Codename Angel (The Angel Chronicles Book 1)

by Jason Chapman

  ‘I’m sorry I don’t quite follow.’ Frederick said innocently.

  Barnet nodded. ‘Still playing us are you Mr Frederick.’

  ‘Obviously.’ Frederick replied taking a good swig from his pint glass.

  ‘You and your colleague here and the two you were with last year are part of another UFO research group.’ Barnet wagged his finger. ‘Don’t deny it; I know it to be true.’

  Stanford decided to take advantage of Barnet’s ignorance. ‘You know what Mr Frederick we’ve been rumbled.’

  ‘I knew it!’ Barnet announced triumphantly. ‘So what’s your group called?’

  Stanford gathered his thoughts quickly. ‘We uh... represent the Flying Saucer Working Party.’

  Barnet looked almost disappointed. ‘Hmm, the Flying Saucer Working Party.’ He repeated. ‘Not a very creative name I must say.’

  ‘It was all we could come up with at the time, so it kind of stuck.’ Frederick explained, glancing at Stanford.

  ‘So have you found out anything interesting about our UFO friends or as we call them USOs.’ Albert Atkins asked.

  ‘USOs?’ Stanford queried.

  ‘Unidentified Submarine Objects.’ Atkins said. ‘It’s a new term, I thought of it myself, due to the fact that these objects seem to be operating underwater.’

  ‘I’m impressed.’ Stanford complimented. ‘We only arrived today, we haven’t had much time for any proper investigation.’

  ‘We arrived two days ago.’ Barnet revealed. ‘And we’ve spoken to quite a few locals who have told us some fascinating stories about the strange goings on in the loch. Most of the USO encounters have a common feature.’

  ‘Which is?’ Stanford asked.

  ‘A static discharge.’

  ‘Fascinating.’ Frederick added.

  ‘Yes, our group members believe that it’s created because of the propulsion system these craft use.’

  ‘And what means of propulsion would that be?’

  ‘We have yet to come to any conclusions but we think it’s an exotic form of nuclear propulsion, far more advanced that what we are capable of on this planet.’

  Stanford finished the rest of his pint and set it down. ‘Sounds like you chaps are well up on your research into this phenomena.’

  ‘Well we are the top UFO investigation group in the country.’ Atkins boasted. ‘Our members are dedicated to investigating the unknown. I’m currently writing a book on the subject of UFOs.’

  ‘Wow! a writer as well.’

  ‘Well we as a group feel that the public deserve an explanation of what these UFOs could be. We are about to begin a campaign to lobby the government into releasing top secret files regarding flying saucers.’

  ‘Dear lord, we should have thought of doing that.’ Stanford said.

  ‘Clearly your group lacks expertise on the matter of flying saucers.’ Atkins jibed.

  ‘Clearly.’ Frederick said.

  ‘Anyway, we were down at the loch this morning looking for signs of our USO friends and found a considerable amount of diesel oil washing up on the shore.’

  ‘Fishing boats operate up and down the loch day in day out.’ Stanford suggested.

  Barnet shook his head. ‘Not recently, not since the first sightings. The folk around here are very superstitious. Since the sightings began there hasn’t been a single fishing boat out on the loch.’

  ‘So what’s your explanation of the diesel oil spill?’ Frederick enquired.

  In a low voice Barnet started to speak. ‘We believe that there are government investigators up here looking into the matter of these sightings. And they’re going out onto the loch in the dead of night looking for USOs.’

  ‘That’s going out on a limb isn’t it?’ Stanford said.

  Atkins shook his head. ‘Not really, considering what we learned from our experiences at Mildenhall last year. We believe that the British Government is actively involved in clandestine operations looking into UFOs.’

  ‘Now you’re really going out on a limb, I’m sure her Majesty’s government have better things to do with their time.’

  Barnet grinned shaking his head. ‘We have first hand information, and the name of someone who might be involved in a highly classified research group. We have yet to learn the name of this group unfortunately.’

  ‘So who’s this chap you mentioned?’ Frederick asked.

  Both Barnet and Atkins looked at each other. ‘If we tell you,’ Barnet said. ‘Will you promise us you will not take credit for knowing such information.’

