“I understand,” I said, forcing a mental block on my thoughts.
“One more thing, Mr. Duffy. It is blaringly clear that you have absolutely no control of your inner thoughts. It is imperative that you not think about the plan without some self-control. Enoch seems to have mastered the technique, and a great deal of practice on your part is in order if we want this plan to succeed.”
“Yes, ma’am. I will do my best,” I said, embarrassed.
“Well then, if you two would like to stop by Mr. Whitman’s lab before picking up your new soul box, I pronounce this gathering concluded.”
I released the coin and was brought back to Wilson in the park.
Chapter 6
“Tell me, Wilson. What’s going to happen to me after I complete this ruse?”
“I don’t know, Jack. Up until the point that you left the council chamber, I was aware of your entire past. From that point forward, I’m in the dark just as much as you are.”
“Haven’t you been able to use the rosary and see ahead?” I asked.
“Unfortunately, no. You have my rosary in your possession. I’ve had no need for it. And until just recently, the Sentinel has had no idea if the plan has been proceeding accordingly. Besides, not all devices work on both the living and those in the afterlife. Using the coin was a calculated attempt, and I’m thankful that it has played out for us. I have severe doubts that the rosary would work in the same fashion.”
I pulled the rosary from my pocket and handed it to Wilson. “Well, care to give it a try?” I asked.
Wilson slipped the rosary around his neck and held the crucifix between his fingers. He closed his eyes and placed his free hand on my arm. Having not experienced this from this side of the rosary, I was unsure if Wilson ventured ahead in my future or if he was simply concentrating silently. After several moments, Wilson let go and withdrew the rosary before handing it back to me.
“Just as I expected. The rosary would not take me forward. Nice thought though, Jack.”
I slipped the rosary back into my pocket and looked back at Wilson. “So we’re back at square one.”
“More importantly, Jack, neither of us knows what happened to you from the moment you left the Sentinel until now. I think that is more important to discover. And until you flip the coin over again, neither of us will know what to do next. I suggest that you turn the coin and proceed.”
I nodded in agreement and twisted the coin between my fingers.
Chapter 6.5
After many hours of tedious mental training to help me control my thoughts, we were finally able to leave the Sentinel. With my new soul box in pocket, we stepped back into the thin air of the streets of Denver.
“Well, Jack, do you feel any different?” Hauser asked.
I breathed in deeply and exhaled a moment later. I looked around at the various pedestrians on the sidewalk. Nobody paid me any attention. It was as if I was invisible.
“No, not really. Should I?”
“Don’t know. I’ve never been given the opportunity that you have,” Hauser said.
If I didn’t know any better, I’d think Hauser was envious by the tone he used in his question. He looked at me sideways, waiting for my response. Maybe I was reading too much into his actions.
“Well, unless you want to have people stare at you for talking to yourself in the middle of the street, I suggest we go someplace a little more private to prepare our plan,” Hauser said.
“Lead the way,” I said. “Just tell me where we’re going and I’ll meet you there.”
“Actually, I have something else in mind. If you don’t mind, how about you let me drive once more. It’ll be a new location for you,” Hauser said, holding his arm out to my side.
I placed my hand on his arm and a moment later we vanished.
As my vision cleared, I felt much better than the last time I’d let Hauser transport us without my control. Despite the faint dizziness, I began to walk around our destination. We were in a large, cavernous room, approximately the size of two basketball courts side by side. The floor was distressed concrete, and the four outside walls were made of glass, albeit covered with grime. The ceiling, which rose up nearly twenty feet, had been painted white at one time, but was now water stained from years of neglect. At the center of the large room was a freestanding wood structure, no more than eight or nine feet tall and quite ominous. Hauser was already walking toward the single door on the structure.
“This way, champ. Welcome to my humble abode,” Hauser said as he walked through the door.
I caught up and entered behind him, unsure of what to expect. Once inside, the interior of the space more resembled a studio apartment than an abandoned warehouse.
“You live here?” I asked.
“Yep. We’re in the outskirts of Detroit, and as most of the town’s been abandoned, nobody even knows I’m here.”
“The fact that nobody can see you probably helps a little bit too,” I said sarcastically.
“True, they can’t see me, but they certainly could see any of my possessions that I’ve collected over the years. Hence, the apartment built inside an open warehouse.”
“I’m sorry, what did you just say?” I asked, seizing the opportunity to razz my mentor. “What’s this about possessions? Didn’t you tell me all those months ago that I had to, how did you put it, forget about everything I’d ever owned?”
Hauser winced, then turned his frown into a smile. “Come now, Jack. You do realize that you were in training, right? There are certain things that you needed to learn so you wouldn’t continue to dwell upon your past. I had to get you and your mind away from Cyndi. Look around. None of these possessions were from my previous life. They’re all things that I’ve collected through the years, and they’re not even mementos or keepsakes whatsoever. They’re just . . . things that spoke to me. They called out to me. Does that make sense?”
