Balance - Book 2 by Marc Dickason
CHAPTER 20
At debriefing Chief Commander Gill was sombre. He stood before the Enforcers for a long moment, surveying the sea of bruised cheeks and swollen eyes. Clara Anderson had not been alone in her beating.
“I think it goes without saying that what occurred at that stadium was no accident,” he said at last, “For those of you who did not detect it, the spell seems to have been a form of Crowd Surfing. Altered, mutated and customised to astonishing degrees. Every man and woman in this room can thank their training that it did not affect them to a noticeable degree. We have not seen anything like it and frankly the D.O.M was not even aware it was possible. But our top specialists are working on it as we speak; looking for possible counter spells and working on some means of preventing further infection.”
A hand shot up.
“Yes, Enforcer?”
“Do we have any idea who’s behind this, sir?”
“The ‘who’s’ and ‘why’s’ are unknown at this time. But one or more very powerful magic users are involved. Either way the implications of what we witnessed are immense. If anyone has heard or seen anything that can help shed light on the situation, speak up. Anything might help.”
I bit my lip. My mind went back to the Global Net building. The information I had illegally glimpsed.
Another hand went up.
“Yes, Enforcer?”
“What was the purpose of the Spell, sir?”
“Also unknown at this time, Enforcer. Speculation is it was a politically motivated attack. But this is an unconfirmed theory and should be treated as such. So you all keep your mouths shut and stay very far away from the media. That is not a polite request people, the last thing we need is rumours of that kind, making an already bad situation worse.”
“To what end, sir?” someone else spoke up, “what are they hoping to achieve with this Spell?”
“Again, only speculation at this time; spreading unrest among magic users is clearly the goal. But what that will achieve is uncertain.”
I put my hand up.
“Yes, Clarence?”
Faces turned in my direction.
“I felt the spell yesterday, Commander Gill,” I said, “In the streets.”
Gill studied me. “Why are you only mentioning this now, Clarence?”
“I wasn’t sure what I was detecting, sir.”
“Alright. Go on, can you give us some details, son?”
“I followed a suspect out into the streets and was confronted by a group of civilians. The spell was present.”
“You felt that same Crowd Surfing Spell on the streets? In a random group of civilians?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I see.”
“What does it mean, sir?” someone asked.
“I’m not sure, Enforcer. You know as much as I do. Get out there and find out. As of right now you’re all on standby. Dismissed.”
There were exhausted sighs. The Enforcers stood and exited. I hovered.
“Chief Commander Gill.”
“Yes?”
I cleared my throat. “I requested a search warrant for a building; Global Net.”
“I’m aware, Clarence. A bit swamped at the moment, I’ll get to it. Not our top priority.”
“I think its best we get to it sooner rather then later, sir. I have reason to believe there may be a connection between Little Dreamers, Global Net, and the Crowd Surfing Spell.”
“Reason to believe? How much reason?”
“I’m certain, sir.”
“Then why haven’t you made a report, Clarence…?” He paused, staring at me. The lines on his face deepened. “What’s the situation? What is going on? You made a call that Expelled-Enforcer Fran Clarence was at that building, as I understand. Your grandmother? Just what the hell is going on, Jet? Would you like to elaborate?”
I swallowed. “No, sir. Nothing to add. But I do believe we should get a team into Global Net as soon as is possible. It would greatly help us combating the Crowd Surfing Spell, I believe. A hunch, sir.”
He studied me. “Alright. Fine. I’ll push through the search warrant and dispatch a team immediately.”
“Excellent, sir.”
“And Clarence?”
“Yes, sir?”
“If you come across other information that might be helpful, or have any other ‘hunches’, as you put it, you let me know. Okay? This is a crisis we’re dealing with and circumstances are glassy in such times. Do you understand what I’m saying? Write up a full report, please.”
“Yes, sir. I think so.”
I claimed a work station in the common room and got busy with paperwork. I opened the ‘Little Dreamers’ file, clicked on the ‘Connections’ tab, then the ‘Global Net’ entry. I forwarded the ‘requesting a search warrant’ to Gill. The second time. Then completed a form that stated I had suspicions about the location based on ‘behaviour by a security guard possibly related to Manipulation spells’. This form was also sent with the note ‘details to follow.’
