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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Captain Claymore" data-source="post: 1969011" data-attributes="member: 12634">"The Container"3:35PM, Sunday, April 23rdNorth Olympic National Park, Washington    The afternoon sun shone down on a dirt access road with a lightly treed meadow off to one side and a thicker forested hill to the other. Distant thunder warned of a storm headed this direction. A state patrol car pulled up next to a green and white, state park truck on the side of the road. Two officers stepped out into the cold breeze and joined two park rangers at the front of their vehicle.    The taller, older, male officer shook hands with the grey haired ranger, "Gentlemen, I'm Officer Turner and this is my partner Officer Crawford." The younger female officer nodded in greeting. Officer Turner looked to be in his mid thirties or a fit, early forties. he had short cropped, dark hair and wore the air of a man used to authority. By contrast Crawford looked newer to the job. The kind of new that made the uniform look less than comfortable. Even if she wasn't obviously a lot younger, it would have been easy to see who was training who.    The older of the two rangers gave a tight lipped smile, "I'm Dan Riley and this is Carlos Rodrigez." The younger hispanic man leaned forward and shook hands as well. Riley was all grey hair and weathered skin. Despite obviously being the oldest of the present company, he was light on his feet and full of vitality. A six o'clock shadow of grey facial hair and a beat up baseball cap with the North Olympic National Park logo on it placed him firmly in the good ol' boy class. Like Officer Crawford, Rodrigez was obviously the recruit. Clean shaven and a great deal less aged, he at least seemed to have a more comfortable uniform.    Officer Turner continued, "It was a hell of drive out here so I hope this is more than just a squatter." He ran his hands through his own lightly greying hair as he took in the scenery.    Riley pulled a piece of paper from his jacket pocket and unfolded it. "No sir, we've got two separate accounts by local hikers. The first was a out-of-state couple who reported hearing terrible screaming from the cabin." He looked down at the piece of paper. "... it was as if someone were being tortured to death... That was this morning at about eleven. Then about noon a local fellow swore he saw a dead woman hanging from a tree not far from the cabin." He handed the paper to the officer as Carlos looked uncomfortable. "That's when you were called. The fellow that lives in the cabin is a man named Delbert Johnson. He's leasing the cabin through the summer and has a wife and kids staying with him. I've talked with him once or twice during my rounds and he seems like a nice enough guy."    Officer Turner looked over the very unofficial report and handed it to his partner. They had already run the name on the way up here and it had come up clean. "Do any of you have any training with firearms?"    Carlos professed to only having used guns for hunting. Riley said, "I did some time in Nam."    Officer Turner thought for moment before giving instructions. "Alright, Mr. Riley, I'll want you to circle wide around the back of the cabin and watch to make sure no one bolts. Mr. Rodrigez, you go with him and spread out a bit, but keep Mr. Riley in sight. No side-arms out of the holster unless you're in immediate danger. We still don't know what the situation is and there might be a reasonable explanation for everything." He looked at the barely discernible road leading into the forest and then at his cruiser. "Can we drive the cruiser up there?"    Riley pondered the road, "You'd be better off in my truck. For that matter we'd all be better off until we get closer to the cabin. It's about two miles back, and this road ain't so good in spots."    At that point they all turned to see a blue sedan coming up the main road. It pulled in behind the patrol cruiser and everybody watched as a sharply dressed younger man stepped out and walked towards them. He had brown hair, green eyes and a clean shaven, angular face. He wore an expensive looking leather coat over a grey, designer suit, white shirt and black tie. His black dress shoes were about as shiny as Officer Turner's badge. Turner noticed the government plates and the sleight bulge under the man's left arm. That combined with the "official" look on the younger man's face cinched it. The Bureau was here and he was about to be outranked.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________(One and a half hours earlier on the same day.)Buck Rogers Coffee House, Downtown Northport.    