by Mayer, Dale
Expectant numbing silence prevailed, a waiting stillness…for something or someone! Stefan pivoted in disbelief. Dead in front of him stood a specter. He thought he was past being shocked by anything. He still didn't understand how this could be possible.
Who are you?
Your nemesis.
Yeah, right. Stefan almost thanked the bastard as his comment returned a sense of realism. This asshole was, and always had been, just one clever son of a bitch. And Stefan wasn't fighting for himself. He was fighting for Alexis and all those earlier victims. His thoughts, easily heard, echoed through the cavern of Alexis's mind.
Why worry about them? What are they to you? The specter opened his arms wide.
Pardon? Who could not care? Stefan didn't get it.
I used to believe in people, a long time ago. Now, I use people just as they used me.
Depths of unrelenting bitterness stretched out toward Stefan. He could see fragments of a huge unresolved history swelling up. Cautiously, he asked, So you blame someone for your rotten life and now hold all of humanity responsible?
Don't psychoanalyze me. I know what I'm doing and why. The why is easy – because I can. And because they deserve it. John deserves it.
Macabre laughter echoed hollowly in the odd chamber. Alexis's mind! God, how could he forget! He glanced around. There were bizarre stalagmites stretching forever upwards around him. He felt as if he stood in the deep ice caves of Norway.
Don't bother.
Stefan pivoted back to full attention. Don't bother what?
Don't bother looking for her. She's frozen in her own world. A little parlor trick I've perfected. What passed for a face grinned evilly.
Stefan stomach revolted. Frozen? What the hell did that mean? Is she dead?
Hell, no. But now I can do what I want. Use her as I wish and let her go. Of course, she'll probably die then. They usually do. He shrugged dismissively. That's not my concern.
How did you learn to do all this? Stefan waved futilely around his bizarre surroundings. It's incredible.
Thank you.
The spectre actually preened – talk about an ego.
I tripped into this accidentally, but once I realized I could have a life, and a secret life that most of the real world would never know about, I was hooked. Such power. Such control. He laughed again, making Stefan wince at its mocking resonance.
You still don't understand, do you? I'm whole here in spirit, but in the physical world, my body is useless. Useless! he shrieked. Do you know who's fucking responsible? For me being hooked up for life. Existing in a world with no control? A victim to his every whim? My goddamned asshole of a brother, that's who.
Stefan's mind rapidly filled in the pieces of what he knew. Dear God, this had to be Glen, the comatose brother of John Prescott, Mayor of Bradford – in Alexis's mind.
The madman's face twisted. Now you're starting to understand. Can you comprehend the extent of my relief when I realized I could be free from that rotting vegetable lying in the hospital bed? My brother must have loved sitting there, drinking my favorite whisky, watching spit slide out of my lips, knowing I was locked in a prison of his making. Did I tell you that he caused my accident in the first place? He rammed my car and ran me off the road.
Angry sparks flew in all directions with his rage. Asshole. My fucking brother couldn't go out and make his own way in the world. No. He had to take what was mine, so he tried to kill me. And fucked that up too. While I'm lying there in a coma, he took my house, my cars, even my business. Would he let me go then? Would he let the doctors pull the plug and release me? No!
Stefan fought for control as the poisonous tirade lashed out at him. The pain, the anguish of betrayal without physical control, had become a hurricane of human emotion. He struggled to avoid the maelstrom. He needed clarity to find the advantage hidden in this man's loss of control.
I've had decades to watch, to learn and especially to control other people. The energy force turned violently black and purple with his feelings. Do you really think John's wimpy useless son, Charles, is responsible for any of this? He's so weak he has no idea what he's done versus what I've done through him. More laughter, calmer this time and all the more eerie when matched with his words. He was a perfect tool. Easy to manipulate. Easy to make him hate his father. John deserved to lose everything…like he arranged for me to lose everything.
Stefan was staggered. How much damage had this embittered soul done? The scope of this diseased mind was too horrific to contemplate.
You'll never know all that I've done. No one will.
***
With great difficulty, Kevin managed to stay quiet as he hovered in the background of Stefan's mind. The truths were too many, delivering more shocks than he could absorb all at once. It was totally incomprehensible. They'd come up against some devious and twisted minds before, but he'd never known someone could physically live confined in a deep coma for decades, yet live freely on the ethereal plane and take over, at will, the physical bodies of others who were weaker.
He hadn't exactly asked Stefan's permission when he'd hitched a ride on Stefan's energy trip. He hoped Stefan would understand. When Kevin hadn't been booted out immediately, he'd assumed all was well and he'd stayed quiet. This was too crazy. How could they help Alexis now?
The asshole continued to speak. You see, if you and the nosey cop hadn't butted into my business, then this game could have gone on for another decade or two. But knowing how weak Charles is, I started putting a contingency plan in place, just in case I lose my host."
Host? Stefan asked.
Stefan's surprise matched Kevin's horror. Dear God, is that all these people were to him?