My thoughts turned to the man currently hiding in my closet; Phillip the security guard. The last remaining solid path to my mother and grandmother. A sudden image struck me; the dopey man breaking free from the spell and snapping back to reality, realising his situation and going screaming out of the apartment. Straight to the nearest D.O.M. I buckled down and attempted to hurry through the details of the report, but the sheer amount of pedantic information could not easily be rushed. When at last I was done two hours later I headed into Gill’s office and placed the printout on his desk.
“Ah, speedily done,” he said, flipping through it, “Thank you, Clarence.”
“Of course, sir.”
I hovered. His eyes scanned through the pages.
“Clarence,” he said with a sigh, looking up at me. “I’m telling you in advance a team is being put together. Enforcers capable of detecting the Spell. There are specialists coming in from out of town, as well as a few from overseas. You, naturally, are going to be called upon. We once again have need for your talents.”
“Of course, sir.”
“Alright.” He paused and glanced at my stitches. Then my bandaged hand. “Injuries causing you grief?”
“Not brightening my day, sir.”
“Yes, I’m sure. Head home and get rest, Clarence. Someone will contact you.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Dismissed.”
I hurried home. Half of me was convinced I would spot Phillip wondering down a street in a stupor. But upon arriving and flying up the stairs the sight that met my eyes was something completely different. Benny was on the living room couch, still dressed in uniform and lazy eyes fixed on a news report. I stared at him, waiting for a reaction. He did not move.
“Benny?”
His glassy eyes fixed on me, “Hi, Jet,” and back to the TV. “Make it out of the stadium okay?”
“Yes. Girl I was with took a beating though. You?”
“Managed okay.”
I drifted over to the couch and sat beside him. We stared at the television.
“The Crowd Surfing Spell…”
“I felt it this time. Difficult not too. Whole city will look like the inside of that stadium pretty soon. If that spell isn’t brought under control. A counter-spell created.”
Images of black shapes detaching from a crowd and attacking Enforcers returned to me. I shuddered. “How do you possibly control something like that?”
“It spreads. But like all spells of that nature it started somewhere, with a single person. A Typhoid Mary.” He extracted a tattered pouch of tobacco and began rolling a cigarette. “It also has a lifespan. So in order to stay as strong as it currently is, it is being strengthened. So the question is; who started it and who is keeping it alive? And more to the point, who is this person capable of spreading it so far so quickly? A very powerful person, Jet. As powerful as you.” The cigarette materialised and he lit it.
I sat back. Names in a notebook were floating in front of my eyes.
Names of Little Dreamers children.
“Or persons,” I muttered to myself. Puzzle pieces were going ‘click.’ “They would want the most powerful magic users they could find. Or make.”
Benny looked at and raised an eyebrow. He puffed smoke at the ceiling. “What are you talking about?”
“I think I’m starting to get and idea of what’s going on.”
“Yes?”
“The children from Little Dreamers. I saw my grandmother implanting false memories. Building up demons. Creating powerful magic users. And unless I’m missing something, those children are…”
“Where did you see this, Jet?”
“A building across town; Global Net. There was a child at Little Dreamers named Ken. I followed his memories. They’re taking children from Little Dreamers and artificially stamping demons into their brains. God, Benny, I think they did it to me. But I don’t understand. I don’t know if that man, my demon, was real or…”
His eyes widened. “They’re making more of you?”
“It seems that way. I think they also experimented with the Crowd Surfing Spell. Maybe even created it in that room. I’m not sure. There were charts on the wall that looked like they were related. Like sheet music.”
“God damn, Jet.” He produced a tired smile. “Well done. There is still hope it can be contained; maybe before it gets particularly ugly.” He stubbed out the cigarette. “I mean, whatever they’re hoping to achieve with this. Political? Maybe they’ll ransom the city for the counter spell…”
I nodded and the room fell into silence. From my room came a muffled thump.
“You reported what you found?” Benny asked, “Specialists are investigating that building?”
I swallowed. “Yes. Put in for the search warrant. They’ll get to it…”
“You put in for the search warrant…?”
“Yes.”
He sat up. “You searched the building illegally?”
“Yes.”
“Christ, Jet! Do you realise…?!”
There was another thump. Benny’s head snapped in the direction of my room. He was suddenly whispering. “Who is in your room?”
“Benny, look, I have to tell you something. I’m a little worried about your reaction.”
“Go on.”
“There is a security guard in my cupboard. From Global Net.”
He remained expressionless. “I see.” There was another silence. “You’re serious?”
“He knows something. He can take me to them…”
I watched him, waiting. My body tensed in anticipation.
“And you’d like help extracting that information?” he asked calmly.
