The Double Human

by James O'Neal

  He ran through the hallway calling Mari’s name.

  He wasn’t sure what he might find but darted into Mari’s office. He looked over her desk for a note or some hint where she had gone. There was nothing. He slammed a fist into the desk and stood up.

  As he headed out the door he noted a series of photographs on the wall. He used his hand light to illuminate them better. The first one was Mari, the second one was an older black woman and the third one was a man in a workshirt by a workbench. He looked at the man with graying hair and knew it was Leonard. He also recognized him as the man who he asked where the Dadicek’s house was. He knew exactly where the Vampire lived.

  Leonard Hall walked deliberately out his back door and followed the exact path that Mari had taken. Her sunken footprints in the soggy ground were easy to follow. He realized she had crossed the small pedestrian bridge and was surprised she would elect to go back into the wilderness like that.

  She couldn’t be allowed to tell everyone who he really was and what he had done. He pulled out his German army knife and worked the spike out into position.

  He crossed the bridge slowly, using what little light remained to see if he could spot the terrified teacher.

  Mari’s whole body had started to shake when she crouched in the shadow of a sprawling cypress tree. She wasn’t cold or even completely wet yet. She was scared and knew it. Who wouldn’t be with a killer searching for them? She could clearly see the house and Leonard as he casually walked out and started following the same route she had. He hesitated at the bridge. How did he know where she had gone?

  She watched in horror as he pulled out a tool and unfolded it. It didn’t take a telescope to see it was a weapon of some kind. How could she have been so wrong about someone? She thought God had sent Leonard to help her run the school and keep her safe. God had not sent Leonard.

  She debated fleeing deeper into the Everglades as Leonard crossed the narrow footbridge. The only issue was if she could stay hidden in the dark shadow or if Leonard would see her when she started to move.

  She looked around for an escape route. When she turned back around she saw the outline of Leonard against the rising moon and clouds.

  Without thinking, she screamed.

  FORTY-NINE

  Tom Wilner burst into the house where Leonard Hall lived. He had his pistol up and was moving through the house quickly to use what element of surprise he had.

  He stopped in the living room when he saw a body on the ground. A quick look told him it wasn’t Mari and that the woman was dead. He continued through the house before coming back to the body.

  He stooped and examined the corpse. She was an attractive woman but he couldn’t tell her age. He took a close look at the wound on her neck. It was definitely the work of the Vampire and now he was certain Leonard Hall, or whatever his name, was the killer the locals called the Vampire. His next question was if he was a Simolit or Halleck. Fifty years was a long time.

  But before any of those questions could be answered he had to find the man.

  There were lights on when he arrived and the door was unlocked. Someone had just been here. The way he parked and approached the house didn’t give them a chance to see him coming. But where had they gone?

  As he looked around the kitchen behind the living room he heard a woman’s scream. He jerked his head up and just caught a glimpse of someone across the river. He knew the scream came from Mari.

  Mari had pushed through the thick brush into the ankle-deep water at the edge of the Everglades. She had lost sight of Leonard but knew he was close by. The sounds of the great swamp made her jump and flinch as she changed directions several times. Finally she realized the depth of her disorientation.

  The deep, ominous croak of a large alligator made her freeze. Something slithered across her foot. She jumped and let out a quick yelp. She was mad at herself. She knew she couldn’t afford to give away her position to Leonard. It was dark enough back here but every step splashed water and she had no idea how to escape. The idea of being grabbed by one of the aggressive gators terrified her as much as Leonard.

  Mari found solid ground and realized it was a path up to a wider open field. She trudged up the path and once on higher ground she could look down the wide path and see the back of Leonard’s house. Now she knew where to go. She hoped Leonard was still searching for her in the brush.

  Mari started to run back toward the house, her heart pounding. Then, about twenty feet in front of her, she saw the outline of a man and slid to a stop.

  It was too late to dive back into the bushes and water. She was trapped and knew it. She felt sick to her stomach. She now knew what it meant to be frozen in fear.

  Steve Besslia looked over the scene as a crew of district maintenance men moved a big truck that vacuumed up most of the trash and debris in quick, easy passes. Aside from the destroyed structure of the restaurant and three burned-out cars there was no way to tell a riot had ever occurred. The bodies of the jihadists and the four people killed in the riot had already been through the medical examiner’s office and then incinerated. The border crossings were all fully manned by the National Guard again.

  Now his mind could focus on his friend Wilner and his mission inside the zone. He knew the combat marine with experience in two wars could take care of himself but he still worried about him.

  A black hive pulled up next to Besslia and the UPF commander appeared on the driver’s side. He called to Besslia as he hustled around to him. “You did one hell of a job here, Besslia.”

  “Thanks, boss.”

  “Why don’t you sound happy about it?”

  “I’m worried about Wilner.”

  The UPF commander surprised him as he considered the comment then said, “Yeah, me too.”

  “Things are almost wrapped up here, you want me to check on him?”

  “I’ve tried to raise him on the V-com but the shielding over the zone won’t let the call through.”

  “I’ll go check the school and poke around for him if you want.”

