by A. J. Locke
Finally, we came to the cave that led to Renton. Micah took my hand and we headed in.
“We don’t have the element of surprise on our side,” Micah whispered. “So if things start to get too hairy in there, I need you to run.”
“We will both run. Don’t think you’re going to stay behind and play the hero, Micah.”
“Selene—”
“Don’t start. I’m done having you make decisions for me. We either both stay or we both run. Got it?”
“All right.”
We reached the end of the tunnel, then Micah opened the panel that led to Renton’s hideout and we stepped inside.
I didn’t know what to make of what I was looking at. I saw Renton and Isabelle’s beastie, which was standing very still at the back of the cavern. The real surprise was that there were also dozens of ghosts here. They were floating in place staring straight ahead while Renton busied himself at his cluttered work table. He must have reaped those ghosts from the beastie massacre. And since he had my reanimation power, that meant they were all anchored. That had been Renton’s goal. I dreaded finding out why he needed all these ghosts.
Renton looked up and saw us, and a smile that chilled me curled his lips.
“Micah. I knew you would be able to get away from that lunatic. I take it he has perished?” Renton sounded like he was making small talk about the weather.
“You gave Andrew a new body then you let him take me to use against Selene. You son of a bitch.” Micah moved like he was about to rush Renton and punch him in the face, and while I was tempted to let him do just that, I put my hand on his forearm and held him back. Renton’s smile never wavered.
“If I had thought you wouldn’t best Andrew I never would have let him take you. I know you and Selene were stronger than that. Everything that happened was for a reason.”
“Like hell,” Micah said. “Why did you help him in the first place?”
“He was a means to an end,” Renton said with a shrug. “An experiment. A guinea pig. I had to see if the Alchemy would work. It was my first success in a string of failures.”
“Including Marcus and Cecelia,” I said.
“They were part of my experiments in a different way, but sadly, I lost both their ghosts. But don’t worry, I said a prayer for them.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? It’s all good because you said a prayer for them?”
“It’s more than the others got.” Renton’s face was serious, as though I had offended him.
“Others?” Micah questioned.
“The ghosts I had captured before, the ones who turned into beasties and had to perish.”
“Beasties…” Then it clicked. “The ghost monsters from the press conference and Maison, they were because of you?”
“Yes,” Renton said. “I had procured the ghosts from a couple homeless men I killed and attempted to experiment on using Alchemy. My first experiment was to see if I could use Alchemy to bypass needing to conclude their unfinished business. I kept them imprisoned down here but they turned into beasties and escaped.”
“And came for you,” Micah said. “The beasties made their way to wherever you were.”
“Because they were linked to me through my experimentation,” Renton said with a shrug. “But they were not anchored, since that was not a power I had. Yet.”
“Until you took my reanimation power,” I said.
“Yes, your marvelous reanimation power was exactly what my Alchemy was missing. After years of failure, I was finally able to succeed. I almost could not believe it when I heard about your evolution of power. Even before Tielle brought me here as part of her team, I was making trips back and forth to procure a secure workspace and make sure I had all the materials I needed. Lucky for me, my extensive knowledge on history provided this abandoned area to do my work. This place was used as a bunker during the World Wars, and later on a subway station was built around it. But I digress. You were the key I was missing, Selene. When I was able to use your power in my experiments and saw Andrew’s ghost inhabiting a body again, and not just any body…his own! It was beyond incredible. You two have no idea how powerful Alchemy is.”
“Yeah, I think we do,” Micah said.
“You wanted my power to help you create bodies for ghosts,” I said. “Their own bodies.”
“Smart girl,” Renton said. “Your power was integral to the successful creation of those bodies.”
“Spare me the details.” I didn’t really want to hear how Renton had used my power plus Alchemy to recreate bodies. It wasn’t the important thing to focus on right now.
“So what now?” Micah asked. “You plan to take this to Tielle and the higher ups in the Paranormal Sector? Want to see if the government will allow you to bring ghosts back to life? It will never happen.”
“And why not? Do you realize that I have singlehandedly found a way to cheat death? They will call me a god on earth!”
“Have you really succeeded though?” I said. “Because we left Andrew’s new body as a pile of dust on the floor. And he became like that after receiving just a few blows. Not to mention the fact that his ghost just blinked out of existence.”
“Hmm, sad to hear. But Andrew, while a success, was a rushed prototype. He was very impatient to get his hands on you, Selene. But I believe I have perfected the formula now.”
“What do you mean?” I didn’t like the sound of those words. Renton took a few steps forward.
“You think Andrew was my endgame? Or the possibility of putting other random ghosts into bodies? No, oh no. My goal has been only one thing for many, many years. If I had the power to recreate someone’s body, who do you think I would make a body for?” He had a huge smile on his face and a dreamy expression that I did not like. “Come out. It’s OK.”
Micah and I gave each other puzzled and nervous looks. When we turned back to Renton, the door closest to him, which was only a few feet behind his work table, opened, and three people came to stand next to Renton.
