Realm of Shadows

by Eldon Farrell

  Her reaction is noticeably stilted though; her arms remaining limp at her sides for several seconds before she brings them up in only a cursory gesture.

  Breaking his hold on her, Caleb rests his hands on her shoulders as he stares into her greenish-blue eyes. He is momentarily chilled by the emptiness found there before the joy of reunion pushes his doubts aside.

  “Lynne!” Wendy squeals in delight at his elbow as she turns her to face her. Throwing her arms around her neck Wendy holds on fiercely to her best friend. “I was so scared for you,” she shares.

  After a moment she pushes her back to arm’s length asking, “Why did you run from me? It was you on the street right?”

  Lynne remains reticent as she stands before them. She is a picture of despair. Her stringy auburn hair has been darkened by filth and hangs around her narrowing face. Her cheekbones have sunk as her waistline has shrunk.

  Her features were always petite but now seem anorexic in comparison. The contrast of how she looks now and how they remember her looking is painful to behold—speaking as it does of her torment and suffering.

  “Lynne,” Wendy says with a faltering smile, “Honey, say something.”

  “I…” Lynne starts, “I’m sorry.” Lowering her head, she begins to sob.

  “Hey,” Caleb steps in, “It’s OK. You’re OK. You’ve nothing to be sorry for.”

  Both of them hold her frail form close between them while she cries softly.

  “I take it you know each other,” Jing elucidates, “But again, what are any of you doing here?”

  “Who are you?” Ling Tran pulls her attention away from the stage to focus on Jing and Slade hovering near the door.

  “My name is Jing Bai,” he replies, “I am the CEO of Black Creek Consulting and in charge of this investigation; my associate, Major Samuel Slade. So one more time; why are any of you still here?”

  “Head of the snake is more like it mate,” Chase mutters under his breath.

  At the rear of the cafeteria Cole and Jeremy exchange a look upon hearing Jing’s occupation. Recognizing the fear in Jeremy’s eyes, Cole holds a hand up cautioning him to remain calm.

  “I’m FBI Special Agent Li Ling Tran,” she explains, “I came here with my partner Caleb Fine to find her—Lynne Bosworth.”

  “I know that name,” Cole speaks up, “Lynne Bosworth was taken by…oh God.”

  “Oh God,” Jeremy repeats, “Oh God what?”

  Cole stares at Ling Tran and identifies the truth of what he knows in her expression. A flash of lightning illuminates the courtyard outside as he states, “The Toymaker took her. If she’s here then the Toymaker is here on this island.”

  The room falls silent until Jeremy can be heard repeating, “Omigod, Omigod, Omigod,” as he rocks back and forth in his seat.

  “It’s going to be fine sir,” Ling Tran tries unsuccessfully to comfort him; “You’ll be safe here.”

  “You’ve an odd definition of safe lady,” Chase comments.

  “Enough!” Slade’s commanding voice thunders throughout the room. Pointing a finger at Ling Tran he growls, “If you and your partner are here for her what about the rest of you?” Shifting his gaze to Clay he demands, “Starting with you.”

  “Lawrence Clayton,” setting his sandwich aside he answers, “I’m part of the CDC envoy. Along with my partner, Wendy Rojas, on stage there we were here to investigate the cause of the disappearance.”

  “Why didn’t you evacuate?” Jing asks.

  “Why didn’t you?” Clay smiles thinly. “As you can see,” he motions to the stage, “Wendy is quite close to Lynne; if she was here we weren’t leaving without her.”

  His eyes sliding over Chase, Slade settles on Cole and Jeremy in the shadows beneath the mezzanine. “And you two?” he snarls.

  “Guess you don’t want me saying why I’m here huh mate?”

  Slade glares at the smug expression on Chase’s face. His own expression is full of vitriol and is sufficient to make Chase look away. Returning his attention to Cole he watches as Jeremy stares like a deer caught in the headlights.

  “We’re from the New York Times,” Cole speaks up, “Cole Hewitt and Jeremy Creed. We snuck out here to get to the truth behind the disappearances.”

