‘We’re here to offer help regarding the recent deaths of Mr and Mrs Jones.’
‘Really, would you care to explain since you and the Air Ministry showed up three people have died?’
‘Believe me Sir Ingles the Air Ministry is just as shocked as everyone else and wish to get to the bottom of this matter.’
‘What a load of bollocks.’ Ingles shot back. ‘You just want to know more about their UFO encounter which is why you have come to see me.’
‘Well you did have the most contact with them.’ Frederick said with a defensive tone. ‘And with all due respect Sir William you did throw them out of your castle when Mr Jones refused to cooperate any more with your questioning.’
‘So what are you suggesting Professor that I was responsible for their deaths?’ Ingles said in a raised voice.
‘No I’m not, but perhaps if you would have given them a bit of a rest bite from your constant prodding then they would have stayed in the safety of your castle.’
‘How dare you, get out immediately!’ Ingles Exploded.
Wilks stepped forward. ‘Gentlemen that’s enough! Playing the blame game will not get us anywhere.’ He looked at Ingles. ‘Please Sir William we need the keys to the Jones’ cottage so that we may be able to look for clues to what happened.’
Ingles seemed to calm down. ‘The police have already been over the place thoroughly, and it’s obvious what happened, Mrs Jones collapsed last week and died as a result of some kind of haemorrhage. Overcome with grief her husband took his own life on Saturday.’
Wilks nodded. ‘I’m sure the police have been thorough in their investigation, but it won’t hurt if we have a look as well.’ He smiled at Ingles, who eventually nodded.
Chapter 33
2:32pm
Frederick turned the key in the front door of the terraced cottage. The door creaked open and both men slipped quietly through. Fletcher had returned to the hotel to order ahead for a late lunch. Frederick wasn’t going to take long, just a quick sweep of the house.
The hallway was dark and Frederick tried a light switch. ‘The electric has been cut off.’
‘Charming landlord Sir Ingles.’ Wilks remarked.
Both men made their way to the living room, which had been left undisturbed by the investigating police. Frederick looked around making sure not to disturb anything.
‘At least the people are honest around here.’ Wilks said pointing to a small carriage clock on the mantelpiece above the fireplace. Underneath were the three pound notes Frederick had given Jones.
Frederick took a deep breath, regret washing over him.
Wilks looked down at a small table at a folded piece of paper sat on an envelope. ‘It looks as if a national newspaper was interested in the Jones’ story.’ He handed the letter to Frederick.
‘It’s from Reg Cudlipp, he’s editor at the News of the World newspaper.’ Frederick then remembered what Jones had said to him.
A loud thud caused both men to look up towards the ceiling. ‘Looks like we have some company.’ Wilks said.
As they turned towards the living room door Frederick and Wilks came face to face with a tall man in a black suit and trilby standing in the doorway pointing a small pistol. He held out his hand. ‘The letter please Professor Frederick.’ His American accent was clearly evident.
Frederick hesitated staring at the man before recollecting where he had seen him before. It was one of the two men posing as RAF officers he and Group Captain Fletcher had encountered several weeks earlier.
‘The letter, now Professor!’ he demanded.
Frederick stepped forward and reluctantly handed over the letter, he wondered where the other man who had murdered the doctor was.
‘Who are you?’ Wilks asked, trying to remain as polite as possible.
‘Someone who gets what they want Professor Wilks.’
‘So how is it you know us?’ Frederick questioned.
The man smiled as he slipped the letter into his inside pocket. ‘Let’s just say I’m in a position to know quite a lot of things.’ Another man appeared at the doorway, it was the other man who had killed the doctor. Both men pointed their pistols at Frederick and Wilks.
‘You realise our government will not stand for this nonsense.’ Frederick protested. ‘You have no right to go traipsing all over the place invading people’s lives.’ Frederick made eye contact with the man who killed the doctor. ‘Murdering whoever gets in your way.’
‘Check your facts Professor.’ The American said.
