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The Eclectic Pen - The Joanna Files Part 3: Alternate Shadow Life (WIP)

By: Kenjii H. (Daalmonette) - ,   + 36 more  
Date Submitted: 6/5/2009
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy » Fantasy
Words: 5,999
Rating:

Edit 1 ***Contains a scene with sexually explicit details between two men. Those uncomfortable with this subject may want to skip that scene.*** The Joanna File Part 3: Alternate Shadow Life Glossary of Terms: Worra “Soul Snatcher” Abilities: Able to take the form of anyone and anything. Base state: A ghost like gray shadow. An energy source capable of drawing mass amount of other energy to it by will. Young or infected Worra unable to maintain possessed form will appear as monsters, misshapen and sometimes unable to keep a solid shape. Because of their need for energy to sync. People with certain abilities can sense when a Worra has formed to someone and think they are demon-possessed. An infected Worra can do great mental and emotional harm to their synced host. The abilities of the Worra have been harvested and used in experimental top secret missions. Scenically classifed as Spectro-? *** 1. The group had planned this trip for like a year. Now they are finally on the road. Grateful to be out of their little town, the excitement was palatable. It had been ages since Tere has gotten to be alone with her friends, especially her crush.  They had been driving all day, they needed a break. "Hey there's an exit pull over there." Dan says. Tere thought Dan had the sexiest voice. She smiled. "Doesn't that look a little old and isolated?" Tere responded. She thought The Desert Oasis was a funny name for a motel no where near the desert. The plastic cacti were just the tacky touch this place did not need.  "Oh no. Someone's gonna come hack us to pieces. Ack ack ack." Stu makes a choking noise as he strangles himself in an attempt to make a joke.  "Seriously guys, there aren't even any other cars in the parking lot." The wind swirls the dirt around in mini tornados as Tere search the motel's rooms. All the curtain's are drawn and darkened. There are about 10 grouped here in the front shaped like a U. Single story. There is a pool, no water. It is cool this time of year so that seems logical. The doors are painted red and the stucco a typical muted brown.  "Ok I'll go get us the rooms." Dan pops open the door to the passenger side, the wind howls a mournful song. Tere goes to check her messages, but there is no signal. "Hey, do you have any charge on your phone?" She asks Stu. "That's weird. I could have sworn I had a few bars left." When they pull up to the rental office of the Desert Oasis Motel, the sun faded, casting deeper shadows across the parking lot. The clouds gathered and day turned to dusk.  "Looks like rain." Someone predicted. Dan let down the windows and shuts off the car before heading to the rental office. The wind blows in for a second.  "Oh God! That's awful! What is that smell?" Tere immediately wished Dan had never gotten out. He should of kept driving, why did they stop here? They did not belong here.  "We are around back." Dan let them know as he hopped back in the car. He pulled the lever into reverse and backed up. There was a loud honk and Dan screeched to a halt. All of them turned to look out the back window. He hopped out and went to see what the problem was. There were raised voices but the argument did not last long.  "Stupid hick, redneck, son of a bit-"  "Dan, chill, what happened?" Tere was ever the diffuser of tense situations.  "Nothing really. Just called me a city slicker and said I could afford a big fancy truck but don't have sense to pay attention to where I was going." There was silence for a split second.  "Ah-hahahahaha!" Tere couldn't help it. "That was too funny! Did you say anything back?"  "No. He had already stomped back to his car." Dan had made it to the parking space in front of their room. Tere was a bit weak from laughing. Stu was grinning.  "Man let's get in there. I need a shower. Food. A bed." Stu waggled his brows at Tere suggestively. She rolled her eyes, but smiled at the same time. While Stu had that goofy cute boy handsomeness. Dan had a firecracker temper and an attitude to match. His dark hair and eyes matched his brooding moods. Tere grabbed her oversized purse which had her necessities in it.  There was supposed to be a couple more of them on the trip but there where some emergencies that kept Genni and Karl from coming. So Tere was stuck with Stu and Dan. Oh well. She would make do. Somehow.  