The Night's Champion Collection: A supernatural werewolf thriller trilogy

by Richard Parry

  Scotch sloshed into Carlisle’s glass again. John snagged the bottle from her.

  Carlisle glared. “Hey.”

  “Focus. What do we do next, Melissa?”

  “Carlisle. Carlisle. And I think it’s obvious.”

  “For those of us without your excellent Police training.” John crossed his arms. “Enlighten the masses.”

  “Sure.” Carlisle tipped the last of the Scotch from her glass into her mouth. “They’ve taken Adalia because they want a hostage. We don’t need to find your daughter. We need to wait for them to call.”

  No. “What about Valentine?” Danny's fingers whitened against the side of her glass.

  “I don’t think he needs our help.” Carlisle picked up one of the bullets, turning it over in her hand. “Not yet, anyway.”

  “How come?”

  “Because he’s not here. And when I saw that thing—”

  “Valentine.”

  “When I saw Everard on those tapes? He was pretty fast. We’re not going to catch him until he wants to get caught. The one thing we got? He knows where we are. He’ll come to us.”

  John looked at his watch. “It’s three in the morning. How does this work, do we keep watch or something?”

  Carlisle looked at him sideways. “You watch a lot of movies?”

  “Some.”

  “Right. Sure. Okay, you can keep watch.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “Do I get your gun?”

  “What do you think?”

  “Right.” John looked at the door, then put the bottle down. “I’ll be outside. On first watch.” The door clicked shut behind him.

  Carlisle reached for the Scotch. “Refill? Waiting’s going to be hard, Kendrick. Really hard. This’ll help.”

  “It will?” Danny met her eyes over the bottle.

  “Yeah.” Carlisle nodded. “A little.”

  Danny held her own glass up, her hand — they’ve got my little girl! — shaking. She’d take all the help she could right now; she was going to need more than a couple of glasses to get through the night.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Adalia’s head felt fuzzy, like she’d had too much sleep. She tried to open her eyes, but they were very heavy. She caught a glimpse of a ceiling, plain and white, before letting her lids fall shut again. The bed she was in was soft and warm.

  “She’s coming around.” It was a man, flat and mean. Something tugged at the edge of her memory, but she lost it, falling back to drifting.

  “I don’t understand why you felt the need to sedate the child, Captain.” A woman, used to talking in the Mommy Voice. “She’s hardly a danger to you or your men.”

  “It was for her own safety. There were … complications.” There was a pause. “It’ll help a little as she wakes up. Soften the edges of last night for her.”

  “Propofol?”

  “Amongst other things. A little cocktail we sometimes use.”

  “Hm. I wonder what else was in that cocktail, Captain. She’s a bit young for an amnestic.”

  Adalia avoided thinking about the big words, and what they might mean. It was nice just to lie here, thinking about nothing much at all.

  She heard steps coming closer to her bed and tried to open her eyes again. She saw a woman, tall and thin, standing over her bed.

  “How are you feeling?”

  “Mmm. My head feels funny.” Adalia slurred a little, giggling. “I’m all floaty.”

  “I can imagine. My name’s Elsie.”

  “I’m Adalia.” Her mother told her not to talk to strangers, but she felt too relaxed to worry about that now.

  “Do you know where you are?”

  “I’m…” She thought about it. “I’m staying at Mandy’s house.”

  “Hm. Mandy had an accident.”

  An accident? Adalia remembered something, a door crashing open, a loud noise. Mandy… “I remember. Mandy fell down.”

  “That’s right. So we had to come in. You’re in a hospital.”

  “A hospital?” Adalia hadn’t been in a hospital since she broke her arm. She’d had to wear a cast for weeks, and it itched. “Will Mommy come to visit me?”

  “Soon.” Elsie paused for a minute, which was okay because it let Adalia float for a bit longer. “There’s a young woman in here, a little like you. Just a bit older. Would you like to meet her?”

  “Maybe. I think I should get up first.”

  “Yes, that’s right. She’s still having breakfast anyway. But after you get up, you can meet her. Her name is Birkita.”

