by Alexie Aaron
“Thank you, Teddy Bear.”
They hopped out of the truck. Mia helped him carry equipment to the cabin.
~
Tom and Cid decided to take their belts and join them. This way they wouldn’t lose each other in the fog. They worked backwards and then examined every turn and bit of disturbed earth.
“Murphy, Tom, Cid…” Mia called.
Cid turned his head. He had heard his name. “Here!” he shouted.
Mia and Ted came in out of the fog. Cid grabbed hold of his best friend. Mia had ahold of Tom.
“Come with me if you want to live,” Ted said. He handed Tom and Cid a pair of glasses and explained where they should walk.
“Have you guys seen Murph?” Mia asked, worried.
“I imagine he would have followed Audrey. He wouldn’t have wanted her to be alone,” Cid said.
Mia nodded. “That would make sense. Come on, I have some research to read, and you two look like you could use a meal. I’m hungry.”
“We missed breakfast,” Tom said.
“You missed breakfast, lunch and dinner,” Ted corrected.
“We just left,” Tom protested.
“Tom, you were in a paranormal world created, most probably, by a ghost. Time is different there. What seems like a few moments has in actuality been a full day.”
Chapter Seven
Audrey, found herself in a brick bungalow with two people who Jerry had to remind her were her parents. They referred to themselves as Kim’s mother and Kim’s father. Audrey, who had just managed to stay Audrey, found it interesting and scary. Murphy, who stayed just outside Jerry’s peripheral vision, kept reminding Audrey who she was and to play the game until he could find a way of either getting help to her or getting her out of there.
“Don’t touch Jerry,” he cautioned. “His power will suck you deeper into his world.”
“I have to go to school tomorrow,” Audrey said. “I’m twice the age of this Kim. Someone will notice.”
“It depends on how much Jerry has touched them,” Murphy said. He laid a soft hand on Audrey’s arm. “Remember, you are Audrey McCarthy, expert researcher, Mia Martin’s best friend and godmother to her son Brian, intrepid ghost hunter, and the warm, beating heart of PEEPs.”
Audrey smiled at the handsome ghost who she could see clear as day. “How is it that I can see you, Stephen?” she asked.
“It’s because I will it.”
“Won’t this tire you out?” she asked.
“Not here. This Jerry is very powerful, and I can leech small amounts off without him becoming aware I am here,” Murphy explained.
“What will happen if he catches you?” she asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Have you seen Whitney?”
“Not yet. I get the idea that Jerry is bringing everyone here to play an important role. I think, if we can figure this out, then we can press him to release you.”
“I hope so.”
~
“No one goes anywhere alone,” Burt ordered. “Use the glasses, and keep to the unaffected areas. We work through the night. One person of each duo sleeps while the other works on a solution. Ted, as much as this pains me, I’ve got to keep you and Cid together working on a technical way to stay immune to the effects of this paranormal wave. I’ll take Tom and see if we can map out a way in and out of the fog safely. And you two,” he looked at Mike and Mia, “behave yourselves.”
“I would be insulted if I weren’t such a shallow person,” Mike said wryly. “Mia and I will retrieve Audrey’s notes and work on them in plain view, our hands on top of the table.”
Mia snorted.
Ted winked at her. He sensed some kind of bonding happened with Dupree and Mia, but neither one of them seemed different, with the exception that they were calmer. Mia did, however, pull out her heavier gloves from the file box marked condoms and put them on. “If I have to hold his hand when we travel, then I’m protecting myself,” Mia explained. “I don’t want to get lost in Dupreeville.”
“Mia, I can insist that you don’t have to partner with him.”
“No, Burt has his reasons for this, so let’s let him lead us. He has good instincts,” she said.
“You’ve been taking the backseat a lot lately,” Ted observed.
“I’m trying to learn from all of you. Ted, my stubborn ways have caused a lot of hurt. It’s time for me to become more of a team player.”
“But you have,” Ted said, tucking her long hair behind her ear. “It’s just that you and Audrey are surrounded by male egos.”
