Authors: D.W. Brown
CHAPTER
34
With the agent now completely out of his mind, Kevin phoned Father Gregory to fill him in on their next move.
“Hello. Are you finished with that minor detail?”
Father Gregory asked.
“I am. My next call will be to Sheriff Jent. Dark is near. I’ll be there in about an hour. Ensure Mrs. Jent is ready for our little hike out to the woods.”
“Why don’t we meet you in the woods?” “Are you sure?” Kevin asked.
“I need to get out of this room before I go crazy. I’ll head out now and wait for you to arrive. By the way, you sound different. Everything okay?”
“Honestly? I couldn’t be better. I’m finally at ease
with everything.”
“It’s an amazing feeling, isn’t it? I’m very proud of you Kevin. You’ll be greatly rewarded for this, you’ll see.”
This made Kevin feel good inside, because he’d finally pleased someone. He did something that made others happy, proud even. He no longer wondered Father Gregory’s involvement—he was just another willing vessel like himself. Like everyone else around Taos that heard and obeyed the hum’s calling, they happily dispatched anyone that stood in the way.
Ending the call, Kevin noticed a police car drive across the parking lot with another unmarked car following suit. Standing out of sight behind one of the hotels columns, he watched as the driver of the unmarked car got out and placed something on the inside tire well of the driver’s side, and then hopped into the passenger seat of the other vehicle. Realizing that they must’ve left the vehicle for Agent Mason, he waited until they were long gone, and then went over to retrieve his new wheels. The simplicity of the police left him wondering how he’d ever gotten caught in the first place.
They probably wouldn’t have gotten me, if I hadn’t run into the woods. But if I hadn’t, I never would’ve met my daddy in the tunnel. It was all part of the creature’s plan, a brilliant plan.
The car must’ve been a recent purchase for the small town, because it still had that new vehicle smell to it. Kevin took a deep breath, enjoying everything about his current situation: the ride, the .45 pistol tucked inside the back of his belt, and the shotgun mounted below the dashboard. He’d never felt this good before. His entire demeanor had changed from negativity to joyful excitement over what might come next. After he got rid of Sheriff Jent and his wife, what might he be called upon to do next? What greater purpose would he soon serve? Go after Amanda? This thought made him giddier than ever.
“Good afternoon, Sheriff Jent. It’s time. Meet me in the woods behind the old service station where I first made your acquaintance, in one hour.”
“One hour? No! We need to do this now!” Russell replied impatiently.
“I have a small matter that needs my attention
first.” Kevin said lying.
“What business do you have here? Look, I want my wife back now!”
“Patience, Sheriff. Patience. One hour.”
“I’ll be there. You just bring Sam, and for your sake, she’d better be okay!” Russell replied angrily.
“See you in a few, Sheriff.” Kevin replied, not bothering to address Russell’s threats.
* * *
With a little extra time on his hands, Russell headed straight out to the meeting place. He wanted to get there and investigate a bit before Mr. Black made it in.
As he parked his car and walked around to the trunk to retrieve his flashlight, a strong sense of déjà’ vu surrounded him. Nearly eight years ago, he’d come to this same exact spot and went through the same process. The difference this time was that his sweet Sam was in the hands of the killer, the same killer that he’d brought to justice after murdering the four drug dealers from the service station.
Looking over at the abandoned station, Russell’s mind went back over the scene there. The blood, the drugs, and the money told a story of rival drug lords battling it out over territory, but what he ended up finding was a confused, frightened man, running from something he claimed to have seen inside an invisible tunnel. Was there really a tunnel? He’d gone back and searched the area a couple of times, out of curiosity more than anything else, but had found nothing. With everything he’d seen and heard over the past few days, he was beginning to wonder if he’d somehow missed it.
Did this make believe tunnel that Mr. Black had spoken of have something to do with the large crater he’d seen in Taos? If so, what?
The night was unnervingly quiet, making Russell a little fearful about traipsing off into the woods in the dark. He’d never been afraid of much, but after seeing the way the thing sucked up his blood at the edge of the sinkhole, he no longer believed he was dealing with the hand of mankind here.
