The Devil's Pets Read online

  "Are you part of the same secret agency?" the chief said.

  "Yes," Stony said. "If we find Toppan, my partner and I need to be the first ones in." He nodded towards Mia. "We're uniquely qualified to take him out."

  "What makes him so dangerous?"

  "Spooky capabilities. Let's leave it at that."

  Agent Gritz ended her call and returned to the group.

  "What was that about?" the FBI agent said.

  She straightened her jacket. "Just hang on."

  A moment later, the FBI agent's phone rang.

  He answered the call. "Hello? Oh. Oh!" His face paled. "Yes, sir. Yes, sir! That won't be a problem, sir! An honor to speak to you, sir. Goodbye." He put his phone away, and his hands were shaking.

  "Who was that?" the police chief said.

  "The Director of National Intelligence." The FBI agent swallowed. "We have to do whatever she tells us."

  "I'm glad that's cleared up," Gritz said cheerfully. "You two can still appear to lead the investigation as far as the public is concerned. Just consult with me first before making a move. I'll be with you at all times. Now both of you head back to the conference room. I'd rather not be seen coming in with you."

  The police chief and the FBI agent walked back to the room with perplexed expressions.

  "You know the Director of National Intelligence?" Stony said.

  Gritz shook her head. "No, I'm just a field agent. I called Director Robertson, and he plays golf with the D.N.I. regularly. This kind of situation comes up often enough that we have procedures in place."

  "And I guess the PEA does an occasional favor for the D.N.I.?"

  "Washington, D.C. is a small town in some ways. At a certain level, everybody scratches each other's backs."

  Stony heard yelling and cheering in the conference room. He ran down the hall and looked through the door. The level of activity had jumped up a few notches, but he couldn't tell why.

  Gritz pushed passed him. She forced her way through the crowd to reach the police chief, and they had a quick conversation. Meanwhile. Mia and Lewis joined Stony at the door.

  Gritz scribbled a few notes on a scrap of paper. She returned to Stony and shoved the piece of paper into his hand.

  "They found the bus used in the kidnapping," she said. "Here is the address. The police chief agreed to keep everybody else away while we performed an initial investigation. Go. Lewis, drive them." She gave her car keys to Agent Lewis.

  Chapter Ten

  Stony looked out the window as Lewis drove through an industrial section of Jackson.

  Big, windowless buildings housed storage, shipping, and light manufacturing facilities. Rows of metal containers and trailers stood behind fences. The parking lots contained as many semi-trucks as regular cars. Grass covered big squares of undeveloped land.

  The location of the stolen bus was obvious. Police cars ringed a building with dirty, brick walls. A "FOR SALE" sign stood in a parking lot where weeds grew through cracks in the asphalt.

  Lewis parked beside the police cars. Stony and Mia immediately got out.

  A metal sign read, "Presley Storage Company," but rust had made the sign almost illegible. Vines had swallowed one wall with the clear intention of consuming the rest of the building eventually.

  Stony pulled out his badge and went to the nearest officer in the Jackson Police Department. "Your chief wants us to go straight in."

  "You're with the forensic specialists?" the cop said.

  Stony nodded. "Yeah, sure."

  "Then go."

  Stony, Mia, and Agent Lewis entered through an open sliding door. The interior of the building was an echoing, dark space with a concrete floor. A little light leaked in through high, dusty, square windows.

  A big, black bus was parked in the center of the warehouse. It was the kind of vehicle a rock band might use to tour the country. Huge windows were heavily tinted except in front. A large number of chromed bolts held big tires in place.

  A handful of men and women in blue suits were taking pictures. They stopped working and looked at the newcomers.

  "I recognize these agents," Lewis said. "They're a PEA forensic team."

  "Ah, good," Stony said. "They got here quick."

  A woman with short, black hair stepped forward. "Who are you?"

  "I'm Stony. This is Miasma. I'm sure you heard of us. What's the situation?"

  The entire forensic team stared at him with horrified expressions.

