!!WARNING!! THIS POSTING CONTAINS ADULT CONTENT
& VIOLENCE SITUATIONS !!WARNING!!
Monday, December 24, 1986
Eileen McCoy’s Apartment
Southeastern, San Diego, Ca
Corey Byrnes sits in his boxers on the couch. The shade are still drawn, the only light in the room is from the morning sun that peeks around the sides of the shades. He has been sitting in the living room for several hours, lost in thought. He hears a stirring in the bedroom that turns his attention to the door at the end of the hall. Eileen comes out pulling on her robe. “Corey, what are you doing?” What’s wrong?” she asks. “We have to work tomorrow, so I thought we were going to spend the whole day in bed.”
He looks to her tousled hair and smiles slightly. “I’ve been doing some thinking,” Corey tells his partner.
“Thinking about what?” Eileen asks the concern showing in her voice.
“Come sit next to me,” he suggests and she steps around the coffee table to sit on the couch next to him. Corey turns to take hold of both of her hands. “I think we should come out,” he says bluntly.
“Cum what?” she says confused by his statement.
“We have been sneaking around long enough, I think we should tell everyone we are together, that we are married!” he says smiling.
“Oh my god, I can’t believe you are saying this now,” Eileen replies.
“With everything that has happened, I don’t want to have this secret anymore.” Corey says leaning over to hug her. “If we can’t be partners anymore at work so be it.” “It doesn’t matter as long as I can come home to you every night for the rest of my life.” When he released her from the hug and sit back on the couch he can see the tears running down her face. “Eileen, are you alright?” he asks.
She sobs a little as she wipes her face on the sleeve of her robe. “I am wonderful and I have the most fantastic HUSBAND in the world,” she replies through tears of joy. “This is the best Christmas present you could have ever given me!” “Plus I don’t think we have to worry about work.” “Redmayne wouldn’t dare split us up!” Eileen stands up from the couch still holding his hand. “Now come back to bed and show me how wonderful of a husband you can be!” “I’m eager to unwrap that other package.”
Sheraton Crescent Hotel
2620 W. Dunlap Ave.
Phoenix, Arizona
Dr. Erica Cain steps out of the limousine that picked her up at the airport. She is an average height African American woman who wears her brown hair in shoulder-length braids. Born and raised in Phoenix she is home to spend the holidays with family, but she must make one business stop first. She has little to report but must make this trip just the same. Dr. Cain takes the elevator to the fourth floor.
James Santoro meets Dr. Cain at the elevator door on the fourth floor. “Mr. Cifredo is not in the best of moods, I hope you have good news,” he tells her.
“I have news, but I don’t know if he will think it is good,” Dr. Cain replies as they walk to room 433. Both of them have dealt with Cifredo for years and know how he reacts when he is not pleased. Dr. Cain has met with Cifredo at this hotel before but never in the same room. She has no idea where Cifredo truly lives. She suspects that Santoro might know where their boss lives but she knows not to ask.
When they arrive at the suite, Santoro opens the door for the doctor, following her inside. “Wait here, I will tell him you have arrived,” Santoro tells her as they enter the main room of the suite.
Antonio Cifredo sits in a large high back chair in an adjoining study room awaiting the arrival of his man. James knocks and then enters the private room. Santoro informs his benefactor, “Dr. Cain has arrived.”
“Very well then, send her in.” “I hope that she has better news than the other fool!” Antonio Cifredo exclaims. “And get us some scotch!”
“Yes Sir,” James replies leaving the room to send Dr. Cain in.
Dr. Cain is visibly nervous as she enters the room to stand a few feet from Cifredo. “So Dr. Cain tell me what I want to hear!” Mr. Cifredo says standing up from his chair to face the woman down.
“In the short time I have been treating Eileen McCoy I am sure that she has come to trust me and accept my advice,” Dr. Cain replies violating every pledge to client, patient confidentiality she has taken. Cifredo holds many secrets over many people and Dr. Cain is just another of those many. She was sent to San Diego to spy on Eileen McCoy and that is what she has done never questioning Cifredo’s motivation.
“Very good, and what have you advised her to do?” Cifredo asks as James Santoro returns to the room with a bottle of scotch and three glasses. Mr. Cifredo and the Doctor watch as Santoro pours two glasses of the well aged alcohol. She is unsure if she is to talk in front of Cifredo’s man so she waits. “I said girl, what have you advised her to do?” he repeats.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t sure if I should speak now,” Cain says taking the glass from Santoro. “I advised Eileen that she needs to be completely honest with the people close to her if she is ever going to be happy in her life and her work.” “Not to hold anything back from those that she loves.”
“And how does this wonderful advice help me!” Cifredo demands gulping down the scotch and holding out her glass for a refill.
“I believe that she has now told Byrnes about the box you seek,” Dr. Cain replies timidly.
Fire burns in Cifredo’s eyes at the mention of the name. He turns to Santoro shouting, “Why is Byrnes still alive?!” The furious man throws the scotch glass across the room to strike the wall and break. “I told you to remove him from the playing board!”
“Forgive me, sir, but it is better that Byrnes remains in play for now until Dr. Cain can fully gain the girl’s trust,” Santoro firm and unwaveringly tells his much older man. In any other situation like this the younger man would have no need to fear the feeble old man. But Santoro knows that Cifredo could kill him where he stands.
“It would seem that someone has forgotten who is in charge, James,” Cifredo says glaring at the young man.
“Excuse me sir,” Dr. Cain nervously interrupts, “At this point Byrnes is an important piece of the puzzle.” “If he was to vanish now, McCoy would turn away, turn inward and everything we have gained would be lost.” The doctor turns sheepish as Cifredo’s temper cools.
“Very well then,” Cifredo says looking to Santoro. “I will let it go for now.” “Get me another drink!” he demands as Santoro fills the third glass as if he knew his boss would break the previous one. “What about the boy, Tony?” he asks.
“I have had a much longer relationship with Tony and he was eager to tell me about his meeting with Officer McCoy,” Dr. Cain explains. “He even told me of their little family reunion.”
“Is there any chance that either of them might discover their mutual connection to you?” Cifredo asks glaring at the doctor.
