P. Stormcrow

The kid couldn’t be wearing more eye makeup if she tried. Finn studied Emily from behind and noted that though she stared right at her partner, the teenager would never quite meet Jackson’s scrutinizing gaze. It was too early to jump to conclusions, but there was something the school goth wasn’t saying.

“Do we have to do this now?” In contrast, Emily’s mother was a picturesque suburban mom with auburn highlights and curls that bounced as she swung around the couch and sat next to her daughter. The daggers she stared at them with was a message itself. They were not welcome here.

“If you would prefer, Ma’am, we can come back in a couple of hours.” Jackson’s willingness to comply surprised her. 

Mrs. Dawson drew herself to full height and the young woman next to her a little closer. “I meant, Emily is going to need at least a few days to wrap her head around the dangers her school just put her through.” She touched one curl. “What department did you say you were from again?”

“Hazardous Materials,” Agent Jackson answered without hesitation. “Ma’am, time is of the essence with these things. I’m sure you understand.” He flashed her a most charming smile and Mrs. Dawson tilted her head to one side, adjusting her hair once more with a slight laugh.

“Well, how can we help?”

Finn resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Can’t believe that worked.

But instead of asking, Jackson nodded at her. She hid her surprise and leaned forward, addressing the teenager directly. “Have you watched any horror movies or read anything scary lately?”

Emily glanced up at her mom, who let out a nervous laugh and spoke on her behalf. “How is this relevant?”

“Ma’am, the hallucinations many victims have experienced are supernatural in some shape or form. We would like to determine if there is a cause to this or if it’s something induced by the gas itself. It will help us narrow down what type it is.”

Emily’s mom snorted and rolled her eyes. “You’re telling me there’s smoke that makes people imagine ghosts?”

Jackson leaned forward. “We believe it came from underneath the building, not from within. And who knows what kind of weird stuff is there.”

Another blatant lie. Finn could see the necessity but still didn’t like it one bit.

The way Mrs. Dawson shifted closer with a hesitant smile while she gave a nervous laugh told Finn that she teetered on the edge of wanting to flirt with Jackson some more or to kick them all out for bullshitting them. She had to act fast, so she blurted out the first idea that came to mind. “Mrs. Dawson, we need to ensure that the gas hasn’t spread to other places. I believe my partner has a device that can detect if something’s in the air. Would you be able to show him your backyard so he can make sure everything is okay with your property?”

It was the flimsiest line she had ever given in her career, but it didn’t matter as the way the woman’s eyes lit up told her that she had struck the right chord. All she wanted was some alone time with Jackson.

“Well, certainly.” She motioned toward the kitchen. “Why don’t you follow me.”

Jackson kept up his smile, but Finn noticed his lips twitching. “Thank you.” He followed Mrs. Dawson but flashed Finn a pout before disappearing around the corner. 

Her heart skipped a beat, and she shook her head clear. Damn him.

“Well congratulations, you got my mom out of the way.” Emily raised a brow and gave her a sardonic smile. 

Snarky. Finn refocused on her and lifted a brow. “Would you prefer I call her back for this conversation?”

Mild panic crossed her face, and she cringed. “What do you want to know?”

“Anything horror-related.” It wasn’t a question. 

Emily glanced over her shoulder and sighed. “They were after me to show them how to community with spirits without an ouija board.”

Finn blinked in surprise but said nothing. Silence stretched on.

“I warned them it’s a game, but they didn’t listen.” There was something here. Bitterness thickened Emily’s voice as she spoke to fill the dead space. 

“So what happened?” Finn asked at last.

The girl straightened and stared at her, eyes older than her mere sixteen years. “They broke their grip. Everyone knows that if you break hands, you open yourself up for possession. So one of them must have a poltergeist haunting them, and that’s what killed Joe.”

This was insane. But Finn didn’t know how to explain the death otherwise. Suicide? Bullying? Revenge? There should be some other explanation.

“Tell me about Joe.”

Emily shrugged. “What’s there to say? He was your average jock.”

“Popular?”

The goth nodded.

“Did he have enemies? Or picked on others?”

Emily snorted. “You watch way too many dramas. Joe’s cool with pretty much everyone.”

No motivation then, though Finn wasn’t sure if she was searching for one. Actually, she had no idea what she was seeking, so she leaned forward. “Let’s go back. Who’s the ‘they’ you referred to.”

“Bethany and Katy.”

That corresponded to the names Neil gave them, but she could see she was going to have to pull out every single bit of information out of Emily. “And they are?”

“They’re both on the student council.” Emily paused, then shook her head. “They came to me saying something about wanting to verify. but all the teachers weren’t all mum about it. I showed them the hand version of ouija. Hold hands, up for yes, down for no.” Her eyes darted from side to side before she lowered to a whisper. “It worked too, ‘cause it spooked them. I knew they were scared. I yelled at them to not let go no matter what, but they did anyway.”

The sound of hurried footsteps stopped Finn from asking more questions. But it was the expression on Jackson’s face that made her heart pound in her ears and brought up dread that settled in the pit of her stomach. It was a look that every agent was familiar with.

