Dark Absentia: Blood Infernal Chapter Thirteen

I stood, looking at the smoldering heap of burnt debris that was left of Harper and Henry's estate. An ambulance took Eddie and one of our former unit members, Bob Mchahon to a hospital. First, Parker and now Henry was the second person to die that we both knew. These cases were getting more dangerous by the day. Captain Kremer and Cooper oversaw the crime scene. Both Tate and Kyle were with Harper at the station with Maddie at my precinct. They were under a protective detail until these cases were solved. Ben was still upstate with the witnesses from the Church arson. So far, they'd been in shock since they were found alive. The only lead I have is the reporter from yesterday, James Wesley. A murder suspect in the death of another former team member. I needed to talk with him again.

"Thomas, you good?" Captain Cook said, lighting a cigar.

"I'll be good when these cases are solved," I whispered.

"Yeah, I hear you. Listen, one of my spook friends got back to me this morning. I got to tell you, what he said didn't make sense. He told me to get the hell out of the cities and find some Church hidden away from the world. That was concerning to hear, so I reached out to the agency. He resigned this morning and is in the wind. Something doesn't feel right. You better get your ex out of the city today. I'm doing the same," Cook said. "By the way, Keep this to yourself, Ben, and Eddie. Some of our guys have been acting extra out of the ordinary the last few days," he added.

"What the hell is going on here?" I asked.

"You're as good a guesser as I am. Something is festering under the surface here. I'm getting vibes that I can't trust the brass at One Police Plaza anymore. Same with some of my contacts at the Agency and Bureau. It's almost like there is a faction covering up things while the rest of us flay around in the dark," Cook said.

"Maybe James Wesley has some insight on what's going on with these arsons and the issues at large," I stated.

"I'll get Detective Giannetti and Sano to meet you down there. They're the only two people in the squad I trust right now. I'll send them there to meet you," Martin said.

"Alright, Captain, on my way. Watch yourself out there. If we can't trust the people we work with, then this could be bigger than we think," I stated.

Cook took a long draw of his cigar before blowing out a lot of smoke. I could tell he was in deep thought as he looked at the scene. He was watching all the other officers. I noticed that Captain Kremer and Detective Jeffries were doing the same. Eddie was fine in the hospital. I debated seeing him but settled for a text informing him of what I had learned. But before I could do it, Cook stopped me.

"No more cellular devices. Kremer and Jefferies will check on your brother and fill them in. I'll take a trip upstate with one other guy I trust. As for you, talk to this Welsey character. Found out what he knows. Assume everyone is listening to your conversations. Even if they appear not to. And one more thing. If you have been having nightmares, trust them and heed their warning," Cook said.

The old spook wasn't kidding around. He was right; I was having nightmares. A lot lately since I've been working on these cases. Cook took another drag of his cigar before an officer gave him a report. That was my cue to get to work. His warning gave me a chill. The same kind I used to get in that damn desert. 'What did he mean by that?' I left the scene with more troubling questions than before.

Driving down to Staten Island, I heard more reports of missing people. Over two or three dozen a day by now. All over the city, and there was more statewide. The problem was that the local news and national media had not covered most cases. I don't even think the Police or FBI was investigating. People were missing, and the family that reported them vanished hours or days later.

"Come on, Thomas, find out what's going on," I whispered to myself.

I pull into the precinct garage and find Detective Sano and Giannetti waiting by their squad car.

Giannetti was a tall, dark-haired veteran of the force. The gray suit he wore was of an expensive brand. That was Gavino for you. Most of her career was in major crimes and narcotics. He'd only recently transferred to our unit, but he was trustworthy. His hazelnut eyes put you at ease, and he was a smooth talker. Gavino had a face that melted most women's hearts. The Detective had high cheekbones, a straight nose, straight eyebrows, and thin lips.

