by Greg Ballan
"What about that chip thing we each got this morning. Can't you find him with that?"
"It's no longer functioning. We're going to the last location lock we had."
Erik stared at the map, visualizing the marked location. It was very close by – only a fifteen or twenty-minute walk through a thicket, a little under a mile. Erik paused momentarily and swapped the clips from each weapon with two others. These clips had blue bumper stops on them. Erik loaded each weapon and re-holstered the guns.
He looked at Nelson. "45 supers – more 'knock down' power. Next time, it's not getting away," he remarked, heading toward the woods. "Let's go find our missing man."
Nelson nodded and followed him. The two broke away from the rest of the group and headed into the woods toward the marked location. This particular section of woods was dense with saplings and undergrowth. Erik had drawn both his weapons. Nelson responded by drawing his Glock 9mm. Erik stopped abruptly, his eyes closed. He opened his eyes, then looked back toward Nelson. Erik gestured with his head and both men continued forward.
Erik spotted Henderson's body first and pointed it out to Nelson. Both men approached cautiously.
"Check him out," Erik said quietly. "I've got your six."
Nelson nodded and approached his associate. Henderson's face looked as if it had been slashed by razor blades. His head was lying in a pool of blood. Insects and flies circled around the corpse. Nelson noted the awkward angle of Henderson's head in relation to his shoulders. The elder detective looked back at Erik, his face betraying sorrow. "His neck's been broken."
"Look for strangulation marks, like our Jane Doe," Erik suggested as he studied the surroundings.
"Same thing," Nelson replied after examining his fallen colleague.
"We have ourselves a problem," Erik commented, approaching Henderson's body. Erik stared at the man's corpse. The left side of his face was literally sliced to shreds. "Sleep peacefully. May your final journey take you to a better place."
"God-fearing?" Nelson asked.
"Not like you think, probably; not in the typical sense anyway," Erik answered evasively. "Somebody should say something though. No one deserves to die unmourned."
Nelson activated his transmitter and made the call. "They're sending the coroner's team back up here. You can head back if you want. I'll stay with him," Nelson offered.
"No," Erik answered. "You're not staying here alone, not with that thing out here. I don't feel like getting ambushed on the way out of this mosquito farm either. We're better off if we stick together."
"Touché," Nelson replied. He paused as he sniffed the air. "Do you smell that?"
"Yeah," Erik replied as he continued to scan the area. "Just like the other site." He took several steps away from Henderson and spotted a patch of blue-stained leaves about six yards from the body. He knelt down and examined the substance. The stuff had a foul sulfur-like odor and had partially dried to several leaves. He took another bag from his pack and placed all of the stained leaves into it. He sealed the bag and placed it back into his pack. "At least we have something," he remarked making his way back to Nelson.
"What is it?" the detective asked.
"I think it's more blood from the thing I shot at earlier. The color is the same and so is the smell. Henderson definitely saw the same thing that I saw. Now I know I wasn't seeing things," he concluded. "I'll bet there are other patches of this further out," he guessed, itching to investigate.
"Remember what you just told me about sticking together?" Nelson reminded the younger man.
"You're right, of course," Erik replied. He had to admit, if only to himself, that he didn't welcome another encounter with the strange thing again.
"Whatever it was, do you think it's still in the area?"
"I don't know, Nelson." Erik looked around, his guns following his line of sight. "I drew down on that and hit it with eight rounds. No man could have walked away from that, a bear wouldn't have walked away from that, yet it lived and still had the strength to do this. What the hell are we dealing with?"
"You tell me. You saw it, I didn't. All I know is that Henderson was terrified. I heard it in his voice while the tape was played. Henderson was not one to scare easily, but whatever it was scared the shit out of him."
Erik shook his head. "You know she's out here, somewhere."
"Who?" Nelson asked somewhat bitterly. The loss of his man seemed to wear on him.
"Who!" Erik snapped. "Lisa Reynolds!"
