“We’re not out of the woods yet,” he whispered to her, confident the guard was out of earshot. “Moseley might still be in the lab.”
“Oh right, but he won’t see us if all goes as planned.”
“Just be on your guard regardless and everything will be okay.”
With each step they took towards the approaching door, Scarlett’s heart pounded increasingly harder.
Standing at the doorway, Tim took a second to glance around the open plan lab before beckoning her forward and into the light.
“Tim, this place is giving me the creeps,” Scarlett confessed as quietly as she could. “Are you sure we will be able to get out of here?”
“Yes, everything’s going to be perfectly fine. Looks like your aunt’s charm is doing the job, so just relax and it will be okay.”
Her mind flashed back to earlier when she’d persuaded Tim to do this. Thinking things through had never been her strong point. She’d gone rushing in without stopping to think about what it might be like and now there was no going back. There was a lesson to be learned from the experience, whatever the outcome.
Tim stepped back a few paces into dark of the corridor. “By the looks of things, Moseley’s still at his desk,” he reported.
Scarlett took a deep breath. “Is there no other route? Do we have to go right past him?”
“Yes, afraid we do. Just follow me and you’ll be okay. And try not to make a sound.”
Tim led her onwards, keeping as close to the outer wall as possible, and as far from Moseley’s cubicle as they could be. Just as they had advanced to a point where they were level with him though he put down his mug and got up from his desk.
“This way, quick!” Tim grabbed Scarlett’s arm and ducked down, gesturing with his hand for her to do the same.
Standing behind the door, heart pounding in her throat, Scarlett looked up at Tim relieved he was by her side.
Standing with her back and head flat against the wall, Scarlett tried to catch a glimpse of Moseley without turning her head. As afraid as she was, something in her compelled her to get a look at the man that, if what she’d heard from Tim was true, she was going to find utterly repugnant. She wanted to see what pure evil looked like when represented in human form.
Heart pounding, she waited for him to leave the lab, fighting off her curiosity. When he rounded the far corner and was out of sight, Scarlett relaxed, taking a stifled gulp of stale air.
“You okay?” Tim asked.
Scarlett nodded. “Let’s just get Ronnie and get out of here.”
“Come on then, follow me. We don’t have much time. I’m guessing he’s just gone for a leak.”
Tim led her further into the lab. When he glanced over his shoulder to beckon her forward, she felt a warm current of relief flow right through her. Never in her wildest dreams had she ever imagined that she’d be walking through a military base in the middle of the night, completely invisible to anyone that might be a danger.
They came to the cages, where curiosity got the better of her. “Are these— you know, Moseley’s specimens?”
Tim nodded. “They can’t hurt you, relax.”
Scarlett grinned, still unable to believe she was invisible. “I know, I was just… ”
Ronnie came into view and her grin evaporated.
Scarlett nodded. The light shone through the glass, revealing a trail of dried blood stretching to the back of the cage where a shaggy figure lay naked and shivering.
Tim held the card against the lock, making the light flash green and the doors slide open. Something in the cage behind stirred.
“Ronnie,” Scarlett whispered, “Ronnie! What have they done to you?”
“Scarlett, is that you? Or am I dreaming, again, that I will ever get out of this place? “
“Ronnie, no. You’re not dreaming. Come on, get up. We’ve come to rescue you.”
“Who’s we? How did you get in here?”
Tim stepped forward. “Come on Ronnie, let’s get you out of there.” He took the clothes from the bag he’d been carrying. “It’s safe for you to shift into your human form again, we’ve used a spell to hide us all from the cameras. Here put these on. And be quick!”
“We’ll explain everything once we are safe, but for now put on the clothes and let’s go.” Scarlett was ready to go before she melted down from the sight of all the other specimens in the room.
Tim shifted his weight from foot to foot as they watched Ronnie get dressed, expression void of all emotion.
“Come on, Ronnie, follow me,” Scarlett told him, taking charge now she needed to be strong for someone. “Stay close, keep quiet and we should all be fine.”
+++
Outside RAF Bicester, Launton
The strange noises and flickering candles made the interior of Karl’s car resemble some kind of disco, minus the music. Tabitha and Tarquin had started another ritual almost straight after the first one.
Karl continued to stare through the windscreen at the car park in front of the base, doing his best to ignore the growing pain in his ear.
Tabitha produced some kind of weird humming noise then started gasping for breath. “You okay?” Tarquin asked, his voice full of concern.
Karl swung round just in time to see Tabitha nod and continue with the chanting. Something compelled Karl to observe them. They were making exactly the same noises as before, but there was something different about their expressions. Tabitha’s smile had already tightened, wrinkles surrounded her eyes and her breathing sounded shallow.
For his part, Tarquin appeared to be coping a bit better. He continued to stare through Karl and the windscreen as if in a trance, although there was now something about his expression that alarmed Karl. Tarquin’s eyes flashed sideways to look at Tabitha.
“You doing okay, Tabitha?” Tarquin whispered again.
Tabitha swallowed hard, smiled and persevered. Tarquin gave Karl a reassuring nod and Karl turned around, affixing is eyes on the car park and the bright lights of the base beyond.
