16 Dicks Drive, Worcestershire

“Do we have to do this, dude?” Alix groans and rubs his temples to nurse his growing headache. Barry set a glass of water down, followed by two painkillers, which Alix reluctantly took.

“Yes. To me it makes sense. No one has any explanation of this illness yet,” Barry started to explain, only to get cut off by an irritated Alix.

“You are fascinated with this blood illness, Baz. Can’t we just focus on the task at hand?” Alix set the empty glass down a little more firmly than he intended, almost causing it to shatter on the table. Alix was focused, but impatient. Barry was the opposite, which led the two to form an inseparable bond.

“Just listen, dude! We don’t know how, or why they’re dropping like flies. It could be linked to Anna’s death.” Alix sighed, but Barry had a point.

“Ok, ok. Whatever. But we know absolutely nothing about illnesses. What are we supposed to do when we finally find what we are looking for - if we do?” Asked Alix with a doubtful curiosity.

“Good job I still speak to someone who specializes in diseases and death,” Barry said cooly, noticing how Alix’s expression lit up dramatically.

“You do? Brilliant! Well done, chap!” he grinned and patted his friend's arm lightly with excitement

“We track and report, he will do the science stuff, sounds good right?” Barry grinned, feeling proud of himself.

“Sweet, so we go to the heart of all this, find what we can and pray to god we don’t get infected too… Do you think you can stomach it?” Alix teased, nudging Barry lightly.

“Yeah, London. You ready for this?” Barry asked as he grabbed a thick black duffle bag that was sat at one of the bar stools, and swung it over his broad shoulder.

“Pretty much born ready, Baz.” Alix chuckled and scooped up his car keys and swung them around his finger a few times. He never liked driving around London. It was always so compact with taxies and standstill traffic. But this needed to be done there were questions to be answered, and people to be saved.

The both of them slipped into the black, well looked after VW R32. Alix had worked hard for years in his chef work to be able to afford it, and now, it was his pride and joy. He called it Dolly, and they had won a few competitions in their time together. Once they were both strapped in, Barry flung the duffle bag into the back seat. The engine rattled into life. The straight pipes made it sound like an excited rally car as it pulled off down the road. It sure turned heads, especially when it looked like it was being driven by an over-glamourous Draco Malfoy.

“So, how do you think this sickness is linked to Anna’s disappearance?” Alix asked as he powered down the motorway. The loud roars of Dolly, easily part the road ahead like the red sea.

“Well, think about it. She disappeared in December, right? And people first reported feeling unwell around that time, and by January 3 had died already. Things so close like that, we need to rule out all possibilities, and help people on the way,” Barry explained, and even though it made no sense to Alix, he agreed nonetheless. He needed to trust him, he was the one with all the training in this field.

“Right, and if they are linked? Then what do we do?” Alix asked, completely focused on the road ahead.

“Then hopefully, Dr Lovegood can find a cure to stop more people dying, however, it does get more complicated if we can’t find that link. But, if we collect enough evidence, it should still count for something and help people,” Barry said whilst he dug out his mobile phone and started to text someone.

“Where is your forensic friend located? What stuff do we need to collect for him?” Alix asked as he began to overtake a snailing Vauxhall Vectra.

“Kent, the forensic labs. He's given me some equipment to take air samples, water samples. And blood samples of the sick, and the dead if we are unfortunate enough to come across any. Alix braked the car briefly, struck back by the information Barry had just told him.

“And how the fuck do we go about taking blood from strangers? Can’t just go along the streets poking people with needles.” Alix looked over to Barry for just a second to make sure he wasn’t being a prick.

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Barry rolls his eyes and flicks his fingers on a laminated badge, confirming he could legally perform medical procedures under the eyes of the Forensic Science Federation. Hardly anyone would have heard of them, but no one questioned them.

“Got explicit permission from the F.S.F,” Barry said smugly.

“The who?” Alix questioned with a small frown, but kept his eyes ahead, driving safely.

“Forensic Science Federation. Luckily I'm trained to take out medical procedures.”

“Anything you’re not trained in, Baz?” Alix asked with slight irritation. For as long as he could remember, Baz always thrived to be the best at everything. And even now, he wanted to be the best of the best.