“My ego is as big, if not bigger, than yours, Teddy Bear. But I’m a mom now. I want Brian to see that you need to have give and take in any relationship. To listen first before blundering in.”
“That’s not the PEEPs way,” Ted said, drawing her close. He kissed her gently. “I love you, Mia. Don’t change too much. I need the verbal bitch slap when I’m out of line. I’m worried about you.”
“Are you?”
“Yes, I know that you’re trying to balance who you are with what you are. And we haven’t had a chance to talk about the Beth thing.”
Mia looked at Ted. “You went out there to sacrifice yourself. That’s why you gave me to Dupree. Is that not as heroic as me fighting the elemental?”
“I can see your point. You’re not just trying to soothe my wounded pride, are you?”
“Yes.”
He kissed her again. “That ought to hold you so you won’t jump Mike’s bones.”
“No promises,” Mia said saucily. “By the way, I remember you giving me to Mike, but I don’t remember him giving me back?”
Ted’s eyebrows lifted. “He wouldn’t keep me to that…”
Mia hopped off the truck and waited for Ted. They walked hand in hand to Burt’s cabin. Once inside, they took off the glasses and started to work.
~
Audrey walked down to the high school. She wanted to see what she may have to deal with the next day. She saw people out in the football field. There were men of all ages playing with a football, and on the sidelines, there were several women and girls practicing cheers. She looked for Jerry but didn’t see him there.
A ball landed at her feet. She almost touched it before remembering what Murphy had warned her about. She smiled as a handsome man with killer blue eyes and blinding white teeth ran over to her.
“Hey, Kim,” he said, retrieving the ball. “Anyone ask you to homecoming yet?”
“No…” Audrey hedged.
“Kenny. Remember? I’m in your algebra class.”
“No, Kenny, no one has asked me. I expect you’re going with the head cheerleader.”
“She turned me down. I guess I should have asked her sooner. She’s going with Jerry Keys. Who could have imagined Becky and Jerry? I think they worked together at the swim park this summer. Anyways…”
“Yes?”
“How about you going with me?” Kenny asked, his hands on his hips. When he took that stance, something flashed at his waist.
Audrey took a chance and moved in on Kenny, pushing the suitcoat he wore over his jeans back. Clipped to his waist was a badge.
Kenny misunderstood and wrapped his arms around Audrey and kissed her. His hands moved to her behind.
“Whoa, tiger, let’s save something for the dance,” she said, pulling his hands away.
Kenny smiled and said, “I’ve got to get back. We’ll flesh out the details tomorrow in school.”
“Yes, sure,” Audrey said. She climbed the bleachers and sat next to a man who stared at the other kids.
“Hello, I’m Kim,” she said.
“I’m non-descript boy in stands,” he said smiling, his eyes locked on the field.
Audrey was starting to figure it out. They were all playing a role in Jerry’s memory.
She climbed back down and went in search of Murphy. She had the feeling that, a few moments ago, it was Mia’s Whitney who was feeling up her backside.
> ~
“She’s got a lot of history on the area,” Mike said, handing Mia half of the printouts.
They sat in armchairs they had dragged in from the living space. Burt and Tom were working on various maps of the area in the other room. It was too noisy for either of them to concentrate, so they had moved their stuff into the bedroom. Mike and Mia looked at the twin beds.
“I bet you ten bucks that’s Burt’s,” Mia said.
“I’m not taking that bet, because he’s the only person I know that makes a motel bed better than he found it.”
“I don’t know how he could stand living with me. Fact is, I don’t know how anyone can. I’m a drop-it and forget-it type of person,” she admitted, dragging her chair over to Tom’s bed so she could prop her feet up.
“I’m pretty neat, but I had Ma to nag me until I did it automatically,” Mike said, setting himself up.
Burt walked in, looked at the two and shook his head.
“I know you haven’t fully understood me, so I’m not going to get surly. But I need both of you to protect each other. Mia, you’re across the room from Mike. What if the fog shifts and takes you out of here?”