Tabitha’s voice quivered. Tarquin increased the volume, shouting and chanting at the top of his voice until Tabitha could no longer be heard. To Karl, it looked like Tabitha’s lips were simply going through the motions.
Karl glanced at Tarquin, whose mouth had grown tight like Tabitha’s. Tarquin’s voice wobbled and broke, revealing for the first time that Tabitha was no longer chanting, but merely croaking, growing quieter by the second. In no time at all, she’d stopped chanting altogether.
Tarquin’s eyes flashed concern at Tabitha. Once again he picked up the volume, his expression strained to say the least.
“What’s happening?” Karl’s eyes flashed from Tarquin to Tabitha, whose head had drooped.
Tarquin’s words galloped from his mouth. “We can’t hold on much longer, Karl.”
Tabitha looked totally spent.
“So, what does this mean? Are there any implications?”
Tarquin nodded. “The spell—it’s in danger of failing.”
“So, what does this mean for Tim, Scarlett, and Ronnie?”
“It means that unless we can contact Tim and Scarlett, they’re in grave danger.”
“And there’s no way of communicating with them?”
Tarquin shook his head. “We’re having problems getting a message through, I’m not sure why.”
Revived, Tabitha focused through the windscreen and recommenced her chanting.
Tarquin looked visibly relieved. “Tabitha, you sure you’re okay to continue?”
She nodded. “I just needed a rest. I feel stronger now.”
Tarquin took a deep breath and joined in.
For five minutes or so, Karl stared through the windscreen, trying hard to ignore the daggers in his eardrum, as he had before. Just when he thought everything was going to be okay, Tabitha’s voice started to waver again.
This time, however, Karl continued to stare straight ahead, trying to ignore the panic that was starting to
manifest itself in his expression. He might not be Scarlett’s greatest fan, but he didn’t want her to come to any harm either. If everything Tim had told them was true, once that Moseley guy caught wind of their plan, there’d be no telling what he might do. Scarlett might even end up in mortal danger.
The windscreen gripped hold of his eyes as he held his breath, hoping against hope that he wouldn’t pick up on another quiver in Tabitha’s voice. It wasn’t long before the inevitable happened. Completely out of the blue, her voice went hoarse and she started with her croaking again.
“You okay, Tabitha?” Tarquin whispered.
Karl was fully expecting Tabitha to say that everything was fine and start with the chanting again, but this time there was no response from her.
“You’ve had enough, I can tell. You get some rest, I can do this on my own.” Tarquin cranked up the volume another notch as he tried to prove the point.
The chants grew increasingly louder and for a while, Karl relaxed until Tarquin’s voice started to quiver and shake. Unlike Tabitha though, his voice didn’t turn into a croak, but his chants did turn to monotone, like he was just being forced to recite something without a shred of enthusiasm.
Tarquin paused, took a deep breath and persevered, with much more vigor in his voice. But this appeared to come at a cost. It was like he’d expended so much energy and effort into going solo that he’d been drained of all his strength and powers.
As soon as Karl noticed the tinge of weariness in Tarquin’s voice, he started to panic. In all the time he’d known Tarquin, he’d always been in control, like he had the power to do anything he wished. Seeing him struggle in this way was a new experience for Karl.
“I—I can’t—” Tarquin muttered. The candles flickered and smoked.
“Have a rest, Tarquin, why don’t you. I can take over for a while. I’m feeling better now.”
So Tarquin gave it a rest while Tabitha started up again.
With renewed enthusiasm, Tabitha picked up the pace, shouting, chanting at the top of her voice. The candles too felt a new lease of life, flames sprouting up into the darkness. She took one deep breath after another, each time rocking her head right back so she could give it everything she had.
And this time, her voice didn’t quiver or reduce to a croak. Instead, right out of the blue, she dropped her head in despair. Suddenly, all Karl could hear was their breathing and the rustling leaves outside. The candles dimmed and went out altogether.
Tarquin’s eyes looked ablaze with panic. “What are we going to do?”
Tabitha shook her head and said in a strained whisper, “I—I don’t know. We have to find a way of getting through to them.”
Tarquin nodded. “I agree. But not sure how.”
+++
Somewhere around Coventry
The voice of reason took hold of Cliff’s thoughts.
Come on, get a grip, you can do this.
Cliff opened his mouth to release the empty blood packet from his vice-like grip. The packet, without a single trace of blood remaining, fluttered around and dropped to the floor by the pedals.
That was when he heard footsteps.
A bolt of panic shot right through him before his vampire-nature came back to the fore. What was there to panic about? He had nothing to fear, he could more than hold his own. Especially now he had fed.
Staring through the window at the houses opposite, Cliff considered breaking the rule of a lifetime and killing them all so he could feast on their blood. Why did he have to calm down? Why couldn’t he go across and help himself?
Because you have a job to do, that’s why. Ronnie needs your help, that’s why.
And what’s more, if he’d been around to help the night before, he wouldn’t have been in his current predicament. He still cursed himself for ignoring Karl’s call.
