"I don't know if this is going to work or not. You should speak with Dovecrest again."

"You're assuming this is supernatural, Mr. Hunter. I'm assuming it's a group of killers that justify what they do by calling it a religion."

"For all of our sakes," Pastor Mark said. "I hope that you're right."

-2-.

The guards allowed Dovecrest to call the attorney from the reservation, a man who went by the name of "Slender Fox" to the tribe, and Frank Barnett in court. Barnett was, indeed, a fox, Dovecrest thought and did live in both worlds, spending half of his time with insurance cases and the occasional criminal trial, and the other half lobbying for the Narragansett Indian casino that the state of Rhode Island so vehemently opposed. Dovecrest knew that if the casino ever succeeded, "Slender Fox" would become very fat off of the project.

Dovecrest was surprised when an hour later the attorney arrived dressed in his ceremonial regalia. He was about thirty years old, and, true to his name, slim and fit. The guards led them both to a private conference room in the State Police barracks. This one didn't have a two-way mirror.

After brief introductions, Slender Fox asked what had happened.

"I'll try to make this as simple as I can," he replied. "I discovered a Satanic cult in the woods. They had kidnapped a teenage girl and were about to kill her. I tried to stop them. In the process I killed one of them and wounded another. They killed the girl anyway and planted her body and the body of the other man I killed by the side of the road where they would be found."

"Why didn't you go to the police immediately."

"They wouldn't have believed me."

"Why not? Your story sounds believable to me."

"Well, there's more to it. This cult is worshipping a demon that's real. And it's coming back. It has supernatural powers and could move the bodies before the police ever found the site. In fact, I'm not even sure we could find the site if it didn't want us to."

"Ok, slow down. Now this is beginning to sound rather incredible."

"All right," Dovecrest said. "I'll start from the beginning."

The old Indian told the entire story from it's beginnings in the distant past, while Slender Fox hastily scribbled notes. When he was finished, the two men looked at one another for a long time without a word.

"If you don't believe me, look at the old tribal records. Read the songs and the myths. It's all there. And it's happening again."

Slender Fox shifted uncomfortably in the hard chair.

"Mr. Dovecrest, I know you and your family have been tribal leaders for many, many years. But this is the twenty-first century. You're talking mythology. This stuff doesn't exist. And it'll never fly in a court of law."

"I really don't care if it flies in a court of law or not. You've got to get me out of here so I can do something to stop this before it gets really crazy."

The lawyer shook his head. "I respect the old ways and our heritage," he said. "But this, I cannot accept or understand."

"I guess I can live with that," Dovecrest said. "The young generation wants all of the ceremony and trappings of the old ways, but not the truths."

"I...."

Dovecrest held up his hand to stop him.

"It's all right. I don't ask that you believe me in anything except this one thing. I did not kill that girl. I killed the man, yes, but I was trying to save the girl."

"That is something I can believe."

"Good. Can you get me out of here?"

"I don't know. I have two courses of action. First, as a member of the Narragansett Tribe I can try to have you brought back to the reservation and tried under our laws. Since the crimes they say you committed were not on the reservation, though, I don't think that will work. Our best bet would be to claim it was self defense and you were trying to stop a felony. If we go that way I can probably have you released on bail. Then we'll do some investigation. The F.B.I. will probably break the case open on this cult group before you ever go to trial. If worse comes to worse, we can plead insanity."

Dovecrest shot him a piercing look. "I am not crazy."

"I didn't say you were. But it's a defense. And the story of the cult is still plausible."

"So you believe in the demon worshippers?"

"Sure. Why not? People worship all sorts of strange things. I just don't believe in the demons."

Slender Fox left and the guard walked Dovecrest back to his cell.

Even if he were to be released on bail tomorrow, Dovecrest thought it would probably be too late. He could already feel the tension in the air, the power that was slowly growing, and the forces that were gathering. It was going to get ugly and it was going to happen fast.

-3-.

Thralls made a few phone calls and before he knew it Erik's house resembled a military base. Swarms of SWAT team officers were getting into position dressed in camouflage uniforms and carrying automatic assault weapons. Thralls gave Erik some photos to look at.

"They're not very good. They were taken with surveillance cameras."

Erik looked at them carefully. "I think it's him. He doesn't have the growth on his neck, though."

"Ok," Thralls said. "It's almost six o'clock. We need to get out there and in position well before dark, just in case they happen to show tonight."

