Page 48 of Sinistram
“That was a bit more than we bargained for,” Travis said once they had put the lake behind them. “It’s hard to know if the different hunts are connected.” Travis drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. “There have been bursts of supernatural activity before that weren’t part of a giant conspiracy. Sometimes it’s the phase of the moon or the way the planets align, or fallout from some other paranormal incident.”
“True,” Brent replied. “But it’s not just one situation, and even the ghosts thought there was another power involved. We’re missing something big, something to pull it all together. I just can’t figure out what.”
Brent’s phone rang. He looked down at the ID and frowned before answering on speakerphone, recognizing his unwelcome CHARON contact. “Shane?”
“Lawson. They’re after me. I need—” An unnatural shriek sounded, drowning out the man’s next words.
“—Todd Nature Reserve,” Shane’s voice came through, sounding scared and breathing hard, like he was running.
“Who’s after you? What’s going on?” Brent pressed. Travis pulled off the road and looked up the reserve on the GPS, indicating the distance and estimated drive time.
“You were right,” Shane said. “Got set up?—”
“Can you get to shelter? We’re on our way.” Brent glanced at the screen of Travis’s phone as they got back on the highway, faster than the speed limit.
“Not gonna make it.”
“Can you hide? Climb a tree?” Brent barely refrained from shouting into the phone. Travis gave him a worried look, then returned his attention to the road.
Shane’s bloodcurdling scream made Brent wince.
“Shane! Shane!”
They heard another scream, a terrifying howl, and then what sounded like an animal licking its chops. Brent squeezed his eyes shut and tried not to throw up as he ended the call.
“Are you okay?” Travis asked after a few moments of silence.
Brent felt shaky and figured all the blood had drained from his face. He clutched the armrest white-knuckled as he tried to pull himself together.
“No. Can we?—”
“Already adjusted the route,” Travis assured him, giving the command to the GPS to head for Todd Nature Reserve. “But it’s going to take at least half an hour to get there, not counting traffic.”
“What do you think he meant when he said, ‘you were right’ and ‘got set up’?” Travis was using the tone Brent always thought of as his confessional voice, quiet and calming.
“Shane hadn’t believed me about a conspiracy to kill hunters,” Brent replied. “I’m guessing that something changed his mind when it was too late to get away.”
He took a few deep breaths. “Shane was an asshole, but I didn’t want him dead. And if we’re right, does this mean the Sinistram is going after CHARON as well as freelance hunters? That’s like declaring war.”
“I wish I knew,” Travis replied. “Maybe when we hear from Sorren and the others, we’ll be able to put the pieces together.As I recall, Sinistram and CHARON never liked each other or worked together voluntarily, but I always figured that was a power struggle or a turf war.”
“I don’t think CHARON liked any of the other groups,” Brent said, feeling numb. “From their recruiting spiels, it always sounded as if they thought they were better hunters, trackers, better at handling ghosts and magic, the whole shebang. And from what you’ve said, Sinistram thoughttheywere top of the heap. They were bound to clash.”
“There’s ‘clashing’ and then there’s putting out a hit,” Travis answered, his voice tight. “Until we figure this out, no one’s safe.”
Traffic had been slow, and by the time they reached the nature reserve, an ambulance and several police cars were already in the lot. Travis parked where they could easily get away, then he and Brent sauntered up like curious hikers.
“Sorry, the trails are closed until further notice,” the cop blocking the entrance said. “We’re still investigating, but it looks like a wild animal attack,” the cop continued. “Don’t want anyone else to get hurt.”
Two men wheeled a stretcher out of the park and toward the ambulance. A blanket covered the body, including the face.
“What’s happened?” Travis asked a nearby woman, looking believably innocent.
“I was jogging when I heard screams, and I called the police,” she told him, wrapping her arms around herself for comfort. “I’m not surprised someone’s dead.”
“For everyone’s safety, the park is closed while we investigate,” the cop added. “I’d appreciate it if everyone could please clear out.”
The woman made the sign of the cross and left for her car, and the others who had gathered drifted away.
