Sometime humanity keeps making the same mistakes
Quote:
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“When the first link of the chain is forged, the first speech censured, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably.” Jean Luc Picard quoting Judge Aaron Satie in Star Trek the Next Generation episode “Drum Head”
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Quote:
"Mr. Worf, villains who twirl their moustaches are easy to spot. Those who clothe themselves in good deeds are well-camouflaged."
"I think, after yesterday, people will not be so ready to trust her."
"Maybe. But she or someone like her will always be with us, waiting for the right climate in which to flourish. Spreading fear in the name of righteousness. Vigilance, Mr. Worf. That is the price we have to continually pay."
Conversation between Worf and Jean Luc Picard at the end of the Star Trek the Next Generation episode “Drum Head”
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It is not often that a sci-fi show made in another century can speak to us in this century, but this episode spoke volumes. It shows how fear can be used to go after innocent people and appear to be on the side of the angels in doing it. And drag others into the mire.
Of course we can all be manipulated by those with other agenda’s
It is now becoming clear to Brigadier General Samuel Peters that a nemesis he once came up against Sir Sidney Gerald, an industrialist and former MI5 spy master is in league with America’s own Homeland Security.
This very own Homeland security who have arrested Celeste and her baby and Doctor Charlene Henshaw, just as Pete Smith and Simon Hargreaves rescued them from Sir Sidney’s artificial universe.
However the loss of Charlene does not appear to be a problem to Sir Sidney, because his former PA, Janine has reappeared and she is not just a PA, she is Sir Sidney’s daughter and also has the skill to continue Charlene’s forced work and reunite Earth with the Mystical Realms…
+ + +
The streets of Washington DC
United States of America
To say that Iain Davy was angry, as he drove through the DC traffic, was an understatement. Iain was furious.
Iain pressed the switch to operate his Bluetooth police radio, “This is detective Davy” he said into the headset, “Patch me through to CSI Ross Green”
“One moment sir” came back the response
“Come on” Iain yelled as a motorist in front decided to take their time on making a turn.
The radio crackled on again. “Ross here” his voice came over the radio.
“Ross, this is Iain,” Iain went on, “Don’t tell me where you are, but are you still with Jennifer?” he asked
“Yes Iain, but why don’t you” Ross began to reply, but was interrupted by Iain
“Ross” Iain yelled into the radio, “It’s vital you do not give your position over the airwaves”
“Yes sir” Ross replied
“In fact make sure your phones are off after this call” Iain continued, “we don’t want Homeland Security using them to track you down”
“Has something’s happened?” Ross asked
“Sorry Ross” Iain interrupted again, “There’s no time to explain, you need to get off the grid ASAP. Homeland Security is making their move and they are doing it fast, now hang up and switch off those damn cell phones”
At this Iain hung up the call.
For a brief moment Iain was torn, Jennifer and Ross would need back up, if they were to get help protecting CSI Sue-Lim from the clutches of the Homeland Security special taskforce. The problem was that that would only help alert them to wherever Jennifer had moved Sue-Lim to after they had got her out of the George Washington Hospital.
Iain navigated a turn at speed and found himself amongst a number of other police cars, all heading in the same direction as him
Iain tapped another number on his hands free cell phone. Immediately the call was picked up.
“Amanda” Iain barked into the phone
“Yes Iain” the reply came back
“What’s the situation” Iain asked, “Are you still at the university?”
A nervous “Uh huh!” came back by way of reply. Instantly by the way Amanda had replied, Iain had a sinking feeling
Have Homeland Security detained you as well” Iain asked back
Suddenly the voice on the phone changed to that of a male, “Officer Tanner is being held on charges of obstruction of national security and possible high treason”
“Who’s this” Ian said angrily back to the male voice, “On whose authority are you detaining my people?” he demanded.
“Homeland Security” the male voice replied, “This conversation is terminated on grounds of National Security” he added, after that the phone went dead.
Iain’s anger increased and he swore loudly before keying the radio up. “This is detective Iain Davy” he said into the radio, “It looks like this so called Homeland Security task force may still be at the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. It is imperative that they are detained there”
“Why are we going up against feds” a reply came over the radio, “Aren’t we on the same side”
“Not this time” Iain replied, “Not while they are being used to cover up murder, commit the a possible murder of one of our CSIs in a continuing cover up”
Iain then continued on driving as the convoy of police cars closed in on the university.
They were now one block away and Iain could see at least one of the Homeland Security armoured car’s outside the university building.
In the distance, as he closed, he could see what appeared to two women, with their hands cuffed behind their backs, being frogmarched into one of the armoured cars. One of the women was naked and the other was topless. He also spotted one of the SWAT like figures carrying what looked like an infant.
Iain, with his siren still blaring briefly sped up and then swerved his car to block the armoured cars path.
Just then he noticed another one of the SWAT like figures raising up an automatic weapon and pointing it at his car.
For a moment it seemed that time was slowing down for Iain, and not in the normal sense of human perception.
Iain quickly undid his belt, opened the car door and exited the car door.
As soon as he was sheltering behind the car, time seemed to return to normal, and bullets started to rip into the car. Very soon, under that level of fire Iain would have to move away rapidly, as this task force group had him out gunned with heavy weaponry.
All Iain could do was grab at his automatic pistol and his police badge, and hope there would be some opportunity to show it, to reduce what he expected now to be a total blood bath, where elements of the Federal government traded fire with a local police force on American Soil..
The sound of automatic weapons fire amongst the sound of numerous police sirens was deafening and terrifying.
Suddenly there was quiet.
Not even the sound of traffic
+
Suddenly Iain found him self pointing a gun at nothing, and could not remember why, all he could remember was getting out of the car, or he thought he did. The sound of gunshots ringing out brought him out of the strange confusion he was in. His car started to resemble something like Swiss cheese, and he started scrambling to get away.
It was obvious that police officers were returning fire, with whatever weapons they had against the heavy weapons of the Homeland Security Special Taskforce.
Suddenly the gun fire ceased from the side of the Homeland Security Task force, amidst the shout of someone ordering a cease fire..
Iain took a chance and stood up showing his police badge at a number of the police cars, which had arrived, also ordering them to hold their fire.
+ + +
G2 Offices
Dublin, Ireland
Kelly McLaughlin put down the phone and sat at her desk in the offices of G2, not believing how things had progressed.
The contact she had in the US Government had all but confirmed what the renegade former G2 special section head Gregory O’Doyle had said.
The Americans were in league with someone she believed dead. A certain someone who had in former times penetrated just about every intelligence agency and top secret department, and for what? To reconnect with a world that a number of them in G2 thought they had seen the back of. G2 Special section to some seemed an embarrassment because the presence of leprechauns seemed to imply that human intelligence officers were second class.
