Alex pulled back into the street.
“I think we’re going to have to call the Lieutenant,” Alex asserted.
“McAvey?” Lisa asked. “Why on Earth would we call him?”
“Well,” Alex said, “If these guys aren’t FBI, it couldn’t hurt to call in some backup. If they are FBI, it couldn’t hurt to have orders from our superior.”
Leave it to Alex, Lisa thought.
“That’s why they pay you the big bucks, Alex.”
“Yep,” he nodded.
Alex dialed the station on his cell phone.
“Lieutenant?” he said, wasting no time. “Alex Mendez, Sir. I’m wondering if you might have a few minutes.”
A few acknowledgements, a brief summation of their situation followed by a few more missives. Finally, “11:30? I’ll be there.”
Hanging up, Alex looked at his watch. “Okay, we’ve got less than 4 hours to either find this girl or figure out we don’t know where she is. Let’s hope we don’t go to the Lieutenant’s office with nothing.”
“I have an idea,” Lisa offered.
“What’s that?”
“Well, I want to pay a visit to that Doctor that hired Tina to work for him.”
“Shepard?” Alex asked.
“Yep, if Tina’s not at my house, she’s going to be somewhere familiar or she’s going to be nowhere at all.”
Alex cocked an eyebrow. “She’s not going to show up at work wearing sweats and a t-shirt. I think we’d have heard of somebody had robbed a K-Mart recently.
Frustrated, she slapped his arm, apologized.
“If you have any better ideas,” she said, “I’m all ears.”
* * *
It was difficult for Alex to concentrate on the road. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on him. Wilkes dying. Now this Tina girl missing. Lisa was totally unlike herself. She seemed to have bonded with Tina in their brief time together.
Alex was anxious for answers, but had only questions. He was a facts man. Who were these FBI guys? Why were they following him? Were they following him? What happened to Wilkes? Where was Tina? Why was the FBI – Real or Fake – looking for her? Was she a criminal? Some escaped mental patient perhaps? Only questions. No answers.
Alex had pulled into his driveway on autopilot. He became aware that Lisa had asked him a question. When he blinked, looked at her with glazed eyes, she asked again.
“Now what?”
Neither instinct nor autopilot could tell him what to do next. All he could do was what he was trained to do. Investigate. There were no answers. So, what next? Ask the right questions.
But to whom?
When he turned off the ignition, he looked up the road. Spotting the same blue sedan that he had suspected of following them before, his jaw locked.
“I’ll be right back,” he said, pulling out his teeth, charging the parked vehicle.
He’d scarcely gone 20 feet when the car pulled away from the curb and began to turn around. He sped up, running full speed.
The car jumped the curb opposite Alex’s house and sped off. Alex tried to get a look at the plates, but it was covered with dirt and debris.
He turned back to find Lisa approaching.
The sky above was dark for this hour. Clouds rolled around like damp polar bears wrestling in soured snow drifts. It was going to rain soon.
CHAPTER 22
RESILIANT
Alex barely had time to get in the car when he noticed a small tan Honda pulling up next to his house. A slightly older man got out of the car. Alex thought of Captain Picard as the man approached. From the passenger side, another man exited. But for the salt and peppered hair, this man looked decades younger than the Picard. Both carried manila file folders. The younger man carried a brown briefcase. As he exited the car again, Alex took a careful look at each man. Neither appeared to be a threat. Still, Alex called upon all his powers of observation. Each little nuance. Every micro expression was his to scrutinize.
“Can I help you, gentlemen?” Alex asked, reaching or his badge.
“I believe we can help you,” Picard said.
The hairs on the back of Alex’s neck stood on end.
* * *
It took Alex less than a minute to realize that there was more to the story than the two men were offering. Their technical jargon and half-cocked research statistics hid something deeply ominous. The briefcase was impossibly filled with charts and graphs, reports and notes, most of which meant little to Alex, even after explained by one of the men.
“Okay, so this Flannigan guy. Who was he? Some nutball with a God complex or just some schizoid dreamer with a misguided desire to rule the world or, I dunno, an accident waiting to happen?”