Yeah. You know I use their bodies to achieve what I want to achieve. If I'm forced to be here in this world, then I'll damn well live it the way I want to. His demeanor was that of someone casually discussing a piece of paper, that once used had no value, was discarded like garbage.
Only these people weren't litter.
Finally, Stefan asked the question burning inside of Kevin. Why Alexis?
That did it.
The blackness deepened to billows of hollow smoke as Glen struggled to hold his dark image together. That bitch! The edges blurred, shifted, and then re-formed again. He paused before continuing in a slightly calmer voice. She's the only one who seemed to be able to find out about the real me. My history. My actions. My motivations. She could actually talk with some of the children. She could sense when I was around. I'd never experienced anything like it before. He snickered at Stefan. You could have if you'd looked, but you're so locked down I operated under your nose for years and you never knew. He positively beamed as he considered his own craftiness.
Kevin felt like vomiting. He swallowed heavily, forcing the bile back down.
Stefan asked cautiously, Have you been doing this for long?
Glen laughed. God, I snatched little children when I was in my twenties and thirties, when I was healthy and whole. I used to keep them for a while before I killed them.
Stefan hated the thought of a serial killer getting away with these crimes for so long. Kevin's thoughts mirrored the same disgust.
You couldn't have killed very many then, Stefan prodded. Not if you were never caught.
Bullshit. I'm not going to give anything away, but you can bet there were over a dozen back then, until my asshole big brother stepped in and decided to steal what was mine. Now that I've learned to live again, I think Charles is going to develop traits of a pedophile.
Kevin shuddered.
Where is Alexis now? asked Stefan humbly, as if bowing gracefully to a talent bigger and stronger than his.
Kevin laughed humorlessly. As if! The ripples of mirth slid through Stefan's mind, only to be quickly stamped on, in warning.
She's locked in a cupboard, the asshole explained comfortably.
Kevin almost lost it. A fucking cupboard! He barely heeded Stefan's silent warning to stay in control. He
closed his eyes, forcing away the horrific image of Alexis's suffering. He had to remain strong or he'd be of no help.
A closet, that's smart. Presumably she can't get out? Stefan's friendly conversational tone surprised Kevin. While his stomach churned and blood lust blinded his vision, Kevin knew Stefan was calm, cool and collected. Kevin had never admired him more. Was he still probing the ethers for Alexis's physical location?
Yeah, I left her in an incriminating place, at least for John. His statement seemed to amuse him to no end as gales of laughter overwhelmed him.
That must have been difficult.
For you maybe, not for me. I've been using Charles and several others to do my dirty work for years. Glen shrugged dismissively. They made it almost too easy.
If everything is working for you, why take John out now? asked Stefan.
Maximum destructiveness. I want him to suffer. He's responsible for destroying my life. I am going to destroy him. His useless wimp of a son should get the same. I've perfected my next step, which will allow me to enjoy their confusion and pain from the most advantageous place.
Gloating satisfaction oozed from the madman's energy as his projection shone with pride. His mocking commentary almost drove Kevin to his knees. How many people out there were acting under this maniac's commands? He'd have to consider this carefully.
But don't you want them to pull the plug on your physical body so you can finally find peace? Stefan continued to talk calmly, almost reverently of the other man's exceptional talent. An ego-stroking that made Kevin nauseous, even as he understood the need for it.
It no longer matters what they do to my body. Once my dear brother is taken care of, I will move on to my next host. From my new vantage point, I can do what I want. They probably will pull the plug on their own if he's not there to continue paying my exorbitant medical bills. And he'll be gone soon. Everything's almost in place.
The words rolled over Kevin in mass confusion. Surely, he couldn't continue to control these people without a physical presence? Somehow this madman had found a way to make dead no longer mean totally dead.
The asshole was still talking, and Kevin had to forcibly refocus. Only Alexis mattered now.
… I'm confident that I'll be able to carry on my existence in the same manner. After all, I've had years to work out a solution to this problem. I don't need my body to be alive anymore. I can control more now than I ever could alive. Keen intelligence gleamed through the blackness. In the beginning, it was a different story, of course. But with endless time for practice, I think I've perfected the transfer. I believe I can make it permanent. Through lifetimes even. Over and over.
His seeping malevolence wavered, appeared to dissipate, before solidifying once again in front of them. Kevin watched and listened in horrified fascination as the maniac continued his gloating.
And don't think I'm stupid enough to let you know where I'm going, or how I'm doing this. He smirked at his own superior knowledge. You'd like to know though, wouldn't you? Too fucking bad.
I don't understand what you could have done with Alexis. After all, it's her mind we're in now. Stefan kept awe and confusion in his voice.
Kevin waited breathless.
Of course you don't, because you're thinking from the human perspective, not the soul perspective. You have to work on that! he admonished. Like they say on TV, you have to think outside the box.
Sorry, it's difficult while grounded in physical life.
True.
The asshole seemed somewhat mollified by Stefan's admission of a lesser status and talent. Yeah, right.