Before he stepped into the woods, Russell pulled out the card Gary had given him at the airport and debated calling him in as backup. After placing the card from one hand to the next, he decided against it. The man didn’t look like he’d be much help in a fight, and he highly doubted Gary knew how to use a gun.
Texting Dean’s cell, Russell left him the address where he was meeting Mr. Black. In all caps, he said, MAKE SURE NO ONE SEES YOU COMING HERE!
Every snapping twig, every squirrel darting along the path, set Russell’s nerves on edge. He could feel the tension building up in his neck, causing him to use his free hand to rub the tight muscles there. He often got a burning sensation in between his right shoulder and neck region, something that seemed to worsen over the years. The tension was causing it to hurt more than usual, so he tried to relax his arms to release some of the pressure. Two or three quick pops from his neck later, he got enough relief to allow him to venture deeper into the woods.
It seemed to take forever to make it back to the spot where he’d ran into Mr. Black after the murders. At first, he questioned whether it was the right area, but it slowly came back to him: the opening, the circle of trees, and the pile of brush off to the left.
The pile of brush…
Picking up speed, Russell jogged over to the pile of limbs and pine cones. Placing the light in the best position to illuminate the task at hand, Russell started tossing the debris aside with the focus of a man determined to save his wife. When he got to the last few remaining branches, he spotted what he thought to be a manhole cover. It looks heavy, heavy and solid, he thought.
Pulling up on the handle, he easily lifted the lid and placed it to the right of the opening. Using his flashlight, he peered down into the hole. All he could make out was a...
a tunnel
.
I found it, I found the tunnel. Why didn’t I think to move the pile of brush the last
time?
He kicked himself the entire descent down the steel ladder.
As soon as his feet touched the ground, Russell began to feel the difference immediately. The soil should’ve been hard and compacted, but instead it felt soft and mushy. Shining his light downward, he was taken aback at the sight of the dark liquidly substance all along the floor. It was only about an inch or so thick, and it flowed along as if there was a small stream nearby. Thankful to have his boots on, Russell trudged in the direction of that flow.
The quiet night suddenly began to change, as the sound of a variety of animals went from a small whisper to an almost overwhelming crescendo. Russell dropped to his knees, pressing his hands over his ears to block out the deafening racket. He heard the roar of a lion, the howl of a wolf, the growl of a grizzly bear, and numerous other sounds that were too distorted to discern. Just when he thought his eardrums would explode, it abruptly stopped. And so did the stream— it simply dried up, as did the earth he was kneeling upon. Maybe it was just water, he thought.
Removing his hands from his ears, Russell’s initial instinct was to flee back to the ladder. This strange place obviously didn’t want him around, and with the pounding in his ears and fear in his heart, he wasn’t sure he wanted to be there.
Getting back onto his feet, Russell wrung out what water he could from his damp jeans. Looking back down at the earth, he jumped back as a small crack opened up to receive the water and closed almost instantaneously. It reminded him of the crater that sucked up his bleeding nose, and this time, he really did turn to head for the exit. He could feel his heart pounding through his chest (thump, thump, thump), as his adrenaline kicked into overdrive. He no longer cared what was down there, he only wanted to find Sam and get as far away from it all as possible.
Hearing movement up ahead, Russell placed his revolver out in front of him, with his flashlight resting on top of it as a makeshift scope. He heard the man’s voice before he actually saw him.
“That’s far enough, Sheriff! Put down your weapon or I’ll kill your lovely wife!”
Hesitating, Russell strained for a closer look. The voice was familiar, but he wasn’t completely sure of its originator. A few more steps and his ears exploded as the sound of gunfire ripped through the tunnel. The ground in front of him spit dirt up on his legs and shirt, making him stop dead in his tracks.
“I said that’s far enough! Drop your weapon and get down on your knees!”
Recognition finally dawned on Russell, “Well if it isn’t Father Gregory, the gun slinging, wife kidnapping priest. You do know you’re going to hell for this, don’t you, Father?”
