The Protector

by Stormi Lewis

  “This is true,” Sophie said as if she was taking Hellen’s words into consideration. “I’m sure that if it’s meant to be, he will come back,” Sophie said with a smile and a shrug. “No harm in looking around until he does,” she winked. Hellen was thrown off and not sure what to take of Sophie’s manner.

  “Right now,” Sophie continued. “This corset has squeezed all the life out of me, and I have to get these horrid heels off my feet,” she lied. Hellen tilted her head and eyed Sophie with full suspicion.

  “What about your husband?” Hellen pried.

  “He will find his own way. He always does,” Sophie said with a smile. “Enjoy the evening, Dear!” she shouted over her shoulder as she continued to push through the remaining crowd.

  “Remind me to kiss you when I see you,” James chuckled in her ear.

  “You can kiss me after you get this damn dress off,” Sophie gasped trying to get her ribs to accept air back into her lungs. A distant sound stopped her dead in her tracks as people continued to push past her.

  “Honey, what’s wrong?” Tina asked her, noticing Sophie had stopped pushing her way through as Tina and Ben watched her from a distance.

  Tina knew Hellen would identify them as well, which is why she dragged Ben and herself out of Hellen’s eyesight. However, the color Sophie contained in her cheeks was quickly depleting.

  “Sophie…” Tina repeated more firmly, watching her friend become suddenly in distress.

  James came to a halt right before opening the door to his escape. “What’s wrong?” he asked in sudden panic.

  “Get out, now,” Sophie ordered in a gasp of panic. “Everyone!” she hissed.

  “What’s wrong?!” James pleaded.

  “He’s here,” Sophie whispered in fright.

  “Who?” Tina urged.

  Sophie heard the tapping of metal against the floor before she could locate the face to go with it. “Get OUT!” Sophie demanded one last time. Ben grabbed Tina and dragged her out of the building. If it was enough to spook Sophie, Ben knew it could only mean one thing…the man with the cane.

  “I’m not leaving you!” James hissed as people began to stare in his direction.

  “I’ve got her, Dear,” they all heard Sally sooth. “Go, Son,” she said. They had forgotten Sally still had on an ear com.

  “Get Roger and get OUT!” Sophie hissed as she looked frantically around the room for the face that matched the sound that haunted her dreams since she was a child.

  “No, Peanut. Come with me,” they heard Jack say as he slipped his hand into Sophie’s and pulled her away dressed in a tux and feeling as real as the other bodies that pushed against her.

  “Get out,” they all heard Jess’s voice confirm in their ears.

  “Who is that?” Sally asked confused.

  “Go get dad and get out,” James told his mom firmly.

  “Stay safe children,” Sally whispered as she rushed to collect her husband before it was too late.

  Sophie couldn’t believe the figure before her that was pulling her safely through the crowd. It was only the sound of the cane hitting the floor again that broke the spell. Sophie stopped suddenly and whipped her head in the direction of the haunting familiar sound.

  “Not today,” Jack said, as he tugged on her hand and dragged her out to safety.

  Chapter 7

  H e looked around the room gradually, taking in the herding mass headed towards the theater. It was supposed to be the best of the best in the medical world attending. What devastation would be caused if he wiped them all out, right here and right now. However, he needed one of these ants to do his bidding. Besides, this was his favorite holiday, and he needed to stretch his legs anyway.

  A sparkling cream spaghetti strap fitted dress with a slit almost up to the hips and strappy heeled shoes to match caught his eye. It was a figure that haunted his dreams. He would know it from anywhere.

  The dress hung nicely over her athletic curves, as her red chin length curly hair framed her face covered lightly by freckles. Her eyes were as blue as the sea. She waited patiently for him across the room with her arms crossed in front of her chest. His cane echoed across the floor as he sauntered his way towards her amidst the crowd.

  He took in every inch of her standing before him and smiled the most disturbing grin ever seen. Although, it would have sent chills down people’s body, the woman stood unphased. “Hello, Jessica,” he snarled at her.

