EEO CePIOT sy er or] UCr@ mele ~ EXERT Renton) SHORT STORIES SUR SWYOMNOOS CAOTXO POR ora Reena fer [ex eco) SE ee ee MOE Ponaren tows» cee peers cee Bran Perrtey cig co es poe) Soe EC eer nie] Ee ree et ene ey ec) Ree econ a ey SOc e en Le cer nr eCn ecco Eee a ee ae ee eee eS See eee PE ea eget PeoCe me ee Ree Oe cree CORO SB LLU cy OER lelen-leneTHE OMEGA FILES SHORT STORIES Some strange things happen in this world. You hear all kinds of frightening stories, But are they true? Who do you believe? Some stories never get into the newspapers, because governments want to keep them secret. And these are the stories in the Omega Files. How many people know about the Omega Files? Not ‘many ~ perhaps no more than thirty people in Brussels. Hawker and Jude know about them, because they bring back a lot of the stories that go into the Files. They have interesting lives. One day they’re in London, talking to young man, He has a strange story to tell them, about a drug company, but is it true? Another day they go to Scotland, to look for a monster in Loch Ness, but of course, there are no monsters ~ are there? Another time they're on an island in the Pacific Ocean, where everybody is talking about a spaceship. But where is this spaceship? And who has actually seen it? It’s all there, in the Omega Files.dopary sunsuyp pue noeseg s9xuuel soupy SoMEANIy , s8p24 PEL. soupy zpuRo| ‘nosseg saga] sop S195 {spuompeoy gop) 12815 Sanvois L¥OHS ‘ softy eBIUIO ayy, souony @ ksemng AUVAGIT SNYOMAOOT GUOEXO — 1JENNIFER BASSETT - The Omega Files SHORT STORIES Ilustrated by Paul Dickinson ~ OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESSAwa iNgONDIOON aH INO WOHLAY aHE 1noay Suypeoy roy samALoY sopenog ‘so8 uel203g “SsoN 4 purjSug ‘uopuoy soua8yja1uy fo ausunsedag weodosng ‘10g, ousnaowsnt SLNAULNOOThere were two of them. Hawker and Jude. They had no other names. Just Hawker and Jude. They were young, fast, and clever. They worked for EDI, in the European Government. You know about the Americans’ CIA and the Russians’ KGB? Well, this was EDI - the European Departmént of Intelligence. Big secrets. Very strange secrets. The secrets of the Omega Files. They don't get into the newspapers, and most people never hear about them. Most people don’t know anything about EDI.JO AMOY Ue FoF uoIsTAd|> poyrear ‘ru pey Ay, “opnf pres i180] 195, “ples soe} (91 40y 21 YseAL wD NOR, Amp 5,200 weyy “uoIp anys WIE e 2eIM TPA, <1RIOH any axp.ae xu 03 ano ou Burgqny> Buio8 aya, ‘pres rye} 2ouep ayBuu-qpe asou. “2yBru Arana Apres Surqqn|> s208 24 nq uopuoT UF HEM BuNOK ¥ s,a:0yL, +++ Wow Jo eulos oue 80H “PIP | PUY 1S oY 196 Wed |, “PIES | ‘Sly 8up Peed 0} Peau I,UOP | 1Ng, "WL 1 PoxOO| | Ida ey pees ued adoad e1ojoq ‘180k pospuny e 8,31, "ples 404MeH ,'S914 85942 ION, ‘Soly JuawuUsenoB ro100s |] peed ued ejdoad, ‘ples | ,'s1eaA ui JOyY, susayy peas ued Apogou pue ‘se|y uoWUJeRcB ayy 12 $2] 101008 Sem 210M JNO, “pNP ples ,2,U~Ed eM, ‘yon s19up Inoge Ie} 07 UEM I,UPIP ABYE “ISI IY Jo] e days pue ‘uns ouy ut yes Aout ‘Burysy ‘BUILULUIMS ‘BupyTen 3UOM Aol, “pue|s! y2019 & UO esnoy eHYM om e UI ‘ApEIN ‘Aten peni| Kou “plo sie0A Atuones rnoge eem apne pue Jeyme} “1018] S1eOA Aue ‘Woy? eu | LOY “sell4 BBeWC ey “siemsue AueU JOU Ing ‘suoysenb yym sqol ous “pnp pue so¥meH 02 sqof puey oy? ane skemje a} “ieue|d Joyous Woy sem 2y ples sia\to ‘ueIAIe] Sem By ples oLUOS “WHY Inoqe Yyonus 40 ‘ewieu jee1 siy maux APOGON “eLty pelle Sem 8H “UMly 10} AlUO pur ‘103 40 Bd1Yo sjessnag ay Ul Uew doy ayp 404 payrom AayL HON asnf ‘Aye! OU ‘awioy on *** eHenSny ‘eoLeWy UNOS ‘eolyy YHON +++ uoiBulysem “IYleq ‘ewoY ‘Binogsens ‘sjessnag 10] & payfenen apne pue sexmeH siB0k Aes oun UL sapig wBIUD 34.1,The Omega Files two, and then went out, It was a warm night, with alittle rain now and then. ith a young driver, and got in. “Where to? said the dsiver. OMEGA FILE 349: London, England “We want to go clubbing,’ Jude said. “Where's the best place this week? Do you know?" “Bruno's, the driver said. ‘Or Garcia’ river, Everybody's going there this week.’ “OK, let's go!” said Hawker. -¢ ‘They went to Garcia’s first, then moved on to Bruno’s. They found Johnny Cook in a third club, called Monty’s. Tt was two o’clock in the morning. “That's him, all right,’ Hawker said. ‘Look at his ear,” Johnny Cook was tall and thin, with long yellow hair and two black earrings in his left ear. ‘Johnny! Johnny, Cook?’ shouted Jude suddenly. She ran and put her arms round Johnny Cook’s neck. ‘Hi, Johnny! You remember me~ Jude. We met last week, at Garcia's. You remember? Oh, this is my friend Hawker.’ , Johnny. Good to meet you,’ said Hawker. ‘Hii? said Johnny Cook. He I6oked at Jude. ‘Did we meet at Garci i ‘Of course we did,” laughed Jude, Iwas with Sara and Patti and the others, remember?” ‘Oh. Yeah,’ said Johnny. ‘I remember.’ He looked around. ‘Are they here tonight? ‘No, i’s just me and Hawker tonight,’ said Jude, “Come on, let’s dance.” They danced for two hours. Then they left with about ten other people, and went across the river to a new club. down by the sé -s1s91 40} woua Buysn pu ‘sio9238 242 Yo ojdoad unos Sunyer ay,ayp “om, “pres AuuyoL “aysir saetp “yay, e3anrp Brg aya TTP UE S20yz0 303 94,404], -$uvdaioo avadomyg 31q 4198 & sa], “pres 1yAMEH{ Aauyol cueduioy Sng 21K], ay MOWy NOK 4 amoge |[® 0 jJea pue ‘9axJ09 axoU aUIOs BAe} gAuUYOL “tarp Ax0as ax SeYA Og, “9pAf Pres eID, {1008 £394 000'66 soypo dup 298 01 SuIOS wy pue “yauow ase] QgO'T au aes AOL 10} Song QOO'OOL aw ar o2 stem Jadedsmau pS 02 BuyoH ur, “poyBne] 34 2298 ‘41028 pood 108 oa, “pres AuuyoL ,“y>1z 9q 01 BuIOS wv | ng, am ‘S04 YO, ‘Pres apa ZIPPY, {(2e1p Uo day] pue 280g ¥ 198 01 SUIS iw, Ope wy, uoyM, “AuUYoL pres ‘sans ap TO, “payst s04aOHY ,<2Al] NO Op a194.M, SupBtu Sous Bugqn]> 08 | -Ayfensn “da9Ig 10] EI0N, gawulakep aya UT Op nos op rey Puy chuuyoL “Buiqqny> 08 nos op usxyO mop, “AuUYOL 2 poxoo] 24 “pres ay ,z0t0q setp “YY, “Yo seoys sty oor ay MEET “woos oyp UT sisepyeazq 31g oazyp 303 poyse pue ouoyd ayp dn payrd apnf e104 stays or yeq Auuyof yoo. JayaeH pure apn/ pue ‘pasop qn oy x0}>,0 woass3y WOOS ISEPPEDIG 02 UNTY DEI WED dm PUE Jo swBIE gz, pey puvjfieq ‘uopuoy :6he TIE YOUNO Bee Sopig BOO 24,The Omega Files Company began to sell a new drug, called Coplastin-it was a medicine to stop some kinds of cancer, and it worked. Everybody wanted it. The company made 2 lot of money ~ and so the government got a lot of money from the company in taxes. Governments like rich companies and big, fat taxes. They're not very interested in homeless young people sleeping on the streets.’ 'So Johnny Cook's story was true,’ | said. ‘And he idn't fall into the river - somebody pushed him.’ ‘Of course they pushed him, said Jude. ‘Dead men can’t talk, can they?” ‘Iwant you to take the next plane to Scotland,’ said Arla. “Then get up to Loch Ness.’ “Oh, great,’ said Hawker. ‘Are we looking for the Loch Ness monster ~ old Nessie? Jude laughed. ‘Don’t laugh,’ said Arla. ‘You are looking for a monster. 5 ‘Oh, come on, Arla,’ Jude said. ‘You don’t mean that.’ ‘This photo came by email from Edinburgh,’ said Arla. ‘Look . .” He turned to his computer and opened a file, ‘Ie’s a night-time photo and not very good.” Hawker and Jude stared at the photo on the computer” screen. They could see water, and something big and grey, half in and half out of the water. ‘It's got arms and a head,’ said Hawker. ‘But what is i? ‘Ickills sheep, cats, and dogs,’ Arla said. ‘And perhaps small children next. People in Fort Augustus are seteaming at London, and London is screaming at us. Go and find it” ‘What do we do with it when we find it?” asked Jude. 3Bst ‘weur 81g ¥ sea 9E{ “YPOT ayp dn soxawWopPy atu mmoqe suosounaany ye poaty “SmyDTy “YING s,plesnq. _gstionsanb autos any Sy, “PAL pase copoIq Mok yoo 2m URD, 1 noge AiBue 4194 59H, “PleBng payee wow & pres ,‘daays s,roy207q Au Jo XIS POTN, cep 93 = Hy payfry s91suour a4 pure Sfoo] 02 auaMm Bop spay say “YB! BuO uapres 39Y O24} 9UUED FaIstIOUE ay_], “FOIE 242 Aq UAOP osn0y e "wo auO pres “Bop $,r9seRY SIP PHP} “Avs 01 10] & pey Apogdzeng “stasnBny WO wi siess 2yR dood 01 paren Koy, _caTOU IOI 3F 9563 UyT, “ples sox mrp “aszy smasnBny uog ut adood o3 EL, -opnf payse ump siqp puy 0 Buj08 om axe MOH, 21912 UMOp ai] p[hoo sxaastom poxpuny y ARK ssouyy nok pig “adoang uy vey asadzap paryp oxy, doop sou2aUU QQT MOE St SSON YOO], “Pres ay ‘2104 ssaIsuoT Wr oaoypog 02 Asea Sf, “YDO| ap ss0298 poxO0] 14 MEHL Aor ‘sonem S038 ‘44s 038 — kep JoqUIDAON Aou8 ¥ SeA IT “sMASNENY 330 02 S89] YO] JO apis ayp Suoje aaoxp way ‘ssausaauy 03 auvyd ev oor auf, ut 9]doad on pure ‘paoy s19Hp ae MOU] NOX “Burypdrase nod a2 sKeape |, “PULL Py SI HO srBUY Om: ALO aI0%8 a ‘OHEY plas , Busgaduona mos par skoorp |, DID “9]qe1 94 UO spuey sty and EY /983N02 JO, -royep] poyse ge BurpAreso sn Gurpor nos oy, 9 Sty peas 02 uefaq pr pouimy epry ang “oanuiUL & soy parteas apnf pur 29440 H] ‘10 J2g, “BLY pres (4 PuDIIOIS “SSN POT 1S¢ ITI VOUWO Sag PRMD 24],The Omega Files with black hair and blue