“Hell? You don’t have a clue what you’re talking about. If people like you would stop interfering with everything, it would make things a heck of a lot easier.”
Since the priest was talking, Russell slowly crept forward. He had to make sure Sam was with him, and more importantly, that she was okay.
“Are you stupid or what Sheriff? If you take one more step, I will put a bullet in Samantha’s pretty little head! Are we clear?”
“What does it matter? You weren’t planning on allowing us to live anyway.” Russell said matter of fact. “That’s not true, Sheriff. Why would you think that? Kevin told you that we only wanted to keep you
away from Taos, not kill you.”
“You and I both know that the only way to ensure I stay away from there and for your secret to remain safe is to kill me. Isn’t that right, Father Gregory?”
“Since you put it that way, I guess it’s time for confession. At least I brought your lovely wife to die
alongside you, Sheriff.”
“Tell me this, Father Gregory: Why did one of your other pawns, Mr. Ridenour, kill my deputy? What are you guys protecting out there in Taos?”
“Let’s just say that the entire world is about to change as you know it. The current way of doing things all around the globe will soon be transformed.” Father Gregory said, as if he were speaking to a group of follower’s.
“So this is some sort of world domination thing? Is that it? You plan to kill Sam and me, so you can take over the world? Very original, Father. Or should I call you by your real name, Clint Gregory?” Russell said sarcastically.
“You’ve done your homework, I see Sheriff. Yes, my real name is Clint Gregory, and yes I chopped up my roommate and his family. At first, I didn’t want to do it, but I quickly found that it was necessary.” Father Gregory paused, as if thinking back to that day. He continued, “Better things are coming, Sheriff Jent— too bad you won’t be around to see them.”
A torn t-shirt was stuffed into Sam’s mouth, her wrists and ankles were bound with zip ties, and she looked a little out of it from the faraway look in her eyes. “What did you give her?” Russell asked angrily.
“Just something to make her a little more docile;
can’t have her interfering with things, now can we.” “You just better hope she’s okay, or you’ll need
more than your collar to save you, Father!” Russell practically spat out.
“I think you’re forgetting I have the gun, Sheriff. I
can shoot you any time I want.”
“What are you waiting for, Clint? Do it!” Russell egged him on, something telling him that Father Gregory wasn’t ready to kill them just yet.
“In time, Sheriff, in time. Right now, I need you to meet someone.”
“What about Mr. Black? He won’t like you taking things into your own hands. After all, he’s the one in charge of this operation, right?” Russell said tauntingly.
“Mr. Black’s just another vessel here. He’s not in charge of anything, nor will he ever be!”
“Exactly who is in charge here? I know it’s not you. You’re no different from Mr. Black—there’s no way you could be the brains behind such an operation.”
“You’re a fool, Sheriff! You know nothing about what’s going around you. You play your little cops and robbers game, oblivious of the world you live in. You go to your little church, and you worship that silly cross, like it has some sort of meaning, some significance. Don’t you get it, Sheriff? It’s all just a lie. We’ve been following a lie. There’s so much more than that simplicity.”
“Careful, Father. Talk like that could call down the wrath of God on you. A lie, huh? Why don’t you enlighten me then, Clint.”
“I’ll do better than that—I’ll show you.” Father
Gregory said moving forward.
CHAPTER
35
The way the man before him grabbed Sam by the hair left Russell seeing red, but he held his temper at bay, knowing if he got killed, Sam would soon follow.
“Get on your feet, Sheriff!” Father Gregory said, motioning with the weapon in his right hand.
“Would you make up your mind, Clint? One minute you’re telling me to get on my knees and the next you want me back on my feet.”
“Just do what you’re told, and keep your remarks to yourself, Sheriff! Now turn around and start walking.”
Turning slowly, Russell paused a few seconds before taking off. His intent was to close the gap between them, readying himself to attack should the opportunity arise.
