The Reality Engine Ch. 09

This being the third vision Scott had experienced, he was better able to control it. Scott was able to zoom in and get a closer look, he realized, to his horror, the girl was Liandra. There was no mistaking her chocolate black skin, her long legs, and pert breasts. The Latino man dragged her to the center of the old dirt road by her hair, as she cried and struggled and begged for mercy. He tossed her over to a position a few feet in front of himself, and he raised the gun, and took aim at her. The scene froze at that moment in Scott's mind. He first attempted to examine the gun. It was a standard six shot revolver, and Scott noticed that only one of the six chambers had a bullet in it. The meaning was clear, the bullet was meant for Liandra, and the man had not loaded the gun with any other bullets because he only needed one.

Scott knew, from experience, that this vision would fade out quickly, and that he only had so long to get as many details as possible. The key was the prominent feature of this place: the old house, with the stone wall, and the iron gate. He looked around, desperately, for any sign he could find as to where this house was, before he found what he was looking for. There, hung on the wall, just to the left of the gate, was a sign cast in bronze, with large, black letters, and written on it were the words: Bleakly House. That was the only clue he had. Now, he had to figure out what time it was. The first vision of Pepper was of the future, and Scott didn't know if the vision of the cheerleadres was from the future or the past. He assumed this vision of Liandra was from the future, since he had seen her in the girl's bathroom just about two hours before. He remembered that she had described her sugar daddy as being in his late 40s and out of shape. That didn't fit the description of the Latino man in the vision, who was strong, muscular, and not a day over 30.

The vision started to fade, and Scott desperately tried to keep it a moment longer to try to gain some detail that could help him prevent this crime from happening. Inspiration struck him. He looked up in the night sky: there was a full moon. The vision was gone, and Scott opened his eyes, and saw his friends gathered around him with concern written on every feature of their faces.

"You okay man?" Steve asked.

"No, I'm not," Scott said. "It happened again, I had another vision, this one far more powerful and vivid than any to date."

He told all his friends what he had seen, as Steve did a web search on his phone.

"Bad news," Steve said. "Tonight is a full moon. If what Scott saw is real, we don't have much time to stop this horror from happening."

"Find any reference to Bleakly House," Scott said. "It has to be really close by, as it's impossible for her to have gotten far in so short a time."

Everyone started to search rapidly on their phones.

"I've got it," Chad said, as he showed everyone his phone. "Bleakly House is a large mansion outside of town that was abandoned over 60 years ago, for unknown reasons. It's about 10 miles north of here. Come on, let's go check it out, we haven't a moment to lose."

Everyone raced out as fast as their feet could carry them, for the parking lot, and for their cars. They decided to take Steve's car and Scott's car. Chad made sure everyone knew where they were going, and he showed everyone a map of the abandoned mansion on his phone.

"Here's the house that Scott saw, and here's the little hill," Chad said. "Based on the orientation of these two places, I'd say the red pickup truck was driving in from due North. That means we maximize our chances to successfully surprise this son of a bitch, and save Liandra, if we approach from due south. We can park behind the hill, that will shade us from his view."

"Okay, but what is our plan for dealing with his gun?" Bridget asked.

"He won't shoot at us," Scott said, with absolute conviction. "The one bullet in his gun is for Liandra and Liandra alone. He'll either fire it at her, or not at all."

"How do you know that?" Bridget asked.

"I just do," Scott said. "I'm positive, and I've never been more sure of anything in my life. As long as we get there first, we can save her."

"We should also call the police," Steve said.

"Absolutely we should," Scott replied. "Henry, you want to do that?"

Henry nodded that he would, and he dialed 911.

"One other thing," Scott said. "Ask the police to check up on Bernard Young. He's Liandra's sugar daddy. If she's in trouble, chances are he needs help too."

Henry nodded again, as he got in touch with the 911 dispatcher.

15 minutes later, the six friends arrived at the hill to the south of Bleakly House. The police had offered no assistance, since all they had to go on was a supernatural vision. However, the police did assure Henry they would go and check up on Bernard Young, since that was in their power to do and was routine business.

Once they had climbed to the top of the hill, Scott felt a chill run through his spine.

"It looks exactly as I saw it in my vision," Scott said, terrified to his very bone. "To the last detail, including the full moon in the sky."

