Unidentified (15 page)

“In my bedroom,” she said softly. “It’s night.”

“Are you alone?”

“No,” she said, her voice now in a higher pitch. She shook slightly.

“Who is with you?”

“I can’t see them. But I can feel them … watching … waiting.”

“Waiting for what?”

Stephanie let out a short cry of terror. Her hands gripped the sheets on her bed.

“What’s happening, Stephanie?”

“It’s the light,” she said, fighting to keep control of her wavering voice. “It’s coming for me. They’re taking me. I don’t want to go! I don’t want to go again!”

Her body twitched and twisted slightly as she seemed to fight some invisible force.

“Where are they taking you?”

“I’m in the ship,” she said. “On some kind of table. No, no, no. Don’t touch me! Leave me alone!”

“What are they doing?”

“They’re examining me. I don’t want them to touch me.”

“How many are there?” Evans asked.

“Three of them,” she said.

She screamed again and her body contorted.

“Stephanie, what’s happening?”

“No, no, no,” she cried out. “They’re putting things inside of me. There’s a needle. It’s so long. They’re … taking my eggs. They say they need them.”

Evans glanced back at Mitchell to see how she was handling this having just been through her own similar hypnosis last night. She stared at Stephanie with no expression on her face. Her poker face, he thought. Turning back to Stephanie, he carried on.

“Why do they need your eggs?” he asked.

Tears ran down Stephanie’s cheeks as she stared off into infinity, laying there on her back. “To build a new race,” she said with a choked voice. “To save humanity. To save us from ourselves.”

***

Tim and Dorothy sat in the waiting area. Tim held Dorothy’s small hand in his. Through the front doors of St. Jerome, Chief Wilson burst in. A gust of hot and humid summer air flowed through the door. He was followed by Agent Anthony Brown. Chief Wilson spotted the Clarks immediately.

“Is it true?” he barked, “You let that quack and FBI agent perform a hypnosis?”

“What’s it to you?” Dorothy shot back, much to Tim’s surprise.

“Well, according to Agent Brown here with the FBI,” Wilson indicated the man in the suit next to him. “Agent Mitchell was told to drop this case and return to Boston this afternoon.”

“That little …” Tim stood.

Dorothy reached out and grasped his hand as he stood. “It’s okay, Tim.”

“What do you mean, it’s okay?” He shot back at her.

Dorothy stood up, looking at Wilson and Brown. “If it’s all the same to you,” she said in a soft but firm voice, “the hypnosis is underway already and I’d like it to be carried out in full.”

Wilson sighed, shaking his head. “Dorothy, we’ve known each other a long time. But I gotta' ask, are you sure about this?”

She nodded.

“Just to be clear,” he added. “That FBI agent in there has gone against direct orders from her superiors. If there’s any criminal case here at all, it is within my jurisdiction at this point.”

Dorothy nodded again. “You’ll have your jurisdiction and you can deal with Agent Mitchell as you all see fit when the hypnosis is over. But I’m asking you, please, let them finish what they have already started.”

Wilson shrugged looking over at Agent Brown. Brown raised his eyebrows and shook his head.

“I can’t believe it,” Brown muttered. “Son of a bitch.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Cold sweat covered Stephanie now. Mitchell watched as the girl jerked her head to one side then another. Her hands still gripped the sheets of her bed. Her feet twitched and spasmed. Mitchell periodically glanced over to Diego. He’d stood almost completely still so far. His eyes remained focused on Stephanie and didn’t wander at all.

“It’s okay,” Evans said to Stephanie. “We’re right here. Can you tell us what’s happening?

Stephanie arched her back on the bed and her legs kicked. A suppressed cry of pain leaked from her throat. She collapsed back on the bed, breathing hard.

“They’re putting more implants in me!” she said. “In my back.”

She writhed again. Evans leaned closer. He spoke softly, probably in an effort to be as soothing as possible.

“Stephanie, listen to me,” he said. “I need you to focus on the beings in the room.”

“I can’t,” she said through tears.

“I need you to try,” Evans gently pressed her.

“No. I can’t do it!”

“Listen to me carefully,” Evans continued softly. “They can’t hurt you anymore. You’re safe.”

“No one is safe,” Stephanie shot back in a hoarse whisper.

Mitchell glanced over at Diego again. She noticed now that the man’s mouth was moving. What was he doing? She could not hear any words from him, but his mouth was definitely moving, forming words quickly, continuously.

“Why is no one safe?” Evans asked.

Stephanie turned her head to one side then the other. Again, she arched her back. It looked painful to Mitchell. The young woman was clearly exerting incredible force to do that.

“Tell him to stop that,” Stephanie said, her voice strained as she arched her back.

Evans looked around, confused. He looked to Mitchell and she shrugged, unsure of what to make of this. She looked at Diego, though, and noticed he still remained focused on Stephanie. His mouth moved quickly. It was as if he were silently chanting. Looking at Evans, Mitchell nodded her head over to Diego. Evans glanced over at him.

“Tell who to stop what?” Evans tried.