‘What exactly is that supposed to mean.’ Frederick replied.
Both men remained silent and stepped backed towards the door. They fled down the hallway and ran out into the street jumping into a jet black Ford Galaxy which sped off.
Wilks watched as the car disappeared from sight. ‘We have to report this to the committee.’
Chapter 34
Whitehall – London – 11:37am
Saturday 11th October 1952
Lord Chambers looked out of the window towards Parliament Square. Frederick and Wilks had managed to charter an aeroplane to fly them back to Cambridgeshire where a car was ready to take them home.
Frederick had caught a train into London early that morning and found that Professor Wilks was already outside Chambers’ private office.
Ian Morgan and Morris Stanford were also there ready to greet Frederick and Wilks who gave a detailed account of the weekend’s events.
‘My guess is that they were CIA agents poking their noses in our business.’ Stanford suggested.
‘I’m getting a little tired of the arrogance of the Americans.’ Frederick said. ‘The events at Operation Mainbrace proved that they are purposely withholding information from us. Now secret service agents are traipsing all over the country stealing intelligence, and murdering innocent people something must be done about this.’
‘Check your facts.’ Wilks said. ‘That’s what the American said when Ralph mentioned the doctor who was murdered.’
‘There’s nothing to check, the doctor’s body went missing.’ Stanford reminded the committee members.
Frederick thought back to his meeting with Rothschild and what he had revealed concerning the doctor. ‘As for what happened to his body, let’s just say he got up and walked away.’
‘If the Americans are running a secret project investigating UFOs then sooner or later they will reveal themselves.’ Chambers remarked. ‘What disturbs me is the fact that they knew you two by your names, which indicates that we still have a leak. We need to find out how information is being fed to them. I suggest we keep an eye on who is coming and going at the US Embassy.’
‘You realise that if discovered it could cause a stink.’ Stanford said.
‘I don’t think the American’s will complain, if they want to keep their operation a secret.’ Chambers replied.
‘I’ll organise some bodies to watch over the Embassy.’ Stanford offered.
Chapter 35
Missing Time
RAF Topcliffe - North Yorkshire – 2:15am
Wednesday 3rd December 1952
Corporal Summers looked up as static could clearly be heard over the radio. For several seconds the radio speaker crackled and hissed before dying down again. Summers paid no attention and went back to writing out his nightly report.
Sergeant Frankie Williams entered the main control tower room with two hot mugs of coffee, one of which he set down in front of Summers. ‘There you go, that should keep you awake for the rest of the night, it’s strong as hell.’
‘Thank you sir.’
The radio started to crackle and hiss again. Williams looked over at it, before glancing at the report Summers was writing.
‘Repeat Topcliffe do you have a visual?’ A loud voice suddenly boomed over the radio. Summers and Williams both looked towards the radio.
‘Topcliffe are you receiving over, do you have a visual on the target?’
Williams cautiously picked up the m
icrophone, Summers looked at the radar screen and saw two blips were clearly visible.
‘Unidentified aircraft you are in UK airspace please respond over.’ Williams called out.
‘Topcliffe say again.’ The voice asked.
‘Repeat you are in restricted airspace state your identification over.’
‘Stop pissing us about Topcliffe, this is Charlie Alpha Victor we are tracking an unidentified target heading for your position.’ The pilot stopped. ‘Topcliffe the object is no longer in range what does your scope show over?’
Summers and Williams glared at each other in complete amazement.
Ministry of Defence – London – 12:47pm
Sir Malcolm Chambers and Sir Ian Morgan walked briskly down the corridor. ‘This is an incredible turn of events.’ Chambers said excitedly, ‘Where are the two pilots now?’
‘We have them confined to quarters at RAF Topcliffe. I’ve ordered that they are to speak to no one until our team arrives.’ Morgan explained.
‘Good we’ll keep them there and send Ralph, Professor Wilks and Dr Lloyd who will make a full psychological assessment of these men.’