"Sorry, this whole thing made me lose focus for a moment. If she is out here, I don't give her very good odds at being alive."
"Nor do I," Erik replied as he finished another quick scan of his surroundings. "Let's warn the team coming back up here to bring an armed officer for escort. Let's not lose any more people today."
* * *
Erik and Nelson walked out of the woods on either side of the medic team, carrying the stretcher containing Henderson's body. Erik had never been uncomfortable in these woods before, but he was glad to leave the forest. He walked over to the van with Nelson and paused to take a long drink of water from his canteen.
Nelson and Belechek were conferring with the command staff in the two vans. They had replayed the tape over and over again, trying to extract some clue as to the events leading to Henderson's untimely end. They all shuddered as they heard the muffled sound of the man's neck being broken.
"What the hell happened out there?" Nelson asked no one in particular.
"We just lost a good man, and I just lost a good friend," Belechek replied with a belligerent undertone.
"You," Belechek began, pointing at Erik. "You saw something out there. What was it? What killed him?"
"I honestly don't know," Erik answered. "It was…." He paused, looking for the right word. "Different. That's all I can say for sure. It walked like a person, but looked like no man I've ever seen before."
"I don't care what it is," Belechek answered. "When I get my hands on it, it'll be dead."
"Let's not get off the subject," Nelson commented, heading off his angry colleague. "Something is out there, gentlemen, something that in all probability is wounded. We're having our lab geeks examine the sample brought in. We should have some answers in a day or two. The question that remains is: Do we go back in and continue the search for our main objective, Lisa Reynolds, or do we back off until we know what we're dealing with?"
"I say we carry on the search," Belechek answered quickly. "We know it's out there, and we know it can be hurt. We weren't prepared before, now we are. We were hired to do a job. I say we do it."
"Erik, your position on this?" Nelson asked.
"If Belechek is in, I'm in as well." He looked at Belechek who now gave him a nod of approval.
"Fine, if we're going in, we need a plan." Nelson pointed to a map taped to the open door of the Command Center Van. Nelson circled the areas where Carol Carlin's body was located, and where Henderson was found. "This is the logical area in which to start. I'll tell the boys in blue we're heading back in, and to keep everyone out of the area until further notice. We'll see if they can pull together a team for deep recon as well. Keep your radios on Channel C. It's the highest frequency and will carry the strongest signal.
"Belechek, get the 30-06 from the other van. There's a box of shells on the bottom of the shelf. If we're going in, we're going in with some real fire power." Nelson looked at Erik. "Do you feel comfortable with those 45s, or do you have something that will pack more of a punch?"
"I do, but let's not waste the daylight. Belechek and I should stick together. He doesn't know the area. We'll use his big gun and my tracking. I don't think going in solo is the best idea."
"Agreed. Take an hour to rest. We go back in at 1400 hours." Nelson turned to study the map. "Can you coordinate our effort with the uniforms, and see if they can pull a team together?"
"Consider it done," Erik answered as he headed toward the police cars parked in a group several meters from the Halls' van
s.
Erik gave a quick sigh of relief as he spotted Steve talking with two other officers. "Steve?"
"Erik. How are you?" He walked toward him.
"I'm hanging in there. How are you?"
"I'm okay. I heard you had some kind of encounter out there? Are you going to give us a report? Those suits are being awfully quiet since their guy went down."
"It's not good, Steve," Erik gestured his friend away from the others. "Here's the lowdown. There's something out there and it came after me. I put eight rounds into it, and it quite literally vanished into thin air. It was in the same area as the jogger. In fact, I think it's what killed the jogger. The same thing whacked the Halls operative, Henderson. They both had their necks broken and wind pipes crushed in the same way. Whatever's out there has killed two people, and possibly killed Lisa Reynolds."
Steve shook his head in disbelief. "You're kidding, right?"