  ‘Cross my heart.’ Frederick promised.

  Barnet remained silent for a few seconds. ‘Henry Tizard.’ He finally said.

  ‘The radar pioneer.’ Stanford said.

  Barnet nodded. ‘Think about it, who better to head up such a group than the man who helped develop one of the greatest technological achievements of the twentieth century.’ Barnet stood. ‘And that gentlemen, is all we are prepared to share with you.’

  Stanford took a deep breath. ‘And we are grateful for the information, our fellow group members will be most fascinated to hear this, won’t they Mr Frederick.’

  Frederick nodded as he finished the rest of his pint. ‘Indeed they will Mr Stanford.’

  ‘Are you chaps having another one?’ Barnet asked, holding up his empty glass.

  ‘That’s very kind of you, yes please.’ Stanford said offering up his glass.

  Atkins then stood picking up his own glass and Frederick’s. ‘We’ll be back in a mo.’

  Frederick and Stanford watched the two men disappear through the pub’s main entrance. People were starting to spill out onto the pub’s courtyard. ‘So what do you think?’ Frederick said.

  ‘I think we need to find out how those two know about Tizard.’ Stanford replied. ‘His group is not known in any public domain.’

  ‘Last year Barnet mentioned that they have some sort of newsletter, and that The Duke of Edinburgh is one of its many subscribers.’

  ‘That’s more than a coincidence, considering that you encountered Peter Horsley while investigating the Edith Jones case. I have a bottle of scotch back at the hotel I packed. Why don’t we invite them out onto the loch later tonight? The brandy should help to loosen their tongues a little.’

  Frederick nodded. ‘Agreed.’

  A few minutes later Barnet and Atkins returned. Stanford held up his glass. ‘A toast.’ He gestured. ‘To brothers of a noble cause, the search for truth.’

  ‘Here here.’ Atkins said clanking his glass against Barnet’s.

  Stanford took a good swig before setting his glass down. ‘Now, how would you chaps like to come out with us onto the loch later on?’ Stanford invited.

  ‘You managed to hire a boat?’ Barnet asked, suspicion clearly evident in his tone. ‘How? The locals have not been hiring.’

  ‘We found a local who was, although I had to give him a considerable amount of money.’ Stanford looked at both men. ‘You were kind enough to share information with us a few minutes ago, it’s only fair that we return the favour.’

  Atkins and Barnet then nodded enthusiastically. ‘We were planning on heading back home tomorrow, but I’m sure we can manage a little boat trip.’

  ‘Excellent, I have a fishing rod back at the hotel I’d like to grab.’ Stanford said. ‘Even if we don’t see anything spectacular, we’re guaranteed a sumptuous breakfast in the morning.’

  Chapter 110

  The Boat

  Loch Ness – 10:56pm

  The full moon shone down on the Loch’s mirror like surface, creating a mesmerising reflection of the star filled sky above. The four men had been out on the loch for just over an hour and had yet to see anything. Stanford had already caught four good sized salmon and had just thrown his line back. Frederick manned the sonar, but all he had sighted so far were shoals of fish that passed under the boat.

  Albert Atkins sipped from the tin cup which Stanford had just handed him and gazed at the heavens. ‘You kno
w considering the amount of stars there are in our night sky it’s impossible to imagine that we are the only planet with life on it.’

  Frederick glanced up taking in a lung full of air. ‘How many planets do you think have life on them?’

  ‘Dozens perhaps, or even hundreds. All of them inhabited by beings who are probably wondering the same thing as we are right now.’

  ‘It’s an interesting hypothesis.’ Stanford said giving the sky a quick scan. ‘Let me ask you chaps this, why do you believe in UFOs?’

  ‘That’s easy.’ Barnett answered. ‘For me it’s a fundamental drive, life has formed on this planet and has spread all over. Why can’t the same be true with the rest of our universe? In nature we see patterns all the time, repeating all over the place. That fact alone demonstrates that the same must be true out there amongst the millions of stars that exist. Besides anything has got to be better than this planet.’

  Frederick fixed his stare on the sonar, An object was showing up below them.

  ‘How so?’ Stanford asked with puzzlement.

