Devil's Harvest
Chapter two
Deaq froze.
"What's up?"
Two large Rottweilers came from out of the darkness snarling at them. One stepped in front of Van , the other in front of Deaq.
"What do we do now?" Deaq tried to keep his voice calm.
Van did the only thing he could think of.
"Jason! Jason you in there?" Van yelled toward the house.
The dog in front of him curled back his lip even more. His teeth glistened in the moonlight. He took a threatening step toward Van. Deaq slowly reached under his shirt and took out his gun. He knew if the dog attacked his partner he would be forced to shoot it.
"Van, don't move and don't say anything. Stay perfectly still."
The light came on in the house and a floodlight illuminated the yard.
"Who is it?"
Van was about to answer but Deaq slowly shook his head no. He could see the dog in front of Van had crouched down and with any kind of provocation would attack. Deaq already had his gun out and could protect himself if the dog in front of him made a move, but Van wouldn't stand a chance. Deaq answered the man.
"Police officer. I'm here with Van Ray." He used Van's real name since that's what the man would know him by. "You need to call your dogs off."
"I don't have any dogs." The voice shouted back.
As soon as the man spoke the dogs turned and ran back into the darkness. Van looked over at Deaq and breathed a sigh of relief.
"That was close."
They continued up to the house. Jason Wallace stood at the door staring at them. At first Van thought he didn't recognized him.
"Jason it's me, Van Ray from the academy."
"Ray? What are you doing here?"
"Can we come in for a second?"
"What's this all about?"
"I'm sorry Jason, I've got some bad news."
Jason pushed open the screen door and stood back allowing them to enter.
"Jason, this is Deaq."
Deaq stuck out his hand, which Jason shook but kept his eyes on Van.
"Like I said I got some bad news Jason." Van swallowed the lump in his throat, he hated notifying the next of kin. "Your brother Eddie, I'm sorry but he was found dead. It's under investigation."
The expression on Jason's face didn't change. It was like he was void of emotion.
"So Van, how have you been?"
Deaq looked over at Van who gave him a slight shrug, a look of confusion on his face. Then Deaq, thinking Jason might not have understood Van, spoke.
"I'm not sure if you understood. Your brother is dead."
Jason looked at Deaq.
"Oh I understood. The kid was always getting in to some kind of jam. It was only a matter of time."
"Don't you want to know how he died?" Deaq couldn't believe this man cared so little about what happened to his brother.
"If he's dead, he's dead. Don't really matter how." Jason looked back at Van.
"It's been a long time Van. You live around here?"
"In L.A." Van didn't want to be more specific. He already knew where this conversation was heading.
"How 'bout we get together and talk over old times?"
"Well, I really don't have much free time."
"Ahhh come on Van, you can't be busy all the time. Hey, I just lost my brother man."
Van glanced at Deaq and gave him a ' look what you got me into ' look.
A half hour earlier
The man was chased down the dead end, pitch-black alley. He turned in a circle frantically looking for some way out. He couldn't see any. Neither could he see the people that were pursuing him, but he could hear their chanting. Over and over, the same words. He didn't' recognize the language. All he knew was that he had to get away from them. His heart was pounding in his ears as he tried to catch his breath. He, like everyone else in the city, had read all about the murders. Why the hell did he go out tonight? He knew why, he couldn't stay caged up behind closed doors any longer. He had to get out of the dark alley and back into the light from the streetlights. He cautiously retraced his steps. From the darkness four red eyes watched from a doorway. He would not leave the alley alive.
"I'm really sorry about your brother Jason, but like I said I don't have much free time." This was one of the reasons Van didn't want to be the one to notify Jason about his brother's death. He remembered how Jason had latched onto him at the academy, almost smothering him by constantly hanging around him. Then when Amy had come between them all hell had broken loose. When Amy had died in a tragic accident all animosity between the two of them was put on hold as they mourned the girl they both had cared about.
"Come on Van, I need cha man."
"Well...........I have a couple of free hours tomorrow night, but that's about it." Van gave in.
"Great! I'll pick you up."
"No! .........No, I'll swing by and pick you up. How's eight?" There was no way Van was going to tell Jason where he lived. He didn't want him showing up at his house all the time.
"Okay, that'll be.........."
The ringing of the phone interrupted him. He picked it up and listened, then turned his back to them.
"Okay, I'll meet you there in a few minutes." He hung up and picked up his car keys. He turned back to Van. "Something came up, I gotta get going. I'll see you around eight then."
"What about your brother?" Van asked.
"What about him?"
"Someone's going to have to claim his body when it's released."
"Don't worry about it. I'll contact the police department tomorrow."
Deaq and Van followed Jason outside. They watched as he got in his car and drove off. Deaq shook his head.
"Seemed like he didn't give a damn about his brother."
"He's an odd one alright. That's why he didn't make it through the academy."
They headed back to the car.
The man didn't have time to react as two huge dogs jumped out of the darkness. One jumped up grabbing him by the throat, instantly cutting off his air. The other grabbed him by the leg and pulled him down. The man struggled but it was no use. He watched in terror as a group of hooded figures gathered around him. The last thing he saw were hands reaching out for him.