The Evil Within

The Exorcist

Thank you for the nice comments on the last parts! Let's go! :)
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"No way." George crossed his arms.
"There is no other way! I can handle it, George!" I stuffed a knife in my boot, another one in my sleeve.
Barnes had gone off to Tower Bridge to check out the situation while we had gained access to the DEPRAC's m weaponry where I suited up for my meet-and-greet.
The others strongly disagreed with the idea of me being alone with a psychopathic Lockwood (and to be honest, me too), but I didn't see another solution. As far as we knew he held a young woman hostage and she was definitely in more danger than me regarding the fact that I was armed to my teeth. He didn't say anything about weapons after all.
"He has a gun." Kipps was leaning against the wall.
I shrugged, "Do you have a better idea?"
"Just wait, maybe the DEPRAC has a SWAT team or anything like that." that was Holly.
"You're really going to trust the DEPRAC with this? I thought after all your time at Lockwood and Co you realized how much of an bad idea that is."
She sighed, "I know, I just don't want to be in danger. He's violent and unpredictable."
"There is still our friend in there!" I replied impatiently, "I won't leave him alone."
Nobody argued after that since no one had a better idea.

The Tower Bridge was completely closed off, serious DEPRAC agents and police men were spread out on both sides, pointing guns at the middle.
Inspector Barnes greeted us with a dark face,"Took you long enough. Miss Carlyle, are you ready?"
I swallowed dryly, "As ready as one can be in that situation."
"Good. Remember, he has a gun and we have no idea what he wants. Which is why..." he handed me a watch, "...you get this. There's a microphone in it so we can hear everything that goes on. The moment he snaps we engage."
George snorted, "You should have engaged before he bit open his arteries."
Barnes wanted to reply, but I interrupted him, "Alright, are we good to go?"
We waded through the police men and agents to the front. I could see Lockwood from the distance, he leaned against the bridge balustrade, pointing the gun at the woman he held hostage who was sitting on the ground. His wrists were wrapped in bandages.
"What exactly am I supposed to do by the way?" I decided to ask.
Barnes scratched his mustache, "Try to get the ghost out. We'll seal the Source from here after that."
After Lockwood had been knocked out by George, the DEPRAC searched the whole house for eventual Sources. It was Kipps who found a cold spot in the library. We hacked open the wall and found a skeleton finger in a tiny secret chamber, but sealing it didn't get the ghost out of our friend. It seemed like the ghost was stuck in Lockwood. But of course we still took the finger for the unlikely case that the Type Three decided to leave him.
Apparently someone had used the empty house as an depot for Sources, probably someone from the black market. Pieces of silver glass told us that the finger had been sealed, but something, probably a rat, had thrown down the glass.
And now the "plan" was to get the ghost out of Lockwood. It was a very unspecified plan and apparently my face showed my disappointment.
"Just find out what he wants." Barnes tried to conciliate me.
I scowled at him, "Because that worked last time. Wow, now I'm reassured." then I shrugged, "Fuck it, let's do it."
Barnes nodded and then dramatically lifted a megaphone to his mouth, "Carlyle's coming. We exchange at the same time."
I slowly made my way to the middle of the bridge. It was about 20 ft away from the police barricades. I could see Lockwood gesticulating the woman to get up, still leaning against the balustrade. The hostage came towards me, she was shaking and crying. She started running when I walked by, I instead Tool my time.
He smiled broadly when I arrived, "So we meet again."
I tried to act relaxed, but I didn't put on a good show, "Why didn't you just kill her?"
He sighed, waving his gun around, "Oh you know, priorities. Hanging out with you is more exciting, it takes a little effort to make you cry. She was boring, kept sobbing all the time."
I nodded as if I understood the struggle, "High standards, huh?"
He grinned, "Well... Yes, you can say that. So how are you feeling, Luce?"
I cringed, that thing had the audacity to call me Luce,"Well, what do you think? My best friend is being possessed by a psychopathic ghost."
He chuckled, "Yes, yes... Are you scared, Lucy?"
"Of you? No. I'm just really really angry. So what do you want from me? What exactly am I doing here?"
For the first time he separated himself from the bridge railing, "Have you seen my little trick at the DEPRAC?"
I shuddered internally, "Yes."
He grinned, "Well, in my life before my death I was an therapist..."
"How ironic."
He hesitated, then smiled, "...Is it? I know it's hard for you to accept, but I'm actually trying to help you! You're so blind with your love for Lockwood! I mean, the fact that you're here just proves it!"
"I'm here because you were holding an innocent woman hostage."
His eye twitched for a second, "Stop interrupting me. And we both know that you're lying."