“No, not at all I see Tony at my private office and Officer McCoy at the precinct office,” Cain quickly explains. Cifredo nodded in approval. “There might be a problem though, Tony told me that he was taught to use the bracelet you gave him by a strange golden man.” “I functioned as a force shield.” There is almost a smile on the old man’s face at this news. “But the shield burnt out or something he hasn’t been able to make it work since.”
“Not a problem,” Cifredo says looking to Santoro. “Have the bracelet replaced with another without the boy’s knowledge.”
“Yes, sir,” Santoro replies.
“The thing that interests me more is the golden man,” Cifredo contemplates finishing his scotch. “Could he be an alien?” “I need to know, is that understood!”
Eileen McCoy’s Apartment
Southeastern, San Diego, Ca
It is late afternoon when Eileen McCoy’s doorbell rings. Corey had gone to his storage locker to pick up a few things for the night and she figures he just forgot his key. When she opened the door she is very surprised to see that she is wrong. In the hall of her apartment building stands an old disheveled bum. He is dirty, smells of beer, and in need of a haircut for his long grey hair and shave for his beard that is matted and tangled. “Please Eileen, you have to help me find Pamela, I need to find Pamela,” he begs her the moment they make eye contact.
It is the sound of his voice that instantly awakens old memories that let her recognize him. What are you doing her Joe Morgan?” In nearly two decades she has never once wondered what became of her best friend, Pam’s despicable, abusive stepfather, but now she has the answer. “You need to leave, even if I knew where Pam was I wouldn’t tell you!” Eileen says moving to close the door in his face.
Before she can get the door closed he lunges forward grabbing her arm, “Please girl, I need to find her or they will kill me!” he begs some more. She can smell the booze on his rancid breathe.
“Look Morgan you better remove that hand or I will break it!” Eileen threatens. “Don’t think I can’t do it, I am a police officer now and if so is my husband,” Eileen tells him spotting Corey returning up the stairs behind the unwanted visitor.
“Is there a problem here?” Corey asks arriving at the door carrying a large box.
“Officer Byrnes, I would like you to meet Pam’s scumbag step-father,” Eileen says. “I would say not so fresh out of the drunk tank.”
Joe Morgan ignores the new man’s arrival his full attention on Eileen. Instead of turning to acknowledge Corey, he grabs Eileen’s other arm and pulled her from the safety of her apartment. Corey has seen enough as he drops the box he is carrying to the floor with a crunch. He moves quickly to grab Morgan’s arms pulling them behind his back, making him release Eileen as he forces Morgan’s face to the wall. “I do not appreciate you manhandling my wife like that!” Corey breathes down the man’s filthy neck.
Completely calm, but a little turned on, Eileen walks around the two men to look Morgan in his one eye that is not pushed into the wallpaper. “Looks like you are going back to jail to me, I hope it was worth it,” she tells him.
“Please you have to help me, they will kill me if I don’t get it back!” he begs his mouth crushed against the wall.
“Get what back, who is going to kill you?” Corey asks pushing the man’s face harder into the wall.
“Don’t pay him any mind,” Eileen tells her husband. “He is just a crazy, abusive old drunk!”
“Please,” Morgan begs again. “It was a medallion that Helen kept, Pamela must have it now I must get it back to them!” he says almost crying. “I only have until midnight or they will kill me!”
“Who are they?” Corey asks fearing that this man’s connection to Eileen’s past might have something to do with Cifredo.
“I can’t believe you are taking this bastard seriously,” Eileen comments looking her husband in the eye.
“The Thelema Lodge,” Morgan says softly as if he fears someone might hear. “The Grand Wizard will order them to kill me if I don’t return the medallion I stole years ago.”
“Are they people from some bar you owe money to?” Eileen scoffs.
“No, I’ve heard of them, it is some kind of cult that the feds have been hunting for years,” Corey says. “If I let you go will you behave, keep your distance from Eileen?” Corey asks loosening his grip.
“Yes,” Joe Morgan mumbles. “Even if you put me back in jail I am as good as dead.”
“I say he made his bed, now let him lie in it!” Eileen tells Corey.
“No, the Thelema are a serious threat,” Corey tells her. “I’ve read reports that they breed children for human sacrifice.”
“You can’t be considering helping this pig find Pam?” Eileen argues.
“Not so much help him find Pam as catch the Thelema,” Corey replies. “That would be a real feather in our caps in Redmayne’s eyes and the department.”
“This was to be our first Christmas together, our time alone to celebrate,” Eileen suggests.
“I know babe, but we have to try, these are very dangerous people and if this old bum has a lead that might bust a cult, we should take it.”
Eileen is silent for a moment glaring at the broken down old man that once caused her best friend so much pain. Pain that she would love to see come back to punish him. “I need more proof, that this isn’t just a shit story,” she tells the men.
“Here look at this!” Morgan interjects. Both off-duty Officers watch as Joe Morgan begins to undo his pants.
“Whoa, what are you doing there?” Corey asks as Morgan’s dirty ragged pants drop to the carpeted floor. What they see is shocking.
“There is your proof!” Morgan exclaims. “The Grand Wizard ordered my balls cut off and the only way I get them back is to return the medallion!” He isn’t lying, where his scrotum should be there is only a clump of mangled blood clotted skin. The sight is as appalling as the thought of the pain involved in such an attack sends chills through the couple.
Visibly shaken Eileen turns away saying, “I’ll get dressed and get our gear, don’t let him out of your sight.”
Alone in the hall with Morgan as he pulls up his pants to hide his shame, Corey can’t help but ask, “Why would the Thelema do that to you?”
“Naive, non believer, a man’s testicles are the source of his power,” Morgan answers firmly. Corey has heard jokes to that effect all his life but never did he believe anyone would take them so literally. “If I don’t get my balls back I might as well be dead anyway.”
Corey ignores the man’s ranting. The idea that he could have his balls reattached is crazy. “That won’t happen if you help us catch the members of the Thelema Lodge.”
“You are making a mistake thinking you can take down the Lodge,” Morgan says as he slides down the wall to the carpeted floor wiping the blood from his split lip. “You would be much better served helping me find Pamela to get the medallion back.”
“What is so special about some medallion?” Corey asks.