She had now been told, in no uncertain terms, to use whatever means, to stop O’Doyle and if required terminate him.
They even mentioned Gregory’s daughter and grandchild and suggested using them to get to Gregory and if G2 were not up to the job, then the CIA would get the job done
The Americans had G2 over a barrel, if Ireland were to continue to get the co-operation of the United States in dealing with republican groups and protestant paramilitary groups, they would have to assassinate one of their own, on foreign soil.
It was an invidious position to be in, but then Gregory was classed as rouge and he was after all just one man.
But what about the British? They would not take it too well if G2 carried out such an action on their soil.
The sheer fact the Americans were prepared to do so, just showed how much they were prepared to play hard ball to reconnect with their precious IDW01, Mystical Realms or whatever they called it now.
The agreement to allow the CIA to tail the O’Docherty Twins had certainly been a
Faustian pact., especially as they never said why, and now it was time to pay up.
What could she do?
If she had Gregory terminated as the Americans ordered, then she would anger the British as he was on their turf. If she did not, the political fall out would be unimaginable, as they needed the intelligence that the Americans shared with them to deal with republican and loyalist extremist groups.
If only there was some other option. Someone else she could talk to in the American administration. In former times, she could, grudgingly approach that Inter Dimensional Entity Control organisation, but it had been disbanded, and its former de-facto head, Kathryn Cooper, was dead, murdered in a car bomb.
As for anyone else, there was no luck as according to the contact in America, the former head of the NSA, one of the original sponsoring departments of the IDEC was under arrest for high treason and incarcerated in solitary at an unknown military prison. As for the British, who once took the lead on inter dimensional entity matters, there was no longer anyone in the present British government she knew of who was read in on the Mystical Realms. This, Kelly had been informed, was on orders, from the US State Department.
It seemed like she had no option, but to do what the Americans had ordered, and throw in her lot with that evil man, Sir Sidney Gerald.
Suddenly the phone rang
Kelly almost jumped, but then she regained her composure and picked it up. It was an internal G2 call asking about dates of a forth coming meeting with MI5 counter parts to deal with splinter republican groups.
That gave Kelly a possible way out of her dilemma.
+ + +
The atmosphere between Iain and the African American who had been leading this so called Homeland Security Special Taskforce was ice cold.
“Detective Davy, I might of guessed, what is the meaning of this” African American said angrily, “Why are you interfering in a Homeland Security operation?”
“Homeland Security operation my a**e” Iain retorted, “This is a further attempt to cover up murder and kidnapping. Now I demand that you release my CSIs you are holding and those others civilians you are holding as prisoners”
“Not going to happen, Detective Davy, they are being held on grounds of National security” the African American sneered, “Now move aside before I have you arrested as well. You know the score, federal agency trumps local cops”
“Don’t you dare try to threaten me” Iain spat back, “As for feds trumping local cops, not when these so called federal agents are using a federal agency and the excuse of national security as a smokescreen to cover up murder and kidnap” Iain went on “And that’s not even mentioning the acting in an unconstitutional manner” he added with venom
“Murder? Kidnap?” the African American said with disgust, “I guess your sister was not the only deranged one in your family”
Iain shook his head slightly, it seemed worse than he feared for a brief moment. This leader of this so called Homeland Security task force was obviously briefed about Iain’s sister and her alleged suicide. It was obvious that this man in front of him was trying to throw him off balance; there was no way he could allow him to get away with that.
“This has nothing to do with my sister” Iain said coldly and calmly with a hint of anger in his voice, “I was called away on the pretence of another case to find someone had delivered the evidence from the car bomb explosion that killed a federal employee at the FBI’s Hoover building”
“That evidence is not for you” the African American interrupted, “I will be talking to your superiors about that as well. You are not to examine any of it and you are to hand it over to Homeland Security. Do I make myself clear?
“Crystal” Iain replied, “But you’re a bit too late for that” he went on “Although the construction of the pipe bomb that killed Kathryn Cooper was devoid of the usual bomb maker‘s signature and appeared clean, one of my other CSI’s found blood evidence in the remains of the car that gave us a match to one of your men here. It seems they may have been skilled in construction of the bomb, but they were sloppy in fixing it to the car”
“Like I said Detective” the African American replied in an equal cold manner, “This is a federal matter and our jurisdiction”
“And like I said” Iain interrupted, “Not when so called federal agents are covering up murder and kidnap in my city. That makes it our jurisdiction. We also found Mrs Hargreaves hand bag dumped in a trash can near the bus station, on it we found a finger print that is a perfect match to another one of those assigned to this so called task force of yours”
“And none of that evidence will be admissible” the African American countered back, “We have Executive Privilege. Now move aside”
Iain felt even more incensed,
it seemed according to this jumped up official that they were entitled to commit murder in his Washington DC and get away with it by claiming Executive Privilege!
“Executive Privilege? Are you for real?” Iain asked in an incredulous tone, “Aren’t you forgetting
Watergate If a president is not above the law, neither are your men or you, since we know you have been in conspiracy with a known British Criminal who compromised National Security nearly four years ago. A criminal by the name of Sir Sidney Gerald,”
At the mention of the name of the British industrialist, the countenance of the African American changed, “Our dealings with him are highly classified, who told you about them, Mr or Mrs Smith or was it both of them” the African American spat out angrily, “I demand to know, that is a violation of state security”
For a brief moment, Iain had no idea how he knew. Neither Pete, nor Sue-Lim had said that the US government were dealing with him, and as far as Iain was aware Pete gave the impression that he believed Sir Sidney was dead. It was as if the information that this man in front of him had been dealing with Sir Sidney had been implanted in him, but from the man’s reaction, Iain was right on target. If what Pete had said about this Sir Sidney character was accurate, he had him, especially as Pete had mentioned that a number of federal agents had been convicted of passing secrets to him just over three years ago.
“That man you have been colluding with” Iain began slowly and deliberately, “is nothing but a common criminal, who is guilty of murder and conspiracy to commit murder. You go on about National security but your so called taskforce has been dealing with a man who penetrated to the heart of our intelligence community for personal gain”
The African American shook his head, “You have no idea what is at stake here Detective. It’s small minded people like you who allowed nine eleven to happen. As Napoleon said”
At this Iain interrupted again, “I know very well what Napoleon is supposed to have
said, although it was actually
Robespierre ” he replied angrily, “As for Nine Eleven, it was people like you who armed and trained most of these terrorists because it suited what you considered to be National Security at the time. Also if you had bothered to check my record, I served in Iraq second Gulf War as a
Senior Master Sergeant, which is probably more than you did. You have no right to throw Nine Eleven back at us and use it as an excuse to trample over the constitution”
“Nice speech” the African American replied, trying to regain some of his composure. “So I acknowledge and thank you for your service” he sneered, “As for the constitution argument, our citizens are more concerned with being kept safe, than some bleeding heart liberals academic concern about a few so called civil liberties, which prevent us doing whatever it takes to keep this country safe. Now I am not going to ask again. MOVE ASIDE”
At this, the African American gave some hand gesture at the SWAT style men standing around. The sound of automatic weapons being held by the Homeland Security taskforce being cocked was unnerving.