  “Bir…” Adalia tried to get her tongue around that. “Birkita? I haven’t heard that name before.”

  “It’s a little unusual, you’re right. You’re very clever, Adalia.” Elsie got up. “Rest now. Someone will be back later. When you’re awake.”

  That sounded nice. Adalia let her eyes close again. The bed really was nice and warm.

  • • •

  She woke with a start, scrambling inside the blankets. She felt trapped, and she had to get away. She had to run!

  “It’s okay, love. I’ve just brought some breakfast.” An old woman wearing white closed the door behind her, carrying a tray to Adalia.

  “What’s happening? Where’s Mom? Where’s Val?”

  “Oh, hush now. I don’t know those people. But I’ve got your breakfast.” The old woman put the tray down on a table next to Adalia’s bed, then sat on the edge of the bed. She had an easy smile, her face wrinkling around surprisingly white teeth. She didn’t smell bad like most old people. “Little one like you, you’re too young to carry so many cares. A little chocolate milk will help with that, I think.”

  “Chocolate milk?”

  “Just as I said. Some toast too, if you’re wanting it.” The woman nodded at the tray. “Or I can bring it back later.”

  “No!” Adalia bit her lip. “I mean, no thank you. I’m really hungry.”

  “Toast it is, then.” The woman settled the tray in front of Adalia. “Don’t go knocking this over on the ground. If you like, you can watch TV. The remote’s here.” She opened the top drawer on the bedside table, pulling out a rectangle of black.

  “Thank you.” Adalia chewed on some toast. “Where am I?”

  “Here is where you are. Ain’t no where else you could be right now. Oh! I almost forgot.” The woman patted her gown, then pulled something out of a pocket. “You had this when you came in. Took it off you so I could get you cleaned up, but I was only minding it for you. She looks a little banged up. Like you.” The old woman smiled again, brushing a lock of hair off Adalia’s face.

  Prancer. Adalia scooped up the toy, hugging it briefly to her chest. Then she put it on the bedside table, so Prancer could be part of the conversation.

  “I’m Adalia. This is Prancer. Val gave her to me.”

  “Well how do you do. I’m Belle. Mr. Val is awful generous.”

  Adalia smiled. “He’s nice. He was…” She wanted to remember something, but it wouldn’t come. “Do you want some toast, Miss Belle?”

  “Oh, it’s just Belle, sweetie. And no thank you. I’ve had my breakfast. Been up a few hours now.”

  “What time is it?”

  “It’s time enough for you to eat your breakfast, and don’t go minding about that. Time is as time does.”

  “I meant, have I been here long?” The chocolate milk was good, thick and creamy, not really a milkshake and not really plain milk either. It was a little cold. She’d never had chocolate milk for breakfast before.

  “A little while. A night at least. You weren’t here yesterday, and why, this morning here you are, bright as a button on Sunday.”

  “I … I can’t remember stuff.” Adalia thought for a moment. “There was a woman here. She said her name was Elsie. And the captain.”

  “Ms. Morgan was here? Fancy. She usually comes here to visit her … to see Birkita.” The old woman sighed. “That poor girl. Never you mind about that though.�
�

  “She said I could meet her. Bir … Birkita.”

  “Well, that would be a rare treat.” The old woman stood up, taking the empty tray from Adalia. “I’ll most likely see you at lunch.”

  “I’d like that. Thank you, Belle.”

  “You’re most welcome, Adalia. Good to know you.”

  Belle walked out the door, leaving Adalia alone again. Where was she? There was a window with the blinds drawn, and her room had a big mirror in one wall. A black box with a white button and a grill was on the wall next to the mirror. The TV sat on the wall, but she didn’t feel like watching TV. She checked the bedside table, and found her clothes there. She dressed, folding up the hospital gown she’d been wearing and placing it neatly at the foot of the bed. Walking up to the blinds, Adalia looked for a bit until she found a stick she could turn, opening the louvers.

  Outside was lush and green, woods as far as she could see. There weren’t any woods around where she lived. She was sure she hadn’t seen that many trees in her life. There weren’t any landmarks she could see that she knew.

