Cursed Presence

by J. M. LeDuc

  With lightning speed, the monitor filled with a random series of zeros and ones. They flashed on and off the screen so fast, it looked like a sea of white dots. The encryption code, an offshoot of the SIA code, was so deep, it was, for all practical purposes, unbreakable.

  When the previous Ambassador, Joseph Conklin, developed the code, he tested it by bringing in every known computer genius and told them to crack it. He put the word out on the web that he’d pay a million dollars to anyone who could hack through the code. The money remains in the bank, unclaimed.

  After the numbers stopped changing, Brent typed another series of zeros and ones in the only available space. He hit the ‘enter’ button, then sat back to wait. Because there were so many firewalls and encryption bridges to get past, the task took a few minutes to complete.

  Once finished, the screen turned black, with the exception of a blank white space approximately two inches long by an eighth of an inch high. Into that space, Brent typed, “Knights of the Endowment.”

  Addresses from all over the world filled the screen. The Knights of Endowment were a network of people whose mission was to aid the Ambassador whenever needed. Their assistance was linked to the safety of the Formula and its keeper, the Ambassador. At his discretion, the Ambassador could call upon them for other purposes, as well. Brent now used that discretion.

  He clicked on the Piedmont Drive address. The computer went into overdrive until a new screen popped up, mostly empty except lines of encrypted numbers.

  Brent reached up and unclasped the cross he wore around his neck, the same one his grandfather had given him, the one that doubled as a key to the vault where the Ark of the Endowment was kept. Located inside that wooden box was the original plant of life, the infamous ‘Fountain of Youth’. The plant, so fragile and degraded that its composition had been broken down into its chemical formula.

  It was the search for this secret formula that brought Brent back together with the Phantom Squad, not to mention his reuniting with Chloe. Only Brent knew of its location.

  He brought the key to his lips, kissed it as a sign of reverence to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, then slid the key into a special slot built into the side of the computer. The encrypted numbers disappeared. In their place, the name and phone number of those who lived at the Piedmont address, along with their pictures and entire biographies appeared.

  Although Brent had all the vital information on them, they had none on him. No one but the inner circle knew the Ambassador’s true identity. And yet, they had pledged their allegiance to the Ambassador and if contacted, they would drop what they were doing to help in any way possible.

  Brent dialed the number and waited for someone to answer.

  “Yes, sir, how may I help you?”

  “Sonia, your husband Zach received a call from my assistant, letting him know that a young woman will be spending the next couple of nights with the two of you. I…”

  “I’m sorry to interrupt, sir, but may I have the password, please?”

  Brent smiled and thanked her for remembering to ask for the password that kept security intact.

  “2.Corinthians 5:20. ‘We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.’”

  “Thank you, Ambassador. Now, how can I help?”

  “I wanted to speak directly with you about your guest. I don’t expect her to be in the best of spirits when she arrives. She isn’t trusting of strangers, so give her a lot of space if you see her shying away from you.”

  “Yes, sir, I understand.”

  “She may try to run. Make certain she does not. It’s for her safety. It may mean the difference between her life and death.”

  “Our doors can only be unlocked from either side with a key and they lock automatically as soon as they shut. For her to leave before the designated time should not be a problem.”

  “Sonia, thank you. Our conversation has made me feel more secure. The Endowment and I, personally, thank you and Zach for your sacrifices and assistance.”

  “We are honored to be asked, Ambassador.”

  Brent smiled, humbled by her remarks, “When this is all over, I would very much like to meet both of you. Until then, God bless.” Brent hung up, feeling better about Charlotte’s safety.

  Joan walked into the office just as he was shutting down the computer. She held a copy of the video.

  Distracted by his thoughts, he continued to gather materials from his desk for his meeting with Maddie. Sensing her presence he reached forward, took the disc from Joan and placed it in his backpack. Without looking up, he thanked her.

  Joan didn’t make any move to leave. In fact, she hadn’t moved at all. She stood, fidgeting. Her continued presence got Brent’s attention.

  “Is everything okay, sweetie?”

  She threw her arms around him, and hugged him as though she’d never see him again. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I can never repay—”

  “Stop right there. You’ve enhanced my life, more than you’ll ever know. You’ve made me a better man, and, for that, I’m the one who owes you thanks. Now, get out of here.”

  Joan broke her hold and backed away a few steps. She wiped a tear from her cheek.

  “Is that an order?”

  Chuckling to himself, Brent said, “Yeah, it is.”

  “Boy, has the power gone to your head,” she shot back, winked and turned to leave.

  “Hey—I love you, too. See you tonight.” The smile never left Brent’s face as he finished gathering his materials.

  CHAPTER 7

  Maddie was sitting at her desk, holding a picture of herself and Joseph Conklin, her former boss, mentor and friend when Brent arrived.

  “Is this a good time?” Brent asked, knocking on the door.

  Brent’s voice caught her off-guard. “Oh, Brent, um, yes, of course. Please come in.”

