Tuesday, 14 November 2000 (continued)
Joshua Blackthorne's perforated ulcer acts up and he is rushed
to hospital in Des Moines. The remaining agents confront Guthrie.
Guthrie is working for Michael Levin of the Department of Agriculture,
but doesn't know anything about brain bugs. Guthrie has been here
for two weeks waiting for Richard Quail - a contact who (coincidentally)
has infiltrated the Westwood Charity. Jane confirms this story with
Levin by phone. She asks several questions, but Levin won't answer
them on the phone. They arrange to meet on 27 November at the Lincoln
Memorial. Jane is instructed to wear a skirt and dress smart.
Guthrie and Black swap phone numbers. Guthrie says he is normally
based in Canada. Black, Jane and Elise go and have dinner at Lawrence's
to kill time before going to the Westwood Charity. The food is predictably
excellent. Jane reviews Trask's notes of the Vauntings place. He
interviewed a man called Bradley Howard on the farm while mapping
the route of the van that kidnapped Elayna. The chef and owner (Lawrence)
says that a man called Quail came to the restaurant every evening
as if he was waiting for someone. It seems that Guthrie and Quail
were waiting for one another in different places.
Wednesday, 15 November 2000
After midnight the agents drive to the old Vauntings place. It
is snowing quite heavily, although there is not yet much snow on
the ground. The farm is about two miles from the road down a track.
They drive half way, and Elise hides the car under a tree (hitting
the tree in the process). The agents make their way across country
to the barn. Visibility is very low and they are not detected.
As they approach the barn they are heard, but they are not seen
by the red hooded man who sticks his head out. This must be the
place! Inside the barn is chanting. Looking through a knot-hole
the agents see six people in cultish robes, and braziers burning
with a bizarre orange flame. The agents see four more cultists coming
from the house. They are carrying a body that could be Elayna's.
Jane challenges them to stop. The cultists drop Elayna, two brain
bugs fly out of the heads of two of the cultists and attack. Inside
the barn the six cultists open fire on Elise. A great fight ensues.
All the cultists are possessed by brain bugs who fly out and attack
when their host is killed or incapacitated. Jane uses her martial
arts to hold the brain bugs at bay, but Black and Elise are not
so lucky. Jane saves Black on twice and Elise four times as the
brain bugs begin to merge with their minds. Fortunately, the agents
are wearing flak jackets and small arms fire is not particularly
deadly.
Eventually the agents are victorious. The fact Elise is packing
a semi-automatic weapon probably has something to do with this.
All the brain bugs are killed but at a price. Jane has been shot
and badly wounded. Black is partially concussed where Jane kicked
him twice in the face to save him from a brain bug. Elise has been
kicked, shot and repeatedly attacked by brain bugs. She is unconscious,
although Jane's medical skills have saved her life. Elise's mental
state will also prove to be a cause for concern.
Black radios for back-up. It will take half an hour for a team
to arrive from Des Moines. The person the four cultists were carrying
was indeed Elayna Lewis! She has been drugged, but will come around
shortly. The agents wait for back-up to arrive. Before it can do
so a figure emerges out of the tunnel in the barn. It is Richard
Quail wearing the ornate set of red cultish robes. He seems to be
covered in some sort of glistening sheen. Not wanting to take any
chances Jane shoots him with her shotgun. It has absolutely no effect.
Quail gestures at Jane who feels a terrible pain in her leg. The
pain passes. Both Jane and Black thing of the stiletto given to
them by Mike. It is a leap of illogic, but perhaps this can harm
Quail. Black fumbles for the stiletto in Jane's pocket but cannot
find it. Jane grabs the knife and moves to stab Quail but drops
it. Quail gestures again at Jane, this time she collapses to the
floor, writhing in agony. Black takes the knife and engages Quail
in single combat.
Quail attempts to dominate Artemis's mind, but Black's deep-seated
arrogance and new found stardom acts as an indomitable shield against
such trickery. Black stabs Quail. The stiletto draws blood. Quail
is surprised and runs away. Black gives chase into the tunnel hoping
to finish Quail off. Quail leads Black into a pool of viscous black
liquid that seems to respond to Quail's commands. It covers Quail
in a much thicker black sheen. Artemis beats a hasty retreat.
Jane has recovered her self-possession, but cannot stand unaided.
Elayna Lewis has come around and Jane is trying to comfort her.
Black returns and gathers up Elise. The agents are in full retreat.
Elayna has to help Jane stumble to one of the cultist's cars. They
break in, and escape in the stolen vehicle before Quail can return
from the tunnels beneath the barn.
Soon SWAT and ambulances arrive. Jane, Elise and Elayna are taken
to hospital in Winterset. Elayna cannot remember what happened to
her, she was obviously kept drugged the entire time. Black returns
with SWAT to the Vauntings place. All the captured cultists (who
weren't killed in the fight) are dead. The tunnel leading to the
black pool has collapsed. There is no sign of Quail.
At the hospital Jane finds that all the tendons in her left leg
are torn. She cannot explain how such a thing would happen. It will
be five weeks before she can work again. It will be a lot of hard
work if she is ever going to compete at Olympic level in her sport
again. This is not her first concern. According to Guthrie the Westwood
Charity owns four farms in addition to the old Vauntings place.
Jane phones Levin and tells him what they found at the farm (including
Quail). Levin promises to clear up the other farms for them.
Artemis speaks to Dr Luke Lewis who is overjoyed that his daughter
will be all right. Lewis will do "anything" for the agents.
Black says he would quite like to settle in this town one day. Lewis
goes to the hospital to attend to the agents personally. In this
hospital, in this town and under his care the agents heal their
wounds more rapidly.
Elise has no memory of what happened at the farm. The horror of
the brain bugs entering her mind and trying to take her over is
too much to hear. Black can remember the way thoughts that were
not his own suddenly appeared in his mind. Elise and Jane remain
in hospital all day. Black seeks out Guthrie and tells him most
of what happened. Guthrie leaves town.
Thursday, 16 November 2000
Black goes to see if he can find Gabe and Mike, but they have left
town. According to Alex the Hobo they left a couple of days ago
(the night the cult fell?). Alex says that the pair were not "great
believers in organised religion". Despite her injuries Jane
checks herself out of the hospital. She visits Agatha Cooper, and
tells the counsellor everything that has happened to her over the
past few months and years. She feels a great release.
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