The same sharply dressed young man was sitting at a window table enjoying a mocha cappuccino while reading one of his favorite local rags, a "newsletter" called the X-paper. He was busy being mildly amused by a story on the recent disappearance of a fishing boat from Northport harbor. Apparently there had been numerous reports of sea monster sightings in the area where the boat went missing. One old fisherman who chose to remain unnamed, go figure that, told of a close encounter with the beast. According to his report the beast had one large eye and might have..."Da Da Daaa Da Da Dummmm..."The theme song to the Godfather sang out it's tinny announcement from the man's coat pocket. He briefly tried to continue reading before realizing what that particular ring tone meant and hastily reached for his phone. He quickly composed himself before flipping it open and placing it to his ear with a monotone. "Yes."A man with a similarly even voice spoke on the other end, "Duty calls." a short pause, "Are you available?"Even shorter pause, really just enough to be considered a pause, "Of course.""... Nice to hear. Pay for your drink and drive towards North Olympic National Park. You've got a long drive ahead of you and I want you there quickly. I'll explain while your driving."He tossed the paper down on the table while quickly scanning the room, "I already paid for my drink, or didn't you notice?" He turned and headed out the door. The grey street was packed with cars and pedestrians hurrying back to their cubicles from lunch. he shouldered into his coat, switched the phone to his left ear and walked towards his blue sedan as the man continued his instructions."Take Highway 14 to the park's west entrance. From there you're looking for a park road... 313. It'll be on your left about 2 miles in. Once on that road look for a ranger's vehicle and a state patrol car. Unless both are there... keep driving, you'll need them both. Turn around and head back to the turnoff and wait till the patrol car arrives. Once they're both there, wait a few minutes and then join them."He was negotiating downtown traffic on his way to the freeway now. "How will they feel about me... "joining" them?""The local police are never comfortable with the FBI..."He smirked to himself, "But it's federal land and I, being the FBI agent that I am, have a great reason right?"Another pause, "Yes... you do. A man named Delbert Johnson has acquired something he shouldn't have. He's living in the cabin you're headed towards. Tell the police whatever you want, but make sure you accompany them and help them in dealing with whatever they find. Number one priority is to retrieve the container.""Container?""We're not sure of it's exact nature, but it will probably be small enough to carry easily. You'll know it by it's essence signature. Keep your shields up when handling it, close it if it's open and bring it to this address... 4156 34th Street. Got all that?""Yes sir.""Click.""Pleasure talking to you too, we'll have lunch some time."The drive was boring, but the traffic was light heading out of the city. As luck would have it, he spotted the state patrol car just as it was turning into the park entrance. He waited a few minutes and then followed. The side road was right where it was supposed to be.As he turned onto the uneven dirt road he began to concentrate. Essence gathered and he quickly made the necessary gestures and spoke the invocation. Both license plates on his car subtly altered their appearance. The numbers and letters grew fuzzy and rearranged themselves. Small letters spelling out "U.S. Government" appeared in place of the the standard "Washington" that had been there. Next he flipped open his wallet on the seat beside him. In the little sleeve where his license was, a faded but official looking FBI identification card appeared. Lastly a shiny gold badge suddenly came into being at his belt. He checked his hair in the rearview mirror and had to make a quick correction on the steering before he veered off the road."Never cast and drive," he chuckled at his own stupid joke.The patrol car and park truck came into view around the next bend. As he eased his very non-off road car in behind the cruiser he gathered a bit more essence and worked a touch more magic, this time augmenting his aura to exude confidence and authority. The illusory plates, badge and ID would probably be more than sufficient, but the aura would keep any of them from even thinking to check authenticity. Now he just had to move things along before his illusions began to fade. Whatever waited up at the cabin would probably require more magic, and he couldn't really afford to expend more of himself before then.As he stepped out of the car he felt it right away. The distance was too far to get specifics, but there was a large collection of essence from the deeper woods to the right of the road. A rough set of wheel ruts led off into the trees nearby. It was a hunch, but he guessed the cabin was down that road."Officers, gentlemen, who's in charge here?" Mitchell was almost in awe of himself, they didn't have a chance.Turner met his eyes and said, "I'm guessing you are now." The others seemed willing to let him do the talking.His face remained stern, "That's correct officer..." He looked at Turner's ID pin, "... Turner. I am now in charge." He flipped open his wallet while hitching his coat to