[Time Hunters 01.0] The Time Hunters

by carl ashmore

  ‘It’s a digging tool.’ Uncle Percy disappeared into the palm trees. ‘Follow me.’

  Becky and Joe trailed close behind. As the soft sand merged into hard topsoil, they found themselves in a dense forest surrounded by ferns and conifer trees. After a few minutes of walking, Joe spoke, ‘Where we going?’

  ‘We’re visiting an old friend of mine, Uncle Percy replied. ‘I call him Harold.’

  ‘A time traveller?’ Becky asked, although somehow she knew she wasn’t going to be that lucky.

  ‘A Megalosaurus.’

  Becky’s stomach sank. She had no idea what a Megalosaurus was, but judging by the size of the gun in Uncle Percy’s hands, she knew it wouldn’t be small and fluffy. Then she saw something that made her feel sick. Propped between two trees, like the leftovers of a gigantic Christmas dinner, were the bloody remains of a dinosaur; small remnants of flesh hung from its bones and hundreds of flies buzzed around it.

  Becky stifled a wretch.

  Joe, on the other hand, was fascinated. ‘That was a Stegosaurus, right?’

  ‘Excellent, Joe,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘Harold’s breakfast, I imagine.’

  ‘That’s gross,’ Becky slurred, covering her nose with her hand.

  Uncle Percy came to a sudden halt. He raised his hand, gesturing them to stop. ‘We’re here…’

  Becky froze. Glancing back at the Stegosaurus, she thought the Bio-rifle wasn’t anywhere near big enough.

  Uncle Percy buried the butt of the rifle into his shoulder. His eyes glanced from side to side, and he waited. Seconds passed.

  Just then, Becky heard movement from the undergrowth. Her stomach lurched with terror as a giant head appeared. Steadily, the Megalosaurus rose to its full height, arched its neck and roared deafeningly.

  ‘Hi, Harold,’ Uncle Percy took aim. ‘Bye, Harold.’ He fired. A huge dart pierced the dinosaur’s neck. The Megalosaurus froze with shock. Then it staggered to the left and fell backwards, crashing into the ferns behind.

  ‘A-awesome,’ Joe stammered, half-impressed, half-petrified.

  Becky’s face had turned the colour of porridge.

  ‘Right,’ Uncle Percy said calmly, throwing the rifle to the ground. ‘We have precisely twenty minutes. I suggest we get busy.’

  ‘That sure looks like a T Rex?’ Joe blustered.

  ‘Well, they are very much alike, Joe,’ Uncle Percy said, swinging the Molivator into position. ‘Tyrannosaurus Rex was slightly bigger, of course, and relatively more intelligent, but there are similarities. In point of fact, the Megalosaurus was the very first recorded fossil ever discovered in 1676… Are you okay, Becky?’

  Becky let out a muffled squeak. Now was not the time for a history lesson.

  ‘She’s fine,’ Joe said.

  Uncle Percy entered two digits onto the Molivator’s keypad. ‘Three hundred feet down should do the trick. Now, stand well back, please.’

  Becky watched as eight paddles emerged from the Molivator’s outer shell, until it resembled a spider wearing flippers. Then with a clack, the paddles rotated at incredible speed. Faster and faster they spun. They attacked the earth and started to dig.

  In no time at all, it had disappeared beneath the ground, scattering heavy chunks of soil at Becky’s feet. Within minutes, a mound of earth the size of a small haystack had formed. The Molivator crawled out and fell still.

  ‘There we go,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘Joe, Becky, would you do the honours?’ And he passed over the kitbag.

  Hesitantly, Joe took it. ‘May we have a peek first?’ he asked tentatively.

  ‘Of course, but be quick. Harold will be waking up soon.’

  Becky’s eyes flitted from the unconscious Megalosaurus to the bag. Then she knelt down next to Joe, who slowly unzipped it. Becky and Joe looked down at the Fleece, their features bathed in a golden hue.

  Becky’s heart fluttered. She had never seen anything like it. It was magnificent. Stunning. The prettiest thing she had ever seen. However, she also knew what it represented. It was the reason her dad had been taken from her, the reason Bernard Preston and Milly had been murdered. For something so perfect, so exquisite, a great deal of evil trailed in its wake.

  ‘Wow!’ Joe breathed.

  ‘It’s beautiful,’ Becky said flatly.

  ‘You’re quite right, Becky. It is beautiful,’ Uncle Percy said, ‘beautiful and exceptionally dangerous. Come on, let’s get rid of it and get back to the Hall for those crumpets.’ He draped his long arms around their shoulders.

  Becky and Joe nodded. Zipping up the bag, they lifted it together and dropped it down the hole, watching as the bag plunged into a seemingly endless darkness.

  They didn’t hear it land.

