Manhunter Revelations (21 page)

"Okay have fun. I am going out to check the
patrols of the village. Things are quiet now, but if I need you
I'll comm you"

I got dressed and geared up. Hopefully I
wouldn't need it here in the village, but the creature had already
shown that would not always be the case. Yet unless we found some
way to kill it, we all would be in for a very deadly ride. I know
the Ladies did not want us to use the power torches, but Hennings
and I both agreed that it’s use may be the only viable weapon we
have against the creature. Checking on Sessa before I left, I could
not help but feel the intense desire to just get back in bed with
her and give in to the animal sides we both seem to have. I was
amazed. Even asleep I could feel the strong pull of her Eurola on
me. Fighting it off I left the cottage. Outside everything appeared
quiet, but you could see the tension being reflected in the faces
of the villagers as well as those of the soldiers who by now knew
our weapons were useless against the creature. If it attacked, the
plan of action was to hit it with as much concentrated firepower as
can be brought to bear on it and hope it would overpower it’s
ability to regenerate, or at least keep it hampered enough that it
would retreat from the village. Since my report on it’s
regenerative ability, the plan was to relocate all the woman in the
village to police headquarters at Pacifica Santum for their safety.
There was some resistance to the idea from a lot of the woman, but
after being informed on the latest events they saw the need to get
them all out of reach of a possible attack. The central pavilion
plaza was over a quarter mile wide. The walk to the History Center
was uneventful, but it was the first time I got to see more of the
village in more detail during the daytime. Trust me the daytime did
not take away any of the village’s magic. The colors and design of
the assorted homes and other buildings was simply beautiful. The
colors was unbelievable especially under sunlight. I truly mean
unbelievable. There were colors I simply couldn’t identify. They
must have been created by the designers of the village. Later after
this matter had been settled, if it could be settled considering
the creature’s regenerative ability, I would be very interested in
the history of the village and it’s building and design process.
These were the brightest and most beautiful assortment of colors I
had ever seen. They just simply glowed in the sunlight, but in no
way did they overpower. Again I was struck with the image of a
glowing beautiful fairy tale village.

I arrived at the History Center, which was a
medium size building beautiful in it’s own right. I stood there for
a few minutes just soaking up it’s beauty and color. Shaking myself
I went up the few steps and entered the plain but beautiful wooden
doors. Inside it was as if I had entered someone’s living room.
Lounges and chairs was spaced around the main central room and
could have handled around fifty people at one time if needed. At
present there were only four men and two woman working on some
documents over by the right wall. The lighting in the room was
provided by a beautifully large skylight in the ceiling, which
somehow lit up the whole room with daylight. There was no need for
any internal lighting at all, even though I saw placed around the
room smaller glow lamps similar to ones out on the streets if they
were ever needed. In the center of the room was a circular counter,
which was the main station in the hall. Walking over to it, at
first I thought there was no one behind it, but as I got closer I
could see there was someone behind it leaning down attending to
something under the counter. As I got closer the person behind it
must have heard or saw me coming and stood up. I stumbled as I saw
her. She was all of five feet high, beautifully proportioned and
was without a doubt one of the most beautiful human woman I had
ever seen, and believe me I had seen quite a few. For a human, and
it was plain to see she was human, her beauty rivaled that of the
Ladies. My shock must have shown on my face because as I came up to
the counter she was smiling broadly.

“Surprised you didn’t I?”

"Huh..Excuse me?

"I have seen the surprise that showed on your
face before as people first see me. Most recently from the soldiers
stationed here"

"I'm sorry. There was no disrespect meant. It
just...well to be honest you are extraordinarily beautiful. The
only women I have ever seen with such beauty are the Muraiin
Ladies"

"No offense taken. I love it when a sexy man
notices me"

I don't know why, but this woman's openness
has caught me by surprise and has put me off balance. It wasn't
just her exceptional beauty. In the few minutes I have stood here
her openness and flirtatious manner was mesmerizing to me. She also
instilled a moment of guilty feelings in me due to Sessa. Even
Sessa when I first met her, if it hadn't have been for her Eurola
powers, wouldn't have had me so off balance. She must have known
how off balance she had me because even though she was still
smiling she got down to business.

"My name is Carol. How can I help you"

"My name is Conrad. I understand a complete
history of the village is kept here, is that correct?"

