Darkest Night

by James Cherry

  The doctor asked suspiciously, "When what comes?"

  The general replied, "The dragons."

  Doctor Burch looked at the general in absolute confusion and said, "Okay, start from the beginning. I don't have a clue what is going on here."

  General Crowell stared long and hard at the doctor before he finally began his story. He said, "Doctor, soldiers out in the field have been attacked by these creatures for hundreds of years. Soldiers have always talked of the winged death that attacked at night, and most of the time under the new moon. After the attack on Captain Crafton and his Spec Ops team, we decided to take action. We sent out six military science teams and one civilian team to study these creatures.”

  Doctor Burch interrupted the general and said, "Wait one second. The first time we met, you told me of six teams, one of which managed to bring home a corpse. You never mentioned the civilian team. Who were they, and what has all of this got to do with me?"

  General Crowell pointed to the tent flap. A familiar figure stood framed in the entrance.

  Doctor Burch stared in astonishment, it was Ronald Haymond.

  Ron walked up to the doctor and said with an obvious lack of a Texan accent, "We were the seventh team. I am sorry that I had to deceive you the way I did. I am not really an oil tycoon that was just the cover story that I gave you. I am Colonel Ronald Haymond, United States Army, and my mission was to recruit the best of the civilian scientists that I could find without raising any eyebrows. We knew of your reputation and knew that you had contacts with other talented scientists. You could assemble a team, and no one would think twice, as everyone would think it to be just another one of your hair-brained expeditions. Because of your ties with other scientists and the fact we knew you could get them signed on as well, you were the perfect candidate for the mission."

  The doctor was speechless for a long moment before he finally regained his senses. He said, "It was you that destroyed the Nessie evidence and turned the team against me? What about Marty? I thought he was the one."

  "Marty? That damn brat is nothing more than an annoying nuisance. He didn't have the brains to figure any of this out. I fed him ideas and got him to doubt you. All those times we sat together drinking beer, we weren't just drinking. I was suggesting things to him in a way that he believed he came up with the ideas on his own. He was just too easy to manipulate."

  A wave of anger rolled over Doctor Burch and he shouted, "Why did you do all of this too me? Why discredit me? Why destroy the Nessie evidence? Why didn't you destroy the chupacabra evidence as well? I just don't get it."

  Ron sighed and shook his head in pity. "I know Doc, it's pretty damn confusing. I was unable to destroy the data you had collected in Mexico, because the opportunity never presented itself. You kept that evidence on your person the whole time. I just couldn’t get to it."

  The doctor stomped one foot on the ground and growled, "Why did you have me collect the data only to want to destroy it?"

  "I didn't actually destroy anything. I collected the data for the military. Once I made a copy of your Nessie tape, I melted the original using a torch. This whole project was top secret, and we didn't want anyone or any other government to know what we were up to. I had to make you look bad in Scotland, because we damn sure didn't want the Brits involved. I am the one that suggested to Marty the coincidence of the busted battery and the acid burns on your face. I had to discredit you and cast doubt in everyone's mind so that the truth would not get out. Some weapons are best kept secret, even from your friends. Once I had the information that I had been looking for, your services were no longer needed."

  "What information?" the doctor asked.

  "We needed to know if the chupacabra were indeed the young of the dragon. We needed to know everything about them and your theories were right on. I kept notes and recordings on everything that you said. This was the information that the military needed. The Nessie expedition was a bonus. Quite unexpectedly, we learned that they breed in large isolated lakes and that will help us narrow our search down to smaller areas. You basically filled in the holes on the information that we already had," replied Ron.

  "What information do you have on these creatures?" asked Doctor Burch.

  Ron said, "You already know much of everything I am about to tell you. It was you who supplied us with the information." Ron pointed at the doctor in emphasis. "We just simply put the puzzle together."

