by David Alric
The next day the professor sat after lunch in the shade of a tree sipping coffee and mulling over his situation. He knew that Chopper was now in a position to kill him if he chose to do so. He knew how to work the suit and, with the professor out of the way, would have access to all his research data. That meant that, should he ever need more suits, he could hire, blackmail or intimidate some other scientist into creating them. That scientist would then undoubtedly mysteriously disappear – probably into the foundations of a new motorway – never to be seen or heard of again.
As it happened, the professor was also in a position to dispense with Chopper. It was now just a question of who got in first. He had never had any intention of making six suits, one for everyone: all he had needed was to ascertain the source of the ore and refine the technique for turning it into a robe. That he had done and all the scientific information he needed was now recorded on a single CD. At any time from now on, and the sooner the better, Chopper and his gang could meet with an unfortunate and tragic accident and Biggles and Luke would fly back to a fortune. It was important that the pilot didn’t suspect that Luke was in any way involved in the deaths of the other villains. Luke would dispose of him once they were safely back in civilization.
As he sat planning the details for the demise of the gang the professor looked across the valley and saw, in the far distance, a giant ground sloth stripping a tree. He had been aware from his first day in the crater that there were special animals here and had discussed it with Biggles. They had surmised, correctly, that they were in a unique environment and their observations only strengthened the professor’s conviction that this was probably the only place on earth where photogyraspar might be found; surely otherwise, in the countless geological surveys for oil and precious minerals and all the archaeological diggings that had taken place over the years, all over the world, somebody, somewhere, would have come across this extraordinary crystal. Chopper and his gang had never noticed the unusual fauna. They had no interest whatsoever in anything other than making money from criminal activities and provided the animals kept their distance, as they did, they completely ignored them. Luke decided that when he killed the others he would avoid arousing Biggles’s suspicions by making it look as though their deaths had been due to an unexpected attack by the unusual animals. His musings were interrupted by a distant drone. At first he thought it was a swarm of bees but he suddenly realized that it was an aero engine. At the same instant Chopper leapt out of his camp chair and gazed into the distance, scanning the horizon above the crater rim. Not for nothing was he a leader; he went straight into action shouting commands:
‘It’s a plane. Could be cops. Biggles, you hide the plane in the trees – quickly before they see it. Prof, go to the lab and put on your suit – could be useful. Sam, switch off the generator – they’ll hear the humming. Bert and Crack – take guns, binoculars, food and water and go and hide as far as possible – over at that cliff.’ He pointed to the distant central escarpment. ‘They may search this whole area and if there’s trouble we’ll need you to come back later and rescue us.’ Chopper himself cleared away the camp chairs, then hurried to get binoculars and watch the incoming plane.
Biggles climbed into his plane and started the engine as the others did Chopper’s bidding. He taxied into the bush, carefully choosing a route that avoided shrubs and trees that were large enough to damage the wings.
The best cover seemed to be near the crater wall and he headed in that direction, the thickening undergrowth obscuring his view of the ground. Suddenly he felt the plane lurch forward and to his horror he saw that it had run over the edge of a steep gully, until then completely invisible from the cockpit. He shut down the motor but it was too late. The plane plunged down the steep rocky slope and with a final lurch ended up in a marsh with the wings resting on the surface of the bog and the nose facing the cliff.
He scrambled along the wing, jumped on to dry ground then turned to review the situation. The full horror of what had happened began to dawn on him. Although the engine was just clear of the water there was no way he could use the plane’s own power to get it out; it was facing the cliff and stuck firmly in the marsh. It would have to be hauled backwards from the marsh and back up the steep rocky slope before it could be turned round, and that would take a large tractor or a crane. They were stranded. As he stumbled back with leaden feet to confess to Chopper he had a sickening thought. Up until now the only reason for his continued existence was the fact that Chopper needed him to fly the plane back to civilization. If that reason no longer existed, then Chopper would see no particular reason why the pilot should have a share in their criminal profits, assuming they were eventually rescued. He was now dispensable and the thought struck fear into his heart.
Eventually he reached Chopper who had now been rejoined by Sam. The new plane was parked about two hundred yards away. Chopper and Sam were lying hidden from view behind an outcrop of rock, scrutinizing the scene before them through binoculars.
There were six newcomers and, Sam maintained, three or four monkeys, but Chopper said he had drunk too much beer with his lunch. For the past half-hour they had been busy unloading supplies and were now engaged in erecting two large tents. They were still unaware of the fact that the valley was already occupied. The collection of huts comprising the villains’ camp nestled among the trees at the edge of the open plain. This not only meant that they were shaded from the equatorial sun but that they were invisible from the air and relatively inconspicuous even from the ground. Chopper had not wanted to risk the camp being visible to a passing plane or a police search, however unlikely that eventuality might be in this remote area.
As he approached the others Biggles coughed nervously and Chopper and Sam turned round.
‘Get down,’ Chopper hissed – then his brow darkened as he saw the pilot’s face. ‘What’s up?’
The pilot explained and, as he had feared, Chopper went totally berserk.
