EPILOGUE

  St. Clair, with the use of the excavator, dropped one huge boulder to cover the tunnel hole, trapping the cryptids in their nest and entombing the entire swarm in their stone palace. Maybe they'll eat each other up in a weird Darwinian cannibal twist. I hope they do.

  I approached Agent Doyle. "How's the leg?"

  "Our friend already patched it up." Doyle leaned on a crutch that St. Clair hastily made from discarded wood and some thick twines. "It'll be fine, but I think I broke some ribs. And how bout ya?"

  "I'm little bit banged up too. But not as bad as it looks. I'll sure be in shape in a few days."

  He pointed at the mining equipment. "The mining activity probably disturbed their nest. Opened a path for them to the surface."

  I nodded. "That's the most logical explanation I could think of, right now. But these mines were empty. Nothing of worth to dig up here. It's been empty for a few decades. You know... that means–"

  He nodded. "Someone opened a way for them. Intentionally."

  "My god. I think that checks out. Earlier, I checked for any tectonic disturbance for the last few months within the vicinity. No earth quake or the such. Someone really dug a way for those things?"

  Doyle nodded again. "We'll know more if we follow the crumbs. But it looks like the more we uncover the more things get complicated."

  "How do you think they survive below ground?" I said. "Those things..."

  "I think they were blind. More like moles than rats." He shook his head. "Maybe this isn't the only way out. Maybe there are other passageways. What I can't wrap my head around was the imp." He scratched his forehead, both eyebrows furrowed. "What d'ya think?"

  "Well, I think we'll only find out if we follow that." I pointed at the logo at the side of the excavator. The fist with rays of light coming away from it.

  "The crumbs."

  "That's our only lead and I think that's just the entrance to the rabbit hole."

  "Yeah, we'll pro'lly even meet the master," His tone became serious all of a sudden, "and his 'wretched' cane. Sounds like the imp works for a very interesting figure. A very cruel master."

  "Sounds like it," I answered. "But I really hoped that it won't come to that. That we don't find him right away. I'm sure that man is not someone to make an enemy of if he can hurt something like an imp."

  The agent only nodded again. "St. Clair and me decided that we'll recommend ya' to Full agent status." He paused. "Ya' could've turn back and waited for Theo but ya' didn't and for me that's bravery right there."

  "You would've done the same thing."

  "Pro'lly... but one thing is for sure, I owe ya one. And I mean that."

  I smiled at him. "If you give me this then were even."

  He nodded and smiled back. "Then, it's settled... we're even."

  I tucked the magnum on my back. Its cold steel barrel touching the old scars of the past. I smiled again. Then, it's settled. As simple as that, my journey on becoming a full-fledged agent of S. P. E. A. R. began. Back then, I didn't know how much trouble I got myself into. Back then, I only fought monsters that look like monsters.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  ***

  The computer screen turned blue as the man in the shadows clicked the Archivist Auxiliary file. Words appeared on the screen as soon as he did so...

  AGENT I.D. CODE:9988

  OPAL LEVEL CLEARANCE

  ACCESS GRANTED

  DATA BANK INITIALIZING...

  Loading ARCHIVIST'S NOTES:

  In light of recent events, specifically the incident in Sibulga, Indonesia, 2003, the Archivist would like to clarify the conclusion of the team about the cryptids involved.

  According to Agent Yeann Chu's investigation (ten years after the initial investigation and quarantine of the area) the Sumatran Rats in Sepat Engdon were not released to the surface by Thunstone Mining Corp.'s excavations in the mount Kadong vicinity as Carnacki's team concluded. She discovered that the cryptids dug themselves towards the surface SEE (Sibulga Swarm Case).

  Agent Anselm Radcliffe and Dr. Fredrick Otto Olafson, in their own separate reports, likewise suggest that the reader peruse the Thunstone incident in Ireland to understand the red imp's agenda. SEE ( CLASSIFIED-CRIMSON LEVEL CLEARANCE ONLY).

  The Archivist would also point out to the reader about the increasing sightings of Hippo-Sapien in the Philippines during 1998. SEE ("Tikbalang" case) Evidence point out that the two incidents are loosely connected with each other.

  TRANSMISSION ENDING...

  ***

  The door of the Archives Section of the S. P. E. A. R. facility creaked open and the beam from the security guard's flashlight pierced through the darkness.

  "Is anyone here?" he croaked.

  The security guard turned his light towards the corner of the room and drew the taser from its holster.

  "Mick, are you playing another prank on me," the guard said. "Cause if you do, I'm going to taser you to death this time. You know I'm not joking anymore."

  Silence was the only reply of the room. The security guard went inside, every step unsure. He moved towards the computer that was still on.

  "Man, Mick? Did you use the damn computer again? Do you really want to get us fired? The damn thing ain't for browsing those lewd shit your in to..."

  He moved closer to turn it off but a voice stopped him in his tracks and it wasn't Mick's.

  "I wouldn't do that if I were you," the man said at the corner of the room. Most of his features were veiled in the shadows. The only thing the light touched was his prominent jawline and well-built physique. He wore a black suit hemmed with grey. And at first, the security guard thought he was some higher-up working overtime. But some thing odd about him caught his attention.

  "Who the hell are you?" the guard said as he upholstered his gun, pointing it to the stranger with trembling hands.

  "Me? That's sad... You don't even know who I am?"

  "Wait a minute... Do you have an I.D. Pass?"

  "Unfortunately...I have none."

  "Wait, stay! Don't come any closer or I'll shoot you with this. Yeah, I'd shoot you to bits!"

  The stranger smiled, clasping both hands. "Are you going to shoot me? Are you sure about that? Perhaps, you should change your mind..."

  "You're not supposed to be here!" The guard took his two-way radio to call for an alarm when the stranger disappeared. It was as though the shadow behind him ate his whole body in a blink of an eye. The guard's heart thumped hard. People don't disappear in plain sight like that. He'd heard of agents having peculiar abilities before. Some could control the elements. Mick said, others were Espers. But the man clearly didn't look the part. And what he did was out of protocol. You don't just blink out of existence like that. It's kinda rude and you rub people the wrong way with that kind of action.

  "Hey, come out or I'll shoot you!"

  He waited for the man's reply but the room turned pitch black all of a sudden. As though it was dropped in a dark well.

  He raised his gun, hearing someone snigger.

  "You truly don't know me..." the voice from the shadow said.

  The guard turned towards the direction the voice came, but something hard struck him in the head. He slumped and went down like a brick beside the table.

  "I'm Mr. Thunstone."

  The man in the shadows appeared from the darkness and sat down. He shifted in his seat as he opened another file to peruse. He wasn't finished yet. There were things to know. Things to see. He moved the mouse and clicked another folder. He smiled as he saw the next agent's picture in the screen.

  "Agent Anselm Radcliffe. The man I was looking for."

  THE END

  INFESTATION: AGENT OF SPEAR #1 will be followed by RETRIBUTION: AGENT OF SPEAR #2...