by A. R. Wise
“Looks like you’ll get your chance to ask him,” said Lyle as he straightened his posture. “He’s headed back this way.”
The white-haired scientist was puffing a briar pipe, holding the bowl with the black stem between his lips. His bushy hair and loose fitting clothes rustled in the breeze as he descended the plank from the Destroyer escort to the harbor. His sandals clopped against his bare feet, a stark contrast to the shined shoes of the General that followed behind him.
Lyle took off his dull brown newsboy cap and held it to his chest with his left hand as he extended his right in greeting. “Sir, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Oh, oh,” said the elderly scientist with a grin. He shook Lyle’s hand and his words were flavored with a German accent, “Good to meet you.” Then the older man’s demeanor darkened as he looked past Lyle and at Vess. The scientist stared through the round spectacles that had drifted to the tip of his large nose, his pipe lowered, and then he nodded to Lyle's companion and spoke with a tone that teetered on disdain. “Vess.”
Vess didn’t bother taking off his hat to greet the famous scientist. He just nodded and spoke with an equal amount of disdain, “Einstein.”
Inside Cada E.I.B.’s Compound
March 13th, 2012
2:45 AM
Paul had retrieved the older nurse, Helen, and brought her to the room with the others. He remembered that Helen said Michael had stolen her car when he took Ben, and the group needed to figure out a way to track him down. Helen had told Rachel that her car was a light blue, 2000 Ford Escort, but the reporter’s next question confounded the nurse.
“Do I know my license plate number?” asked Helen as if what she’d been asked was ludicrous. “Of course not. Who in the heck memorizes their license plate number?”
“Do you have your license?” asked Rachel.
Helen nodded and then took a billfold out of her smock. As she handed it to Rachel she asked, “What do you need it for?”
“I can use a little reporter magic.” Rachel took the license from the nurse. “I’ll use the description of the car and the license to see if I can track down Michael.”
“How will you do that?” asked Alma.
“I’ve got my ways,” said Rachel with a devilish smirk. “If we can find a computer with an internet connection I can get this done a lot faster.”
“That’s no problem,” said Helen. “My co-worker’s always on her laptop. I’ll go get it for you.”
The older, rotund woman left to go get the other nurse’s computer. Alma waited until she was gone and then asked again, “So how are you going to find him?”
“If we can get her license plate number then we can check with the State Police to see if he’s been pulled over. There aren’t any tolls nearby, unfortunately, otherwise we could use them. We can also start calling hotels in the area to see if anyone’s checked in that matches his description. He might even have to give them his license plate number when checking in.”
“Will they give out that sort of info?” asked Jacker, surprised that this was legal.
“Depends on who’s asking for it,” answered Stephen with a knowing smile. He was clearly familiar with Rachel’s wile.
“How long do you think that’ll take?” asked Rosemary.
Rachel shrugged. “Hard to say. Could be ten minutes, but it could take hours. We might not get any leads at all. Depends on how lucky we get.”
“I don’t usually rely on luck,” said Rosemary. “That well ran dry years ago.”
“What do you suggest we do?” asked Paul.
Rosemary considered the situation and then came up with a solution. “We need to split up. One group will stay here and try and find Michael and Ben with your friend here,” she motioned to Rachel. “And the other will go with Alma and me to track them down in my security van.”
“In a van?” asked Paul. “They could’ve headed over to 65 and be down in Arkansas by now. Or they could be headed north to Springfield. We’ve got no clue where he went.”
“Wait,” said Rachel in concern. She looked at Rosemary and said, “I thought you just wanted help finding Michael and Ben. I didn’t know you wanted any of us to go chasing after him with you. I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
The nurse returned with a laptop, interrupting Rachel as she handed the computer to her. Rosemary turned to the nurse and said, “Thanks for your help, Helen. Do you think you could show me where you were parked before he stole your car?”
Helen nodded and said, “Sure, I guess.”
“Alma, you come with me,” said Rosemary, commanding the group as if they’d all agreed she had the right. “Who else is coming with us to go track down Michael and Ben?”
“Guys, this is a bad idea,” said Rachel, but her soft voice was overwhelmed by Paul’s.
“Wait.” Paul was frustrated with the stranger. “You didn’t answer my question. How in the hell are we going to know where to go?”
“Trust me,” said Rosemary. “I’ve got my ways.”
“I’ll go,” said Jacker.
“I’ll stay and help Rachel,” said Stephen.
“Paul?” asked Rosemary as the others accepted their assignments.
“I’ll go wherever Alma’s going.”
“Okay, then you’re with us,” said Rosemary. “I trust you guys have cell phones to keep in touch with one another?” She pointed between the various members of the group, and they nodded in agreement. “Good. Rachel, call us with any details you’re able to find out. But you can’t tell anyone about what’s going on here. Okay? I can’t stress that enough.”
“Fine,” said Rachel, but she was flustered by how the group was making decisions without listening to her input. “But I really think this is a mistake…”
Rosemary interrupted her, “We need to hurry.”
