Croonford
Detectives Case 20: The Truth is Out There.
Author’s
note: While Chelle might appear in just a gown in the later parts,
there is no scene where she’s fully naked.
Please comment
on the story here.
"In this
morning's breaking news, we bring you reports of new missile, artillery and
gunfire attacks against Ukrainian forces and citizens... in local news, a
farmer has reported that suddenly some of his cows have extremely small udders
for their age and the bulls aren't growing up to their proper size..."
Michelle
Summers raised her eyes wide at the second news report as she pulled up her 70
denier tights — the school temporarily allowed girls to wear thicker tights due
to the colder weather — over her legs. She immediately judged it was something
worth investigating. At the breakfast table, she replayed the video for her
family and quickly stated her view. Her father instead talked about the
invasion of Ukraine by Russia and bringing up the history of that region. Her
younger sister Catherine ignored the news and just slurped up her cereal,
silently humming a song for her music project. As usual, her mother told her to
focus on her schoolwork and tuned down her 'detective games.'
Chelle
naturally replayed the news video for her fellow detective Chan Lin Ling, with
both girls listening using earphones less the other students complain. She did
comment on the fact that her East Asian classmate was only wearing 50 denier
tights. Instead, Lin wrote back on an old school foolscap paper, 'insect
bites?' 'Undeclared vitamins?' 'Just incorrect news?' Finally, at the school
grounds, they met up with Jennifer Thompson and passed on the news.
"May be
infect cattle, ingesting unauthorised foodstuff or as Lin wrote,
vitamins," Jenn remarked, adding it could be like that evil dentist she
faced last time. "Sure, we can look into it, but studies beckon. I've just
switched to history for one of my GCSEs; geography feels very boring."
"But,
you're the really smart one. Now, where are the..." Her boyfriend, Mark,
with the weird surname Cadvish, quickly sauntered over. He agreed to meet up
but had to call Reinhard Tomas, his German-Jamaican classmate and newest male
detective over. The shorter boy just nodded and shifted away too fast to hear
Lin call him. She repeated her call but he was far away.
"Darn,
he's been avoiding me for days, no weeks since last time," she remarked
causing Chelle to query what occurred. "Nothing," Lin head to class,
ignoring the smile of racist guy Arthur Morton.
As usual, the
detectives managed to meet up during break time. Mark decided on a location
where other students wouldn't be nearby since he was getting much teasing from
his classmates and rugby players over his dating. Chelle, Lin and Jenn looked
at the various new sites and only the local Croonford news reported it.
"Maybe
it's just something that will be easily stopped. Cattle grazing? Isn't it
too cold for cattle to be grazing?" Lin asked.
"The video
stated they were in an indoors area," Chelle pointed. "Do you know
much about the growth of cattle? Reinhard?" The latter just shook his
head once and returned to a book. The girls and Mark agreed to head to this
certain farm. Reinhard again dashed off as Lin called him.
"What's
going on with him? Was it because..." Lin had to admit what she exactly
wore when she was creating gadgets with the newest member.
"That's so
you," Chelle patted her classmate. "Maybe he doesn't agree with your
dress sense, no..."
"May he
feels guilty about he saw, I mean how you exactly dress and..." Lin nodded
at Mark's comment. She asked him to get his classmate to give her time to
explain.
All students
were very busy with the various studies but Lin, excelling in her various
science subjects breezed though. At chemistry practical, both her classmates
and Reinhard's who took the subject shared the practical. She was the first
student to finish the assignment first then tried to get his attention. All she
got was a blink of his eyes before he re-focused on the test tubes. A second
time, her class had finished physical education (PE) and she spotted him and
waved but only got a quick nod in return before he followed his class into the
sports hall.
It was only
Chelle and Lin who managed to head to the certain farm the next week. Mark had
a last-minute indoor rugby training but promised to meet up. Jenn had a debate
competition on but also hoped to conclude it fast. Reinhard stated that he had
to help his dad which Lin thought was another excuse to avoid her. With Mark
advising them to be careful, the pair, carrying some of Lin's gadgets found
their way to the farm. As expected, they weren't greeted warmly until one
assistant recalled seeing their face in previous new reports.
