Dst – Chronicles of Malignant Mercies Pt 12 (4/8)
Dark Halloween – End Game
Within moments the police HQ was in an uproar. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this one.” murmured Detective Briggs. “What did you hear about the shots?”
Davis shrugged his shoulders, leaning against his partner’s desk with his hip as both watched the frenzy. “Something about the old warehouse. You know, where the trash hangs out.”
Michael frowned faintly, considering the situation. Only a few moments before the situation clicked in his head. “Holy shit! We’d better get over there. It might be her!”
Davis frowned faintly as he looked at his partner. “What?” But Michael was already out of the door, so Davis had to follow just to keep questioning him. “How do you figure?”
“The clues add up. It’s remote and full of scum. Plus, I just got this feeling..” But he didn’t stop to consider the gut feeling.
Though skeptical, Davis noted the determination in his partner’s manner and knew he’d never get through to him now. With a resigned sigh he followed Briggs to the car.
*****
They came on scene a few minutes after reinforcements had arrived. Briggs was out of the car in a flash, searching for the officer in charge of the scene. They had the gate hemmed in with several patrol cars, flashlights moving along and through the complex as searchers canvassed the area.
“Status.”
The officer in charge turned at Briggs’ address. “Sure as hell I don’t have a clue what went on here. So far we’ve got at least five stiffs in the warehouse. Each one cut up bad and missing a heart. We had a runner, but she just.. well, disappeared. After cutting up two of ours who got here first. They’ll live, though it’s a good thing they called us in first thing.”
Briggs nodded and asked, “She? What did she look like?”
The officer shook his head. “All we’re sure of from them is she was pale, like a ghost.” He snorts a little and shakes his head again. “Way she disappeared, maybe she is. One of ’em called her death, but he was pretty much in shock from blood loss.”
“Thanks. Where did she disappear?” The officer pointed Briggs toward the right side of the complex. “Keep up the good work and keep me updated.” Michael frowned after turning away. “It was her, Davis.. I’m sure of it.”
“Yeah, but what are you going to do?Sounds like she slipped through our fingers again.” Davis was taken by surprise again when Michel turned and started off toward the right side of the complex.
“Look for clues. What else?”
*****
There were a half dozen cops in the area when Michael and Davis got there and they were quickly brought up to speed. Since there was a profound lack of progress. “Her tracks just.. disappear here. Like she just flew off into the sky or something.” The officer shrugged and Michael waved him back to his duties.
Davis leaned over his shoulder as Michael crouched, shining his flashlight on the last traces. “I’ll head over there and see if I can find any traces.” Michael nodded and continued to consider the ground before him as Davis walked off.
“You will not find her here.”
Michael looked up and saw a young boy standing before him in plain, tasteful pajamas. “What?” Asked with undisguised confusion.
“You won’t find her here, but I can lead you to the woman you seek. The one that has been killing, we can stop her. But you must agree to terms. Will you listen?”
Briggs stared at the kid, not quite sure what to make of him. He looked to be barely into his teens, but the inflections of his voice.. those eyes. He acted old. But pragmatism won out over confusion. “If you can help me stop the killing, I’ll help you.”
The boy nodded and extended his hand to Michael. “Come, we cannot talk here.” Michael took it and stood, following as the boy led him deeper into the woods.
A few moments later, Davis returned. Not spying his partner he called out for him.
There was no answer.
*****
“Who are you?” Davis looked down at the child who led him into the woods.
“That isn’t important. I know the woman you are looking for. And I know more of what is going on than you could imagine. Events are coming to fruition that are beyond the killings she has been involved in. But I can stop it with your help.” Joseph lifted his head to look toward the detective. “I’m not strong enough to face what will come myself, but we are together.”
The sureness of the young voice gave Michael a chill. “Maybe you could tell me exactly what’s going on here if I’m going to be dealing with it.”
The boy nodded and looked forward again. “Are you a religious man, detective?”
How does this kid know me, Detective Briggs thought quietly. “Can’t say that I am.”
“Good, you have no preconceived notions to deal with, then. Despite how things might seem, forces akin to what you would call magic exist. As to what you might think of as gods, but they are not truly gods. They are primal aspects of the forces that make up reality.”
Michael glanced down at the kid again, a brow arched slightly. “So magic is real? That’s pretty hard to swallow.”
Joseph shook his head and continued. “It doesn’t matter. After tonight, you will believe. These primal forces I mentioned are at the core of what plagues us now. They are terribly powerful, but every one has a fatal flaw. They can only express themselves through their element. Their focus is so narrow, that they will pursue the means to spread the essence of their element to the exclusion of all others. Even unto disaster. That is why it is imperative that all of them remain in balance, no one force exerting a greater influence than the others.”
Michael frowned, idly scratching at the back of his neck. “I suppose that makes some sense. There is the saying about too much of a good thing.”
“Apt summary, Detective Briggs.” Joseph nods his head once. “But in this case it is too much of a bad thing. These primal forces are closely linked to this world. I do not know why this is, but it is through the population of this world that they have sought to gain dominance over their peers. By taking on avatars and guiding them to enact complex ceremonies, gathering power that can be used by a primal force to enter this world physically.”
“Wait.. I think I see where you’re going with this. Are you about to say that this woman is doing that.. avatar thing? For one of these forces?”
Joseph nodded. “That is so. She has been in the thrall of Vrecxs the Death Lord for over a year. And the ceremony she started will soon come to fruition. The Death Lord will enter this world physically if she succeeds and all life on this planet, perhaps all life in existence will be forfeit.”
Michael was silent at that, a bit stunned. Not only by the implications, but that he believed the story. It was crazy. Here he was in the middle of the forest, being led about by a child who spoke like a scholar, accepting that magic was real and the Earth itself was about to be devastated. And it was up to him to stop it.
“It’s going to be a long night.” Michael sighed.
“We are here.”