“Hold on,” said Jacker. “Let me get my stuff.” He lifted a cardboard box onto one of the gurneys and began to pick through the contents until he found his wallet and keys. Then he paused before picking up the purple sobriety coin that Paul had given him back in Chicago, the night before they left for Widowsfield. He lifted the coin and muttered, “Damn, look at this.”
“What about it?” asked Rosemary, oddly intrigued.
“Paul gave this to me.”
“Does it have significance to you?” asked Rosemary.
Jacker looked over at Paul when he answered, “Damn straight it does.”
“Then give it to me,” said Rosemary.
Jacker looked perplexed and clasped the coin in his palm. “No, that’s all right. I think I’ll hold onto this.”
“I’m not going to steal it,” said Rosemary as if chastising a child. “In fact, it would be in everyone’s best interest to figure out something you’re carrying that has some sort of significance to you, something that you think is important, and give it to me.”
“Why?” asked Alma.
“Because we’re going to be fighting something that can use your worst fears against you,” said Rosemary.
“Fighting it?” asked Rachel, incredulous as she looked around at the others. She was becoming exasperated as she realized that she was the only one that wasn’t fully on board with their plan. “Look, lady, I’ll help you track down Michael and Ben if I can, but that’s as far as I go with this. I’m not fighting any demon or whatever.”
“We’ll help,” said Stephen as he moved to stand closer to Rachel. He started to take off his wedding band to hand over to Rosemary. “Will this work?”
Rosemary nodded and said, “That should be fine.”
“Wait a minute.” Rachel was surprised and annoyed by her husband’s acquiescence to the stranger’s request. “I’m not planning on fighting anything.” She looked at Alma and said, “I’m going to help you guys find your dad, and then I’m out of here.”
“Isn’t this the biggest story of your life?” asked Stephen. “How are you not at least a little intrigued about what’s going on here?”
“Just give her your wedding ring,” said Stephen as if he were bored with Rachel’s argument.
“No, I’m not giving some stranger my ring,” said Rachel. “That’s crazy.”
“Don’t worry,” said Stephen with a grin. “It’s not worth as much as you think it is.”
Rachel was flustered. “Well, that’s great.” She closed her eyes and shook her head while waving her hands in front of her face, an expression of her annoyance and frustration. “Look, guys, I’m not trying to be a pain in the ass here or anything. I’m trying to be the sensible one. Whatever the hell it is that we just went through…” She motioned to the gurneys and then over at Aubrey’s corpse, “Whatever it is, it just killed that girl. She’s dead. How am I the only one that thinks we shouldn’t be screwing around with stuff we don’t understand?”
“We’re the only ones that can stop The Watcher and The Skeleton Man from getting out,” said Rosemary.
“He’s already out,” said Rachel. “Too late.”
“Then we have to put him back in,” said Rosemary.
“What about calling the cops?” asked Rachel. “Has anyone given that a thought?”
“And tell them what?” asked Stephen. “That some inter-dimensional demon is fucking with our heads, knocking people out, and killing them in their dreams?”
“We’ve got a goddamn room full of fucking coma patients in there,” Rachel pointed at the door that led to the sleepers’ room. “It’s not like we’ll be going to the cops empty handed.”
“We can’t go to the police,” said Rosemary. “There’s no guarantee they’re not in on it.”
“Oh come on,” said Rachel. “Don’t tell me you think every police officer in the area is in on this whole cover-up thing.”
“Maybe not all of them, but at least a few must be,” said Jacker.
Rachel turned to face the big man, frustrated that he’d spoken against her. “We all know why you don’t want the police showing up.”
“Hey,” said Jacker, annoyed at her insinuation. “I already tried to give myself up to the cops to save your ass. I don’t need you…”
“Cool it,” said Paul as he stepped between them. “Both of you.”
“If you call the cops,” said Rosemary, “then they’ll be dredging your corpse out of the reservoir in a week or two, just like all the others. You can check the records yourself. There’re an awful lot of supposed boating accidents out here all the time – far more here than any other county in the area. That’s no coincidence.”
Paul took a key off its ring and handed it to Rosemary. “That’s the key to my bike.”
“What does giving that to her do exactly?” asked Rachel, still trying to force the issue. She looked at Rosemary and asked, “What are you going to do with this stuff?”
“Like I said, I’m a psychometric. That means I can take information from objects. When you were unconscious, you saw how The Watcher and The Skeleton Man were able to warp the world around you, and confuse you. Hopefully I can keep them from doing that. If I can get to know you, through these things,” she held up Paul’s key, “then hopefully I can stop them from tricking you.”
“Guys, please tell me I’m not the only one that thinks this whole thing is insane,” said Rachel, pleading for someone to agree with her.
“This whole town is insane,” said Alma as she reluctantly handed over her teddy bear keychain that Paul had bought her on their first date.
Rachel sighed, but pulled at her wedding ring. Her engagement ring and wedding band had been fitted together as part of their design, and it caused them to be difficult to separate. She struggled to get the ring off, but then begrudgingly gave both the band and the engagement ring counterpart to Rosemary. “Fine, fine,” said Rachel. “But I still think we should all consider leaving this place and forgetting we were ever here.”
