Nature of Darkness

by Robert W. Stephens

  “What is it then?”

  “It is the darkness.”

  “You said it was too late but it’s not. This is a new chance for you, a chance to repair a small part of the damage you’ve done. Tell me where Jenna is. Help me save her.”

  “I don’t know where she is. I didn’t even know she’d been taken,” Marcus said.

  “Then put on that cop hat again. Where would he have taken her?”

  “It would have to be some place remote. Some place he felt safe.”

  “Give me a profile of the man.”

  “He’s a loner. He feels like an outcast. He’s angry for what happened to him. He wants revenge on the world.”

  “What happened to him?” Penfield asked.

  “It could have been anything. He lacks control over his life. This is a way for him to gain some of that back. He took Jenna for the same reason. He wants to control the situation.”

  “What does he want in exchange for her?”

  Marcus looked at the surface of the table for a few seconds. Then he looked back at Penfield. Penfield saw that something had changed in Marcus’ eyes. They were colder now, darker.

  “Come now. You know what I want for the girl. I’m surprised at you. Why would you even ask such an unwise question?”

  Penfield thought back to the video recording he’d watched of Dr. Bachman’s last session with Marcus.

  Marcus’ personality had just shifted, at least that’s what Marcus wanted Penfield to believe. Was it all an act? Penfield didn’t know, but he decided to play along.

  “Who am I talking to now?” Penfield asked.

  “Marcus gave you that answer. I see no reason to repeat it.”

  “You want Angela in exchange for Jenna McMahon.”

  “Good. We understand each other. Jenna isn’t on my list, but she will be if you don’t bring Angela here. I asked you before, but you ignored me. This is your fault. This is your doing. Bring me Angela and I’ll let Jenna go. You have three days, or I’ll leave her faceless body on Agent McMahon’s doorstep.”

  Marcus went to say something else but then he stopped abruptly. He turned to the mirror.

  “Who’s back there?” he asked.

  “You don’t know?” Penfield asked.

  Penfield looked to the mirror, giving Atwater the sign. Atwater entered the room a few moments later. Penfield watched Marcus’ reaction. He thought he saw fear.

  Atwater studied Marcus. Then he approached the table.

  “I see you,” Atwater whispered.

  “What is it you think you see, old man?” Marcus asked.

  “I’ve seen your kind before, but I don’t know what you are,” Atwater said.

  “You have seen nothing like us,” Marcus said.

  Marcus stood and started to move toward Atwater, but the chain held him tightly. Penfield stood as well. He held his arm out in front of Atwater to keep him from getting closer to the table.

  “Where did you take her?” Atwater asked.

  “Three days and then she’ll be dead,” Marcus said.

  “Why do you want Angela?” Atwater asked.

  Marcus tugged at his restraint, but the metal ring wouldn’t budge.

  “Tell me your name,” Atwater said.

  Marcus grew even more agitated. Penfield looked toward the mirror and shook his head. He knew either Santos or Dr. Mata was just seconds from sending in the security guards.

  “I demand that you tell me your name,” Atwater continued.

  “We are loneliness. We are emptiness. We are despair,” Marcus said, and he yanked at the restraint again.

  This time the restraints ripped free of the table. Marcus charged Atwater, but Penfield tackled him to the floor.

  “Run, Henry. Run!” Penfield yelled.

  Penfield was on top of Marcus and he tried to hold Marcus’ arms down. Marcus twisted free and he tossed Penfield to the side. He was up and running for Atwater. Penfield grabbed his ankle, which slowed Marcus down enough for Atwater to escape the room.

  Two Central State guards rushed inside. Marcus struck the first one and knocked him against the wall. The second guard tackled Marcus. Marcus threw him off. He stood but was then struck in the jaw by Penfield. Marcus seemed to shake off the blow, but Penfield hit him a second and a third time. None of the punches knocked Marcus over.

  Marcus was about to advance toward Penfield when a third guard who’d just appeared hit Marcus with a taser gun. His body shook, but he still moved toward Penfield. A fourth guard appeared and hit Marcus with another taser.

  He finally fell over.

  “Are you all right?” Penfield asked Atwater.

  “Yes, I’m fine.”

  Penfield knew he wasn’t being honest. The old man’s hands were shaking, and he kept looking at the door as if he expected Marcus to burst in at any moment.

  Penfield, Atwater and Santos had returned to Dr. Mata’s office. They’d only been in there a couple of minutes when Dr. Mata entered.

  “Marcus is back in his room. We’ve sedated him,” Dr. Mata said.

  Santos turned to Penfield.

  “What the hell happened in there?”

  “You witnessed everything that I did,” Penfield said.

  “It was the same as the attack on Dr. Bachman. You experienced the personality in Marcus that killed those people,” Dr. Mata said.

  “With all due respect, Doctor, I’m not interested in Marcus’ official diagnosis. We have a missing girl to find,” Santos said, and he turned back to Penfield. “That might have been our only chance and you fucking blew it.”

  “He doesn’t know,” Atwater said.

  “What are you talking about?” Santos asked.

