Dead Man Running (19 page)

"
... and who do not call on the Lord.
"

Wiley and the woman reach
ed
the main aisle of the church.

"
There they are, overwhelmed by dread.
"

Wiley br
oke
loose from the woman's hand.  He
danced
gracefully up the aisle.

"
For God is present in the company of the righteous.  You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor...
"

Wiley
executed
a pirouette
as
the attendants open
ed
the churches' huge double doors
.  W
iley glide
d
out.

"
...but the Lord is their refuge.
"

The congregation applaud
ed
while all heads
we
re still turne
d toward the rear of the church, their beloved pastor having made a most glorious exit.

Congressman Simmons leaned forward, a grin on his face.  "Your story almost sounds comical, Mr. Turnbull.  Th
at
zombie Ben Wiley was a real clown.  When he wasn't killing folks
, that is
."

Elias nodded.  "I have to admit, I did do a lot of laughing back then."

Simmons' smile disappeared.  "But not later."

Elias looked away for moment, and then returned his eyes to Simmons.  The two men shared a look for a half minute.  "No, sir.  Not later.  There wasn't much to laugh about later."

"When did this turn serious for you, Congressman
Turnbull
?"

"When
he
showed up.  When the clown removed his mask and claimed his true nature."
  He looked down, brushed invisible debris from the pristine desk.
  His eyes swam in tears.

"Are you ready to proceed?  I can give you a few minutes."

Elias laid his hands back on the desk, spread his fingers wide.  He stared at his hands, wondering for the millionth time why he was still alive. 
He wiped his eyes. 

Finally he returned his gaze to the Iowa Republican.

"I'm ready," he said.  "I warn you, it gets darker from here on out."

Simmons straightened himself in his chair, quickly glanced to his left and right.

"Go on then, Mr. Turnbull.  Take us into the darkness."

TEN

On election night the Wiley hotel suite
wa
s a very busy place.  Amidst scurrying campaign
staff
,
Elias
worked
the phones, one in each ear and a Blackberry in his hand. 
One of those workers, a tall, good looking white girl named
Mira
– introduced to him by Jan – would be the proverbial cherry on top of his sundae.  This was his day, the day when Elias Turnbull became
Harlem
's
next
congressman for life!

Mira
Hidar
had no official function in the busy space.  Unofficially she watched as Jan Sugerfoot poured the green elixir into a champagne flute for her zombie lover.  The young woman had
already
reported the success of the pink elixir, the one that governs the zombie's physical self. 

Mira had spent the night in the Wiley brownstone. 
Jan had been excited
with her
face flush, as she appeared in
the doorway of
the guest bedroom at the Wiley home. 

How excited the woman got with a good boning
,
Mira
thought. 
Here she
wa
s, at the precipice of tremendous power and she's thinking with her pussy.  Now
Mira
liked a stiff one as well as the next girl but she preferred her men to be alive.  Like the handsome Mr. Turnbull
–
she wouldn't mind if he survived this evening and joined 'team Wiley'.  She saw his no
t
so surreptitious looks and would be happy to return his interest.

Four flat screens
we
re blaring away with the latest returns. 
In the middle of this activity, Jan and Wiley s
a
t in a love seat watching
the televisions
.
  Jan handed Wiley the champagne flute and whispered in the zombie's ear.  Wiley obediently drank the liquid.  Simultaneously,
Mira
said a brief incantation under her breath.  If anyone asked, it would look like she was praying for the candidate's success.  What she was really doing was placing a spell on Wiley like she had the night before when he had been given the pink elixir.

What Jan Sugerfoot did not realize was that both elixirs were placebo
es
, they had no power.  Her grandfather had told the woman that the elixirs were required
in order
to give
Mira
an 'in', to create an artificial, ongoing dependence on the
Hidar
's while keeping them close to Wiley. 

Her grandfather had treated Wiley with the real transformative elixir – a blue concoction – when he had deposited the transformed Mookie Sills back at the Wiley house. 

It was a shame what Wiley and Mookie had done to Chi Bright.  More of that 'collateral damage'
, thought Mira
.

Incantation complete,
Mira
knew that soon Benjamin Wiley would
be reborn
– a sentient being, physically stronger and more fit than he had ever been in his first life.

