SNAFU: An Anthology of Military Horror by Maberry Jonathan & Ochse Weston & Beck Greig & Moore James A. & Morgan Christine & Chen Curtis C. & Gagliani W.D. & Benton David & Mauermann Tyson

Author:Maberry, Jonathan & Ochse, Weston & Beck, Greig & Moore, James A. & Morgan, Christine & Chen, Curtis C. & Gagliani, W.D. & Benton, David & Mauermann, Tyson [Maberry, Jonathan]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: military, Horror, special forces, SNAFU
ISBN: 9780992502362
Publisher: Cohesion Press
Published: 2014-07-07T16:00:00+00:00

~8~

It took Heisen most of the day and a dozen calls to convince the young man he was who he said he was. But eventually Klaus relented, and… spoke. The kid sounded at near mad panic stage, and after hearing about his girlfriend, he was close to disappearing for good.

Heisen wanted to meet with Klaus. He sat on a park bench, waiting for his phone to ring. He looked up at the sky, watching the clouds lengthen and fragment, and he turned his focus inward, sorting through what he knew in his mind. Klaus and Doris had found something in Germany – a Neanderthal skeleton and something else, as yet undetermined. The kid wouldn’t give him any details over the phone, but confirmed they found something strange entombed with the fossil – something that didn’t belong there.

Now, the girl was dead, many of the scientists that Klaus had sent bits of the skeleton to were dead, and his landlady was dead… and added to that, she died horribly. It was a trail a mile wide, and leading straight to Mr. Klaus Hoffman.

If the group had just been hit over the head, or stabbed or shot, Heisen might conclude they were only after the skeleton. A find that one museum expert suggested could be worth half a million. Big money, especially considering you could get someone whacked for a measly fifty bucks these days.

But the way the murders were executed defied belief. Forensic analysis and the subsequent Coroner’s report said that the incineration reached temperatures in excess of two thousand three hundred degrees. And the concentration meant that it was consistent with some sort of high intensity laser. But one that left no burn residue, just a nice neat cauterization.

Nobody had any idea what type of device or weapon was used – even one from the military’s research and development arsenals. And the kicker was the throwaway comment by the Coroner – out of this world, she said, as she closed the book on the Sömmer girl’s inquest.

“Out of this world.” Heisen repeated softly.

He jumped when the phone rang in his hand. “Shit.” He quickly jammed it against his ear.

“Detective Edward Heisen.” There was a pause.

“It’s me.”

Heisen breathed a sigh of relief at hearing the young man’s fear filled voice. “Hi Klaus. How you doing?”

Several seconds of silence greeted his question, and Heisen thought he would ring off. But there came an intake of breath, a clearing of the throat and then Klaus came back on.

“Not good.”

“We can help you,” Heisen responded automatically.

“Bullshit. No one can. There’s fucking little people after me… and they can walk right through the walls.”

Heisen squeezed the phone as he concentrated. “What do you mean by little people?”

“I’m not mad.” Klaus said softly.

“I know you’re not. In fact I believe you. Tell me where you are, son.” Heisen felt he was holding his breath.

The silence stretched again. “Wilson Street… number seventeen. Third floor, apartment 3B. It’s an old brownstone.”

Heisen knew the area, and told him so. “It’ll take me twenty minutes to get to you.