The suit, ‘Agent Balerd’ just looked at her, no reaction at all.

  She waited for him to ugh, or scoff, or…any sort of expression of doubt.

  Instead, he calmly stood there waiting for her to continue.

  “Aren’t you going to ugh or call a therapist or something?” she asked, taken aback at his seeming indifference to her obviously ridiculous statement.

  “Why would I do that? Are you under the impression that I lied to you earlier? We look into things and not taking statements from witnesses seriously can impact our ability to find out just what happened.” He stated seriously, no hint of anything but perfect sincerity in his voice.

  “Admittedly, we do deal with some people who are just mentally ill.” he continued, “However, we deal with enough situations that are verified that our office, with five full time agents, has been in existence for quite a while.”

  “So, shall we sit on a bench here or can we go somepce more secure?” Agent Balerd said carefully looking around.

  “Wait here.” Madison said and walked over to Mel.

  “So, ummm seems like this guy is legit…can I ask one more favor?” she asked Mel, “Can you walk with me to the library, I’m going to see if I can get one of those study rooms that are gss enclosed for a few minutes. Once we are there, I’ll feel safe to be in one of those rooms and talk to him.”

  Mel looked over at ‘the suit’, “OK, but I want a picture of his badge and I.D. and and, call me when you are done, I’ll come and get you and walk you back to the dorm after we make sure he isn’t following us.”

  “You're the best, I am totally buying you dinner or something! We can talk about it when we get back to the room ter.” She promised, hugging her friend.

  “Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Mel replied with a smile, returning the hug.

  Turning to Agent Balerd, “OK Agent, we are going to the library, the building over there with red brick. I’ll meet you at the main desk.” Madison decred, pointing at the building about 200 meters away.

  Agent Balerd looked where she was pointing and started walking.

  So, what the hell is going on Madi?!” Mel asked.

  “He thinks I know something about some sort of weird incident but since he came alone, I didn’t believe him. I’m still not sure what to think.” Madison replied.

  “Well, his I.D. looks legit and his car has government ptes on it.” Mel reasoned.

  “Yeah, but it kinda scary. Think I should call my folks?” Madison asked, “I mean, yeah…I should definitely call my folks.”

  “Please leave your message after the tone, or for a faster response, text me.” The machine suggested to Madison.

  “Ugh…Dad is out of the country again, I guess I’ll message him on WhatsApp, but who knows when he’ll respond and Mom…who knows where Mom is, if she doesn’t answer in the first tree rings it could be literally weeks…shit” Madison mented.

  “Baby girl, I don’t know what to say. I don’t know anyone who I would call on this…need some dessert stuff sure, I got the connections, but this is like waaaay beyond my crowd” Mel said.

  “I can wait for you to finish with ‘Mr. tie & jacket’ if you want?” Mel offered

  “No, I feel bad enough pulling you away from getting ready for your date!” Madison replied, reaching out and peeling a rather rge fleck of green…something, from Mel’s hair.

  “I’ll call you when we are done.” she promised.

  ————

  Entering the cool foyer of the library, Madison wished she had a hoody on…but to be honest, she was more chilled by today’s events than the air conditioning.

  Seeing the agent in the foyer, she walked up to the desk “Are any of the first-floor study rooms avaible? she asked the student reading behind the computer.

  “Sure,” he said pointing to one on the other side of the central area, just past a row of computers.

  She wanted one on the first floor because they all had a gss outer wall that looked over this floor of the library and a rge window to the outside that let a lot of sun in…

  “Thanks, can I get it for the next half hour?” she asked.

  “Ummm hang on a sec, “he said typing on the computer, “You can have it for the next hour if you want. There is a group coming in after you though.”

  He smiled at her and handed over a door handle sign, “Just hang this on the outside, it shows what time you are finished with the room, so you aren’t disturbed.” he expined.

  “Thanks.” she replied with a small smile. He was nice but the foundation he wore told her he probably wasn’t interested. Not that she was especially in the mood for anything at this point.