“I suppose” Iain told the African American, “You have the fire power to take on the Washington Metro Police Department.” Then Iain raised his voice to make sure the SWAT Style people could hear. “Your boss here goes on about so called civil liberties, but I remember one great man saying those who would give up essential liberty for a little temporary safety will lose both and deserve neither”
The African American shook his head and looked at Iain with disgust, “And which woolly headed liberal congressman or senator said that load of hogwash?” he asked Iain out loud.
“Those words were said by
Benjamin Franklin” Iain said out loud, so the others could hear”
Just as the two men seemed to be squaring off, a bearded man in his thirties ran up to him, breathlessly telling Iain that he had it, and presented a folded up piece of paper. Iain took it and looked at it.
“I hope those are the orders we have requested from the Mayor’s office for you to stand aside and let us take our prisoners” the African American sneered, “
“Actually” Iain went on, “This is a warrant for the arrest of your officer James Klein, Trevor Copeland and you John McGregor. For murder and conspiracy to commit murder”
“That’s not” the African American tried to say, but suddenly he collapsed in front of Iain, as a sniper round hit him in the head. Just then two other sniper shots hit two of the balaclava wearing Swat style men.
Two of the SWAT style men started shooting their weapons in the air, as did a number of police officers.
Iain quickly dived to the ground, to avoid getting shot as the Homeland Security task force and the Metro PD seemed to return to exchanging gunfire.
+ + +
The Serpentine, Hyde Park
London, England
John Evans looked around furtively, the evening was coming and soon they would be closing Hyde Park and with what he was carrying, he did not want to come to the attention of the parks police.
“Have you got it?” an Irish voice came from behind him.
John almost jumped out of his skin with fright.
He turned around, and there he was, the former officer in the Irish intelligence service G2, that he once sold information on republican groups to.
John offered the man an old supermarket heavy duty carrier bag, “Here it is with twenty rounds, that’s all I had” John said nervously
“It’ll have to do” the Irish man said angrily as he took the bag, “Now remember, as far as those gangs are concerned you are closed for business”
“But if I stop supplying them, they might come after me” John protested me.
“Then do what you did before” the Irish man growled, “Move”
+ + +
The sound of the gunfire from the remaining members of the Homeland Security Taskforce and some elements of Metro PD seemed to go on for an eternity
“HOLD YOUR FIRE” Iain yelled above the noise of gun fire, but to no avail. It had been obvious to him that whoever killed the African American and the two other members of the Homeland security taskforce on the arrest warrant, had been a sniper, from who knows which building top.
Suddenly it seemed to Iain that like before when he had driven his car into the path of the Homeland security vehicle, time seemed to be slowing down again, and then it went black.
Iain suddenly came to, and heard the sound of clicking weapons. It was as if somehow miraculously all the guns were empty of ammunition. He quickly checked his own police issue gun, and its clip was also empty.
Someone or something had removed everyone’s bullets, but who and how?
“I said hold your fire” Iain shouted at the Homeland Security task force officers and his fellow Metro PD officers as he stood up
“We thought you fired on us” an officer from the Homeland Security Taskforce said to Iain
“We never fired” Iain replied, “Who ever opened fire must have been using a long range sniper rifle.” Then Iain asked “The other two men who were killed, what were they names”
“I’m not sure I can tell you” the officer replied
“DON’T GIVE ME THAT NATIONAL SECURITY BULL” Iain shouted at him.” I want their names”
A number of the other members of the task force group went up to their slain comrades and removed their balaclavas. “Officers Klein and Copeland” yelled one of them.
“Someone somewhere did not want your boss or those men in front of a jury” Iain said angrily, “Are you going to play their game and let them use you or are you going to release my people”
“What about national security” the officer replied, “Mr Double-You here told us it was the Duty of the State to maintain National Security at all costs”
“Son” Iain replied, “When freedoms are sacrificed, when we are made to change our way of life or what we do for fear of another atrocity like nine eleven, the terrorists win. Your boss here was playing into their hands, and it looks like someone higher up the chain of command considered him dispensable. We also have evidence that they used this task force to commit and cover up a murder of a federal employee. Do you want to play their game?”
The officer shook his head, “We were told we were protecting our country” he replied.
“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?” Iain remarked
“Sorry?” the officer said in confusion
“A quote from an ancient roman poet” Iain replied, “It translates as who shall guard us from our guardians?”
The officer stood there quietly for a moment, and then turned round and started ordering the release of their prisoners they had taken.
Meanwhile Iain started to instruct the man who had brought the warrant to start processing the scene. It was obvious that the three men gunned down by the sniper were the victims of a professional, and there was probably little chance they would find and apprehend a suspect, but still they had to go through the motions.
+ + +
The interior of an abandoned warehouse
Location, unknown
Brigadier General Samuel Peters looked up at Sir Sidney’s PA, Janine, “Daughter?” he said with disbelief
“The late Mr Vee was not the only one to use his position to obtain certain favours” Sir Sidney said coldly.
“My mother” Janine explained with an air of contempt, “Was a Czech student at the London School of Tropical medicine”
“But she was a spy?” Samuel asked
“My mother was ordered to report on the activities of some of the other Czech students during the cold war” Janine went on, “especially those seen as dissidents”
“Where she came to my attention back then” Sir Sidney picked up, “She was a reluctant spy, but a spy none the less. She was also immensely beautiful”
“And you slept with her?” Samuel said with contempt
“One of the more interesting perks of the job at my time with MI5” Sir Sidney went on.
“He saved my mother’s life.” Janine interjected, “If she had been shipped back she would have most likely been executed and I would not have been born”
“I persuaded her to be a double agent” Sir Sidney continued, “just like my friend James, or as you called him, Mr Vee did with Sue-Lim’s mother”
“But even back then” Samuel replied, “That had to be an abuse of authority. You held the threat of sending her back to her death in return for sexual favours”
“This is all ancient history” Mr Ex interrupted, “The point is can you still deliver us IDW01?”
“Yes Anthony” Sir Sidney agreed, “You’re quite correct, my daughter here, like her mother was a quick study. So what about my offer?”
“Yes” Anthony agreed nervously, “We have a deal and we would welcome your input in dealings with IDW01 based on your prior experience”
Sir Sidney looked at Mr Ex and gave an evil grin, “Showing your true colours Anthony. I asked that the Brigadier General take the lead, but you still insist on running the show from the shadows, don’t you?”
