Valmont Sharp: Monster Hunter

by David Raymond II

  Gabriel Tarque is at the top of the world and he feels like a king. Everything is working out for him and he loves it. When Cole Labrone opened the door to the subbasement he could feel his victory in his hands. Chris being right there was perfect. Tarque knows he should have just killed the kid right there but he wants to have fun. So he paralyzed Chris and then moved on to the next objective.

  “Rast I want you to watch the kid. Point that gun at him. I'm expecting company. Don't kill him unless someone tries to stop you.”

  Anton Rast looks at Tarque with tired eyes. He stammers, afraid to speak, knowing the words he is about to say are not the ones he wants to say, “Yes sir.” He weakly replies. He had fought for so long and now he is a defeated husk. Walks in front of Chris and points the gun at his head. His hand is shaky and moving all over the place.

  Tarque smiles and laughs, “That's pathetic Rast simply pathetic. Maybe I should have Cochran watch Sharp.” He looks over at the captured security officers, Cochran with his eyes glazed over still has an arm around James Milfred's neck while the other is holding a knife to his throat. Tarque shakes his head, “Nah that would be dumb, then you would probably slash Milfred's neck.”

  “Why not?” Milfred says from the corner of basement. He is watching Tarque waiting for a chance to escape but has not found one.

  Tarque takes a step over to Milfred and the other security officers. There is the large black man who is bound to a small female by magic, he did not bother to learn their names. Only Milfred is important in this group, “I don't like violence. I don't see any point in killing those I don't have to. I have to kill the Sharp boy but that's it. I just have something I need to do first.” Tarque waves his heavily ringed hand, “However I can't be bothered by you.” He points to Griffith's unliving quarters. “Take them there.” He says to Cochran. Then Tarque realized something slipped his mind, or someone actually. “That's right the old man.”

  Yosif Jocasta steps into the light of the doorway when he heard Tarque call for him, he motions into the room for a second and looks out, “You have gained real power Tarque.” Yosif says with determination. The old man walks out into the hall calmly. “But do you understand the cost?”

  “The ancient theological researcher talking about how I lost my soul.” Tarque yells with a hearty voice. “It is nothing compared to what I have gained.” His eyes flash white and he mutters in an ancient dead language. Black smoke emanates from his dark walking staff which he then wave towards Yosif and a shadow and then he fires a shadow at Yosif.

  Yosif takes the blast head on. He stumbles back and falls to his knees. For all the man's knowledge in magic, for all his research and the unexplainable resistance and detection he has gained over the years he has no real powers of his own. He's also not a fighter. He knows it's only a matter of time before Wayte, Alfred, or hell even Francois runs to their rescue. All he can do is hold this man off for a little while.

  Tarque smiles, “Feeble old fool.”

  “That I am” Yosif stands back up, he looks back into the room and watches as the hidden path to the outside closes, Charolette is safe. He looks back to Tarque with a fiery hatred, “You know what it's like to be a fool.”

  The old man is trying to get a rise out of him and Tarque knows it. “You're distracting me. You keep looking back there.” Then it dawned on Tarque why, he raises an eyebrow, “Where's the girl?”

  “Gone.” Yosif points out.

  That solves one of Tarque's problems. “Cole, grab the old man.” He orders.

  Cole Labrone swiftly moves over to Yosif. The young black man is faster and stronger then Yosif so grabbing him was easy. He lifts the old man over the shoulder, “Sorry about this.” Cole mutters in a weak defeated voice.

  “It's not your fault.” The old man does not seem to be bothered by this at all. A true intellect like him finds interest in things that would annoy others. “No one blames you.”

  Cole nods, there is intelligence in his eyes for a second, they then turn dull as he waits for his next command from Tarque.

  “So loyal, not fighting me.” Tarque throws a glance at Rast when he says that. Cole has been much easier to control, but not as fun to break down. “Make sure he stays in that room. I want you and Cochran to watch the prisoners. Oh Cochran once you have Milfred secured, you don't need to keep holding him at knife point.” That's the problem with these mind slaves you need to tell them every little detail because they can't do things on their own.

  Tarque waits while his loyal minions enter the room watching their prisoners, he is pleased. “Remember don't kill anyone unless I tell you to.” Tarque shakes his head, he realizes he has wasted too much time. He pretends to wipe his hands clean, “Alright back to business.” He walks over to the museum part of the basement. “These exhibits are more amazing in person.”

  Chris has a limited view of what is happening. He is still stuck on the ground with limited movement. He can move his neck and sees Tarque walking though the exhibits of the museum, “What is he after?” Chris mutters.

  Anton Rast heard him, the nervous man looks toward his master and forces a smile when he sees Tarque is not looking at him. Anton gets on his knees, all Tarque told him was that he had to point the gun at Chris, he can work around that. “I...I did not want this to get this far. I tried to warn you.” His voice is shaky and weak, “I tried to save your mother too. I am too weak.”