On
the television
tuned
to a local channel
, a
n
anchorwoman
read
the election results.
  "
In the fifth district, with ninety percent of the vote counted, Representative
Kaczynski
has
easily defeated his Republican challenger.  We'll now go to ....
"

The perky blonde
gr
ew silent as something wa
s obviously being said in her earphone.
  "
We have breaking news, additional returns as in from the
F
ourth Congressional District.  Eyewitness News Channel Twenty-One now projects Ben Wiley as the winner.
"

The crowd in the hotel room cheer
ed
.  Jan kisse
d
Wiley on the cheek.

"
With seventy-five percent of the vote counted, Wiley has an overwhelming lead
with eighty-four percent of the vote
.  We now go to Justin Crowe, who is speaking at the Waldorf with some elated Wiley supporters.
"

Crowe st
ood
in the middle of a jubilant crowd.  Loud rap music blast
ed
in the background.

"
Thanks, CJ, I'm here with Mr. Harcourt Bines, a long time supporter of Congressman Wiley.  Mr. Bines, what does this election mean to you?
"

"
Well sir, this means that
Harlem
will be treated well for another two years.  We couldn't be in better hands than with Reverend Wiley. 
There are
a lot of people in this room who would give their lives for
the man
.
"

"
Mr. Bines, there's rumors floating around about the Reverend's somewhat strange recent behavior.  Does any of that bother you
?"

"
Not at all.  I know that's the
D
evil's way, and the white man's way, of trying to tear a good man down.
"

"
Uh, thank you, Mr. Bines.
"
The surf blonde pretty boy took a generous step away from the elderly
black
gentleman. 

"
CJ, back to you.
"

The anchorwoman once again occupied the screen.  "
Thank you, Justin.
"

Elias, trailed by the campaign photographer, strutted over to Wiley.  With a broad smile for the camera
, he grabbed Wiley's hand and shook it with two of his own.

"Go set up for the congressman's entrance into the hall," said Elias
to the photographer
.  He waved away the other campaign workers.  "Everyone can go downstairs and have something to eat and drink.  We've won!  Time to party!"  The workers cheered and nosily filed out of the room.

Jan stood.  "Shou
ldn't Wiley go downstairs and make his acceptance speech?
"

"
No, we have to wait for our opponent to concede.
"

"
Too bad, Ben wants to go down and dance.
"

Wiley's feet
shuffled underneath him
to a rhythm of unknown origin.

Elias' cell phone r
ang
.
  "
Elias.  Speak.
"  He listened, smiled broadly.
 
"
Auditor General Capshaw, of course I will put Reverend Wiley on the phone.
"

He
place
d
the phone
on speaker and sat it on the table in front of Wiley
.

"
Reverend Wiley, I would like to congratulate you on a tremendous victory tonight.
"

Wiley look
ed
around with the blank look,
and then
said, "
Please grant me these simple things...
"

"
What's that Reverend Wiley?
"

"
... a stiff dick and a warm place to put it.
"

The auditor general clicked off.

"
And don't let me c
um
too quick.  Amen.
"

"
And with that,
" said Elias, "
I think it's time to go downstairs.
"

In a ballroom across town
Delores Capshaw approache
d
the podium.  Humphrey and a few supporters
we
re on stage.  The room
,
more than half empty
with no
music playing
, was dea
th itself
. 

The candidate reached the podium and adjusted the microphone.  "
Thank you for coming.
"  The sound echoed throughout the cavernous space.

"
I would like to say we ran a good, hard campaign.  We didn't.  I would like to say we lost to the better candidate.  We didn't.  We lost to a candidate under criminal investigation, spouting nursery rhymes and profanity wherever he went.  All I can say is,
Harlem
, you got what you deserve.  I'm out of here!
"

Capshaw storm
ed
away from the podium, Humphrey close behind.

Jan and Wiley stood. 

Elias pointed a thumb toward
Mira
, still standing next to the television.  "What's she still doing here?"

"I asked her to stay," said Jan.  Elias looked from Jan to the pretty woman and back to Jan.  Suddenly, he felt outnumbered. 

"
C
ould
we
have a word with you before we head down?
"
Jan asked.

"
We?"  He eyed the women with suspicion.  "
I guess.  Hurry it up
.  I've
gotta get downstairs to declare my victory.
"

Jan motioned toward the bedroom.  "Let's talk in there in case someone wanders back into the suite."

Elias,
Mira
,
Jan and Wiley walk
ed
onto the
bedroom.

Elias immediately noticed his boyhood friend. 
"
Mookie!  When did you get here?
"
 
Mookie
stood
in the corner, wearing dark sunglasses.

"
Mookie?  What up?
"  Still his friend d
id
not react.