by C. S Luis
“Stop!” I said. “Don’t do this. Please. You don’t know what you’re saying,” I whispered, staggering away past her.
Don’t. Please don’t.
“I'm no child. I can be yours,” Claudia whispered.
“Stop!” I said, struggling with difficulty to the door. I started to walk away.
Get out John before you lose it.
I made it to the door. Struggling, I exhaled, wanting to beat myself senseless, wanting to go back.
“Don't please,” I heard her say. “Don’t please.” I stopped. Why was she doing this? Was she trying to prove something to me? Why was she torturing me?
“Claudia stop—”
We’re bond…by her.
I turned but instead of finding Claudia, I found a man with matted hair and purple eyes staring at me. His hand suddenly grabbed my throat, and I realized it was him Claudia was pleading to.
“Don't! Leave him alone! Don't!” Claudia screamed as he lifted me high above him.
“Do you love him? He doesn't mean anything, does he, my pet? His drug has blinded you from realizing the truth, that you’re mine! That you belong to me!” He viciously growled.
“Drug?” I gasped in question. How did he know?
“Foolish Venator!” My eyes widened.
I couldn’t breathe until he finally tossed me over the teacher’s desk. I landed hard, hitting my side and rolling over the end, falling off the side and landing on my back. I groaned, trying to struggle to my feet, rolling onto my face and trying to lift myself up over the side of the desk to witness him upon Claudia. The figure dressed in scaly leather now kneeled before Claudia, grabbing hold of her face in one hand and then looking into her eyes. She froze, paralyzed in his hold like a puppet, and she dropped unconscious on the floor at his feet.
“Stay away from her!” I yelled, but he barely paid me any attention.
Then he took her arm and pressed it tightly and squeezed a strange, yellowish liquid substance from within a puncture wound. What the fuck? Had she been drugged? I wanted to go to her, but I couldn’t move, barely struggling to my feet.
“My pet, what has he done to you? He can’t have you because you are mine; come away with me now,” his voice hissed carefully, standing over Claudia’s figure.
What the hell was happening?
“But I'm…” Claudia said in a weak soft voice.
“Don't you want to?” He asked Claudia. She hesitated. “My pet?” He demanded, and I felt my blood boiling.
It’s him! It’s him, Project X, and he has her. He has Claudia! Take him down now; he can’t have her! She belongs to us!
I gritted my teeth. “Get away from her!” I hissed, leaping from behind the desk and pointing the pistol at him. He lifted Claudia, daring to take her away from me. Claudia appeared dazed, under some kind of control I couldn’t understand. She fell into his arms, and he leaned forward upon her. My heart was beating with a sense of urgency.
“I said get away from her!” The Man in Blue angrily hissed.
He narrowed his eyes up at me and growled. My weapon would be no use on him I realized, reaching into my pocket for what I knew could possibly be the only thing to stop him now. And there I felt the crystal and lifted it towards him. He put his arms up and screamed, “No, no!”
I didn’t know its full power, but it was working.
He stumbled back, letting go of Claudia, and she fell to the floor as he pulled away from her. I took a step forward as he stopped and glared at me and hissed, and then in a mystic whirlpool of wind and papers and pencils, he was gone.
It suddenly was quiet; I looked down at Claudia, and she was still knocked-out on the floor. She had wanted me, but not by her own will but by the medication running in her veins. Bryce had most likely instructed someone to inject her with it, and my money was on Roberts. It had to have been Bryce’s idea. She wasn’t safe. She wasn’t even safe with me. God, he would have made me hurt her. I nearly couldn’t control myself around her, especially when she kissed me. She was in my veins now.
“Why did you kiss me? Why?” I mumbled to her unconscious figure on the ground. But it wasn’t her fault; it was the drug that had been in her bloodstream.
I removed my suit coat and set it upon the table in front of us. I then lifted her in my arms, holding her tightly against me, and then I laid her upon the table, cradling her head with my suit coat.
