by Paul Seiple
“Aura went to the restaurant and read the energy while we were on our way back from the hospital,” Mason said.
The scene continued to play on the wall. Emma Zito attacked the woman, stabbing her in the eye with a butter knife. A man tried to pull Emma off the woman. There was a bright flash, followed by the destruction of the diner.
“So, she spontaneously combusted? I’ve heard that was a thing,” Noah said.
“Her rage caused her to implode. It’s not the same as spontaneous combustion,” Don said.
“A dark elemental referred to as the True Self embedded itself inside Emma Zito. Just as it did Angus Thornberry and those people at the hospital,” Aura said.
“What is an elemental? And why is it causing all of this violence?” Noah asked.
“An elemental is an entity that is usually summoned to this world. It’s never been human. This one is causing people to reveal their inner shadow,” Aura said.
“Inner shadow?” Noah asked.
“Think of it like the old tale, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” Mason said.
“The shadow is the unknown side of a person,” Don said. “The person is aware of this aspect of their personality but they chose to keep hidden out of fear or shame.”
“And this elemental is bringing it out of people?” Noah asked.
“It appears that way,” Don said.
“So how do we stop it?” Noah asked.
“Oh shit,” Kim said, “Wayne Rusk left the hospital.”
“The True Self will get him to infect as many people as possible,” Aura said.
Don reached into his briefcase and pulled out a laptop. Without saying a word, he searched for Wayne Rusk’s address.
“All right, we have to find Rusk, but how do we find everyone he’s come in contact with?” Terrence asked.
“I’m afraid there is no way,” Noah said.
“Maybe there is,” Mason said. “Aura, if we find Rusk, can you read the energy in his fingers?”
“I can try,” Aura said.
“This is not real,” Noah said.
“You can say that as many times as you like, but that will not change what’s happening,” Kim said. “We have to find a way to stop this before it becomes impossible.”
“How do we do that?” Noah asked.
“We find the people and quarantine them,” Jaime said. “We have to treat this True Self as a virus… because that’s really what it is.”
“Got an address,” Don said.
“Jaime, you come with Don, Aura, and myself,” Mason said. “We’ll get Rusk. Noah, you stay with Kim and Terrence. Be ready to find anyone Rusk came in contact with after Aura reads the energy.”
Twenty-Two
Jaime turned onto what seemed to be a quiet street with moderate-size houses that had a cookie-cutter feel to them. All the homes had gray siding. The only difference was the accent paint on the doors and shutters.
“2113 should be on the left,” Don said.
“Who needs GPS when we have Aura,” Jaime said, pointing to a glow that looked like a ball of fireflies in front of a mailbox.
“That has to be it,” Don said.
“OK, we need to think about this before going all in,” Mason said. “There’s a good chance Rusk is going to be violent. There’s a better chance, he’s not going to come willingly.”
Jaime parked the car a few houses away from Rusk’s residence. She didn’t want to give them away. Mason was the last out of the car. Aura formed beside him.
“Do you have a plan?” Aura asked.
“I defer to you. This is more your area of expertise,” Mason said.
“I can go in and put him out. The problem is you cannot touch him,” Aura said.
“He’s…” Jaime thought about her words. “He’s contagious even if he is knocked out?”
“I’m afraid so. The energy is only affected if the host dies,” Aura said.
Relief washed over Jaime. Angus Thornberry was dead when Noah touched him. Noah wasn’t infected.
“Are you suggesting we kill Rusk?” Mason asked.
“No. But I am saying we are in a predicament with him,” Aura said.
“We should lock him in a room somehow,” Jaime said. “Seal the infected away from the healthy.”
“Hey, what are you doing in front of my house? I’ve told you about soliciting.”
The voice caused everyone to look at a porch. An old woman stood on the top step, grabbing a support column with her left arm. She flipped the middle finger with her right hand. Before pointing at a red NO SOLICITING sign just above her head on the post.
“I’d be willing to bet Rusk touched her,” Jaime said.