the side to show the "badge". He made sure to keep the ID open until they stopped looking. "I'm Agent Mitchell. Delbert Johnson is wanted in a federal matter." he glanced up the narrow road, "Has anyone gone up already?"Officer Turner shook his head, "No, we just arrived and we were discussing how best to approach. Can you tell us anything about the suspect?""Mitchell's" thoughts raced, "I'm not at liberty to say much... What did you're computers tell you?" He put an extra dose of authority into his voice as he asked the question.It seemed to work as Turner answered without a trace of suspicion, "He's got a clean record, like I'm sure you already know. What I want to know is if he's dangerous?"Mitchell looked at Officer Crawford and the apprehension was clear on her face. Something about this call was making her nervous. The younger, hispanic ranger was also showing signs of stress. It might have been the essence exuding from the cabin, but he didn't think a mundane would be feeling it from so far. "I don't know what Mr. Johnson is involved in up at that cabin, but if it was peaceful, would the park service have called the state troopers in?" He grimaced, "Would I be here?"After that they seemed to except that Agent Mitchell had no secrets he was going to reveal. Officer Turner filled him in on their plan and he agreed with it, stating that he would take a flanking position once at the cabin. Turner grabbed the shotgun from the cruiser, they all piled into the blazer and Riley drove up the road and into the shadow of the trees. "U.S. Government" morphed back into "Washington" as thundered boomed a little closer this time.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Dan Riley crouched low behind a twelve inch tree trunk, the smell of pine sap strong in his nose. About fifteen feet away Carlos was in a similar position behind his own tree. There was a little too much white showing in the young man's eyes and his hand kept straying towards the nine millimeter at his hip. Riley made a note to keep a close eye on Mr. Rodrigez. They were both about fifty feet from the backside of Delbert Johnson's cabin, having moved quietly into position just a few moments ago. He could just make out a four foot high stack of cut firewood and a low window on the back wall of the cabin. There was no back door.______Agent Mitchell had parted ways with Officers Turner and Crawford as they neared the cabin. Several large, fallen trees lay across the path leading up to the front door. A rusty axe was buried in one of the trees. As the two state troopers approached the front door, Mitchell had circled around the right side and crouched down in the brush with his .45 out. he could clearly see a strange essence hanging like a heavy aura about the cabin. Gathering a bit more essence he called forth a protective shield against both physical and magical damage. A slightly transparent suit of magical body armor encased his torso. He watched as Officer Turner stepped up onto the low porch.______As Turner stepped up he could clearly see a length of rope and a wide, dark red stain on the pine boards. He quickly pumped a shell into the shotgun he had brought from the cruiser and stepped up to the side of the front door. Officer Crawford saw the rope and stain next. She drew her nine millimeter and aimed it at the door from about twenty feet back.Turner made sure that his partner was ready before knocking twice on the door and shouting, "Mr. Johnson, this is the State Police!"The leaves in the trees rustled as the wind picked up momentarily. A deep, loud, angry voice answered back from within, "GO AWAY! We don't wish ta be dishturbed!"Turner exchanged a glance with Crawford. Despite the slurring of words, there was something else odd about Mr. Johnson's voice. It was unnaturally deep. He considered the possibility that the suspect might be on drugs of some sort.______Riley heard the exchange well enough from his own position and the hairs on his neck prickled. he looked over to find Carlos had pulled his weapon and was visibly shaking. He began to motion to Carlos to put his gun away but then realized he'd rather join him in the action. His own grip was a little moist on his .357 as he watched the window.______Mitchell was watching the side window that he guessed looked in on the bedroom. The essence seeping from the cabin was making his pulse race slightly. he could just make out the two park rangers crouching in the brush behind the cabin. If the situation was effecting him this way, he was guessing the others were highly on edge by now. A small face appeared at the window. It was a little boy with blonde hair. He seemed to be scanning the brush and Mitchell had to stop himself from ducking. Movement would be worse than his slightly exposed position while the child was actively searching.