The crowd looked towards the sky at the glowing circular object descending bathing the area in a blue light. A low pitch humming noise filled the air.
Wilks and Frederick looked on as the object descended. ‘This is incredible.’ Wilks said with wonder in his voice.
The priest stepped back marking the sign of the cross. His companions let go of Mary and dropped to their knees with their hands clasped in prayer.
The object stopped its descent and hovered about twenty feet off the ground. For several seconds the group of people stared at the UFO. Suddenly a brilliant flash of light emanated from the object, Frederick shielded his eyes. Without warning the object shot upwards and disappeared.
The pyres suddenly burst into flames again and the crowd of people were left stunned by their experience.
Frederick walked calmly up to the priest. ‘Would you call that an act of the devil?’
The priest looked at him and shook his head.
‘Go back and tell your brotherhood, Her Majesties government will not tolerate the random kidnapping of British citizens.’
‘Mary’s gone!’ Sarah announced, pointing at the stone.
Everyone looked at the stone, Paul looked at the priest smiling. ‘She is with the sky people now, you cannot harm her.’
The priest glared back but said nothing.
Whitehall – London – 12:47pm
Monday 1st February 1954
Malcolm Chambers put down the report he had just read looking at Wilks and Frederick. ‘And there is no sign of this Mary?’
Both men shook their heads in unison. ‘No.’ Frederick said. ‘We spent the next day searching but no trace was found.’
‘It’s my guess that whatever took her is long gone.’ Wilks said.
‘We need to find out why these creatures are abducting people at random and most importantly intercept them before they are taken. Vannevar Bush will be flying in from the United States next week. He’ll be bringing a specialist who has had experience with these so called abductions; hopefully he will be able to provide answers.’
The Vatican – Rome – Italy
Wednesday 3rd February 1954 – 1:04pm
The cardinal looked around the table at the fourteen other men. ‘Our suspicions have been confirmed. The British government have a group who has a vested interest in these so called UFO cases.’
‘We will deal with them in the same manner as we dealt with the Americans.’ A man sat opposite said.
The cardinal shook his head. ‘This is different, the man who confronted me during our recent encounter in England, mentioned the Brotherhood.’
Glances were exchanged around the room.
‘Do you have a name for this man?’
‘Professor Ralph Frederick.’
‘How does he know about the Brotherhood?’
The cardinal thought about the question for several seconds. ‘He must be a member of the Order of Galileo.’
‘What does this mean for the Brotherhood?’
‘The Brotherhood of the Holy See and The Order of Galileo have had their dealings in the past. We will keep an eye on Professor Frederick, and make sure he stays on his current path. I will brief his Holiness on recent events in England.’
The group of men nodded in unison.
Chapter 89
Ascending Angels
Highclare House – Surrey 1:08pm
Friday 5th February 1954
‘As you can see we have two distinguished guests with us today.’ Chambers began. ‘I know that we are familiar with both of them so introductions aren’t necessary.’
Professor Archie Watson and Doctor Henry Forbes had been handpicked by Chambers and Stanford as two new additions to the Angel Committee. Watson an aeronautical engineer had worked closely with Frank Whittle during the war developing the jet engine while Forbes had served with Morris Stanford in Europe. Forbes was the lead scientist examining the horrific treatment of prisoners of war by the Nazis and Japanese.
After a brief meeting lunch was served in the main dining room.
‘So how’s Elizabeth.’ Watson asked. ‘I heard she’s expecting.’
‘She’s very well, and she’ll be pleased to hear I’m back in contact with you.’
‘I’ll have Joan give her a bell; do you remember what those two were like during the war?’
Frederick laughed out loud. ‘All too well.’
Professor Watson surveyed the room. ‘So this is the Angel Committee the old man put together. I thought all this flying saucer stuff was nonsense until Malcolm and Morris briefed us yesterday.’
‘That was my point of view until my encounter at Church Fenton, since then it seems a world I had no idea existed has opened up before me.’
Watson held up his glass. ‘Well here’s to getting to the bottom of it all.’ He toasted.
Chapter 90
Dangerous Minds
Whitehall – London – 2:43pm
Thursday 11th February 1954
Doctor Henry Forbes glared at the man sitting across the table casually smoking a cigarette gazing out of the window as if in a world of his own. Frederick, Professor Wilks, Anthony Berkshire and Harold Bates were present.
Vannevar Bush looked around at the assembled members flashing a brief smile. ‘I have read the recent intelligence you have provided us with, which has prompted me to call on an expert who has had experience in this so called abduction phenomenon. Doctor Victor Klaus has studied many case files involving these so-called abductees and is here today to give us insight into how we might deal with this problem.
Klaus stubbed out his cigarette and stood making brief eye contact with Forbes who glared back. ‘Thank you Doctor Bush.’
Frederick noted the thick German accent.
‘I have been studying cases like this since the early thirties and have reached the conclusion that whatever is taking these people must be running some sort of breeding program. It is my opinion that the reason for this is to create a part human, part extraterrestrial hybrid.’
‘We already know that these creatures are taking people for experimental purposes.’ Wilks said. ‘What we need to find out is what method they are using to track these people.’