“I said, what are you doing in front of my house?” The old woman let go of the column and produced a shotgun. She aimed at Don and fired. “Can’t you read the fucking sign?”
Aura dove into Don, spun him around before flinging him to the ground. Jaime grabbed Mason’s arm and pulled him behind the Jeep. Another shotgun blast. This one took out a back window of the Jeep.
Don crawled behind the Jeep.
“You OK?” Jaime asked.
“I think so,” Don said.
A male voice cut through the air with a yell. “What’s wrong, Mildred?”
“These son-of-a-bitches won’t move from in front of my house,” Mildred said.
Aura materialized from Don’s chest. “Stay here.”
“Hey, you assholes, this is a peaceful neighborhood. What are you doing here?”
Jaime peeked around the front bumper. “It’s Rusk,” she said. “He’s coming over here.”
Rusk flashed a hunting knife in his left hand. He pointed it at the Jeep before stabbing the front tire. “You’re going to pay for this.” He rounded the vehicle and held the knife above his head.
A flash of green swirled and wrapped around his wrist like a constrictor.
“What the fuck is this?” Rusk jerked his arm, but the force was too strong. His grip loosened on the knife. It fell at Jaime’s feet. She grabbed it and pointed the tip at Rusk.
“You don’t have it in you, bitch,” Rusk said.
Jaime scooted back on her butt, but kept the knife pointed at Rusk.
There was another shotgun blast. This one went into the air.
“Get out of here. I’m not going to tell you again,” Mildred said.
Rusk’s feet elevated. His head fell to his right shoulder. Rusk smacked against the asphalt.
“Don’t touch him,” Aura said.
“Don’t worry,” Jaime said.
Aura moved toward the porch, leaving a faint green glow to blow in the wind. Mildred took aim at the Jeep. The barrel of the gun shifted upward. Mildred pulled the trigger. Shards of rotting wood from the roof of her porch rained down. Her fingers loosened. The shotgun fell to the ground and slide down the stairs. Mildred crumpled to her knees and rested against a banister.
“Is everyone OK?” Aura asked.
Jaime stood and nodded. Don waved his prosthetic hand. Mason didn’t answer. His attention was on Rusk, who lay at the side of the Jeep.
“Mason?” Aura asked.
“He’s fine,” Jaime said.
“Is it safe?” Don asked.
“For now,” Aura said. “I’m not sure if Rusk came in contact with anyone else.” She touched Mildred’s wrinkled hand. Time rewound like a VHS tape. Mildred hadn’t infected anyone after being infected by Wayne. Aura glided down the porch stairs and let the wind carry her towards the Jeep.
“Is Rusk dead?” Mason asked.
“No… well, not yet. Unfortunately, when I pull the shadow from him, he will die,” Aura said. “It’s easier to trace his steps if he’s still alive.”
“And Mildred?” Mason asked.
Before Aura could answer, a blast hit the window of the Jeep. Glass rained down on Jaime as she ducked.
“I don’t know what the hell you are, but the sign clearly reads no soliciting,” Mildred said. She aimed the gun
at the Jeep.
A blinding glow caused Mason and Don to turn away. In a flash, Aura was on the porch. She reached into Mildred’s chest. The old woman fell again. This time there was no getting back up.
“Sorry. I thought I could put her out until we could quarantine her, but the shadow wasn’t having it,” Aura said.
“Rusk,” Mason said.
Wayne got to his feet. Don stepped between Wayne and Mason.
“Isn’t that cute? You want to be a hero.” The voice came from Wayne, but it was much deeper than possible, almost as if it came from the pits of hell.
“Back up,” Don said, pointing his prosthetic hand at Wayne.
Wayne reached out, grabbed Don’s hand, and flung him against the Jeep.
“Dad,” Jaime said.
She lunged at Wayne. He elevated. Aura wrapped around Wayne and tossed him onto Mildred’s lawn. Jaime landed next to Don.
“I’m OK. He didn’t touch me, just the hand,” Don said.
