Warning: From here on out we REALLY get into the WEIRD!
Chapter 7 Where to run? Or the awakening.
Dana came rushing in out of breath. Her face was frozen with fear. She ran across the chilled cave to the warmest place she could find on a log next to the now smoldering fire. Once she was warm she began to tell her tale.
"What! I can't believe this? Did they say 'who' this Stephen dude was?"
Dana looked around sheepishly knowing full well who they had been talking about. She only wished they knew too, so she didn't have to explain. This whole thing was hard enough as it was without having to tell them Stephen Richards was her brother. He was a peace offering to Michel and the only way he agreed to help them.
The trouble was Stephen never knew the truth. He always thought that Michel was recruiting him because he was good, and he 'was' that. He just never knew that she was the price he had to pay. She became a killer and the only way she could leave was either her own death, to tell Stephen everything and he would take her place, or the last and final blow, to disable train of life.
She was never able to convince herself to tell her brother the truth. Michel 'was' a friend but what kind of a friend forces you to give up your child to show your allegiance to him? She never could understand that part of what her father has done these past years. But, Chaz has helped her to see even more how wrong that was and is still even.
She began explaining everything, when she was finished, Fawkes whirled and hit the cave wall in anger.
"Whoa there Fawkesy!" Hobbes said.
"Hobbes, can't you see how dangerous and vile Michel is? We're sitting ducks out here unless we can find a way out of here and maybe…" He stopped as he began to pace while thinking.
"What? What are ya thinking Fawkes?" Bobby walked over laying a hand on Darien's shoulder and trying to get a response from his partner.
He looked up as if he was about to say something, but stopped and slumped down on the log next to Dana.
Lezley had been watching the entire scene as it played out. After mulling everything over in her mind she decided to speak up.
"Agent Hobbes?" She asked pulling him away from his partner. He stepped back almost losing his balance but caught himself instead. Shaking it off, he gave her his full attention.
"Agent Hobbes, we know there are at least two vehicles in at least a fairly close amount of distance. What do you say we get to them, lead our friends on a goose chase then get to town, use a phone to notify our superiors of our whereabouts and get ourselves back to the train?"
"Well now, 'that' sounds like a terrific idea my friend." Bobby said as he slapped Lezley on the back, knocking her forward and into Darien, who almost went face first into the fire, if it hadn't been for Dana catching him, that is.
Darien never really got past what Dana had said about everything she had overheard. "We've got to stop them Hobbes, we just have to. They'll never stop unless we do." As he said it he stood from the log, Quicksilvered and ran out of the cave. Dana had a pretty good idea what he was about to do and ran after him. At least she tracked him anyway.
Bobby sat in silence. He didn't understand Fawkes sometimes, he was just too much of a loose cannon. Never listened when he should and always taking things the wrong way, most of the time anyway.
"I am sorry ma'am. My partner just gets a little upset sometimes. These days more than the norm. Maybe we should try to find him and get us a plan goin'. One like what you were sayin' before would be good, and then maybe we could bring Kenny and his whole operation down my friend."
Lezley thought for a moment. She thought of the pure simplicity of it all. "Agent Hobbes, perhaps we should find those snowmobiles and lead our friends away from agent Fawkes and Dana so they can make it out of here alive, then pick them up and head back to town."
"Sounds brilliant to me ma'am!" Bobby exclaimed as he picked up a couple of the bags, stomped out the fire, and threw an arm around Lezley, as they sauntered out of the cave.
In no time they had picked up Dana's trails that lead them straight to their destination. Surprisingly they hadn't seen Fawkes 'or' Dana for that matter. But, they did hear the screams, blood curdling as they were they couldn't make out the source.
After finding the snowmobiles they took off in search of their friends.
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She was running as fast as she could while hoping beyond hope that he would stay away from those men. But, even as she thought about it she knew it was hopeless. Even for the short amount of time that she knew him and what little she had learned from Chaz helped her to know 'that' much. As she tried to find the snowmobiles, a squirrel in her path made her jump forcing her to stop and compose herself before she continued.
