The Dark Star - Aftermath Pt. 05

**********

Callaghan couldn't believe what she was seeing room after room lining the long corridor. Doors broken open to reveal torturous looking medieval devices. She could only imagine and probably still not comprehend the macabre use of each of the rooms as she headed along the damp dimly lit corridor. At the end of the corridor two uniform officers attempted to prise open a dark green door, using only crowbars, without any success.

As she approached an open rusting steel door to her left with the number 4 crudely etched into the fading paint, she could hear confrontation and obscenities. The noise of protest echoed around the corridor from a dyed blonde female resisting as two officers attempted to remove her from what could only be described as a prison cell. Dressed only in a dirtied long white T-Shirt she fought them hurling obscenities as a third officer stepped in to assist.

"Leave me alone," she hollered. "Leave me the fuck alone... get off me... get off me you fucking bastards."

Callaghan jumped as without warning the shrill sound of an angle grinder started cutting through a door to her right. Bright orange sparks illuminating the corridor as the three officers now between them all but carried the still struggling female back along the corridor in the direction from which Callaghan had just come.

"What the fuck is this place?" Parsons bellowed besides her trying to make himself heard over the sound of metal grinding on metal.

Callaghan simply shook her head in disbelief and disgust, she knew what she was seeing but she couldn't bring herself to even put into words what these chambers of horror represented. Her heart pounds in her chest with exhilaration none the less. She's found it, the reason she came here she's found it. Two more unlocked doors lined the corridor. What dark secrets did each door hide?

Then her adrenaline rose once more.

The lock to the door gave way and the angle grinder whirred to a painfully slow stop before the PC handling the tool prised open the door. Callaghan adjusted her eyes following the brightness of the white-hot sparks from the angle grinder. As faint light shone through the doorway, she held her hand to her mouth not wishing to see but shocked to discover another female trapped within a cold dark brick walled cell.

"Bolt Cutters" the PC hollered as Callaghan felt herself pushed aside by another Officer rushing into the cell, followed by a female Officer clutching a thick woollen blanket.

Callaghan watched on open mouthed as the bolt cutters were utilise to free the girl in the cell from the chain shackled to her left ankle as she stood there backed up against the far wall dressed in a dirty oversized white T-Shirt just as the first girl had been. In stark contrast though as the female PC wrapped the blanket around her shoulders on unsteady bare feet the girl allowed the PC to escort her from the cell. As she stepped into the relative light of the corridor Callaghan recognised her immediately but took no joy from the situation as collectively everyone around the door took a step back or aside trying not to stare at the fragile scared young girl who emerged, being aided, practically held up, by the Asian WPC.

Callaghan's eyes met the sunken haunted gaze of the dark-skinned girl and all she could do was offer a weak smile in an attempt at reassurance.

"My God Is that?" Parsons whispered stood behind her to her left.

"Mica Wise," Callaghan confirmed on a whisper as if her very name might scare the young girl, I'd she heard it.

"Is she?"

Callaghan nodded confirmation having spotted the tell-tale swell to the girl's lower abdomen even in the darkness. Her nod turning to a rueful shake of the head.

"Yes... She's pregnant"

**********

Breathlessly I groan. Chloe's fingers digging into my shoulder as she clenches her whole body around me and I feel myself cum in her, thick blasts of my ejaculate spray into her as she whimpers and trembles in the confined space, her nails digging into the backs of my shoulders.

She places a vicious kiss to my lips biting my bottom lip as she breaks the embrace, while my hands tightly cradle the backs of her slender thighs.

"I'd forgotten what a vigorous little puppy you can be," she states teasing but somehow condescending with the same sentence.

Immediately the guilt of cheating on Sarah washes over me like a tsunami as we stand their embraced, my body still in hers.

Each of us breathless as we slowly release and disentangle our bodies from one another in the close proximity of the bolt hole she'd earlier led us to

"We ...we probably shouldn't have".

"Don't get getting all emotional on me Jack the Lad" Chloe states.

"You don't get to call me..." I barely start to question the use of the affectionate name used only by my Father as the suppressed memory resurfaces. Chloe had read my Fathers diary; Chloe had claimed to have been with my Father. That's how Chloe knows of the moniker.

"You and him," I state coldly shaking my head.

"Way to kill the moment" Chloe states sarcastically "Discussing him is not how we're spending the rest of our time down here."

"There was no moment," I sneer.

"Oh, Jack there was... There was quite a moment... I can feel it running down the inside of my legs".

**********

Callaghan walked through the empty corridors of the basement. Removing her stab vest and relieving the claustrophobia the uncomfortable protective wear had been causing her for most of the day. A draft of cold fresh air blew through the corridor bringing extra relief.