“I merely try and make sure we stay on track Sir Sidney” Mr Ex replied, still nervous so it seemed to Samuel, that this British Peer of the Realm knew his real name.
“I know” Sir Sidney responded, “But I am disappointed that I did not hear it from the Brigadier General”
“Why?” Samuel asked with venom, “So you can gloat? So you can have some kind of revenge for your defeat last time?”
“Exactly” Sir Sidney replied, “At the end of World War Two, certain voices said that we should allow the Japanese to save face in defeat. But other voices prevailed. The Japanese people had to know they were beaten and humiliated and that the world knew they were beaten and humiliated, especially after what they did to British prisoners of war. Like the Japanese people, I wanted to see you recognise your own humiliation. I wanted you to know that you do not cross me and get away with it”
“And that’s why you brought Tania and Sandra here isn’t it” Samuel said angrily, “You want me to see them humiliated too”
“I’m sorry I disappointed you Sir Sidney” Mr Ex cut in, “but I sure that you will find our arrangement quite profitable to you and that should be humiliation enough for the Brigadier General. From what I read about you, you’re quite a pragmatic man”
Once again Sir Sidney smiled, “Quite right too Anthony. If ever you tire of working for the public sector, I’m sure I could find a place for you in one of my American subsidiaries”
“That is a very generous offer Sir Sidney” Mr Ex replied, obsequiously.
While they were talking, Samuel noticed that the black man with the cut glass British accent was approaching quickly; clutching what appeared to be a blackberry phone
“I think we have a deal” Sir Sidney then announced, “I look forward to”
“Sir” the black man interrupted, and whispered something into Sir Sidney’s ear. Samuel could not hear what was being said, but from the expression on Sir Sidney’s face, it did not seem like good news.
“Anything wrong Sir Sidney?” Mr Ex asked
“I’m afraid so” Sir Sidney said with a hint of annoyance in his voice, “It seems that someone at your end has been meddling”
“What?” Mr Ex further asked
“We may not be able to make a deal after all as there may be a change of leadership with regards to the person you called Mr Double-You”
Mr Ex narrowed his eyes and sighed, “Well if he has been replaced or removed” Mr Ex went on, “I don’t see what difference that has to our deal, after all he is but one man and not indispensible “
“You really would fit in to my empire” Sir Sidney grinned, and then lifted up is left hand and pointed at Mr Ex with his middle finger.
At this, the black man with the crystal cut glass accent, suddenly pulled from his suit jacket a nine millimetre automatic handgun and shot Mr Ex between the eyes, killing him instantly.
“But I’m afraid” Sir Sidney sneered, “If you did you would soon be after my job, and that would never do”
At this the body guards pulled out their guns and pointed them at Samuel, Tania and Sandra
“Why?” Samuel asked, “He was ready to do a deal with you”
“He was no longer in a position to deal” Sir Sidney answered back, “Plus I explicitly asked you to take the lead and he usurped your position. Like I said, I was disappointed that the acceptance of my offer did not come from your lips”
+ + +
On a London Bus
The streets of South London
England
Gregory sat on the top deck of the London bus as it went through the London Streets.
As it drove along, he reflected that it had been a while since he had had to study about this Sir Sidney from the briefing; the former US Marine Commander Mark Johnston had passed onto him when he had been head of G2 Special section
Sir Sidney was said to have been fond of having an office on the banks of the River Thames. It was said to have been within sight of the London Eye and the MI6 building. The last one being a reminder of how he had worked in the security forces before becoming an industrialist.
Gregory was certain, that Sir Sidney would most certainly be returning to the general area, even though officially, his original offices had been damaged in a fire and then seized by the UK government. So all he had to do was find the new lair, and take down Sir Sidney once and for all, on his own if need be.
The one thing that worried him, apart from finding him, was that according to the report he remembered reading, Sir Sidney had achieved immortality by stealing his life thread from The Spirit of Death after manipulating Celeste into to tricking her own father.
Gregory had had a good life, and if it were to end in a suicide mission on foreign soil, so be it!
The bus came to a halt, but Gregory did not think anything of it.
Then two men in Barbour jackets came up the stairs and one of them sat on the seat across from Gregory while the other went to talk to a couple at the front, the only other people on the top deck.
Then the two young love birds, followed by the man who had gone to talk to them, got up and headed down the stairs.
“You’re from MI5” Gregory whispered under his breath at the man sitting opposite from him.
“She said you were good” the man replied
“So what now?” Gregory said with disgust in his voice, “Have the CIA got to you as well as Kelly McLaughlin? What’s it to be, shot in the back while trying to escape? Have you made sure the CCTV on this bus is switched of” Gregory added with venom
“Nothing so melodramatic” the MI5 officer replied, “It’s just that if action is to be taken against one of our former agents, we prefer to keep it internal. It’s less embarrassing then”
Gregory shook his head, confused at this turn of events.
“Ever since you arrived in London Mr O’Doyle and met up with that American woman” the MI5 officer went on, “We were following you, to see what you were up to”
“I could have been seeing my daughter and her children” Gregory rebuffed the MI5 officer.
“But you weren’t” the MI5 officer replied, “We know where she lives and you made no attempt to visit her or even phone her”
“I must be slipping in my old age” Gregory said sadly, “I thought I could spot a tail a mile off”
“We heard about that incident with the CIA officer in Dublin” the MI5 officer replied, “I’ve lost track of the number of times we have had to make representations to the American Embassy about their activities, and I dare say their counterparts in the states have had to complain about our colleagues in foreign intelligence service doing the exact same thing”
“He was easy to spot” Gregory sighed, “But I had no idea G2 were in collusion with them. As for you I should have spotted you tailing me, I’ve obviously gone a bit rusty”
“Don’t feel so bad Mr O’Doyle” the MI5 officer reassured Gregory, “We no longer are tied to single agents following a mark like they used to in your day. We work in tag teams now, make us harder to spot, plus we use surveillance technology where we can, so sometimes the person tailing you could be miles away at a computer screen”
“Oh” was all Gregory could say at the moment
“You have already helped us quite a bit today” the MI5 man volunteered, “We managed to apprehend your former snout. He was quite a little arms trafficker wasn’t he?”
“Well not any more I guess” Gregory said at the realisation that his dealings to arm himself for a showdown had resulted in he former informant being arrested by the British, “If it means anything, I did tell him not supply anymore gangs”
“Very generous of you I’m sure” the MI5 replied, “Which brings me to why he have had to clear this bus, if you don’t mind, the weapons you purchased?”
