‘I’ve thought about it over and over and still can’t figure out how I got out of there alive.’ He paused. ‘I’m afraid there’s not much else to my story than that.’
Frederick nodded and then looked at the farmer who had invited him in. ‘I understand you have had a series of strange occurrences on this farm.’
The man nodded. ‘We’ve had sheep and cattle go missing from the sheds.’ ‘One cow herd was found over ten miles away.’ Moore added.
‘And you’ve no idea how they got there?’ Cones asked.
‘No.’ The Farmer shook his head. ‘The shed door was bolted, there’s no way they could have got out. Or could have walked ten miles in the time that they did.’
‘Any other witnesses to these events?’ Frederick asked.
‘Mr Pearson the Farmer who discovered the cows. He also had two prize horses taken, haven’t seen them since.’
The main door suddenly opened and a young man burst in out of breath. ‘Mr Richards.’ He panted. ‘They’re gone again.’
The Farmer sprang to his feet. ‘What?’
‘All the cattle, they’ve got out of the shed.’
‘For Christ sake!’ Richards shouted heading for the door, grabbing a torch.
Moore stood and followed the farmer out of the door and headed in a different direction.
‘I’ll go and see to the shires.’
‘Better get the torches from the Car.’ Cones advised.
When they arrived at a large building Frederick and Cones could see the doors to the cattle shed had been left wide open.
‘Shit!’ Richards seethed looking back at the young farmhand. ‘You better not be lying to me. If you’ve left these doors open then my boot will be up your backside.’
The farmhand shook his head rigorously. ‘No Mr Richards honestly, I did as you said, I came out here to check the shed and found the doors wide open.’
Moore came running up to the group. ‘The Shires have gone?’ He announced.
‘Fuck!’ Richards screamed at the top of his voice. ‘This isn’t happening!’ He looked back at the farmhand. ‘Go and check the road, they couldn’t have got far.’ He then looked at Moore. ‘Go and check to see if the shires haven’t wandered off to the back gate.’
‘Excuse me.’ Cones said. ‘What are shires?’
‘Horses.’ Frederick answered noting the look on Richards’ face.
The Farmer entered the cattle shed swaying his torch left to right. Cones examined the bolt at the door. ‘Professor take a look at this.’ He insisted.
Frederick stared at what used to be a sliding bolt. He touched it. ‘Looks like it’s been melted.’
‘It solid iron, you need a lot of heat to cause this kind of damage.’
Frederick and Cones stepped into the cattle shed. The farmer was searching every corner of the shed. He walked up to the two men rubbing his hand through his hair. ‘They’re gone, they’re all bloody gone!’
The farmhand came back into the shed. ‘The main gate is locked Mr Richards, there’s no way the cattle could have got out.’ ‘Shit!’ Richards cursed.
‘Besides the front and back gates are there any other exits on and off this farm?’ Cones asked.
Richards shook his head. ‘No, I replaced all the fencing last September.’ He looked out of the main shed doors into the farmyard. ‘What the hell is that?’
Frederick, Cones and the farmhand turned staring at the sight in front of them. Heavy snow fell from the sky, but it was glowing green.
Richards walked slowly towards the shed’s entrance and out into the farmyard.
Frederick followed with Cones and the farmhand close behind. He looked into the sky at the glowing flakes as they fell.
‘What’s the verdict Professor?’ Cones asked.
Frederick shook his head slowly. ‘I have no idea what’s causing this.’ He held out his hand to let a flake fall onto his palm. The flake acted as he expected, melting within seconds of landing on his warm hand.
All three men joined Richards in the farmyard. The snow fell steadily out of the sky. ‘We better see what happened to Johnny.’ He said turning.
A dark figure appeared out of nowhere.
‘Johnny thank god….’ Richards didn’t get the chance to say anything else.
Frederick looked on in horror as the prongs of a pitchfork were thrust into the farmer with force. Richards let out a gurgling scream. His assailant withdrew the pitchfork and Richards dropped like a lead weight.