  ‘Right, let’s clean this mess up,’ Uncle Percy said quickly. He recalibrated the Molivator and in a matter of minutes the hole had been refilled. Soon, they were back at the beach, standing before the campervan. As Uncle Percy loaded the equipment, they heard an angry growl drift over the trees.

  ‘Harold’s awake,’ Uncle Percy said.

  ‘Can we go now, please?’ Becky asked urgently.

  ‘Best had,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘He can run at over thirty five miles an hour.’

  Becky knocked Joe out of the way as she hurtled into the campervan.

  Moments later, Uncle Percy was resetting Bertha’s time-pad. ‘Do you want to see where the Fleece is buried?’ he asked. ‘In our time, I mean.’

  ‘Yes, please,’ Joe said.

  ‘Whatever. Just do it quick…’ Becky said, casting an anxious eye at the jungle.

  ‘Okey dokey,’ Uncle Percy said. ’I think you’re going to like this...’

  - Chapter 34 -

  London Calling

  Bertha materialised on a long street in Central London. The immediate area was deserted and a dull sun framed a large and very impressive building. It was the building that caught Becky’s eye. A building she had seen many times before. ‘You-are-kidding-me?’ she said, flabbergasted.

  ‘Not at all,’ Uncle Percy said with a grin. ‘162 million years ago this was Harold’s lair, and this is where the Golden Fleece is buried to this very day.’

  Joe’s expression turned from surprise to wild delight. ‘U-n-b-e-l-i-e-v-a-b-l-e!’

  They were staring at Buckingham Palace.

  ‘Unbelievable, but true,’ Uncle Percy replied. ‘I’d like to see Emerson Drake go digging under that.’ Becky and Joe laughed. ‘Now, if you don’t mind there are a couple of things I have to do, and I can only do them alone. But if you would just stand over there.’ He pointed at the curb. ‘I’ll be back in two ticks and half a jiffy.’

  ‘What things?’ Becky asked curiously.

  ‘Just a couple of mercy missions,’ Uncle Percy replied, fumbling through the glove compartment. He pulled out an assortment of small metallic objects and a small bottle filled with amber liquid. ‘Out you go, quick as you can.’

  Becky and Joe followed his instructions. They had just enough time to cast each other a puzzled look, before Bertha vanished.

  Joe turned to his sister. ‘What’s he doing?’

  Becky shrugged. ‘I have no idea.’

  Before either of them had time to wonder why they were standing alone in the middle of London, the campervan reappeared.

  ‘All done,’ Uncle Percy said, his face slightly redder than before. Leaping out of the van, he skipped over to Becky and gave her an unexpected and somewhat jubilant hug.

  ‘Where’ve you been? Becky asked, puzzled. ‘And what’s done?’ Then she noticed he was sporting a quarter inch of stubble on his chin. ‘And how long have you been gone?’ Before Uncle Percy could reply, she spied movement in the back of the campervan. She looked inside to see a huge pair of auburn eyes staring back at her. ‘MILLY!’ she cried.

  Joe’s mouth fell open.

  Uncle Percy slid the door slightly ajar. Becky raced over, heart pounding, and started patting Milly’s silky-soft forehead. Milly purred loudly and forced h
er head out further.

  Uncle Percy struggled to push her back inside. ‘Now, Milly, you’re not getting out,’ he said. ‘You’re not wearing an Invisiblator, and I don’t think the Metropolitan police, the Royal Family, or the Corgis, for that matter, would take kindly to a Sabre-tooth tiger charging down the Mall.’

  ‘B-b-but how?’ Becky stammered. ‘S-she was dead. I saw her die.’

  ‘Not exactly - well, yes, in one timeline, I suppose she may have been dead, but not really… I could change it.’ Uncle Percy sounded almost as confused as Becky. ‘The Omega Effect never occurred, you see...’

  Becky and Joe glanced at each other, more bewildered than ever.

  Uncle Percy sighed. ‘Er, let’s just say that fate allowed me to save her. When I rushed to her in the caves I believed, as you did, that Drake had killed her. But when I stroked her she was breathing. I also felt tiny blood-packs and remnants of micro-squibs. She had been rigged to look like she’d been shot, but was, in actual fact, alive. Still unconscious from the Hydra battle, but very much alive. Therefore, I deduced that in the future I must have been able to go back and make it look like Drake had shot her. That’s why I was so happy when we went outside. I would’ve only been able to go back if we’d survived in the first place.’ He scanned Becky and Joe’s blank faces.

  Eventually Becky thought she’d better say something. ‘Err, how?’

  ‘I travelled back to the Red Caves just after Drake first appeared. Remember when he was pointing a gun at the two of you and boasting he was not alone - how he’d got so many guns? Just before you socked him one around the chops.’ He smiled proudly at Becky. ‘Do you remember?’

  ‘Yeah,’ Becky and Joe said in unison.