"Oh, ok,
welcome," The owner Mr. Richard Stewart gestured. "Yes, we had the
Environment Agency and AHDB official come but they all can't figure what wrong
with my cattle." He was referring to the Agriculture and Horticulture
Development Board, a statutory board for farmers to aid them to in a changing
business world. "Alright," he heard their request," you
can see the affected cattle," Chelle noted he used the word 'affected',
not thinking it was a disease. Even so, both girl detectives were handed N95
respirators. Passing through several gates, the girls finally spotted first the
deformed cows then bulls. They were as the news report described: bulls grown
up yet look too small and cows with small udders. "Don't get closer,"
Stewart held up his hand. "Yes, this just happened recently. when the
weather became colder and I brought all of them indoors."
"What have
they been eating?" Chelle wondered.
'Normal grass.
No, no genetically modified grass or vegetation at all." He answered Lin's
additional question.
"Any new
pests lately?"
The answer was
negative; the farmer and his staff used natural ways like chickens or ducks to
eat away bugs and the farm was well-fenced from outside prey or human
intruders.
"Have you
fed the cattle any additional foodstuffs? Or vitamins?" Lin recalled what
she wrote.
"No, no,
no, everything they eat is from the land. My whole cattle have always been
organic, well now mutated. I've lost business - the cows supply fresh milk to
supermarkets here and on the continent and the bulls were highly-valued veal
and steak sources through Europe." He paused then remarked that they had
one more question as he had business and personal business to take care of.
"Has there
been any unusual incidents or phenomena around their grazing area?" Chelle
asked with Lin wondering how she came up with such a question.
Stewart was
about to give a negative reply when the assistant who recognised the girls
spoke up.
"There was
a bright light shining in the afternoon, daily then two spherical objects moved
around in a criss-cross pattern then the objects disappear. It..."
"That
wasn't unusual. I have to go. Please show the girls out." The farm
concluded and left. As the girls followed the assistant out, Chelle asked him
to show them where that phenomenon could be seen. Lin was about to interrupt
but her classmate was moving fast. They passed through several gates and got
their stained by mud until they reached a far corner. "It happens..."
They was a
bright flash and as mentioned, two circular objects flew randomly until they
vanished in sight.
"Spectacular,
isn't it? Usually happens at this time," he pointed to his watch showing
four o'clock in the afternoon or random late afternoon times. It..." His
phone buzzed, and mention he had other matters to tend to, the detectives were
escorted out.
"What do
you think those objects were?" Chelle.asked.
"Searchlights
or some weather phenomena."
"Weather
phenomena? There's nothing I recall that can form such a bright light and such
circles. Searchlights? It's still winter and there no carnival or property
immediately beyond."
"Ok,
aircraft or such...what's on your mind."
"Well,
UFOs..."
Lin shook her
head. "Look, that's far-fetched. You've been reading too many science
fiction..."
Jenn and Mark
appeared both carrying umbrellas with the former still in her formal school
uniform, one hand holding down her skirt less she get an unwanted upskirt due
to the wind.
"Chelle
was..."
"It has
happened before; it's called cattle mutilation," Chelle continued.
"There have been multiple news reports of animals deformed suddenly with
no clear explanation.
In September
1967, an Agnes King and her son found their three-year-old horse dead. It's
head and neck had been skinned and defleshed, and the body displayed cuts that
appeared very precise lacerations. The dead animal also emitted a strong
medicinal-like odour."
"Oh
that," Lin recalled, "There was a formal report which stated there
was no evidence to support the assertion that the horse's death was associated
in any way to abnormal causes."
"Well in
1973, sexual organs were reported removed from cattle in the US states Kansas
and Nebraska and there were around 38 deaths..."
"Those
reports were cleared as cattle dying from blackleg, a bacterial disease,"
Lin countered.