Erik nodded. "I'm ready whenever you guys are. I hope we can put an end to this thing tonight."

"When they show, we'll get them."

Erik joined Thralls and they walked to the edge of the forest. "Should we start from here or from Dovecrest's place?" the agent asked.

"I think I can find it from here, now. If I can find it at all. I don't think it matters where I start from now."

Tentatively, Erik stepped into the woods, following the small trail that Todd had followed just a few days earlier. Thralls and the SWAT team stayed close behind. Erik was amazed at how silently they traveled. He walked for about 50 feet, then paused.

"Why are we stopping? Are you lost?"

Erik took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Look, Agent Thralls," he said. "I know you don't buy this supernatural stuff. And I'm ok with that, at least for now. But I told you, I can't draw you a map. I can't just lead you there by sight. I have to find it by feel. So just bear with me and be patient. I don't even know if it'll work."

"Ok," Thralls said.

Once again, Erik let his mind go blank and allowed his senses to take over. He heard the sounds of the birds, felt the whisper of the breeze. He could even sense the insects in the ground and on the trees.

And, in the distance, he could feel the sacrificial stone, like a magnetic pole repulsing and attracting at the same time. It felt stronger this time, and he didn't know whether to be relieved or to be terrified.

"I have it," he whispered. "Follow me."

Slowly, he made his way through the forest, walking as silently as the experienced SWAT officers. His eyes were closed tightly, but he was still able to sense the trees, the bushes, and the rise and fall of the ground beneath him. It was a powerful feeling, a talent he never knew he had. Then again, it was probably something everyone had, if only they knew how to use it. Dovecrest had opened his eyes to this, figuratively speaking, and now it had become a part of him.

He felt the sun dropping lower on the horizon, but he knew there was plenty of time until darkness set in, so he took his time, moving slowly and carefully. Some part of him wondered if the thing had orchestrated all of this, and that he was part of some master plan. He couldn't worry about that now, though. He had to do something, and this was the only thing he knew of right now.

He thought of Vickie and Todd and hoped they would be all right. Pastor Mark had agreed to stay with them until this was over, and that made Erik feel more secure.

He felt the field open up before him, and only then did he open his eyes. Sure enough, the altar stone was positioned exactly in the middle of a field of neatly cut grass.

"There's your stone," Erik said.

Thralls rubbed his hand across his brow, rubbing away beads of sweat.

"Why can't we see this from the air?" he asked no one in particular. "We've had helicopters out this way and no one's seen anything like this."

"Like I told you," Erik said. "It moves."

Thralls shook his head, then looked back at the dozen officers who had come up behind them.

"Ok, you men. Take positions equidistant around the stone. Stay back in the woods and remain concealed. We don't want to tip them off."

Erik watched as the officers literally disappeared into the woods. He watched as the one closest to him scaled up the trunk of a tree and disappeared into the foliage. Within minutes, they were completely invisible in the forest.

"Ok," Thralls said. "Now you and I need to disappear. Unless you'd rather go back home."

"Not on your life," Erik replied. "I need to see this through. I don't care how long it takes or how many nights I'm out here."

But something inside him told him that tonight he'd see some real fireworks.

-4-.

The growth on his neck was becoming so obvious that it was becoming difficult for Seti to go out in public. At the same time, the monster was becoming more demanding. Killing the cop had only wet its appetite and made it furious that the other one had escaped.

"The time has come!" it demanded. "I've waited long enough. Tonight is the night I become whole!"

Seti knew that meant he had to find a new sacrifice. The younger and the more innocent, the better. It also meant that a turning point had come for him. After tonight, he would either be free of the monster and receive the reward he had been promised, or else it would destroy him completely. His life had become so unbearable now that he didn't particularly care which outcome happened. Anything was better than what he was already enduring.

He decided to take Crissy with him tonight. She, at least, could be seen in public without people throwing up. The thing on his neck had become so grotesque that he could no longer even look in the mirror, and efforts to cover it up just weren't working. So he tucked his Glock under his shirt and into his belt, grabbed Crissy by the hand, and tossed her into the van.

"Where are we going?" she whined.

It was obvious that even his own followers didn't want to be around him now. The girls, especially, were repulsed and avoided him. Hell, he repulsed himselfa"what did he expect?

"Never mind," he said. "We're going to get some fresh meat. Unless you'd rather be on the menu tonight."

The blonde wrinkled her nose, but got into the van.

"We don't have much time," he said. "I want to get back before dark. The thing's hungry tonight. Real hungry."

