Chapter 29: Containment
"Gamma Team!" Chief Thompson barked into the microphone of her headset as she stared at the multiple monitors on the table in front of her, "Report!"
"We're doing what we can, ma'am," Agent Jenkins' voice crackled through the headset speakers followed by the sound of gunshots, "The creatures' numbers are relentless. They're coming in droves."
The red-headed chief cursed under her breath.
"Keep them at bay!" she barked with her stoic voice again, trying to hide her frustration and her fear as she switched her communication channel, "Gamma Team, status!"
"We're still evacuating the citizens," Agent Tomlinson replied; he sounded haggard, "But we're suffering casualties."
"Find more citizens," Chief Thompson replied, cursing under her breath again, "Get them to safety!"
The red-headed chief looked at one of the monitors. The satellite image feed shows a swarm of nightmarish creatures shuffling through Lower Thames Street. Another monitor showed the mysterious dark entity lying on its back near the Monument to the Great Fire of London. It was laughing.
She changed her communication channel again.
"Agent Pattinson!" Chief Thompson yelled through her microphone, "Where is that information on that entity?!"
"We're still searching, ma'am," her weak voice replied, "The entity is a new creature and we don't have our records on it."
"Well, find something then!" the red-headed chief yelled; her frustration apparent, "More citizens are perishing the longer we delay!"
Chief Thompson took off her headsets. The satellite images on all the monitors in front of her was sickening her stomach. As she sat looking at her curled fingers on her lap, the red-headed chief felt an emotion rising deep in her heart. A very familiar one.
"John." she uttered silently as she placed her head on her hands.
A metallic knock woke Chief Thompson from her stupor. The red-headed chief quickly composed herself as the van door slid open.
"Ma'am?" a B.P.R.D. agent stuck his head into the van.
"Yes, Agent Jackson?" the red-headed chief asked, maintaining her professional tone.
"The perimeter has been secured," the agent said, his eyes briefly looking at the monitors, "We've had some our talented agents place sigils at certain locations to form a magical barrier around the perimeter."
"That is good news," Chief Thompson said, "Let's hope those creatures don't pass through it."
"I hope so too" Agent Jackson said before noticing her expression, "Are you alright, ma'am?"
"I am fine," the red-headed chief replied with a weak smile, "Thank you for your concern, Agent Jackson."
Agent Jackson nodded his head before closing the van door.
Chief Thompson turned back to the monitors. One of the monitors showed the Beta team field agents battling with the nightmarish creatures at the Tower of London. The familiar sense of guilt filled her heart again as she watched the onslaught of the nightmarish creatures on her field agents; her mind filled with memories from Basingstoke.
"God help us all." she uttered as she watched her field agents perish.
Unbeknownst to her, another monitor was showing a small black cab driving through another swarm of nightmarish creatures at Tower Hill.
"Damn these things!" Chas yelled as he swerved his black cab; ramming through some of the nightmarish creatures, "How are we supposed to get to Klarion through these tossers?"
Agent Myers remained quiet in the backseat of the cab. He was trying to stop himself from vomiting from the motion sickness caused by the burly taxi driver's driving.
"Maybe," Agent Clay said with frustration as his head banged on to the car handle inside the cab, "If you had driven slowly, we would have seen him."
Chas chuckled as he took another hard turn; slamming into another nightmare creature
"That's rich," the burly taxi driver responded to the burly agent sitting beside him, "Coming from an American."
Agent Clay rolled his eyes before his head collided with the car handle again as Chas made another sharp turn.
The black cab had driven through Tower Hill and was heading into Lower Thames Street. Chas groaned as he manoeuvred through another horde of nightmarish creatures while carefully avoiding some of the B.P.R.D. field agents.
"Wait!" Agent Clay shouted as the black cab passed the Old Billingsgate Market, "I think I see Klarion! And Hellboy!"
Chas looked through the windshield, seeing a dark figure floating near the Monument to the Great Fire of London. He also saw that Hellboy was tied to the monument.