Chapter 36
RAF Topcliffe - North Yorkshire – 1:42pm
Friday 5th December 1952
Squadron Leader James Finch and flight Lieutenant Andrew Barker sat patiently in a small interview room which had been hastily prepared. While Dr Lloyd looked at their flight report. Frederick and Wilks sat either side. The committee members had been bundled into a refitted English Electric Canberra aircraft and flown straight to Topcliffe. The only information Malcolm Chambers had given them was they were to interview the two pilots, then they were due to be taken to a larger base for a debriefing.
‘So Squadron Leader Finch why don’t you tell us exactly what you remember.’ Frederick asked trying not to sound like some kind of interrogator.
The pilot composed himself before speaking. ‘We were on a routine patrol flying at approximately eight thousand feet when my wingman Lieutenant Barker spotted an unidentified aircraft a few thousand feet above us.’
‘What did you do?’
‘We took immediate action and increased our height to match the aircraft’s altitude.’
‘I see, and then what happened?’ Lloyd quizzed.
‘The aircraft increased its height so we levelled off and called it in to Topcliffe.’
‘What did this unidentified aircraft look like?’
Finch seemed hesitant in answering.
‘It’s ok squadron leader, we are not here to persecute you in any way we just want to know what you saw.’ Professor Wilks said reassuringly.
Finch swallowed hard. ‘It was big, I mean a hundred feet in length with a pulsating light, green and blue if I recall correctly. I described it to the control tower; it was heading in their direction. It started to pull away from us at incredible speed.’
‘Any guesses to what sort of speed it was doing?’ Lloyd enquired.
‘I would say over one thousand miles per hour.’ Finch looked at the other pilot who nodded agreeing with him.
‘What happened next?’
‘We continued our pursuit, the object flew over the base, then shot straight upwards, we continued to give chase, then..’ Finch stalled shaking his head. ‘The next thing I knew the object just vanished. We headed back to base, I’m sorry I don’t remember anything else.’
Lloyd nodded. ‘That’s ok you’ve provided us with more than enough. One more thing gentlemen do you know what today’s date is?’ He asked looking down at the flight report.
‘Yes it’s the twenty forth of September,’ it’s on my flight report in front of you.’
‘Oh yes of course it is.’ Lloyd replied, pretending just to notice. He smiled at both men. ‘That will be all for the time being gentlemen, you’ll be escorted to Church Fenton for a debriefing then you should be allowed home.’
Barker spoke for the first time. ‘Are we in some kind of trouble sir?’
‘No not at all.’ Lloyd smiled back at the men.
‘It’s just we hear all kinds of rumours regarding RAF boys seeing UFOs.’
‘You’ve nothing to worry about Flight Lieutenant it’s just routine questioning.’
Barker nodded and then got to his feet. Frederick watched as the two pilots left the room accompanied by two military policemen.
‘Opinions please gentlemen.’ Lloyd said.
‘It’s incredible; they have no awareness of the passage of time.’ Wilks stated.
‘And they look in perfect health despite being missing for over two months, how is that possible?’ Frederick questioned.
Wilks shook his head. ‘It’s not, they should be dead through malnutrition.’
‘I noticed the pilot hesitated when he tried to recall part of the incident, it’s possible there could be some kind of suppressed memory hidden deep within the subconscious. They could start to remember in time. Hypnosis could help bring back suppressed memories.’
‘What happens now?’ Wilks asked.
‘We are to accompany them to Church Fenton for their debriefing, then it’s straight back to London.’ Frederick replied.
‘How do you think they’ll react knowing they’ve been missing for over two months?’ Wilks asked Lloyd.
The doctor shrugged before shaking his head. ‘We’re in uncharted territory here gentlemen. They could either take the news very well or they could both suffer a complete psychological breakdown.’
What about their families, both men have been missing for over two months their families have already been told they're dead.' Wilks pointed out.
'We need to come up with a strategy to deal with situations like this.' Lloyd replied.