“I need to know…”
“Of course you do.” He smiled. “Well bring the man out. Let’s see what we can see.”
“Benny…”
“Go on. Get him.”
I hesitated at length. Then entered my room and opened the closet. A pair of enormous eyes and smell of urine washed out to greet me.
“I think there’s someone in the apartment,” Phillip whispered.
“I told you not to go to the bathroom in my closet.”
“I know. I’m sorry, I couldn’t hold it.”
“Come with me. We’re going to meet a friend.”
The large man extracted himself from the cupboard and stretched. His blue security guard trousers were darkened with stains.
“A friend?”
‘Yes. He’ll help. This will all be over soon.”
I led him into the living room.
“Well, hello there,” Benny said brightly, “you must be Jet’s kidnap victim.’
“He said you could help,” Phillip replied nervously, “You see, there are people after me…”
“Are there now,” Benny said, feigning concern.
“Yes. They’re everywhere. Watching me, listening.”
“That must be hard on you. Being pursued by a shadowy non-specific enemy.”
“It is.”
“Why don’t you have a seat for a moment?”
Phillip waddled over to the couch and sat. Benny looked at me.
“Of course you’ll have to remove his memories of being taken.”
“I know.”
“And any memories of you entering the building illegally.”
“Of course.’”
I approached Phillip. He was blinking at us in turn.
“What are you guys talking about?” he moaned.
“But then again,” Benny continued, ignoring him, “your grandmother will surely know you took him. And if she goes digging around in his head she will uncover the information you’ve hidden. Track you right back here.” His smile was ice. “What to do about that? Now we’re in a pickle. Can we take that risk, Jet? Sending him back out there to his old life when he has the potential to give us away?”
“I didn’t…”
“I know you didn’t.”
“So what…?”
He turned to Phillip. “Have a family, Phillip?”
“Yes,” the podgy man whispered, “A wife. Who are you people? What is going on?”
“I’m afraid she might notice something, Phillip. Maybe find your bizarre desire to flee the country a bit alarming.” He glanced at me. “Because that’s what we have to do, right Jet? Get him as far away as possible? Avoid anyone getting into his head? So I’m afraid you won’t be seeing her again, Phillip. Then again you won’t know the difference.” He sighed. “Of course your wife will report the disappearance and get the D.O.M searching. That’s no good. Better he is a person vanished, possibly with his wife, then a person up and leaving his wife for no good reason. We’ll have to pay her a visit as well. Get her gone as well.”
“Oh my God,” Phillip breathed. Tears leaked down his cheeks. “What is this? What in God’s name is going on? I haven’t done anything. Who do you think I am? I’m not him; I’m not the person you’re looking for.”
“You think I like this!?” I snapped at Benny, “You think I enjoy this bullshit?”
“No, Jet, I don’t. But you’re doing it regardless. By the way, you should know in advance that when virtually wiping out an entire adult life there is always a chance the person will struggle with acceptance. Until the day they die. Too many clicks, you see. Sometimes they even relapse.”
“She was right there!” I was suddenly screaming. “I saw her! And I won’t let her slip away again! You understand me?! I won’t let her get away!”
“And this man? Just another stepping stone on your road to obsession! Why didn’t you just let the D.O.M do their jobs, Jet? Why didn’t you let the law find Global Net? They would have found her. You would have had her!”
“Those incompetent bastards?! Those sons of bitches that shot down Judy?! That left Linda to rot in a bed?! I found her! They couldn’t do it in six months! Six months! I need to do it, Benny! I need to do it!”
He stared at me. ‘When Phillip kicks in your door two years down the line and shoots you in the face because you tore his wife out of his head. Will he be justified?’
There was silence punctuated by Phillip’s heavy breathing. Nearby the TV flickered its staccato story into the room.
“He will be justified,” I said.
“And I would be a bastard to try and stop him, Jet. Do you understand that?” He turned to Philip. “It’s best if you don’t resist, my friend. It will make the process easier.”
“Oh God, please don’t do this,” Philip sobbed, “Please don’t do this. I won’t tell anyone, I swear. I won’t tell…”
“Look into my eyes.”
The two locked eyes and the large man went calm. They held the gaze for ten seconds. Benny stepped back.
“Phillip has seen you before,” he said, “Arriving and leaving with your grandmother years ago. Been working there most of his life. He also overheard a fair amount of things I’m sure he wasn’t supposed to. But they got sloppy, forgot he was there.”
I nodded. “And?”