A ragged sob escaped Micah’s lips and his body shook as he fell to his knees. I just stood there in rigid shock, my eyes wide, as I stared at who had joined Renton.
His wife, daughter, and the person that had caused that reaction in Micah. His mother, Lauren.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“I kept them,” Renton said. He had his arms around his wife and daughter. “Lauren, Angela, and Mia. After their ghosts rose, I kept them inside runes. I created a rune that could store ghosts for extended periods of time a long time ago, even though I only just shared it with the rest of the world. I was determined to have my family back. And after many years, many failures, and the chance happening that your reanimation power would evolve the way it did, I have them back. Micah, don’t you want to hug your mother?”
Micah was back on his feet but he remained standing next to me. I took his hand, and he clutched it tightly. His body still shook. I could not make heads or tails of this. Micah’s mother, Lauren, looked exactly as she had in the pictures I’d seen. As did Renton’s family. It was the expression on their faces though, that gave me creeps beyond belief. They looked blank, like there wasn’t really a soul behind those eyes. It was easy to tell that something was not right about them. They weren’t jumping for joy at their new life. They stood very still, faces somber, and did only what Renton told them to do. Micah’s mother wasn’t even looking at him. Renton had kept their ghosts locked in runes for years. There was no way the ghosts inhabiting those bodies would be normal.
This was very, very bad.
Micah had gone from shaking to being still as a statue next to me. I couldn’t begin to guess what was going through his mind. I was still trying to focus on the bigger picture of stopping Renton, but it had become more convoluted now.
“This is a good thing,” Renton said. “I promise you it is. Can’t you see what I have done for you? I was never going to let true harm come to you at the hands of Andrew. I just needed the two of you occupied for a shor
t time so I could finish this. For you Micah. I did this for myself and for you.”
“You let him get kidnapped and tortured so you could surprise him with his dead mother?”
“Not dead. She’s alive! Lauren, go hug and kiss your son.”
Lauren moved forward, not like she was in a mad dash to embrace her son, but like she was a drone following a command. Micah took a few steps back, and I moved with him.
“No! Stop. Stop!”
Lauren stopped and just stood there, waiting.
“This isn’t right. How could you do this? How could you have kept them locked in runes all these years only to bring them back like this? They aren’t right, can’t you see that?” The anguish in his voice and on his face was unbearable. I wanted to make this right but I wasn’t sure how. Micah couldn’t watch his mother die again and I certainly couldn’t be the one to do it, but there was no way these three could continue to exist. Renton was too warped to see the truth.
“They will be with us forever,” Renton said. “As long as they absorb anchored ghosts they will be OK. That was part of Andrew’s failure. I forgot to mention that to him.”
“So that’s why you sent the ghost monster out,” I said. “These ghosts are meant to be food.”
“Correct. Alchemy always carries a price, as you are well aware, Selene, since it was Alchemy that saved your life. Micah told me that you know everything. The price for your life was the reanimation power of others, and the price for my family is that they need to stay fed on anchored ghosts.”
“How often?”
“Every day. And they will need quite a few. The lot here will be good for the day, then I will need more for tomorrow.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? You cannot possibly butcher people every day! You aren’t thinking straight.” I was aware I was trying to argue with someone who was diagnosed to be mentally unbalanced, but I had to try words before I tried violence. Though something told me it would definitely come down to violence.
“Every successful experiment is not without sacrifice.” Renton’s face looked enraptured as he caressed his wife’s cheek, who made no indication that she knew he was touching her. He then lovingly ran his hand through his daughter’s hair and kissed the top of her head.
“That fire and my sister’s death took everything away from me. Destroyed my entire world. Now I have rebuilt my world, and as long as I control that ghost monster and your reanimation power, I can use it to keep my family with me. Micah is in shock now, but he will be overjoyed that I have returned his mother to him.”
My heart hurt, this was overwhelming. A madman was in control of my reanimation power, and while I had tried my best not to do anything with it, he was doing everything he damn well could. And none of it was good for the rest of us.
“I will pray for each soul lost,” Renton said. “Their sacrifice will not be in vain.”
“Renton, this has to stop.” I was fighting dizziness and the panic that was setting in since I knew that the Rot was overtaking me again. It was bad enough we were already at a disadvantage with no weapons and backup, I couldn’t be physically weak on top of that. I took a step forward but Renton held his hand up, and I stopped.
“I’m no fool,” Renton said. “I knew you would want to play the hero because you think what I am doing is wrong. Which is the reason I let Andrew distract you for a while. But you should be grateful, Selene. I could have just left you at Tielle’s mercy.”
That he thought I should be grateful for almost being raped by Andrew further proved that Renton was out of his mind. At my side, Micah’s eyes were all for his mother. Well, for the thing that looked like this mother. I wanted to get him out of here, to save him from the anguish this was causing him, but it was already too late. The emotional damage was already done. I hated Renton even more.
“So since I knew you would eventually find me and try to repeat your antics with Michael and Larry, I took precaution.”
My bad feeling grew worse at those words. “What did you do?”
