Crack! Aaah!

My jaw clenched and I nearly bit through the leather strap as Chuck slowly released the tension letting the joint seat back in its socket. He let go of my arm and the searing pain reduced to a pulsing throb. I spit out the belt, panting heavily, and pulled my arm into my chest as Chuck wrapped the sling around my neck.

“Forgive me if I don’t bleed for you,” He said gruffly, “If I fell sixteen stories, I’d be thrilled if all I had was a dislocated shoulder.”

I tried to smile through the agony, “Yup, lucky me.” I grimaced as he secured my arm in place.

Escaping the casino had been a slow, painful ordeal. It was rough business jogging back to my car with an arm out of the socket, and driving to the gym with one hand was no picnic either. By the time I pulled up to the warehouse the first light of dawn was creeping through the sky. Luckily for me, that was my uncle's favorite time to work out. So, I crashed his early morning routine, and he fixed me the only way he knew how.

Indelicately.

The procedure done, Uncle Chuck got up and walked over to a cooler sitting near his desk, “You were supposed to call me first you idiot,” he chided as he pulled out an ice pack and threw it to me.

Catching it with my good arm, I gently pressed the pack to my aching joint. “I know, I know...”

“Hm, well hopefully the pain is a better teacher than I was,” he said, smacking me up upside the back of my head. “You don't go in half-cocked without backup.”

I grimaced but didn’t argue.

Chuck turned and picked up the diary from the chair where my crumpled uniform lay. “So what else did you see in there?”

Staring blankly ahead, I tried to suppress the shame I felt for my relapse, the taste of whiskey still lingering on my lips.

“Just the diary and the victim profiles,” I said, leaving out the part about Bal-Zabul's influence over me. “There were hundreds of them.”

Chuck watched me closely. I was sure he suspected something was off, but he didn’t push it.

“Alright well, I’ll read through this and see what ol’ Chase has for us.”

I started to stand, “Make it quick, I need to get that to the Chief.”

“Hold on there cowboy,” Chuck pushed me back into the chair. “It looks like your mojo needs time to kick in if you're going to heal, and you've been running all night. I got an old cot in the back. I’ll read, you catch a few winks.”

He walked out and returned a few moments later, unfolding an old military surplus cot in the middle of his office.

I wanted to argue, but I was so tired I couldn’t muster the energy. “Fine, but then I take it to McKinney,” I grunted as I stretched out over the musty canvas. “There should be enough to get a search warrant at least.”

Chuck sat back at his desk and set to work on the diary while I settled into a fitful sleep.

Under the rays of sunlight peeking through the office window, I slowly drifted off amid the usual anxious twitches firing at random through my battered limbs.

It felt like I barely closed my eyes, however, when I was roughly shaken awake again.

Groggily I pushed myself up on my good arm, “wuzzup?” I grumbled.

“Get up kid,” Chuck said, holding out a styrofoam cup.

I swung my legs off the side of the cot and took it, smelling the dark roast within. Blinking sleep out of my eyes I looked up at the clock on his wall, it was nearly eleven in the morning. I’d been out for three hours.

I gently rotated my shoulder and flexed the fingers of my injured arm. It was still extremely sore, but I could move it, which was something. Score one for the talisman. I shook off the sling as I drank.

“Chase is either an idiot or a fucking genius,” Chuck said, thumbing through the pages. “Either way, this helps.” He pulled up a folding chair and sat near the cot, waiting for me to perk up. “Got something here you need to read,” he said holding up the diary.

I frowned as I leaned forward and took it. The page he had it opened to was dated nearly a year ago. I set down my cup and read:

“Today, Waylon took us to meet the boss. He said we were going to level up our game, but didn't bother to warn us what was coming. Honestly I don't think even he knew what to expect.

We didn't go to the casino like usual but instead drove out to a mansion. It was the Mayor’s house. Some Jeev’s looking guy let us in and took us downstairs to the cellar where Gambal was waiting for us. He wasn’t alone.