Stu leaned against the headboard of the king sized bed. Tere was unpacking her bag on the other bed. She was carrying her things to the small vanity counter provided, outside the bathroom, next to the closet. Whenever she passed Stu let his gaze slip down her slim tan legs. She was such a beauty but she was not vain about it. Tere was always so kind and had to touch everyone she talked to, just let you know she was paying attention to you, even in a crowd. Stu picked at a scab on his palm. A burn that was starting to itch. He liked Tere as more than a friend but he knew she did not feel that way. "You look nice." Tere stopped mid step and turned to look at Stu. Her wide eyed surprise just about made Stu's heart ache.  "What Stu?" Tere giggled. Her blue eyes glowed with curiosity. The room was silent. Only the sound of the shower running was heard.  "You look nice, I mean, you know." Stu started to feel heat creep up his neck to his face. What was he thinking? His was making a complete ass of himself. He felt Tere come closer. Her feminine scent drifted towards him and he started to become aroused. She was sitting next to him before he knew it. Tere lifted his chin towards her and tilted her mouth over his. She placed a hand over his thigh a breath away from his erection. Her soft wet tongue slipped in his mouth and slid over his.  "Stu? Stu? Stu!" He jerked awake and Dan stood over him hair dripping a white towel wrapped around his waist. "Dude, you were making some weird noises over there, you ok?" Embarrassment mixed with sudden envy over the fact that before him stood the rival for is affection for Tere squashed his heated dreams.  "Fine." Stu practically growled. Stu did not really have to be so callous but something about seeing Dan in nothing but a pair of boxers and climbing into bed fired him up. Soon Tere would join him and Stu just did not know if he could stand the thought.  2. What was that? The air was still but cool in the room and something had awoken Tere out of a sound sleep. The pitch darkness pressed into her eyes she almost thought she still had them closed until she heard the noise and saw a darker shadow move. Pulling the blanket up to her chin Tere locked her eyes to the shadow. As if sensing it has been seen it stopped it's progress and Tere felt pinned by it gazing back at her. A shadow? Having a gaze? Icicles of fright formed in her chest and dripped into her stomach. No light was coming in from anywhere to cast a shadow. This shape, even in pure darkness, took on a shape apart from the black around it. Next to her Dan shifted, moaned a little and brushed his naked leg against hers. Tere never took her eyes from the shadow. What was that noise?  Meanwhile in Ciudad de la Muerte … The rain never seemed to end here. A place for mass burials after several bloody-and unsuccessful-civil wars. Ciudad De la Muerte was never meant to house the living. The name alone, City of the Dead, always sent a shiver down Detective Parlane’s spine. After grave desecration became an almost laughable offense because it was so blatant. Night security became 24 hour security. One guard became ten. They needed supplies. The convenience store with gas station evolved into a one room rest station. From there people decided that living in place where 1,000’s are buried could be palatable. They erected a Memorial Wall and put as much information as they had about those buried. Yeah. Paying respects before building my house over your everlasting resting place. Det. Parlane never got used to the feelings that buzzed through him from the moment he step foot in Ciudad de la Muerte. Maybe its the cold, wet dismal days that lead to the horrendous cases Detective Parlane had managed to solve. Thankfully the advancements in science, technology and good old detective work made his job a lot easier. The rain slid down the windshield like tears from heaven. Perhaps the sadness of nature was appropriate seeing as there really was no explaining the mess Det. Parlane was headed towards. Another Gutter slaying. These were the most heinous murders Detective Parlane could recall ever witnessing. The bodies were completely harvested of all the internal organs. Cut out with surgical precision. What Det. Parlane was having a hard time figuring out was why the victims were so meticulously carved up but so carelessly discarded afterward. It seemed as though they were literally tossed from a moving vehicle .  Arriving at the scene the C.S.U was already had set up a perimeter and was documenting the scene. The county medical examiner had not yet made it to the scene to determine that there was a homicide. Det. Parlane stood at the perimeter. “What is the world coming to? Hey man. You feeling up to this tonight?” His partner had arrived before him. Det. Gomez had been at the station when the call came in. Det. Parlane was ordered to spent time off. This case was causing undue stress and the Captain was considerate enough to see that Det. Parlane’s mental and emotional health stayed optimal.  “I believe that I am able to serve in my most top services. This is a case that needs to be closed like yesterday.” Det. Gomez’s dark eyes looked tired but he still had that determined look that made him the best Homicide Detective on the force.  “Look Parlane. I know this is a tough case. Personal stuff is sometimes hard to separate-”  “No. No. I do not have those issues…anymore. That was, temporary. I am fully prepared to handle the duty of being able to solve this.” Det. Parlane never tore his stare away from the shell of what once was a human, perhaps female. “The Gutter will pay for this. I’ll be the one to collect the dues.”  Rain water mixed with the perspiration that surely coated Det. Parlane's face making his skin feel oily. A quiver made his insides ache and the threat of becoming sick crept up his throat and choked him. Swallowing hard, repeatedly, Det. Parlane studied the scene. Besides the usual refuse of city living. Around the body there was not much to discern other than a body dump. The ME had made a preliminary assessment that this murder had similarities to the others involved in the Gutter slaying. The C.S.U team then photographed, tagged and collected evidence. There were skid marks leading away from the scene. So evidence was collected from there as well. The body was being transported to the morgue for further examination. "You want to take this one? You can start the file," Det. Gomez was referring to attending the autopsy while Det. Parlane collected the C.S.U materials and got the case file started for this vic started.  "Sure. I'll see you back at Central." A.C.P or Agency for Central Protection was formed when the police became so corrupted the city refused to pay into a system that so brutally disserviced them. So it was passed into law and A.C.P took to ranks as the new citywide law enforcement. As Det. Parlane walked back to his vehicle he was struck with thousands of images and sensations at once. He grabbed the side of his car for balance and bent over to retch. Gulping in deep breaths and spitting to remove the taste of vomit from his mouth he utter. "Please. Please. Not again."  *** It sounded like a faint conversation. Where only every other word was heard. Like the ghostly whispers that accompany the strange and usual. It made goosebumps creep across her arms, and she shuddered. Tere kept her eyes on the blotted out shape. When the voices started she was for sure she'd lost it. "Dan." Tere lightly elbowed Dan to wake him while still keeping hers eyes on the shadow. "Dan, wake up." He mumbled something and moved throwing his arm across Tere's chest. She bit him. Not hard, but enough to where he yelped and raised his head. Tere was afraid. The shadow seemed to be growing darker even though it was starting to lighten outside.  "What you do that for?" Dan hardly sounded pissed, he was still waking up.  "Look!" Tere replied jerking her chin towards the darkened nothingness. Dan turned to sit up and at the same time Stu seemed to be trying to tear himself from a bad dream.  "We, we need her. To complete. Cut." Stu sharply inhaled just as Dan was about to see the shadow that had Tere mesmerized. Like a puff of smoke it vanished. The weight in the room seemed to lift and Tere knew right then. Her eyes landed on Stu. What was he?  A fine sheen of sweat coated Stu. A bitter taste gagged him. When he opened his eyes the ceiling seemed to drill down at him like a tornado. Not thinking he jumped out of bed and rushed to the bathroom. "I think he's being sick to his stomach." Tere observed. Sighing Dan threw the covers back and announced he was going to get coffee and smokes.  "Whatever you need to do, please be ready to go when I get back." Tere sat up and cradled her head in her hands.  ` "Dan. Thank you for last night. I mean we didn't do much but you understood what I needed. So thanks." Leaning over, bad morning breath and all, Dan gave Tere a sweet peck on the lips. "Ewww Dan. Brush then we can make out." Tere playfully pushed him back and he stumbled over his shoes. Watching him zip and button his jeans reminded Tere of running her hands over his aroused, hardened flesh last night. Last night was filled with heat and strange dreams. Today was heavy with an emotion Tere couldn't quite place. As Dan closed the door and it locked behind him. A piercing scream rent the air. "Oh God. Stu!" In the bathroom Stu no longer was aware of his reality. He was no longer seeing the dingy toilet and grayish walls. He no longer felt the cold tile of the floor beneath his feet. "Oh God Stu!" Tere's scream made is head jerk towards the noise. Saliva gathered quickly in his mouth and began to drip from the corners. He reached for the knob and was amazed when his hand went through the door.  