Judgement (The Twelve) (35 page)

Anvil shrugged, “Nothing un-reasonable. Enough to replace all missing stock plus say a fifteen percent add on.”

He whispered to Chris, “Not bad for a Bronze Age blacksmith eh?”

“Anything else I can do for you sir?” Jennings asked.

“Actually can
you
ask your field agents to keep an eye out for any un-usual amount of missing persons again
?
”

Jennings was one step ahead of him, “Actually I kept that request permanently running in the background since you formed this company. We have noted that over thirty percent of homeless people
have
vanish
ed
from
Embankment near Waterloo Bridge.
It’s strange but none have ever turned up.
”

Anvil nodded, “Thank you Mister Jennings, efficient as ever.”

Jennings smiled, “I have to be with the money you’re paying me.”

He typed in a command on his laptop, “Since we started looking four years ago. We’ve noticed
four
hot spots for missing people, London,
Moscow, Brazil and Washington DC of all places.
A
staggering figure of
One
thousand six hundred and forty three people
went missing and just vanished off the face of the earth. Washington DC has the highest percentage of forty nine point six. Out of them all
only forty two ever turned up alive.
The last
one was
from Washington again, a female Arabic
translator
. She was found badly mauled, as if a big cat had attacked her. The last I heard, she’s still in a coma
. I
s there something I should know about?  Are you hunting serial killers for Interpol?”

Anvil touched the side of his nose, “Need to know Mr Jennings.”

For a second Chris thought Jennings was going to challenge Anvil, then thought better for it and nodded
just
the once.
Anvil stood up which was the sign to Chris that they where leaving.
Something in what Jennings had said seemed to set off an alarm bell in his head but it eluded him for the time being.
Judgement wanted to ask a question.

‘Oh no keep quiet!’
Chris ordered
.

“Have there been any sighting of anything else out of the ordinary?”
Judgements voice asked in that deep rich commanding voice.

For once Jennings poker face flickered in surprise. Chris fought to take control and coughed, “Sorry the Coke went down the wrong way!”

Jennings looked first to Anvil then back to Chris,” Actually there was one report but I dismissed it as rubbish.”

Anvil sat back down and asked for a full report. Jennings told them both that one of his agents had spotted
in the early hours,
what appeared to be the outline of a female near
a flight of concrete steps leading down to one of the locked entrances to the  walkway that runs along under the road inside the bridge next to Embankment.

“Naturally he thought this was strange and tried to investigate. The tide was out but the street lighting was very poor down there. When he managed to get himself in a position to see what she was up to. He thought he saw this woman turn into a cloud of black
oily
smoke which then disappeared through a small iron grill set in the support wall. Of course he’s one of my men, ex regiment, so naturally he dismissed this as a trick of the light. However upon closer inspection he found the entrance door still locked and bolted from the outside. The window grill had broken glass on the inside but thick rusty iron bars on the exterior. He reported it none the less.”

Chris forced Judgement to remain quiet, “This man of yours is he still working?”

Jennings raised an eyebrow ever so slightly, “Actually
,
Jackson that’s his name, is
off sick, first time ever.  I was going to visit him today. He sounds really ill accordingly to his
doctor
.”

Chris leaned forward, “This sighting he made when was it?”

“Two days ago and he went sick yesterday. Are you saying this is related in any way?”

Anvil asked, “Any missing person reports in that area?”

Jennings looked up from his laptop report,” One actually, not enough to trigger alarm bells but that was the reason Jackson was in the area.”

Chris glanced towards his father, Anvil asked for the employees address. Jennings paused for a moment before giving it.

Then asked, “You didn’t answer my question?” his voice
suddenly
hard.

Anvil and Chris both stood, Anvil side tracked the question, “Oh there’s a police Sergeant stationed at the Park by Battersea. Name of Farthing, Peter Farthing
, h
e’s due for retirement and I’d be obliged if you’d
check him out and
offer him employment
if he passed all the checks
. Seems a good dependable sort of chap
,
physically
fit, says he was Irish Guards as an NCO before joining the police.
Not as one of your front line jobs of course but say an equipment officer post with a good salary.”