The room was filled with men in black hooded robes like some creepy vampire convention, and then there was the stone... The giant pyramid at the end of the room... Waylon called them the Black Order, and said they were the ones who had been paying us. Now they offered us even more, as long as we submitted... That’s when it got weird.

Ryan got squirly and tried to bounce, which was a mistake. When he ran it triggered them, like a pack of angry wolves. They pounced on us and it started before I knew what hit me.

I remember the fear and pain as they tore at me. The violation as they used me. The sounds of Ryan and Waylon’s screams blending with my own. Time seemed to stop as I was decimated for their amusement and I wished for a death that never came.

When they were finally bored of my flesh, they dumped my body at the base of the great black pyramid.

That’s when I heard it... that terrible voice... The master's voice.

He told me there is one truth in existence, and that was glorious death. The master wants me to die, and I will. But first he wants me to serve, and I will. We humans are a terrible cosmic offense, and the only remedy is our extinction. Concepts of good and evil are all lies. The best I can do now is take out as many people as possible before I go.

After our initiation they brought out some cattle for us to sample, a few women, a couple of kids, and I think a man or two. It's all a blur now. Strange to think how nervous I once would have been, as if their lives mattered in the slightest. Honestly, once we started, the experience was pretty fun. No more boundaries or stupid rules.

The master allows us pleasure as long as it is to his ends.

When it was over and I met the Dark One, Bal-Zabul, it was as natural as breathing. I could almost pity this worthless world, they have no idea what’s coming...”

I looked up at Chuck, his face, stone, “it goes on and on,” he said, “it’s some sick shit. This whole ‘Dark Ones’ thing freaks me out.” He took the book from me and flipped to a later page, “But this... This is the most important part I think. You mentioned seeing the girl in a storage container?”

I read it. Rather than a standard diary entry, it was a calendar reminder marked for a week from today with the address to the city’s train yard underlined in red. My brain clicked.

“Train cars... They are keeping people in train cars!

I flipped through the pages in my exuberance, “There’s only one yard in the city, we need to-”

I stopped abruptly, having turned to a page with a photo tapped inside. It was Maria. The page was dated the day she died and Chase had made a notation.

“Waylon wants a beat cop handled for getting too nosey. Sounds like she tried to tip off the Chief after following up on one of our marks. I just delivered dope to their man. We’ll generate the call, he’ll pull the trigger. Problem solved.”

Stunned, I read the page again. My ears started ringing, and my pulse ticked up. Chuck walked behind me and read over my shoulder.

“Shit,” he said, taking the book from me. “Alright John, alright just breathe.”

He tried to guide me back to the cot, but I stood fast.

“It was a hit,” I said, my voice low, “they set us up.” The scar on my shoulder twinged and burned at the memory.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

“Looks that way,” Chuck replied, eyeing me cautiously.

I spun around and punched through the nearest wall, seething with blinding rage. “They set us up! Those bastards killed my partner. She found something, and they killed her for it! I’ll kill them... I’ll kill them all!”

The nightstick flew across the room into my hand and I turned to the door. But Chuck stepped in front, blocking my path.

“Not that im much opposed to putting the boot to these mother fuckers, but slow your role, and use your head. They're already trying to pin you for murder, remember?”

In the chaos of my turmoil I could feel my uncle's emotions through the Aether as he tried to calm me. But something was off... He was worried about me, sure, but that wasn't all. He didn't feel surprised or shocked. This wasn’t news to him. I met his eyes and tried to read deeper.

He blinked.

I pulled away and my jaw clenched as I gripped the baton so tight my knuckles turned white.

“... Did you know?”

He swallowed, “Not exactly-”

“Bullshit, did you know!”

Chuck’s face fell and his voice dropped to nearly a whisper, “All we knew was that before she died, Maria was on to something regarding the disappearances. She believed cops were involved. We don’t know what she had. She slipped the Chief a note to tip him off the day she died... We couldn’t prove it before, but we thought it may have been a hit.”

My heart was hammering. I began to pace the tiny office, willing my brain to accept what I was hearing. “Why... Why didn’t you tell me? After everything that's happened, why the hell wouldn't you tell me they killed my partner!”

