by Alex Siegel
"Phoebe," she said.
Charley smiled encouragingly. "I'm sure you've already answered a lot of questions, but I need you to answer them again. Tell me exactly what happened."
"You'll think I'm crazy." Phoebe grimaced.
"I absolutely won't. Just talk to me."
Phoebe hesitated.
"Please," Charley said.
Phoebe finally nodded. "I saw a... thing on the street. It came from the fire station. It had a dozen heads and twenty arms, and they were waving around. I recognized the faces from people in town. Do you believe me?"
"Yes. Go on."
"It attacked Old Man Gladden. The monster pounced like a big cat, and he dropped dead right in front of my eyes. I tried to run, but my legs wouldn't move. A terrible cold came over me. I was sure I was going to die."
Charley's eyes widened. "Then what happened?"
"A man came out of the fire station, a stranger. He yelled at the monster, and it chased after him instead. He saved my life. He ran up the road, and the thing followed him."
"What did the stranger look like?"
"Shaved head," Phoebe said, "and young. Kind of tall. A bit of a foreign look to him. He had a black scarf which really caught my eye. I can't remember the last time I saw a guy wear a scarf, and his was nice."
"A scarf?" Charley glanced at Andrew.
Serkan, he thought. What was he doing here?
"Yes," Phoebe said.
"Which way did he go?" Charley asked.
"North."
Charley stood up. "He may still be out there! Come on!"
She jogged out of the church. Andrew, Dan, and Williams hurried to keep up with her. There was only one road that went north, so they didn't have to guess which way.
Andrew couldn't believe Serkan was the one responsible for the disaster. He had seemed like a very cool guy. There had to be a reasonable explanation.
Everybody was walking north at a quick pace when Williams said, "Wait! Stop."
The group turned to him.
"What?" Charley said.
"We need to check the morgue first. One of the bodies might be Serkan."
Williams looked at a grassy field behind a general store. About thirty corpses were arranged in a neat grid, and blue sheets covered them. Investigators were examining the bodies and taking notes.
Andrew gulped.
"Come on," Williams said.
State troopers were keeping civilians out of the field, but Williams used his badge to get past them. He and Dan watched while Andrew and Charley peeked at the faces under the sheets.
Andrew tried not to think about what he was doing. He didn't know the victims. They weren't his family or friends. He could just pretend the bodies were very realistic mannequins instead of people. Their contorted expressions meant nothing.
He lost his sense of detachment when he came to a pretty, young woman with blonde hair.
"Damn it," he muttered.
Charley stared at the victim's face. "Jennifer Lemay."
Williams and Dan came over.
"Well," Dan said, "we now know for a fact Serkan was here, and he brought his girlfriend."
Andrew threw back his head and stared at the sky. He had never met Jennifer in life, but he knew her story. She wasn't just another anonymous victim.
Charley grabbed his hand. "Calm down. It's OK."
"How is any part of this OK?" Andrew looked at her. "As far as I can tell, we are as far from OK as you can get. It's safe to say this is the opposite of OK."
"Let's just do our job."
When did looking at corpses become my job? he wondered. Can I quit?
Andrew and Charley checked the rest of the bodies but didn't find Serkan among them. Andrew felt relieved. There was a good chance Serkan was alive which meant he could explain himself. Andrew still couldn't believe Serkan was a bad guy.
The group went back to the road and continued their journey north. They walked as quickly as they could.
"I have a theory," Williams said between breaths.
"What?" Andrew said.
"Serkan discovered this seam during his travels and kept it a secret. He brought Jennifer here so he could impress her with real sorcery. He knew she would go crazy for that sort of thing. She was into witchcraft, and he was into her. The spell went horribly wrong."
"No!" Charley said. "Impossible. Serkan is much too skilled to accidently create a banshee. He would never hide a seam or break all the rules just to show off for a girl. That's not the man we met in Chicago."
"How do you know?" Williams said. "You only spent one evening with him."
She clenched her jaw and stared straight ahead.
They left the excitement in the village behind. With just a light breeze stirring the leaves, the world became quiet. Tall, straight trees stood close together on both sides of the narrow road.
Andrew felt a flicker of energy.
"Wait!" he said. "I sense him!"
Charley stopped and closed her eyes. "Yes!" She pointed into the forest. "That way!"
The group ran into the forest. Their footsteps crushed the twigs and dead leaves which covered the ground.
They had travelled a few hundred yards when Andrew spotted a man in a black scarf. He had a stylish, dark green jacket. He was sitting propped up against a tree and not moving.
"Serkan!" Andrew yelled.
The group broke into a sprint. Serkan's eyes were open, but he was staring straight ahead fixedly. Andrew suddenly had an awful feeling.
They arrived at the body.
Dan checked Serkan's pulse. "He's dead," Dan reported grimly.
Andrew exhaled. He couldn't believe it.
"No." Charley shook her head.
"He must've come out here to draw the banshee away from the village," Andrew said softly. "He sacrificed his own life."
"But we felt his energy. He can't be dead!"
Movement deep in the forest caught his attention. He stared into the shadows. Something was out there.
"It wasn't his energy," Andrew murmured.
