CHAPTER 1
Mikhail Bulgakov had imagined himself on the chapel alter tall and strong, mysterious blushing bride to be standing right before him; friends and family observing with a tear in the pews. An idea that would bring joy to most left a gapping hole in where he wanted his heart to be. Mikhail rolled over in bed and stared at the poorly illuminated alarmclock on the end table that kept flashing 7:06 P.M. for the past few hours yet just could not bring himself to fix it. It was the last thing "he" touched in this room, Mikhails' everything, his sin, sorrow and lover; Maloof Canola. The very idea of what had happened earlier was bringing the poor Russian to madness.
It all started that morning when the Whispering Rock Summer Psychic Camps' jet had landed on the frozen fields outside of Kazan, Russia. Nearly all the campers, now agents or councillors boarded off with so much changed about them, so many things to catch up on. One by one they came off, Lili being carried off by Sasha Nein, her lover after divorcing Raz; Bobby and Chloe, engaged; Quentin and Phoebe, the now first famous psychic musical duo; Franke and Kitty, in inseparable love with one another; Elton Fir presumably walking happily with the invisible beauty Milka Phage (unless that is he had been swinging his laced hand in the air for no reason); Elka Doom ranting on about her love life to Dogen Boole while Nils had been preoccupied with Oleander staring at the backside of Miss Milla Vodello; Vernon shockingly being escorted by a large group of attractive women and finally Clem and Crystal Barge cheering behind the rest.
Mikhail raced over to the downtrodden Raz as the Psychonaut explain where the others were, Ford Cruller still making hamburgers for the after service; Benny Fidelo imprisoned for attempted murder of Crispin Whytehead out of jealousy of being a better sidekick; Chops and J.T. apparently were missing after going "brokeback"; and that the adults Edgar, Fred, Boyd and Gloria should be arriving in a short while latter on in the day. All was well until almost by instinct, Mikhail saw something, or someone, out of the corner of his eye and quickly turned his head with a look of reverie. Then there he was, the metaphorical "bear of Mikhails' eye", Maloof Canola slowly pacing toward him. Mikhail was examining Maloof with an open mouth and shortness of breath as if he never before noticed how his slender, petite frame complimented his long and shapely legs, or how his abundant mass of curls fell ever so perfectly over his soft, flawless face. For the few seconds of greeting Maloof had tried to exchange, Mikhail could not help but to simply stare the young man up and down in blissful ignorance. Mikhail had always known his heart belonged to his Boss, yet would never admit it to anyone else. It had been this way ever since ever since that amazing day back on the camp bunk bed where there lips had fatefully touched and the addiction started.
Mikhail let out a disgruntled groan as he contemplated what to do. He was to be married by sundown that day by arrangement of the Russian Psychic Government to some woman whom he had never even met before. Mind screaming to stay the course, yet body and soul aching for his Boss. Going through with the marriage would satisfy his family, but Mikhail knew he would not be able to live that lie. Live a life of secret passion that burned his very insides if not released. Self control was what he had needed not only that evening, but these past years. Self control would have prevented the impulsive mess he had gotten himself into. While everyone was settling into the hotel room, Maloof had followed Mikhail back and without words the two began to express exactly how their bodies felt and built up during a time too long apart.
That dammed alarm was the only interruption needed to break Maloof free from the spell binding lust that Mikhail had trapped his mind in. The Italian burst into great sobbing tears and fled the room in an instant. The on and off rejection of Maloofs' love due to the ridiculous family moral he had upheld had always sent Mikhail into an emotional fury, yet somehow this was just so different. Alone, always being alone on this bed irked him, and those few precious moments of togetherness were too good to let slip away like that. Mikhail Bulgakov was in love, and needed to act fast. Ignoring all inhibition and without hesitation, he zipped his pants back up and stalked out of his bedroom "You no get away this time". He knew exactly where to go, where it all had started between them; Whispering Rock Psychic Summer Camp. All that stood in his way was his own heart...and his wife; black mascara tears down her face and eyes with deep rooted poison, leaning on the frame of the door that led outside.
Mikhail caught one glimpse of this obstacle and immediately froze in his tracks. "Exactly, 'You no get away this time'," she angrily slipped through her pursed, tense lips. "What are you doing here, this room for me, you go with other woman things." Mikhail quickly retorted in panic, not having the luxury to waste anytime he already did not own. "I speak same words, you no belong either" she quickly drew a small black gun from the wedding garter already on her thigh and pointed it straight toward Mikhail.