“Fran, your grandmother, is head of that project they’ve got going on. She’s been experimenting with magic for decades: she and a few others. Perfecting that Crowd Surfing Spell. Implanting memories that have no business being accepted by a human mind. Mistress of the clicks, your grandmother.” His face went sombre. “Hundreds of children have been in and out of there. Some kept going back well into their teens then moved on somewhere else. Others I guess were returned to their parents if the process failed. I hope.”
“Moved on to where?”
He sighed. “The strongest subjects are adopted by your mother. Total indoctrination.”
My stomach tightened. “I suppose I knew that.”
“What those subjects are used for after that, those she adopts, I’m not sure. Any number of things I suppose; powerful, obedient soldiers, capable of miracles. But most recently I gather they have been using the B team children to spread the Crowd Surfing Spell. Those considered more expendable.”
“Now we know.”
“Yes, and can’t use the information in any official way. It’s useless.”
I cleared my throat. “What else did you find?”
“You want to know if he knew where your grandmother is.”
“Did he?”
“Do you really want to know, Jet?”
The flame raised its head. It sensed that the endgame approached. Knew that the goal was finally in sight. “Yes.”
“What will you do when you find them, Jet? Tell me, why do you need to do it? What are your intentions?”
“I don’t…”
“Tell me. Say it. Are you even aware? Say it out loud.”
“Do you know what they did to me?!” I raised my wrists. “What they did to Linda? To Judy? All those children?!”
“I know,” he replied quietly, “they screwed you up. Tried to kill you. Abused Linda. Say it out loud. If you want me to tell you, say it out loud.”
The flame burst from its cage and consumed me. It spread into every corner of my mind and scorched my brain.
“They need to die!” I snapped.
“They need to die!” a voice repeated.
Beside me a figure had appeared. Its actions mimicked my own.
“Tell me!” I roared.
“Tell me!” the demon repeated.
Benny’s face fell. He glanced at the demon. “Look, Jet. Look.”
“Go!” I spat at the demon. It disappeared. “Please, Benny. I need to know.”
“I can’t tell you, Jet. I’m sorry.”
My lips were trembling. One hand had begun to massage the wrist of the other. The demon was back. It copied the action. “Benny, I need to know. I just… need to get this done. I can’t let them get away with what they’ve done to me. To Linda…”
“I don’t want to help you hide their bodies, Jet. I don’t want to have to look the other way while two women are buried. Don’t do it like this.”
“Help me. Help me because I’m your friend.”
“I’m sorry, Jet.”
“Then step aside. I’ll do it myself.”
I moved towards Phillip. Benny stepped in my way.
“No, Jet.”
Like a rapid gathering of storm clouds, rage was blossoming in my stomach. The demon squawked.
“Get out of my way,” I snapped.
He did not respond.
“Benny, get out of my way.”
I attempted to step past him. He resisted. All at once my Spirit was uncurling into the world as a living extension of the flame. There was a release of energy, one which sent the coffee table spinning, lamp flying into ungraceful cartwheels, and Phillip tumbling from his chair. And Benny was airborne. He sailed clear across the room and smashed into a set of shelves, pulling them to the ground. A decorative flower vase shattered like a grenade.
The room was suddenly very cold.
“Oh shit,” I heard myself mutter.
I turned to the demon. It looked back at me, face blank.
“You get out of here!” I snapped.
It disappeared and the flame calmed. My Spirit receded. I watched as Benny sat up and attempted to stand, but abandoned the effort in agony. A hand went to his ribs.
“I’m so sorry, Benny.”
I approached him and what felt like a fist the size of a football smashed into my cheek. I staggered. Stars exploded in my eyes. But I managed to stay standing.
“You’re out of your mind,” I heard Benny snarl.
My vision cleared in time to see him lunging with fist drawn back. And then I was seeing stars for the second time. My head snapped to the side and hands grabbed my collar.
“Out of your mind!”
Next came a dizzying sensation of flight and I was hitting the ground hard. Benny was sneering down at me.
“Wait…” I gasped.
Again I was hit in the face, again my head snapped to the side. Once, twice, three times, the third rattling my teeth so sharply I was certain they would be spat out as dust. And then rage was once again consuming my body. He raised his fist a fourth time, but my Spirit exploded. The room shook and chandelier jingled. His head nearly brushed the ceiling. When again he descended it was with a jarring thud near the rear of the apartment. Thankfully his body had fallen short and not exited straight out of the windows.
He did not try to stand. I lay back and stared at the ceiling. A hand held my throbbing face. It was then I realised Phillip was nowhere to be seen.