  He paused for a moment in order for the doctor to fully comprehend what he had just been told. He continued, "They feed on the darkest night once a month. The young suck blood until they grow to sub-adult size and then they begin to feed on meat, swallowing prey whole much like a snake. The feathers fall off at sexual maturity, which is again, sub-adult size. They breed in deep isolated lakes at night, usually once a year during the summer months. The breeding is triggered by the new moon and the creatures do not feed while breeding.”

  The doctor whispered, “That explains why I was not eaten the night that I ran into Nessie.”

  Ron nodded and continued, “They live in caves high in remote mountainous areas and generally avoid humans. Because of all the terrorist activities in the last few years, most of which takes place in remote areas, the creatures have begun to get hostile. They view this as an encroachment upon their territory and attack with ferocity. They spit acid, which comes from their stomachs, and they lay hard eggs much like a bird. They are extremely intelligent, problem solvers, and thinkers.”

  The doctor added, “They are a species of dinosaur that has survived and evolved over millions of years. They gave rise to the myth of the dragon and their offspring started the myth of the vampire and other bloodsuckers. The Native Americans called them thunderbirds, the Arabs called them rocs, and Japanese called them ryu. We simply call them dragons."

  "Not hardly the fire breathers of legend," interjected General Crowell.

  "Early humans didn't know what to call acid or how to describe it, other than it was similar to fire. Early humans could have easily mistaken acid burns for fire burns. Acid blisters when it touches skin and it melted knights’ plate mail armor. It maims and it kills, much like fire," replied the doctor.

  "Interesting theory, Doc. That is exactly the kind of thinking we need from you," replied Ron.

  Doctor Burch turned to Ron and asked, "You mentioned the military's interest in the creatures. Why so much interest?"

  "Because they are smart. They are calculating. They are fast, silent, and deadly. With a few of these creatures under our control, we could take out world leaders, destroy armies, and effectively eliminate hostile governments without ever firing a shot. If one of the creatures were to be killed, there would be nothing tying it back to the United States Government. They are the perfect weapon," the general responded.

  The doctor realized that there was something more to the story. He asked cautiously, "So, why am I here? Something went wrong didn't it?"

  "Yes. We had captured two adults last month and attempted to train them. They were extremely hostile and un-trainable though. They eventually escaped their cage by spitting acid on the bars, weakening them to the point where they could simply smash through," Ron said.

  "So, what's the big deal?" asked the doctor.

  "These creatures escaped three nights ago and they have been on a rampage ever sense. Have you not seen the news?” asked the general.

  The doctor thought for a second. He realized that he had not turned on the TV or the radio in the last week so he hadn’t heard the news at all. He had been too busy busting Carter out of the hospital and taking plane trips all over the United States.

  The doctor asked, "I was preoccupied, what rampage are you talking about?"

  General Crowell spoke up, "These two creatures have killed over two dozen civilians in nearby towns and cities, as well as four soldiers at the facility where they escaped. We have tracked them via satellite to this area and are waiting for them to hit the skies. When they do decide to fly, we have a
nasty surprise waiting for them."

  Doctor Burch fumed inside, as he had been used and tossed aside by the military over some stupid covert intrigue. One question remained unanswered however. "What do you need with me now?"

  General Crowell replied grimly, "The military has decided that they can't use the creatures as a weapon and that they can't take the chance of any other government getting their hands on them either. We have been ordered to exterminate every last one of them and we need your help to track them down and destroy them. These creatures will become extinct."

  Doctor Burch gasped in astonishment and shouted, "You can't be serious?"

  "Yes, we are. Serious as a heart attack," stated Ron.

  "I still don't understand why you need me. You seem to know how to track them and even capture them. What am I going to do?" asked Doctor Burch.

  "You know more about these dragons and the myths behind them than all of our military scientists combined. With your knowledge, we hope that you can tell us the most effective way to kill them and where they would be concentrated in greatest quantities. We need to wipe them out now before the rest of the world finds out. We need to know everything that you know," replied General Crowell.

