Chapter Two
Moving On
Jake left home when he turned 17 years old. It wasn't that he didn't get along with his parents or the puppets. Simply put, Jake felt it was time to go out into the world and make a name for himself. For many years he was known as "Rick Myers' kid" among the high ranking technology schools. But he wanted to be more than that. He wanted to make his own niche in the world of technology.
Yes, he had learned a great deal from his father, with all of those late night sessions working on the computer and learning different programming languages as well as technical data passed down from his father to himself. This included the program he had been working on when his father had first arrived at the Inn so many years ago.
Jake seemed to just be able to soak in all of the information at a miraculous pace. Almost a little too well. His mother was worried something might be wrong with him and Jake had been taken to a doctor. In the end, there was a simple explanation. Jake was a Mnemonist, that is, he possessed the unusual ability to recall long lists of information including names and numbers. This allowed him to remember formulas, data and titles when working on computer programs and working with his father.
But the one thing he loved to do was carve. His imagination led him to create several small figurines, only a few inches tall as well as the head for a new puppet he had been considering.
Jester had been a large influence on him from the time he had been old enough to crawl to this very day. Their shared love of laughter made Jester happy all the time when they were around each other. Particularly when Jake was working on the head with Jester seated on the windowsill above.
The face on the head showed that of a man with a broad grin embedded on his face. A smile that made a person curious what the puppet was up to. The eyes were deep set, and slightly narrowed as if wondering what it was YOU were up to.
The day he was accepted to the Phoenix Division's technology program was one of the happiest in his life. His parents were both proud of him, yet worried at the same time, but wouldn't tell him why.
On the day he was to leave, Rick handed him Jester.
"Take him."
Jake shook his head, frowning, "Dad, he belongs here with the others. I can't take him."
His mother shook her head, "He belongs with you, Jake. You're his best friend. I can't remember a single night growing up you didn't have him beside you in bed. It's only right he go with you. Besides, you'll eventually be back and Jester would miss you too much in the meantime."
Jester nodded vigorously at that statement.
Jake sighed, to be honest, he didn't want to leave his friend.
Smiling, he said "C'mon Jester. The world awaits."
The small puppet's head swirled around to that of a smile before whispering something.
Nodding, Rick set him down as he moved to the other three puppets gathered to say goodbye to Jake.
There was a sound of whispers and hisses before Jester walked over to Jake's feet. Bending down to pick him up, he asked, "Saying goodbye?"
Jester nodded once, turning his head to look back as Jake hugged his parents and then headed out to the car.
"Okay," Jake thought, two years later at the age of 19, "This isn't quite the way I thought things were going to be."
Sitting at a tiny breakfast table, he looked out the dirty window at the city. Well, not the best part of the city to be sure. Shootings, muggings, and robberies were commonplace where he and Jester lived.
Yes, the education and work he had gotten was great, but with finances the way they were, he couldn't afford anything better. True, his parents always offered him money if he needed it, but he always insisted they were fine and didn't need any help. After all, he had left to be on his own. To stand by himself without any help from them. If he asked for help now he felt as though he was admitting failure. Failing what he wasn't sure, himself? Perhaps his parents hope in him?
Looking around the studio apartment, he sighed. This definitely was not what he had dreamed it would be. One small couch that made out into a bed with holes on the sides, a black and white TV sitting on a milk crate and two more in front of the couch with a blank of wood on it acting as a coffee table.
He looked over at Jester who was in his usual spot, looking out the window.
"Morning buddy." He said in a cheerful voice.
Looking over, Jester's sad face was on as he seemed to sigh.
Walking over to him, he patted the puppet on the back, "I know, I know. I miss them too. Sorry we haven't been back, but with the way the car has been acting, I don't want to chance making the long trip. It's over 48 hours to get back. If it breaks down on me, I'm screwed."
He wanted his friend to understand, to try and cheer up, but Jester simply turned back and looked out the window.
Jake knew it hadn't been easy for Jester, so used to spending so much time with him. Now, he spent his days looking out the window, looking forward to when Jake would come back home and spend a few hours with him before going to bed.
"Look, I'll tell you what. I'm supposed to be getting a bonus this next week. If I get it, I'll make the trip, okay?"
Jester's head spun around revealing the smile Jake loved to see.
In truth, Jake had been working on something at the Phoenix Division in his spare time. Something no one there knew about. Feeling guilty about Jester being all alone, Jake had nearly finished his own puppet. The body was built from a metal alloy covering the wooden pieces, to ensure durability. The head was attached, now fully designed, a small pair of what appeared to be X-ray glasses, the kind found in the back of comic books on top of his spiked black hair. Wearing a pair of purple pants and a turquoise shirt, he had a gunslinger belt one, containing two small guns. On his back, ninja-style, was a sash with assorted little weapons and gadgets.