“Claudia? Claudia,” I softly whispered, leaning upon her. I could feel the Man in Blue falling too. The man without emotions now moved away and let John take over.
She stirred and blinked up at me. “Dr. Black?” She mumbled, still dazed and unsure where she was as she reached forward to touch my face with her soft, tender hand. I nearly melted at her touch; the man in me couldn’t pull away. Would I ever get my insanity back after that first kiss? I doubted it; there was no coming back from that.
“She’s ours! We saw her first!” A voice hissed from the entrance. I looked up, as Claudia seemed to be in and out of her unconscious state. I saw them standing at the entrance of the classroom looking right at me. They looked like ordinary kids, but they weren’t, two young teen boys and a girl with dark curls and square frame glasses.
I could sense that by the way they looked at me and the way they smiled. They didn’t move.
“Claudia?” I again said, trying to revive her.
“What have you done to her?” They smiled. I made a movement towards them, but stopped as their eyes glowed.
“Do not interfere because you will lose Venator!” They answered.
“What are you?” I hissed, still holding the crystal, but they didn’t seem threatened by it.
“Whatever do you mean, Dr. Black?” They all said and grinned. “You can't have her! She's ours! You’re only delaying the inevitable. He’s coming for her, and you can’t stop him. Venator!” They said all at once in a demonic voice and then simply walked away. Above, the pipes began rattling throughout the hallways.
“What now?” I whispered, looking down at Claudia. Then I blinked. “You can’t be, you can’t be the source?” I shook my head in denial.
“Why did it have to be you? Why?” I had the source all along, and she was my girl. I lowered my head, overwhelmed by my thoughts.
Above the skies darkened, and a swirl of clouds and lighting suddenly filled the air over Milton High. The hole in the parking lot outside came to life upon the concrete and began to shift slowly like a swirling whirlpool, rising and moving every inch and tilting slightly upwards, drifting from the parking lot and drifting before the school doors now. It was no longer a mere hole but a whirlpool of something unseen, something magical, a whirlpool of light and energy, and the light struck it repeatedly and absorbed into its center.
Milton’s school doors flung open, and slowly the whirlpool continued inside, and the doors slammed shut behind it. The whirlpool slowly drifted down the hall and then stopped in the center of the hallway between the four directions of the hall. There it remained, spinning its lovely swirl of colors.
From the center of the pool a form dressed in a dark scaly leather outfit now emerged. The dark matted hair and the pale skin combine wickedly with the desperation in his purple eyes. He looked determined; he had come for a reason. He had come seeking what belonged to him, and he was sure he wasn’t going to leave without her. He needed her, and his time was running out. The time for courtship was over. If she wasn’t going to come willingly, he would have to simply take her. She would soon learn her place, that she belonged by his side.
“I’ve grown weary of this game, my pet. If you won’t come to me…then I have no choice but to take you by force,” he merely whispered to the empty hallway.
“It’s time to go,” he hissed. Behind him three figures stepped alongside him. They appeared sickly; their once human faces had been reduced to mere pasty haggard forms, and dark circles encircled their now lifeless eyes.
“Fetch,” Quentin hissed, and they scattered, springing into
action and vanishing into the hallways in search.
24
Michael
Michael pulled into the Milton parking lot, he’d figure there be no harm in parking in the assistant principal parking space noticing all the empty spaces in the parking lot including those of Mr. Vasquez and Mr. Claypool. He saw John’s car the mustang parked in the designated principal parking and smiled recalling John with warmth. How quickly they had become friends and he more than anyone needed a new friend in his life. Just as Milton needed another professional face within its hallways? Teachers needed someone to look up to, to be their example and John Black was perfect and for so many ways he couldn’t begin to name. And not only that Claudia sure seemed to admire him, and far from what she felt for him in the beginning. You can say John Black had very much grown on them. He had a way of doing so Michael noted, as he turned off the car, grabbed the coffee cup he had brought with him, and climbed out.
