“The playground monitor noticed too. He’s on his way over,” Joanie replied.
Denny saw the nicknamed playground monitor approach and startle the bearded man on the bench. “The guy has guts. He knows all he need do is lose track for a few seconds of one kid, and it could mean disaster. Chin-beard doesn’t like it.”
Mike watched the interaction closely. The playground monitor spoke in a serious interrogation type manner, as he had done with Mike. The Chin-beard straightened from his seat, shouting it was a public park and he had every right to be there. The playground monitor backed up a few steps and retrieved his phone. He took a picture of Chin-beard, which Mike thought was exactly the right thing to do with a suspected pedophile hanging around a playground. It made sense, if reported, the police would know if Chin-beard was a registered sex offender. When the playground monitor turned to walk away, Chin-beard pulled a long-bladed hunting knife from under his coat, preparing a downward strike at the playground monitor’s neck. Mike sent the darkness. The focused tendrils of power, Mike harnessed with familiar expertise, seized control of Chin-beard’s mind, with new orders for the rest of his body: put the knife away and sit.
* * *
Chin-beard sat down, horror streaking across his features. A moment ago, he planned to kill the man who confronted him. Instead, his body sheathed his knife and he sat down. He felt the darkness tingling with amusement through his brain. Chin-beard raged inside, trying desperately to move even a finger. Visions of prior assaults paraded as if in a newsreel through his mind. They streamed unbidden, highlighting his time assaulting young girls in the UK as part of a Rotherham Grooming Gang, including his escape from UK authorities, return to Pakistan, and eventual political refugee entrance into the United States. Nothing Chin-beard ordered inside his head could stop the recent assaults and attempted assaults on the streets in the Bay Area cities. Everything froze for the moment.
* * *
Mike felt Demon head-butting him in his leg. “Sorry, D. I’m learning what Chin-beard across the way has been doing with his pedophile life.”
“I know. I saw you stop Chin-beard from knifing the guy walking away from him. Can you hand the prick over to Denzel and Jet Li? I can see you froze him. Let Frodo check whether our San Leandro police friends work this shift or not.”
Denny already worked on Demon’s suggestion with his ever-present satellite laptop. “They’re on duty, Mike. Want me to call them?”
“Let me try projecting into our network what this guy has done. Chin-beard makes a great test subject to practice my remote viewing transfer ability on. Connect to Demon Inc Control. Naz will answer. We can test whether I can provide visual evidence straight from a criminal’s mind.”
“Damn, Ripper, you’re getting scary good if you can pull that off,” Demon replied.
A moment later, Nazer signaled readiness in the control room at Demon Inc. Denny glanced at Mike. “Give it a shot, Mike.”
Mike connected with Nazer and the network, establishing contact with everyone. Visualizing Chin-beard’s past directly from his mind, Mike streamed the content into a network feed with Nazer recording. When he finished, an angry Nazer spoke.
“Kill him, Mike! Do not let that animal leave the park alive!”
“Easy, Naz,” Mike urged. “I will make certain this Naveed Khosa never assaults another child. We’ll get the police to come quietly and collect him.”
“Okay… he will be in our database of monsters,” Nazer replied.
“What are you going to do, Mike.” Joanie felt the intangible power aura around Mike’s figure.
“Simply put, I plan to make Naveed into a good boy.”
“Stay out of this, Gidget,” Demon warned. “Khosa’s lucky Mike doesn’t do what Infidel suggests – turn him off like an old lamp.”
“Bluto is right, Joanie,” Mongo added. “I have seen through Mike’s eyes. This man is unredeemable to the core of his being. He has assaulted and ruined young children. We will catalogue him for future reference. That he lives will be an unfortunate reality of this world. I would gut him, and let Sandy open a portal to Radalia hell for him.”
“That may still be in play if this doesn’t get done right,” Mike said. “Call Tom and Jase, Denny. Give them the basics and reinforce the no sirens or complex noise and guns. Khosa will welcome their collecting him.”
“Okay, Mike. I’ll let you know the ETA,” Denny said. “D can walk you around the park, Joanie. This op needs me to cement it in.”