It sat for the past two weeks on his lab table at the Phoenix Division. He had re-coded the access panel on his door for a little added security. His father and Andre had showed him how to transfer a spirit into a puppet's body, but the problem was, he didn't have one. At least not until two days later.
Dexter "Dex" Williamson was the prankster of the section Jake was in. His main target was women, but he had no problem pulling a prank or two on the guys as well. This was everything from blasting an entire can of shaving cream under a locked door to filling a cubicle with packing popcorn. On the women, he had snuck into the women's restroom and covered the bottom of the lid with see-through saran wrap.
Needless to say, that didn't go over well, yet he was not fired. It was simply his nature to try and get a laugh out of anyone. He was a really great guy. Then, he had to go and pull a prank at some biker at a bar. Hours later, it was Jake who got the phone call.
"Sir?" asked a voice on the phone on night at 11:45.
"Yes?" Grumbled Jake, half-awake.
"Is this Jake Myers?"
Jake nodded, though he didn't know why, "Sorry. Yeah. Who is this?"
"Sir, this is Officer Morgan of the Police Department. There's been an incident at a local drinking establishment and there was a fatality involving a Dexter Williamson. We found your number at the top of his cell contact list. Does he have any family?"
"No." Jake replied, still in shock at hearing Dex had been killed.
"Can you please come identify the body to make sure it's him? His wallet was gone and he has no identification, just the cell phone listing his name."
Sighing, Jake replied, "I'll be down in a half hour." And hung up the phone.
Soon, he was staring down at the mutilated face of Dexter. Jake had heard of people "beating someone to a pulp" before, but had never seen it. Dexter's face was literally a pulp. Yet, he was still identifiable.
"That's Dexter." He said to the officer beside him.
"Thank you. That's all we need." Said the older man beside him, about to push the body back into the locker.
"Can I please have a moment alone with him?" Jake asked, "We were close."
The officer nodded, "Of course." And walked out of the room.
Reaching into his pocket, Jake removed the ring he had brought with him. It was given to him by his father before leaving, saying "Something tells me you might need it sometime."
Well, dad had been right as always.
Looking down at the body, he inserted the needle that emerged from the ring into the lower part of the neck of the corpse. Muttering a few words in another language, he pulled back, the needle going back into the ring.
After leaving the station, he made his way, in a daze, back to the Division and his lab.
Flicking on the lights, he went to Trickster and flipped the puppet over onto its stomach.
As he did so, the needle emerged, as if knowing what to do. Injecting it into the neck of the puppet, he began chanting the words he had been taught. After a moment, he removed the needle as it slipped back into the ring.
Looking over at the cabinet, he went over and opened it, removing the small vial of green liquid which was only a quarter full, having used most of it on Jester.
Filling a syringe with the remaining quarter, he injected it into the neck of the puppet and squeezed down, filling it.
Setting the syringe aside, he flipped it over onto its back and began to speak to it.
"Dex…I know you won't understand what's happening, but I had to do this. You didn't have to die that way, just being yourself. I need to know that this is okay with you. If you don't want this and want to move on, I can release you, but I need to know."
The puppet remained still for what seemed to be hours before it finally sat up of its own accord.
Moving back a little, Jake watched as Trickster got to his feet and looked at him, the smile etched on his face.
"Do you wish to remain in there my friend?"
Trickster examined his body for a moment before simply nodded once as the x-ray glasses dropped down and let out a sinister "Hee hee hee." Dex…Trickster was already probably thinking of all sorts of mischief this smaller body could get into.
Jake nodded with a grin. He feared he had not performed everything to the degree he needed to.
"I cannot bring you with me right now. I need to arrange something first. You can remain here tonight and I will come for you tomorrow. Is this okay?"
Again, Trickster nodded.
Back at the apartment, Jake was about to go and get him, bringing him home as a companion for Jester.
"Alright buddy. I need to go run a few errands and then I'll be back."
But before he could open the door, the doorbell rang.
Opening the door up to the chain latch, he looked out to see a postal worker standing there. Shutting the door, he unlatched the chair and reopened it.
"Yes?"
"Are you Jacob Myers?" asked the balding man.
Jake nodded.
"I'm very sorry for the lateness of this latter, sir. We found it along with a batch of 20 other letters stuck behind one of the sorting machines downtown. I'm afraid it's about two months late. But, better late than never. Please sign."
He held out a clipboard and pen which Jake signed as the postal worker handed him the letter and thanked him.
Shutting and re-latching the door, he sat down on the couch and opened it, saying, "It's from mom and dad."
Scanning it over once, his eyes narrowed, "Something's wrong, Jester."
Hopping off the windowsill, Jester ran over to the couch and climbed it, sitting on the back overlooking Jake's shoulder.
