Janus the Arrival (The Janus Trilogy Book 1), page 28
CHAPTER 24 - Trapped
All hell had broken loose at the Farnborough Research Centre. Once the helicopter had landed on the helipad, Janus had been carried unconscious on a stretcher right across the tarmac under armed guard. They’d then placed him into a high security cell with his body bound up from head to toe in a twine that automatically tightened against the skin whenever the captive struggled against it. Therefore, the guards standing outside, quite naturally expected a fairly easy shift, so were a little surprised when they heard an unusual high-pitched noise coming from inside the small padded cell. It was the more senior of the two, who’d made the decision to peer through the swivel-top service hatch in the metal door. In doing so, both men were instantly blinded as the light escaping through was so intense that their eyeballs were instantly destroyed. This automatically caused them to fall to the ground, where they clutched at their faces in absolute agony, with blood literally seeping from their now empty sockets. They were both fully aware that the oxygen in the air was gradually diminishing. The heat from the cell wall was growing hotter and hotter as they lay helpless and gasped desperately for air. The wall behind them now glowed bright red, and just minutes after they’d fallen completely unconscious, an area in the centre moved and erupted into a molten mass, as a tiny aperture appeared, then started growing much larger. Moments later, the figure of Janus cautiously stepped from the hole and discarded the last remaining bits of twine from his clothing. Knowing he was free from the cell, he simply glanced down at the bodies of the men who’d been guarding him, and calmly stepped over the two of them.
‘Sorry boys! I guess that’s what happens if you cage things up.’ he laughed, before eventually sauntering off down the corridor. Unfortunately, the rest of the journey through the building led to a few further casualties, before the Dra-Na-Zee warrior bypassed the remaining sections of security and finally stepped out into the open. Once there, he seemed totally indifferent to all the death and destruction he’d just caused, and calmly took a deep breath of fresh air into his lungs, while he gazed up at the stars above, whilst deep in thought.
The military vehicle sped east along the A30 and eventually headed into Staines town centre. The driver had just enjoyed a leisurely breakfast back at the base, and he now trailed through the thickening traffic, completely oblivious of the fact that he carried an extremely dangerous passenger on board. As a space opened up ahead of him, he had a quick look to see if anyone else may be having the same idea, and then put on a sudden burst of speed, before having to slow back down again, in order to keep a safe distance between him and the civilian car travelling in front. However, just as his eyes flicked to the rear-view mirror to check what was behind, he managed to catch a quick glimpse of a heavy spanner, as it descended through the air towards him. It caught him a glancing blow against the right side of the head and caused him to instantly crumple sideways into a useless heap, half way across the passenger seat. Janus climbed over and stepped on to the front seat, then kicked the driver’s feet well out of the way, with quite a bit of force. He then lowered himself into the position that the driver had been seated in earlier, and took firm control of the steering wheel.
‘Sleep well my friend!’ he uttered, with not a shred of remorse, as he immediately turned sharp left at the next junction.
News of the escape and the discovery of the abandoned vehicle, along with the fact that the drivers clothing had also been stolen, was immediately sent out to every police station in the area. This was carried out by means of a fax that included a small but rather blurred image of a man who bore a slight resemblance to Janus. It was the best that they could find, according to those in charge, although Dana was not exactly impressed. Attached to the bottom was a small footnote that contained a warning that he was a very dangerous criminal, who should only be approached with extreme caution. This was subsequently communicated to all mobile units out on the streets, with the hope that they’d get the message and not play Rambo.
‘What the hell are those useless idiots playing at now?’ Dana complained, as the message crackled over the radio, while she continued to follow the signal that will still going strong on the tracker.
‘It’ll be certain death for anyone who even catches sight of him, yet alone anyone stupid enough to approach him.’ She was extremely worried and knew exactly what he was capable of.