  “Algos,” Jess greeted him coldly.

  The man with the cane threw his head back and laughed wildly. “So that’s what you’re calling me these days,” he said in a wicked voice.

  “It is your name,” Jess responded dryly.

  “Not my only one, now is it?” he said walking around her as if she was his prey. Jess remained unimpressed.

  “Looking good for being a dead woman,” Algos chuckled.

  “No thanks to you,” Jess retorted without much emotion.

  “Well, you were the one that chose to be difficult,” Algos shrugged.

  “What are you doing here?” Jess asked flatly.

  “Oh, I believe you already know, my dear sweet girl,” Algos hissed. “You always underestimate me child.”

  “Not nearly as you always underestimate me,” Jess said, letting the ends of her lips curl up in an admitting smile.

  “Did you really think I wouldn’t figure out what you and your sorry excuse for a husband were up to?” Algos said with more frustration than he intended to share.

  “No, but it did take you over ten years,” Jess said with her own wicked smile. The man’s half scared face reddened, and Jess knew she had pushed a button.

  “Well, I’m sure Dr. Dallas can assist me in leveling the playing field,” Algos said sweetly.

  Jess didn’t falter. They had warned Corbin upfront what the price would be if he was ever found out. Corbin had made his own decision to help them, and told them it would be nothing he would regret once death greeted him. The three had sat down and had several discussions over the matter. Corbin had insisted and sealed his fate in the process.

  “See you on the other side,” Corbin had always smiled and said when they left each of their sessions. Jess knew there would be no way to save him. Sophie was the one they all agreed needed to survive. It still saddened her to her core.

  “Where is the young lad?” Algos asked looking around the emptying room.

  “Wouldn’t know,” Jess shrugged as she looked at her nails painted such a pretty red. It would be a shame to destroy them in a fight.

  However, a thought crossed his mind and his demeanor changed immediately. “Your presence must mean our dear Sophie is also present,” Algos said in realization as he whipped his head to search the crowd around him.

  Jess knew better than to falter at the mention of her daughter’s name. She was the distraction to allow Jack to get Sophie to safety without either crossing paths.

  “It is my day to play,” Jess said smiling her wicked smile. “Something told me you would be visiting this lovely party,” she shrugged as she walked around him. Stalking him like prey. Her powers were limited on this night. Being a human again didn’t bode her daughter much protection if something went wrong, but she had to at least try.

  The old man drew his attention back to his protégé. “And where is dear Jack?” Algos asked, curious as to what she thought her plan was going to be.

  “He had someone to visit,” Jess shrugged and took a drink from the server as he walked by. “Thank you,” she said politely to the very confused server as she waved him off to safety.

  “Did he, now?” Algos asked with intrigue.

  “So, what are your plans for the evening?” Jess asked quickly changing the subject.

  Algos eyed Jess suspiciously, but he decided to play along.

  “Well,” he stalled. “Thought I would visit dear Dr. Dallas to either add to my team, or simply take out,” the old man stated as if he were simply marking off his To-Do list. �
��I figure with good old Dr. Moore speaking, the obnoxious four would be close by,” he said giving a quick look around. “It was such a chore to get him to be the keynote speaker.”

  “You play such boring games in your old age,” Jess said before taking a sip of the champaign she held. She knew better than to take her eyes off the man before her.

  Algos chuckled a deep throaty chuckle. “Well, some surprises take more planning than others,” he replied wickedly.

  “How’s your face doing?” Jess nodded at his disfigured half.

  Algos stopped smiling, and Jess knew she had his attention. It was a sore spot for him, and she had been the one to give it to him. That pleased her and gave her some courage to continue to poke at him despite the crowd becoming absent leaving just the two of them with no witnesses.

  “Your cane looks new,” Jess poked again. The limp was also her doing. His amusement left his eyes, and he no longer was in the mood to play her games.

  “Don’t think I won’t take you right here, Dear,” he scowled. “Then what would Sophie do with her dear mother dying by my hands twice?”