  “Reporters,” Slade hisses the word like it were poison on his tongue.

  From up on stage, his arm still protectively around Lynne’s shoulder, Caleb says, “Enough about us. Why didn’t you two leave?”

  Jing smiles conciliatorily at him. “We simply waited too long and missed the boat.”

  “Convenient,” Chase mumbles.

  “Do you know of anyone else who is still here?” Ling Tran questions Jing.

  With a nod he answers, “My son is in the building with a few other Black Creek employees, but other than that, the island should be empty.”

  “Cept for the homicidal maniac that is,” Chase quips.

  “We’ll just wait out the storm in here,” Ling declares, “The Toymaker won’t be out in this so we don’t have to worry about him. Everyone will be safe here.”

  “What if he’s already in the school?”

  Glancing over at Clay, Ling responds, “That’s highly unlikely.”

  The doors under the mezzanine open and all eyes turn to George Dore as he saunters in. “Whoa,” he mutters upon seeing the motley collection of souls, “I miss something?”

  Winds over 100 miles an hour lash the exterior of the school as Fiona moves further over the island. Lightning scores the sky every few seconds illuminating the landscape in an ethereal blue.

  Inside the cafeteria, the mood of the huddled masses is spread between frightened (Jeremy cowering in a corner, Clay sitting quietly in the center of the room), defiant (Chase and Slade glowering at each other), elated (Wendy and Caleb fawning over Lynne), and straight-up worried (Ling Tran and Jing, though for differing reasons).

  Cole can tell all of this at just a glance. But that’s not all he can tell. Steeling himself he stands up and heads toward the stage. There’s something he has to share with Caleb.

  As he walks he can feel eyes crawling all over him. A loud crack of thunder explodes outside the walls briefly distracting those within them long enough for Cole to ascend the steps up to the stage.

  “Can we talk Agent Fine?” he asks, “In private.”

  Caleb catches the seriousness in his tone and nods his acquiescence. Leaving Lynne with Wendy, he follows Cole backstage. As he does he notices both Jing and Slade staring at them as their heads are bent together in hushed discussion.

  “It’s Cole right?” Caleb extends a hand in proper greeting, “What can I do for you?”

  With a final glance back out on stage, Cole turns to him saying, “I realize that you don’t know me and will have little reason to believe what I’m about to say to you, especially since you’re probably not going to like hearing it but, I have to say it anyway.

  “You must be very good at your job Agent Fine, to have tracked the Toymaker down to this place. So I’m confused, if you’re good enough to do that how come you’re not good enough to see something’s wrong here?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I can tell that you really love the lady out there,” Cole continues, “But if you can put that aside for a moment and look at things untarnished, it doesn’t add up. She was taken more than a month ago right? Why is she still alive? Why does she appear to be completely unharmed? How is it she just happened to escape from him now?

  “These are questions that need to be answered Agent Fine. For the sake of all our safety you need to put these questions to her. Because from where I stand right now, something is amiss; her being here feels wrong.”

  His mouth tightens into a thin line as Caleb responds, “I appreciate that you’re concerned Cole but just because you report the news doesn’t mean you know all there is to know about it. Like my partner said, you’re safe here from the Toymaker.”

  “All due respect Agent—that’s bullshit. N
either of you know for certain where he is so you can’t say we’re safe here. Why don’t you ask your girlfriend where he is? She might know.”

  Narrowing his eyes, Caleb asks abruptly, “Are you suggesting that the Toymaker would go outside in a Category 5 hurricane just to get to us?”

  Pointing toward the stage Cole hammers at him, “How did she get to us? It doesn’t add up Agent Fine no matter how much you want it to. She knows more than you think she does and if you’re not going to ask the tough questions than I will.”

  “No you won’t Cole,” Caleb lowers his voice as he moves closer to him, “She’s been through more than you could possibly imagine and I’m not going to let you put her through anymore just because you’re scared.

  “We’re going to wait the storm out and then my partner and I will get everyone off this island safely and deal with the Toymaker ourselves. Now go back out there and stay the hell away from Lynne.”

  Hearing the conviction in his voice, Cole takes two steps back saying, “This isn’t right Agent Fine, and it’s on you if you’re wrong about her.”

  “Lynne,” Wendy takes her hands in her own offering a warm smile. Rubbing the back of her hands she asks, “Can we talk?”

  Raising her wary eyes to meet Wendy’s compassionate gaze, Lynne simply nods her agreement.

  “Talk honey,” Wendy risks a joke, “You remember—with words.”

  After close to half a minute ticks by, Lynne mutters, “I remember.”

  “How did you get away?”

  She doesn’t look at her as much as stare through her as she says, “I…I haven’t.”

  Confused, Wendy affirms, “Of course you have. He’s not holding you anymore. You’re safe. You know that right?”

  The howl of the wind punctuates their conversation. Glancing over at the door to the hallway and the courtyard beyond, Wendy watches as rain is splattered against the windows.

  Turning back to Lynne she watches for any recognizable sign of her friend.

  This is more than just fear. She’s never been like this. Even after her father passed she was never this morose—this withdrawn. What has he done to you to make you such a shell of yourself?

  You’ve always been strong—stronger than anyone I’ve ever known. Way stronger than me. What happened here?

  Or am I being unrealistic? Can I really expect her to be perfectly normal after spending a month alone with that monster? She’s alive and that’s what counts. Sure it’s going to take time for her to recover—for her to get back to being herself again—but I know she will.

  Seeing her lips move, Wendy realizes that she’s said something that she missed. “What was that honey?”

  With a faraway gaze Lynne repeats, “None of us are safe.”

  More than the words themselves, the detached weight of her voice, grips Wendy with an icy chill.

  To see her hurting and know there’s nothing that she can really do to help is a stabbing wound to her own heart. Squeezing her hand she wants to repeat that everything is going to be fine but looking into Lynne’s eyes she finds in their depths a glimpse of the horrible truth and can’t bring herself to utter the words.

  It’s not going to be fine. It’s never going to be fine.

  Chapter 38

  “Hey,” Ling Tran waves toward Caleb, indicating for him to follow her.

  With a smile at Lynne, he takes the steps down off the stage and follows her into the kitchen, moving past Chase and Clay talking quietly amongst themselves.

  “What’s up?” he asks when they’re somewhat alone.

  “I was wondering that myself,” she says, “What’s your take on things?”

  “My take?”

  “Yeah,” she nods toward the cafeteria, “This group; think we can keep them calm?”

  Caleb considers this for a moment before answering. “I think so. I know Wendy will be in our corner and I presume her partner will back her up. The reporters we can handle no problem. I don’t know much about Chase so he’s a wild card, but he seems isolated and unlikely to cause much trouble.

  “The only real problem I see is the military types. There’s something about Jing that I don’t trust; could be the company he keeps.”

  “Yeah, the Major doesn’t strike me as the honest type. And I think there’s definitely something going on between him and Chase that we may need to be concerned about.”

  “Yeah maybe,” Caleb concedes, “But as long as we keep everyone on an even keel until after Fiona passes, we’ll be all right.”

  “How are you holding up?”

  Smiling he answers, “I thought we had an agreement about that?”

  “Humor me.”

  “Never better. Little sore from the storm but, we found Lynne so…”

  “Technically she found us.”

  “She’s found is the important thing.”

  “And what about all that talk about this being a trap?” Ling presses, “Do you still believe that?”

  Caleb shrugs, “I’m sure the bastard had a trap in mind but Lynne obviously escaped before he could spring it.”

  “You going to bet on that?” Ling frets, “You don’t find it a little convenient that after being held over a month that she just now managed to escape?”

  Biting the tip of his tongue, Caleb asks, “What are you saying?”

  With a nod, Ling puckers her lips as she inquires, “How is she doing? You left her out of your assessment of the group.”

  “She’s fine,” he asserts confidently.

  “You’re that convinced huh?”

  “Why wouldn’t I be?” Caleb starts getting a little short saying, “Jesus Ling; what have you been talking to that reporter or something?”

  She furrows her brow at him in response and he continues, “Listen, you and I know intimately what Heath’s victims end up like—that said, Lynne is doing great.”

  “But that’s just it Caleb,” Ling contends, “There isn’t a noticeable mark on her; so what has he been doing with her for all this time? How exactly did she escape or did he just let her go? We need to answer these questions Caleb because despite what I said to everyone else to keep them calm—we both know Heath could well be lurking somewhere inside this school.”

  “Forget it Ling,” Caleb snaps, “She may not have the physical marks but I assure you this was an ordeal for her. She’s traumatized and is going to need time to get over it before she’s in any position to recall what happened. I’m not going to allow anyone to interrogate her in her present condition.”

  “And how do you know your love for her isn’t the trap?”

  The question momentarily takes Caleb aback. Running his hand over his short black hair he replies, “Heath is certifiably fucking nuts but even he isn’t going to be out hunting in a hurricane. Wherever he is on this island; it isn’t here.”

  “How can you stand there and so confidently say that when you have no way of knowing if it’s true or not?”

  Growing increasingly agitated Caleb retorts, “Why would he be here? Of all the places he could hide on this island why would he choose this place when it’s crawling with Black Creek types? This was their base of operations Ling; it doesn’t make any sense for him to be here.”

  “Unless he was hunting them.”

  “Look, we’re just going around in circles here.”

  “And the way out of that is to talk to Lynne and find out what she knows.”

  “She doesn’t know anything!” Caleb barks drawing glances from out in the cafeteria. Lowering his voice he accuses, “You know…you’ve had it in for Lynne since day one but this…nonsense is a new low. She’s a victim in all this and you and that quack reporter want to treat her like the enemy.

  “Well no, I’m not going to let that happen. I’m not going to let paranoia fuel our decisions. We’re safe here until the storm passes and help can arrive. Wherever Heath is he can’t get to her—or us—now.”

  Before she can protest further they hear the door to the cafeteria ope
ning and Chase yelling out, “Tyler! What they do to you mate?”

  “Tyler?” Ling questions.

  Sighing heavily Caleb turns back to the cafeteria to investigate the commotion muttering, “Now what?”

  Chase rushes over to the five new additions to the group. Reaching Tyler he takes him by the arm, supporting his weight just as his legs go out from under him.

  Exchanging looks with Cummings, he leads Tyler over to a table where he can sit down.

  Behind Cummings are two Black Creek soldiers and between them the diminutive form of Hong Bai. Ushering Hong towards his father Cummings says, “Your son as requested.”

  “Least you can do something right,” Slade sneers at him.

  “I should have guessed,” Caleb declares as he approaches Cummings, “I should’ve known you were involved in this somehow.”

  Seeing him approaching, Cummings smiles as he says, “Why Agent Fine, how nice to see you again.”

  “Wish I could say the same General Cummings,” Caleb waves his arms out to the side, “So which one of your science experiments got loose this time?”

  “Ah,” Cummings remarks, “I do enjoy your wild imagination Agent Fine.”

  From the rear of the cafeteria Cole charges out of the gloom. He rushes headlong for Cummings and before anyone can react is taking a swing at him. The punch though is uncoordinated and easily avoided.

  Immediately a soldier steps forward and nails Cole with a hard right cross, staggering him backward but not knocking him from his feet.

  “Hey!” Caleb shouts stepping between the soldier and Cole.

  Angry Cole lunges for Cummings again only to be held back by Caleb. “Knock it off!”

  Seeing him grimace and hearing the catch in his voice, Ling Tran rushes to her partner’s side to offer aid. Grabbing Cole by the arm she orders, “Cool it or I’ll have you in cuffs.”

  “You’ll have me in cuffs?” Cole spits up a glob of blood from his split lip as he says, “You should be cuffing him!”