Three days later Jed drove up a country road in western Maryland. He had made it a couple of hundred yards up the road and an unmarked car pulled in behind him and turned on its emergency lights. No siren though. Apparently the Peacedog didn’t like the excess noise disturbing whatever he pondered. It was a smart move on the part of law enforcement.
Jed pulled over into what was someone’s driveway. The roads here really didn’t have much room before falling off into the woods. He had exchanged the mighty F-150 for his mid-90s Porsche 911. Granted his was an automatic, so not really collectible, but it made for a much more comfortable road trip.
The plain clothes officer walked up. He was in a suit and tie. Jed had guessed he was FBI before he pulled out his identification. The cheap Jos A Banks suit was a dead giveaway away. Things had gone downhill since these guys all shopped at Brooks Brothers.
”Hi, mind if we talk for a minute?,” the agent said.
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He wasn’t really asking. Jed assumed he was on some kind of list as he had been stopped coming out here a few times over the years. The idea that he wanted to be out here even less than the agent did probably hadn’t occurred to the man. These guys tended to be clever versus smart.
“I’m Special Agent Tillis with the Federal Bureau of Investigations,” he said.
Jed replied, “I think you know who I am and know that detaining me is a bad idea. I’m in no way making a threat, but the let’s call him a ”man” down the street does not appreciate his, let’s call them, “guests” being detained. I don’t really want to be here and I imagine you don’t either.”
”Yeah, well, I just wanted to apologize for what happened the last time. FWIW the term “Kentucky” has a special meaning at the Bureau these days.
In any event, mind telling me what is going on here? Just trying to keep up to date on what is happening in your “community,” Tillis said.
The “community” had a special meaning within higher level law enforcement assets. While a beat cop with a lot of experience would simply ignore too strange an encounter with the supernatural, the larger police forces usually had a liaison that would flip these things to the Feds if it appeared that a civilian were somehow harmed.
Generally speaking, everyone involved treated internal squabbles within the esoteric community a lot like feuding in noble houses or gangland deaths. As long as it didn’t get out of hand, impact commerce, children or the local community the authorities stayed out of it and waited for a winner to emerge.
Jed stared back a the agent for a minute and then decided the straightforward approach might be in his interest. Who know’s a little good will might come in handy later on. The next half-hour, or so, was spent explaining what had happened to date.
He explained what he had found in outside Tucson. The phone call about the Dittany of Crete. The lead to the stone circle. What he could remember of the evening when everything went white. And, of course, he was looking for this Waldo guy.
Now it was the agent’s turn to remain silent for a moment.
”Hmm, that is worth knowing. I guess it is my turn to share?” Tillis said.
”Generally how it works, even if it isn’t policy,” replied Jed.
”Well, a few people have come and gone recently. Only one of whom was new. Looked like a girlfriend, maybe?
Anyhow EMF readings from inside the property picked up quite a bit. Much beyond the normal range. He was gone for about a week a month ago. The agent I replaced was dropped off at the local hospital ER in the middle of the night and his patrol car was found at the bottom of a nearby hill.
Our gentleman dropped off the agent and told the ER room staff he wished the man well. He also informed them that he found our agent after the fact and had nothing to do with the incident. Our agent confirmed this when he woke up, but had no memory of how he got to the bottom of the hill. Just our “man” ripping the car door off the frame and telling the agent to remain still while he checked him for injuries.
You, ah, wouldn’t know anything about that would you?”
Jed coughed quickly, “No Special Agent. And I hope your man recovers. Like I said, I’m from quite far away and really have no idea what is going on out here. From what I know he prefers brunettes, but that is just water cooler talk.”
EMF readings, otherwise known as the electro-magnetic field, were the only scientific way to register what went on with subtle energy. A bump in this activity was not exactly precise, but generally indicated something out of the ordinary was going on. Whatever that was, probably wasn’t good. Even if it was unclear.
Jed wasn’t really sure where to go from here and the conversation paused for a moment while he got his thoughts together.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw a figure approach the car. A moment later a man in his early fifties arrived. He was heavyset, clearly a weightlifter, with brilliant blue eyes. It was the Peacedog.
”Oh shit,” Jed said aloud.
”I believe Jed that you and Agent Tillis should come inside,” the Peacedog said in his characteristic gravely voice. For what it is worth, he looked tired. And that likewise did not bode well.
Agent Tillis turned white, which is quite the sight for a dark skinned Asian man.
Today was not going as planned.
In case you missed it, part IV can be found here:
