“We gave you life. You chose your path.”
“You created us to consume us!”
“We will spare some.”
“Your slaves!” Cooper raged.
“We obey cosmic selection. We ourselves, in our distant past, underwent it.”
“Mankind won’t bend under your yoke. We’ll defeat you.”
“You forget that you yourself feed on man now, Sentinel.”
“I reject you! I’ll find a way to escape you, by death if necessary.”
“You are one of us, whether you like it or not.”
Searing pain suddenly riddled his entire body. He rolled on the ground and howled, tearing the silence.
“If you force us to, we will proceed differently with you.”
Eliott staggered to his feet and threw himself on his backpack, which he emptied onto the floor of the cave. Among the scattered objects, he grabbed the syringe, the last one he had left. It was full. He stabbed it into his neck and pressed all its contents into his carotid artery.
“How about now?” he screamed, furious.
“Poor fool.”
He collapsed onto the rock from his full height and didn’t get up again.
*
The captain’s official vehicle slipped discreetly into the parking lot. Lauren and Sherman got out and strode past the few journalists waiting for them.
“Captain, please, a brief statement about the children. Are they in good health? Did they all survive?”
“Captain!” shouted another reporter. “A word for the New York Times about the conclusion of the mysterious St. Marys case.”
The officer stopped briefly and raised his arms to calm the excited press.
“The medical teams of the St. Marys Hospital Emergency Department treated Ryan Jones, Jaden Watson, and Timothy Pearson. They’re in good health. Little Iris Winkler, age five, wasn’t so lucky. She died during her confinement. All the credit for finding the children goes to Agent Lauren Chambers of the FBI.” The captain took Lauren’s hand and raised it as a sign of victory.
The journalists’ flashbulbs bombarded Lauren, who hid her eyes behind the hand that was still free.
“Agent Chambers, please, a few words about the end of this investigation?”
Lauren thought a good statement should be brief. This was a first for her.
“As Captain Sherman told you, the surviving children are healthy. They held on by rationing their food supply wisely. I’m sorry I didn’t find them sooner, before Iris Winkler’s death. Now we’re going to meet with the parents waiting for us inside. Thank you.”
“Agent Chambers, please, can you tell us who the perpetrators of the kidnappings are? Some sources have suggested they’re witches linked to a satanic sect. Can you confirm that?”
Lauren and the captain rushed into the police station without giving the journalists time to ask more questions.
“Agent Chambers? Agent Chambers, please!”
In the lobby, the entire St. Marys Missing Children’s Group had been waiting for them to arrive since the news had reached them less than an hour earlier. Sean Watson, the leader of the parents, walked up to them.
He controlled his emotion as he spoke. “We’re deeply grateful to you. We’d like to see them now. Can we go there?”
“It’s possible that the doctors will ask you to wait a little longer,” the captain replied calmly. “Your children have been confined for several months. Specialized psychiatrists must make the transition, reacclimate them, and prepare them for their reunion with you.”
“Very well. We understand. We’ll go to the emergency room and follow their advice.”
One of the mothers came up to Lauren and took her hand. “God bless you, Agent Chambers. Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for bringing our babies back to us.”
“Even though I was only doing my duty,” Lauren replied graciously, “I’m very happy to have been able to find them again, very happy for you.”
They hugged each other affectionately.
The group of parents didn’t stay any longer; they left the police station for the hospital.
The captain wore a triumphant smile. “Okay, Lauren, let’s go into my office. I’d like to hear a detailed account of what you wanted to tell me.”
Just as the captain was closing his office door, a young policeman suddenly appeared. He was breathless and looked terrified.
“Officer O’Brian! What’s going on?”
“Captain! Turn on your radio! Korean nuclear missiles have just hit our soil!”
The captain rushed to his transistor radio and turned it on.
“. . . we remind you that the Pentagon is certain to launch a ballistic missile response against North Korea in the coming minutes. We ask that the residents of the other large cities, whose complete list we have compiled, continue to evacuate urban areas within a thirty-mile radius. I repeat, continue to evacuate your homes in a calm and orderly manner. Follow the instructions of the armed forces deployed to secure the cities.”
“Governor, a clarification, please. People are asking if a list of the victims’ names from the attack on New York is available, or if it will be soon. Can you answer this question we are receiving from a large number of listeners?”
“An inventory of victims in the recent attacks on New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, DC is in progress. The Pentagon is asking the American citizens affected by these tragedies to remain hopeful and wait for information from the military authorities in their area at a later time.”
There were a few seconds of silence. They heard noise in the Big Radio studio.
“Dear listeners, this is Bill Raydell, still with you on this terrible day. Who could have imagined that this was even possible? The question now is about global conflict. How are things going to develop? Our specialist John Senfield will join us in about ten minutes after a technical break. Thank you for your patience.”
Static followed the announcer’s words.
Lauren and Sherman sat in stunned silence for several seconds.
“We expected this,” the captain said in a fateful tone.
“Are there any special instructions for the front desk, Captain?” asked Officer O’Brian.
