Human Blend (24 page)

“How?” Marcus asked. “You got tracking
abilities?” he joked.

“No, but I know someone who does,” Eli
said.

“I'd better call Uncle Gregg, too,” Marcus
said. “He would want to know,” he added. The two men went next door
to Eli's apartment.

Eli put his key in the door and was about to
open it when Marcus covered his hand. “You have someone living with
you?” he asked him. Eli paused and shook his head. Marcus nodded
toward the door. Eli released the doorknob. Marcus tapped his
chest, indicating he would go in first.

Stepping back and waiting against the wall,
Eli watched Marcus enter his apartment.

“Hold it right there,” Fred said, holding a
gun to Marcus' head. “Who the hell are you?” Fred asked when he
realized it wasn't Doctor Elsworth who had entered.

Eli entered so quickly, Marcus saw only a
blur. Fred was being suspended by Eli's left hand, while Eli's
right had taken the gun and dumped out its bullets.

“Where's Julie?” he growled in Fred's
face.

“Are you like them, too?” Fred asked, unsure
of how he ended up suspended in midair.

“Where's Julie?” Eli seethed, slamming Fred
against the wall.

“I'd answer him if I were you,” Marcus
suggested.

“Luke... Luke's got her... and the other
one,” Fred said between groans.

“Where are they going?” Eli asked, still
pinning Fred to the wall.

“I don't know...” Fred said, prompting
another slam from Eli. “I swear, I don't know... probably... back
home.” Fred stuttered. Eli released Fred, letting him crumple in a
heap at his feet.

“Where's home?” Marcus asked.

“Las Vegas,” Eli answered. He remembered that
Julie admitted to him that Las Vegas is where she escaped from.
“Watch him,” Eli said to Marcus, gesturing towards Fred.

Eli walked to his bedroom door and paused. He
looked at the body curled up in a pool of blood. “Oh yeah,” Marcus
said. “He's dead. Got quite a body count going here,” Marcus
said.

“Wait here,” Eli told him before entering his
bedroom.

“Sure thing, doc,” Marcus replied.

Fred began to crawl on the ground towards his
gun. Marcus kicked it out of the way. “Don't even think about it or
I'll sic 'Kong Doc' on you again,” Marcus said to him.

Marcus kept an eye on Fred while dialing
Uncle Gregg's number on his cell phone.

“
Marcus, my boy. Haven't heard from you in
a while. How are you?
” Uncle Gregg's voice greeted.

“Hey, Uncle Gregg. I'm good. I have some
interesting news for you,” Marcus replied. “Remember the story you
always told us about the lost one? Well, I found her, or at least I
had,” Marcus started to explain.

There was silence for a moment. “
Laney?
You found Laney
?” Uncle Gregg asked in a hushed tone.

“Um, yeah, but someone took her again,”
Marcus told.

“
Marcus. You must tell me everything you
know
,” Uncle Gregg pleaded.

Marcus proceeded to tell everything, which
didn't amount to much. “
You haven't given me much to go on
,”
Uncle Gregg said.

“Austin got mixed up as well,” Marcus
added.

“
Austin? What does he have to do with
Laney?
” Uncle Gregg asked.

Eli returned to the living room. Marcus
stopped speaking when he noticed Eli's less than spotlessly clean
appearance. He was curious as to why the doctor looked as though he
had just got done plowing fields. “Did you just dig a hole or
something?” Marcus asked. Eli ignored the question.

“We have to go,” Eli spoke.

“Um, yeah. Could you... here,” Marcus said
shoving his cell phone to him. “My Uncle... Julie's Uncle, could
you talk to him?” Marcus asked.

Eli took the phone from Marcus. “Get him
ready,” he said gesturing towards Fred. “He's coming with us,” Eli
instructed.

Marcus knelt down by Fred, who shrank away
from him. “Easy,” Marcus assured, placing a hand on Fred's stomach.
He took inventory of Fred's injuries: a broken right ankle and two
fractured toes on his left foot. He decided to heal the toes but
leave the ankle in its present state. He had no desire to chase
after this guy if he tried to make a run for it.

Fred felt a tingling in his left foot. “How
many of you people are there?” he exclaimed. Marcus just smiled in
response

“
Who am I speaking to
?” Uncle Gregg
asked.

