Paranormal Talent Agency Episodes 4-6

by Heather Silvio

  “You saw the interview I conducted with Barbara last week?” Two heads nodded in response. “After the interview, Barbara asked for my help with an investigation.” Catherine’s expression became more guarded. “She wants me to investigate you, Catherine.”

  The object of my investigation sighed and Mia glanced at her quizzically. “She’s telling the truth,” Catherine told Mia. Guess her lie detector could tell I wasn’t being deceitful. Catherine held my gaze. “Barbara has hinted that I’m somehow involved with the supernatural underworld since I moved to Vegas last year to start the talent agency.”

  “You have no idea why?”

  “No.” I heard the frustration in her voice. “Trust me, I’d love to know. A lot of stuff happened that might have been avoided if I knew.” Her expression turned thoughtful. “Barbara still doesn’t know? Even though she’s been elevated to an angel again?”

  I shrugged. “Apparently not. She said you’re the key to something big. That’s what she wants me to investigate.”

  “Why you?” Mia asked and I tensed, but her body and expression remained open. That wasn’t a dig at me.

  “Maybe because I’ve been covering this story from the beginning?” I laughed. “She did mention my awesome Mythological Being of the Week segment on Entertainment Daily.” I hosted the top-rated entertainment morning show in Las Vegas, and once I unearthed some paranormal secrets, I had found my calling. Audiences ate it up.

  Catherine rolled her eyes. “Yeah, that’s a great segment.”

  “Sarcasm?”

  “Of course not.”

  We stared at each other for a beat before she sighed again. “I know you’re telling the truth. I want to know what’s going on, too. So, I guess we can work together.” She bit her lower lip, but I grinned. She might not be happy, but it thrilled me to be on the front line of another paranormal scoop.

  “You’ll help, too?” Catherine asked Mia, who was already shaking her head.

  “I’d love to, Catherine, you know that. But I have a new movie going into production—”

  “Say no more,” Catherine interrupted her. “If you say I can trust Liz enough—”

  “Hey!” This time I cut Catherine off. “No need to be rude.”

  “I wasn’t being rude, Liz.”

  Mia giggled and a sense of calm wrapped the table.

  “Watch it with the bewitching,” I warned the nixie.

  “Sorry,” she said, though did not seem sorry. “I didn’t want you guys to get off track.” She stared at Catherine. “You’ll know if she’s lying. I wouldn’t worry about it.”

  “True.”

  I clapped my hands in delight and the women smiled. “This will be exciting. I can’t wait to find out what the heck makes you so important.” I mean, yes, she knew if someone was telling the truth or not, but she didn’t have real powers. I didn’t think. Hmm.

  The ladies distracted my wandering thoughts by exiting the booth. I hurried to join them.

  “I wish you both luck,” Mia said. “Please let me know if I can do anything. I’ll miss working with you on this.”

  A pang of regret hit me. We had fun investigating those murders. I genuinely liked Mia. And Catherine, I supposed, though I didn’t know her as well. My mouth opened to respond, but thick white smoke filled the area before us.

  Blocking the way out.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Fear filled me at the thought of being trapped in a fire, though my brain was already registering that I felt no heat and could still breathe. The smoke swirled and began to take shape.

  “Are you guys seeing what I’m seeing?” Catherine whispered.

  I nodded and heard a murmur of agreement from Mia. Noises from others in the café sounded distant somehow. Like there was a barrier between us and them. The smoke, maybe.

  The smoke coalesced then cleared, leaving behind a woman. She seemed late twenties with average height and weight. She had long red hair and blue eyes. And wore a jumpsuit of some kind. A pantsuit? But like a onesie. My brain went on a mad scamper to identify her unusual outfit. Then her mouth opened and my brain froze.

  “Stop,” she whispered. Her wild gaze flicked between the three of us. Like she was trying to figure out who we were.

  “Stop what?” Mia asked.