"They say they want me to come back as soon as possible. Something about there's something weird going on at the museum. They're worried about us."
Setting the letter on the couch he looked to the side, "Looks like we're going home early, Jes. But first, we need to make a stop at the Phoenix. I need to grab something before we go." Jake said grabbing his backpack.
To his great surprise, the car did indeed make the trip, though it was still making that funny clunking sound whenever he drove over 70 mph. It was night now as he pulled into the parking lot and got out, putting Jester on his shoulder, something Jester always liked.
As he approached the front door, he found the lights off and the doors locked although it was only 7:00.
Knocking a few times, he waited before pulling out his key and unlocking the door, going inside and then re-locking it.
"Hello?" He shouted out, "Mom? Dad?"
There was no reply as he flicked on the lights, illuminating the show room. Forgetting for a moment where he was, he turned and was face to face with Leech Woman.
"Augh!" he shouted, nearly sending Jester to the floor, had the puppet not grabbed a handful of his hair.
"Sorry Jes," Jake said, shaking his head, "Scared the crap out of me for a second."
Tapping the case with his finger, Jake continued looking around, not finding around.
Heading upstairs to the living area, he immediately smelled something terrible.
"Phew!" said Jake as he entered the kitchen, "Someone has definitely left something out."
As he turned on the light, he saw he was right.
The kitchen table was filled with a bowl of rotted salad, two plates with some type of meat and vegetable on it and a moldy cake.
"This stuff has been out at least a month."
Jester whispered something as Jake nodded, "I agree, Jes. Where are the others?"
Moving down the hallway, he looked in every room until he found Tunneler and Six Shooter lying on the bed of his father's private study. Both looked stiff and were not moving.
A vial of the green liquid sat on the shelf as he moved to get it.
From beneath the bed, a tiny figure shot out, grabbing his foot and was about to slash into it with its knife when Jake yelled down.
"Blade!"
The brim of the hat rose as the ghostly white face looked up at him before raising a hand in salute and stopped.
Reaching down to pick him up, Jake sat him on the table.
"What's going on here? Where is everyone?"
Blade slowly shook his head from side to side, tilting over slightly.
"Whoa." Said Jake, picking him back up, "You look like you guys haven't had any serum for a while."
Reaching over to the shelf, he grabbed the vial and the syringe beside it, filling it.
Flipping Blade over, he injected a small amount into the puppet's neck before doing the same with the two on the bed.
"How's that?" he asked a few moments later as all three began to stretch and move around.
"Now," Jake said, "Where are my parents?"
To his disappointment, none of them knew. Something they shared by shaking their heads.
Blade told him via whispers and hisses that the last thing he remembered was Rick saying something about the Abomination. After that, Blade had been stuck in the study for the longest time as Rick closed the door on him.
A banging on his back made Jake turn and remove his backpack as he sat it on the bed and unzipped it.
"Sorry about that buddy."
Popping out, Trickster let out a high pitch, "He he he he!"
Blade immediately backed off slightly.
Jester, however, let out his normal, "Ooooo!" as his face swiveled to surprise.
"Yeah guys, this one is mine. His name is Dexter the Trickster, or Trickster for short." Jake said, chuckling.
Trickster looked around at the others before simply plopping down on the bed, sitting.
"I need to find out what the hell is going on, but first, I want to go see this Abomination."
Immediately, Blade was on his feet, crossing his hook and knife hands while Jester jumped up beside him, shaking his head.
"Come on guys," Jake stated, "This thing is immobilized. It can't do anything to me. I'm not sure what the hell my dad was always afraid of. Blade," he said, looking down, "You said my father mentioned him. I need to know if something is going on. Lead the way."
Jumping from the bed, Blade took the lead as the other puppets jumped down, following to the sides and behind Jake to protect him.
Going down the hall, Blade pointed to the door leading up to the next floor as Jake reached over and opened it.
Climbing the stairs, they all proceeded to the next floor and stopped in front of a door on the right side of the hallway with a small red X painted on it.
Carefully opening it, Jake reached in and turned on the light. The sight that was before him was nothing like he had expected. The room was barren except for a small table with a grotesque puppet on a stand.
Walking in, Jake looked around, "Is this it? This is what I was forbidden to see?"
Blade, however, was more cautious as he ran in front of Jake to take the lead, stopping at the base of the stand.
Stopping next to him, Jake looked down at the puppet and prodded its chest with his right index finger, "Don't seem so dangerous to me." He said.
Getting to one knee, he looked at the disfigured face and smiled, "So, from what I've been told, you can see and hear me just fine. So, listen ugly. If I find that you are somehow involved in the disappearance of my parents…" he got close and whispered, "What they did to you is nothing compared to what I'll do. I'll make you wish you were just stuck in there."