DARK VISIONS

by James Byron Huggins

“It’s one of many Latin words for ‘sanctuary.’”

  “So the Druids were big on sanctuaries?”

  “No,” Graven said without expression. “As familiar with the idea of a sanctuary was to the civilizations of Rome or Egypt, the concept of a sanctuary was equally alien to the Druids. They simply never conceived of worshipping their deity inside the walls of a manmade structure. Yes,” he continued, “to a Druid, the only proper sanctuary was a vale hidden in the deepest woods where they might commune undisturbed with the spirits of the forest and the earth. And since there are no verifiable Druid sanctuaries in the annals of archeology, I am inclined to believe that that particular fragment of Druidic lore is true. But a few structures have been uncovered that did have some kind of purpose for Druids. We simply don’t know what they were.”

  Jodi asked, “What about Stonehenge?”

  “Yes,’ Graven nodded, “yes, indeed, there are many who incessantly allege that Stonehenge served some type of purpose for the Druids, but there is no physical evidence of it. And most archeologists give the notion no more consideration than the notion that Moses genuinely parted the Red Sea. But, then, the world of archeology is replete with two phenomena: One is the propensity of many to base their theories on nothing but physical evidence. The other is the propensity of many to base their theories on fantasy-fueled inclinations to see the world as they wish it was instead of the world as it truly was. Any indulgence to either extreme is always a mistake.”

  Joe Mac asked, “So you’re saying it’s real unlikely that the ancient Druids ever used Stonehenge for rituals?”

  Professor Graven shrugged, “I’m saying – and quite frankly, I believe – that there is no physical evidence to suggest that the Druids ever used Stonehenge at all. Not even for astrological purposes. But that is not to say that the Druids did not use Stonehenge. I am only saying that there is nothing to prove that the Druids did use Stonehenge.”

  “Back to zero, huh?” Joe Mac’s face opened in a smile. “That’s a lot like detective work, professor. It don’t matter none what you know. It only matters what you can prove.”

  “Exactly,” agreed Graven.

  “The only wild card in that philosophy is that some people don’t really need proof,” Joe Mac added. “Just ‘knowing’ is enough for revenge.”

  Jodi noticed Rollins scowling.

  “As a law enforcement officer, that doesn’t make sense,” Rollins stated with a tinge of irritation. “You can’t get a conviction with conjecture, intuition, the Voice of God, or hairs standing up on the back of your neck, Joe. There has to be proof before you can take someone to court. And society will never justify vigilantism.” He paused. “A man who takes revenge by murder is looking at the judgment.”

  Joe Mac slowly turned and began tapping his way across the room. “There a judge for dead folks, ain’t there?”

  “Yeah,” said Rollins. “So?”

  “So I guess it all depends on whether you’re ready to be judged.”

  After staring, Rollins muttered, “Yeah. Okay. Whatever. Hey, Jodi, if you’re gonna keep on this case, what do you need from me?”

  “I’ll let you know,” Jodi said and joined Joe Mac. As they walked, Jodi was quite surprised that she wasn’t crying just for some miserable stress relief.

  It wasn’t the stress of the investigation. It wasn’t the stress of being promoted. It wasn’t even the stress that her last day in uniform involved the murder of a little boy. She actually didn’t know what it was – specifically – but she felt like giving in.

  “Where we going now?” she mumbled.

  Joe Mac said, “We might have had the answer all along. Do you remember what Mrs. Morgan told us about Cathren Montanus?”

  “No. What’d she say?”

  “She said that Mrs. Montanus had been gathering information on this group before she died.”

  “And you think she kept the information in her house?”

  Joe Mac turned his face into her. “If she’s like everybody else I know she kept it in that book you stole.”

  “But we already looked at the book, Joe.”

  Joe Mac shook his head. “We didn’t look at the book. We looked for one name that was in the book, and it’s not the same thing. We’re gonna give that book another look.”

  Blinking some clarity into her mind and her eyes, Jodi quickened her pace.