John Moore stared at the three remaining man who glared back in. His eyes glowed green as he held the bloodied pitchfork. ‘We are the purge!’ He said. ‘We are the purge!’ He said loudly again.
The farmhand turned to run but barely had time to put one leg in front of the other. ‘Jesus fucking Christ!’ He screamed.
Cones and Frederick spun and looked at what the young man had seen. A hulk of a figure stood several feet away. Ten feet in height the humanoid stared at the group. Clad in dull silver looking material. The glowing snow sparked when a flake made contact with its body. The creature appeared to have glowing blue veins throughout its entire frame, with flashes of light which seemed to pulsate throughout the body. It wore what looked to be some sort of helmet, with a black visor.
‘We are the Purge!’
Frederick looked at the door to the farmhouse. ‘This way!’ he cried.
Cones and the farmhand followed him through the door of the farmhouse.
Chapter 30
The Standoff
5:43pm
Frederick slid the bolt across the door. ‘Does the farmer keep any shotguns?’ He asked with a sense of urgency.
The farmhand just stared at the door.
Frederick grabbed him. ‘Listen to me! What’s your name?’
‘David.’ He answered shakily. ‘David Thomson.’
‘Ok David.’ Frederick said as calmly as possible. ‘Does Mr Richards have any shotguns?’ Thomson nodded and looked at a cupboard near the door.
Cones marched over to the cupboard. ‘Bingo!’
The cupboard contained four double barrelled shotguns, but only one box of cartridges. Cones counted the contents of the box.
Frederick approached the cupboard. ‘How many?’
‘Sixteen.’
‘Is that all?’
‘We’ve been using them for shooting rabbits and foxes and stuff. Mr Richards was supposed to go out and get some more today.’ Thomson began to cry.
Frederick looked over at him. He grabbed one of the shotguns from the cupboard and walked over to Thomson. He held out the shotgun. ‘David I need you to listen to me very carefully. We are going to hold out until daylight then we’ll make a run for it.’
Thomson looked at the clock with dismay. ‘It’s only a quarter to six. It doesn’t get light in these parts until eight o’clock.’ Thomson looked out of the window at the glowing snow which fell heavily outside.
‘It’s ok David, we’ll get through this.’
Thomson blew his nose into his sleeve and took the gun.
‘Professor may I have a word?’ Cones called out.
Both men walked into the living room. ‘What’s the matter?’
‘I didn’t want to say anything in front of the boy.’
Frederick looked at him. ‘Have you encountered that thing before?’
Cones shook his head. ‘No, but three years ago when Project Blue Book was set up, we were given access to case files for study.’
‘And?’
Majestic had someone inside Russia handing secrets back to CIA agents in Moscow. Me and Jack came across a file regarding an incident in 1948. A creature matching the description of our friend out there attacked a scientific expedition in Russia.’
‘Where in Russia.’
‘Tunguska.’ Cones replied. ‘I recall a name in the file we looked at, Dmitri Kirov.’
Frederick thoughts focused on Dmitri Kirov. ‘It explains why he wants out of the UK, he still has information M
ajestic will find valuable.’ He looked at Cones. ‘Anything else?’
‘No.’ Cones replied.
‘We are the Purge.’ Frederick repeated the words of Moore.
I wonder what that’s supposed to mean?’
‘To remove opponents or people considered undesirable from a state or organization.’ Frederick replied.
‘You mean our new found friend out there is planning some kind of attack?’
Frederick shook his head slowly. ‘I do not know.’ He looked at Cones. ‘How many rounds do you have in your revolver?’
Cones slipped his gun from its holster and checked the barrel. ‘A full house.’ He revealed.
‘Still not enough against whatever that thing is.’
‘Sorry Professor I didn’t expect to encounter any hostile aliens.’
Frederick nodded and walked over towards the living room window. The creature stood in the middle of the farmyard staring towards the farmhouse. ‘I think it’s going to be a long night.’
Chapter 31
11:23pm
‘I’m afraid that’s the last of the wood.’ Thomson announced. ‘Unless one of you wants to take a trip to the woodshed.’