  “Marcus doesn’t know who took Jenna or where she is. I suspect he would have told you if he did,” Atwater said.

  “That’s bullshit and why are you even here?” Santos asked.

  “No, Agent Santos,” Dr. Mata said. “Mr. Atwater is correct, medically speaking. The identity known as Marcus Carter may not know where Jenna is.”

  “I’m sorry, Dr. Mata, but that’s not what I meant,” Atwater said. “I won’t presume to question your official psychological profile of Marcus Carter. There was something else in that room, though.”

  “What did you see?” Penfield asked.

  “It wasn’t present when you first walked in there. Your initial conversation with Marcus Carter was with him and him alone. He wanted to help you, and he was frustrated that he couldn’t. Things changed when it came back,” Atwater said.

  “It came back? What the hell are you talking about?” Santos demanded.

  “The answer to your earlier question, Agent Santos. Why did Alex ask me here?”

  “Stop talking in damn riddles and tell me what you saw,” Santos said.

  Atwater ignored him and turned to Penfield.

  “It had three heads.”

  “Three?” Penfield asked.

  “It said, ‘You have seen nothing like us.’ There were multiple entities,” Atwater said.

  “Entities?” Santos asked.

  “What did they look like?” Penfield asked.

  “Tall and dark. It had wings with claws at the end. They’ve taken control of Marcus Carter. He was correct when he said he didn’t murder those women ten years ago. He was also correct when he said he knew nothing of these new killings. You’ll get nothing out of Marcus because he knows nothing,” Atwater said.

  “And the entities?” Penfield asked.

  “We can’t force them to do anything they don’t want to do. You only have one course of action and it’s up to you to decide how large of a price you want to pay to get Jenna back,” Atwater said.

  “What is that course of action?” Santos asked.

  “We find Angela Darden and bring her back here,” Penfield said, and he turned back to Atwater. “What do you think it wants with Angela?”

  “I don’t know, but it will likely destroy her, either by taking control of her like it d
id Marcus or by killing her the moment she walks into that room,” Atwater said.

  Santos turned to Dr. Mata.

  “Please tell me you’re not buying any of this hocus-pocus bullshit.”

  Dr. Mata said nothing.

  “Did you not see him rip that metal ring off the table?” Penfield asked.

  “An impressive feat of strength, but that’s all it was. The only thing we’ve learned is that we have three days to find Jenna McMahon,” Santos said, and he left the room.

  The group was silent for a few long moments.

  Then Dr. Mata turned to Penfield.

  “Agent Santos is right. Today’s meeting was a disaster and you learned nothing. I’m sorry, Mr. Penfield, but I can’t allow you or Mr. Atwater to see Marcus again.”

  “I understand, but I’ve gotten everything out of him that I needed. Thank you for your help,” Penfield said.

  Penfield nodded to Atwater and the two men left the office.

  They’d just exited the building when Penfield stopped walking and turned to the old man.

  “You called that thing an entity. What is it exactly?”

  “Let me ask you a question in return. Do you have to see something to know it exists? Do you have to hear it? There are certain frequencies that a dog can hear but we cannot. Does that mean the sound didn’t happen? I called it an entity because I don’t know what else to call it. It’s alive. It feeds off the suffering of others and I don’t know how to kill it. But it’s still governed by laws. Its power is not limitless.”

  “We may not need to kill it. We just have to outmaneuver it,” Penfield said.

  “We do know this. We know their names.”

  “Which are?”

  “They are called Loneliness, Emptiness and Despair.”

  22

  Desperation

  McMahon watched the video of Marcus breaking free from his restraints. He saw him charge for the old man and then Penfield tackled him. McMahon paused the video. It had been the third time he’d watched the file that Santos had emailed him just before leaving Central State to return to Quantico. McMahon had to get back there himself, the sooner the better.

  He’d already gotten word that they were bringing in his replacement to lead the investigation. His daughter’s abduction had compromised him, at least that’s what they were thinking. McMahon knew his replacement too. Agent Samuel Granier was a by-the-books guy. That wasn’t necessary a bad thing, but he doubted Granier had what it took to find Jenna.

  McMahon knew one thing. He wasn’t going to find his daughter by remaining at home, but he needed to stay there until Cameron’s friend arrived. His wife was understandably at her breaking point. He realized that they’d done a good job of balancing each other out over the years. When he was upset, which was more likely the case, she’d calm him down.

  Now it was his chance to return the favor, but he wasn’t sure how much longer he could maintain his composure. He was just as terrified for Jenna as Cameron was, maybe even more since he’d seen first-hand what MAI could do.

  He was about to start the video for a fourth time, hoping that he’d hear something that he’d missed before, when his phone rang. He assumed it was Agent Porter calling, but he saw Penfield’s name on the display. He thought about letting it go to voicemail, but he answered anyway.

  “Hello.”

  “I assume you’ve seen the video by now,” Penfield said.

  “I have.”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you my intention to bring Atwater to the meeting.”

  “You knew I wouldn’t approve yet you did it anyway. Do you know how hard it was for me to get you on this case? You’re trying to turn this into a joke.”

  “I know you don’t believe that.”

