“Keel. I thought this was done?” asked Canopus
Ludvig’s neck was now swelling, lifting his head off the ground. Purple veins popped from his neck and lashed around the room, squirting bright red blood.
“The shroud was in him too long,” commented Keel, she felt drained, beaten. Standing unsteadily, she reached down and picked up her grimoire.
“His body has too much energy in it, and without the shroud to feed it’s trying to escape like air in a punctured balloon, it has to get out. As do we, before-”
“Before what?” asked Vince, slowly getting up from the floor.
“Before he explodes,” replied Keel, holding on to Canopus as they headed towards the door. “Which by my estimates is about 42 seconds from now.
SIX.
Canopus grabbed the scuff of Vince’s neck and pulled him from the room.
Throwing Vince to the hallway ground, Canopus slammed the kitchen door and pushed his back against it. Keel slumped against the wall, covered her ears and closed her eyes.
“13, 12, 11, 10…”
Vince looked up at Keel and covered his ears too. ‘This was certainly exciting,’ he thought and definitely brightened up a usually dole Thursday night. He was glad Ludvig was about to explode, the guy was an asshole.
“Why is he smiling?” asked Canopus to Keel.
Keel opened her eyes and frowned at the beaming Vince. She continued to count out loud, “7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Here it comes.”’
Canopus pressed harder against the door as a large pop vibrated from the kitchen. Wet thuds hit against the door with such force that he thought the door would break off its hinges. A rotten smell then drifted into the hallway making the air feel heavy and moist.
Canopus shakily lifted up a smiling Vince from the floor and pushed him hard against the wall, “Son, you are disturbed. A man just exploded in the kitchen. Does he have a shroud on him Keel?”
“I didn't see one before, but let me check.” She lifted up the crystal and twisted it in the light. All she could see was Vince’s smiling face. “No, he’s clean.”
“What’s the deal boy? This how you get your kicks?” growled Canopus. He hated freaks like this and he had seen a lot, hanging around crime scenes, pretending to be reporters or friends of family, even pretending to live in the same apartment block where the incident may have taken place. It wasn’t right, these kids were disturbed, and to Canopus this kid looked very disturbed.
Stop smiling, whispered the Red-girl. Vince stopped smiling, but it was true. This was how he got his kicks. He loved surfing the net watching sports stars, actors and other assholes hurting themselves or getting hurt. It pleased him to see karma in action, pretty boys and girls getting theirs too. Ludvig looked like he needed some serious karma, not for killing the girls, he could probably understand that, and not for having that creature on him, that seemed pretty cool, like a super power, but for getting caught and not having any defenses in his home. That’s why karma got you Ludvig and it got you good. You were sloppy. He started to smile again but then thought better of it. Time to project what people expected, he needed a normal response to what just happened. Plus the Red-girl wanted him here and he couldn’t let her down. ‘He…what…what happened? Did he just explode?” stammered Vince.
Canopus dropped Vince to the ground, “I think he’s in shock.’
Vince slid to the floor and covered his face. ‘I should get an Oscar,’ he thought.
“Uh-huh’ replied Keel disinterested and flicking through the pages of her grimoire, that was once her father’s grimoire. It had been bound many times, passed from generations of Keel to Keel and now it was hers, bound black and containing a small palm tree on the front, her father’s sense of humor and to remind her that looks can be deceiving and that even the most innocent things can hide dark secrets. If you glanced at this black book you wouldn’t think it was anything special; but inside is a textbook of instructions on how to create magical objects, perform magical spells or invoke supernatural entities. It was a rulebook that Keel had studied since she was a small girl and she trusted it wholeheartedly, as it had never let her down, until today that was.
Nibbling her lip and feeling ashamed she flicked back to the page containing instructions to create sigils to hold demonic creatures, such as shrouds. She was sure she had completed it correctly. Her father would have been so disappointed in her. Twice now she had lost two hosts of shrouds.