Charley faced the forest. "The banshee."
His first instinct was to run like hell, but then he decided he was too angry. He had seen too many corpses. It was time for some payback.
He grabbed Charley's hand. "Let's kill it."
"Are you crazy?" She tried to shake him off. "Serkan couldn't handle that thing. What chance do we have?"
"It hasn't fed in a while, and it will be weak. We have to make sure there are no more victims."
Her eyes were wide with fear.
"Tonya showed us the technique," Andrew said, "We just need to believe in ourselves. Charley, you and I have all the talent in the world. We can do this."
"But..."
"We'll do it together."
Charley calmed down. Her expression hardened into a look of utter determination.
"You're right. It's our duty."
That's my girl, Andrew thought.
She turned to Dan and Williams. "If I were you," she said calmly, "I'd be running for your lives."
The BPI agents glanced at each other. They sprinted away as fast as their legs could carry them.
Andrew faced the woods. The banshee emerged, and the sight disturbed him even more than he had expected. The monster was an amalgamation of all the minds it had consumed. It had arms, legs, and heads sticking out at odd angles. It shambled and staggered like a drunk. The sound was like a hundred voices screaming at once.
"We're right here," Andrew yelled. "Two nice, juicy sorcerers ready to be gobbled up."
Charley squeaked. "Andrew..."
"Focus." He squeezed her hand. "Control. No fear."
He felt a chill. The banshee was already starting to drain his energy, and it wasn't even close. Andrew's knees wobbled.
He cleared his mind and became as serene as a frozen pond. He would give the monster nothing to feed on.
He heard Charley taking deep, slow breaths.
The banshee got clo
ser, and Andrew saw pieces of Serkan in the mass of appendages. Jennifer's face also appeared occasionally. The lovers are together in death, Andrew thought.
The monster was a true horror show. It didn't belong in this world, and Andrew wanted nothing more than to destroy it.
Even though he was using every trick he knew to protect himself, the drain on his energy grew worse. He began to shiver uncontrollably. Charley sounded like she was struggling to catch her breath.
"It's too strong," she said in a hoarse voice. "This was a mistake. I can't feel my legs."
"Dig deep. Be the aggressor instead of the victim."
"I'm trying." She sounded scared.
"Try harder, and don't be afraid."
Andrew also tried harder. He had got Charley into this mess, and he would get her out. He wasn't about to let an overgrown sprite take the life of someone he cared so deeply about.
Andrew reached down and found a place inside where even the banshee couldn't touch him. It was an inner fortress he hadn't known he possessed. The stone walls were impervious, and towers reached to the sky. Absolute peace and quiet gave him an opportunity to regain his focus and quench his distracting emotions. He rested for a timeless moment. He would remember this place and come back to it the next time he was in trouble.
When he was ready, his attention turned outward, and he attacked.
"Now you die!" he screamed.
Andrew sucked energy out of the banshee like it was a seam. After several days without any sorcery, he was starved for power. He allowed his appetite to take over completely.
The banshee wailed in pain.
The sound pushed Andrew to new heights of aggression. He sensed Charley joining the fight, and even though she was a little late, he was glad for the support. Together, they ripped the banshee apart.
It wailed one last time and then exploded. All the memories it had stolen sprayed outwards. Most were lost, but Andrew caught some fragments. He saw scenes from the lives of the banshee's victims as if they were his own. The kaleidoscope of images and emotion was too much to handle, so Andrew cleared his mind and tried to calm down.
He turned to Charley. She was breathing hard and flushed, but she had a proud grin on her face.
"We kicked its ass," he said.
"No," she said, "you kicked its ass. You're amazing."
She grabbed his head and kissed him on the lips. He was so surprised, he just stood there. His shock wore off at the exact moment she pulled away. He was left gasping.
Charley looked down at Serkan's corpse. "Poor guy," she said softly. "He can rest in peace now."
The sudden change in mood caught Andrew off-guard. He was still trying to get over that kiss.
Seeing Serkan's face revived memories in Andrew that weren't his own. Remnants of Serkan had made the journey through the banshee and into Andrew. He recalled childhood visits to Turkey, and he remembered lessons taught by Keene.
Andrew also had a clear recollection of Serkan performing sorcery in the fire station while Jennifer watched. The two lovers had snuck in through a back door even though the station was occupied. The spell had spiraled totally out of control, and Serkan had been forced to take desperate measures.
"Serkan is responsible for all this," Andrew said. "He was in the fire station. He made the banshee."
Charley nodded. "But why? It still doesn't make sense."
He looked at the dirt. "I don't know. Let's head back."
"What about the body?" Charley pointed at Serkan.
"The BPI will deal with it," Andrew said.
The two apprentices walked back towards the village.
The quiet country road failed to ease his troubled mind. Charley was right. Serkan's behavior today was like a puzzle missing several pieces. He was too smart to make such a stupid mistake. There had to be a compelling reason, and clearly, further investigation was required.
"That was quite a kiss." Andrew glanced at Charley.
She smiled. "You get one every time you save my life."
"No other times?"
"Not yet. I like our relationship where it's at right now."
Andrew frowned. I'm not as satisfied.