  “Won’t do well for her joining your team,” Jess shrugged as she walked past him to add distance all the same.

  He paused for a moment knowing she was right. Until he achieved what he came here to do, then he couldn’t touch Jess. Dead or even temporarily alive. No matter how easy it would be. Dead would be much more satisfying.

  “Hey Jess!” They both turned to see Corbin keeping his distance. He was leaning up against one of the side bars with a drink in hand. “Jack said you would be visiting,” he smiled at her broadly. He kept his eyes on the disfigured man before her.

  “Oh, did he?” Jess said with a hint of nerves coming through her voice.

  “Oh, yeah!” Corbin shouted. “Said some asshole would be trying to come kill me too,” he said winking momentarily before looking back at the man with the cane who didn’t look pleased at all.

  “Funny thing is,” Corbin continued taking a sip of his drink, “that asshole has no clue how to succeed, and I don’t intend on teaching him.”

  Jess quietly slipped off her shoes preparing herself to fight while Algos was distracted. She wasn’t exactly sure what Corbin was up to, but she would take what she could get, and do her best to keep him safe in the process.

  “I can be very persuasive,” sneered the man with the cane as he contemplated a fitting punishment for the good doctor that continued to poke at him dangerously.

  “The problem is that I already made my choice, long ago,” Corbin said looking at Jess passionately as he gulped the rest of his drink down. “And I don’t regret a damn thing,” he said as he winked at her. “Would do it again even!” he shouted across the room. “So, I guess I’ll see you on the other side,” Corbin said weakly, before foam exploded from his mouth and his body started to convulse.

  Jess only hesitated for a split second as Algos’ scream was heard around the world. She looked down at the man that wisely chose to take his own life before Algos could torture him, and she took off running as fast as she could down the hallway to desperately look for a way out.

  Algos cried out and limped as quickly as he could to the doctor. “Get help NOW!” he yelled at the horrified bartender that had just served the dying man before him.

  The bartender ran off as fast as he could. Algos looked down at the man that was going to finally even the playing field for him. Anger boiling in his blood. He looked behind him to see the heels Jess had taken off in the place she once stood, and just a flicker of her dress as she turned the corner.

  “You will not win!” Algos screamed after her, spitting while he yelled like a rabid dog. Jess didn’t stop for one second. Sophie’s life depended on it, including her own. She took off running barefoot into the night.

  “Where’s mom?” Sophie asked in confusion as her father continued to drag her down Canal Street.

  “She’ll meet us,” Jack said over his shoulder as he looked around eagerly for a mode of transportation to get them much further away.

  “How are you here?” Sophie uttered in a dry voice.

  Jack pulled his daughter gently onto the passing streetcar. Despite her massive dress, he held her tightly against him and smiled. “It’s Halloween, Peanut. It’s the one day the dead are allowed to be amongst the living,” he smiled a Cheshire grin at her.

  “You never have before,” Sophie murmured in a hoarse voice.

  “We have, Peanut,” Jack assured. “You just never get to remember,” he added sadly.

  “He was there,” Sophie whispered looking her father directly in his matching blue eyes.

  “He was,” Jack said breaking the stare to watch the kids race up and down the street to collect their candy. “We only have an hour left,” he said, watching parents hold their children by the hand as they walked. He pulled Sophie closer to him. “Let’s not waste it,” Jack whispered softly and kissed her on top of her head.

  Remembering they weren’t alone; Jack began giving orders. “James, we need to get my daughter out of this gorgeous dress so she can blend in a little better,” he said next to Sophie’s ear. “That goes for all of my little helpers,” he added. “Including you and your husband Mrs. Moore.”

  Sophie couldn’t believe how alive the figure that held onto her felt as they rode the full streetcar down Canal Street. Jack looked no older than her current self, which only reminded Sophie of how young they were when they were taken from her. Her stomach dropped and grief consumed her body.