"Alright, lads!" Chas said as he steered the black cab through another horde of nightmarish creatures, "We're almost there."
Suddenly, one of the nightmare creatures leaps on to the black cab's front; clambering up to the windshield.
"Bollocks!" Chas exclaimed as the creature's body blocked the windshield, "I can't see!"
Agent Clay reached for his firearm and fired multiple shots at the creature; shattering the windshield.
"Not through the windshield, you pillock!" Chas shouted at the burly agent as the dead creature rolled away from the front of the black cab.
"Sorry." Agent Clay uttered before noticing the cab was heading towards a stationary red object, "LOOK OUT!"
Chas turned; seeing the iconic red post box in front of him. With a surprised expression on his face, the burly cab driver quickly stepped on the brakes. The tires screeched as the black cab tried to slow down. Chas began cursing as the cab approached the free-standing post box.
Agent Clay closed his eyes, bracing for the impact.
Agent Myers could no longer contain himself.
Chas swore again.
The black cab came to a stop; its bumper just millimetres away from the red post box. Chas exhaled in relief and turned to find Agent Clay holding tightly to the car handle with his eyes closed.
"We're safe," the burly taxi driver said as he slapped Agent Clay's shoulder; alarming the burly agent.
"Oh, thank god." Agent Clay uttered before turning to the young agent behind him, "How are you, Myers?"
"I'm okay," he said, sounding squeamish, "Can't say the same thing about the floor."
Both Chas and Agent Clay took a look at the murky brown puddle on the cab floor. Chas let out a sigh before shifting the cab gear stick to 'Reverse'.
"Renee is going to kill me."
Hellboy groaned as his vision slowly returned. He could feel the wind blowing across his face.
"Where…?" the red-skinned paranormal investigator uttered before realising that his arms and legs were bound and tied to something.
"The demon is awake," he heard that recognisable voice.
Hellboy looked up to see Klarion floating in the air; stroking Teekl in his arms. The red-skinned paranormal investigator looked around to find himself tied to the Monument to the Great Fire of London. Below him, he could see an army of dark figures marching into the City of London, causing damage to building structures and killing several people; some wearing the B.P.R.D. field jacket.
"Enjoying the view?" the young Lord of Chaos spoke, his voice garbled by the Helmet of Chaos around his head, "I hope you like it as this is a repayment for what you did to my poor Teekl."
Hellboy growled as he struggled to break out of his bonds.
"Oh look," Klarion said with excitement as he pointed to a black cab approaching the monument, "Your friends have come to rescue you."
"Myers. Clay." Hellboy mumbled as he saw both of his friends step out of the black cab.
"They will fail." Klarion spoke; his voice lathered with malice, "Because they will die."
The red-skinned paranormal investigator snarled as the young Lord of Chaos grabbed his jaw violently.
"And you will watch."
Klarion released his grip on Hellboy's jaw.
"Screw you." Hellboy muttered as Klarion formed a horizontal sigil out of thin air.
The young Lord of Chaos then released Teekl from his arms. The feline familiar landed gracefully on the floating sigil; purring as she lay down.
Giving a small nod to his loved pet, Klarion began to chant.
"Get ready, lads," Chas said as he opened the trunk of the cab, "Remember. We are to distract him before John shows up."
"Did you guys feel that?" Agent Myers asked as he was grabbing the Colt revolver.
Agent Clay and Chas looked to the young agent in the midst of arming themselves. They too felt the earth tremor. Chas looked up. Klarion stood floating above, his arms open.
"He's doing something," the burly taxi driver remarked, "Be prepared."
Suddenly, the ground shook violently as cracks began to appear. Chas and the two B.P.R.D. agents held on to the black cab as they tried to reorient and balance themselves against the moving earth. Through the cracks, a red clawed arm shot out.
"Bugger me!" Chas exclaimed as he watched red horned demons climbing out of the earth fissures.