  To say she felt energized would have been a vast overstatement. Rather, it was just that the infinitely dreary, energy-sapping, depressing cloud that overshadowed her mind and soul lifted a little bit at the hope that they weren’t completely beaten in something that meant so much to so many. It was true; many were dead and beyond caring. But there were children and mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers grieving the loss of someone they’d cherished. And not every victim on this hideous list was in the grave just yet, so Jodi felt that she and Joe still had the chance to save someone.

  “I’m glad you’re with me, Joe,” she said. “I couldn’t do this without you.”

  “You never know what you can do until you get up and try,” Joe answered. “I do it every day.”

  “Do what?”

  “Find some kind of reason not to lay down and die.”

  “Do you think that’d make you happy?”

  “I don’t think it’d make me more miserable.”

  Outside the station, Jodi turned to Marvin who was faithfully following every step. “Okay, Marvin, this is where you go home.” She smiled tightly. “You don’t want to be a part of what’s coming. And I’m assigning some friends of mine to hang with you. Just to make sure you stay safe.”

  Marvin’s brow hardened as Jodi pointed.

  He turned his head to see a pale pickup truck with two bearded giants that grandly lifted a hand in hello. “They’re friendlier than they look,” Jodi commented. “They’re gonna stay with you day and night until I say otherwise. But you might have to help them blend in.”

  “Uh … well … I have a lot of work to do in the basement. It’s way out of sight … of normal people.”

  “They’ll fit right in.”

  “What about you?”

  “I don’t know. This might take a few days.”

  “I’ll sleep in my office.” He raised a faint gesture to the empty night. “I don’t have anybody at home, anyway. I haven’t had anybody at home in ten years. And in my office who’s gonna notice a few more bodies laying around?”

  Jodi couldn’t help but smile. “I’ll be calling you when this is over, Marvin. One way or the other.”

  Marvin nodded with a smile.

  “I’ll be waiting.”

  * * *

  When they arrived at the Jodi’s isolated squad car, she looked across the parking lot, the sky, the buildings.

  “I don’t see him,” she said.

  “He’s up there,” Joe Mac lifted his chin. “Somewhere.”

  After they settled into the car Jodi retrieved the stolen organizer from her gun range daypack and turned on the overhead light. “We gonna do this here? Why not inside?”

  “Because I don’t want anyone to walk into the office and wonder what we’re doing, so unless you want to ride all the way out to my place, let’s do it right here. Plus, it’d be best to stay in the city if you want to run somebody down before sunrise.”

  “That’s fine with me.” She opened the book and began scanning. “Good grief. This was one well-organized lady. She’s got names, numbers, email addresses, and the physical addresses of everybody she knew right here in the front. Where do we even start looking for a clue to these people?”

  “Go to the place where you found the name of Jacob Statute. And what did the databank give you on ‘Fortinus?’”

  “’Bout like you said. I got the phone book – eighty-five thousand hits. Everything from graveyards to businesses to time-shares. It’s obviously some old English surname. Probably somebody who founded Jamestown or something.”

  Five minutes later she said, “
She doesn’t have any more names in this section but she has some very strange looking email addresses. It looks like she was approaching this from every angle.” She read. “I’m not sure whether these names are important. Some of them are scratched out like she checked on them and came up empty.”

  “Do the emails help us?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because it takes a court order to hack an IP address.” She looked at Joe for a few moments. “An IP address is a computer address. You do remember computers, don’t you? I mean, they were invented before you retired?”

  “Funny. You know a good hacker?”

  Jodi closed the book and started the squad car.

  “I know ‘the weirdest.’”

  “Is he ‘the goodest,’ too?”

  “The weirder they are, ‘the gooder’ they are.”

  * * *

  Five sharp raps on the flimsy wood door of Elmo Gelaton’s third-floor hovel located deep in Brooklyn was met with an explosive cry of panic on the far side of the panel. Then there was a frantic scrambling as someone began racing around the apartment.

  Joe Mac effortlessly heard repeated whispered declarations of how they could never trace this back to him, how he was never going to share a cell again with one of those meat-eating, gun-crazy Texas bruisers who stole his blankie last time, how he didn’t actually own a computer and how he hadn’t actually violated his parole …

  Jodi kicked the door in.

