Trifecta (103 page)

Guy was just walking back to the group with his news that
help was on the way.  When he saw Omar loose and that Vincent and Heather were working
frantically to restrain him, he ran to help, sacrificing his jacket and shirt. 
Omar began to struggle.

Vincent was panting with the effort to contain Omar.  "Quick,
roll him up in the blanket."

Omar was lying flat on his back, looking up angrily at
the clouds above him.  His arms and legs were tied up securely, but he could still
use his eyes and he was raging.  He jerked his head and lightening blasted out of
the clouds, bolts landing randomly around the beach and crashing into the rocks
enclosing the tiny bit of land.  Large chunks of volcanic rock split off from the
cliffs.  They rained down on the beach in a deadly avalanche.

The rain drenched everyone, coming down so heavily it hissed
in the air before it struck the sand.

After what had happened to her only the night before, Heather
was terrified.  Without even thinking she dropped to the sand and covered her head,
whimpering in the violent thunder and lightening. 

Lucifer was loose and running around in circles, screaming
his head off.  He fussily did not want to get his paws wet and finally, daintily
scampered to the very edge of the wet sand and continued to howl, prowling back
and forth where Michelle had run into the sea.

Nakamura sat in the sand and gazed out at the ocean.  He
knew if lightening struck the water it would kill Michelle.  He glanced over at
Omar and saw him jerking his head around. Suddenly he realized what was happening.

"Cover his eyes!" Nakamura yelled.  "He's
using his eyes!  Cover them.  Hurry."

Heather had slowly come out of her terrified fetal position. 
She was scared to move with all the thunder and lightening, but she tore off her
shirt, in too much of a hurry to worry about buttons, ran skittishly over to Omar
and threw it over his face.

Nakamura felt totally useless sitting there, unable to
move, so he pulled himself over to the hole that Omar had freed himself from and
began enlarging it, as he watched Vincent and Guy attempt to roll Omar up in the
blanket again. 

Omar was struggling like a madman.  Vincent finally shook
his head because they weren't making any progress.  They had the blanket about halfway
around him but he was contorting so violently they couldn't turn him over to roll
him up. 

Vincent finally sat on Omar's legs and Heather plopped
down on his stomach.  She was heaved off several times.  They would have to wait
until he was exhausted to finish wrapping him up.  Nakamura had almost completed
the hole they would drop him into.

Luckily, Vincent was thinking as he fought to restrain
the struggling Omar, he had convinced the two witches to go back up the path and
wait in the truck.  They were both strong women.  He and Guy would never have been
able to fight Omar and the witches together.  It was hard enough now, to try to
contain the Necromancer.

They all noticed that lightening was not striking the beach
or the rocks any longer.  Omar was finally quieting down. 

After her intense and total involvement with Omar
during the last few minutes, it was almost relaxing to be in the water again when
Michelle finally made it to the relative calm outside the influence of the breakers. 
She was too tired to even look back and see what was happening on the beach. 

Michelle had reassured herself that she was not really
committing suicide, but it had been in the back of her mind she would be doing exactly
that with an electrical storm coming.  She wanted Omar to believe that she was deliberately
killing herself.  She had no choice.  She couldn't have held him much longer.  If
she had lost control he would have taken domination over her.  Now, of course, he
might just kill those on the beach out of spite, but she couldn't do anything about
it. 

Realizing that she had some sort of healing power was an
odd notion.  She had seen Nakamura's face when she touched his ankle.  She had witnessed
and felt Omar recover from a severe concussion in her arms.  She also knew that
she could receive and transmit thoughts.  It expanded her ideas of what was possible
in the world and she didn't know if she could transmit from afar, but she tried
to send Omar the belief that he was a pathetic, helpless slug.

She flipped over on her back and let the salty sea water
support her, not even feeling the chill anymore.  The rain came down fiercely and
she could hear the booming thunder.  She started treading water, finally recovering
a little energy, trying to see what was happening on shore, but the heavy rain just
made the small bit of sand a grey blur.  She thought she saw figures and movement
and squinted her eyes.  The lighting would send flashes and she waited for one to
illuminate the beach. 

Finally Michelle saw a bright light and knew she was dead. 
The bolt of lightening was coming straight for her through the rain and she squinted
her eyes.  It would hit the water and, hopefully, shock her unconscious before she
drowned.  She didn't want to be cognizant when it happened, paralyzed from the electrical
shock, struggling in a body that would not respond,  aware that she couldn't help
herself as she breathed in salt water for the last time.  She was screaming and
didn't know it until she figured it was her own voice she was hearing, wailing helplessly. 
The wait for oblivion seemed endless.