"So, how do we handle this?" Kloe asked.

"Split up," Scott said. "One group of four, me, Kloe, Bridget, and Steve, will distract the gunman, if he shows up, from the south. Henry, you and Chad try to sneak up on him from the East and disarm him. According to my vision, he will throw Liandra to the west, so his back will be turned to you. We draw his attention, he sees the four of us, and while he's trying to figure out what to do, you have to make your move."

"That sounds like a plan," Chad said.

"Yeah, we definitely want the two strongest and fastest guys to manage the assault while his attention is diverted, if he is as muscular as your vision said he was," Bridget said. "Be careful, okay?"

"You too," Henry said. "Don't do anything stupid, just keep to the plan."

"You're sure he won't shoot at us the instant he sees us?" Kloe asked.

"Positive," Scott said. "I'm more convinced now than ever. Don't ask me how I know, just please, trust me."

With a hearty gesture of good will exchanged, Chad and Henry set off to conceal themselves to the east of the dirt road, to be in optimal position should the stranger come.

"I hope and pray that what you saw doesn't come to pass," Kloe said. "However, you're two for two so far, so we ignore it at our peril."

Everyone concealed themselves, but they didn't have long to wait. 10 minutes passed by, and headlights could be seen off to the north. Everyone had butterflies in their stomach. A moment later, and those headlights enlarged to a large, red pickup truck. Bridget, Kloe, and Steve all looked at Scott. He silently nodded, this was the pickup he had seen in his vision.

The pickup drove to the center of the dirt road, just in front of Bleakly House, and stopped. The driver's side door opened, and a large, muscular, Latino man stepped out, with a gun in his right hand. Scott nodded, giving the signal for everyone to approach. He and Steve walked out in front, with Kloe and Bridget off to their sides, to hopefully offer the girls more protection.

The Latino man hadn't seen the approach of Scott's group yet, and he was fully occupied with the passenger's side door, as he opened it and pulled Liandra out, butt-naked, tied up with rope and crying her eyes out and begging for mercy. He dragged her by the hair, exactly as Scott had seen in his vision, and then, he tossed her into the center of the road. He pointed the gun at her.

"Hey, asshole, over here!" Scott yelled out at the top of his lungs.

"Who's there?" the man demanded as he turned his attention due south, and brandished his gun.

Scott, Steve, Kloe, and Bridget suddenly realized that fate had been kind to them. Due to the location of the moon in the sky, they could clearly see him, but he was having difficulty seeing them.

"Over here, asshole, what are you doing to that defenseless, naked woman?" Steve asked. "That's no way for a man to act."

"Show yourselves!" the man yelled into the darkness, not knowing where to point his weapon, and scanning the area desperately looking for anything. He didn't look long, a moment later, and Chad had smacked him from behind with a giant beam of old lumber that he had found lying around. The man fell to the ground, and everyone heard the revolver discharge a shot. Scott, Steve, Kloe, and Bridget exchanged a look. They were all fine, and they raced as fast as their feet could carry them to the man who had fallen face down in the middle of the dirt road. The two girls rushed to Liandra, to make sure she was okay, while the four guys all rushed to the assailant, who lay motionless on the ground.

"Don't touch him," Henry said, as Steve and Scott caught up. Henry was on the phone, with the police.

"What happened?" Scott asked, as he arrived, and saw the stranger on the ground in a pool of his own blood.

"I smacked him from behind, he fell over on top of his gun, and the gun discharged right into his chest," Chad said. "He's not moving, which means he's either dead, or will be dead soon without immediate medical attention."

"Yeah, Henry's right Scott, we can't do anything more for him, it's best to not touch the body," Steve said.

"Well, no chance of immediate medical attention out here," Scott said. "The nearest hospital is 10 miles away in Frostbite Falls. Let's go see about Liandra."

The two girls had managed to untie Liandra, and as soon as she saw Scott, she leaped, completely naked, into his arms, and she cried her eyes out.

"Thank you for coming for me, thank you so much," Liandra said, the tears flowing out of her eyes, as Scott wrapped his arms around her and held her.

"I'll head back to the car," Steve said. "I think I have some clothes in my trunk that she can wear."

