NorthWest (John Hazard - Book II) (4 page)

John took his time looking through every article and listing. After reading all the recent posts and coming up dry, he decided to crash for the night. Maybe if he got some sleep, he would be on time in the morning.

However, it seemed no sooner had he crawled onto his uncovered mattress, closed his eyes and started to dream, then the sun had risen and light was breaking through his windows in direct aim at his eyes. He rolled out of bed, showered and shaved. Before long he was dressed, and with a defrosted bagel in hand, he left the apartment.

He arrived early enough to get a cup of ‘good’ coffee and stood in line at the Panama Star coffee shop just off campus. He was definitely needing his morning coffee boost and his bagel needed a chaser. He’d wanted to get to the faculty building a bit early if possible to check out the résumé of this Sparks chick and prepare any questions he might ask as part of the interview. Rarely did he get the opportunity to participate in such activities, and he wanted at least to appear to be professional.

As he stepped up to the counter the barrister asked him, “What’ll it be sir?”

“I’ll have a regular coffee with an extra shot.”

John was crazy about that extra shot, it was like a nitrous power boost on a race car for him, and it was just what he needed to get the party started this early in the morning. He pulled a couple of bucks from his pocket and paid for the coffee, then threw the change in the tip cup. He couldn’t afford to be more generous at the moment, and he honestly didn’t see why someone pouring him an outrageously expensive cup of coffee needed more than that anyway.

He picked up his coffee and headed out the door. As he was adjusting the sleeve that had been placed on the cup to keep him from burning his hands, he nearly ran down a woman on her way in who was clearly not paying attention  any more than he was.

“Excuse me,” she said smiling at him.

“No worries.” He didn’t stop as he continued down the sidewalk, but he did look to see if the rearview matched the front, since she was kind of attractive. He continued across the street and onto the campus grounds, heading over to the faculty building where the interviews had been previously held. There had been several others who had been considered to shoot the video for this excursion but either did not make the grade, or didn’t want to ‘intern’ on the project, or maybe they just weren’t available for the two week period that it required.

He didn’t know why but today he had a good feeling about the outcome of the interview. Maybe he was developing a sixth sense, maybe that part of his brain was beginning to wake up to extrasensory input. Whatever it was, since he had begun this class on Paranormal Investigation, it seemed his senses had sharpened and his ability to feel a situation, good or bad, had been improved to a much higher degree.

By the time he arrived at room 224, he had finished his coffee. Everyone else was already seated around a conference table and waiting for Ms. Emily Sparks. Dr. Renner had asked the core of the team to attend to get a feel for Emily. They were not there to simply qualify her résumé and skills as a videographer, but to judge whether or not she would be a good member of the team. The low rumble of chit-chat stopped when he entered the room and everyone sat looking at him.

“Good morning. How’s everybody today?” John addressed the group including Dr. Renner, Rajesh, or Raj, as he preferred to be called, and Sherri. Heads nodded and affirmations were grumbled.

“Shit, were we supposed to bring something to take notes with?” He noticed that the three of them had a pad and pen sitting on the table in front of them.

“No, John,” Macy said reaching into a bag sitting on the floor. “I brought writing materials for everyone. Have a seat.” As John sat at his place at the table, Macy began instructing the group on her protocol for this interview.

“Previously I’ve interviewed applicants for this very important position on our team in the privacy of my office. The interviews were conducted in a professional manner – a standard question and answer session. Now, I’m not so sure that it was the best way to operate, so today we are going to conduct an experiment as a part of this interview.”

She reached her hands up to her head and touched her temples with the tips of her fingers. “In this format, I want each of you to relax and allow yourselves to feel the answers as opposed to just listening to them.” She closed her eyes as if concentrating on the vibrations in the room, then opened them again suddenly.

“Are we allowed to ask any questions?” Raj inquired as he scratched his head through his mop of black hair.

“I was just about to say that questions are not limited to the standard talk about job experience, where the interviewee sees herself in five years, or what does she think she can contribute to our project.”

She pushed her glasses up with her middle finger. “I want you to ask any question that comes to your mind, Raj. No matter how ridiculous it may seem at the time. I believe we have to go beyond the norm in this situation. We need to sense what this woman is about… can you do that for me?”

As Raj and Sherri nodded in unison, Macy smiled. She couldn’t help but think what good little sheep they were. They were good followers and always performed as expected. She glanced over at John. Then there’s Mr. Unpredictable.

“So this is an experiment within an experiment, right?” John looked around at the others for approval. He was grinning and feeling very proud that he was the first to come up with that observation, but no one was nodding in response. 

“Exactly, John! We should use the skills we have been learning and developing throughout our classes and practice them in all aspects of our project. So when Ms. Sparks arrives, feel free to get involved. Go ahead and take a minute, while we wait, to write down some opening questions.” After everyone nodded in agreement, there was silence while notes were jotted down on paper.

At exactly seven fifty-nine, Emily Sparks blew into the room like an umbrella in a windstorm. She was carrying a small shoulder bag and a file folder. “Oh hi... uh… good morning everyone, my name is…”

Macy finished her sentence as she held out her hand to invite a handshake. “Emily Sparks. Yes, very pleased to meet you. I am Dr. Renner.” She motioned at each individual as she introduced them, “and this is Rajesh Pradeep, he prefers to be called Raj…”

Raj nodded and stood to shake her hand. “Very nice to meet you, indeed.” 

“Hello Raj. Yes, you too.” Emily replied.

Macy continued, “And this is Sherri Washington, the intuitive on our team.”

“A pleasure to finally meet you,” said Sherri. Emily just stared back at her wondering what she meant by ‘finally.’

Then Sherri said, “Oh, I meant that it’s good that we could get our camera girl.” She laughed a little. “I didn’t foresee you coming or anything.”