“Of course” Gregory told the MI5 officer and offered his holdall to him, “It’s in the Tesco carrier bag” he added
“Your prints are on file” The MI5 man told him as he opened the bag and peered inside it. “We can easily eliminate them, and hopefully we will be able to tie your former snout to weapons used in a number of gangland shootings”
“Glad to be of help, and I’m sorry he turned out that way” Gregory told him, “But what happens now”
“We take you off the bus and then you have two choices” The MI5 man told him in a serious tone, “We put you on a non stop train and you go visit your daughter and grandson accompanied by a fellow G2 officer and one of our guys, or we put you on a flight back to Dublin escorted by two G2 officers.”
“You mean I don’t get to join in the fun when you take Sir Sidney down? Gregory asked
“I’m afraid not” The MI5 officer answered back, “You see, your former head of G2, just before she announced her resignation today, on health grounds was quite explicit, she wants the Americans to think that G2 was successful; in dealing with you. They do not want the Americans to tie any action we take to G2.”
“And how do I know, you won’t just end up sucking up to him like many did the first time” Gregory demanded to know
“Let’s just say Mr O’Doyle” the MI5 officer went on, “The game has changed and we have our own reasons to deal with Sir Sidney, in fact we already have someone on the inside” The MI5 officer then looked Gregory in the eye, “So Mr O’Doyle, visit your daughter or return straight to Dublin, what’s it to be”
“It’s been a while since I last saw my daughter” Gregory went on, “What is
Cromer like this time of year? I’m sure Debbie and Kyle would like to see me after all this time”
The MI5 officer smiled, “Good choice and a perfect cover for your sudden trip over here”
“Like I said before” Gregory replied, “Always glad to help our colleagues in MI5. Just make sure you get the b*****d”
“Oh yes” the MI5 officer replied, “We will”
+ + +
The interior of an abandoned warehouse
Location, unknown
Sir Sidney led the way as Samuel, Tania and Sandra were marched out of the abandoned warehouse at gunpoint.
Samuel had been right all along, they were still in England, London to be precise on the banks of the River Thames. In the failing light Samuel spotted the warehouse where they had been driven to, it was on the other side of the river.
“So what happens now?” Samuel asked Sir Sidney, “Are you going to kill us too”
“I haven’t quite decided, you three may still be of value to me” Sir Sidney replied, “I may reopen negotiations with whoever took out that insufferable Mr Double-You, I may go with the Russian offer. I hear that Moscow can be quite hospitable if you are wealthy enough”
“A Former MI5 officer” Samuel said with an air of disdain, “I’m sure the Russians would love you”
“
Kim Philby may have had a tough time” Sir Sidney went on, “But if I reunite them with their drow allies, I’m sure I would fare a bit better”
“And how were you expecting to do that Sir Sidney” Samuel asked, “We lost our ability when the worlds were separated”
“Oh yes” Sir Sidney said with a tint of anger, “When I was still locked in that embrace with the late Spirit of Lust and scattered throughout the universes I was able to see that wretched Celeste’s handwork”
“She didn’t have a lot of choice” Sandra interjected
The black man with the cut glass accent raised his gun and pointed it at Sandra’s head and cocked the trigger.
Sir Sidney shook his head, and the man replaced the safety catch and lowered his weapon, “I suppose it was an invidious and odious position to be in, what with an old Russian hydrogen bomb about to detonate” Sir Sidney sighed.
“She saved a lot of lives that day” Samuel spoke up.
“Quite” Sir Sidney went on, “I saw that so called radiation barrier as that device went off within a wormhole that had both ends closed. As I understand it, the explosion augmented the natural gamma rays you get around any wormhole, magically or artificially produced which according to my daughter, are usually no more of a problem than cosmic radiation. As well as pushing our two universe apart slightly the upshot was that we have this bubble universe between our two worlds, with a veritable soup of high energy gamma rays and neutrons flying around inside it, or something like that”
“Yeah” Janine interjected, “That’s about it”
“Makes any attempt I believe to link the worlds fatal” Sir Sidney explained further
“So I’m told” Samuel replied
“However” Janine continued, “My father saw quite an elegant solution”
“Indeed” Sir Sidney grinned “There is no so called radiation barrier between Earth and that world you call IDW02, or as I prefer to call it Aurelia” Sir Sidney explained further, “Nor is there one between Aurelia and the Mystical Realms”
“So that’s what your wonderful plan was all along” Samuel sneered, “I’m sure we could have figured it out eventually”
“Except your government took exception to how Earth fell in that alternate timeline” Sir Sidney retorted, “And shut you down, lest it be repeated. I saw that too and like a number of you, I felt that was premature, so when I got back, as it were I was determined to work on what your government had clearly run scared of”
“You have one problem Sir Sidney” Samuel replied, “If you gate to Aurelia you could land during one of that star’s lethal solar flares. That’s why we deemed it unsafe to travel to”
“But we don’t have to land there Brigadier General”, Janine cut back in, “Thanks to that autistic guy whose wife and child we grabbed and that woman who used to work for CERN”
“There names are Simon and Charlene” Samuel interrupted indignantly.
Janine chose to ignore this intervention, “My father’s idea was to create a wormhole that will head towards the universe of Aurelia, and bounce off of it and enter the Mystical Realms. It was similar to how you used a wormhole generator in that alternate timeline to get off of that hovercraft and end up in South Georgia”
“And now thanks to your people and my brilliant daughter” Sir Sidney cut back in, “We have the capability to reunite the two worlds once more, and this time it will be Earth in the driving seat, not the Trolls as their magic orbs are not as flexible as our artificial wormhole generators, and will not be able to replicate what we can do”
“It’s just a question of fine tweaking” Janine picked up the conversation, “I was going to suggest to my father that we no longer needed your people and we could quite easily delete them”
Samuel looked at this one time PA that Celeste had once saved when she had been shot by an arrow from Jenny Green’s short bow. It seemed horrendous that she contemplated killing Celeste and her child in return.
The black man with the cut glass accent interrupted, “Excuse me Sir Sidney” he said, “your car is ready to drive back to the office, as is the van for the prisoners. On the way I will arrange for a clean up squad to deal with the dead body”
“Very good Williams” Sir Sidney replied and got into the back of a black Rolls Royce with his daughter.
The black man got into the driver seat of the car. He obviously doubled up as a chauffer.
They then watched as the car drove away
Then the armed bodyguards turned their attention on Samuel, Tania and Sandra. “You three in there” he ordered as he pointed his automatic weapon at Samuel and the two women.
“We could take them” Tania secretly mouthed at Samuel. Samuel shook his head and whispered to Tania, “You wouldn’t stand a chance, I recognise them, they’re from a former UK IDEC
clean up squad that went rouge, now do as says”
For a moment Tania hesitated, and he also noticed Sandra looking at him, daggers drawn as it were.
