Sydney was sitting in the back of the truck, Nigel lying in her arms.
Thanks to the help of Racine, the convulsions had been stopped. A talisman
had been placed around his neck, but it was only a temporary solution.
Racine was a Mambo, a Voodoo priestess; and to Sydney's surprise, Racine
was also the sister of the man who given his life helping them defeat
Richarde before.
As they reached Racine's home, they carried Nigel in and placed him on a
bed. He was so still. Sydney placed her fingers against his neck. "Thank
God," she whispered. He was still alive, but had long since left the world
of the living. He was in Richarde's world now.
Racine came back into the room, carrying rags and lengths of rope.
"What do you intend to do with those?" Sydney asked as she stood in front of Nigel's bed.
"These are for his own protection, as well as ours." Racine replied. "As I said before, the talisman is only a temporary reprieve. The visions will only get worse, making him more of a danger to himself and to everyone around him."
Sydney knew she was right. She helped tie Nigel down to the bed. She sat next to him, gently stroking her fingers through his hair as a single tear slid down her cheek.
Racine came over to Sydney, putting her hand on her shoulder. Sydney could see the sympathy in her eyes.
"It's never easy seeing someone you're in love with in pain."
"Were just friends, he's my assistant," Sydney replied.
"Oh," Racine answered, not believing her for one moment. She knew if they were going to help this man, Sydney was going to have to face her own fear. "Come, we must prepare ourselves. Richarde has become very powerful. With each hour he is getting stronger."
By the time they had finished the rituals, the sun was sinking. Before leaving with Racine, Sydney went to see Nigel again. He was awake again, and struggling to break free from his restraints. The sounds of his screams tore at her heart, yet she knew there was nothing more she could do here. Sydney closed her eyes. She had to put the images of Nigel out of her mind. She needed all of her strength to defeat Richarde and reclaim the cross. The cross was the only thing that could help Nigel now.
Sydney and Racine headed into the woods, leaving Nigel in the care of Racine's family. As they approached the sealed entrance to the chamber, Syd noticed an eerie silence. They searched together for another entrance. Within a short time, they found what they were looking for.
The second entrance to the chamber stood wide open. As Sydney looked at it, one thing came to mind - the old saying, Come into my parlor, said the Spider to the Fly.
Sydney knew the invitation was a trap, but it was one she could not refuse as she and Racine entered. The stairs lead to a narrow tunnel that gradually widened the further they progressed. They cautiously entered what looked like a small antechamber, one in which there was barely enough light to see by. As she scanned the room, she didn't see anyone, but her instincts were telling her differently.
A shot rang out and Racine cried out in pain. "Johnson?" Sydney said as he stepped out of shadows, pointing a gun at her.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you. Richarde has other plans, I'm just here to get rid of the bitch," Johnson said as he moved to stand over Racine's still body. "Now MOVE! He doesn't like to be kept waiting" Sydney reluctantly moved away from Racine as he motioned with the gun for her to enter the West tunnel.
As Johnson knelt down to look at his handiwork, a sudden look of utter surprise crossed his face. He felt the knife blade slice through his throat. As he lay dying on the floor, he saw Racine standing above him as everything faded to black.
Sydney rushed to her mentor's side. "I'm fine. It's only a flesh wound," Racine explained, seeing the look of confusion on Sydney's face. "Things are not always what they seem. Shadows have a way of playing tricks on the eyes."
Syndey entered the Cross's chamber alone. Ricarde was there waiting for her.
"So nice to see you again, Ms. Fox. I hope Mr. Bailey is well," he said with a smug smile. "Do you know what this is?" he asked as he held up a crude black doll. "I know this is a poor representation of Mr. Bailey, but it will have to do."
Sydney saw the doll had pins sitcking out of its arms and legs, she was reminded of the excruciating pain in her shoulder caused by a similar doll Devereaux had made of her.
Nigel felt blinding pain in his arms and legs as he struggled to break from his bindings. What had once been ropes had now become hideous snakes and as he looked, he saw their fangs start to bite into his flesh.
Racine came back into the room, carrying rags and lengths of rope.
"What do you intend to do with those?" Sydney asked as she stood in front of Nigel's bed.
"These are for his own protection, as well as ours." Racine replied. "As I said before, the talisman is only a temporary reprieve. The visions will only get worse, making him more of a danger to himself and to everyone around him."
Sydney knew she was right. She helped tie Nigel down to the bed. She sat next to him, gently stroking her fingers through his hair as a single tear slid down her cheek.
Racine came over to Sydney, putting her hand on her shoulder. Sydney could see the sympathy in her eyes.
"It's never easy seeing someone you're in love with in pain."
"Were just friends, he's my assistant," Sydney replied.
"Oh," Racine answered, not believing her for one moment. She knew if they were going to help this man, Sydney was going to have to face her own fear. "Come, we must prepare ourselves. Richarde has become very powerful. With each hour he is getting stronger."
By the time they had finished the rituals, the sun was sinking. Before leaving with Racine, Sydney went to see Nigel again. He was awake again, and struggling to break free from his restraints. The sounds of his screams tore at her heart, yet she knew there was nothing more she could do here. Sydney closed her eyes. She had to put the images of Nigel out of her mind. She needed all of her strength to defeat Richarde and reclaim the cross. The cross was the only thing that could help Nigel now.
Sydney and Racine headed into the woods, leaving Nigel in the care of Racine's family. As they approached the sealed entrance to the chamber, Syd noticed an eerie silence. They searched together for another entrance. Within a short time, they found what they were looking for.
The second entrance to the chamber stood wide open. As Sydney looked at it, one thing came to mind - the old saying, Come into my parlor, said the Spider to the Fly.
Sydney knew the invitation was a trap, but it was one she could not refuse as she and Racine entered. The stairs lead to a narrow tunnel that gradually widened the further they progressed. They cautiously entered what looked like a small antechamber, one in which there was barely enough light to see by. As she scanned the room, she didn't see anyone, but her instincts were telling her differently.
A shot rang out and Racine cried out in pain. "Johnson?" Sydney said as he stepped out of shadows, pointing a gun at her.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you. Richarde has other plans, I'm just here to get rid of the bitch," Johnson said as he moved to stand over Racine's still body. "Now MOVE! He doesn't like to be kept waiting" Sydney reluctantly moved away from Racine as he motioned with the gun for her to enter the West tunnel.
As Johnson knelt down to look at his handiwork, a sudden look of utter surprise crossed his face. He felt the knife blade slice through his throat. As he lay dying on the floor, he saw Racine standing above him as everything faded to black.
Sydney rushed to her mentor's side. "I'm fine. It's only a flesh wound," Racine explained, seeing the look of confusion on Sydney's face. "Things are not always what they seem. Shadows have a way of playing tricks on the eyes."
Syndey entered the Cross's chamber alone. Ricarde was there waiting for her.
"So nice to see you again, Ms. Fox. I hope Mr. Bailey is well," he said with a smug smile. "Do you know what this is?" he asked as he held up a crude black doll. "I know this is a poor representation of Mr. Bailey, but it will have to do."
Sydney saw the doll had pins sitcking out of its arms and legs, she was reminded of the excruciating pain in her shoulder caused by a similar doll Devereaux had made of her.
Nigel felt blinding pain in his arms and legs as he struggled to break from his bindings. What had once been ropes had now become hideous snakes and as he looked, he saw their fangs start to bite into his flesh.