"Well,
those cattle till might be infected by unknown means. Look, a year later, there
were further reports in Lancaster County, Nebraska. Coincidentally, there were
helicopters of unknown origin flying around and they continued despite federal
warnings. Those objects could..."
Lin shook her
head and stated there would always be a rational human-centred reason,
"Can we adjourn to a warmer non-windy place?" Jenn added, really
clutching her skirt. They retreated to the nearby train station and Lin
continued, "You really think UFOs and aliens infected those cattle?"
"Well,
what scientific theories can you offer?" Chelle politely countered with
Lin suggesting they, not just she, would find many. The group made their ways,
with Lin reminding Mark to talk to Reinhard why the latter was avoiding her.
Despite their
heavy school work and school activities, Chelle managed to conduct research on
cattle mutilation and sightings of unidentified flying objects across the local
area. Lin on the other hand focused on producing scientific-centred arguments.
"Goodness,"
the East Asian student shook her head seeing the news articles and books her
fellow detective collected. "Unknown flights over Croonford and its wider
region? Excited aircraft observers have increased gatherings spotting new
objects in the sky?" Lin shifted the folder and shook her head again.
"It's a tabloid." She turned to the books, noting the titles, Stalking
the Herd: Unravelling the Cattle Mutilation Mystery, Enter The
Valley: UFO's, Religious Miracles, Cattle Mutilation, and Other Unexplained
Phenomena and An Alien Harvest.
"Good
gosh, you really have UFO and alien crazy, she remarked.
Chelle, trying
not to feel insulted, replied, "So what do you have Miss Scientist?"
Lin's arguments
were neatly laid out: There were all scientific answers, stating that deformed
animals all were examined thoroughly by government agencies such as the FBI.
Natural causes such as dehydration or small scavengers and burrowing parasites.
Other unusual changes could be due to feeding insects and these were tested in
labs. She also presented her own scientific and mathematic models of how the
cows and bulls were deformed." But none of what you presented can be
countered with what I found." The duo kept arguing, trying not disturb any
nearby students. Neither could win their own arguments when Lin remarked if
Chelle really believed the cattle was infected by unknown sources like the government,
she suggested her friend contact her father. "My dad works on foreign
relations," Chelle replied but still sent him a WhatsApp message, leaving
out the words 'UFO' and 'alien'. As Jenn joined them, Lin asked if she could
talk to her cousin in the RAF about any new aircraft flying above that farm.
"We did save him after all."
The answers
came back after school: Chelle's father knew nothing about deformed cattle and
mentioned that he was extremely busy. Jenn's cousin took long to reply saying
he could not reveal anything being a military officer bound by the Official
Secrets Act. "He recommends asking via the Freedom of Information
Act," Jenn remarked then added replies to any query take at least 20 days
and Chelle noted some government departments would never disclose their
activities. "Ok, Lin, you have your science-centred theories I have my
controversial ones. Let's return to see that weird aerial display and to the
farm."
While the pair
decided when to venture there, Mark sprang out of one corner and literally
pulled Reinhard aside, holding a finger to his classmate's lips.
"What..."
"What's
with you and Lin? You've been ignoring her since the last case regarding that
evil dentist."
The shorter boy
tried to walk away but the rugby player's figure blocked all his way.
"Come on,
what's going on?"
Reinhard stared
up at Mark and just blurted. "None of your business."
"Oh, come
on, as classmates and fellow detectives, I know something's up."
"I'm...you're
too intrusive. Let me..." Mark gently pulled him aside as other students
passed by.
"We're all
in the same boat, no group. So, ignoring Lin doesn't help. Speak to her."
"Ok, fine,
I'll will some time."
"No, as
soon as possible."
Chelle and Lin
returned to edge of the farm where the assistant informed them where they could
spot the unidentified objects. They were late so they decided to head to that
area first then check out the cattle later. Jenn once again had a debate
competition. Lin started to look bored as the seconds and the sky looked
normal. All of a suddenly, the bright light shone intensely, a few seconds
longer than previously. The two spherical objects appeared and randomly moved.
