Soul Walker: #ONC Finalist

Mission 6: Pay the Piper

**Heathens**---Twenty One Pilots.

Charlie was hunkered down in his lab. Once again making small adjustments to his nanobots. He hated the thought of being vulnerable. His mind raced over different strategies, analyzing the footage from the jewelry store. He felt ready. It was time to test the H.I.V.E. on larger prey.

He had one ear tuned to the news as it droned on in the background. Modern media was the best way to find out about the latest acts of death and destruction. The depressing headlines made money, and where there was money there was power, and where there is power there is corruption.

His head shot up from the bench. His mind was suddenly clear. He shouted aloud to the empty room. "The missing equipment!" The lights dimmed and hummed with an erratic electrical charge. Charlie gently placed his screwdriver on the bench. Suspicion lined his eyes and creased his brow. His home was equipped with the best equipment money could buy. Power failures were not a possibility.

His hand instinctively hovered over the small red button that controlled the H.I.V.E. The lights gently eased back into their own natural steady fluorescent hue. "Meg?" he shouted. That girl was known for messing with him. It was a game they enjoyed. Ever since she learned about his paranormal proclivities she enjoyed pretending the house was haunted. Entering her teenage years had not changed that. Only the hum of his equipment answered him. He scanned the room one more time then went back to work. Allowing the news to drone on behind him. His ears always listening for any clue that would lead him to the mole in the Elemis corporation. However, the news was suspiciously bland.

The lights flickered again and the room grew cold. He checked to make sure he had not accidentally activated the hive. The small black box just blinked steadily back at him. No swarm of tiny nanobots erupted from its interior. The room's temperature continued to drop. His breath began forming in front of his face. Charlie groaned. "What do you want now?"

An eerie and invisible voice answered him. "Vengeance,"

"Well no kidding, you have wanted Vengeance ever since the cataclysm. I cannot help you. Unless you have some sort of ghostly insight for once, please leave."

The button on the H.I.V.E. depressed without Charlie's consent. His eyes widened as the swarm came to him. Surprise eased into annoyance as the busy nanobots invaded his body releasing his soul into the world.

His spirit glared at the white figure watching him from across the desk. "What? Was that really necessary?"

"Yes," The white mirage answered.

"Go away," Charlie answered grumpily his hand moving for the kill switch on the H.I.V.E. It darted across the room out of his control.

"No," The eerie voice answered him. It was not as strong as Charlie's. Perhaps years in the spirit state had left it weak.

"I do not have time for your nonsense today," Charlie said stalking around the table to get a closer look at his intruder. As if in answer the spirit solidified his appearance revealing an old and irritating companion to his work. The hero in white. "You lost, get over it."

The caped crusader smiled. "You first,"

Charlie glared at him. "Okay Casper, what will it take to get rid of you?"

"Follow me," The white ghost said gliding out of the room. Charlie looked trepidatiously back at the black cocoon around his body. He had to assume that his home was the safest possible place. If he lost his body, he would be lost forever. He did not know where he was going; but, he did know it would be the furthest he has ever been from his human form.