Loose Ends (The Hammer Commission Book 3)

by John Van Stry

  "Denise, load all the photos up onto your computer and send a set to me and another set to Woods as soon as you get back to the hotel."

  "Hotel?" Denise asked.

  Mark turned to his son Dave.

  "Dave, find a good hotel and get rooms for everybody. We'll call you when we have something," Mark said walking over to the back of the SUV and pulling out what looked like a small set of saddlebags.

  "What are those for?" Michael asked.

  "Carrying stuff. Let me put a few things in it, then after I shift you can put it on me."

  "That looks pretty neat," Kyle said. "Where did you get those?"

  "Petco," Mark grinned. "They're for dogs. I got an extra one here if you need it."

  "Sure."

  14: Fremont National Forest, Oregon

  Beth ran through the woods enjoying the strength and power that now thrummed through her body. She'd gotten rid of the robes her mother had loaned her a couple of days ago, the blood on them had been scaring off all of the animals. At least she'd had enough forethought to grab the bag she had her change of clothes in; otherwise she'd be running around naked.

  Not that she was afraid to do that now, not with her new powers!

  Who would have known that life could be this good? Or taste so delicious?

  She felt bad about her mother, she'd given her a choice, but she had gotten in the way when Beth had gone after that Sarah chick, and well, she'd stood against her! Beth, her own daughter! And why? Just to save some cheap floozy who had been shagging that old man?

  The ritual had been going well, except her mother wouldn't allow her to be the one on the altar, she put that old man up there first, to try and help with some problem he was having. He was an old man! Of course he was having problems! This was her find her magic!

  When she felt the power start to rise, she could see what was happening, she could see that it wouldn't find a home in that old worn out husk of a man. It didn't like him, it wasn't made for him. The power came with a bargain, and he was resisting that bargain. But Beth wouldn't! She saw it right away while the rest all started to look concerned and her mother's leadership of the circle had hesitated for just a brief instant.

  And Beth had struck, picking up the athame she quickly plunged it into the old man's heart, killing him instantly. The power had flowed into her immediately and in an instant the pact had been made, the bargain sealed. The only thing she had said no to was the death of her mother, as the power surged during the transfer and lashed out in that initial moment, draining the life from the others in the circle who had joined their wills to her mother's.

  Except that Sarah floozy. Something had protected her and she had run off, when Beth had moved to follow her mother had stood in her way and yelled at her! Actually yelled! She had demanded to know what Beth had done and what was she doing now! She'd even told her to stop and tried to block her!

  Beth really had no choice, and the power was ringing in her ears, the voices in her head told her not to suffer such insults. So she'd used the athame to stop her mother from interfering, then dropping that she'd run after Sarah.

  And that worthless piece of trash shot her! Not once, but eight times! Eight!

  Maybe she could have drained the life out of her, like the power had done to the others, but using her new magic she'd made her fingers as hard as stone and ripped the girl to shreds, enjoying her screams until she succumbed.

  She'd been worried at first that she might die, but the voices had told her what to do, and that she'd be okay. Sure, she used up some of the power in her body back then, but she'd spent the last several days running down deer and even smaller animals. Once she had them in her grasp, she could suck the life energy out of them, and use it!

  And she was so strong now! And she could run so fast! It was amazing this new power of hers.

  She wondered where she should go next? She had a firm grip on her power now, and what she really needed was to establish her own domain, her own place where she could settle down and use her powers to subvert the will of the lesser mortals, so she could live the life of comfort and power that had always been her due. She wouldn't have to dance for them anymore, or sleep with anyone to gain control over them.

  No, now they would dance for her, and if she liked them, she'd use them. If she didn't like them, well, she'd use them for something else, wouldn't she?

  Beth laughed and looked around the small shack in the forest she'd found. It was probably some hunter's place, where they could lay up during the nights of deer season. It really wasn't fitting for her anymore however. Not now that she knew how to use her new body, and her new powers.

  Besides, her poor father was probably worried sick that she hadn't come back yet, after....

  Beth stopped and thought about that, how many days had she been gone? She dug her cell phone out of her pocket, but found it dead. The screen was cracked and the phone looked to be broken. That or the battery had died. No matter, she'd get another one.

  She looked out the small single window in the shack; it would be dawn in a few hours. If she got started now, she bet she could be in town by noon. The voices in her head, the ones that had taught her what to do, and how to do it, they liked that idea. Lots of people meant lots of power, and of course, lots of food as well.

  15: Bly, Oregon

  "So, how bad is it?" Woods asked Mark.

  "Right now? Plenty bad, Chief. We found the shack she was staying in, some small one-room cabin hidden in the forest. By the time we got there, she'd been gone for hours. My guess is she's heading back to Klamath Falls."

  "I've got Walters and Timms on an Air Force cargo plane with a bunch of equipment, I've also called in several of the officers from the Portland office to go down there and support you. They've not been read in on any of this, they've just been warned that there is something sensitive going on, and that it's a matter of national security. They'll keep their mouths shut. It's up to you what to tell them.

