Isaiah and Lynn rushed back to Eaeshore Police Station, panting like participants in a cutthroat scavenger hunt, having found all the items and were now, running back to the organizer to claim their prize, Elijah’s life.

Having plotted the coordinates, Isaiah did not feel much better. The Swastika emerged but that was all. They had, in their pursuit, forgotten about the fact that the Swastika was mapped out by using the timings of calls after the deaths as coordinates- not where the deaths took place, not where the bodies were transported to. So even if Elijah was the next successful sacrifice, Isaiah would not know where to look for his body.

He felt all mirth wiped away from his soul. There was only the brief triumph at breaking the Swastika code but, with the realization that it did not translate into the answer of the riddle of Elijah’s disappearance, Isaiah’s heart was ripped, feeling like he had accomplished nothing but a mad rush to another dead end. Yet, he and Lynn hoped that there was still something. Something from the map and coordinates that they had missed but someone familiar with Eaeshore would not.

They almost stalked their way into Stern’s office where Iggy and Carl were. Iggy was on the phone with someone, Gray most probably and Stern’s face was a picture of guilt.

Carl spoke first, his voice crisp, influenced by professionalism, an attribute not entirely welcomed by Isaiah who would not mind a friendlier tone. "Gray Man called. He checked out with Special Agent Blie about the first killing and PolSci Inner Sanctum. There is nothing concrete to pinpoint the first killer’s involvement in it, though he was suspected to be involved. The thing about this group is that, before it was seen as dangerous, it posed itself as some trendy, new ad-hoc club and got into conventions held by Universities, attracting students by the throngs but letting only a few in. How few, we have no idea. For when it was suspected to be deviant, it simply just… disappeared."

Isaiah nodded in agreement with his own silent deductions when Carl finished. "And Carter was the one who introduced the kids to go to the Political Science Convention held by UNO. He must have known that the group would have a booth there and laid some baits."

Carl shrugged, not having much of an idea of what Isaiah was talking about. Recalling his conversation with Carter, he suddenly felt like a rat and Carter was the Cheshire cat, grinning at him from atop a tree branch mockingly as he watched Isaiah beneath him running in circles; chasing his own tail.

Stern raked a hair through his graying mane as his lips twisted sideways before he expelled out noisily with some frustration. "Carter’s missing. We tailed him to a mall… somehow… he never came out…we believed he had switched cars and the plain clothes following him were not aware…"

Isaiah snatched a potted plant on Stern’s desk and flung it against a wall and saw the ceramic broke into several pieces as the soil smeared the sanitary white wall. The plant, with a weak stem and small green leaves, flopped flaccidly to the ground followed by more soil splattering on it.

Iggy covered the transmitting part of the phone, Carl’s face paled, Stern bit his lips and Lynn laid a restraining hand on his forearm.

He shook Lynn’s hand away and cracked his knuckles. "I’m sorry. A bullet to the head made me a little impatient towards incompetence. Any more bad news?"

"Let me explain…" Stern began but Isaiah held out a hand to stop him.

"Save your story for later. I should have expected it. You’re not used to these crimes and I wish you’ll never to face one again. We have the map and the coordinates. We have plotted it out. Can you take a look and tell us what you think about it? Where’s the damn Gray Man?"

Iggy, who had uncovered the phone, pointed to the receiver. "I think he heard you."

"Good. Say hello to him for me."

"He’s on his way back…to the Bureau." Iggy caught himself at the last moment, forgetting that Stern was not part of them as he was still shaken by Isaiah’s show of cold anger.

Carl decided to rescue the situation. He straightened his collar before clearing Stern’s desk, motioning for Isaiah to place the map on the table which Isaiah did, breathing in deeply, hoping someone could tell him the answer. The answer to the secret place that held his brother.

"This is the Swastika… but we can’t see anything from here… the points are all just timings of the calls. If there’s something… something at all…" Isaiah’s tone softened and his fear crept in. Everyone in the room heard it, heard the anger dissolve to its originator- fear for a life.

