Mendez Genesis

by Edward Hancock II

  Alex’s cell phone rang.

  “Mendez.”

  CHAPTER 25

  INTO THE LIGHT

  The police presence at Coral Oaks all but ceased quickly, as resources were shifted to other matters. What was, just minutes ago, a madhouse of uniformed officers now remained stoic, silent, with barely a handful of nearby uniforms questioning the nearby patients still wandering about the grounds. Those who were coherent enough to answer questions did so to the best of their abilities.

  Alex’s shoulder had been hit, but it was a superficial wound, much to his and Lisa’s relief. It wouldn’t even require stitches, though the EMT’s admonished him to be careful for a while.

  “You’re where?” she heard Alex ask. “Are you sure?”

  A slight pause.

  “And you’re sure it’s her?”

  Whoever was on the line must have had some serious news. Maybe about Tina. She could hear the male voice from her position, but couldn’t tell who it was.

  “We’ll be right there, James,” Alex said. “Find a place to hide and don’t move until we get there. Use all caution!”

  Lisa didn’t wait as Alex hung up.

  “Who was that?”

  “James Brenton,” he said. “He spotted Tina.”

  “What?” She asked. “How? Where!?”

  “Come on,” Alex said, standing. “I’ll explain on the way.”

  * * *

  They were walking toward Alex’s car when Dr. Shepard approached.

  “Any luck?” he asked. His eyes were beet red from crying. He was still visibly shook from Dr. Clifton’s execution.

  “I think we’ve found her,” Alex said, trying to hurry past Dr. Shepard.

  Malcolm Shepard grabbed Alex’s arm.

  “You’ve found her? Where? Where is she?”

  Alex looked at Dr. Shepard’s hand, met his eyes. “Dr. Shepard, I don’t know where she is for sure. I only know that someone called and said he thought he had spotted her. Now, I really must be going.” Alex motioned for Lisa.

  “If you’re going after Tina, I’m going with you,” Dr. Shepard said, matching pace with Alex.

  “No, you’re not,” Alex admonished.

  As they got to the car, Dr. Shepard was just steps behind. He went to the passenger side back door.

  “You’re not going, Doctor,” Alex said again. “This could get dangerous.”

  Dr. Shepard’s face went rigid. His voice blunt.

  “Look, you need me. If that girl is truly disturbed – truly bipolar or worse – you are not equipped to deal with it.”

  “I’m adequately trained in—”

  “In police psychology. Young man, no offense, but—”

  “Hey boys,” Lisa interrupted. “Let’s go. We’ll argue on the way.”

  “Lisa!” Alex shouted. “He’s not going!”

  Dr. Shepard quietly climbed into the back seat.

  “Well, he’s either going or we’re dropping him some place. How much longer do you want to argue? Time’s a wasting.”

  Lisa. Is she ever wrong?

  Alex sighed.

  “Get in.”

  * * *

  As Alex was shifting into drive, his cell phone rang again. Grand Central was alive and well in Alex’s pocket, he thought.

  “Mendez,” he said.

  “Mendez,” said Lt. McAvey. “You were supposed to be in my office hours ago! Where the devil are you?”

  Alex blushed slightly. He felt his ears warm. His watch confirmed he was, indeed, two hours late for his meeting with the Lieutenant.

  “Lieutenant,” he said. “I apologize. I’m working on this case and I am following a very hot lead.”

  “Mendez,” The Lieutenant said, more reserved. “I want you in my office inside of 30 minutes. Do you understand me?”

  “Yes sir, but—”

  “Did you hear me, Alex?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “Thirty minutes.”

  Alex grew frustrated.

  “Sir?”

  “Is there a problem, Detective Mendez?”

  Alex thought about how he was going to reply. Yes there was a problem. A big problem. The problem was Alex didn’t need a meeting anymore. Two dead fake feds and a missing psychopath took precedence over a rank-pulling Lieutenant.”

  “Lieutenant,” Alex began, “I’m covering a crime scene. I’ll be here for quite some time. I can’t just leave.” Okay, so that was a lie. Alex was already leaving the crime scene.

