Mike laughed and said, “We can’t have any of Missy’s naughty bits getting exposed out here in the cold, right? I did bring along this blanket, for when she finally does decide to be human again.” He unrolled the large blanket he’d been carrying and showed where a hole was in the middle for Missy’s head. “There will be more than enough to cover the rest of her and protect her modesty.”
Then, without further ado, Missy disappeared. There was a shimmer of light and then her clothing just dropped into a small pile where she had been standing moments before. There were several gasps and exclamations of surprise and Mike laughed. Then he went over and began picking up her clothes and stuffing them into a plastic bag which he’d brought along for that very purpose.
Patrick said, “Well, I guess she really can make herself invisible. Wow!”
Michelle said, “Wow is right! I mean … she showed us she could move a chair around and we already suspected she was … well … different and special. But, hearing her talk about being a spirit and actually seeing her simply disappear like that? Sorta scary!”
Aaron was looking around, checking to see if she might suddenly re-appear. Then he asked Mike, “Are you still able to communicate with her? That talking inside your head thing she does?”
“Oh, yes! And, she’s laughing at you all right now. She loves the reactions and thinks it’s hilarious. Wait … she says she’ll pick up that rock over there and … see?” A rock about six inches or so in diameter was suddenly floating in the air several feet above the ground. “That’s her, showing off for you!”
Donald said, “Yeah, she enjoyed showing off like that when Heather first told me her sister had telekinesis abilities. Missy floated some clothing around in front of me. Then she appeared as a cat, right out of thin air.”
As though right on cue, Missy’s typical pulse of energy could be felt and there she was, standing proudly several feet behind Mike at the top of the hill. She really was enjoying herself and, just to continue showing off, she sat on her haunches and raised one paw up in the air, pointing it at the floating rock which slowly began moving over towards her. When she then waved her paw in a circular motion, the rock began orbiting up and around, clearly under Missy’s control.
Mike announced, “Notice how she managed to blink herself back while never letting the rock drop? She’s very proud of that … she says that really requires a lot of effort and is nowhere near as easy as it looks.” He started laughing since, obviously, there was nothing about any of this which could possibly be looking easy to anyone.
Michelle had approached Missy and now said, “Her eyes! They look almost the same … but, with lots more yellow in them. I’m guessing that explains why we sometimes notice all those gold speckles when she gets excited, right?” They all had noticed many times how Missy’s deep green eyes could change appearance and sparkle, filling with yellow or gold specks. That happened, of course, whenever she got excited or aroused and let her cat in while otherwise remaining fully human.
Aaron also approached her and said, “And, I actually recognize all those scars on her shoulder. That’s when she tangled with a black bear, right? Five years ago? I remember her telling us about that when we first met her and nosy Michelle here just had to ask about them.”
Missy finally let the rock drop and strutted around so she was closer to everyone.
Michelle said, “Those two circular marks on her chest, just below her neck. Are those scars from where she got hit by some bullets when she was in Afghanistan last summer? The wounds she somehow healed up from in just a couple of weeks?”
Mike said, “Yeah, those two plus a third one on her abdomen. Hey, Missy, roll over on your back so everyone can see.” Missy did as Mike asked and it was obvious she was enjoying herself. When Mike bent down and rubbed her tummy, she actually purred. Mike then pointed to the six inch scar on her thigh, saying, “And here’s yet another bullet wound, from when she got shot by a hunter. Like with that bear attack, it was during those two years she was gone and lived as a cat up in the mountains.”
Missy got back up on all four legs, her long tail raised straight up behind her, and padded over to Michelle. Mike, tell them about the slight risks concerning what I’m getting ready to do now. You know … just in case.
“Missy wants you all to prepare yourselves. When she Shifts this next time, to her spirit form? Well, since that’s not merely a pause in-between but will actually be a final step, an end in and of itself?”
Aaron said, “Oh, oh! I get it, now. I think you’re saying she might possibly get stuck there. In her spirit form. She might not be able to return! Wow!”
Heather exclaimed, “Missy! Don’t you dare! Wait … Mike? Have you guys considered all the consequences? I mean … what …?” She couldn’t continue and just stood there with a horrified expression, looking at each of the others and then at Missy. “I really don’t understand any of this and I definitely don’t like taking any chances. You’re dealing with complete unknowns!”
Mike said, “She doesn’t consider this anywhere near as risky as when she attempted pausing that first time, in-between shifts. Tracy was with her then but … well … she is very confident now. I am too. We just wanted to mention it, in case she does have any difficulties. You know.”
Patrick asked, “If she can’t Change back, will she hang around and what … haunt us? You know … being stuck as a ghost and everything?”
“Not funny, Patrick.” Michelle now was worried. She reached down and began petting Missy on the head, scratching behind her ears and trying to somehow find some way to accept the unbelievable. Missy really was right there, staring back at her with an intelligent expression. When Missy began purring loudly, that made it both more real and more unbelievable at the same time.
