Halloween Jack

Written by: Dave Allsop
Edited by: Morton Smith
Thanks to: Carol May

Prologue

"For years you searched for truth. How does it feel as it enshrouds you before all others? Does it sting like a cruel world, or clutch you in a lover's grasp? Do you remember? Do you remember when I found you lying in the ashes, and I gave you what you asked for? And god, how you cried because it wasn't what you thought, was it? Poor child, you, the lover of life, the protector of the downtrodden, did you not see what havoc you'd have brought to Slayer if you were to succeed? What is truth? Truth is hope my friend. But you know what the problem is? Nobody really wants it, not deep down where it hurts. That is why you are here with me this moment. You and I have a great deal in common. We both cared and wanted change yet society chose to betray us. As a result we have indulged in that which does not become us. We kill. Carve our hatred in flesh, and increase loss, sickness.......death. Does that make one...god? No? Then why do you live when others fail to destroy you. Their positive action, even goodness cannot touch you. Each soul controls it's own fate, that's what separates belief from doubt. We practise self religion. We are united under a common cause, are we not? Tell me what it is, that thing in itself which you despise?"

Halloween Jack slowly raised his hands to peel the mask from his head. The amber skin creaked and moaned as he pulled. It had been so long since he'd first put it on, years had hidden his true face from the world of progress.

At once the warm air buffeted against his bare face and he shields his eyes from the glare of the sun, his vision obscured and secluded for a lifetimes grief. He couldn't dare face the one who spoke of old matters. His mouth was dry and painful, retarded from lack of use "S...Sl....Slayer" he croaked

"Yes, Slayer. Do you hate him now as you did then?"

There was a long pause.
"Why.......won't you let....me....die?"

Walker smiled and looked into the wind averting his eyes from Jack

"You don't want to die, we're just getting to the good part"

"I'm....tired... Walker"

Walker drew him a maddening stare that made Jack pale

"I'm tired too, but there's no point in stopping now. You're going to help me settle this score, whether you like it or not"

"Why?"

"Why? Why?! Because you wanted this, didn't you?! You poked your nose in and got caught up in something you couldn't handle. That's why you're Halloween Jack. That's why you're here and that's why your going to do whatever I goddamn tell you to do!"<>

Jack put his hands over his face and bent over, the mask falling from his lap

"Don't do that! Don't cry. Don't cry in front of me! I've cried enough for everybody including you! You should have thought of this before you took it upon yourself to write that bloody rag all those years ago....."

Jack looked up hesitantly

"My god....what have I done?"

Walker knelt down in front of him and ran his hand through his ginger hair. "It's not what you've done. It's what you nearly did"

1. "Should be home by nine"

Wave Lindsay put on his coat and pulled the collar tight around his neck, the cold breeze of fear ran through him before he stepped outside. Today, everything went into action, too late to turn back now. Wave was with so little regret for findings but he knew that what he had, what he knew could bring great suffering upon the World Of Progress. Wave hoped they could cope with the truth, tomorrow would bring war and hope, hand in hand. Together they would walk steadily into an unforseen future.

Behind him he could hear coughing coming from the bedroom. Mary, Wave's wife had been very ill since he had brought his work home with him.

"Wave?... Wave don't leave without saying goodbye" She called out weakly. Wave entered the room holding a glass of water. Quickly he hid the horror on his face, Mary was deteriorating rapidly. She was matted with sweat, knotted over facing the rainy window.

Wave sat the glass on the bedside table and sat beside her.

"Wave?"

He took her cold hand, and gripped it tight against his chest

"Yes, my dear?"

"The flowers have fading and died."

Mary looked wearily at the empty vase by the window

"There won't be any more flowers will there, my love?"

"I'll....I'll bring some home tonight, when this is done, I promise."

Mary closed her eyes, fearing the worst, they sounded like her husbands last words.