  “I don’t? Don’t be so sure. What the hell has happened to you, Alex? Why would you think something like that would work?” McMahon asked.

  “Regardless of what you think of me right now, we need to find Angela and we have three days to do it.”

  “Three days to find a dead woman. How do you expect we do that?”

  “She’s alive.”

  “I’m only going to say this once. You’re done. I don’t want you anywhere near this case again. Do I make myself clear?”

  “I saw something in that room. I brought Atwater there to help me confirm it. There’s a reason Marcus tried to attack Atwater today.”

  “And what reason is that?”

  “Atwater could see it and that frightened it for some reason.”

  “Go home, if you’re not there already. Go home and forget that I ever asked for your help.”

  McMahon ended the call before Penfield could respond. He placed his phone back on the table and turned back to his laptop. He stared at the screen for several seconds. Then he stood and turned toward the door. He needed to check on Cameron. He was surprised, though, to see her standing in the doorway looking at him.

  “How long have you been there?” he asked.

  “Long enough to hear your conversation with Alex, at least your side of it. He wasn’t able to get anything out of his interview with Marcus?”

  “No, nothing. It was a waste of time.”

  “What did you mean when you said you had three days to find a dead woman?”

  “Cameron, I really–“

  “Don’t, Doug, just don’t. I need to know what’s going on.”

  “Marcus Carter is convinced his partner, Angela Darden, is still alive. He’s given us three days to bring Angela to him.”

  “What happens if you don’t?”

  McMahon didn’t respond.

  “What does Alex think?” Cameron asked.

  “What difference does that make? I’d think you’d want to know what I believe.”

  “I already know that. I heard you. What does Alex think?”

  “He thinks Angela is still alive.”

  “Why?”

  “Because her suicide was suspicious, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. She was a friend of Alex’s. He doesn’t want to accept that she took her own life.”

  “You asked him not to help anymore. Why?”

  “Alex brought someone to Marcus’ interrogation. The man’s name is Henry Atwater.”

  “Do you know this man?”

  “I know of him. I’ve never met him.”

  “Who is he to Alex?”

  “You already know what happened to Alex as a child. Atwater is the one who found him.”

  “I don’t understand. Why would you not want someone’s help, especially if he’s found missing people before?” Cameron asked.

  “Because Henry Atwater is a fraud. He’s a conman. What you don’t know is that Atwater might have been the one to kidnap Alex in the first place. He enjoys screwing with Alex’s mind. He’s got him so twisted up that Alex doesn’t know what the truth is anymore.”

  “I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard you praise Alex. Now you’re cutting him loose? You need to do whatever it takes to find Jenna.”

  “Don’t you think I’m doing that? Do you think you’re the only one who’s hurting? I’m just as scared as you are.”

  Cameron turned from McMahon and he thought she was about to cry again.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it,” McMahon continued.

  He took a step toward her. She walked away, though, and headed down the hallway.

  Jenna’s lower back, neck, and shoulders ached from the long hours in the chair. She thought the man who’d called himself Mike would be back by now, but he wasn’t. She hadn’t heard anything other than the loud groan of the heating system.

  She’d finally accepted that Mike was never going to let her leave. She had no idea where she was, or any idea how close her father might be to finding her. Her only chance, which she knew was a slim chance at best, was to escape. Her mind had finally cleared from the fog of the drugs. It was time to try to break free.

  It was possible that Mike had left the basement door unlocked,
especially since he’d handcuffed her one wrist to the table. If she could get loose, she might be able to leave the house before he realized what was going on.

  Jenna examined the handcuffs that were attached to the table. They looked like standard police cuffs that you could order online. Having an FBI agent as a father certainly had its advantages. One of which was her knowledge of how to pick locks. She reached into her hair to remove a bobby pin. Mike had been careless to not search for it before.

  She twisted the pin until it snapped in two. Then she inserted the flat, broken end into the keyhole of the buckle. She maneuvered it around until she felt it touch the pawl, which was the part of the cuff’s internal mechanism that engaged the teeth. Jenna pushed the pawl up, and the teeth pulled away from the lock bar. The handcuffs opened and Jenna pulled her hand free.

  She stood and her legs almost gave way under her. Jenna rubbed her legs and tried to get the blood flowing again. She tiptoed across the cement floor and made her way to the staircase. She looked up and saw a gray door at the top. There was no light coming from under the door. Maybe that meant it was night. She looked at her watch. The time was twelve fifteen. Perhaps Mike would be asleep by now.

  Jenna took each step slowly, hoping the wooden boards wouldn’t creak. They did and each noise made her flinch. She paused, held her breath, and looked upward, carefully listening for any movement upstairs. While she was satisfied that she could hear nothing, she kept creeping up.

  She reached the top and pressed her ear against the door. She couldn’t hear anything from the other side. She carefully tried the doorknob, but it was locked. She examined the door more closely. It opened into the basement, which meant she had very little chance to break it down, especially since there was no way to take a running start at it.

  In addition to the lock on the knob, the door had two deadbolts. They were all standard lock designs, but the broken bobby pin wasn’t what she needed to pick them.