Denny’s no nonsense ending of Joanie’s position above the fray also ended her opposition. “I’m staying. At least Mike didn’t need to kill him. He could possibly realize the difference between good and evil.”
“Oh… he will, Sis.” Mike lanced into Naveed’s inner workings with the tendrils of darkness waiting at the gates of his mind.
Mike closed his eyes. Concentrating intensely on only redeeming Khosa, Mike took his time to accomplish the goal without making a monster his friend. He allowed the darkness access into every portion of Khosa’s mind, where the parameters of what Mike outlined for them existed. They virtually erased evil thought and all sexual depravity from his mind. Along with it went some higher lifeform type abilities. Mike did not hurry the process. The darkness did his bidding in refined form, revealing everything about Naveed’s Sharia Law brainwashing from childhood, inside an already psychopathic predilection for violence. The mixture initiated a sexual deviancy without hope of a cure. Mike allowed the darkness to cure it, eating away at the cancerous vacancy of morality until only a good Naveed remained. He felt only remorse and a need for penance for what he had done… and an urge to confess.
* * *
“Why’s he smilin’, Mike.” Jason Travers peered into Naveed Khosa’s eyes with uneasiness.
“Don’t make us spell this out for you again, Denzel,” Demon complained. “For God’s sake… did you watch the video of what this psychopath has done?”
“Sorry, D… I’m a little new to this mind warp stuff. Did you say he wanted to confess, Mike?”
“He does in the worst way, Jase,” Mike answered. “I froze him for you because I didn’t want to frighten the kids.”
After some hilarity at Mike’s honest revelation, Mike added some illumination. “I meant Naveed might wander around the playground if I didn’t keep him grounded. He has absolute memory and revulsion for what he’s done. All kidding aside, no matter what Naveed is now, he was once what you saw in the video. My adjustment may last, or not. It will last through his trial. Look… I want to turn this guy off like a water-hose. Wait for a moment.”
Mike released Naveed to full consciousness. Naveed looked around at the children playing and began crying, his hands shielding his face. Demon and Mongo began chortling on their private network at the end result of Mike’s manipulations. Naveed finally met Tom Huang and Jason Travers’ confused looks.
“I…I have done horrible things to children. You are policemen. Please take me where I may tell you what I have done in thrall to a mockery of religion.”
“Come with us, Sir,” Tom said, gesturing no cuffs to Jason. “I doubt he plans to escape.”
“He won’t,” Mike confirmed. “I don’t like him. I refuse to go in any further with him because I don’t want to. I hate this crap, but it saves lives. Don’t think for a second I get off on rearranging Naveed’s outlook on life. I don’t.”
Mike put a hand on Naveed’s shoulder. “You know what you’ve done. Go tell the proper authorities what you’ve done. I pray the one true God has mercy on your soul. I have relieved you of your evil, Naveed. It will be your path to redemption to scour your soul with nothing but good deeds and compassion throughout your life.”
Showing some recognition of reality, Naveed stared at Mike for a long moment. “I…I could be killed in prison.”
Mike leaned into Naveed’s face, allowing the darkness to enhance Naveed’s perceptions. “That is true, Naveed. Embrace it as penance for what you have don
e. To do otherwise will bring the darkness I have shown you. Embrace the Lord our God of hosts. It is not a Pope or a pedophile prophet, or nitwits that think God lives in a space the size of a lampshade. Embrace the force of God, the mantle of good and moral behavior. Embrace life instead of a death cult of agony… and repent.”
Naveed’s face brightened with hope. He clasped Mike’s hands. “I will do so! I will be strong! No one will turn me from this light you have shown me.”
Tom led Naveed away. Jason stayed for a moment. “You aced those gangbangers in the car, didn’t you, Mike.”
“Listen, Denzel, you and Jet Li take your prize to the proper authorities,” Demon replied. “Play the ‘oh my God’ card, and from now on, you get nothin’.”
Tom turned from his guiding Naveed for a moment to his partner. “C’mon, Jase. That case is closed. So is this one. Be safe, you guys.”
“Would if we could,” Mike replied. “Thank you.”
