From The Dark Page 10

  ‘What?’ Gabe shook his head to wash away the confusing sensations.

  ‘What she said, are we going back again?’

  Gabe looked at the three sets of eyes watching him. Claudia was the easiest to read, her youthful face filled with grim determination and concern. Looking at Nahem he could read nothing in her expression, her eyes seemed cold and emotionless as she waited for his answer. Archy looked once again frail and old. Having handed the sword back, the age crawled back over him, and he had almost returned to the withering appearance Gabe was used to seeing.

  It was the look of Archy now, weathered, old and solemn that allowed him to offer his answer.

  ‘We are, all of us, already entwined in this. I can’t see any other choice if there is hope of getting Logan back.’

  ‘On that matter, there are things we need to discuss.’

  Gabe felt the frustration return to him as he turned his attention to Nahem.

  ‘We must eat and come up with a plan, in your absence things have developed.’

  The night passed with the four of them gathered around the burning fire in the old food court’s centre. Spiders scuttled across the floor and eyes of wildlife and woodland creatures spied on them from the shadows.

  The derelict theme park was a perfect hideaway and a place Archy had used in the past. From the outside it was impossible to see any signs of life and while they remained this way, they were safe. Having done his utmost to disguise his vehicle, Gabe felt sure they would, for now, remain untraced by the police or other authorities that hunted them after Warsaw.

  Eating tinned food heated in the flames of the fire all three of them listened as Nahem explained what she had learned since their journey to Viktor’s murder scene.

  ‘After they discovered you at the crash, your son fled into the countryside. It would appear, from our sources, that he was involved in an accident that has left him injured but alive.’

  ‘How bad, where is he? Which hospital?’

  ‘Rest yourself,’ Nahem countered, raising her hand to settle Gabe back into his seat. ‘Someone rescued him before the police found him.’

  ‘So where is he?’

  ‘That is the part that concerns me the most,’ she sighed. ‘He is being treated by a man loyal to The Veks at a castle in Austria with very strong connections to their order.’

  ‘A prisoner?’

  ‘We don’t know, I can only assume it to be such, but that is not our main concern.’

  ‘I beg to differ if my son is being held captive, it’s my most pressing concern.’

  ‘If anything Gabe it could be nothing more than an attempt to distract you from the task at hand.’

  ‘Why am I not surprised?’

  ‘We need to focus on the fact that Viktor confessed a Magdon survived your encounter in Namibia. We need to identify how and where she is before it is too late to act.’ Nahem allowed her words to settle Gabe for a moment before continuing. ‘Everything we have learned so far tells us that the Magdon is an infant, incapable of protecting itself without her mother she is in the protection of two Nivags.’

  ‘What a quaint demonic little family.’ Gabe spat as he finished the last mouthful of food.

  ‘Right now there is no way to locate them when they emerged from the derelict ship they did so under cover of darkness and have been all but disappeared. Right now we are blind about where on earth they could be.’

  ‘So our focus must be Logan who seems to have learned something about it all?’

  ‘No,’ Nahem snapped. ‘Going to a stronghold of The Veks would only bring unnecessary confrontation and having spoken to Logan after he killed Viktor I am confident we have learned all he knew.’

  ‘Knew then,’ Claudia interrupted. ‘I know my brother, it’s been a while since you last spoke to him and I doubt he’s been sat on his arse waiting for us to turn up. Who knows what he could have learned in that time.’

  ‘I’m inclined to agree.’ Gabe added.

  ‘That is unlikely.’

  ‘Meaning what?’ Gabe glared at Nahem who looked uncomfortable sat across from him.

  The air between them felt tense and uncomfortable, and for a moment it looked as if Gabe would launch himself at Nahem. If it had not been for Archy’s interruption he would have.

  ‘There may be a way to find out where they are.’

  ‘Who, the Nivags?’ Claudia pressed. ‘How?’

  All three sets of eyes now looked at Archy as he adjusted himself on the broken seat.

  ‘It was once explained that Nivags, in their creation, are linked. Not only to the Magdon but to one another. Those devoted to the beast’s survival are able, on some level, to know of others which keeps them safe.’

  ‘And you happen to have a Nivag in your pocket that could do that for us?’

  ‘Not exactly.’ Archy smirked.

  ‘That wasn’t a no.’

  ‘It’s a little hard to explain, but in the morning I can take you to an old friend who can help us in that respect.’