  “Are you awake?”

  Adalia almost jumped out of her skin. There was no one in the room with her.

  “You have to press the button. By the mirror.” The voice sounded like a girl’s. “If you’re awake, that is. I can’t tell.”

  Adalia moved to the black box with a white button, and pushed it down. “I’m awake.”

  The mirror lit up, then her reflection faded away into a view of another room. A girl was standing there, looking at her. When she saw Adalia, she smiled. “Oh great! You’re up.”

  Adalia stepped back a few paces, looking up at the view into the other room. “This was a mirror before!” The room behind the other girl had a big bed, and toys scattered everywhere. It looked like a playground, not a bedroom.

  “Yeah. It’s a big TV. It lets you see me, and I can see you. So we can talk without you needing to put on a suit.”

  “A suit?”

  “No one can come and see me without a suit.” The other girl scratched her head, ruffling big locks of red hair. “It’s because I’m sick.”

  “Oh.” Adalia looked down at her feet. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s not your fault, silly. I’ve been sick for a while.” The girl tipped her head sideways. “Do you like my hair?”

  Adalia looked closer. “It’s very nice.”

  “It itches.” The other girl looked sad. “It was supposed to make me beautiful, but it just makes me itchy.”

  “Maybe it made you itchy and beautiful.”

  The other girl brightened. “You think?” She spun around, locks flying out a little ways. “I picked the color.”

  “Do you know where we are?” Adalia looked around her room, then pointed out the window. “There’s a forest out there.”

  “We’re in my hospital.”

  “Your … you mean we’re at the hospital.”

  “It’s my hospital. Mom built it for me.” The other girl looked at her feet. “My name’s Birkita. But you can call me Scarlett, if you like.”

  “Because of the hair?”

  Birkita paused. “Yeah, because of the hair. Is that okay?”

  “Sure. Scarlett. I’m—”

  “Adalia. I know. My Mom told me.”

  “Elsie?”

  “Yes. She said I’m not going to die.”

  Adalia stared at Birkita through the glass. “Wow. You’re going to die?”

  “No, she said I wasn’t.”

  “Scarlett, what are you sick with?”

  “They say it’s cancer.”

  Even Adalia had heard of cancer. It was on the TV all the time. “How does Elsie know you’re going to live, Scarlett?”

  “Mom said she’s got a plan to get a man here who can help.”

  “A man? Like a doctor?”

  “No.” Birkita looked a little confused. “That’s the super weird thing. He’s just some guy.”

  “Well, how’s he supposed to help then?”

  “I don’t know. She told me to look up,” and Birkita’s face scrunched up, “‘lysogenic virus reproduction’ on the Internet.”

  “What’s that mean?”

  “You know what a virus is?”

  “Not really.”

  “Hm. Well, sometimes you get sick, right? Like with a cold?”

  “Yeah. I get sick.” Adalia thought about it for a moment. “I get to stay home from school.”

  “Lucky.” Birkita frowned. “Going to school, I mean. I don’t get to go to school.”

  “You’re the lucky one!” Adalia laughed. “It’s so boring! There’s teachers and all they do is talk, blah blah blah, about stuff.”

  Birkita’s mouth quirked. “I remember. I used to go to school. Before, I mean.”

  “You stopped? Because of the cancer?”

  “I guess. My mom has a man who comes here and home schools me. And I have the Internet.”

  “Is the cancer caused by a … by a virus?”

  “No.” Birkita shrugged. “But the man who’s coming has a virus that’s going to help.”

  “How?”

  “Well, the virus is like a secret agent. And it’s going to get inside the cancer, and take it over — bang!”

  “Won’t that make you sick?”

  “I hope not. It takes me a long time to get better if I get sick.”

  “Is the man sick?”

  “Mom said no. He’s got this virus, but it makes people better.”

  “Really?” Adalia looked doubtful. “You think that’d have been on the TV or something. What’s his name?”

  “The man? It’s a silly name. Valentine.”

