An Apple for Zoë ~ The Forsaken (24 page)

The three of them looked back towards the interrogation rooms. From the conference table they could see Tarista and Devonia talking to each other. The sight gave Shelton the chills.
 

"What happened to them after that?" asked James.
 

"The KGB took them away. The following year the Soviet Union collapsed and your government began immediate assistance. The KGB shared with the FBI how I had helped them solve the Rostov Case and a gesture in diplomatic good will I was given the opportunity to leave the Soviet Union and join the FBI."

"You didn't care about being separated from the girls?" James asked.
 

"No. Whatever had been passed along to me from Chikatilo had been magnified in them. They were monsters like their father. I was glad to be free of them."

"They were children, Commander. How can you call them monsters?" asked Shelton.

Stasya sighed heavily and answered in a tone that was matter of fact. "You want proof?"

Both James and Shelton nodded together as Stasya slid the "Eyes Only" file across the table. James took it and opened it.

"What am I looking for?"

"The fingerprint card," she said pointing. James flipped through the file until he came to identical official FBI fingerprinting cards.
 

"Okay, now what?"

"Do you see the date?" she asked.

James looked and saw the date was February 14, 1994. "Valentine's Day."
 

"Do you not see that they were fingerprinted at the age of seven?" asked Stasya.

"That's not uncommon, Commander. Quite often we fingerprint children who come into custody from Child Protective Services. In fact, we even print them when they are born."
 

"Valentine's Day is the day Chikatilo was executed Inspector. That very same day I learned the two of them tortured and murdered their nanny."

"Okay, I'm not sure I understand what you're trying to tell me," said James.

Frustrated, Stasya grabbed the file and retrieved a stack of cards that were secured by a thick elastic rubber band. Quickly she pulled it free and let the cards spill across the table in front of Shelton and James.
 

"Why so many?" asked Shelton.

"Jesus, are you telling me this is the number of times they have killed or been arrested?" asked James.

"Both, but that's not my point. I want you to take this first card and run it through the system," said Stasya.
 

James, Shelton and Stasya rose from the table and crossed the hall to a command center. The room was windowless and filled with identification equipment. Stasya pointed James to the card processor. He slid the card that was marked with the names Tarista and Devonia Baranova. Within seconds the result was printed out.
 

James picked it up and gave a puzzled look.

"Who the hell are Albert and Alfred Stratton?" asked James.

"They were twin brothers who were executed for murder."

"When?"

"1905. It was the first time fingerprints were used as evidence to convict someone for murder," said Stasya as she watched Shelton and James stare at the card with complete confusion. "Are you telling me when you run their fingerprints you get the prints of the Stratton Brothers?" asked James.

Stasya didn't answer, she only handed him another card. Reluctantly, James took and processed it. Within seconds the report printed. James read the name aloud, "Ronny and Reggie Kray?"

"Murderers from London's East End in the late sixties." James ran another card. Shelton read the printout, "Dara and Derek Hume."

"Twin brother and sister from New Zealand who murdered their entire family and buried their dead bodies in the garden path of their country home in late 1950's."

James didn't want to see anymore. "This is insane Commander. You really expect me to believe these two don't possess their own fingerprints. That the fingerprints they do have belong to twins who have been dead. Some over a 100 years?"

"If you don't believe me, print them yourself and find out. But I warn you, they never come out the same twice. After the incident with the nanny, the Soviets were frightened and locked them away in Vladimir Central Prison. They remained there until their escape in 2000 when they seduced a guard and dismembered him into nine pieces."

James realized Stasya was right. It was pointless. After all that she had told him, why would she lie now? Stasya sensed that James believed her.
 

"Trust me Inspector, I know what I'm talking about. I have been hunting them nearly 13 years. You understand now why I told you that you must be prepared before you speak to them?" asked Stasya. James agreed. "So then are you ready to translate for me?" he asked. Stasya shook her head and backed up.
 

