What Befalls the Children: Book 4 in the Troop of Shadows Series

by Nicki Huntsman Smith

  Fergus flashed him a concerned look, then focused on the captive.

  “Why do you enjoy killing, Lizzy?”

  Another shrug. “Why not ask why we enjoy breathing?”

  The blue eyes narrowed. “How many of you are in there?”

  The question sent a shiver across Ray’s shoulders.

  “Our name is Legion. For we are many.”

  “You’ve read the Bible, I see.”

  “Of course. We’ve read all the important books. I’m especially intrigued by the notion of crucifixion.”

  “I have a strange question. Do you mind if I ask it?”

  “There is no question too strange for the likes of us.”

  “May I hold your hand? Just for a moment or two? I find it gives me greater insight while having a conversation.”

  Lizzy laughed. “Clearly I’m not the only weirdo in this place now.”

  Ray’s eyes flew wide. Lizzy had been referring to herself as ‘we’ since her incarceration. What did the slip-up signify? Had Fergus thrown her off her game? Was Lizzy not as crazy as she seemed?

  “Ray, do you mind?” Fergus said, gesturing toward the twelve thumb screws.

  “It’s a strange request, but I don’t see what harm it could do. Just be careful. Let her hand extend out, don’t place yours inside.”

  “Understood.”

  Ray squatted down and began removing the screws. He’d opted for these so he wouldn’t have to use a tool every time he needed to pass Lizzy supplies and food. They weren’t as secure as regular screws, but he’d countered that with an overkill of quantity. One, two, three...

  “Excellent,” Fergus said when Ray stepped aside.

  “The portal to hell is now open,” Ray said, only half-joking. It was a thought he entertained frequently but had never spoken aloud.

  The small man sat cross-legged near the hatch. Lizzy mimicked the position, then extended a pale hand through the opening. Fergus took it gently, almost lovingly, in his own. His blue-eyed gaze locked onto the green-rimmed, bottomless-pit orbs of Lizzy’s eyes. A frown emerged within the red beard.

  Seeing it evoked a matching frown from Ray. He’d gotten the willies too on those occasions when he’d had to touch her.

  “What’s your favorite color?” Fergus asked after a few seconds.

  “Gray, although it is more an absence of color than a color itself. That’s probably why we like it.”

  “What’s your favorite song?”

  “The Forest by the Cure. It’s delightfully bleak.” She recited the song’s haunting lyrics like a poem, without inflection or rhythm.

  Fergus blinked slowly. His grip on Lizzy’s hand tightened.

  “I know you’re a reader. What’s your favorite book?”

  “The Stranger Beside Me, by Ann Rule.”

  Fergus nodded. “Of course. The true crime novel about Ted Bundy. If you were free, Lizzy, what would you do?”

  “We would build a cottage in the woods and live there peacefully forever.”

  “What type of cottage? Cape Cod? Country French? Log cabin?”

  The impossibly wide grin unfolded across the narrow face again. Ray was relieved she didn’t show her teeth this time.

  “Something understated. Deliciously cozy and quaint. A cottage that would tempt wanderers to seek sanctuary within its walls. Perhaps we would place a freshly baked pie on the windowsill to encourage guests.”

  Fergus dropped her hand quickly, then rubbed his own against the fabric of his pants. He stood the next moment and took a step away from the fencing. “I’m finished, Ray. You may close the hell portal.”

  Deranged laughter erupted while Ray slid her meal through the opening. He quickly secured the hatch.

  “Good night, Lizzy,” he said, taking Fergus by the elbow and walking back down the corridor. By the time they reached his sleeping quarters, the echoes had faded.

  “Looks like you could use a drink. We’ll have some of mine, though. No offense,” Ray said.

  “I don’t recall a time I could use a drink more than this moment.”

  “She freaked you out, huh? Welcome to my world.”

  “I don’t like your world much. May I be frank?”

  Ray splashed some of his Four Roses into a couple of red solo cups. “Cheers. And yes, by all means, speak your mind.”

  The small man downed the bourbon in one large gulp, then sat heavily on Ray’s bunk bed. “That woman is perhaps the most evil human being I’ve ever encountered. And I’ve encountered more than a few in my time.”