  “Elmo!”

  “Ho!” a young voice yelled. “These aren’t computers, Officer Strong! These are actually my own personal experiment in –”

  “Tell somebody who cares.” Jodi closed the door behind Joe. “I need your help, Elmo. And you are going to help me.”

  “Of course!” Elmo replied politely. “Who’s the blind dude?”

  “A friend. And if you’re really smart, Elmo, you’ll make him a very good friend before we leave.”

  Joe Mac could almost hear Elmo smiling.

  “Law and order! That’s me!”

  Jodi walked further into what was obviously a tiny room and said, “Look at these IP addresses, Elmo. Can you get me a physical address?”

  Elmo didn’t reply – at least not verbally – before Joe heard unbelievably rapid tapping at a keyboard. Meanwhile, Elmo continued his impassioned monologue with, “Now I do happen to temporarily possess a few minorly functional iPads. But you know me, Officer Strong. I don’t hack anybody anymore. I can’t even remotely –”

  “Hack the hell out of these guys, Elmo.”

  “I’m on it.” A moment more and Elmo said, “Well, I’m shocked. These guys are all using ‘The Dark Net.’ That’s even harder to access than TOR, and TOR ain’t no piece of cake.” His mouth twisted curiously. “Let’s see what they’re trying to hide from law-abiding citizens. Like me.” He typed for a while in unexpected silence. Then he said in a vaguely troubled tone, “Why are you looking for these people?”

  “Why do you ask?”

  “Because this person and his friends have some very strange fantasies. They’re all part of some kind of underground, game-playing routine but it somehow … doesn’t seem like a game … to me.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because there’s no scoring system for killing dragons or centaurs and stuff. And there’s no really cool titles like Swordblaster or Vampress the Pirate Queen. And it doesn’t look to me like there’s any way to win.” With that Elmo typed for two minutes before he said, “These people aren’t playing any kind of game that I’ve ever seen.”

  There was the sound of Jodi leaning close to Elmo as she said, “Explain to me what they’re talking about, Elmo.”

  “Well,” Elmo began, “they seem to be anticipating … or preparing … for some kind of major event.”

  “An event to be held here? In the city?”

  “Looks like it.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Because all these IP addresses are inside New York, and they keep referring to meeting at ‘the temple.’ But none of them need any directions.” Elmo paused. “It’s like they’re all talking about a place down the street.”

  Joe Mac asked, “What’s this event all about?”

  Elmo typed for two full minutes.

  “They’re using game code, but I get the drift,” he said finally. “They seem to be talking about a temple, a sacrifice, an orgy, and a feast. They’re using, like, ‘Pizzagate’ terminology for the sex stuff.”

  “When?” asked Joe Mac.

  “If I’m reading this right, it’s gonna be two nights from now.”

  “December 21?” asked Jodi.

  “Yeah.”

  “Let me see that, Elmo.”

  Joe Mac heard a different staccato of typing on the keyboard and knew Jodi had taken over. Then she said, “That’s it, Joe! December 21 is the Winter Solstice – the first day of winter. Didn’t Marvin say that the Solstice is a crucial day for the Druids?”

  Joe Mac’s teeth gleamed, “Where is this meet gonna happen?”

  “And what are they going to do?” Elmo asked as if he were suddenly part of the investigation. “I’m telling you, Officer Strong, these people are not refined. They’re talking about a temple and drinking blood and cutting off somebody’s head and having wild sex. And they keep talking about a ‘sacrifice’ and some kind of feast.” Elmo became silent and still before he asked, “Are these people talking about eating a human being?”

  Even though it was gentle, Joe Mac heard Jodi pat Elmo on the shoulder or arm, and then she said, “I want you to stay inside for the next few days, Elmo. Do you have enough food in this place?”

  “You bet. I have twenty-four cans of Chili with beans and two boxes of crackers. I don’t need anything else. Well, yeah, I need my Legend of Zelda Marathon discs. Forty-eight days! And I’m still winning! I’m about to –”

  “Elmo!”