  The commander shook his head. “I can’t risk my best men down there at the same time. He’s a big boy. He’ll be fine.”

  Besslia stared at his boss. He didn’t know what surprised him more; the praise or leaving Wilner on his own

  Mari regained her wits as she kept her eyes in front of her. As she was about to dart into the swamp to her right she heard the croak of an alligator again. This one was close. Right about where she had intended to jump into the brush.

  Then she heard, “Mari!”

  It wasn’t Leonard’s voice.

  “Tom,” she shouted as she ran toward him. She felt his embrace and started to weep.

  He hugged her then released it. She stepped back and saw he had his pistol in his hand.

  “How’d you find me?”

  “Long story, I’ll impress you with it later. Now let’s get back to my car.”

  “So you know about Leonard?”

  “He’s the Vampire.”

  “I am impressed.”

  Wilner took her hand and started to lead her back. He had his pistol out in front of him and swung it in all directions as they carefully moved forward.

  The alligator croaked again.

  Then, as they passed a thicket of brush and trees, a figure burst out toward them. Mari could see a flash of metal in the weak light.

  Wilner shoved her away from the attack.

  She heard him grunt and saw that he had squared off with the attacker.

  They moved and she could see Leonard with an odd-looking knife in his right hand. Tom Wilner had retreated a few steps and was holding his right arm, trying to stem the flow of blood from his forearm.

  In the attack, Leonard had cut Wilner’s arm and caused him to drop his pistol. Now Wilner was doing everything he could to stay between her and the killer.

  FIFTY

  Tom Wilner crouched with both hands out. The gash on his right arm was bleeding freely so he had lost mos
t of his grip, but the arm could be used to fend off another blow from the heavy combat knife in Leonard’s hand. Behind him he could hear Mari gasping each time the blade swished through the air. Then something flew past his shoulder, causing Leonard to leap to one side.

  Mari was throwing rocks to distract the killer. That girl could think under pressure, an ability that Wilner greatly admired.

  Wilner had retreated so far from the first attack that he couldn’t even see where his pistol had landed. Now he needed time to reach for his own knife in his front pocket. He turned quickly to Mari and said, “Keep throwing things at him.”

  He waited until another rock whizzed past him then reached for his pocket.

  Leonard expected the rock this time, dodged it, then managed to gouge Wilner in the right arm again.

  The UPF detective returned to his defensive posture. As he backed up the ground became less stable and he could feel his feet start to splash in shallow water.

  A tree limb swung past him then Mari stepped up, swinging wildly. This time Wilner stuffed his aching right hand into his pocket, felt the folding combat knife but was unable to close his hand around it.

  Leonard slipped a strike with the tree limb and got his left hand around it. He jerked it hard out of Mari’s hands.

  Wilner looked at the man’s face and realized that he was enjoying this. He didn’t want to rush things. He could’ve slashed Mari but didn’t. Instead he stood there grinning at the two of them like one of the alligators in the swamp eyeing his next meal.

  Wilner took the break to confront him with the truth

  “I know who you are, Leonard Nelson. Or is it Dawson?”

  Leonard froze. He considered the accusation and answered, “I forgot I was them too. That’s some good detective work.”

  “I know what you are too.”

  Now Leonard smiled and said, “I’m not really a vampire, that’s just what those people call me.”

  “But you’re a Simolit.”

  “A what?”

  “A Halleck?”

  “Huh?”

  Wilner wondered if Leonard didn’t realize what he really was. Perhaps he was like Wilner’s own children; raised by humans and unaware of his own abilities.

  Leonard lowered his knife and said, “What are you talking about?”

  Wilner could see Mari creeping up to hear the whole conversation. Somewhere close by an alligator croaked and splashed in the water.

  Then Wilner asked, “How old are you?”

  Leonard didn’t hesitate. “I’m sixty-five.”

  Wilner thought about that and suddenly everything became clear. “That’s why the Pompano cops didn’t question you much. You were only a kid.”

  Leonard cocked his head. “Only a kid when?”

  “When you murdered Mary Harris.”

  Leonard was silent.

  Wilner let his right hand ease toward his pocket while Leonard seemed so distracted.

  Leonard said, “The girl on the seawall.”

  Wilner nodded.

  “I was fifteen. No one suspected me. They just asked questions because I was down at the water a lot. I did it before I knew what was happening.”

  “What about the others since?”

  “Those I did on purpose.”

  “For the last fifty years?”

  Leonard didn’t respond.

  “Then you’re human.”

  “Yes, of course. What else could I be?”

  Before Wilner had to formulate an answer, Mari said, “A demon who preys on people.”

  Wilner now had his right hand in his pocket again. “You were just a kid. You could’ve gotten help.”

  “I could’ve, but no one cared. All my father wanted to do was keep the fact that he and my mom were brother and sister quiet. I wasn’t allowed to socialize with anyone. Turns out I’m better off for it.”

  Wilner could see how agitated the killer was becoming.

  Leonard said, “I’ve never been arrested and I’m not going to be tonight.”

  All Wilner said was, “I know,” as he drew and flicked open his own knife.