“What was there to say, John?” Chuck said defensively, “We think the shooting was a hit?” there was no proof before now! And you already got the trigger man. All it would have done is make you worse...” He watched me anxiously, clearly worried his worst fears were coming true.

I couldn't take it. I felt betrayed, lied too by the one person I trusted above all others. Yanking the diary from his hands, I gathered the rest of my equipment and made for the door.

Chuck followed and put a hand on my shoulder. “You get stupid now and that child is as good as lost. You think Maria would forgive you for that?”

I flinched at his words, slowly turning to meet his eyes as I stood on the verge of exploding.

I tried to shake his hand off, but he tightened his grip, “Priorities boy. This isn’t just about you, or Maira. You’re no good to that girl dead.”

I looked my uncle in the eye, my voice filled with venom “... And you're no good to me at all.”

His shoulders stiffened as I pushed past him out of the office. I left the gym, and he didn't try to follow.

***

I knew what I needed to do now. I needed to find Waylon. Yet despite everything I had learned, my best shot was still getting the Chiefs help, which meant I needed to stick to the plan. So I called McKinney about the diary and he sent me an address with instructions to meet him there.

I drove from the gym, fuming the whole way, imagining all the horrible things I was going to do to Waylon when I found him.

“You're distracted,” I heard Leo say from the backseat.

“Fuck off,” I spat.

I looked back in my rear-view mirror, he wasn't there.

The Chief’s meet-up spot turned out to be an abandoned barn on the southeast end of the city near an old decommissioned airfield. Once more I parked off the side of a dusty road a few miles away from my destination and ran through an overgrown field to reach my target.

With each foot fall my shoulder throbbed painfully, slowing me down even with the talisman’s power. Nevertheless, I reached the dilapidated barn fairly quickly. I lept to the roof and slid through a hole in the shingles to perch up in the rafters and scanned the room with my senses.

It was empty, I was alone.

For several agonizingly slow minutes, I waited until, finally, the sound of a car pulling up reached my ears. A moment later, Mckinney walked through the broken-down barn door, looking as pissed-off and red-faced as ever.

I leapt from the beam and landed a few yards in front of him, making him jump and draw his weapon. His shoulders slumped when he recognized me.

“You need to start using the damn door,” he growled, stowing the pistol.

“I’ll take it under advisement,” I said irritably as I crossed the barn, “You wanted evidence? this should get your foot in the door. It Implicates Gambal, and the trio for starters. We need to move fast,” I held out the diary.

McKinney took it and looked it over, but something was wrong. His body language was off.

I knew this was his first real lead in months, a break in the case that could end the corruption plaguing his department. It was a light at the end of the tunnel, he should be happy, or at least hopeful. Instead, he looked even angrier than before.

Before I knew what was happening he dropped the book and decked me across the face. Though it didn't hurt, I stumbled back in surprise. He followed up, grabbing my lapel and pulling me toward him.

“You piece of shit!” he howled, “I warned you! No bodies!”

Confused, I grabbed his wrists and peeled his hands off easily. I’ll give it to the old man, he was brave. I broke his grip like he was a child, but he still stared me down as if he had a fighting chance.

“What are you talking about?”

He struggled against my grip, but couldn’t break free, “Don’t give me that shit, Chase was just found ripped apart in his hotel room.”

I blanched, let go of his arms, and stepped back in shock. “What? I didn’t kill him!”

“You keep saying that,” McKinney spat, “but that’s two deaths near you in less than a day.”

I racked my tired brain trying to process the news. Why would Chase be dead? Unless it was them... unless they knew.

“Chase was alive and in one piece when I left,” I said, unable to hide the anger in my voice. “Read the damn book, he was in a fucking death cult. What the hell do you think they would do to him when they found out he was compromised?”

McKinney blinked, and his anger faltered. He clearly hadn't expected that. He swore under his breath and started pacing in fretful circles.

I knew how much easier it would be for him if I were the killer. It would be a lot more palatable than what he faced now. but it wasn’t that simple and he knew it. He glanced between me and the diary, his mustache twitching as he considered what I told him.

