Valmont Sharp: Monster Hunter

by David Raymond II

  Nate Jefferies really does not like what he is doing. He is doing this for the police chief, and to help save some lives. He knows the Sharp show is keeping secrets and wants to help Chief Randal uncover the truth. However he doesn't like it. He is a good cop so this sneaking around seems wrong especially without cause. After watching Jocasta find a secret entrance to the museum’s basement he doubled his search for hidden entrances. He climbed up to roof this way he can find out what the museum team is up to. He used his small thin form to climb up silently and not draw any attention to himself.

  He managed to make it to the roof with out being heard and started searching for an entrance. There were windows on the roof and he looked down at the security force. He could not see what they were doing but clearly they buckled down and are in it for the long run. Turning on his tape recorder he speaks softly, “I have conformation that a Wayte security detail is stationed inside the Museum. The Museum is suppose to be off limits to everyone.” Nate turns off the recorder.

  He finds what looks like a small opening to a maintenance deck for the second floor of the museum. “This will do.” He twists the knob to open the door and is surprised to see that it is unlocked. The last person who worked up here must have forgotten to lock up when he was done. Nate does not think about why he's just glad it happened.

  Nate enters the museum about twenty thirty five feet above the first floor. He sees the Wayte security team at the other side of the room, closer to the front door. The wooden landing he is stationed is long and narrow and he gets into a crawling position, there is a railing that should prevent him from being seen as long as he is careful. He then silently crawls over to the security team being as quiet as a mouse. He takes out the small directional mike he brought with him and the tape recorder and turned them both on, “Now lets see.” He mutters under his breath.

  The four man security team are stationed about half way in the museum, near a strange armor display and a large image of Valmont Sharp. The team are dressed in green and black security uniforms with the Wayte security logo. There is a pile of supplies for these officers set up in the corner of the hall. These four are stuck in this building until the Thanatos is dealt with. Three of them are eating a dinner of military rations and seem to be taking turns watching the door, the fourth who is wearing a special helmet is manning the radio. One of them a young blond haired woman with blue eyes, the rookie of this team. She believes she was given an easy job to remain out of the action and does not know how important her job is. This is a relief since she did not want to face Thanatos, “I wonder what's going on out there?”

  “Meya we have our own job.” The large man next to her says. He has dark skin, not of African decent maybe an islander, with a thick accent Nate does not recognize. “Last report said all was quiet.” He looks over to the guy manning the radio, “Cochran what's the latest news?”

  The man listening to the radio looks up, he has pale skin and light green eyes, he has a haunted hallow expression on his face, “Bad news Milfred, it has begun. Thanatos has entered the grounds.”

  James Milfred who is the leader of these four shrugs, unlike Meya he wishes he could be out there. “Well the shit has hit the fans people, that does not change our mission though.” He says as he takes a bite of his food. “Our mission is important. We have to keep the kids safe.”

  “The kids are safer then we are, probably safer then everyone else in the manor grounds.” The fourth of this little group speaks up, he is a large man with no cold face, he is scared and bald with dark brown eyes. He is larger then Milfred by like a foot and has a very intimidating presence. “The museum's sub basement is one of the most secure places on earth.”

  “Museum sub basement?” Nate mutters to himself from above the four man team. That was more of a shock to him then Thanatos. “That must have been where Jocasta went. Wait did they say the kids are there?” He turns off the mike while leaving the recorder on, “Seems like the kids are here and not in Florida.” He turns off the recorder, he thought Randal was wrong, that the chief's anger was making him irrational. Now Jefferies has proof that the chief was right.

  He starts to back up to leave the way he came when he stops, “No that's not wise.” He mutters to himself. He just now remembers Thanatos, if he were to leave now he would jump straight into the carnage. Jefferies does not see himself as a fighter and does not want to test it. He turns back on the recorder and directional mike, “Might as well keep listening.”

  Nate watches the team from above as they listen to the events happening around them. Nate cannot hear the radio so he only has the reactions of the security team to go by, “A patrol of security officers just engaged Thanatos. The beast went into a rage after hearing the name Sharp and killed one man.” Cochran, the radio officer says repeating what he just heard. “It was a police officer.”

  Meya struggles a laugh, “Randal is probably blaming Valmont for that.”

  “He would not be wrong.” The large scarred man responded, “All of our lives are in Mr. Sharp's hands.”

