The Entity Pt. 09

The Doctor paced and said, "What if we load her into one of the bodies. Then we can just talk to her."

"Well, it would take at least twelve hours to prep the body, do the load, and wait for her to wake up enough to talk to us. But then she'd have her own free will. She could refuse to talk to us."

"Have you seen any mention of tomorrows visit from the presidential candidate?"

"I have several searches going on, he's one of them. Nothing yet."

After considerable thought the Doctor said, "Keep looking and be sure everything is prepped for tomorrow. All we need is half an hour. Also, get everyone in for a scan update."

Stopping at the door, he turned to add, "Beth, dear, we want to update your scan too."

*****

The Captain sat at his desk. Where the hell are you, Woo? His complexion was ashen and he seemed to have aged ten years overnight.

Punching his phone he barked, "Tom! Get up here now!"

Pulling his bottom drawer open, he fished around for his bottle and sat two Dixie cups beside it.

Tom came in and sat, waiting.

Pouring two small servings, he offered one to Tom, and was surprised when he accepted.

"What the hell are you doing, Tom? Haven't you worked with me long enough to know you're not supposed to actually drink it? You're supposed to politely decline so I can have it."

Tom downed the red liquid, sat his cup in front of the Captain and said, "Hit me again, Captain."

The Captain smiled in spite of the situation and they both downed the red liquid.

Leaning back in his chair, the Captain tented his fingers and said, "You know, if they find either one of them, the first thing I'll do is kill them."

*****

Teddy pushed Michael's naked body back on the bed, her hand splayed across his chest, and she started kissing her way down.

"Are we more than friends, Michael?"

Michael laced his fingers in Teddy's red hair and moaned. "Uh. Of course, Teddy."

Caressing him with her hand, she asked, "Do you think about her?"

Michael couldn't placeherand moaned again as Teddy pulled. Pressing gently with his hand, urging her to do more, he said, "Who? Who, Teddy?"

Blowing lightly, she cooed before saying, "Linda. Your old girlfriend."

Michael froze and untangled his fingers from Teddy's hair.

After a minute of silence as Teddy measured the impact of her question, she finally gave up and scooted up Michael's body.

Her years of experience came into play as she controlled the situation. She didn't believe Michael was part of any secret plot or conspiracy. As his lover, no matter how short the time frame, she would have known.

"Its okay, Michael, I certainly understand."

Pressing her breasts into Michael's chest, her long red hair splayed across both of them. Dipping her head she kissed Michael passionately.

"How do you know about her?"

"I'm sorry, Michael, but Rudolph, my lawyer, thought I should know. He meant no harm."

Her hand came up and a finger traced his mouth as she looked into his eyes. "You see, Michael, Rudolph is worried about me. He knows I've fallen in love with you."

Michael smiled slightly and brought an arm up to pull Teddy into him. He kissed her back, their tongues dancing as his other hand ran down her body.

"It's hard, Teddy. The whole thing. I guess you also know all about me. How I got here."

Teddy slid down, her head coming to rest between his chin and neck, one knee sliding over his thigh and pressing down as she straddled his leg.

"Yes, Michael, I do know. Does that bother you?"

Michael stared at the ceiling and finally said, "No. I thought you might. I mean, I guess now you're my benefactor."

Teddy turned her head slightly and kissed the inside of his neck, "So, do you think about her?"

Michael shifted slightly, uncomfortably under Teddy and said, "Of course I do. What would you think of me if I didn't? If I just abandoned her completely?"

Teddy knew she had to be careful. They were at a crossroads and she wanted to make sure the right choice was made. "You're right, Michael, I would think you an awful person," shifting slightly, her thighs tightening a little around his leg she continued in a whisper, "Will you think about me too?"

Michael pushed her up by the shoulders, holding her chest above his where he could see her eyes. "And when would that be?" A small teardrop fell from Teddy's cheek and splashed on his chest.

Through quiet sobs, her head turned slightly, not looking directly at Michael, she said, "You'll go back to her. I'll fix it so you can. It might take six months but I can fix it, Michael," her body quaked with emotion.

Pulling her tight, he kissed the tears from her cheeks and whispered, "No, Teddy. I know you can't. The Doctor explained," Michael's hand came up and turned her mouth toward his, "My decision was hard, but I will not waver. If you'll keep me, I'm yours."

Theodora sobbed as she hugged him, her head buried in the pillow beside his, her arms wrapped around his neck. Her intention had been to put on a good show. She'd surprised even herself when the moment came and no acting was needed.

While her heart wept with joy, her mind noted that she needed to talk to the Doctor. Something else is going on here that has nothing to do with Michael.

****

Linda came to just as the sun kissed the sea green mat in the distance. Michael, she thought. Rolling her head, she could see the sun sink below the slate colored line at the horizon. Bringing her left hand up, she rolled toward the end of her journey, her hand reaching into the void more than thirty feet above the rocks.

Her only thought was finishing the journey.

*****

Half an hour later, Officer Rhodes pulled his microphone from the dashboard of his patrol car and called in. "Dispatch. This is 12-20. Could you call the county and tell them the guardrail is missing here at lover's leap. Also, I'll be 10-7 at the scene."

