further, and continue in his quest for answers. There was now a tense, if not awkward peace between them. Terry stood and stretched.
“I’m going to go home, grab a few hours’ sleep.”
“ Good idea, I might do the same.”
Terry nodded. “I’ll come back later, and we can try to come to some kind of compromise on what to do.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Terry hesitated and then left. Doyle put his feet up and lay on the couch. He didn’t expect sleep to come, he was too jittery, his brain too active. He closed his eyes anyway, as it helped with the coming headache.
He was asleep within minutes.
Terry came back just after nine pm. He was excited and anxious, and sat at the kitchen table, opening the notepad he had brought with him and grinning at Doyle.
“ I went back out there.” He said, eyes glittering in excitement.
“ What the hell, I thought we were supposed to talk about this?”
“ I know, I know, but just listen. I went out there and took some measurements.”
Doyle’s anger dissipated, and he sat at the table.
“Go on.”
Terry spun the notebook around so Doyle could see his scrawled notes.
“The cold area is still there. It’s around ten feet square. It’s about seven degrees cooler than the normal air temperature. There is definitely something there.”
“ Yeah, but that still doesn’t help us with what to do about it.”
“ I had a thought about that too.” Terry said.
“ Go on.”
“ How about this? Let me take a few more measurements, record some video, hell even record the broadcast tonight. First thing tomorrow, we report it, anonymously of course, then sit back and let the publicity build. As soon as it’s common knowledge, we can present our evidence as the first to find it.”
It wasn’t ideal, but it was more of a compromise than Doyle had expected.
“One more night, then that’s it.”
“ Perfect. I brought my recording equipment. Let me set it up, make sure it’s receiving the broadcast, then we can head out there.”
“ Fine.” Doyle said standing up and going to one of the cupboards in the kitchen. “But just in case, I’m taking this.”
He came back and set the handgun on the table.
“What the hell are you doing with a gun?” Terry said, glaring at the weapon.
“ I got it for home protection, but I figured if nothing else, it will make me feel better to have it.”
“ I don’t see why you would need it, but whatever. Just be careful you don’t get spooked and start shooting the damn thing into the night.”
“ I won’t. I’m just being cautious.”
“ Some might say irrational.”
“ Some might say we shouldn’t be messing with something we don’t understand.” Doyle shot back.
Terry nodded, and scooped up his notepad.
“I’m going to go set the recording equipment up; then we can make a move. Okay?”
“ Fine. I’ll be ready.” Doyle said, as that horrible dull ache in his belly started to appear.
They were underway by ten fifteen. As before, they had the station tuned into the car stereo. Big T, he who had been shot and killed earlier that day in Doyle and Terry’s world and the evening before wherever DJ D was broadcasting from, was a guest on the show and was conducting his first live interview.
Terry looked excited; Doyle was horrified but kept his expression neutral. They arrived, and parked the car. As they had agreed, they wound down the windows and turned up the radio, so they could hear the broadcast as they investigated. The conditions were the same as the night before, hot and dry and as they walked down the embankment, the feeling of dread in Doyle’s stomach increased as he looked both ways down the expanse of the tarmac where the car was parked. There was no sign of any traffic, which only increased the sense of isolation. Terry marched on, rounding the corner and taking out his notepad and digital thermometer, taking readings of the air. Doyle stood and waited, half watching for anything