He closed the door behind him after grabbing his briefcase. He figure he come in for a few hours grade papers and call it a day. Why miss the enter day, lucky for him the plumper had arrived fairly early had checked things and been on his way. And Michael was delighted that he had found no issues with the pipes although he had wanted to sell Michael something else. Didn’t they always try to sell you something you don’t need? Michael walked toward the entrance, if he had looked back he would have noticed the hole had vanished but in a hurry he pulled open the rusted door and entered putting his keys in his side pocket as he did. He entered, stumbling forward then stopped, dropping the cup of coffee he had brought with him from home. He’s mouth dropped as he gazed at what lay right in front of him although he could not be sure of what he was looking at now. The circular whirlpool of lights spun before him in a mystic display of colors and peculiar wonder.
“What the?” He whispered slowly, walking over and forgetting the briefcase in his other hand as it dropped upon the floor near his feet, the pool’s light seemed to absorb all surrounding light as it danced before Michael like an eerie image of the galaxy’s Milky Way. He came closer and closer until he was fairly closer than he wanted to be. In fact he wondered why he had dare to do so now that he was standing before the beautiful display that still very much frightened him.
He reached forward, did he dare and why? But he did bravely wanting to touch the color swirls of light that spun before him without a sense of ever stopping. Until something at his feet grabbed his attention. He dropped his eyes down to see what had grabbed a hold of his leg. At first he thought he was seeing things, until the vine twisted from the ground breaking through the marble flooring of the school, and attaching around his leg.
He panicked, falling back in his haste or reaction reaching to try to pull it away but unable to as he was on the floor. The vine seemed alive as it twisted around his ankle then up his thigh before he could scream it had engulfed Michael wrapping him tightly in a snug cocoon and lifting him away into the dark ceiling above.
25
John Slater – Venator in Action
I had brought Claudia back to my office and laid her upon the sofa inside and sat beside her; she looked peaceful. I stepped away from her side and walked over to the side of my desk and found the briefcase and lifted it. I set it flat upon the desk and opened it; inside was the tool I had used before in trying to acquire Project X.
It looked like a sawed-off shotgun, but in reality it was a weapon called an immobilizer, and it was the only of its kind. It would subdue Project X, the only thing that could. All I needed was a shot, and once I had that, I would use the crystal to paralyze him into submission and secure him.
I clicked upon the ADA website and brought up the retrieval page but hesitated. I needed to notify the retrieval team that the case to contain Project X was obtainable and prepared. I would only have one shot, and if I missed it, I would fail my mission. And I never failed a mission. Project X had only escaped me before because they had not allowed me to do the job alone. He was my first of his kind. I had never encountered his type before, and I knew I was prepared, but they didn’t think I was, at least Bryce didn’t. I would prove him wrong this time.
But then I looked over at Claudia. At what cost was I doing this? I couldn’t let him take her just as I couldn’t let Bryce or The Company have her. But he wouldn’t be able to take her if I got him first.
I glanced down at the crystal on my desk. I thought of putting the crystal around Claudia’s neck so he couldn’t touch her. But it was that impending question, my mission, and the tool I needed was in my hands, and all I needed was a clear shot, and I would have possibly seconds to secure my catch.
Do your job, John! Forget the girl! He will come for her, and you can take the shot.
That was true. I could wait for him to come for her, and I could use her to make him come out. But I refused to leave her as bait.
Why not, John? You care about her too much! Snap out of it, Venator! You have a job! You have a mission to complete!
“He’s here!” Claudia said as she now sat up. I lowered the weapon inside the briefcase and rushed to her side; she was startled when she saw me, trembling. She looked disoriented and weak. But as I sat beside her, she dropped into my arms, trembling and tightly holding onto me.
“Please don’t let him take me,” Claudia said, still trembling. “He’s coming. I sense him!”
Sense him? I nervously thought about this. I confusedly pushed her back and gazed into her brown eyes.
“It was him; he made the hole outside,” Claudia suddenly blurted out. “I wanted to tell you, Dr. Black, but he wouldn’t let me,” she continued.