Then, Missy went over to Mike, rubbed her head against him for just a brief moment, and calmly walked off, climbing back to the top of the hill where she was now several feet away from everyone. She was ready. After only a few seconds, during which she looked at each of the others one last time, she then disappeared in a shimmer of light and was gone.
Chapter Four
Nov 29, 2019
Askar-Samar Karimi entered the hotel lounge and looked around. While it had only been three days since his last meeting here in Istanbul with Arvind Pancholi, many things had changed since then. Pancholi worked for the CIA at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara but was a double agent, a spy, who had provided WIJO with valuable information coming from an American traitor, a former Homeland Security executive. That information, which he personally had taken the initiative to obtain from Pancholi, had enabled entry into the U.S. for many of their volunteers, fresh from WIJO training camps, who had then joined existing teams already positioned in several key cities. But, it was the additional data which Pancholi had wanted to sell which had led to their last meeting. With this information, Pancholi was claiming WIJO might neutralize a secret U.S. advantage. The U.S. was using special individuals with special abilities. Karimi had found all that very difficult to believe.
He had made no commitment, wanting to see if the plan for bombing the Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City might yet succeed. Unfortunately, the WIJO teams at Philadelphia and Chicago had already been arrested, thwarting plans for also bombing the parades at those locations, but whether because of this alleged U.S. advantage or whether New York would also be at risk, Pancholi couldn’t say. Instead, he’d merely commented, “Either these special individuals are not involved with anything which might happen at that parade or, if they are involved, it’s probably already too late to change anything.”
What Pancholi had claimed was this U.S. advantage had enabled their finding out other things, such as where the Taliban had hidden its secret base in the Kunar Province and where WIJO had hidden Candace Axtell. Karimi had been especially interested in the Candace Axtell rescue, since he’d been one of the leaders participating in the investigation right afterward when that embarrassment had occurred. Who could
say if this latest disaster, with all these last minute arrests, might be yet another instance?
Then on Thanksgiving, WIJO’s entire New York team had been wiped out at three separate locations, apparently by their own explosives somehow going boom all at the same time. Not only was this impossible to understand, it placed Karimi himself in a bad position. He had been the one who had directed them to relocate to their remote site in Pennsylvania, after those other teams had been arrested. And, it had been his recommendation to establish that fallback location, just west of Allentown, since it was only a few hours away from New York City for vehicles travelling over the roads.
So, yeah … Karimi had demanded this meeting today. As he headed over to the same booth they’d used last time, he noted Pancholi was already there. Good!
Pancholi meanwhile was watching Karimi’s approach with mixed feelings. While he looked forward with great anticipation to negotiating a high price for all his files which clearly showed the U.S. was now using supernaturals, he was not going to take any chances. He realized Karimi was on the hot seat as the leader WIJO would hold most accountable for their failure in New York. And, he knew they must now be questioning all the earlier information Karimi had purchased from him. Had Karimi been misled? Was the source of all this info, the American traitor from Homeland Security, the one to blame?
Pancholi was in the middle and wanted to make certain his own involvement would not be questioned. Now, more than ever, he needed his unique ability to always know when any person he was dealing with was telling the truth or lying. Since he was a water witch and could sense and control fluids, that enabled him to do that. It also enabled him to control all the fluids inside anyone within a hundred feet, thus giving him several ways to kill or torture, should such drastic measures be called for. He stood and greeted Karimi, using English which they both were fluent in.
Karimi wasted no time on niceties and immediately demanded, “Tell me why any of the information you have provided us can be trusted. You know what happened yesterday, right?”
Pancholi said, “Yes, I know about those explosions in Pennsylvania. But, none of the information which my source provided is related in any way to what happened to your men. And, all his information was accurate. My source was an executive at Homeland Security and provided you with everything you wanted to know about the latest surveillance techniques and equipment which the U.S. agencies are using plus all their procedures and policies. And, his recommendations for how best to avoid and circumvent those were what enabled your teams to successfully enter the U.S. along with bringing in all the explosive materials and equipment you wanted for them. How can that in any way have led to these recent events? There is no connection. None. As I told you last time, if things did not go according to your plans, then it would be the new information I was offering which might help in understanding why you would have failed.”
Karimi was very frustrated but had to concede these points since he indeed could not see any possible connection. Since none of the other WIJO leaders had yet been able to find a connection either, he so far had avoided any blame. But, he knew his situation was tenuous.
“This porn star … you said she attends one of the military academies.” Karimi’s tone was very derogatory and filled with contempt but was also incredulous at the same time, challenging Pancholi. “This Cancun Cancan Girl who was dancing and flaunting herself at nightclubs … you claim her actions somehow led to the U.S. locating Candace Axtell. And, you claim she also served as a soldier with the Special Forces during Campaign Angel’s Wing when that Taliban base was destroyed and many of our leaders were killed or captured. You say this girl is somehow special and the U.S. is now using special individuals like her.”
“Exactly!” Pancholi sat down and gestured for Karimi to do the same. Once they both were seated, he said, “My source gave you everything you asked for. But, he did not stop there. He now is offering you this new information, before offering this to anyone else … all the details concerning individuals like this girl. He believes his price is very reasonable, one that he can easily get elsewhere.”