Aura focused her energy on Wayne’s hands and looked into his past. She saw Wayne at the hospital. A nurse checked his pulse. Aura zeroed in on a name badge that read BONNIE ROSE. The next scene was Wayne waving to Mildred before tapping her shoulder. Wayne had touched no one else.
Wayne’s eyes opened. His black pupils caught sight of Aura hovering above him. Wayne swung a left jab, cutting through Aura. The black roots that had taken hold in his forearm ripped through his flesh. He screamed as the shadow seeped from his arm.
“Unbelievable,” Mason said, peeking out from behind the Jeep.
The shadow shaded Aura’s glow. Darkness overtook the greenish hue.
“It’s killing Aura,” Jaime said.
She stood up. Don pulled her back. A green tint outlined the shadow before enveloping in. Aura returned to a human shape.
“We have to find Bonnie Rose. She’s a nurse, and the only other person he infected,” Aura said. “I’ll clean this up. Go find her.”
Twenty-Three
Noah paced in front of the printer, sipping from a cup of coffee. Every few steps he paused and eyed the printer as if he were expecting something to happen.
“You should sit down,” Kim said. “You’re going to need all your energy when we face this thing.”
Noah placed the empty mug next to the coffeepot. He turned to Kim. “You really believe this is supernatural?”
“I’ve seen stranger things,” Kim said.
Noah took a seat beside Terrence. “Like what?”
“I had a demon that had followed me since I was a teenager,” Kim said. “It finally made its presence known last year.”
“And it’s gone?” Noah asked.
“For now," Kim said.
“Did you have an experience too?” Noah asked Terrence.
“A few. But I’m her partner. Where Kim goes, I go,” Terrence said.
“And do you believe this is supernatural, or are you just backing your partner?”
“I wish I could say I didn’t, but there is too much to support the paranormal theory,” Terrence said.
“How do we stop something like this?” Noah asked.
“We don’t. We provide backup for those who can combat the supernatural,” Kim said.
“Let’s say this is paranormal. How are we going to explain it?” Noah asked.
“We’ll worry about that once we’ve stopped whatever is causing this,” Kim said.
“And you think Don will be able to do that?” Noah asked.
“Hopefully, Project Specter can,” Kim said.
“What happened to make you retire from the force to join Don?” Noah asked.
“The realization that there are things out there that are beyond law enforcement’s arm,” Kim said.
“I just got tired of old women attacking me,” Terrence said.
Noah stared at Terrence without saying a word.
“Long story. I’ll tell you over coffee sometime,” Terrence said. “But just a word of warning, don’t sleep on old people.”
Kim laughed.
Static from Noah’s radio pierced the room. The dispatcher warned of shots fired near Wayne Rusk’s address.
“We have to go,” Noah said, clipping the radio to his belt.
“Got any ideas how we’re going to explain this if the cops beat us there?” Noah asked.
“Let’s just hope Don, Mason, and Jaime aren’t hurt,” Kim said.
“Jaime,” Noah said.
His phone rang. JAIME WYNN flashed across the screen.
“Weird,” Terrence said. "Is anything normal these days?”
Noah handed his phone to Kim. She answered and put the call on speaker.
“Jaime, it’s Kim. Are you guys all right? We heard the call for gunshots over Noah’s radio.”
“We’re fine, thanks to Aura. We’re on our way to Bonnie Rose’s apartment. She’s a nurse that came in contact with Wayne Rusk,” Jaime said.
“And Rusk?” Kim asked.
“He’s dead. So is his neighbor, Mildred. She was a feisty old lady,” Jaime said.
“Most of them are,” Terrence said.
“What?” Jaime asked.
“Nothing. What’s the address? We’ll meet you there?” Kim asked.
“616 Hermitage,” Jaime said.
“That’s less than five minutes from here,” Noah said. “What about the bodies?”
“Aura cleaned things up. The cops won’t find anything. Well, maybe a hole in Mildred’s roof,” Jaime said. “I’ll tell you about it later. Meet us there.”