  Reaching for the picture, he said, “May I?”

  She passed him the photo.

  “I wish I’d known him as well as you did.”

  “You knew him better than you think.”

  Brent looked up. “How’s that?”

  “You’re exactly the same person, a generation or so apart, perhaps, but on the inside, the similarity is uncanny. It’s no surprise he chose you as the Ambassador. You embody all his good traits, along with something else, an intangible quality.”

  Brent smiled. “And what would that be, Miss Smith?”

  “It’s indescribable. Everyone knows you have it, but none of us can explain what it is. There’s just something about you that sets you apart from everyone else. It’s as though you’re almost not of this world. At least, not completely.”

  “Well, that’s certainly high praise, especially from you. I know we never verbalize our feelings towards one another, but since we seem to be on the subject, let me tell you there’s nobody I respect more than you. You’re an amazing person. Seven is a lucky man. There’s nothing you can’t talk to me about and, for that matter, Chloe, I hope you know how much we love you.”

  He handed the photo back. Maddie, not one to let her guard drop, quickly changed the subject. “With that said, let’s concentrate on the matter at hand.”

  Brent opened a file and removed the still photos Joan took from the video. The first was an innocent young man with piercing blue eyes, the other, an un-worldly being in which innocence had been replaced with hatred. The photo depicted a being with total disdain for human life. Evil seemed to leap from the photo.

  “I don’t frighten easily,” she said, “but this guy scares the heck out of me.”

  “That’s what he’s hoping for. He knows that fear instills insecurity. In turn, insecurity causes self-doubt…”

  “And that will cause us to make mistakes,” Maddie s
aid finishing Brent’s thoughts.

  “Fatal mistakes,” Brent said. “We have to be extremely cautious, yet we can’t be consumed with fear when we go after this guy. It’ll cause us to slip up and get hurt—or worse.”

  “So what do you suggest? How do we proceed?” Maddie asked as she jotted notes. Looking up, she put out her hand to stop Brent from answering. “Before you answer, there’s something I’ve always wanted to ask. How did you find him the first time? Every three-letter agency in the nation, including the SIA, drew a complete blank on this guy, but you found him just days after the Vice-President called.”

  Maddie’s words triggered memories.

  “We found him only because he broke pattern. He started thinking and acting on his emotions instead of his intellect.”

  “How do you mean?”

  “Everyone assumed he knew what he was doing when he kidnapped Charlotte Dupree. But they were wrong. He was just after another sorority girl. He had no idea who she was when he grabbed her.”

  “The first assumption every agency made was that he grabbed the Vice-president’s daughter on purpose.”

  “Exactly.”

  “But how did you figure it out? And how did that help you find him?”

  “I didn’t, your fiancé did. Just like everyone else, we ran into one dead end after another when we studied the evidence he’d left from his previous victims. Then Seven, who always thinks outside the box, approached it from a different angle. He wondered if the Butcher would change his pattern when he found out who he kidnapped.”

  Brent leaned forward in the chair and brushed his hair from his face. “We checked out surveillance cameras from the college campus and saw that within ten minutes of her disappearance, the place was crawling with cops and suits. The Secret Service was everywhere and they weren’t trying to blend in. Only a fool wouldn’t have spotted them and Jonas was no fool.

  “Seven surmised that based on how fast the Secret Service moved in, Jonas couldn’t have taken Charlotte too far. In previous kidnappings, he’d left bodies at least 45 miles away from where they were abducted.

  “With that in mind, we knew the Butcher had broken his pattern. They were probably still on campus.”

  Maddie’s mind was in overdrive as she placed the new pieces of the puzzle together. “But,” she said, “the Secret Service and the Alliance searched and secured the campus, There was a total lockdown and we couldn’t find a clue, not one shred of evidence that could lead us to where he’d taken her.”

  Brent smiled a half smile, leading Maddie toward the answer with his words. “That’s because your agents were looking for the wrong thing.”

  “What do you mean?” she said.

  “The SIA and everyone else looked for the Butcher and Charlotte. The squad took another approach. After studying the butcher’s past history and the pattern of other serial criminal behavior, we knew that staying on task, in pattern, was very important to Jonas. We knew he had to be very upset at having to change his plans. He would have done everything possible to make sure that he didn’t have to change his M.O.—and what was his M.O.?”

  Maddie squinted as she tried to follow Brent’s thought process. “He burned his victims with hot oil and then sliced their throats.” As the words spilled from her lips, her voice changed from inquisitive to knowing.

  Brent picked up on the change, looking at her the way a teacher might look at a student who’d just caught on to the meaning of a lesson.

  “We took a risk,” he said, “and assumed Jonas kept the tools of his trade wherever he would have brought Charlotte, after taking her off campus. If he was still on site, he’d need supplies. Where on a college campus would he find oil and a knife?”

  “The cafeteria!”

