Wraith

Dark Stirrings Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Eventually Wraith gave up on Snake and left his cell to try and find the information another way. As she left the small antechamber and re-entered the more public areas of the Penitentiary, she was entirely unaware of the dark transparency that slipped out of her shadow and away into that of a warden heading towards the way out. Wraith however, after a brief discussion with the warden turned and headed deeper into the heart of Warbeck where records were kept of each prisoner's visitors.

It was nearly evening when Wraith finally made it back to Megalopolis. She hadn't discovered much that she didn't already know, and she was beginning to wonder if Snake was right and there was another shape-shifting Abuser in Megalopolis. He knew about the copy that attacked Olive, she reminded herself as she sped over the rooftops toward home. Out of habit she took a long and winding route full of detours so that no one could follow her. It also gave her time to digest what she had learned. He knew about it and tried to distract me by highlighting the impossibilities. Maybe there is another Abuser out there who has Snake's talent; but that copy was one of Snake's. I don't know how he managed it, or why, but I do have some idea of who now.

Wraith grinned ferally beneath her mask as she remembered the lists of visitors to Warbeck. The prisoners didn't get very many people coming to see them, and except for an official government visit, every one of those who had done so since the Snake had been recaptured had been a User. The Captain visits the prisoners a lot more often than I would have expected, she mused as she crossed into her home district. Maybe it's part of his job as leader of the Users. But only one person other than him has been to see all the Abusers involved in the Chairman's little plot. And I'd rather believe ill of Magnoss than the Captain.

She swung into her bedroom and froze. Her father was sat on the bed dressed as Volcano. His back was bowed and he had his head in his hands. Sitting next to him was Tuttle and pacing back and forth in front of the door was the Captain. Wraith's heart seemed to plummet into her feet as a lump the size of Canada rose in her throat to keep her from swallowing. Clearly something was dreadfully wrong.

"What's happened?" She could barely force the words out.

Volcano lifted his head and Tuttle turned, an expression of hope on both of their faces. The Captain's reaction was more immediate however. He spun to see her and took a few steps forward. "Wraith! I'm glad you're here. Listen, do you know where Olive is?"

"I, yes. Why?" Wraith was if anything more confused, but the other three looked relieved.

"Good," the Captain answered.

"Are you sure she's safe?" Volcano interrupted, urgency in every note of his voice. When she nodded slowly, he slumped back in relief with great hiccupping sobs.

Wraith wanted to go to him, but before she could make the decision to do something so uncharacteristic, Tuttle had put an arm around him and helped him to his feet. She watched the two friends slowly shuffle out of the room, and then turned back to the Captain.

"What's going on?"

He ran his hand through his hair and released a sigh. "Here, it'll be easier to explain if you see for yourself." He held out a small piece of paper and waited for her to take it and read it.

Captain, I've received information that Olive Eckert is in the hands of the

University Mauler. If you want to know more meet me on the big crane in

the Docklands at seven. I'll be wearing red.

Yours, a well-wisher

Olive looked up from the missive. "The University Mauler?"