The Victim

by Jonas Saul

  “These guys don’t die,” Parkman said. “There’s always more of them.”

  “How comforting.”

  Parkman offered a smile.

  “What can you tell me about Dolan?” Waller asked.

  Parkman shrugged. “He’s a friend. Helped Sarah out of a pickle about five years ago. Got shot for his efforts. Got kidnapped about a year ago by the people hunting Sarah. I was there. Overall good guy. Would die for Sarah.”

  “He just did.”

  Parkman leaned over the table, his face getting close to Waller. “What?”

  “He’s dead. Dolan Ryan was found in the foyer of his home, dead.”

  Parkman leaned back, dropped his head. “Shit, Sarah’s gonna be pissed.”

  “He rented a room for Sarah at a hotel on Yonge Street last night. I ran a check on him, had a uniform stop by to ask him if he knew where Sarah would turn up next. Found him dead.”

  “That’s not good. Dolan had been through a lot with Sarah.” Parkman shook his head.

  Waller pulled out a pad and pen. “Who else would Sarah turn to? I need names. They may be in danger.”

  “Esmerelda Hall. She’d be next. After that, her parents. Her father, Caleb has always been a big supporter of what she does.”

  Waller stopped writing. “What does she do?”

  “She’s an Automatic Writer. Her dead sister channels through Sarah to give her prophetic messages that are designed to help someone. Sarah does what the message says and voila, someone is saved. The American friends you mentioned earlier have always wanted her for testing. They’re probably the ones who orchestrated her funeral a few days ago. Bastards. Her parents are going to be pissed about that.”

  “Automatic Writer, eh? Next you gonna tell me she reads tarot cards and looks into crystal balls. Come on, you don’t believe that shit, do you?”

  Parkman stared back at him, his eyes firm. He didn’t respond.

  “Okay,” Waller said as he brought the pen back to the pad. “Who else should I write down?”

  “Me.”

  Waller met his gaze. “You?”

  “Sarah and I go way back. If someone’s out to kill Sarah and her known associates, then I’d be on that list.”

  “You’re surrounded by a bunch of cops in here. I’m sure you’re safe.”

  “Was Sarah safe this morning at the mall surrounded by a bunch of cops?”

  Waller felt physically ill.

  “Sorry, that was uncalled for.”

  Waller ignored him. He got up from his chair, leaving his coffee untouched. He needed to plug these names into the system and get someone to check on Esmerelda and Sarah’s parents.

  “Wait,” Parkman said.

  Waller stopped at the door but didn’t turn around.

  “I used to know a guy.”

  Waller waited another moment, and then turned to face Parkman.

  “And?”

  “Crazy dude. Had to arrest him numerous times because the courts just kept putting him back on the streets. I figured it was because he was so fucking ugly.”

  “What about it?”

  “He suffered from something called ectodermal dysplasia. It messes with your facial features among other things.”

  “Where are you going with this?” Waller asked.

  “It makes the hair brittle, the finger and toenails prone to infection. Pigment of the skin can be affected and the teeth. Man, the teeth, they come in like a vampire’s. Most sufferers get dental implants. Oh, and the sweat glands are not developed because of some inactive gene or protein. These people don’t sweat.”

  Waller started to put it together. “Are you talking about the guy on the mall footage? The ugly one?”

  “Oh, say, you think I could get some toothpicks up in here?”

  Waller turned to leave but stopped at the door. “Stick around a while. And I want my fucking gun back.”

  “Your gun?”

  “Sarah stole it from my holster in last night’s accident.”

  Parkman smiled. “I still need toothpicks.”

  Toothpicks? Waller asked himself. What the fuck does he need toothpicks for?

  Chapter 20

  Sarah woke with a start. For a second she had no idea where she was or what she was doing there. The smell of fresh coffee filled the air as she swung her legs off the cot. She rubbed her face and walked into the bathroom. After using the facilities, she headed over to the makeshift kitchen Aaron had set up in the back of the dojo.

  “Good morning,” Aaron said.

  “You always this chipper in the morning?”

  He turned his head sideways as if he was thinking. “Yeah, you could say that. Any day I wake up still breathing is a good day.”

  “Are there days you wake and you’re not breathing?”

  He laughed, low and soft.

  “There are a few people out there I wish would stop breathing for ten minutes,” Sarah said. “That’s all I ask. Ten minutes. Not much, is it?”

  Aaron pivoted, two coffees in his hands. He gave her one.

  “Ten minutes?” he asked. “That’s all?”

  She shrugged. “Yeah, why not. Would solve a lot of the world’s problems if we could just get those certain people to stop breathing for ten minutes.”