“My name is Eli Elsworth. I'm a friend of
Julie's,” Eli said.

“
What else can you tell me about these
people that have taken her and Austin
?” Uncle Gregg asked.

“I am pretty sure they are heading to Las
Vegas,” Eli said. “What car are they in?” Eli asked Fred.

“How the hell should I know?” Fred
answered.

“Our information is somewhat limited, but I
have some friends that can help,” Eli continued.

“
I'm assembling people on my end as well.
Please keep me informed
,” Uncle Gregg said.

“I will,” Eli replied and hung up.

Marcus had helped Fred into a standing
position. Eli walked over to him. “Why is there a dead man in my
apartment?” he asked Fred.

“Better to be the killer than the killed,”
Fred quipped.

“I can change that status, if you like,” Eli
replied. His voice carried an ominous tone.

“Um, look, what do you guys need me for? Why
not let me go?” Fred tried to talk his way out of the
situation.

Eli was having none of it. “Why were you in
my apartment? Who killed the people in Apartment 101?” Eli asked.
Fred chewed on his lip. He was trying to decide just how much
information he should divulge. Eli placed his hand on the side of
Fred's head and moved his face close to his. “Who killed them?” Eli
whispered.

Fred felt like he was floating on a cloud.
“Luke and his buddies,” Fred answered in a quiet, hushed tone.

“Why were you in my apartment?” Eli
asked.

“Waiting for you... suppose to bring you or
kill you,” Fred whispered, his eyes fluttered closed.

“Bring me where?” Eli asked firmly. Fred's
eyes snapped back open.

“Luke... he wants you if you are like Laney
and Austin,” Fred answered. Eli dropped his hand and looked at
Marcus.

“Austin's not like us,” Marcus said. Fred
tried to shake off the fog.

“He is... I saw the bullet pop right out of
him after Luke shot him.” Marcus frowned; this was not something he
had been aware of. “What the hell are you guys?” Fred asked,
regaining his awareness.

“How were you going to meet up with them?”
Eli questioned.

“I wasn't planning on it,” Fred
confessed.

“Time to go,” Eli said. He was not going to
waste any more time on Fred. He secured the three apartments; he
would deal with them later. The only thing on his mind was finding
Julie.

Marcus put Fred in the back seat of Eli's car
and refrained from making conversation. Something in Eli's demeanor
told him to keep quiet.

Eli drove for almost thirty minutes before
pulling over to the side of the road in a densely wooded area.
“Nature call?” Marcus asked.

“Something like that. Wait here,” he
instructed.

Eli nodded a greeting to the carefully hidden
figure in the trees. The figure dropped down and approached him. No
verbal words were spoken, yet communication commenced.

Eli: How are you, Orel?

Orel: I am well, Eli. How can I help you?

Eli: Someone I am close to needs help.

Eli extended his and hands and Orel placed
his own on top of them. Orel saw the images that Eli showed
him.

Orel: She is special.

Eli: Her origins are unknown.

Orel: Special to you, my friend.

They released hands.

Orel: We'll find her.

Eli: Thank you, Orel.

Orel disappeared back into the trees, but
communication remained.

Orel: Others are assembling as well.

Eli: I assumed as much. Their goal is the
same.

Orel: Noted.

Eli walked back to the car.

“Guess there is no point in me asking what
that was about,” Marcus commented.

“None whatsoever,” Eli replied.

“You know, you guys are wasting your time,”
Fred grumbled.

“Okay, I'll bite. How so?” Marcus asked.

“He's never gonna let her go. She belongs to
him,” Fred said.

“You can't own people,” Marcus replied.

“You don't know him, man. He knows how to get
her to do exactly what he wants,” Fred stated, then laughed. “I
actually thought I was gonna be able to get to her before he did. I
was an idiot,” he added.

“I won't argue that point,” Marcus said.

Eli continued to drive. He knew what the
outcome was going to have to be. Julie's fear of this man was not
what he would do to her, but what he would do to the people she
cared about. Eli realized that was what Austin was being used for.
Even if what Fred had said was true about Austin's abilities, Luke
would get Julie to do exactly as he wished by using Austin as a
pawn. Eli knew there was only one way this was going to end.