At debriefing Chief Commander Gill was sombre. He stood before the Enforcers for a long moment, surveying the sea of bruised cheeks and swollen eyes. Clara Anderson had not been alone in her beating.
“I think it goes without saying that what occurred at that stadium was no accident,” he said at last, “For those of you who did not detect it, the spell seems to have been a form of Crowd Surfing. Altered, mutated and customised to astonishing degrees. Every man and woman in this room can thank their training that it did not affect them to a noticeable degree. We have not seen anything like it and frankly the D.O.M was not even aware it was possible. But our top specialists are working on it as we speak; looking for possible counter spells and working on some means of preventing further infection.”
A hand shot up.
“Yes, Enforcer?”
“Do we have any idea who’s behind this, sir?”
“The ‘who’s’ and ‘why’s’ are unknown at this time. But one or more very powerful magic users are involved. Either way the implications of what we witnessed are immense. If anyone has heard or seen anything that can help shed light on the situation, speak up. Anything might help.”
I bit my lip. My mind went back to the Global Net building. The information I had illegally glimpsed.
Another hand went up.
“Yes, Enforcer?”
“What was the purpose of the Spell, sir?”
“Also unknown at this time, Enforcer. Speculation is it was a politically motivated attack. But this is an unconfirmed theory and should be treated as such. So you all keep your mouths shut and stay very far away from the media. That is not a polite request people, the last thing we need is rumours of that kind, making an already bad situation worse.”
“To what end, sir?” someone else spoke up, “what are they hoping to achieve with this Spell?”
“Again, only speculation at this time; spreading unrest among magic users is clearly the goal. But what that will achieve is uncertain.”
I put my hand up.
“Yes, Clarence?”
Faces turned in my direction.
“I felt the spell yesterday, Commander Gill,” I said, “In the streets.”
Gill studied me. “Why are you only mentioning this now, Clarence?”
“I wasn’t sure what I was detecting, sir.”
“Alright. Go on, can you give us some details, son?”
“I followed a suspect out into the streets and was confronted by a group of civilians. The spell was present.”
“You felt that same Crowd Surfing Spell on the streets? In a random group of civilians?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I see.”
“What does it mean, sir?” someone asked.
“I’m not sure, Enforcer. You know as much as I do. Get out there and find out. As of right now you’re all on standby. Dismissed.”
There were exhausted sighs. The Enforcers stood and exited. I hovered.
“Chief Commander Gill.”
“Yes?”
I cleared my throat. “I requested a search warrant for a building; Global Net.”
“I’m aware, Clarence. A bit swamped at the moment, I’ll get to it. Not our top priority.”
“I think its best we get to it sooner rather then later, sir. I have reason to believe there may be a connection between Little Dreamers, Global Net, and the Crowd Surfing Spell.”
“Reason to believe? How much reason?”
“I’m certain, sir.”
“Then why haven’t you made a report, Clarence…?” He paused, staring at me. The lines on his face deepened. “What’s the situation? What is going on? You made a call that Expelled-Enforcer Fran Clarence was at that building, as I understand. Your grandmother? Just what the hell is going on, Jet? Would you like to elaborate?”
I swallowed. “No, sir. Nothing to add. But I do believe we should get a team into Global Net as soon as is possible. It would greatly help us combating the Crowd Surfing Spell, I believe. A hunch, sir.”
He studied me. “Alright. Fine. I’ll push through the search warrant and dispatch a team immediately.”
“Excellent, sir.”
“And Clarence?”
“Yes, sir?”
“If you come across other information that might be helpful, or have any other ‘hunches’, as you put it, you let me know. Okay? This is a crisis we’re dealing with and circumstances are glassy in such times. Do you understand what I’m saying? Write up a full report, please.”
“Yes, sir. I think so.”
I claimed a work station in the common room and got busy with paperwork. I opened the ‘Little Dreamers’ file, clicked on the ‘Connections’ tab, then the ‘Global Net’ entry. I forwarded the ‘requesting a search warrant’ to Gill. The second time. Then completed a form that stated I had suspicions about the location based on ‘behaviour by a security guard possibly related to Manipulation spells’. This form was also sent with the note ‘details to follow.’
My thoughts turned to the man currently hiding in my closet; Phillip the security guard. The last remaining solid path to my mother and grandmother. A sudden image struck me; the dopey man breaking free from the spell and snapping back to reality, realising his situation and going screaming out of the apartment. Straight to the nearest D.O.M. I buckled down and attempted to hurry through the details of the report, but the sheer amount of pedantic information could not easily be rushed. When at last I was done two hours later I headed into Gill’s office and placed the printout on his desk.
