The Angels and the Creeping Enemy by John Theydon

Author:John Theydon [Theydon, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: tv series, Gerry Anderson, Captain Scarlet
Published: 2014-05-14T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

RHAPSODY TAKES OVER

Harmony stared at the monstrous reptile. It was perfectly still now, its unwinking eyes fixed on them— like a cat watching a mouse hole, she thought grimly. But she was sure now that those huge opaque saucers were unseeing, for they did not contract even when the white glare of the torch beam was full on them.

How long was it since she had spoken to Captain Scarlet? Two minutes? Three? It seemed an eternity —yet if he was driving the launch at full speed they should hear it soon.

“What’s it waiting for?” Symphony wondered aloud.

“Perhaps until the water covers us,” Destiny said, “Perhaps some instinct tells it that if it waits long enough we won’t be able to resist.”

“Maybe it reacts to sound,” Symphony suggested. “If it moves in, let's all shout. That scares off some wild animals.”

“It is worth trying,” Harmony said quietly. “It can't hear many noises down here and...”

She bit off her words. The creature had begun to move towards the shore with slow deliberation. Gradually, more of its huge grotesque lizard shape emerged from the water, and Harmony thought it must now be walking up the shelving floor of the lake. A nauseating musky odour touched her nostrils. ’‘Now!” she gasped. “All together!”

They shouted and shouted. The raucous sound echoed off the curving wall into the vast darkness beyond the torches glow—and miraculously, it seemed, the hideous creature stopped. Its huge shape half out of the water, it stood there, sightless eyes gleaming in the torchlight. It was so close now that Harmony could see its gill-like nostrils dilating as if it were sniffing them.

They were still shouting, their throats hoarse, when far off they saw a tiny spot of light dancing like a firefly in the blackness of the cavern. Rapidly it grew. They ceased shouting and heard the roar of the launch engine.

For Ions moments the creature remained frozen, directing that blind stare on them—almost. Harmony thought, as if it were calculating its chances of snatching them into the water before the launch reached them. Then it turned and ambled ponderously back into the water and slid beneath the surface, leaving on!v a widening circle of ripples to show where it had been.

"Mon dieu!' Destiny sighed. “I shall dream of that for weeks.”

A few moments later the launch’s searchlight swept over them and Captain Scarlet, cutting the engine, brought the boat skilfully round alongside the beach. Captain Blue leapt ashore and cut them free.

“Where’s Captain Black?” Scarlet demanded as they scrambled stiffly into the launch.

Harmony told him about the lock leading to the. great lake.

“We’ll never catch him in time,” she said despairingly.

“We can try,” he said grimly. “He might have hit some trouble that’ll delay him. Let’s go!”

Triggering the engine into life again he steered it into the lock bay. Activated apparently by an invisible ray, the metal plate rose behind them, sealing the launch in the bay. With a hiss of compressed air the bay elevated.

They fretted with impatience every inch of the hundred foot rise.

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