‘We’ll be fine.’ Frederick said.
‘I’ll go and see if there are any blankets upstairs.’ Thomson offered.
Cones walked over to the fire to warm his hands. He looked about the kitchen. ‘Unusual to see a fire in the kitchen.’
‘This farmhouse is quite old.’ Frederick said. ‘Tudor judging by the wood panelling in the living room.’
Cones looked out of the window. The glowing snow continued to fall. ‘How long do you suppose that thing is going to wait?’
‘If it is intelligent enough it will leave before daylight arrives. Although it might try and smoke us out before daylight.’
There’s got to be four foot of snow out there by now, if it keeps on falling then we’re stuck here.’
‘I noticed some cooked meat in the cupboard so we won’t starve for the time being.’
Thomson walked back into the kitchen with an arm full of blankets. ‘There are loads more upstairs, so we won’t have to worry about getting cold...’ He stopped and looked towards the door.
A loud knocking pounded the heavy door.
Frederick grabbed the shotgun off the table.
‘Help me!’ A faint voice cried from outside.
‘That’s Mr Richards!’ Thomson dropped the blankets and headed towards the door.
‘Help me, please!’ The voice called out. Thomson reached for the iron bolt.
‘Wait!’ Frederick shouted.
Thomson hesitated looking back at Frederick. ‘That’s Mr Richards, he’s ok, he’s still alive.’ He said with excitement.
Cones trained his gun on the door.
‘Help me!’
Thomson slid the bolt back.
‘No!’ Frederick shouted.
The door burst open and before Thomson could react the blade of a scythe had embedded itself in his chest. Blood erupted from the wound. Thomson let out a painful gasp, trying to clench the blade of the scythe but his body fell limp. The curved blade acted like a fishing hook and Thomson’s body was wrenched through the door.
Frederick placed himself several feet away from the door pointing the shotgun out into the farmyard. Thomson’s twitching corpse was dragged through the snow. A bloodied streak followed his body which was being dragged by Richards who briefly looked back at Frederick.
Like Moore, his eyes also glowed green.
Cones made a dash for the door and slammed it shut pulling the bolt back across.
Frederick seemed frozen clenching the shotgun.
‘Professor give me a hand!’ Cones ordered as he took one end of the heavy kitchen table. ‘Professor!’
Frederick snapped out of his temporary trance and rushed over. Both men pushed the table against the kitchen door.
‘This is crazy.’ Cones panted. ‘Son of a bitch is picking us off one by one.’
‘We have to get out of here.’ Frederick announced.
‘I’m open to suggestions.’
‘Right now Agent Cones I have none.’
Chapter 32
Richards Farm – The Peak District – 2:05am
Wednesday 26th January 1955
Frederick and Cones huddled together. Despite the amount of blankets they had the temperature was plummeting.
Cones shivered. ‘I don’t get it, with all these layers we should be warm.’
’I know, I’ve been going over it in my mind.’
‘What’s the diagnosis?’ Cones asked.
‘It has to be something connected with that creature out there. It’s somehow making our body temperatures fall.’
‘So instead of being impaled on some medieval farm tool we’re going to freeze to death.’
Frederick pulled the blankets tight around him nodding. ‘Yes.’
Cones stared at the fireplace. ‘Funny I convinced myself I was meant for better things, not this.’
Frederick glanced at him.
‘Just after Jack died I received a visit from our friend Janus.’
‘What!’
‘I haven’t told a soul until now. I guess because we’re in this predicament I may as well say something. Janus had shown Jack his future during our first encounter with him at Stoke Lacy.’
‘The incident in Paris.’
Cones nodded. ‘Jack knew all along he was going to die. After the Stoke Lacy encounter Jack refused to speak about what Janus had shown him.’
‘Did he show you anything other than what happened on Omaha beach?’
‘No, but I suspect he wants to.’
‘What did he say exactly?’
‘He revealed that Jack had given his life because that’s what he was meant to and that I would be reunited with you.’