“That’s an order” Samuel reiterated
There was the clicking sound of the automatic weapons, as the bodyguard said in a threatening manner, “Yeah too right, do as your boss says ladies, we were the cream of the SAS before our government sold out to you yanks”
Reluctantly the two women got into the van, where they were handcuffed, gagged and blindfolded, but Samuel stood there staring at the River Thames
“You too General” the bodyguard sneered
“It’s Brigadier General” Samuel corrected
“OK, get in the van Brigadier General” the man replied, “Or I shoot one of the ladies”
“It’s Captain Andrews isn’t it?” Samuel asked the bodyguard
“Correct, well done, now in the van”
There was the sound of a gun being cocked.
Samuel turned around and headed for the van, “I’m surprised Captain that you threw in your lot with Sir Sidney” Samuel said as he stepped into the van, “I mean I thought you didn’t want us to have anything to do with IDW01 and Sir Sidney here wants to exploit it like some companies exploit the third world”
“What makes you think its Sir Sidney we’re working for” the bodyguard sneered. Suddenly Samuel felt a searing pain on the back of his head and everything went black
+ + +
Sir Sidney’s Roll’s Royce
Driving through London
“Well that’s Americans for you my dear” Sir Sidney told Janine, “I think I might have the women killed, they’re of limited value but the Brigadier General, he’s a much more lucrative prospect. I dare say I will find a buyer who might want to find out how much he knows”
“Unless we exploit him ourselves father” Janine replied
Sir Sidney smile, “Just like I would have done”
Suddenly a mobile phone sounded, which irritated Sir Sidney.
“Williams” Sir Sidney complained, “How many more times must I tell you to switch your phone off when you are driving”
“Don’t tell him off father” Janine chided, “It’s mine” she added as she took it from her purse and held it to her ear.
“No the visitors are not with us at the moment” Janine said into the phone.
There was a reply which Sir Sidney could not quite hear, but then he was distracted as he poured himself a glass of malt whiskey from the on board mini bar. It was a minor irritation someone calling Janine as since he had returned to Earth and had bribed and blackmailed officials to arrange for Janine to slip away from prison, he had wanted make up for the time he never spent with her as she grew up and when she worked for him as a PA he had deemed it too risky to acknowledge her as his daughter.
“I hear the other guests have returned home” Janine went on,
She was obviously talking about something to do with her social life as she lived under an assumed name as a receptionist at a hotel.
“I have that item” Janine replied to a question Sir Sidney could not hear and he was not particularly interested in.
“So you will deal with our other visitors?” Janine asked into the phone.
Sir Sidney looked out at the London traffic, soon thanks to the work done by Doctor Henshaw and his daughter; he would have the monopoly on the exploitation of another world. Something that would make him very rich and with his immortality still in place, thanks to how he once tricked the Spirit of Death, something he would enjoy for many years to come.
“I’ll handle things from my end” Janine replied and closed her phone and placed it into her purse. Then she turned and smiled at her father.
“Was that the Savoy?” Sir Sidney asked.
“No father” Janine replied, “Do you remember Adrian?”
“He was one of my trusted employees, in fact you recommended him if I recall” Sir Sidney replied, confused by the question, “He was incinerated by the Spirit of Lust I remember”
“He was my half brother” Janine replied with something akin to anger in her voice.
“Sorry dear” Sir Sidney replied, “I never knew”
“That was the trouble all along father” Janine went on, “You blackmailed my mother, got her pregnant with me, made it impossible to return to her own family in the Czech Republic and cast us aside for your career”
Sir Sidney was even more confused, where was Janine going with this, and why now/
“I looked in on you from time to time to see how you were” Sir Sidney protested, “Even when she gave you up for adoption when you were three, I followed your progress”
“And you know why my mother had to give me up?” Janine asked pointedly?
“Immigration matters?” Sir Sidney said, confused by Janine, his daughter turning on him like this.
“Because the man who agreed to marry her, so she would not be sent home to a possible firing squad did not want me to remind him that my mother had slept with another man” Janine said as her voice cracked with emotion.
“If that b*****d is still alive” Sir Sidney replied, “I’ll deal with him”
“No you won’t father” Janine snapped back, “Six months before he was killed, Adrian and I took care of him ourselves, just after he had given our mother yet another beating, he so enjoyed dishing out to her through out her married life. You cared so much about your career, and your empire, you never followed up on us did you?”
“I gave you a job?” Sir Sidney protested, “I got you out of prison”
Janine shook her head, “No you didn’t father, you were just meant to think that, since you were no longer everywhere watching” just then to Sir Sidney’s horror, Janine pulled out from her purse what looked like an empty old fashioned cotton reel
The thread around it was glowing with a greenish glow and a small length of it hung down.
“Look what I found in your safe when you were in that artificial universe visiting that Doctor Henshaw and that girl who once saved my life”
“Janine” Sir Sidney said with force of authority, “Hand that back”
“No father” Janine replied and pulled from her purse a pair of nail clippers.
“That’s my life thread” Sir Sidney said with a hint of anger and fear in his voice, “Only the Shears of Atropos or the sickle of the Spirit of Death can cut it” he added
“But father” Janine smile, “You of all such people should know, when the worlds separated, not all of the magical people were able to get back to their world”
“The odd pixie” Sir Sidney replied, “But they” he tried to say, but in that short space of time Janine snipped off the end of the life thread.
Sir Sidney was overwhelmed by a searing pain in his chest and found it impossible to breath.
“We captured one father and got him to enchant my nail clippers” Janine explained as she watched her father die.
“Williams” Janine called out to the driver, “Sir Sidney has retired from the board, and I am now the new CEO. Can we kindly stop near the London eye so those nice gentlemen from our security services can dispose of Sir Sidney’s body?”
“Yes of course madam” the black man with a cut glass accent replied.
+ + +
Head Quarters of Metro PD Forensic Laboratory
Washington DC, United States of America
As the afternoon wore on, Iain Davy sat in his office reflecting on the twists of the day’s events.
There was a knock on the door, it was CSI Jennifer Carrington “I just came from the hospital” she breathlessly told Iain as she walked into his office.