The first one she was not prepared, but this time she followed the instructions exactly, she was 99% sure. It made no sense, something was wrong. The spells were binding the shrouds but not protecting the hosts as the text stated. It must be the involvement of her – Lillian Fox. Just saying her name in her mind, made her physically tremble. Keel wasn’t afraid of dying, in fact she was quite prepared, she had little possessions, didn't have many friends, no family. She could just disappear and no one would know she even existed. Only Jon Canopus, her father’s old partner and sworn guardian to her since her father’s passing and his wife Beth would be upset. She looked up at Canopus who was searching Vince. She sighed. Canopus would be devastated if she died, he couldn't save her Father and for that he was in constant pain, he would never see anything happen to her, the forever hero.
No, she wasn’t afraid of dying but she was afraid of becoming a creature such as a shroud or a flicker and Lillian Fox could do that. The power that she contained was immense. Keel made a note on the grimoire’s page ‘to update’ and closed the book.
Taking a deep breath, she looked Canopus in the eyes. “I’m sorry. That didn't exactly go according to plan.”
“Now we are no closer to finding where these shrouds are coming from.”
Keel folded her arms, “She is connected. You know that. It’s why they are getting stronger. Ludvig would have been the key to finding their location.” She glanced back at the door. Blood was seeping through a crack. “We should go back in. Maybe a resurrection spell will help know where he is from?” She opened the grimoire once more and flicked through its pages, muttering to herself.
Vince looked between the two detectives. As interesting as this was, he was suddenly feeling worried. Resurrection spells? Creatures getting stronger? The Red-girl didn't warn him about this? What if these two pinned Ludvig dying on him? He narrowed his eyes and looked Keel up and down. Something not right about her, she seemed detached and not as good at hiding it as Vince was. Detached people were dangerous and did unexpected things. He suddenly felt the urge to get out. He needed to clear his head and think about this whole situation, plus he felt like he had been in this room before. His head hurt as if memories were hiding from him.
“Well, this is really interesting and all but seeing that Ludvig just exploded and you two are obviously occupied, I think I’m going to go.” He smiled, turned and started to walk down the hallway.
“Stop him,” said Keel, nose buried in her pages.
“Not so fast.” Canopus placed a large hand on Vince’s shoulder. “What’s the rush?”
Vince cursed under his breath. The old man’s grip was hard and he could feel bruises forming on his shoulder.
Vince turned and smiled, he needed the upper hand and he just might have what they needed. “Look, you mentioned you wanted to know where Ludvig was from?”
Keel looked up, “What do you know?”
Canopus tightened his grip making Vince wince.
“I may know something. But let’s get the old man to lighten up, eh?”
Keel flicked her eyes at Canopus. He sighed and released Vince’s shoulder.
“And I want to know what’s in it for me?” asked Vince.
“Let’s hear what you have and then we can talk about what’s in it for you?” replied Canopus.
“OK, OK,” smiled Vince rubbing his shoulder “Well, to join the little book club that your partner gatecrashed today, I always have men fill in profiles. I want to check who’s coming, didn't want any competition with the ladies. I guess I
kind of screwed up on Ludvig, anyway, in order to join the group, you have to write a little test to get the address. It puts most men off, which is the idea, but Ludvig, he replied pretty quickly. In this little test, you had to write about your favorite restaurant from your home town.” Vince held up his hands, “I know, I know, it's a little foo-foo but you will be surprised what it tells you about someone. Anyhoo, his description was pretty vivid, so I did some googling and a little research and bam! I found it. I know exactly where he is from.”
Canopus narrowed his eyes, “He could have just made it all up, or visited this restaurant just once.”
Vince laughed, “No-one would have visited this place, unless they were from there. It’s far out, man. But even so, it’s a lead, right? You interested?”
“Where is it?” quizzed Keel.
“Now we talk about what’s in it for me. I want some cash, a large amount, say ten, no twenty thousand dollars and I want a pardon for any future things that I may do or may be connected too and I want out. I want to walk away from this and you two can go on your way.”
Canopus looked at Keel and rubber his chin.
Keel rolled her eyes.
“Sure Vince, whatever you say,” smiled Canopus.