Mia got up and dragged her chair next to Mike. “I’m not holding his hand. He’s got cooties.”
Burt got in her face. She wouldn’t look at him, so he took hold of her chin.
Mike winced. One thing he knew about Mia was that she hated that.
“You’ve got to listen to me. I’m trying to keep you safe.”
Mia stood up and got in Burt’s face. “Okay, chain me to him, but Ted’s going to be real disappointed when the next kid that pops out of me really does look like Dupree.”
Mike started laughing, and Burt cracked a smile. Mia sat back down and picked up the printouts and started to read.
Burt looked over at Mike and said, “Keep it in your pants.”
Mike saluted.
Burt left them.
Mia looked over at Mike and lifted an eyebrow.
“You really like messing with him, don’t you?” Mike said.
“Oh yes.”
~
Audrey opened the closet in her room. Inside was what she would have called a prom dress. She supposed that girls wore something similar to homecoming dances. She didn’t touch the gown. She had taken to putting her handkerchief between herself and anything she felt was generated by Jerry.
Murphy moved into the room.
“I think I found Whitney Martin,” she said. “He’s now Kenny the quarterback. I think the missing girl is one of the cheerleaders I saw. Maybe Becky?”
“The town isn’t whole,” Murphy said. “It has a main street, a few houses and the high school.”
“I met a man who introduced himself as non-descript boy in stands.”
“Jerry’s recreating a memory, but why?”
“I don’t know. I wish I had my notes. Hopefully, someone is reading them. I downloaded every historical reference I could on this place.”
~
Burt and Tom moved slowly off the path. They had tied a rope to each other. Night was falling quickly. They thought that there was a good chance that the fog would lessen and make it easier to navigate, but if anything, it became thicker. Their lights bounced off the fog, and Tom had to admit defeat.
“Let’s get back and get some rest. We’ll try it again in the morning,” Burt said. “Maybe the techies have come up with something we can use.”
They walked to the truck and found it locked. They navigated to the cabin and found Ted and Cid inside, working on some kind of infrared viewer.
“It will let us find beating-heart humans in alternate dimensions if it works. Fog or no fog, we’ll be able to see them,” Ted explained.
“Hello, Burt,” Mia said from the door. “Ted, I have to go to the bathroom.”
“Coming. Cid.”
Burt watched as Cid went into the bedroom to be with Mike while Ted went with Mia to the bathroom.
Tom started laughing. “You did say that no one goes anywhere alone.”
“Yes, but I’m surprised and suspicious that she’s listening to me,” Burt said, pulling his hand through his hair.
Mia exited with Ted in tow. Ted’s hat was on backwards. Was it that way when they had gone in?
Ted came back, and he and Cid resumed their project.
Mike came out of the bedroom, dragging Mia behind him. “I’ve got something, I think you all should hear. Fifty years ago, there was a train derailment. The train was carrying liquid ammonia. It was a foggy day, and the ammonia fumes moved down into the valley and wiped out the whole town. No one survived. It was pretty sad. Evidently, it was the football team’s homecoming, and the visiting team and the traveling fans died too.”
“So this Jerry kid must have died too. But why is he back and taking people?” Mia asked.
“Maybe he had a date,” Cid said offhandedly.
Mike pointed at him. “You’re on the nose there. Pretend that you’re a geeky-looking kid…”
Burt, Ted, Cid, and Tom glared at Mike. Mia hid her smile with her hand.
“We’ve been there, move on,” Burt said through his teeth.
“He probably had a date to the homecoming dance. Something he had been dreaming about all summer. But just as he gets his dream, disaster strikes…”
“That’s so sad, but what is generating him? It takes a hell of a lot of power to do what he’s doing,” Mia reminded them. “How does Audrey fit in? Is she the girl?”
“I think we need to find out who all died and what relationship they had to Jerry,” Mike stressed. “How about some good old, American hacking?” he asked Ted. “Get me past the redacted FBI reports.”