I shook my head. “Not in the slightest,” I said as I moved around Hauser’s hideout.
The space was fairly modern in its decor, and included a kitchen and bath, along with a sleeping area as part of the living room. Besides the bath and a wardrobe closet, everything was in a large room. There were no windows, but there were pieces of art hung around the perimeter.
“Why did we come here and not Penelope’s apartment?” I asked.
“Considering your new ability, we couldn’t very well just pop into her apartment, now could we? She would be able to see you instantly, regardless of her impending death. Seeing as she is still in flux,” Hauser said, patting his pocket watch, “I felt it best that we go someplace more private to work out the details of the plan. And besides, I’ve got a head start on all things Enoch.” Hauser nodded his head in the direction of the dining area.
I walked up to the large wall behind the dining table, which was plastered with news clippings and photographs.
“I’ve been tracking Enoch Gant for years now,” Hauser explained. “Everything you see on the wall is mysterious reports that I’ve linked to Enoch himself.”
I scanned the headlines, which sounded somewhat familiar. A number of them spoke about eyewitnesses of a man in a blue suit with matching hat, in relation to various mysterious deaths. But many of the clippings were from foreign newspapers. “I can only read half of these, Hauser. What do they all say?”
“They’re all pretty much the same. Just different locations. Our man Enoch has been a busy boy. Until recently I wasn’t completely sold on the idea that he was in fact murdering innocent people. But after your last soul collection, all bets are off.”
“If I am the first soul collector to have the ability to be seen and heard by those still living, how are the reports of Enoch being seen even possible?” I asked.
“That’s the question of the century, Jack. I’ve been told that Whitman’s lab had been working on the enhanced abilities that you have now for quite some time. It was my understanding that they were still a good deal away from completing their ob
jective. The only thing that we can surmise is that Enoch himself has been working on the same technology, or he has someone on the inside helping him out.”
“A mole?” I gasped. “I’d never imagined there would be so much cloak and dagger going on in the afterlife.”
“Yeah, well, the Sentinel completely missed the character markers with Enoch. They usually do a much better job at recruiting.”
“So what have you learned from all of this?” I gestured at the news printings.
“With each new sighting, I would jump to the location and do my own research. Obviously, by the time each of these made print, I was far too late to attempt a capture of Enoch. But I still went to each one. There were a few times though that Enoch stuck around to watch the reactions of the public. And on more than one occasion, I was able to chase after him. I was close enough to catch his scent, but he was far too clever. He would lead me into hazardous locations, catching me off guard. If I wasn’t quick enough to transport away in time, I would’ve died a long time ago. After one too many close calls, it was decided that a direct pursuit of Enoch was forbidden until we had a better plan worked out.”
“And now we do,” I said, taking a seat on Hauser’s sofa.
Hauser sat across from me and looked at me thoughtfully. “So how are we going to save Penelope’s soul?
“Well, I suppose we should first start by getting close to her, finding out what it is that makes her who she is. Find out what is triggering her suicidal tendencies.”
“That might be easier said than done,” Hauser said. “Despite what the Sentinel thinks, your new abilities may prove to be more of a hindrance than anything else. I think we’re going to have to do a tag-team reconnaissance on this one, and limit you to personal interaction only.”
I sat up. “We’re going to split up? Is that wise with Enoch on the prowl?”
“I don’t expect Enoch to be knocking on Penelope’s door anytime soon. For all we know, he has no idea that you have a new soul to collect. Also, at this point there are only the two of us, and the Sentinel, that know we will even attempt to save her soul. It might be a number of weeks before he comes out of the woodwork, but—”
“But he also might have that mole in the Sentinel that you mentioned. He might be at her place right now.”
Hauser nodded thoughtfully. “Precisely why we need to split up. But first, I think we need to talk about the injectors that Whitman gave us,” Hauser said as he pulled two cylindrical devices from his inside pocket. “I’m actually surprised he was able to create something so quickly.”
Hauser handed me one of the pen-shaped devices. “It looks like one of those epinephrine pens that are used for asthma attacks or allergic reactions.”
“That’s precisely what it is. While you were visiting the mind control specialist, Walt told me that in the rush we were in, he had to use an actual EpiPen and modify it for our purposes.” Hauser removed the cap to demonstrate its use. “All we have to do is stab the black end of the pen somewhere on his body. It will inject some microscopic tracking dots into his body. It’ll be impossible for him to hide after that.”
“And Walt was able to devise these . . . nanites that quickly?” I asked, skeptical.
“He has a number of science geeks working with him, and they can sometimes pull off miracles,” Hauser said as he recapped his pen. “Now, let’s go over everything once again, and then I’ll go track down Penny.”
Chapter 7.5
When we arrived back in New York, Hauser dropped us in a dingy alleyway just off of Forty-Third Street.
“With your new ability of being visible, I think it best that we only travel to and from vacant areas,” Hauser said as he began to move toward the end of the alley.