She felt exhausted she hadn't eaten all day looking at her watch seeing it was fast approaching six in the evening. Her phone buzzed as it had in her pocket for most of the last 6 hours. Ignoring the latest call and following the source of the breeze or at least the direction from which it had blown, seeking a moment of respite from the craziness of the day. Mica Wise had been rescued and forensics teams currently concentrated on the meticulous process of collecting evidence and searching for DNA within the long dark corridor where Mica had been discovered alongside of another girl, Lyndsay Phillips. Phillips wasn't known to be or registered as missing, she was a registered student of the local University the phone call to her next of kin had apparently come as quite a shock to them. How could they have not known where she was? How long had she therefore even been here and was she here of her own free will? The raid had brought little to no closure she mused entering a large wide chamber of a room, the ceiling of which was supported by pillars that ran in two parallel lines through the centre of the room. On the far wall appeared to be an industrial size furnace which she assumed to be a redundant relic of this building's past. The raid had brought no evidence or clues to the whereabouts of Alison Hughes or Leah Davis. Nor had it shed any light for that matter on Sophie McAllister's whereabouts. There was every chance the connection did not exist. Either way what the hell was this place they had stumbled across?

She heard the footsteps momentarily before she saw the two figures on the far side of the room.

Her heart in her mouth as she recognised the pale features of Sophie McAllister stood in front of a disguised male.

Even with her head hung low Rose Callaghan recognised the teenager. He raised her head and her eyes seemed sunk to the back of head, as if she were drugged. Her slender body exposed by the black bra top, short black skirt and boots that came over her knee. She didn't focus she didn't flinch despite her hands shackled in front of her with heavy looking thick chains.

The figure stood behind her clutching the blade of a knife to her neck towered over her in physical presence. Dressed all in black his face obscured by a dark full mask with what appeared to be the silhouette of white skull.

"Stay where you are Officer," his warning seemingly echoed off the walls in the eery silence of the cast room. As if six voices spike to her in unison.

"Detective" Callaghan corrected him. Keeping her calm holding her hands out to her side. The pepper spray and taser gun attached to her belt she knew would be useless from this distance. There'd be no suspicion of a need for firearms during the raid but suddenly she wished for something less inadequate; and regretted that she had removed her stab vest.

"So, Detective..." his voice echoed once more in response "...it's you I have to blame for the disruption is it?"

"You've nowhere to go," Callaghan calmly stated "The site is still crawling with my Officers ... just let Miss McAllister go and step away."

His free hand stroked down through Sophie's long blonde hair as they stood there facing off but at a distance of some thirty meters or so.

"Oh, Detective that's not happening ...I'm not sure my Sophie even wants that."

His choice of words haunting as Callaghan reached for her radio and she unclipped it from her belt.

"We have you cornered down here your sick little operation whatever you're doing ... it's over."

His menacing dark laugh filled the room as he edged back towards the doorway through which she presumed they'd entered. Callaghan stepped forward as he retreated pulling Sophie McAllister backwards as he moved; the knife constantly pressed against her neck.

"How wrong you are Detective," Again he over pronounced her title, "How wrong you are."

He edged away all the time as he spoke.

"Where are my manners I never introduced myself..." he deliberately paused, "I'm the Wolf."

His voice was cold and deep with a slight hint of a local accent.

"You've disrupted this place ...but you've only closed one door... All good things as they say must come to an end. You have no idea who we are just like you've no idea what we do. You don't even know what I look like ...I'm a ghost to you ...an apparition ...you don't know where to look for me the minute you lose sight of me ...so enjoy your hollow victory... tomorrow you start again... tomorrow you start turning over new rocks to see where we hide ...but you won't find us... We won't be there".

He raised a finger and slowly tapped his temple twice.

"I'm in your head now though ...I'm in your head and I'll take your sanity while you try to find me."

He'd reached the doorway. Callaghan snatches her radio to her mouth. "All units ... All units urgent assistance required ...basement ... east side of the building".

"I'm a ghost," he stated once more as he and the seemingly catatonic Sophie McAllister stepped back through the doorway.

Rose Callaghan ran for the doorway determined to give pursuit against her better judgement in spite of her isolation, at detriment to her safety. Her feet carried her as fast as she could run her ankle high stiletto heeled boots, tired feet heavy on the dust covered stone floor. He couldn't flee not dragging the teenager along with him she'd catch up with him. She grabbed for the taser dropping her radio as she did which skittled along the floor of the room which she covered in no time at all.

As she reached the doorway, she faced a long narrow corridor with another closed door at the far end; neither he nor Sophie McAllister were in sight. It was impossible for them to have disappeared; impossible yet somehow, they had.

**********

Chloe's hand reached back and pressed to my chest as we approached the exit from the maze of corridors, she'd just led me through.

Hours spent in tight confines trapped in close proximity, filthy dirty, dehydrated and starving but my senses were dialled up. We'd seen no sign but there was sure to have been a Police presence somewhere standing guard over The Mill. Occasional voices could still intermittently be heard echoing around the buildings.

Raising her finger to her lips in the twilight that filtered through the doorway ahead on which a door hung open at an awkward angle from a solitary broken hinge.

She edged forward until I saw her silhouetted ahead of me. Cautiously she peered out into the late evening gloom. Before signalling me to come forward.