______Officer Turner steadied his nerve and called out again, "Mr. Johnson I need you to come outside right now!""I shaid GO AWAY! Yer Dishturbing ush!"Turner reached forward and slowly rotated the handle on the door. It wasn't locked and he pushed it inward while sweeping the room with his shotgun. The living area was approximately twenty feet by forty feet. A futon couch, small table with four chairs and a wood burning stove cramped up the walking space. A door in the right wall looked to lead to a bedroom. He could see partially into the left door and the kitchen beyond. The only light came from the now open front door, the kitchen window, and the sliver of illumination that made it's way through the heavy drapes on the large window next to the door.______Riley motioned for Carlos to stay put and started to duck-walk towards the back of the cabin. He chanced a whisper before leaving his position, "Don't you point that thing in my direction." He was headed for the window as Carlos nodded.______Mitchell watched the window on his side slide up and the little boy hop nimbly to the sill and drop down to the ground. He thought the move to be oddly fluid and graceful for a boy of four or five years old. He edged closer through the brush. The sound of his passage effectively hidden by the steadily increasing wind in the trees overhead. Still, he had taken no more than five or six steps when the boy's head swung around. As their eyes locked the little boy's visage smoothly morphed into a hideous, tooth filled grin and then back again. The thing that was obviously more than a child whispered something in an unfamiliar tongue and began to lope towards him in a completely unchildlike fashion.______Officer Crawford had now taken up a cover position at the front door threshold as Turner sidestepped across the left side of the living room. he could hear muffled crunching sounds coming from the bedroom. As he neared the kitchen he spotted a smear of blood on the wall and floor. "Mr. Johnson, this is your last chance to come out. Put your hands where I can see them and step out of the room!"There was movement at the bedroom door as Turner began to squeeze the trigger of his shotgun. A little girl of maybe ten years of age stepped out with a tear streaked face. His finger relaxed as his heart skipped a beat. What the hell was the problem with him? Had Crawford seen how close he came to blowing away a little girl? He looked quickly at her and then back at the child.The girl didn't step away from the bedroom door as she said in a tear choked voice, "Daddy says to go away. He don't want company right now and you're making him angry." Before either of the officers could reply she had stepped back into the darkened room and out of sight.'<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />!' Turner thought to himself. 'If he's got kids in there this could get really bad. Where's Agent Mitchell anyway?' He stood irresolute with shotgun pointing towards the floor.______Outside Riley had just made his way to the wood pile. He edged to a position under the window and glanced to make sure Carlos was still in place. His aged back protested somewhat at all the crouching. Slowly he turned and eased upward, his leg muscles straining as he peered into the window.At first it was too dark to make out anything. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust. When they did, his first thought was one of confusion. Something sat on a double bed in the middle of the small room, bringing up the mattress edges with it's weight. A long, distorted line of bare flesh with a row of knobby bumps was all there was. As his mind pieced together the image his jaw dropped and he stifled a scream. It was a back. A monstrous back and two massive, muscle bound shoulders. Unable to turn away or even close his eyes, he watched in stupefied horror as the thing turned towards the door and revealed more of it's naked self.One shoulder was slightly bigger than the other and it's head seemed to jut from the front of the torso more than from the top. It's arms were ape-like and ended in thick-wristed hands the size of basketballs. In one hand, the thing held a shredded human leg, the femur bone glistening whitely. It raised the bloody appendage to it's razor toothed mouth and Riley saw that the thing had no nose or ears and a heavy brow that hid it's eyes in shadow. He was dimly aware of a second, smaller creature perched atop a dresser next to the door. If either had looked towards the window he would not have been able to move or defend himself in any way. Tears formed and ran unstopped down his face.______As the little boy/monster raced towards him, Mitchell summoned the essence necessary to attack. "A fíriel! manen Usinta ráca indonya!" A jet of pulsating blue fire raced from his outstretched left hand towards the charging creature. It was clear the creature saw the blast, erasing any last doubt that what he faced was a mundane child. The creature jumped high into the air in an attempt to dodge the soulfire but the energy clipped it's outstretched leg, cart-wheeling it's small body. The blue fire raced up it's torso quicker than the eye could follow, engulfing the thing and causing it to cry out in high pitched screams of agony. It hit the ground and writhed at Mitchell's feet, alternately looking like a small boy then a hideous, deformed creature.