"I wish I was. It looks like those kids at the playground weren't fantasizing. Nelson and I brought back a fluid sample for the Halls techs to evaluate. My guess is we brought in blood from this thing. I'll make sure that you guys get a copy of the lab report when it comes in," Erik replied. "Look, we're going back in at 1400 hours. Can your people put together a team to coordinate a search with us?"
"Yeah, we'll go in, but we're not taking directives from them. We'll pattern our own search in the designated area. Give us the location and the frequency you're working with, and we'll coordinate from the field," Steve responded coolly.
"Steve, I know they didn't treat you too well before, but they just lost a man. Try to cut them some slack. They really are good. Let's all try to play nice in the sandbox."
Steve smirked and nodded. "We'll head in with you at 1400 hours."
* * *
Wednesday afternoon. 1:49 p.m.
Steve and two officers walked over to the Halls portable crime labs.
"Are we ready?" Steve asked.
"As will ever be," Nelson replied, placing a full clip into his Glock pistol.
The two groups of men entered the town forest, each individual nervously looking around for any slight thing that was out of the ordinary. Their destination was the point where Carol Carlin's body was discovered. From there, they would go to where the body of Henderson was discovered. At that point, Erik would look for tracks from whatever caused the death of both people.
They walked the forty-five minutes to their first objective in total silence. Belechek held the 30-06 scoped rifle at the ready, his finger never far from the trigger. The man was wired, coiled like a snake and ready to strike out at the slightest thing. Erik knew those emotions often were self-destructive. Belechek wanted revenge. Finding a missing person was second on his list right now, no matter what he said to Nelson.
Erik looked over at Steve, and both men exchanged uncomfortable glances. Steve shook his head. He was clearly concerned about the detective's motives for being out there as well.
The six men converged on the location of the jogger. Everyone instinctively drew his weapon. The woods were suddenly alive with chambers cycling live rounds and clicks that signified the removal of safety levers.
"There's the marker." Erik pointed out the trail tape to Belechek and the others. "If no one objects, I'll take lead. Belechek, you've got the real firepower. You cover our six. Steve, you and your partner watch my ass in case I miss something. Let's move out."
Of all the men there, Erik had the most knowledge and experience in the wilderness. The others would be relying on his knowledge and expertise.
The six men cautiously made their way into the small clearing, all weapons at the ready. They approached the position where the Carlin body had been found. Erik and Steve spotted another patch of blue fluid. This fluid had dried completely and lost its repugnant odor. The other uniform bagged the substance and tucked it into his side pocket.
"We move this way." Erik gestured, following the path he and Nelson had taken earlier.
After a cautious twenty-minute walk, the men came to the area where Henderson had been found. Erik approached the spot where he'd taken the blood sample, and moved out to where he had seen some disturbances earlier. He spotted more of the dried blue substance, and gestured to the other men. They all fell in behind him silently. With precision, Erik scanned over the carpet of leaves, low-lying branches, and shrubs. His heightened senses easily picked up sign on the leaf-covered forest floor. They had been following a blood trail for at least a half-mile.
Erik examined his compass and realized that they were heading due west in an almost perfectly straight line. He looked up. "It's heading back up the hill. If we keep going, we'll be up into the higher elevations."
"Could this thing live up there?" Steve asked.
"I don't know," Nelson responded as he gave the officer a friendly look. "Are you game for an extended hike?"
"Certainly," Steve replied.
"Let's think about this for a minute," Erik countered. "If we venture too far off the trails and up the hill, we'll be traveling back in total darkness. I say we go forward for another two hours, and then head back. If we do that, we'll just make it out before sunset." He paused. "Unless you don't mind being out here in the dark."
The five other men looked at each other uncomfortably.
"Point taken," Belechek conceded.
"Another two hours," Nelson confirmed.
The police officers nodded in unison. They continued their journey in silence. They had been walking for fifty minutes, when Erik paused. He raised his pistols and assumed a low crouch. The other men took his lead and responded in kind. Erik stood stone still, his eyes distant, but his ears straining to pick up the slightest sound.