“I could try. We didn’t bring Jake. He’s better at some things, like…”
“Navigating the Dark Web,” Mia finished.
“Yes. Neither Cid nor I have the credentials to get by the gatekeeper,” Ted explained.
Mike looked at Mia and her at him. She turned back to Ted. “I do. More correctly, I know of a handle that could get you past the gatekeeper. The rest, you’re on your own.”
Ted listened to his wife and said, “You’re full of surprises.”
“I’m an onion,” Mia said. “Just be careful, because the more you peel the layers, the greater the chance of crying.”
~
Mike accompanied Mia to the command truck with Cid and Ted. He felt that she needed him. Instead of Ted being the stable voice in her ear, Mike would talk to her just like he had during the storm. He knew she was going to open up the vault in her mind, and he was the only one of the three that knew what horrors lay in wait for her.
Cid and Ted brought the computers up and linked them with the satellite. Mia sat down and closed her eyes a moment. When she opened them, her hands flew over the keys. Ted watched as she moved through eighteen servers around the world before she was satisfied. Part of him felt betrayed. How could she know all of this and not talk to him about it? She was moving way too fast. He put a hand on her arm. “Breathe, Mia, we’ll get there.”
Mia looked over at him and seemed to not know who he was for a moment. She smiled and took the recommended deep breath. Once again, she went deeper into the web until she hit the gate.
“Who goes?” a deep voice bellowed out of the speakers.
“Sorry.” Cid turned the sound down.
Mia typed in, Lobo.
“Lobo’s dead.”
Mia type a series of code lines.
“Lobo’s widow is alive!” the voice rejoiced.
Mike watched as Ted looked over at Cid. He wasn’t happy.
Mia sensed this and trembled. Mike put a hand on her shoulder. “Go on, Mia, we’ll sort this out later.”
She nodded and attacked the keyboard with renewed vigor. Occasionally, another Dark Web navigator would show up, and Mia would chat with him or her while she worked on securing the redacted information. Both printers were working. Cid collated the papers and handed them
to Mike. Mia slowed down and turned to Ted and asked, “Is there anything else you want from this side of the wall? Because I’m not coming back.”
He didn’t say anything. Mia turned to Cid.
“Not that I can think of,” he answered.
Mia waited.
“We’re good, Mia. Thanks,” Mike said.
Mia backed out of the hack and cruised back. She stopped at the gate and moved to the wall. She typed furiously, leaving a memorial for Lobo, Billy and Yann. She coded a symbol. She smiled as Sariel’s symbol took shape and was etched into the wall. She pulled out of the Dark Web and led any pursuers on a merry chase before she signed off. She sat there not speaking.
Mike tapped on Cid’s shoulder and said, “Come on, give them privacy.”
Cid briefly grabbed Mia’s hand and squeezed it before he left.
Mike and Cid were putting on their full-spectrum glasses when they heard Ted erupt, “What that hell was that, Mia! Who the fuck are you?”
Both men looked at each other. Cid angled his head. “You knew. How long?”
“Not long.”
Mia looked at her hands.
“I’ve been married to Lobo’s what?” Ted asked.
“It was a long time ago,” Mia said softly, trying not to take offense.
“Sure. He was murdered how many years ago?”
Mia shut her eyes. She concentrated on the good things about her inquisitor. “I was there at the end. I had to bury his broken body, Billy’s too. And then Yann went nuts, and I personally pulled his bloody body off the fence. So much blood. They were fucking idiots, taking on demons. For what? A treasure? A fucking treasure. I gave it all back, smashed the computers and left. It’s why the Other wanted me, Ted. It was an old fucking score that needed to be settled. It was long before magic came and claimed me. It’s when I believed in computers and where they could take us. Well, they took Lobo, Billy and Yann to a secret vault. Just like in your videogames. But we didn’t know about demons then. If someone would have taken their fucking head out of their ass long enough to teach me something, I could have saved all of them. I wouldn’t be afraid of the lightning.”