“I can’t use the book,” he grumbled.

“Why the hell not?”

“Because I’m not a damn cop anymore,” he shouted. “When Chase was found this morning, the city council canned me. Enzo is acting Chief now.”

The bottom dropped out of my stomach. “It’s Gambal. He knows what's coming, they’re tying up loose ends.”

Mckinney snorted, “No shit.”

We fell into an uncomfortable silence, stewing in our frustrations across from each other.

With McKinney out, there was no legitimate authority left to bring the diary to. We weren't going to get a warrant now, and there was no chance a disgraced former chief could rally an outside police agency for help in time. Leaking it to the news would take far too long. I needed to act now if I was going to save the girl.

I thought back to my fight with Chase, knowing full well I had barely survived it... I needed help.

Begrudgingly, my uncle's voice floated through my head... “Be smart.”

I bent down, picked the diary up out of the dirt, and held it out to McKinney again.

“This says these creeps are doing business in the train yard. I think that’s where they keep their victims before they get... distributed... I don’t plan on letting that happen. I’m going after them with or without official police help. But I’d prefer it if I wasn’t doing it alone.”

He glared at me, then glanced at the book. I watched the cogs turn in his head.

McKinney was like my uncle, was like me. He hadn't assembled a covert team and damned his career for no reason, the man believed in what he was doing. The odds had been stacked against him from the start, yet evil was afoot and he had been trying to fight it this whole time. People still needed saving, and he knew it.

McKinney sighed, “How many victims?"

I shrugged, “Can’t know for sure, maybe a few hundred. Including Annabell if we’re lucky.”

He swore again and spat into the dirt. After a pause, he took the diary from me and flipped it open.

But it didn't have the impact I was hoping for.

“This would be suicide.” He said, shaking his head. “You and me going in guns-blazing would save no one, and just adds our bodies to the pile.”

He avoided my eyes looking up instead to the old barn ceiling. I could feel shame emanating off him.

“This was a mistake. You were a mistake. They win, I'm done.”

I watched utter disbelief as McKinney turned his back on me and headed toward the door.

“People are going to die! The girl is going to die!”

McKinney never slowed, and never looked back. “People die every day,” he called out.

He left me standing in the middle of the barn, more alone than I had ever been.

After a few minutes in the quiet, I started feeling the nervous muscle twitches again. With no one to distract me and nothing to do, anxiety had time to creep into my chest once more. My heart skipped a few beats and my breathing shallowed. I closed my eyes and tried to control my emotions. It wasn't working... I fell to my knees as the panic closed in.

Maria was assassinated and my uncle hid it from me. The police department my family had worked for over generations had been corrupted. People were suffering and their pain was going to rip me apart from the inside no matter what I did, and all the while I was going to be alone... alone.

When I opened my eyes again, Leo stood by my side. I couldn't bring myself to look at him.

“I can’t do this,” I choked.

Leo began to walk about, looking around the empty broken-down barn. “If I told you that you could lay down the talisman and be done, leave all the nightmares and pain behind. Would you do it?”

Slowly I turned to face him. For the briefest moment I thought he was offering me a way out. Then I realized what he was really saying... Would I leave the girl to die?

My left arm spasmed and the scar on my shoulder throbbed. “Tell me this can work.” I pleaded, “Tell me I can save her? Save any of them?”

Leo kneeled with me and met my eyes, “...And if I can offer you no such guarantee, would you walk away?” He repeated.

I clenched my fists and tried to hold back fearful tears as despair rolled over me in waves.

I shook my head.

Leo smiled, “Then everything is going to be just fine.”

He stood again and backed away from me. “You have work to do John.” He said as he slowly vanished into the air.

With his last words, my breathing slowed again and my heart calmed. I stood, the talisman humming gently on my chest once more.

That was it then. Nothing else mattered.

I put aside my pain and fear, buried my feelings of betrayal and revenge. I exhaled a shaky breath.

“Hang on kid, I’m coming.”