Chapter 9

Everyone had followed the police car with Derek in it to the police station. No one really knew where else to go or what to do. The feeling of powerlessness and shock was setting in keeping them quiet rather than chatting to each other. They knew the Seattle police would phone the station with any news so they filed into the general reception area finding any seats or desks to rest against, the coffee machine and made themselves at home.

Derek came in giving a slight bow to Tyus and the Officer at the desk and complained immediately before they could say anything. "Ricardo should be charged for shooting an unarmed man. A phone is not an offensive weapon! Ricardo was not in danger!... By the way no matter what I say now I'm Ben the other one is Derek and I can prove it!..."

He paused enticing them to comment but Tyus and the Officer just shook their heads and Ricardo gave him a dark look so he carried on mockingly. "Okay keep you shirt on! Thought I'd give it a try." and giggled, it was impish with evil round the edges.

Ricardo ignored him this time and carried on booking him in.

Derek just smiled happily then in Ben mode carried on chatting, giving them all the creeps and embarrassing them as he picking into Ben's personal memories about them all. Then he switched to being himself on a tease and everyone heard that sharper edge to his voice as he talked of Ben from his point of view always using the past tense making them feel he knew he had succeeded.

All the time Tyus silently examined Derek's arm and stitched the wound using local anaesthetic; quietly wishing he could have used a general just to shut him up.

But nothing anyone said would stop Derek's flow; he was revelling in it.

Ricardo opened his mouth for one last try but Derek just smiled and said "Police harassment Ricardo! Hey! You want evidence against me don't you!" and gave a short giggle. Then looking across at Carmen as she handed Maria a drink, grabbed everyone's attention as he spoke in his normal everyday voice, which was like Ben's, his tone was gentle loving, touched with sadness but occasionally he dropped it back into the harsh teasing ways of earlier.

"You are right Carmen he was a giver protecting everyone one of you. Ever wonder why it has been so easy to finish the payments on your house, they never increased throughout the years you've known Ben. … He paid the difference knowing you could not afford the higher payments carried on even after Maria's death. The house is now completely yours. Nothing in writing or said not his style. That's my contribution from the past, you see I would pick up anything he wrote down or said and use it against him, could even pick up his conversations were he left off." Without a pause he turned his attention away from Carmen.

"Remember Ricardo when you were shot, all payments for your loft were made with a bit extra in the pay packet well that was Ben's doing. You accepted his friendship but not the gift all those years ago; you thought it would look like a bribe. … He got round that told the Chief and opened an extra fund for all emergency works including Lifeguards, payments for injury and sickness." He moved quickly on to his next victim with a teasing tone in full swing knowing where to hurt the most.

"Of course there's Hank! Soo afraid he would lose Meg, … that darling Ben would take her home across that big sea to England, yet really all Benny boy wanted was a family's love. The silly fool understood your fears was willing to give you time, hoped you would realise the trust everyone has in him. But you didn't did you.

Come on! Think Hank, you've never had any trouble getting people to deliver to the Shock Wave yet you've never traded with them before. You see it was taken for granted you had Ben's seal of approval, he would help out if you got into trouble. … Nothing is said about it of course, sort of gentleman's agreement. Even the sweet Meg, his ex soulmate and her sister were in his protective web by using the organisation for small businesses he set up. You see he cared for everyone in Sunset Beach." He giggled looking round at everyone seeing his words had hit home and returned to his gentle voice as he carried on. "You all mistrusted him, and now he's dead! gone! Only his body..."

Ricardo's short sharp retort "Shut it Derek!" cracked across Derek's words.

Derek stayed silent; his eyes sparkled as he gave a gentle gleeful smile knowing he had hit home in every department and with everyone.

As Ricardo carried on "Can he spend the night in the cells Tyus?"

Derek quietly thought to himself. 'Okaay no freedom but got rid of you and your name brother! Keep stirring and just wait till they get this in court. Your name's going to be mud! They never could tell the difference between us little brother!'