Michelle didn't have any breath left for screaming and
looked upward with surprise.  The lightening bolt had not landed in the water. 
But it was still there.  Then she realized it was coming from a strong light in
the sky.  In the darkness, the light lit up the ocean and when she used an arm to
block out the blinding brilliance, she saw a helicopter flying toward the beach. 
It was a search and rescue air vehicle.

She wondered how they had come so quickly.  Her relief
was so intense she finally realized she was shivering uncontrollably and absolutely
freezing, but she smiled in relief and started swimming to shore.

In her mind she could see Lucifer, little paws kneading
the sand where she had run into the ocean.  She saw a picture of Heather and Vincent
and Nakamura there, waiting for her, smiling, ready with blankets.  But first she
had to get through the crashing breakers again.  She treaded water for a while,
giving the people on the beach time, she hoped, to restrain Omar before she got
to shore

She kept the picture in her mind of her friends on the
beach waiting for her, and with that marvelous thought to give her the strength
she needed, she caught a powerful wave.

T
wo men from the rescue team helped pull Michelle
from the surf.  She was grateful for strong arms supporting her, keeping her tired
body from collapsing.  One of the men covered her shoulders with a blanket and started
rubbing her back vigorously to aid circulation.  The other man unexpectedly flashed
a light in her eyes, shouting that he had a case of hypothermia.  He made her sit
down and handed her a Thermos of coffee so hot it burned her tongue.

Michelle gazed around in shock.  The rain had abated somewhat,
but black volcanic rocks from the cliffs above had somehow broken off.  Chunks were
strewn all over the beach. 

When the helicopter landed the wind from it's rotor had
scattered the firewood, which was thickly smoking in the rain.  The effect of the
volcanic rock and smoking debris made it appear as though a bomb had exploded.

Across the beach Michelle could see that Heather, Vincent
and Nakamura were being examined by medics. 

Omar was again buried to the neck in sand.  His eyes were
riveted on her.  The two witches on either side of him and were also examining her
malignantly.  She turned her head away from Omar's piercing gaze and tried to shield
her mind.  The way he was glaring turned her cold, as though ice had invaded her
system and she felt goose bumps forming on her arms and legs. 

Suddenly Omar was raging at her.  His thought projections
were strong as intense blows, battering and screaming in her mind, so hideous it
was like receiving savage pornography.  The violent, black images made her physically
ill, battering her like a dark hurricane spinning out of control. 

Now that she had learned to receive Omar's thoughts and
images, he was conferring deadly revenge.  The assault was physically overwhelming. 
For a moment she did pass out, swooning down into the sand.  The medic grabbed her
when she keeled over.

All seemed blank and barren for a while, and then Michelle
heard Lucifer screaming through the void.  She opened her eyes.  The little cat
had run to her and was looking up with large needy blue eyes, yowling noisily. 
His little paws were kneading the sand.  He didn't seem to mind getting soaked when
she pulled him up on her lap and hugged him.

When she looked up, Vincent and Heather were moving toward
her, helping Nakamura hop on one leg between them.  They were carrying blankets,
just as she had envisioned when she caught the wave.  Her friends surrounded her
and had the welcome effect of shielding out Omar's horrifying mental onslaught. 

They huddled together wordlessly for a long time, arms
around Michelle, until she stopped shivering and the tears on her cheeks dried.

One of the men from the rescue team came up to them and
Vincent detached himself from the group.  Michelle could hear him insisting that
the rescuers be careful when they freed Omar.  At the back of the beach two of the
medics were staggering with a stretcher, carrying the giant, Samson, toward the
helicopter.  Then the two witches were assisted into the vehicle.

They all watched silently as Omar was dug out the
sand.  He didn't struggle when the crude restraints which had been used to tie
him up were replaced by steel handcuffs.  Omar was talking soberly to the men,
like this was all some terrible mistake and he was utterly innocent of any
wrong doing; the only sane man on this beach.  He was placed on another
stretcher and carried into the helicopter.

Vincent went to the man who was head of the rescue team. 
They both went inside the helicopter and Michelle could see them talking on some
kind of radio device.  Evidently there were several transmissions because Vincent
was inside the helicopter for a long time.

When Vincent came back he was grinning.  Michelle thought
he was relieved that Omar was now secured inside the helicopter, until he blurted
out that Suzanne was not dead.  The rescue leader had called Honolulu.  Suzanne
was safely hospitalized in the chemical detoxification ward at Honolulu General
Hospital.

"There's not enough room for all of us in the helicopter,"
Vincent said.  "They could squeeze in one more person, and want to take you,
Rod, because of that broken ankle.  Another helicopter will come for the rest of
us."

