TOUCHED

TOUCHED Part 3 of 10

"Thank you all so much for coming." The lawyer continued, finding a spot at the head of the table and sitting. "I take it the checks must've cleared." He joked.

"Sir, I appreciate the money. Not a lot of paydays in the paranormal investigation business, but what're we here for?" Neil asked.

You were paid to be here?

"Please call me, Tom." The lawyer continued. "You three were having quite the discussion before I entered. Alex, if I may ask, why don't you believe in ghosts?"

Is this room bugged?

"Before Alex answers you, Tom." Neil interrupted. "Let's make sure we're all on the same page." When no one objected, the paranormal investigator continued. "When you say, 'ghosts', that term should include all creatures known as apparitions, haunts, phantoms, poltergeist, specters, spirits and spooks. Any issues with that?"

Are you serious?

"None." Tom replied.

"Nope." Alex chimed in. "Whatever you want to call these things is fine by me."

"Corsair?" Neil asked once I hadn't answered him.

"No issues." I answered.

"Excellent." Neil continued. "Just so everyone knows, the descriptions of ghosts vary widely. Some describe these things as an invisible presence..."

"That's called imagination." Alex joked.

Ignoring Alex, Neil continued. "Some describe these entities as translucent or barely visible, wispy shapes. Others as realistic, lifelike visions. Generally however, ghosts are described as solitary, human-appearing essences. That's the what. As to the where, the common consensus is ghosts are believed to haunt particular locations, objects or people they were associated with in life. I find the entire subject fascinating and that's why I've dedicated my life to being a ghost hunter."

"Tom, to answer your question," as Alex began, I noticed the lawyer, Tom, smiling at the ongoing debate between Alex and Neil, "ghost hunting and paranormal research is formally classified as a pseudoscience, so Neil, please don't get too technical on us."

"Hey!" Neil interrupted.

"You know I'm right, Neil. "Alex shot back. "Despite centuries of intense investigation by people like you, there is still not a single shred of scientific evidence that any location in the entire world is inhabited by spirits of the dead."

"What do you think accounts for these sightings then, Alex?" The lawyer inquired.

"I'm glad you asked, Tom. Personally, I agree with the majority of the research which strongly indicates that the vast bulk of supposed ghost sightings are actually related to degenerative brain diseases."

"You're crazy." Neil whispered.

"Older reports linked ghost sightings with carbon monoxide poisoning which in turned caused these ghost sighting hallucinations." Alex continued.

"I know you don't want me to be so formal," Neil replied, "but in academia and professional academic discussions on the subject, that is, discussions apart from what you called a pseudoscience, we don't use the term 'ghost sightings'. The appropriate term is actually 'apparitional experiences', sir."

"Corsair." Tom turned toward me, using my code name. "What're your thoughts on the matter?"

All three men gave me their undivided attention. "I don't believe in ghost sightings or apparitional experiences or whatever fancy label you put on it. When people talk about ghosts, or spooks, or whatever, they're are essentially talking about the echoes of someone who has passed, correct?" All three men nodded their heads so I continued. "So while I believe nothing is ever totally destroyed, to include a consciousness, a personality, or what some people call a soul, I don't think ghosts are dead people. That's not what happens when a person dies. They don't become a disembodied spirit. Hence, I don't believe in what most people believe to be ghosts. That is, spirits of those who've died."

"But you believe that there might be something to these things? To these sightings?" Tom asked. "Just not the spirits of the recently departed? Something else, perhaps?"

Remembering the promise I made to Melia before her death to participate in this strange meeting, I answered him. "Yes, Tom. Something else, apart from hoaxes and hallucinations. There is a supernatural aspect to several of these reported instances and in my experience, paranormal entities do exist, just not ghosts as most people believe."

"Oh, I see now." Alex commented. "Tom asked me to come as the ghost skeptic, Neil as the ghost believer..."

"Ghost expert." Neil interrupted.

"And the Corsair is neither, but instead, some sort of monster expert. Is that right, Tom?" Alex asked.

Instead of answering, Tom complimented Alex. "You're very perceptive, sir. I see I've called the right men for this job."

Of course, there's a job.

"What job?" Neil asked. "I was only paid for this meeting."

"I need you to sign an NDA first, I'm afraid." Tom explained. "Before I can go any further."

"A what?" Neil asked.

"A non-disclosure agreement." I explained to the self-appointed ghost expert.

"Oh."

Without signaling her and on cue, Tom's attractive secretary, wearing an outfit I thought one size too small for her already petite frame, entered the conference room carrying three folders. She placed and opened the folders in front of each of us, everyone except Tom, to include laying a pen at a perfect forty-five-degree angle to the NDA inside each folder.

"Gentlemen." Tom instructed. "Please sign these NDAs so I can continue our conversation and present you with my offer."

Both Neil and Alex signed the papers. Unlike them, I read mine first, and with everyone waiting on me, finally signed the document which detailed I would keep the conversations occurring in the lawyer's office confidential and not post it to the Internet or anything.

Although I didn't notice where she obtained the stamp from in her tight outfit, Tom's secretary stamped and notarized each NDA before collecting the folders and leaving the conference room.

"Good." Tom clasped his hands together. "Now onto business. Gentlemen, I have a proposal for you. But before I go on, please turn your attention to the television."

Tom pressed a button under the table, causing a panel on the wall behind him to slide down, revealing a large, flat monitor. After a few moments, the screen came to life.

The brief, one and a half-minute grainy video, displayed a single angle of what appeared to be a black, human-sized shape, floating down the hallway of an old home. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary, except the black shape, until the end of the video when the thing floated through what appeared to be a solid wall.

"A ghost!" Neil exclaimed.

"An altered video." Alex countered. "Special effects."

I remained silent and skeptical.

Tom stood up. "Gentlemen. My firm is attempting to sell the Lee estate. As you can see by this video, the Lee mansion is haunted. Or at least that's the rumor. If you three experts can spend the night, one night, inside, then my buyers will agree that the property is harmless and the multi-million dollar sale will go through. You can sleep all night, debunk the ghost story, or document or catch the mist, myth, mystery, spirit, or whatever you want to call it. All I ask of you is that you spend the entire night. When the sun rises, each of you will be paid the sum of one hundred thousand dollars. One hundred thousand dollars for one night's work. All you have to do is stay the night."

"Just tell me when and where." Alex agreed.

"Can I bring my equipment?" Neil asked. "Cameras and such?"

"Whatever you want." Tom answered.

"I'm in then also." The paranormal investigator and self-proclaimed ghost expert replied.

"Corsair?"

I considered the offer for several moments in silence. Finally, I asked, "I would have to do some research on the home first. And ask questions about the history of the property and its owners. Full disclosure by your firm. No secrets."

"Done." Tom agreed.

Although my common sense told me this offer appeared too good to be true, my "privateer" side caved at the thought of an easy payday. "I'm in."