Iggy, who had put down the phone, went behind him and squeezed his shoulders, offering some friendly comfort.

Isaiah raised his head up to look Stern in the eyes. "I’m sorry for the potted plant. I make no excuse for my impulsion. But if there’s anything that you can see because of your familiarity with this town and I can’t… oh please… just tell me you can see something!"

Stern nodded and gave Isaiah an affirmative smile. "I do. There is something here. I don’t know if this will help but you’re wrong to say Eaeshore’s not used to these crimes… maybe not the same extent but we do have our share of witches, Satanists and other weird cults promising a way out of this dump, some quick get rich scheme, even the occasional KKK resurgence as minorities do get blame unfairly for the deep-seated problems Eaeshore’s plagued with. The centre of the Swastika points to a wasted industrial area that witnessed the brutal murders of a couple many years ago. Also, there used to be a coven of satanic witches who gathered there until the town people chased them away as they were killing domestic cats and dogs and draining their blood. Those that were left were charged with the death of baby girl. It’s an area that’s now more like a ghost-town but in its heydays, it attracted violence and superstitious like no other areas of Eaeshore could."

Isaiah expelled out a breath of relief and he squeezed his eyes shut, feeling hot wetness surging from his heart to his tear ducts.

"Thank you. Thank you so much." He croaked and felt Lynn placed a hand around his waist and drew him close to her.

***

Elijah woke up to the sound of someone crying next to him. Crying. Everyone was crying nowadays and he was a disgusted by tears, the saltiness of it that marked the cheeks and dried the skin. Swallow tears and they become a drink like no other to burn the throat.

Pain. Intensive, radiating pain from his whipped torso, from the raw, burnt sensations on his neck and from the swarming, pounding agony of the tender, bleeding part of his head which was missing hair and scalp shot through him. Contrary to what Ben had hoped, pain had not numbed Elijah’s mind. Elijah’s mind was his perfect retreat away from any physical torment he might be put through. Since young, pain was his catalyst to hack down the woods of his mind with a sickle, to think about things, to analyze.

Benedict Olson and Alicia Calloway. Two kids. Kids. Not even twenty-one perhaps. But they had access to state-of-the-art surveillance equipment, banned drugs and a sedative that was highly effective and hypnotizing. If he should lapse into the realm where the crown of self-control was snatched from his head, he would be able to hear Alicia whispering, hissing things. Things about Isaiah; things about his past.

That too made him wondered. How did they know about his relationship with his brother? How could they have gathered such intelligence?

He could no longer convince himself. There was shame and guilt. The memories of abuses and abandonment. But these feelings would pass. They always do. They would visit for a while, remind him of something called a conscience and, as time passed, he would wrap them up in dated newspapers and throw them down the chute.

And carry on with his life.

"Why? Why is he doing this?" A girl’s voice broke him away from his thoughts. Weakly, he turned his head to his left and saw Magdalene Ashriel, tied standing to a pillar. Her once luxurious, raven tresses were dulled and limped by dust and oil; her pretty face marred by tears and scratches.

But the scratches were faint. They would not leave scars. If she survived, the worst scars would be in her heart, as it was always the case.

"I thought he loves me… I thought he cares…. It was so dangerous, going out with him… but my friends were so envious, thinking I had tamed a monster. He was so sweet… calls me the angel who saved him…"

Elijah let out an acidic, raspy laugh which hurt his throat more than it freed his sarcasm.

"It’s crazy… how can Nazism ever be a religion? A faith? Hitler died! He’s a mortal… not a god… not God…"

Elijah found it amazing that even, when faced with death, the silly girl was still trying to understand her boyfriend, maybe trying to come to a conclusion that he loved her but had gone astray because he was only disturbed, that she could say the right words and be the angel who really saved him.

It was difficult for a person to save another who was determined to damn himself and yet, everyone was charged with the innate duty of bringing their fellow species into grace’s light. It was a paradox- the knight in shining armor lurking inside everybody and the self-destructive bomb that would blow from the most innocent of triggers.