“Cooking, you beat me there ol’ boy.” Barry chuckles, looking to the side to the unimpressed Alix.

Alix’s expression went from unimpressed, to confused in just one second. The smile on Barry’s lips soon vanished as the both of them looked ahead. They watched a thick fog rolling over the road. It seemed to come from the woodlands at the side of the road.

“Stop the car, Al,” Barry said, fixated on the billowing fog. It was October, fogs weren't particularly unusual, but this felt uneasy as it oozed from the trees curiously. Alix slowed the car, the straight pipes popping and groaning with disappointment as it came to a stop a few yards from the fog, sitting safely at the side of the road. The energy in the car spiked, all of the hairs on their bodies stood on end with a strange static electric, and the air grew spitefully cold. Barry unbuckled the seatbelt and reached over to grab the duffel bag, pulling it onto his large lap to unzip it. He pulled out a device and shoved the bag into the footwell as he squeezed his large body out of the door, and stepped into the thick fog that resembled cotton wool. The piece of equipment that became enveloped by Barry's large hands looked somewhat like a card reader attached to some hair tongs. Alix knew better than to question it, and watched as his friends thrust the hair straighteners into the fog. Barry studied the numbers that flicked upon the screen, nothing too unusual for fog. He lumbered back with a confused expression on his face.

“Thought it was worth a shot.” Barry smirked a little and set the environmental air tester equipment back safely. He had only just zipped the bag back up, and half got into the car again when a distant scream came from within the woodlands.

Both men looked at each other, but their reactions were very different. Alix looked in fear, and Barry looked excited. Alix revs the engine, the tires screeching on the tarmac as he tried desperately to pull away as quickly as he could, only to have the handbrake yanked up by Barry.

“Don’t be a pussy, Al!” he grunts and hoists himself back out the car, only to get his arm grabbed by an icy cold hand.

“Don’t you dare! Haven’t you watched a single horror film in your life? You don’t follow screams in creepy woods unless you want your throat slit by a psycho killer.” Alix was pale, and his hands were like ice as pure panic set in.

“And if it’s someone in trouble?” Barry pulled himself away and brushed himself down with a frown.

“And if it’s a decoy? If it’s a killer in there waiting to fuck us up?” Alix urged his friend desperately. Barry glared down to the scared eyes of his friend. The silence between them made things even tenser.

“What if that was Anna or someone in her position that needs help? How would you feel knowing Anna called for help and no one came,” Barry said firmly. Alix looked away from his unblinking eyes and felt a cold stab through his heart. That comment hit home, and he was right.

“You’re right,” he whispered under his breath and hooked himself out the car, locking it behind him and joining at his friend's side. Alix felt vulnerable as they both disappeared into the endless maze of trees. Sure, Barry was immense and had all the necessary skills to fend off a psycho or two if they dared to get too close, but Alix couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling as they ventured even deeper. They didn’t have to walk for long till Alix’s hawk-like eyes found something unusual peeking through fallen brown leaves on the ground. Alix stopped in his path and bent down to pick it up. It was quickly obvious it was a piece of paper, covered in dirt and partly decomposed, even an earthworm clung to it.

Barry slowed when he felt his right-hand side become unoccupied, and turned with curiosity.

“What’s that?” Barry asked, and stood aside him, looking down to it as Alix brushed as much dirt off as he could without ripping the paper.

“Looks like a missing person poster…” Alix whispers, looking up at his friend to study his expression. It was very curious, why would a missing person poster be all the way out here?

“Yeah, but why out here?” Baz asked curiously, and took out a clear plastic wallet, and took it from him gently to put it away safely. This was good evidence of something, even if it wasn’t quite what they were looking for.

“Good eyes, Al, keep it up.” Barry praised him and put the evidence in his inner pocket just as they moved forward yet again.

Only a few short steps later, Barry felt his boot hit something firm under the leaves, which made him stop in his track and give a test kick to the object beneath the leaves and mud. The object rolled forward slightly, becoming uncovered as it emerged from the leaves.

The solid round shape turned, finally coming to a halt a few inches away. Both men stare down in disbelief, as a face stares back.