Sitting on the hood of the cruiser was Sano Emiko. Her last name came first, as they say it in Japan. Emiko was a new transfer as well. Coming all the way from Japan. Her jet-black hair was fashioned into a long ponytail. From what I had been told, the exotic beauty's emerald eyes were a rarity. She had thin eyebrows, voluptuous lips, a delicate nose, and high cheekbones. Sano wore a sky-blue blazer, a pencil skirt, white pantyhose, and high heels. The young Detective became a citizen with her sister, who was a doctor a few years ago. They two stood up, greeting me as I exited my car.

"You ready to do this, Hunt?" Giannetti asked. "By the way, you look like shit," he added.

"Yeah, let's go," I said.

"Who's this suspect?" Sano asked, crossing her arms.

"I'm beginning to think this reporter isn't a suspect. Cook says he trusts you two. So, keep your guard up at all times. Take note of anyone acting out of the ordinary," I explained.

"Cook said something about this. He told us to trust no one," Sano said.

I nod in agreement.

"Let's go," I said.

Right off the bat, something felt off. Half the precinct was off duty. Today wasn't a holiday, and there wasn't any government shutdown. Sano and Giannetti noticed the eerie look the officers were giving us. They looked uneasy and restless. The lobby was empty, with no collars coming in or civilians. I stopped at the front desk.

"Sergeant, we're here to see James Welsey," I said.

"Sure, just head on back there. The Detectives on the case aren't here today. Hell, no one is. Feels like half the precinct quit this morning," the Sergeant said.

That was interesting information to hear. 'Why was half the station off duty?' This is what Captain Cook meant when he spoke about OPP. Down in lockup, there needed to be more personnel available. On a typical busy day, this place would be packed. The cells were empty, except for James Welsey. The three of us stood at the door.

"So, Detective Thomas Hunt. You're back to send me off to Rikers?" Welsey asked, chuckling.

"Not exactly; I have some paperwork to bring you with us," Giannetti revealed. "We're here to take you into protective custody," he added.

I raised my eyebrows. Cook doesn't leave anything to chance. I was planning on taking him down to our station. Giannetti signaled for the Sergeant to open the cell.

"Isn't it a little hot in here?" Sano asked.

The exotic woman was right. It was getting hotter at the moment. My phone buzzed in my pocket. I took it out to see Kremer's number. 'Eddie's Captain.' I answered the call.

"Thomas, Eddie just told me what happened at Henry's home. They saw some flaming silhouette that attacked them and killed Henry. I don't believe in paranormal or supernatural things. Still, I can tell you that disturbing things have been happening around my neighborhood lately. Eddie isn't a liar, either. I don't know what Eddie saw last night, but this isn't the first I've heard a story like this," Rex said.

Before I could answer, the temperature spiked. The ceiling above turned red, then orange, before the roof collapsed. A fiery man of flames drops down at the opposite end of the room. I froze in utter disbelief. A primal fear I had never felt gripped my soul. The sound of a gun went off from behind us. I turn around to see another flaming entity coming down the stairwell. James's scream for the door to his cell to be opened jarred me back to reality.

"Sergeant! Get this damn door open!" I yelled.

I race to a nearby fire extinguisher and toss it toward the one coming down the stairs. The five officers ahead of me empty their magazines and do little to bring down the monster. Once the canister rolled near the flaming being, I fired a round. The chemicals inside burst and cover the fiery creature. Its flames are extinguished, leaving behind a charred boney husk. I put bullets in the burnt body's center mass and two in the temple. The Sergeant opens the door releasing James.

"Sano, get James out of here!" I barked. "Giannetti and I will hold the other one off. The rest of you get out of here, too!" I added.

Giannetti and I hold the line as the others leave. Once they were gone, I pat Giannetti on the shoulder to go. The monster walks like it has a purpose. A slow, methodical walk that sends terror into my being. I get halfway up the stairs when my leg is pulled out from under me. The burnt corpse held my ankle, and I could feel the heat. I saw the embers beginning to reignite.