Chelle excitedly pulled out her camera phone and ran next to the fence snapping
pictures wildly. Several minutes later, the two objects vanished.
"We lost
ten minutes!" Chelle cried, pointing at her watch with Lin raising her
eyes.
"I looked
at my watch just before the objects disappeared and it was four-thirty-five.
Suddenly, my watch and phone turned four-forty-five!"
"It' can't
be," Lin started as Chelle showed the time stamps on the pictures she
took.
You can't lose
time; time is a universal variant!"
"It has
happened to alien abductees or people who witness UFO sightings...ooh, take a
look, oh crap," Chelle moaned and she showed Lin the blurry pictures.
"You need
to max zoom and stay still and you took an empty picture of the sky," the
taller girl tapped the last shot which showed an empty sky.
"Hey there
were there; they must have been used some cloaking shield."
"Oh gosh,
that's so Star Wars-geek like," Lin shook her head when she saw her friend
staring at her watch and phone again. They were next joined by Jenn who
remarked her team lost a debate match against an unknown school and some
student named Richard Weaver was named best debater in her place. Chelle was
about to lead them to the farm entrance when Jenn showed a news video on her
phone.
"Authorities
has placed a quarantine at 4:50pm on Stewart farm where cattle’s organs and
other body parts have been much deformed. The owner Richard Stewart and his
staff have been taken in for question and supermarkets and small retailers and
advised not to sell milk or meat from that particular farm - government
authorities will be in touch. Citizens are advised not to approach the farm for
any particular reasons.” Figures in biohazard suits nearby further confirmed
the report.
"Let's
head back," Jenn naturally suggested and Lin found her watch was at the
same time as Jenn's. Before she could further chat with Chelle, she received a
message from Mark.
Reinhard has
agreed to meet and talk to you. But only at a place without many others
especially people especially schoolmates.
Lin was partly
relieved and typed a reply. Chelle was silently dejected that they could not
further stay around the farm or check out the animals. The news that there was
a quarantine placed by government agencies or departments furthered her
theories that there was really something sinister happened. She decided not to
argue with Lin as she silently decided what to next to do.
The quarantine
news involved every group as possible and it took Chelle ages to get into
contact with their long-term police Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Nikki
Heath.
"We're
looking into whether the farmer or any of his staff have devious motives in infecting
the cattle. No, we're not investigating in any aerial objects. No, can't brief
you on more details. Really advise you and the group to stay well away from the
area."
Lin had chosen
a cafe titled New Items which actually sold snacks and drinks that were made
globally and there was not one British-made item there. She knew proprietor and
he arranged a two-seat table in a corner far away from the usual clientele
without question. Instead of her usual sexy clothing she chose a dark blue
jeans skirt that reach around four centimetres below her knees with her legs
clad in 70 denier black, something she could bear with. Her jumper was dark red
over a beige long-sleeve shirt. She toyed her handless cup of Chinese Jasmine
tea when Reinhard dressed in black jeans and a brown jumper entered. He nodded
at her rising from her seat but returned the handshake for only two seconds.
"Go ahead, get your own drink," she pointed to the counter. As he
returned with a less sweet Turkish coffee, she smiled while he tried to not to
shiver or worse, spill his drink.
"Something
is bothering you." She started, not with a question.
Chelle was
definitely bothered. There were so many questions that no one would or could
answer. The news droned on about the quarantine droned on as were her mother's
reminder to avoid the area. Deciding otherwise, she dressed in simple jeans and
jumper telling her mother that she was conducting field research for an article
for the school's literature and media club. "I'll return to tuition
Catherine, mum and help you prepare dinner." Repeating that twice, her mum
again told her to avoid the farm and Chelle was off. At a toilet in a nearby
pub, she changed out of those clothes into an all-black slack and jumper that
was quite skin-hugging.
Reinhard felt
like he was an ice cube slowly melting away upon hearing Lin's opening
statement. He just wanted to run away or find a table to sit alone.
"Please, tell me. Take a sip of your coffee and explain."
