The Satchmo P.I. - Living Amongst Monsters - Chapter 22

4 comments

therneau885.788 years agoSteemit5 min read

PubDomain

The Search

Warning: Strong language

Miss McKay had been trying to reach The Ghost’s Shadow since mid-afternoon.

"Shit Joel, why aren’t you answering!” she swore out loud.

Miss McKay tried to call him three times already, however, the line just kept ringing.

She was pacing up and down her office now. It was unlike Joel not to respond regularly. She’d been receiving updates by the hour, even if it was just him teasing her about how close it’s getting to that date of theirs now. It has been five hours without any word and this is the last day they have to find something on Captain Moss.

She decided to trace his motorcycle. Miss McKay noticed the motorcycle was on the outskirts of town, at the end of a road next to a large open field.

'What are you doing all the way out there?' she thought.

Miss McKay started bashing away at her PC. She checked on the trackers Joel had placed on the SPD’s vehicles. He had placed trackers on four of the vehicles. The one seemed to have been at the precinct all day. Another traveled through the lower parts of Satchmo, seemingly patrolling the area. The other two though.

“Shit” she swore again.

They were in the vicinity where she saw The Ghosts Shadow’s motorcycle. Both the vehicles had since left the area though.

“What is going on here?” Miss McKay thought out loud.

Both the vehicles, after leaving the area, seemed to have been racing through the town. The one that took off first was being trailed by the other. A while later the first vehicle seemed to have driven off, away from the trailer, and headed up towards the upper parts of town. The other then slowed down, occasionally zipping up and down some side streets.

'Are they trying to find the other vehicle?' she questioned.

“This looks like a car chase,” Miss McKay whispered to herself. “Why would they be chasing each other?”

She started feeling uneasy. Something wasn’t right here, she knew it. Miss McKay decided to head out towards where she saw Joel’s motorcycle.

Earlier that day on route to where Stella was, Catherine told Cameron that she won’t be able to go all the way with him. She saw that the Faceless Man was too close by and it would be too risky for her.

“Be careful Cameron,” she cautioned, “He is close and he always keeps the strongest of his troops with him.”

“I will,” Cameron resplied, “but all I care about right now is getting Stella to safety. She is badly injured. I know it and I know you do too. She doesn’t have much time left.”

Catherine didn't respond and with that the two carried on in silence, quickly making their way towards Stella’s location.

They reached an open field and Catherine told him she can’t go any further. Without stopping or slowing down, Cameron pushed forward, quickly making his way across. Within seconds, he was out of her sight.

Cameron reached the point where he thought Stella was however, he saw nothing. He looked around and knew this is where she was supposed to be.

'Where are you,' he thought.

“Fuck!” Cameron shouted out of frustration.

“Stella!”

Cameron was met with nothing. All he noticed was a gentle breeze blowing through the grass.

A few moments later, he heard something. A faint sound, barely audible over the breeze and distant rumbling as the waves kept crashing into the cliff face in the distance. He looked around again, then started pacing around, searching.

He heard it again, this time slightly more audible.

“Help,” the voice softly cried out.

“Stella!” Cameron shouted out again, then focused on trying to hear the voice.

At that moment, he noticed some movement just a few steps ahead, as if the sand had been disrupted ever so slightly. Stella had been trying to push the manhole cover out of the way, however, she was too weak.

Cameron quickly made his way over and started sweeping away at the sand where he saw the movement. His heart sunk into his stomach.

“Has she been buried?” he thought.

Then he noticed the cover. As he pulled it away Cameron saw her, barely being able to hold onto the tiny ladder.

She was covered in dirt, sweat, and blood. The only thing she was wearing was a bra and pants, with bits of cloth dangling from her hands.

“Stella!” Cameron shouted as he gently cupped his hands under her upper arms and pulled her out from the pipe.

Stella gave out a slight cry from the pain. She was so weak, that she could hardly scream anymore.

Cameron gently wrapped his arms behind her back and legs before picking her up. Tears welled up in his eyes as he looked down at Stella. She could hardly focus. Her lips had turned a pale blue. Bruises covered her body and her breathing was harsh and raspy.

For a brief moment, Stella seemed to have locked her eyes with his.

“They’re coming,” she whispered.

“I know,” Cameron said. With that, he turned around and started heading back towards the road.