Just as she took her first step a loud blood-curdling scream startled her making her heart begin to race. Fear flowed throughout her body. She staggered blindly as she wondered what that horrible sound was. Not seeing the large log in her path she fell and rolled down the hill and hit her head on a large protruding boulder by the creek bed rendering her unconscious.
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Darien lay unmoving in the blood stained snow. He moaned trying to wake, but the overwhelming fog was too thick. Even as he tried to awake the darkness was closing in around him. He pushed himself over onto his back and opened his eyes but his sight was just too much of a blur to see. A lone figure stood before him through the cloud as he once again succumbed to the darkness.
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Stephen paced in front of the gate. He was waiting for his flight to be called, restlessly. He and Bridget had received three very distinct and very different requests for their assistance. The first was from Alex. She was concerned about Fawkes being on assignment in his current condition. She wanted them to stand by in case he needed them.
The second one was a strange email from Claire and Ebert's. They said that Bobby and Darien and one of their contacts, along with one of the suspects in a case they could not disclose any information about, had come up missing. They were very nervous; Fawkes was semi recovered but was still in no condition to go traipsing around who knows where, being chased by a possible psychopath. Even if he was the chaser the tables could change so easily. That was something Stephen was highly aware of.
The last letter sent by messenger was from the official. He needed their help. The official disclosed more information than the others. He informed him that a suspect by the name of Dana Harper Borden, which likely could be an alias, who was now married to his grandson had left the train followed by his agents. He was worried because if Dana was involved then Chaz was most likely involved, too.
Stephen had turned pale crumpled the paper and slammed a fist into the table at his side.
Why? He just couldn't understand why Dana would do something like this. He knew that his father had dealings with Michel and Jared Stark, but he never thought that his own sister would be involved. When had his father involved her? Wasn't trading 'him' to the enemy enough? He knew, he wasn't supposed to know, but he knew. He'd gotten out, it was 'his' choice even if it was the wrong choice it was still his choice.
Stephen sat back in his seat once they had boarded the plane and tried to put everything out of his mind. He wondered, was Dana the price he had to pay for leaving Michel and his goons? No…he put it out of his mind and tried to calm himself. Bridget folded her arms around his and settled into his shoulder for the long flight ahead.
Several hours later they arrived at their destination. Stephen and Bridget purchased a couple of snowmobiles, some hunting rifles and shells and a tranq gun just in case Darien had gone wacko again.
They asked around town to see if anyone had seen them 'cept no one would admit to it. As they were about to leave and head toward the mountains to look themselves the long way they overheard some overgrown 'boys' talking. The big one was gruff looking and looked like he hadn't shaved in a month. He was the one bragging to his friends the most, but he also made it a point that his two buddies were also involved. Stephen and Bridget crept as close as they could without giving away their position.
"Hey Joe where'd you say you hid them things?"
"Up in the hills ya know up where that crazy old' man Johnson lives."
"NO WAY!"
"Yep, even heard the monster too. If skip and I hadn't gotten outa there as quick as we did, no tellin' what woulda happened."
The men broke up. That's when they made their move. Stephen and Bridget moved in guns drawn holding the three at gunpoint. It didn't take much convincing to get them to tell them where to go. They didn't care anyway as long as they got their money that's all that really mattered. Joe gave them a map, even said he'd take them right to it, but they turned him down and went on their way.
Two hours later not far from where the snowmobiles were supposed to be they found a large puddle of blood and a trail as though someone was being dragged. Their hearts stopped. They hoped and prayed it wasn't anyone they knew.
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Two snowmobiles skidded to a stop at the sound.
"Damn there it is again my friend." Hobbes said emphatically.
"What? That sound?"
"Yeah, what do ya freakin' think I'm talkin' about my friend?" Bobby countered in irritation as to her ignorance.
"Sorry! We better get going before whatever that was gets to Dana and Fawkes."
Bobby nodded in the affirmative and the two started out once again with no end in site.
