"Take your weapon out of its holster and drop it onto the ground, carefully though or you will end up dead." Linguia ordered.
Rob pulled his weapon out of his shoulder holster using just two fingers and tossed it to the ground. Linguia now had another order for him.
"You communications device, lose it." Linguia ordered.
"My device is still in the vehicle." Rob said indicating his car.
Linguia nodded and then pulled out a device and waved it all over Rob`s body looking for anything else that could be of use to Rob, when he did not find anything he put his device away and then spoke.
"Move off Mr Hinds, across the field."
The aliens led him away from the country lane across the field and into another large barn, and here he saw what could only be a small space vehicle, it was in fact their shuttlecraft, Magnus One was also in the barn and he instructed Linguia to take Rob to the waiting dungeon.
The barn belonged to a local farmer, who along with his family had been sent into a shallow sleep so that the aliens could make use of his barn without the family causing them any further problems. They could have killed them and eaten their brains; however, Magnus One knew that they really did not have time to indulge themselves, so they merely kept them prisoners within their own farmhouse. Should someone call at the farmhouse then the farmer`s wife would be woken from her sleep and forced to get rid of their guest, whoever it was. The aliens too were forced to stay there, but only until the early hours of the next morning, that or their shuttle craft would be seen leaving and its progress followed, this Magnus One did not want for it might just put their starship at risk.
Rob was led to the farmhouse, and after entering it via the kitchen his escort stopped at the door to the cellar, and after opening it, they forced him down into the room that the family stored various items including vegetables, homemade wine and various items necessary for the running of the farm. A small amount of light entered the cellar through a small barred window; Rob noted this as one escape option, if he could remove the bars. As he investigated the items kept in the cellar he came up with another option, even if it would be a highly dangerous one, he carried on with his search for a safer option, one that would not endanger his life.
This was not the first cellar within which Rob had been imprisoned, Moira Bourbon had made use of one when she had captured him in this very county some two years ago. With him that time had been David and their friend Gerry Handley who had unfortunately died later in the mission, it had been after they had all been taken to a Hell dimension by Moira Bourbon. They had been able to escape from that particular cellar using Rob`s talent at picking locks, that and a bucket full of holy water to throw at their demon guard, this time he would have to escape using just his own wits.
As he stood in the cellar Rob allowed his mind to wander, he wondered why the aliens were still wearing their monks` outfits, but on thinking about he realised, it was because the hooded outfit hid their distinctly alien features so well. He then wondered why they had not used their mind control on him, why they had given him this small chance to escape. He decided to take advantage of their mistake and he investigated his dungeon again, looking at everything that was stored there in the hope of finding a suitable tool that he could use to assist him in his task, luckily, he still had his lock picking set on him.
**********
Two of the aliens were stationed in the farm house, they were there to watch over Rob and the farmer`s family, and to wake the farmer`s wife should a caller appear, the rest of the aliens were in the barn. Magnus One had just finished off his report on all that had happened since they had left the base near London and journeyed north, it would be transmitted back to their home world when they returned to the starship. His next task was to interrogate Rob Hinds, and as he prepared to stand, he shivered as the temperature in the shuttle craft fell sharply. Magnus One and the other aliens felt a wave of exhaustion flood over them, they put it down to the many late hours that they has been working, this coupled to the amount of mind control that they has been using. In fact, it was because the dark demon lord Lucifer was in the vessel and it was he who had caused them all to feel so very tired. With his minor task completed, he took one final look at Magnus One before he returned to his hell dimension. Magnus One was yawning, the dark lord smiled, even he did not know why he had decided to intervene on behalf of Rob, but then he owed the champion of the light a debt that he had now repaid in full. He hoped his intervention would give Rob the necessary time to affect his escape, if not he thought then it was just too bad. In fact, Lucifer was extremely annoyed with the Amaymons, for eons ago their people had turned their backs on him; they had forgotten their vows to worship him for eternity. They no longer held black masses to him, now they were pale cruel creatures who possessed just one power amongst them, compared to Satanists such as Moira Bourbon at her more powerful they were no hope barbaric beginners.
Magnus One did not notice the rise in temperature after Lucifer left, he was too tired, he yawned again as a single thought ran through his mind, one put there by Lucifer. That he would go ahead with his attempt to scare their prisoner into co-operating with them. However, if, as was likely, he refused then the actual interrogation of the earthman would not start until the next morning, by then they would be back aboard their starship with the time to drag everything out of the earthman without the fear of being interrupted.
Magnus One walked into the cellar and stared at the earthman, one who would be made to tell him how he had viewed part of their feast from across time, both in the church, the warehouse and finally in the Church of the |Second Coming. The last two times the earthmen had made use of a protective screen to combat the mind control, this he was even more interested in, for he could make good use of it when amongst his own people back on the home world. Finally, he needed to know who had invaded his mind, this should have been impossible, but then his people were unable to do any of the things that some of the people of Earth appeared to be able to do.