“No, no special instructions, O’Brian. Keep directing calls to the area’s military command. The army will gradually take over.”
The young policeman saluted. “Chief. Ma’am.” He left the office, closing the door behind him.
The captain turned the sound back up on the transistor radio.
“We resume this special program joined by John Senfield, our correspondent coming to us live from the Pentagon.”
“Hello, Bill, I am currently in the presence of the US Secretary of Defense. And as you can imagine, the atmosphere here is extremely strained. The US launched a retaliation against North Korea precisely twelve minutes ago. The nuclear warheads launched were the same size as those that struck American soil. The Pentagon has just sent a message to North Korea asking it to stop this escalation from which it would only emerge in defeat. We will see how the North Korean military command reacts. Let’s hope they’ll hear the Pentagon’s call to reason. What is your opinion, Mr. Secretary?”
“It’s very difficult to predict the knee-jerk reaction of an enemy camp during a conflict. Anything is possible. What concerns us is China’s support for them, along with an alliance with Russia. In that case, a world war would become inevitable.”
“Let’s hope that scenario won’t become a reality.”
“At this level of power, it’s possible to resolve or escalate conflicts very quickly. We’ll be able to determine what happens next in the upcoming hours. Thank you.”
“Mr. Secretary, please, does—”
“I have nothing to add. Thank you.”
The captain got up without comment and went to get some coffee. Lauren thought about her mother, and about Eliott.
“Do you want some?” Sherman asked her.
&nb
sp; “Yes, please.”
Their eyes met, and she saw a deep weariness in his. At the age of fifty-seven, Sherman had served his time in the field. His eyes suggested he no longer expected much from life. At that moment, Lauren realized that something had just fizzled out inside him.
“What about you, Captain?” she asked him. “What do you think is going to happen next?”
He dropped into his chair and sipped his coffee. “I’d rather not try to imagine what comes next, Agent Chambers. I don’t have much time left until my retirement. I’m focusing on my job in this city, while I’m still useful.”
“In other words, you’re expecting the worst. Am I wrong?”
“Let’s just say that if the worst happens, it won’t catch me off guard.”
“The cop’s uncompromising logic.”
He smiled, trying to look amused. “May I ask what your logic as an FBI agent is telling you, Miss Chambers?”
“That was the very purpose of our meeting, Captain, before Officer O’Brian burst in to announce the beginning of World War III.”
He looked at his watch.
“You have eight minutes, Chambers. Then I have to go back to the emergency room—this time to hear from victims injured in the looting at the mall.”
“Agent Cooper contacted me . . . and I saw him. He provided me with enough evidence to convince me he is not the perpetrator of the events that caused him to run away.”
“You know you’ll face severe consequences for that, don’t you? The Bureau could remove you from duty immediately.” He nevertheless signaled to her to continue.
“Listen, Captain. Cooper and I conducted a parallel investigation together and discovered that, at the very least, abnormal activities were taking place in the forests of St. Marys. We also have good reason to believe FBI officials are involved. And we’ve gathered enough evidence to prove that a very ancient and powerful secret society is at the root of what’s happening on a global scale at this very moment.”
The captain stared at Lauren intently. She held his gaze without wavering. He pressed the intercom that connected him to the front desk.
Officer O’Brian’s voice responded, “What can I do for you, Captain?”
“O’Brian, could you go to the emergency room for me to take some important statements?”
“I’m on my way, Captain.”
“Perfect. I want a full report when you get back to the station.”
He released the button and turned his full attention to Lauren.
“All right, Agent Chambers, tell me everything you’ve found. We’ve got some time now.”
34
Before Eliott opened his eyes, a pungent odor of oxidized metal crept into his olfactory system. He tried to raise his dark muscular frame, but his movements were uncoordinated. Sedatives had wiped him out. He had injected himself with them to escape his masters’ malicious voice. In addition, massive chains at his wrists and ankles prevented him from moving.
He saw that a steel cage imprisoned him. Reinforced by wrist-thick bars that crisscrossed around him, the cage was about twelve feet wide and sat in a kind of cargo container. In fact, when he noticed the ground was moving under the cage, he realized he was in the trailer of a moving truck. How long had he been in here? And most importantly, who had locked him up?
Suddenly, the truck shook. He heard the sound of squealing brakes. There was a brief jolt. The vehicle had just stopped. He gathered his colossal strength and waited for someone to approach, the being who would soon be his meal. The people who had locked him up here had no idea. He examined the fasteners that held the chains to the cage from the corner of his eye. They wouldn’t resist the pressure of his muscles for long. He heard the click of a lock at the back of the truck. The rolling curtain door slowly rose, letting in light that seared his eyes. When his eyes had adjusted to the brightness, he could make out four armed men facing him. He pretended to be asleep and listened to them talking.
“Shit! You were right, Jack—it’s freaking huge!”
“How much are they paying?” asked another with a thick Russian accent.