eyes. He was not very friendly at frst. “Who are you?” he asked. ‘Are you army people?” ‘No,’ said Hawker. Why do you ask that?” “There's an army laboratory in the hills above the loch. Lots of strange people there. And lots of boats on the loch at night. Coming and going.” ‘Mmm. Interesting,’ said Jude, ‘But Loch Ness monster and your dead shee us about the ‘It wasn’t Nessie, Nessie doesn’t kill sheep,’ Archie said. “This... thing . .. broke their necks.” ‘Did you see it? asked Hawker. saw something big, but ic moved very fast. It was back in the loch in seconds. And it was nearly dark. ‘Right,’ said Hawker. ‘Now, we'd like to look at your dead sheep, please. And then we need a boat. Where can wwe get a fast boat, Archie? ‘What do you want a boat for? ‘We're going to catch this thing,’ said Jude, 1g your sheep.” For the next four days Hawker and Jude went up and down Loch Ness in Archie Campbell’s boat. They talked to everybody around the loch. When you see this monster, please ring us. Any time. Day or night. Our phones are always turned on.” They slept a litle in the day, and were out most of the ‘and stop it m 16 OMEGA FILE 451: Loch Ness, Scotland “Our mobile phones are always turned on.” night in the boat, with their guns, cameras, mobile phones, a big flashlight, and litres of hot coffee. Once they thought they saw the monster just north of Invermoriston. Another night a call came from a place called Foyers, They got there at six in the morning. Tt was dark and cold, and everything was very quiet. 76 “supe pot aga ps qo0] stp my dossuows on 5.2194], a~A, Suoatt0s SIP] Sun siya sx0;Og, ay 21 ypu Uo 395, ‘BunUIOW Ar9A9 Woy? poUOYd eTy cAppuany Aroq, “19 4WeH ples “2OIN, “ypo| aqp umop ‘Keme poaout sreog AUT OM2 DY. Pad 02 08 pue Jaloy anos 02 24>eq 06, “uvui [Je2 07 pres ,“yDo] siyp Ut TarsuOUI OU S,or9yL], Hes PUNpIOIS SSN GO] AISb FI VOINO 8T dSuj0p Nos ore 2eyyy “9809 Jo ‘218891 10] BurYOoq, “apnf pres “SrousIA 91, aysiu jo sun sup 28 a1a1] no BuOp NOs ave Tyg gMOK a1E OYA, “PIES ay {umy, ‘poromsue 2e0q asosau aya uf UEUE [Tea y ST OYA, [US A[puany e ypu ‘opnf’ pres “Sunpou pres pue ‘opnf pur zaymveH paysiea oy], “sooey prey ptm usm Bunod ‘ax8 ur usw ~ og YES Ut ‘uous amoy ax9a 9x94 J, “J91vaU pavows 30g sT9yR »pe[q-Ausas8 v sem I] “I Ie OO] 02 39m apnf pur soymep] BSursow paddors sorsuour 242 Uy A “own pays Udy pue ‘2012 ‘99UO ~ Uns s,apnf jo punos ayp sures way pue Gorem oy) Japun sea Joye puosss & uy “2pn{ poureazs jFOYae] “UMOP 195, pray s,19y{auepy 107 Bayo seaze Buoy sat ‘sarem amp yBnomp Jy¢Kep{ 3” tes pure dn poors seisuoUT 2qp souo 3 pue AYByYseY aq UO pauim rayKeH ppd, ‘apn{ pomoys ,aysrT, ‘roeA\ aup Jo IMO sured suLre Buoy Om pue Peay Y “way Jo qos Uf soreM oq UI pasow ZaIauIOS ou ours aup 3 pure “uso puryaq sotiBus ,s1e0q Jo astou uappns B SEM a1yZ “soU0 Ie pouaddey Sumpsrana way, ore 1 ‘sn purpg, “~peq paredsyya apnf 4M, 869] 14619 Yai ang ‘se0 61g 941) ‘a]]ewUs 10M AOU “19Ie] SIBAA SieIsUOUI ews pews YoUely OyD pue sueawieury ey, “Yeut Jeye Alozesoge| 41842 Pesojo Awse YSIUG OYL, JOIMEH Ples ,/PUeTIODg UI ION, “payse | ,{sv8Isuow a10ur Aue ayeu! Awe 8tp PIG, “apne pies s}01008 5 BUAIOAE MOLY O} Payt| EL!Y PUY, /SleSsnug U! BUOALE j[9} ,upIP Aue ey “A1oxe10qB| eu 10 "888 NOA ‘sieysuoW e42 INoge MoUy 3,upID es ,/punosB, Sapig DROS 24.1The Omega Files “Perhaps it’s crazy, and perhaps it’s not,’ said Arla. “Bue when we email back with questions, they don’t answer. The Americans are watching the island by satellite, but they don’ two Australian ships going there. The Mexicans are want to tell us why. There are getting very excited, and the Ecuadorians are saying nothing . .. Something is happening on Isabela. What is it? We want to know.” From Brussels to the Galépagos is a long way. Hawker and Jude took’ a plane to Cuba, a second plane to Ecuador, then a third plane out to Baltra Island, in the Galapagos. When they got out of the plane, a wall of hot air hit them. ‘Whew,’ said Hawker. He put on his sun hat quickly. They went across to Santa Cruz Island and down to Puerto Ayora. There they found a boat, the Sea-Lion, to take them to Isabela, about 90 kilometres away. At first, the boatman, Gonzalo, did not want to take them. “My boat can take ten people,’ he said. ‘It’s a very good boat, but very expensive for only ewo people.’ Jude smiled at him, ‘Not for two rich people.” ‘Rich? said Hawker. ‘It’s not our money ~ ouch!” Jude hit him hard on the arm. ‘We're on holiday,’ she told Gonzalo. ‘We want to see the giant tortoises on Isabela.’ She looked at Hawker. ‘Don’t we?” 28 | OMEGA FILE $22: Galapagos, Ecuador ‘Er, yes. That’s right,’ said Hawker quickly. “We're very interested in the giant tortoises.” On the way to Isabela Island Jude read a book about the Galépagos, and Hawker watched the sea, ‘Isabela is a very young island,’ Jude told him. ‘And it has ~ listen to this! ~ six volcanoes. One erupted only two years ago.” “Ob, that’s great!’ said Hawker. ‘Crazy emails, strange visitors in the middle of the Pacific, and now crupting volcanoes! Thank you, Arla!” Not many people lived on Isabela, and Puerto Villamil was usually a sleepy place. But when the Sea-Lion arrived, there were about fifty people down by the sea. ‘There were two small boats, and on them Hawker and ‘Isabela bas six volcanoes,’ said Jude. 29ples ueow nox ‘srousta diysaoeds yp jo jnyozeD, aoseayd qqnyozeo aq py “4s oxp ur yBny st uns ay way 2Ou Ing ~ sozZ0UI01 UMOp auiod pue do ayp 38 dooqs isnur no x *Aep uo 20] uosiad auo 407 sani] oma — ra1eA AazeD ws NO “204 Ai “Ka9a puy “Burquitys prey pur doa ayp or sinoy Day SF a1 Ing, “WYP pfor ofezuoH ,Yred e sy au9yL, coueoyon ayp dn quar areys ueBaq opnf pue roysepy “Buus axou yp pres A194 “os9yLJ, 9409 uordiys 02 dn uorp-vag ays ur urayp 4001 ojez105 c2eyp Jo presze seas 1, “wee pres apnf “aeap YO, La yp 02 OY AES “TOT 3G 01 HEL, “PIs oy opaopy OURTIOA QUID 2A) “7,t1eD 9m CON, “PoyBME] sO>AVEFT G@PHMEH ‘mou sUIOY OB 9a ueD, “apni ples “3e0p yo “toueyd xoyour wrosy wou wos Opry “SL sasiaresIxd ase S|IEUID asOM UE ,SIONSTA,, aU OS, ano ‘2ur09 02 s402Is4A ax JO] BuNTEM s,ay MOU pure “drysaoeds SYP mes ap ‘sasiouor wei Surdpmas ‘roy som 9 ‘oparjy uo dh “rayypy un aq “ueyesny ue saxo, ‘apn pres atu mou Soup op MoH, -o1oy PUY “opacty oursjo, apisut UMop 1yBy “OBE skep ui UMOP atED aT -vpaqesy UO diysooeds v s,ox0y2 “apn * piosfn aun Koq., “vpeqosy Suyaway axv 2ndoed Jo 307, Avs azay ajdoad ay, “apn proa a4 ,‘s1y9 asorfaq 02 Bu103 JOU a4NOK, “11 INOY UE Jey YEG auNeED TO_MEEL SUI ueYp reMag st Ysttedg mo “z99 Ke} sway) 01 82 pue oD, “opnf payse aeya Jo PIETY, preaye ase oy, “ples ay pages] Suravay are a{doad yo sto, ‘apn pu sae F] 03 pousna uoys ‘sizoq aip uo ajdoad ayy 01 ystreds ur ano pares ojeZ40, podag & pur SsSeq pure saxog ‘spaq ‘s2]qe1 pue sifeyp 298 pjnos apnf soponay S0Bedyp05 i278 11d VOAWO soi PBC 241]The Omega Files OMEGA FILE 522: Galdpagos, Feuador smiled Gonzalo, ‘but 1d ~ she is always [don’t know about spaceship: Voleano Aleedo is always a doing something new.” Ie was a very hard climb. After two hours, they stopped under some teees. They drank some water and looked out over the biue sea. The black volcanic rocks under their feet were hot from the sun, ‘Iv’s so beautiful here,’ said Jude. ‘Mmm. Yes and no,’ said Hawker. Then, ‘Hey, Jude! Look! That over there by that rock. What —is— ‘Oh, wow! whispered Jude. ‘It’s an iguana ~ a Galapagos iguana. Isn’t he wonderful?” The iguana stared at them with its hot orange eyes, and did not move. Its body was about a metre long, and an orange-yellowy colour. ‘It looks about a thousand years old,? said Hawker. ‘A very strange animal.” ‘Everything about this island is strange,’ said Jude. They climbed and climbed, and the sun got hotter and hotter. After three more hours they came to the top, and looked down into the great crater of Alcedo, two hundred metres deep and seven kilometres across. To the north and the south they could see more volcanoes, and across the sea to the west the island of Fernandina — but they could not see Dr Miller or his camp. “We need to go round the crater to the south,’ said 32 Hawker. ‘It’s another two hours’ walk, the villagers It was hard walking over the black lava rock, and once Hawker nearly fell. Jude caught ‘Don’t break a leg here,’ she sai you back down to the boat.’ “Why not? said Hawker. ‘I carried you home once’ “We weren't on top of a volcano then,’ said Jude, At last they saw Dr Miller’s camp, and ten is arm. ‘Edon’t want to carry ‘The iguana stared at them with its hot orange eyes. 3se ginf ‘suestaMY ay yr Aue nok are Aya puy, PAR] 104 9x Woy SuRYOWOS poou Aaya sdeys _oued[OA v OIG AYA, “OpNL Pres cual “x94 AYA ng, anya qea8 v say 2,489 | Apsour ang, ‘x ‘oxoyp UMOp 4 995 ED | >UNKP | SaUIaHIOS, ‘umop owe 21 ang ‘poo ou s,199q 31911 MOU J, ~PaYSE 94MEE] Od, ya 11 Jono auTED so BuO] an grated sappoue wsoyy diyssoeds t ‘spnop> asoyy zepun ‘ox0y2 seas puy “rovesD ays ssorse Leas ey pure Aem sip pasour rears pue ayouls Jo spnops wayp aojag “189g 204 >uEIp pure “uns 204 atp sapun sxgox eavy 4>¥Iq 942 YO aes KYL, 10 WEA NOA “D194 199g DWIOS 108 94,] “YOO “2045 IW Ja ples ‘spuaryy ueizopenog, “oyMeH] Poyse UO 21UO9 [Few 9Mp PIP OHM, Aq pres ‘aay “yBnonp 298 pip spreuta ays “Gy, ge sn [02 aseaig “atysooeds S142 uy parsoraty Aran st adoang, “roymepy pres adomng, G40 20M nod Op OYA, “Warp Ie PaxOO] OTH IC 34,9 pur ‘mou a104 91.9% 4pogou pue ‘“ouejd sip uo Suruaddey, st aueniodun 4x04 Bumpouiog gop | ue yA awos 199, ‘shes wwauturaAGS weYERSNY oy] f201> YQ, ‘es suesuowYy 24) “BIL. 3G pres jew or suarst, Apoqou asnezag, ghiBure os Nok az Aygy ‘591819 oNp UT Uaop diysooeds ays anogy, “pain apnf pres “nog 01 91.01 >] PAA, Sure pres ay 20204 SurOp NOK ore ey, [IW 3G ‘op nox op mop “uvadoang 91,99, “JOY MEF pres ,2,uare om ‘ON, 00S 3,taN8 “SUEDHTOUIY 91,10 K, ‘pommoys 94 jMEME.OD, “Bae IW AC “paaure Kou 3012] eiueg Uo 1240, “% pu sumosq Ax9n 204s sea 2 ‘doponay soBrdye5 its Tid YORWO Sapid PBIO 24.1,eles The Omega Files “They watched this spaceship on their satellite. I know they did. They know it’s here, but they don’t want the world to know. They don’t want peopl to meet any extraterrestrial visitors. Oh no! They want it c you and me to be a big secret. Then they can be top dog. Just then there was a sudden noise, a 800m deep below the ground. Whar... what was that, Jim? asked Jude. ‘Oh, Aledo does that all the time,’ said Jim. ‘Then hot water comes up, and steam, dust ~ sometimes a little Java, but not much, Thaw’s why there are always clouds in the crater. You can never see anything down there.’ “Can we climb down into the crater?’ asked Hawker. “Are you crazy? It’s dangerous down there!’ Jim said. All evening Hawker and Jude stared down into the crater, but they could see nothing through the clouds of steam and dust. Just before the sun went down, Hawker saw something near the top of the crater and shouted to Jude, but it was only two of the giant tortoises. They came slowly past the camp and went away down the other side of the volcano. Later, four more came past, going the same way, moving slowly and quietly over the black rocks. “They're very strange animals!’ said Jude. Hawker and Jude did not sleep much. The rocks were hard, and below them they heard again and again the deep 200m of the volcano. Late in the night they turned 36 OMEGA FILE 522: Galdpagos, Ecuador their radio on. It was very noisy, but through the noise they could hear a voice from Santa Cruz. Hawker listened hard. “They're talking about Volcano Aledo!’ he said. ‘They think it’s going to erupt in the next twenty-four hours!” Jude sat up. ‘Oh no! We're seven hours away from the boat. Let’s get moving! Go and call Jim.” But Jim Miller did not believe Santa Cruz radio. ‘It’s the Americans again,’ he said. “They want us all to go away.” ‘The giant tortoises came slowly past the camp. 7 eee ea6 IAXS 04} UL diyseoeds 3206 943 0} JEM UIE 400g, “poyse | JAIN 4g 01 poueddey 1euN, ooo “yore 02 Suns Surdyrrian v pue qnypneag & sea 3 siuexo pue par jo sromoy wwax8 yim payly sea dys 2ySt oy smoy s04 “punosd axp 01 umop yoUq A[MOjs {[95 HOY *Ajs ay2 out dn soxaur Jo spoxpuny may 8x01 ‘Bueg Axasa yur pur ‘dois 20u pip asiow ayy, “eas ay 01 umop ter pur sopis s,ouRa[0a a1p1 Jo ano aure> eae] I04-pay “AAS amp ‘our dn aay asnp Jo spnop> wou pur — joNva 3va8 uappns 1 spas a1oy,1 “pordnuo opasty ouRD[OA Fare sINOY Om], ‘vas 3e 3NO SNIDUOILY ¥ Sem HOFT-Pag ay2 BuO} a30}0q puL “aun sty 02 pamoys opez405 {05 j05 109, "180q a4 O10 ‘dn paquay)> pue wory-nag ayp 01 ano auam Aap ‘Kp p>IND aadnza 01 8u108 s,op2oqy zo1pes 942 UO Fea] NOK PIG, ‘panoys ay Arn, “teoq apUy ay IM opezuoy mvs Aoy2 seas aya 02 208 Aoyp Udy, “UMOP qui prey E sea IT cdiysaoeds exp Sunpprem pute ‘oroy ays SutAvis wp ang, “unl pres 103 oa NOR, oma 30 dep © UL x>eq aH uv no x ‘astald, ‘apnf pres ,‘unf ‘sn yaa au109 98e2I¢, soponogy SoBpdyna ites 4114 VOIWO sapig PB2UIO 941,The Omega Files Jude said. ‘Five hundred metres of red-hot lava fell on top of him! “And was there a spaceship in the volcano?’ ‘No,’ said Jude. “Yes,’ said Hawker. He looked at Jude, and they laughed. Then Jude looked at me. ‘What do you want to believe?’ she asked. ‘They weren't very clever extraterrestrials, were they? - sitting there in their spaceship in an erupting volcano!” _ Hawker smiled. ‘Ah, but perhaps the spaceship left just before the volcano erupted. Gonzalo and | saw something in the clouds of dust ~ a white light, movi very fast, faster than the dust. It went up very high.” didn’t see anything,’ said Jude. ‘And that’s because there wasn’t anythin, that volcano!’ Hawker looked up into the blue Greek sky. ‘How do we know?’ he said slowly. ‘One day someone, or something, is going to visit us from out there. Perhaps all those years ago in the that was the first visi Gelépagos. Who knows?’ GLOSSARY army all the soldiers of a country believe to think that something is true or real camp a place where people live in tents for a short time cancer a dangerous iliness catch (past tense caught) to find and hold someone or something. lever quick to learn, understand or do something loud a white or grey thing in the sky (cain comes from clouds) club / go clubbing to go dancing in a dance club at night crater a very large hole in the top of a volcatio crazy mad (ill in the head) or very stupid dance (v) to move the body to music dangerous something that is dangerous can hurt or kill you eads 01 (2) noYS ‘nou zou asnur dood romno aexp Sumysouros 125098 dung 40 presge axe no uaqn Kio yy poy v aeuH o> (a) mas soamioid oisiaaja x0 soBessoul o1pes 39eq pws pre yase aap punoze saxow 1 ‘a0eds w (dood q apeu) Sumyp © 2 puno:8 aip yo ued prey atp_(u) p02 uxpawos op o2 weaBoad semndwo> © 4q pjo: poururesBosd suis» punoae soxow se apeds ur Bump punos 0u pinbyf 104 442 vat pom sesauapss arayss Bumpying 20 woos © Az0ws0qe ‘worteuss0yU! 191998 1907109 aeqa yuauuranad # jo wed 2y2 Go wounzedap) sous8iy3u1 rege pay nok SupfeUatpeq Aron ayqNUIOY Gansso5)ACTIVITIES Before Reading 1. Read the back cover of the book, and the introduction on the first page. What do you know now about these stories? ‘Tick one box for each sentence. YES 1 Hawker and Jude travel all over the world, 3. The Omega Files are in all the newspapers. 4 There are some surprising stories in the files. 5 Hawker and Jude write for a newspaper. 6 Hawker and Jude always find the answers. ooo000 60000 G8 2. What is going to happen in these stories? Can you guess? Use this table to make some sentences. Hawker and Jude... find a monster climb litle green men | in tondon talk to a high mountain con a Pacific island in a spaceship in Scotland 1 young man go dancing with | a dangerous drag go swimming with | a crazy Australian travel with - | a volcano ACTIVITIES While Reading Read about EDI and then read Omega File 349. Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)? Rewrite the false ones with the correct information, 1 Johnny Cook went swimming nearly every day. 2. When they left the last club, Hawker and Jude took Johnny Cook to their house for dinner. 3 Johnny Cook wanted co sell a story about a drug company toanewspaper. 4 The company used homeless people for language tests. $ Johnny Cook knew about this because he listened through the wall. 6 Hawker wanted to talk to Johnny Cook again, 7 Hawker and Jude couldn’t talk to Johnny Cook again ‘because he was in New York. ‘At the end of the story, Arla says ‘Forget it,’ so Hawker and Jude can’t ask questions. What questions would you like them to ask Arla? Use these words to make some questions. + Who... (be/ with Johnny Cook / when / fall / river)? + Who... (find / Johnny Cook’s body / river)? + Who... (vou/ telephone / when / we / go / coffee)? + Who... Gay / Johnny Cook’s story / not / true)?a eduysooeds v sy Appar o2ayp 2242 9]q3880d a S| adrysozeds ayp 99s yog apnf pur zaxmeH og 9 adiysaovds ayp ut puvjse ap aavay ror uf s<0q ¢ ePID] 298 kpogdure ssoq. + gadnza 198 opmf pue 194aeH OG € aadnua ouesjoa ay s90q 7 coph{ pue soyavepy Yate 200g oMp 02 O8 OTT UHL S90q T ‘oues{oa axp a7072q 1809 ot, asuonsanb asaq3 02 ssomisu amp ssan8 nok ue “Zz apy oBoc Suapeas ystuy nok as0pq 9q Z Bundnio opasyy oues]oa moge saiou ay2 preay pUE 9 sreoq anf 01 wHDKp pia 08 01 JO] AC paren AOU, ¢ + onpes ayp 02 pacansyy Aowp aySte amp oY ++ so1er9 oxp om uMop paxess apnf pue 19xMKLY E ++ kpogdraaa ypu AsBue Asan sem J9qIC 20 Z ++ puvjst vjequsy 03 o8 01 apnf pur zoymeH powem ey T “soouaruas aay ayeur 1 saouantas Jo soaey asaip Yoreus way, “Z¢ aed Jo TONOG 31 01 UMOP sopenag ‘soBDdyRD *ZzS ILI PTI PLAY Bupooy a4 00 * “ransuoU Ss9Ny Y>07 ap “AISSONT 5f Ajpeay so:sUOU aq, -rpue[d sipoue woxy Bunpoutos sf so:suour ayy *Aunre oyp Sq opous Sunypouros st so2suour ayy “AYA MOU 2,UOp apnf pu sOYMEFY ;FoISHOW 4p 1080 Pur sjassnag 01 y9eq awioD, ‘ses pur souoyd vy “ouoip sisasuow a0u! 10] Keo “© puy pu Azoresoqe] Awse 242 02 08 apnf pur 294 Ke pure raastour om si0oys apn ja ay} Jo DUO S{pPf z9IstHOMN 94, “vfsy 02 a1 aye2 pu zexsuow! ay2 yore apnf pue JoYKEH ‘ar s98 ues