I had to earn her trust so I decided to take her with me on one of my side quests for the Marshals. She was shocked through and through but decided to let it slide. She got dressed in the outfit of my choice and she drove to where I asked it was Santa Monica Pier. We followed US Marshal Jenkins. He is a tall, slightly gruff and ill-tempered. I told her to be quiet as some of the guys like to shoot bystanders. We followed him till a van came out of nowhere and grabbed him. They flung him inside he was trash and drove like crazy. They zipped past traffic and at one point they almost had a high speed car chase with the police cars. They gave everyone but us the slip. He was taken off-roads to Rattlesnake canyon. There was a campsite with all sorts implements prepped for torture. The man was placed on his stomach and tied before he was flipped. Soldiers asked him to handover names of those he was guarding. He refused and the torture began. First was waterboarding. The next was using jumper cables but he died before they got anything off him. So they did aggressive CPR but unfortunately it didn't do the trick. They took his body to dump it on the side of the road. One man said to clean up the mess before he drove off. I noticed that men and women were armed to the teeth guarding place as other tried to remove any and all traces of their presence. After a through clean up they hopped on their rides and disappeared. I smiled, "This is why they chose me dear. I am expendable. If I get captured and tortured I will have no answer for them acquire." She was frozen for a few minutes. I found out why as Tanya explained that Cleo had history with one guy who served with her in the army. I told her to get herself together as we need to get out of here before the drones spot us. If we are discovered we are screwed. She took a few deep breaths and sprinted to the car. I barely managed to get in when she hit the skinny pedal. I asked her what was going on and she said that she has to confront these people. I warned her, "These people will hunt down and kill your son. Are you willing to watch him die. I faked my death to face these people. These people are cold, calculated and they enjoying killing. Are you ready to darken your soul. You are good person." She gave me a sad look, "I have served in the army and I have seen things that would make your hair curl." Tanya laughed, "Sweetheart your worst day is a breeze for her. Five minutes with Zelda will give you a heart attack. Your years of service and everything else you have faced would never prepare you for the nightmare she is. The dark corners of her mind has broken tougher men and women than you."
She refused to listen to me but until we reached the apartment I kept trying to reason with her. I had to give her some sort of ease so I called every number I knew till I had her son moved to a safe house. There was a knock on the door. Jake came to tell me that I was ordered to move elsewhere. Jake came to take me to Calysto's house. It was a three storey place where I was to remain till Jenkins' clients were safely moved elsewhere. My safety was considered nominal. I was ordered to take a sick leave as I am going to be landlocked till further notice. I was interviewed after an hour and I was sent to take a shower. I used the ear-piece to give orders. I told them to get signal jammers and also find a way to take out the power grid. Because it is likely we might need blackout as a cover to escape. I was told that an EMP was on route. I sat down and I heard footsteps. I saw a man wearing a tunic made from burlap. His eyes were gouged out and his mouth resembled that of a drawstring bag that is pulled tight. He stared for a moment and disappeared. Then came a woman with huge flaming deer antler. She wore a black off shoulder outfit dress fit for a queen. Her eyes was normal but slowly a shadow seemed out of her eyes and blot out her face. Then it slowly envelopes her body and her entire body receded to the floor until there was no trace of her whatsoever. Then came black cats that appear on the cabinet then disappeared before they appear on the coffee table and then walked out the window. The walls started to bleed. A ballerina twirled her way in. One of her legs was skeletal. The her face was torn but that didn't deter her determination to dance her heart out. After she gave the final pose she disappeared. A bandaged man popped out of the blood pool and I shivered. I felt a hoof on my back as though it was saying that I have nothing to worry about. I took a deep breath and I looked in the mirror. I saw HER eager face. I used sign language to say that I am landlocked till further notice so the red notice is paused temporarily. Regardless I opened my mind to let HER out for a little. SHE needs to air out too. I saw that my cottage was back and the place was perfect except one thing. Dimka was dangling by his ankles. I waved my hand and he disappeared and DD took his place. We held hands as we walked to forage for fungus. I gave Zelda a wink and SHE gave me a thumbs up before SHE disappear.