  "Why should I help you?"

  "Because you have a warrant out for your arrest for multiple felonies. Unless you want to spend the rest of your days in prison, I suggest you cooperate," answered the general.

  "It seems that I have no choice," replied the doctor. As if in afterthought, he added, "You say you don't want the rest of the world to find out about the dragons, but with the dragons making the local news, isn’t it a little too late?”

  "Only a few witnesses saw the dragons and none of the dragons were captured on film. The media is simply reporting on the mysterious deaths of several civilians with their heads crushed in, and we have leaked to the press that a serial killer is about. This situation can still be contained at this point but we need to act fast," replied the general.

  "So, what do you want me to do?"

  "I need to know how we can get the creatures to fly over this camp. How we can lure them here for our trap," answered the general.

  “You need bait,” replied the doctor.

  Chapter 15

  The doctor returned to his companions and he filled them in on the details of his conversation with the general and Ron.

  They looked on with disbelief as he told them of the military's plans, and how Ron had deceived them all, but he also noticed that they all looked upon him with a newfound sense of respect.

  Bo placed a gentle hand upon the doctor's shoulder and said, "You did the right thing. You had no choice but to go along with them, you don't want to go to prison."

  The doctor replied, "No, I don’t want to go to prison, but I don't want to see this new species wiped out to extinction either. They have survived for millions of years, and we have no right to destroy them."

  Bo glanced around and then said quietly, "So, what's your plan? I'm in, regardless of what you do, you know that I stand behind you one hundred percent."

  The doctor looked at Bo gratefully and said, "Bo, I appreciate it, but I have to do this on my own. I do have a plan, but I won’t be able to do anything until I can get away from the military."

  Carter moved closer and whispered, "I am with you as well. Whatever you are planning, you can't do it alone. The military and the government will hunt you down. You need our help."

  Ayako scowled and poked a finger into Doctor Burch's chest. "You will not do anything without us. We are not behind you, we are with you."

  "I know, but I can't risk dragging the rest of you down with me. You could be killed by the military or by one of the creatures. Worse yet, you could end up in prison for the rest of your lives."

  "Doc, just face it, we are going to help you whether you like it or not," Bo insisted. He suddenly quieted as he eyed Ron approaching the group.

  Ron called out teasingly, "Hey now, break it up. No plotting against your government."

  The doctor managed a weak smile and said, "Hello colonel, we were just discussing on how to bring the creatures to the camp, and we finally came up with a plan."

  Ron arched one eyebrow inquisitively and said, "Let me hear it."

  Doctor Burch kicked his mind into high gear and he used all the knowledge that he had gained of the creatures. He desperately tried to think of a plan, as he really didn’t have one available, and an idea suddenly came to him. He said, "The creatures have an aversion to light. I would suggest that you shut off all these damn lights in the camp first. Next, you would need to attract them, and loud noises seem to do just that. You say that soldiers have been attacked for centuries, and maybe it’s because the noise of battle brings them in. The creatures are like vultures, picking off the weak and wounded from battle. Shoot some guns in the air and make some noise. I bet that would get their attention."

  Ron scratched his chin as he thought for a long moment. He suddenly brightened and said, "Good job, Doc, I will relay your plan to the general. I suggest that in the mean time you take cover in the makeshift bunkers that we have set up. We had the soldiers dig four foot deep holes in several places around camp, and place sandbags and razor wire over the top of them for protection." He playfully slapped the doctor on the shoulder and walked off quickly in the direction of the command tent.

  A sergeant immediately approached the group and motioned for them to follow. He led the group to a small foxhole and hurried the team inside. Jumping in behind them he pulled some camouflage netting over the top of the razor wire and concealed them from sight.

  As the soldiers swarmed the portable diesel powered lights, they pulled levers and loud clunks echoed into the night. The lights were shut off one by one and the camp went dark. Soon, sporadic gunfire rang out loudly as soldiers fired into the air. Suddenly, a loud bang reverberated through the camp, causing the doctor to jump in surprise.

