Contagion - Book Two

“I know Miss Robert’s but as far as I can see we have no other choice.”

The young WPC was finding difficulty in grasping the reality of the events that had unfolded.

The police and CID were closing the net on Loraine, and every available officer had been called in, and all leave was cancelled.

Finding Loraine was now West Yorkshires number one priority; as it was, Loraine had not known the child to have be the police commissioner’s son. Had she, it is evident from the demon’s intellect, that it would have avoided such a conflict. As it was, the deed was done, and it knew that no matter what, that it would only be a matter of time before Loraine was to be found.

By now its control on Loraine was complete and even if Loraine had been aware of her actions, she would never have been able to control or prevent the events from happening.

“Sir…, sir if you please can I asked you a question?”

Donald Summer’s put down his file and looked across the desk, “Yes if it’s really that necessary.”

The young WPC was holding a batch of ’photos.

“What in God’s name can make a person do such things, I mean, how firstly could someone find the strength needed to just carry a person some seventy feet or more, then to impale them in a crucified fashion onto a cross?”

The case had become too much for her, and her emotions had not gained the years of hardened experience to that of some of her colleagues. Yet even then, some of them had found it more than they could cope with. Summers knew his staff were going to be in need of intensive counselling and that some, like this young WPC were most likely not going to make it through the case.

As it was, she and most of the others were unaware of the supernatural connection. Even Summers was still finding that side of this case difficult to accept.

Sympathetically he replied. “I can’t say, all I know is we have one very brutal and uncaring serial killer out there, and unless we find her soon, then it is very possible, that it could be one of our children, or someone very close to us who could be next.”

His words seemed to echo in the minds of those working in the open plan office.

“Listen, I’m really sorry, if you need a break and to get away from here for a while, then go to the canteen or something, and give yourself time to regain your thoughts. If you are to upset by emotions, it clouds the mind, and at this moment in time we need all the help we can get, and without such issues and thoughts making us make even more mistakes.”

There was a moments silence as the staff took in his words,

“Tango Alpha One, this is PC 2174. I’m on the Wexham Estate, in Meadow Croft Road. I think there is something here that needs to be reported to DS Summers immediately…”

Then there was a scream which chilled those who heard to the bone, after that silence, PC 2174 had been unable to finish his radio call.

Within minutes the police had reacted to his message, and an area of two miles had been surrounded with every available dog handler and police officer that was drafted on duty.

However, DS Summers knew the moment he was informed of the broken communication that PC 2174 was sadly dead, and that Loraine was without question somewhere within the immediate area.

Three police helicopters equipped with night vision and heat sensors were sent into the area. It was only a matter of minutes before they started reporting sightings of people. Each suspect sighting needed to be immediately investigated, and then set aside.

The only consolation was that it meant each suspect who was eliminated, was one less person to consider. It took some three hours before they had narrowed their search to a small cluster of trees surrounding a farmstead.

By the time DS Summers had arrived, the entire area of only some two thirds of an acre were heavily surrounded with armed police. The dogs were pulling on their leashes and their handlers were finding it difficult to control them.

Loraine had sought refuge in a barn; and by the time the police closed in the demon had left its host and taken residence in one of the farm animals.

To their utter confusion and amazement Loraine was found asleep, and huddled in some hay, and apparently unaware of how she had ever even come to be there.

Her mind was genuinely devoid of any knowledge as to what she had done; later the DNA samples taken from her clothing and body tissues had revealed traces of another entity within her, and even of some of her victims. It was almost as if by eating them she was in some way assimilating part of their chromosomal structure into her own genetic makeup.

Within hours of arrest, Loraine had gone into a coma, and her genetic structure started to breakdown, it was as if it had been destroyed internally by some unseen bacteria. In just twenty-two hours the doctors had given up and switched off the life support. Even after placing her into ice to try and preserve the body, it failed to prevent the tissue and organ degeneration; and by morning all that was left was a sickly dust like substance.

Summers knew this was not to be the end; somehow whatever it was that had inhabited her body had managed to escape. He was sure it was only to be a matter of time before yet more cases of brutal murders were to be finding their way onto his desk. He resolved to learn whatever he could and try to prepare himself for any future confrontations.

Meanwhile back at the homestead where Michael and his family had taken refuge and been treated for their wounds.

“Michael…”

There was no answer.

“Please Mr…I don’t know what else to do, I can’t make you get any better unless you eat some food.”