  “Valentine?” Adalia’s mouth fell open. “I know Valentine. He’s super nice.” She reached for Prancer on the table. “He gave me Prancer. She’s a magic horse. But he never said anything about being able to make people better.”

  “Hm. It might be a different Valentine.”

  “I never met anyone named Valentine before.” Adalia looked at Prancer. “It’d be funny if there were two Valentines.”

  Birkita looked at Prancer. “What happened to your pony?”

  “Valentine said she belonged to a girl who had an accident. But she grants wishes.”

  “That’s silly. Nothing grants wishes.”

  “I tell you what. I’ll wish something for you.”

  “Like what?”

  “I’ll wish for Valentine. To come here.”

  The memory came sudden and sharp, and she gave a little cry before sitting on the ground. Birkita rushed forward to her side of the glass, putting her hands on it. “What is it?”

  “Valentine.” Adalia started to cry. “I don’t think he can come here.”

  “Why not?”

  “He … he was trying. To save me. Some men came. They … Mandy … oh.” She stopped.

  “Adalia?”

  Adalia looked up, tears on her face. “I don’t think Valentine’s okay anymore, Scarlett. I don’t think he’s okay at all.”

  “Why? How?”

  “Some men came, and, and, they used guns. They hurt Mandy, and they hurt Valentine, and he fell from the helicopter, and I’ll never see him again.”

  Birkita stood on the other side of the glass as Adalia cried on the ground. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s not your fault. You’ve been stuck in here.”

  “I know. But I’m sorry anyway.” Birkita took one of her hands away from the glass but left the one there. “Look, I can’t go to where you are. I’ll get sick. But … if you touch the glass. It’ll be like I’m there.”

  Adalia sniffed, but climbed to her feet. She walked up to the glass, and put her hand against the glass where Birkita’s was. There was a chiming sound, and the glass lit briefly, freezing their pictures in place.

  “There.”

  “What?” Adalia stepped back from the glass, looking up at it. “What just happened?”

  “It took our photo. Even when we’re asle
ep, you can press on the glass in the corner, and it will light up and show you the photo. If you ever need a friend, you can look at my picture there.” Birkita looked down at her feet. “If you need a friend.”

  “I…” Adalia pressed the glass in the corner, and a picture popped up of Birkita, her hand on the glass. She saw that her eyes were sad, even though she had a small smile on her face. “Thank you, Scarlett. I need a friend.”

  “You should still do it.”

  “Do what?”

  “Wish. For Valentine.” Birkita nodded at Prancer. “I have a lot of toys, but I don’t have a single magic one. If it really is magic, this is what it’s for. Getting impossible things. Don’t wish for him to come here for me. Get him to come here so you know he’s okay.”

  “You don’t want him here for you?”

  Birkita sighed. She reached up, and pulled at her hair. The wig came off, showing her bald head. “I don’t think there’s any hope for me, Adalia. It’s been a long time coming, but I’m just tired. I don’t know if I can keep it up.”

  “What happened to your hair?”

  “They give me drugs, to help fight the cancer. It made my hair fall out.” Birkita gave a sad little smile. “My real hair was black. Not like this wig.”

  Adalia looked through the glass Birkita. “I don’t think you need the hair, Scarlett. I think you look pretty just as you are.”

  “You think so?”

  “I think so.” Adalia held Prancer close to her chest. I wish Valentine is okay. I wish he could come here. I wish he could take me away. She looked up at Birkita, the sad lonely girl on the other side of the glass. And I wish he can make Scarlett better. She doesn’t want me to wish for that, but I want it anyway. She’s my friend.

  “Are you okay?” Birkita looked concerned, a small frown crossing her face. “I didn’t mean to get all heavy on you.”

  “I’m okay.” Adalia looked around her room. “What’s there to do here?”

  “Not much. I watch a lot of TV and surf the Internet. We could watch TV together.”

  “I guess. What do you want to watch?”

  “Whatever you like. You turn on your TV, and I’ll turn on mine. We’ll watch the same channel, and we can talk about what’s happening. We don’t have to be in the same room.”