After the police left with Naveed, the playground monitor walked over with his three kids. “We’re on our way home. Thanks for doing that. It seemed you knew those policemen. Oh, by the way, my name is Ed Marley. These are my kids, Becky, Eddy, and Carol.”
Mike shook hands with Ed. “You need to be careful doing what you do, Ed. Don’t turn your back on people you confront. Your kids need you.”
“Yeah… I need to rethink my confrontations. You’ve shown me that. I need to realize I’m not protected by some invisible force. I could get my kids hurt while trying to protect them.”
Demon let the kids pet him while doing the shaking paw and doing any trick they could think of for him to do. Quietly, he projected to Mike. “When we’re here at the park, they will be protected by an invisible force.”
Ed escorted his kids to the car. When they turned to wave, Demon stood and waved back in over the top form, paws doing waving semi-circles. They laughed, gasped, and yanked their father into a turnaround look. The moment he did, Demon dropped down into a sitting position. Ed smiled at their impersonations of what Demon actually did while leading them to the car.
“Good doggy,” Mongo said, patting Demon’s head.
The chase was on then with Mongo fleeing and Demon doing his Pac-Man chomping imitation at his heels.
* * *
“So, you’re all going to MMA practice,” Dan asked Mike and Demon in the Rawlins’ living room, while Denny conducted his tutoring class for Joanie and her friends.
“We stayed at the park for a while after we turned Naveed over to Tom and Jase. I figured the tutoring class would be a short one since school will be closed for a couple days. When you decided to close the shop for the week, I thought we’d hang around with you two before I need to change for practice.”
“Dan decided to take a breather from work after you left yesterday,” Jenny replied. “Because of the school incident today, I’m glad he did.”
“Some flu bug caused a lot of cancellations, so the guys would have been standing around polishing tools,” Dan added. “We had a great quarter at the shop. With the Fall flu bug hitting, I thought maybe a week’s time off might give us a buffer zone between employees and sick customers.”
“I appreciate the time off, Dad. I scheduled a Demon Inc meeting after practice to discuss the Lucifer overnighter.”
“I know a hundred thousand dollars, plus SyFy episode money, would tempt anyone, kid,” Dan said. “It won’t be worth it if the guy uses a bomb on you. Ever think Lucifer might be luring you there for an old school explosion?”
“I will scout the area, Mr. Rawlins,” Mongo explained. “I will make sure no explosive device has been hidden anywhere in and around the ruins.”
“I can smell explosive residue from a mile away, Godfather.” Demon immediately sat, bowed his head, with paw up in subservient posture. “I will not allow anything to happen to your Bad Seed, Godfather.”
“Bad Seed? Really.” Mike grinned at the humorous appreciation of Demon’s ace.
“Thanks, D,” Dan said.
Joanie’s tutoring class companions entered the living room with Denny trailing. Mike stood, readying to leave. Mandy, Melissa, and Danielle had been waiting for Denny when Mike and his group arrived. They liked their first look at Mike in his suit.
“You look good, Mike. With those scars, you look like a gangster from the mob.”
“Gee… thanks, Mel. Demon called me a Bad Seed, so I guess your tag fits too.”
“Handsome dangerous is a compliment,” Danielle replied. “Saving Ms. Alvarez was awesome! Are you and Ms. Kincaid seeing each other now?”
“What?” Jenny stormed into Mike’s air space with finger poking quickness. “You finally stop seeing Ms. Thirty-something, and now you’re hanging out with another teacher?”
“Easy, Mom. Loretta stayed the night in a guest room after we helped find the people who burglarized her apartment. Nothing happened. Thanks for that, Joanie.”
“I didn’t know it was a secret.”
“Nothing happened that night, Mrs. R,” Demon added. Joanie’s friends knew about Demon. “Mongo and I nabbed the scantily clothed Loretta before she completed the Bad Seed’s seduction. Denny added her into the Demon Inc archive of lost souls. It wasn’t quite as good as the Sack vs Holy Grail chick fight, but it was easily on par with the infamous Sack attack.”
“Oh my… that makes me feel so much better,” Jenny retorted with hands on hips. “Honestly, Mike, what is it with you these days?”
Mongo and Demon bookended Jenny, in the same pose, eliciting much laughter. “I know two paranormals on their way to a stompin’ if they don’t start behaving.”
