Cosmic Undead: Contenders

Recruitment

He had spoken with De Antonio to get some time off. It was easier to convince him since Antonio knew what the tattoo meant. He didn’t have to lie.

“Hey”, Baron called. He had found the shack with ease, being the first thing he set his eyes on when he walked into the nearest thicket.

The man turned and looked at him. “How may I help you?”

“The tattoo on your hand”, Baron replied and showed the tattoo on his left arm too. “I know what it means and we have to do”

“I don’t understand. You came to tell me what my tattoo means or what?”

“I came to tell you that I can have the cops watch you till they get something on you and put you behind bars”, Baron said and stepped closer to him. “And they will find something. We both know you can’t go twenty four hours without it”

“I can tell them to watch you too. Aren’t we the exact same thing?”

“You can tell them to watch me. You just can’t get them to do it and, make no mistake, we are not the same thing”, Baron replied. “If you dare kill any child or anyone around the school again, you will live your last twenty four hours behind bars”

**★**

Jake hesitated, for a few seconds, before finally getting himself to knock on the door. “Hello?”, he said, quietly loud enough to get attention of the house owner.

The door opened, suddenly. A man looked out at him, staring angrily. “What do you want?”, the man said. “If you are one of them, asking what actually happened like I’m supposed to know what happened, you can just get out ‘cause no question will get me to say what I don’t know!”

“They’ve been asking you questions?”

“What? Who are you?”

“I am someone who knows the answer to those questions”, Jake replied. “i’m hoping you’ll let me in”

The man shook his head, doubtfully. “No, you’re one of them”, he said. “I was going to just say no but you have frustrated me so you can go back to your bosses and tell them there’s nothing to know and, even if there was something, your technique didn’t work”

“What if I told you I’m not working for anyone and I’m not here to ask you any questions?”, Jake said. “I already know everything that happened and no one needs to explain to me”

“Who are you? And what do you know?”

“I am Jake Hills and I know you have no idea how the tattoo on your left hand got there”, Jake replied and revealed the tattoo on his left hand to the man. “This same tattoo is on the hands of everyone that died from that gas leak and they all went through hell, the same way you did…. I know what you saw, what you felt, what you were told, what it cost you to live past the last 24 hours. I know that you know the horrible things you’ll be forced to do so I’m here… I’m here so offer you a way out of this”

**★**

“Thank you. I think I’m there, already”, Garullon said, over the phone. “Thank you”

He ended the call and looked at the door. His heart was pounding so hard that he needed to remain in a position to prevent it from breaking out of his chest. He was nervous, wondering how the ghosts would react when they see him. He wasn’t just nervous; he was pretty doubtful. As much as he wanted to find his brother early and put their differences behind them, he had doubts if he had actually found his brother. He walked to the door and closed his eyes for a few seconds. “Huh”, he muttered, breathing heavily.

He knocked on the door. “Who’s there?”, a female voice responded. “Hold on”

He waited, patiently, and kept his eyes closed. The door opened to him. “Hi, uh.. good morning”

“It’s noon. How may I help you?”, Mia asked.

“I’m here for someone else, actually. You are Mia Dennis, right?”, Garullon asked

“Did she win a prize? ‘cause I could pretend to be her if that were the case”, Mia replied. “You look like a cop so you may find your criminal Mia Dennis, elsewhere”

He held the door, as she slammed it, and kept it open. He smiled. He didn’t expect the reaction but the response exposed her, obviously. “I know what’s happening here, Mia. I’m not a cop. I’m here to see my brother but the only way I can get to him is through your boyfriend”

“Boyfriend? I don’t have a boyfriend”, Mia replied. She knew who he was referring to. At the moment, she wasn’t only protecting him. She was literally denying her affection for him. “He’s not… my boyfriend”

“Ok, that’s cute but I’ll just go straight to the point. I’m here for Jeremy Pence and I know he lives here with you”, Garullon said. “I have very short time and I need to see my brother”

Mia stared back at him for a second. “Is he a ghost?”, she asked. That came out wrong. “Huh”

“Yea… you know about that”, Garullon replied. “Can I just come in or he can come out here?”

“Actually, he doesn’t live here. Not anymore”, she said. “He left, a few days ago”

“He left? Where did he say he was going?”

“I don’t know if I’m supposed to tell you that. How much do you know about him?”

