The Cosmic Crime: Part Three

Ms. Madison screamed, while Andrea struggled to control the car. The big coupé slammed into the car a second time. Ms. Madison took a pull at herself, reaching into her handbag.

"No," Andrea shook her head. "If you start a shoot-out we'll end up in gaol! I'll have to out-drive them!"

"How?" Ms. Madison's eyes were wild, as the car rammed them again. A tire blew, and the sports car swerved off the road. Ms. Madison was glad of her seatbelt, as the car struck a tree, the front buckling. Ms. Madison felt a jolt, her hair spilling across her face. This time she saw Andrea draw a gun from the glove compartment. This time, she knew, there was going to be trouble...

The buckled attacking car stopped, and three men in the sinister black robes of the Order of Cain stepped out, drawing guns from under their robes. Ms. Madison drew her handbag gun. If these men were going to shoot, they'd take a few injuries, at the very least. Then, as swiftly as they had stopped, they returned to the car. Looking behind them, Ms. Madison saw a police car.

"I never," she observed to Andrea, " thought I'd be glad to see a Police car."

"Glad or not," Andrea sighed, "do you have those forged licences?"

"And the Secret Service identifications," Ms. Madison laughed. "I don't know where the Green Man gets this stuff, but it's as good as the originals."

Whatever the origins of the identification, they were allowed to go, with looks of admiration from the policemen. Ms. Madison looked adorable, and they got an even better car at the garage. Soon, they were back on the road, heading out into the desert, towards the border between California and Mexico.

At last, Andrea parked the car outside a dilapidated old Mission. It looked very derelict indeed, but as they entered it they found it cool and refreshing. Ms. Madison went to get a shower, while Andrea crossed into the old chapel.

There, waiting for her, were ten black-robed figures. Andrea stopped dead, her heart in her mouth.

"You didn't honestly think we wouldn't find you, did you?." One of the figures in black spoke mockingly, a gun pointed at Andrea's heart. "We were just waiting for you to bring the blonde back here."

A shot rang out from the bathroom. One of the men in black laughed.

"And that's the end of her," he observed.