"I can't go inside Inspector. My presence will only serve to complicate matters. You said you had a translator?"

James nodded.

"Then it would be better for all concerned if you called on this person."
 

James turned to Shelton. "Cap, call Agent Summers, tell her I'm going to need her help."

 
Shelton made her way to a phone and placed the call. "Summers? It's Shelton. Inspector James needs you to interpret the interview." From the expression on her face, James could tell there was no reluctance on Summers part. Shelton hung up the phone. "She'll be here in two minutes. You sure you want to go in there after everything Commander Gusarov just told us?"

"I have to Cap. If I don't then Kirkland's death is meaningless," said James as his thoughts went back to the voicemail on his cell phone—the voice that sounded like Julie telling him Kirkland wasn't dead. He hoped it was true. And what of the voice? Could it have been Julie? If so, then the message would have been delivered before she was murdered. His thoughts were suddenly broken by Summer's voice.
 

"You ready, Tom?" she asked as entered the room. James looked up at her and was actually glad to see her. After everything they had been through, he felt he could trust Summers with his life.
 

"I'm ready," he said as he noticed Summers looking at Stasya.

"Agent Summers, this is Commander Stasya Gusarov former KGB.
 

"How we gonna play this Tommy?"

James turned to Shelton and looked past her shoulder at the Baranova Sisters. As he expected they were watching him intently. He wondered if they could hear him. "Agent Summers and I will start with Devonia."

Stasya interjected. "Only ask them questions that pertain to your investigation. Do not let either of them break your focus, it's too dangerous."

"Cap, you keep a watch on Tarista and take notes to her demeanor while we speak with Devonia. If you catch anything that Summers or I need to be made aware of you have my permission to terminate the interview. Commander, you're going to be my extra set of ears. I need you to listen for things Agent Summers may miss."

Stasya and Shelton agreed. James looked at Summers and she nodded she was ready. As they began to make their way to the room, Stasya called out, stopping them.

"Wait, give me your hands," she said reaching for James and Summers hands. "Yours too," she said to Shelton. James reluctantly took Stasya's hand. "What are we doing?"

"We're going to pray."

CHAPTER THIRTY

 
Pray

The four of them linked hands, forming a circle. Stasya gripped James and Summers' hands tightly as Shelton completed the circle.
 

"Close your eyes everyone and clear your mind of all thoughts. God is listening," she said as she began to prepare her thoughts for prayer. Without warning a blinding flash filled her mind. Stasya found herself standing in the interrogation room only she wasn't with Devonia or Tarista, she was with Clem. The room smelt of sulfur and burnt skin. Clem looked at Stasya and spoke with no effort.

"He's coming Stasya, he wants her. I tried to warn her,"
he said as he raised his melted hand up to her face. Stasya could see imprinted into his palm the words, Because your family.

Stasya screamed and broke the prayer chain. Her eyes were wild as she stared at Summers. Her breathing was panicked and labored.

"What's wrong? What happened?" asked Summers. Stasya only backed away from the three of them. Moments later, Paige Collins entered the room followed by Jessalee.

Paige could immediately sense something was very wrong with Stasya. "What's going on?"
 

Angrily, Stasya confronted the director. "Why did you not tell her?" she said pointing at Summers.

Paige calmly scanned the reaction of the others before she replied to Stasya. "It wasn't the right time," she remarked coldly.

Stasya grabbed Paige by the collar of her blouse and slammed her into the wall. Nose to nose the two women glared at one another.
 

"Stop it! The director and I have news!" shouted Jessalee. Paige held her eye locked to Stasya's.
 

"So maybe you could back off," Paige ordered Stasya.

"Not until you tell that girl the truth!" shouted Stasya as she tightened her grip on Paige's shirt.
 

 
"Tell me what?" asked Summers, as she moved closer to Stasya.
 