"Yes it is. It has been sectionalized into
five year segments for research purposes"

"Great. Can I see the history for the last
five years"

"Of course honey. Step over to the comm
terminal there and I will forward the records to you"

She was being business like, but her body
movements and eye contact was being flirtatious as hell. And it was
getting to me. Smiling and saying thanks I moved over to the comm
terminal she had pointed to. I couldn't help but notice it was the
closest comm terminal to the counter and there was others open. A
few seconds after I got there the screen lit up with the data I had
requested on Woodspirit. I figured there would be a lot of data and
I wasn't disappointed. Settling down I started reading looking for
I knew not what. Anything that might show a clue to why the
creature was here.

Around three hours later I sat back rubbing
my tired eyes. I had started my search about a year ago looking for
anything unusual or anything that may point to what was going on
today. That search provided no results, so I searched two years ago
and continued until I had gone back a little over the whole five
years. There was nothing I could see that related to events going
on today. I did however find that there were more people living in
Woodspirit then I previously thought. There were about fourteen
thousand people living here, with roughly forty seven percent of
them women. Rubbing my eyes I was getting convinced I wasn't going
to find anything in the records. On a whim I was getting up to go
ask Carol a question when she was suddenly there at my side.

"Not finding what you are looking for are
you?"

"No, but to be honest I don't really know
what I'm looking for"

"Really. Tell me about it, Maybe I can
help"

"You've been working here long?"

"No. I was approved on the last selection
process of individual to relocate here to Woodspirit about six
years ago. I have been working here in the History Center for the
last two years, but I do know the system inside and out. If there
is something in there about what you want I can find it"

So I outlined to her that I was looking for
anything that might explain why the creature was attacking this
village, and sticking around even though there was a heavy military
presence here on site. She sat down next to me and we spent the
next few hours checking different avenues of data but coming up
with nothing. During the whole time I was intensely aware of her
sexual attraction, and thought to myself that any man she decided
to go after was done because I couldn't see any way any man could
resist her.

Me included, and for some reason that scared
me a little. Finally we both gave up and concluded there was
nothing in the records to explain the creature or it's attraction
to Woodspirit. It was late afternoon and I needed to check in with
Hennings for an update. Excusing myself I commed Hennings.

"Anything new happening?"

"No. Everything is amazingly quiet. That is
why I am worried. You know shit happens when you think everything
is okay. We have started air lifting the woman out sending them to
Pacifica. We should have all of them out of here my tomorrow. Did
you find anything in the records?"

"No. and believe me I have dug deep. There is
nothing there."

"And?"

"And what?

"Come on. You did meet Carol, right?

Now I know what he was getting at.

"Yes I did"

"Well?"

"You knew there was something unique about
her didn't you?"

"Yes I did. She is the only woman any of us
have ever met that could compete with the ladies in beauty and
attraction. In fact in the attraction department, she is winning
because she has no Eurola to influence men with. Only her natural
attraction"

"Don't you find that a little strange.
Finding a woman here with the Ladies like that"

"No I didn't. You think there is something
there?"

"I don't know. Look I have had a lot of
relations with some beautiful woman in my life. None of them have
affected me as she has"

"Well I suggest you get out of there and
fast. Sessa doesn't appear to be a particularly

understanding woman if you get what I
mean"

"Major, I'm not married to the woman"

"Maybe. But it appears she has made claims on
you though"

"Why is that?

"Has Yessal made a move on you yet?"

"No.

"There you have it. That woman has no
restraints on her desires. She goes after anyone she wants, when
she wants. The fact she hasn't made a move on you yet shows Sessa
has staked her claim"

The way he had described Yessal gave me a
thought

"Yessal huh?"

He was quiet for a few seconds. Then he
started laughing.

"I am only human. We weren't trained to deal
with woman such as these"

"No we weren't"

"Gotta go. Again if something comes up I'll
comm you.

Disconnecting, I turned to see Carol behind
the counter staring at me. I walked back over to thank her for her
help.