Looking in the mirror above the windscreen, he became aware of how he might look to an unsuspecting mind and felt suddenly self-conscious. He leaned back and ran the back of his hand over his blood-smeared lips, cleaning himself up.
It was time to get moving anyway.
He clicked his seat belt into place, and started the car.
It stalled.
“Come on, don’t do this to me now,” he cursed, thumping at the steering wheel.
The footsteps were nearer now. He glanced in his mirrors and saw a figure approaching him in the darkness. “You there, you in the car. Police! Turn off the engine and step outside.”
He tried the key again, pushed his foot flat to the floor. “Come on!” he growled. The engine withered and died.
“Police!” the voice repeated. There was a light pointing into his car now. “You, come out of the car!”
Leaning forward, struggling to grip with moist fingers, he turned the key with a little too much force, thumped his foot down and prayed. The engine revved, then gave a low rumble as it fought to stay alive.
A knock on the side window. “Come on, out of the car, now!”
The engine rumbled and assumed control. He pulled forward and out into the road. Looking behind him he saw the figure holding the flashlight after him.
Cliff turned the car in the direction of the dual carriage way he had come from, and made his way through the residential streets, just over the speed limit.
Once on the main road, Cliff hit the accelerator. He knew there must be a way back to the motorway from here, but he needed to make sure he wasn’t being followed.
He saw signs to the town center.
That would be a good place to loose a following police car. They’d have to consider the safety of the public and would likely let him go sooner than cause an accident.
He pressed on determinedly. It wasn’t until he slowed down at a set of lights as he came into the main high street that he heard the distant siren.
The siren got louder and louder, clearly gaining on him. Then it fell silent. Cliff glanced at the wing mirror to see a police car had joined the back of the queue for the lights, about five or six cars back.
Cliff felt his human side panicking. The last thing he needed was attention. But he couldn’t go to prison.
He breathed heavily. “Change, damn you!” he instructed the lights.
Finally the lights changed. Cliff sped off into the night, the shops, houses, trees and pedestrians rushing towards him then shooting off into the distance.
He managed to get through the first set of lights without incident, but approaching the second, someone stepped out onto the patterned crossing. Cliff pressed on the accelerator and raced by, missing the woman by inches. She called out, cursing, giving him the finger.
He realized he wasn’t going to be able to get away. Not permanently. By now the police probably had his registration number. He would be on cameras. He need another approach. He needed to end this.
He slowed down and watched for the flashing blue lights to catch up to him.
Then he pulled over, leaving his lights on. In the few moments he had, he used his windscreen rag to wipe the blood from his hands and face. It was a feeble attempt, but better than nothing he reasoned. Although he still felt antsy from the feeding, he felt his human-side retaining more and more control.
The police car pulled up behind him. The siren was still silent but the blue lights reflected harshly in his mirror. He watched carefully as the policeman got out of the driver’s side.
Good, he thought. That meant that there was only one of them. With that observation he deducted his normal cognition was returning too.
He rolled down his window and put his hands on the wheel. He knew that opening his car door would only make the officer more nervous. He took a deep breath and hoped like hell his powers of compulsion were back at full force.
The officer appeared at his window, flashlight held as a weapon shining into through the open window, deliberately directed at his eyes.
“Keep your hands on the wheel, sir,” the police officer instructed.
Cliff looked straight ah
ead, partly to give his eyes a chance, and partly to not appear confrontational. He knew how alphas worked. He knew how power dynamics worked. And besides, everything was about to change.
“So do you mind telling me why I had to chase you all the way through town to speak with you?” the officer demanded.
“I’m sorry, officer. I didn’t mean to cause a problem. It was stupid. I have no excuse.” He turned his head to make eye contact. “I can assure you, it won’t happen again. I’m not a threat to anyone.” His voice took on the silk over steel quality.
The officer started nodding slowly. “You’re not a threat to anyone,” he repeated.
“You can write that in your report too. It seems you overreacted. It was a false alarm.”
The officer nodded. “Yes. A false alarm,” he agreed, his voice flat and monotone.
Cliff continued. “I can be on my way now officer. No need for you to follow. You have a good night.”
“You can be on you way now, sir. No need for me to follow.”
Cliff started up the engine again, and pulled away. Once he was back on the road in the flow of traffic, he closed up his window to the night air.
He dragged a hand down his face.
“That was a fucking close call,” he muttered under his breath, as he started scanning the road for signs to the M40.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Secure Facility RAF Bicester, Launton
Ronnie threw an awkward looking smile towards the wall on the right. “Hang on a minute.”
Scarlett looked awash with confusion. “Ronnie, what do you mean? Come on, we have to go.”
“What about Raven?”
Tim sighed. “Ronnie we have to go! Who the hell is Raven?”
Ronnie looked again at the partitioning wall, to find Raven standing with her nose inches from the glass. “That’s Raven.”
“A cat? You want to risk everything for a damned cat?” Tim lowered his voice. “Do you have any idea what Moseley has in store for you?”
“I don’t care. I’m not leaving without Raven.”
Mauve (A Very British Witch Book 3) Page 14