Stasya glared at Paige with bitterness in her eyes. "She was going to let you go into that room with those fiends. She knows if they get you alone it will take them no time to get inside your head. Believe me you don't want that. Five minutes alone with Tarista and Devonia Baranova are long enough for them to unhinge your mind."
 

"They can't touch her or you Stasya, I guarantee it!" shouted Paige. It was the first time James had seen the director not in control of her emotions.
 

Stasya angrily barked back, "You have had me hunting them for 13 years. I have seen the trail of blood they leave wherever they go. Don't tell me they can't get to us! Their seductions have no boundaries. No chains or walls can protect us from them, so how dare you lie..."
 

"They're in a Faraday Cage!" screamed Paige. Jessalee and Summers looked confused as the standoff continued.
 

"What the fuck is a Faraday Cage?" asked Shelton.

Stasya instantly fell silent, she and Paige locked eyes. "It's a stronghold designed to contain extreme levels of telekinetic or psychic power," said Stasya, never taking her eyes away from the director.
 

Paige held her gaze. "You're not the only one who knows what they're capable of," said the director as she pulled the hem of her blouse up and exposed her stomach. There were several odd shaped symbols and marks that were cut and seared into her skin. Paige gave everyone a clear view of the grotesque marks.
 

"What the hell?" asked Summers.
 

"Devonia did this to me 13 years ago," said Paige. Stasya looked closely. "Do those marks spell something?" she asked.
 

"Yes, it's the witches alphabet, it spells
Judas
," said Paige with no emotion.
 

"Why Judas?" asked Shelton.

"Because I had just had an ab ... I had a miscarriage and somehow Devonia knew it."

Summers and Shelton gasped at what Paige had just said. James tried to be sympathetic to the conversation. "Why don't we all sit down a moment," he said as he pulled a chair for the director. Everyone else took a place at the conference table. James sat next to Paige. "How did it happen?"
 

"13 years ago in Hollywood it was my misfortune to investigate the death of Charles Cargill Mondurge."

"Wait I remember that case. Wasn't he the studio executive who committed suicide? His daughters claimed he said that demons or something like that were trying to kill him?" stated Shelton.
 

"They weren't his daughters and it wasn't suicide, it was murder, I just couldn't prove it," she said.
 

"What happened?" asked James.
 

"Mondurge inherited Weirlech Film Studios from his mother the French silent film actress, Lisalette Mondurge. The studio had amassed such a vast fortune during the twenties, she built herself this enormous 275 room gothic fortress that overlooked Hollywood. She hid away from the public for decades and everyone basically forgot about her until 1966, when she burned the studio to the ground. She claimed the devil lived there. Needless to say she was committed and her son Charles took over the estate. Three years later the Manson Family murdered five people on the very site where the studio once was."

"Jesus, is that really true?" asked Jessalee.

 
"You haven't heard anything yet. Charles Mondurge had used the fortune his mother gained from the studio and by the late '90s he had multiplied the amount ten times what it was in the '20s. He was easily one of the most powerful of people in the world of show business. You knew he had a hand in everything, but never saw him. Someone who always seemed to be working in the shadows yet never fails."
 

"Yeah, I remember this guy now, he had a real thing for 'bad girls' anytime you ever
did
see him, it was with women like Evelyn Nesbit, Louise Brooks, Nita Naldi. In fact, he used to be host to some of Jack Nicholson's famous parties. Nicholson once said of Mondurge,
'He's the only guy I know who has a better deal with the devil than I do,' "
said James.
 

"Like Hugh Hefner, he has an army of young girls willing to give into any of his wildest desires. He lives the typical Hollywood life that consists of a never-ending supply of money, sex and power. In late 2000, he gets involved with two mysterious girls and he tells the world he's going to make them more famous than Jesus. Thirty-one days later on Halloween night he's found hanging naked in his shower. A hangman's noose, knotted 13 times around his neck, he's blindfolded and his hands are handcuffed behind his back. He has the words
Babylon's Whore
written on his ass in red lipstick. The police rule it a suicide," she said.