  ‘Well soon after that I abducted the young man Drake took the rifle from, and injected him with Sodium Mentantathol, so he would forget everything. Then I loaded his gun with blanks. That’s why when you saw him in the caves he looked so disheveled. Are you with me?’

  Becky and Joe nodded.

  ‘Then I went back to Bowen Hall, to Milly, and fitted her with the micro-squibs. After that I travelled back to the Red Caves and triggered them to explode at the precise moment he shot her. Do you understand?’ He smiled weakly.

  Becky shook her head. ‘No. D’you, Joe?’

  ‘Haven’t a clue.’

  Uncle Percy was about to explain again when Becky interrupted, ‘But it really doesn’t matter … Milly’s alive, that’s all that counts.’

  ‘Yes, it is.’ Uncle Percy said, looking relieved he didn’t have to tell the whole story again.

  Then, just behind Milly’s left shoulder, Becky saw something else move. There was another animal in the van. ‘Is there -’

  ‘Oh, yes,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘I think Bowen Hall has a new resident. A rather special resident.’

  Becky peered over Milly’s shoulder. She saw a small white creature looking nervously back at her. ‘Pegasus…’ she exhaled.

  ‘I thought she might prefer a new home, and a new owner, for that matter,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘Please don’t tell Annabel.’

  ‘It was you I saw at the Palace?’ Becky said, astounded. ‘You were rescuing her?’

  ‘Something like that,’ Uncle Percy said.

  Then something occurred to Joe. ‘The fire in King Minos’ Palace, was that you?’

  Uncle Percy nodded. ‘Yes, Joe, I needed a diversion. But there was no fire, just a smoke pellet.’

  Pegasus edged forward and allowed Becky to stroke her. Becky shivered as her fingers caressed the horse’s soft fur. ‘And she can live at Bowen Hall?’

  ‘Of course. And you can visit her whenever you want,’ Uncle Percy replied. ‘In fact, I’d like you to do me a small favour if you would, Becky. I’d like you to be her keeper. Certainly until you have to return to Manchester. If you don’t mind, that is.’

  ‘I don’t mind,’ Becky said softly. ‘I don’t mind at all.’

  ‘Good,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘That’s settled then. And when she’s older, I’ll attach an Invisiblator to her so she can take to the skies whenever she wants, and no one will be any the wiser.’

  Becky turned sideways so Joe couldn’t see the tear that rolled down her cheek.

  ‘Now, I think it’s time we went home, don’t you?’ Uncle Percy said. ‘I think we’ve earned a nice, quiet summer holiday, don’t you?’

  ‘Yes,’ Becky agreed.

  ‘Absolutely,’ Joe said.

  Becky and Joe clambered through the side doors, squeezing onto the back seats, next to an overexcited Milly and a rather nervy Pegasus. Becky reached over and gently cupped the tiny horse in her arms. ‘Uncle Percy?’

  ‘Yes, Becky?’

  ‘Can we drive home?’ she said. ‘You know, the normal way.’

  ‘Of course we can. It will take slightly longer but - ’

  ‘- But time isn’t really an issue,’ Becky grinned.

  Uncle Percy chuckled. ‘It certainly isn’t.’ He started Bertha’s engine. ‘Oh, and Joe… remember I once told you there was a traveller who kept returning to 1966 to watch England win the World Cup.’

  ‘Yes,’ Joe said.

  ‘That was John.’

  A broad smile crossed Joe’s face. ‘Cool…’

  ‘And one more thing, Becky…’ Uncle Percy searched through his cloak pocket. ‘I think this belongs to you.’ He reached over and held out his hand.

  A delicious shiver shot up Becky’s back. In his palm, coiled like a thin snake, lay her lucky pendant. It looked as good as new - the Suman Stone was securely fixed again and gleamed like an emerald star. She looped it over her neck. ‘Thank you. Thank you so much.’

  ‘My pleasure,’ Uncle Percy replied, facing forward. Pressing his foot on the accelerator, he steered Bertha away from the curb. She gathered speed and rambled into the distance.

  Becky allowed the gentle silence to wash over her. Taking lingering looks at Joe, Milly, Pegasus and finally Uncle Percy, her heart swelled with pride and contentment. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this happy. Her father was alive; Milly was alive; and she would be the keeper to the most beautiful animal to have ever walked the earth. And, for the first time in her life, she found herself thinking about her own future. She didn’t know what it held. She didn’t want to know. But there was one thing about which she felt certain.

  Her adventure had only just begun.

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  My Other Books

  The Time Hunters and the Box of Eternity

  The Time Hunters and the Spear of Destiny

  The Time Hunters and the Sword of Ages

  The Time Hunters and the Lost City

  Bernard and the Bibble

  The Night They Nicked Saint Nick

  I can be contacted at carlashmore@mailcity.com

  Visit my website: www.carlashmore.com