"Tell me Rob Hinds, how were you able to view us through time, and how does your protective screen work, the one that kept us out of your minds?" Magnus One demanded to know. "Tell me everything that I want to know and you will be freed, unharmed, when what you have told us proves to be true. Otherwise, earthman, I will drag the information out of you piece by piece using the most painful method I can devise."
Rob looked at the alien and laughed. "Boy did you get the wrong man." Rubbed bluffed. "I am only the hired muscle, the guy who knows how to do all that clever stuff, was the short scruffy scientist who is in command of the team." Rob said meaning Humphreys, for to say it was his friend David would put Earth in an even more dangerous situation that it already was, with David tortured for all of the black magic knowledge that he possessed.
"Look friend, if you promise to let me go unharmed then I will help you capture the scientist, OK?" Rob offered in the most smarmy voice that he could produce, mixed in with a whole amount of fear.
Magnus One looked at Rob and all of a sudden he felt weary, tomorrow he would find out the truth, tonight he was far too tired to mind wrestle with the earthman who he knew was lying following his interrogation of the two SIS agents. Magnus One turned and left Rob in his dark dank cellar to wonder about his future. He had decided to sleep, early as it was, so as to be refreshed for the journey back to their starship.
**********
Unknown to Rob he now had until midnight, at most, in which to affect an escape, and he owed this time to the enemy of all Mankind, he owed it to Lord Lucifer. However, Rob was not one to sit around and wait to be tortured, he meant to make his escape now. He walked up the steps to the cellar door, but to his annoyance, he found that the aliens had fitted a temporary lock of their own, one that he could not hope to open. His hopes dashed he once again looked around the cellar for some other way to escape while pondering as to why the aliens had taken the time to change the lock, could it be that they feared he would be impe
rvious to their powers. In no time, he had amassed a collection of chemicals that would blow the farmhouse sky high, for he did not intend to give the aliens any information, death before dishonour. However, this was but a fall back plan, his escape plan was to use just a small amount of the chemicals to blow the door open, and while he was escaping the main bomb would hide his disappearance, and it may even send some of the aliens to hell. His one problem was in estimating the exact amount of explosive to use on the door, too much, he could die in the attempt, too small, and he would have to detonate the main bomb when the aliens investigated his abortive escape, if the smaller bomb had not knocked him unconscious. Unfortunately, for the farmer and his family, Rob did not know of their presence, and so their lives did not enter into the equation.
**********
Lord Asbaritch had left open the part of Moira`s mind that would tell her when black magic was being used whenever it was being practiced nearby, the part that dated back to the time when she was the most powerful Satanist that had ever existed . This time the user of magic was Lord Lucifer, when he had made the aliens feel so very tired aboard their shuttlecraft.
Moira Bourbon was still living in the convent, although she was preparing to leave it and to return to her chateau in France where she wanted the time and space to think, and without the incumbency that came with her present lifestyle.
When she felt the same tingling sensation in her head, the same one that had preceded her last vision of the strangers but much stronger this time, she tuned her massive latent powers into it. Moments later she found herself at a farmhouse, and she watched as one of the aliens visited Rob Hinds in a room that she assumed was a cellar from its decor, or lack of it, that and the many things stored in it.
Then she remembered the voice in her head that had whispered it message of hate to her.
"Remember Moira, he killed our father, Rob Hinds killed him."
Moira smiled grimly and shut the vision down, if the killer of her father was worthy then he would get himself out of his present fix, her heart was now as hard as granite, but she did not notice, she was thinking of her future, thinking about leaving the convent for her family chateau in France, that she now remembered quite well.
**********
As Rob was preparing the smaller of the two bombs, he heard a soft voice whisper to him.
"Rob, listen to me, I have come to help you, never mind the explosive device, keep trying to take out the bars of the window, they will yield to one who perseveres."
Rob looks around quizzically for a sign of the mystery speaker, finding no sign he spoke.
"I have tried; whoever put them in made a very good job of it."
"Rob, it is only your brain that is preventing you from escaping, let go of what you know and try again."
Rob was a little stunned by this turn of events, but he had been offered a way to escape, even if it sounded as if he was now an actor in a Star Wars film. Therefore, he returned to the window and once again tried to move the bars, however they seemed as firmly set in as before.
"Have faith in the power of the lord, Rob and you will succeed." The soft voice whispered in his ear.
Rob looked about him and was about to swear when he felt a warmth run over his cold body and so he kept silent. Instead he closed his eyes and thought of his young family, and as he did so he felt the first bar move and then come away from the window, this was quickly followed by the other two bars. He stood there for a moment looking at the open window, his mind filled with confusion. He knew that he alone had not moved the bars, there was no way that even he would believe that, no he must have received help from a higher plain, and this was unprecedented. David had told him that God never interfered with what was happening on Earth, it was up to Man to overcome adversity, if he was worthy. If he moved beyond that then what did it tell him about the future of Earth, and of his young family. Feeling a little scared by where his thoughts had led him to, he scrambled out of the small window, he was free again and then he heard the soft voice whispering to him again.
"Your future is fraught with danger Rob, yes you must fight these monsters but be sure to look after those you love, they are in great danger."