Vince narrowed his eyes. He suddenly didn't like where this is going and he definitely didn't like the way the old man was smiling and rubbing his knuckles as he walked towards him.
“Now let’s just wait a - ”
Two loud knocks thudded on the apartment’s front door. “This is the Portland Police Department. Open up!”
“Shit. Not good.” Canopus pulled out his gun and cocked it.
“Aren’t you FBI?” asked Vince, backing past Canopus and Keel.
“Of course we are,” replied Keel “but one, we broke into a police scene without a warrant, two, we have a prime suspect for the murders of five women exploded in the kitchen and three, and it’s a little embarrassing, but I’m currently of interest to the government.” She turned to Canopus, “We don’t have time for this, we need to get out. Now.”
“On it.” Canopus grunted as he pushed open the door to the kitchen, streaking bright red blood across the floor.
“Ludvig.” Keel pointed at the blood on the floor as she pushed Vince after Canopus.
“Yeah, I figured,” frowned Vince looking around the room. Blood and gunk that was once flowing inside Ludvig, was now dripping down the walls. The word ‘skyclade’ was now streaked with blood, making it unreadable. “That’s a lot of blood. Where’s the rest of him?” Vince felt strangely annoyed.
Keel looked around the room, “The average adult contains ten pints of blood, depending on their weight of course. Men average ten to eleven pints and women around nine to ten. Ludvig was quite drained so I’m guessing he had around seven pints in him. Ahh, here’s a hand!” Keel reached under the table and pulled on a puffy white finger. She held up the hand to Vince, “See drained, and no blood. It’s his left hand, no… right. Hard to tell when they are not attached.” She opened her satchel, shook the contents and placed the hand inside. “Best to keep this, just in case we need something of Ludvig’s later.”
“Keel, enough of the damn biology lesson, we have a problem -.”
A huge smash echoed down the corridor as the apartment door burst open.
Canopus ran his fingers around the window frame. “Damn, sealed shut.”
Vince ran towards the kitchen door and closed it tight. “I’m guessing you have a plan?”
Keel pressed her forehead against the cold window glass and looked down, “We could smash it but we are very high up. Not optimal. I think the fall would hurt us, a lot. The serene brightly lit world below was hypnotizing and it made her feel dizzy. Squeezing her eyes shut she slowly lifted her head and rubbed her temples. “Sorry Vince, but you need to follow us on this one.”
Keel reached down, rubbed her hands in the blood on the floor and then spread it across her face and neck. She then knelt down on the floor, drew her gun and turned and pointed it at Vince.
Canopus sighed, pulled out his FBI badge and held it out towards the kitchen door. In his left hand, he too pointed his gun at Vince.
“FBI! Hands in the air!” shouted Keel as the door to the kitchen was kicked open. Three cops, guns drawn, exploded into the room.
“What?” stammered Vince.
“Everyone drop your weapons!” shouted a large bearded police officer.
“FBI. Calm down, calm down,” replied Canopus holding his badge out to the cop while releasing his revolver. It swung back and forth on his finger.
Keel pretended weakness as she attempted to get up from the floor, gun still pointing at Vince. “Thank God! Cuff this suspect. He’s highly dangerous.”
“You Bastards!” screamed Vince.
“Drop the gun! Or I will shoot you. I swear I will,” yelled a young cop. His hands were shaking.
Keel narrowed her eyes at the young cop, ‘That’s all we need, training day.’
“Calm down officer, I’m a federal agent. “My badge is in my satchel there,” she pointed to her satchel but then remembered Ludvig’s hand inside. ‘Crumbs,’ she thought.
“Yeah check her satchel, good idea!” screamed Vince as he was being pushed to the floor by a bald cop. The cop’s breath was so bad he could taste that day’s pastrami rye sandwich against his tongue. “Fuck, you stink”, he grunted as the cop pushed a knee into his back.
The young cop walked over to the satchel, gun still aimed at Keel, “Don’t try anything all right!”