  “Yeah! I got food!”

  “All right.” Jodi walked up to Joe Mac. “What do you think, Joe?”

  Joe Mac lifted his chin.

  “Get me the physical addresses for these goombahs.”

  * * *

  “We can’t just barge in on these people,” Jodi said from where she’d parked the car to watch the first townhouse on the list. “Would you look at that?”

  “I’m blind.”

  “Gee. Wow. No fooling? That place must be worth ten million bucks, Joe. If you go in there slapping people around like Lenny the Bruiser I guarantee you some ten-thousand-dollar suit will have our badges by morning.”

  “I ain’t got no badge.”

  “I’ve got a badge! And you’ve got a pension!”

  “Run him through NCIC,” said Joe. “Find out if he’s got relatives. Especially family. If we’re lucky, he’s got a sister or brother. More than likely, his folks are dead.”

  She began typing. “What are you gonna do?”

  “If we can’t go to him, we’ll get him to come to us.”

  After ten minutes, she said, “Nope. No family that I can find. I checked him against everything we have, and there’s nothing. So, calling him and telling him his sister is at the hospital is another lame-o idea.”

  A low moan rose from Joe Mac. When Jodi glanced over she saw his head was bent slightly forward, his face hidden in a penumbra.

  “Well we can’t just knock on the door,” he said.

  “I could shoot out the transformer and put this entire grid in the dark,” Jodi offered. “Maybe he’ll come outside to see what’s happening.”

  “Yeah. You’ll kill the electricity and probably kill a half-dozen people who are on life support machines. Plus, he’ll have a flashlight. It’s not like we’re gonna ambush him in the dark, knock him on the head, and beat the truth out of him. And he’ll probably have a gun, anyway. If we try and stiff-arm him, it’ll more’n likely turn into a gunfight. And we don’t want that because we found him illegally. It’d rebound on us, and we’ll probably be the
ones who end up in prison.”

  “How do you know he’ll have a gun?”

  “If I was kidnapping people, cutting off their heads, and eating them up, I’d sure keep a gun around. If some relative found out about my appetites, they wouldn’t be calling the police. They’d come calling. At night. And they wouldn’t come knocking.”

  Jodi sighed. “Yeah. Good point.” She found herself staring at the front door. “Well, it looks like you’re all out of ideas, Joe.”

  “Am I?” He opened the door. “Let’s go.”

  He got out, and Jodi was one step behind him. As he came around the front of the squad car, he was tapping softly when she grabbed his elbow, guiding him across the empty street. She whispered, “What are you gonna do?”

  “Take me around back.”

  “Oh, my lord,” she moaned. But in moments Joe Mac was standing at the solidly locked back door. “He probably has a microwave alarm system, Joe.”

  “I ain’t worried about the alarm. We’ll be on top of him by then.”

  “How? The door is locked!”

  Joe Mac removed a black case from his coat. He opened it, and Jodi saw multiple rows of silvery lock picks. “Any lights on?” he asked.

  “No,” she replied. “Okay, listen; once you open this door, I’ll have ten seconds to find him before the alarm is activated. Which means I’ll have to move fast, wake him up, and put a gun to his head before that phone rings. Then you’ll have to make your way to me by the sound of my voice because I won’t be able to leave him. Understand?”

  “Yeah. Get your gun out.”

  “It’s already out.” She watched him pick the lock with effortless skill. “How can you pick a lock when you’re blind?”

  “You don’t pick a lock with your eyeballs, dufus.”

  Ten seconds later Joe Mac whispered, “Okay. Get ready. When I turn this lock, the alarm is gonna start ticking down, so you do like you said. You rush upstairs. Find him fast. Put that gun to his head. By then, the phone will ring. Tell him you’re gonna blow his brains out if he doesn’t give the right code. Then tell him you’re gonna wait. And if someone shows up, you’re still gonna blow his brains out. Don’t worry about me. I’ll find you.” He turned his face toward her. “You ready?”