  ‘Look at us.’ Barnet stated. ‘The way we act towards each other with all our wars and other methods we use to happily kill each other. When you see what’s happening in the rest of the world, it almost makes you ashamed to be human.’

  Stanford didn’t have an answer and sipped from his cup.

  ‘I’m not sure but I think we have something.’ Frederick announced breaking the silence. The sonar started to ping steadily. ‘It’s below us moving quite fast, four hundred feet.’

  The other three men were now looking over the side of the boat and were aware of a shimmering blue light coming up from the depths of the loch. ‘Incredible.’ Atkins gasped.

  ‘Three hundred feet and closing fast.’ Frederick announced glaring at the sonar which quickened its ping. ‘Two hundred and fifty feet and closing.’

  The blue light below began to expand beyond the fishing boat in all directions. ‘Two hundred feet.’ Frederick shouted. ‘One hundred feet....’

  The blue light engulfed the small fishing boat bathing it in a sky blue aura. ‘BRACE FOR IMPACT!’ Stanford screamed.

  All four men grabbed what they could to stop themselves being flung over the side, and held their breath.

  After what seemed an eternity Frederick looked at the sonar. ‘It’s stopped twenty feet below us.’ He said.

  Stanford could feel his heart beat again and looked down into the loch. The object glided effortlessly off to the side and moved down the loch. ‘There’s no way we’ll be able to keep pace in this bloody tub.’ Stanford cursed.

  The sonar continued to ping ominously. ‘There’s something else below us, one hundred and fifty feet and closing fast.’ Frederick revealed.

  The shimmering blue light had gone, leaving nothing but the reflective surface of the loch. ‘I can’t see anything!’ Atkins shouted as he stared into the black water.

  ‘Seventy five feet and closing.’ Frederick barked.

  ‘Shit.’ Stanford seethed. ‘Here we go again, hold on to something!’ He ordered.

  The water under the boat started to surge, causing the vessel to lurch to one side. Atkins and Barnet clung to the side rail. ‘Hard to bloody starboard!’ Stanford yelled.

  Frederick grabbed the boat’s wheel and spun it, pushing the throttle. The boat’s idle engine roared into life and the boat surged forward.

  ‘We’re clear!’ Barnet cried.

  ‘Clear of what exactly?’ Stanford demanded to know as he looked behind.

  In the light of the full moon Frederick could make out the black lifeless silhouette of a submarine which had just surfaced a few dozen yards behind. Frederick grabbed a torch and shone it along the side of the submarine. His heart skipping a beat as a Russian Red star came into view. A hatch was flung open and several heavily armed men appeared pointing their guns at the small fishing boat.

  Chapter 111

  11:47pm

  Frederick, Stanford, Atkins and Barnet were hauled aboard the submarine and had been taken to a cramped compartment in the depths of the sub. Frederick reminisced over his experience on board the Russian submarine during the Operation Mainbrace incident. This sub was much smaller, but as with the other submarine the smell of diesel oil hung thickly in the air. ‘Well that clears up that mystery.’ He said looking at Atkins and Barnet.

  ‘What mystery?’ Barnet said despairingly.

  ‘The diesel oil at the loch shore you mentioned earlier tonight.’

  ‘I think the bigger mystery here gentlemen is how a Soviet Submarine is able to penetrate British Waters, and find its way into a Scottish Loch.’ Stanford said.

  ‘They say that these Lochs are linked by underwater passageways which open out into the North Sea.’ Atkins said quietly. ‘It’s only theory at the moment but there is ongoing research to prove this. They also say that’s how the Loch Ness Monster gets about.’ He stopped talking after noting the disapproving look on Frederick’s face.

  Stanford looked at him. ‘And you know this because?’

  ‘I’m a geologist I teach out of Leeds University.’

  ‘I thought you were a UFO investigator.’ Frederick said.

  ‘Only in our spare time.’ Atkins answered. ‘Mr Barnet here is a bank manager. We set up our organisation because we have a common interest, Mr Barnet happens to be my financial adviser. We met a few years ago when I was sorting out my mortgage. We got talking and discovered we both had an interest in H.G Wells and other things including UFOs.’

