Chapter 21-3
Black Sabbath
Part 4
We did our best not to hurry as we quickly returned to our awaiting limos. At that moment, we were safe inside our compounds after being followed. Which spoke volumes about how they didn't trust us. Stringham ordered the driver to stop at the side of the road and opened the door and vomited until there was nothing but dry heaves. He quickly wiped his mouth and told the driver he needed some fresh air, and he would walk back to the house. Then he changed his mind, seeing cars in the distance pull to the side of the road where the first gate we entered was.
He said. "Damn it to hell!" and got back into the limo tells the driver not to stop for any reason until we got to the house. The moment the door was closed Stringham told us to pack and be ready to leave within the hour.
He picked up the phone and made ready for our quick departure. Ordering choppers to land in front of our cabin as everyone was rushing around with our heads cut off. We all wanted answers, but Stringham and our parents refused to answer them, telling us not until we were far away from here. Showing something bad happened or was about to happen, besides what happened back at the service. One by one the choppers landed in the middle of the road and anywhere there was space to do so. Jared and I were on the first ones as well as our friends who went to the services.
Mom and Dad took Jared's and my hand, telling us that everything was going to be alright. Something told me that it was never going to be alright again, as I searched for Jeff. Finding him and asking if this was the trouble he was warning me about.
Like always, he never gives me a straight answer only when it suits him, but he only stated it was only part of a larger problem. Jared looked at me and gave me a weak smile as Sparky yawned and made himself comfortable on my lap.
It didn't bother him anymore about flying in a helicopter. I wish I could say the same for Jake's dog and his bird as well as the cat, which in a sense seemed kinda funny, considering I had thought birds liked to fly.
It was nearly two hours before we arrived at our destination, which was Stringham's estate. I was glad we had chosen to bundle up because the air was cold, announcing that winter was near. The place was empty and looked like it had been closed for the winter, but what more could we expect considering Stringham only used the place as a safe haven or for the summer? He usually stays in town during the winter. I have only been to his house once; it wasn't as lavish as this one, but comfortable, showing this was the house his wife and his family lived in.
Landan greeted us, telling Mr. Stringham that it would be some time before the help would arrive. Stringham said. "Thanks, Landan, if you would see to Eric and Jared, and for god's sake man turn up the heat. It's freezing in here." Something told me it wasn't the heat he was complaining about. But Landan nodded and frowned, seeing us in our wheelchairs.
Stringham didn't apologize, instead, he disappeared into his study letting Landan and the help that was here to seen to us. While the choppers refueled and took off to bring back the rest of our party. Landan had Dad and us follow him with Jared as he pushed me and Jared into the service elevator that I didn't know existed. Yet it stands to reason that there was one because how else the food and supplies could be handled so discretely?
We had reached the third floor when Shawn and Arthur were being prodded up the stairs. Landan said, to put them in separate rooms and make sure they are well-guarded until arrangements can be made. Their guards nodded and prodded them along. Landan was too busy to talk to us and so was Dad, leaving us to get our own selves settled in on our own.
Once we arrived at the room where Jared and I had stayed in the last time, near to Stringham's and Dave's quarters. Jared and I hadn't had the chance to remove our robes and change into some better clothing. Other than Mom wrapping several blankets around us and allowing us to remove the latex masks from our faces. As she quickly packed, more like hurriedly stuffed our suitcases. While Dad saw theirs and my brothers, not wasting a single minute to get us out of there.
All I knew was the invitation to dinner with the devil and his family wasn't going to happen, not after what had happened during the services today, not that none of us including me were all that upset about it. Jeff too seemed relieved, by indicating it by showing himself scaring the crap out of Jared. The moment he turned around, seeing him lying on the bed as he was returning from the wardrobe. "What the hell!" Jared says and we both smile. Hearing him tell Jeff he's really got to work on knocking or something. Jeff knocked on the headboard as we watched his hand go right through it.
Personally, I thought it was funny, but Jared not so much as he frowned at us as we chuckled slightly, which lightened my mood considerably. Jared growled in frustration getting out of his chair and tossing his robe and slippers into a far corner like it was a poisonous snake. I too did the same, telling Jared that I was going to run us a bath, hearing someone knock on the door and opening it. Finding Landan delivered us a message that Stringham and our parents wanted us to be down in the study as soon as we had changed our clothes.
He breathed a sigh of relief seeing that we were both out of our wheelchairs but frowned seeing the leg braces and robes we had tossed into the corner. I calmly said, "Don't ask," he didn't say anything as we quickly dressed in a pair of scrubs and got back into our wheelchairs. Telling him we didn't need any help, having him ignore us as one of his staff and he pushed us anyway after placing a warm blanket around us. Telling us it is his duty to do whatever it takes to make us feel comfortable and has been updated regarding our condition, and then said. "Mostly, with everyone going and coming this way and that way turning this house into a madhouse."
