Post by StoryGirl83 on Nov 6, 2011 21:00:33 GMT -5
Chapter Twelve – The Blogger
Seth and Peter sat in Seth’s old red Ford Fusion. Seth compared the address he had gotten out of the phone book with the one on the door. “Looks like this is it.”
“Yeah,” Peter replied sardonically. “I figured that out five minutes ago. Are we going in?”
Seth frowned. “No, I think we are not going in. We don’t know anything about this guy, so I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to come in with me.”
“Seth, I’m not a little kid,” Peter protested. “I want to help you with this. I’m the one who found out about him in the first place.”
Seth looked at his brother through narrow eyes.
“Besides, you took me here,” Peter commented innocently. “You can’t leave me in the car.”
Seth scowled and then snorted. “Right. Come on.”
Peter grinned and did a little arm pump move before opening his door and getting out. He followed his brother to the front door of the single level, single dwelling house. He reached the door first and tap on it.
Several seconds went by before they heard the sound of footsteps. The door opened and a man in his fifties pulled open the door and looked at them. “I thought I told your friends I was not going to buy anything.”
“Nicholas Martinez?” Seth asked the shaggy haired man in front of him.
The man sighed and nodded. “And you are?”
“Did you write this?” Peter asked, holding up the copy he had printed out of the blog.
Nick groaned. “Can’t I post something on my blog without having every freak in the world coming out of the woodwork?”
Seth scowled. “I think I liked Wyatt’s twin’s terms better.”
Peter looked at him, surprised. “Wyatt has a twin?”
Seth nodded. “Now, she’s a freak.”
“Are you planning on just standing there yakking, or do you intend to tell me why I should talk to you?” Nick asked.
“What did she call you?” Peter whispered.
Seth chuckled and learned down. “Demon. What else?”
“And you liked that?” Peter asked perplexed.
Seth shrugged. “At least it’s accurate.” In a normal voice he looked at Nick and said, “I am not a freak.”
“Whatever,” Nick glared at him. “You are however on my front step not telling me why.”
“Seth,” Seth informed him holding out his hand. “And this is my little brother, Peter.”
“And my blog brought you here why?” Nick asked wearily.
“The Aphrodite Crystal showed up at my best friend’s work this morning,” Seth informed him matter of fact. “I need information.”
It took a second for the words to sink in and then Nick groaned. “Come in. I don’t know that I can help you much. If he’s been cursed . . .” he shrugged his shoulders in defeat, “there’s not much I can do or say to help.”
“You and your friends seem to be the experts,” Seth informed him as he and Peter entered the cluttered house. “Interesting décor.”
Nick shrugged as he shut the door behind them. “After last night I’ve been looking through everything I have on the Crystal to see if there is any reason some idiot would knowingly get close to it.” He waved a hand at the couch. “Have a seat.”
Peter plopped down on the couch, bouncing a little. “Good springs on this one.”
Nick grinned. “Yep. Ev always . . . anyway. You wanted information on the Crystal.”
“Why don’t we start with what you wrote here,” Seth started, taking note of the hesitant almost statement for later. “You said the Crystal was stolen. How do you know? And stolen from where?”
Nick hesitated and then walked over to the computer desk. He moved some papers that had fallen on his keyboard. He tapped the screen and typed some words into the web browser. A web site popped up and he tapped several levels of sub boards and got out of the way.
The camera was pointed on green glowing crystal, nestled into a rock next in a cavern. Seth watched the screen as three men walked into view of the camera. He listened as the argued over how to package the crystal into a box and then came the part that scared him.
“Is it worth it?” one of the men on the screen asked, looking doubtfully at the packaged gem.
“Only if it works,” the second man on the screen decided. “If it fails. . .”
“Humans will probably die even if it fails in its purpose,” the third man commented.
Seth shivered at the words.
“The cure?” the first man asked, though there was no doubt in Seth’s mind that all three were demons.
“Exceedingly hard to get,” the second remind him, having already said as much earlier.
“Which means there is one,” Nick mumbled.
Seth shushed him and continued to listen.
“The witch will suffer even if he doesn’t die,” the first one commented, sounding like he wanted reassurance.
Wyatt, Seth realized. These demons had stolen the Crystal specifically to get at Wyatt.
“What are you thinking?” the second and clearly more knowledgeable asked.
Seth watched amazed at the first demon walked up to the box and picked it up. The demon shrugged at the other two and shimmered out with the box.
Nick tapped the screen and the video paused. “They sound like they really want to hurt a witch. And those guys creep me out, so I’m not sure what to make of that. Aren’t witches bad?”
“Not on this planet they aren’t,” Seth retorted. “Those were the bad guys.”
“Clearly,” Nick replied scowling. “But that doesn’t mean they aren’t after someone evil, too.”
“Well, they aren’t,” Seth informed him. “I believe I read that you have a book about someone named Ijah who was saved from this by a witch.”
“But that’s fiction,” Nick protested.
“I rather doubt it,” Seth replied. “Oh, the names may have been changed to protect people, especially if it was published during the lifetime of those involved, but most likely it’s fact.”
“But that’s crazy.”
“Your friends are cursed,” Seth reminded him. “And you think that book being fact is crazy?”
That caused Nick to pause. “Well. Um.”
“Yeah, I thought so,” Seth smirked. “May I see the book?”
Nick walked away from the desk and over to the book case. He grabbed an old ratty looking book and brought it over to Seth. “There’s not a whole lot in there. And while it mentions a potion that Ijah drinks, it doesn’t say what’s in it.”
“Of course not,” Seth mumbled as he looked through the small book. “That would be too easy. And this never is.”
Nick looked at him curiously. “What are you mumbling about?”
“Oh, nothing,” Seth assured him. “It just would have surprised me if the potion was in there.”
“I guess,” Nick replied, uncertain. “If you find the cure, can you bring it back here?”
Seth looked at him. “If you tell me where to go, I can bring it directly to your friends.”
“You won’t be able to get to Jarod,” Nick informed him. “Only a select list can get in there.”
“I can get in,” Seth assured him.
“Well, without me, you won’t get him to take it,” Nick informed him.
Seth inclined his head. “That’s probably true. Could you at least give me some last names to go with your friends, so I can try and talk to the other two, Everett and Reggie.”
Nick considered this and nodded. “Ev’s last name is Lawson. Phone’s listed under his son, Miles, though, as is probably everything else. Miles is an inventor and Ev has a hard time holding down a job. He quit trying when Miles started making more than twice what he was. Reggie’s last name is Hollis. He’s actually done all right for himself, considering. He’s the manager of . . .”
“Centennial,” Seth interrupted. “That’s some coincidence.”
Nick looked at him confused. “How’s that?”
“I told you the Crystal showed up at my best friend’s work.”
Nick nodded.
“Well, his brother used to work at Centennial.”
Nick chuckled. “Yeah, that’s odd. That is Reggie.”
Seth nodded. “Who would know the most about the Crystal?”
“You’re looking at him,” Nick informed him. “I don’t know how much I can help, but I’m definitely the one who knows the most.”
Seth nodded. “Then, tell me everything you can and I’ll pass it on to my friends.”
Nick walked over to the couch and sat down on the opposite end from Peter. “This could take a while.”