Klaus opened a briefcase sat on the desk and produced a glass jar which contained a small metal fragment which looked more like shrapnel. ‘Over the years I have managed to extract many objects from test subjects which appear to be foreign to the body. Most of these objects are located in the nasal cavity of the subjects, which I believe act as some kind of homing beacon allowing these extraterrestrials to not only monitor their test subjects, but locate then and take them at will.’
‘Test subjects.’ Forbes mentioned.
Klaus looked at him. ‘Yes, last year since Professor Frederick was able to determine that the red and green markers on the Roswell device are people, we now know the location of people who had been abducted by these extraterrestrials. We have been tracking down some of these people.’
‘You just mentioned you’ve been analysing cases since the thirties, where would that have been exactly doctor?’ Forbes pressed.
‘Doctor Forbes.’ Bush interrupted. ‘It would be beneficial if you could stay on topic please.’
‘As I have just stated.’ Klaus continued unfazed by Forbes’ tone. ‘I believe most of these objects recovered from subjects emit some kind of electrical signal, which at this moment is beyond our current level of technology. Our scientists are working to break this technology so that we may learn its secrets.’
‘If and when you crack the signal.’ Frederick said. ‘Then how does that benefit us? From what I have seen of these UFOs they have the capability to just come and go as they please.’
‘We will attempt to interrupt the signal in an effort to disrupt the plans of these extraterrestrials.’
‘Is that wise?’ Admiral Berkshire asked. ‘Given what Professor Frederick has just said, these beings not only possess craft which are faster and can out manoeuvre any aircra
ft we have. If we suddenly interfere in their plans to take people at will it might be seen as an aggressive act on our part. We have yet to see if these creatures have any weaponry on board their ships.’
‘Which is why we will take every precaution Admiral.’ Bush said.
‘Do you know if the craft recovered at Roswell had any kind of weapon system?’ Harold Bates asked.
Bush nodded. ‘We believe that it did, although no weapons system we are familiar with. Let’s not forget this is a technology centuries ahead of anything we have. We have theorised that any space faring species would not have weapons of mass destruction. The craft we recovered in New Mexico was not carrying any sort of ordinance we would be familiar with.’
‘It is possible.’ Klaus took over. ‘That their weapons maybe energy based.’
‘Some sort of death ray.’ Wilks offered.
Klaus nodded. ‘In most abduction cases especially where technology is involved there have been reports of a total loss of power with motor vehicles and aeroplanes. Not so much of a death ray but a device capable of knocking out our electrical systems rendering them powerless.’
‘A non destructive weapon, or as we have nicknamed it NDW.’ Bush said. ‘Such a device would be useful in bringing down enemy bombers the Soviets would use to destroy our cities.’
‘What we need to do is combine our collective knowledge in tackling this technology.’ Klaus said.
Doctor Forbes stood suddenly and marched out of the room, watched by everybody.
Frederick made eye contact with Klaus before standing. ‘Excuse me.’ He said politely before hurrying out after Forbes.
‘Henry are you ok?’ Frederick asked.
Forbes pointed back towards the room he had left. ‘Do you have any bloody idea who that man in there is?’
Frederick shook his head.
‘Doctor Victor Klaus.’ Forbes said. ‘During the closing stages of the war when the true horrors of what the Nazis had done were being revealed to the world, Klaus was one of the Nazi doctors on the most wanted list, up there with the likes of Josef Menegle who managed to slip through allied fingers. Klaus was known to have experimented on hundreds of concentration camp prisoners.’
Frederick glanced back at the meeting room. ‘I don’t understand, why would the Americans be harbouring a wanted Nazi fugitive.’
‘Makes you wonder what else they’ve been keeping from us doesn’t it.’
Chapter 91
The request
Whitehall – London – 4:30pm
‘It was known as Project Paperclip.’ Morris Stanford revealed. ‘We have been trying to acquire information regarding the full extent of this operation but the Americans have been keeping tight lipped.’
‘I bet they have.’ Doctor Forbes scoffed.
‘We believe that Victor Klaus is just the tip of the iceberg, a Nazi iceberg.’ Chambers added. ‘We did have our own version of Paperclip, called Operation Surgeon and an army unit known as T Force. We managed to round up about a hundred scientists. But it was the Americans who got the cream of the crop. It was a mad scramble to get our hands on German technology before the Russians moved in. We were lucky to get anyone, if the Yanks had their way they would have got everyone.’
Stanford noted the expression on Forbes’ face. ‘I was there at Belzec as well Henry I saw what that bastard did.’
‘And yet here he is being paraded in front of us by the Americans, it makes a mockery of what happened during the war.’
‘Believe it or not this could play to our advantage, especially what Vannevar Bush requested this morning before the meeting.’
Frederick looked at his friend. ‘Which was what exactly?’
‘The Americans have invited two Angel Committee members to the US to view their research facilities, and to look over some of the wreckage they salvaged from Roswell. They are willing to give us unprecedented access.’
‘In exchange for what exactly.’ Forbes said.
