Kent County (Dover, England)

The caravan led by the Anti-Terrorism Division of the UK Police could be seen at a distance. In the middle of it, the armored truck with the two prisoners, the Duke and his lawyer was escorted through a wooded path. At the end of it, at the top of a hill, stood a castle, an impenetrable fortress, enveloped in shadows with a gloomy and sepulchral aspect to it.

Mr. Smith admired from a small window a big thunderstorm approaching quickly. Annoyed, the Duke lit a cigar and kicked Mr. Smith to get him out of his reverie.

"Did you call all the directors?"

"Yes, your Highness. They're on a secure line through your monitor."

"And the president of Plasticorp?"

"Lord Ronald is coming with his family. They'll arrive tonight. The documents of his son, Ronald, are ready, your Highness. Why is this child so important to you, my lord?"

"Because he has a pure soul," answered the Duke, grinning and showing his yellowed teeth. "And the hunters?" continued the Duke, releasing smoke rings in the cold air.

"Everything is going according to plan, Your Excellency" his disciple answered.

Charles, Agent Chang and I arrived to the castle at the same time than the Duke's guard and were greeted by agents of the British Special Forces. The minute I set foot on the castle grounds, I requested to talk to the chief of security, a colonel whose last name was Picard.

"Inspector, it's great having you back," told me the Colonel while he was combing his brown mustache.

"Colonel" I replied while fixing my gaze on the armored truck where the Duke and his lackey were, followed by several military and police units.

"Where are they taking the Duke to?" Agent Chang asked.

"As you can see, the whole castle is being monitored. We have the newest technology all set up: infrared sensors, satellite images and motion detectors for every centimeter of this place. It's impossible for anyone to leave or enter without my permission."

I could see that the Colonel was saying the truth. Right in front of us, several analysts sat in front of an impressive amount of monitors scanning every corner of the castle. The main screen showed several men escorting the Duke and Mr. Smith to the library, which was now a maximum security cell with men of the British Special Forces stationed everywhere. Someone had set two stretchers right in the middle of the room and the minute the Duke and Mr. Smith set foot inside the library- turned-high-security-prison, some doctors ordered them to lie down and handcuffed them. In another monitor, we could see the lawyer overreacting; he had been left out of the cell. I was surprised when I saw how the Duke followed so submissively the instructions of the doctor.

"What are they going to inject him with?" I asked while lighting a cigar under the menacing look of a guard who was standing just below a sign of 'No smoking.'

"Truth serum."

"Colonel, have you read the records of this terrorist?"

"Of course," he answered, arching his eyebrows.

"Then, you must be aware that the Duke knows how to evade all kind of drugs and this would be a useless procedure."

"This drug, Inspector, is much more powerful and almost infallible."

Suddenly, an alarm began to ring from the various monitors, which flashed the word 'OUTSIDERS.'

"What's happening?!" said Agent Chang alarmed.

"Eagle One, Eagle Two, intercept unidentified men in the sector number 35 at the north side of the castle," barked Picard on his radio.

"Here Eagle one, copied."

"Here Eagle two, copied."

The Colonel approached one of his operators. "Check who broke the perimeter."

"Yes, immediately," one of the operators answered, typing madly while Charles approached monitors and his face turned pale.

"Oh my God! What is this?"

"Set it on the main monitor," the Colonel commanded. His face also turned pale.

When the operator enlarged the image with the digital zoom, we saw at least seven quadrupeds racing.

"What are those? Cats!?" one of the operators said.

"A cat cannot go that fast!" Charles interrupted with an alarmed tone of voice.

I turned to the monitor that was recording from the cell of the Duke and I saw his yellowish smile and the crimson glow of his eyes. Immediately, all the monitors went off.

I took my two guns and started to run straight into the castle along with Agent Chang. The Colonel's shout stopped us.

"Wait!"