  Turning and making brief eye contact with the agent, she walked over to the room.

  ————

  The door closed, “You sit over there.” She indicated the far side of the table, furthest from the door.

  Agent Balerd moved to the indicated seat and sat. Looking at her patiently.

  “OK…so…can you start over?” Madison asked.

  Agent Balerd looked at her for a moment. Considering…” OK, follow closely. You know who I am and who I work for, and, as I mentioned, we investigate special events, like the one you said you dreamed. Now, is there anything you are unclear on at this point?” Balerd asked. Again, with a patient look.

  “Well…OK, so…I understand what you are saying but you said ‘I’ was involved. Dude, I just had a dream. A scary one, yes, but still just a dream.”

  Agent Balerd looked at her with sympathy. Ordinary people caught up in these things rarely wanted to believe them, their entire world view was protected by people like him and…other forces…that worked very hard to ensure the average person had no idea of what was actually going on. Their day to day lives didn’t intersect with the unseen, and if they became too involved, bad things could happen to them. The ‘Bance’ served both sides, maintaining it was essential.

  “May I call you Madison?” he asked.

  “Sure.” her reply was carefully controlled. She was still freaking out. She felt better here in a public pce, having had some time to think.

  “Madison, are you missing any items of clothing?” Agent Balerd asked in a very neutral, calm voice.

  “Not that I know of, why?” She replied.

  “Well,” he said reaching into the gym bag, “do you recognize this shoe?” He held up a slightly muddy light green sneaker.

  Madison was shocked thinking to herself, “Fuuuuuck! That totally looks like one of my shoes. No way!”

  “Dude, you could have been like stalking me or something and…” she started.

  He held up a hand, “I get it…just take it with you. I’m sure you’ll be gd to have it back and when you get to your room, you can think about what you want to do next.” he said reasonably.

  “So, Madison, I am going to say a few things, some of them will be even more shocking than what you have heard so far. I only ask you to let me finish and keep an open mind. OK?” He asked.

  Madison was so lost right now…if that was her shoe, if this guy was legit, oh my God what is actually going on?

  Madison, keeping a grip on her feelings of confusion and fear, shakes her head ‘yes’

  “The summoning you were part of was not a dream, I am sure by now you are coming to that realization. The women who attempted it were amateurs that stumbled onto something they, obviously, didn’t understand. We found their remains and…your shoe.” He stated

  “You have stumbled into a world that most people never suspect exists. The only way to keep you safe is to understand what happened and then help you if we need to. Do you follow me so far?” He asked.

  The room had closed in on Madison. Even though the sunlight streaming through the windows lit the room with their warmth and the world outside the room was cheerily going on its way. A shadow had invaded Madison’s world. Agent Balerd’s words had taken everything from her. The reality she thought she knew. Her petty retionships, her pns for working in finance after college, maybe going to the Olympics…it was all so trite and ordinary in the face of the reality she now faced. It overwhelmed her.

  Madison drew her knees up and put her forehead onto them, and tears of anguish and fear started to trickle down her face.

  Her thoughts coalesced, “That night was real. Those women are dead! Fucking hell, she almost had sex with a DEMON! For fucks sake DEMONS are REAL?!?!”

  Agent Balerd was thankful, she wasn’t losing her shit as he had been worried she would. Her psyche profile indicated she would remain retively stable. Her mental focus and discipline, honed by her athletic career, was a blessing she didn’t understand the value of yet. But it did keep her from falling apart.

  “Madison, I know this is hard. You are not the first person to face this and you are not alone. We and others you will meet are here to help you. Now, I need to ask you some questions. Time is important. Can you try to focus and answer some questions for me?” the agent asked, his voice calm, kind, and empathetic. For a brief moment, his eyes fred again. Madison in her state didn’t notice this though.

  As the agent talked, Madison felt better…a little, like someone had given her a towel after getting out of a cold pool.