“It is used in ceremonies to control women’s mind, bend them to the will of the Thelema,” Morgan explains. “I stole it years ago to use on my wife and her bullheaded daughter.” “If Pamela hadn’t somehow broken through its power, they would still be doing my bidding.” Eileen had told Corey stories about the troubled childhood that Pam had and how horrible her step-father was, but she never mentioned that he was insane as well.
“You truly believe that story?” Corey asks.
“As should you,” Morgan accuses. “I can see it in your eyes, you have experienced the will of another taking control of your mind!” Corey is visibly taken aback by the bum’s statement. “To have someone take control of your very will, it should be an honor.” Corey is silent at the man’s words and a little frightened. “It was her love that broke the spell, wasn’t it?”
“What, what are you talking about?” Corey asks feeding into the man on the floor’s tale.
“Do you love her with all of your heart?” Morgan repeats. “Would you die for her?” he asks. Corey doesn’t answer but he instinctively nods slightly. “And would she do the same for you?”
“Don’t listen to his bullshit!” Eileen says returning with their guns and holsters. “I told you he is full of crap!” Morgan grins to himself, he has gotten the information he needs. “Get up you bastard, where are we going?”
Joe Morgan struggle slightly to get up from the floor saying, “I will help you but we have to go to my place first.”
Sheraton Crescent Hotel
2620 W. Dunlap Ave.
Phoenix, Arizona
James Santoro organizes the papers containing reports from operatives that his boss will need to go over. He is still not convinced that Cifredo agrees with what he has done but he must not challenge his keeper so soon again over it. Santoro has become a master at hiding his emotions in the years it has taken for him to become Mr. Cifredo’s right hand man. He has also endured much pain in that time both within and from punishments he has received. It would not be a surprise to him if Mr. Cifredo is not already planning his punishment for this disobedience. Gathering everything he needs Santoro moves to bring the papers to his boss who sits by and electric fireplace.
Cifredo takes the paperwork from his man saying, “Leave me now James, I would have a nap after my update.” Santoro simply nods and exits the room, always the obedient servant. Alone Cifredo puts aside the papers to pick up the phone. He dials a number from his steel trap of a memory. There are two rings on the line before it is answered. “I am not satisfied with the work of others,” Cifredo says into the receiver. “I need you to take care of something for me.” “Corey Byrnes, I need him dead at once!” “Yes, I know these things take time but I want it done now!” “I will stand for no more disobedience!” “That is none of your concern, I will deal with the others in my own fashion,” “I expect to hear that Byrnes is dead by the end of the day!”
Interstate 15
San Diego, Ca
Corey Byrnes drives his dark green Ford Bronco up I-15 toward Montgomery Gibbs Airport. His recent change in lifestyle has forced him to give up his sports car for more modest transportation. Joe Morgan has been staying in a Motel by the airport since his release from prison. His claim is that since his divorce and the loss of the medallion he has fallen on hard times. The only way the lodge will take his back is the return of the medallion created by Aleister Crowley, the founder of the group. Morgan rides in the back seat handcuffed by Eileen’s insistence. Eileen rides in the passenger seat not saying much on the ride until, “How do you know about this cult and that the FBI is interested in them?” she asks.
Corey glances over at her to reply, “A guy I went to the academy with, Mike Lei is FBI now.” “I ran into him a few weeks back, he told me about the case he had been working.” “I found it interesting, what are the odds this would fall in our laps like this?”
“Odds in deed,” Eileen comments.
“Still suspicious of everything, I see,” Morgan comments from the back seat. “I spent years believing it was your influence on Pamela that gave her the strength to overcome the power of the medallion.”
Eileen looks back at him, “You truly are insane to believe in some magical medallion.” “If it was so powerful why not use it on me?”
“I tried but it didn’t work on you,” Morgan says slumping back in the seat. Eileen can’t help but to think about the last time she saw Pam and that it was her that was immune to the Musician’s control. There were other things too that she learned about her childhood friend that day. Eileen had to wonder if Morgan was also aware that Pam was most likely a Zeni-human. Is that why he wants to find her so badly?
“I have to admit, I’m surprised at your disbelief in Joe’s story about the medallion,” Corey whispers. “It has been you trying to convince me of those types of things for the past few months.”
Eileen looks over at her partner and in a low voice, she says, “This is different, this is Joe Morgan!”
A low rent Motel near,
Montgomery Gibbs Airport
San Diego, Ca
They pull into the parking lot, up to the front of room 115. “You can wait in the truck, if you want,” Corey says as he turns off the engine. “I can handle this.”
“Not on your life, I’m not leaving you alone with this nut again,” Eileen replies getting out of the Bronco. She opens the back door and roughly pulls the handcuffed man out. “Make this quick!” she tells him shoving him toward the Motel door.
“The key is in my inside coat pocket,” Morgan tells Corey as they stand at the locked Hotel door. Corey opens the front of the man’s filthy jacket to reach inside, retrieving the key.
Eileen eyes the parking lot looking at the faces of the people watching or trying not to look. Corey opens the door and the trio move inside the dirty little Motel room. Eileen is disgusted by the musty smell of sweat that fills the small room. “Get a move on, what are we here for?” she demands refusing to step any further into the room.
“A key, but I can’t get it with my hands cuffed behind my back,” Morgan tells them.
“Well then I guess you will just have to tell me where to look,” Corey explains.
With a disappointed look on his face Morgan replies, “Over there in the top drawer of the dresser.” Corey goes over to the dresser that looks like something out of a nineteen-fifties movie and opens the top drawer.
“Why do you need this key anyway?” Eileen asks suspiciously.
“It is my key to getting back into the lodge,” Morgan says a glimmer in his eye.
“Is this it?” Corey asks turning around holding up a large old copper key. The key is green with tarnish and it appears to be too big to fit any modern lock. It is more like a key to a medieval jail cell.
Both Eileen and Corey eye the object he holds and they feel strange for a moment, almost dizzy. Morgan stands silent as the couple’s eyes move from the key to each other. A warmth spreads over their bodies as they speak to each other in unison, “I Love You!” The instant they speak the three words aloud, the moment is forgotten as if it never happened.
“Yes, that is the one,” Joe Morgan grins. He never told them that the medallion he sought was the only magical artifact he stole from the Thelema.