I quickly said he should feel lucky after the day we had. We didn't elaborate, not wanting to revisit that nightmare for the moment. Jeff silently followed us like he was the one taking Sparky for a walk. Sparky, on the other hand, was doing his best to stay away from him, tucking his tail between his legs and whining as he quickly jumped into my lap. Hoping that I would protect him from the ghost that seemed to torment him. Jeff commented that dogs used to like him. I said linking. "That was before you died."
Jared rolled his eyes and said out loud. "Does he have to come with us?"
Causing Landan to say. "Of course I do little man, and Sir Sparky has the run of the house." I chuckled a little knowing that Jared wasn't talking to Landan or me or my dog. Jared growled in frustration because he had not yet mastered speaking inside his head with Jeff like I had. In fact, it was a long time before I too was able to, so I knew how it felt when people thought I was talking to them or talking to myself. The study was nice and toasty with roaring fire, the heat nearly knocked us over the moment the door opened.
I noticed that Stringham had a bottle of Jack Daniels on the desk and was pouring himself something to drink. It was the first time I had seen Stringham drink anything other than a glass of wine every once and a while, but nothing as strong as this. I had mentioned earlier that he wasn't Mormon, nor was he part of any religion that I knew of, and me and some of our friends, and it didn't bother us. He didn't offer any to us as he quickly put the bottle away. I asked Landan if he wouldn't mind fetching us all some hot chocolate and scurrying us up something to eat.
He nodded and left us as we waited for everyone else to arrive. In the meantime, he came over to us and busied himself with our wheelchairs giving a sigh of relief finding the cartages of film and the small tape recorder still in tacked, placing both on his desk, for the moment. As he buzzed for someone to come into the room to pick it up. Telling them to rush it and find out where in the hell his video footage was that he requested nearly three hours ago. The guy said that it had just arrived, Stringham said. "And why is it not on my desk or in my hands?"
It was a rare occasion to see Stringham so angry; he was usually calm under pressure, but whatever happened after we had been taken out of the service really made him really agitated. He quickly apologized, stating it had been a very bad day, and things didn't quite go as planned. The person nodded, telling him he'd bring it in personally, and bowed his way out, closing the door. I was about to ask what else happened, but Stringham told me and Jared to be still and be quiet, realizing how harsh he was being, and apologized. Watching Sparky dive for cover hearing his voice raise in anger.
He took a seat and poured himself another drink and said. "Boys you know they killed that man right in front of us?" We both nodded and waited for the other shoe to drop, I cringed when he said. "That was only the beginning. The rest was so horrific that the only thing we were glad of was that none of you children were there to watch what happened next. It will give me nightmares for the next thousands of years." The door opened and everyone else joined us
Stringham waited for everyone to find a seat and was telling them he was just about to tell them what happened after we had left the service. Restating the fact to the rest of my friends that they killed the man who was on the altar. That was the very moment he had impregnated that young girl who was his own grandchild. He took several sips of his drink as Landan passed around large coffee mugs of hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows and whipped cream just the way we liked it.
Once he had done so Stringham waited for him to leave the room, instead, Landan took a seat, Telling us he needed to know what happened. Stringham didn't like secrets, so he continued by asking if everyone else was being seen to like my younger brothers and the Vincent's boys. Landan nodded that his wife was taking care of them, and dinner was on its way, but would be some time. Considering there was nothing in the kitchen, other than a few crumbs for the mice until the cook arrived in the morning.
Stringham nodded and continued said. "After they killed the man, they carved him up like a Thanksgiving turkey, and ate him before they removed what was left of his body."
My stomach twisted, wanting to vomit. As he quickly explained what happened to them afterward and they were forced to participate in the blood ceremony. Swearing a vow that if they ever revealed what happened they would kill us all, which explained the hasty retreat because it was a promise none of us could keep. Or would you keep it?
Everyone was silent as someone else knocked on the door. Landan got up and opened it and dealt with it sending him on his way. We watched him close the door and locked indicating we didn't want to be disturbed. Landan handed Stringham three videotapes and said the others would be here by morning once they were able to get inside the building undetected. Again, explaining that Stringham was fully aware of the building they were using and why he wasn't surprised.
The phone rang as we all jumped, Stringham answered it telling the person on the other line to show them in and make damn sure everyone got out of the cabins and make sure there were guards posted at every road, every house, and in the house. Telling the man he doesn't care how much it costs he wasn't about to lose those cabins. Or let them have time to get away, and he was still waiting for the autopsy of the man they murdered in cold blood and then yelled. "What do mean he's not at the morgue? I told you to follow him and make sure that guy at the morgue went over him with a fine-tooth comb!" He waited and said. "Find out, what in the hell am I paying you for?" And slammed the phone down flopping into his chair.