Tere rushed to the door. It only took seconds to reach the bathroom because the motel was only so big. As she made it to the bathroom, in the dim light that barely crept from behind the curtained window across the room, she saw Stu. It was not what she saw that formed an ice chunk of dread in the pit of her stomach but what she felt.  *** As the miles stretched on Det. Parlane felt more and more uneasy. It seemed like time itself did not want to function chronologically, things moved so slow. He reached over and hit a button and was connected to switch at the A.C.P. "This is Det. Parlane. I am going to start a case file for the latest victim and I am going to need a secured transfer sent to my home terminal. I need to do some things and won't be back to A.C.P." "Confirmed." A lot of the procedures to prevent tampering were implemented into the system such as fingerprinting and voice stress analysis. Identity thieves were not above kidnapping a officer and threatening his family if they did not release his brother from death row. Just the way things were now-a-days. The drive out of the city and into the hills was not as tedious. Det. Parlane actually felt some of the tension leave his body. Unwinding with a nip and soft music was the only way he knew to get the images and sounds from inside his head, out. Without driving him completely insane. Rinsing his mouth with the bottle of water he had in his car and chewing the gum after only delayed the fact he still wanted to brush the taste of vomit from his mouth.  With a hurried step Det. Parlane was out of his car and in the house. Coat and tie flung over the back of a chair and he was in his bathroom in seconds of being in his aptartment. After he cleaned himself and settled into a more comfortable set of clothing. He promised himself to set right to work after he relaxed a few minutes. He needed just a few minutes. Then he could focus his whole attention on tonight's victim. He felt what he saw was a clue to stopping a crime not just figuring out what had happened.  The case file would include the crime information already processed (photos and notes about the scene). Anyone else that would be working on the case could locate the file by number and access the e-file. It made it easier to update and keep track of various branches of information coming and going at different times. The hardcopy was downloaded and kept in the lower levels of the A.P.C Det. Parlane had not thought about or felt the need for a woman in months. Seeing the mutilated bodies of young female victims threatened the mental capacity of even the most seasoned protectors. Something about tonight's images that he was able to recall. A deeper clarity that resonated with the intimate feeling of recollection, instead of just a random image. Being projected like a still photo instead of a flickering, stuttering movie.  Her.  With hair a shade between white blonde and dark red. A thin face and eyes that when she looks at you, for a moment, you forget to breath. An almost ghostly color they were so pale. She did not look happy. Not sad but she looked like she was on the verge of losing all hope. He heard clear as day he heard the word desert. Det. Parlane searched the images he'd been mentally bombarded with. A cactus but nothing else. No dry cracked desert dirt floor. No other images that would relate to the physical desert. Then Det. Parlane saw an empty pool filled with dead leaves. 3 doors with bold black numbers tacked to the front. Painted red. He was looking for a motel or apartments. Desert something.  *** Stu saw terror widen Tere's eyes. She backed up and raised her hands, urging him to stop. The smell of fear bit his nose. "Tere, please." He swallowed, hard. "I-I don't know what's the matter. Help me please." Stu pleaded with Tere. The urge to rush her and begin an ungodly, unspeakable act made his muscles tense in restraint.  "Stu. What the hell are you?" Tere felt her hand land on the cool surface of the desk where the TV was mounted. Right next to the car keys.  Tere did not want to look at Stu. He did not even look human. Where he should have skin it looked like a casting of a sausage, thin and filmy. Colors ran through it, shimmering like an oil slick. Muscle and veins quivered and squirmed as if Stu's nervous system was out of sync. He was devoid of any hair and his eyes were black pits sunken into his head. His nose had become 2 holes flush against his face. A rotting smell drifted from his direction. "I am sick Tere. I don't know how. Why." Tere was amazed Stu could speak! That even a bit of humanity remained and she was transfixed. She had her fingers on the keys and slowly fisted them in her palm. The door was but a step or two behind her.  Tere could not, would not except her friend was now this creature. A scream tore from her throat as she turned, grasped the knob and flung the door open. On the other side of the door someone was blocking her path. She was trapped.  *** One hour earlier.. Googling Desert was a start but Det.Parlane had to narrow it down and fast.  "Active search motels and apartments with vacancies w/ Desert in the name." The computer hummed and beeped as the data was calculated. 1,453 hits "Active search w/ no vacancies."  5, 769 hits  Det. Parlane thought the best bet would be to focus on the motels and apartments with vacancies and have a silent search in the background of the other information. "By per room rental, search occupancy and return cross reference of sex, age, race and w/or w/o pets. Secondary search of a woman with reddish blonde hair if information available." The computer calculated the information. Every government owned business was required to register with A.C.P to aide in the prevention of crime. Or in some cases help report crime trends. In the instance of serial robbers or murderers. All public businesses had cameras, but not all in color. Big Brother indeed. "Hey Daddy, looking for fun?" A large breasted, full lipped woman appeared before Det. Parlane. She took her leg, parted his and stood between them. Leaning over she thrust her chest into his face. Smelling sweet and looking sweeter Det. Parlane's immediate reaction was a groan and he shifted to hide his arousal. Though no one was there.  "No. End session." When Det. Parlane realized it would be a while before his interest in women, actual flesh and blood, would resurface, he opted to use a Deme-please. A neuro hologram that is programmed to "relax" you. He choose the busty stripper. She looked, felt, smelled as real as any woman but was a computer program. She didn't pop up anywhere. She was programmed to the confines of his home computer. Not very often did he see the program to the end.  The numbers rolled on and on as the computer calculated the occupancy search, but the blond was located. "Transfer files to mobile unit. Were going on a road trip." Det. Parlane felt himself again becoming aroused. This time though the woman was flesh and blood.  Just a few miles from his final destination Det. Parlane felt the urge to relax before leaving home. He called up the program for WIFE.  "So what's on your mind tonight sweetie?" The Deme was not an exact replica of Parlane's late wife Susan but close. Dark tight curly hair. Jade green eyes. Light brown skin. Petite features. Slim with and almost elf-like appearance. The full reddish lips and much larger breasts where enhancements by Parlane’s request  "I need you." The look the Deme gave Parlane sent a rush of heat to his groin. He no longer felt disconnected. That he was a man and this was a machine. This was his pleasure. The Deme was dressed conservatively. Tan slacks and a white silk blouse. She stripped for him and underneath was the seduction. Black lace barely there bra and panties. Thigh high silk leggings.  "I am here for you." The caress the Deme stroked across Det. Parlane's cheek sent shivers through him. So real. Her hand trailed lower and began to undress him, pulling his shirt over his head. He stood. The Deme stood close, the smell of a sexy perfume filled Parlane's senses and he moaned. Would he ever find a woman as perfect as this? She brought her mouth to his. A warm knowing kiss was what she was programmed to give at first. Then it got a little more demanding. Some tongue, a little body grinding. Some moaning. Det. Parlane. grabbed her and held her firmly. Pulling away for a moment he looked down at her. Her lipstick smeared and eyes hooded. He wanted the other woman. From the tape. The one who had no idea he existed.  Thinking about what lay ahead Det. Parlane tried to sort through the images he had filed away in his brain. Bits and pieces so vague he was surprised that he was able to gather viable information. He felt as if he were being lead. As if some force were guiding him. There really was no explaining finding a woman out of billions, that could possibly be involved in a homicide. Sweat soured on his face and neck, feeling grit whenever he rubbed his face in frustration. Det. Parlane believed in a lot of things. He had seen a lot of things in his line of work. Things that could not be explained by science. He did not like the glimpse of the creature in his vision with the woman. He did not want to really consider that this was what was causing the havoc throughout his city. A Worra. Soul Scavenger.  *** Cole and Travis finish their lunch. There was no one else sitting around the empty pool at the Desert Oasis when Travis blurts out. “Time travel.” “What?” “Hm? Oh. I mean. Well not time travel. Since you don’t go anywhere. Time manipulation perhaps. I never fully understood the conversations I overheard. Techo-babble is not my first language you know?” Travis sipped his soda. He grimaced. It was going flat. “Time is displaced while it accommodates your neural invasion. Then resumes to function as normal. When needed to your temporal body is used in experiments to strengthen your neural time transfers. Speco-Chamoleon or Worra is defined as being able to posses others or form your base state to look like anyone. How they hide your memories is a mystery. Maybe you have nightmares? I know my story at least. They do not like for you to change the program.” Travis folded the paper from the straw into a tiny bit. Then dropped some liquid on it. The paper slowly crawled apart like a snake. “For them finding rogues is rare. You will see living on your own is hard. The money provided through the jobs The Organization sets up pay well. The talents we posses are worth a pretty penny.” A sight grin broke across Travis’ face then it was gone. “Once you know the truth, there is no going back. They tried locking me up once. I think we need to find others and free them too. Take down The Organization or at the very least disable it by taking away their means of power. Us. The reasons for what they did and what they continue to do is inhumane.” *** “Are you OK Miss?” The man standing between life and death for Tere , spoke. “Miss?” “Please. Let me leave.” Tere tried shoving past the man but he was as solid as a wall. Stu decided to make an appearance. “Sweet Jesus!” The man pulled a gun from his holster and raised it to fire. Stu advanced on them. *** With one a king size bed in the middle of the room, the hotel room seemed even smaller. The faint odor of musk and stale air barely noticeable. “Well I’ll hit the shower first I guess.” Travis carried his duffel bag to the bathroom. Cole walked to the bed and sat down. Travel today was long and exhausting. As he leaned back the bed cradled his body and the tension eased from him. His muscles slowly relaxing. Cole heard the shower running. When Travis opened the door Cole wondered what he needed. Travis had a towel draped around his hips. His advanced towards Cole with a strange look on his face. “Hey.” Was all Cole could say before Travis attacked him. “What the-?” Travis straddled Cole and held his arms down. Cole out muscled Travis by six inches and thirty pounds, but Travis had him pinned and Cole could not break Travis’ hold. Cole knew Travis had not mind warped him because- “Get up!” Cole began to panic. Travis’ face was mere inches from Cole’s face and Travis had yet to say a word. Then, of all things, Cole’s body was reacting to having someone pressed against him, and rubbing. “For Christ’s sake Travis.” Cole did not know what he was cursing Travis for. Holding him down or turning him on. Obviously Cole’s body was having a purely instinctual reaction. Travis refused to budge even though Travis must have felt Cole’s arousal. Still Travis straddled him pressing his nude body against Cole. All Cole could think about was the heated response he felt from Travis. Cole could not even begin to analyze the homo erotic situation Travis had put him in. It was the friction of the struggle. It was the warm weight against his crotch. The smell of sweat and hormones and- “Travis!” Cole couldn’t fight it. Travis wouldn’t get up and every movement sent an electric shockwave to his groin. Cole was only human. He was not able to control the inevitable. As his body released he felt lighter. Elated. Something wonderful had just happened. Once Cole gathered his wits he realized he could see Travis crouched on the bed. Cole was no longer under him. Travis slowly turned and lay on his back. The towel scrunched up and barely covering him decently. Travis stared straight up. At Cole. Cole felt that slowed down feeling accompanied by a numbing sensation. Faintly someone was chanting: Joanna, Joanna. Cole then realized who they were calling. Travis was trying to revive Joanna. When Joanna woke up she saw that night had completely fallen. There was no light edging the curtains of the one window the room she was in. Well rested but completely starved she yawned and began to get out of bed only to realize she was nude. Grabbing the bedding to cover herself she looked around and noticed she was in a hotel. Why? Someone was at the door. There was a rattle, the lock disengaged and the door opened. A man stepped through. “Your up. Good! Hungry? I got food.” An energy feathered across Joanna’s skin momentarily. Then pulled back. As if she were being tested. Tasted. Joanna looked into his colorless eyes. They were tired but friendly. Joanna was hungry but also nervous. She felt she knew him and the longer she was awake the more things started flooding into her mind GEN-a-TEC. Cole Stobe. The Illusionist. Information soon tidal waved and Joanna moaned. A headache pinched her brain. “Oh hey, whoa there. You alright.” The man-Travis-came to Joanna’s side. Y-yes.