“Then let’s go, I want to get this over with so we can salvage what is left of this holiday!” Eileen insists.
Scripps Ranch
San Diego, Ca
Scripps Ranch, San Diego is a much less densely populated area of the city. FBI Agents Mike Lei and Derrick Dylan sit in their car staking out the gates to a rather large high end property suspected of being the main meeting place of the Thelema Lodge. The influence the lodge has in local politics has made it impossible for the FBI to get a search warrant for the suspected property. For the most part, the street is avoided except by local residents. Lei and Dylan have found a parking spot just off the street that is hidden by trees. They can see all that happens at the gate but is still hidden from the cars passing by.
Lei and Dylan have been staking out the house for days with nothing to show for it. If there isn’t any proof of wrongdoing by the lodge soon the case will be closed. Agent Lei is determined that the case not be closed before he can find something beyond normal happening here. There have been many cars in and out of the estate over the last few days but there was nothing suspicious about them. As the sun begins to set a green Bronco pulls over along the side of the road near the gate. “Who is that there?” Agent Dylan asks pointing over the dash.
Agent Lei picks up his binoculars from the car floor to make out the forms of three people in the truck. “I can’t make out any faces through the tinted glass windows,” Lei tells his partner. “All I can be sure of is that the occupants are having a heated discussion.”
Agent Lei is correct that is what is happening inside the Corey Byrnes’ Bronco. Eileen is insistent that Morgan remain locked in the truck. While Corey makes the point that they can’t legally enter the estate without just cause, Morgan needs to be present with them to justify that he invited them onto the property.
“Without me girl you can’t even get in,” Morgan interjects from the back seat. “I have this,” he says holding up the old key.
“Does that key open the gate?” Eileen asks angrily.
“No, something much better,” Morgan replies simply. “We can’t get in here anyway.” “This is only to keep up public appearances.”
“Where are we going then?” Corey asks.
“Down the road make a left to go around the side of the property,” Morgan instructs. “You will see a tall hedge row off to the left.” “Pull over there.”
Corey backs up to get a better view of the road to pull back onto it. Driving a short way he tries to make his point again, “Be logical, Eileen, without him anything we find will not be admissible in court.” Corey argues, “Besides there are two of us, what could this old man do to escape?”
“Famous last words, I would say,” Eileen retorts as the Bronco turns down the side road.
“Then it is settled, he goes as our insurance policy,” Corey confirms pulling over near the tall hedge Morgan described.
“On one provision,” Eileen says turning to look at Morgan in the back seat. “You step one inch out of line, I’m shooting you!” she tells the man holding up her gun at him.
“Eileen what is up with you today?” Corey asks as he turns off the truck. “Why are you acting like this?” “It is so unlike you.”
“Let me see, it is our first Christmas Eve as husband and wife and you have me in a car with the biggest asshole I’ve known in my life!” Eileen says holstering her gun and getting out of the Bronco. She slams the door to step to the back door, opening it. She reaches in grabbing Joe Morgan by the arm and pulling him out off the truck. Morgan stumbles getting out of the door and falls to the pavement at Corey’s feet as he walks around the vehicle.
“Was that really necessary?” Corey asks reaching down to pick the man up.
“You really have no idea who this man is,” Eileen says again. “What a miserable human being he is and how badly he treated Pam and her mother for years!”
“And you have no idea who your friend really is!” Morgan shouts spitting, getting up his knees and shoulder scrapped from his fall. Eileen glares at him. Pam never told her what happened with Morgan that last night. But now with what happened with Pam in Vegas, Eileen has had a clearer guess to those events. She can only conclude that he knows she is a Zeni-human. “She is a product of the Thelema!”
“What the hell does that mean?” Eileen angrily questions.
“She was born with a special destiny!” Morgan shouts in anger wiping blood from the scarp on his arm. “Her father was one of us, her mother was chosen by us!” “That fool Helen thought she was free of the Thelema after the others in her group were murdered, but I found her!” “The girl was too important to the cause!”
“What does that mean?” Corey asks as they stand at the side of the road.
“None of it matters, Pam is free of you now!” Eileen states drawing her gun again. “Now let’s get a move on!” “How do we get in here?”
Morgan gives her an angry stare before replying, “Over there, find the part in the hedge.” Corey looks around the tall hedge, finding a brick structure with an iron door hidden behind it. There is an electronic keypad on the door. “The code is 4-6-6-6,” Morgan instructs. Corey keys in the code and the sound of large metal bolts sliding open can be heard and the heavy door drops down into the ground. On the other side of the wide door is a metal scaffold of stairs that leads down into darkness.
“Byrnes, what are you doing here?” Agent Lei shouts walking up behind them. Agent Dylan follows behind Lei not sure what to make of any of this,
“Mike, what are you doing here?” Corey asks his FBI friend.
“Watching you blow our whole case!” Agent Lei shouts looking around at the three of them. He spots the man wearing handcuffs and asks, “Who is this guy?”
“A selfish bastard!” Eileen replies. “Officer Eileen McCoy,” she says reaching out her free hand toward Agent Lei and then Dylan’s hand. “Here against my better judgment.”
“That aside, Mike this is Joe Morgan, he was a member of the Thelema Lodge until they threatened to kill him.” Corey explains. “He has been nice enough to invite us into the inner sanctum.”
Agent Lei glares at his old friend. The idea is ridiculous and risky, but he is desperate for a lead. “Is this true?” Lei asks Morgan.
Joe Morgan gives the new arrivals a dirty look. “Somewhat,” he says. “These idiots think they can take the Thelema down.” “So I said I would get them in.” Morgan does not look at Lei as he speaks he is much more interested in his young, dark haired, white partner. Morgan eyes the man from head to toe giving him a sinister smile. “You are welcome to tag along if you feel worthy,” Morgan says directly to Agent Dylan.
Agent Lei silently looks to his partner, in the short time they have worked together, they have come to know each other well. I takes only a few moments for Dylan to respond, “Let’s go!”
Morgan is pushed to the front to lead the group down the steps as the others break out flashlights. At the front Morgan smiles broadly at how easily these fools follow him to their sure demise. Eileen counts five landings in the metal stairs as they journey down what she guesses is fifty feet or more. At the bottom of the fire escape like stairs is a corridor seemingly carved out of the sandstone rock of what was once desert. Morgan continues to lead them down the corridor.