  “Stop,” the woman repeated. She appeared confused.

  “Who are you?” I tried. Her eyes focused on me and then widened.

  “Elizabeth Addison,” she answered instead.

  Something uncomfortable flared at the idea this woman who just appeared in the café knew who I was. “Yes,” I confirmed. “Who are you?” I repeated my question.

  “Stop the investigation.”

  My eyebrows lifted. “Stop what investigation?”

  “When am I?” the woman asked instead, turning her head to take in her surroundings.

  “Do you mean, where are you?” Catherine asked.

  The woman lasered in on her. “Catherine Rodham.”

  In the periphery of my vision, I saw Catherine nod.

  “When am I?” the woman repeated.

  “April 5, 2019,” I answered.

  The woman blew out a frustrated breath. “I was hoping to stop your broadcast.”

  That was clearly directed at me. “Which broadcast?”

  “I tried to get to you before the broadcast, but I timed it wrong,” she continued like I hadn’t spoken. She shrugged. “It’s not an exact science.”

  “What’s not?” I asked.

  “Time travel.”

  Said so matter of fact, I almost believed I’d misheard. “Time travel?”

  “When are you from?” Catherine asked. Guess her lie detector told her the woman was telling the truth – or at least believed she was. She did materialize out of thin air, so there was that.

  “2219.”

  Silence greeted the date she provided, our brains processing the idea that the woman standing before us had traveled 200 years back in time. To get me to stop my broadcast. Of what? I zeroed back in on that, glad to give my brain something concrete to focus on.

  “Which broadcast were you trying to stop? What story did you not want me to tell?”

  The time traveler took a step toward me and it was all I could do not to flinch away. Her intensity was intimidating. “You need to stop investigating Catherine Rodham and you need to prevent the integration of the paranormal and human societies.”

  A nervous laugh bubbled up. “Oh, is that all?”

  The woman frowned. “This is a joke?” Her eyes flashed and now I did take a step back.

  “No, it’s not a joke,” Mia jumped in, attempting to smooth things over.

  “Your bewitching will not work on me,” the woman informed Mia.

  “Who are you?” I asked. This was ridiculous. She was crazy or a paranormal, or both, but it was time to figure that out.

  “My name is Rowan Walsh and I died in the year 2219.”

  Catherine, Mia, and I exchanged startled glances.

  “I’m sorry,” Catherine said, “did you just say you died in the year 2219?”

  The woman nodded.

  “You’re not just a time traveler, but a time traveling ghost?” My question squeaked out. This meeting had taken a very unexpected turn.

  The woman, Rowan, nodded again.

  “And you’re here to stop us from figuring me out—” Catherine began.

  “Yes,” Rowan interrupted

  “And to keep Barbara from integrating human and paranormal societies?” I finished Catherine’s summary question.

  “Yes.”

  “Why?” The reporter in me wasn’t about to stop investigating on the say-so of an alleged time traveling ghost. I mean, really.

  “If you don’t, many people will die.”

  “Oh.” Hmm, many people dying wasn’t so good. “Are you sure?”

  Rowan’s blue eyes flashed again, hard like ice, and I shiver
ed. “Yes.”

  I waited for her to provide details and when she did not, I risked a quick glance at Catherine and Mia. They seemed as much at a loss as I felt.

  Screw that. “Rowan, ma’am,” I started with a sugary-sweet voice. “I appreciate that you believe all of this to be true. However, it’s my job to investigate newsworthy events and people.” I held up a hand to stop her from interrupting. “And, frankly, I have nothing to do with what Mayor Barbara Knollman does or does not do with respect to paranormal-human integration.” I stopped to gauge her reaction, proud that my voice didn’t waver in the slightest.

  “That is your final answer?”

  “What is this, a game show?” I quipped in response. Catherine or Mia gasped and Rowan’s eyes flashed again.

  “That is your final answer?” Rowan repeated.

