by Chad Kunego
I need to get to the bottom of this, and soon. This entire team has been unstable since we left. If Rick’s assessment is accurate, this mission had become significantly more dangerous. Someone who can manifest storms of this magnitude and hit moving targets with lighting points to a deadly opponent. If they’re this distracted when we finally confront this threat, we might not walk away from it, especially since Rick’s the only one powerful enough to confront them head on.
Kaitlyn glanced at the GPS before making a left turn. In the distance, she could make out the outline of the hospital against the cloudless summer skyline. Pulling in, she parked in a spot close to the front. Before she turned the engine off, she put the top up but left the windows cracked. She noticed Rick giving her a questioning look as she got out of the car.
“The security system on this thing should keep it safe,” she said, clicking the lock button on the key fob, “Now that we know there’s a verified threat, I don’t want to come back to any surprises.”
“Operational security,” Rick said, nodding in understanding, “makes sense.”
Heading toward the entrance, she noticed Rick using his staff as a walking stick.
Yeah, he mentioned before that it helps him against lightning. Glad to see he’s thinking more tactical.
Stepping through the door, she looked around before heading toward the front desk. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Rick limping slightly while using his staff for support. It took her a second to catch what he was doing.
Good thinking. Pretending to need your staff to walk is a great idea. It lets you keep your weapon handy while making people ignore it.
“Can I help you?”
The harsh tone brought Kaitlyn’s attention back to the woman standing behind the desk. From the suspicious look she was giving them, Kaitlyn wouldn’t be surprised if her finger was hovering over a silent alarm button of some sort. Rick did look a bit scruffy today.
Not that there was anything wrong with being a bit scruffy…
She gave Rick another once-over before striding forward with an air of authority. Reaching into her inner pocket, she pulled out the fake credentials they’d brought with them.
“Hello. I’m wondering if you can help us. We’re from the media relations department of NOAA.”
She paused a moment gesturing behind her.
“My team and I were hoping to talk to Dr. Beth Sullivan if she’s awake yet. We need to get in front of this terrible accident before any bad press gets out. I’m sure you can understand.”
She tried to get the right amount of bureaucratic boredom with a touch of genuine concern in her voice while she continued, talking over the other woman.
“We’d hate for Dr. Sullivan’s career to be ruined if what happened was an unavoidable accident.”
“I’m sorry, miss…”
“Kate. Kate Winslow—”
“I’m sorry Ms. Winslow, but the patient can’t have any visitor’s yet, so you’ll—”
The other woman’s gaze continued to harden when a soft feeling of pressure passed by her.
“Please,” Zarina asked, stepping forward, “she is dear friend of mine. I want to make sure she is okay.”
Kaitlyn felt another slight thump of pressure expand from Zarina. Suddenly, she had to resist the urge to scorch the nurse so Zarina could reach her friend. The only reason she didn’t was, she wasn’t the actual target of Zarina’s compulsion. Or a friend of Dr. Sullivan, something that was becoming increasingly difficult to remember.
A glazed look fell over the woman behind the desk.
“Of course, a dear friend. I wouldn’t want you to be worried about her. She’s in room 512, in the ICU. If there’s ANYTHING I can do to put your mind at ease or help you further, please let me know immediately.”
“Oh, thank you miss…”
Zarina leaned forward, appearing to read the other woman’s name tag.
“Connor.”
She started to turn away, but almost as an afterthought, she turned back, lightly touching the other woman’s hand.
“If anyone asks, we were never here. We do not want unfounded rumors starting, do we?” she asked, shaking her head from side to side.
The other woman slowly shook her head at the same pace.
“My lips are sealed,” she said, running her pinched fingers across her lips, “it’s so wonderful Dr. Sullivan has such a good friend as you.”
“Da, she is. Oh, and are you not a bit thirsty?”
“You’re right, thank you for noticing. If anyone asks, I’ll be back in a minute.”
“Da.”
They watched the nurse turn around stiffly and head down the hall. When she was finally out of sight, a feeling almost like suction passed across her, withdrawing back toward Zarina.
“Holy fuck!” she managed to whisper, “Warn me before you do something like that again. I nearly burst into flames to help you get to Dr. Sullivan.”
Kaitlyn noticed the other woman looked a bit sheepish before she responded.
“Izvinte… I mean sorry. My powers got away from me a bit.”
She gave Kaitlyn a quick knowing glance toward Rick while he wasn’t looking. Understanding crossed her face as she nodded back.
Rick’s power boost. She really hadn’t had time to practice regulating it yet. Good to know.
Clapping her hands lightly, she looked between the two of them.
“Let’s get moving before she comes back and realizes something isn’t right.”
Putting her credentials away, she glanced at the signs on the wall before purposefully striding away in the direction of the ICU.
She heard Rick ask Zarina a question from behind her.
“Did I miss something?”
“Da, but nothing important. Is girl secret.”
She barely managed to keep herself from snorting, shaking her head again in bewilderment at the sudden change in Zarina’s attitude toward Rick.