“Corey, I don’t like this we have no idea what is waiting at the end of this tunnel,” Eileen whispers to her husband.
“Relax, we have this covered now that we have the FBI on our bust,” Corey whispers trying to console her.
“For the record, this is an FBI bust not SDPD,” Agent Lei tells the off duty police officers. Corey wants to challenge Lei’s statement but he knows this is not the time for such an argument.
After about two hundred feet of walking in the dark there is light up ahead. The end of the tunnel nears and Agent Dylan says, “Douse the lights.”
The group slowly steps through the tunnel opening onto a ledge that overlooks a large cavern. Below them, the chamber is illuminated by candlelight. In the center of the chamber a young girl no older than eleven or twelve lays nude, unconscious on an altar, most likely drugged. Around the altar stand five men dressed in robes each of them wearing a different animal mask. Each mask appears to be made from the skin of the animal it represents, as if taxidermies. From their vantage point the voyeurs can’t see that the men stand in the shape of a pentagram. The men chant in a language none of the officers watching recognize.
The group on the ledge remains silent as they watch the ceremony proceed. Another man enters the chamber at the foot of the altar wearing the mask of a wolf. Eileen steps forward her gun drawn at the ready. Corey reaches out to lower her arms and guns whispering, “Not yet, we need to witness a crime.” The six man approaches the altar and the other men fall silent as he speaks a chant of his own, to which the other reply. Then all of the cultists go silent again for a moment as if in thanks to some unseen god.
Softly at first, the five around the alter begin to chant again. The sixth man, who is clearly in charge, unbuttons the collar of his robe and it drops to the floor. He is nude at full arousal as he steps closer to the girl still unmoving on the top of the altar. The other men also remove their robes revealing they are in the same state of arousal. The Grand Wizard’s body suddenly glows with markings that were unseen before as he climbs up onto the altar between the girls legs which he parts.
“That is far enough, scumbag!” Eileen McCoy shouts aiming her gun down at the cultists. The chanting stops as all of the animal headed nude men turn to see the group on the ledge aiming their guns.
The wolf headed Grand Wizard stands up over the unconscious girl, pulling off his mask to shout, “Who has brought non believers into our realm?”
Eileen is in shock at the sight of the man’s face, even with the strange haircut that is long on top and shaved on the side she recognizes him instantly. The Grand Wizard is Jon Morgan, Pam’s step-brother. The ramifications of this discovery races through Eileen’s mind as she turns to look at Joe Morgan. Their prisoner steps forward proudly speaking, “I bring them here Grand Wizard!”
“You have no right here, unless you have retrieved the Crowley medallion!” the Grand Wizard speaks with no respect to his father.
“I have brought something better!” Morgan says holding up the old cooper key, his hands now somehow free of the cuffs.
The Grand Wizard scoffs, “The Key of Hearts has no power unless it is bound to true lovers!”
“I have done just that!” the man shouts holding the old key out over his head. “Let the Lovers Sleep!” Instantly Eileen and Corey drop their guns and fall unconscious to the dirt floor of the ledge.
Southeastern Police Division Headquarters
Lt. Janet Redmayne’s office
San Diego, Ca
Robert Redmayne steps into his wife’s office unannounced. “What are you doing here?” Lt. Redmayne demands of her fictitious spouse. “I have not summoned you.”
“I found the information you wanted and thought it would be best to show it to you in person,” Robert Redmayne explains handing the police Lieutenant a file folder. “Officer McCoy has a younger brother, Michael, who is currently working at a Catholic Charities Home for recovering drug addicts in Boston, Massachusetts.” “He too shows all of the sign of compatibility.”
“But his instability does not make him a good match for the league,” Janet comments flipping through the file he has handed her. “Michael has a history of drug abuse that could be a serious problem.”
“Perhaps he could be used as a means to an end,” Robert suggests. “To win him over to your way of thinking could perhaps be of use to influence Eileen.”
“Perhaps,” Janet ponders.
“Might a Bernr parasite do the trick?” Robert asks.
“No, if your research is correct the brother is not completely Earth human,” Janet reveals. “The Argoian spores would have replaced the Zeni-human gene in his make-up just as with his sister and he would be unaffected by the Bernr.” “I have too few of the parasites left to waste on such a worthless attempt.” “There might be another use for the brother though.” “I have heard tell that an extreme emotional distress can cause the bond to form stronger.” “If you can not bring him over to my side, kill him.” “That should be enough of a trauma to fully initiate the bond.” “Send one of those drones you have been working on.”
“Which one?” Robert questions.
“A young human male in his twenties, who works with drug addicts,” Lt. Redmayne surmises. “Send a sexy female model to get his attention.” “Few of these humans are honest about their true motivations.”
Scripps Ranch
A hidden cavern deep under a large estate
San Diego, Ca
Eileen’s head throbs with pain as she regains consciousness. Her eyes flutter open in the dim candle light of the underground cavern. She and the others have been brought down to the ceremonial chamber floor. Corey, Agent Lei and Eileen have been chained to the wall at the far side of the chamber. She can see that Corey is also blindfolded giving her no way of know if he too is awake. Agent Lei appears to have been awake for some time as he has worked up a sweat struggling to break the chains that hold his arms and legs to the wall.
The girl that lay on the altar is gone now, replaced by Agent Dylan. He too is tied down with leather straps. The straps are much tighter than the chains the three on the wall wear making it impossible for him to move. Eileen and Agent Lei have a front row view of Dylan’s stripped naked body as he lays there screaming unable to move an inch. Yet no sound can be heard from his frantic vocal cords. It is then Eileen tries to cry out to discover that her voice too is lost. To her left Eileen hears a stirring as Corey begins to struggle with his chains. She looks over to see her husbands chest, throat and mouth move as he too lets out silent shouts.