  “True Breaker, from what I have seen Randal has a special breed of hatred for Valmont. That man is one step away from arresting Val if he thought he could. He just needs ether a good reason.” Milfred states. “Still the tension between the two probably makes good TV drama. Always a plus for this job.” James Milfred has worked for Nashton Wayte for years and has worked with Sharp as long as Nashton has. He is one of the senior members of Wayte's team. T

  This is Alison Meya's first Sharp job and her second year as a Wayte security officer. “Okay I guess my laugh was uncalled for. I guess if I was in Randal's shoes I would be just as mad.”

  “You don't want to be in his shoes Meya, Randal is a smug jerk ass with an inflated ego. I think that's why he and Sharp get along so well.” Now James was the one who laughed, “They are pretty much the same person.” This got a laugh out of the others even Nate could not help but chuckle.

  Gordon Cochran has been a communications expert for the Wayte Team for four years recruited by Wayte himself from the CIA. He looks up after laughing, “True sir. While Valmont tends to have a conflict with authorities in most shows I have not seen one like this. With Randal there is a sense of authenticity that just can't be faked.” Cochran is also a fan of the Sharp show.

  “Agreed, I know real hatred. I have felt it.” Mosses Breaker has worked for Wayte for three years and his background is for the most part unknown. Mosses was a mercenary in South America of dubious reputation before he joined Wayte security. “This is pure hatred, these men want to kill each other. Both will claim they are above it but Randal, I could see him 'missing' a shot in the middle of a firefight.”

  James shakes his head and looks at the large black man. He sees a huge smile on Breaker's face and realizes the man was joking. He does not quite get the dark humor Mosses Breaker uses. “Wayte will prevent that from happening.” The other three nod in agreement, every member of the Wayte security team have loads of respect for their boss.

  The team kept talking about their mission while listening to reports of the Sharp show. They are unaware that Nate Jefferies is listening in on them. He has decided that until things slow down his job is to keep an eye on this special team and to report back to chief Randal when it's over. Jefferies has lots of respect for the chief and is not fond of these men talking crap about him. Nate believes he understands chief Randal's feelings for Valmont Sharp and figures if he was in Randal's place he would feel the same.

  To Nate it feels like he has been watching this team for hours, his only form of entertainment their conversations. If time is moving slowly for him then he figures these guys must feel like they have been at it for ever. Jefferies does not have a watch or any way to tell time so he does not know how much time has passed. Jefferies does everything he can to not nod off to sleep when he hears a knocking at the door.

  James Milfred jumps up at the sound of a soft rapping at the front door. He looks at Meya who also is
still up, “Wait here Meya I will check it.”

  “Sir?”

  “I am just going to check. Maybe it's Wayte.” Milfred waits for Meya to nod in agreement and then he walks slowly to the front door. As he reaches the door he looks out the small magnification window on the door that lets you see out but not in. On the other side of the door is a Wayte security officer. Milfred knows this man, he is Dennis Crocktor, one of the higher ups in the agency and Milfred’s superior. He is one of the people who can contact him, but something is strange. His eyes look tired and foggy, like they are staring into the distance and his face is blank. “Why didn't he call first?” That was really strange. Milfred slowly opens the door, “Sir?”

  Crocktor grabs the door, “There has been a change in operation.” He says with a cold lifeless voice that really rubs Milfred the wrong way. “Let me in and I will discuss it.”

  Milfred does not budge, “Sir that goes against my orders.” His commanding officer is acting strangely. All security agents who work on Sharp shows are expected to keep their wits sharp and keep an eye open for strange behavior. He is well aware that there might be a voodoo priest out there, pne with the tendency to control others against their wills. James Milfred looks behind him and gives Meya a hand signal. The signal tells her to be alert, that something is not right and to wake up Breaker. She nods her head and gets into a defensive position. Milfred then turns back to Crocktor, “Tell me from over there.”

  Crocktor shakes his head, “No no no, it's not safe.” His voice had a bit more emotion this time but was a bit too nervous. “Thanatos is out there, he killed VALmont Sharp, we have to take the kids and leave.”

  “Killed Sharp?” He looks at Crocktor's face, trying to judge his expression. It was an obvious lie but why is he saying it? If the mission had really gone that wrong all hell would have broken they would have heard it on the radio. “So Valmont is dead is he?” Milfred raises his voice so his team can here, “That has changes everything.” He waits for Meya and Breaker to get into position, and makes it seem like he is looking outside around Crocktor, “Odd everything seems quiet, too quiet.” Like the old cliche goes. There is nothing behind Crocktor that Milfred can see but there something odd going on behind him that he can't quite see.