"Wave,....just promise me...promise me you'll try"

"Don't say that Mary, everything will be fine. Slayer won't risk a face off, everything's covered, I promise. I should be home by nine, at the very latest"

Wave left home without saying goodbye, by nine he wished he had. Wave never saw his wife again.

Mary raised the glass to her lips, the water was cold and painful on her palate. She tried hard not to think of the terrible things Wave had told and of what she'd read in his article. It was all so hard to believe, yet belief meant so little now. It would be so easy to just close her eyes and disappear from this terrible place.

The glass slipped through her fingers but never hit the floor. It was time, Mary was going towards the flowers and as she caught the scent of their sweet fragrance she remembered when Wave courted her in New Paris. His face so fresh and innocent, such high hopes of notoriety. He used to buy his wife flowers, then the dreams died and he greeted Mary with a pale kiss and a broken expression. The Downtown Phoenix was born when Wave realised that the flowers weren't real and the sweet scent was only petal deep.

Mary shut her eyes and the memory closed like a curtain. There would be no tear shed, no prayer said, no angel to take her soul away. The truth had seen to that.

Intruder followed Wave through the backstreets of lower downtown, forever looking over his shoulder in fear of being tailed. Wave wouldn't see Intruder, even if he was five feet away. It had taken intruder centuries to perfect the art, and he loathed every step and day of it. He hated the fact he was assigned to follow Wave even more.

Eventually Wave reached the backdoor of the downtown Phoenix, the lights were dim but nonetheless on. To an innocent bystander, this run down tenement could pass as a harmless storehouse, Intruder wished he was innocent and took a sheltered position by the window and looked in.

Wave headed for the back office, followed by a short, fat, middle-aged man. He looked tired and nervous. Wave didn't, not half as much as he ought to be Intruder thought. Looking down at the printing press Intruder could see the spinning sheets of tomorrows news - Integration 20, a lethal announcement at the breakfast table of every civilian and operative on Mort.

"Shit" Intruder looked away in disgrace, he knew this is what he'd find but some how he wished that Wave might get the fear and pull out at the last moment. He didn't realise that this meant so much to Wave Lindsay, did he really think he could go head to head with Slayer? Intruder never thought it would come to this, to stain his hands with the blood of a friend. He was surprised that the information hadn't killed him sooner but Wave was always a strong one. The thought of letting Wave go crossed Intruders mind but if it wasn't him, it'd be some other op or Necanthrope who probably make him suffer for his crimes. No, Intruder would do it just as Slayer had asked, yet quick and painless, which was not part of the agreement.

Slayer wanted his pound of flesh.

"Newton, what's the final word count? I wanted to... Newton!" Wave looked up from a draught copy of Integration 20 to find Newton was no longer by his side. The office had grown so awfully quiet. Wave had been so engrossed in his deadline that he barely noticed the silence that stole his dreams from under his nose.

Wave rose nervously and edged towards the door.

Intruder hadn't left much of the staff, a few dismembered limbs lay scattered on the floor. A spurt of arterial spray had hit the print run and danced through the roller, leaving a red ribbon across the sinister streams of text.

Wave felt a gun barrel press against the back of his neck.

"Turn around and step slowly back into the office"

"I..."

"Now!" Intruder pushed Wave through the door.

Wave fell back into the office and turned to find Intruder bearing down on him, spattered with blood from his fellow co-workers, pointing a Blitzer in his face. Wave was at a loss for words.

"It's over, Wave. I'm sorry." Intruder pulled back the hammer on the gun.

"No, Intruder don't. The public have a right to know." Wave stammered.

"Don't let them suffer anymore than the have already. The truth is just to much to bare, can't you understand that?"

"I never thought I'd hear this coming from you, old friend, I really didn't." disappointment in his voice.

"I believed in you, Wave. I always have. It was the one whose backing you, that's the root of the problem. Do you see?

Wave was silent, his lips trembled, but the will to speak, to live was gone.