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Bobby was in deep thought as they rode. He remembered hearing screams like that only very 'few' times in his life. One of those times was about ten years ago when he was on assignment trying to take down a group of poachers. What happened there was so horrible he tried to get his mind back to the present, but it wouldn't come.
Something had taken revenge on those men that night. Something he hoped he'd never have to confront again in his life. The thing had such hate in its eyes. He couldn't get past the eyes.
Bobby had been on watch and was called away. He left a kid by the name of Jim Johnson to take over for him while he was gone. Everyone was nervous. Early that day he and his partner, Jim, had walked into a virtual slaughter, there were dozens upon dozens of carcasses everywhere they looked. They'd taken what they wanted and left the rest to rot in the sun.
Jim couldn't take the site of it OR the smell for that matter. He almost passed out right there. They needed to go back to get a team together to clean up this mess. Standing in the tower Bobby told Jim that he had a bad feeling that something was going to happen that night.
"Keep an eye out partner." He'd said.
Bobby walked down the stairs and took the jeep to the main compound where he was supposed to meet with the sheriff. As he walked to the jeep a chill went up his spine. The feeling like something was out there overtook him as he sat in the jeep and watched the woods for a good twenty minutes. But, when he didn't hear anything suspicious he shrugged it off, chalking it up to his overactive hang-ups. When he was about 3½ miles down the dirt road that's when he heard it. It was horrific.
He did a 180 with the jeep and got back to the look-out so fast… When he got there that's when he saw it, it was a monster. That's all he could think of to call it. The thing was huge, over ten feet tall, glowing red eyes, full of hate, and IT had his partner. Jim screamed in terror until the thing reached up and muffled his cries causing Jim to go limp. Bobby never DID find out what happened to Jim. He figured the thing killed him just like it did those poachers that night.
The only other time he'd heard anything near what that was…, was when they were with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and they went after that Wendigo, Bigfoot, whatever you want to call it. He'd wondered ever since what he would've seen if that thing wasn't invisible. He asked Fawkes what it looked like, but 'he' wasn't any help. All he saw were pretty colors…so he said.
Bobby finally shook off his thoughts once they came to a stop at a group of trees. The scene was horrific. They needed to find out what happened. Blood was everywhere and at least two different trails went off into a ravine. They looked, but nothing was there that they could see anyway.
Getting off the snowmobiles they found a couple of walking sticks nearby. They had to continue this on foot. Walking over to the ravine they followed the trail down. What they found was an old log house across the river. In front of them was more of the same a trail of blood. There was no telling who it was or even if they were alive.
"Hey Hobbes what do ya think? Cross it now or wait until morning?" Lezley asked. She had to almost scream to get his attention. He'd been so lost in his own thoughts over the past hour that she was pretty lucky she got any response at all.
"I say we rest for a few minutes then we cross. It's pretty calm right now. Don't know 'how' rough it'll be in the morning my friend." Lezley nodded, sat herself on a rock and started playing with her stick in the wet sand. It was gonna be rough going, but even this was better than what she saw back there. Her only hope was that whatever did 'that' wouldn't do the same to 'them'.
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Dana awoke with a start. The searing pain in her head flowed throughout her body. She was stunned to find that she was in a warm bed. As she sat up a wave of nausea overtook her. But, surprisingly a bucket was placed in front of her before she had a chance to vomit all over herself and the clean sheets.
She turned her head slowly taking in her surroundings. There were at least four other beds with men in them. Two unmoving and two seemed to be sleeping soundly. One of those that were unmoving looked like Fawkes. But, he was with…Then, she remembered. He'd taken off and she had gone after him.
The old man pulled up a chair after cleaning out the bucket. "Here ya go dear; my wife took Big Millie and went to town for some supplies. Millie doesn't get away from here much so the missus took her along. Actually, people would most likely hurt her if they saw what she looked like. So she'll be goin' incognito if ya know what I mean."
Dana looked at the man and frowned with a confused look on her face. "Oh, don't worry about it if you don't understand nobody does. The missus won't be back fer a few days. But, maybe she'll come straight back here stead a campin o'er night like'n she usually does. Millie likes the stars.