“Why the rush?” Iain replied
“I wanted to know if what I heard was true” Jennifer answered
“What did you hear Jennifer?” Iain asked
“That it’s over?” Jennifer replied
“Well part of it is” Iain answered back, “We will still have to investigate how three men, including the head of that so called Homeland Security taskforce were gunned down in broad daylight and by who. I don’t hold out much hope on that, given the professional way they had made that car bomb, even if they were sloppy in fixing it to the car. It seems to me someone did not want any of them to come before a grand jury. Pete, Celeste and Doctor Henshaw all say that the person behind it was Sir Sidney Gerald, a known British criminal who just over three years ago was found to have compromised various sectors of the intelligence services and a few federal agencies, not to mention those organisations he infiltrated in England”
“But if this John McGregor guy from Homeland Security is dead Iain, won’t they just appoint someone else?” Jennifer asked, “I’ve left Ross there to guard Sue-Lim and the baby, which is in intensive care as it was premature”
“By the way, what did she have?” Iain interrupted
“A boy” Jennifer replied, “She said she wants to try for a girl next time” Jennifer added as an aside before returning to the main conversation, “But like I said Iain, won’t they just appoint another guy to run the show and go after Pete and Sue-Lim?”
Iain shook his head, “My source has informed me that because of the forensic evidence we are holding linking the people who were gunned down to a capital crime, the relevant congressional committee is holding off on appointing anyone to head that task force until they get to the bottom of things. The involvement of this Sir Sidney character is raising quite a lot of questions on the hill right now; in fact they are turning things back over to the FBI to investigate and they may get this lab to help out.
“What about our guys?” Jennifer asked, “How’s Amanda?”
“Amanda’s shaken up a bit and I’ve sent her home” Iain replied and then continued, “Pete’s waiting for you to take him to the hospital where you stashed Sue-Lim away. As for the Hargreaves, and that Doctor Henshaw they were taken to the George Washington to be checked out. Doctor Henshaw has booked onto a flight to London tomorrow to return to England, as she’s not sure if she’s persona non grata at CERN”
“I heard there was a massacre there” Jennifer commented
“More hired killers from that Sir Sidney Gerald guy” Iain mused before continuing, “Simon and Celeste are hoping to return home to Maryland tomorrow. I’ll be taking leave to make sure they get home”
“That won’t be necessary” another voice interrupted, it was a balding man in a dark suit who was standing at Iain’s office door
“You” Iain said with some venom, “You tried to take my investigation from me at the beginning along with that FBI director”
“Sorry about that, but it did involve classified material” the man replied, “Thanks to your timely investigation, Homeland security have seen the folly of their ways and kicked me out of their holding cell. I will be accompanying Simon, Celeste and Ashia down to Maryland, as it’s on my way. I’m also arranging for the remains of Miss Cooper to be shipped down to West Virginia. She had family there and they want to reclaim her”
“And you are?” Jennifer asked
“Vice Admiral Walter Quentin Retired” the man replied, “I used to head the National Security Agency before Homeland Security got greedy and tried to grab that from the DOD”
“I still would like to go” Iain spoke up, “It would be nice to see where the Hargreaves family live, “I’m even considering giving Simon a job as a CSI, given the way the NSA has treated him recently”
“Well that’s your prerogative” the man replied, “But there’s one other thing I need to tell you, and you can pass this on to your CSIs Ross and Amanda”
Iain could guess where this official was going, “That we keep quiet about anything unusual we have either seen or heard” Iain said with a hint of anger.
“You got it in one” the man replied, “Whoever took out those guys from Homeland Security are still around and if anyone starts talking about what they saw and draws attention to themselves, well you can probably guess the rest”
“So was that why my sister was killed?” Iain asked, “From the little that Pete told me and from what officer Carrington here told me, it seems she was killed because she was talking about what she saw”
The man sighed and shook his head, “I have no knowledge of that” he replied, “All I can say was that the agency Mr and Mrs Smith worked for would never engage in assassination, my former colleague Miss Cooper was dead set against that”
“So we will never know” Iain retorted
“Who ever it was, it wasn’t their agency or ours” the man replied
“So if it was not their agency they worked for before they became CSI’s or the NSA, does that mean that are Sue-Lim and her baby could still be in danger?” Jennifer asked with concern in her voice.
“I hope not” the man replied, “It was three years since they were involved in that classified work, and the people we suspect, seemed to be satisfied that former members of that classified former agency have kept their mouths shut. But to be on the safe side we will be putting out to anyone whom we suspect of involvement that if any harm comes to your people that will be the last thing on Earth they do”
And with that the man left.
+ + +
An undisclosed location
Washington DC
United States of America
(One Week Later)
A man in a grey suit knocked on an office door. To the rest of the world, this was just the back office of a local taxi company, to this man; this was a meeting place for certain like minded people.
The door was opened by another man, but the man in the grey suit ignored him and walked up to a man smoking a cigarette at an office desk.
“So has he arrived back yet?” the man at the desk asked, “I understand that the Brigadier General and the other two former IDEC personnel were declared persona non grata and deported”
“General Brigadier Samuel Peters returned two days ago” the man in the grey suit answered, “Former corporal McCaskey and Captain Phillips have returned today”
“Oh yes, Corporal McCaskey” the man at the desk said as he stubbed out his cigarette, “I’ve been thinking about her when I heard she was still alive”
“What about her? She was only low grade at the IDEC” the man in the grey suit asked, “Hardly worth bothering about”.
“Yes but with the Brigadier General, her conviction by that Court Marshal has been a festering sore with him. He has from time to time raised this as an issue, and we want him back in retirement and out of the way”
“Why not arrange an accident” the man who had opened the door asked, “either for her or for him, perhaps both?”
“You’re new aren’t you” the man at the desk asked the man who had opened the door”
“What am I missing?” the man who had opened the door replied.
“Assassination is a messy business” the man at the desk replied as he took out another cigarette, “We prefer other methods where we can”
“I can arrange for the army to formally clear this Tania McCaskey” The man in the grey suit told the man at the desk, “That will remove one bone of contention from the Brigadier General”
“Another” the man at the desk went on, “are the issues surrounding the former minor spirits of virtue. You know my feelings about the matter”
The man in the grey suit looked puzzled, “But there is the issue that should they breed, who knows what may be produced”
“But they are out of the country and out of our control” the man at the desk responded,
“Except one” the man in the grey suit pointed out
“Quite, and I will get to her” the man at the desk went on, “With regards to the sterilisation initiative, I’m afraid Mr McGregor took things to extreme there as well. His extremism threatened to expose us all, that was why we had to act, to remove him and the two others he co-opted”
“I thought you said assassination was a messy business?” the man who had opened the door challenged the man at the desk
“It was” the man at the desk replied, “as a result we will be having to ensure Metro PD does not get too close, especially that Detective Davy”
“Is he going to be a problem?” The man in the grey suit asked
“I hope not, but, Detective Davy is known to us, because I can’t be sure, but I believe it may have been Mr McGregor of all people who arranged for the termination of that sister of his to silence her. I did council against it, but, I don’t think I convinced him”
The man at the desk paused, “Before I was interrupted we were discussing the sterilisation initiative Mr McGregor championed so vociferously, and the liability it has caused us”
“What do you propose?” the man in the grey suit asked
“With the embarrassment over the involvement of the Homeland Security Special Task force with Sir Sidney, I have arranged for that policy to be revoked” the man at the desk explained, “The two, who went to Canada will be able to return safely and of course will come under our watchful eye. If any future offspring exhibits any powers, then we or our successors can assess what action needs to be taken, but the assessment of the Hargreaves child indicates that may not be required anyway”
“And the Bentley girl?” the man in the grey suit pressed.