Kevin waited and watched. At the same time, he tried to observe the frozen stalagmites forming the visual of Alexis's mind. He didn't understand – how could this be? Everything about this case could have come from a horror show. Were these surroundings hers or the asshole's? Not that it mattered, but he had to locate her and help her free herself.
He scanned the space he could see. There! Off on the far wall, back slightly out of view, stood something frozen in the ice. Alexis. Excited, Kevin started to tell Stefan, only to be cut off immediately.
I know. You need to get over to her, but don't let this maniac know. Stefan's faint whisper came so faint as to be an impression felt rather than clear words.
Go to her? How?
The ice is Alexis's vision, only she doesn't know it. Become one with it and you'll become one with her.
Shit. He'd never tried anything like this. It didn't matter. He had to succeed. There was no other option. He didn't know about becoming one with the ice, but he could definitely relate to water. Could he warm the surface of the ice enough to melt it to a film of water?
It was easier than he'd thought. Almost instantaneously, he found himself slithering across the frozen surface, inside the slightly warmer film connecting him to the icy particles that made up the chamber of Alexis's mind. A small part of his brain watched the proceedings in awe. How was such a thing even possible?
There was no time for amazement or shock. That would surely follow, but for now he raced through the cold watery flow to help the woman he loved.
CHAPTER 26
Alexis fought the rising tide of panic. None of this made any sense. Disjointed images flooded her subconscious, washing her in sounds and impressions that refused to fit together. She shuddered under the chaotic onslaught. Pain and confusion blinded her. Inundated on all sides, she fought for clarity.
When clarity finally came, amazement beset her. She existed simultaneously in two planes. Always before, she'd been focused in one energy field, blocking out any vivid awareness of the other. Not this time. That juxtaposition and merging in itself seemed as horrifying as it was exhilarating. The panoramic vistas of both realities overwhelmed her with their sharpness.
A lucidity she didn't appreciate once she realized she was a prisoner in both worlds.
In the physical plane, ropes were strangling the circulation in both her ankles and wrists and a tight cloth gagged her mouth. Worse than that had to be the awkward position she'd been twisted into. It felt like she was the last item shoved into an already-full cupboard before the door was slammed shut quickly to prevent her falling out.
Right now, falling out would be a welcomed relief.
Tears welled up as she tried to shift her body. Muscles screamed for relief but there were only scant inches to move in any direction. The gag pulled the skin on her cheeks, and worse were the few loose hairs caught in the tape that ripped her scalp with each tiny movement. Defeated, she collapsed back down to her original position.
She was going nowhere here.
Simultaneously, she was transported to the other world. She drifted in and out of sleep and wakefulness. Icy cold surrounded her in this place where pain and fear inundated her.
This reality was no better.
Imprisoned and suspended in an icicle, she appeared to be in the middle of a huge stalagmite that dominated an icy cavern. Peripherally, she registered the presence of others.
Yet something was familiar. What? No, not what – who? Kevin! Was Kevin here? She concentrated harder, searching for his tangible thread. Yes. She could feel his comforting presence. And Stefan's too! Joy pulsed through her. They were both here.
Then she sensed a third presence. The asshole.
Numbing coldness encroached on her emotions, fighting with gripping fear. Her captor was here. This last realization, oddly enough, was what grounded her firmly in this reality and made things clear.
He had to be stopped.
Now, through the surrounding frozen wasteland, she could feel, and even to a certain extent, see, the vague outlines of both the asshole's and Stefan's energies.
Stefan's energy looked distinctly odd – tight, controlled, yet wispy. Alexis focused next on his adversary. A malevolent force she recognized straight away – evil oozed from the center of his black heart.
Where could Kevin be in all of this? Carefully, she closed her eyes and opened her senses. She co
uld feel him, but not see him. She smiled. There he was. He was…everywhere. Kevin existed in the ice that surrounded and supported her, covered and held her.
Alex? The soft voice rippling through her consciousness. His words slid in at the DNA level. Without sound, without form, only a distinctive knowing that allowed her to understand. And to respond in kind.
So relieved to hear you. Maybe you could explain what is going on? Alexis whispered. Her mind opened wider as the words slipped out on fragile snowflakes – the link between the two of them made words unnecessary.
True to thought, images played through her mind. Became a movie of what had happened, and how they all came to be there at the same place.
That place being inside her mind.
Dear God.
Alexis slumped, understanding what her reality had become.
Don't, Kevin admonished.
Don't what? Be depressed? Be afraid? I think I'm entitled to feel a little alarmed over a science fiction war currently being fought inside my head, she said, fear sharpening her voice to that of a razor's edge.
True, but you're not alone, Kevin said. We won't let anything happen to you.
His soothing tones washed through her, but she knew better. Too late! she lashed out.
It is not. We're trying to find the physical you. Can you help us? Do you know where you are?
In a padded cell? If not now, I probably will be soon, she muttered.
Stop! You are not crazy. Help us.
Excuse me, she snapped. A fraught minute later, she pulled back. He was right. They all needed to keep their wits about them or she'd never survive. There'd be time for a full-scale breakdown later.
It's not going to happen, so don't even think about it.