“He has the power of possession, the creepiest power I think,” I chimed in.
“This is a lot to absorb. Forgive me if I am slow getting on the bandwagon.”
“We understand it is a lot for anyone to take in. It sounds insane,” I said.
“That it does, but you are the first people I have seen since it happened. I am just glad to find other people.”
“Well Vienna, welcome to our merry band of misfits,” Shane said putting out his hand to shake.
Vienna shook his hand and responded with a “Thank you.”
“I guess this will be a road trip I will never forget,” Vienna said.
“Sit back and relax, we have about four hours until we reach Spokane,” I told her.
“Alright, thanks again for picking me up,” she replied before sitting back and looking out the window at the quiet destruction.
We had passed the bulk of the damage from the tornado and were back to seeing abandoned cars all over the highway. The ride went smoothly as we all relaxed and settled in for the rest of the trip. Nearly another hour went by before anyone said anything. It was Noah who spoke up. He was peering over at me with a slow smile.
“We just passed a sign saying we are about twenty minutes from Missoula, Montana. How much further is it until we reach Spokane?”
“According to the map that I managed to hang on to, Missoula is about three and a half hours from Spokane. That means we need to pick up the pace just a little if we are going to make it in three hours. We are forty five minutes behind schedule and we don’t know what we will find crossing into Idaho. For all we know, it could be the eighth state to become decimated,” I say.
“Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we are almost out of gas and we all need to eat something at this point,” Noah pointed out.
“Ugh, alright we can stop in Missoula and find a gas station. Maybe there will be a diner nearby we can invade. Pie sure would taste awesome right now.”
At the mention of pie, Shane focused his attention on us. “Did you say pie? I would kill for another piece of apple pie right now.”
“Don’t get your hopes up yet, we were just speculating,” Noah said.
“Fine, but I am starving. If we don’t eat, I will be a total bear. Trust me, you don’t want to mess with me when I am hungry,” Shane added.
“I could really go for some food too. I am hungrier than I thought,” Vienna said.
I gave her a small smile and added “it is settled, food and gas at Missoula. Let’s hope we find something good like a Pizza Hut or a diner off the highway.”
“I would love to find a place to wash some of this mud up and maybe change clothes,” Nessa said.
“I agree I am starting to see crusted flakes of mud all around me. It is pretty gross,” I replied.
“It’s so strange to see the state like this. I never realized how the presences of other people truly managed to mesh with our daily lives. It felt lonely without human life; I was thrilled just to find you guys. I know that sounds weird, but it’s just so true,” Vienna confessed.
“I agree I watched my entire family go up in flames and I was actually relieved when I saw these guys all standing, unharmed. It is an innate comfort having that knowledge of love and interaction,” Mia agreed.
Nessa finally perked up in the back and inclined forward to touch my shoulder. I leaned back to look at her and I could see the pity in her eyes. “I am sorry about Tom, Cora. I remember and I wish I didn’t. I love you and I am glad we are here together,” she told me.
“Thanks Nessa, I am glad we are here together too,” I responded before closing my eyes and taking a deep breath to compose myself again.
Then I looked up to see a green sign indicating that Missoula was the next three exits up ahead. “We are almost here, everyone keep their eyes out for any signs for gas and food.”
We passed by the first exit to find only a motel sign. The second exit showed a slew of restaurants and gas stations and I sat up, my eyes peeled. “Bingo, pull off at this exit,” I told Noah.
“Let’s pump the gas first, and use the bathrooms. Then we can get some food. I am pretty low on fuel and we don’t want to have to walk for gas. We are still on a ridiculously tight schedule.”
We all nodded in agreement as we pulled into the quick stop for gas. Noah slid his card and pumped the gas. I stepped out with the intention of changing my clothes but Nessa popped out too.
“I am going in with you, just in case. Plus, I can help you carry the bag,” she said with a bright smile.
Relieved to have the old Nessa finally back, I nodded and linked my arm in hers as we strode forward towards the convenient store entry. Nessa waited until we were inside to drop my arm. Then she pulled me around to face her. “I am having trouble reading Vienna’s thoughts. Her mind is going so fast and everything is all jumbled up. I can’t do anything but pluck random thoughts from her.”
“Well she is gifted with superhuman learning. She naturally will have a mind that processes everything faster. Are you worried about her?” I asked.
“I am not sure; I wish I could get a better read on her. It is just a little disconcerting.”
Nessa shivered and then continued. “I just have a bad feeling all of a sudden about this town. It is giving off a strange vibe and I just want to get some food and hit the road again. Besides, we still have a deadline to meet. I sure hope it isn’t a trap; we can’t afford to walk into one of those right now,” she replied gravely.
“Let’s just get changed and then we can exit this town faster. Hand me some jeans and my magenta tee. I know it is all dirty, but beggars can’t be choosy. I will stick with my flip flops and just rinse my legs off in the bathroom sink,” I said as I grabbed the clothes and shut myself into the bathroom.
