hunting us down. There’s a lot more to it, but I haven’t got time to explain.”
Jason studied Archie’s face before saying, “You don’t look stoned, have you been drinking?” He apparently thought Archie might have lost his mind. Why does everyone think I’m stoned whenever I tell them what’s going on? Archie thought before answering his own question. Probably because of my misspent youth. After all, he had been a party animal before life caught up with him.
Pleiadian Rescuer Page 18