* * *
Gary made it to the woods about thirty minutes after Russell. He knew all about Mr. Black and what went on at the service station there eight years prior, so he thought it the obvious place of choice for the kidnappers to meet with Sheriff Jent.
All of his years of research and following this thing were about to come to a head. Would he be able to stop it from killing more people? Would he be able to protect Sheriff Jent and his family? He honestly didn’t know. After all, he still wasn’t completely sure what he was up against. The sheer amount of people that were killed, or willingly gave their lives to this thing was staggering. He was left with the question,
what could wield that sort of power over people? Or who,
his subconscious added.
As soon as he stepped into the woods, an unexpected storm rolled in. Dark ominous clouds appeared out of nowhere, and thunder tore through the night. Within seconds, Gary found himself dodging blinding streaks of lightning and big, fat heavy drops of rain. He jogged deeper into the oncoming monsoon, using the huge oak trees around the area for shelter. He prayed none of the blinding bolts found him before he reached his destination—wherever that was.
He’d read the police report, even spoken with Mr. Black’s psychiatrist after the trial—one of the perks from his previous job was that people trusted him to keep his word. Gary knew about the tunnel that the police assumed was made up, as well as the circle of trees where it was situated. The question was, could he find it in such downpour?
His leg muscles ached, his lungs screamed for him to stop his pace, but he knew his time was short. Seeing the two vehicles parked out front of the station on his way in, told him that things were most likely already underway. He had to help the Sheriff, had to stop this thing from making him another statistic.
The mud and leaves clumped over his shoes shot up onto the back of his pants, making it harder and harder to trudge forward. Gary eased pace, eventually settling into a slow walk. Water flowed down his face so fast that it stung his eyes and made it hard to see. He tried using his right arm to wipe it away, but his shirt was also soaked. Having never really been out in the rain for any long period of time, he began to wonder how long it might take for hypothermia to set in. The thought only made him feel colder, bringing on more than just your normal chill. He knew it was his mind running away from him like it often times did. Blasted overactive imagination, he often said.
The sound of someone running behind him caused him to spin around. The hairs on his neck were on end, his heartbeat pounding so fast he thought it would pop right out of his chest.
Gary caught sight of something dark, just as it sped behind a cluster of trees off in the distance. Then he heard the sound again from the other direction. Spinning too quickly, he lost his balance and fell facefirst into the muck. He envisioned the creature wrapping around his body, threatening to keep its latest prize forever. Wiping mud from his eyes, he looked up from his current position and saw the black form dart back and forth in front of him. He felt helpless to protect himself, paralyzed at such a sight. Fear overtook him, causing him to crawl back in the direction he’d come.
Gary temporarily forgot all about Sheriff Jent and his wife. Now he only wanted to get away from the thing stalking him, only wanted to survive. Making it back onto his feet, he tried to run but was tackled from behind. The force, the brute strength of the thing knocking the wind out of him and sending him flying through the air was too much.
I was foolish to come out here
.
Twenty feet to the right of his original position, Gary slowly rolled over onto his back. His right leg was busted, the bone most likely broken. His entire body ached, feeling like he’d been run over by a truck.
Strangely, I don’t feel the rain on my face anymore
. Opening his eyes, he noticed that the deluge had ceased, and in its place, returned the full moon.
Remembering the creature, Gary quickly rolled over onto his good leg, searching. He didn’t see any sign of the thing, making him briefly consider the possibility that it had never been there in the first place.
Was his mind playing tricks? Did he conjure it up? No, he thought. He knew better. This thing was real, and it must’ve wanted to slow him down. If it wanted him dead, it could’ve easily finished him off. He was wounded prey now, so it would most likely come back after him at any time. It was at that moment that Gary knew he wouldn’t make it out of the woods.
Realizing what he must do, Gary made it back onto his feet, stumbled over to an old tree limb and made a makeshift walking stick. Moving forward was painful, but his determination far outweighed his aching leg. Fifteen minutes and a bucket full of sweat later, he made it to the treed clearing. Spotting the open access cover leading down to the tunnel, he hobbled over to it.