‘Get back there,’ he eventually hissed, ‘and think of some way of getting the bloody plane out. How can you possibly screw everything up when we’re just on the point of getting out and,’ he jerked a thumb back to the new plane, ‘we’ve got this lot to deal with.’
The pilot mumbled an apology and escaped back to the gully. There was nothing he could do, but at least he was out of Chopper’s range.
In his laboratory Luke watched events carefully through the window. He had seen the pilot return and observed Chopper’s reaction to whatever it was that the pilot had told him. He decided that he had to find out what was going on. He was already in his invisibility robe as Chopper had suggested – a precaution in case the police had arrived – and now he slipped out of the cabin and walked silently over to where Chopper and Sam lay in hiding.
‘… so I’ve sent Biggles back to check,’ Chopper was saying as Luke crept up and stood behind him, ‘but it sounds as if the plane is stuck in a bog – he says it would take fifty men to pull it out. That makes it all the more important to see what these characters are up to – they don’t look like cops and we’re going to need their plane to get out of here.’
‘It could actually be better than we thought,’ said Sam as they both watched the new arrivals unpacking their plane. ‘Cos if we use their pilot to get out we can dispose of Biggles along with all the rest. Then there’ll just be the two of us to share the proceeds. Have we everything we need?’
‘Yep, the prof keeps the robes and a back-up data disk in a tin box in the lab. We now know how to use the suits so we just pick everything up when we leave.’
As they watched, three of the party under scrutiny got back into the plane and the engine started up.
‘What the hell?’ said Sam. He started to get up, but Chopper pulled him down.
‘Don’t let them see you, you fool. Wherever they’re going they’ll have to come back for the others. Meanwhile let’s turn on the charm.’ His mind was working rapidly. ‘We’ll pretend to be a secret government sc
ientific expedition. They can’t check up on us as no radios seem to work in this place. Where’s the prof?’ He looked round. ‘We need him as our scientific front man.’
‘You sent him back to the lab,’ said Sam. ‘I’ll get him.’ He waited until the plane had disappeared towards the central escarpment and then started to get up. Luke was already hurrying to beat him back to the laboratory, his mind racing. What he had just overheard meant that he had to dispose of Chopper and his gang as soon as possible – before they disposed of him. He would now have to murder Biggles at the same time; the pilot was no longer of any use to him with the plane being out of action. The more he thought about it the more he saw that his best plan was to befriend the new arrivals and leave in their plane; he could deal with them later once he was out of this wretched place. He saw Sam approaching and was about to remove his invisibility robe when he remembered, just in time, that he was meant to have it on.
Sam appeared in the doorway.
‘Hi, prof,’ he said, looking round, ‘where are you?’
‘I’m here,’ said a disembodied voice from the side of the cabin.
‘My God, that thing really is incredible,’ said Sam, awestruck yet again by the effectiveness of the technology. ‘Anyway, time to become visible again and meet the new arrivals. Chopper wants you to pretend to be a senior government scientist, here with your team on a secret mission.’
They joined Chopper just as Biggles reappeared and confirmed that the plane was irretrievably stuck. It didn’t improve Chopper’s humour but it confirmed his resolve to steal the other plane. He explained to the pilot his plan about their being government scientists and the four of them then started to make their way over to the tents that Helen, Clare and Clive had erected half a mile away.
Meanwhile Barker and Shortshanks were cautiously emerging from the bushes into which they had flung themselves on hearing the plane start up again and take off. They were still a long way from the escarpment where the plane was now flying up and down and Barker watched it with a scowl.
‘It’s the ******* cops,’ he swore. ‘They’re really searching the place. We’ll have to wait here a bit till they shove off somewhere else – and when we get to them hills we’ll have to find a cave or something. Can’t risk being out in the open with that lot snooping around.’
Back at the camp, Queenie tugged at Clare’s shorts and pointed to the oncoming figures of Chopper and his group; she then disappeared quietly into the bush. Clare and the others gazed in astonishment and some apprehension at the sight of the four strangers approaching them in this, supposedly isolated, lost world.
‘Hi there,’ called Chopper cheerfully, exuding bonhomie. He attempted a jovial smile but only succeeded in looking as if he had severe toothache. ‘Welcome to our crater.’ He introduced himself and his companions and Helen did the same. As she shook hands with the pilot she suddenly paused and her brow furrowed. Then she remembered where she had seen him before.
‘Do you come here often?’ she said with a smile.
The pilot looked puzzled for a moment, then he remembered who she was. She had looked very different then: somewhat unkempt, with long, tangled hair, unwashed, and ill with an infected leg. He was very disconcerted to have been recognized, but then told himself that there was no reason whatsoever why Helen should know he had been in jail. As far as she was concerned this could be a routine, legitimate flying mission. He managed a fake smile.
‘Oh, hello again. What a coincidence!’ he said. ‘My second job involving this crater. Getting quite an expert at it.’ Seeing the bewildered expressions on the faces of his companions he explained that the rescue of Helen and Julian had been the purpose of his original visit to the crater.
When he had finished, Chopper turned back to the others.
‘Well,’ he said, ‘what a coincidence, as Biggles says. And I suppose you’re all wondering what we’re doing here?’