______'Crap! I'm losing it!' thought Turner as he took a step backward to better scan the kitchen. At that point he nearly did lose it. A female torso with only a head lay in a thick pool of arterial blood in the center of the tile floor. Her hair was a slightly darker blonde than the little girls. Bloody rags that might have been a blue blouse and skirt lay crumpled on the counter. The entire kitchen was splattered with tiny drops of blood from floor to ceiling. Turner felt a wave of nausea sweep through him and had to brace one hand against the door jam. In barely more than a strained whisper he said, "Crawford... call it in, get back up."Crawford kept her gun trained on the bedroom doorway. She could tell something had just changed by her partner's face. her heart sped up as she reached for her com unit at her shoulder, "This is 4320 requesting back up. Repeat, we need backup immediat..."There was a blur of movement from the bedroom doorway. Crawford saw blonde hair and hesitated a moment. Turner just started to bring up his shotgun as the creature that had been a little girl bounced off the floor and hurtled into his face, sharp teeth clacking together mere inches from his throat. Somehow he managed to interpose the shotgun crosswise between himself and the hissing thing and push it off and to the ground. Crawford screamed and took a panicky shot that embedded itself into the log eight inches above her partners head. Both officers froze as the goblinoid girl scuttled away from Turner and hopped nimbly onto the futon.From the bedroom came the deep voice, "NO PEASH, NO PEASH, MUST HAVE PEASH, AAARRRGHHHH!______Riley's limbs finally thawed as the grotesque giant levered it's massive frame up from the bed. Without really thinking he scrambled around the side of the cabin, first on all fours and then in a low run. He was dimly aware that he was whispering, "...who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name..." Forget the fact that he hadn't seen the inside of a church in thirty years.As he came around the corner he saw Agent Mitchell put a round into something that was squirming and screaming in the brush at the FBI agent's feet. he had to blink and wipe away the tears to be sure he really saw what he thought he saw. Some sort of military body armor made of glowing material was strapped onto Mitchell's body, arms and legs. he closed his eyes tight and shook his head as if to clear it, his gun clenched deathly tight in his hand. None of this could be <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />ing real!"The cabin shuttered and the bedroom wall nearest Riley and Mitchell cracked and splintered. One of the fifteen inch logs that made up the wall was torn inwards causing the logs above it to collapse down, knocking the window frame free and shattering glass. This was enough to bring Riley back into action, as he stumbled away from the building and towards the strangely glowing FBI agent. Mitchell whispered, "Vantela tier, pella firima" and the mystic armor seemed to gain more solidity as he jogged towards the porch. From behind the cabin Carlos kept screaming, "Dan, are you alright?!, Dan, are you ALRIGHT?!"Dan Riley wasn't answering.______Both Turner and Crawford aimed and fired at the girl/monster on the futon right after the splintering wall gave way in the bedroom. With amazing speed it jumped high and twisted away from both shotgun blast and pistol shot. The buckshot made a loud PINGING as it ricocheted off the wood stove. Turner was pumping another shell into the chamber as two things happened simultaneously. The goblin girl again launched itself at his face and the giant thing that used to be Delbert Johnson squeezed it's bulk through the narrow bedroom door, dragging a splinter-ended log in it's meaty fist."HOLYSHITHOLYSHITHOLYSHIT!" Crawford went nuts and tripped over the door lintel backwards, landing hard on her backside. This only stopped her for as long as it took to twist and crawl like a very fast infant off the porch.Turner was whimpering too, although he was able to bring his shotgun up and shoot with wild eyes. Unfortunately for him, he missed the giant thing and instead put a hole in the ceiling boards that rained material down on it's head. It's beady eyes focused on him and he began to inch towards the front door while pumping another round.So intent was his focus on the giant that he almost lost his throat to the smaller creature. Again he used the shotgun to deflect the attack, but this time he felt a searing pain under his jaw and up to his ear as the goblin's talons dug into the flesh of his neck. Blood sprayed from the wound as the creature bounced from his chest and clung to the wall like a monkey. Turner clutched his throat with one hand while aiming with the other. He was about to squeeze the trigger when his world turned upside down.The giant's makeshift club smashed into his shoulder and torso with terrific force. He felt bones snap as his body spun and slammed into the wall, coming to rest on it's side. All was grey and red as his vision swam. The girl-goblin screeched with laughter and advanced.