"Deal with it." Elijah spoke hoarsely, feeling his tongue like sandpaper, rubbing abrasively against his throat. The girl’s crumpled face, pleated with anguish and sorrow, started raining down tears.

"I thought love can solve everything. I love him… he promised to be good… gosh… I love him so much… and…why? Why must it always be like that? These things only happen in the movies, not real life… right?" She did not seem to get the idea that he wanted to her shut up, to leave him some peace before he would die. But he guessed people who were frightened often deal with their fears in vastly different ways. She was one who deals with it by having a verbal diarrhea.

"That’s a naïve thought. You may love him, but he may not love you. He can use you, trick you, and abuse you. Better you see him for who he really is before you die rather than be blinded all your life." Elijah had no idea why he would bother answering her. Maybe he was bored to hell. The pain was getting old. And he was too tired to think. So, effectively, chained to the wooden table, he had nothing else better to do.

The door opened then and three figures came in. Elijah recognized Ben and Alicia. The man with a ponytail walked behind the kids, his hands on their shoulders like a father, proud of his children. That was when Elijah knew.

The professor had brainwashed the kids. Eaeshore, crumbling, its denizens hoping for a miracle to preserve the dying town would be perfect targets to prey on or manipulated to exact the kind of fear and paranoia he wanted. Those rich enough would have left already. Some were too poor to go anywhere else, some too resigned.

And others might have, in their heart, found some romantic love for the derelict buildings and lush, unexplored forests and were unable to leave.

"Ben, untie the girl. You and Alicia bring her to the next room."

"Yes, master…" Ben bowed and Elijah giggled, tickled by the whole scene straight out from a B-grade horror movie. Many things had pierced his frosted shell but humor was something he had yet to encounter, until then.

He heard Magdalene softly moan in protests in between whispering loving pleas to Ben but he ignored her and she was silenced finally with a slap from Alicia. When the three of them were out of the room, Carter advanced towards him and then used a white handkerchief that he pulled out from his pocket to wipe away dried flecks of blood from the corner of Elijah’s lips.

"Some love to see blood under moonlight, says it would turn into the blackest liquid in the world. I like to see blood on white things… like this handkerchief… or an innocent soul… the whiteness makes the red stands out… and everyone’s blood somehow looks different. Yours tainted. Abuse? Neglect? Self… mutilation? You’re actually just one pathetic creature, aren’t you? Locked in your depression, thinking that you can just shut everyone out while feeling high and mighty about it."

"Shut your crap and get to the point." Elijah spat, jerking his head away from the contact. If he was tainted, Carter was a disease.

The professor straightened up and went to the table where Ben had taken some toys from to try on him. Hefting a serrated blade in one of his palm, he walked over to Elijah. Poising the knife over Elijah’s face, Carter grinned.

"Ready?"

Without waiting for Elijah to reply, Carter traced an old scar on the injured young man’s forearm, drawing blood. Elijah breathing quickened, it did not hurt when he did it to himself. But when Carter ran the pointed-tip of the blade on his skin, the pain was intense; blindingly piercing.

It was a pain that came from inside him and burst white spots before his eyes. Carter then lifted the knife out and when Elijah thought he was done, his new tormentor slashed his arm deeply and Elijah sucked in an agonizing breath.

"Elijah Raily… Your father’s name is Daniel Raily. Died. And you were found next to his dead body with a bloodied serrated blade. Oh yes, I always find out as much about my victims as I can. And I dug a lot of your secrets. You must be very careful with your enemies… more so than your victims…Is that why you felt a sense of kinship with our dear Danny? Because he shared the same name as your father? Daniel. In the Bible, Daniel was a prophet, fed to the lions. But the Daniels you knew… they were horrible disturbed creatures, aren’t they? And your mom, Madeline, sounds like Magdalene… isn’t it funny how life brings some form of coincidences at some points in your life? Maybe… maybe this is a sign… that this case will lead to something more for you. Helps you find your true calling… your dad’s name and your mom’s name… all belonging to major players in this game I rigged… Maybe this is where you are to be reborn…" Carter waved the knife in the air as he spoke, very pleased with himself. He bored his gaze deep into Elijah’s eyes again and Elijah could see menace in those light hazel eyes but he stare back with his own impassiveness- unafraid. He had seen malevolence before, even more cruel than Carter’s.

