Tower of Light (Under The Cowl Book #2)

CHAPTER 22

     A dark and twisted vortex flooded the sky of Midway City. It's brewing something violent, circling the single beam of light with menacing intentions. Eyes glued to the light do not attempt to look away. The coming storm captured the attention of the city, waiting for the worst to come and sweep away the population. Even those miles away found themselves powerless to avert their gaze from its broadcast on television. Speculations of the divine, a call from one alien to another to invade the earth, the wildest of theories kept many entertained and many afraid.

Rosie however showed no such interest in tonight's main attraction. It's what she couldn't find in the apartment of Doctor Susan Wright that had her nearly climbing the walls.

Furniture overturned and picture frames smashed. The drawers pulled out of the dressers are scattered and left on the floor along with the cloths.

"Where is it!?" she screamed while hunched over. "I know you have it. You thought you could fool me. But I'm no fool- no fool."

"Rosie?"

Rosie froze at the sound of her name.

On the ground with her hands and feet tied up was Susan Wright, defenseless in her own apartment. "What's going on?" she asked, waking up completely disorientated with blood on the side of her face almost glued to the hardwood. "Why am I tied up?"

"It's about time you woke up!" Rosie snapped. "I was afraid that I hit you too hard."

"What are you doing?"

"I gave you multiple opportunities to confess the truth to me, but you refused."

"What?"

"Don't 'what' me!" she snapped again. "Where is it, the book- where is it!?"

"Rosie, I have no idea what you are talking about, what are you doing here?"

"My mind has been open, Susan, I can see everything. And now that I'm close I will not fail my people, I will not fail Zatanna."

"Who?"

"I summoned a demon, successfully. She likes to think of herself as a god, but that's sort of the trick. Her way of getting those who encounter her do not drop their guard. They all think she's all powerful, in fact they're just making it easier for her to invade."

"Rosie, you're not making any sense."

"No, not yet. But everything is slowly coming together, just like she said. She said the multiverse would open up for us. I didn't believe her at first. But she made sure Jessica got that Phantom Ring from her sister, who stole it from her shithead ex-boyfriend. He stole it from a Guardian when he was working for Jack Chance, the same Guardian who helped Kaiyo escape from the fourth world in the first place."

"Rosie, dear, I think you need some help, you're not making any sense."

"That's where you're wrong, Doctor. I don't need anyone's help."

The door bell suddenly rings.

Rosie's brows furrowed immediately. Suspicious, she gave Susan a harden gaze. "Are you expecting company?"

Replaced by a knock at the door, Rosie stood up in attention.

"Who's there?" she screamed, hoping the base in her voice will scare away whoever is on the other side.

"Doctor Wright? Are you in?" the other side called out to question.

"Who's that?" Rosie hurried to bend down and whisper in Susan's face. "I don't recognize that voice."