  "Are Michael and Denise up to working yet?"

  "I've got them on a leash for now, so I don't think we'll have to worry about it too much."

  "Well, don't put them through anything they're not ready for yet. I admit that I have no idea what they're going through, just don't do anything that'll make it harder for them to adapt, or whatever the hell it is they have to do."

  "Sure thing, Chief," Mark agreed.

  "So, any idea what she did, or what she can do now?"

  "Apparently she can suck the life out of any living thing."

  "She's a vampire?" Woods sounded pretty surprised by that.

  "Not exactly, she doesn't drink any blood that I can tell. Some how she just seems to be able to extract the life force from her victims. We found quite a few animals she killed in the forest while we were tracking her. We also know she was shot several times with a forty-five and that didn't kill her. My best guess is that she made a deal with the devil, or something close to that."

  "How in the hell does that work? Literally?"

  Mark sighed, "I have no idea. I need to call the folks back at the Commission. I think they accidentally created some sort of link to the underworld when they did their ritual. She either was possessed and went crazy or she's always had a lust for power. In either case, she killed all of them, even her own mother."

  "So how do we take her down?"

  "Drain her power, somehow, and then cut her head off, Chief," Mark said.

  "Somehow I get the feeling that's your answer to everything," Woods chuckled.

  "Hey, I stick with what works. I'm going to call out for some priests to go up to that site and bless everything, by the way. I'll send them up with Walters and Timms, once I meet up with them."

  "Yeah, probably a wise idea. Last thing we need is another evil portal like we had in West Virginia."

  "Any word on that Raul Silva guy that died in the car?" Mark asked, changing the subject.

  "Well, the CIA has gotten involved, they told us his real name is Lui
s Gutierrez, he's a Brazilian national, wanted there for drug activity. Apparently he's some kind of a chemist or something. They're still tracking down who he's working for now, and where they're at. I gathered that he left Brazil some years ago and has not been back since."

  "Okay, I'll try to get a report to you sometime today, but I need to keep up with this situation. We'll be heading back to town in a few minutes."

  "Okay, do what you have to do, talk to you later, Mark."

  "Bye, Chief," Mark said and hung up his phone.

  "Ready to go?" Kyle asked.

  Mark nodded and stood up. Kyle had taken them to the house of a pack member that was in the vicinity, and they'd offered to drive the two of them back into town.

  "You call your dad?" Mark asked.

  "Yeah, I told him what we saw too. He said he'll tell everyone to keep and eye out and to keep far away from Beth. Personally, with the way she smells now, I don't think any werewolf in their right mind is going to get near her.

  "I wonder if it's strong enough that humans will be able to tell?"

  "I think we'll be finding out soon enough," Kyle said.

  "And that's what worries me," Mark agreed.

  Mark called Manresa next as they went out and got into the car and warned them that he was going to need a couple of priests to go bless a site, He had to talk fast as they left the town, before they lost cell coverage on the road through the hills back to Klamath Falls. He also told them he'd have some files and pictures to send them, and did anybody there know anything about power rituals using demon flesh?

  He lost his connection before anybody had the chance to answer that one.

  When they got into town, Mark called Michael and got directions to the hotel they were staying at, and he got dropped off there, as Kyle headed for home.

  "I put your bags in our room," Michael said, inviting him inside. "I didn't know when you'd get here, and I wasn't going to leave them in the car."

  Mark nodded. "Tell Denise to take Dave and go meet Walters and Timms at the airport. They can take them out to the crime scene and deal with that. Remind them to pick up a couple of priests on the way to bless the site and the bodies, just in case. I'll text them the address as soon as I hear from Manresa."

  "What do you want me to do?"

  "Go talk to the police, let them know we're investigating a major crime, contact Walt Morris and find out if there are any lycans on the police force that we can take into confidence. Use the national security story Woods told us, need to know and all that. Make sure they understand they are to call it in if they see Beth. They're not to follow or engage her, no matter what she does, got it?"

  "Sure, what are you going to do?"

  "Contact Manresa, send them all the pictures Denise took, then take a shower and a short nap," Mark looked at the clock; it was only about seven am.

  "Come back here at nine, I'll be ready by then. Bring a bag full of burgers with you too."

  Michael nodded as Jess and Gail came out of the bathroom, each giving their father a hug as he got out his laptop and sat down to get to work.

  "Take the guns with you, girls."

  "Is that wise?" Michael asked.

  "They've got permits, and they're with you. Besides, around here? No one is going to care. Just keep them under your jackets, and no one will be the wiser."

  The girls nodded and picked up the machine pistols and slung them, before putting on their coats. Then the three of them left while Mark took the file with the pictures that Denise had sent him and forwarded all of it, along with his observations to the people back at the commission.

  After that, he took a quick shower and lay down to nap for an hour. Last thing he needed was to be fuzzy headed in the middle of all of this.

  * * *

  Beth walked into town about an hour before noon. She had thought about calling a taxi, but remembered her cell phone wasn't working. She thought about hitchhiking, but right now she wanted to think about what she was going to do when she got home.