Austin and Julie had both fallen asleep
during the car ride. They were drained from their recent use of
abilities and lack of nourishment.

Luke instructed Joey to exit the highway and
find a small motel. Although he wanted to get far away from Marion,
he wanted his young slaves awake and working to pay back what he
felt was owed to him.

Luke attempted to awaken Julie as he pulled
her from the car. “C'mon, sweetheart... pit stop,” he said.

Julie was disoriented and unable to hold
herself up. She clutched at the figure in front of her. The
weakness of her body caused her to fade back into the blackness
from which she had been pulled.

Luke was prepared. Previous times when he had
worked her all night and he had not stopped for her to eat, similar
situations occurred. He caught her before she hit the ground,
scooping her up in his arms.

Luke carried her into the room they had
rented and placed her on one of the two double beds in the room. He
turned to see Vinnie carrying Austin, in a similar state, slung
over his shoulder. Vinnie dropped Austin onto the other bed. Austin
stirred but did not open his eyes. His hands were still bound
behind him.

“Joey, you stay here and watch these two.
Vinnie and I are gonna go get some food,” Luke instructed.

“I got babysitting duty now?” Joey
complained.

“You got a problem with that?” Luke asked,
narrowing his eyes. Joey cursed and looked away. He knew better
than to challenge Luke.

Luke and Vinnie left to fulfill their
task.

Joey was restless. He paced the floor. He
turned on the television and flipped mindlessly through the
channels before switching it back off. Joey opened the door and
looked out. He spied a vending machine at the end of the corridor.
After checking his pockets, he cursed again. He had no money on
him.

Closing the door, he walked over to Austin.
He checked the boy's pockets for cash and found none. It was enough
to rouse Austin, but he feigned sleep.

Austin opened his eyes and watched as Joey
approached Julie. He watched the man begin to search her
pockets.

“Austin,” Julie whispered.

Julie's whisper made Joey pause. A smile
spread across his face as he decided on another way to pass the
time. Joey laid down on the bed next to Julie and pressed his body
against hers.

Austin was fully awake now and knew he had to
do something.

Julie felt a warm body against her and turned
towards it. “Austin,” she whispered again. Joey began kissing Julie
and took advantage of her disoriented state.

Austin bent his knees and pulled his bound
hands over them so that they were in front of him.

Something is wrong. Austin doesn't kiss me
like this
, Julie thought. She forced herself to open her eyes.
Immediately she realized what was happening and began to struggle.
Joey felt the resistance and positioned himself on top of Julie,
pinning her hands above her head. “No way, baby. You're not getting
me all worked up and then holding out on me,” Joey taunted.

“Get off of me!” Julie shouted.

Austin charged at Joey, knocking him off of
Julie. Both men rolled onto the floor. Joey got his bearings first
and began beating his attacker. Austin could only seek cover behind
his bound hands.

“Leave him alone!” Julie screamed. She
attempted to pull Joey off of Austin and received a shove that sent
her careening into a table and chair.

Joey resumed his assault on Austin.

Julie's recovery from her injuries were
slowed by her weakened state. She crawled back toward the two men
and stopped when her hand connected with Joey's gun.

Julie grasped the gun with both hands.
Raising the gun, she fired off a shot. The bullet struck Joey in
his left arm.

“Ah!” Joey shouted in pain, grabbing at the
wound. He turned toward her. “You little bi—!” Joey's words were
cut short as Julie fired another bullet. This one lodged in his
right shoulder. Joey rolled onto his back, writhing in pain.

The motel door burst open. Luke and Vinnie
entered the room, guns drawn. They had heard the shots from the
parking lot.

Julie was on the floor, her back against the
wall, still holding the gun. Austin had crawled over next to
her.

Luke heard Joey moaning and discerned the
situation. He locked eyes with Julie. “Laney, my love, you know how
much you hate guns. I, on the other hand, have fond memories of you
and I holding a gun together. Do you remember that? Do you remember
who you helped me kill?” Luke chose his words very carefully. He
smiled when Julie's hand began to shake.

Julie tried to block out the memory that
Luke's words evoked. Tears slid down her face as images of the
horrible event flashed before her.