  "You people need to stop acting like we're flesh-eating zombies," Stony said. "I've met some zombies, and our body odor isn't nearly as unpleasant. Just give your damn report."

  The woman swallowed. "We just got here a few minutes ago, sir. We found tire tracks which aren't from the bus. At least two other vehicles were parked here recently. We're assuming Orcus transferred his hostages and left."

  "Fuck," Stony said. "Orcus planned this out pretty well. Now we have no idea what he's driving. Have you looked inside the bus yet?"

  "No. It could be boobytrapped. We're examining the outside and surroundings first. Then we'll decide the safest way to enter."

  "Good thinking. Carry on."

  While the forensic technicians did their work, Stony and Mia just looked around and stayed out of the way. They took care not to contaminate any evidence such as the tire tracks. Agent Lewis stood by the door.

  The warehouse contained mostly empty space, but there was a small office in back. The office still had a desk and a file cabinet, and Stony fought the urge to look at the files. He also found a toilet. Instead of water, the bowl contained dark brown filth.

  I'm wasting time, he thought.

  He went back to the parked tour bus. Any useful clues would be inside, but the technicians were right to worry about traps. Orcus had probably left a nasty surprise behind.

  Stony peered through the clear windows in the front of the bus, but he didn't see anything interesting. There was just a seat for the driver, a steering wheel, and a large dashboard. A curtain separated the front from the passenger area. He looked hard but didn't see a bomb.

  Stony turned to the nearest technician. "Do you have a flashlight?"

  "Yes, sir," the technician said.

  He took a small flashlight out of an evidence collection kit and handed it over.

  Stony walked around the bus and shined the light through the windows. They were very dark and high though, and he couldn't see much.

  "Need help?" Mia said.

  "Sure. Stand on my hands. Try to get a better angle."

  He gave her the flashlight. Then he made a platform with his hands, and she stepped onto them. She was a normal-size woman, but she felt light to him. She leaned against a window and pointed the flashlight into the bus.

  "It's dark in there," Mia said.

  "I know," Stony said. "Just keep looking."

  After a minute, she yelled, "I see something! A kid!"

  "Is he alive?"

  "I don't know. He's sitting up but not moving... I think he's breathing!"

  "Hop down," Stony said. "I'm going in!"

  "But it could be a trap!"

  "Which is why I want you and everybody else to back away, far away."

  Mia stepped down from his hands. "You're acting like a dumb movie hero."

  "Thank you for the compliment. Now get out of here." Stony pointed towards the front door of the building.

  Mia gave the flashlight to him. She reluctantly moved back but stayed just inside the door. The technicians and Agent Lewis weren't so brave and went completely outside.

  Stony turned his attention back to the bus and considered the safest way to enter. He had to use a method that Orcus would never expect. Stony circled the bus twice without getting any good ideas. Then he climbed onto the roof using a bumper and a vent grill as a ladder.

  The roof had an emergency escape hatch. That will do, he thought. He stomped on the hatch using all of his unnatural strength. After several heavy blows, the latch gave way, and th
e hatch swung down. He hardened the skin on his head and torso. He carefully dropped into the bus, landing softly and not touching anything.

  The stink hit him first. The bus literally smelled like shit, and it was obvious why. Dog poop covered the floor.

  Stony held his nose and turned on the flashlight. He quickly spotted the kid. A small boy was sitting on a bench in back, not moving. Considering how much noise Stony had just made, the victim had to be dead or comatose. A knot formed in Stony's gut.

  He took very slow, careful steps forward. He used the flashlight to check for tripwires. He made sure his footing was secure before shifting his weight in case Orcus had installed a trapdoor in the floor. The only sound was Stony's quiet breathing.

  The kid's brown eyes were open and still. A trail of dried blood went from his lower lip to his chin. He had a large knife wound in his gut, and blood had soaked his shirt. A Satanic symbol was carved into his forehead.

  Stony was certain the child was dead, but then his stomach moved. The motion was just a wiggle, but it filled Stony's heart with hope.