Reinhard
finally drank nearly a quarter of his cup, wiped his lips then blurted out,
"It's you! It's how you dress!"
After taking a
different train journey, the black-clad Chelle position herself on a hillock
that was directly opposite the area where the unidentified objected appeared.
She checked her watch and her phone - they both stated the same time. She
withdrew a cheaper watch and let it run. Noting the time again, she rolled
downwards closer to the farm's fence, double-check her own watch, phone and
drew out a cheap binoculars that she bought beforehand.
Lin already
guessed what was troubling the short boy so did shout back but just told him to
continue. "It was what you wore! No what you wear, what you dress in!
You..." Reinhard stopped, banged the table and lowered his head down. It
was amazing that both their drinks didn't spill. Her hand lightly tounched his
forehead and he lifted his head up. "You said 'yes' when I askd if you
like what I wore."
Reinhard lifted
his head and slightly nodded.
"Do I
scare you?"
He shook his
head.
"So, it
was what I wore? I better cover up now, " She was about to put on her coat
when he stopped her.
I should have
worn a thick coat, Chelle thought as the afternoon weather grew chiller. A part
of her started to say that Lin may be correct; there was a scientific
explanation for all of this. Yet her curiosity pushed that away - there wasn't
a clear explanation for the sudden deformation of the cattle. Nor was there a
distinct reason for the quarantine or even the random burst of light and the
random moving aerial objects. Her thoughts were interrupted as her watch then
the time on her mobile phone jumped by five minutes. Rushing back up the
hillock, the watch she left showed no changed in time. What...\
"Well...when
I was looking you, your chest -- I shouldn't have --- I had this feeling
between my legs, I don't know how to explain it," he didn't state the ‘E’
word out loud mostly because he was not taught it. "Or just looking at
you, even in your school uniform, I get...that muscular feeling..." He
turned his head away but she gestured him to look at her. Lin easily understood
that he was getting aroused and constant erections due to her looks.
"Reinhard,
I am what I want to be; I'm sure that true for yourself." She told him how
she was the first girl in primary school to start puberty, how she was bullied
for having breasts - he didn't react when she used that term -- and teased for
being taller than the boys. Her primary school wasn't friendly for girls with
their periods.
"Other
girls also wear sexy clothes, dress to beautify themselves. Harriet, Bethan,
Heather and some girls in your class looks pretty and dress to beautify. Does
that affect you?"
He shook his
head.
Meanwhile,
Chelle witnessed the sudden bright light although this time it was much
brighter than before. For precautions, she had donned sunglasses but the pair
or unidentified spherical objects appeared much faster than before. They moved
around less randomly this time as she looked through the binoculars. In some
way in was very enchanting.
"We're
both teenagers Reinhard, we're both having feelings due to puberty, there are
those sex education classes, ok not well-designed. The point is, it's natural.
Take another drink, feel calm. Now look, what do you see?"
Chelle saw the
two objects continue their 'dancing' in the sky. She had already drawn out her
phone and took dozens of pictures. The first five were blurry while the others
showed an empty or slightly cloudy sky. Shaking her head, she tried to send the
blurry ones to her detective colleagues but each time she got a blocked signal.
Someone is
really causing this disruption and I'll...
"I..I see
a student. A girl...a scientist," He still was unsure but wasn't shaking
anymore. "I feel so stupid now."
"Don't
ever be. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Want a snack?" Lin was about to
order one when there was message from Chelle. It was gibberish,
"#$$$###^^@@@&.("
She dialled
Chelle's number direct. "Chelle? Chelle? Are you there?"
Chelle in fact
saw the two objects suddenly grew closer and a gigantic force pulled her off
the hillock. She was not blinded as her eyes just saw the whole area turn black
then a stark white. What on earth could...Chelle couldn't think straight, hear
anything, feel anything, all her senses suddenly disappeared.