Mongo hurried to the door with Demon at his heels. “Bye.”
“See you in the Buick, Seed,” Demon projected.”
“I’m not seeing Ms. Kincaid at this time, Mom.” Mike put his arm around Jenny’s shoulders. “It’s a small thing anyway. Demon Inc had a great weekend and Monday.”
“Mike’s right,” Dan agreed. “Demon Inc was a force of nature the last few days.”
“Demon and Mongo do not allow anything to happen at Demon Inc, Mrs. Rawlins,” Denny added. “Besides… I think Ms. Kincaid is only twenty-seven.”
Jenny shrugged off Mike’s arm. “How nice of you to put a smiley on this for me, Frodo!”
“Ah… bye… see you in the Buick, Seed.”
Dan joined his wife. “I think happy hour just struck the golden tone. Let’s go have a nice glass of wine to celebrate my time off.”
Jenny let Dan guide her toward the kitchen, but with one parting shot. “Quit foolin’ around with the cougars, Bad Seed.”
“You need to let us younger women have a go, Mike.” Mandy led her friends toward Mike as Joanie recorded it on her phone.
Mike gestured for them to halt. “That’s close enough. I have power and I’m not afraid to use it. If you three would like to be out front doing a chicken dance just keep coming.”
They stopped in their tracks, turning on Joanie. “Can he do that?”
“Yeah… he can do a lot more than that, Mel,” Joanie admitted.
“No need to go nuclear on us, Bad Seed.” Mandy took a step back.
“Always nice seeing you girls.” Mike walked around them to the door, calling out a goodbye to his folks.
Denny drove away when Mike seated himself in the passenger side front. “Wow… I didn’t think your mom would take the Loretta news like that.”
“It’s better she knows the truth as it happens. D made it funny, but Mom didn’t laugh. That’s a bad sign.”
“I think she’s getting the idea you may not be settling down to produce grandkids,” Demon said. “Maybe you better rethink the paranormal only club.”
“Tell me how the Bad Seed reproduces in his mutated form, Bluto. We don’t know what my offspring would be like. Besides, I’m only eighteen. I don’t know why Mom has such an aversion to me seeing older women.”
“Good news out front of Demon Inc, Mike,” Mongo said. “No pe
ople.”
“I’ll take it as a sign of changing luck.”
The gate opened. Loretta stepped out of the door to greet them. “I officially retract my last statement.”
“Your jinx power still works, Ripper.”
“Thanks, D.” Mike watched Loretta shifting provocatively in a black miniskirt, red tube top, and black high heels with his heart pumping blood in all the wrong directions. “I am in trouble, guys.”
“You’re on your own with that one, Ripper. After all, she’s not a demon.”
“Bluto is right, El Capitan.” Mongo opened the Buick door for Demon. They led the way to Loretta.
“You don’t look happy to see me.” Loretta moved around the paranormals and into Mike. “The suit makes you old enough looking to go have dinner and a drink with me.”
“Denny and I have MMA practice tonight. You can stay for dinner though.” Mike glanced at his friends. “What are we picking up on the way home, guys?”
“Denny can call in an order for pizza, chicken, and spaghetti from Porky’s,” Demon suggested. “We’ll cover all our bases.”
After a murmur of enthusiastic agreement, Mike turned to Loretta again. “We’re having pot luck tonight. Want to join us? We’ll be back in a couple hours. Think about it. I need to change.”
“Can I come along?”
“No. Let me escort you into our waiting room.” Mike led the way into the kitchen. “Help yourself to anything we have in here. Anything under lock and key, Mongo can get for you.”
“You’re not blowing me off, are you?”
“Ripper doesn’t have the time, inclination, or personality to blow anyone off, Lore,” Demon lanced her. “We’re going to MMA practice. Chill out here and have a little faith, or blow yourself off the property.”
Loretta turned on Demon, shaming him. “Bad, Bluto!”
“You haven’t seen bad yet, kid. You show up with a problem, we solve it, and suddenly you’re ready to move in. Calm down, have some wine, and wait until the big dog gets back. He’ll be here just as he promised.”
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