The Spirit Killer

CHAPTER SEVEN TRUST ISSUES

High above the night sky, seated on a floating cloud was Adept. He seemed to be listening to something or someone with great intent. Suddenly his eyes widened and he was up he disappeared from the cloud and reappeared in Mark’s apartment. His sudden appearance seemed to stir Mark back to consciousness.
“We’ve got problems.” He said as Mark slowly rose to his feet.
“Don’t we ever. What is it now?”He was saying as he rubbed his eyes.
“Albium has put out a signal. It is faint but clear enough and slightly … random…or should I say unstable.” He was saying looking a bit confused.
Mark regarded him for a while before speaking. “I take it that this is unusual?”He asked.
“Albium never sends out a signal and if it did … it wouldn’t be like this.”Adept explained.
“Alright! What precisely is wrong with this signal?” mark asked repositioning himself on the chair again. He wondered why he had stood up in the first place.
“The fusion created by the ions within its interior has ripped through the fragments of space and time causing an anomaly that has forced it to replicate its inherent energy but in a minute quantity.” Adept explained calmly.
“I see.”Said Mark seriously. “Now…what did you say was wrong with the signal?”
Adept sighed and then said gently. “The signal is appearing and disappearing in different locations at the same time.”
“Now wasn’t that easier to say?!”Replied Mark.
Before Adept could give him a reply Mark quickly cut in.
“If that be the case, it would that the spirits are on the move to find it; but that’s not a real problem because they don’t know which one of the signals is real.” He said looking at Adept. His solemn feature showed there were other problems.
“That’s not the problem, is it?” He asked.
“That girls grandfather is in league with spirits; he isn’t your average human; that’s all I was told about him, furthermore, there is another group after Albium; they are known as the ‘Houties’. They are a group that want Albium for their own selfish purposes. They were destroyed years ago but they seemed to have resurfaced. At this point we are not certain what their intentions are.” Adept waited for Marks reaction. Mark rested his head back on the chair.
Adept sat on the table facing Mark then said, “The energy replication won’t fool them for long. We must find Albium first. I know this is too much for you to bear suddenly but we must go.” He said as he got up again.
Mark raised his head, he was smiling lightly and there was a dangerous spark in his eyes that almost made shivers Adept shiver.
“Let’s go then.” He said getting up.
“I will teleport you to the nearest energy signature. The device I gave you earlier will guide you to the other signals…if that one is false.” He said.
“Where are you going?” Mark asked
“I have to report back. I’ve been gone too long already” He replied. “Please be careful.”
Mark smiled. “I always am”
In an instant the room was empty.
*                                                *                                                    *
   The spirits had gained entrance into the tutorial where Mark taught. They were eight in number and they were carefully searching the premises for Albium. Unknown to them a figure was moving within the shadows taking out their eight-man team one by one. Only three were left. They had just come outside and were waiting for the rest to come out when they noticed a figure emerge from the shadows. Before any of them react, he had slit the throat of the nearest one; he dropped to his knees and shimmered away. No blood, no clothes, no trace that he ever existed. The other two brought out guns but they were too slow. There assailant was already standing between them holding what looked like their hearts in his hands. It shimmered away before their surprised eyes before they did.
“The great thing about killing spirits is that it leaves no stain.” He said turning to face the spirit that appeared behind him.
The spirit smiled lightly to the hooded figure.
“Did you find the killer?” the hooded figure asked.
“No, he must be searching for Albium as well.” Replied the spirit in a gentle voice.
“Then we must make haste to the next location” He said as he scaled the fence with little or no effort.