The bearded cop looked over Canopus’ badge and inputted a code into his radio, after a few seconds his radio beeped and he nodded. “Checks out,” he replied, giving back the badge. “Schultz check out the broad.”
Young, blonde Schultz, gun focused on Keel and hands still shaking, knelt by the satchel.
“Don’t move Mam,” he stammered.
“I’ll hold onto this though if you don’t mind.” The bearded cop took Canopus’ gun and tucked it sloppily into his belt.
Canopus glanced at the bearded cop’s badge, “Knock yourself out, Officer. – Rone,” he replied with a smile.
Rone stared deep into Canopus’ eyes, squinted and stepped back. His eyes felt heavy. He shook his head to clear the cobwebs and looked around the room. How did he even get here? He laughed to himself and at his old age. Senility was getting to him faster than it took his father, that was for sure. He looked back at Canopus and realization thundered into his mind. “Holy shit it's the Cannon!” He holstered his gun. “It’s frigging Cannon Canopus.”
“No shit!” beamed the bald cop cuffing Vince. “I used to watch you as a kid. Mean frigging left hook brother. Truly mean. The name’s Andrews, would shake that legendary right hook but as you can see I’m kinda busy with this little shit.”
Vince felt the cold kitchen tiles press harder against his cheek. Never trust cops. You just couldn’t. When it got tough, they would just stick up for each other. Thick as thieves? ‘Thick as cops’ was more like it and these cops were pretty thick.
Canopus smiled, “Wanna help up my partner there?” He slapped Rone on the shoulder. “It’s been a hell of a day.”
“Schultz, help up the girl!”
Shultz, relieved, holstered his gun, picked up the satchel and then held out his hand to Keel.
“Thanks,” smiled Keel, reaching into her satchel and quickly pulling out her keys and crystal.
“What the fuck happened here? Who is this guy?” asked Rone, sucking on his lip. Maybe if he bit it, he would feel more awake. Pain was good like that. A little pain was what he needed right now. He looked at the girl. Maybe some pain with her would feel better. Rone shivered not knowing where the thought had come from. The cold metal of his gun felt good in his hand though, maybe he would shoot it.
Keel picked up her handgun and placed it in her satchel. “You Sir are standing in the scene of the missing Portland girls.”
“The Pied-Piper, yes Mam. We ran
a check on the address before we came in,” replied Schultz.
Keel hated it when cops used the names that the papers gave to murderers. In the corner of her eye she caught Rone stifling a yawn. Glancing towards Vince she could see Andrews was rubbing his eyes with the back of his hands, his external jugular vein was rapidly throbbing in the side of his neck. Keel cursed under her breath. Slowly twirling the crystal on her key chain between her fingers she flicked her eyes at Canopus and raised her eyebrows.
Canopus stepped back from Rone.
“The suspect there, is a jealous boyfriend, we believe, of one of the victims, most likely tracked the Piper back to the scene of the crime and then we believe, err... exploded him,” added Keel
“Exploded? Like with a grenade?” asked Schultz.
“Well yes, I guess that would explain all the blood and goo on the walls. See?” The cops looked around the room. Keel quickly held the crystal up to her eyes and saw what she expected, they were infected with shrouds.
These shrouds though, were different, they were larger than the shroud on Ludvig, deep fleshy pink skin, with long limbs and fingers that were dancing in and out of the cop’s skulls. The shroud attached to Rhone, sucked against its host’s neck, it squirmed and shook while it’s large almond shaped eyes watched Keel. She turned and looked at Schultz who was clean, but long pink rubbery lips were sucking hard on Andrews neck, it’s limbs dangling around his neck and back. She placed the crystal back in her pocket, took a deep breath and walked towards Andrews who was pushing his knees into Vince, tears spilling from his eyes and dropping to the blood streaked floor.
Piercing pain drummed into Rone’s temples and anger surged through him. Who the fuck did the FBI think they were. Something wasn't right. “What did you say your name was again? I didn't quite catch it ?”
“LaMoya,” replied Keel, reaching into her satchel and clutching her gun.
Canopus and Keel - The Hive. Page 3