“We haven’t set a price yet. We’re going to negotiate once we’ve found a fucking area where civilian communications can get through.”
“What the hell? Are we doing volunteer work now?”
“Shut up, Izmir. The guys who sent the order don’t mess around. They’ll pay us every cent.”
“Look at that monster. I’ve never seen anything so disgusting!”
“Trust me—it’s gonna bring in a lot of money.”
The Russian mercenary got closer to the cage.
“What’s that disgusting smoke floating around it?”
He nudged Eliott’s immobile body several times with his AK-47.
“Don’t mess with it. They told us it could be dangerous. That’s why we locked it up in there.”
“I dunno why, but it reminds me of those crazy tombs we loaded into helicopters last week.”
“Yeah . . . Let’s hit the road. Joe’s done taking a shit.”
The four men jumped off the truck. The rolling door went down and plunged the trailer into darkness again.
Eliott opened his eyes. Interesting. These mercenaries were part of the same group that had been at the ruins. Escaping from this armored cage wouldn’t be a problem. For now, hunger wasn’t pushing him to hunt. There was no reason to rush things. These men could tell him who was behind the excavation of the creatures in the ruins. For that, he needed to develop a strategy. He would appear unconscious until the mercenaries transported him to the destination. The Elders expected him to proceed with opening their crypt. No doubt that’s where they were taking him. These creatures used men as their servants: the Order of the Adepts and all the secret societies—the Freemasons and others—that were its spiritual progeny. At the end of this journey, Eliott would finally be able to put a face to the human leaders collaborating directly with Hominum primus.
All he had to do was wait in this cage until he arrived at the destination. He was completely exhausted, so he took advantage of the break to get some sleep.
*
Lauren decided to go over to the hospital to talk to the three children. They were still in a fragile emotional state, but the head psychiatrist thought Lauren’s visit would be helpful. It was more to reassure them and “stimulate their affective system” than to get information about the case, of course. Even so, Lauren had prepared some questions, keeping in mind the children’s delicate state, since clarifying the facts was still a priority. The emergency department had dedicated a wing to their care and made rooms available for the parents.
A young nurse, who looked barely twenty years old, greeted Lauren when she came through the area’s security door. “Hello, are you the agent who’s here to see the kids?”
“Hi there. Yes, I’m Agent Chambers.”
The young woman shot her a winning smile. “You came at a good time. They’re playing with the occupational therapist.”
“Have their parents been able to see them?”
“No, tomorrow’s the big day. They’re talking to the psychiatrists today. They’re giving them instructions,” she confided in a whisper. “Dr. Werner said it would be really good for you to spend a little time with them.”
Lauren followed the nurse to the double room. The hospital had removed the beds and replaced them with a play area overflowing with toys, puppets, and balls. The children were timidly playing around the facilitator, who was holding Kermit the Frog in one hand and Mickey Mouse in the other. The two stuffed toys were having a lively discussion when the nurse brought Lauren in.
“Children, someone is here to play with you,” she announced in a perky tone.
Ryan, Jaden, and Timothy’s faces suddenly lit up when they recognized Lauren. They ran over to her. She crouched down and welcomed all three in her arms. Kermit and Mickey looked at each other open-mouthed, taken aback, and then looked at the children silently. The occupational therapist
stepped away, handing the two muppets to Lauren with a warm smile. She left the room without a word.
Timothy grabbed one of the toys and told Lauren, “Mickey and Kermit were funny. Do you want to play with us?”
“Of course,” said Lauren, sliding her hands into the muppets to bring them to life.
The three children roared with laughter even before Lauren made them speak. Then they suddenly quieted down and focused all their attention on Lauren.
Kermit said to Mickey, “Hey, Mickey, I don’t remember what we were talking about, do you?”
Another ripple of laughter passed though the children.
Mickey shook his head.
“Ha, well, that’s silly! Now we’ve got a problem!” said Kermit.
Timothy raised his hand. “We were talking about daddies and mommies before.”
Lauren realized little Timothy didn’t yet know of his parents’ deaths during his abduction. She kept it to herself and continued her improvisation.
“Oh yeaaaaah,” Kermit shouted while nodding his head. “Now I remember! Hey, Jaden, I bet you can’t wait to see your mom and dad, huh?”
“Yeah!” responded a thrilled Jaden.
“And you, Ryan?”
The little boy nodded with a timid laugh.
“And you, Tim?”
Tim also agreed.
“Hey, kids,” said Kermit, “this lady here,” Lauren turned the two puppets in her direction, “would like to know some things about what those mean women did to you. Do you want to talk about it?”
This time, there were no smiles on the children’s faces. Only Timothy, the oldest of the three, and the only one who seemed to be able to speak intelligibly, answered Kermit’s question with a small nod.
“You’re not afraid anymore, right, Tim?” asked Mickey.
“A little bit,” Timothy replied.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
The child bravely nodded a few times.
“Do you remember when you were in the car to go to your grandparents’ house, Tim?” Mickey asked him.
The Essence of Darkness Page 27