  Jack seemed to know exactly what Sophie was feeling, as he studied her in his arms. His eyes cradling her soul with his gaze. “Grab your bags and meet us at Saint Louis Cemetery at 425 Basin Street. We will be protected while we are there,” he said smiling down at his daughter. “Get there when you can. I’m going to have a moment with my daughter,” Jack said softly, taking out her ear com and putting it in his pocket.

  Everyone froze when Jack’s voice came across the ear com. No one seemed to be able to wrap their head around the fact that a dead man was giving them orders. “See you soon children,” Sally’s motherly voice broke the silence, giving everyone the hint to do as the dead man requested.

  Jack helped Sophie jump off the streetcar. He held her hand in his as they walked towards their destination. He couldn’t believe how nervous he was to be with her in person, but every year started off the same way. Only this one had the man with the cane too close for comfort.

  “You look absolutely stunning,” Jack whispered to Sophie. “A spitting image of your mother,” he added softly.

  “Oh, I don’t know,” Jess added a bit out of breath, grabbing Sophie’s free hand. “She’s got your ornery Cheshire smile for starters,” she chuckled lightly.

  Jack looked at Jess to make sure she was still fully intact with no battle wounds. Jess smiled weakly at her husband. It was Sophie’s question that broke the silent trance between them.

  “Where are your shoes?” Sophie asked numbly staring at her mother’s bare and filthy feet. Jack looked at Jess in alarm.

  “A long story that we don’t have time for tonight,” Jess shrugged with a weary smile. She shook her head at Jack letting him know to drop it. She would catch him up later. “You do look quite amazing in this dress! Who picked it out?” Jess asked quickly changing the subject.

  “Tina,” Sophie said, finally looking up into her mother’s matching blue eyes. “It’s way too big,” she said frowning.

  “Oh, Peanut!” her mother laughed. “It was perfect for the ball! She reached over and slipped off Sophie’s mask. “There’s my little girl’s pretty face,” Jess said, stopping Sophie as she caressed her daughter’s face in her warm hands. Jess smiled and leaned in, placing a kiss on Sophie’s cheek before taking her hand again as they continued to walk towards the cemetery.

  “So, tell us all about your friends,” Jack said as his family walked hand in hand.

  “And James,” Jess insisted.

  Sophi
e knew she had to be in a dream, but it felt incredibly real. If she was losing her mind completely, then this was the way to go.

  “You’re not crazy,” interjected her mother firmly without Sophie saying a word. “I don’t want to hear another word about it,” Jess ordered looking at Sophie with such authority.

  “I didn’t even say anything!” Sophie whined.

  “You didn’t have to,” Jack said in a fatherly voice also looking down at his daughter.

  “It’s a logical assumption!” Sophie protested.

  “Sophie Lee,” her mother warned.

  Sophie just shook her head and dropped it. “Not like you can ground me anyway,” she muttered to herself.

  “Watch me,” her mother threatened.

  Sophie broke into a hysterical laughter just as they came to the entrance of the cemetery.

  A solid white wall over six feet high surrounded the cemetery, with a black rot iron gate at the entrance. Jack pushed it open and ushered the girls inside. Sophie saw an enormous number of various tombs before her, each with a unique style much like the individual bodies it contained.

  Sophie knew due to the ongoing hurricanes and floods, New Orleans kept bodies mostly in tombs so that they wouldn’t float away in God’s wrath. Some were made of brick while others were simply straight cement, all various shapes and sizes.

  “Let’s find a nice place to meet your friends,” Jess suggested, as if there was a nice place for everyone to meet her dead parents in person. Sophie shook her head at the absurdity as she followed her parents around the cemetery as they discussed the best location.

  “Is Sally and Roger nice?” Jess asked Sophie, suddenly fussing over her red chin length curly locks.

  “Very,” Sophie answered honestly. “Tina and Ben are like having a brother and sister.”

  “And James?” Jack asked, raising an eyebrow at his daughter.

  Realizing that her parents could apparently read her mind in their current state, she tried desperately to push the thought of having amazing sex with the boy she loved as far out of her mind as possible.