Michael momentarily remained silent; as his eyes opened, he caught sight of one of his brothers walking into the room.

“Ah so the mighty warrior awakes I see.”

Michael looked at the frail child sitting by his bunk bed; she could not be any older than twelve, thirteen at the most. Her clothing was handmade and kept tidy, but it showed the sign of age, as if it had been passed down from several generations.

“Please Mr, Ma made this especially for you, its bear stew.”

As Michael sat up, he accepted the bowl of stew from the child,

“Tell your Ma that I’m well and grateful.”

At that the child left the room, enabling the two men to talk.

“These hill folks have a strange way of talking or expressing themselves, but other than that, they are good honest people, and as for that bear.”

He smiled for a moment, and then continued talking,

“it’s good stew, that old grisly will feed them for some weeks to come, gad he was one hell of a beast, it was almost a shame to have killed him.”

Michael looked upward and smiled.

“I know, but then it was, kill, or to be killed, as it was, I think fortune smiled on us, as by defending the children it’s just possible this family will offer us temporary refuge.”

Michael had not seen any one approaching through the open door.

“We will do more than that Mr…that’s if you agree to what we have to say?”

Michael looked across the room towards the open door; there stood the lady who only a few days ago had held a gun towards him.

“My daughter told me you had healed, and that you’d now be eating. I’m not going to beat about the bush like, but gad man I don’t know what you and your folk are, but I know you’re not the normal type of men folk that I’ve ever seen, not in these parts at least.”

Michael was unsure what was coming. “What I’m saying is Mr, we have two empty house’s and good land, plenty enough to feed us all, and more. But what we don’t…”

She paused and swallowed at the thought of a memory.

“What we do no longer have is men folk, as I said that sickness and those wild animals took them, and some of our kin folk’s kid’s as well.”

She paused for a moment, breathed in and then swallowed. “Now what you see is all that is left, and just myself my five sisters and our children, there is Jamie, he is aged sixteen and is a good lad, and a good worker, and also a keen shot with the gun like.”

Michael could hear the pride in her voice. “He has one younger brother Isaiah; he is aged twelve years but has been poorly, as the sickness nearly took him away. The rest are all girls sixteen of them, that was Emma who brought in your stew, she’s the oldest and kind of looks after the younger ones.”

Pausing again only to gain thought, she then continued talking.

“I’m Mary Jane Louise; my sisters are Emma, Jane, Betsy, Louise and Rachel. If you and your family want you can have the two houses and share in the land in return for looking after us and helping us grow food, and…that is, keeping the wild animals away.”

Fate truly had smiled on Michael’s group, and it had almost cost him his life, but the final results had been worth the possible sacrifice. As it was, he and his brothers needed human women; this gave the foundation for a possible start of a colony of their own, and that was what they had always wanted, a family and to survive.

The land was high and offered security along with privacy; the soil was good and could be tilled and used to grow crops. The forest and surrounding mountains had an ample supply of wildlife, along with fresh water. However, unknown to Mary Jane, the entire group was aware of the conversation, and had already begged Michael to accept her offer.

“Mam it is us who is indebted to you and your kind hospitality, but I don’t feel we could take you up on your offer?”

Mary Jane’s expression changed to one of concern, her sisters and the children had come to enjoy the company of the strangers and had felt secure in having such menfolk back on the land.

“Why, Mr why?”

Michael had finished the stew and put the dish down.

“Well I’m scared I could get to use to this fine cooking and might not want to leave.”

Mary Jane realised he was only fooling.

“Ah Mr…for a moment then I thought you were serious.”

Her English, although by far not correct, still made sense, Michael interrupted.

“I am not joking there Mary Jane, you are an attractive lady and any man would be proud to look after you as a wife, and to be able to cook like this is an added bonus.”

Mary Jane could feel herself blushing.

“Well we will just have to wait and see on that one, so its accepted then, you and your family can have the two houses in return for working the land and helping as a family then?”

“Accepted” Said Michael.

“Yahoo…” screamed Mary Jane, as she ran to tell her sisters and the children. Michael looked across to his brother, and without speaking let him and the others know that Mary Jane was to be his.

Detective summers walked slowly towards his office window; from there he could see across to the adjoining fields and into a small wooded area, and coincidentally where as a child he used to play. His mind momentarily drifted thirty-three years into the past.

“Mum, mum…”

There had been no reply.

“Mum oh mum please mum wake up, I’m scared.”