“Actually,” Dr. Lance Forrester said, “It may not be a stretch to say he was a little of both, well, all three, whatever.”
“My friend,” Alex grumbled, “you are really starting to bug me.”
As Alex and Lisa sat quietly, Dr. Gene Collins explained the basic principles behind Project Flannigan. The project that brought two opposing forces into being. Alex was partly confused, partly amazed. He was, however, inexplicably terrified. When did technology reach such heights, he wondered to himself. More, when did the madness of Mankind supersede his own concern for himself and his fellow man?
Alex sat listening for some time when he heard a noise near the back of the house. It sounded like glass breaking. Alex, closely followed by Lisa, headed toward the source of the noise.
The door to Lisa’s guest bedroom was closed. A rustling sound came from within, causing Alex to reach for his sidearm. Silent, Alex waved Lisa in behind him. He edged the door open slightly, half expecting an explosion to rocket them both right through the roof, or an attacker, doing a purposely poor job of hiding so as to draw them into his trap.
As the door crept open, the stench of sweat, dirt and blood filled the air. Alex gave a brisk push against the door, took a stance before noticing a shaking, blood-covered, filthy Tina Miles. Alex cocked his elbow, raising the gun toward the ceiling, quickly surveyed the area.
He called for Collins and Forrest, as Lisa knelt at Tina’s side. This was a police matter. But they would need to be here.
* * *
Dr. Collins gave Tina a sedative to help her sleep. She was rambling incoherently. Something about lights and saving something. Someone, perhaps. Lisa couldn’t make sense of any of it. The ragged girl looked positively infantile, laying helpless, scared and confused, even in sleep.
“Shepard,” Tina whispered. For a moment, it didn’t register. Was she dreaming of sheep? No! Malcolm Shepard! Her new boss.
“Malcolm Shepard!” Lisa said, to no one in particular. For some reason, Tina wanted Malcolm Shepard. Or did she? Did she want him or did she want away from him in whatever nightmarish hallucination she now found herself?
Lisa picked up the phone beside the bed.
“I need a listing or Malcolm Shepard, please? Yes. Dr. Malcolm Shepard.”
CHAPTER 23
ERA OF TRUTH
He sat outside Coral Oaks Mental Hospital. An iron gate and long concrete drive were the only things that stood between him and…her. He didn’t like waiting. Time was precious. Every moment that escaped was a moment of lost purpose. If he decided to, he could have her out of there, leaving no witnesses. There was no purpose to that. No challenge. He would do it if he could find meaning in ending their lives.
“Come to me,” he whispered. “The end has come.”
* * *
The echo inside her head was incredible. Her mind filled with dreams, visions really. It seemed like reality was embracing nightmares. Life had married Death. Light to Dark. She blinked the clouds from her eyes, tried to focus on the lights that surrounded her. Confusion danced in view, blocking Clarity. Nothing made sense. Was that a voice she heard? Was it in her head? Where did it come from? Was it possible she had died? Was this the fabled light and sense of warmth into which people entered whe
n they left the physical world? It couldn’t be. The Light was welcoming. This was confusing. Wrong.
A voice through the fog.
“Tina.”
It was one voice. It was two. Or was that an echo? Who was Tina? When she tried to focus on the voice, she heard it again.
“Tina.”
Her head began to clear. Her vision grew more stable, then unstable as quickly. Focus became blurred vision, which became focus. A sharp pain in her hand. A needle, she thought.
Inside her, she heard more voices. It was difficult. Concentration. Clouds. Fog.
Into the black depths of unconsciousness she swam.
* * *
When Burke pulled up to the front gate, Coral Oaks appeared abandoned. Ominous, like a two-story strip mall version of Arkham.
The guard had one lone guard, an older man, who appeared ten years past retirement age.
“FBI,” Burke said.
“What can I do for you gents?” the old guard asked.
“FBI,” Burke repeated, ignoring the guard’s question.