“I know Somnolence and I know all of the ghosts. I know the crime he was framed for and I know he’s probably running from the authorities and you’re trying to protect him”

“Actually, he is running from something else”, Mia replied. “Assassins who are being sent to him because of his new abilities”

“Cosmic Assassins”, Garullon muttered. That was his fault. “Can you just ask him where he is? I know I’m going to ask for his help but I’m sure I can help him too”

**★**

Baron quickened his paces, as he walked towards the building. He was late to work, already, and he was pretty unsure of how De Antonio would react. It was his first time and, with his past experience with his boss, he would probably take it easy on him. He had taken the morning to solve the serial killing problem in Reina’s school; a problem he probably posed too, though his was not noted, as he was able to do it at different locations and in different ways.

“Hey, Baron. I can’t remember sacking you”, De Antonio said, staring blankly, with a sarcastic tone. “Oh, you probably saw the future. I should just go ahead and get someone to write it”

“I’m sorry. I had to deal with something at my daughter’s school”, Baron apologized.

“Then you should have told me that ahead, instead of making me expect and you show up at any time of the day!”, De Antonio howled at him and paused for a second, calming himself. Then he smiled. “Thank you for yesterday, anyway. I’ll start using the advice by going with Travis’ idea. I’ll end the rift… When you get up, take care of the office”

“Thank you”, he muttered and nodded, as De Antonio walked away. “Sounds like I’m getting my old job back”

He walked up to De Antonio’s office and started with the table. He was pretty satisfied with the job, knowing he really didn’t have to do much and he didn’t have a lot of pressure or complaints on him. The payment was a lot more than the other cleaners were paid, while the other cleaners still made more than average cleaners do. That was the advantage of working for a billionaire, despite his infamy and ruthlessness.

“Baron!”, De Antonio walked in, angrily, followed by four bodyguards, heading straight to his table. “You have a job to do and I don’t want to hear anything from you”

Baron wondered what was happening. “What’s wrong?”

“I said; no questions”, De Antonio retorted. “You are going after Travis Quinn and, this time, just get the job done. Don’t twist the facts, don’t bring a goddamn deal and don’t ask any f*****g question. Is that clear?!”

“You spoke to me-“

“Is that clear?!!”

Baron glanced at the guards. He wondered why he had to be the one to do the job. “Okay”, he replied and waited for De Antonio to take a deep breath. “You should tell me what happened. Some things hurt more than death…. If he does, he’s just gone… but you can make him live with the regrets of crossing your path”

“My daughter… she was kidnapped”, De Antonio replied. “An hidden number called me, a few minutes ago. I’m sure it’s Quinn. We had a feud, two days ago, and he threatened to take it out on something I love. It has to be him”

“We are not sure about that”, Baron replied. “Let me help the best way I can. Trust me; if my plan works out, you’ll be satisfied with the outcome”

De Antonio gestured to the bodyguards. “You should excuse us”, he said and waited for the guards to leave the office. “What are you going to do?”

“We are going to find whoever did this and we are going to save your daughter”, Baron replied. “I promise you nothing will happen to your daughter”.

“Nothing must happen to my daughter, Baron”, De Antonio said, sweating and looking scared. “I want my daughter back”

**★**

“Hello, Mr Conner”, Jake called, knocking on the door. He sounded like he already knew the man, even though they’d never met, and he didn’t really care. He had gone to over thirty-five people already and he had a pretty good luck with all of them. “Mr. Conner!?”

“Get out of my door, will you?”, the man replied, suddenly, almost getting startled.

“I have something that will help you, Mr Conner”, Jake replied. “Come on. Let me help you keep your humanity”.

There was total silence from both sides, for half a minute. The door opened, suddenly. “Who are you?”

“My name is Jake Hills”, he replied. “It’s a pleasure to meet you”

“What were you talking about? What are you here for?”

“I am here because of your resurrection”, Jake said and glanced at the tattoo on the man’s left hand. “I know what you saw when you died. I know the deal you had to make to come back here and I know that’s how you got the tattoo on your left hand”

The man looked at the tattoo on his hand and compares it to the one on Jake’s hand. “How did we get the tattoo?”

“I didn’t die in the gas leak”, Jake said. “But I returned from Hell, just like you did. To come back to life, Hermen made a deal to take a life to buy twenty four hours of time for ourselves. We accepted this deal and, if we are not careful, we will become monsters in no time…. I have a plan on how we can break the link that ties up to Hell and Hade”