"Was it all worth it, Wave?"

"I guess we'll never know, will we?"

The shot ran out above the din of the machinery.

Intruder sat and stared for a long time as his friends blood emptied out onto the floor. It brought back bad memories... time for back-up.

"Guidance? Send in Stigmartyr One. All clear." the voice, dejected and low.

Outside children still played in the streets, dashing through puddles. Everyone wore masks today. A day when all souls would rise.

Wave dead and glassy eye gazed at the pumpkin head on the windowsill. It's fiery face glistened and glimmered as the DarkFinders stormed the factory and set it ablaze.

The Walker looked down at Wave's lifeless body and smiled.

"The Downtown Phoenix burns in Slayers rage, but like it I will help you to rise from the ashes. I will grant your fond wish. You will be all that Slayer respects and yet despises. You will be like a brother to his clockwork killer. In time you will tread the same soil and while he guides Intruder, I will guide you as a Monitor. The price of such a reward? You needn't worry about that right now, it'll become apparent soon enough, yes?"

The Walker reached down and wrapped the charm around his neck. Like a hungry virus, it quickly slipped under his skin.

Immediately, Wave sat up coughing and retching. Then in a moment looked up and saw his master and was silent.

Then the screaming started, the warm fluid trickled down his leg and an unholy fear surged through him that drowned his sanity in a second as the truth came to bear down on him one last time.

Wave went silent as his conscious mind slipped away.

The Walker looked over to the window and saw the pumpkin head amongst the flames. The carved skull pattern grinned back at him.

"Samme Haine? Slayer, you old fool..." The Walker smiled.

"Alice. Wake up. I bring you a message and a task to undertake."

Alice Neral woke suddenly and looked up to find two figures standing in the shadows of her darkened room.

"Who's there?" she snapped perturbed at a rude and unannounced visitation.

"Get up now, Alice. It is I, Delusia."

Delusia stepped out into the pale light offered by the window. Even her appearance made Alice nervous and uncomfortable even after all this time. Delusia was a Monitor like Alice, but she was much, much older. Alice had overheard that Delusia was by her masters side during the first Reunification Age and knowledge had taken it's toll on Delusia, her eyes and wings had grown tired. Alice smiled inside herself, another to step on and over on her way to the top. Not yet though, there was still enough to learn from this ancient servant.

Delusia looked Alice up and down with her yellow compound eyes. Two faced. arrogant, greedy, misguided, abused, yes, there'd be hope for this one yet. We'll brake her in slow. hurtful and slow. Delusia revelled in the thought.

"Alice Neral, you will take this new servant out of Slayers domain and surround with the Monitor family. The Diamond Dogs, they will look after him from there. Beyond that. we will need you know more... for now."

The Diamond Dogs? What chance would a fresh acolyte stand in the company of these weirdos. They'll kill him the moment they get him alone. It doesn't make sense. Alice concealed her reservations and looked back at Delusia.

"How am I supposed to get there?" Alice said indignantly.

"The Walker bestowed you with gifts, did he not?"

"Yes."

"Then I suggest you use them, you ineffective whore."

Delusia snapped her fingers and the second figure stepped forward and loomed over Alice. In an instant she shrank away from the thing that stood before her. An overriding feeling of hatred and chilling lifelessness engulfed her from this new Monitor. The strange pumpkin like helmet had an unnerving way about it that set Alice's teeth on edge.

This is Halloween Jack. Do not attempt to make conversation with him for he will not reply. Do not attempt to kill him, you cannot win, I assure you. You will take him to the Diamond Dogs and return here for further instructions. Understood?"

"...yes."

Fuck you, old hag. Alice thought.

"Very well, don't fail us Alice Neral... though I hope you will. Farewell."

Delusia stepped back into the shadows and was gone.

Halloween Jack?! Yeah right... there was nothing special about this one. He'd just end up like the rest. Alice was determined to make sure of it.

-The beginning -