Available Darkness Season 1

and found a pimply faced long-haired guy in his 20’s sitting on a plastic chair in a bulletproof glass booth.
    “You all right?” the cashier asked, dropping his Guitar magazine.
    Larry leaned over, hands on his knees, raising a finger as he was catching his breath
    Fuck, I’m too fat.
    “I … need to … use your phone.”
    The guy pointed at the glass and then at the drawer which allowed him to collect money or pass a pack of cigarettes through it, but nothing larger. “Can’t, dude, but there’s a phone booth out there,” he said, pointing at a phone booth Larry couldn’t see beyond the store’s promotional poster-papered windows.
    “I promise, dude, I’m not gonna rob you. I’m … trying to save someone’s life. Can you give me some quarters?”
    “Oh shit,” the cashier said, “I forgot, the pay phone is out of order.”
    “I’ll pay you to let me use your phone!”
    The cashier looked suspiciously at Larry.
    “Do I look like a robber? How many fat robbers do you know?”
    It was only then Larry realized he was soaking wet, dirty, and covered in blood.
    “Oh, yeah. I was shot. Someone kidnapped the girl I was with. If I don’t make this call, she’s going to die.”
    The cashier was frozen, swallowing slow and staring at Larry.
    “Please,” Larry said, too exhausted to try to charm the guy. “She’s going to die.”
    The cashier reached over and opened the door, letting Larry into the booth. “There are video cameras,” the guy said, warning Larry not to try anything.
    Larry reached into his pockets, pulled out a wad of wet bills and put them on the counter, “This is yours, buddy. Thanks.”
    The cashier handed him the phone. Larry dialed John’s cell.

    **

    John

    John was just yards away from the compound, which was surrounded by a huge iron gate. He could feel eyes on him, video, human, and — Otherworlders’.
    His phone rang out, startling him.
    He reached into his pocket, expecting instructions from Abigail’s captor.
    “Gus’s Shell Station,” the screen read .
    “Hello?”
    “John! It’s Larry! They got Abi!”
    “I know,” John said, “Jacob wants me to meet him. I’m going in.”
    “No, dude, you can’t. He’ll kill you.”
    “I’m done fighting, Larry. If Jacob wants to go home, let him. It’s not worth the fight.”
    “Where’s Tiny?” Larry asked.
    “I told him to go back to the warehouse. Obviously, they were on to our trap. No point in seventy men dying.” John knew he was probably being listened to, and hoped Larry would hear his subtle clue, the exaggerated number of men.
    “Just go home,” John said, “it’s over.”
    “What about Caleb? Jacob needs Caleb if he wants to open the portal. How are you going to get him there?”
    “I had Tiny call him and told him to come alone.”
    “What makes you think he’s gonna come of his own will?” Larry asked.
    “Every lock has a key,” John said.
    “Be careful,” Larry said after a long pause.
    “Always, Larry.” He hung up the phone and walked through the opening gate of the compound.

    **

    Larry

    Larry glanced at the kid, “Is that your red Hyundai in the parking lot?”
    The cashier, who’d been counting the money Larry had given him, glanced up uneasily, “Yeah, why?”
    “I’ve got one more favor to ask,” Larry said with the best smile he could muster.

    * * * *

CHAPTER 11 — Caleb Baldwin

    As the Omega squad assumed position around the warehouse, Caleb’s phone rang.
    “UNKNOWN NAME” showed up on the caller ID.
    He answered it.
    “Agent Baldwin.”
    A man’s voice spoke in an urgent tone, “The man who killed your wife is at 3399 Westchester Avenue. Go alone. He’s expecting you and he wants to talk. But if you bring anyone, he won’t tell you what really happened.”
    “Who is this?” Caleb asked, pulling away from Mike and the others.
    “Are you listening?” the man on the other end asked.
    “Yes,” Caleb said, confused.
    “Listen carefully, because I’m only going to say this once — Omnusob Ahtwhan Cognizi.”
    Something clicked inside Caleb. He dropped the phone and fell to the ground.

    **

    Caleb awoke in the blue moonlit bedroom of his childhood. He was a child again in the dream, vaguely aware of his adult self, and unsure if this were another buried memory, or a dream of his creation. The skeletal trees outside cast shadows like spiderwebs on his wall, swaying back and forth in the steadily rising wind. Raindrops pelted his