“Quite soothing the silence, isn’t it?” the Grand Wizard, Jon Morgan says as he enters the chamber dressed in a very differently now than before Eileen and Corey passed out. Jon is now dressed in black spandex that does not hide the fact that he is must larger than he was the last time Eileen saw him years ago. He stands nearly six foot, four inches tall and his body appears to be all muscle, not the scrawny boy she once knew. “It is a simple potion to silence the non believes from disrupting our ceremonies with their voices.” “I remembered how stubborn and domineering you could be,” he smiles. “For years, I was convinced it was your influence on Pamela that helped her overcome the control of the medallion.” “Now I have come to believe her strength makes her much more important to the Thelema then we thought.” “She is what Helen believed her to, the Star Child.” “A child of Thelema prophecy.”
Eileen glares at the arrogant man as he paced the floor. She does remember Pam’s mother calling her Star Child, she just thought it was a pet name, no more. But now Eileen’s only thought is how she would like to punch this bastard in the face. She pulls on her shackles, trying to get her hands on him. She shouts many swear words at him that go unheard. Her frustration grows at a rate beyond what she has ever known, almost bringing her to tears.
“Now, now,” The Grand Wizard chides stepping close enough for her to smell his breathe. “Even if you were free, you have no power here.” “The Thelema are a community of men, the only power women have here is to bring forth new lineage.” The Grand Wizard walks around the alter inspecting the bound man. “Even this non believer has more of a purpose here than you.” He picks up a dagger from table off to the side of the cavern. He steps back to the bound man guiding the knife up the man’s inner thigh. The razor sharp blade shaves the hairs on his leg as it moves. “This man has a large set of testicles, I wonder if I should cut one off so as to not give my father that much power.”
It is Agent Lei who struggles now trying to yell at their sadistic capture. The Grand Wizard spits on Agent Dylan’s belly as he struggles to wiggle his hips away from the unseen cold blade touching him. Then the Wizard turns back to Eileen. “Haven’t you ever wondered about my mother?” he asks. “Oh that’s right you believed my mother to be the woman who cared for me as a child.” “No, no she was but a surrogate, like Helen Donaldson.” “It was right here on this altar that my father cut me from my mother’s belly to bring me into the world.” Eileen is repulsed by the thought of what Jon Morgan tells her. “Pamela was brought into this world here as well.”
The Grand Wizard then walks over in front of the blindfolded Corey Byrnes. “That is one thing we in the Thelema do not have, Love.” “We are taught from childhood that men are not meant to love, only dominate.” He runs the knife up the front of Corey’s shirt, slicing off the buttons. Corey struggles against his chains. Eileen reaches out for her husband’s hand, only able to touch Corey’s fingers to calm him so as to not be cut by the knife. “How sweet, not to worry we have much bigger plans for the love you two share.” The Grand Wizard draws the knife back. “He will not die yet, first he must be dominated, made submissive and humiliated in a ceremony to release his love fully into the Key of Hearts.” “His voice will be returned for the ceremony and his body made compliant.” “I so love the cries of a subservient when I sodomize him.” Corey panics again clenching his hands into fists to struggle and pull at his restraints.
The Grand Wizard returns back across the cavern to replace the dagger on the table. “But there is another ceremony that must be performed before I get that power.” “I regret that I must first return my father’s power,” he says lifting a mason jar from the table. He grins looking at the contents of the jar that Lei and Eileen can only guess are Joe Morgan’s testicles. Both of the captives can not image how this crazy man intends to reattach the man’s balls. He looks across the room at Eileen, the candle light making his eyes shimmer, she feels a chill up her spine. “How I would have loved to break you as I did Pamela, a shame you are far too old for that honor,” he says before exiting the room the same way he came in.
The prisoners are alone again. Eileen reaches out to touch her husband’s fingers again. She is sure he knows her touch as he turns his head to her to silently mouth the words, “I Love You”. If only he could see her reply. The blindfold is no simple rag over his eyes. It is more like a leather strap tied tight and unmovable around his head. Eileen leans forward to look past her husband at Agent Lei.
He has frantically been trying to get her attention. He mouths a plan to her hoping she can read his lips. A trained FBI agent he is skilled at the sometimes useful activity. She replies with what he reads as, “Slow down.” He moves his lips slower now perfectly annunciating each syllable. He tells her how he signaled for back up the moments before they were caught. He silently tells her, that they must stall until help arrives.
How? she replies.
He knows you, use that, Lei lips back.
He hates me, she responds.
Same thing, use it, Lei insists.
St. John’s, Catholic Charities Rehab Center
Boston, Massachusetts.
It is late on Christmas Eve when Michael McCoy returns to the office he shares with several other junior counselors. He has just attended the eight o’clock mass and now he is on call for any crisis that might arise. Christmas can be a hard time for recovering drug addict he knows this all too when having gone through it himself. Michael has been very successful in the past few years helping others to conquer the addiction that controlled his life for years. He considers his new brother-in-law his latest success. He looks over his notes from sessions with his clients to pick out anyone who seems particularly vulnerable tonight. Then he will begin his sobriety check phone calls, disguised as holiday wishes.
Under normal circumstances Michael would be calling Corey Byrnes first, but he spoke with his sister Eileen this morning. She informed him that they were spending a quiet romantic Christmas Eve home. He truly hopes that is the case and she is still not blinded by love. First time clean ups most of the time don’t go as smoothly as Corey’s seems to be. Most addicts relapse several times before finally getting clean. It was only his strong belief in God that finally got him clean for the last time. But he knows that for everyone it is different. Perhaps the love Corey and his sister have is enough to keep him clean.
Suddenly, the door to the office burst open and provocatively dressed young woman bursts into the room. “Father, you have to help me!” she shouts. “They are after me!” From the track marks on her arm it instantly clear to Michael that the girl is a long time addict.
“Calm down miss,” Michael says getting up from the desk. He takes her by the arm to guide her to a leather couch at the side of the office. “I am not a Priest, my name is Michael, but I can still help you,” Michael tells the frantic woman. “Please, tell me who is after you.” The girl acts erratically as he sits her on the couch. It is clear to him that she is very high, probably having hallucinations. Her breathing was labored as she looks around the room making sure they are alone. “You are going to be okay, now just tell me what is going on,” he says compassionately.
It takes a few minutes for the woman to compose herself to the point at which she can speak. She scratches at her arms as she tells him, “They are going to kill me.”
“Who is going to kill you?” Michael asks.
“The demons, father” she replies simply, “The demons.”