  “I would have thought ‘music professor’ would be a fairly innocuous profession.”

  “I wasn’t a teacher my entire life.”

  “What was that business with holding her hand?”

  “What I told Lizzy was true. I find that physical contact amplifies whatever...undercurrents...exist in a person’s verbal output.”

  “Interesting, but not very science-y.”

  “I did a stint in Tibet during my inquisitive and adventurous youth. Not everything can be explained by modern science. Are you familiar with transcendental meditation?”

  “Of course. I have anxiety issues, so I meditate on occasion.”

  Fergus nodded. “What I learned from the monks takes mainstream meditation ten levels up. Let’s just say I’m adept at reading energy. If Lizzy were a celestial being, she would be a black hole.”

  “That sounds about right.”

  “Here’s the frank part. Why keep her alive?”

  Ray chuckled. “Don’t think I haven’t asked myself that question a hundred times.” He sighed. “I can’t do it. I can’t kill her. It would cross a metaphorical line. I’m agnostic, so I don’t believe in heaven or hell, but I do believe that killing another human being, no matter how worthy the person is of being killed, would damn my soul. It would diminish me. I don’t think I could come back from that.”

  “I think she may be worse than you realize,” Fergus replied, wiggling the red cup.

  Ray splashed in another ounce while scanning a mental inventory of the remaining bottles. Two cases were included on the final shipment to the warehouse; of that, thirteen bottles remained.

  “Is that what you absorbed from touching her hand?”

  “Yes. I realize it sounds silly, but you must believe me. The world would be a safer place without Lizzy in it.”

  “She’s not going anywhere, Fergus. After I discovered what she was capable of, I turned that room into a Supermax.”

  “I assume you secured the ductwork.”

  “That was the first thing I did. You noticed the front wall of her cell? It’s galvanized steel mesh. Unless she has an oxy-fuel torch hidden in there, she’s not cutting through it. I also bolted sections of the same material against the vents, and I used a power drill to screw them in place. There’s no way Lizzy could loosen those bolts. I only give her plastic utensils with her meals.”

  “She could loosen those thumb screws.”

  “If she could somehow get her fingers through the mesh fence, and I don’t see how, then what? The hatch is only twelve inches by twelve inches. I made it that size for a reason. No adult could squeeze through an opening that small.”

  “On some level, would you miss her? Is that part of your reasoning to keep her alive? Having company? We could find you a dog. Or a raccoon. Maybe a hedgehog.”

  “Believe me, I’d take any of those over Lizzy. I’d prefer a rabid bear over Lizzy.”

  “It’s rare for bears to contract rabies,” Fergus replied with a friendly smile. “But I understand. And I admire you for letting her live, even though I’m not sure I agree with your decision.”

  Maybe it was the alcohol, or perhaps it was the pleasure of having a conversation with an intelligent and sane person, but Ray decided at that moment to step outside his comfort zone.

  “You could stay, if you like. There’s plenty of food for the three of us.”

  The blue eyes were back to twinkling.

&nbs
p; “That is a generous offer, Ray, and I appreciate it. However, I’m a rolling stone. I like to remain on the move, see the world, engage in fellowship with those fellows and fellow-ettes who still remain. They’re a fascinating bunch, you know.”

  “It’s dangerous out there, Fergus. It must be.”

  “Oh, it’s certainly dangerous. But it’s also exhilarating.”

  Ray sighed. “I don’t need exhilaration. I’d rather know where my next meal is coming from and that I won’t freeze to death in the winter.”

  “I understand. We’re not all cut from the same cloth, friend.”

  The word caught Ray by surprise. He liked the newcomer, but it was a bit too soon to consider him a friend.

  “I’ll have to secure you in one of the storage rooms that lock from the outside. That is, if you decide to spend the night.” He glanced at his watch. “The sun has set. It wouldn’t be wise to leave until morning. I hope you understand.”

  “I do. I’ve enjoyed my time here, Ray, but I’ll be leaving at first light. People will be wondering where I’ve gotten off to.”