  Carter chuckled and said, "Just a grenade. Someone threw one in order to make some noise."

  The doctor nodded in understanding as he sat down in the hole and attempted to make himself comfortable.

  Seconds later, another loud boom of a grenade shattered the night, causing the doctor to jump again. He sighed in amusement as it almost seemed as if the soldiers were having a bit of fun. The loud concussions of the grenades continued for a few minutes intermingled with sporadic gunfire. Unexpectedly a soldier screamed. The noise was convincing but just a little annoying to the doctor.

  He suddenly realized that the scream was coming from high above his head.

  The doctor looked upward in an attempt to see through the camouflage netting and into the inky black sky. The constant screams of the hapless man zoomed over their heads and across the camp. Someone yelled frantic orders and a chorus of gunfire erupted in response.

  A lieutenant suddenly leapt head-first into their foxhole and became entangled in the razor wire in the process. With his body half in the hole he croaked, "The dragons are here. They got one of the men and I think it was Private Johnson."

  Bo and Carter quickly helped the man untangle himself and pulled him into the hole. The lieutenant shook with fear as he scanned the sky with his night vision goggles. He spotted something and shouted frantically into his Tac-Com, "Sword one, this is Sword one four, Tango inbound. Call in the surprise. Get the bastard, over."

  A voice answered quickly, "Sword one four, roger. Surprise package on the way, ETA five minutes. Sword one out."

  The lieutenant yelled again into his Tac-Com, "Alpha team, get you butts to zone one, no wait zone two. Hold on, go to zone one."

  Bo turned to Carter and snickered, "Looks like we got a flopper here."

  Doctor Burch leaned in and asked, "What's a flopper?"

  Carter smiled and answered, "An officer that can't make up his damn mind."

  The lieutenant continued to issue orders in such a confusing way that Bo finally grabbed the frazzled man and shook him. He yelled, "Sir, calm down sir."


  The young lieutenant slumped against the wall of the foxhole and sobbed. He was absolutely paralyzed with fear.

  Carter grabbed the young man by his arm and said, "Damn you lieutenant, you are nothing but a goddamn oxygen thief. Get your head out of your fourth point of contact and fix this cluster fuck before I kick your ass out of here and feed you to the dragon."

  The doctor furrowed his brow in puzzlement and looked to Bo for a translation. Bo shrugged and said, "He told the lieutenant that he is useless with no reason to be alive other than to steal everyone's oxygen, and that he has got his head stuck up his ass and needs to get it together."

  The doctor laughed in spite of the situation.

  The laugh seemed to catch the attention of the lieutenant, who looked around at the group, and suddenly seemed to get a hold of his wits. He spoke into his Tac Com and issued a series of orders with a surreal calmness. After he was done, he removed his night vision goggles and placed them on the ground. He then placed his head in his hands and sobbed again.

  Carter moved away from the lieutenant with a smirk on his face. Squatting down beside Bo, he chuckled and shook his head as he glanced toward the frightened lieutenant.

  Ayako punched Carter in the arm and said, "How can you laugh at a time like this? Do you not remember what these creatures did to your team back in Afghanistan?"

  Carter nodded and continued to grin as he replied, "Doctor Masuda, I remember well what happened in Afghanistan and I really don't enjoy that memory. All I can tell you is that after my experience in Afghanistan, coupled with being confined for over two years in a mental hospital, that I am just going to enjoy my life to the fullest. Nothing will get me down and scared again. Especially those dragons that damn near ruined my life."

  The sudden sound of helicopter blades silenced the group. Carter snatched the lieutenant's night vision goggles from the ground and stood partway up through the camo netting in order to peek out into the sky. He let out a gasp and said, "Damn, now I know what the surprise package is. They got four RAH-66 Comanche’s out there."