I really need to find out what happened between them earlier. But for now…
§§§§§§§§§§§§
Turning down another hall, they heard a low, raspy, almost sibilant voice emanating from one of the rooms further down. Getting closer, Zarina realized she was hearing the same phrase spoken over and over.
“I saw the eyes of the storm, and it saw me.”
The tone sent an icy chill up her back.
“Is that her?” Zarina asked.
“I think so,” Kaitlyn replied.
“That,” Rick said, pointing toward the open door, “is really creepy sounding.”
Zarina could only nod in agreement. She’d had the opportunity over the years to interview many victims of terrible events, but she’d never heard anyone’s psyche sound so broken before. As a precaution, she raised her empathic shields so the other woman’s mental terror wouldn’t overpower her. She was shocked how quick and effortlessly her mental guard went up, something that used to take her several minutes to get to full strength. Even more surprising was how powerful they felt compared to before.
I guess is another benefit of Rick boosting power.
Hanging back slightly, she let the other two enter the room ahead of her. When she finally entered, she gasped in shock at how fractured the other woman’s aura and psyche was.
“Bozhe moi…”
The words slipped unbidden from her lips.
What terrible thing did you experience in storm?
She noticed Rick and Kaitlyn exchange glances before they looked back toward her.
“Are we even going to be able to talk to her?” Kaitlyn asked, gesturing toward the broken woman before them.
“This… is bad… Is like someone took hammer to her mind. Just fragments lying around.”
A look of concern passed across Rick’s face.
“Can you help her?”
She examined the woman’s psyche slowly, trying to see if there was enough left to salvage. After a few minutes, she gave a tentative nod.
&nb
sp; “I can try. Is risky though.”
“What do we need to do?”
“I need you to keep anyone out while I try. Distractions very dangerous for both of us.”
Rick nodded in understanding before moving over to a corner, suddenly dropping down on the floor with his legs crossed. She looked back at Kaitlyn, gesturing toward the door.
Without waiting for a response, she pulled a chair up to the bed, sitting down before extended her hands out, pausing a few inches above the other woman’s head for a moment before touching her. Another chill ran up her spine when the other woman slowly turned her head to meet her gaze.
“You have eyes like a storm too…” she whispered in the same creepy tone.
Taking a quick peek at the wall clock to mark the time, she took a deep breath before slowly letting it out. Her head slowly fell forward onto her chest while her mind expanded outward from her body. A moment later, her astral form hovered over the stricken woman’s body.
Steadying herself, she paused a few seconds before launching herself forward, mentally preparing herself for the effort of gathering together all the slivers and shards that were scattered throughout the wasteland of the woman’s shattered mind. An instant later, she plunged into the woman’s fractured mindscape, unsure of what awaited her.
Chapter 13
Zarina looked around in horror. She knew it was going to be bad, but nothing could have prepared her for the scarred and mangled visage that lay before her. She’d made it sound like she’d done this numerous times before, this was actually her first time solo. Making a slow three-sixty, taking in all the damage done to the doctor’s mind.
The sky above, for lack of a better description, reminded her of a blackened, shattered mirror. The cracks glowed and hissed with an inner light, randomly shifted between a sickly red and fetid mustard color. The air itself felt slightly acidic. The stench of sulfur burned her eyes and throat, causing her to cough almost uncontrollably. With eyes watering, she covered her face with an arm, trying to block out some of the effects. Moving forward across the cracked and barren landscape, she searched for any fragments of the woman’s mind.
Bozhe moi! What terror did this poor woman suffer in devil storm?
Stumbling up a hill resembling a basaltic lava flow covered in ash, she sensed something on the other side. Picking up her pace, she crested the hill, surveying the area before her. In the distance, she caught a flash of light twinkling on the side of another hill.
Without warning, a tortured screech echoed across the landscape, causing the ground beneath her to ripple and fracture slightly. Trying to determine where the sound had come from, she looked around intently, but the echo died away before she could identify the source.
Shrugging, she cautiously made her way down the other side, hopping and sliding as fast as she could safely move. When she’d made it about halfway down, another screech roared past her, making the ground vibrate more violently. In horror, the ground beneath her started shifting, almost like it was becoming a fluid. Before her feet had sunk more than a couple inches, she broke into an unsteady run, trying desperately to escape the area threatening to pull her under. Losing the race, she suddenly slapped herself in the forehead.
What am I doing? I am in astral body.
Focusing slightly, she lifted off the ground, floating several feet into the air. Struggling to catch her breath, the noxious environment scorched her throat, threatening to make her light headed. With another thought, she visualized a gas mask over her face. A moment later, it materialized, the shock of fresh air making her sigh in relief.
I need to be careful in here. Even though I am astral projection, her mind can still kill me. Need to remember not to make journey more difficult by forgetting is only mindscape.
Drifting higher, she reoriented herself toward the glimmer she’d seen earlier. Spotting the faint flash of light again, she took off, rapidly eating up the distance to the source of the sparkling glow. Approaching, she slowed, watching for anything else out of the ordinary beyond what she’d already seen.