Frederick looked at his watch. ‘I suggest we get moving,’ He said getting to his feet.
A few minutes later Frederick and Wilks were driving an air force car behind an ambulance containing Dr Lloyd and the two RAF pilots. Two lightly armed military police officers drove in the front of the ambulance.
‘So what do you think happened to them?’ Frederick asked.
Wilks thought for a few seconds. ‘They obviously went somewhere for over two months.’
‘The woman I was investigating Edith Jones was pregnant when she disappeared, when she came back the baby was gone.’
‘Yes a most intriguing case.’ Wilks commented.
‘Do you have any theories then?’
‘Her child was obviously of interest to whoever or whatever took it. Some kind of breeding program perhaps.’
‘It’s too much to get my head around.’ Frederick said. ‘Even for a theoretical physicist. Creatures from another world just randomly taking civilians and air military personnel for experimentation.’
‘Yes it’s a lot to digest even for me, which is why I’m keeping my opinion to myself at the moment Ralph. Can you imagine what Berkshire would say if I suggested the same thing to him.’
Frederick nodded thoughtfully.
Up ahead the ambulance braked sharply and stopped. Frederick and Wilks got out of their car, the doors to the ambulance opened and Dr Lloyd jumped out.
‘What’s going on?’ Wilks asked.
Frederick peered into the back of the ambulance and saw the bodies of the two air force officers. Blood ran from their noses and eyes. Frederick stepped away from the door trying to process the scene.
Lloyd looked visibly shocked and was shaking his head. ‘They both started to have some sort of seizure.’
‘Seizure?’ Frederick said.
Lloyd nodded. ‘One minute we were talking about their experience, then next they both started to convulse. I tried to help but they were gone in an instant.’
Wilks climbed into the back of the ambulance and examined the bodies, a massive amount of blood continued to pour out of their eyes and nose. Wilks reached for the wrist of one of the men.
Lloyd wiped his brow. ‘I’ve never seen anything like it in my entire medical profession.'
‘These men still have a pulse.’ Wilks revealed.
‘What?!’ Lloyd exclaimed, looking at Frederick.
Wilks stared at the bodies. ‘It’s odd, they’ve all the signs of being clinically dead, yet they still have a heartbeat. We need to get them back to Church Fenton for examination.’
Church Fenton – 4:23pm
An examination room had been prepared for him on arrival at the RAF base. Frederick and Wilks waited patiently outside while Lloyd examined the bodies. When he finally appeared Lloyd looked exhausted.
‘So what did you find?’ Frederick asked.
‘Total blood loss, and when I mean total I mean every drop of blood literally pumped from their bodies.’
‘How is that possible?’ Wilks questioned.
Lloyd shook his head. ‘It’s not, after death the heart stops pumping, yet even now those men still have an active pulse and heartbeat. Even though there is no blood to pump, those men are clinically dead. It’s scientifically impossible. I also found a small incision on the back of their necks. It’s similar to the doctor in Ripley.’
‘You think this is connected with the Ripley incident?’
‘It’s too much of a coincidence not to be.’
‘Obviously an effect of being taken by those creatures.’ Wilks suggested. ‘If we had the medical records of Edith Jones we could see if there is a link to what happened to her.’
‘Well there’s nothing left to do but head back to London and report our findings to the committee members.’ Frederick said.
Chapter 37
Above Top Secret
10 Downing Street – London – 10:04am
Monday 15th December 1952
The Prime Minister slowly looked around the table at the assembled Angel Committee who were sat in the cabinet room around a large boat shaped table.
‘Gentlemen, I have read the report that Professor Frederick has submitted, along with other case files referring to flying saucers. I have to say that I am shocked at the events of the last six months.’ He picked up the report. ‘Particularly recent events concerning the two airmen who were snatched by forces unknown and were missing for two months. What I also find disturbing is that the Americans have had secret service agents running all over England also investigating UFO related cases.’
Codename Angel (The Angel Chronicles Book 1) Page 11