"Are you okay?" Scott said.

"He was about to rape me," Liandra said, nearly choking on her tears due to the emotion. "He knocked Bernard out cold with the butt of that revolver, stripped him of his clothes, stole his truck, and dumped him on the side of the road miles from anything. Then, he ripped off my clothes, he hit me, and he tied me up. He brought me out here to rape me, kill me, and dispose of my body. I would have died without you, Scott."

"What makes you think he's the one who saved you?" Chad asked. "I'm the one who actually gave this asshole what he deserved."

"It had to be Scott," Liandra said, as she held onto Scott like her life depended on it. "I can't explain it, but I know, deep down inside, that I'm alive right now because of Scott."

Over the next twenty minutes, the six friends comforted Liandra, and Steve brought her a pair of spare clothes. Then, the police and an ambulance arrived, to try to save the life of the gunman, but they were too late, the gunman had passed on. The police took Liandra's statement, and the paramedics examined her, found evidence of trauma, and decided to take her to the hospital.

The police indicated that Bernard had correlated the story. He had been knocked out cold by a smack to the head from the revolver, and had been dumped naked by the side of the road. When he had come to, he had no clothing, and no means of contacting anyone. It had taken him over an hour to walk back to civilization, and to call the police, who instantly remembered the call the kids had made about Bleakly House before. Just as the police were about to head out to the house, the call from Henry had come in that the kids were already there, and had already handled it. Bernard was at Frostbite Falls Hospital, being treated for a concussion that he had suffered due to the hit to his head.

After several hours at the police station, where statements were taken and evidence was gathered, Scott, Bridget, Kloe, Chad, Steve, and Henry were released. They went straight to Frostbite Falls hospital to see Liandra and Bernard, and to make sure they were okay. The reunion was happy, joyful, and heartfelt.

Late that evening, at a few minutes to midnight, a very tired Doja Heningway walked into the secret room in his home, and he locked the door behind him so that he would not be disturbed by his wife and family. He knelt in the center of the rug, and once again, the face of the silver haired man appeared on his view screen.

"Rise, my friend," the silver haired man said. Mr. Heningway stood up.

"There have been developments," Mr. Heningway said.

"Yes, I know," the silver haired man said. "How did you hear of it?"

"Eric called me, after he saw Scott's name appear on the police blotter," Mr. Heningway said, his feet shuffling uncomfortably. "I have to know, master, did you. . .?"

"Yes, I did," the silver haired man said. "Success, in life, goes to those who do not let the grass grow under their feet, as the Great Detective of Baker Street once said. We had a strong supposition that Scott had the sight, but not an air-tight one. I made it air-tight. There is no longer a shred of doubt."

"What would have happened to the girl if Scott hadn't been there?" Mr. Heningway asked.

"She would have died, and we would be uncertain if Scott had the sight or not," the silver haired man said. "if your conscience is troubling you, then be grateful Scott did have the sight, and that he had the courage to intervene quickly. If he had neither of those traits, another test would be required. I need scarcely mention that, since tonight's test would have been inconclusive if Scott hadn't shown up, that something even more powerful and disruptive would have been required the next time. Be grateful it has not come to that."

"Master, I. . .," Mr. Heningway said, unable to find the words.

"I know, my friend," the silver haired man said. "Yours is not a cruel nature, focused on victory above all other things, and willing to do whatever it takes. I would not burden your conscience by leaving it up to you to decide how to proceed. Let this be a lesson to you: do not ask me questions about those things which you do not really wish to know. Report back to me as developments arise. Good night."

"One final question, if I may, master," Mr. Heningway said.

"You want to know how I found a rapist on such short notice to run tonight's test?" the silver haired man asked.

Mr. Heningway nodded.

"My methods are confidential," the silver haired man said. "However, in this world, there are many, of both sexes, who can easily be persuaded to fall in with any scheme if the inducements are right. You find the right person, and you push the right buttons."

"You can't just talk someone into raping and murdering someone they've never met," Mr. Heningway pointed out. "What you're talking about is even beyond something like brain washing. It would require out-right mind control. You ran this test to determine if Scott has the sight, but at what cost? An innocent woman was nearly raped and murdered, and an innocent man has lost his life, and that is a good outcome, for it could have been much worse."

