Creeping Terror Read Online Free PDF

back in 1943, or they mightfall through the same crack in reality all the way to Hell.’
    There was silence for several seconds. Then Greene laughed. ‘You expect me to believe that childish rubbish?’
    ‘I expect you to obey your orders and keep away from the village until my team have inspected it and declared it safe,’ Knight said. He made a point of looking at his watch. ‘Actually you were right. It didn’t take that long, did it?’ He stood up.
    ‘Wait,’ Colonel Greene barked. ‘I’m not closing down important training and manoeuvres just on the say-so of some suit and a couple of kids.’
    Knight sat down again. ‘There again …’ he murmured.
    ‘I got my orders last night, when they told me you jokers were coming. But I’d already sent a patrol into Templeton to check out what that crazy tourist and his son said.’ He leaned forward and pressed an intercom button. ‘Jenkins, has Corporal Rutherford reported back yet?’
    The reply was distorted by the speakers, but it was clear enough. ‘Just a couple of minutes ago, sir.’
    ‘Have him report to me here at once.’ Greene turned back to Knight. ‘We’ll soon find out if there’s anything weird going on in that village, Mr Knight.And since I spent a few nights of a training exercise sleeping in the churchyard there just the other week, you can take it from me – there isn’t.’
    *
    Corporal Rutherford’s uniform was spattered with mud and one sleeve was ripped. His face was scratched and dirty, with a couple of days’ stubble on his chin. He marched up to the space beside Knight in front of Colonel Greene’s desk and saluted smartly.
    ‘At ease,’ Greene said.
    ‘Sir.’ Rutherford visibly relaxed.
    ‘You and your team were in Templeton for a while, Corporal. These people are keen to know if you witnessed anything unusual.’
    Rutherford shook his head. ‘All seemed normal. Quiet of course. You’d expect that under the circumstances.’
    Knight leaned forward. ‘How did you hurt your face?’
    Rutherford’s hand went instinctively to his cheek. ‘Just a scratch, sir. Had a fight with a bramble.’ He grinned. ‘Most eventful thing that happened, actually.’
    Ben glanced at Gemma. She was frowning. Something was wrong. She caught Ben’s eye and shrugged. Something, only she didn’t know what … Ben eased his mobile phone out of his pocket and flipped it open. But there was nothing unusual about the image of the corporal on the screen.
    ‘Satisfied?’ Greene demanded of Knight. Then he spoke curtly to Rutherford. ‘Dismissed. And let me have a full report soon as you can.’
    ‘Sir.’
    Rutherford turned to go. As he did, he saw Ben holding up his phone. ‘What the hell is that?’
    ‘Sorry.’ Ben quickly closed the phone and put it away. ‘Sorry. I was just …’ His voice tailed off as Knight held up his hand.
    ‘You object to being photographed?’ he asked Rutherford.
    The soldier looked at Greene, who remained impassive. ‘No problem, sir. Is that – can I ask? – is that a camera, then? Must be new. For spies and agents, is it? SOE?’
    ‘SOE?’ Greene echoed. He was frowning now too.
    ‘Special Operations Executive,’ Knight said quietly. ‘They trained and ran agents during the Second World War.’
    ‘I know,’ Greene barked. ‘You being funny, Rutherford?’
    ‘Sir?’ He seemed genuinely surprised at Greene’s anger.
    ‘Get out!’
    ‘No, wait.’ Knight’s voice was full of authority, making Rutherford freeze. Knight was holding his own mobile phone – almost identical to Ben’s. ‘You don’t know what this is, do you?’
    Greene stood up and walked slowly to the window, staring out across the base towards the woodland beyond. ‘Answer Mr Knight’s questions, soldier,’ he said. Ben could hear the tension in his voice.
    ‘It’s a camera, sir. You just said.’
    ‘I said it takes photographs. But it’s actually a mobile phone, isn’t it?’
    Rutherford’s astonishment was