  Brent nodded and picked up where he left off. “The head of Food Services at the university told me the cafeteria inventory was so exact he’d know if a piece of silverware went missing. I asked the kitchen manager to count the cans of cooking oil and carving knives. He discovered that one carving knife and one can of oil was missing. I asked him to do a full inventory of all his nonperishable supplies. Come to find out, a pot and a turkey baster were also missing. I mobilized the team right away. Up until then, Seven and the boys were still off campus checking possible hideouts 45 miles along the school’s perimeter.”

  Maddie began to pace around her office. She thought better when she moved. “Why were they off campus if you had figured out the Butcher was still close by?”

  “If there was one thing I’d learned as a member of the Phantom Squad, it was to never discount your options. We had to follow through on each scenario until we could prove or disprove its worth.

  “Remember Maddie, Jonas was and is a man of patterns, if there had been any way for him to get by the suits, his first choice would have been to keep to his original plan. Seven and the boys followed up on that possibility. I figured plenty of agents would be around campus if I needed help. That was my first mistake. It had been four days since the abduction and all law enforcement had left to pursue other leads.”

  Maddie stopped pacing and sat across from Brent. “No disrespect, but why didn’t you wait for Seven and the rest of the squad?”

  “I’d been relayed reports of a bad traffic accident between the campus and the grid they were searching. The accident put them an hour and a half out from the university. I knew that Jonas had to be getting anxious. People like that begin to act irrational when their schedule is disrupted. Time was a serious issue at that point.

  “The kitchen manager told me that everything had been accounted for at the 6:00 a.m. inventory. That meant that the butcher only had the stolen items for a just over an hour. He wasn’t going to wait any longer than he had to. My plan was to find where he’d taken her, then notify the squad and wait for their arrival before taking further action.”

  “What made you think of the boiler room?”

  Brent made a fist and cracked his knuckles. Maddie could see that talking about that day made him tense. As he continued to speak, his eyes began to constrict. “It was the only place I could think of where he would have a ready flame to boil the oil. Thanks to large ventilation ducts throughout the maintenance building, I could enter the system and move toward the boiler room.

  “As I slithered along the ducts, I listened carefully for any noise. When I heard that demonic voice, I texted my exact location to Seven. He texted back that they’d just made it past the accident scene but he was still half an hour away. I knew I should wait for my team, but…”

  Brent hesitated. He’d spent the last seven years trying to forget that day and wasn’t eager to relive it.

  “But…” Maddie said.

  “But I made the same mistake the Butcher made. I reacted to my emotions instead of using my head.

  “When I came to the end of the ventilation duct, the grate had been removed.”

  “Is that how he’d transported himself from the kitchen?” Maddie said.

  “No, from the debris I found, I figured that’s where he hid Charlotte while everyone searched for her.”

  “Then how did he get to and from the kitchen undetected?”

  “Still a mystery,” Brent said.

  Maddie again started to pace around her office. She became animated with her arm movements as she spoke. “I’m with you so far, but I still don’t understand what made you take action before your squad arrived.”

  “From my vantage point, in the duct, I could see them. I noticed that Charlotte had been stripped of her clothing and been slapped around quite a bit. He gagged her with her own underwear like all his other victims, so she was unable to scream. He’d looped electrical wire up and over a pipe on the ceiling and tied her hands above her head. I could see the wire had cut into her wrists and they were bleeding. Her arms were stretched so high that her toes barely touched the floor.

 
; “He pulled the gag from her mouth and warned her that if she screamed for help, he would kill her before anyone ever heard. She begged him not to hurt her. The more she begged, the more visibly upset he became.”

  As Brent described the scene, Maddie became visibly uncomfortable. Although the abuse she suffered as a child was different, Charlotte’s situation still dredged up bad memories.

  Sensing her discomfort, Brent stopped. “Are you okay?”

  She assured him that she was and asked him to continue.

  Brent walked over to the coffee table on the other side of the room and poured them both some water. Taking a drink helped both of them decompress emotionally before he continued.

  Brent placed the glass on the table and rubbed his index finger around its edge. Keeping his head down and not looking into Maddie’s eyes made it easier for him to continue.

  “I could see that Jonas’ emotional state was directly related to Charlotte’s. The more upset she became, the more unstable he became. He couldn’t control her crying so he jammed the gag back in her mouth, and in that demonic guttural voice, told her to be a big girl and accept her punishment like a lady. I heard him tell her that if she kept quiet when the boiling oil touched her skin, he’d let her live.

  “When the first drop hit her chest, she let out a blood-curdling scream I could hear through the gag. Instinctively, I jumped from my hiding place and put two bullets in him, one in his leg and the other in the back of his shoulder. That was my second mistake. I’d been trained to shoot to kill. I should have put a single bullet in the back of his head, but from my angle, I knew it might keep traveling and hit Charlotte.

  “The shots dropped him to the floor and that’s when I made my third and final mistake.”

  Now it was Brent’s turn to pace. He hadn’t discussed the events of that day in over seven years and doing so reminded him that he wasn’t infallible. In his line of work, even the slightest hint of self-doubt could be the beginning of the end.