“Claudia,” I whispered, trying to calm her.
"He wants me to go with him, and I can't resist him. Why does he want me?” Claudia suddenly asked, making no sense. I gripped her tightly.
“I don't know, sweetheart, but he's not getting you, not if I can help it,” I softly said in response.
Claudia pulled away and looked up at me. “But you can’t stop him,” she merely said. “And I feel like I want him, too. But I don’t know why,” Claudia again whispered.
“No, you don’t!” I sternly said. “He’s got you under some kind of control, and you may think that, but you don’t! You have to snap out of it, sweetheart. You have to fight him!”
“I'm afraid,” Claudia said to me.
“You can't trust him. He's not human," I said. “He'll say anything to have power over things. He will take you away from your family and friends. His loneliness will consume you.” I didn’t want to frighten her, but it was something she had to know. That thing out there wasn’t human, and he wasn’t getting her.
“I'm not sure if I can,” Claudia again said. “I feel like I won't be able to stop myself from going with him when he returns again. For he will, and he won’t let me go. How do I know all this, Dr. Black?” She desperately sobbed. “How?” Claudia looked up at me. “He wants me to be with him…”
And I knew in what way she meant.
“Claudia, I'm not letting anyone take you. I won't. Now tell me everything you know about him.”
She bit her lip. “I can't.”
“Claudia, you have to let me help you.”
Claudia looked up at me. “He won't let me.” I panicked. “Dr. Black, what's wrong with me?” She sobbed, clinging onto me. “Am I going crazy?” Claudia asked.
This was different. It was nothing close to what I had ever been prepared for. He wanted her? It disgusted me. No one was going to touch her, certainly not Project X.
“No, darling,” I answered. “You’re not crazy.”
I held Claudia tightly to me, never wanting to let her go, fearing she would be taken from me and I would never see her again. I gently pulled away and grabbed my suit coat lying on the sofa behind me. I dropped my hand into the pocket, pulling out the crystal and lifted it in front of us so she could see it. I grabbed her hand and placed her soft fingers on the crystal that was now glowing red before us.
“I want you to take this and keep it close to you,” I instructed her, placing it in her hand. Claudia gripped the crystal, gazing at it for a long moment.
“What is it?” Claudia asked. “Why is it glowing like that?”
“It’s a charm, and it will keep you safe,” I only offered; the rest I didn’t understand myself.
“Why? Where are you going?” Claudia asked, pulling close. “Don’t leave me. Please I’m afraid,” Claudia pleaded, falling into my arms again.
I exhaled. The aura between us had changed; it had become stronger, like the red bold color of the crystal she now held in her hand.
“Don’t go out there, please. He’ll hurt you. And I don’t want anything to happen to you. Please Dr. Black.”
I put a hand to her cheek and caressed it, and for a moment I could do nothing else but stare into her brown eyes. The grin had now disappeared from my face.
How could I reassure her?
You are a hunter, The Man in Blue said, its time. We will protect her.
And I was surprised when he said that. He never showed his emotions.
Claudia held onto my hand, staring back at me in the same manner, but her innocence was what gave me the strength to move.
“I have to Miss Belle. I can’t let anything happen to you. I won’t let anyone take you away from me.”
She blinked; those brown eyes looked lost and so innocent, but nevertheless I leaned forward and kissed her forehead. I had a hard time pulling away from her, but when I was able to, I walked over to the desk, putting my back to her and closing the briefcase, feeling her eyes watching me from behind. I picked up the briefcase from off the desk and then turned to look back at her.
Claudia looked very beautiful sitting there upon the sofa, confused and unsure of what to do. She wanted to stop me I could see, but she didn’t know who I really was or what I could do. And my desires to go out there and challenge the unknown seemed to make her uneasy. She was afraid for me. She thought I was just a mere principal, and she felt responsible for this creature now hunting her. But she didn’t know the whole story, that it was I who was hunting him.