Emily smiled and shook her hand. “Well, I hope I can be an asset to your team for this adventure. It looks like you are just about ready to go.” She looked over at a couple of backpacks that were leaning against the wall.

“Ragin’ like a bull in a rodeo with the bleachers full of clowns is more like it.” She turned to see John grinning at her from his end of the table.

“Emily, I’d like you to meet John Hazard. He was once a police detective in small town Idaho, but he is here with us now to add his investigative skills to our group.”

John stood and looked Emily in the eyes. He could sense a quiet urgency in those eyes, but he smiled again and said, “I hope you will be able to come with us. It would be a shame if we had to film this thing ourselves. It would probably end up looking like somebody’s bad home movie if I had to hold a camera.”

“Oh, it’s nice to meet you too, Mr. Hazard, or should I call you Detective?”

“John will work.”

“Okay then, John. I know what you mean about footage looking like home movies, and believe me, if you allow me to come along on this trip, there won’t be any jittery shots unless the project calls for them.”

“That sounds good, exactly what we are looking for. Have a seat, Emily, let’s get started.” Macy motioned to a chair and Emily sat down.

Eight

The helicopter was flying toward the ravine around a hundred feet above the tree line. The pilot planned to make a wide turn, then a pass through the ravine before calling off the search for the day.

Below the canopy of trees, dressed in camouflage, a hunter lay immobilized. Clinging to consciousness and missing the lower half of his leg, he screamed as he tightened his belt on the bleeding stump in a desperate attempt to stop the blood loss.

He looked up as he heard the sound of a helicopter approaching and tried to drag himself toward a clearing. He could see no more than twenty feet in front of him. He tried to pull himself up, but the pain was too intense and he lost his balance falling face-first into the pine needles.

He rolled over on his back hoping to see the chopper as it flew over to catch a glimmer of hope. He watched to see if it moved in any way to indicate that he had been spotted. He tried to wave, but the effort used up whatever was left of his strength. He lay there feeling life drain from his body. The thump of the helicopter blades was loud as it passed over without hesitation.

He smiled at the ridiculous thought that anyone might see him below these trees. He would have laughed out loud if he’d had the strength. Sobering, he thought of his wife. She’d be waiting and worrying.

Some ten yards behind him, his partner had stopped screaming as the creature devoured what was left of him. The sound of ripping flesh and gurgling of blood and gore was maddening. He did everything he could, not to think about his friend in that moment or what lay ahead for him.

He caught sight of an arrow that had been tossed from its case when he had been attacked. It was only about a yard from him and if he could get to it the odds would be slightly increased in his favor. When that thing attacked, maybe he could shove the arrow through its eye straight into its brain.

With every bit of strength he had left in him, he pulled himself through the pine needles and moss toward his only hope. The ringing in his ears prevented him from realizing that the sounds of carnage behind him had ceased.

The creature sat for a moment watching him as he strained to reach his objective. It tilted its head like a dog, tensed its body and leapt into the air, landing on the hunter’s back effectively pinning him to the spot where he lay.

Rearing its head back, the creature roared a sound more terrible than any he had ever heard. It shoved a bony protrusion from one of its arms between the hunter’s ribs and jerked back with a cutting motion. The hunter, still pinned to the ground struggled and screamed, blood spurting from his mouth. The world around him went dark as he heard the sound of his ribs cracking.

The monster paid no attention to the final gasp of its victim as it plunged its jaws into the wide gash on the hunter’s back. With bone cracking precision, it ripped a lung out from the lifeless carcass, savoring the taste as it chewed the organ, blood drooling from its mouth. Pausing only a brief moment, it bent over the remains of the hunter once more, ripping and pulling, continuing the bloody feast while entrails oozed between its grinding jaws.

Nine

Emily felt hopeful as she walked off the campus. She had been told that the job was hers if she wanted it, and she did want it, kind of. Her only concern was that they were going to be gone for two weeks in the forests of the Pacific Northwest and, when she returned, she would be right back where she started, unemployed and desperate. Granted, she might have a little more cash in her pocket, but she really wanted to find a permanent job and this gig was far from permanent.

They must have really wanted her to go with them. She had voiced her hesitation during the interview, saying a bit timidly, “I would love to go with you, but…” and they raised the offer from twenty-five hundred dollars to five thousand with all expenses paid. Just like that! She was so surprised she almost accepted on the spot. She figured it would cover two months rent and give her time to find something else when she got back.

Still, there were a lot of things to arrange before she could leave.  One important matter was her cat, Ralph. He would need to be boarded somewhere. She didn’t like to think of him caged up like that. There was also a list of necessary camping gear with very little time and no money to get some. Oh, and her landlord would want some kind of payment since he had already warned her about eviction. She ticked through her list of concerns, and the thought of it overwhelmed her.

She’d better see about the other two interviews she had arranged before she could agree to go on a trip for two weeks. One was a dental receptionist job and the other for a bartender assistant position at a nightclub, both jobs that had the potential to generate a good stream of income. Or not.

Still, she had been offered this videographer job and it would give her the chance to use her education, the one she had gone in debt for, and maybe sweeten her résumé. Also, the subject matter, supernatural phenomenon, was something she had always had a fascination with and it would be a chance to get some first-hand experience in that realm. It could be an awesome two weeks if she decided to go.

She got to the Caltrain station and waved her commuter pass over the gatepost. After a few minutes the train pulled in and unloaded its passengers. Emily stepped into a car and took a seat next to a window. As she sat there waiting for the train to move on, she noticed a stench wafting throughout the car and wondered where it could be coming from. She saw a guy who appeared to be homeless sitting in the middle of the car and people all around getting up and walking out to get into another car.