Rob stood still when he should have been running away from the farmhouse; it was because his insides had been turned to ice by the latest message from beyond. He determined to look after his family first and allow others of the SIS to chase the alien monsters down, he would return to the chase only when his family`s security was just that, secure.
The sun had set many hours ago, and so it was dark as Rob made his way out of the farmhouse and then down the country lane that passed by the farm, minutes later, he was back at his vehicle. It took but a moment to find his pistol and return it to his holster and then he slipped back inside his vehicle and immediately put a call through to Sir Willoughby Brown, who on hearing Rob`s story, and of his paranormal saviour, said he would immediately organise a massive raid on the old farmhouse. If anyone else had called him with such a tale he would have sent for a psychiatrist, with Rob and David he knew that anything was possible.
"Rob, drive on up the road to the crime scene, you will find some of our people still there, I will get a team of SCO19 officers to meet you there, and as soon as they arrive you can lead the assault on the aliens." Sir Willoughby Brown was saying when Rob interrupted him.
"Sir Richard, I cannot do that, I need to get my family to safety, I have been told by my saviour that they are in great danger."
"Ok Rob, you go home and see to your family`s safety, John Agers can lead the assault." Sir Willoughby Brown replied. "Let me know when you get there Rob, and that your family is safe."
Rob now called his home; it was Christina who answered the call.
"Hi Rob, when will you be home tonight?" She asked cheerfully on seeing her husband`s phone number appear on their digital telephone
"Christina, is Cassie there?" Rob asked without taking time to say hello, his tone telling his wife that something was very wrong.
"Yes Rob, she is here, why, what is wrong?" She asked as an ice cold chill ran through her body.
"Maybe nothing Darling, but we cannot take the chance that something might be about to go very badly wrong." Rob replied grimly.
Rob then told her of his capture and subsequent release, and then of the warning from his saviour.
"I will be there as soon as possible, in the meantime do not answer the door to anyone, use the protection spell that David gave us and prepare a pentagram." Rob ordered. "Remember darling, I love you, and I will never let any harm come to you, see you in a little while." Rob said and then he rang off before Christina could say anything more.
As Rob drove off towards his home, he called David on his mobile to tell him about his capture and subsequent release from his prison by an unknown presence; however, David was now in the USA and could only advise him to be careful when he once again took the fight to the aliens. However, he did promise to think about what Rob had told him, for his mind too was now in turmoil. Never had they received this kind of help before and he too feared for their immediate future, he determined to return to England as soon as he had shown the NSA how to protect themselves against a real Satanist, thankfully one with very limited powers.
Chapter Six
Moira Bourbon
It was while Rob was driving towards the M25 motorway that would take him home that Lord Asbaritch decided to pay another visit to Moira, something had told him that time was running out. Once again he made her fall into a deep sleep, he then entered her mind and released more of her past to her, this time Moira saw that her other self was standing within an ancient Greek temple and calling out to someone.
"Hear me wondrous goddess Circe, I have done all that you asked of me, I have set offerings upon your altar and I promise to do so each month, please bestow upon me your favour so that I might be victorious against those who are my enemies."
A purple plume of smoke began to form to one side of
the statue and Moira knelt down before it as a supplicant, the sleeping Moira gasped as she saw Circe appear from out of thin air.
"You have done well Moira Bourbon, you have done all that I asked of you, and as a favour I now make you my priestess, look after my temple, make offerings to me to show your devotion and in time I will give you the thing that you most desire, my Circle of Circe." Circe said graciously.
"Thank you my goddess." The Satanist Moira said between gritted teeth. "However, could you not show me your great favour now by giving to me your wondrous device?"
"No, demon, you must win such a gift from your goddess by showing her your devotion." Circe replied angrily.
"Well if that is how it is." The Satanist Moira said lightly.
The sleeping Moira watched as she then pointed her right index finger at the ground beneath Circe and said. "Ignite."
The goddess realised immediately that she was in danger, but just a second too late, for she was held tightly in an energy field that flared up around her even as she attempted to attack Moira. Moira walked out of the temple, but she returned seconds later carrying a golden chest, it was the golden Ark of Ba'al Berith, she placed it on the altar and aimed it directly at Circe.
"It is no use attempting to struggle Circe, you are not going anywhere until the potion that I buried in front of the statue is fully incinerated. Now tell me where your device is, for otherwise I will open the lid of the Ark and you will then become my dinner, do you understand, goddess?" The Satanist Moira said grimly. "Now I am going to allow you to speak, but if you try to say anything other than the location of your device I will introduce you to my own device." She said patting the lid of the golden Ark of Ba'al Berith.
"Speak, Circe or die." The Satanist Moira ordered as she gripped both sides of the lid of her Ark in readiness for opening it.
While Moira spoke, Circe had no option but to listen, however she might not have been able to move so much as an eyelid, but she could think. She did not think that she would be able to say anything that could stop Moira Bourbon, not without certain preparations and certainly not before Moira raised the lid of the Ark. Circe was still unable to move; only the use of her vocal cords had been returned to her.