“Ah, speedily done,” he said, flipping through it, “Thank you, Clarence.”
“Of course, sir.”
I hovered. His eyes scanned through the pages.
“Clarence,” he said with a sigh, looking up at me. “I’m telling you in advance a team is being put together. Enforcers capable of detecting the Spell. There are specialists coming in from out of town, as well as a few from overseas. You, naturally, are going to be called upon. We once again have need for your talents.”
“Of course, sir.”
“Alright.” He paused and glanced at my stitches. Then my bandaged hand. “Injuries causing you grief?”
“Not brightening my day, sir.”
“Yes, I’m sure. Head home and get rest, Clarence. Someone will contact you.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Dismissed.”
I hurried home. Half of me was convinced I would spot Phillip wondering down a street in a stupor. But upon arriving and flying up the stairs the sight that met my eyes was something completely different. Benny was on the living room couch, still dressed in uniform and lazy eyes fixed on a news report. I stared at him, waiting for a reaction. He did not move.
“Benny?”
His glassy eyes fixed on me, “Hi, Jet,” and back to the TV. “Make it out of the stadium okay?”
“Yes. Girl I was with took a beating though. You?”
“Managed okay.”
I drifted over to the couch and sat beside him. We stared at the television.
“The Crowd Surfing Spell…”
“I felt it this time. Difficult not too. Whole city will look like the inside of that stadium pretty soon. If that spell isn’t brought under control. A counter-spell created.”
Images of black shapes detaching from a crowd and attacking Enforcers returned to me. I shuddered. “How do you possibly control something like that?”
“It spreads. But like all spells of that nature it started somewhere, with a single person. A Typhoid Mary.” He extracted a tattered pouch of tobacco and began rolling a cigarette. “It also has a lifespan. So in order to stay as strong as it currently is, it is being strengthened. So the question is; who started it and who is keeping it alive? And more to the point, who is this person capable of spreading it so far so quickly? A very powerful person, Jet. As powerful as you.” The cigarette materialised and he lit it.
I sat back. Names in a notebook were floating in front of my eyes.
“Or persons,” I muttered to myself. Puzzle pieces were going ‘click.’ “They would want the most powerful magic users they could find. Or make.”
Benny looked at and raised an eyebrow. He puffed smoke at the ceiling. “What are you talking about?”
“I think I’m starting to get and idea of what’s going on.”
“Yes?”
“The children from Little Dreamers. I saw my grandmother implanting false memories. Building up demons. Creating powerful magic users. And unless I’m missing something, those children are…”
“Where did you see this, Jet?”
“A building across town; Global Net. There was a child at Little Dreamers named Ken. I followed his memories. They’re taking children from Little Dreamers and artificially stamping demons into their brains. God, Benny, I think they did it to me. But I don’t understand. I don’t know if that man, my demon, was real or…”
His eyes widened. “They’re making more of you?”
“It seems that way. I think they also experimented with the Crowd Surfing Spell. Maybe even created it in that room. I’m not sure. There were charts on the wall that looked like they were related. Like sheet music.”
“God damn, Jet.” He produced a tired smile. “Well done. There is still hope it can be contained; maybe before it gets particularly ugly.” He stubbed out the cigarette. “I mean, whatever they’re hoping to achieve with this. Political? Maybe they’ll ransom the city for the counter spell…”
I nodded and the room fell into silence. From my room came a muffled thump.
“You reported what you found?” Benny asked, “Specialists are investigating that building?”
I swallowed. “Yes. Put in for the search warrant. They’ll get to it…”
“You put in for the search warrant…?”
“Yes.”
He sat up. “You searched the building illegally?”
“Yes.”
“Christ, Jet! Do you realise…?!”
There was another thump. Benny’s head snapped in the direction of my room. He was suddenly whispering. “Who is in your room?”
“Benny, look, I have to tell you something. I’m a little worried about your reaction.”
“Go on.”
“There is a security guard in my cupboard. From Global Net.”
He remained expressionless. “I see.” There was another silence. “You’re serious?”
“He knows something. He can take me to them…”
I watched him, waiting. My body tensed in anticipation.
“And you’d like help extracting that information?” he asked calmly.
“I need to know…”
“Of course you do.” He smiled. “Well bring the man out. Let’s see what we can see.”