  “We talking about the Rapturites?”

  “Don’t remind me.”

  “Sorry.”

  She sipped from her cup. “Mmm, this is good. You made it just right.”

  “Thanks. You ready for more abuse?”

  “I’m starting to think that was why I was born. I’m sore as hell after yesterday.”

  “Sorry.”

  She glanced his way. “Stop saying sorry. I’m talking about the whole day. Fighting in the mall, car accident in the evening. Then sparring with you. I feel like I fell off a motorcycle and was run over by a semi.”

  “Before we start, we’ll do some stretches. Something of a yoga, toxin-release thing.”

  “I need to make a couple phone calls first.”

  “Sure. Phone’s over on that far wall near my office door.”

  “I got my own cell, thanks. They’d trace it back here.”

  He sipped from his cup. “You don’t think they’ll trace your cell?”

  “Not this cell. It’s not mine. Found it after the car accident last night.”

  “You just happened to find a cell?”

  She shrugged. “Yeah.”

  “Oh.”

  They drank their coffees in silence, both looking out the dojo’s front window. Sarah couldn’t get what Waller had said out of her head.

  We haven’t got far to go. Don’t worry. We’ll get to the bottom of this.

  What could he have meant? Where had he been taking her? Or was it an innocent comment?

  “You okay?” Aaron asked.

  “Yeah, why?”

  “Your face. You looked angry for a second.”

  “Just trying to figure out what Detective Waller meant by something he said last night.”

  “Who’s that and what did he say?”

  “He’s the cop who I agreed to meet with so we could clear up what happened at the mall. We were only together five minutes before the accident and then I was attacked again. That was before I came here.”

  “What did he say?” Aaron asked as he rinsed his cup in the small sink.

  “He said something about not having to go far and that we would work it out. It sounded strange. Like he was taking me to some back alley or something. Like he was going to work it out his way.”

  “You don’t think he just meant to say that the police station wasn’t far away?”

  She shook her head. “No. This was different. I trust my gut on these things.”

  “Then it was good that you were in the accident. How long will your calls take? We should get started.”

  “Five minutes.”

  “Deal. I’ll start warming up.”

  Sarah walked back to the cot and grabbed the cell phon
e from the side counter.

  Two missed calls. Both were from the girl she talked to last night who had a problem with some guy—the owner of the phone. She only hoped the phone hadn’t been disconnected yet.

  Sarah dialed Dolan’s number directly. Two rings later a man answered.

  “Who is this?” Sarah asked.

  “Who’s this?” the man asked in a stronger voice.

  “I’m looking for Dolan. Put him on.”

  “Can’t. He’s busy. But let me tell him who’s calling. Your name?”

  She heard a scanner or police radio in the background then hung up.

  “Shit.”

  Dolan was expecting me to call. What are the cops doing there?

  She dialed the police department and asked to speak to Detective Waller. She was put through faster than last night.

  “Waller here.”

  “It’s Sarah.”

  “Sarah. Where are you?”

  “Not so fast. Why are police officers at Dolan’s place? He isn’t part of this. I asked for his help, that was all.”

  “I’m sorry, Sarah.”

  “You’re sorry—” She stopped talking and gripped the phone tight. “No. Don’t tell me. No, no no …” she dropped the phone as uncontrollable sobs shook her chest.

  The flood of tears came fast. She cried, bent over on the cot. After a minute, she wiped her eyes. To Aaron’s credit, he didn’t disturb her.

  The cell phone still ticked by the seconds of the call. Waller hadn’t hung up.

  She brought the phone back to her ear again.

  “What happened?” she asked.

  “We don’t know. It looks like he was attacked at the front door of his house. We have units on their way to Esmerelda’s house and your parents’ place.”

  “My parents? Esmerelda? Why? What do you think this is?”

  “Whoever is behind this seems to want to get to the people you know.”

  “Why? I don’t understand.” Overwhelmed, Sarah wanted to crawl under the cot and not come out until next year. “How did you get Dolan’s and Esmerelda’s names so fast?”

  “Parkman.”

  She lit up. “Parkman? He’s here?”

  “Yeah, right beside me.”

  “Put him on.”

  “But, Sarah, we have to—”

  “Put him on,” she shouted.

  There was a moment of silence, followed by a whisper.

  “Hello, Sarah.”

  “Oh, Parkman. I’m so glad you’re safe.”

  “I’m glad you’re safe. In fact, I’m glad you’re alive.”

  “Yeah, the lengths some people will go to work with me, eh? Kill me first. They even had a funeral. Crazy.”

