The ABC Affair- Stonehenge, Chapter 16, Letter P

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Chapter 15, as a refresher...

Prompt: preparation.

It was finally agreed upon by all involved that Davies would be escorted out to the henge to make the exchange for the Doctor.

Due to his wounds, the man couldn’t exactly walk on his own. No one expected him to be able to make a run for it, but just in case Illya held Davies by his good arm, helping him to maintain his balance.

The others, in preparation for the trek across the field, lined up just behind Kuryakin and Davies, some to keep a watchful eye to their front, and some to the rear. Their weapons were drawn and ready, though this time the magazines were loaded with sleep darts.

Illya on the other hand had live rounds in his gun as he was not willing to rely solely upon the darts. He was feeling a bit more bloodthirsty when it came to dealing with these murderous so-called druids. Kuryakin had his doubts that they were who they said they were.

As they reached the inner circle of stones he warned Davies,” Any wrong moves and you will be the first to die.”

“You have my word, I will behave myself.”

“Call to your people,” Napoleon ordered.

Davies nodded. He spoke loudly in a language no one understood.

“English,”Illya growled.

“Fine! Let the woman go in exchange for me!” Davies shouted.

As they approached a pair of the sarsen stones still topped with a blue stone, Ellery suddenly appeared in the opening. An unseen hand shoved her forward, making her stumble and fall to her knees.

Illya, while still assisting Davies, lurched forward to try to catch her but he was too late.

As quickly as that happened, Davies tried to pull away, though Kuryakin still had hold of him.

In a split second hands appeared, grabbing both men; they were gone in the literal blink of an eye.

Napoleon and the others charged forward, searching the arch from which Ellery had come, but there was no sign of Illya and Davies...anywhere.

April helped the Doctor to her feet, and questioned her as to where she’d been.

“I was here the whole time. Couldn’t you see me? I could see you."

“No. We only saw you pushed into the open from behind the sarsens.”

“ILLYA!!!” Napoleon shouted again and again, though it did nothing. “Dammit!” He cursed. “I should have seen this coming!”

“Darling, don’t beat yourself up," April tried to calm him down." None of us saw it coming, even though we were on guard. The worst I thought that could happen was Ellery not being released.”

“Yes, but it wasn’t, was it?” He snapped at her. "Sorry, I'm just worried about him."

"Me too," April reached out, gently touching Napoleon's cheek with her hand. He put his hand over hers and held it for a second. "Thank you," he whispered.

Everyone continued the search, though it was obviously in vain as there was absolutely no sign of the Russian at all.

Just as it had happened previously, the mist began to drift among the stones, like greedy skeletal hands reaching out, searching for something.

"Find that smoke machine and disable it,"Solo barked.

“Oh God!”April gasped. “Davies said he needed another victim. Could that be what he said in that other language, for them to take Illya?”

“I don’t know,”Solo bowed his head. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“They have to be here somewhere,”Ellery said.

“Oy, she’s right mate,”Mark said. He raised his weapon and shot it straight between the sarsen stones.

There was a sudden grunt and as if by magic a white robed figure appeared out of nowhere and fell on the ground at their feet.

“Everyone fire there!”Napoleon pointed. If Illya was alive and hit, the sleep darts wouldn't harm him or those that took him.

They each aimed their Specials in the same direction, firing the darts into the open air between the stones.

There were a few oofs and moans, though no more bodies appeared.

Napoleon waved his hand into the space from where the body had fallen, but nothing happened, it didn’t disappear as if into some other dimension.

None of this made sense, and apparently it wasn’t all smoke and mirrors as Davis had claimed. This was no magician's illusion.

The mist was beginning to grow thicker and that meant only one thing...a new victim was going to be killed and it looked like it would be Illya.

“There’s got to be something we can do to save him!” April raised her voice; there was a hint of panic in it.

A sudden scream echoed around them.

“Oh no!” Dancer gasped.

Comments

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

Good plot advance; and well done, Mark.

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Thank you!!!!