Black Christmas

Chapter 12

A thud is heard on the roof, and the sound of hooves soon follows. The time has come.

The elves tense up as the battle begins. As fast as it starts, though, it goes wrong. A blackness fills the room – not just darkness, but blackness. Absolutely nothing is seen.

Greg starts to freak out as he hears the first screams. He can't do anything to help as long as he can't see anything. He can hear the parents screaming in agony as the killer goes to work. Seeing dead bodies was one thing, but as he listens to innocent people die he curls up into an instant panic attack, unable to function but forced to listen.

The children's screams are worse. They're getting killed slowly, and it's so dark they can't even see what's hurting them. Thoughts race through Greg's mind as he drifts away.

***

Greg wakes when the light returns. He looks around at nearly the exact same scene he viewed in California. The only difference is that next to the wrapped up bodies under the tree lie the bodies of Brick and Bailey. The task force's muscle has been eliminated.

The other elves rush to the scene, and Greg does a quick count to make sure they're all there. They seem to be unharmed, but James is already crouched down examining the bodies. He points out something interesting on Bailey's corpse.

Carved into the big elf's stomach are the words "Consider this a warning." Greg wonders aloud how long he was out.

"It all happened in a few seconds," Drew announces. "Like magic."

Alan turns to Greg and looks him straight in the eyes. "It was like magic. And that call you got wasn't a wrong number. This damn second you better tell us what you know."

"Hold on, Alan. There's something to take care of here and then after that I'll spill the truth."

Jerry looks cross at both of them but reluctantly orders Alan to step back for a second. He trusts Greg to explain what's going on soon.

Greg nods and thanks Jerry. "Drew, Eric, Gavin, take Brick's and Bailey's bodies to the back yard and bury them. They can't be seen here and we're not taking them with us."

The three of them are upset with their leader for keeping something from them but drag away the bodies anyway.

Greg turns to Alan, Jerry, and James. "You three, I have to talk to. Come on out to the front."

The men walk out the front door, where they will hear the awful news from Greg.

***

"So, we're not tracking Santa's killer, we're tracking Santa." Alan is upset, but not necessarily angry.

Jerry looks at Greg now. "I don't agree with your decision to keep this from us, but I understand it. Nevertheless, the mission hasn't changed, and we have to stop him."

Alan walks over to the other three men as they approach after burying Brick and Bailey. He explains the situation, and Greg watches as they get noticeably uncomfortable.

All six men meet up in front of Greg now. The first to speak is Gavin. "Makes sense that you didn't tell us, boss, but we still know how this night has to end."

Greg is relieved that the elves are still on his side. The last thing he needs is for his own task force to rebel against him.

Drew goes on. "From now on, though, full disclosure? We can handle it. We're in it for the long haul. Victory or death."

Greg agrees. As maturely as the men are handling the news, he owes the full truth to them from here on out. They seem slightly discouraged that they've lost two men, but they are not angry with their leader, and they're certainly not afraid.

Greg makes his decision quickly. "So, we'll head west. We'll cut him off again, this time with a better plan. Moscow will be our next stop."