______Riley was now operating purely on adrenaline. His mind shut out everything but the feel of the gun in his hand and the action taking place in the cabin. He watched Officer Crawford half crawl, half fall off the porch, babbling incoherently. There was a horrible tittering laughter coming from inside and no sign of Officer Turner. Maybe it was the sight of a woman in distress or maybe he was just crazy, but he was up on the porch before he realized it, smashing out the living room window with the butt of his desert eagle. Mitchell was right behind him .45 leveled at the front door.Both men were nearly knocked off the porch as the giant kicked the front door off it's hinges and emerged from the cabin, bellowing and growling with fury, log raised high. It was completely naked and quite hairy. Red tinged spittle flew from it's mouth as it swung it's head wildly from side to side.______Crawford had somehow kept hold of her gun while scrambling away. She turned to judge the distance between herself and that thing, just in time to see her partner cartwheel into the wall and slump to the floor. That proved enough to snap her out of her blind panic. As the Giant emerged from the cabin, she got to her knees and steadied her shaking wrist for a shot. The loud report of a 9mm rang out twice. Two holes appeared in the creature's torso and it's head swung in her direction. The panic started to reassert itself as the giant leapt off the porch and towards her with surprising dexterity.Some of the deck boards buckled under the weight of the giant. Riley had a hard time keeping his feet and fell hard into the outer wall of the cabin. Using the wall to steady himself he raised his gun and fired into the back of the leaping creature. A much larger hole appeared in it's shoulder, causing it's arm to spasm and it's powerful swing to go over the head of Officer Crawford.She rolled and fired two more shots from a prone position, each entering the giant's stomach and causing it to shudder. With five gunshot wounds that would have been deadly to a human, the beast raised it's club high into the air, intent on crushing Officer Crawford into a bloody pulp."CRACK, CRACK!" Twice more gunshots rang out. The giant's head snapped to the right with each shot and blood and flesh spit out from the left. Mitchell, just five feet behind the giant, lowered his .45 as the creature fell hard across the legs of Officer Crawford. He spared a quick, reassuring smile before loping up to the porch and into the cabin.Just inside the door, Turner was still conscious, and desperately resisting the smaller creature's attempts to rip out his throat. His left arm was all but useless and it was just a matter of moments before the creature won. Suddenly it's weight was gone and his head was filled with a horrible ringing as Mitchell fired two point blank shots. The goblin-thing skidded to a rest at the door to the kitchen, half of it's head no more than a red smear.Somewhere outside Carlos Rodrigez' shrill screams could be heard dwindling into the forest.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________While Officer Crawford and Riley tended to Turner's extensive injuries on the porch, Mitchell searched the cabin. He spent some time tearing apart the bedroom before finding what he sought in the kitchen sink. It was a painted bronze pyramid about nine inches tall. The top six inches comprised the lid and was laying next to the base in the bloody sink. The essence was thickest around the container. It flowed around his shields as if seeking a crack by which to enter. He gently lifted the lid and fitted it back into place. He ran water from the tap and cleaned the blood from it's surface before carefully wrapping it in a towel from the cupboard.Stepping out onto the porch, he took a moment to appreciate the gentle rain that had begun to fall. He knelt next to Riley and looked at Turner, "Will he make it?"Officer Crawford didn't look up from her work, "Life Flight's on it's way. We've done what we can for him, but there may be internal injuries."Both Crawford and Riley had the look of functioning shock victims with pasty complexions and shaking hands. Neither of them even glanced at the towel wrapped package.He stood up and walked down to the the once-giant Delbert Johnson. Sometime during the search of the cabin, Mr. Johnson had transformed back to his normal form. The wounds to his head made his features unrecognizable. He looked very pathetic lying naked in the dirt."I'm gonna go see if I can find our friend Mr. Rodrigez."They didn't even look up.With the container tucked under his arm, "Agent Mitchell" walked down the road towards his car. He had a drop off to make downtown, and traffic this time of night could be dangerous.________________________________</blockquote>

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