CHAPTER EIGHT -- IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ME ANYMORE

  1

  Clad in his janitor’s coveralls, Morton exited the Sotanaht Systems Research Center’s stairwell and stepped onto the rooftop. Using the fading light of the setting sun, he inspected the alarm wires attached to the stairwell door. He pulled out some pliers and prodded the alarm sensor.

  A wooden clicking noise alerted him that he was not alone. He turned to find Theda standing near the edge with an old baseball bat. After grabbing a stone from the roof’s graveled surface, she tossed the rock into the air and hit it out into the empty field behind the building.

  Morton stowed his pliers and peered around guiltily. Relieved at seeing no one else, he watched Theda’s rooftop batting practice for moment, growing impatient. He glanced at the door’s alarm system, frustrated. Hiding his annoyance, he called out, “Getting ready for softball season?”

  Theda replied, “I always come up here to think. It clears my head if I do some physical activity.”

  Morton sidled up behind Theda and peered over the edge. “Aren’t you afraid of falling?”

  “Not at all. I’m more worried that someday the building manager will tell me to take a wheelbarrow to the field and retrieve all the rocks I hit out there. What are you doing up here?”

  Morton hesitated, searching for an explanation. “A clogged toilet overflowed bad on the first floor. I'm hiding until the other janitor takes care of it. You won't tell on me, will you?”

  Theda selected another rock and batted it off the roof. “Your secret is safe with me.”

  “Thanks, I'll leave you alone then.” Morton turned to go but stopped as Theda began to tear up.

  Theda gushed, “I've done everything I can. Talked to cops, put up flyers, searched every place I could think of. I wish I knew what happened to him.” She wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

  “I don't know what you're going through, but I find burying yourself in your work takes your mind off whatever is troubling you.” He gestured towards the stairway with an insincere grin.

  2

  Ross, Dodd and Graves dejectedly walked across the pier’s parking lot, headed back to Dodd's car. She helped the men wring water from their clothes as they shivered in the night air.

  Ross murmured, “Soon I'll be turning into soup.”

  “No, we're not giving up. We’ll come back tomorrow morning. Maybe we could even find an underwater metal detector somewhere for us to use,” Dodd stated.

  “Dr. Dee is trying to create something to keep you functioning a bit longer,” Graves added.

  “Thanks, but my soul isn't down there and I'm fading fast,” Ross said forlornly.

  As if on cue, oily fluid dribbled from Ross’s eyes. Dodd and Graves exchanged alarmed looks as he wiped at the dark tears. “I have a last request. It's against regulations. I hope you’ll allow it.”

  3

  Ross, Dodd and Graves got out of Dodd's car in front of Ross and Theda's house. The three stood in silence, enjoying nighttime peace of the quiet neighborhood.

  After a moment, Ross said, “I know Theda can't see or hear me, but I want to be with her when it ends for me. I want to be looking in her eyes when I die this time.”

  “We understand,” Graves replied. “For what it's worth, Dr. Dee assured me it won't be painful for you. It'll be like going to sleep.” She was about to shake his hand, but hugged him instead.

  Ross studied Dodd and Graves and said with a grimace of regret, “Whatever has happened between the two of you, I hope you both work it out soon. Trust me, I waited too long to propose to Theda and now I'll never get to. Don't let any chance at happiness get away from you.”

  Dodd and Graves exchanged embarrassed glances.

  “I know you both did all you could,” Ross said.

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  “Don't give up. There's still time. We'll keep looking for your soul,” Dodd replied.

  “It's not just about me anymore. Someone's killing the reapers, you have to stop him. Both of you, watch your backs,” Ross warned as he and Dodd shook hands.

  “If you want me to be here with you at the very end, give me a call,” Dodd offered.

  Ross smiled. “I'd like that.” The reapers watched as he entered the house he shared with Theda.

  Theda sat alone in the living room, her eyes bloodshot from crying. Sniffling as she stared off into space, she couldn’t detect Ross as he walked into the house and sat down beside her.

  Ross wiped away more of the black reaper serum as it trickled out of his ears. “I'll try not to leave a big stain on the carpet when it's all over. Not that anyone will be able to see it.”

  4

  The morning sun shone in on Theda asleep in bed while Ross dozed in a chair, black fluid staining his shirt. Her phone rang; startling Ross awake. She groggily stirred after it rang again.

  “Hello?” Theda answered. “Yes, this is Theda.” After listening for a moment, she began to cry.

  5

  Theda stood in a morgue with red-rimmed eyes. Ross waited beside her, unnoticed. An attendant pulled back a sheet to show her the waxy and bloated face of a young man's corpse lying on the gurney. Staring in horror mixed with relief, she shook her head no before hurrying out of the room in tears. Looking sick with guilt, Ross followed her out.

  6

  Theda drove her car, unaware of Ross sitting in the passenger seat.

  “I'm sorry about this,” Ross said. “I hope they don't find any more John Does in the river.” His hands began to tremble. He clenched his fists, unsuccessfully trying to stop them from shaking. “Symptom number two of my impending liquification. I wonder what's next?”

  7

  Limping along rows of shelves in a large warehouse, Dodd turned a corner to find Dr. Dee and other reapers examining Hallson's body. The rookie was lying face down in a pool of his oily blood with his back covered in chop wounds, clearly savaged by an axe.

  Sappert held a fire axe, clumsily smearing the black bloodstains on the murder weapon as he studied it. “Dodd, you're not supposed to be here. This is my investigation,” Sappert grunted when he spotted Dodd. The warehouse workers remained unaware of the reaper crime scene.

  “I can tell you're running this show by the way you're manhandling the murder weapon,” Dodd snapped back. “Is there any other evidence here that you haven't destroyed yet?”