"Carol, thanks for your help. You narrowed
down a lot of details that greatly reduced the time I would have
spent checking out. Which reminds me. Can I have a copy of the
records sent back to my office. My associate there is an expert on
research. In addition she has the computing power to check multiple
data paths at one time and just may come up with something"

"I will have to check with the Administrator,
but I see no problem. Give me your comm link and I will send over
the complete file if approved by the administrator"

"Here's the link and thanks"

"If you really want to thank me, how about
dinner later. I am scheduled for evacuation

tomorrow afternoon, so tonight is the only
time I will have"

"I cannot say right now. Give me a couple of
hours to see what's happening and I will get back to you"

"Okay"

She made that statement as if she knew about
my recent relationship with Sessa and knew the uncomfortable
position I was now in. To make matters worse I suspected she was
enjoying it.

Promising to get back to her I left the hall
wondering what I was going to do. I was almost back to the central
hall when all of a sudden I heard screaming and then gunfire. I
started running full speed to the plaza. Getting there the soldiers
had the main building surrounded, and the Ladies were just running
up.

"Don't shoot. You may hit the woman" shouted
Sergeant Danvers.

Reaching the front of the building I was
horrified to see the creature standing there in the entry foyer of
the building with a woman in his arms and another on the ground at
his feet bleeding, but hopefully just unconscious and not dead. The
woman in his arms was screaming her head off. Behind the creature
we could see other women trapped behind it running back deeper into
the building. About a few feet off to the side against the wall
were two soldiers badly injured, but alive as they could be seen
moving. A few feet from them was Sheriff Connelly. I could tell
from the angle of his legs that he was in bad condition. The head
wound he had didn’t help.

"How the hell did it get in there" shouted
Hennings running up with some more soldiers.

"We don't know. Everything was quiet, then
the women started screaming. The creature was just there" shouted
Danvers.

About that time one of the giant Muraiins ran
up and charged the creature before anyone could do or say anything.
For a giant he could move fast. As he reached the creature it tried
to slam him with it massive arm. The giant ducked the blow, came up
and hit the creature with one of the most powerful punches I have
ever seen or heard.

It was like a large battering ram hitting a
large side of beef. The creature was actually knocked off its feet
backwards a few feet and it went down on its backside. What was
amazing was that after hitting the creature, the giant was able to
snatch the woman from its arms as the creature fell back. Picking
up the woman on the ground it retreated back out of the building. I
noticed then that the woman on the ground was one of Connelly’s
deputies. The creature was just getting up screaming that scream of
his when the other three giants arrived. Running pass the one
taking the woman out they ran up to the creature and the most
astounding battle I had ever seen took place. Two of the giants
jumped on the creature grabbing its arms and the third one
delivered a crushing uppercut to it chin. The blow completely
deformed the creature's head. After the uppercut the giant
delivered a series of machine fast power blows to the creature's
body, each blow horrific sounding. The creature for the first time
howled in pain. Then it lurched backwards and reversed it direction
rushing forward into the third giant. Colliding all four fell
apart. The creature delivered a powerful backhand blow to the giant
on it's right knocking it half a dozen feet into the wall. It tried
to stomp the third giant who fell in the collision, but it rolled
out of the way. This gave the giant on the creature's left time to
deliver a powerful blow to the left side of the creature’s head,
again causing it to change shape. The head immediately started
regenerating back to normal, but it's was too late. All three
giants was back on their feet and closed in. The beating the
creature took at that point was terrible and amazing to see. It
didn't get a chance to throw another blow because the three giants
worked as a one in delivering tremendous blows to it. The creature
went down and they piled on top of it beating it mercilessly. All
of us standing there figured it could not survive such a beating by
these giants. The creature stopped moving and the giants stopped
and stood up over it. It was a mass of pulverized flesh, with it
shape the only indication that it was once a man shaped creature.
Then before everyone eyes, it started sinking into the ground. It
sunk so fast that it was gone in seconds. The giants made a few
attempts to grab it and pull it back up but it like grabbing plain
soil. The creature's flesh just ran out of their hands. In seconds
it was gone. We all stared where it disappeared and then looked at
each other in amazement. All of a sudden the giant that had rescued
the woman and had stood guard outside while the battle raged inside
took off and grabbed one of the street lamps and ripped it out of
the ground. Running part way into the street he drove the lamp
deeply into the ground. There was a tremendous subsonic scream and
then the head and shoulders of the creature rose up out of the
street, partially impaled by the lamppost. The giant then delivered
a tremendous kick, which partially tore away the creature's head
from its shoulders. The creature immediately started sinking back
into the ground. The giant started to pull up the lamppost and then
stopped. It stared at the ground around it for a few seconds before
declaring