Lin kept on
dialling, texting, sending WhatsApp messages to Chelle and found no replies and
received, 'The number you have called is unavailable, please try again
later." Throwing some money to pay for the drinks, she yelled,
"Chelle's in trouble." That set off a 'chain reaction', with her and
Reinhard reporting it to the police. DCI Heath, despite manging the mutilated
cattle case, took it, asked questions neither student could answer and she
logged it. Mrs Summers nearly fainted upon hearing the news, repeatedly
scolding herself for not stopping her eldest daughter. By late evening,
Michelle Summers was declared a 'missing person'.
The whole town
was now shifting talk form the quarantined farm to Michelle's disappearance,
even though it was not the first time. DCI Heath, along with her trusted
partner Detective Sergeant (DS) Bluebell Ransom pulled all-nighters but after
intensively interviewing the farmer, his staff and other locals, there were no
leads. At school, students could not stop talking about Michelle, many setting
up groups wishing for her safe return, some thinking she was playing a fool.
Chelle awoke,
or part of her was. She could see, somewhat since there was a gigantic light
above no around her. Was she still where she was? What was this light? She
tried to move but couldn't. Bound once again, but she couldn't identify what it
was. Was sitting, standing or lying on the ground? She tried to open her mouth
but her lips couldn't move. There was nothing coming from her vocal cords.
How was she
gagged? How was she silenced. Figures, no just white heads appeared. or so she
could barely make out.
Chelle's
disappearance affected every other teenage member. Reinhard couldn't think
properly during hi English classes, Jenn made simple errors in her Shakespeare
studies, Mark was scolded by his rugby colleagues and coach. Lin was the most
affected, not just her studies but also personally since she mostly blamed
herself for not helping Chelle to see more rational explanations regarding
and judging her rash action.
Chelle now
could judge those 'heads' were humanoid-like. Who were they - alien? Humans in
gowns? She couldn't think properly. Her eyesight was slightly better now and
she wasn't shocked to see herself undressed down to her white bra and knickers.
She could not move, talk and failed to comprehend her plight.
Lin woke up in
the early morning, still blaming herself for her friend's disappearance and all
the news about it. She knew her parents had formally stopped her from any
after-school activities but despite their bedroom being near, she managed to
quietly dress and slipped out of her room window, managing to close it without
much noise. It was naturally cold but the chill wasn't on her worries. After a
quick stroll she found herself walking past a closed shop when a limousine sped
past, nearly knocking her down. Before she could get up and shake her fist at
that reckless driver, the vehicle reversed back, pushing her into an alley.
"Miss
Chan, please join me inside," one door just sprang open and a deep
non-British broke the silence of the morning.
"Who
the..."
"I have
the means to save Michelle's live."
"What the
hell did you...." She stopped one window partially lowered and a taser or
gun was pointed at her. "We don't want further trouble, so please..."
Lin weighed her options and cautiously entered. A pouch was dropped on her lap.
Opening it, she found a syringe, a small medical bottle and several neatly
hand-written lines on a crumpled paper.
"A vaccine
against what your friend is infect with. It must be administered within six
hours. That leaves you little time to reach the area." He pointed to the
note then the time on the car clock.
"A virus?!
You infect Chelle with a virus?! What about the cattle?! What about..."
"I ask you
lower your voice young lady. The person in front has fingers that won't hold
that weapon properly. The animals were part of the means the create a cure for
farmers working very close with livestock. It's a long story but it became a
virus that has mutated and intensive tests on humans were required."
"Why
Chelle? Why did you pick her!" The limo's interior lights were dimmed but
she noted the man's face was deeply scarred.
"I have
even my limits in the full scale of the project. Those objects in the sky may
have a relationship with the project. The vaccine is the main area I know
about."
"Who
exactly are you? How can I trust you?" Suddenly the limo turned sharply
three times, throwing both of them out of their seats. There was a loud
explosion but as Lin recovered, the gunman in the front had shot himself, then
two more shots came, killing the driver and then the gunman.
"Even
friends I know can never be trusted," the unknown figured continued
without a change in tone while Lin was slightly shocked. "Now, it's best
you go to save your friend. The questions you have may be answer at the
location." The door on Lin's side clicked open. She pondered then stepped
out. There was a more muted 'move away' from him and as she crawled away, the
vehicle somehow jerked then exploded, the shrapnel nearly striking her.