“I’m old,” he sneered, “I ain’t deaf! You boys droppin’ off or picking up?”
“Classified,” Burke insisted, “open the gate please.”
“Now just a second there, young fella. I gotta make sure somebody knows about this.”
“We know about this,” Will interrupted, from the passenger seat.
“Open the gate, sir,” Burked huffed. “We don’t want you getting into trouble for interfering with a government operation.”
The old man regarded the two curiously, turned and walked back toward the guard house. A loud buzz followed by a clanking sound and the gate swung open. Burke rolled up the window and edged forward.
“He bought it!” Will laughed.
“Morons,” Burke growled. “I’m telling you, cops are morons. And rent-a-cops are downright brain dead.”
* * *
She came to rather quickly this time. Her eyes focused with relative ease. Her mind filled with voices and images that could have been reality or might have been dreams.
As she came to, she looked around the room. She was alone, with Lisa and a male nurse.
“Well, look who’s awake,” the nurse said. Lisa turned toward the bed and smiled.
“Good to have you back,” she said to Tina.
“Back?” Tina asked. Back from where?
Back from where?
* * *
Alex shook Dr. DeAndra Clifton’s hand. She had a powerful grip for a woman, even a woman as tall and athletic as she was.
“Where’s Tina?” Dr. Shepard asked.
“Room 414,” Alex said. “I appreciate you coming so quickly.”
“I wouldn’t dream of turning my back,” Dr. Shepard said. “I know I haven’t known Tina all that long, but there’s a spark in that girl. I saw it the moment she walked into my office. I’m just glad ol’ Rufus had a spot for her.” Dr. Shepard turned to Dr. Clifton. “You’ll love her, Dee.”
“I’m sure I will.”
“I brought DeAndra along because she has more experience with Bipolar disorder than I do. Multiple personalities, breaks. Whatever they’re calling it these days.”
“Tina’s room is this way.”
As they neared the room, they saw two men in expensive suits entering.
“What the—” Alex said, sensing trouble. He broke into a jog. Behind him, he heard the hurried footsteps of both doctors.
* * *
Spencer and Adam showed their badges to the men at the front desk. With no protesting, they got the key to the room number registered to Doctor Forrest. The room was close to the front lobby. Spencer directed Adam to one side of the door. Drawing his gun, Spencer used the keycard to unlock the door.
The two men burst through the door and swept eyes from left to right. No immediate threat. In the dimly lit room, they noticed Dr. Collins sitting in a chair. As they approached, it was readily apparent he was no threat. Death was a threat only to his victims. At Collins’ feet lay the lifeless body of Dr. Forrest. A spilled glass of liquor lay near his face. On the nightstand lay a single piece of paper and a pen. Spencer clicked on the light and read the message.
No trace.
* * *
Alex burst through the door of Tina’s room just in time to catch one of the two suited men training a pistol on Lisa. Alex dove for her and, as if by some magical power beyond his own, managed to push both Tina and Lisa to the floor. Shifting position, he fired at the men whose only protection seemed to be the empty bed next to Tina’s.
He fired under the bed, hitting one of the men in the stomach. Lisa was firing above the mattress.
He prayed out loud. “God please, help me!”
Behind them the door opened again. Dr. Shepard and Dr. Clifton burst through the door, despite the gunfire that would have alerted everyone else to get down. Malcolm Shepard ducked. As he hit the ground next to Tina, Alex noticed blood splattered on Shepard’s face.
“You’re hit!” Alex screamed, instinctively grabbing the man’s neck, searching his head, shoulders and torso.
Before Dr. Shepard could react, the lifeless body of DeAndra Clifton fell at Alex’s feet. She had been struck once in the head and had probably died instantly. Alex noticed blood on the wall behind him. As Dr. Shepard clutched the corpse of his associate, Alex returned fire on the two strangers. Bullet after bullet tore into the walls behind him. He felt the white-hot thunk, smelled his own flesh burn in the instant before being tossed back by the force of the bullet. He winced and fell face flat on the floor, raised and fired again. Behind the two men, Lisa’s bullet struck the air conditioning unit. The cover burst off, striking one of the men in the neck, stunning him. Sparks flew everywhere. Alex fired directly at the air conditioning unit. A flame sparked, burned out quickly.