"What is it?" Belechek whispered.
"Don't you hear it?" Erik asked.
"Hear what?"
"Listen," Erik whispered softly.
"I still can't hear anything."
"Exactly, where are we?"
"In the fucking woods, where do you think!"
"And what does one hear in the woods, genius?" Erik retorted.
Belechek was silent as he considered Erik's words.
"Ya know, you're right. I don't even hear a bird chirping or anything."
"Do you hear or see any insects?" Erik asked.
The insects plaguing them most of the hike had simply vanished. Belechek became very nervous. "Oh shit! What's goin' on?"
"I don't know," Erik answered. "But everyone keep sharp."
They were walking steadily uphill now. The incline began to take its toll on the older Halls detectives, and the other officers were also suffering from their lack of conditioning. Soon, Erik and Steve had put several meters between themselves and the others. The two men decided that they would proceed up the incline and keep in contact by radio while the others scouted the lower regions in a northwesterly direction.
They had been hiking for nearly half an hour when Erik suddenly paused. The inside of his head began to buzz, the hair on his arms stood up, and he felt a tingling sensation race up and down his spine.
"Steve, it's here," he whispered.
"Where?" The officer crouched down in an effort to lay low.
"Close."
Steve radioed the others in their party for backup as they proceeded forward. The two moved slowly upward, when both experienced a sudden drop in temperature, noting the disappearing sun.
"Oh my God, Erik, what on earth is that!" he exclaimed at the approaching wall of black.
Erik looked in the direction his friend indicated and saw an encroaching mass of darkness that seemed to be growing and expanding with every passing second. "Oh shit."
"It wants me. I can feel it!" Steve exclaimed in a voice thick with fear. "Oh, God, whatever's causing this can't be human, it can't."
"Easy, Steve, let's not lose our cool just yet," Erik replied, straining to see the being that he shot at earlier.
Erik focused his breathing, and concentrated. He looked in the direction of the encr
oaching blackness again and stared, focusing his enhanced vision, urging his eyes to see what they normally couldn't. Slowly, something began to materialize. It moved within a shroud of darkness, closer to the two men. The entity paused as if studying the two men, unsure of how to react to their intrusion.
"It's the same thing as before," Erik whispered. "How in God's name could it still be alive? Not after eight rounds," Erik marveled as he whispered to the near-terrified Steve.
The thing suddenly rushed forward. Erik squeezed off four shots into the shape before it struck him and sent him flying backward, knocking his weapons from his hands. The creature then tackled Steve, sending his radio flying into the nearby bushes. Erik heard the shouts of panic from his friend. As he shook off the daze, he saw the black thing holding Steve in midair with one arm. Steve was struggling, pummeling the creature with his fists, but Erik could tell he was getting weaker.
Erik leapt up and charged. He ran toward the creature and slammed into its back with both his feet. The impact drove the creature forward, causing it to drop Steve, who lay on the ground, not moving.
The black creature spun toward Erik. Again, Erik was awash in the creature's fury and hate. It reached out with its large razor claws, but Erik ducked and responded with a front kick into its face. He followed that kick with a roundhouse, and then a spinning back kick, followed by an open-palm strike to the thing's chest area. When his hand struck it, Erik felt the cold. This thing was not alive as he understood it. It had no real body heat and its skin was more like armor than flesh.
Erik's flurry of blows had managed to drive the creature back, and it hissed with fury. It charged at him again, flailing with its arms in an attempt to slice his flesh open.
Erik retreated slightly, avoiding the creature's knife-like hands. He threw a quick series of left jabs into the creature's face. Erik knew that the blows had no real effect. He felt sharp impact pains in his fists each time they struck the thing's iron-hard hide. His weaker human flesh ripped and tore with each impact. Erik paused and took one step back. He could feel those red eyes studying him. He could feel wave upon wave of maliciousness emanating from the black armored monster in front of him. Erik sensed it was going to do something, but he didn't know what. At that instant, the creature struck.
