The Cannibal Cure

by Jeff D Ellis

  They regrouped at the front door.

  “Abby, you go first.”

  “Okay, the outside didn’t show any signs of forced entry and all of the doors and windows are locked. I wasn’t able to see anyone inside or anything that looks like it was disturbed.”

  “Thanks. Hammer, anything in your neck of the woods?”

  “No willow trees and no signs that something big as a Windigo passed through. The ground was soft, and I would have noticed the deep tracks a Windigo would have made.”

  “Yeah, I didn’t see any fresh tracks or willow trees either. I did see a tree that has an aura of old magic, but I’m not sure what it was.”

  “Why don’t you show us the tree? Maybe Hammer or I know what it is.”

  David led them to the tree. “This one here.”

  Abby nodded and then smiled. “That is a blackthorn tree. Normally they are more bushes than trees, but they can grow this large. It’s not native to this area. It’s more often found in the UK.”

  “Then this must be Otis’s tree.”

  “No other trees had a similar magic aura?”

  “This was the only one close to the house. I could recheck the area Hammer looked over, but I don’t think I would find anything.”

  “But Ash said her mother’s tree was here.”

  “Let’s check out the house.”

  David picked the lock on the back door and entered into the kitchen area. The flooring was gray slate and looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in a while. The counter tops were finished in modern granite. The first floor comprised a dining room, living room, and den area. It was very sparsely decorated, as if they weren’t really lived in. Upstairs were three bedrooms and an office looking out onto the woods. The office contained an old writing desk and some bookshelves lined with classic literature. Nothing to suggest anyone who lived here was an expert in bio-tech. Actually, it was as if it was frozen in time back in the early 1900s.

  David shook his head. “I’ve seen model homes that looked more lived in then this place. Something feels off.”

  Abby nodded in agreement. “I don’t know if she slipped another lie past me or there is something here, we’re not seeing.”

  Hammer smiled and leaned against the wall. “In my professional opinion, no one has lived here in a long time. No food in the cupboards or refrigerator was a big giveaway.”

  David did a face palm. “I didn’t even look in places a Windigo couldn’t hide in.”

  Abby took a closer look at the counter and shook her heard. “Am I the only one that thinks the place doesn’t fit Otis Thorn?”

  “I expected some big Victorian or a mid-century modern with large glass windows.”

  Hammer smirked. “I think he lives in the lab.”

  “I think after we check in back at the office, we should go back to Thorn Technologies and start tracking from the start. I didn’t suggest it before because magical tracks don’t last very long and she would have been long gone. We could see about tracking her the old-fashioned Human ways, but they would have been going across concrete floors, so I wasn’t very hopeful.”

  ***

  The Chief took a deep breath and entered the interview room. Otis Thorn looked furious.

  “When am I getting out of here and back to my research?”

  “You seem awfully sure of yourself.”

  “I understand Human nature and I have something your bosses are going to want.”

  “I think you overestimate your sales pitch. None of them are lining up to go through what you did to Detective Hammer.”

  Thorn’s face turned red. “You’re lying! I bet you didn’t even pass them my offer. I demand to speak to your superiors.”

  Chief Knight smiled. “I passed it along, but they don’t trust The Veiled, no matter how sweet the offer might seem.”

  “I hold the holy grail of science: the fountain of youth. And you’re telling me they aren’t willing to talk to me? I don’t believe that.”

  “Your so-called cure requires you to have access to a Windigo and that is an unacceptable risk.”

  “I can work around that. Put me back in my lab with my research and I can keep working on it.”

  “Ash told us you don’t store up the Windigo virus needed for the procedure and we have no way of preventing you from creating more Windigos if we gave you access to any.”

  “Do you think you can continue my work without me? Humanity hasn’t been able to come close. And even if you put all of your brightest minds on the project starting with my research, it would be fifty years before you had something you could test. My results speak for themselves.”

  “Why should we listen to you when we have your daughter?”

  “While she might be smarter than any Human you have access to, she doesn’t understand the research like I do. The best you could hope is she would cut ten years off the project. Besides, what makes you think you can trust her more than me? She lied and stole from you.”

  “And you killed countless Humans in the name of science.”

  “There is a count to it, and those so-called Humans were a drain on society. I gave them purpose.”

  “You made them Windigo food.”

  “It was still better than the waste of them killing themselves on a drug overdose in the gutters.”

  Chief Knight stood.

  “Wait! They must have suggested some compromise deal.”

  “If you provide us with the information leading to the capture of the Windigo without any of our people being infected or killed, we might let you live and give you restricted access to lab equipment.”

  “You might let me live?”

  “You are guilty of years of crimes against Humanity, any of which can carry the death penalty.”

  Otis sneered. “No, I’m too valuable to you alive. You’ll give me access to my research, a lab to work in, and compensate me for my work. Oh, and access to my tree.”

  Chief Knight turned to leave. “I will let you know what we decide.”

  ***

  Chief Knight was about to talk with Ash when the team came back from Otis’s house.