  “Will you tell me about your people? And the children?”

  The bristly eyebrows pulled down in a frown. “As I said before, I’m not at liberty to say. I think you’re aces, but that doesn’t give me the right to tell their secrets. They don’t need anyone to know where they are and how they’re getting by. It’s their business.”

  “I suppose I understand, although I’m certainly in a position to help. If they need it.” His gaze sought out the plastic-wrapped pallets reaching to dizzying heights.

  “It’s a two-way street, Ray. I also won’t be telling them about you and what you have here. Not everyone in their group is Mother Theresa.”

  “I appreciate that. But is it okay for me to send shipments to the children?”

  “Occasionally. I’ll have a conversation with them upon my return.”

  “Very well. How about a nightcap? I don’t know about you, but I could use it.”

  “I have never in my life turned down free bourbon. I’m not about to start now.”

  ***

  The alcohol worked as a sleep aid. When Ray awoke at his usual time, he felt refreshed and something else...something foreign.

  Content? Happy, even?

  He swung his legs out of bed and threw on some clothes. He would release Fergus from the improvised guest room, share some coffee and breakfast with his new friend, and then load him up with candy for the children. He’d located it in the warehouse after locking Fergus in for the night. Even though the drone hadn’t gotten a close-up of the children’s faces, he imagined their squeals of delight when Fergus bestowed the tooth-decaying bounty.

  He was actually humming a cheerful tune when he unlocked the storage room. Fergus was already awake and waiting for him. The melody stuck in his throat when he saw the expression the man wore.

  “Have you checked on Lizzy?” the deep voice demanded.

  “No. I haven’t even had coffee yet.”

  “Let’s go. Right now.”

  Fergus pushed him aside and darted down the corridor.

  “What’s going on?” Ray hollered, chasing after. “Did you hear something? You couldn’t have. Lizzy’s cell is on the other side of the building.”

  “I can’t explain it. Just call it a gut instinct.”

  Ray’s heart pounded in his chest. Not from the exertion of running, but from the thought of a freed Lizzy. A Lizzy on the loose. A Lizzy slithering in the shadows, between gas masks and bed pans, wriggling around nerve-agent antidotes and morphine...

  ...caressing riot-control tear gas and stun guns...

  ...seizing upon the Glock 22s and the M4 Carbines, then loading up armfuls of ammunition boxes onto the flatbed cart he kept handy.

  Ray had passed Fergus by the time the two skidded to a halt outside Lizzy’s cell.

  So many disturbing mental images had flashed through his brain by the time he got there, it was almost anticlimactic to see the open hatch and an empty room beyond it. Twelve thumbscrew soldiers stood sentinel on the spot where Fergus had sat the night before. They formed a curve on the concrete floor that looked like a smile.

  “We’ve screwed the pooch, haven’t we?” Fergus said.

  “You’re being kind. There’s no ‘we’ to this. I totally fucked up.” At that moment, he felt a cool breeze waft across his bare arms; it was scented with pine trees and decaying leaves instead of plastic and metal.

  He took off toward the overhead doors.

  Moments later, the two men stood in the opening of the building where all those shipments had arrived over the years. From their vantage, they could only see other storage buildings. Ray pressed the button, then didn’t wait for the sliding door to close. He jogged to the stairwell that led to the roof. Fergus trotted silently behind him.

  Once outside, he ignored the spectacular sunrise blossoming in the east and headed straight for the storage bin he kept there. A rain gauge, a barometer, a tube of sun block, and a pair of high-powered Nikon binoculars were among the bin’s contents. He grabbed the last item and darted toward the south side of the roof, careful not to get too close to the edge. Heights had been known to trigger his occasional panic attacks.

  “Do you see her?” Fergus asked in a voice that sounded carefully non-accusatory.

  “No,” he replied, scanning the perimeter in a 360-degree sweep. “Nothing. Damn it.” He lowered the glasses, then peered at his new friend.

  Fergus’s eyelids were closed. The skin surrounding the crimson beard looked paler than it had inside the warehouse. Was it due to the natural lighting or the thought of Lizzy roaming loose around the countryside?