  He didn't rush forward though. He maintained his painfully slow, cautious pace until he was within reach of the kid. Stony lightly put his finger on the victim's neck and felt for a pulse.

  Nothing. The corpse was already cooling off.

  Stony saw the kid's belly move again. A small, pink nose poked out of the gruesome wound. Stony had a horrible realization that a rat was hiding inside the body.

  The rat crawled out onto the kid's leg. Blood had soaked its fine brown fur. Stony was about to smash the animal with his fist when he noticed something strange.

  The rat was wearing a backpack with a red, flashing light on it. The package was big enough to carry a detonator and an ounce or two of high explosive.

  The rat jumped at Stony, leading with its claws and teeth. The attack was intentional. He slapped the animal away, and then he made his skin rock hard. He turned himself into a statue, hopefully one strong enough to withstand a bomb.

  The explosion swept Stony off his feet and sent him flying through a window. He sailed out of the bus and landed on the concrete floor of the warehouse. When he finally skidded to a stop, he allowed his skin to return to normal.

  "Stony!" Mia screamed as she ran over to him.

  "I'm fine," he said. "I just got knocked around."

  Stony stood up and checked himself. His clothes were burnt and shredded, but at least his underwear had survived intact. He didn't feel any injuries except for a few scrapes.

  "What happened?"

  "The kid was already dead, but he had a rat-bomb hidden in his guts. I think Orcus commanded the rat to attack the first person it saw."

  Mia made a disgusted face.

  Stony looked back at the bus. The blast had broken all the windows and had torn open a part of a wall. Sheet metal had folded over like paper.

  The PEA forensic team along with Agent Lewis rushed into the warehouse, followed closely by a number of very concerned police officers.

  "Get those cops out of here!" Stony yelled at the PEA agents. "We're not done investigating!"

  They ushered the police back out of the building.

  Stony returned to the bus with his jaw set in a determined expression. He climbed in through the gaping hole in the side and looked around, hoping that some useful evidence had survived. He discovered to his amazement that his flashlight still worked.

  The explosion had dismembered the dead boy. Only a thin strip of muscle connected his head to his body. The left arm was completely gone.

  Stony searched the bus, moving quicker than before but still cautiously. Orcus could've planted two traps, and he was clever enough to do so. Stony found a few blood smears, and they appeared unrelated to the dead boy.

  Stony discovered a girl's doll stuffed behind a seat cushion.

  Mia yelled up from outside the bus. "Is it safe?"

  "I think so," he replied.

  She climbed in the same way he had. She looked around with a dismayed expression. "What a mess."

  "Yeah."

  "What are you holding?"

  Stony gave the doll to her. She ran her fingers through the fake, blonde hair thoughtfully.

  He didn't see anything else of interest, and he was afraid of disturbing the evidence even further, so he jumped out of the bus.

  The other PEA agents came over to Stony, and he explained what had happened.

  "Why aren't you dead?" the female agent with black hair asked. "You don't even look hurt."

  He picked up a large, sharp piece of glass. He hardened his palm and smashed the glass against it. The glass shattered without harming him.

  "I'm a surprisingly tough guy," he said.

  Mia jumped out of the bus and landed gracefully. "Stop showing off," she said. "I didn't see anything in the bus that looked interesting, but I'm not an expert. Take a look for yourselves."

  The forensic team went to work on the bus. Stony and Mia moved away to talk privately.

  She looked at his torn clothes and clucked her tongue disapprovingly. "That's not a good look for you."

  "Thanks for the fashion tip."

  "By the way, I also don't appreciate you getting blasted out of a bus. You scared me for a few seconds."

  "I'll try to avoid it in the future." Stony noticed she was still holding the doll he had found in the bus. "Why did you keep the toy?"

  Mia looked at the doll. "I'm planning to return it to the owner when we rescue her."

  "Really?" He raised his eyebrows. "You've been very sentimental today."

  "That bothers you?"

  "I'm wondering what happened to the black-hearted bitch I've come to know and sometimes fear."

  She smiled charmingly. "Don't worry. You'll see her again."