  “Even crazier is what’s happening now. You okay, wherever you are?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine for now.” She peeked into the dojo where Aaron was stretching on the mats. “But I’m scared.”

  “Yeah, me too, Sarah. Me too.”

  “Don’t trust Waller.”

  “Why?” Parkman asked. “You heard from Vivian about that?”

  “No. Just something he said last night when I was in his truck.”

  “What?”

  “Something about where he was taking me and how it wouldn’t take long to work everything out. Seemed an odd thing to say to me.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind. Listen, he wants his gun back. He’s pissed about that.”

  “Too fucking bad. I got religious zealots after me. I need a weapon.”

  “I understand. He doesn’t.”

  “Fuck him. When am I going to see you?”

  “Are you safe wherever you are?”

  “As far as I know, but last night those guys showed up as if they knew exactly where I would be. And Vivian said she was being blocked for some reason. I feel kinda lost.”

  “Listen, as long as no one knows where you are and you’re safe, it’s better if you stay underground until we can ID the guys on the security footage from the mall.”

  “You making any headway?” she asked.

  “Yes. We suspect one of the guys suffers from something called ectodermal dysplasia. He’s easy to spot with the big forehead—”

  “You mean the ugly one.”

  “Yeah.”

  “I wondered if he did that to himself. Some people mutilate themselves and call it art.”

  “No, this is real. He has distinguishing features. We should be able to ID him soon.”

  “Is it true about Dolan?”

  “Unfortunately. You gonna be okay?”

  “I’ll be fine. Gonna miss him, though. It’s hard, Parkman, it’s hard.” Another wave of grief rose inside her.

  “I’m going to miss him, too. Hopefully no one else will suffer. We’ll ID these guys and track them down. In the meantime, stay hidden. Call my cell if you need anything.” He recited his number, and she committed it to memory.

  “Parkman, let’s get these bastards.”

  “We will, Sarah. We will.”

  “Have you heard about Drake, yet?”

  “Yes. They found a tiny hole in his neck. His body was sent away for toxicology. I’m sure they’ll match it up to what’s in those syringes.”

  Out of respect for the dead, a moment of silence followed.

  “I’ll buy you a shitload of toothpicks when this is over,” Sarah said. “But we both have to stay alive to see you enjoy them.”

  She could almost hear him smile.

  “All I want is a hug. I’m so glad to hear your voice. It’s good to have you back in the land of the living. I hated your funeral. Do not make me go to another of your funerals. They suck.”

  “Yeah, I hated it too and I wasn’t even there.”

  Aaron stuck his head around the wall. “You coming?”

  She held up one finger. “Gotta go. Be cool, Parkman. And don’t let these guys touch you. They conceal those syringes in their palms.”

  “We know. The lab is analyzing the contents of the needles found on the two dead guys in the intersection last night.”

  “Good. Let me know what it is when I talk to you next.”

  “Will do.”

  “Bye, Parkman. Love you.”

  “Love you, too, Sarah. Stay alive.”

  “You too or I’ll punch your corpse so hard you’ll feel it for a year on the Other Side.”

  She hung up, turned the cell phone off and removed the battery. She couldn’t allow anyone to trace her location.

  Then she double checked Waller’s gun to make sure it hadn’t moved under the pillow on the cot. After a couple of deep breaths, she walked to the door and leaned against the wall.

  “I’m so sorry, Dolan,” she whispered under her breath. “I’ll pray for you. Goodbye, Drake. Vivian, if you can hear me, take care of them. I love you guys.”

  She wiped the tears from her face, gritted her teeth and stepped onto the mats to fight with Aaron.

  Chapter 21

  In the end, he had no choice but to trust Philip. Simon agreed to let him help plan the next attack on Sarah. It would take place near Yonge and King Street, downtown Toronto. All the note said was that Sarah would be on Colborne Street around two in the afternoon. There would be a chase, but Simon and Philip would end up locking Sarah in a room and Rapturing her.

  “Matthew said there would be a commotion or something,” Simon said, “but he couldn’t see it. Yet, Brother Philip, isn’t that all we need? There is proof of the Rapture here. This is what we were looking for all this time. It’ll finally be over.”

  Philip nodded. “I know, Brother. It is finally coming to a close.”

  “We just have to wait until tomorrow afternoon. We can be Raptured after that and be home with our Lord before dinner.”

  Philip smiled, but Simon could tell in Philip’s eyes that he didn’t have the proper faith to Rapture himself. Maybe because Simon hadn’t instilled the kind of faith required to do something like that, as he wasn’t going to do it either.