“Tell him to stop that,” Stephanie said again, her voice rising in pitch, caught somewhere between a plea and a demand.

“Who? Diego?” Evans asked.

Now Mitchell could hear Diego. His words were unintelligible, but he was definitely murmuring something. Stephanie collapsed on the bed, her back no longer arched. Her hands relaxed, letting go of the sheets. Slowly, she craned her head up to look at Diego. It was an unnatural movement, her whole body relaxed but her neck forced up oddly with such tension. Something about it unsettled Mitchell as she watched this. Stephanie’s eyes locked on Diego, who still stood in the corner.

“TELL HIM TO STOP THAT!” Stephanie screamed so loud, everyone in the room jumped. Mitchell’s headache instantly increased.

Evans sat back, startled. Mitchell shook where she stood. What is happening? In her bewilderment, it took a moment for it to register that Mitchell now heard a man’s voice speaking. It was Diego. He’d increased the volume of his chanting.

“… on Earth as it is in Heaven,” Diego recited. “Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil …"

It was as if a bomb went off in the room. Stephanie screamed at a piercing decibel. It happened so fast, but the onslaught of fear and adrenaline gave Mitchell just enough of an ability to soak in the events that happened simultaneously. The lights in the room flickered and went out. They were plunged into darkness. Only a shaft of yellow light from a lamp post outside cut through the window. Stephanie’s scream was long and unnatural, an inhuman howl of hatred and pain. Mitchell’s head throbbed now. Evans was white, eyes wide.

“What’s happening?” Mitchell yelled.

Diego now yelled out his words, “Jesus Christ my lord, grant me your power and authority in this battle.”

Mitchell stared in shocked disbelief at the man. He was screwing it all up. What was he doing? He was ruining the only chance they had left to help Stephanie. “What’s he doing?” she demanded of Evans.

Evans looked over at Diego, face still white. But some kind of recognition washed over him in that moment. “Let him,” he said. “let him do it!”

Stephanie sat up in her bed. She cocked her head far to the left and glared at Diego. Mitchell had never seen so much hatred in someone’s eyes before. It was as if a wave of heat coming from a large fire swept out over the room, but this heat was pure disdain. Stephanie opened her mouth and spoke, but it was not Stephanie’s voice. It was deep, guttural, raspy, distorted. Every syllable made Mitchell’s skin crawl.

“She’s ours, Pastor Diego Silva de Corumba!” she said in that other voice, then smiled with her lips only. Her eyes remained unchanged daggers of loathing.

“In the name of Christ Jesus, be silent demon!” Diego responded, not breaking eye contact with this hideous version of Stephanie.

Stephanie responded, but Mitchell could not understand what she said.
“Eu te conheço muito bem, Deigo Silva. Você não está pronto para brincar com nosso fogo.”

“No nome de Jesus Cristo, eu ordeno que você libere essa garota!”
Diego replied.

It took Mitchell a moment to realize that this girl from New Hampshire was speaking perfect Portuguese to the Brazilian man in the corner. What the hell is happening? She felt light headed. The pain in her head was now a constant sharp pressure.

Evans, still seated, but watching this exchange in complete shock, reached down to his bag. Pulling out his notebook, he retrieved the crucifix necklace and tossed the notebook aside. He stood quickly and moved to Stephanie. He placed the crucifix in front of Stephanie’s face.

Stephanie slowly cocked her head all the way over to the other side and glared up at Evans. Her expression changed as she looked at him. It wasn’t hatred anymore. It was almost as if she were amused, in the most sinister manner possible, by Evans’s gesture.

“You come at me with your meaningless trinket,” Stephanie spat at Evans in that dark voice. “Your mother would be ashamed, Alan.”

“Stephanie. Listen to me,” Evans said. “I need you to come back.”

“Oh she’s not coming back,” Stephanie smirked at him.

He thrust the crucifix closer to her. In a swift move, she grabbed his hand and bit down on it. Evans yelled in pain. She let go and he pulled his arm back.

She lunged at Evans with incredible force. They hit the ground. Mitchell was sure she heard Evans’ head hit the floor hard. Stephanie bit down on his neck now, drawing blood. Evans screamed in pain. Mitchell stared in disbelief, hardly able to move.

“Get her off him!” Diego yelled as he jump forward and pulled on Stephanie’s arm.

Mitchell still stared, unable to move.

“Agent Mitchell, HELP ME!” Diego screamed at her.

Snapping out of her state of complete shock, Mitchell grabbed Stephanie’s other arm. Despite how thin her arm was, it felt as if Mitchell were trying to haul a linebacker off of Evans. She pulled with all her might.

“In the name of Christ Jesus, I command you to get off him!” Diego yelled at Stephanie.

Suddenly, Stephanie became much lighter. They practically threw her against the wall with the sudden change in weight. Evans scurried back, and assessed his wounds. Both Diego and Mitchell managed to keep a hold of the flailing girl. They pressed her against the wall as she fought to be released. She stopped suddenly, though. Looking at Mitchell now, Stephanie smiled that menacing and unnatural smile, Evan’s blood on her teeth. Mitchell wanted to throw up. Her head swam in a sudden onslaught of dizziness. What is happening to me? Stephanie chuckled, if it could be really called that. It was more of a guttural rattle and clicking that emitted from her throat. She showed her teeth in a mock smile and clicked them together.