"No way," Nakamura said, shaking his head.  "I'm
not going with Omar and the witches."

"You could get medical treatment faster, if you go
now."

Nakamura shook his head again.  "Not with that gang."

"He probably broke Samson's legs when he pushed him
off the cliff," Michelle said.  "They'll try to harm him."

Vincent nodded and went back to confer with the rescue
team.

There were a few logs still smoldering in the middle of
the beach and Michelle, Nakamura and Heather moved closer to what had been a big
bonfire, where it was warmer.  The rain had stopped, but the night was still cool.

Vincent came back loaded with blankets and more Thermoses
of coffee.  "It won't be long.  About a half hour till the next copter arrives."

They all protected themselves, sitting on one edge of the
blanket and covering their heads.  The wind from the rotor would cause a sand storm
and the loose rocks and wood lying about the beach could injure them.

There was an enormous thumping, grinding noise.  Michelle
could feel the strong wind pelting objects against the blanket.  Finally, when the
throbbing noise became fainter and all seemed calm again, she peeked out.

She saw Heather, Nakamura and Vincent also uncovering their
heads cautiously and looking around.

Vincent handed out Thermoses and they all moved together
to keep warm.  "Looks like Omar isn't going to get you as his high priestess,
Michelle," he said.

"That's not what he wanted," Michelle said. 
She was petting Lucifer, who had gone to sleep in her arms.  "He wanted my
babies."

It was like a bombshell had exploded.  No one spoke for
a few seconds.

"What!"  Heather exclaimed.  "But you can't..."

"It's okay, everybody knows," Michelle said,
noting Heather's reluctance to speak of her infertility.  "Evidently Omar thinks
psychic ability can be transmitted by heredity, like an ability in math or art. 
I was to be the mother of a new generation of evil psychic monsters."

Heather was shaking her head, eyes wide, "The man's
totally deranged."

Now the idea seemed funny and rather silly to Michelle. 
"He told me all he wanted was a tiny bit of my body.  No bigger than a pin
head.  Of course, I couldn't let him have a baby.  Curdles my blood, his influence
on a child.  He was going to use his own sperm to fertilize the eggs and provide
his witches as incubators.  He planned to spirit me away to a clinic in Switzerland
to do the deed." 

"Oh my God."  Now Heather was doubled up in laughter,
hurting her broken ribs. 

Vincent and Nakamura were gazing at Michelle at in shocked
surprise.

"So that's why you ran into the ocean," Vincent
said.  "You scared me.  I had a horrible thought that you were committing suicide."

"Omar was recovering.  He would have taken control. 
The price in his bargain was all of your lives, for the babies.  He must have suspected
I wouldn't go along with his plan unless he forced me."

Heather took out a cigarette and started smoking furiously. 
"What a horrible, disgusting, slimy man.  How could you hug him like that?"

"Great acting, but it was awful.  I kept getting those
terrible shocks I told you about, Vincent."

They were all quiet for a moment.

"You're the expert, Vincent, can psychic ability be
transmitted in families?" Nakamura asked.

"I've never heard of a scientific study.  There are
supposed to be families of witches, but that really refers to the religious rites
and practices rather than paranormal ability that's transmitted genetically."

"You gotta a 'Black Magic Woman'" Heather said
to Nakamura, winking and smiling at him.  She hummed a few bars of the song.

"Gonna make a devil out of me," Nakamura said,
completing the line.

"No.  Michelle is a good witch," Vincent said. 
"A white witch."  He was very authoritative and serious with that pronouncement. 
The three looked at him with astonishment and began laughing nervously.

"I'm not a witch, Vincent," Michelle said, still
smiling.

"I could argue the point, citing several definitions
of witchcraft, which include precognition, healing ability and the receiving and
transmission of thoughts, but we'll save it for another day."

"I want to be in on that discussion," Nakamura
said.  "But what worries me now is that Omar's a wily operator.  He can be
deceptively charming and has lots of money to provide a defense.  He might just
wriggle out of this.  First, he will deny dropping the two of you in the ocean. 
Then there will be some sort of judicial formality, even if you don't have to go
through a trial. He'll use all his cohorts to tell what wonderful qualities he has,
and how he's a deeply religious man who wouldn't swat a fly.  He'll probably have
several drugged up witches saying he was someplace else entirely while you two were
struggling in the briny deep."

"He meant to kill Vincent," Michelle said indignantly.

"And me too," Heather said.

Vincent nodded in agreement. 

Heather turned to look at Vincent.  "Three woman have
been killed in Honolulu since he moved here.  And we know he gave your student,
Suzanne, powerful drugs."

