The Animal: The Luke Titan Chronicles #5 Read online

  He stood from his chair, leaving his scotch on the end-table.

  The knock came again, little more than a scratch. Waverly walked across the living room, his mind flipping into gear despite its sleep deprived exhaustion. He picked up his pistol from the fireplace mantle and then walked to the front door.

  The same small knock, perhaps even weaker this time.

  He looked through the peephole.

  Christian Windsor knelt in front of his door. His hand formed an almost insignificant fist as he knocked again.

  Tommy Phillips lay in the lawn behind him, dead or alive, Waverly couldn’t tell.

  Waverly sat down in front of his boss, the Attorney General of the United States. The woman’s name was Wendy Welcs and for most of Waverly’s term as Director, she had kept out of his way. She was a good woman from what Waverly could tell, and didn’t want even the hint of corruption to plague her President’s administration. She’d given the FBI independence and Waverly had appreciated it.

  Now, though, independence was dead, and so was any leeway Waverly might have earned.

  “They’re both alive?”

  “Yes,” he said.

  “And Titan?”

  “Still at large.”

  Welcs sighed and leaned back in her chair. She stared slightly to her left, looking at her blank computer monitors while she thought.

  “What do you think he’s going to do, Alan?”

  “I don’t know yet,” Waverly said. “Windsor and Phillips were rushed to the hospital; we haven’t been able to speak with them much. Phillips more than Windsor.”

  “Are they going to live?”

  “The doctors believe they will, though the damage to Windsor is … it’s ridiculous.”

  Another sigh from Welcs. “There’s pressure, Alan. A lot of it. You see the news. You know what every anchor in America is saying. They all want to know when Titan will be arrested.”

  Waverly said nothing. Everything she said was true. He only looked at his boss, wondering if he was about to be relieved of duty.

  “Can you catch him?”

  Can I?

  Do you want him caught, or do you want him dead, Welcs?

  He couldn’t give her those answers. He couldn’t tell her that Luke Titan was as good as dead already. Nor that he made the choice when he thought Tommy and Christian had died at Luke’s hands, thus siccing a killer on him that couldn’t be stopped. That the man, from what Waverly understood, wouldn’t quit until Luke Titan died.

  “I can,” he said. That was all he could say.

  “You haven’t.”

  “Has anyone else? Has anyone gotten nearly as close as my organization?”

  “How many died this past month?”

  “Four hundred and fifty two.”

  “I can give you another month,” Welcs said. “After that, if we don’t have Titan, then I’ll ask for your resignation.”

  Why not just give it to her now? Waverly wondered. You planned on leaving anyway. Hell, that’s one of the major reasons you let this freak loose on Luke, because you’re leaving. So why wait? Just hand your resignation over.

  Tommy. Christian. Those were the reasons why. Because they weren’t out of the woods yet … and, he didn’t have confirmation that Luke was dead.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Waverly said.

  Christian opened his eyes in yet another hospital, but this time he didn’t see his mother or Veronica. All that waited for him was a bouquet of flowers and a card attached to it.

  The nurse handed Christian the card.

  Honey, I’m sorry, but I can’t be there. I can’t have my heart broken again when you wake up and shove me away. I love you with all my soul. That will never change. I’m in touch with your doctors every day, and they tell me that you’re going to recover. Call me when you’re ready. I love you. - Mom

  Christian stared at the card for a minute after he finished reading it. The room was empty. He dropped the card to his chest and stared up at the ceiling. He didn’t move, not an inch, because he knew innately that the pain would rip through him like lightning if he did.

  His mother wasn’t here.

  Good, he thought. Good for her.

  Veronica wasn’t here.

  Good, he thought. Good for her—

  No. That wasn’t right. Veronica wasn’t here because she was with Luke.

  Her eyes came back to him then. The way she had stared at Christian as if not seeing him, like he wasn’t there at all. What had Luke done to her? How did he make her act like Christian and Tommy didn’t exist, even as she watched him …

  Oh, God.

  “No,” he said, his mind feeding him memories that no person should have. A blood stained arm, wrenching itself free from an obese man’s gullet.

  Christian fumbled on the side of his bed, looking for the button that would summon a nurse. Pain surged up his arm but he didn’t stop. He had to get to work. He found it and pressed hard.

  A minute passed and no one arrived. Christian pressed again.

  Finally, the nurse who had handed him the card showed up.

  “Hey, what can I do for you? The doctor will be here within the hour. He’s getting out of surgery right now.”

  “Tommy Phillips? Where is he?”

  “He’s in the room across the hall. He—”

  “Is he awake?” Christian interrupted.

  “Yes. He—”

  Christian had no time for anything else she wanted to say. “Get me a wheelchair and get me over there. You know who I am, and if you don’t do this right now, you’re obstructing justice, and I promise you’ll be held accountable. People’s lives are at stake.”

  She stared at him for a second, most likely considering using her rights as a medical professional to keep him exactly where he was.

  “The hell with it,” she said. “You want to hurt yourself, go ahead.”

  Christian laughed, high and slightly uncontrolled. “Wheelchair, please.”