I walked out to see that my personal hallucinations had gone into overdrive. I saw the walls looked like someone had poured tar on it. The dining table had a few severed hands crawling around with air of exploration. The armchair felt like it was made from human skin. A human bodysuit was arranged on the floor like it was a rug. The fireplace had a Lapis Lazuli flame casting an eerie light on the wall. The shadows were most unusual. It was of people who were drowning and burning at the same time. They looked like they wanted to die but somehow someone or something was preventing it even though death came from all sides. The mantle has a row of human skulls arranged according to the murder weapon. The first one on the right was from a pickaxe. The next one smelled like bleach. The next one was clearly killed with a machete. The next one was clearly with a sledgehammer. The last one was a spike. There was a silver flask on the coffee table. A deer skull for a cap. Silver rib cages with space in-between exposing a thin glass vial. A murky sludge was on the bottom while the top was a clear liquid. A slight shaking causes the sediment to rise but for a brief moment I saw a boney human finger. I put it down with boredom and sat down to drink coffee. The coffee pot poured out blood but I ignored it as a rule and drank the darn thing. I got bored and checked the online newspapers about the happenings in New York. Brody was arrested for allegedly being an Angel of death. The look on Cheeky's face will be something else. She looked like a zombie. But that would be a kind remark. Boredom overtook me so I read a few books. Then did Pilates and then did an hour of martial arts before I took a shower.
I took a deep breath and wondered how my roommate was doing. I gave her a call and she refused to answer. I called Tanya for an update. She said that Cleo had gone to confront some of her war buddies and things ended seriously badly. They knocked her out and dragged her unconscious body to a separate location. So I snuck out to find J was outside anticipating this move. He said that he can't have his golden goose compromised. I told him that I need to rescue my roomie or things could get worse. He said that he will think about it. I had no choice but to find a way to give him the slip. He was headstrong but so was I. I waited and the opportune moment came as he had to answer a phone. I snuck out and hopped a ride to an abandoned restaurant. Roomie was tied up and was questioned vigorously. She was bruised, bleeding and exhausted. But she had nothing to offer since she knew nothing. They finally had to accept that she really stumbled on their trail by accident. So they decided to recruit but she said no. One guy pulled out a gun to kill her and I used my rifle to shoot them all. I walked in and cut her loose. She passed out in my arms. I had help getting her to my ride. I got her as far away from there as I could and I wanted to drive her to her apartment but I didn't. I took her to my place. I made sure to stay till she woke up. I called Sam for medical assistance and waited for his best medic to come before going back to my room. J wasn't pleased with my extra curricular activities but shrugged it off as the nerd squad tracked down the players. These people were leaving L.A. temporarily but will be back before long. So I had them place explosives in their jets. So the moment they all take off the thing would go boom. So there will be no warning. First the cameras were destroyed to make sure no one can identify the bomber. The bombs were set and it was programmed so that when all the in the air it will detonate together. It blew up as it was flying over the ocean. The news coverage said that the military shot down a few terror threats that were flying with biological or chemical weaponry. The news was waiting for the colonel to confirm the bomb. The military spokesman made up a story saying that these people were stealing schematics of military drones and missile detector systems. They are recovering the data as we speak.