apnf pur so yAepy 21059q Seme af aye1 pu xoisuour ayp ysaes Aox8 ur wow qT OK sauo atp Ife PEL, 21594 ; 2H] NOK op sSuppus asamp Jo YPIYAA espus A103 ax Moy ssan8 nok wes ‘Top opty efowQ Super ysTuy nok o10;oq apn pur sxMeH dyaq [joqdures arypay pip ayfu Azone étsvau op sarsuou 4p pip 0p 01 apnf pu royeneyy auPa Aou8 ur uous amp PIP gayBra Axaa9 op apnf pue s9ymeEy pIp gepnf pue so4a0eH7 djoy ypoy axp punoze ajdoad pip * Tq | MOH s ’ “€ “t T suroyp Jomsue arp pue ‘suorsonb asatp 103 prom-tonsanb 259g 94 2500yD “Tz aed Jo wONOG aIp 01 UMOP puntos ‘SSN GOT TSp aL PBMC PIX Rape 4a #ACTIVITIES After Reading 1 What did Jude say to Arla after the visit to Scotland? Put their conversation in the right order and write in the speakers’ names. Arla speaks first (number 3). 1 “And the army is even more dangerous! I'm going to close their laboratory.” 2 ‘Tecan run all night, live under water, see in the dark, and it kills small animals wich fout legs.” 3 ___‘OK, Jude. Tell me about it. What was it?” 4 “No, of course he hasn't. This monster isn’t very clever, Arla, but it’s horrible ~ and dangerous.” 5 ____ ‘Mm. Genetic engineering. And what can it do?” 6 ___ ‘Good. Please do it soon, Arla? 7 “It was one of the army’s new fighters. It was a living thing - half animal, half person.’ “But why did it try to kill Hawker then? Hawker hhasn’t got four legs.” 2 Circle the best words to complete Hawker’s email to Arla. Before / When the volcano erupted, I saw a light / rock in the sky, moving down / up very fast. Jude says it was not / twas a spaceship, but it moved more slowly / faster than the clouds of lava / dust. So what was it? acrivinis: After Reading 3 Use the clues below to complete this crossword with words from the story. Then find the hidden ten-letter word in the ‘crossword. Is this word a place, a person, or an animal? 1 You can read the news in a every day. 2 Itis to climb down into a volcano. 3 Accompany must do many before they can sell a new medicine. 4 When a____ erupts, lava and red-hot rock come out. 5 A special room for scientists to work in. 6 You can travel to planets and stars ina 7 This animal moves very, very slowly. 8 When you look for something in the dark, you need a 9 When you are 10 A letter sent by computer. I, you take _ to make you better. ‘The hidden word is and itisape PRMD POHL € ‘uoy a1 9 UIP 1 Z Luoys — 05 A308 3193 | | asnesaq 1894) “seopr nok ypu ssouanu9s asoup oxojduso, {sous03s asaqp amoqe UNI MOA PIP IwyA Z srouv[d 19yp0 Wor Bunysta sdnysaoeds sare uy | o1 sioisuour SURE, wasar snap 30; dood ssoppuroy Bus, Twaaan [asuvan | suvaa [ZAVGOL Fiaissoa ‘count | “or Nt “ayqea siya ut soxoq, 2tHOS >PLL EUNP NOK op reysA gaumny oy UI sdeyod ang, “Kepos rou sdepsag Zo]qsssod sauioss asoqp ur sBumyp o1p ory 9 sare oMp UE soUE, Aauyof, drysooedg ouwojo, 24 Tem ay YBnomyy Suruarsry —amnsuopy Aqpuouy 29M Y Joys amp wosy s98ueq ssofauropy au soy sBurq = aamang atp Joy Kuy uy fain ur woyy YL swoang amp wo s38ueq preg rour|g ‘OqnEL IW #C A201 2hqan upeydxa nod WED “{ON) poo8 r0U ax s9]n awios {(5) poo8 ase sap auiog gsa1309s yoy Yates 08 S2PB YDIY A “SorsORs sas ayp J0y sop MOU MOS ae OIE ¢ a suet 5 IEAISNII 949 305 uoNdeD v a9EIm MONT gaxau op apnf pure z94meH OP WeYA ¢ Birdos ompes yp uo 20104 9p SEGA Z gopnf pue s9ys8e Hy ame arya aed uo soo8 ammord 94, Aroxs oy ur © “suonsanb asayp somsue puv ‘2 309 22°] 380q 21p puny “saI01S 21p Jo BuO Joy LORE NSNTT MOU v SI IEL f Stapwoy sai] ‘SaILIALLOV Buspoay soy SaLLinLLYABOUT THE AUTHOR Jennifer Bassett has worked in English Language Teaching since 1972, She has been a teacher, teacher trainer, editor, and materials writer, and has taught in England, Greece, Spain, and Portugal. She is the current Series Editor of the Oxford Bookworms Library, and has written several other stories luding One-Way Ticket and The President's age 1). She lives and works in Devonshire, -west of England. She has been to Loch Ness in Scotland and heard stories about the Loch Ness monster, but she has not seen Nessic herself. And when she went to Isabela Island in the G she did not see a spaceship in the crater of a volcano. of clouds that day... werea OXFORD BOOKWORMS LIBRARY a + Crime & Mystery «Paces» Fantasy & Horror Human Interest» Plascrpts «Thriller & Adventure ‘True Stories + World Stores ‘The cxroun wooxwoRs uskany provides enjoyable reading in English, with ‘wide range of classic and modern fiction, non-fetion, and plays. Ie includes original and adapred texts in seven carefully graded language