“Twenty-five million dollars? I told you last time, that is much too high. And, we are not interested in bidding. Your Homeland Security traitor needs to come forward, convince us that his information is credible and of value. We then will make him an offer that is appropriate.”
Pancholi grimaced and said, “Is that a threat? You realize I am the one in the middle, right? You cannot get to him unless I give him up and I will not do that. I have been in this business for a very long time and it is because I protect the anonymity of my sources that I am able to obtain such high value information.”
“No, no! I make no threat. You don’t think we will kill the goose that lays the golden eggs?” Karimi smiled but the smile did not reach his eyes. He was showing off, making reference to the Western fairy tale.
Pancholi laughed and said, “I think you definitely would do exactly that if you thought you had any other way of finding your golden eggs. But, for this golden egg, your costs would end up being far greater than the twenty-five million. How much has this failure of yours already cost you? How much time do you have before you must provide your leaders some explanation for what went wrong and for how the U.S. managed to locate all your men? There is no way you can blame my source for this failure.”
Karimi studied Pancholi and knew the man was right. He was in no position to go back to his leaders without something. Killing Pancholi would not help. Perhaps with torture he might learn where this Homeland Security traitor could be found, but then what? Pancholi was correct. There just was no way to blame what had happened on that individual or on any of the information which they’d received from him. Moreover, unless there was a believable case which he could now provide for how the U.S. might be finding out their secrets, his leaders would quickly lay the blame on him. He was running out of time. “You haven’t convinced me that your source’s information about this girl can be my golden egg.”
Pancholi knew he was okay … he was able to sense Karimi would do him no harm. And, he understood the man’s dilemma. He needed to produce a golden egg. But, what proof could be provided to show these claims were true? None of the WIJO leaders would understand about supernaturals … they did not really believe in witches. Then he smiled to himself. Perhaps they could be convinced the U.S. was using demons. Demons were something the WIJO leaders would believe in. Yes, anyone with supernatural abilities would be considered by them to be a demon.
“I have nothing which proves these special individuals are responsible for your failure with these attacks you had planned for the Thanksgiving Day Parades. What my information does show is these individuals are doing things not humanly possible. Yes, they are doing impossible things. Things like locating and rescuing Candace Axtell. And, things like finding that Taliban base. So, could they do things like locate your men in Philadelphia and Chicago? Things like blowing up your men in Pennsylvania? Yes, they could. Or, were these things merely the result of the U.S. having some technology you don’t know about?” Pancholi stared at Karimi for an answer, but was met with only a stony silence.
Then he asked, “Or, were they because the U.S. is using demons?”
“Demons!” Karimi sputtered. “You’re saying this porn star is a demon? Your information shows these special individuals are demons?”
Pancholi nodded, saying “What else would you consider such individuals to be if they can do things not humanly possible? If not demons, then perhaps aliens? All I know, based on the limited information my source has provided so far, is they are doing things which humans are not able to do.”
“All you have shown me is a video of this dancer. You claimed this girl’s performance was soon after being badly wounded while serving with a Special Forces unit. And, then you claimed Candace Axtell was rescued, because of that performance. But, your claims are not proven facts. You expect us to pay twenty-five million dollars? Your source needs to prov
ide us with more proof this girl is really a demon.”
Pancholi was frustrated. He did not wish to reveal any more from his files before being paid. And, since he was supposedly only the middle man, only his source could do that anyway. Furthermore, while his files clearly showed him that Missy McCrea and Oliver Bessom must be witches, that was partly because he himself was a witch and was able to recognize them. But, even if he were to show Karimi those files, the man might still insist proof was lacking. He tried another approach. “My source can find other buyers willing to pay for this information. But, we believed the special circumstances with WIJO being adversely affected the most by what these special individuals have done … we believed WIJO would want all this first. But, if time is not of the essence, as it were, and WIJO is not interested …?”
Karimi said, “We are interested and time indeed is of the essence. But, we must have proof concerning these demons. Go back to your source and get me something which I can present to my leaders. If this girl is really a demon and attending one of the military academies, as you have said? Then surely you can provide us with something more to substantiate your claims. Then perhaps I can arrange payment of your twenty-five million.”
-----
Thus, Pancholi returned to his hotel room in Istanbul without any agreement. He needed to find some way to add to what he had in his files on Missy McCrea. Perhaps a meeting with Felipe Benedict, the Homeland Security traitor in Paris, might be appropriate. He wanted to learn whatever he might know about this girl that was not in those files.
Official working days in Turkey, including government offices, were Monday to Friday. And, of course, the U.S. Embassy had celebrated Thanksgiving on Thursday. So, he had taken Friday as vacation in order to meet with Karimi. Now, after checking flights, he was able to book himself on a flight to Paris for the next morning with a return flight to Ankara on Sunday evening.
Missy's Operation Lily Pad (Missy the Werecat Book 6) Page 3