  Abby waved. “Chief, glad we caught you. We didn’t find much of interest at the address Ash gave us. No sign of the Windigo or that anyone has lived there recently.”

  “Thanks for the report. I think it’s my turn to talk to Ash now.”

  “We would like to go back to Thorn Technologies and re-search the area the Windigo escaped from. Maybe we missed something.”

  “I had others look, but it doesn’t hurt for you three to give it another try. Let me talk with Ash again before you go.”

  Chief Knight went to the interview room that now held Ash.

  “I understand you gave an address where you thought your mother might be found. We searched it with no evidence that a Windigo had been there.”

  “I told them they needed to take me with along if they wanted to find her and bring her back safely.”

  “Tell me this wasn’t a test.”

  “Of course it was a test. I was worried all you wanted to do was kill her.”

  “We are focused on the safety of the public and my deputies. If we can bring her in safely, we will. I don’t hire killers. You should know that after working here. What are you really looking for?”

  “I want my mother cured.”

  “Why do you think it didn’t work on her like it did on the Detective?”

  Ash shrugged. “I don’t know. It seemed like it should have worked. There were two differences: she didn’t start out Human and she had been a Windigo for many years where the Detective was given the cure the moment the symptoms showed.”

  “Do you know your father has been trying to work a deal, but hasn’t included you in it?”

  “He’s a bastard that only cares about gaining power and position.”

  “Is that so. What should we do with you?”

  “I haven’t killed anyone. I’ve only processed lab work.”

  �
�You also stole samples from here as well as informed your father of our actions as they related to the case. I suspect you have been informing him of our actions for many years.”

  “Again, I didn’t do anything that would risk exposure to the public or hurt anyone.”

  “You were an accomplice to the abduction of a police officer and did nothing to stop Humans you knew were being experimented on and killed. You are as guilty as your father. Detective Hammer is as much your victim as your father’s. You even planted evidence to frame him for the murder of Cora Prescott.”

  Ash had tears in her eyes. “I can’t go to prison. Without access to my tree, I’ll die.”

  “Can your mother be quickly cured?”

  “If she was brought in alive and I could run more tests, maybe.”

  “How long can she survive without eating? I can’t allow any more Humans to be harmed to feed her.”

  “I think there may be some meat left over at the office, but she will become desperate and start ripping things apart after a week.”

  “How did you control her in the past? Did you sedate her somehow?”

  “Any sedation would wear off much quicker than on a Human. I don’t know how, but my Dad and I were able to calm her to some extent. That’s why I told Abby I needed to come along. I don’t think a stranger will have any chance on bringing her in alive and I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”

  “Do you think your father can develop a drug that will have the same result as what you did to Detective Hammer without infecting someone with the Windigo virus first?”

  “It would be like asking if he could make a Human into a Shapeshifter. All we can do right now is suppress some negative aspects of being a Windigo. It’s the Windigo side that is also giving all of the positive aspects of what happened to the Detective. Hammer is still a Windigo, but without the need to eat Humans, uncontrolled growth, hunger, or transformation into the monster inside.”

  “Ash, why haven’t you tried to make a deal to save yourself?”

  “Chief, I know I’ve messed up and nothing I can do will change that. All I ever wanted was a cure for my mom. I never knew what happened to the test subjects, until Detective Hammer, and I’m sorry for my part in his situation. We were just so close to a cure and it should have worked. Like I said, without access to my tree, I will be dead in a couple of months. I want to help make up for what I did.”

  “It might be kinder if she died now than from starving to death waiting for a cure. We can’t be feeding Humans to her. If there is already something stored for her to eat, we could provide that if you help us find it.”

  “Let me help give her a chance to be brought in safely.”

  “I will authorize you going along, and we will see how things go.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  Tracks in the lab

  ABBY GATHERED DAVID, Hammer, and Ash into a conference room. The Chief wanted her to lead things. She had led other developers in the past, but this made her nervous and uncomfortable. It wouldn’t make David happy, but he had no problems taking orders from a woman.

  Abby sat at the head of the table. “Ash, we didn’t find any evidence of Willow at the address you gave us. We also only found a blackthorn tree that had any magical aura about it. Was that Otis’ tree?”

  “The blackthorn in the backyard is Otis’ tree. There wasn’t a willow tree close to it?”

  “We couldn’t find one.”

  “Adult trees aren’t easy to move, and it can be painful to the Dryad. The problem is the root system normally spreads out and damage to the roots will hurt the Dryad.”

  “I assume you grew up in that house. How did you move your tree to your current place?”

  “In the old days, families stayed together, but when modern Dryads have kids, they are bonded to a tree planted in a big wood container. When they are ready to move on in the world, they plant the tree wherever the person wants to set down roots.”

  “Can you fully bond with a potted tree?”

  “The tree needs to be fully planted in the earth to get the most out of the relationship.”

  “Any ideas about Willow’s tree?”

  “Moving it wouldn’t hurt a Windigo very much, but she would still at some level be drawn to it. I can’t imagine Dad would move her tree.”