“Benny…”
“Go on. Get him.”
I hesitated at length. Then entered my room and opened the closet. A pair of enormous eyes and smell of urine washed out to greet me.
“I think there’s someone in the apartment,” Phillip whispered.
“I told you not to go to the bathroom in my closet.”
“I know. I’m sorry, I couldn’t hold it.”
“Come with me. We’re going to meet a friend.”
The large man extracted himself from the cupboard and stretched. His blue security guard trousers were darkened with stains.
“A friend?”
‘Yes. He’ll help. This will all be over soon.”
I led him into the living room.
“Well, hello there,” Benny said brightly, “you must be Jet’s kidnap victim.’
“He said you could help,” Phillip replied nervously, “You see, there are people after me…”
“Are there now,” Benny said, feigning concern.
“Yes. They’re everywhere. Watching me, listening.”
“That must be hard on you. Being pursued by a shadowy non-specific enemy.”
“It is.”
“Why don’t you have a seat for a moment?”
Phillip waddled over to the couch and sat. Benny looked at me.
“Of course you’ll have to remove his memories of being taken.”
“I know.”
“And any memories of you entering the building illegally.”
“Of course.’”
I approached Phillip. He was blinking at us in turn.
“What are you guys talking about?” he moaned.
“But then again,” Benny continued, ignoring him, “your grandmother will surely know you took him. And if she goes digging around in his head she will uncover the information you’ve hidden. Track you right back here.” His smile was ice. “What to do about that? Now we’re in a pickle. Can we take that risk, Jet? Sending him back out there to his old life when he has the potential to give us away?”
“I didn’t…”
“I know you didn’t.”
“So what…?”
He turned to Phillip. “Have a family, Phillip?”
“Yes,” the podgy man whispered, “A wife. Who are you people? What is going on?”
“I’m afraid she might notice something, Phillip. Maybe find your bizarre desire to flee the country a bit alarming.” He glanced at me. “Because that’s what we have to do, right Jet? Get him as far away as possible? Avoid anyone getting into his head? So I’m afraid you won’t be seeing her again, Phillip. Then again you won’t know the difference.” He sighed. “Of course your wife will report the disappearance and get the D.O.M searching. That’s no good. Better he is a person vanished, possibly with his wife, then a person up and leaving his wife for no good reason. We’ll have to pay her a visit as well. Get her gone as well.”
“Oh my God,” Phillip breathed. Tears leaked down his cheeks. “What is this? What in God’s name is going on? I haven’t done anything. Who do you think I am? I’m not him; I’m not the person you’re looking for.”
“You think I like this!?” I snapped at Benny, “You think I enjoy this bullshit?”
“No, Jet, I don’t. But you’re doing it regardless. By the way, you should know in advance that when virtually wiping out an entire adult life there is always a chance the person will struggle with acceptance. Until the day they die. Too many clicks, you see. Sometimes they even relapse.”
“She was right there!” I was suddenly screaming. “I saw her! And I won’t let her slip away again! You understand me?! I won’t let her get away!”
“And this man? Just another stepping stone on your road to obsession! Why didn’t you just let the D.O.M do their jobs, Jet? Why didn’t you let the law find Global Net? They would have found her. You would have had her!”
“Those incompetent bastards?! Those sons of bitches that shot down Judy?! That left Linda to rot in a bed?! I found her! They couldn’t do it in six months! Six months! I need to do it, Benny! I need to do it!”
He stared at me. ‘When Phillip kicks in your door two years down the line and shoots you in the face because you tore his wife out of his head. Will he be justified?’
There was silence punctuated by Phillip’s heavy breathing. Nearby the TV flickered its staccato story into the room.
“He will be justified,” I said.
“And I would be a bastard to try and stop him, Jet. Do you understand that?” He turned to Philip. “It’s best if you don’t resist, my friend. It will make the process easier.”
“Oh God, please don’t do this,” Philip sobbed, “Please don’t do this. I won’t tell anyone, I swear. I won’t tell…”
“Look into my eyes.”
The two locked eyes and the large man went calm. They held the gaze for ten seconds. Benny stepped back.
“Phillip has seen you before,” he said, “Arriving and leaving with your grandmother years ago. Been working there most of his life. He also overheard a fair amount of things I’m sure he wasn’t supposed to. But they got sloppy, forgot he was there.”
I nodded. “And?”