  “I thought you said you were trailing a lot lead, Detective.”

  “Yes sir,” Alex confirmed. “This crime scene is hot. I was a witness. I’m trying to—”

  “On hour, Mendez,” McAvey said. “You’ve got one hour.”

  “Yes sir.”

  The dial tone was pleased with his agreement.

  “McAvey?” Lisa asked.

  “Ayup.”

  “And?”

  “And, we’ve got one hour.”

  The clock is ticking.

  * * *

  Evening had swallowed the sun by the time Alex, Lisa and Dr. Shepard arrived at the college. Alex spotted James Brenton peeking out from behind a large pine tree. He skulked toward Alex, scanning the area as if sure of a sniper’s cunning, watchful eye.

  The wind picked up, sending a chill down Alex’s spine. Something ominous surrounded him. More a feeling than something visible, there was a very real evil in the air. Call it cop instinct. Call it common sense. Call it paranoia. Call it whatever, but call it certain.

  “Where is she?” Lisa asked.

  James put a finger to his mouth, motioning or Lisa to be quiet. He pointed toward the engineering sciences building.

  “I saw them go in there.”

  “Are you sure?” Alex asked.

  “I’m sure.” James’ eyes met Alex’s.

  Alex drew his gun.

  “Don’t move, James!”

  Lisa and Dr. Shepard looked dumbstruck at Alex. James’ expression remained unchanged.

  “Look at him!” Alex said, keeping his gun trained on the young cop. “The lights are on but nobody’s home!”

  “Nobody or somebody?” Dr. Shepard asked. Alex knew the implication.

  “Tina?”

  “If not her,” Dr. Shepard said, “then somebody.”

  It was less than the blink of an eye. James attacked Alex with cat-like quickness. His strength was immeasurable. Despite the struggle, Dr. Shepard’s words rang in Alex’s head. Something was wrong.

  Nobody or somebody?

  Alex brought a knee to James’ groin. He winced, scowled and coughed, but did not relent. Alex hit him again and a third time. From behind, Lisa put James in a choke hold.

  “Where is she?” Lisa shouted.

  “She’s dead!” his voice echoed with ethereal depth. His voice, but not his. As if the deepest pits of hell opened to give answer to Lisa’s question. Alex could see Lisa’s fear. His spine tingled.

  The game had changed.

  Alex kicked the James Being in the stomach. He coughed.

  James let out a stream of gagging, guttural wheezes. Coughed again. His skin grew sickeningly blue. Alex reached for his chin, was about to punch him. The eyes. Something new in his eyes. Confusion, disbelief.

  Fear.

  “Come on,” Alex said, bending down to pick James up. “Let’s get you out of here.”

  “No,” James coughed.

  Alex motioned for a confused Lisa to take James’ other arm.

  “No!” he insisted. He pulled away. Stumbled, but caught himself on Alex’s car.

  “I’m going in there with you.”

  “In where?” Alex asked. “We don’t know what we’re dealing with. I’m not just going to go charging into some uncertain situation with my John Wayne hat on.”

  “You don’t understand,” James said. “You can’t possibly understand.”

  “That’s my point, James!” Alex shouted. “How do I even know Tina’s in there?
”

  “Tina?” James said, looking confused.

  “The girl,” Lisa interrupted. “The reason we’re here.”

  “She’s…” James trailed off. His eyes vacated their sockets. He opened his mouth as if preparing to speak.

  Wider. Wider still. His mouth widened with almost reptilian flexibility. Voices sounding as if in their final death throes.

  “Lisa!”

  James’ throat contorted as the word filled the air, though his lips did not move. The wind blew stronger. The chorus of voices grew louder.

  “Lisa!” the voice said again. “Help me!”

  It’s Tina!” Lisa said, having to speak over the rushing winds and spectral chorus.

  “Are you sure?” Dr. Shepard asked.

  “It’s not Tina!” Alex said.

  “It is!” she insisted. “Alex, you’ve got to believe me!”

  Lightning struck in the distance. Clouds rolled in. Day became as night.

  Something drew Alex’s attention toward the engineering science building. As the lightning lashed again, he pointed.