An hour or so
later, Lin somehow managed to reach the area written in the note. It was an
open field, with no other structure sight and it was formed from Satnav
coordinates in the note. She previously took pictures of the note and sent it
to her detective friends and the police. Ok, what next? She scanned the area
but it was just an open field. Nowhere near than farm, where exactly was
Croonford now? She moved randomly and just as she thought it would be better to
walk back when she fell. It wasn't a long fall then suddenly she found herself
standing on a narrow edge. Spreading her arms, she managed to balance herself
until she spied a wider area. As she reached that part, she suddenly stared
down. Right below her was a gigantic hole that showed rows of walkways all
leading to further areas. As she looked down, one particular walkway showed
steam rising from it. That could be...suddenly she fell again, her hands
finally catching some railing. With much strength, she pulled herself up, and
felt a blast of chill.
In front of her
was a large bolted door, akin to those in banks or ICBM bunkers. There was a
small keypad with no numbers on it but she pulled out the now-dirty note and
imagining how a numerical key pad would look like, she punched 5982.
The door
clicked open but slammed shut as she entered. Inside was a medical examination
table but no other equipment around it. On the left were at least ten vertical
crypods and when Lin touched the first, it was icy cold. Wiping her coat against
it, she gasped as she saw a male inside, waist covered with a tube running
inside his mouth. Lin quickly wiped the second, third and fourth crypods yet
all contained semi-naked men. As she rubbed away the ice around the fifth tube,
she gasped seeing Chelle wearing a gown with that same tube stuck inside her
mouth.
"Chelle!
Hang on!" She looked around wildly but there was no lid or lock to open
the crypod.
Spying the
table, she unlocked the wheels and hoping for the best, she rammed in as hard
as she could against the particular crypod. There was a creaking sound and the
structure shattered, gooey liquid sliding down the floor, dirtying her
trainers.
"Chelle!"
Lin cried as she caught her sat her friend down on a clean surface. "Can
you..." Lin pulled out the syringe and trying the remember how doctors and
nurses filled it, she managed to wheels and filling it with the unknown vaccine
and slowly injected it in Chelle's bare arm. Suddenly, the organic-like tube in
her mouth shrunk then slid away with Lin pulling it off.
"Chelle,
can you hear me? Michelle?" She heard a loud cough then barely head the
word cold. Taking off her coat, Lin wrapped it around her friend and again look
around for an exit. Before she could finish looking in detail, the first crypod
exploded, with more goo spilling out. "Shit!" Lin cried, not at the
substance, but as the semi-naked man inside slowly walked out hunched. Another
explosion blew the second crypod, and Lin dragged herself and Chelle away as
the next man got out. Suddenly, the wall she leaned against clicked open and
turning, she saw a ladder slide out.
"Chelle,
hold onto to me!" She called as felt the cold still slightly sticky
feeling of her half-unconscious friend on her back. Despite the weight, Lin
managed to climb as she heard more explosions beneath her and found and open
hatch above. The last thing she heard was a tremendous explosion as she pulled
herself and Chelle out, not before seeing the two same objects dancing in the
sky.
In the early
morning aft, Lin, held an ice pack against her bruised cheek and was joined
with the four others in the visitor’s area of the town's hospital. Dr. Gordon
Holdon, the A&E doctor, finally exited and held out hands to stop their
excited questions.
"Yes,
she's conscious. Ok, I'll allow you all to see her. But only five minutes; she
really needs a long rest."
Inside, Chelle
was in a hospital gown an IV drip runnng to her left vein and wires running to
a heart monitor. As they gathered aroound, Lin started.
"Who...are
you?" Was Chelle's response.
"Oh, no
please!" They all wailed. Chelle's eyes blinked and she laughed. "Did
I miss anything?"
Michelle,
Lin Ling, Jennifer, Mark and Reinhard will return in 'Multiple Cases.'
The End