"No one would have been the wiser, regardless," the silver haired man replied. "The man who lost his life, Juan Benoite, has been in jail twice, and is a former gang member. The woman, Liandra Welsch, is young, and exceptionally beautiful, just the type to catch the lust of a troubled man. No one will think anything more of it than that. I am not needlessly cruel, as I made sure Ms. Welsch was not raped before Scott had a chance to intervene. I did not needlessly risk lives, as I made sure Mr. Benoite had only one bullet in his gun, and that he would only fire it at Liandra and no one else. The bottom line is, if we wanted to test whether Scott has the sight, it required an exceptional disruption in the fabric of reality to force the vision into his mind."

"What about the tattoo of the horseshoe on the cheerleader's foot?" Mr. Heningway asked. "Was that not conclusive enough for you?"

"Scott could have known about that tattoo any number of ways, and there were photos of it on the University Cheerleaders' website," the silver haired man replied. "If we are to plan our next move correctly, we must be absolutely sure whether Scott has the sight, and now we are."

"A man has been killed, and a woman was nearly raped," Mr. Heningway said. "What if Mr. Benoite had survived, and told the police everything you did?"

"Do you really take me for such a farcical bungler that I wouldn't be certain to cover my own tracks?" the silver haired man asked, laughing. "Mr. Benoite was never going to survive this evening, regardless of how things turned out. I am not a man who fails to tie up loose ends. You would be wise to see to it that your conscience does not turn you into a loose end, that requires tying up. I'd hate for anything to happen to you, or to your family. Continue your assignment, keep an eye on Eric and Dr. Karlov, and report back to me when you know more. Good night."

The view screen went black, and Doja Heningway fell to his knees, shaken to the core of his being.

A few minutes after midnight, on a private airplane landing strip just outside of Frostbite Falls, Eric was seeing Crissy off, as she was about to board a private jet for home. The plane had just arrived, and Crissy's husband, Tyler McGee, got out of it to greet his wife and friend.

"It's great to see you again, Eric," Tyler said, as the two old friends exchanged a hug.

"How did it go with the governor?" Crissy asked her husband.

"Took forever, babe," Tyler said, as he kissed his wife. "I just finished a couple of hours ago. Sorry to make you wait, but you know how these things are."

"Got delayed signing autographs for everyone who wanted one again?" Crissy asked, with a sly smile.

"It's even worse now than it was when I was in the NFL," Tyler said. "Back then, people would sometimes leave me alone, as they were too intimidated to walk up to me. Now that I'm a politician, kissing babies is part of the job, and everyone always wants something."

"Oh hush," Crissy said, laughing. "Signing autographs, posing for pictures, and meeting everyone is the part of the job you love best."

"Speaking of everyone wanting something," Eric said. "Can I ask you two for a favor?"

"Sure, bro, what's up?" Tyler asked.

Eric produced a USB external hard drive from his briefcase, and handed it to Tyler.

"I need you to take this to our 4M Lab in Santa Barbara," Eric said. "It's a data dump of our internal network."

"What makes you think someone's gotten into your network?" Crissy asked. "The only reason to take this data to 4M is to do a forensic analysis for data breaches."

Eric told Crissy and Tyler what had happened that evening at Bleakly House.

"I don't get it, bro," Tyler said.

"I do, kind of," Crissy said. "That was too coincidental, you think someone knows Scott has the sight and set up an experiment to verify that?"

"Yeah," Eric said. "I've had nagging suspicions for months now, but this was the first time it was out in the open and obvious. There are only two ways someone could have known: either I have a data breach, or I have a mole."

"A mole is far more likely than a data breach," Crissy said. "We've taken on a lot of new financial backers in the last five years, since the experiment started. Any one of them could be a leak."

"True, but I can't rule out a data breach, so I have to check up on both," Eric said. "I can't leave Frostbite Falls right now, as that might make whoever is responsible for this leak suspicious."

"Don't worry about a thing," Tyler said. "We'll take this to 4M for you. It's just a bit out of our way home. You're using the standard encryption algorithm, right?"

"Yup," Eric said. "4M will have no trouble decrypting the data and reading it. Have them go through it with a fine tooth comb, and tell them to let me know if there was any unauthorized data access."