“ Her husky voice, a cross between Linda Hamilton and Kathleen Turner, was laced with an edge of pain. “Where are my clothes?” She cleared her throat. It was raw like she had been screaming. “Well do you remember how you got here?” Travis rubbed her back and it soothed her. As her mind settled Joanna was able to think without overload. “We drove a ways. You said you wanted to sleep in a room tonight and shower. You came out in a towel, and-” Joanna’s wide went wide and heat flushed her cheeks. “D-did we have sex?” “Not quite.” Travis sighed heavily. “Once I was sure the medications and mental suggestions had at least dulled in your system I had to use your body’s own chemical reaction to cause your last natural base state to occur. Sudden impulses such as sexual release or adrenaline will cause it to happen. Until you regain control over your natural transference ability. Since I didn’t want to scare the shit out of you I figured you wouldn’t mind a rub-off. You are not Cole or Joanna. But that’s the only suggestion profiles I know. Speco-Chameleon or Worra. The ability to posses or change into anyone or anything. The suggestion has to be implanted. Visuo-Chameleon can morph on sight. Though they are unstable and their transferences can’t predictability last months, years. To them you are priceless. The Audio-Illutionist can hear through anything. No amount of concrete or steel can stop our talent. Me? I heard a lot of things they wish I didn’t.” Joanna jumped up, not caring about her nudity. Staring back from the mirror was Jane Smith. Joanna Smith. Cole Stobe was now just a memory. “How? Why? How?” Joanna clothed herself and managed to eat. They had to get on the road again, and soon. Processing that she was a spirit or something ‘other’ was shutting down her thinking process. Travis was alert enough to watch out for any suspicious activity. He spotted an open door across the parking lot and man stood just inside. He concentrated. Travis had not used his Auditory senses in a few months but he tried anyway. Also thinking to himself they would most likely be on the run for the rest of their lives when Joanna asked. “I can be whoever?” “Yeah.” Travis replied, coolly. You may carry latent visuo abilities. To be able to morph into people or objects without a profile. “If I can recall the face of that bastard who in that room when I lay on the table being…reprogrammed. Then I can get to him.” Travis grinned. “We got to get the others.” “Who?” Joanna frowned “We are special and that’s cool but baby you ain’t seen nothing’ yet. There’s Visutory, Audio-Visutory.” Travis chuckled. “Time Travel.” Joanna raised her brow. They were just getting started. The scream and gunshot alerted Travis something was going down. Travis was struck but a powerful energy that sent him reeling to the ground. “Save the girl.” He uttered. Joanna had not quite understood his meaning. “What girl?” Joanna had rushed to his side when he fell. When she touched Travis she felt the world slow and then felt as if she was lifting in the air. Suddenly she was pulled. Through the door and across the parking lot. She felt something happening that she had no control over and it scared her. Joanna was pulled into the body of a young woman and saw a hideous creature about to attack her. Joanna knew this thing. She’d seen one before. An Infected Worra. The worst of her kind. It harvested organs of the living to recreate a body then snatched the soul before the body died. She recalled this memory instantly. Within seconds things been to happen. *** When Det. Parlane shot at Stu it did nothing. Det Parlane did not want this thing leaving the motel. Yet he did not want the young woman to become another Gutter victim. He somehow sensed this creature had something to do with the slayings. When the young woman yanked away from Det. Parlane and advanced on the creature he couldn’t react fast enough to stop her. She grabbed the creature, or rather placed a hand in the mass that was its form and it began to vibrate. It let out a God awful shriek. Det. Parlane was forced to his knees. He dropped his gun and plugged his ears. Everything in the room that was glass imploded, as did the creature. The young woman fainted. Det. Parlane crawled over to her. He looked her over. No marks. Nothing. Then a glow began to shimmer under her skin. “What is going on.” A light so bright burst from her and Det. Parlane was forced to look away. When he looked back the young woman was looking up at him. “Who are you?” She asked. “A friend.” She closed her eyes again. Det. Parlane called 911. He knew this was just the beginning of something. No visions needed now. He felt it deep down to his soul. ************************************************************************

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