Sparky made a beeline underneath my wheelchair. Stringham swallowed the rest of his drink and slammed the glass on the desk, said. "The man they murdered has disappeared without a trace, just like the other one did, every damn time I think I have got them by the balls they slip away and it becomes nearly impossible for me to prove anything without a body, and when they do turn up it is reported as a suicide, or natural causes or a drug overdose, or they don't turn up at all," Jeff says to tell Stringham that two of his men that were following the body, were not the people he hired.
I nodded as I cringed as I told Stringham. He looked at me dumbfounded, then asked. "How in the hell?" Then growled. "Those slippery bastards, so they're not the only ones with good disguises, tell your friend thanks. And ask him if he knows where they placed the body."
I didn't say anything because Jeff heard him and I said. "They cremated him down in the basement of the building."
Stringham says. "There isn't a basement in that building." I shrugged my shoulders, and Jeff told me to draw a map of a hidden passage showing it to me.
I nodded and asked for a piece of paper, and drew the location that Jeff showed me. that there were hidden doors and a long passageway under the road that went a half mile to an abandoned building where in the basement they had built a Furnace. Stringham looked at me then looked at the drawing, he knew about Jeff, and he never questioned that sometimes he could be helpful. He asked me to ask him if he could identify them on video who the men were who cloned themselves and what happened to his men.
Jeff nodded and I nodded as Jeff told me they had been taken as prisoners and were being held for questioning. He quickly gave me a location as I drew it on a piece of paper and told them when they were done, they would kill them and do the same to them as they did to the man's body. I cringed when I told him. Stringham cursed loudly and pounded his fist on his desk. He cursed even more when someone knocked, and he yelled. "What the hell do you want now?"
Landan got up and opened the door telling Stringham the officers he had sent for are here. Stringham didn't apologize, instead he calmed down telling him to show them in and dismissed us, telling us we would be putting a plan together for what to do next after supper. Everyone nodded and made our way to the door as I passed Officer Kenly, which surprised me that he was there, and five more Officers I have never seen before.
Stringham said. "Where do you think you're going, young man? You are the only one here who can really help me, after all, it's not every day I have someone that communicates with a dead friend that can tell me who can identify these impostors." I gave a hard swallow telling Sparky to go with Jared. Dad stayed and so did Mr. Vincent, and so did Landan. Mom thought about it, but Dad told her to go and see the rest of their children.
Mr. Stringham asked Officer Kenly to have him tell him he has been promoted to Captain. And yes, these were his best of the best and could be trusted. Stringham offered them a seat, letting Landan close the door telling someone that they did not wish to be disturbed unless the house was on fire, closed the door, and locked it. Stringham apologized for his rudeness, but it has been a very bad day. Then apologized to me once he put the video in stating what we were about to see what happened at the services today. That it is better to see it first and then explain it.
My job or should say Jeff's job was to point out the impostors and provide information that he was willing to give us. I cringed not wanting to revisit the scene of the crime, but what choice did I have? Even Jeff didn't want to relive it, but like me, he wanted these people caught. I pretend that it was just a horror movie that none of it was real. Captain Kenly smiled when he noticed my hair color as well as Dad's. He didn't tease me. Well, maybe just a little as he ruffled my hair stating it looked good on me. I said. "You should see me in full makeup. I look worse than Frankenstein." Stringham says I looked way better than that. Pointing to me and Jared as we made our way into the building. I had to admit I didn't even look like myself at all … The eye patch made it look even better.
Stringham stopped the video once it had panned through the people waiting for me to say something. I shook my head and then told him to freeze and go back. I pointed to one guy almost hidden by the camera. Stringham made a note using the counter on how to relocate it and the image. Then pressed play to continue as it followed us to our seats. He paused it telling them to steal themselves for what was coming. I wanted to close my eyes, but my eyes were frozen to the screen, as it hovered above them, and the stage at closed in on them and the man at on the altar. I had him stop and back up just a bit as Jeff told me to look to the right and pointed to a woman. Again Stringham made a note of the person and counter frame and continued on, going slowly so the officers could see clear details about what had taken place.
I watched as the High Bishop placed the knife at the man's throat the second the girl had been impregnated and was handed the long blade and she said. "May God forgive me, grandfather?"
Stringham paused when one officer saw something that none of us saw. Stringham still didn't see it, until he drew a closer look said. "So, she was forced?" I still didn't see it as I rolled closer. Stringham pointed towards the girl right on the left side. The High Priestess was holding a blade to the girl's throat. Stringham watched her mouth move and turned up the sound of hearing her say. "Do it, or your entire family dies today bitch. I killed your baby brother and your sister, so you know personally what I am capable of doing."
