The Devil's Harvest part 2
Chapter six
"You okay?" Deaq asked.
"Yeah, just clumsy." Van said as he mopped up the spilled coffee.
"You sure, you look a little pale?"
"I'm fine."
"You don't look fine partner." Deaq said as he put his paper down. "Maybe you should take it easy for a day or two."
"Look Deaq I'm fine. It's just a little spilled coffee." He said starting to get irritated.
"Okay, okay." Deaq held up his hands.
The waitress brought Deaq's meal and refilled their coffees.
"Just eat Deaq and don't worry about me." Van said as he turned his head away from Deaq's food. Just smelling it was making him sick. When he couldn't stand it any longer he stood up and threw a couple of dollars on the table. "Take your time, I'm going out to get some air."
He ignored Deaq's worried look and started to head outside but turned into the men's restroom. He leaned over the toilet and threw up. He stepped back and looked in horror at the bowl full of blood. He wiped the front of his hand across his mouth just as Deaq walked in behind him.
"You okay?"
Van jumped a little at the sound of Deaq's voice.
"Sorry I didn't mean to…" Deaq saw the blood on Van's hand. "What the hell's going on partner?" His face reflected his concern, but his eyes widened in shock as he got a quick look in the bowl just before Van quickly flushed it and stood in front of it. "Was that blood?"
"No,no,no…um ….uh…tomato juice. I uh…had tomato juice for breakfast and it must have been bad."
"Oh…you had me worried there for a minute."
"Let's get out on the street and get these guys." Van said as he turned and left.
Deaq stood watching him as an uneasy feeling came over him. He couldn't put his finger on it but he knew something wasn't right. He pinched the bridge of his nose trying to get rid of the feeling but it wouldn't leave him. All he could do was keep a watchful eye on Van and pray his feelings were wrong. He followed his partner outside.
They drove around for the next few hours checking with informants and stopping at various clubs and restaurants flashing Jason's picture. Just when they were ready to head back to the Candy Store Deaq spotted someone who he thought was Jason walking across the street.
"I think that's him!" Deaq said as he did a U turn and followed him.
Just as Jason turned into an alley way two large Rottweilers came out of no where and ran into the traffic. The car in front of them swerved to avoid the dogs and hit an oncoming car head on. Jason continued down the alley seemingly unaware of what had just happened.
Deaq quickly called 911 then he and Van jumped out of their car and ran over to help the injured. Each ran to a different car. As Deaq helped the people in his car he glanced over at the SUV that Van was working on and could see flames coming out from under the hood and knew the car could explode at any minute.
"Van, keep an eye on that engine!" Deaq yelled a warning over to his partner. His victim didn't seem to be as bad off as Van's but he couldn't leave him because the man was bleeding badly from a cut artery in his leg and Deaq knew he couldn't take the pressure off of his leg or the man would bleed to death. He yelled for someone to help him but the people who gathered either were too scared to help or didn't want to become involved.
Van waved a hand back to indicate that he had heard him but all he was concerned about right now was getting the woman out of the vehicle.
A few minutes later Deaq watched in horror as the fire from the engine slowly snaked its way toward the gas tank. The SUV looked like it was fully involved and he winced as he heard the terrified screams of the trapped woman.
"Van it's going to blow get out of there!" He yelled over as he watched his partner crawl into the vehicle. There was no way he was going to be able to save the woman, not with the way the fire was spreading. "Van get out of there!" A movement to the side of the van caused him to look away for a few seconds. Standing there was a pure white German Shepherd. Oh my God it can't be! Deaq's mouth dropped open. It was the same dog that had seemed to breathe life back into his partner after he had died. The dog looked at him then looked toward his partner.
"Van!" Deaq screamed as the entire SUV went up in flames. Deaq turned his head away from the scene not wanting to watch his partner burn to death. When he heard the crowd cheering he turned back. His partner was walking toward him carrying the women. Both had been singed slightly by the fire but neither had any burns that would require hospitalization. He looked past Van and noticed that the dog was now gone. He shook his head slightly, maybe he had just imagined it. "You okay?"
"Yeah, how 'bout you?" Van said as he put the woman down.
"Yeah, I'm fine but…I saw you disappear into that inferno. How the hell did you get out of there without some major burns?"
"I don't know…" Van said shaking his head, he too couldn't believe it. "I just know I couldn't let her burn to death. How's your vic doing?" Van said leaning in the window. When he saw the blood from the man's leg a horrible hunger came over him and he fought the urge to touch it. He quickly pulled back and stood outside the door.
"He'll be okay I think once the paramedics get here."
"Do you really think that that was Jason?"
"It looked like him but…I'm not positive. Hey…what ever happened to those two dogs that caused all this?"
"They must have gotten hit. I didn't see them take off."
"Then they must be around here somewhere."
Van surveyed the scene but the bodies of the two dogs were no where in sight. The sound of sirens filled the air as the police and paramedics arrived simultaneously. After the paramedics took over the care of Deaq's victim, he walked over and stood next to Van.
"I can't see how those dogs avoided being hit. They ran right out in front of the cars." Van said.
"It's as if they just disappeared." Deaq looked up and down the street then looked at Van. "Did you see the white dog?"
"What white dog?"
"When you were going into the van a white dog was standing next to it. Van…I think it was the same dog that…well, that seemed to have saved your life before."
"This is really weird. Two black dogs that vanish, then a white dog appears and disappears too. What's going on Deaq?"
"I wish I knew."
"Well, if it was Jason he's long gone by now." Van said as he looked down the alley that Jason had walked into. "It's been a long day, why don't you take me home and we can get a fresh start in the morning."
"Yeah,I'd like to go home and wash up." Deag said as he looked down at his bloody clothes.
"Let's go." Van quickly walked toward the car. He was starting to feel weak and the sight and smell of the blood was making him hungry.
Van's apartment
They pulled in front of the apartment building and Van got out. Deaq leaned over to the passenger's side and looked at Van through the open window.
"Hey would you mind if I came in and washed up?"
"Um…no, come on in." Van said. He had hoped Deaq would have gone right home. He was so hungry and was beginning to feel weaker by the minute, he knew what he needed. But knew if he would have told Deaq he couldn't stop in he would have been suspicious.
Once inside Van threw Deaq a towel and gave him some clean clothes to put on. Then as soon as Deaq headed for the shower Van opened the refrigerator and pulled out one of the bags of blood. He was pouring it into a glass when Deaq came around the corner.
"Hey, do you have a pair of socks…" Deaq's mouth dropped open in horror when he saw what Van was about to do. "What the hell are you doing!"
TBC