"That's right," the monster said. "You don't want to keep me waiting."

Seti started the van and slowly backed up, then turned around. They'd made camp in the forest at the end of a narrow dirt trail that exited to a dirt road that, eventually, led to Route 102. Seti never would have found the place if the voice hadn't led him to it. He wasn't even sure anyone else could find it, which was probably the only reason the cops hadn't caught them by now.

He drove for awhile, then turned down Farmington Road. If only he could get that pregnant woman. That would be a two for one. He drove slowly by the house, but noticed several vehicles parked in front and in the driveway. Cops, he thought. He could smell them a mile away.

"We'll save her for later," the thing said. "After tonight, nothing will be able to stop me."

"When are you going to do something about that thing on your neck?" Crissy said. "You should have it looked at. It's gross."

"I'm taking care of it tonight," Seti replied. "Now shut the fuck up."

"Hey, I'm just trying to help."

Seti turned around and headed back to the plaza on Route 102. He had avoided the area in the past. You don't shit where you eat, he'd always been told. But after tonight none of that would matter. The thing would be too powerful to stop. He pulled in at the Dairy Mart and parked the van.

"You want to help? Then shut up and do what I tell you."

Seti hunched down in the seat a little and waited. It was just 6:30, a busy time for the convenience store. He watched as a middle-aged man came out. Then a fat lady. A car pulled up and a younger man in a business suit got out and hurried into the store. Probably one of those investment assholes, Seti thought, picking up a frozen dinner or something. A few minutes later, he came back out with a small bag and drove away. Then finally, he saw what he was looking for.

He could tell by the car, a luxury SUV, that its occupant was a young mothera"one of those soccer Moms who's husband probably worked three jobs in order to be able to buy expensive shit they had and left her to cart the kids around to baseball practice, dance recitals, and whatever it was that spoiled yuppie kids did these days. Yeah, this one would be perfect.

His suspicions were confirmed when the slightly overweight and dowdy Mom got out of the car with a spoiled teenage girl in towa"probably about 16 years old or so. Actually, the woman wouldn't be so bad looking if she cleaned herself up a bit and didn't try so hard to look like supermom with the me-ma long dress and sensible shoes. Hey, lady, how about some makeup and a trip to the hair stylist, he thought. The daughter was much better looking though, dressed like a slut in a short denim skirt that rode up the back of her soft, white ass.

"She's the one," he said to Crissy.

"What do you want me to do?"

"When she comes out of the store you go up to her and ask for help. You're a college student and you're having car trouble. Get her over to the van. I'll take care of the rest."

He patted the gun in his belt for emphasis.

"Now get out and look pathetic until she comes back out of the store."

Crissy was, if nothing else, good at looking stupid and helpless, and her act worked like a charm. Seti hunched down in the back of the van and watched the woman and her slutty daughter come over.

"Maybe you could help me," Crissy was saying. "I've got some jumper cables inside...."

Seti waited until Crissy opened the door, and then he timed his move, grabbing the kid first, covering her mouth with one hand and putting the gun to her head.

"Lady, get inside or I blow the kid's brains out."

The woman's mouth dropped open. She looked like she wanted to scream, but she couldn't find her voice, and by then Crissy was pushing her inside. Seti motioned her to sit on the floor.

"You drive," he said to Crissy, who shut the back door.

It was as simple as taking candy from a baby.

-5-.

Erik had no idea how difficult it was to sit still. Thralls had found a relatively comfortable spot for them behind some trees, and had wrapped them both up in camouflage materials so they'd fit in. But as the minutes turned to hours, his back had begin to hurt, then he'd started to itch everywhere. His legs fell asleep, his feet cramped up and he constantly fought back the urge to sneeze. It was a miserable experience, especially when the sun went down and the mosquitoes showed up in battalions. He couldn't talk, couldn't speak, couldn't even imagine what was going to go down tonight. The waiting was almost unbearable. The suspense and the anticipation were driving him crazy. And the worst part, he felt like he always had to go to the bathroom. He didn't know how the SWAT teams did it. They must have been specially trained just to hold their bladders.

He flipped the switch on his digital watch to see the time. It was 11:35 at night, just ten minutes since he'd checked last. Jay Leno would just be starting his monologue, and the news of the day would be over. He'd been here for hours but it seemed like days. And who knew if anything even was going to happen. The demon had already killed once today. Why would it strike again so soon? Still, something warned him that it would happen tonight.