  “What’s wrong?” Ray said.

  The eyelids flickered open. “Nothing. I’m fine. I think she might have gone south.”

  “The direction you came from?”

  “Yes. The direction your drone was flying when it spied the children.”

  “What makes you think that? How could you know?”

  “The same way I knew she had escaped, even though I was locked in a storage closet. May I?” he said, gesturing toward the binoculars. “There. See those tread marks leading into the tree line?”

  Ray retrieved the Nikons and peered through them again, adjusting the setting, then zeroing in on a patch of ground next to the road leading to the facility. The road didn’t venture into the woodland beyond, but those tracks did.

  “I’m sure those are from the cart that I keep inside the building. I don’t need to see that it’s gone to know she took it.” The image he’d conjured on the mad run to Lizzy’s cell flashed through his mind. Stupid...stupid...stupid.

  “What all do you think she took?”

  “I can’t answer that until I do an inventory.”

  “I’m guessing it could be bad, though. You have weaponry stored here.” It wasn’t a question.

  “Yes. It’s a critical part of disaster preparedness.” His tone sounded defensive even to his own ears.

  “No judgment from me. I’m going to head out after her.” Fergus turned to go.

  “I’ll come with you,” Ray said.

  “What purpose would that serve? You’re not used to being outside, Ray. Think about it. I can move a lot faster on my own.”

  The words felt like a gut punch.

  Fergus must have read his thoughts.

  “Now isn’t the time to tiptoe around fragile male egos. I have a better use for you, anyway.”

  As they sped down the stairwell, Fergus revealed a plan both practical and simple. He would go after Lizzy while Ray delivered an urgent message to the children via the Freefly done: Don’t venture into the woods until Fergus gives you the okay.

  “Wait until I can do a quick check of the items she took. You’ll need to know what you’re up against,” Ray said, veering down a side corridor.

  “Make it fast,” Fergus replied, heading toward the kitchen area where he’d left his jacket.

 
“I will.” Ray took off at a run. He didn’t take the time to print out an inventory checklist. Many of the sensitive inventory items such as weapons and pharmaceuticals had been committed to memory, and those items were stored in secure areas.

  Thankfully, Lizzy didn’t have access to the security codes.

  When he stood outside the temperature-controlled room containing the drugs, his heart sank. Lizzy didn’t need the security code here. She had simply smashed the tempered glass of its window. Pebble-like shards surrounding an impossibly small opening were tinged with Lizzy’s blood. Under normal conditions, a guard would have been stationed here, restricting access to the Lorazepam, Oxycodone, and dozens of other powerful sedatives and painkillers. But three years after Chicxulub, the world was anything but normal.

  Lizzy had been methodical in her selection.

  Fergus’s voice came from behind. “What did she take?”

  “Midazolam, the fastest-acting of the injectable sedatives, as well as a dozen syringes or so. Ketamine, which was nearing FDA approval for depression when the end came, but had also been abused as a street drug for its mood-altering and hallucinogenic qualities. Looks like she also took a field surgery kit, and some standard stuff like bandages and Quik-Clot. Quik-Clot is...”

  “I’m familiar with Quik-Clot.”

  Ray frowned. “Your life as a music professor becomes more interesting by the minute.”

  Fergus ignored the comment. “Have you checked the weapons?”

  “Not yet. Going there next.”

  The news was even worse there than at the pharmaceutical vault. No tempered glass window existed at the weapons unit, and the door remained intact. Lizzy’s solution to gaining entry there was simple: cut through the drywall. Again, the opening in the wall was impossibly small. The implements she used — a reciprocating saw and a sledge hammer — lay abandoned in the corridor. Access to the power and manual tools required a short trip to an unsecured area at the end of Lizzy’s corridor.

  Ray punched in the code, then did a quick count.

  “Six CS canisters, an M16 along with a half-dozen boxes of 5.56mm rounds, and a SIG Sauer .380, along with its ammo. Four boxes.”

  “The CS canisters concern me almost more than the firearms,” Fergus mused. “Someone who desires only to dwell peacefully in a woodland cottage doesn’t need tear gas.”