Aquiver -> J. Constantine

07

After some magic at the front desk, the trio was allowed into Marcus Mooney's hospital room. They were able to pinpoint his location thanks to Zed's great computer skills.

Marcus was connected to all sorts of tubes keeping him alive. Old and frail, that's what Jade thought of him. It didn't seem right to bother him.

"Who are you?" he asked.

Zed looked at Jade for help but all she got in return was a shrug. They couldn't exactly tell him who they really were. It might shock him to the point of death.

And the last thing Jade wanted was to be responsible for more death.

Zed turned to Marcus. "Friends, if you'll have us."

He opened his eyes and they settled on the two young women. The brunette had kind eyes while the other one worried him.

Her hair was like fire, threatening to consume all there is. Though she was looking at him with too much pity to want to hurt him.

"You two seem like friends," he then glanced at John, "that one's got a shadow dogging his soul."

Jade glanced at John. Although she could see the same thing that everyone else saw in him, it still surprised her. For someone relatively young, he carried a lot more guilt and pain than she expected.

Being broody and moody was his signature look but it still felt as if though there was a piece of the puzzle missing there. There was something about John Constantine that Jade couldn't quite put her finger on.

"More than one, Marcus." he replied.

He seemed very nonchalant when speaking about the many demons after his soul. As if though it didn't affect him at all.

"I'm John Constantine. I need some help. I'm here to ask about the acetate."

Jade stepped towards the window, suddenly losing interest in their conversation. It had started to rain and it drew her attention for some reason.

"Lord, don't tell me you played it."

"No. But a friend of mine, he might have. And now he's dead. You care to shed some light on the matter?"

Jade held out her hand and focused on the rain. She could feel her power surging through her. It was a trance of some sort.

The raindrops stopped moving mid-air. It was the first time that Jade controlled an object to the point of stillness.

She could move them, no problem, but she had never been able to stop them moving completely. As if though they were frozen in time.

"You ever heard of Willie Cole?" Marcus asked.

John nodded. "A Memphis bluesman. Burned bright in the 30s and then just upped and vanished."

Marcus explained how he used to produce him and how it was rumored that Willie had sold his soul to the devil. Apparently, the rumors were true and his acetate recorded the voice of the devil.

When Marcus retrieved the tape, it whispered things to him. Awful, evil things. He tried to get rid of it, but couldn't, so he sealed it away hoping it wouldn't bring any harm.

"Any idea how Bernie came across it?" John asked.

A little boy from the street noticed the rain not falling. Jade noticed him just as he tugged on his mother sleeve to show her the sight. She snapped out of her trance allowing the rain to fall normally.

"Private investigator. Came to see me just last week. Knew about the legend. Wanted to buy the acetate."

All of Jade's energy was gone. It took almost everything in her to stop a few raindrops from falling. That feeling, the trance. She had felt it before.