Balance - Book 2

by Marc Dickason

CHAPTER 4

  Selena had changed little since last I had seen her, months prior. The formal wardrobe had been traded for a casual alternative, but still she managed to radiate an aura of brutal authority. Even through a low resolution monitor.

  As I watched a tiny flutter blossomed in my stomach, dancing about and eagerly demanding to be recognised. I silenced it, attempting to pretend its presence had not brought a flush to my cheeks.

  On the monitor Selena’s pacing increased and became frantic, coal black hair flying over her shoulder and face anxious.

  “That’s Selena all right,” Benny said, “doing what I always imagined she would do when alone in a room. Look pissed off.”

  The room around her was undamaged. And, upon leaning closer to the monitor, I noticed something else that had not been present. A stack of official looking brown folders piled neatly in a corner. Some sat open with papers laid out in rows.

  “What are those?” I asked Benny.

  He squinted at the monitor.

  “I’m not sure. Look like office folders of some kind.” Realisation jolted him. “Oh. Damn it.”

  “What?”

  “They’re D.O.M folders.”

  “Yes? And?”

  “I’m willing to bet those are her case files.”

  A hand clamped itself over my eyes. “How…?”

  “We’ll discuss it later.” He turned to Chester. “Skip ahead to where she goes postal.”

  He obeyed and the video sped up; Selena’s pacing became a blur of movement. She paced at least fifteen minutes, seen in a few seconds, then the scenario changed. She was in a chair, naked legs hanging over the armrest. On her thigh a cut oozed blood nestled among hundreds of scars. A razor dangled from one hand.

  “Holy shit,” Benny muttered, “Has she cut her leg?”

  “Yes. It’s her Primary Crutch.”

  “We can’t all be smokers, I guess.”

  “She’s calm,” I noted, “so she still has control of her demon.”

  A second figure now joined Selena, standing half masked behind the chair. A tall anorexically thin woman, sequined dress and fur coat drooping from jutted bones and taut pale skin.

  “Will you look at that,” Chester cooed, “What is that creature?”

  “You shut up,” Benny snapped, “Keep the video rolling.”

  Selena was back on her feet, pacing. The demon watched on. Then the destruction started. She stopped suddenly and in a rush of fast forwarded motion smashed her fist repeatedly into the wall, raw Spirit crackling in swarms of blue sparks. Impact craters appeared in quick succession, littering the room’s interior. There was a pause, then she was sitting with back to wall, panting.

  “She’s slipping,” Benny muttered.

  Seconds later the room door opened and an Enforcer stepped in, ushering us into another frantic period of blurred motions. Spirit flew and a battle was fought.

  “Stop it here,” Benny said to Chester.

  The video slowed to normal speed; the demon was perched atop the Enforcer. The man struggled as it rained down slashing blows. His head snapped from side to side, blood spraying the walls as his face was gored beyond recognition. Then Selena lunged and knocked the creature aside, screaming inaudible words into its face. It snarled back at her and she struck it hard, sending it stumbling into a wall. It looked enraged. But did not resist.

  The mauled Enforcer went limp. Selena grabbed the files and bolted for the door, leaving the demon alone. It cocked its head to the side and watched after her. Then looked directly up at the camera. There was a combined gasp in the surveillance room.

  “It sees us,” Chester hissed.

  The creature faded as if it had never been there.

  I gaped, speechless. Not in my wildest dreams had I believed such a scene would unfold. This woman, the very poster child of control, was unravelling.

  ‘What have we done…?’ the flutter in my stomach groaned.

  Benny sighed and rubbed his eyes. I knew how he felt; despite the guilt I was also sharply aware that this was the woman who would, inevitably, be coming for us.

  “I would have never believed to this level, but she’s slipping,” he said to me, raking fingers back through hair, “Big time.”

  “What do we do?”

  “If she carries on down that road it could be seriously devastating. Either way the D.O.M will rally a major man hunt. She’s attacked an Enforcer; that will put her at the top of every list in the city.”

  I nodded. “Of course.”

  “This is beyond you and me now, Jet. She needs to be caught.”

  “What was that creature?” Chester interjected, eyes wide, “Was it the ghost?! I never thought…”

  Benny scoffed and planted a hand on either side of the old man’s head, then stared into his eyes.

  “Hey!”

  He resisted at first, but after a second his mouth dropped open.

  “There were no Enforcers here tonight, you did not see us. Understand me, Chester?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you’re going to throw this surveillance equipment out the window the moment me and Jet leave. Forget you ever had it, forget you ever used it, forget everything you saw in the monitor. And take up a ravenous interest in antique collecting. Okay?”

  “Okay,” Chester agreed.

  “Good. And if you want something dirty to look at use the internet like everyone else.” He released the old man and nodded at me. ‘We’re leaving.’