  ‘I take it by that, you’re not inclined to explain it to us now are you?’ Gabe pressed as the wry smirk became a broad smile.

  ‘Let an old man keep just a little mystery my boy.’ Archy chuckled, the atmosphere lifting a little in the room. ‘Besides, I don’t think telling you would help you understand. In the morning we need to take a trip into town, and from there I should be able to introduce you to him.’

  Not allowing any more questions Archy excused himself and returned to the dark recess he had reserved as his own sleeping space.

  ‘Are we doing the right thing, dad?’ Claudia asked as they walked across to the unrolled sleeping bags on the dusty floor.

  ‘I don’t know,’ Gabe confessed. ‘But it seems we have little choice. What’s the alternative, get arrested and try to explain everything to the police?’

  ‘Good point.’

  Reaching up Claudia kissed her father on the cheek, and for a moment everything felt all right again.

  15

  Caves Beneath The City

  Gabe was lost in thought as the tram trundled along the tracks past the Arboretum. Casting his gaze out of the window something filled Gabe’s mind with an array of memories, some good and others bad. As the tram crawled through the junction and the university library dominated his view Gabe’s expression changed.

  ‘Are you ok dad?’ Claudia asked as she sat watching him stare out of the window.

  ‘What?’ Gabe asked, pulling his attention back inside the carriage. ‘Yeah, sorry, just remembering something.’

  ‘Mum?’

  ‘Sort of,’ Gabe confessed. ‘We both came to uni here, I don’t think I’ve been past since she died.’

  As the tram glided along the university buildings and down towards the infamous Market Square Gabe fell silent once again.

  Admiring the interior of the tram Gabe realised he hadn’t ridden the tram in a long time. The decor had been refurbished, and everything kept neat and minimal. For all the gripes he realised the machine’s convenience but now, surrounded by the throng of passengers, he could understand the preference for private transport.

  ‘We’ll get off here.’ Archy announced as the tram slowed at the platform alongside the domed Council House that dominated the Market Square.

  All four of them stood and moved for the doors which parted. Pushing past the impatient passengers waiting to board they stepped out and moved towards a seating area behind the platform shelters.

  The Council House has not changed. Looking up towards the clock that sat atop the dome protruding from the roof the bells chimed. Echoing around, the sound bouncing from the various buildings that surrounded the impressive structure. Built in the late 1920s the pale columns and frontings were showing signs of staining and city grime but, mostly, the building looked well kept and presented.

  ‘There is a few ways to get in,’ Archy announced as the chimes telling the time ended. ‘I doubt we could get into the more secluded places
through the guided tour routes.’

  A mischievous grin appeared on Archy’s face, and once again Gabe noted the excitement and brightness in the old man’s eyes.

  ‘You’re actually enjoying this aren’t you?’

  ‘It feels bizarre being back in the mix of it all I must confess.’ Archy set off across the square and up towards the concert hall building. ‘Please don’t think I’m being dismissive but I’ve lived a life trying to forget that buzz I used to feel when I was about to do something...’

  ‘Silly?’ Claudia finished, and they all smiled.

  ‘Perhaps.’ Archy grinned. ‘It won’t be a long walk but getting in may be a little more difficult.’

  Passing through the crowds of shoppers and businesspeople they made their way across the city. Emerging alongside the old Guildhall court building it was clear to see the vast array of distinctive architecture. The impressive ship-like Newton building dominated the skyline to one side with the gothic Arkwright building sitting behind.

  Archy’s attention, however, was towards a building shrouded in sheeting and scaffolding which, being a Saturday, was devoid of activity.

  ‘Over there.’ Archy pointed towards the covered building as they walked around towards the front.

  ‘The old police and fire station?’ Gabe's voice filled with curiosity. ‘What about it?’

  ‘There’s an entrance in there.’ Archy declared and walked across the old forecourt where the roller shutters still stood for the fire tenders when they had been based there.

  Walking past Archy, Gabe stepped up to a formidable brown roller-shutter that sat between the old police and fire station buildings. The building was a quintessential 1940s design with grand windows and angular faces. Its grandeur stood disguised behind the flapping sheets attached to the scaffolding.

  ‘How are we supposed to get in?’ Claudia asked as she pushed aside the sheeting and joined her father at the large door.

  Casual and without a word Nahem removed the rucksack from her back and dropped it to the floor by Gabe’s side.

  ‘I think everything you’ll need is in there.’