“I control your reanimation power,” Renton said. “Which means I control everything that is attached to it. Anchored beasties and…”
“Ethan.” It felt like the blood in my veins had been replaced with ice. In history, bound ghosts were controlled by their reanimators and often used for violence against their master’s enemies. It was how Ethan had killed Andrew, by acting on my negative emotions toward him. But they could be controlled more directly. If I used my power and gave Ethan a command, he had to obey.
“What have you done to Ethan?” So that was why Ethan had been acting strangely and saying he felt a connection but not to me. He was now linked to a crazy person. No wonder it had made him flip out. Did Renton also inherit the Rot then? If he did he definitely knew the remedy.
“Used him to ensure that you will not try to stop my family reunion. It is time for us to leave this place, and I cannot move them anywhere that you can find them. So I have ordered your former bound ghost to murder your dead witch friend at four o’clock this afternoon.”
“What?” Even Micah couldn’t stay quiet after hearing that. I grabbed Micah’s wrist and checked his watch. It was about forty-two minutes away from four. I felt lightheaded and it wasn’t only because of the Rot creeping back.
“So you have a choice. Stay here and try to stop me, though I can assure you that you will lose.” He nodded his head toward the beastie. “Or you can run off and try to save your friend. Because for sixty seconds he will try to kill her. If you can keep him away from her for that minute, she lives. If you don’t make it on time, she dies.”
“Where are they, you son of a bitch.”
“Her place. Now run along. Micah, you’re welcome to stay and spend time with your mother.”
Micah and I were already running out of the cave.
“Micah?” The sound of his name from his mother’s lips stopped Micah, and he turned back around, eyes wide, mouth open in shock. His mother’s expression looked different, now it looked like someone was home. She stared at her son in wonder and held her hand out to him. Micah took a step forward but I grabbed him back.
“Micah, I know this is extremely difficult, but you know that isn’t really your mother.”
“It’s her body, with her soul in it.” Micah’s voice was a hushed whisper. He strained against my hold, and I knew if he really chose to go to her I would not be able to stop him. His mother was starting to smile, and a longing sound escaped from Micah. Then suddenly Lauren’s arm dropped, her smile faded, and her face resumed its blank look. She no longer seemed to recognize Micah or even see that there was anyone standing in front of her. Micah’s face crumbled into sadness.
“Micah, we don’t have much time to save Ilyse.” I wanted to hold him and let him cry and scream about all of this, but that would have to wait until later. Renton had played this game well, and while I was not excited about letting him escape, there was no way I could let Ethan kill Ilyse.
“Micah.” I tugged on his arm, and he turned to me. The pain in his eyes was devastating. I quickly pulled him into a hug, squeezing him tightly. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered. “But we have to go. Please, Micah. Let’s save Ilyse. Then we can deal with this. I promise.” I let go and Micah cast one last look over his shoulder then ran with me out of the cave. We didn’t stop running until we got to wall, scaled it, and were seated in Andrew’s car again. I didn’t even take a moment to try and catch my breath. I started up the car and prayed harder than I had ever prayed in my entire life that we would get to Ilyse in time. I could not let Ethan be a murderer twice.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Micah kept me updated on our timing as I drove to Ilyse’s apartment, but I think that was doing more harm than good. I tried to drive as fast as I could without causing a wreck or getting us pulled over for speeding. I gripped the steering wheel so tightly I wasn’t sure I would be able to peel my hands off it. It didn’t help that rush hour traffic was beginning. Every time
we were stalled I had to stop myself from screaming and beating my head against the steering wheel because that wouldn’t help anything.
“God, it feels like my heart is in my throat.” I was covered in sweat, my pulse raced, my vision crossed every now and then, and my throat burned from dryness. My stomach was in knots, and I felt nauseous. Symptoms of the Rot plus the knowledge that Ilyse’s life was in danger wrecked havoc on me.
“Selene, we have seven minutes.” There were about fifteen long blocks to go before we were at Ilyse’s apartment. I was tempted to pull over and just run the rest of the way, but it would be a run that took longer than seven minutes. And I was no track and field athlete. So I stayed in the car and kept praying as I dealt with traffic, side streets, and absolutely maniac driving on my part as I tried to get to Ilyse’s building.
Finally, we made it. I did some kind of horrible parking, but I could give a shit if Andrew’s car got towed. Micah and I ran into the building and waited for what seemed like an agonizing eternity for the elevator to get back to the first floor. We would have taken the stairs, but she lived on the twelfth floor so we would definitely not make it in time.
“Two minutes.” The elevator doors finally opened and we ran in and pressed the button for the twelfth floor. This felt like the longest elevator ride in the history of the universe. Finally, the doors opened again and we ran like hell to Ilyse’s door. I opened the thankfully unlocked door and we ran inside.
Just in time to see Ethan plunge a large knife into Ilyse’s stomach. His expression was blank, hers was of absolute terror as she stared up at him. She was tied to a chair completely defenseless. I fell to my knees and screamed. And screamed. And screamed. Ethan pulled the knife out and stabbed her again, and I could do nothing but keep screaming.