They nodded. He dropped his voice conspiratorially as though they were surrounded by spooks and microphones.
‘The distinguished professor here –’ he nodded deferentially towards Luke – ‘is conducting a scientific experiment for the government. His laboratory is based here because this area is believed to be completely uninhabited and the research has to take place under conditions of absolute secrecy. Under the circumstances we obviously can’t ask you to leave, but I must request that none of you comes near our camp and that no photographs are taken in the immediate locality.’
‘And who are you?’ asked Helen.
‘Ah, you guessed I wasn’t a scientist,’ said Chopper.
‘I did suspect that you weren’t,’ said Helen, trying to keep a straight face and avoiding looking at Clare and Clive.
‘I’m here with a small team of government … experts, let’s call them, to make sure that the prof isn’t disturbed by unwanted visitors – not people like you, of course,’ he added hastily, ‘but there are foreign powers who would very much like to know what is going on here.’
As he was speaking, Chopper noticed the pile of climbing gear and rope ladders and the horrifying thought struck him that there might be others who were interested in the same rocks as the professor. His eyes narrowed as he continued.
‘Well, that’s us. Sorry I can’t be more specific but I’m sure you get the picture.’ He looked straight at Helen and tried to smile again. As usual the effect was to produce a leer that disconcerted rather than reassured. ‘What about you guys? There must be something very special here for you to pay a return visit – and I see,’ he gestured to the equipment behind Clive, ‘that you’ve come prepared to do some climbing.’
‘We’re palaeontologists,’ said Helen. She didn’t explain, much to Clive and Clare’s amusement.
‘Ah yes,’ said Chopper. ‘Pal … palli …’ The professor stepped in to save him.
‘Fossil hunters,’ he said in his most charming voice. ‘How fascinating – and I presume you found good pickings here on your previous visit?’
‘Very,’ said Helen, ‘and we’ve returned with some more refined equipment this time. We’re hoping to find some Cretaceous deposits here – that’s the period I specialize in. We’ll probably be focusing on the escarpment –’ she pointed to the central cliff in the distance – ‘so we won’t have any reason to disturb your privacy.’
While she was speaking Queenie had wandered up.
‘Interesting pets you’ve got,’ said Chopper putting his hand out to her. Queenie looked at Helen who nodded imperceptibly and the monkey snarled and revealed a formidable set of sharp white teeth. Chopper snatched his hand away in surprise. ‘Bit touchy, isn’t he,’ he snapped.
‘It’s a she, and she’s cautious of strangers. We’ve got two with us here at the moment and I feel safer with them than a couple of Alsatians.’ She somehow felt there was no harm in Chopper knowing that it would be impossible for anyone to approach their tents unobserved.
They chatted for a few more minutes and then the villains returned to their camp. After they had gone Clare turned to the others. She made a grimace.
‘What rotten luck,’ she said. ‘Of all places to pick, they’re here in our precious valley. The only good thing is that at least they’re on official government business and not here to start illegal mining or something.’
‘True,’ said Clive, ‘but when you ask yourself what it is that governments do in secret, the answer isn’t any more reassuring.’
‘Like what?’ asked Clare.
‘Like things to do with defence, oil, gold, uranium. You name it. And that could mean all kinds of things, none of which would be very good for the crater; a new defence satellite tracking station, a giant new telescope drilling for oil or minerals, a missile silo, a new nerve gas to try out on the animals – the list goes on for ever. Our best hope is that they are just using it as a remote place to conduct some secret research that is going to be applied elsewhere and doesn’t have any bad implications for the crater.’
Cla
re looked depressed and turned to Helen who was looking pensive.
‘What do you think?’ she asked.
‘It’s good and it’s bad,’ she replied. ‘While you’ve been talking I’ve recalled a conversation José had with Julian over dinner last week. They were talking about back-up rescue plans and I was only half listening, but I’m pretty sure that José said the pilot who rescued us was in jail.’
‘But,’ said Clive, ‘he can’t be – we just met him, didn’t we?’
‘Exactly,’ agreed Helen. ‘That means he’s just been released or has escaped. Either way it is quite impossible that he could have any involvement whatsoever with a topsecret government project. They would have exhaustive checking and vetting procedures for such a crucial member of the support team.’
‘So that means …’ began Clive.
‘It means,’ Clare interrupted, ‘that they’re not going to do any of those horrid experimental government things you just mentioned, but they’re probably a bunch of crooks up to no good.’
‘Exactly,’ said Helen, ‘that’s what I meant when I said it’s good and it’s bad. Just what they’re up to is anyone’s guess. I do think the professor is genuinely a distinguished scientist – I’ve met a few in my career as you know, and there is something about him that fits the mould. What on earth he’s doing here though, with a bunch of thugs and a jail-bird, is a mystery. What could they possibly find to attract them in a remote and dangerous crater?’
‘I’d forgotten it was dangerous,’ said Clare, a puzzled look on her face, ‘but now you mention it, Helen, I thought you and Julian had a terrible time here because of all the ferocious animals. I haven’t seen one and why on earth haven’t they attacked the crooks?’