Jennings typed another few lines on his laptop before closing the lid and standing. “
Are y
ou planning on visiting Jackson right now?”

Anvil paused at the door and looked at Chris who nodded,” Yes it appears we are.”

Jennings walked round his desk, “I’ll drive you over there myself.”

Anvil tried to stop him but Jennings wouldn’t hear of it.

“Sorry
Mr Smith,
but you may be my boss and pay my salary
,
but this is one of my men
and w
e go way back. If there’s something going on that requires you visiting him right away. I’m coming.”

Anvil could see there was no way out of the situation and allowed Jennings
to open the office door. Jennings led them down to the buildings underground car park and approached a black Range Rover.

Anvil ran a hand over the body work,” Armoured?”

Jennings was impressed, “yes it is. Normally people don’t notice that.”

Anvil smiled, “I used to work with metal.”

The drive took twenty five minutes as Jennings drove out of the city to a small quiet exclusive suburban area.
The man called Jackson lived in a first floor
two bedroom
luxury
apartment in
a block of four
. Jennings tried the intercom but got no reply.

It was at that moment that Judgement kicked in full force, “Shades and one of The Dark!” he bellowed.

Raising a hand he sent a blast of light that shattered the door lock and ran inside with Anvil close on his heals. Jennings was left struck dumb with shock, not sure what he’s just seen. Then the professional solder took over and he charged in after them, drawing a Glock model 21 pistol from a concealed shoulder holster.

Judgement had already reached Jackson’s door. There was no need to force the lock, the door stood wide open. In he charged, down the short hallway and into the first room on the right. It was the main bedroom and Jenkins was lying across the top of his double bed. A Shade stood off to the right but Judgements attention was fixed on
the Dark known as Shadow. The semi transparent figure was leaning over the bed, one hand submerged in Jenkins skull.
Chris noticed that Shadows mouth and fangs
were now healed.
The man was writhing in agony. Shadow’s head snapped round as Judgement entered. With a blubbering hiss, the Shade launched itself at Judgement, who sent it flying with a
single thought
.
The Shade hit the wall and
collapsed.

“Leave him be!” Judgement ordered.

Shadow glanced down at the writhing man and with a quick twist of his hand exploded the top half of J
ackson’
s skull.

“He has told me all I need to know.”
The creature whispered.

Anvil was blocking the doorway
.
Shadow
saw the only other means of exit and ran for the bedroom window.

Jennings was there a moment later, gun out and pointing
,
‘
B
ut pointing at what!’

Judgement advanced a step
,
“You cannot be allowed to leave.”
Strangely his voice was filled with sorrow.

Shadow backed up a step, his figure becoming even more transparent, “I go where I please boy!”

Suddenly Shadow sprang towards Anvil, running straight through the bed!

Jennings fired without thinking. Three bullet holes appearing in the wall behind the creature, none ha
d
the slightest effect on it. Then he saw the Shade climbing to its feet over in the far right corner of the room. This thing looked more solid.
He sent a double tap to its chest and a further shot to its forehead. The creature reeled back under the impact but the bullets didn’t contain holy water. The Shade wailed as it tried to charge past Judgement in order to get at and eat this human being. It made a mistake, the biggest mistake of its un-life. It forgot about Judgement and who he was.

Judgement reached out with his right hand as it tried to pass him, his fist closing around its slimy neck.

“Be Judged!”

The thing tried to pull free but in the next instant exploded in an expanding cloud of hot fiery ash.

By now Shadow had reached Anvil
,
i
ntent on simply passing straight through him. Anvil reached for his hammer before suddenly realising he was in civilian clothes and weapon less. Well almost weapon less. Chris hadn’t noticed but Anvil was wearing several large steel rings on the fingers of both hands. He had forged these from the same metal that he had made his hammer from. He only wore these when forced to travel without his main weapon.

Anvil shot out a straight handed left punch, followed with a right hook. Both blows landed! Shadow double
d
over then flew back to land half across the bed
, h
is body now more solid looking. Anvil rushed him but Shadow recovered and thrust out with both feet. Anvil was struck in the chest and not only flew backwards but crashed out through the glass window!