"10-4 12-20."

Stepping from his car, Frank Rhodes, stepped from his brown and white and walked up to the edge of the cliff. Shining his flashlight down, he could barely make out the dark underside of a car.

Back at his car, he called in again. "Dispatch, this is 12-20. You better call Fire and Rescue. I think one went over. Also get Mike to bring out that big wrecker he has. The one with the long cable."

"10-4 12-20."

"One other thing, dispatch. Find that APB from SFPD. Get a make, model, and plate number. This might be it."

"10-4 12-20."

In his five years with the county he had heard stories of cars going over lover's leap. This was the first time he'd actually seen it.

Standing at the edge, he looked down and felt sorry for whoever was under the pile of metal.

Chapter 26

Fox News – The democratic hopeful, Arthur Wright, officially announced today that he is reducing his campaign efforts by half. He will be making speeches and attending dinners, but he feels that time can be better spent preparing for his first one hundred days in office. 'We expect to make big changes. It's time we stopped speculating what we might do, and started deciding what we will do.'

"Tom, it's confirmed. They've found, Linda's car," the Captain sounded somber as he hung up the phone.

"Where?"

Grabbing a cup of coffee as he passed the hall urn, Tom followed the Captain as he headed out the door. Falling in beside, Tom asked, "Where're we going?"

The Caption clicked the alarm on his car and both men got in.

"Lover's leap."

Tom placed his coffee in the center consol cup holder and pulled the seatbelt tight across his chest, shoving it home with a satisfying click.

"Shit," was all he said as the Captain pulled into traffic.

*****

Beth had put a lot of information together. Bunching the sheets of paper into a stack she found the doctor and explained.

"They seem to know some of what we're doing. They know we scanned Michael's mind. I found nothing about the visit tomorrow from the candidate. I think we're safe for a few more days, maybe enough to get the scan, but they suspect something is happening here, they just don't know what."

The Doctor stared into space for a minute and finally said, "Get the scans going. Michael too. And I want the scanner on-line until this is over. We will want updates."

*****

Tom watched over the edge of the cliff as Linda's car was pulled up the sheer wall. He cringed when the chrome windshield frame finally gave way and folded back.

Men from the county were standing around talking in hushed tones. Fire and rescue had rappelled down and covered a body they'd found body.

Two coastguard boats were stationed about a hundred yards offshore, divers lowering into rubber rafts, pulling their gear on, to start a search pattern.

The Captain stood to himself, hands on his hips, jaw jutting slightly as he waited for news.

Metal continued to grind as the destroyed car was pulled over the edge and came to rest, upside down, more or less where it had been before being pushed off.

Tom walked around and squatted, looking into the passenger compartment. Dusting his hands off, he walked over to the Captain and took up post.

Neither one of them wanted to speak the unspeakable.

*****

Tammy heard it first and held her hand over Allessandra's mouth signaling she should be quiet.

Then a small crack of light shined under the door. After constant darkness, the small slit afforded them a fair view of their prison.

The door flew open and the light in the cellar came on blinding them both.

The two silver dog bowls were set in the dirt just inside the door, one with water and the other with some unidentifiable brown, chunky slop.

"I guess my two bitches will have to share."

With that, the light went off and the door slammed shut.

Allessandra moved first, leaning away from Tammy and crawling toward the thin strip of light beneath the door that outlined the two bowls.

Her vision returning, Tammy could see Allessandra leaning into the water dish, lapping up water.

She could hear Bob outside in the basement moving boxes and mumbling.

Crawling over beside Allessandra, she could smell the dark contents of the other bowl and repelled when she recognized it. Dog food. Canned dog food.

Allessandra had finished at the water dish and sat beside the door shoveling the slimy food into her mouth with her hand. Tammy sat on the other side of the door, picked up the water bowl and tipped it to her mouth.

Tammy still clung to hope that Linda would find them soon.

*****

Teddy's naked form kneeled over Michael sleeping form. Taking the small headset from Beth, she slipped it gently onto his head and sat back on her heels.

"He won't wake up. Not after this evening," Teddy sounded smug as she watched Beth typing on the keyboard of a portable computer identical to the one that had gone over the cliff in the SUV.

Michael's eyes moved back and forth beneath his lids and Beth watched the small screen intently.

"That's it. It was quick. I just added it to everything else we already have."

Closing the case, Beth left Teddy and Michael alone again.

Teddy smiled and blew in Michael's ear. His head lulled and his eyes finally opened. "Hi, lover. Did you have a nice nap?"

Michael stretched and yawned. "I had the most vivid dream," he exclaimed.

Sliding into the crook of his arm, rolling one of her knees over his thigh, Teddy asked, "Was it good?"

Michael grinned and brought his arm up, pulling her into him, "It's always good with you."

Teddy reveled in the kiss and finally pushed Michael away to say, "I meant your dream, Michael!"

Thinking for a second, he replied, "Of course it was. It was about meeting you."

Teddy leaned in and kissed Michael's chest. She wondered idly if an update should be done before they leave.