  “You knew my mother?” Chris says quietly. This man this Anton Rast is not making sense. Chris never figured out what happened to his mom, he kind of got distracted by everything else.

  “Yes.” Rast whispers, “I..am so so sorrry about that. It was all my fault... i.. if I was, was stronger she might still be alive.”

  Chris's eyes are wide open, he is not completely sure what's going on but something clicked. “He was controlling her.” Chris is talking about Rast. “He made my mom jump!”

  Anton Rast nods. Tears are rolling down his face, he is a defeated man. He looks back to Tarque which he keeps doing and rises. He can't keep risking this. “It's all my fault.” He mutters.

  “No it's not.” Chris turns to Tarque, he glares at the black man who is walking back and forth around the museum exhibits, “It's his fault, this is all his doing.”

  Tarque looks down at a glass case, there is a glowing energy field emanating from the more dangerous exhibits. The one he is looking down at now is a blackish green tentacle that is shaking and slithering trying to escape it's confinement, he smiles. “Cruix.” Tarque mutters under his breath. He has no interest in the under god, no he is here for one item and one item only. He shuffles down the exhibits looking for the object of power he was looking for. “Ah ha.” He stops in frond of the book of Thoth.

  The book is throbbing. It is trying to vanish from this plane of existence but it is stuck here by a glowing crystal hidden under the case. “The Magus stone is a magical Druid artifact by a cult who opposed the dark gods.” Tarque remembers what the power broker told him earlier. “These stones were once more powerful then they are now but they can still contain objects of power if used correctly.”

  Gabriel Tarque is impressed that Sharp managed to use them correctly. “I have to give them some credit.” Tarque says slyly “Sharp's team knows what they are doing.” It's mainly Yosif Jocasta and Francois Luminare that know what they are doing. Sharp would be lost without his team.

  “Disable the crystal and the book will do the rest.”

  “Will it now? I want to see that.” He lifts his black cane over his head, the swirling two colored red orb shimmers in the artificial light. Tarque pulls back to smash the case open.

  “No don't do that.” A voice yells from near the stairs.

  Gabriel Tarque was waiting for this and twists his head. Looking at Nashton Wayte with a huge smile on his face. The smile fades a little, “Wayte? You're not who I wanted to see? Where is Valmont? Did Thanatos kill him? I hope it was not painful.”

  Wayte slowly moves clos
er to Tarque, taking advantage of the fact that the man is distracted. He raises his gun and points it at the man's hand. He does not want to kill Tarque, there are things they have to know like how he got his powers. “Valmont will live which is more then I can say about Thanatos. Now you don't want to do that, you don't know what powers you will unleash.”

  Tarque unleashes a very deep mocking laugh, “Hahahahahaha, do you think I care about that.” With a swift strike Tarque slams his cane down on the display case.

  As Tarque's hand swings the cane down Wayte aims at his hand and fires. Wayte's aim was true but a bit slow. The bullet hit Tarque in his right hand and ricocheted off his cane but that did not stop the movement of his hands. The glass case shatters and flies everywhere and the glowing crystal that was holding the book in place was knocked out. The energy holding the book in place vanishes in a flash but the book itself only slowly disappears. First is grows slightly and pulses with light, it seems to be breathing. The slightly open eye creeps open a bit more and looks around. Then the book fades away, for a second it looks like it will reappear like it always does but it does not.

  Wayte reached for the book but by the time he made it to the case it was gone. So he grabs the crystal and pockets it. Wayte turns to Tarque, “You don't know what you just did.”

  “Ghaahh,” Gabriel Tarque throws his hands up and his cane is sent flying. His right arm is covered in blood and it's dripping down. Seeing his own blood sends Tarque into a panic, “Blood... my blood, no.” He stumbles back and falls to the ground next to the wall. He rolls up into a ball, hugging himself and mumbling that it will be alright.

  Wayte grabs for Tarque's hand, “It's over.” He has his gun pointed at Tarque and puts his other hand on Tarque's shoulder.

  “No nonono.” Tarque mutters. He pushes off Wayte, “Don't touch me.” His strength is incredible. He glares at Wayte and his eyes are pure white, “Damn you.” Tarque then begins to mutter in a strange unknown language, dark energy pours out of his skin.

  Wayte backs off, the black man's skin is starting to burn, “Oww,” He lifts his gun, “Calm down Tarque.” Tarque has always hated the sight of blood, especially his own and now that he has unnatural powers it only make it worse.

  “You.” Tarque's voice sounds like it is emanating from the depths of hell, With a wave of his hand a dark energy vortex appears behind Tarque, “You will pay for that.” Tarque then walks into the energy vortex and vanishes. The vortex swirls around for a few seconds and lingers in the air, it then rises up as smoke.

  Nashton Wayte falls to his knees, he can't help but feel he has failed. His boss was hurt bad by the werewolf, the Book of Thoth was stolen and Tarque got away. “Damn it, damn it all.” He hopes that Chris is safe. “Chris, Francois?” He stands back up and turns.

  Chapter Thirty Six