The violence and torment a man could inflict on his own flesh and blood out of hatred. Elijah had seen it and faced it squarely.

"I have a feeling it’s not Nazism. It’s not even Satanism or some other cult. It’s not anything that religious or entrenched in faith. You have access to a lot of interesting equipment. Satisfy my curiosity. Who is your real master?"

"Not Nazism? Well… you’re wrong. Nazism plays a huge part… Nazism needs fear and feed on fear. I need fear. I need the intolerance! The hatred! I need plenty of wild-eyed people running amok to their own doom! No… you can’t know our plans yet… just that… it’s easy to brainwash wayward kids to do your bidding. I see… you’re not into this mumbo jumbo stuff. I have a proposal for you. Join us and I promise you power and glory in future. As our plan unfolds… the world will tremble!" He threw his hands up, still holding on to the blade, like a puissant lord, quivering with the excitement of command and conquer.

Elijah waited for the tirade to end.

Carter calmed down. "New Orleans was a better choice, being a huge city and all but my first understudy, he screwed up. The only thing that saved me was his faith. Bah! Some people will believe in anything."

"PolSci Inner Sanctum. It’s not really a UNO club… is it? It’s a front for something else, for you to attract vulnerable youngsters to your cause, then brainwash them and turn them into mindless soldiers. They think they are fighting on the side of good, perverse by your arguments and goodness knows what else…. But while they believe what they’re doing to be for their newfound faith, you’re actually laughing behind, because you have a plan and it does not involve faith at all."

Carter was intrigued. He set the knife down beside Elijah before he rubbed his palms and licked his lips, as if Elijah was a thanksgiving turkey that had just made him hungry. "You’re very intelligent. But I guess I had given you plenty of clues…yes. PolSci Inner Sanctum. It’s not from UNO but it’s an interesting, albeit low profile little club that exist everywhere. Alvin was close to the truth, had he investigated deeper, he might excavate it… I can’t stop him. Thank goodness Danny was a good boy. Danny killed him like I asked him to."

At that point, Elijah felt a strange sadness. Maybe Carter was right. There was some affinity he felt with Danny. But Danny was nothing like his father. Mild, gentle Danny.

"He died you know, bit off his own tongue in the holding cell. Ben came up to me and suggested using Danny so our hands are clean. Yet, you spoiled that. I have to get my hands dirty after all."

"So, what about the offer? It’s a good offer. You’ll love us. You see, as a group, we are very old. We’ve come up with this plan that would save the world from its sins. Join us and you’ll taste heaven before you die."

"And probably rot in hell after." Elijah stated, closing his eyes, regretting Danny’s death.

"Maybe, maybe not. Maybe there’s no God, no angels, no demons… who cares? This world! This is the reality. It’s our playground… our chance to reap all power. World Domination is on all dictators’ mind and the only who came close was Hitler. We are going to fulfill this destiny and you will join us."

"If I don’t?" Elijah asked.

Carter snatched the blade and made slashing actions in the air with it. Elijah watched the apparitions left behind with each movement- haunting the air with the obvious answer.

"Then you die. Think about it. Join us, you leave, Magdalene dies. Reject us, you die and Magdalene dies as well."

Elijah blinked once.

"You mentioned you gave me clues. Why put yourself in such danger? I want to know the person I’m joining with is not some idiot."

Carter laughed maniacally, bending almost ninety-degrees backwards. "We are kindred spirits, Elijah. We want to pit our intelligence against others, to see who comes up tops. Don’t worry. I have my escape all planned out. And you are coming with me. Mean, cold, killing machine. You’ve killed your dad. A million more would not matter."

Elijah blinked again.