Packing up his things while replying, Tyus's voice gave a hint of the sadness he was feeling at the possible loss of his friend. "Yes just check him every hour I'll leave a sedative for him if the pain gets worse when the injection wears off. Just the one tablet in a drink and he will sleep till morning."

The Officer helps Derek up, and as they walk over and through the door into the cells Derek laughs saying. "Oh no Ricardo you cannot shut me up that way, I have to give my consent before you can use it! Mind you a cup of tea not too strong, but hot, no sugar or drugs remember!.. Oh goodie a bed! Now who shall I think of first … Meg or Maria..."

The Officer closed the door quickly behind him sensing Ricardo's movement. There was a thud as Ricardo's cup and contents hit the door then crashing sound as it smashed into little pieces when it landed on the floor. The tension was not broken because of the laugh that came from behind the door.

It was Gabi's gentle remark as she handed him another cup that broke some of the tension but not the silence. "Drink it first love. It's better that way."

He took it and smiled remembering his mother's words in the car and replied very quietly. "Going to need a lot of help on this one, you know that."

She smiled recognising his tone and letting her hand stay on his arm answering quietly. "Oh yes, I'm banking on it!" That's all it needed after all they were at work, she would show him what she really meant at home later.

Spencer walked briskly into the area to be met by silence and anxious faces he gave a smile to show it was good news and said. "Seattle rang they found Ben he's being taken to the hospital. He was stunned and in pretty bad way to start off with, had to give him mouth to mouth, now he seems to be deeply unconscious but not a coma."

He paused for a moment to let the relief sink in. Then feeling a bit uneasy and embarrassed carried on. "Strange comments about TV and things being thrown out the front windows of the house all at once...Well within a couple of seconds of each other anyway. But they found only two men in the house and they had been with Ben at the time... Oh yes! Plates being smashed when the house was empty, and a cat that was not there knocked some drink over!... If that makes any sense!... They want someone up in Seattle tomorrow to see Ben."

Carmen said quickly and forcefully. "Ben has to be brought back here tonight! Before he wakes he needs Meg and Maria's help rather than a lot of strangers in Seattle. …. The windows and crockery that is easy to explain, there was a very cross Spirit possibly Tim's wanting payback if Derek killed him, which means Tess could be in trouble!"

Ricardo choked and spluttered at his mother's words but Carmen ignored him and looked across at Tyus for help and support. Tyus said slowly thinking it through. "Ben would do better here waking up with Meg and Maria nearby. I might be able to get a 'medic plane' to bring him. We will have to pay as it's not emergency treatment."

Carmen laughed and said. "Come on Tyus! Maria can under write the charge; he needs them around him! Meg collapsed at The Deep I'm sure she felt his pain so has Benjy. Tomorrow morning will be too long!"

Tyus smiled, put like that he could not fight her; anyway he wanted his friend under his wing and protection. "Yes all right I'll ring Seattle hospital and get things moving if they say no, then you will have to find a way to fly everyone to him before the morning. Maria you need to see Dr Estrada, she can help you come to terms with everything." He sighed quietly almost to himself. "Perhaps we should all see her later."

Maria felt confused because she was being pulled in so many directions at once, and then realising who could help said. "We could use Liberty Corp's plane I'm sure AJ will agree. I need to see Benjy then Dr Estrada and Meg we need to talk."

A Ghost of a Chapter

The room was huge, noisy with bright lights and money or what it could buy was everywhere, Tess laughed as they went around the gaming tables. Tim stopped at the card table, looking at all the players cards in turn then started making faces at one of the players because he knew what he was up against.

Tess moved away and was fascinated by the roulette wheels and the amounts of gaming chips on the squares, the people's reactions as they won or lost. She felt tempted to see if she could change things then thought better of it as an argument started at one of the tables. She did not mind walking through things now; they had been to so many different places tonight. She smiled and laughed as she slowly came back to Tim who was watching the roulette wheel concentrating hard on the ball going round in the wheel and said gently "No don't change it."