Noah pulled the sedan in front of the row of apartments. He parked behind a delivery truck and killed the engine. “I guess we should wait.”
Before Kim could answer, a silver compact pulled up. Jaime hopped out and helped Mason from the backseat. Don spoke to the driver and exited the passenger side.
“Where’s the Jeep?” Noah asked.
“That’s a story for later. I’m just glad it was Dad’s car and not the Mercedes,” Jaime said.
“All right, what’s going on?” Kim asked.
“Bonnie Rose was the nurse who tended to Rusk at the hospital,” Mason said. “We’re fortunate. Rusk only had contact with Bonnie and his neighbor.”
“She’s in 4B,” Noah said. “How should we approach her?”
“If she’s like the others, Rose probably does not know what has happened to her. Maybe Jaime and I should try to talk to her,” Kim said. “You up for it?”
Jaime nodded. “Yeah, we’re less threatening.”
Terrence chuckled. “You haven’t seen Kim in action. But I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Terrence Simms, do you think I can take of myself?” Kim asked.
“Of course… but… I’m your partner,” Terrence said.
Kim smiled. “Then back me up.”
“We all will back you up,” Mason said.
The sound of dance music grew louder the closer Kim and Jaime got to apartment 4B.
“Hey? Are you cops?” The voice seeped through a crack in the door of 4A.
“No,” Kim said. It was weird answering no to that question after so many years on the force.
“I called the cops about an hour ago. I have to work second tonight and need sleep.”
The door opened, and a short, stocky man stepped into the hall.
“Is Bonnie usually this loud?” Kim asked.
“Never. It’s weird. Usually, you can’t tell if she’s home. I’m Barry.”
“Nice to meet you, Barry. Why don’t you go back into your apartment. We’ll check on Bonnie,” Kim said.
“I thought you weren’t cops,” Barry said.
“Uh…”
Jaime interrupted Kim. “The landlord sent us.”
“Oh… good… since you’re here, my fridge is making weird noises,” Barry said.
“We’ll check it in a bit,” Jaime said.
“Cool deal,” Barry said. He went back to his apartment and shut the door.
“You’re
good,” Terrence said, stepping into the hall.
“Not good enough to figure out what’s wrong with his refrigerator. So let’s hope we don’t see Barry again,” Jaime said.
“I thought you were backup,” Kim said.
Terrence looked over his shoulder. No one was there. “We are. I’m just faster than the others.”
Kim waited for Don, Mason, and Noah to enter the hall before she knocked on the door.
“Bonnie Rose,” Kim said.
There was no change in the volume of music. Kim knocked louder.
“Bonnie, I need you to open the door,” Kim said.
Nothing changed.
“We’re going to have to knock it down,” Terrence said.
“Whoa, give her another minute,” Jaime said.
“Terrence is right. We need to get in there now, before the cops get here,” Noah said.
“You are the cops, Noah,” Jaime said.
“You know what I mean,” Noah said.
Mason stepped between Terrence and Kim and turned the doorknob. The door opened. “Always check first,” he said before stepping back.
Kim peeked inside the apartment. The living room was empty. She turned back to the others and motioned them in.
“Bonnie, are you here?” Kim asked.
No answer.
Noah turned down the music. Kim called out for Bonnie again. Jaime moved down a small hall, using the wall as protection from someone sneaking up on her. She saw a bare foot hanging off the edge of a bed.
“In here,” Jaime said. She froze in the doorway.
Kim bumped into Jaime before moving around her and getting a better look at Bonnie Rose, who lay on the bed next to a pile of pills and an empty vodka bottle.
“Is she…”
“Dead? Yeah, I think so,” Kim said, cutting Noah off.
Twenty-Four
“Remi should be here soon,” Debbie said. “Are you sure you can take care of him?”
“I’m right here,” Lanky said.
Debbie cut a glance at Lanky and turned back to Derek. “Are you sure?”
“Of course,” Derek said. He pointed to Sam, who was sipping coffee and reading the sports pages. “I’ve taken care of him for weeks. This should be easy.”
