Cranford winced at the thought of hunkering down for any length of time but then a stakeout was not supposed to be fun. If things went the way they were thinking it would, at the end of this night they would know much more than they did now. A secret meeting, the man had said, one with some highly profiled people. Names to add to the short list they already had after investigating this group for the last two weeks.
The break came when an anonymous person left a disguised voice mail on Cranford’s desk phone. No trace and no way of knowing if it was bogus or not, but if it was for real it would definitely help the case they were working on. Frank could barely contain his excitement at the break.
Locating the building, they found a way in and placed a camera in an obscure spot, with a wide lens set for automatic filming, then found themselves a place to hunker down and wait. It was not easy staying quiet, for there could be no exchange of words.
An hour passed, then two. Darkness descended and the two men barely moved for another good hour before they heard a distinct noise, indicating their wait may have ended.
First came two dark clad figures, hoods covering their heads so that they could not tell if they were male or female. Those two walked from one end of the building to the other, obviously checking to make sure their meeting would be a private affair.
Cranford and Frank barely breathed as the two came up the stairs where they were hiding. As they were professionals, they had done their job well building their hiding place within boxes and round containers of old stored stuff. Even when one of the figures pulled the large piece of velvet, left over from a long gone stage curtain, off the boxes, they did not move a muscle. Finally satisfied, the two scouts headed back down the stairs and within a few minutes, candles were glowing in the dark down below. Hundreds were flickering in the dark before thirty to forty people begin to enter, surrounding a long and bare table. Even with dim lighting both Cranford and Frank could see it had no chairs around it to sit in. Only Frank knew the indication that it would be used as an alter .
They felt each other’s tension, realizing they had a bingo on this one. Most calls of this sort generally turned out to be prank but this was the real thing.
Frank wiggled, as if two inches would help him to identify just one of the people down below them. He counted thirty-three but if they did not get more than a bunch of people dressed in black standing around in a circle, they had wasted good time for nothing. After all, there was this thing about freedom of religion, even if it was one that they did not particular care for . Something told him that there was more to come and he was right.
Another dark clad figure entered, carrying a child dressed in white, followed by another one dressed in deep red. The person carrying the child walked through the crowd as the people parted to make way then closed the gap back again as the new comers approached the table and the child was laid gently on it. He could not have been more than six but showed no signs of fear, rather seeming to enjoy the attention he was getting. It was then Cranford realized the table was an alter and what was about to happen. He moved as if he were going to move forward, when Frank grabbed his arm in a vice like grip vigorously shaking his head. They were too far off to save the child and as hardhearted as it seemed, it was more important to get evidence and save a hundred more just like him.
It was over quickly. At least the sacrificial part was. What came after was the hardest to watch, but both men were unable to take their eyes off the unbelievable scene, which unfolded below them.
Cranford tried to contain his sickness, but threw up right where they were and for a while, they were afraid someone would spot them but the people
The break came when an anonymous person left a disguised voice mail on Cranford’s desk phone. No trace and no way of knowing if it was bogus or not, but if it was for real it would definitely help the case they were working on. Frank could barely contain his excitement at the break.
Locating the building, they found a way in and placed a camera in an obscure spot, with a wide lens set for automatic filming, then found themselves a place to hunker down and wait. It was not easy staying quiet, for there could be no exchange of words.
An hour passed, then two. Darkness descended and the two men barely moved for another good hour before they heard a distinct noise, indicating their wait may have ended.
First came two dark clad figures, hoods covering their heads so that they could not tell if they were male or female. Those two walked from one end of the building to the other, obviously checking to make sure their meeting would be a private affair.
Cranford and Frank barely breathed as the two came up the stairs where they were hiding. As they were professionals, they had done their job well building their hiding place within boxes and round containers of old stored stuff. Even when one of the figures pulled the large piece of velvet, left over from a long gone stage curtain, off the boxes, they did not move a muscle. Finally satisfied, the two scouts headed back down the stairs and within a few minutes, candles were glowing in the dark down below. Hundreds were flickering in the dark before thirty to forty people begin to enter, surrounding a long and bare table. Even with dim lighting both Cranford and Frank could see it had no chairs around it to sit in. Only Frank knew the indication that it would be used as an alter .
They felt each other’s tension, realizing they had a bingo on this one. Most calls of this sort generally turned out to be prank but this was the real thing.
Frank wiggled, as if two inches would help him to identify just one of the people down below them. He counted thirty-three but if they did not get more than a bunch of people dressed in black standing around in a circle, they had wasted good time for nothing. After all, there was this thing about freedom of religion, even if it was one that they did not particular care for . Something told him that there was more to come and he was right.
Another dark clad figure entered, carrying a child dressed in white, followed by another one dressed in deep red. The person carrying the child walked through the crowd as the people parted to make way then closed the gap back again as the new comers approached the table and the child was laid gently on it. He could not have been more than six but showed no signs of fear, rather seeming to enjoy the attention he was getting. It was then Cranford realized the table was an alter and what was about to happen. He moved as if he were going to move forward, when Frank grabbed his arm in a vice like grip vigorously shaking his head. They were too far off to save the child and as hardhearted as it seemed, it was more important to get evidence and save a hundred more just like him.
It was over quickly. At least the sacrificial part was. What came after was the hardest to watch, but both men were unable to take their eyes off the unbelievable scene, which unfolded below them.
Cranford tried to contain his sickness, but threw up right where they were and for a while, they were afraid someone would spot them but the people
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