“We need to get to the school.”

She read the unspoken warning. Another victim.

***

New ambulances dotted the front of lawn. Just as Finn ran up to the entrance, the doors burst open with two EMTs carrying a stretcher out. A blond girl laid still within, but they hurried past her before she could glimpse her injuries.

“Guys.” Olivia followed and waved. “This way.”

They fell behind her in silence, their steps bouncing off the wall. But Finn had to know. “Was that Bettany? Or Katy?”

“Katy,” Olivia answered without missing a step. If the names surprised her, she didn’t show it.

“So it can’t be her,” Jackson muttered next to her.

“You mean as the person the poltergeist is haunting?” Finn still couldn’t believe those words came out of her mouth.

“Why Detective Reed! Someone’s been doing their homework.” Jackson turned to study her with a proud grin on her face.

“I’m not saying…” 

When Jackson’s smirk only widened, Finn groaned and quickened her pace.

“Wait.” Her new partner caught up to her and reached with a hand on her arm. 

Finn paused. Ahead of them, Olivia stopped but kept a respectable distance away from them.

She tilted her head up to him. “What?”

“In all seriousness, what makes you think it’s a poltergeist?” Jackson’s smile had faded to an earnest curiosity.

Humor him. Finn sighed. “It was something Emily said. She mentioned she was teaching them a form of ouija using hands and she told them to not let go but they did.”

“Ah.” His face softened, and he looked toward the gym. “They summoned a spirit and failed to maintain the conditions to contain it.”

Say again? She blinked at him. Fuck. Why does he have to make so much sense?

“Come on.” Jackson released her arm and motioned her to follow. The faint warmth of his palm lingered despite the layers of clothing she had on.

Olivia resumed walking but turned off before they reached the gym doors. Instead, they opened the door to another room. Finn sucked in a breath as she entered. Rolls of monitors blinked at her. The computer lab.

“I think they were researching something.” Olivia spoke, breaking the silence that had resettled between them. 

But all Finn could do was stare at the body laying on the chair, her lips parted still, her eyes now closed. 

“Who found her?” Jackson asked from behind, but Finn turned her gaze to study the computer the corpse angled towards.

“According to the local sheriff, Katy did. She called nine-one-one but cut off before the operator could get much information out of her. Do you want me to grab the transcript?”

“Yes please.”

“You got it.”

Finn straightened at last and gestured to Bethany. “What’s going to happen to…?” 

“Oh.” Olivia moved to stand next to the corpse, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I’ll take her back and do a more thorough examination before releasing the body.” She lifted the girl’s hands. “I would say the cause of death is electrocution, if not for the fact that the only charred parts are the pad of her fingers.”

“Then what would you say it is?” Jackson asked.

She tuned them out as she returned to peer at the computer. But it wasn’t a browser window up on the screen. Instead, Finn recognized a SSH shell and a file explorer. Someone had brute forced their way in and pulled up a database of sorts. She scanned the names listed.

“Jackson, look.”

“Student?”

“Yeah. She was looking up a person…” Finn punched a few keys. “From ten years ago.”

“Why?”

Before anyone could answer Jackson’s question, the fluorescent light overhead flickered. Then again. 

“Get away from that thing,” Jackson warned.

“What?” Confusion made her react too slowly. 

Crack.

Blue sparks arced across the keyboard and jumped at her. The air crackled. Finn turned back to the computer, disbelief widening her eyes. 

But before the energy could zap her, Jackson lept and tackled her. Finn yelped and flailed as she fell on to the ground, but he moved to cover his body with hers.

The lights shut off.

In the dark, she looked up and found her mouth a dry desert as she met his brilliant blue orbs. All of a sudden, she was all too aware of the way he caged her in, but rather than panic, a surge of warmth pooled in her belly. No. This was the adrenaline. Focus, Finn. You almost got zapped.

“You okay?” Jackson whispered.

“Yeah, thanks.”

Jackson rose to his feet and extended a hand to her. She stared at it for a split second, then took it and let him haul her to her up. More spooked than she cares to admit, she swept her gaze across the room until she focused back on the computer. Computers don’t act that way, so what the fuck?

“Okay, so not a poltergeist,” Jackson muttered.

“Or we’re dealing with multiples now,” Olivia added, already retrieving another device from her bag.

She sounded so much closer, Finn almost jumped. She pressed a hand to her chest as if it would slow her pulse. It was a freak accident. Got to be.

There was just enough light from the gaps between the blinds for them to see, but nothing appeared out of the ordinary. Next to her, Jackson retrieved a flashlight, turned it on and swept the room with it. But there was no need as the lights flickered and came back on.

“Well,” Olivia started, “doesn’t look any worse than before. No new signature. Here. Give me a hand bagging the body.”

Finn stared at the gloves she offered. You’re kidding me.

“Remember, double duty,” Jackson reminded her with just a little too much cheer and grabbed the pair.

When Olivia held out another set to her, Finn groaned, snatched it from her hands, and got to work.