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“Wh-where am I?” he whispered.
“You’re safe now,” said Ghost. “Can you tell us what happened to you?”
“I just wanted a tattoo. My parents said I could because I was only two weeks from my eighteenth birthday.”
“Congratulations,” said Gaspar with a sad smile.
“I went to this guy who was set up near the levee. I asked for something that would bring me luck, but this wasn’t lucky at all. First, my car tires were slashed when I came out of school, so I had to walk home. Then, these two guys in a blue van grabbed me. They said the tattoo meant I was their possession.”
“Do you remember what they looked like?” asked Ian.
“Not very big. Young. Maybe twenty or twenty-five. Both had brown hair. That’s all I can remember right now. I don’t know where they took me. I had a hood over my head the whole time. They put me in a dark room. I’m not even sure for how long. Then they released bugs in there. Lots of bugs. I hate bugs.”
“Wait. Did they know you hated bugs?” asked Ghost.
“Maybe. They made me put this thing on my head and watch all these pictures flash before my eyes.”
“What kind of pictures?” asked Nathan.
“Bugs, rodents, animals of all kinds, lightning, thunder, fire, water, everything. I hate bugs. I hate those big cockroaches we have. They’re horrible.” Gaspar smiled at the boy, nodding.
“They are pretty terrible,” said Gaspar. “Did you tell them that you were afraid of them?”
“No. I heard a man say that he found the fear factor. I knew. I knew what he’d seen in my brain. They put all these cockroaches in my room. I couldn’t see, but when they opened the door, I saw two coming in, and then there were more.”
“There are none here, warrior,” said Nathan, gripping the boy’s hand.
“I was screaming so loud, they got mad at me. Finally, the man that always talked, but I couldn’t see, told them to get rid of me. They put the sack over my head after they taped my hands. I was on the side of the road. I think in a ditch. Then it started to rain. I couldn’t roll out, I tried. I couldn’t roll out,” he repeated.
“You are free now,” said Nathan. “There is nothing to fear any longer.”
“I’m dead, aren’t I?” said the boy.
“You are, but you are free of fear,” said Martha.
“My parents will be sad. I’m their only child. We’re really tight.”
“I know, son,” said Gaspar. “We’ll help them if we can. We’d love it if you could help us. Did you see any other kids your age? Anyone at all?”
“No. They kept us apart. I could hear others screaming, but I didn’t see anyone. I’m sorry. I’m not much help.”
“It’s alright,” said Marcel. “You are free to go now, bebé. It’s beautiful where you are going, and there will be no cockroaches.” The young man’s image smiled, then slowly faded as Gaspar continued to stroke the forehead of his lifeless body.
“They’re conducting experiments to determine connectivity nodes in the brain. In other words, how images affect their brain activity. They’re intentionally submitting images to these kids to see what causes fear and testing it to the extreme,” said Riley.
“This is fucking sick,” said Gaspar. There was a knock on the door, and Cruz stuck his head inside.
“Sorry, guys. The kid’s parents are here. They’re a fucking wreck, as you can imagine.” Riley looked at the men standing around the boy, their faces showing the pain and agony of their minds and bodies. Even the ghosts seemed to be in pain.
“All of you go,” said Riley. “Cruz and I can handle this. The boy is at peace now.”
“He was at peace before all this,” said Gaspar. “He was a growing boy with a fucking future!”
“I know,” nodded Riley, gripping his hand, stilling caressing the boy’s forehead. “You have to let him go, Gaspar. His parents will wonder why you’re all in here.”
“Let’s go, brother,” said Ghost, gripping his shoulders. “We’re going to figure this out and end it. Permanently.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