A few minutes later, I stepped out dressed and semi clean. I nodded and Nessa let herself into the restroom behind me. I waited several minutes for her to finish and then turned my attention back on our situation.
“Okay, just help me get all the drinks for everyone so we can get out of here faster. Let’s get going.”
We grabbed enough waters for everyone and made haste back to the SUV where everyone was sitting in wait. Noah was just finishing pumping the gas and was placing the nozzle back in the holster. He gave me a wry smile and we all returned to our seats. Soon Mia and Vienna took a bag and entered the convenient store together to change.
After a few minutes, they returned and the guys headed in. I couldn’t help but gawk as I watched Noah disappear into the store. It didn’t go unnoticed, because Nessa was grinning at me. I just rolled my eyes at her and shook my head.
I waited until everyone was cleaned up and in the vehicle before speaking up.
“Hey everyone, Nessa has a bad feeling about this town, so let’s find something quick to eat and get the hell out of here,” I said.
“I spotted a deli just up the road and that would be fast and easy. I also thought I saw a car go by. It is probably just my imagination, but we should check it out,” Vienna replied.
Suddenly the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and I exchanged a worried look with Nessa. That sounded like trouble to me. “What color car?”
“A black car I thought, but I could just be imagining it,” she answered.
Noah turned the key and the engine came to life. He looked worried and I turned my attention to him. It was clear he was thinking the same thing, it was Stephan and it was time for some answers.
Sure enough, the black impala was parked in front of the deli. A shiver escaped and I noticed the deathly pale expressions on Mia and Shane. Nessa looked frantic and Noah was shaking his head in dismay.
“I guess it is now or never. Let’s get our answers and get the hell out of here,” Noah said as he pulled open his door and stepped out.
Vienna had clearly missed the memo, because she just stepped out with a confused look. I took the chance to fill her in before entering the deli. “That is
Stephan’s car and he has been following us like some sort of creep. We are going to demand answers once and for all.”
“Oh, that is a good idea. I hope he isn’t too dangerous,” she replied meekly.
We all followed in step behind Noah as he opened the door to the deli. Just as suddenly he stopped and we all collided into him with a thud like a line of dominoes. Once the shock of the holdup was over, I peered over Noah’s shoulder to see just what had him stopping dead in his tracks. When I saw what he saw, I couldn’t help but feel sick as I saw Stephan.
Suddenly like twin reels, scenes of Tom and Stephan’s murder flashed through my mind on repeat loops and my stomach lurched as tears formed in the corners of my crystal blue eyes. I winced and turned away from the awful scene even though I couldn’t erase it from my etched memories.
“What is it?” Mia asked from the back of the line.
“No, we are not going to do this. Everyone just needs to turn around and get the hell back in the car as fast as you can,” Noah said trying to block our view.
“What aren’t we going to do, Noah what is it? I know that is Stephan’s car out there, don’t you dare lie to me,” she said with a quiver in her voice.
“It isn’t pleasant and it is a fresh kill. There is a killer on the loose and we need to get out of here like yesterday,” Noah answered shakily.
At the mention of kill, Shane pushed his way forward and nearly knocked Noah over as he toppled into the room and onto the scene. We all stumbled behind and into the room as well and the horror played out.
Stephan was seated up against the side of a blue sparkling booth, his neck slashed into crimson shreds. Blood had pooled everywhere and was seeping out of the booth and pooling on the diamond patterned floor. It was splattered in tiny scarlet droplets on his face and covering the light blue wall behind him, turning it a shade of sickening purple. His eyes were wide open and a look of shock had frozen on his face.
“I think I am going to be sick,” Mia said. “That is still my cousin. It is really hard to swallow, terrorist or not. Who would do this to him? It is an awful way to die.”
Ignoring Mia, I looked away in horror and something caught the corner of my eye. It was white and sitting amongst the pool of blood. It was another note and it was soaking up blood at the corners. “Oh God, another note,” I said as I pointed to it, the white turning crimson.
Chapter 24:
“I’m suddenly not hungry,” Shane said his face ashen. “Noah, you go get the note. Be careful not to touch anything else. Don’t step in the blood.”
Noah strategically walked across the room and gingerly lifted up the note, careful not to touch the bloody corners. He made his way back and looked up at us for confirmation before he opened it and read aloud:
A pawn like so many in a game of chess, the clock is ticking and time is almost up-
Everyone was silent as we took time to absorb the meaning. Stephan was not the key, but merely a pawn. He had served his purpose and been tossed out like yesterday’s garbage, to be made an example of. My thoughts became more jumbled as I added this new information to my already swirling mind. I felt as if I was on information overload and I blanched when Nessa spoke up.
“We are in way over our heads,” she said quavering.
Noah tried to keep a steady tone but it was clear he was shaken to the core. “And yet, the clock is still ticking. This one is not even signed.”