  David leaned forward. “Ash, the blackthorn tree wasn’t doing very well and the magic around it was really old and faded. It wasn’t anything like what I got from your tree.”

  “I don’t know what to tell you. Dad hasn’t been himself in a very long time. He must be neglecting his tree.”

  “I was thinking we should go back to the lab and continue the search there, unless you have a better idea.”

  “The tree was only a guess. Even if the cure had worked, I don’t think she would ever be a Dryad again. She would be more like …”

  Hammer frowned. “More like me, you mean.”

  “I’m sorry, Detective. I just wanted to save my mom and I shouldn’t have been part of risking your life to do so.”

  “Ash, please call me Hammer or Frank. There is nothing that can be done to make me fully Human again and I can’t be a Detective again like this. I just need to learn to live with the change.”

  Ash looked down and tears welled in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Frank.”

  Hammer touched her shoulder. “Help us stop the Windigo killings and it won’t be for nothing.”

  Ash nodded without looking up. “Okay, Frank. Let’s go to the lab and look there.”

  ***

  Abby drove the SUV to the garage entrance next to Thorn Technologies where they had found Otis and Ash before. She looked up and saw Ember circling above the building, keeping watch overhead.

  Abby opened the rear hatch to access the protective gear and gun safe. “Time to gear up.”

  She handed each of them body armor. “Ash, this won’t help a lot but it’s better than nothing. I would rather not have you die or get hurt on my watch.”

  She handed David his rifle and Hammer a pistol. “For defense only. Hammer, the magazines for that pistol contain a mix of tracer and duty ammo. Be extra careful to not set the building on fire. We don’t know how effective they will be if Willow attacks but it’s better than harsh words. David and I will take point. Hammer, your top priority is to protect Ash. Can you do that?”

  Hammer checked his pistol and put it back in its holster. He nodded curtly. “I will do everything I can to get Ash to safety if Willow turns violent. Seeing her hurt twice is two times too many.”

  Ash touched Hammer on the arm. She seemed to be moved by what he said.

  She met Abby’s gaze. “Let’s hope I can keep her calm enough to bring in without anybody being hurt. How were you planning on bringing her in?”

  “If we have a sighting on Willow, I will radio in for a transport van to meet us. We are mostly looking for clues to help track her. Ash, can you open the door for us?”

  Ash entered a code on a keypad next to a door and it unlocked.

  “David, after you. Hammer, bring up the rear.”

  The large room echoed with their footsteps. Abby turned her weapon mounted light on. David scanned the room as if he had cat’s eyes.

  Abby needed real light. “Lights?”

  Ash pointed to a switch near the door and Hammer turned the lights on.

  The room was as oppressive as Abby remembered, but things had changed. “David, is that blood?”

  He kneeled at the spot on the floor. “Looks to be about twenty-four hours old. Human.” David pointed. “Tracks lead that way.”

  Abby looked at Ash. “What else is on this level? We came directly from the elevator in the hall to this room before.”

  “That direction doesn’t make sense. It’s the way Mom went to escape that day. There would be no reason to take a feed that way and the blood spot isn’t big enough for someone to have been killed here. There are a couple of furnished rooms on this level and a room with more lab equipment, kitch
en and such.”

  Hammer nodded. “The room they kept me in was nice, other than not having any windows. Better than some of the places I’ve lived.”

  “As much as I would like to investigate the rest of this floor, let’s follow the tracks. David, you lead.”

  David led them to the escape tunnel at the end of the room. All Abby could see ahead was darkness.

  ***

  David became a jaguar in order to track better the Windigo.

  Abby, have everybody hang back while I track. I don’t want your lights alerting the Windigo if she’s up ahead.

  Looking over his shoulder, he made sure Abby gave the signal to hold back before he took off at a trot. The tracks were as much magical as they were physical and not very old. The tunnel went from a cement floor to dirt. It was deep below the industrial park now. Why would someone do this? Why go deep underground? Could there be multiple exits to the surface? This area was nowhere near the Seattle underground as far as he knew, but you never knew what rich men did at the turn of the twentieth century. During prohibition in the 1920s, hiding alcohol and women from their wives was all fair game in Seattle. Greta must have made a killing back then. Her front woman Lou Graham ran the definitive brothel in Seattle, and gave business loans to the elite. Maybe some of those people used to own the property over here to indulge in their vices. The passage split.

  Abby, take a left at the first junction, but keep your eyes open. Just because there are no fresh tracks to the right, don’t assume something won’t come up behind you from that direction.

  Got it. We’ll be careful.

  He continued on. Up ahead, a strange light pierced the darkness. Slowing to a crawl, he peered into a room that looked like it had been carved out in a roughly square shape. In the center was a willow tree. The light came from what must have been twenty feet above centered over the tree. An underground stream bisected the room. This must be her tree. But no one was home. Old blood stains littered the ground. The tracks were confusing, going in every direction. Some ended at a rock wall. Not far from the tree were cold remnants of a campfire.