Cleo woke up and I asked her how she was. She gave me the I am sorry face. I gave her a once over and patted her on the head. I am not soft serve so I am not a hugger. I gave her a pint of ice cream and warned her. If she believes that these menaces can be reasoned with then she is mistaken. Now they are going to go after her baby. They will do horrific things to him and they will broadcast it to someone who will pass it along. She will hear his scream till the day you die. I went to my room to switch places with my other side. I appreciate the scratching my itch. Now it is time for the mandatory snooze. I saw the visual of this house was restored to its actual standards. By standards I mean pigsty or more respectful vernacular I would say biohazard. I shook my head as Cleo's baby was brought to her alive and well. The two hugged and made up whilst I went indoors to see SIS. SHE was glaring at me. I am guessing SHE heard me call HER soft serve. After a few angry looks she vanished. I sat on the floor and did a yoga pose. I closed my eyes, "Hey Cinderella it's pumpkin time." I saw the tiny cottage was still standing but the surrounding area completely resembled something out of a children's book. Thumbelina or Tom Thumb or maybe even Tinkerbell would call this place home sweet home. Trees with vines enveloping it. Flowers of every color and the sweetest fragrance. Birds and butterflies glittering in multicolor. The branches are leaning down like a false canopy. A small swimming hole. The place looked like it could be a safe haven. The perfect place to live out my days. The moment I set foot in there the grass sunk to the ground and hard cracked concrete took its place. The trees burst into flames. Phoenixes were seen flying ahead before sitting on a burning bush and bursting into flames. The fire is doused to cover the place with smoke. The smoke clears and I see myself in the swamp. Huge anacondas and alligators. Bats flying above. The air smelled like poison. A curtain of poison ivy opened to reveal Buick size spiders spinning webs. One particular spider appears to be spinning a yarn. I realized that the spool was a real person. The spider web was spun several times as a form of re-enforcement. A stern voice called out, "Don't ever call me soft serve. I have done horrible things too. Don't you remember." I saw her wearing safari gear and sporting a hunting rifle. There was a jaguar and a puma was sitting next to her calmly observing the situation. Both of them stretched their paws and yawned. A few natives showed up. From the looks of it they were the cannibal tribes. They looked seriously hungry. SIS threw the gun at me and blew a whistle that sounded like someone screaming for help. I was so delighted that I gave HER a hug and SHE hugged me back before giving me a knife and a bullwhip. I told HER about Cleo's situation before opening a portal in the swamp. I shoved HER so SHE can handle whatever shit storm that was heading our way.
I fell through the portal and I jumped up to see that the medic, Cleo, her son and Jake were staring at me. I got up and picked up the ear piece and shoved it in my ear. Jake asked which one he was talking to. Zelda or Pam. I blinked three times and he concluded, "Pam it is. Please tell Tanya to get me the list of hooligans for me to keep an eye on. Also tell Zelda that if SHE ever sneaks out when I landlock HER I am sending HER home."I smiled, "Then I can't help you buddy." He stared for a moment before he recanted and walked away. I asked Tanya where my ear piece was and she said that it is on route and will be there in the next ten minutes. Cleo asked me if I was alright. Medic gave me a once over before she treated Cleo. She left the room and Cleo called out to her asking her to treat me. I chuckled, "Sweetie I suffer from dual personality disorder. I switch places with someone. Everyone knows that. So don't get worked up." I sat down to read a book and saw that she had scribbled a few ideas to improve the narrative. I chuckled before putting it down and walked towards the door. The delivery man asked me, "Sunny day isn't it" I answered, "I prefer snow." He opened the door and gave me a small box and a large shopping bag. He wished me a happy day and walked away. I put on my new encrypted ear piece and asked if they heard me loud and clear. Once they confirmed it I stomped on the old one and opened the bag. Inside was a heavy cardboard box. I opened it to see a disassembled ghost gun and a few dozen magazines. I sat down and assembled the thing and asked for an update. Tanya said that the update will be sent in an hour. She has her doubts about Jake. She thinks that something about him screams trouble. Tanya spilled that Brody was arrested for an Angel of death. She made sure he kept his mouth shut about me being a serial killer. I thanked her and opened the TV to see a picture of Cleo. The police wanted to ask her a few questions. I had a clean up crew clean the crime scene so there were no bodies and no evidence either. I got her an encrypted phone so she can make a phone call but I told her to make sure the call is under sixty seconds. She followed my instructions and dialed her boss's number. She was cryptic and was quick. The man will surely try to trace the call but it will bounce all over and by the time he gets here we will be long gone. Jake asked for an update and he was told that he will get it in an hour. So he went to find a place for me to crash.