Michael moaned as Teddy purred down his body.

No matter, she thought, we can just do it again.

*****

"We've found another vehicle. It's out about twenty feet and on the bottom," the deputy paused, "There's at least one other body in that one, but we won't know the real body count until we pull it up."

After only the fat man's body had been discovered, Tom and the Captain clung to hope. Maybe she got away. Maybe she was taken somewhere else. As the deputy walked away neither glanced at the other.

*****

The Doctor went first. Rudolph looked on as Beth sat at the console, overseeing the operation.

"Have you done yourself yet, dear?"

"I will after you finish. The Doctor will do me."

"How long have you been with us?"

"Only two years."

Rudolph seemed thoughtful then finally asked, "Has a place been made for you with Phoenix, dear?"

"Oh yes, not a problem. There seems to be a spare place I can use."

Pressing a key, Beth removed the halo from the Doctor's head and leaned down to whisper, "Did you remember last night, dear?"

He just smiled and made way for Rudolph. "That's ashamed bout loosing half our capital."

Rudolph slid into the chair and waited while Beth adjusted the small halo, "More than enough, Doctor. Within six months it will be irrelevant."

The Doctor watched as Rudolph was scanned. "Who's left, dear?"

"Just me. But we should try to rescan just before we leave."

The Doctor was lost in thought as realization sunk in. The Phoenix. At last.

*****

It had been quiet on the other side of the door for some time now. Tammy and Allessandra had moved away from the light and sat huddled in each other's arms, Tammy listening to a tale that would have made Poe blush, as Allessandra recounted what happened to Sarah, the realtor.

"The odd thing was," she was whispering, "He kept talking to her the entire time. He would ask her what she thought, if she liked the way he'd made a cut."

Tammy just shivered and noted the sound of a computer keyboard being used on the other side of the door.

Allessandra tried to continue, "Then," she paused, then started again, "Then, well, he had to show this woman everything he, well, his work. He would hold it up in front of her and taunt her. Then-"

Allessandra stopped again and Tammy leaned close and whispered, "It's okay. You don't have to tell me."

Tammy felt Allessandra's fingers dig into her flesh and she hissed, "Yes I do! I can't carry this alone."

Bob had stopped typing and they heard him go up the stairs.

Tammy steeled herself and whispered, "Go ahead, Allessandra, tell me all of it."

"I don't know why she didn't protest more. I think he must have put something in her drink. I could see it hurt but she just didn't seem to protest – almost like she didn't care."

"Maybe he drugged her. That's it."

Allessandra sniffed and her whispered voice became quieter, Tammy could feel her body quake as she went on, "Then there she was. Right in the middle of the bedroom floor. Blood everywhere," her voice caught and she continued, "Parts everywhere. Then he pulls the mirror over. The floor mirror I use in my work. He turned it and tilted it down."

Allessandra fell quiet again and Tammy waited, stroking her back, "Then he wasn't happy because she couldn't see. I mean, who would want to? So anyway, he got mad and told me to prop her head up with a pillow."

Allessandra broke down in sobs again and Tammy tried not to imagine.

"So he yells at me and," Allessandra sobbed some more while Tammy tried to calm her.

Finally calmed she had to finish, "He told me to get a pillow and I did. I walked to the bed, picked up two pillows from the bed - from our bed, and I lifted her head and slid them under her head.

"He just stood by the mirror and laughed as this poor woman finally saw what had been done. What was left!" Allessandra hissed out the last.

They sat in the dark and shivered. Allessandra's quaking subsided and Tammy thought she'd fallen asleep. She jerked when Allessandra finally finished her tale.

"He walked up and pulled the tape off her mouth. I think she was too weak to yell at that point. Or in shock. I don't know. Then her mouth moved. I could see it. Her mouth moved and she saidplease. Please finish me."

Then Allessandra rushed ahead, wanting to unburden herself, needing to cleans herself of the evil, "He brought the knife up, placed it on her throat and sawed down quickly."

After what Tammy thought was half an hour, she could hear Allessandra's breathing, slow and even and knew she'd fallen asleep.

She leaned in the corner, happy for the feel of a warm body in her arms and thought about Linda.

*****

The Entity could feel himself pool. Understanding better what was happening, it was somehow comforting to spread out, in a sense, flex his muscles.

Bits and pieces were processed consciously. Other things were noted in passing and filed away.

He recalled a show he'd seen once about yoga. He seemed to find balance, like a tuning fork in perfect resonance, and fell into a trance.

He had only one thought. One objective. One motive. He knew that if Linda could get to anything electronic. If she could just push four keys, that he would find her. Immediately.

He just needed her to type the word help and he could find her.

*****

"He's back, Captain. We watched the spread. He's gone global again."

The Captain looked up from his cup of coffee and nodded before returning to his reverie.

Tom tried a couple of times then said, "There's no activity. He's not responding. He's just out there. Waiting."

The Captain looked up again, "Good. Maybe he can find them."

Please be sure to take the time to vote and comment. I hope you're enjoying the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Much more to come. BTW – This is a sequel to The Sentinel.