‘Complete control and removal of any craft which may crash land on our territory and anywhere else in the Commonwealth.’ Chambers said. ‘They also want to secure long term airbases over here. Doctor Bush claimed that it was to strengthen NATO’s position in Europe.’
‘The Yanks are busy making deals with all our NATO allies offering them various things in exchange for access to any flying saucer technology which may fall into their hands.’ Stanford continued. ‘So far France and West Germany have signed up. Bush and Klaus are part of a US delegate charged with brokering as many deals as they can. We know that Spain and Portugal are on their list as well as the northern allies such as Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland. The Americans seem in a rush to plant as many flags before the Russians gain more territory.’
Frederick nodded. ‘Who do you have in mind to go over to the States?’
Stanford and Chambers just looked at Frederick smiling.
Frederick shook his head. ‘No, I can’t, not with Elizabeth expecting our second child. And what about my position at Cambridge, Osborne and Hinshelwood will have a field day.’
‘It won’t be for long, besides Liz and Susan have been allowed to go along with you.’ Chambers assured. ‘The Americans seem quite accommodating at the moment I suggest we take advantage of their generosity. As for your concerns about the two you mentioned we will make sure your position at Cambridge is kept. Archie is going along with you with his family so at least Liz won’t be on her own. I know she and Joan used to be the best of friends when they worked at the war office.’
‘When do we leave?’
‘March the fifteenth.’ Stanford revealed. ‘As from now you are off active duty with the Angel Committee, temporary of course.’
‘You realise that Janus is still out there, he needs to be dealt with.’
‘Agents Cones and Baker have just returned from the United States, they will try and pick up the trail again but to be quite honest I can’t see them achieving anything.’
Stanford looked at Forbes. ‘In the meantime I suggest we extend Doctors Bush and Klaus every courtesy.’
Chapter 92
Land of the free
Palm Springs – California – USA – 1:32pm
Thursday 18th March 1954
Frederick looked out of the large window at Elizabeth, and Susan as they played in the swimming pool with Joan and her two children Mark and Sean. The sun shone down from a crystal blue Californian sky and despite being early in the year the temperature was in the eighties.
Professor Watson appeared from the kitchen of the spacious six bedroom house which was to be both his family and the Frederick’s home over the coming weeks.
‘Looks like they’ve settled in nicely.’ Watson said.
Frederick smiled and looked beyond the swimming pool at the dry arid desert landscape, dotted with greenery where houses had sprang up. He had taken a tour of the house when they had arrived the day before. ‘I have to admit these Americans know how to live the high life.’ He said.
‘I’m sure there’s another side to American society than swimming pools and golf courses. Did you know black people are made to sit on the back of busses and trains. And I’m sure there’s plenty of poverty when you scratch below the surface. We Brits are only now starting to demolish the Victorian slums and there are plenty of people who have protested against the mass migration of people from the West Indies.’
‘The war displaced many people, a lot of places were bombed out of existence, and the people who were left behind had nothing.’
Both men looked up at the sound of a doorbell.
Vannevar Bush shook hands with the two British guests. ‘Gentlemen, welcome to California I trust everything is to your liking.’
‘You’ve been a most generous host.’ Frederick said. ‘This house is incredible, very spacious and modern.’
‘We started to build luxury apartments here a few years ago, some of our staff from our facility in Nevada like to come here to relax. I’m sorry where are my
manners.’ He said turning to the uniformed general standing next to him. ‘May I present General Thomas Power of the United States Air Force.’
Frederick noted that General Power had an iron grip as he shook his hand. ‘Been looking forward to meeting you Professor Frederick. Doctor Bush has filled me in on some of the case files you’ve been involved with.’ The general turned to Watson shaking his hand. ‘Frank Whittle’s right hand man, I think you’ll find the new breakthroughs we are making in jet engine propulsion very inspiring.’
‘I look forward to gaining first-hand experience I’m sure we have a lot to benefit from each other’s knowledge.’ Watson replied.
‘I expect you gentlemen will be eager to get started.’ Bush said.
Frederick glanced outside at his family. ‘There’s no rush, thought I might enjoy the pool first.’
‘Sure thing Professor.’ General Power laughed.
‘We were going to leave you until Monday anyway.’ Bush stated. ‘Then you’ll be picked up bright and early. There’s an air strip a few miles from here, you’ll be flown out to White Sands in New Mexico first.’ Bush glanced outside to make sure no one was within earshot. We still have a small amount of wreckage left over from Roswell we would like you to examine.’
Frederick nodded. ‘Look forward to it.’
Chapter 93
Shadows of War
White Sands Missile Range – New Mexico – 2:01pm
Monday 22nd March 1954
Despite the desert heat an icy chill seemed to envelop Professor Watson as he stood in the shadow of the German Built V2 Rocket. Its distinctive sleek design and striking black and white chequered pattern reminded him of darker days. Frederick had been escorted under armed guard to another building where Vannevar bush had accompanied him.
Dr Jerome Hunsaker a member of the Majestic 12 group stood next to Watson. ‘We managed to put together quite a few of these after the war. Ingenious design and packed hell of a punch.’
Codename Angel (The Angel Chronicles Book 1) Page 30