  Chagrined, Sappert dropped the fire axe, still dripping fresh reaper serum from Hallson’s body.

  “Skulton actually put you in charge?” Dodd inquired. “Is the chief merely incompetent or is he actively trying to protect the murderer?”

  Dr. Dee looked up from Hallson’s brutalized body. “Your theory about these reaper deaths not being accidental seems to just have been proven. Skulton can’t deny it anymore.”

  “Our mysterious attacker has dropped all pretenses,” Dodd stated. “He's out for our blood and now he wants us to know it.”

  8

  Late at night, Theda analyzed samples on her computer in the quiet lab. Though she could see no one else, she was not alone. Ross sat beside her watching her work with melancholy pride.

  A young man in a lab coat, Craig, entered with a sealed biohazard container and set it on her desk. “Here are the samples you ordered. This is the tenth batch. What are you working on?”

  Theda didn’t look up from her computer. “The usual. Just keeping busy. Thanks.”

  “You already got the old man's spot when he retires,” Craig said. “You don't need to work all night on some little side projects to impress him. Go home.”

  “I have nothing to go home to,” she replied.

  “Wake up the security guard and tell him you're done when you go,” Craig said as he left.

  “Theda, it's been a long day,” Ross said. “Let's go home, this can wait until tomorrow.”

  Ross watched Theda continue to work. Behind them, the door banged open and Morton entered with his janitor's cart while music blared from his earbuds. Theda gave Morton a weary wave.

  Morton pulled out his earbuds. “Late night again? Don't you have a life, Theda?”

  Theda smiled wanly. “Not really, Morton.”

  Morton put the earbuds back in and began emptying the waste baskets. As he moved about the room, Ross got a clear view of Morton's face and recognized the man with confused anger.

  Enraged, Ross charged at Morton as he cleaned the lab, unaware of Ross. “Hey, you bastard, who are you? What the hell are you doing here?” Ross grabbed Morton's arm to spin him around.

  When he touched Morton, Ross was overcome by painful spasms. As a result of making physical contact with the living, Ross collapsed to the ground in a seizure. Morton looked at the air vents above him and rubbed his neck, as if feeling a draft. He shivered a bit and continued working.

  9

  Dodd reviewed some files on an old microfiche reader in the reaper station’s deserted back office. Pausing his research to adjust the bandage on his injured ankle, he realized that Skulton stood behind him, watching silently. The chief leaned forward and squinted to check what Dodd was perusing. Dodd turned the ancient device off and spun his chair around to face him.

  “I'm aware of your comments about me and the decisions I’ve made. I'm putting you on suspension,” Skulton stated. “I won't tolerate your insubordination anymore.”

  “Fine. But answer one question. Are you going to rule Hallson's murder as an accident too?”

  “Seeing as how you enjoy research, I'm reassigning you to the Hall of Records downtown,” Skulton said. “After twenty miserable years in that dark pit, you'll wish you were truly dead.”

  Skulton strode away. Dodd glared at the departing chief. A moment later, Dodd’s phone rang.

  Dodd answered, “This is Dodd.” He listened for a moment. “Are you sure?”

  10

  Dodd walked down the Sotanaht Systems hallway to where Ross watched Morton clean the floor. Though they stood in front of Morton, he remained unaware and mopped around them.

  Dodd studied Morton. “That's him? Are you positive?”

  “Yes, I’m positive,” Ross said. “I'll never forget this freak.”

  Dodd waved his hand in Morton’s face; the redheaded man didn’t even blink. “He clearly can't see us. But even if it is him, there's not much we can do. We can't question him.”

  About to argue, Ross suddenly coughed up a thick clot of black blood and collapsed unconscious to the floor. Dodd wasn’t surprised by Ross’s sudden comatose state. Unknowingly, Morton stepped over Ross’s prone form as finished mopping the hall and entered the elevator.

  “Ross, stay with me,” Dodd said as he whipped out a huge syringe filled with a silver fluid and jabbed it into Ross's neck. He emptied the syringe into Ross, causing him instantly awaken.

  Ross sat up and wiped the oily blood from his mouth. “What happened? Where did he go?”

  “You fainted. I gave you a shot of something Dr. Dee made. It should keep you going for a little while,” Dodd replied. “The redheaded guy just left. Where is Theda?”

  “She went home; I stayed here to watch him. We should find the bastard and see where he goes.”

  “We can do that, but the shot I gave you will only briefly delay the inevitable,” Dodd warned somberly. “How do you want to spend your remaining time?”

  “Theda was jogging at the park when I first saw him and he also works with her. I don’t think that’s a coincidence. If he's stalking her, I want to take care of it before I die,” Ross replied.

  Dodd helped Ross to his feet. “I can understand that sentiment.”

  Ross continued, “Besides, Mr. Morton Morday also tried to drop that ledge on Angelina. He’s involved in the attacks on the reapers and may know something about my missing soul.”

  “Morton Morday?”

  “That's the name on his identification badge. Why?” Ross asked.

  “That name sounds familiar,” Dodd mulled it over. “It’s an unusual name; it sticks in my memory. I don't remember where or in what context, but I've heard it before.”

  “We could do a search in your system for him. Maybe something will come up that will jog your memory,” Ross suggested.

  “Chief Skulton suspended me, I can't access anything anymore,” Dodd replied with a frustrated grunt. “And I know Graves can't risk her position by helping us with this. Nor do I blame her.”

  “I guess we're destined to fail,” Ross stated forlornly.

  Dodd’s weathered face brightened. “That's it. We could visit the Fates.”

  “The Fates?” Ross asked.

  “They're the beings who determine when a person is destined to die,” Dodd said with a trace of growing hope. “But more importantly, they have access to our records system.”