  “They told me you were coming,” Tommy whispered. “I called Waverly. He said he’ll be here in ten minutes. I didn’t believe him, but he said he has a chopper ready on top of headquarters, and they’re going to land it on top of the hospital. He said they’ve had it ready for a week.”

  “That’s how long we’ve been here?” Christian asked.

  The nurse stopped his wheelchair with a jerk. Christian winced, letting out a gasp.

  “If you need me, press the button,” the nurse said and then left without looking down at her charge.

  “So you’ve been awake, what, 20 minutes, and you’ve already pissed her off?”

  “I don’t think she was enthused about being accused of obstructing justice.” Christian laughed.

  Tommy’s facial muscles didn’t move, but he didn’t like that laugh one bit. It reminded him of the warehouse laughter, that laughter at the end just before Luke arrived. It reminded him of insanity. Christian didn’t look good, that was clear—he had bandages across his body and his face was still heavily bruised … but Tommy thought the laugh sounded worse.

  “Did you see Veronica?” Christian asked. “Do you remember?”

  Tommy did. She’d looked like a mindless cow, doing whatever Luke wanted. “Yes.”

  “What did he do to her, Tommy?”

  Only one thing came to mind, but he didn’t want to say it just yet. “Let’s wait on Waverly.”

  “There isn’t time to wait. We’ve got to start working now.”

  “Christian, we’re not going to catch Luke in this hospital. Five more minutes isn’t going to change anything. If she’s dead, she’s dead.”

  “It fucking mattered a lot to you when it was your fiancée.”

  The words were like a slap across Tommy’s face. He remembered well what it had felt like when he thought Hinson had Alice. He remembered screaming at Christian that they didn’t have two hours for him to goddamn think. In reality, though, they had all the time in the world, because she was already dead.


  Tommy swallowed and gathered his emotions before speaking. “I’m sorry. Just another minute and Waverly should be here. If he’s not, we can start talking. I need some time to remember it all, though.”

  Christian stared for a second and then looked down at his feet, showing that he wasn’t going to push the matter.

  Tommy closed his eyes and thought about how Veronica had looked. Was it the same? Yes, he thought so. Close to it, at least.

  He would tell them both, though he’d kept this from everyone for years. He supposed it didn’t matter anymore.

  More important right now than Veronica, was Christian. Because the sounds and songs he sang while swinging from those chains … Tommy didn’t think it was over. Maybe the physical torture, but not the mental. He thought his partner was cracking, Luke’s weight finally growing too strong for his spine to hold it up any longer.

  And if true, what’s it mean? Is Christian done? Can he continue on? And what about you …? Do you have any more to give? Do you want to give any more?

  Tommy was beginning to think that the answer was no, that he didn’t want to give anything else to this. It hurt to actually entertain such a thought, especially given that Alice was still dead—would always be dead, and due to Luke. Yet, what else could he do? Keep chasing? They were outmatched, even with the entire federal government behind them. He was outmatched, and had always been so. The burns across his body didn’t hurt, but his mind was growing weak.

  How much more can I give? he wondered.

  “I’m not going to ask how either of you are doing, because I’ve had reports given to me just about every hour since you were brought in.”

  Tommy opened his eyes and his boss stood in front of him. He’d been thinking so deeply he hadn’t even heard Waverly’s footsteps.

  Waverly moved to a corner chair, picked it up, and placed it at the foot of Tommy’s bed.

  “They’ve kept you both heavily sedated for a few days. They didn’t want any movement to reopen your wounds. Christian, yours were the worst. You’re both going to make it, though.” Waverly looked first at Tommy and then over to Christian. “I thought we lost both of you. I’m glad we didn’t.”

  Tommy thought he saw mist in the Director’s eyes, though he made no movement to clear them. Waverly stared for a second longer before opening the notebook he’d carried in.

  “Luke is alive, I take it?”

  “Yes, sir,” Tommy said.

  “And Twaller, he’s the body we found in that warehouse?”

  “Warehouse?” Christian asked. “How did you know about it?”

  “The address was pinned to your shirt. Luke put it there before dropping you both off in my lawn. The body’s fingers had been removed, we suppose to make us waste a little more time hunting for the identity. The warehouse was in the man’s name, but we still couldn’t be sure.”

  “Yeah, that was Twaller,” Tommy whispered.

  “And Veronica? An agent by the name of Valler was discovered dead in her hotel room, and she’s missing. Did either of you see her?”

  “Yes,” Christian said. “Luke has her. We have to find her.”

  Waverly paused briefly, looking Christian over. Though he wore a hospital gown, the bandages wrapped around his torso were clearly visible.

  Waverly glanced over to Tommy. The desperation in Christian’s voice was clear.

  “Okay,” Waverly said at last. “I need to know everything that happened.”

  “No. Fuck that,” Christian nearly shouted. “We’re not debriefing. We need to get out there, to get agents out there and find her.”

  Waverly looked into Tommy’s eyes again and despite the silence, Tommy knew what was asked.

  What happened to him?

  I don’t know, Tommy tried answering.