stages, which tale leamers from beginner to advanced level. An overview is given on the next pages. All Stage 1 titles are available as audio recordings, as well 2s over eighty ‘other titles from Starter co Stage 6, All Starters and many titles at Stages 1 to 4are specially recommended for younger learners. Every Bookworm is illustrated, and Starters and Factfiles have full-colour il ‘The'oxtonn nook worn turrany also offers extensive support. Each book: ns an intzoduct and activities. Additional resources include tests and worksheets, and answers for these and for the activites in the books. There is advice on sunning ibrary, using audio recordings, and the many ways of Oxford Bookworms in reading programmes, Resource materials are ble on the website . ‘The Oxford Bookworms Collection ‘modern. Texts are not abridged or adapted in any way, but carefully selected ro be accessible to the advanced student, ‘You can find details and a full list of tees in the Osford Bookworms Library Catalogue and Oxford English Language Teaching Catalogues, and (nthe website .ss gD PRT Sof 941, ‘punos Pino | woy {2104 2,UPIP | 3k p2x{O0] | AIPA] aLoy UL dn aysiNVD os sem | “ARIA O2 porters [soya puy 38m pyp Aijeex aur Jo apis ABipoud ayp rey aU, 1J1 se sea 3] auopyuod sea J ‘ouvrd ayp 03 dn paddaas | way, nupuo> ‘uorssosuos Jo sseney> ~sBujueow yepotu paoueape — (spunze8 soaniuguy axised sduomavaH oo$z + 9 aovas suopenadsy wai, “ssnoy pjo 2p 01 ryStens awoM J peaasuy ~IsePYeDIq aMp 22 I0u pinoo [aeyp ‘omang Cur noge passaudap os pure “uy yates Ai8uE ‘0s seat J "wary a1y 2aey pInow | ‘SureU s,eyfaIsy uayods PeY 24 31 yUyUr 299104 + sfepoul- sosneps fPUCRIpUOD 2204 pron ~ (suzy snonunuoa ‘sjepow) antssed ~ noqiad eanany — snonuimuo> aamany + SaxomavaH ogi + $ goOVIS 2PSH AWN pu nGyeL ac “ood ayp 02 unY 1Z0dox 0 proxd aq pjnom uopuo7| ur uews asouoy £1949 ‘pip ay JURE HOM ayp 7 a9ej SIy MOYS 10M PINOD ap4q{ MON “PELB Se | + sneaydjsvomisodand sue spunis8— ueqayezayo ia seanes ~suonsonb sasspar— sep yeuotpuon ppt ~ (sas0j adn used ~ somupues tops sed Sa¥OmavaH OOF! + F gOvES uaping young aq, “oxnany uy uopse8 sup Jo wed yey Wosy ese dooy [fe anu Soup reys szouopaEd ay 02 sxOpIO ae ‘aor og “uopzel 21998 oyp BurzaqUIa UoxDIC] 30 ‘AIEPY “UIjOD, 998 pjnoys suo ou sey aueioduHT sou! sem AF ‘9SINOD JO ~ siouraves asoupput —sosne axnepps —aannesne> = spied ased — 01 posn ~ snonunos 129100 nioso1d ~ kona ‘Pprogs sd¥omavaH coor + € rOVvAS pynowecr save] {nydjay aq j[fon 14 sdeyzod sodvose | J! — ou yarM ploB agp jo ouros axe ]peUs | “459 02 ‘ney J 3ng “punosd axp aoge yBry st NOpULa B4,L “apisino [148 94 uaop 228 on Ann [peys | ede2se 02 33 smut | “Op 02 3ey popwoop | ‘Areap duu UE spiom asaup Serstam sea | IPA + axneyur + 721/480 suopsonb ea = snonupiuos ased ~ sosnep/ dis ~ soansofpe 30 uostedwoo ~ ppnoo rou ssn “04 @n0q (,wop) ~ (estan pot = 900d asneaad *~* sauomavaH oof « z aDvis nuedo 241 Jo wove my, “weUu snozeBuep | Axon ‘soa2[p Aron e Sea OH “UY YEA 2 porteA | | — uny range awed j ‘seg 03 ure ay WHA “Buoy 109 100 | ang SdWOMGVIH OOF + I FOVIS | sonaninrs ») s0asue | pue auoyd zy dn sypid Ayes “ouoyd s9y st ax9y], JO0p { 247 puryaq soo] 94s DHL, “aUOK! ON “Pag a1p J9puN 8¥00] yg “auoyd ony Beq 124 1 9J00] pue poq Jo no sw2B ATES als} oz9yas. ng — Sufun | s004d 194 i spunsof ojduuis — (ermany) 0f Suso8 — pm owes jcn9 — saqueza ~ snonupuon wand — [duis suaso1d squomavan oSz + waLuyis SLOVULXE TIWYS GNV ONIGVUD AYVAGIT SAAOMACO GUGIXO AHLBOOKWORMS FANTASY & HORROR «STAGE 1 The Monkey’s Paw ‘W. W. JACOBS Retold by Diane Mowat Outside, the night is cold and wet. Inside, the White family sits and waits. Where is their visitor?” “There is a knock at the door. A man is standing outside in the + dark. Their visitor has arrived. eee ‘The visivor waits. He has been in India for many years. What hhas he got? He has brought the hand of a small, dead animal —a monkey's paw. the dark, the visitor smiles and waits for che door to BOOKWORMS - TRUE STORIES - STAGE 1 Ned Kelly: A True Story CHRISTINE LINDOP ‘When ’he was a boy, he was poor and hungry. When he was a young man, he was still poor and still hungry. He learnt how to steal horses, he Jedmt how to fight, he learnt how ro live outside the law. Australia in the 1870s was a hard, wild place. Rich people had land, poor people didn’t. So the rich got richer, and the poor stayed poor, — Some say Ned Kelly was a bad man. Some say he was a good iman but the law was bad. This isthe true story of Austealia’s most famous outlaw. fi