“Hello again, Nicole,” Stephanie said in that deep growl of a voice.

Terror swept through Mitchell. She wanted to run and hide. It was as if she were on that examination table again. Stephanie’s eyes were dilated, blood shot, and filled with hate. Blood dripped from the corner of her mouth. For a split second, Mitchell felt as if she were about to faint. The room spun around her. When she tried to look at Stephanie again, she found she was holding not a young woman, but a hideous grey alien against the wall. It’s large back eyes bore into her mind.

Mitchell screamed and let go of the thing. But even as she did this, she realized it was only Stephanie. Diego fought to keep her against the wall, but she was strong.

“Don’t let go!” he yelled. “No matter what happens, don’t let go. Don’t let it get in your head. Don’t listen to it.”

Mitchell stepped forward and resumed her post, holding Stephanie against the wall. Someone was at the door now. They were trying to open it. Apparently they were unsuccessful. They have the keys, Mitchell couldn’t help thinking. Just open the door. But they remained unable to do so. They banged on the door and demanded that it be opened. Mitchell recognized the exasperated voice of Chief Wilson. They banged again, demanding that they stop what they were doing and open the door immediately.

For a moment, Mitchell felt the impulse again to run and hide. Just let them in. Let me out of here! But she stood her ground. Could this really be happening? Or was it like Evans had suggested in his book and lecture? Stephanie’s mind was just so convinced in this moment that she was possessed that she was manifesting such symptoms? Possession? Mitchell couldn’t even bring herself to accept that possibility. But some horrible sense of foreboding swirled in her gut. Something about all of the hatred and fear that almost visibly flowed out of Stephanie made Mitchell feel certain that something much deeper and darker than a mental illness or twisted manifestation of post traumatic stress was in that room with her. And all she wanted to do was run out of that room, run as far as she possibly could. She never wanted to see one of those hideous aliens again.

“Give me that!” Diego yelled over his shoulder to Evans, who was still on the floor. “Give me the crucifix!”

Evans grabbed the crucifix that had fallen to the floor during Stephanie’s animal-like attack. He got up and handed it to Diego who snatched it. Diego pressed the crucifix into Stephanie’s forehead. Her eyes rolled into the back her head, becoming nothing more than bloodshot whites. She craned her head back against the wall, forcing her body to arch backwards away from it. She groaned and bloody drool rolled out of her mouth.

“In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,” Diego commanded, “tell me how many of you there are!”

Stephanie hissed and began banging her head against the wall repeatedly. Mitchell had to lean in now to try to keep control of the girl. Her forearms burned with the effort. She’d fought to keep control of suspects before, but never anything like this. Stephanie’s skin was hot, as if she were running a very high fever. There was so much sweat now that Mitchell’s grip threatened to slip off.

“Demon, I will not allow you to hurt this girl!” Diego said angrily. “Tell me how many of you there are!”

Stephanie stopped hitting her head. Her eyes rolled back and she focused all of her otherworldly hatred on Diego.

“How many of us would you like there to be?” she said in a deep growl.

“In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to tell me how many of you there are!” Diego said firmly.

“Three. Two. One. Zero.” Stephanie smiled that sick perversion of a smile.

She looked at Evans next, who stood back, holding his neck. Blood seeped through his fingers and ran down his dress shirt. Stephanie made that awful chuckling and clicking sound again as she tried to move towards him. Mitchell shoved her back. A sudden wave of anger washed over Mitchell. She’d had it. Whatever was happening here, she was sick of the fear. She wanted to hurt something. She wanted to make this all go away. She remembered why she was in that damn room in the first place.

“Where is Tommy Ferguson?” Mitchell said.

She glared at Stephanie. Or did she really believe that Stephanie was even there anymore?

“Still hung up on Tommy?” the voice asked through Stephanie’s lips.

The rage took over Mitchell. “What did you do to him?” she screamed with all her might.

Stephanie cackled a horrible rasping laugh and pushed herself away from the wall in spite of how hard Diego and Mitchell fought to keep her there.

“Alan, help us!” Mitchell called out.

Evans stood back, watching in shock.

“On the bed,” Diego cried out. “Get her to the bed!”

Shaken out of his shock, Evans jumped forward and helped them fight the unnaturally strong girl down to the bed. Evans held down her feet. Diego and Mitchell wrestled with her arms.

“Tell me where Tommy Ferguson is!” Mitchell demanded again.

“In the name of Jesus Christ, speak the truth!” Diego yelled. He glanced up at Mitchell and she caught just a glimpse in his eyes of something. He was trying to help her. “Speak the truth, you demons. By the blood of Christ, speak the truth!”

Stephanie’s mouth opened unnaturally wide then closed. Finally, words formed. “Linden … pond,” said the hideous voice.