Danny floated along in a brightly lit tunnel. He was in seventh heaven and totally soaking up the whole experience, when it all ended far too soon. The passageway opened out into a huge cave adorned with a striking array of outstanding colours. Then he noticed the largest icicles he could ever have imagined, which spread off in just about every direction possible. On this occasion he had plenty of time to allow for his eyes to adjust properly to his surroundings, and the sight of four stunning females approaching him with outstretched arms, and smiles that could melt even the hardest of hearts, was a moment he’d never be likely to forget. The memory of his recent death disappeared in an instant, and Danny stood totally speechless for a moment or two, as he tried to take it all in. Gathering around him and taking his hands in theirs, they swiftly ushered him into another section that appeared to run parallel to the main cave. Steam rose from the glossy rock formations on either side, and he could feel the warmth coming from them, but as they rounded the corner ahead, Danny stopped dead in his tracks. The boy merely stared in awe at the largest crystal he’d ever seen or imagined. It stood in all its splendour in the centre of a large shimmering pool. Its heated waters bubbled as steam rose up and then ascended the naturally smooth edges of the enormous mineral that towered before him. He witnessed water cascading down from a hidden outlet at the top of the crystal, which created an amazing waterfall effect. This in turn, set off an iridescent display that combined a completely unbelievable spectrum of breath-taking colours. It was a most magnificent sight, and one that had never been witnessed by anyone other than those currently present inside the cavern. Then, a voice from behind the waterfall suddenly startled him. Danny laughed out loud before raising his hand to shake that of his friend J’Mi the Elder, who now stood before him. He felt no embarrassment as the women swiftly set about removing his clothing. He also managed to retain his cool, as they set about shedding their own garments, before finally stepping as a group into the refreshing waters of the extremely welcome looking pool. Once settled, Danny learnt for the first time, just how powerful the combined powers of the Dra-Na-Zee could actually prove to be. He’d experimented with what he referred to as ‘remote viewing’ quite a few times, when he’d been busy on Earth learning from the Stone Disks. Yet now, the with the combination and intelligence of the minds of the six Dra-Na-Zee linked together, the clarity of the vision before him was absolutely stunning. Danny now knew for certain that he was home at last with his true family. He realised that if he’d continued his feelings for those he’d lived with on Earth, he would more than likely have broken down with some unimaginable consequences.
Janus flexed his muscles as he stood admiring his body in front of the bathroom mirror. This latest transition had resulted in a substantial increase in his powers with his physical strength appearing to have multiplied in comparison to the first human body he’d inhabited. Having thoroughly probed around in his own mind, Janus was more than pleased to discover that all traces of Vicky appeared to have disappeared, having obviously been consumed by the renewed Dra-Na-Zee energy that now coursed through his veins. The hotel he’d chosen was purposely located close to a popular zoo, and it was also the first of its kind to be combined with a theme park. As a consequence, standing by his open window, he occasionally heard the sound of the animals who he shared a definite sense of sympathy with. Certain elements of his recent captivity still remained fresh in his mind, and therefore it was not necessarily an area that he wanted to dwell on for too long.
Laying in a hot bath a short while later, Janus had decided to summon up the stone disks in the hope of opening up a suitable path back to his home planet. Nevertheless, as nothing happened on his first attempt, he wondered if maybe he was just a little bit out of practise. Trying again, but concentrating specifically on the image of a crystal this time around, he unexpectedly felt a slight shudder coming from somewhere deep inside his head when nothing happened. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong and he knew it. Following a third attempt, and not wishing to give in, he immediately cast his mind much further afield. What he saw, was another force very similar to his own, and it looked to be blocking any possible links that he may of had to the corridors of time. Fighting back, and feeling extremely annoyed, Janus used every morsel of strength he was able to call upon. Then, just as the pressure started to reach dangerously close to breaking point, he happened to catch sight of the culprits who were responsible. The two male Elders assisted by the females had finally managed to interfere, thanks to Vicky’s past meddling, which somehow allowed the better side of the Dra-Na-Zee race to be one jump ahead. This meant they had a pretty good opportunity to prevent Janus changing the future again. The sad fact of the matter was, Janus never saw himself as evil. He totally failed to understand or recognise that he was the vital link in the chain that had caused the destruction of his own people in the first place. It was only now, following the most recent cycle of events, that the Dra-Na-Zee Elders realised their own error in sending the pod containing Janus’ cells to Earth all those years ago. Every barrel was said to contain a rotten apple, but in this case, it simply appeared to be down to bad luck. It was completely unfortunate that this one had been allowed to slip through the net, at least according to what they knew at the present time. Not being the type of creature to give up so easily, and considering his present situation, Janus knew he only had one way of returning to Pagos in order to destroy the Elders. To achieve this he would need to get his hands on the only existing link that remained common to himself and the two males. According to his plan, Dana should already be on her way to meet with him, and if that were so, he’d soon be holding the upper hand once again.
Dana found it hard to contain her excitement. The signal was growing much stronger the further she drove. She’d just turned off the A3 at the roundabout above the Hook underpass and then turned left onto the Leatherhead road where the traffic was flowing fairly well for a change. Pressing her foot down harder on the accelerator, she soon found that she was required to undertake a Citroen 2CV as it pottered along, whilst hogging the fast lane of the dual carriageway. Shooting across the next roundabout, she was then forced to slam the brakes on, as a woman pushing a pram unexpectedly stepped out onto the crossing, just as she approached the next junction. Dana lowered her head in embarrassment as the angry mother shouted a few expletives in her direction, before finally crossing the rest of the way, and letting her continue her journey. Trying her best to erase the incident from her mind altogether, Dana eventually indicated right, having travelled a little bit further along the road. As soon as a decent gap appeared in the oncoming traffic, she pulled into the Adventure World car park and found an empty space almost immediately. Stepping from the vehicle and following the crowds, she had to totally ignore the protests of the queuing public who felt she was queue-jumping. Seeing where she needed to be, Dana immediately sped up and made her way to the nearest pay-booth, where a quick flash of her badge gave her instant access into the main entrance of the theme park, much to the annoyance of those who still watched her.