It is common for drug addicts to have such delusions. Michael has learned to deal with people like this over his years helping others through their addictions. “Are these demons, people?” he asks. “Like a gang of some sort or real Demons?” He has decided it is best not to correct her again about not being a Priest if he wants to get her to talk and not upset her further.
“I don’t know,” she says to him looking deeply into his hazel eyes. “You have the most beautiful eyes, father,” she tells him.
Michael has seen this before, people this high often get easily distracted by the smallest of things. “Why don’t you tell me your name,” Michael asks trying to get the girl to focus.
“My name, my name is Judy,” the young woman tells him. “I need to go, I need to run away,” Judy says jumping up from the couch. “The demons, the demons are coming for me!” she shouts.
Michael stands up taking the girl by the arms, “Calm down Judy, I won’t let the demons take you,” he tells her. The girl seems to relax some as she puts her hands on his arm. “Let me take you someplace safe where we can get you help.”
Judy becomes distracted again as she squeezes Michael’s biceps. “Oh my father, do you work out?” she asks. “You have nice guns here,” she smiles up at him.
“Judy, you need to focus,” he says shaking her slightly. “I can only help you if you focus.”
“Oh so you like it rough, father,” Judy grins at him. “I can be rough!” She grabs the front of Michael’s button down shirt and tears it open sending all of the buttons flying. Michael instantly releases her backing away trying to close his shirt. “I was right father, you do work out,” she purrs. “You have a much better body than most of the guys I do.”
Michael is applauded at her behavior as he tries to tuck in his shirt to keep it closed. “For the last time I am not a Priest!” he shouts at the stoned girl in anger. “Nor am I one of your guys!” “If you have come here for help, I will help you, but if you think you are here for anything else you must leave!” His anger at her forwardness has caused him to overreact to her advances.
Judy crumbles to her knees on the floor as she begins to sob. “But the demons are coming to kill me!” “You need to help me Michael, you need to protect me.” Judy using his name leads him to believe she is becoming more aware of what is happening.
Michael steps closer reaching out his hand to help her up. “I’m sorry for getting angry with you.” “It is going to be okay, now get up off the floor,” Michael tells the sobbing woman. Instead slides up to him wrapping her arms around his leg where she cries wiping her make-up onto his pant leg. “Come on now Judy get up.” “You need to see a doctor now.”
She looks up at him, her eyes blackened with running mascara. “I know a doctor,” Judy whispers reaching for the waistband of his pants. “Doctor feel good!” Before he can react she has the button of his pants and fly undone.
“Get a way!” Michael shouts pushing Judy back. “That is it I am calling security!” Michael storms around his desk to the phone dialing an inside number. “Drew, I need help with a walk in,” he says over the phone as Judy sits on the floor sobbing again. It takes only a few minutes for two large orderlies dressed in white to arrive. “Take her down to Dr. Farwell in detox, she will be able to deal with her better than me,” Michael instructs as the two men pick the girl up from the floor.
Judy’s crying ends and she does not struggle as the orderlies pick her up from the floor by the arms. She becomes completely serene as they lead her from the office. Michael is rather shook up by the whole scene that has just taken place. It is the first time an addict has been so sexually aggressive with him. Sure he has had to restrain people out of control on drugs before, but no one has ever been so determined to seduce him. Suggestive talk he has heard but no one has ever tried to take his pants off before tonight. Sitting at the desk he can think of at least one of the other counselors that might have taken advantage of the stoned girl. He would never even consider such an act.
Scripps Ranch
A hidden cavern deep under a large estate
San Diego, Ca
The three captives chained to the wall have been left alone for about a half an hour. All of them have lost their strength to struggle for freedom. Instead they conserve their energies to disrupt whatever comes next. Eileen and Corey hold hands, both frightened at what the Grand Wizard has planned for them. Agent Dylan who is bound to the table nude has also calmed, the others can not be sure if he is even conscious under the leather blindfold.
It is then that the ceremony begins. The five men dressed all in black spandex with their animal masks that still conceal their identities. Each wears a large ornate gold and copper collars that lay over their shoulders. The men chant in that strange language again stepping single file into the cavern. Each carries a large red candle standing about two feet tall from their hands. They take their positions around the altar to form a pentagram again. Agent Lei begins to struggle again rattling his chains. The men pay no attention as if they welcome the noise he causes. Stalling them is not going to be an easy task.
It is then that the Grand Wizard enters the room, dressed as the others are in black with an all gold collar his wolf mask. He stands back from the altar this time by the table. Eileen wishes she too was blindfolded like her husband, so she didn’t have to watch this ceremony. Jon’s eyes are hidden from view under his mask making it impossible for her to know if she could even draw his attention like Lei suggested. But she releases Corey’s hand to start kicking and rattling her chains. Corey takes the cue from the others joining in the struggle to be distracting.
The ceremony continues unhindered by the rattling of the captives chains. It is almost as if the cultist want the noise as part of their ritual. The chanting of the men quiets as Joe Morgan enters the chamber nude and shaved from head to toe. He approaches the altar and climbs up the side on top of Agent Dylan. The tight restraints on the man leave him little room to struggle as Morgan kneels over his thighs. Morgan positions the open wound of his scrotum in such a way that it appears that the two men share balls. It is almost as if to share the male power of which the cult leader spoke. The other five men around the altar are silent now as Morgan begins his own chant over Agent Dylan.
Morgan finishes his chant as Lei, Corey and Eileen do everything they can to rattle their chains louder but the cultists pay no mind to them. Then the Grand Wizard steps forward handing Morgan the dagger from the table. The captives fear that Morgan will plunge the knife down into the victim but instead he moves it to his own chest. The bald old man clenches his teeth and growls deep from his belly as he begins to carve into his own flesh with the dagger. He carves a pentagram with one point up to his face, two to his armpits and the final two down over his belly to his legs. The blood runs down his body from the deep cuts he has made on himself. In each space between the lines he carves a different small symbol.
Then he turns his attention downward to the man bound under him. He leans forward with the dagger, their groins rubbing together as he begins to carve the same symbol into Agent Dylan. The man cries out in pain his voice finally being heard. For Dylan the cuts seem to take forever as he screams louder and louder. When Morgan has finished his task he hands the bloody dagger back to the Grand Wizard who replaces it with the mason jar.