  Her father would want to know where her mother was, and what was she going to tell him? She couldn't tell him the truth of course, and while she had at first thought about just killing him for his power, her father had always been there for her, and had always helped her.

  Yeah, her mom could have done better, lots better, but dad had always helped her, and even had sided with her against her mom a few times. So she really didn't want to kill him. Well, at least not yet anyway.

  So that meant she'd either have to come up with a good story for him, or she'd have to just not go back there.

  On the one hand, it was the house she grew up in, and she had her clothes, her car, and her stuff there. But on the other, she hadn't lived there for years now, and well, the clothes and the car were all easily replaceable. Still, it might not be bad to figure something out.

  She'd think about it. Later.

  Right now, she was getting hungry. She hadn't eaten food in days, and with the power she had inside her now, she could probably forgo any food for a few more days, but that would mean killing someone and draining their life away. Which might not be the best thing to do, this early in the morning. Besides, she looked a mess, she was dirty, and her clothes were dirty. She needed a shower and a change of clothing.

  She had her credit card, and she had some cash.

  Well, there was a Mickey Dee's by the old short stay hotel she used to let her dates take her too, back when she was dancing here. She could get some food there, take a shower at the hotel, and maybe even catch a nap. With that run into town after all the excitement she was starting to feel a bit tired. She hadn't slept well in days, a bed, even the cheap beds at that hotel, would work for now, while she figured out her next step.

  She got some looks at the McDonalds when she came in and got some food. She sat down to eat some when she heard someone call her name.

  "Beth? Is that you?"

  Beth looked up, it was Steve Cole. He was one of the guys who used to come and watch her dance. He was an okay guy, had an okay job, an apartment, nothing really exciting to say about. He was okay in bed and had always had a thing about her; he'd given her enough of his money after all.

  "Steven?" She asked, remembering to look surprised.

  "What happened to you?"

  Beth sighed, "I came down to visit last week, and I drove out to an old friend's house a couple of days ago. On the way back," she shook her head, "I ran off the road dodging a deer and got stuck in a ditch. I spent the night in my car, and all morning walking back to town."

  "Why didn't you call somebody?"

  "Broke my phone in the accident," she lied.

  "Didn't anybody stop?"

  "I was off on a side road. Nobody came by all night, well not while I was awake at least, and well," she shrugged again, "No one offered me a ride into town. I think I've been walking since like, six?"

  "Wow! Well, I can give you a ride home if you'd like."

  Beth smiled at him; he really was making this easy on her.

  "What I'd like," she said softly, "would be to find a nice hot shower to get clean in, and then a nice handsome man to get all dirty again," and she winked at him.

  Steve smiled and nodded, "Well, come on back to my place then, and I think I can help you out."

  "Why Steven, I'd love to."

  Beth stretched and yawned, Steve's bed was really comfortable. He'd complained a few times while they were in bed that she must have gotten something on her, because she had a faint scent that reminded him of something foul.

  She experimented a little with some perfume that someone had left here in the past, and found that it had only taken a small amount to hide the scent. Once she was sure that it worked, she had sex with him one last time.

  And then she killed him.

  She had smiled at the look on his face as she had put her hand on either side of his head and drained the life out of him. He tried to resist, to push her away, but she had her legs wrapped around him, and
with her new strength, he was going nowhere.

  "Calm down," she whispered to him, "I gave you your last request, sex with a goddess."

  He'd passed out then, and died a couple of moments later. She'd rolled his body up in the bedspread, it did smell a little nasty now, and she stuck it outside on the balcony for the apartment. With this weather, she doubted anyone would be opening their windows to smell it. Then she'd raided his closet for another bedspread, and taken a nice long nap.

  Looking at the clock, it was after seven and it would be starting to get dark out soon, which would make things perfect. She'd tossed her clothes in the washing machine back when she first got here. She'd thrown them in the dryer later, and now it was time to go out and do a little cruising around. She had Steve's car and apartment now, and anything else he had lying around. Maybe she'd stop by and see her father, she'd figured out a good story to tell him, might as well go see if it worked.

  But first, maybe she should pick up a new outfit? While her current outfit was clean, it had spent too much time out in the woods and looked it. She'd already thrown out her top and had resorted to one of Steven's nicer t-shirts.

  As the stores here closed notoriously early, she'd have to be quick about it. Fortunately one of her favorites was rather close by.

  Grabbing one of Steven's big jackets, the last thing she wanted right now was for someone to recognize her and want to talk; she took his car keys and left the apartment.

  * * *

  "We just got a hit on one of her credit cards!" Denise said, hanging up her cell phone.

  Mark looked up from his laptop; he was in an online chat with several of the Commissions researchers, going over every detail of what he had witnessed so far. They were using a room in the back of the local sheriff's office. They'd been more than happy to comply when a dozen agents had descended on the town. Two of those were Walters and Timms, they'd brought along four of the FBI's SUVs with them, as well as some rather impressive armament, including a dozen machetes.