"Darkness at the Break of Noon": Part 2

Part 2

Ben quickly put together his action team, consisting of himself, Kyle, Paul Farraday, Corinne Shaw and Adam Wooten. Ben drove the team at speed through the frost laden countryside towards Suffolk and Rendelsham Forest. Paul Farraday briefed the team:
"In 1980 there was a major UFO incident in Rendelsham Forest. At the time part of RAF Woodbridge, based there, was being used by the US military.Dozens of US Air Force personnel reported seeing strange lights within the forest and a rectangular vehicle which glowed red and had strange liguid dripping off it. UNIT investigated and the government ordered a massive cover up in order to avoid alarming the general public."
"So what was the outcome of the UNIT investigation?" Adam Wooten asked:
"They concluded that an unknown alien threat had attempted to infiltrate the base and failed," Paul replied, sipping a glass of scotch. Ben frowned:
"I think it is more likely that the incident back then was just a fact finding mission by these aliens. They were attempting to gauge the stength of our defences and our response to them. Now they have returned with a serious plan."
As Ben spoke, a group of Christmas revellers were staggering up the street in front of them and a drunken young woman in a short skirt staggered in front of the car. Ben managed to swerve and avoid hitting her and she she guffawed loudly:
"Its not funny that you nearly died, you stupid woman!" Ben yelled out of the window to her. The woman and her friends all laughed.
"I wouldn't waste your breath on such people Ben", Corinne Shaw commented.

It was dark when they arrived on the outskirts of the forest. Ben pulled out a device given to him by Keith Smith in order to track the location of the alien vehicle. He gazed at the screen:
"Ok team. The vehicle is located half a mile West from here." Kyle pointed to the trees:
"Ere we can't just walk through them trees as its all overgrown with brambles and undergrowth cr@p".
"I am aware of that Kyle. I'm not blind as a bat. We need to find a pathway," Ben decisively replied. The team searched around for a pathway and Ben spotted an elderly man walking a scruffy looking dog:
"Excuse me. Are you from round here? Is there a pathway through the forest anywhere near here?" Ben asked him.
"Yes, I be from round 'ere young man. I be Sam. Sam Truthers and this 'ere is Barney." Sam jerked the dog's lead and it growled:
"There be a path not far from 'ere. Walk along that there edge an' you'll find it at the end of the field. Leads into the middle. What you doing wantin' to go in there though at this time of night?"
"That is our business. Thank you for your advice. I do think you need to give your dog a wash when you get it home, the animal is filthy," Ben advised. The man tutted and the dog growled. Ben led the team through the field towards the path. He failed to notice the old man pull out a phone from his pocket:
"Ere I've just sent 'em towards the pathway. They should be getting to you in fifteen minutes or so....."
Ben and the team walked through the dark forest, Ben and Kyle leading the way with torches. Ben turned to Kyle and smiled sadly:
"You know Kyle, it is a really sad indictment of the state of my life that I'd rather be spending the festive period doing this than with my so called family. There is no one in my life to see the new year in with." Adam Wooten overheard him and put his hand on Ben's shoulder:
"Hey Ben, don't say that. You know I'd like nothing better than to spend New Years Eve with you". Ben flicked his hair out of his eyes:
"I thought you'd given up on me after my ill-conceived marriage fiasco. Its a date Adam." As Ben spoke, they saw a strange, glowing light through the trees.Approaching slowly, they saw a triangular shaped craft resting in a large clearing.

 Paul Farraday held up his phone and took a picture. He sent the picture to the Operation Delta database and a response was immediate:
"No known data on this type of craft," Paul stated.  An eerie crackling sound began and three strange looking figures approached them. They glowed silvery-blue and had no facial features apart from slits for eyes.

Paul took another photograph, however again there was no date on the figures. One of them spoke:
"We know who you are, earthmen. You are wasting your time coming here, Ben Chatham. The chaos we have created so far is but a preliminary experiment and it has paid us well."
"What do you mean, paid you well?" Ben asked. The alien gestured with its hands and an image appeared in the air of a group of frightened men and women, dressed in prison  uniforms.
"Your government has agreed to hand over the material which you see in exchange for us ceasing to cause social chaos and violence. We will experiment on the material and learn more about your world."
Ben frowned:
"I am disgusted that the government has undermined Operation Delta by not informing me of their covert plan to hand over criminals to you as a form of appeasement."
The aliens turned and walked to their craft. They seemed to melt into it before it began to spin and pulsate. It suddenly rose and shot off at great speed.

Later, Ben held an emergency meeting in the Operation Delta Hub lounge. Paul Farraday poured himself a large Martini, with ice, and stood by the wood fire as he briefed the team:
"It seems that there are elements within the government that are pursuing an appeasement policy with these aliens, whatever they are. I expect them to return in the future. In the meantime, I expect our organisation to be undermined via a covert propaganda campaign in the media or worse. We need to find out which establishment figures are behind this policy."
Ben lay his head back on the sofa and sighed. He took out his phone and typed out a text and pressed send. Adam Wooten's phone bleeped and he looked at Ben's text and blushed. He winked at Ben and Ben smiled, sipping his absinthe.

THE END.