“We’re the only ones that can put the devil back in Hell,” said Rosemary. “And I’m going to do whatever it takes to get the job done.”
CHAPTER 4 – No Such Thing as Truth
Philadelphia
June 13th, 1943
“Personal demons?” asked Lyle as he followed Vess across the deck of the ship. Young men in Navy uniforms passed them, never once stopping to question why they were there. Vess was an important man, but if he was well-respected then no one was displaying the proper reverence. He was admitted wherever he chose to go on the USS Eldridge, a Navy Destroyer escort. Everyone seemed to understand that the tall scientist and his assistant were allowed access to every part of the massive ship, but none of the sailors seemed fond enough of Vess to acknowledge him.
“Is that what you said?” asked Lyle, uncertain he’d heard his employer correctly.
“Yes,” said Vess as he led the way. “What sort of personal demons are hiding up here?” He tapped the brim of his fedora and smiled down at his companion. The call of seagulls above threatened to drown them out. The birds flocked at the yard, drawn here by the families that often crowded the dock to welcome their husbands and sons home, or to send them away. The anxious family members were subjected to long waits, as it often took hours for the Marines to exit the ship after docking. To ply the children, mothers would bring stale bread that the kids could throw to the gulls. Today, however, there were no families present, and the seabirds voiced their frustration.
“Demons?” Lyle chuckled and nodded knowingly, “Oh I get it, you’re talking about that Austrian chap, right? Freud?”
“Depends,” said Vess as if toying with his new assistant. “Do you want to bed your mother?”
“Quit with that nonsense,” said Lyle, perturbed. “I’m not a mental-case, if that’s what you’re after.”
“Liar,” said Vess, still smirking. “We’ve all got skeletons in our closets; those little demons we try to keep quiet as we pretend to be normal. Did you used to fantasize about having sex with your mother? Is that what you’re hiding up there?”
“That’s enough, Vess,” said Lyle, more fervent now. “Back off with the Mom-talk, I’m serious.” He glared at his new employer, and Vess halted. The pale scientist smirked and nodded, but didn’t say anything. “What is it? Why are you looking at me that way?”
“It’s just that I’ve always found people’s fears fascinating, that’s all. Most people’s issues can be traced back to their parents. It’s part of the human condition, I guess. What about your father? What was he like?”
Lyle cringed and shook his head. “Nothing special.” He hadn’t been close to his father, but he would never forget the man’s final few weeks as the formerly tall, robust man had succumbed to polio. He’d been forced to lie in an iron lung for several tortuous months before he passed. Lyle was haunted by how his father had gone into the machine looking strong and thick, but when they pulled his body out he’d wasted away to nearly a skeleton. In his casket, his father had been draped in an old suit of his that had once been snug, but now hung from his skeletal shoulders. “He died when I was young. Why? What’s it matter?”
“Nothing to be concerned about, my good man. Nothing at all,” said Vess.
“You’re a peculiar sort,” said Lyle as he stuck his thumbs beneath his suspenders and wandered to the edge of the ship. The ledge was high, but he was able to look out into the greenish water of the bay. “Before today, I thought you were all hot air.”
“Did you?” asked Vess. An emerging tickle turned into a cough, and made his question sound malicious, though he hadn’t intended it to be. He hacked, the force causing his back to arch, and then wiped his lips with a handkerchief pulled from an inside pocket of his blazer. “Then why did you accept the job?” he asked after recovering from his fit.
“I’m not the sort of guy that can afford to turn down a payc
heck. Especially now that I’m not gambling no more.”
Vess leaned against the rail, his arms draped over the edge as he watched the gulls spinning above the bay. “I wouldn’t think an able-bodied chap like you would have trouble getting work, what with most gents at war and all.”
“Able-bodied?” asked Lyle with a laugh. “Why do you think I’m not fighting Japs in the Guadalcanal?”
Vess glanced at Lyle curiously. The stout man was shorter than Vess, but sturdy, with strong arms and a thick chest. He bore no visible signs of illness or anything that would make it obvious why he would’ve avoided conscription. “I thought you were an immigrant.”
“Me? No, sir. Born and bred in the fields of Kansas. My parents were immigrants, but I’m American-made.”
“Then how’d you dodge a trip overseas with the rest of them?”
Lyle tapped his barrel chest. “Got tuberculosis when I was a kid. Damn near killed me and drove my parents into poverty. My lungs ain’t never been the same. When I registered, they told me I’d never be allowed in with the rest of the boys, but that they’d stick me in with some pencil-pushing unit. Never got the call, though. Guess I lucked out. What about you? How come they didn’t snatch you up?”
“Who said they didn’t?” asked Vess with a smirk.
“You went to war? How’d you make it out?”
Vess shook his head and explained, “I’m not the sort of soldier that gets a gun put in his hands. There are other ways of killing people.”
Lyle became uncomfortable, and he started to try and figure out what Vess meant. “Science and stuff? Is that how you knew old crazy-hair back there?” He thumbed back at where they’d boarded the ship.