If'n they come straight back then, maybe she'll be able to answer ALL yer questions. Millie's just a baby really. She is a little skittish around yer friend over there. Don't know why though. She hasn't acted that way since before her momma died. Her daddy was the first one I met ya know. He saved me, though at the time I didn't think of it as savin'."
He leaned back in his chair looking over at the beds. "All them yer friends little lady?"
Dana tried to get up but was just too dizzy so the old man helped her up. Once she was up she was determined to make it the rest of the way on her own. The old man looked like an old man at first glance, but to look into those eyes you'd swear the guy was younger than Bobby.
Walking over to the men Dana was startled to find out who they were and what they looked like. They looked like they'd been in some type of horrifying confrontation. Her first thought was Fawkes and the madness, but when she walked over and turned Darien's wrist over only two segments were red.
She was totally taken aback by this he'd had more than that this morning when he ran off. It had to be wrong. By her last calculation, if he'd stayed quicksilvered while he went after these men then he woulda been mad long before now. And…he didn't have the counteragent, Bobby did. This couldn't be right. She thought.
"So…um…Mr.?"
He stood there a minute before he realized what she was after. "Oh, oh yes! My names Jimmy, Jimmy Johansen. Folks in town however call me crazy old' man Johnson. But, I much rather have ya call me Jimmy if'n ya like." Jimmy stuck out his hand as a formality to the introductions.
"Pleasure!" Dana took his hand which was nowhere near as rough as she had expected it to be. "Now Jimmy, can you tell me what happened?" She motioned to the men.
"Sure can, fact is me an' Millie was right there watchin' the whole dern thing when it happened." Jimmy grabbed a couple of chairs and brought them over and motioned for Dana to take a seat in one of them. He wanted to at least be comfortable 'cause this could take a while..
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Back on the train…..
The official was getting worried. Last he heard was that Claire had heard from his agents over eighteen hours ago. That's practically a full day ago. He hated waiting. Worse than that he HATED even despised his infernal disguise. He began to pace the room. Ebert's and Claire were working together. They thought that they could hide this from him, but they were wrong. The question was, what were they trying to hide from him? Thinking about it was useless. He'd done what was needed; he'd sent that letter by messenger to Stephen and Bridget. And, with any luck they were there now.
Stepping to the phone he dialed the number, which was the next item on the agenda given the current situation.
A gruff sounding voice answered within moments.
"This is him, we have a problem."
"What! My agents assured me…"
"No, no its not that your agents have kept to the agreement. It's my agents, namely Fawkes, he's missing."
"Dammit Charles! Without Fawkes the whole operation is doomed. We might as well give up right here and now. Pack up and go home." There was a long pause. "How did this happen anyway Charles? I gave your men the pertinent information as we agreed. Not even my own men know EVERYTHING!"
"Yes maybe so Rupert, but that little weasel called in some extra help and now my agents are missing possibly even dead. That includes Fawkes. That means that this plan of ours may have to be put on hold indefinitely. But, not to worry I've sent two of my second best undercover agents, second only to Fawkes and Hobbes in to try to locate my men. That's saying that they're alive, which we both better pray that they are."
"By the way Charlie, have you gotten any leads on my son's involvement in this thing?"
"My dear, dear brother. Don't you know by now that unlike you I'll let you know the minute I know anything?"
"I'm sorry Charlie, you're right." Rupert sighed as he got ready to hang up the receiver.
"Oh and Rupert?"
"Yes Charlie?" He asked hoping it was something Charlie had forgotten to tell him about his son.
"Rupert, don't ever call me Charlie again! Its either Charles or the official NOT CHARLIE!"
Rupert smiled and laughed to himself as he hung up the phone. He'd gotten his brother again. He just wished he'd seen his face. It woulda been worth all the money in the world just to have seen his face when he called him Charlie. He hated that more than just about anything he could think of.
------------------TBC…
I'll have the nest part out soon I hope.