  “Come on!”

  “What about James?” Lisa screamed.

  “Kick him or something,” Alex answered. “It worked last time!”

  * * *

  Lisa shook James vigorously. She slapped his face, shouted over the cacophony of tortured souls. As she grabbed his face, her mind filled with images she could not fight.

  She saw Tina Miles.

  She saw Devin Snow.

  She saw Bryan Flannigan.

  Not just saw them. Knew them. An inexplicable knowing that overwhelmed her. She saw – no, she experienced – ultimate power, life and death.

  “Alex!” she shouted. “Come here quick!”

  He trotted back toward her.

  “What’s the matter?” he asked.

  “Touch him,” she said, grabbing Alex’s hand. “Here. Touch him here!”

  He touched James on the shoulder, directed Dr. Shepard to do the same. Instantly, their faces were transfixed with fear. Soon, fear turned to clarity. Clarity turned to confusion and their minds became one in absolution.

  “We’ve got to kill this guy!” Alex said.

  “And how are we going to do that?” Lisa shouted. She was scared to her very core.

  “I think we both know the answer now, Lisa.”

  A tear swelled in Lisa’s eyes. She knew the answer. She knew and she hated it.

  “Tina,” she sobbed.

  “Come on!”

  * * *

  Devin stalked about the room with methodical stealth.

  “How dare you!” he scowled. “I come to bring them what they want and you… You claim you have come to help them! What can you give them that is greater than what I have to offer?”

  “Life!” she screamed. “I can give them life! A life free from you!”

  Lightning crackled and thunder boomed as if inside the room with them.

  “You can give them flesh!” He screamed. Nearly nose to nose with her. “I give them freedom!”

  “Freedom?” she asked. “I give them freedom. Freedom from you!”

  “Free from me?” he whispered, leaning close to Tina. “There is no freedom from me! They call for me. They serve me. They want to be me. I grant them eternity.”

  Around him, the walls began to crack. Beakers fell to the floor, shattered. From the corner of her eye, she saw Alex and Lisa making their way into the room. No, she thought. Get out of here! She was trying not to draw attention to them. To keep him distracted as long as possible.

  “You are death!” she screamed. “No, you are a servant of death! You’re nothing but an errand boy for the real power you serve!”

  “And what are you?” he beckoned, maintaining his calm. “Life is a part of Death! Life leads to death. What is it they like to say? The debt that all men pay? You are nothing but a precursor to that which has already taken place. You are a foreshadowing of the inevitable. You lose.”

  The ceiling split and cracked. The walls flaked, crumbled. She caught sight of James Brenton and Dr. Shepard. Her heart sank. Behind her, a rumbling. Her attention was diverted just long enough to see huge wooden boxes falling onto Alex. He knew they were there. Had known, chose to ignore them until the proper time.

  “I have spent centuries, he growled, “laughing at these insignificant beings. Think they are masters of creation. They think they are strong. They know nothing of power!”

  Behind her, Lisa Warner stood. “And what do you know of power?”

  “I am power!” he replied.

  Lisa’s gun was drawn.

  “No!” she screamed at Lisa, but it was too late.

  Three shots. She was certain they’d all hit their mark. Devin stepped back, stumbled, went down to one knee. As his ominous stare raised from his bleeding chest, it was clear there was no damage a bullet could do that would end this. His eyes rolled back in his head. Slowly, he raised his arms. The room filled with a phantasmic wind. Flames shot from the cracks in the walls, doused. The room itself went dark.

  As lightning flashed, she thought she caught sight of Alex crawling out from under the boxes.

  She darted toward the four fragile flesh forms.

  Alex was motionless when she arrived at his side. Bleeding from the head, but free from the pile of boxes. His breathing was shallow.

  “I don’t have the power to save him,” she said to Lisa. The walls cracked again. The ceiling dropped in on itself a couple inches, causing everyone to scream.

  “What about you?” Lisa said, sobbing uncontrollably.

  Her face told the story her silence could not.

  “I love you,” Lisa said, hugging her. “I’m sorry.”

  “Thank you,” she said. “No get out of here!”