As he lifted his hands, blood dripped from them making small rings that stained deeply into his trousers.

“Mummy oh mummy, where are you?”

The child’s cries had gone unheard; as his mother had fallen and lay unconscious by the child’s feet. It was becoming dark, cold and damp; owls and crows broke the evening silence.

In the child’s mind he could see all sorts of monsters looming up from the shadows. It had been a further three hours before they were found and taken to safety.

Later his mother told him there was no such thing as real monsters, and that anyway he had been very brave to stay by her side to keep them away. His thoughts were brought back to the present time with a thunderous jolt.

From within the confines of the station building there came a blood-curdling scream, and like nothing he had ever heard before. A cold chill shuddered and slithered along his spine as he turned in the direction of the sound.

Within seconds it sounded as if it was coming closer, then as quickly as it had appeared it ended.

It had taken some extensive searching before a police dog handler had been found. His grotesquely mutilated body made even the more senior and experienced officers feel sick, never before had they seen anything like this. As for the handler’s dog, it was nowhere to be found.

Summers broke into a cold sweat as he realised yet wanting to disbelief his own thoughts that the demon had somehow shifted from Loraine, and now inhabited one of the police dogs.

The thought truly frightened him; these dogs were genetically bred for superior strength, speed and intellect. Having been cross bred from an ancient breed of African dog, originally used to fight lions, and it was thought their size and strength would cross with genetic traits taken from a Bull Mastiff, a Rottweiler and a breed of German Sheppard.

The genes for human intelligence had been discovered some ten years earlier, and within a further six years’ genetic laboratories from across the world were experimenting in impregnating and grafting these genes into animal’s for military use. In the last year the method had been perfected and was taken up by the major police forces, using these genetically enhanced animals in the place of human officers.

Basically, it made economic sense as the animal’s received no wages or pension rights and were more readily replaceable. What had never been foreseen in their wildest of improbable scenarios, was that one of their animals would become contaminated or inhabited by a spirit that was hell bent on bringing on Armageddon?

After review the internal security recordings, a heat haze or mist was seen, and Summers also realised now, that it would be near impossible to contain the animal or spirit, as it had shown a remarkable ability in crossing with comparative ease from one host to another.

Quickly DS Summers turned and searched through the various files until he found what he had been looking for. It had just occurred to him that this Adam character had somehow acquired this demon type creature, and that for whatever reason he had tried to capture Elaine, only to turn away and apparently head towards the open sea, and from there Adam simply disappeared and was never found again.

“That’s it, darn it, that’s it.”

Some of his co-workers looked up in amusement; they were well used to him talking to himself. After some brief phone calls, he had quickly traced Elaine, and had called for use of one of the staff cars.

By the time D.S. Summer’s had interviewed Elaine and walked back to his car, Peter was listening in to his mother, as she was talking to his sister, and informing her of the events that had taken place and of DS Summer’s suspicion’s.

Peter could sense the very fear from within his mother’s voice, he knew without question, the one monster that caused her the greatest fear, was that of Adam returning from the dead, and haunting the family.

However, what he nor any of the other family members had realised at that time, was that Adam had been inhabited by some kind of evil spirit, and that although Adam was himself now long dead, the spirit that had inhabited his body was very much alive, and was now roaming the streets of the UK, and was possibly looking for some kind of retribution for its untimely imprisonment.

Their greatest fear now was that it would in time become aware of Elaine’s location and that of the children, and if so it was evident from its past behaviour, that it would make a B line for them, and not allowing anything to come in its way.

Within a further fifteen minutes it had been agreed that Elaine and Christine would be safer if held within the confines of the New Mexico Institute. From there Peter knew that his genetically bred staff would become acutely aware of any inhuman presence, that combined along with the installed military sensors and surveillance equipment, gave the family an acceptable advantage. At least he felt if they were to fight this creature then it was to their advantage, and to be on some kind of home ground.

DS Summer’s had not even reached Bradford’s police station, when he was informed that the Government had been in touch with his chief superintendent, and that they were now working in full co-operation with the United States. By the time he was back in his office, a complex formula had been put into place with an aim of leading the creature to travel to the New Mexico Institute.

The news’s media’s had been manipulated and broadcasted constant news flashes of the Portland Institute’s connection to Loraine, and that the police had questioned the founding family members. It had only taken a few hours before the creature had become aware of Elaine and her family, and that they were now living and working in an Institute from within New Mexico.