"That's where we've got him," Vincent said with
satisfaction.  "The drug connection.  Even if we can't ever prove positively
that he dropped Michelle and I into the ocean, miles from the island of Kauai."

"They'll have to believe the two of us, Vincent,"
Michelle protested.

"No.  Rod is right.  Omar will have an alibi for the
time we were in the ocean.  But he'll be charged with other crimes.  I just had
several calls made to the Honolulu police.  They may think I'm a drunk and a kook,
dabbling in the occult, but I told them that Samson Stoker resides with Omar Satinov. 
That gives them the right to search the premises, because Samson is a wanted felon. 
They'll be looking for the missing bank money, but I think they'll also find illicit
drugs.  Then I'll get Suzanne to testify against Omar."

"I'm still afraid for Michelle," Nakamura said. 
"Omar's probably lining up expensive lawyers, right now, to set bail."

"There is no bail for attempted homicide," Vincent
said.  "But you might just take Michelle on a little extended vacation, until
the time comes when she's supposed to testify in court."

Heather had been pouring more coffee into the top of her
Thermos.  "You don't have to worry about that, Vincent," she said rather
sadly.  "Michelle is going to Japan in a few days, anyway.  To start a new
job with Rod."

"Good," Vincent said.  "There's always the
possibility that Omar could be freed on some legal pretext.  I saw the way he was
glaring at Michelle.  He's one angry warlock.  And he's furious at Rod too, because
he thinks Rod ruined his chance for the psychic brats."

"I think you do have to worry, Vincent," Michelle
said.  She winked at Heather.  She didn't want to look at Nakamura right now.  She
hadn't had time to answer him, what with all of the hullabaloo that went on when
Omar got free.  "I'm staying right here in Hawaii with my friends."

Heather gave a happy little shriek and went over to hug
Michelle's shoulders.  "I'm so glad, Michelle."

Then Heather turned, looking guiltily at Nakamura, and
immediately sat down again.  She didn't understand what was going on.  Nakamura
actually appeared to be quite happy about Michelle's decision.

"I'll have to stay here in Hawaii until Suzanne is
well enough to leave," Vincent said.  "It would help if you would talk
to her; tell her how evil Omar is.  She's just a little girl who got in way over
her head and was filled with drugs until she was out of her mind.  It's all my fault. 
I was using her as bait."

"You couldn't have," Michelle said, shocked.

"Oh, yes.  I'm totally to blame.  I just hope I can
get Omar out of circulation for a long time.  I had been following the trail of
the Dark Man who was so diabolic in the secret witch legends.  I wanted to study
him and was willing to use one of my most brilliant students.  I badly misjudged
him.  Almost got Suzanne killed."

"He's a sneaky drug dealer," Michelle said. 
"He must have business records that implicate him in the drug trade from South
America."

"They're on their way, now, to get a search warrant. 
They'll want to study his files before he can get free and destroy incriminating
evidence," Vincent assured her.  "Because even Suzanne's testimony might
not work.  He'll say that the sex was consensual.  And others will repeat those
lies, vile as it sounds.  But her testimony will be a blight on his so-called religion. 
You know how the press is.  They'll glom onto the rape sensation.  He'll never clear
himself from the suspicion Suzanne's testimony will arouse.  Otherwise, I wouldn't
put her through the ordeal.  And you'll see.  She'll risk her own reputation to
prevent him from hurting other women."

Michelle and Heather exchanged a glance.  Their most vivid
memory of Suzanne was of her pulling Heather into the surf at Waikiki. 

Vincent saw their look.  "She was 'fascinated' by
Omar's charm.  And then there were the drugs..."

"Are you using the word 'fascinated' in it's old medieval 
definition, as something a witch does to enthrall a victim?" Nakamura asked.

Vincent nodded reluctantly.

"Then you do believe that Omar has supernatural power?"
Michelle asked.  "I mean, you're the expert.

Vincent sat silent for a long time, sipping his coffee. 
Then he nodded at Michelle.  "I've seen things I can't explain, even by tricks
used by professional magicians.  Things I've never even heard of as psychic gifts. 
The way he used that sword on Heather, bringing down a lightening bolt.  I may have
appeared to be unconscious, and I really couldn't move when Omar did that, but I
did see it.  And tonight, sending lightening bolts into the rocks so they were crashing
down around us.  The way all the lights exploded in Michelle's apartment.  His specialized
use of drugs and poisons.  Even the way he was fighting Michelle seemed supernatural. 
Also, I've never heard of a person who could command insects, which have very minimal
intelligence to begin with.  Dogs and cats, yes, but never insects."