  Agent Lewis ran over with his phone in hand. "Sir, ma'am, Supervisory Agent Gritz wants to talk to you."

  Stony wondered why Gritz hadn't called him on his own phone. He took it out of his pocket and discovered the phone was shattered and dead. That's annoying, he thought.

  Stony accepted the phone from Lewis. "Yes?"

  "Any news?" Gritz said.

  "We had a little trouble with a boobytrap," Stony said, "but no injuries. It looks like two other vehicles were here. Orcus transferred the hostages and left the bus behind. That's all we have so far."

  "Damn it. Well, the reason I'm calling is we have a lead. My field agents have been talking to shady gold dealers in the area...."

  "Why?"

  "It was your suggestion, right?" Gritz said.

  "Oh, yeah. Orcus deals in stolen gold. Go on."

  "We found a dealer who participated in a suspicious transaction yesterday. A man who might've been Orcus in disguise sold a lot of gold for cash. My agents already talked to the dealer, but I thought you might want to do the same. The location isn't far from you. Lewis will drive."

  Stony looked at the bus and decided he had nothing else to contribute. The PEA forensic team would find any evidence, if any was left.

  "Sure," he said. "We'll leave immediately."

  * * *

  Agent Lewis parked the car in front of a store with the name, "WE BUY GOLD!" The sign was made of yellow neon tubes. It was at the end of a strip mall which also featured a sandwich shop and a video game store.

  Stony, Mia, and Lewis stepped out.

  Stony's stomach growled. He had missed breakfast and was now in danger of missing lunch. The sandwich shop tempted him, but he held firm. He had work to do, and his stomach could wait.

  At least he had changed his clothes. His and Mia's luggage was conveniently in the trunk of the car. He was wearing his spare business suit now, and he didn't own another. It had to last. Unfortunately, the spare suit hadn't come with a spare phone.

  Stony went into the gold store. The narrow interior had so many bright lights, he had to squint at first. A display case held gold and silver coins which gleamed brilliantly. The thick glass walls of the display case were certainly bull
etproof. A model of the Statue of Liberty stood in the corner, and it was as big as a real woman. A yellow leather couch was next to the statue. After being outside in warm, humid air, the air-conditioned store felt wonderfully refreshing.

  A man and a woman wearing blue suits walked over to Stony, and he assumed they were PEA agents. Mia and Lewis were right behind Stony.

  "You're Stony?" the male agent said nervously.

  "Yes. This is Miasma." Stony touched Mia's arm.

  Both agents had wide eyes.

  "Where is the owner?" Stony said impatiently.

  "In the back," the female agent said. "This way."

  The group went through a door in the back of the store, walked down a short hallway, and entered a small office. A man sitting behind a desk had a fat, pink face. His double chin was on the way to becoming a triple chin. He was wearing a purple sport jacket over a white shirt with no tie.

  "This is Mr. Beck," the female agent said.

  Stony stood in front of the desk and crossed his muscular arms in an intimidating manner. "What's your story?"

  "It's a short story," Beck said. "Yesterday, just before dark, a guy sold me thirty-eight ounces of gold. American Gold Eagles to be specific. Perfect condition."

  "You paid in cash?"

  "Nothing strange about that. Most of my customers demand cash. They don't trust banks."

  "How much did you pay?" Stony said.

  "Forty thousand dollars."

  "You have that much cash just lying around?"

  "I have a lot more than that." Beck pointed to an impressive safe in the corner of his office. "I'll show you the video."

  Surveillance monitors were mounted on a wall. He used a remote control to select and play a recording. The time code was 5:21 PM.

  The monitors showed a big man entering the store. He was wearing a floppy hat and sunglasses, but his huge, brown beard revealed his identity. He also had the pale skin of a man who rarely went out in sunlight. He had to be Orcus. A long, black coat could've easily hid several weapons.

  Orcus handed over a stack of gold coins with hardly a word. Beck was behind the store counter, and he performed a chemical test on each coin. He also weighed them on a scientific scale. He seemed satisfied with the result.