“We can not control the British police, but I understand that the State department have been persuaded to have a word with our junior partners. We’ve told them that the drugs that were planted in her house on the orders of a known international trafficker whose computer her brother hacked into. If that does not work, we will make sure she is not extradited to the UK. That way we can keep an eye on her and her yet unborn child”
“But” interrupted the man who had opened the door, “Who took out Sir Sidney and why?”
“That we are still trying to find out” the man at the desk replied
+ + +
Somewhere in the American Midwest
Mark Johnston, Samuel’s former right hand man greeted Samuel as he got out of the car.
“Hi Sam” Mark said to his former commanding officer
“Hi Mark” Samuel reciprocated, “So how did Sarah take the news that she is no longer the subject of an international arrest warrant?”
“Hard to tell” Mark replied, “Her pregnancy has been playing with her mood swings more than it does with Jenny’s. Going on the run like we had to certainly didn’t help. We only got back last night when we got the all clear from you”
“I’m sorry about that Mark” Samuel apologised, “It seems that Homeland Security were using you to make me co-operate in their dealings with that British dirt bag Sir Sidney Gerald. They even threatened if I didn’t co-operate, to rendition Rebecca Sands and Mazy Schneider from Canada where they went after Homeland Security brought in the former sterilisation policy”
Mark sighed, “You would have thought they would have learned by now, none of the minor spirits were a threat to anyone”
“Don’t I know it Mark” Samuel empathised, “It’s like they don’t want to trust us on anything connected with IDW01 because of what happened in that alternate time line with the Lady High Troll” Samuel paused and then changed the subject, “Has Sarah talked about returning to England, since it looks like the British have dropped the arrest warrant on her?”
Mark shook his head, “I don’t think so. She seemed resigned to never returning to her home village of Tottington again. She’s convinced that even if she is cleared of involvement with her brother’s death and in dealing crystal meth, the fact a number of her friends were murdered might mean she would never be welcomed back to that village ever again.”
Samuel shook his head in despair “At least we’re not sending her to a prison cell like that Mr Double-You wanted” Samuel commented.
“She wants to get an apartment Sam” Mark volunteered, “She thinks she’s a burden to us, especially as Jenny is almost due”
“That’s how the minors were wired Mark” Samuel answered back, “Always wanting to do the right thing, the irony that Homeland Security seemed to miss is that it makes them the ideal citizen”
“Well, anyway Sam, while Jenny is on maternity leave she has got Sarah studying along side her for US citizenship” Mark replied
Samuel thought for a moment, “I didn’t think Jenny needed to do that. As your wife and mother of your children she’s covered”
“Yeah, but she got worried that should something happen to me, she would get deported” Mark replied
“She’s pregnant Mark” Samuel said dismissively, “Sometimes hormones do things like that to women”
“She had this idea after Jason was born, well before we decided to have another baby Sam” Mark rebuffed Samuel, “It’s nothing to do with hormones”
Then Mark was quiet as the two former comrades in arms looked at each other.
The silence was broken by Samuel; “The Brits are starting it up again Mark” Samuel came out with, “It seems someone in the British Government knew about the old IDEC UK all along. They said they were now reclaiming control back from us”
“What’s the point?” Mark asked, “We can no longer get to the Mystical Realms and they can not come here”
“It seems Mark, that not all of the IDE’s returned home” Samuel explained, “And also as they believe they have Sir Sidney’s means of getting to IDW01, others may work out how to do it as well, including any entities on IDW01, and they want to be ready for that day”
“What about Mr Blue and the last time they ran things?” Mark protested
“They say all Mr Blue was guilty of was assaulting and mistreating an Irish citizen, but that we dropped the ball too and as a result Earth fell” Samuel replied
“But we fixed that” Mark objected
“I told them that Mark” Samuel replied, “But they claim under Mr Blue it would never have happened in the first place”
“They are so wrong Sam” Mark said, shaking his head “I just hope we got all the Minor Spirits of Virtue this time”
“We did Mark” Samuel reassured his old friend, “Sarah was the last, and I was hoping to meet her again”
“Yeah, sure, she’s waiting to meet you, the man who saved her from being shot.” Mark replied, “We held up diner when we heard you were on your way across.”
With that the two men walked up the drive to the house.
+ + +
An abandoned factory
Somewhere in London
(Sometime later)
George found his way into the old broken down factory near the Thames on the south side.
He was in his late fifties and had been sleeping rough on the streets for about five years since his wife threw him out, because of his drinking.
This place was a find indeed as there was still something of a roof left. The area had been ear marked for renovation for sometime, but the developer had gone under so it seemed.
Tonight it would be shelter.
Clutching his bottle of booze, George made his way in.
Suddenly to his surprise a green dot appeared in thin air.
George looked at his bottle,
surely he had not had that much?
As George watched the dot became a vortex
Suddenly a large creature, silhouetted by the green light of the vortex stepped out. It was large and big, and it seemed it was armed with some kind of automatic firearm.
Two more creatures stepped through the vortex, taller than the one in front, both also armed with some kind of firearms.
George turned to run, but it was too late as a hail of bullets ripped through his body, killing him almost instantly.
The lead creature stepped forward and walked over to George’s body on the ground.
“So this is that Alternate world of Humans where they use technology instead of magic” it growled, “Let’s hope they are just as weak and feeble as this one” it added pointing to the dead body of the vagrant
One of the other creatures stepped forward, “We can not waste much time here sire” it ventured.
The first creature spun around and pointed his fire arm at this fellow creature, “Guard your tongue well Strang” he said with venom, “I know of the incursion of the humans from that parallel world into ours, so don’t insult my intelligence”
The small creature walked up to the third creature that had remained silent and began speaking again, “The last troll that spoke back to me felt this” he continued to speak with anger as he held his automatic rifle, “And that was that my disgrace of a weakling father Madron”
“This world of human who embraced technology” the smaller creature went on, “Will help us bring annihilation to that other world of humans who chose magic”
“And then we smite this one?” the other creature who had spoke up first asked.
“Of course” the smaller creature replied, “We will exterminate the pestilence of humans from all worlds we find to protect our world of the Manjura Empire. After all” the smaller creature went on, “They don’t call me Padow, Lord High Troll and slayer of worlds for nothing”
End of Season Eleven To be continued
in Season Twelve
Should I get to write it