Frederick nodded. ‘I encountered Janus a few weeks back and he said that our destinies are intertwined.’
‘You didn’t tell Majestic about your meeting?’
Frederick looked at him. ‘Did you?’
Cones shook his head. ‘I’ve learned that they don’t need to know everything.’
Frederick shivered pulling his blanket tight around him.
‘We can’t sit here and freeze.’ Cones said. ‘There must be a way out of here.’
‘No.’ Frederick replied, his teeth chattering. ‘The kitchen door is the only way out. After that it’s a mad dash across the Farmyard avoiding that creature and his three minions. Even if we do break out the snow is too thick to drive the car. We’ll freeze to death before we get to the village.’
‘I don’t know about you Professor but I’d rather die trying than just sit here and turn into an ice cube. I think we can make it to the village. We’ll get back to the guesthouse and call the cavalry.’
Frederick thought about Cones’ plan. Should they die in this farmhouse, or the farmyard, or out on the road. His thoughts turned to Elizabeth and his two children. Their smiling faces looked up at him willing him to get to his feet. ‘Ok.’ He shivered. ‘We’ll make a break for it.’
Cones smiled at Frederick. ‘I like your attitude Professor.’
Both men hauled the table away from the door. They had put on some extra layers of clothing they had found, but the temperature continued to drop sharply. Frederick felt tired, his entire body yearned for sleep. But Frederick knew it wasn’t sleep his body desired, but death as hyperthermia began to take hold.
Cones clasped the bolt on the door. ‘The first person to come through that door, you blow them away.’ He ordered looking at Frederick.
Cones slid the bolt back and yanked open the oak door.
Frederick barely had time to react as a set of glowing green eyes burst through the door. Frederick caught sight of a pitchfork which now came lunging towards him. A gunshot rang out and the attacker’s head exploded. Frederick felt the splatter of ice cold blood on his cheeks.
‘Come on!’ Cones cried o
ut, leaping through the door.
Frederick jumped over the corpse briefly looking down. He had just killed Thomson the young farmhand. Grief didn’t have time to set in, Frederick saw another figure lunging towards Cones. He let off another round shattering the right leg of what used to be Richards who was clutching the scythe. The lower half of Richards’ leg lay in the snow and Richards fell face down.
‘We are the purge!’ A voice boomed.
Frederick and Cones stood their ground as John Moore marched like a robot towards them. His eyes glowed green. ‘We are the Purge!’
Cones took aim at Moore’s head. ‘And I am your worst fucking nightmare.’ He said pulling the trigger.
Half of Moore’s head disintegrated, but he kept coming.
‘We are the purge!’
Cones stepped back to distance himself. He squeezed off another round hitting Moore squarely in the chest. For a moment Moore stopped dead in his tracks. What remained of his head looked down at the hole in his chest. He started to march relentlessly towards Cones again who had drawn his revolver.
Frederick tried desperately to reload the shotgun, but his hands were too cold and the gun fell from his grip.
Cones fired his gun directly at Moore who advanced rapidly, his one remaining eye glowing blue. ‘DROP, YOU SON OF A BITCH!’ Cones screamed, firing off all his rounds in his revolver.
Moore grabbed Cones’ Jacket and flung the American several feet into the air.
Cones landed on a snow drift. He looked up to see Moore reaching for his throat. Cones felt an iron grip around his neck squeezing the life out of him. His eyes closed, a warm breeze enveloped him. Cones opened his eyes again and found himself back on Omaha beach in Normandy.
Cones looked around at the carnage of war. Shells exploding up and down the beach, mixed with the screams of dying and wounded soldiers. His brother Michael was staring back at him pointing towards the gun emplacement. ‘Frank we can do this, we take out those German bastards and make a break for the grassland beyond the beach.’
Cones looked beyond the gun emplacement at a shimmering light. A figure stood in the light waving. At first Cones’ couldn’t make out who it was, but the light dimmed and Cones stared at his partner Jack baker.
The Angel Conspiracy (The Angel Cronicles Book 2) Page 8