"Any Psychic business and your dead; if you know what good for you, you will shut mouth and listen what I tell". Mikhails' fists tightly clenched as he attempted to wrack his brain for a way of quick escape, if only he could at least — "Room Service!!" bellowed a deep male voice from outside the door. The hateful blonde sirens' eyes squinted into thin dark slits of suspicion, "Answer, and no word." She pointed the gun sideways and made quick movement signaling the path Mikhail would take, always in proper fatal shooting distance yet just far away enough that Mikhail would not be able to react on his own. Shaking and sweating, he placed his wet palm on the cold doorknob and slowly twisted it open, multitasking with swallowing a deep boulder of fear and worry down the back of his throat.
At the door was a larger man, clad in a sleek policeman uniform; almost singing with a maniacal smile across his face "Special Delivery today...". Boyd Cooper quickly grabbed the Russian out from the room and threw himself at the back of the corridor wall, barely dodging a bullet that shot right into the opposite wall. "Fortified with what you deserve!" Edgar trusted the bottle into the room with a near instant, milky explosion. The to men ran without question to the emergency exit down the hall where Gloria Von Gouton stood watch with Edgar Teglee, ensuring their escape.
"Explain now!" demanded Mikhail, breathing heavily while they worked their way down a large, stone staircase leading to the exit branching off into the alleyway. "When we get to the jet my friend" Edgar huffed, swinging his tree trunk sized arms to and fro. Once outside Mikhail followed the others through the chaos in the streets as fire trucks flew by at insane speeds toward the scene of the explosion. "We will bring you to the field dear, the jet is waiting there along with the answers" reassured Gloria, rubbing Mikhails arm motherly. All that had happened in the last few minutes was so difficult to comprehend in such a sort span of time, yet all and all what bothered Mikhail the most was still the whereabouts of his small lover, Maloof. He Prayed for his safety as the trio came to the wide clearing where it all was to begin.
Mikhail had never boarded the plane when it was so packed, everyone had been there who had arrived earlier, with the exception of the one whom his heart cared for the most. The Russian started to yell in an incomprehensible rage at the other passengers in frustration. Sasha lifted Lili off of his lap and rose from the pilots seat, "Calm down Mikhail and let me explain." restraining Mikhail in both of his arms and forcing him into a seat.
"This all started quite a few years back. A secret organization had been planning to remove all psychic presence from the government in fear we would overthrow them. Yet among the many, there were a few radical, one going as far as branching off from the rest. The one I speak of is to this date, the one and only serial killer targeting Psychonauts. Spoke Sasha in a solemn tone. "But, but how can you prove this, this impossible!".
"Just think about it Mikhail, the tacky bastard went as far as to go in order with us, he perfectly timed and planned each attack, luckily enough we've been able to make it through every one so far; though now he has a considerable upper hand." Without having to say, Mikhail instantly knew he talked of Maloof. "Just focus on the clues we already have; whoever this is, he plans it out using a backwards alphabetical system, starting all those years ago with the kidnaping of Lili's father, Zanato. More and more he has been working his way up the alphabet, getting more violent and close to his goal with each letter, and now that he is nearing the end he is getting desperate. We have tried and kept this hidden for as long as we could and only reveal this to our top agents...yet we can no longer let this be the case."
"The next target on the list was...well C." "Canola..." uttered Mikhail tearfully. Raz placed his hand on Mikhails broad, sobbing shoulders in support. "Maloof this whole time knew what had been happening, but he saved you Mikhail. The leader struck a deal with him that if he could kill you, he would spare his own life. Maloof had no other option but to accept. There was some sort of bomb planted in your room, but he some how deactivate just in time." Mikhail thought back to the alarm clock and instantly put the pieces together. "They must have been watching at some close distance to already figure out that Maloof had fld and left you alive, hence that wife they had set you up with." "You would think your own Government would do some sort of background check on these things" whispered Elton. "...So where Maloof now?" "We had been hoping you would know that Mikhail, our information is limited to whatever Benny can pick up from the convicts, we sent him obviously as our top spy."
"I think I know, but hurry now, not much time." "Agreed, they must be after him" said Sasha in great urgency, returning to his chair and lifting off the jet. "Where to sweetheart?" Milla asked. Where else but the only safe haven the two had ever found for each other in their day to day lives and in their love. "Whispering Rock. Fast."