Janus gazed up at the printed sign just above the cage door. Panthera Leo it declared, as a fully grown lion peered through the bars rather dispassionately at a crowd of onlookers. With its head still held proud, Janus admired the animal’s fluffy mane that gave it the crowning, and much deserved title as ‘King of the Jungle.’ Janus knew that in the wilds of Africa and North West India, this cat would have proved a true adversary. Yet here it stood caged for the sheer pleasure of the human public to stare at. How tempting it would have been to stuff some of those gawping humans into the cage with it. That seemed like real justice as far as he was concerned, plus he could almost picture the panic as they rushed around screaming in terror, while the creature skilfully stalked its prey as if in the wild. It would then be able to sink its fierce claws deep into human flesh and bone. Then, with the victim still alive and able to smell its hot, rancid breath on them, the creatures powerful back legs would rip right into their stomach lining and scoop out their entrails. It was amazing how such an inborn instinct could exist. It could even be seen in the most docile of domestic cats today, if you stopped and bothered to study their movements close enough. At that point, the sound of fast approaching footsteps instantly removed him from his malicious thoughts.
During the walk through to the pre-arranged meeting point, Dana had been wondering how best to approach him. Yet after much deliberation she had decided to go for the direct approach, especially as that involved her relying on her intuition a lot more. It would also seem more natural and hopefully keep him calm. This also told her that Janus wouldn’t necessarily be looking to harm her, especially while they remained out in the open.
‘My dearest Dana, how good it is to see you again!’ the man commented, before turning to greet her with a slight hint of sarcasm in his voice. Stopping dead in her tracks she studied the dark clothed figure who’d stepped out to block her way, and although she knew it was him, there was definitely something different about his appearance, and she couldn’t quite figure out what. He appeared much more handsome than he’d been in their last encounter, and she wondered how that could even be possible, before regaining her composure. Dana tried her best to disguise any uncertainty in her voice as she answered, and the decided to cut straight to the chase.
‘What exactly is it that you’re after Janus? The children are all dead, and you must realise your physical appearance has changed.’ He purposely leaned forward and set about studying the pretty woman to see how she’d react. She stood before him in her grey suit and buttoned up lace blouse as she continued without even flinching.
‘You’ve got to understand that just like my father before me, I don’t mean you any harm. However, there does come a point in time when the killing has to stop once and for all.’
‘Listen Dana! I only have one more task to complete on this damned planet, and then I promise I’ll leave you and your people to carry on with your pathetic little lives. How does that sound?’ he snapped, as he reached out and grabbed her tightly, before leading her towards one of the attractions. Jerking her arm away, Dana’s protest fell on completely deaf ears. Janus was starting to get a little annoyed by now, so he grabbed her again with a much firmer grip this time, and then he forced her over to a ride that only had a few people waiting to get on. Fortunately, Janus still needed her, and having sat down, it wasn’t too long before the remaining seats became full. The female attendant just assumed that they were having some sort of lover’s tiff, so she just completed her checks, ensuring the guardrails were secured, before stepping back in the booth and pushing the start button. The carriages suddenly jerked into motion and moved quite slowly at first, that was until a steep downhill gradient finally set them trundling off toward the howling moans of a decaying set of ghostly pharaohs. The screams of their fellow passengers enjoying the ride totally bypassed Dana. She just sat there wondering what the hell Janus was up to as the carriages entered a patch of sudden darkness. On the other hand, the answer came much sooner than expected, as they suddenly shot around the next bend. On the way round, Dana felt the safety bar being lifted from her lap with a sudden upward jerk, before being physically wrenched up and out of her seat. Janus had lifted her with hardly any effort before placing her over his shoulder and disappearing into a small alcove hidden behind one of the Egyptian displays.
‘Put me down!’ Dana screamed, kicking her legs up and down in the hope of slowing his progress, but to no avail. Janus simply ignored her feeble efforts as he swiftly made his way through a long series of corridors. These led to a dusty storage area that appeared to have been long forgotten from what Dana could make out. Locating the light switch and placing her back on the ground, Janus still held her tight, as he grabbed the back of a chair standing next to an old filing cabinet, which had certainly seen better days. Turning the chair to face him, he immediately forced her to sit down and then pulled out some of the twine that had already been used on him. It was the same twine from the jacket that had belonged to the driver of the army vehicle he’d taken. Dana already knew from experience that struggling would be a complete waste of time, and therefore she concentrated her efforts on ensuring the bindings were not as tight as he’d wanted. She raised her arms just slightly above the arms of the chair and tried not to look as if she was up to anything untoward. It was an old trick that she’d picked up during her police training, but she needed to hold them very rigid and keep him distracted while he tied her up. This was despite the fact that she could already feel his presence messing inside her head, probing around for any signs of resistance.