Raising next to Lisa, he fired, ducked. He caught sight of one of the two men, lifeless eyes staring into Alex’s. Blood poured from his head and chest.
Smoke filled the room as the air conditioning unit popped, whizzed and churned.
“We’ve got to get out of here!”
He was weak. Losing blood. Though it didn’t appear the shoulder wound was serious.
“We’ve got to get out of here,” he repeated, to no one in particular.
* * *
Billowing smoke filled Tina’s lungs. Her head hurt. Her muscles felt weak. Each step seemed impossibly weighted. Blinded, stumbling, she finally made her way to an exit. Behind her, she still heard the exchanging gunfire. All she could do was hope Lisa and Alex would be okay. Images of Dr. Clifton’s exploding skull caused a knot in her stomach. She needed to vomit, but she feared for her safety too much to stop.
“God,” she whispered to herself. “I’ve never been much of a praying person. I’m not even sure that you’re there. But I sure wouldn’t mind if you helped Lisa and Alex.”
“Don’t worry, Baby.”
The voice was inside her, yet it was as audible as if she were listening to a radio. Her stomach unknotted, but her insides shook violently. Her head began to throb. She fell. Walking was no longer possible. Thick smoke surrounded her again as she neared the exit door.
Scooting to her knees, she began a labored crawl toward the door.
Collapsing just outside the doorway, she felt herself being lifted as if by some magic force.
“Tina!” A familiar voice. “What is going on in there?”
Devin? How?
Tina coughed, choked. Tried to speak, couldn’t.
“Let’s get you out of here,” he said carrying Tina around one side of the building to, she hoped, safety.
“Lisa,” she coughed. “Ale—”she erupted into an intense hacking fit. As Devin tossed her into the passenger seat of a Bronco, he touched her cheek.
“Don’t worry,” he said, “They’ll be fine.” He wiped a hand across her eyes. “Sleep.”
She couldn’t fight it. Everything grew dark. Protesting, as she fell into sleep, she w
as afraid.
* * *
“Where’s Tina?” Lisa shouted as a piece of shrapnel screamed by her head, shattering a flower pot. Alex, who kept trying to stand, shook his head. Beside him, Dr. Shepard sat holding DeAndra Clifton’s lifeless body. Such an attractive woman, Alex thought, mourning her passing for but a fleeting moment before being rocked back to reality by yet another bullet whizzing by his shoulder.
“I don’t know,” he answered.
CHAPTER 24
THE HUNTED
Coral Oaks was a mad house of cops, ME’s and EMT’s and onlookers, not to mention the number of patients who suddenly found themselves homeless. Luckily for them,, the fire burned itself out quickly, so what little damage existed was limited to three rooms and part of the main hallway. Alex had run fingerprints on the two deceased men. They had claimed to be FBI agents. At first glance, they might have appeared to be legitimate. Alex’s sources at the Bureau, however, didn’t take long to realize their system had been tampered with. The men they claimed to be were FBI Agents. No doubts there. However, both of them were dead. According to the files, they had been dead a decade or more.
Patrolmen were questioning everyone, hoping that somebody had seen what happened to Tina. Alex saw Lisa approaching and he knew what was coming.
“Don’t ask,” he said, as she sat beside him on the hood of his car.
“What’s next?”
“We’ll find her,” he answered.
A patrolman walked up.
“Detective Mendez,” he began. According to his nametag, his last name was Harrison.
“Yes, officer?” Taking the sheet of paper being offered him.
“We found that over there,” he said, pointing in the direction of the main gate. “There are tire tracks leading away from the grounds. We’re thinking if we find that vehicle we will find the person who wrote this.”
Alex read the note.
Death Must Come!
Alex showed it to Lisa. He knew what she felt because he felt it too.
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