  “Yes, it is,” I stated. “I will not stop investigating based on a vague statement from an alleged time-traveling ghost.”

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea, Liz?” Mia asked.

  “Yeah, maybe we should think about this,” Catherine added. “After all, I’m the object of the investigation.”

  I shook my head. “It’s my final answer,” I said to Rowan.

  “If you stay on this path, you will die in three days,” she responded.

  “Did you just threaten me?” My voice rose an octave.

  “I speak the truth.”

  “Liz, we should talk about this,” Mia insisted.

  Against my instincts and better judgment, I took a step toward Rowan and chuckled. “Just checking, but does today count as day one or zero?”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Smoke formed around Rowan, obscuring her. We watched, waiting to see what would happen next. When the white smoke cleared, the time traveling ghost was gone. The first eyes I met were Tony’s, and he appeared confused. He stepped from behind the takeout counter and approached.

  “Can any of you tell me what just happened?”

  “What did you see?” I asked instead, curious what was visible beyond the smoke we had seen.

  He furrowed his brow. “It all happened so fast. I could see the three of you sitting at the booth. Then you… blurred, I guess is the best word… and when it cleared you were standing here in front of the booth instead. You moved in the blink of an eye.”

  “Interesting,” I muttered.

  “That’s all I get,” he responded, but he smiled.

  I laughed. “It lasted longer than a blink of an eye. You missed Rowan, the time traveling ghost.”

  His mouth dropped open. “I’m sorry, what?”

  I explained what had happened behind the blurring he saw – apparently of time and space, how weird was that?

  “Well, then, you have to stop investigating Catherine. And, you should probably talk to the mayor about her plans, too,” Tony concluded.

  I arched an eyebrow. “I appreciate the concern, but that isn’t going to happen.”

  “Is any investigation worth your life?”

  I touched his arm, shocked by the thrill that raced through me again. “You just met me, but trust me when I say this. Nobody scares me off a story.”

  “I don’t know,” Catherine interjected. “It’s not just your life at risk, but countless lives in the future.”

  “Maybe. According to the woman who just popped in and out of existence,” I argued, and glanced at Mia for support.

  She shrugged. “I’m not sure. I’ve been around hundreds of years. It’s not as long as you think.”

  “Okay, playing devil’s advocate,” Catherine began, “how certain are we that she’s from the future?”

  “She was wearing the typical Star Trek onesie-type outfit,” I offered with a smirk.

  Tony laughed at my joke, before catching himself with a scowl. Wow, he was really concerned about my safety.

  “In all seriousness, I am curious about Rowan and what she said, but there’s no way to verify anything. I’m not prepared to stop what I’m doing – or ask Barbara to do the same – on unverifiable information.” I looked at their faces; surely someone would see the logic of my argument and support me.

  Mia was wavering. She narrowed her eyes in thought. “I suppose we could do some research on anybody named Rowan Walsh, both on the internet and in the magical community.”

  “Now we’re talking,” I crowed, glad to have some support.

  “I’m not sure how successful we’ll be, though, if she’s telling the truth about being from the future,” Mia warned.

  “That’s okay, at least we’re trying something,” I insisted.

  “She didn’t say she agreed that you should continue the investigation,” Tony argued.

  I turned to Catherine, “You’re the Chosen One, right? Can’t you just save me from Rowan, if it comes down to it?”

  Catherine fidgeted. “I guess so?”

  I chuckled. “I’m just giving you a hard time.” I faced the group. “I don’t know what will happen, or not. But I don’t want to change what I’m doing on the say-so of someone who could simply be a deranged supernatural being. It’s not like we haven’t seen those before,” I added drily.

  “She’s right,” came a familiar voice. We all turned toward the back of the café where the sound originated.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  A blue-haired, blue-eyed being stood near the hallway leading to the bathrooms and the kitchen. She smiled an ethereal smile as she gazed upon us. I hadn’t met her before, but based on Barbara Knollman’s description, I knew who she was.