  Gabe could not tell if Nahem’s tone was matter-of-fact or condescending and as he looked at her face, he still could not decide. Offering her only a curt nod of thanks Gabe lifted the flap and looked inside the bag.

  It was filled with head-torches, a crowbar and a handful of other useful items to help them break into the old police station.

  ‘Ironic isn’t it?’ Gabe chuckled as he slid the crowbar from the bag. ‘Here we are breaking into a police station.’

  ‘It used to be, not anymore.’ Archy defended and stepped back as Gabe set to opening the door.

  With Nahem keeping her attention beyond the sheets towards the sheet the sounds of Gabe’s attempts to get into the compound went unnoticed.

  After some time Gabe found purchase on the shutter and with an inordinate amount of effort that left his brow peppered with sweat, he lifted the shutter enough from the floor.

  ‘It’s not going to go up any more than that.’ Gabe huffed as he stepped bask from the shutter.

  ‘I won’t be able to get through that.’ Archy scoffed as he looked at the narrow gap between the door and the floor. ‘Here.’

  Archy reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded sheet of thick cream paper. Taking the sheet, Gabe knew straight away where it had come from. The paper was the same expensive, thicker than ordinary sheets that made up the pages of Archy’s journal.

  ‘From another journal?’ Gabe asked as he unfolded the sheet.

  ‘There is a few,’ Archy confessed. ‘And yes it is from a different one.’

  Opening the sheet Gabe looked a sketched outline of an intricate tunnel or corridor system with a route and instructions noted around it.

  ‘Well, how about you keep those to yourself for now?’ Gabe’s mood had turned serious once again. ‘Drip-feed me bits. After all look what happened when you gave me a complete one last time.’

  Something filled His words with bottled accusation, and before Archy could offer any reply, Gabe dropped to the floor and rolled beneath the broken shutter. Reaching through he dragged the bag behind him.

  ‘You coming Claudia?’ Gabe hissed and waited for his daughter.

  Claudia looked uncomfortable. Having noticed her father’s moods swing like a pendulum, she could see the turmoil caused by everything that was happening. Gabe was right to feel resentment towards Archy’s deceit but in Claudia's eyes, she could see the old man’s reasoning.

  Seeing her father jump from frustrated to friendly only highlighted that Logan’s recent choices and actions were wreaking havoc on his emotions. If anything Claudia realised how important it was she stayed with him to ensure he remained focused on what needed to be done.

  ‘Claudia?’ Gabe barked from the other side of the corrugated metal.

  ‘Coming.’ She replied and offered Archy a quick smile. ‘What are we going to find in there?’

  ‘You’ll know when you find it, just promise me one thing.’

  ‘What’s that?’ She asked as she dropped to the floor.

  ‘Don’t be afraid.’

  Joining Gabe on the other side of the roller-shutter the open courtyard was eerily quiet. The walls of the old fire and police station towered around them and blocked out a lot of the natural light. Oversized skips sat half-filled with debris and building materials from inside the grand buildings.

  ‘What are they doing with it?’ Claudia asked as they made their way towards a fenced off area adorned with colourful warning signs.

  ‘No idea, I remember it being a police station.’

  A long slope leading down underneath the buildings had been fenced off. Someone had attached a multitude of signs to the fencing which reiterated the point to KEEP OUT along with a lengthy list of hazards and angry looking characters emphasising the risks beyond the fence.

  For all its worth, being in the secure courtyard, they had only secured the gate with a coiled piece of wire.

  Unwinding the wire Gabe couldn’t help feeling amused at the array of warning signs and the fact he knew Archy would expect them to descend the ramp, without question, into whatever trials and tribulations sat beyond the fence.

  ‘What’s down there?’

  ‘Only one way to find out I suppose.’ Gabe answered as he pulled aside the gate and stepped down onto the ramp beyond.

  Following the long slope down the air became colder as they dropped beyond ground level and towards a battered wooden door. They wedged the door leading into the subterranean caves open and showed wear from years of exposure to the weather.

  ‘Hav you ever been here before?’ Claudia asked as they walked through the door and into the dark cavern beyond.

  ‘A long time ago yes.’

  Reaching into the backpack, Gabe took out two torches and handed one to his daughter. Illuminating the beam, they both allowed their eyes to adjust to the darkness.

  Particles of dust wafted in the air, crossing the beams of pale light from the Led torches. Panning them around Gabe found a feature he recognised and moved towards it. Along a narrow corridor of sandstone, the torchlight painted on the curved edges of a round structure in the centre of the next room.