“Fran, your grandmother, is head of that project they’ve got going on. She’s been experimenting with magic for decades: she and a few others. Perfecting that Crowd Surfing Spell. Implanting memories that have no business being accepted by a human mind. Mistress of the clicks, your grandmother.” His face went sombre. “Hundreds of children have been in and out of there. Some kept going back well into their teens then moved on somewhere else. Others I guess were returned to their parents if the process failed. I hope.”
“Moved on to where?”
He sighed. “The strongest subjects are adopted by your mother. Total indoctrination.”
My stomach tightened. “I suppose I knew that.”
“What those subjects are used for after that, those she adopts, I’m not sure. Any number of things I suppose; powerful, obedient soldiers, capable of miracles. But most recently I gather they have been using the B team children to spread the Crowd Surfing Spell. Those considered more expendable.”
“Now we know.”
“Yes, and can’t use the information in any official way. It’s useless.”
I cleared my throat. “What else did you find?”
“You want to know if he knew where your grandmother is.”
“Did he?”
“Do you really want to know, Jet?”
The flame raised its head. It sensed that the endgame approached. Knew that the goal was finally in sight. “Yes.”
“What will you do when you find them, Jet? Tell me, why do you need to do it? What are your intentions?”
“I don’t…”
“Tell me. Say it. Are you even aware? Say it out loud.”
“Do you know what they did to me?!” I raised my wrists. “What they did to Linda? To Judy? All those children?!”
“I know,” he replied quietly, “they screwed you up. Tried to kill you. Abused Linda. Say it out loud. If you want me to tell you, say it out loud.”
The flame burst from its cage and consumed me. It spread into every corner of my mind and scorched my brain.
“They need to die!” I snapped.
“They need to die!” a voice repeated.
Beside me a figure had appeared. Its actions mimicked my own.
“Tell me!” I roared.
“Tell me!” the demon repeated.
Benny’s face fell. He glanced at the demon. “Look, Jet. Look.”
“Go!” I spat at the demon. It disappeared. “Please, Benny. I need to know.”
“I can’t tell you, Jet. I’m sorry.”
My lips were trembling. One hand had begun to massage the wrist of the other. The demon was back. It copied the action. “Benny, I need to know. I just… need to get this done. I can’t let them get away with what they’ve done to me. To Linda…”
“I don’t want to help you hide their bodies, Jet. I don’t want to have to look the other way while two women are buried. Don’t do it like this.”
“Help me. Help me because I’m your friend.”
“I’m sorry, Jet.”
“Then step aside. I’ll do it myself.”
I moved towards Phillip. Benny stepped in my way.
“No, Jet.”
Like a rapid gathering of storm clouds, rage was blossoming in my stomach. The demon squawked.
“Get out of my way,” I snapped.
He did not respond.
“Benny, get out of my way.”
I attempted to step past him. He resisted. All at once my Spirit was uncurling into the world as a living extension of the flame. There was a release of energy, one which sent the coffee table spinning, lamp flying into ungraceful cartwheels, and Phillip tumbling from his chair. And Benny was airborne. He sailed clear across the room and smashed into a set of shelves, pulling them to the ground. A decorative flower vase shattered like a grenade.
The room was suddenly very cold.
“Oh shit,” I heard myself mutter.
I turned to the demon. It looked back at me, face blank.
“You get out of here!” I snapped.
It disappeared and the flame calmed. My Spirit receded. I watched as Benny sat up and attempted to stand, but abandoned the effort in agony. A hand went to his ribs.
“I’m so sorry, Benny.”
I approached him and what felt like a fist the size of a football smashed into my cheek. I staggered. Stars exploded in my eyes. But I managed to stay standing.
“You’re out of your mind,” I heard Benny snarl.
My vision cleared in time to see him lunging with fist drawn back. And then I was seeing stars for the second time. My head snapped to the side and hands grabbed my collar.
“Out of your mind!”
Next came a dizzying sensation of flight and I was hitting the ground hard. Benny was sneering down at me.
“Wait…” I gasped.
Again I was hit in the face, again my head snapped to the side. Once, twice, three times, the third rattling my teeth so sharply I was certain they would be spat out as dust. And then rage was once again consuming my body. He raised his fist a fourth time, but my Spirit exploded. The room shook and chandelier jingled. His head nearly brushed the ceiling. When again he descended it was with a jarring thud near the rear of the apartment. Thankfully his body had fallen short and not exited straight out of the windows.
He did not try to stand. I lay back and stared at the ceiling. A hand held my throbbing face. It was then I realised Phillip was nowhere to be seen.