  “Please correct me if I’m wrong,” I turned to the group, waving my arm in a flourish, “but I believe this is Olivia Williams, archangel extraordinaire.”

  I had the mad thought of wondering whether she considered us like ants, scurrying, helpful, but ultimately squishable. She turned her magnetic blue eyes on me and I squirmed. I didn’t think the archangel could read minds, but who knew?

  “We’ve met,” she responded, her voice smooth and velvety. “Hi, Catherine, Mia.” She extended a hand to Tony. “You’re new.”

  “Tony,” he said, hesitating before grasping her hand. Her blue eyes twinkled at the hesitation.

  “It’s good you’re here, since you’re one of the beings who keeps saying I’m so important to the supernatural world. Right?” Catherine challenged the archangel.

  Olivia lifted her hands. “I only know what I know,” she responded cryptically.

  “I’m an empath, nobody special,” Catherine argued. “And now, Liz’s life and untold people’s lives in the future are at risk. Because of me.” Her voice thickened with unshed tears and I startled. I had no idea she was this upset.

  Olivia placed her hands onto Catherine’s shoulders. “You are so much more than you think.”

  “Wouldn’t it be easier if you just told us?” I asked with a sigh.

  Olivia wrinkled her nose at me. “Liz, isn’t this what you live for? Investigating? Would you really want me to tell you all the answers?”

  Her questions stumped me.

  “Are you kidding right now?” Catherine asked in exasperation. “No offense, Liz, but if Olivia can give us the answers, I, for one, want them.”

  I reddened. “Of course, if it can save lives…”

  “Unfortunately, it truly doesn’t work that way,” Olivia said.

  “Why not?” Catherine refused to let it go.

  Olivia shrugged. “That’s not how the universe works.”

  “The universe works in mysterious ways,” I offered with a wink.

  “That’s not quite what I mean, but that’ll do,” Olivia concurred.

  “Even if it can help us save lives,” Catherine said incredulously.

  “Catherine, maybe Olivia isn’t able to provide the answers we want,” Mia soothed.

  “Then why are you here?” I asked, not rancorously but out of genuine curiosity.

  The archangel laughed. “Changing timelines sugge
sted that you might choose not to continue on this path.”

  Gasps sounded at the statement, and even I was flummoxed. “Changing timelines? Is Rowan a time-traveling ghost?”

  “I’m here to remind you that things are not always as they appear.”

  “That’s not terribly helpful,” I responded and Olivia frowned at me. My insides quivered.

  “My goal in life is to be helpful, Liz.”

  “Point taken.”

  Olivia glanced around before continuing. “It’s important you don’t lose sight of your goals: investigating Catherine and supporting Barbara’s initiatives.”

  Tony, who’d been silent to this point, chimed in. “I’m with Catherine on this one. Is it worth all these lives to push forward with the investigation?”

  Olivia put her hands on her hips and glared at us like we were recalcitrant children. I guess even archangels can get fed up. “This is your choice. Remember though that you do not know what will happen if you choose not to go down this path. It may be worse.” Her pronouncement made, she vanished.

  “I hadn’t thought about that,” Catherine acknowledged.

  Mia shook her head. “That’s probably why Olivia can’t tell us much. If we believe that nothing is set in the timeline – or even that there are multiple timelines – anything she tells us could irrevocably change what will happen. Including for the worse.”

  “What if what she told us made things better?” Catherine argued, but I could see her heart wasn’t in it anymore.

  “We could talk in circles around this, scientifically, philosophically, whatever. It doesn’t matter. We aren’t getting additional information from Olivia, or anyone else.” I gulped a huge breath of air. “We need to decide what we’re going to do.”

  Thick white smoke swirled before us.

  “Oh, no. Not again,” I grumbled.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Rowan glared at us when the smoke cleared. “What are you doing?”

  “Talking,” I responded.

  “The timeline is doing weird things.”