  Leonard had to listen to the cop and his gibberish about being something other than human. Was this guy crazy? It was confusing.

  As Leonard was about to raise the knife again and go after the cop and Mari with renewed purpose, the cop scooted backward and flicked his hand, making a folding knife open to a long, deadly looking combat blade.

  This was a new wrinkle but it excited Leonard.

  Wilner felt like he had a chance now as he shifted the combat knife from his right to his uninjured left hand. He left his right hand up for defense. Blood dripped and spewed down his arm, dribbling off his elbow as he feinted and dodged in a deadly game.

  Now the water was deeper but Leonard was bogged down in it as well.

  Wilner blocked a blow with his right forearm and was able to lay a solid slash across Leonard’s side. Instantly blood stained the man’s T-shirt and started dripping into the murky water. Wilner didn’t rejoice much since he had lost a lot more blood than Leonard.

  The crazy dance of feints and jabs continued with Wilner landing two slashes across Leonard’s right thigh. Even at dusk Wilner could see the man’s jeans darken as blood pumped out of the deep wound.

  Leonard rushed Wilner and they locked in a mutual embrace, empty hands holding the other man’s knife hand.

  They tumbled into the deeper water and thrashed around. Wilner tried to dunk Leonard and hold him under the water. Leonard managed a light slash across Wilner’s left arm as they separated and squared off again.

  Wilner had lost track of where Mari was but he hoped she was safe and using the time he was buying to flee back to the house.

  Wilner also noticed how winded he was getting sloshing around in the water. He knew it was a combination of loss of blood and extra effort. He could only hope Leonard felt the same way.

  Wilner backed away from swipe after swipe of Leonard’s long, sharp blade. Suddenly he felt the ground slope sharply and realized they had fought to the precipice of a deep pond here at the edge of the Everglades.

  Leonard followed until he lost his balance on the sloping pond bank.

  Wilner had crept around until he was in knee-deep water and Leonard was in deeper water, almost to his hips. The UPF cop saw his advantage and knew he had to keep Leonard in the deeper water where he couldn’t maneuver as well and expended a great deal more energy. Wilner also hoped his wounds would start to catch up to him.

  The water was red with the blood from both men and Wilner dodged from side to side, keeping Leonard in the deeper water. Something hard and heavy slipped over Wilner’s foot, then a second later, it clipped his ankle.

  As he tried to process what kind of animal could’ve just brushed him, the water erupted in white splashes as a giant alligator’s head broke the surface of the water like a missile and clutched Leonard’s arm, twisting him around completely.

  Then Leonard was free and reaching for help from the taller cop.

  Wilner stumbled backward, trying to get away from the area.

  As Leonard started to wade forward the water behind him swirled and Leonard was yanked hard off his feet. He was jerked underwater and the water bubbled and started turning pink.

  By the time the alligator’s death roll was over and the water quiet again, Wilner was back up near the trail and saw no hint of the man that many just called the Vampire.

  FIFTY-ONE

  Tom Wilner had never liked hospitals. During the Second Iranian War he had visited too many buddies who never got out. But after all he had been through he didn’t mind the quiet room at the district’s main hospital. It had been a long time since he watched video broadcasts other than news.

  In the last two days he had seen a couple of newer movies, a lot of old movies, as well as more news than he ever thought he could stomach.

  Sandwiched between seemingly endless reports on the Urailian ship and the negotiations with Germany
about withdrawal, was a short, inaccurate story on a freak fire at the southern edge of the district that had left several dead. No mention of the civil disturbance was ever made.

  Over the past few days Wilner occasionally saw images of the violence or of the alligator snatching Leonard whenever he closed his eyes. Just like the violent images of war had faded from his dreams over time he felt sure the same would happen to his current plague of nightmares.

  He was safe and would make a full recovery with only some scars on his arm and chest. His children were safe and Mari had not been harmed by the deceptive and prolific killer who had been named, the Vampire.

  He had just picked up a magazine that covered current events when the door to his room opened a crack.

  He looked up, then smiled at the face of his daughter, Emma, poking around the open door. Then Tommy stepped out from behind her.

  They raced to his bedside, Tommy jumping up and jostling the stitches in his chest. He didn’t care.

  Steve Besslia stepped in behind them with a broad smile on his face. He lifted his arm to usher in someone and Mari Saltis appeared as if by magic.

  Wilner visited with his children as Mari watched until a nurse asked if they wanted to see the pet sheep the hospital staff kept in an open side of the hospital. The nurse explained that sick children liked touching real sheep since there weren’t many around anymore.

  As soon as they had followed the nurse out, Mari stepped up and clasped Wilner’s hand. Besslia stood on the other side of his bed, still smiling.

  “How’d you get her across, Steve?”

  “I’m a detective now. Those border guards do whatever I say.” He looked out the window at the dull sky. “Hey, I’ll be back in a little while. I haven’t seen a real sheep in years.” The newest UPF detective headed out the door, shooting a thumbs-up to Mari and Wilner.

  Mari smiled as she looked down at Wilner. She stood holding his unbandaged hand for a full ten minutes without saying a word. That suited Wilner fine.