  * * *

  When Lisa let go, she knew it was the last time they would see each other. Her sobs were becoming spastic. Lisa looked at James, who was cradling his battered ribs.

  “Can you help me get Alex out of here?”

  “I got you,” James said. “Take his arm.”

  All around them, the walls were giving way. Inch by frightening inch, the ceiling closed in on them. Dr. Shepard picked up Alex’s feet. Lisa was thankful someone had not been hurt. As they darted toward the door, part of the ceiling caved blocking the exit.

  “What now?” she screamed.

  * * *

  Soulless met Soul in an orchestra of light and explosive power. The Sleeper met Devin on the only battlefield where she was his equal. She saw her former self as if from above, then from behind. She was on all sides of her fleshly shell simultaneously. In a single moment, a centuries-old battle reached its climax in a celestial dance. Life merged with Death and became one. One existed within the other until there was nothing left. No longer two. Just one.

  * * *

  Without a word, Dr. Shepard dropped Alex’s legs and moved a large section of ceiling. Above them, Lisa noticed another section teetering

  “Hurry!” she urged.

  Dr. Shepard grunted and strained against the heavy ceiling. With everything inside him, he strained against the impassable object, moving it out of the way, just far enough to crawl through.

  “Go!” he said, strained under the weight. James went through first, grabbed at Alex’s arms, pulling him through. He was in and out of consciousness.

  As Alex slipped through, Lisa looked at Dr. Shepard.

  “Go,” he whispered. His limbs were shaking. Lisa found herself distracted by the strength in this gaunt figure of a man.

  “What about you?” Tears streamed down her face. Not again!

  Dr. Shepard turned his head so that his eyes would not meet her glance.

  “No time! Go! Get Alex safe!”

  “No!” she screamed. “I won’t leave you behind too!”

  A cacophony of mournful metal cried out above.

  She had one shot. Taking a step back, she ran toward Dr. Shepard with all her might. As she tackled hi
m, she wrapped his torso in a death grip, rolling toward the outside exit, through the door. She hit the outer door frame with her shoulder, almost lost her grip on Dr. Shepard. The door swung backwards upon itself, hit the wall and swung back toward them.

  “My foot’s caught!” she screamed when she tried to stand.

  The door slammed Dr. Shepard in the head, knocking him out.

  Still struggling to free her foot, Lisa noticed James Brenton hobbling toward her.

  “No! Get back!” she shouted, hoping he would stay with Alex. He kept running toward her.

  As he got to her side, noises from the inner room grew louder. Finally, the doorway flashed and Devin stepped through the light, scowling at Lisa. He looked embattled, tired, but inherently evil. He threw his arms in the air, tilted his head back. More of the ceiling gave way, just as Lisa’s foot wiggled free. They stood, but it was too late. They were trapped by falling debris. Lisa was caught under the weight. She thought she felt something snap. Her legs were numb. Her vision clouded.

  Her hearing became labored, as if her head were under water. As she lost consciousness, she thought she saw Tina.

  “Life!”

  Darkness.

  EPILOGUE

  Standing before an unmarked grave, Lisa Mendez reached over to grab her husband’s hand. Lt. Alex Mendez, her other half, smiled back at her. They both were trembling. They always did when they came here.

  “You think she’s okay?” Lisa asked. It wasn’t the first time she’d asked.

  “I think we all are.”

  Lisa smiled. Alex always knew what to say.

  Lisa felt a tug on her skirt.

  “Mommy.”

  She looked down and lifted three-year-old Christina Mendez into her arms.

  “I hope you’re right, Alex.”

  A Note From The Author

  Years ago, when I was a young college student, sitting alone in the library between classes, a man walked up to me and introduced himself. Of course, no one else could see this man and no one else could hear the introduction, yet it was as clear to my mind’s eye as if it were happening in the world average human beings consider “real.”

  “Hi, I’m Alex Mendez and I need you to tell my story.”

  As I pondered his greeting, a flash of literary necessity overwhelmed me. He needed me to tell his story. And I, in a very real sense, needed him to let me. What followed would eventually become a very raw version of the first few pages of the story you just read, originally titled Splintered Souls.