He stopped, looked up and moved away from the table realising she was smiling and more relaxed about things. "What are you remembering?"

She laughed again and replied. "The trip over! No more power stations they tickle!."

Tim replied indignantly "Hey that was partly your fault. If you remember I wanted to catch the plane, do it the safe way. Travel first class! But no you wanted the direct route - remembered a picture you had seen and got excited and where did we end up! On a blasted billboard outside town, all because it was an advertisement you remembered not the place. I keep telling you think carefully before you finally decide." Then he added in his normal tone. "The way back will be easy just think of your bedroom or Benjy no sorry re-phrase that, a chair near Benjy or you will end up in the bath or something!"

Tess smiled and said gently. "Point taken, what happens if there is no chair nearby?" She laughed at his expression and said quickly, "Take me to dinner kind sir."

Tim sighed. "Tess we do not need to eat or sleep!"

Tess said patiently, "I know but I've always wanted to be wined and dinned at one of these palaces. Anyway I still want some of my earthly desires, what do we do when everyone here is a sleep... We could do the world in such a short time if we don't sleep then what? Get bored...You know what they say, been there done that kind of thing... Come on and you can show me the trick with the candles and scare the waiters!"

Tim smiled and gave a little bow and took her arm then looked upwards saying "Ok up we go!" In a blink of an eye it had changed. They were standing in the middle of a lavish dinning area. Everything sparkled, lights, glassware, silver and gold on the table decorations, beautiful plates it all said no expense spared. Music playing in the background as couples and groups were enjoying themselves.

She looked around taking in the atmosphere and spotted a table all set out ready for use. She had the weird feeling it looked lonely tucked into the corner, the chairs were out ready for use unlike some of the tables. Although it was in the corner all the waiters passed it when they took the food to and from the tables and wondered if that was why no one sat there, she tugged at Tim's arm and pointed to it.

Tim nodded his agreement and took her arm and led her to the table. He pretended to pull her chair out and they sat down a bit disappointed the candle was electric and lit. They watched commenting on the food as the waiters passed, enjoying chatting about everything going on between the diners a round the room. Then they talked about themselves and their past getting to know each other properly, sometimes they forgot they had no future here. Gradually the numbers of people dwindled and the waiters started to pack things away and they realised it was over. They looked at each other and nodded … it was time to go home.

They got back to Ocean Drive to find it in darkness and empty, unsure what to do. They decided to rest in Tess's room and wait for everyone to return. Tim sat beside Tess as she lay on the bed they chatted for a while and then she grew silent and gradually disappeared into the bed as she seemed to relax into sleep. He lay down beside her and started to do the same realising that's what happened to the voice in the cave. It felt warm, cosy and secure.

Something woke him; it might have been the sun coming through the window or the natural human clock he didn't know. He wondered where he was at first could not see Tess and thought she was in the bathroom. It all came back to him; he called her name gently wondering how she would feel.

Tess gradually materialized as she woke. She saw him lying beside her and gasped "Tim! Hell! Ben will kill me if he finds you're here." She started get up and realised she was already dressed looked back at Tim totally confused, he said with a smile "No! Derek did."

She sat down suddenly, he heard the thud he expected but the bed did not move, and her hand went to her mouth as memory slammed back. Tim watched fascinated by her changing aura. She exclaimed. "Oh yes he did!" then she remembered the night before and laughed "Oh! That was fun. Thank you! Now what? … Seattle for Ben and I must find Benjy." Suddenly she started to fret "Why isn't he here, something went wrong? Derek could have escaped, hurt him! Tim!"

Tim was shocked by the sudden change in her aura when she thought of Benjy and decided that would come first and said calmly. "Okay Benjy first, then Ben. Picture him slowly you do not want to travel too quickly." He remembered the panic flight of yesterday and felt a gentle ripple go though him and stopped it, he did not want to find out if he could visit the past, and have to go through it all again.

He cleared his mind smiled and held her hand then said and thought quietly "Chairs near Benjy."

They felt the flash of darkness.