Still blindfolded, Agent Dylan continues to scream, his mouth wide open, as Morgan opens the jar. The man on top removes his severed testicles from the mason jar and drops them into Dylan’s gaping mouth. Forcing his man’s mouth shut and slides the leather blindfold down over his mouth tightening the strap. The muffled cries continue as his wide eyes stare up at Morgan, bugging out of his head. Morgan lays down on top of the man smirking the blood of their wounds together as the other men begin to chant again.
Eileen turns her eyes to the floor she can’t watch anymore of this perversion. Lei begins to shout profanity as his voice begins to slowly return. “You fucking Bastard!” “Stop it, leave him alone!” It is but a whisper hidden under the chants of the cultist. Agent Lei can truly do nothing but watch as his partner is defiled by these fiends.
Morgan then sides down Dylan’s bloody body to his groin where he takes the sobbing man’s penis in his mouth. The old man sucks fiercely at his captive’s dick as if trying to suck out his soul. Morgan squeeze the man’s large balls in his hand trying to force more out of him. Caught between pain and pleasure Agent Dylan can do nothing by wail from his ball filled mouth behind the leather gag. Then after a few minutes the job is done as Agent Dylan’s body strains and then goes limp. Morgan sits up over the man again drooling semen from the corners of his mouth, howling at the top of his lungs.
The Grand Wizard steps up behind Morgan grabbing him by the face to reach around him slicing his throat with the bloody dagger. Morgan slumps forward onto Dylan, his blood gushing from his throat onto him. The Grand Wizard steps around the altar slicing through the leather straps that held Agent Dylan to the table. Standing at the foot of the table the Wizard speaks several strange words aloud. The air in the caverns surges with electricity and the odor of ozone fills the space. The candles held by the cultist flare to four times their height as they step back from the altar. The men chant again dropping the candles to the floor. The candles quickly spread to a ring of fire around the altar sucking up all of the oxygen in the cavern.
The captives chained to the wall become dizzy from the thin air. Trying to focus Eileen and Lei see a man stubbles from the ring of flame to be lead from the cavern by the cultists. Fire begins to die from the dwindling oxygen as does the consciousness of the prisoners.
Tuesday, December 25, 1986
Southeastern Police Division Headquarters
Lt. Janet Redmayne’s office
San Diego, Ca
“I have read your report on the drones attempt on Michael McCoy,” Lt. Redmayne tells her husband over the communicator from her desk drawer. “You completely screwed it up!”
“How so?” Robert Redmayne asks. “You lead me to believe that the weakness of a human male is his sexual desires.”
“Not in the case of this young man apparently,” Lt. Redmayne replies. “What was the exit plan?”
“The DNA for the drone was taken from an overdosed girl, her body was found in the alley not long after the drone escaped custody,” Robert explains.
“Very well then, we will try again in the future,” Lt. Redmayne suggests. “We must be patient with this one.”
“Then you do not want the young man terminated?” Robert asks.
“No, not yet, he may still be useful to us.” she tells him. “With what these two got into last night this situation might be harder to handle that I though originally,” Lt. Redmayne states before abruptly ending the transmission.
Coastal Medical Center
San Diego, Ca
Eileen regains consciousness in a private room at the Hospital that is shared by Corey and Agent Lei. Outside in the hall an Agent stands guard over them. “How did we get here?” Eileen asks.
“Hello sleepyhead,” Corey says to her from the next bed. “Apparently we were brought in late last night by the FBI team that raided the Scripps Ranch estate.”
“Did they catch those six bastards?” she asks. “Is Jon Morgan locked up?”
“We don’t know, no one has been in to debrief us yet,” Agent Lei says from the bed on the other side of Corey, “I imagine that is why we are all in the same room.” “The FBI wants to keep this quiet!”
“Mike and I have been talking and the big question is, why isn’t Agent Dylan here?” Corey tell her.
“Oh my God, what they did to that poor man,” Eileen sobs into her sheet as the memory of what they witnessed returns. “Shit that key medallion!” Eileen exclaims. “What about that thing?”
“I may not have been able to see, but from what your friend Jon said only Joe Morgan could use it on us and Mike says Joe is dead,” Corey rationalizes.
“That prick is not my friend!” Eileen retorts.
“Don’t say prick when we talk about Jon Morgan,” Corey says remembering what the Grand Wizard had in store for him.
Then a man in a grey suit enters the room, he is slightly balding with an FBI badge on his jacket. Agent Lei is eager to talk to him, “Are you ready to give us our debriefing now?” he asks.
“Yes Agent Lei, how did this all began?” the FBI agent says. Without speaking Eileen and Corey decide that it is best if they remain silent while Agent Lei tells the story. Lei tells a slightly milder story of how Officers Byrnes and McCoy contacted him about Joe Morgan wishing to come clean and turn on the Thelema. Then how they all went to the estate, let in by Morgan through a secret passage. He tells how they were drugged and capture, forced to watch Agent Dylan tortured in an occult ceremony.
“As of now your story can not be denied, but Agent Dylan is nowhere to be found,” the interviewer tells them. “Only one body was found on the altar, burnt beyond recognition.” “You should also know upon entry into the house agents found fourteen young girls held prisoner. Exploration of the labyrinth of tunnels underneath the property have led to the discovery of 53 bodies so far, mostly young girls.” “All five cult members on the property were taken into custody, their identities have yet to be determined.”
“Five?” Eileen questions, “What about the Grand Wizard, Jon Morgan?” “The one who wore the wolf mask.”
“There was no such person on the property when agents arrived.” the FBI interviewer tells her.
“He must have taken Derrick with him, that was who got out of the ring of fire,” Agent Lei insists.
“What about the Key of Hearts?” Corey asks to Eileen’s surprise. “It was made of copper all tarnished.”
“There have been many safes found hidden throughout the house,” The Agent tells them. “Some have been opened and the contents are still being inventoried.”
“Jon wouldn’t leave the Key behind, it was important to him!” Eileen insists.
“That being said, Officers, your are free to go, but you are not discuss any of what you witnessed with your superiors.” “They have been told all they need to know.” “The two of you successfully assisted the FBI on a case.”