Several minutes later, they returned to the chaos in the village. The crowd of police and reporters had grown even larger than before. The roads were completely jammed, and traffic was backing up. Five helicopters now hovered in the sky, and the rotor noise was annoying.
"It will be interesting to see how the BPI covers this up," Charley said.
"I don't see how that's possible," Andrew said.
"I think you'll be surprised. They are experts."
They spotted Agents Dan and Williams near the Baptist church. More men in blue suits were with them, and Williams was giving orders.
Dan smiled as Andrew and Charley approached.
"You're alive!" Dan said.
Andrew straightened. "Sorcerers one, banshee zero."
"Great job. Really well done. I have to admit I wasn't sure what to expect."
Andrew grinned proudly. He listened to what Williams was telling the other BPI agents.
"The Director will be here in three hours," Williams said. "I want a full analysis ready by the time he arrives. That includes the names of police officers, reporters, victims, and witnesses. Times and locations. Maps of the area. Every scrap of information that might be relevant. Pair up, spread out, and get to work!"
"Yes, sir!" the agents responded.
Andrew didn't have much to do, and he realized he was hungry. He checked his watch and saw it was almost noon. He had missed breakfast in the rush to confront Dr. Larson. As Andrew looked around, he realized hunger could become a big problem. There wasn't a restaurant in sight, although the general store might have snacks.
Williams looked at Andrew and Charley. "Make yourselves useful," the agent said. "Start lying to people."
"Lying about what?" Andrew said.
"About what happened here. Provide misinformation to anybody who will listen, especially the media. Charley, a pretty girl like you should have no problem talking to reporters. You're a camera magnet."
Charley's eyes widened. "You want me to do interviews?"
"Yes," Williams said, "and be convincing. Move!"
Andrew and Charley wandered off.
He looked at the swirling chaos in the streets and tried to imagine an explanation that wasn't true. How could so many people die suddenly and without apparent injury?
"Let's elaborate on the poison gas idea," he said.
Charley nodded. "But don't blame the military. That's a bad cliché."
"Oh, I got it! Follow my lead."
Andrew spotted an older male reporter wearing a sky blue suit. His black hair was perfectly groomed. A cameraman and an audio technician were close by.
Andrew walked over until he was within earshot of the reporter.
"It was that chemical truck," he said loudly. "I knew that brown stuff leaking out the back smelled funny."
Charley winked knowingly. "Yeah, and it gave me a headache."
The reporter came over immediately. "What did you say?"
"A chemical truck drove through town just before people started dying. We both saw it."
She was suddenly the object of a lot of interest. The reporter called his crew over and began to interview her.
"I'm Donald Duffy from the International News Network," the reporter said. "You are?"
"Emily," Charley said in a cute voice.
The reporter smiled in a disarming manner. "You saw a chemical truck?"
"It had a big blue tank which was leaking brown gunk. The fumes gave me a headache. It went right through town and kept going."
Andrew was slightly miffed about Charley getting all the attention. The truck idea had been his, and he deserved some credit. On the other hand, she was a lot prettier.
"Did the truck have a name on it?" the reporter said.
"Alliance Chemical or Allied Chemical or Amalgamated Chemical. Somet
hing like that. We didn't stick around. One whiff of that stuff sent us running the other way. I guess we were lucky we didn't die. My granny..."
Charley suddenly broke down and started crying. Andrew raised his eyebrows. She was a good actress, and the improvisational performance was compelling. He decided to get in on the act.
He put his arms around her shoulders and pressed her face against his chest. "It will be OK," he murmured. "Granny is in a better place now."
The camera focused on Andrew.
"Did you see the truck?" the reporter said.
Andrew nodded. "But it was more green than blue." He wiped his eyes. "No more questions. Emily needs some time to herself."
He gently guided Charley away. They stayed in character until they turned a corner and were out of sight.
She straightened up. "That was fun."
"Yeah." He grinned. "Let's do it again, but we need another story. Alien attack?"
"Too far-fetched. Bad food?"
"That wouldn't kill so many people so quickly. Something in the water supply."
Charley's eyes lit up. "Voracious brain-eating amoeba."
"Ooh! Nasty." Andrew nodded. "Let's go find another reporter."
Chapter Fourteen
"I saw the plane spraying dust," Charley said in a slightly hysterical tone. "Maybe it was a pesticide. The plane flew right over town, and that stuff went everywhere."
Andrew stared into the camera with wide eyes. "It made me choke. I could hardly breathe."
They were being interviewed for a fourth time, and they had told a different tale every time. The reporters ate up the lies without question. Apparently, getting the story first was more important than getting it right, and nobody doubted the honesty of a nice-looking girl like Charley.
Andrew felt a flicker of energy, and he knew another sorcerer was approaching. Andrew recognized the energy signature as belonging to Keene.
Charley looked at Andrew. "He's here."
"I know," he said. "Let's go."
Even though they were in the middle of an interview, they ran off. Andrew saw a black helicopter flying in low and fast. He pointed, and Charley nodded. They dodged and weaved to get through the crowd in the street.
They arrived at an open field at the edge of the village. Williams was already waiting, and he greeted Andrew and Charley with a nod.