  “NashTON Wayte and the others have regrouped FOR a back UP plan, to kill the wereWOLF on sight.” The man's voice is twitching as he says this, like he's being forced to say something he knows is a lie. “THE kids they NEED to escape, we NEED to get them out OF here.” The strange emphasizing of random words is just wrong to say the least. “ThanATOS has reTREATed for now. AlFrED LaBRON and NaSHton WAYte want THE kids safe.” The more he speaks the more distorted his voice gets. Like he is fighting whatever is controlling him.

  James Milfred looks behind his shoulder one more time and sees that Meya and Breaker are in position, Meya with a pistol aimed at the door, and Breaker a shotgun, both are nonlethal arms for dealing with compromised innocents. “Okay sir understood.” Milfred opens the door for his commander.

  Dennis Crocktor starts walking in without realizing that two people are pointing guns at him, “Thank YOU.” He says looking right at Milfred his eyes not blinking.

  It is now that Milfred sees the anomaly again, there is a flicker from outside as a transparent figure starts to move. As it walks though the door the spell over it starts to fade. It is a thin black man in a long gaudy leather jacket that seems to be a parody of Valmont's uniform. His hands and face are covered with tacky expensive costume jewelry and a black cane with a swirling red crystal on top, “Hello gentlemen and ladies.” Gabriel Tarque says with a thick French accent. He looks at the guns, “Nashton Wayte's men are not idiots.” He lifts his cane and black energy covers Crocktor whose face contorts in pain, the man then lurches toward Meya.

  “ForGIVE ME Meya.” Crocktor mumbles forcing his own words to come out. He punches at her with the sloppy movements of stumbling zombie.

  Meya quickly evades the punch, and as Crocktor stumbles to the side she shoots him with her modified pistol. The special shell that is fired is a shock round and when it hits Crocktor his body shakes as volts of electricity fly though his body. However that does not stop him. “Damn it.” She does not want to fire again since multiple shots can be dangerous, “That bolt can knock out a bucking bronco.” Her country girl southern accent starts to slip though.

  Breaker who is much smarter then he looks nods, “Voodoo zombi are like that. When a Shaman or priest controls someone they can shut off pain and emotion.” The big black man throws his shotgun over his shoulder and grabs some cuffs.

  Tarque smiles, his white teeth shining in what little light there is. He does not dare move since James Milfred is aiming a gun at his head. He looks like a man who is in charge of the situation, “You know your stuff.”

  “I dealt with real voodoo during my time as a mercenary.” Mosses says without looking away from the zombi Crocktor. He has a cuff in one hand and a linked steel chain in the other. He moves over Crocktor quickly, gabbing his arms and tying them together with the chain. Breaker then slams the man to the ground near an old radiator and cuffs his fellow officer up to it. “Sorry dude.” He then looks at Tarque, “You are too flashy to be the real deal. You lack subtly.” Breaker then grabs his shotgun as he turns and points it at the voodoo hack.

  Tarque's smile does not weaver but inside he is raging. “How dare you.” He starts to move but is stopped by Meya who points her gun in his face, “My my.”

  “I think this will work on you.” She says talking about the shock round in her gun.

  “Yes my dear it would.” He shakes his head and it looks like he is about to raise his hands to surrender. Instead he shrugs, “But you won't use it on me.” He then points behind Meya.

  Meya turns as does Breaker and they look at their commander, Milfred who has dropped his gun on the ground and has a defeated look on his face. Gordon Cochran is standing to his side with a knife to Jake's throat holding the man's hands behind his back with the other. “No Gordon!” Meya mutters seeing the blank face and unblinking dull eyes of the communications officer. One of their team was compromised the entire time.

  There are tears running down his eyes and Gordon's lips are quivering, trying to open, “ssssssss” He is trying to say he is sorry but his lips won't say the words.

  “I would suggest you drop your weapons or your partner here gets his throat cut.” Tarque says those last few words with a gulp. “I hate the sight of blood so please don't let it come to that.”

  Meya and Breaker look at each other and then at Milfred, Milfred nods his head, “Drop the weapons guys.” he mutters.

  Meya and Breaker drop their weapons as Tarque's smile somehow gets even bigger. “Thank you for understanding. I only need to make sure Chris Sharp dies. I don't like death so please stay out of my way and you will live.” As he walks deeper into the museum the door closes behind him. He walks a few steps and stops, “However I can't have you playing hero or warning Sharp.” Tarque rubs one of his rings and kisses it. He then mutters some words in a long dead language. Black energy flies out of the rings and wrap around Meya and Breaker's legs. “The Shadow Bind is better then any man made cuff. You won't be able to run. So follow me.” He then heads toward where he knows the secret door to the sub basement is since he has seen it open before.

  Chapter Thirty One