Tossing his stick into the hole, Gary painfully made his way down. Each step was agonizing, and he lost his footing about midway. He flailed crazily for something to latch onto but found nothing. His body thudded against the compacted floor of the tunnel, this time causing him to blackout. Darkness surrounded him, bringing with it a sense of peace, rest.
Snapping upright with a jerk, Gary blindly looked around the area. He had no idea how long he was out. Scanning, he noticed it was hard to make out anything other than the ladder, but it was enough to jar his memory. At least he knew where he was and what he was doing there. He had to save them, no matter the cost.
Back on his feet, he limped down the tunnel.
* * *
A loud rustling sound up ahead forced Russell to stop. Suddenly, the tunnel grew dark, as a huge form blotted out what little light the dim torch hanging from the wall provided. He’d seen this thing before, and he didn’t plan on proceeding any further.
“Keep moving, Sheriff!”
“Uh, no thanks. You might as well shoot me, because I’m not getting near that thing.”
“What’s the matter, Sheriff? Are you afraid? I told you I’d fill you in on everything. Here’s your chance to learn all about Taos and our master plan.”
“Like I said, you might as well shoot me.” Russell slowly turned around and faced Father Gregory. What the priest didn’t see was Russell removing his hidden
9mm from behind him as he turned.
“How about I shoot your lovely wife instead?” Seizing the opportunity, Russell quickly brought
the gun around and sent a round directly into Father Gregory’s forehead. He dropped instantly, releasing a dazed and crying Samantha Jent in the process.
Sam fell to the earth still unsure of where she was or how she’d gotten there. It took one look at the creature behind her husband to snap her out of it all. Spitting the old shirt out of her mouth, she yelled, “Russell, run! Run!”
Of course, Russell had to look back over his shoulder just to verify why Sam thought he needed to run, even though he’d already seen the thing for himself.
Sprinting over to Sam, Russell cut the ties off her hands and feet, jerked her up from the ground and took off.
The creature seemed to easily close the distance between them. It moved with such speed he knew his efforts were futile—they wouldn’t escape the things reach. Abruptly the creature stopped chasing them.
Everything within him screamed,
keep running
, but Russell still stopped to see what was going on.
The creature or whatever it was had Father Gregory lifted up off the ground, suspended directly in front of it. To Russell’s amazement, a bright light flooded the tunnel, temporarily blinding him. He could just make out the priests body being absorbed into that of the massive creature. The two became one, and the once bright light turned darker than ever. Rooted to the earth in sheer terror, Russell looking on as the thing grew in both height and girth.
“Come on!” Sam yelled, grabbing Russell’s hand and yanking him forward.
Snapped out of his shocked state, Russell managed to get his feet moving. He immediately heard the thing behind him give chase again, and this time it seemed faster than before. His mind struggled to understand it all. Had this thing just taken on Father Gregory’s traits? Was that what it did—eat the hearts of those that killed for it, and absorb the priests who served it?
What kind of madness is this
?
Spotting a small beam of light up ahead gave Russell the needed motivation to kick it into high gear. He was getting close to the exit, but unfortunately he didn’t see Gary hobbling his way towards him. The collision sent both of them tumbling to the earth, Sam managing to remain on her feet.
The crash temporarily rattled Gary, but when he caught site of the creature coming towards him, he quickly wished he’d never entered into its lair in the first place. Remembering his purpose for going down into the tunnel, he yelled, “Take this, Sheriff, and get out of here!”
“No, you have to come with us!” Russell pleaded. “It’s too late. My leg is busted. I have to do this,
Sheriff. Get out now!”
“Reaching for what appeared to be some sort of journal in the man’s hand, Russell grabbed it, helped get Sam going up the ladder, and then followed suit.
The creature leaped over Gary’s body and lunged for Russell’s foot. It managed to grab hold, but the shoe gave way, freeing him.
As soon as he stepped out of the tunnel, Russell ran over, grabbed the cover, and set it back in place. He then took Sam in his arms and held her tightly.
“What was that thing, Russell? What’s going on