The ABC Affair- Stonehenge, Chapter 6 Letter F

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5

The Prompts: formation, fallen

Illya headed back to the tent to retrieve Ellery and she came running with him once he’d told her what had happened.

She noted how the other bodies had been found. Kneeling, she examined the newest corpse, though it was by kerosene lantern. She confirmed the man’s identity and the cause of death.

“Napoleon, Illya...what the hell is going on here. A comet,” she looked up to the sky seeing it was still visible,” mist when there shouldn’t be any, mysterious robed figures, anything electrical shorting out.”

“If we knew we’d tell you,’ Napoleon reassured her. “In the meantime I think we need to get this man to the tent for a more thorough examination.”

“He had a name; it was Alan, Alan Matthews.”

“Sorry, let’s see to Officer Matthews.”  Napoleon and Illya hefted the body between them, taking him for the doctor to further check him out.

Ellery’s cursory examination revealed a sizable lump and laceration on the back of Matthews’ head; something none of the other bodies had.  None had any sort of wounds other than their throats being slit. The cause of the officer’s death was the same as the others.

“What are we going to do about preserving Officer Matthews and the other victims?” She asked.

Solo screwed up his face; he had no answer for her.

While he and the doctor were conversing Illya had disappeared from the tent, when he returned he made a rather startling announcement.

“It is a moot point as to what to do with the bodies as they appear to be missing.”

“Missing?” Napoleon blurted out.

“Yes, missing.”

“How could they have gone missing?”

“Tsk, Napoleon I have no idea.”

Solo turned to the doctor, pausing for a moment as he had a sudden thought, ”Ellery, where were the other bodies found?”

“I can’t exactly tell you; I’d have to show you.”

She led them out, again by lantern light, to an area just outside the henge.

“They were arranged in a semi-circle starting here…” she suddenly gasped.

Laying on the ground spaced about five feet apart were the missing bodies.  All neatly arranged with their arms and legs spread apart, they lay exactly the way they were when they’d first been discovered.

“Illya, I think it best we make a hasty retreat until we can bring reinforcements,” Napoleon said.

“Agreed. I assume the engine of our car, since it was parked farther away than the BBC vehicles, should have been safe from whatever caused the electrical surge. Come Ellery, you will not be staying here.”

“Wait, I don’t want to leave my notes...they’re in the tent.” She turned on her heels and took off with the lantern.

“Ellery wait!” Solo shouted.

It was too late as she disappeared like a willow the wisp, lantern in hand.

They started making their way back towards the tent, walking slowly in the darkness.

A sudden scream had them pulling their guns again as they ran towards the tent, disregarding the uneven ground.

Once inside they found Ellery kneeling down, she was shaking. Beside her on the plywood floor was the other guard.

“He’s alive!” She called. “Help me get him up on one of the tables.”

The agents hefted the man up, and just as they set him down he woke,  swinging and screaming.

“Stop! It’s okay, you’re all right!” Solo pinned him down, while Illya grabbed the man by the wrists.

“Arthur, you’re all right! It’s Doctor Goodwin-Walker. What happened to you?”

The man took a moment, his eyes blinking rapidly as he composed himself.

“I...I’m not sure. Officer Matthews and I went back to check on the generator and then it’s a blur...wait, there were hands, hands grabbing me. I remember lots of hands and white. I remember everything being white.”

Napoleon looked at his partner. “Our robed phantasms perhaps?”

“I have my doubts about that,”Illya said.

The officer had a laceration and large lump on the back of his head, just like Matthews. Why he wasn’t murdered though was another mystery.

Ellery quickly dressed his head wound after which the agents helped him to his feet.  The doctor carried two lanterns as they made their way to the car, and just as they reached it…

It blew up; the blast sending them all flying to the ground.

Leaving Officer Kingsley where he’d fallen, Napoleon and Illya made sure he and Ellery were all right.

“Someone doesn’t want us to leave,” Napoleon brushed off the seat of his pants.

“Definitely not the work of phantasms...look,” he pointed to the ground near the burning car. The fire made it easy to see footprints in the damp earth, ones that did not match Solo or Kuryakin’s shoes or their size.

Illya knelt down, indicating the heel prints were most assuredly made by boots, the kind similar to those who frequented Carnaby Street in London.

“You mean like the Chelsea boot, Cuban-heeled with a sharp pointed toe.” Even though it wasn’t his style, Napoleon ever the fashion horse, made thar immediate connection.

“The head of the film crew, Davies, was wearing a pair of boots like that,”Napoleon had taken note, thinking it odd that someone would wear a pair of suede boots to a place like Stonehenge.

“I heard the crew is staying in Salisbury,”Officer Kingsley said as he made it to his feet.  He was a bit shaky, but seemed to have his wits about him now.

“It is a little over eight miles back to town so I suggest we put a good leg under it. Will you be all right to walk that far Officer Kingsley?” Illya asked.

“I don’t care sir, I can manage; I’m sure as hell not staying here.”

Comments

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

Kingsley surviving is a good touch.

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Glad you liked that bit.