I fell into stride next to him, ignoring the putrid smell emanating from the nearby dumpsters. “That makes sense. Where is it that we’re going, though?”
“It’s a community center about a block away. After I tracked down where Penelope lives—incidentally, she goes by Penny—I was able to utilize Wilson’s, er, I mean your rosary, to see ahead to this point.”
“Does she work at the community center, maybe as a volunteer?” I asked.
“Not exactly,” Hauser said, shaking his head. Penny is . . . confused. She’s here at a support group for depression.”
“That makes sense. I would probably be a little depressed as well if I had recently lost a newborn.”
“So this doesn’t bother you?” Hauser asked.
“No, should it?”
“Well, considering how you left your life, I would assume that . . .”
“Are you sure that she’s going to try to kill herself?” I asked.
“All of the signs say yes. No, I haven’t seen her death, yet. But in addition to her depression, her soul has been in flux from the moment I found her in her apartment. Much like it was at the hospital, when she lost her child.”
“Calvin. Don’t remind me,” I said.
“Well? Are you going to be okay?”
I sighed. “Don’t you think it’s a little late for that?” I said. “Besides, I’m here to convince her not to die. I’m here to help her continue living. That is something I can be on board with.”
“Just remember, sport, Penny here is purely bait. Your intentions, no matter how sincere, are only present to lure Enoch out into the open. You’re not actually going to be able to save her,” Hauser said, stopping at the end of the alley to look me in the eye.
“Yeah, okay. I got it. I’m not gonna save her soul,” I said in a monotone.
“All right. I think we’re ready to go in, then.”
We stepped from the alley and onto the open sidewalk. Hauser was walking a little faster than normal, and I increased my speed in an attempt to match his pace. Before I knew it, I walked right into the back of another pedestrian. The collision nearly knocked me to the ground.
“Hey, buddy, why don’t you watch where you’re going,” said the stranger before stomping off down the street.
After regaining my composure, I looked up and found Hauser staring back at me, smiling ear to ear. “Wow, having to relearn how to interact with society has to be a real bitch,” he said.
I chuckled, trying to hide my embarrassment. I was actually surprised how quickly I’d lost the ability to interact with other people. Since entering the afterlife all those months ago, I rarely gave it a second thought when walking around or through the living.
“I guess I need to regain some manners,” I said.
“At the very least,” Hauser said. “This way, compadre.”
Hauser looked both ways before crossing into the street. I followed in his footsteps, verifying that he wasn’t foolishly luring me into a dangerous situation. He glanced back at me just as I looked up and down the street, and then chuckled. “What? You think I would actually put you in harm’s way?” he asked.
I shrugged as I passed him and stepped onto the sidewalk.
“So what’s our play? Do I just to go up to her and start chatting with her?” I asked.
“Well, maybe something not so direct, but yeah.”
“And you’re sure she’s in there?” I asked.
Hauser pulled out his pocket watch and flipped it open for us both to see. As we stood right outside the community center, the only dot on the face of the dial flashed slowly.
“Yep. She’s here. And from the speed of the flashing, it looks like whatever they’re talking about in there is doing her good.”
I leaned around the edge of the building and peered inside the glass storefront. From where I stood, I could see close to a dozen people sitting in plastic chairs arranged in a circle. I held my position for a few moments, studying the group.
“I don’t know, Hauser. I think your pocket watch might be broke. I don’t see her in there.”
“Trust me, she’s in there. She may look a little different from the last time you saw her, but she’s there.”
I peeked around the corner again
, scanning the group. As I did, individuals in the group began to stand up and mingle around, a few of them refilling their drinks from a buffet table at the side of the room.
“And you’re sure that Enoch will pick up on our activities?” I asked nervously.
“What’s going on, Jack? You obviously want to save all of the souls, so what’s causing the blockage right now?”
Hauser was right. There was something blocking my confidence, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.
“I don’t know. It’s just that . . . I guess I’ve just gotten use to not interacting with people, formally. I’ve never really been socially awkward or anything, but I’m having some strange feelings of inadequacy right now.”
“Nobody said this was going to be a walk in the park, Jack. Just do your best and I’m sure you’ll do fine.”
I took a deep breath, then walked around the corner and opened the front door.
Chapter 8.5
When I stepped into the Forty-Second Street community center, several small independent groups murmured quietly around the room. As I walked farther into the gathering, I casually looked around at all of the female guests trying to find Penny.
“Welcome,” a woman said from the center of the room.
I smiled and walked up to her. “Hello,” I said nervously. “Uh, a friend of mine said there was some kind of group that I could, um . . .” I held the pause to exaggerate the awkwardness of the situation. “A place that I could come to if I was depressed.”
“Your friend is correct. I am Alisha. I’m a support counselor here, and our door is always open. If you ever want to talk, there will always be somebody here to listen.” She smiled. “We have weekly gatherings where you can come and participate in group sessions. There’s one going on right now, but we’re just on a little bit of a break.”
The Borrowed Souls: A Novel Page 28
