The Adventures Of Minator -- chapter 22 -- Closing In

Chapter 22 Closing In

The Spaceship banked over the River Thames in the night sky. There was a full moon. They knew they could not be detected by radar, because of the spaceship's strong Stealth Shield. But they could be seen. It set down briefly in a field by the small town of Runnymede, while the crew disembarked with their luggage, then it quickly took off again, it would leave the atmosphere and wait in obit above the Earth for further contact.
Swing, Narea, and Nimi walked into Runnymede, and took a taxi to Slough, where they booked into an hotel for the night.
The next morning they bought a second hand Land Rover from a car dealer in Slough. Preston Fox's plane would arrive at Heathrow at midnight the next day. It was important they don't lose him. The computer had found no address registered to him in London. He had no website, nor telephone account. They decided Nimi should also follow him in a Taxi.
At midnight Swing was waiting in the airport arrivals. Narea, sat outside in the car, and Nimi sat waiting in a taxi. A few minutes after the plane arrived Swing saw Fox come out into the arrival's waiting area. A woman greeted him, They embraced and walked out of the airport doors. Swing followed and told Narea over his cell phone he was coming. While Fox was putting his luggage in a red Toyota, Swing got into the car beside Narea.
They followed the Toyota across London to a house in Hampstead in North London. Swing and Narea left Nimi the car to keep a watch on the house, while they found a hotel nearby.
They contacted the computer on the Dino, and give the address of the house. The information soon came back. The house belonged to Grace Fox an events manager.
Over the next three days Nimi watched the house. Fox did the normal kinds of things, going to restaurants, he met up with people, one night he went to the theatre with Grace Fox.. They couldn't figure out if Grace was the Wife of Preston or the brother. The computer finally came up with the answer, they were brother and sister. The computer hacked all the London airport's bookings in case Preston Fox suddenly decided to fly somewhere else.
Swing and Narea worried that the trail to Miniator was going cold... they thought about confronting Preston Fox, Narea could try to get information from him by using her special talents... but if this failed... he would become aware of their interest, which could make him go to ground.
After the third day in London the computer reported Fox had indeed booked a flight to Malabo International Airport in Equatorial Guinea, in three days time.
Narea immediately, successfully booked herself on a fight for the next day. She would be waiting for him. Swing and Nimi could continue watching Fox until the last moment, then Swing and Nimi could travel with the spaceship the night before his flight. Narea could arrange cars for them. They now felt they were getting closer to their goal.
When Preston Fox arrived, they were waiting for him, Narea had bought two cars; Land Rovers; one green one white. The night before they had checked out the roads to and from the airport, and talked about the following of Fox; once off the motorways, the roads would sometimes be empty just them and him, he must not become aware that they were trailing him. They should keep in contact the whole time. Take it in turns, one dropping back, then the other. Never getting too close. When Fox  stopped the one following car should pass by without stopping. The second car could then stop out of sight until he starts again.
Preston Fox was met by a black man in a smart blue Toyota four-wheel drive, who took Fox's case and then began talking to him. Fox took out his phone and hit the numbers. He was talking on the phone very loud, but not loud enough for them to understand what he was saying. He sounded angry, he shut down the phone and he and the other man jumped quickly in the car and sped off, with Narea and Nimi at the wheels of the two car in quick pursuit.
By Fox's body language they knew something had happened, and they thought it must have something to do with Miniator, something that made him drive very quickly. He drove first on the highway but soon broke away onto smaller roads. He drove so fast that he took no concern whether someone was following him. They then entered a forest area, and the roads became narrower. There was an occasional logging truck coming which meant they had to pull off the road to let it pass. They were still driving really fast. But Narea directly behind was trying to keep a discreet distance. She rounded a bend then saw the blue Toyota tumbling down a ridge at the side of the road. It turned completely over sideways three times before coming to a rest. Narea jammed on her brakes about twenty meters from the Toyota, over her hand-set she told the Nomi and Swing in the car behind what had happened. And told them to wait. Narea got out of the car and ran over to the Toyota, which lay on it side.
But as she got nearer Preston Fox appeared, climbing out of one of the doors. Followed by his driver
Narea asked them if they were alright. Fox had a small cut on his forehead, and the driver was holding his shoulder. Yes, said Fox squatting down. Narea helped the driver to sit on the ground, and gave Fox a handkerchief for his wound.
'You were very lucky,' said Narea. 'You was really travelling!'
'Thanks for stopping.' Fox said. dabbing his wound. He pulled out his phone and punched in a number. Narea was watching him closely.
'It's me,' he said, 'we came off the road... No, we're alright, wait a minute...' he turned to Narea offering his hand.'Excuse me, but I never asked you your name.'
'June Summer,' said Narea.
'Preston Fox said 'Could you possibly give us a lift up the road... around twenty miles...?'
'No problem, said Narea, 'I'm going that way.'
Speaking into his phone, he said, he would be there soon.
They both helped the driver up the bank to Narea's white Land Rover. Fox returned to the overturned vehicle, and pulled out his luggage, and carried it up the bank to Narea's car.
'I really appreciate your help Miss Summer.' said Fox.
'It no problem,'she smiled, 'I must make a call I have friends somewhere behind us.'
They got in the car, while Narea walked a little away and spoke with Swing and Nimi, over her hand-set.
She told them what had happened then said: 'I'm taking our Mr Fox to his destination, about twenty miles up the road. Follow me close so you don't miss the turn off. I'll contact you soon. I have a telephone number he rang to his friends up the road 017636767889'
She got into the driver's seat and they took off. Fox looked nervous.
'Are you American, Miss Summer?'
'Yes, from L.A., call me June, and you?'
'English, London. Are you on Holiday, June?.'
'Yes, big adventure. I'm with my sister, and a friend, they are a little way behind us, we want to see some wildlife. And you?'
'A friend of mine – where we are going – has a wildlife park. I work has a guide sometimes for him. I would normally invite you to look around, but the reason we crashed back there is because one of his elephants – a real dangerous rogue – has escaped its enclosure, and we were rushing to get after him before he causes any damage.'
'You must hunt it?'
'Well, with a tranquillizer gun, but yes.'
'That sounds dangerous...'
'Well it is my job...'
About half an hour later they came to a side road and a sign stating: Safari Wildlife Park -- Strictly Private – Entrance only by appointment.
They turned onto this narrow side road which curved up a steep hill, They soon came to a large house with several vehicles parked outside. There was a group of black men standing around the vehicles. The house had a raised porch. On which a tall white man sat at a table. He stood up and came down the steps of the porch to greet them. He called to the group of black men who came over to help the injured driver out of Narea's vehicle and into the house.. Looking at Fox the man asked him if he was OK.
'Yes, I'm fine, thanks to this lady,' indicating Narea, 'This is June Summer.'
'Hello, Miss Summer, thank you for your help. My name is Julius Bettermore-Mountblank. Turning to Fox he said,
'The doctor is on his way.'
'Not for me, Julius, but your driver, Raymond, should be looked over.' He took Julius by the shoulder and steered him away to one side. Where they had a short conversation.
The two men then said goodbye to Narea, shaking hands with her, They apologised for their rapid departure. Explaining that there was the emergency to deal with. Julius called into the house, and a black woman appeared on the porch.
'Prudence, please give Miss Summer anything she needs...'
'Thank you,' said Narea, ' but I must be getting on, too'
The two men and the crew of black men jumped into the vehicles, and took the road down hill. As soon as they were out of sight Narea, got on her hand set to Swing and Nimi saying: 'They are heading your way, stay with them. I'll stay behind you.
Narea jumped quickly in her car and headed up the road.