  ‘Charming Story.’ Stanford said dryly.

  ‘What do you suppose they plan to do with us?’ Barnet asked, the man was clearly in a state of shock.

  ‘I have no idea.’ Stanford answered. ‘Perhaps they’ll drop us off at the next port.’

  The bulkhead door suddenly swung open and two armed guards took up position either side. A few seconds later the sub’s senior commanding officer marched in. For the second time that day Frederick’s heart fell into the pit of his stomach.

  Colonel Yuri Konev glared at Frederick and Stanford before breaking out into laughter. ‘Well well we have caught some big fish tonight. Professor Ralph Frederick, Nobel Prize winning physicist and none other than Morris Stanford head of British Intelligence.’ Konev shook his head, and then eyed Atkins and Barnet who virtually cowered in the corner. ‘And who might you gentlemen be? More members of the infamous Angel Committee?’’

  ‘Never mind that Colonel.’ Stanford said with defiance. ‘I would like to know what gives you the right to infiltrate British waters. You’ve committed an act of war.’

  Konev waved his hand. ‘Please Mr Stanford save your pointless banter, you of all people should know, those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.’

  ‘Exactly what do you plan to do with us?’ Frederick asked.

  ‘You will be taken back to the Soviet Union for interrogation. After the incident last year in these parts and what happened at operation Mainbrace my superiors are most anxious to meet with you.’

  ‘We’ve done nothing wrong, I demand you release us immediately!’ Stanford shouted.

  Konev walked up to him. ‘You will be released eventually, into a gulag.’ He then turned to face Frederick, you will be of great use to us in Siberia.’

  The captain of the submarine appeared in the doorway. ‘Colonel, we have made contact with the craft again.’

  Konev looked at Frederick and Stanford for a few seconds. ‘Bring them, but leave the other two here.’

  A few minutes later both Stanford and Frederick found themselves on the bridge of the Russian submarine. Frederick surveyed his surroundings.

  ‘We have sonar contact sir.’ The captain said. ‘Two hundred yards out.’

  ‘Hold our position, captain I want to see if it tries to move off again.’

  ‘What exactly is going on here?’ Stanford asked.

  Konev smiled at him. ‘If you are expecting me to share intelligence with you Mr Stanford then you a
re going to be very disappointed.’

  ‘Why not?’ Stanford replied candidly. ‘Like you said we’ll be hauled off to Moscow for interrogation anyway.’

  Konev looked at him, taking a deep breath. ‘Very well, just over two weeks ago Soviet Radar stations tracked an unidentified object over Russia. We were able to scramble planes to intercept it and were actually able to engage.’

  ‘You shot at it?’ Frederick said.

  Konev nodded. ‘And we damaged it.’ He said smiling. ‘Unfortunately it was still able to evade being shot down altogether. Our radar tracked its decent to this area, so we despatched a small taskforce to locate the object and take it back to the Soviet Union for study.’

  ‘A small taskforce.’ Stanford said.

  ‘Yes, we have two other submarines at our disposal.’

  ‘All operating in British Waters no doubt.’ Stanford added.

  Konev laughed. ‘Your precious island isn’t as protected as you would like to think Mr Stanford. You may have kept Hitler’s dogs at bay during the war, but since then you have become arrogant. And arrogance breeds weakness.’

  ‘It still doesn’t explain how you managed to get this boat into a Scottish Loch.’ Frederick joined in.

  ‘Our expedition last year revealed fruitful results, we were able to locate a subterranean passageway which led from the ocean and connected to this loch, which is in fact the remains of an old Lava tube. We were able to navigate it within several hours before it brought us out here.’

  ‘Still you took quite a risk coming out here Colonel.’

  ‘There is no reward in playing things safe Mr Stanford.’

  ‘Sir the object has started to move again.’ The captain called out.

  ‘Arm tubes two and three.’

  ‘What!’ Stanford exclaimed. ‘You’re not serious, you have no idea what will happen if you hit it. Not to mention the fact that we are in a loch, not open sea.’

  ‘I’m aware of the risks Mr Stanford.’ Konev shot back. ‘Fire tubes two and three.’ He ordered.