The girl screamed as she brought down the long blade and her grandfather screamed in pain as I watched the High Bishop cut his throat, and then licked the blade. Watching the High Priestess usher men to pull her off him tossing her onto the floor like common garbage. Kicking her behind the altar, where no one could see it as the parents were ordered to dissect him and feed him to their children. Taking his heart out of him and taking large bites as they passed him around like a bucket of fried chicken. While the rest in the circle took the rest of him and ate him like wolves around the dinner table. I threw up all over the floor and so did Dad before finding a garbage can. Everyone else was doing their best to keep theirs down, including Landan.
Once we had regained our stomachs Landan called for the housekeeping to clean up our mess. So, we wouldn't have to step lightly around it. Stringham turned off the TV to prevent the staff from seeing it. Calmly waited, by opening another bottle of Jack Daniel's. Telling us he needed something to help steady his nerves he offered Dad and everyone else a drink. Three out of four Officers accepted it, again stating that most of us were LDS and didn't believe in strong drinks, and didn't drink Alcohol.
Coffee and tea are also on the list, but most of us ignore that one. After the staff left, Stringham turned back on the TV and fast forward to the part where they were taking the body away, which looked worse than something I had seen in a horror movie. This time it didn't bother us, mostly stating the image was engraved in our heads and would be forever.
The video ended the moment the lights came back on, only to go back off as the High Bishop ordered the guards to bring our parents to the stage and order them to strip. As they placed a knife at their throats. The High Bishop said. "How is it that you think you can hide a spiritual being of a corrupted angel in our mist? Thinking we would not see him? I purged that spirit and told him to leave, he had no choice but to do what I asked because I am more powerful than the God he represents.
"Mormo sees all and has told me that this corrupt angel has been hovering around you and speaks to you. He tells me that he is connected to your sons. But I have cut the link as he spends eternity fetching for my master to bring me souls and become my lap dog at the snap of my finger. He is powerless to save your boys and you. My God has given me your souls, to do with as I please. Now tell me or die. Who is that man I am talking about and who did he used to be? So I can hunt down his parents and take their souls as well."
Dad said. "What man? I know not the spirit you are referring to. You say you can snap your fingers, and he will show himself so do it and ask him. The only God is the one you and I believe in, may Mormo prove to you that we are here to become his chosen disciples. Why treat us this way when we have done no wrong, and are willing to serve you, and him?"
The High Bishop looked towards his High Prissiest. She shook her head as we watched her search the room for Jeff. But covered and said. "Mormo has taken him to task most holy of holy and has asked me to pledge their souls to him, in a sacred vow that will bind them to us for eternity that their children too will be ours and will fulfill our needs as he blesses us with a rich harvest.
"Mr. Carrion speaks the truth, he knows nothing about the man we speak, but his boys do and through their father and friends, we know where their loyalty lies. Our Lord and our God say that what we seek begins with them. I have seen the future, and I see us as great people, revered and feared as our God has, he told me in a dream. We will become a power so great that nations will bend their knees to us. If we only obey and offer our hearts, our souls, and our children unto him, through blood, and sacrifice we will conquer and set our God free from his prison so he may reign over heaven and earth. So, I ask our conclave do we kill them and disobey our God our Savior? Or do we welcome them into our ranks and reap the benefits that our master has told us that will be ours?"
The congregation yelled. "We chose to obey our master, our God our Savior, In Mormo's name we praise and give willing our souls and our blood to see his will be done." The High Bishop asked each one of our parents to speak the oath and pledge their souls to Satan to his church and his Savior Mormo this very day. Then tonight we will celebrate the coming of a new age. And in two days hence under the blood moon, they will bring their sons and their daughters into the fold, and they too shall reap the rewards as Mormo has foretold through our seer our High Priestess May Mormo bless her evermore until he calls her to his bosom?"
The congregation chanted. "In Mormo's name let it be done." Dad and they were ordered to kneel in the pentagram as the High Priestess and the High Bishop blessed the ceremonial knife that they had used earlier. Once they too had taken the vow, they were allowed to dress.
Twice Jeff made him pause on the High Priestess, he said. "Interesting."
I ask loudly. "Jeff, what do mean by that?"
He says. "She is not the same person that was at the altar, but someone else." He flicked out, leaving us all hanging as I repeated it to my captive audience. Stringham asked if I expected him to come back soon. I shrugged my shoulders and said. "Sorry, but Jeff says he needed to find some answers."
As I covered for him, I heard Stringham grumble and Dad laugh. "Not even the all-powerful Jeff knows everything."