  Agent Balerd gave her a few minutes. These types of interviews were hard. The agent or agents sent on them were matched best to the subject’s profile.

  “Madison, can you answer some questions please?” he asked again.

  Madison, still shaken and crying softly, gave him a quick nod, never looking his way. She stared out the window at the students walking by, comfortable in their ignorance.

  “Ok, thank you. First, how did you meet the women that were killed?”

  Madison wiped her tears and looked at the agent, “I don’t know. I just woke up tied to the table.” she answered as she y her head on her knees turned so she could look at him.

  “You were tied to the table? Hmmm, Ok. What do you remember from before you woke up?” He continued.

  She thought hard, what was the st thing she remembered? She closed her eyes, forehead furrowed as she tried to recall.

  She had been at a bar, there was a cute guy she was dancing with…blond, fit, sexy lips. She went to the restroom and as she left there was a very pretty girl she bumped into.

  ————

  “Oh sorry.” Madison smiled at her with the apology.

  “No problem sister. If you get tired of blondy come and find me at the bar, I’ll let you buy me a drink’ She said with a wink.

  “I will.” Madison said with a wink.

  The girl acted surprised for a moment then gave her a grin and a short wave as she headed to the bar.

  Madison searched for her dance partner and saw him talking to another girl.

  Making her way across the dance floor to where she had left him Madison overheard the girl say in a very fierce tone, “You told me you had to go home for the weekend! Where is the slut I saw you dancing with?”

  Hearing this was all she needed. “Nope, no guy is cute enough for fucking drama. I’ve got enough stress on my pte thank you very much.”

  As she started to turn away he caught her eye, she rolled her eyes at him and gave him the finger.

  Maybe she should find the girl at the bar. She was a little disappointed, it seemed like he had a nice package rubbing against her on the dance floor.

  Madison spotted the girl, walked up, tapped her on the shoulder with a smile “Hey” she said simply.

  “Hey,” The other girl said, “You arrived just in time, the bartender has been flirting with me and gave me an extra shot.”

  “Well, I was gonna buy you one…but since you’re offering.” Madison smiled as the girl handed her the drink.

  “To new friends!” The girl toasted

  “Maybe this night won’t be a waste.” Madison thought, “To new friends!” she replied

  ————

  That was all she remembered until she woke up on the table.

  “I see, seems like she drugged you.” he said, stating the obvious.

  She looked at him, “Dude, is stating the obvious some sort of gift or do you do it just to irritate people?” she asked.

  “Its a special gift if you must know,” he replied with a smirk, “So what do you remember after that?” he continued questioning her.

  She reted the events as she remembered them, leaving out how turned on she had been, but emphasizing how afraid she was.

  “Amateurs, a table? Really?” He commented, “Do you recall how you got home?”

  “No, I bcked out when the demon” incredulity dripping from her voice, “disappeared.”

  “OK, so have you had any other encounters with strange people since then?” He asked.

  “No, but I haven’t actually been looking. I thought it was all a dream.” She replied, shaking her head in disbelief.

  “Have you noticed and changes in yourself at all? Any strange dreams?” He asked.

  “No” she said simply. She covered her start by pulling her knees in tighter and shifting her head.

  “I’m not telling him about those dreams!” She excimed to herself. “He’s pretty legit so far but I’m not telling him anything about me until I am a thousand percent sure.”

  “Hmmm, OK. There isn’t anything else I need right now. Can I call you if something comes up?” Agent Balerd asked, still using that calm soothing voice.

  “Yeah, sure.” she said, “Give me your phone.”

  He looked at her a moment, noting she was still not trusting him. “Good, her suspicion will probably keep her alive. Maybe long enough for her to learn some self-defense.” he thought.

  She texted herself using his phone. “There, now we can contact each other. I’m sure you were going to offer me your card or something scratched out in hieroglyphics or whatever you suits do…I’d just lose it, and I don’t want anyone finding an FBI agents card in my room or whatever.”