Let me see… Master Levi always said to look for anything that does not seem to belong. An injured mind is dangerous mind, one that will try defending self, even if actions actually injure self in long run.
Keeping that thought in mind, she approached to within several feet of the object. Checking and rechecking the area, she mentally took a deep breath, holding it while extending her mental feelers, gently grasping the object before slowly pulling it closer. Allowing it to float in front of her, she mentally exhaled before examining it, turning it to examine all sides of it.
Upon first glance, it appeared to be a chunk of clear quartz or glass. Upon further inspection, a pattern of hairline fractures traversing the inside of the crystal became apparent. Slowly spinning it, she finally spotted the nearly invisible chip where all the cracks spider-webbed deeper into the stone. Mentally noting the spot, she continued examining it.
Am just wasting time, delaying what needs to be done… I really wish Master Levi was here…
Taking one more settling breath, she reached out, touching the minuscule blemish.
A foreign memory of being tossed around in a van thundered across her consciousness, causing her to forget who she was momentarily. The terrifying sound of a voice created from gusting winds caused her stomach to churn, threatening to release its contents into the mask she vaguely remembered wearing. Tumbling end over end, the vehicle suddenly stabilized with the front end pointing down toward the ground hundreds of feet below. Slowly, horror crept across her mind when she realized a form was gradually forming in front of her, looking like a man-shaped dust cloud hovering in front of the windshield. The glowing white eyes crackled with lighting arcing jaggedly across the humanoid-shaped face.
“HE’LL COME! THEN I CAN DESTROY HIM!”
The head suddenly jerked to the side like it was talking to someone.
“NO! STOP LYING! IF YOU WANT HIM TO LIVE, THEN HE NEEDS TO DIE!”
Without warning, the being’s hands stretched out, swelling in size before grabbing the MORC. The eyes glowed brighter as the storm increased in intensity.
“TELL HIM I’LL KILL HIM WHEN HE COMES!” the voice on the winds shrieked. Then the bottom fell out of the world. Everything slowed to a crawl as the being reared back, flinging the vehicle toward the ground. Just before it struck, Zarina remembered to pull herself free of the memory. The effort of extracting herself caused her to lurch backward, breaking her concentration. Falling, she slammed into the ground, knocking the air out of her. The impact caused her to roll several feet down the slope before finally coming to a stop, gasping for breath.
What in world are we facing? That being appears as powerful as Rick, if not more so.
Trying to collect her thoughts, the shrieking noise from earlier quickly rose up behind her. Scrabbling to find purchase, she spun around, trying to locate the sound. A huge mound of ash and dust vaguely in the shape of the doctor rose up before towering her. The jaw distended, stretching open wider than humanly possible. Hot acrid air from the scream blasted into Zarina, knocking her backward off her feet, causing her to tumble down the slope again.
Struggling to right herself, she finally lifted off the ground, desperately trying to defend herself against the onrushing blast of fetid wind. Quickly gaining altitude, she looked downward, only to see the doctor’s face streaking toward her. The mouth stretched open even wider, opening far enough that it could easily swallow her.
“THE STORM IS ALIVE. IT TRIED TO EAT ME! NOW I’LL EAT IT!” the gibbering screech echoed, a trail of lava-like fluid dribbling from the corners of its mouth.
Zarina clawed at the air, struggling to escape, but the face continued gaining on her. Like a blast from a sandstorm, the mouth quickly engulfed her. Tumbling through the air, she caught a glimpse of the fractured sky before the mouth cut off the view. As the last rays of light started dimming, a thought whispered through her mind.
This isn’t yo
ur mind, Vykhod*! *Exit!
Chapter 14
Zarina lurched upright with a gasp. Sweat poured down her face while feelings of claustrophobia clawed at the edges of her mind. Struggling to control her breathing, the image of a mouth closing on her flashed through her mind again.
Now I know why Master Levi drilled so hard on having safe word to return from astral plane. Might be brain dead now.
Concentrating on relaxing visualizations, she finally got her breathing under control. When she finally felt centered again, she opened her eyes, looking around the room. The look of concern on Rick’s face surprised her. Glancing over toward the door, she noticed Kaitlyn still actively scanning the hallway.
“Is something wrong?”
Zarina looked back toward Rick with a questioning look.
“Was there something else you needed before you start?”
With a start, Zarina quickly glanced down at her watch again.
It has only been thirty seconds? It felt like hour.
“Zarina?”
“Sorry… Got lost in thought,” she said, her leg feeling like rubber as she stood up, “I’m actually finished.”
“What?” Kaitlyn asked, turning to look into the room.
“I got confirmation this was caused by someone with powers. Most likely one Rick fought.”
Rubbing her arms and legs vigorously, she moved randomly around the room.
“Why, what did you…” Kaitlyn began before trailing off.
“What are you doing, exactly?”
Continuing to rub herself, she looked at Kaitlyn out of the corner of her eye.
“Whenever one astral projects, they sever much of the link between the mind and body, if only temporarily. I am stimulating body, which helps reintegrate mind with central nervous system.”