Defiance was rising in me. He was so self assured, he didn't have a single doubt about his position. He seemed to believe that I was the weakest member of the group. Why did everyone always think that? Didn't they know that I basically killed Steve Rotwell? Right, they didn't.
"Lucy Lucy Lucy..." he slowly stepped towards me, "You're so much more than just his side kick you know? You truly love him while he's flirting with Holly! Doesn't that make you mad?"
I frowned amused, "Are you trying to talk into taking your side?"
He shook his head, "I just want you to realize your full potential, my dear! You're holding yourself back for him! Didn't you enjoy your free lancing time? That independence? Now you're just his little Listener pet again."
I pretended to consider, but I really wasn't. He was completely missing the point here, Lockwood, well, the real Lockwood was one of the few people that actually valued and respected my opinion.
"Why would I trust you?"I took a step out of his gun line. He didn't point it at me, he was too busy making speeches, but I didn't feel like risk today.
"You shouldn't" he smirked, "I don't trust you either, but there is no need for trust if you don't live after rules. Who says that you shouldn't kill anyone?"
"Literally everyone?"
"You don't understand, rules are man-made. We tie ourselves up in vows to do everything for the greater good, hence the rule not to kill anyone. But doesn't humanity want to kill? Homo homini lupus, my love. We all have the urge to kill, because after all we're just animals. I'm just embracing the wolf in me."
Riiight. This guy was completely mad. At this point I stopped listening to his rambling and focused on trying not to get killed.
"Lucy, don't you want to kill me right now? If you had the chance to do so without hurting your precious Lockwood? You would, out of revenge, wouldn't you?"
"Probably." that idiot has just given me the only idea there was to get him out of there.
He watched me, pondering, "You know, of course I have been rummaging around little Tony's head here and he's actually a little scared of you. That's why I chose you. You're reckless, perhaps even more than him. If you'd just let your conscience go, you could be happy."
He seemed to be waiting for an answer. I didn't give him one right away, instead I made it look like I was considering his request.
I acted torn, then I replied,"Maybe you're right. I will consider it under one condition."
He waited, his brows raised.
"I want Lockwood. If I can't have his love since you possess his head, I at least want his body."
He hesitated, then smiled a dirty smile, "Hmmm, sexual abuse, the first step in the right direction. Fine, you can do whatever you want with his body."
As demonstration he approached, still grinning. I forced a satisfied smirk, luring him closer to me. He grabbed my hand and pushed me against the balustrade, placing his face right in front of mine. His dark hair fell into his face. I nearly gagged when I saw rests of blood on his lips.
"Oh Luce, we combine the two most basic human instincts, sex and killing. You won't regret this."
I swallowed, "No, but you will."
He hadn't noticed me getting out one of my knives. He had just enough time to make a surprised face, then I jabbed my iron dagger into his stomach.
Lockwood gasped, his eyes wide open. I let go of the knife so that he stumbled back a few steps. The flesh around the wound was sizzling, he moaned in pain and ripped the metal out of his body. Okay, not planned.
Blood started spreading through the white fabric of his shirt, but it wasn't red, it was black.
It took me a second to realize, then I lifted the arm with the microphone watch, "SEAL THE SOURCE NOW, IT'S COMING Out! AND I NEED AN AMBULANCE!"
Lockwood stared at me in shock, then he collapsed on his knees, holding his stomach. I darted towards him and went on my knees as well. Blood was dripping out of his mouth, now red.
"Lucy..." he coughed.
"Lockwood? Oh God...I'm so sorry. "
He smiled peacefully, "Thank you."
I pressed my hands on his wound, "What?!"
His smile was warm and familiar, "Thank you for getting it out of me." he put his hand on mine, "I need to tell you something."
I fiercely shook my head, "You won't tell me anything right now! You can do that when you wake up in the hospital, do you understand?!" I was close to crying, my voice broke.
He just kept smiling and closed his eyes, "Okay."
He said it, but I had the feeling that he was saying goodbye.
"No, no, no, you stop closing your eyes! Look at me!"
But he didn't. The blood was now running from his chin down his neck. I could hear the heavy boots of paramedics behind me, yelling at me to get away, but I couldn't move. I just kept staring his pale face, kept pressing down on his wound. I couldn't lose him. I just couldn't.
"Miss, please step away. Miss! Do you hear me?" somebody pulled me away. I watched them care for him, still unable to do anything.
"Lucy, you did it!" that was Holly's voice.
I didn't react.
"Lucy? Lucy?" she shook me.
I turned to her, Lockwoods blood dripping from my hands, "Oh God, Holly, I killed him."