  “Christian, where am I going to send anyone, if I don’t know what happened?” Waverly said. “Do you just want me to send them down to the nearest 7-11 and start asking around for Luke?”

  Christian laughed with that same manic tone.

  And then said nothing else.

  He simply stared at the Director.

  “Christian, I don’t care if this is the right or wrong time to say this. I want you to see Dr. Hanson before the day is over. I’ll have him come here.”

  Christian remained silent, just looking at Waverly.

  “Okay,” Tommy said. “We’ll start at the beginning.”

  “I’d ask how you’re feeling, but I think that might be a silly question.”

  Christian looked across the room at Dr. Michael Hanson. He sat in a chair in front of Christian’s hospital bed.

  The day had been long. Far too long, and Christian couldn’t believe they had wasted it. It was nearing six in the evening, and Waverly had insisted that he and Tommy get some rest. He said under no conditions were either of them to leave, even directing the hospital staff to the same. Waverly had given them a bone, though, saying that if anything were to happen, he’d personally alert them.

  Waverly hadn’t been kidding about Christian seeing Hanson, though. The doctor arrived within the same hour that Waverly left.

  And now, here they were, wasting more time while Luke held Veronica.

  “What did Waverly say to get you over here so late?”

  “He doesn’t have to say anything. He just tells me where to be and when. That’s the privilege which comes with being Director, I suppose.”

  “You know what I mean,” Christian said. “What did he say about me?”

  “He said you were having outbursts.”

  Christian felt that same strange laugh try to rise again, though he managed to hold it down—certain the ‘outbursts’ were those laughs. He didn’t know where they came from, but they sounded like …

  “Twaller. That’s who.”

  The other stood at the hospital room’s door. His back was to Christian and he was looking out at the hallway. A single drop of blood fell in front of him, splashing on the floor between his feet.

  “You sound like Twaller when you laugh like that.”

  “Are you seeing someone, Christian?” Hanson asked. “Is someone at the door?”

  Christian shook his head and looked away from the other, bringing his attention back to the doctor.

  “Are you lying?”

  “Maybe. What’s it matter? What does Waverly expect me to do? Act normal? I hung from chains days on end. I’ve been tortured more times than I care to count. Are some laughs really that big of a deal?”

  “I don’t think he’s annoyed at the outbursts. I think he’s concerned about your wellbeing.”

  “I’m fine,” Christian said. “It’s Veronica that isn’t. She’s out there with him right now.”

  “You’re worried for her?”

  Christian glanced back to the door. The other was gone, though the blood wasn’t. It sat there reflecting the light from above. “Yeah. That’s one way to put it.”

  “If he was going to hurt her, Christian, don’t you think he would have while you were there to watch?”

  Christian’s brow furrowed and he shook his head. He didn’t take his eyes from the bloodied floor. “He will hurt her. I hope you don’t think otherwise.”

  “Then why didn’t he do it when you could see it? Why not kill her then?”

  “That would have been too easy for Luke. Not dramatic enough,” Christian said. “The death we saw was only supposed to be Twaller’s. Hers will come later.”

  “So he’s not done. That’s what you think?”

  Christian shook his head again. “Luke will never be done. Not until he’s dead.”

  Silence fell over the two of them and Christian thought back to Melissa. His first therapist, the one that he’d forced from his life, just as he had everyone else. Now, no one visited him in the hospital. No one besides Dr. Hanson over there, his bureau appointed shrink.

  “You know, I’ve got you and these flowers, Doc. You and they are the only things that have come to see me, and you were forced
to.”

  “Does it bother you that your mother isn’t here?”

  Tears filled Christian’s eyes. He didn’t answer.

  “It’s okay if it does. It means you love her. It means that her not being here hurts you, and I think that’s a good thing, Christian. It’s okay to have humanity ….” Hanson paused for a brief second. “I know that our relationship has always been strained due to the factors which created it, but I can honestly say, I’ve never worked with someone who has gone through what you’ve gone through. I’ve certainly never heard of anyone dealing with both the physical and psychological pain you have … and yet, you’re still here. You’re still able to communicate. You’re still able to feel hurt that your mother didn’t come. Christian, I don’t think you really know how amazing that is. Your ability to feel for other people is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. I’d venture to say it surpasses even your analytical mind.”

  “But I’m having outbursts, Doc,” Christian said, heavy sarcasm drenching his words. A tear fell on his cheek.

  “Christian, who are you talking to besides me? I mean, who do you share things with anymore?”

  “My negative. The other.”

  “The one in your head?” Hanson asked.

  “Yes.”

  “I am worried about you. I won’t say I’m not and I won’t say that Waverly was wrong to call me here. I don’t really know the status of this Titan situation, how close you are to catching him, or what he might be planning to do. You’re not going to quit, though, are you? Resign from the case?”

  “No.”

  “Then here,” Hanson said, standing up and walking over to the bed. He handed Christian a business card. “My cell phone is on the back. I want you to call me every couple of days, Christian. You need to be talking to someone.”

  Chapter 13

  The animal lay his backpack down on the bed. The motel rooms were all the same to him, small out of the way places. He didn’t venture into cities if he could help it, at least not to spend the night. This evening was no different.