"No one to be seen," she whispered, "You're on your own from here Jack. Stick to the fields straight ahead you'll come to a village."

"What about you?" I questioned on an equally hushed tone.

"Aww do you care about me?"

I couldn't have cared less was the first thought through my head, the impropriety of earlier still twisted my stomach with guilt. I'd come here looking for answers for Sarah I left having learned nothing and having betrayed her.

"Don't worry Jack I'll be more than alright ... it's been fun thought hasn't it catching up and all?" Her words suggested she was mocking me but deliberately she dumbed down her sarcastic tone.

"Time of my fucking life," I reply not holding back my own thoughts.

Without warning Chloe leans forward and places a deliberately long slow kiss on my lips

"There'll be a next time Jack... There's always a next time ... but until then."

Her hands push into my chest and I watch her disappear back into the shadows.

**********

Callaghan stood at the bar of The Crown; the dive of an establishment nominated by a member of the Uniform Team to celebrate their day. Callaghan wasn't sure the achievements should be celebrated and wasn't sure The Crown qualified as venue to celebrate anything. It was more than likely only its proximity to HQ that made it appealing and convenient. Parsons had coerced her into attending if only to show her face and her gratitude. Having showered and changed into a spare white blouse she'd headed along to participate; knocking back her fourth Rum and Coke she began to relax just a little more than she'd intended.

The party had dwindled, even Parsons had made his excuses around half an hour ago. Callaghan turned her mind to her own domestic set up subconsciously toying with the engagement ring on her finger as two WPC's waved their goodbyes. She'd texted earlier to explain she was heading for drinks and would be back late. She'd need a cab now, turning to the bar she was somewhat surprised to see the barmaid, a pleasant faced girl with long wavy dark hair stood their sliding a tall glass of Rum and Coke across the bar to her.

"Oh ...I um... I didn't order another..." Callaghan offered with a weak apologetic smile a little bemused by the situation.

"I know," the barmaid said, "It's from the guy at the end of the bar."

Callaghan looked over instantly to where a tall rugged looking man in his early to mid-forties was stood. He flashed a lopsided grin to her.

"What's your name?" Callaghan asked gently the Detective in her immediately assessing the situation.

"Emily."

"Emily is this his usual cheap trick?" Callaghan glances back over again.

"I've worked here for six months and never seen him if I'm honest," Emily smiled, "I've worked in bars for years and I know it's supposed to happen ... like a cliche but I don't think I've ever seen anyone buy anyone else a drink ...well not like ...you know what I mean."

"I guess he thinks he's being chivalrous," Callaghan said before taking a taste of the strong drink. A double measure. "Well, I guess it would rude not to."

"Way I look at it it's a free drink if nothing else and you've no obligation... although he's kind of well... you know..."

"How very true," Callaghan offered, "The free drink I mean."

Emily smiled moving away to serve the next customer while wiping down the bar with a cloth. Callaghan took a long sip of the drink the stranger had bought her realising that everyone she recognised had disappeared.

She offered him a smile and raised the glass to say thank you.

**********

Lyndsay Phillips sat there on the private room's firm sterile hospital bed as a silent tear ran down her cheek. Through the slit of a window in the door she could see the back of the Police Officer who stood guard.

The bright sterile lights of the hospital dimmed now but this felt so alien so strange.

The nurses and a doctor had checked her over thoroughly and made promises she could leave tomorrow if the Police allowed her. She was confused she'd done nothing wrong and so far, as she was aware, she wasn't under arrest why would the Police be interested in her?

Were the Police there to stop anyone getting to her or stop her getting away?

Attached to her left arm an intravenous drip fed a saline solution she turned over her wrist and with the middle finger of her right hand traced the black star tattoo that daubed her wrist.

She longed to be back at The Mill.

**********

Face first mere centimetres from the rough brick wall her jeans pulled down around the backs of her legs Callaghan pushed back her hips, her heels scraping on the floor as on as wide a stance as she could adopt, she anchored herself on the hard concrete floor, she braced.

Breathless her lips parted on a whimper as she felt him take her harder and faster.

His arms hooked around her shoulders pulling her back against him. The feel of him in her, his style, his prowess as he took her harder and faster. She bit down on her lip stifling the groans he coaxed from her in the dark alleyway to the back of The Crown. The public nature of their sordid tryst heightened the moment. This wasn't her she'd never cheated before, but there was something about him, perhaps it was the heavy quantity of Rum consumed that lowered her defences and made the thrill of her illicit encounter all the more risqué. The risqué that enhanced the feel of the touch of the confident charmer she barely met an hour ago.

Bracing her arms firmer the palms of her hands flat to the wall she took him in her, looking back over her shoulder to catch sight of him as she felt his final deep thrusts as he shuddered to a climax.

"Oh fuck," she whimpered, "Oh fuck."

Holding on to the moment as long as she could clenching herself around him as she felt him press up against her and groan, she felt every last moment induced by his dick buried deep inside of her.