“What is going to happen when time is up?” Vienna asked meekly.
“I don’t know and I don’t want to find out,” Shane said.
“I agree, let’s get the heck out of dodge and we can discuss after we have escaped this nightmare. For all we know, they could be watching us,” Noah replied.
“That thought makes it even worse. I don’t want a murderer watching or stalking us. That just gives me an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach,” I said.
I quickly turned away from the scene, not wanting to spend one more second lingering on this awful sight. Stephan was a monster, but it turns out there were bigger monsters in this chess game.
I shivered once more and swiped at my rolling tears as I stepped out of the horrific shop and into the warm sunny afternoon. It seemed ironic that the storm had passed and the sun was peeking through the clouds. The true storm still continued to brew.
Everyone was silent as we hurried back to our seats inside the SUV and started the car. As quickly as humanly possible, Noah pulled out and drove back to the highway. We merged onto the interstate and continued full speed ahead, making our way around the stalled and wrecked cars. It was quiet for nearly thirty minutes before I spoke up, some fog finally clearing from my jumbled brain.
“If Stephan isn’t the bad guy any longer, then who is our enemy in all this?”
“No one to tangle with, they mean business. Nessa was right, we are in way over our heads,” Noah explained.
“I feel as if I could wretch, that was my cousin back there. I have known him all my life or so I thought I did,” Mia sobbed.
Shane wrapped his arms around her and gently stroked her hair, trying to calm her down. Nessa was pressed against the window, intent on staying out of this conversation or just overwhelmed from all the thinking going on. Vienna looked like a scared deer in the headlights and I could tell her mind was pulsing, streaming through all the information. I looked over at Noah to see a grim expression had settled over his weary face.
“I still think of Stephan as the enemy, dead or not. He killed my fiancé in cold blood and I had to walk in on that nightmarish scene. I will never forget it for as long as I live,” I said shuttering.
“I am so sorry,” Mia replied, sniffling.
Trying to shake it off, I changed the subject. “We wasted a lot of time back there; we still have two and a half hours to go. We are down to two hours left on the clock and we still need to find Liam. Time is not on our side and we need to cover some major ground in two hours.”
“I think just concentrating on finding Liam will take enough time. We still don’t know what will happen in Spokane. For all we know this unknown threat could be there,” I replied.
“That’s an excellent point. We have no idea what is going to happen past finding Liam. I just hope he is there waiting for us,” Shane added.
“Is it wrong that I am still hungry after all that?” I said.
“No, I think everyone is. Do we still have a few snacks left in back?” Mia asked, wiping at her tears.
Wanting to be anywhere but involved in this conversation, Nessa spoke up. “I will get them.” Then she had unfastened her seat belt and was facing backwards fishing in the bags.
“I have some M&M’s and granola bars left,” she said holding them up for us to see.
“Great, that is better than nothing. I am starved, hand me the granola bar,” I told her.
She proceeded to hand out the snacks and then buckled back up. She tucked her honey blonde hair behind her ears and I could see the pallid color of her skin. She was truly shaken by what we saw back there and I felt terrible that she even had to witness something that horrible. Nessa must have heard me because her eyes met mine before she spoke again.
“I am fine, Cora. I can only imagine how hard this is on you and Mia. You two have been the most traumatized by this unpleasant turn of events.”
“Speaking of unpleasant turn of events, have you seen any sign of someone following us?” Shane asked Noah.
“No, and I have been watching. I don’t want anyone tailing us regardless of the circumstances.”
I leaned my seat back slightly and tuned the rest of the conversation out. I tried to close my eyes but all I saw was blood, so much blood. I should feel relief that Tom’s death had been avenged, yet I couldn’t escape the horrors of Stephan’s death either. Restless and troubled, I turned my attention to the beautiful scenery as we passed through Wyoming and into Idaho at reckless speeds.
It turned out that Idaho was the eighth state mentioned on the note. Th
e scenery had not changed and looked vacant just like Wyoming. We traveled across the small bit of state and finally made it into Washington to Spokane.
I returned to navigating and we managed to pull up to the museum with ten minutes to spare. Talk about cutting it close. We all piled out of the SUV and frantically searched for signs of any other living person. We walked around the architectural dream of a museum and scoured the perimeter with no luck.
“I don’t see anyone, why don’t we try going inside? Maybe he is waiting in there instead of sitting outside,” Noah suggested.
“Good idea,” I replied as I pulled open the front door to the museum.
Everyone trailed behind in a single file line until we reached the entry hall. He was there, sitting on a bench observing a painting. Liam appeared to be just a few years older than Nessa and I. His dark mop covered his eyes and his ears were gauged out. He was wearing a striped sweater vest and black tight jeans, chucks on his feet. His wrists were wrapped up with various arm bands and leather cords. He was totally not what I was expecting.
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