Bitesize 3.5

Bitesize 3.5

Ed sped to Kelford as fast as he could drive with his vision impaired by the tears in his eyes. Tears of anger, frustration and sadness. He already knew deep down that he was too late but that didn't slow him down, didn't stop him taking each corner in a reckless slide. Mentally he kicked himself for not spotting it sooner. Clearly Crowley would have expected Ed to call the Bureau, disallowing him the time to rescue both Raddick and Odolf. This was the only logical alternative and was exactly what Crowley had meant with his one solitary syllable. "Check". It still rung out hollow in his head. He'd always known his Dad was not long for this world, the threat of organ failure constantly on the horizon. But to end his days like this...
He roared down the driveway of his Dad's house, sliding the car to one side and showering Valentina's Megane with gravel. He jammed the handbrake on but didn't even wait to kill the engine, just got out and ran for the front door. It was locked and he cursed, ran back to the car and yanked his keys from the ignition. The lights were off in the hallway when he opened the door and he flicked them on as he ran for the staircase. The door to his father's room was wide open and Ed ran in, coming to a stop at the bed. It was empty. The covers flung to one side and the drip disconnected. Spots of both blood and dried silver spattered the bedsheets. Ed looked up to the ceiling mirror overlooking it all then back down at the floor. A lone shoe sat beside the bed and he recognized it as Valentina's. Crowley had taken them both. Maybe they were still alive but Ed didn't get his hopes up. He sat down heavily on the bed and cradled his head in his hands and wept.


When Ed finally pulled himself together he locked the house back up and made straight for the Bureau. Calling the police in a case like this would be pointless. All the way there and even going down in the elevator Ed's thoughts were full of his Dad but when he stepped into the corridor of the Bureau he was all business. Alf was waiting for him by the main desk and Ed didn't waste any time.
"The mirrors?"
"Gone. Ed what's going on?"
"Raddick? And Odolf?"
"They're fine Ed."
Ed tossed Alf the Onigawa book from his Dad's library.
"Crowley's using the mirrors. We need all the information we can get on the Onigawa legends. And I need a word with Raddick."
"Raddick? Why?"
"He knows. He's one of them, the Onigawa. He can tell us how it works. What lies beyond the mirror."
"And how do you propose to make him talk?"
"Give me a gun."
"A gun Ed? Come on, you know better than that. Raddick can't be hurt by such things."
"Oh he can." said Ed, "Just watch me."
"What's going on?" It was a female voice this time, Katia's. She came over to the two of them.
"It's Crowley." said Ed, "He's got my Dad and he's gonna try and get Raddick and Odolf too. Katia, you have a gun?"
She looked surprised but handed him her gun.
"What about one of the stun guns you used to take Raddick before?" Ed asked Alf.
Alf collared a passing agent and made him run off to the equipment sector to fetch one. He returned a few minutes later, holding one of the guns.
"Come on, both of you." he said and the three of them made their way to the elevator that would take them further down into the complex, to the holding cells.

"You can't kill him Ed." said Alf as the elevator descended.
"I don't want to." Ed told him, "If we have no other choice he'll be a good bargaining chip."
"You'd swap Raddick and Odolf for your father?"
Ed shook his head.
"Just Raddick. We already know how to deal with him. After I've spoken to him knock him out. Get one of those collar devices and plant the thing under his skin. We should be able to incapacitate him whenever we need to."
"Ed, this is all very unethical."
Ed stared at Alf.
"What choice do we have? Crowley's planning something. I want my Dad back. Stick a tracer in Raddick and trade him for my Dad. Then we'll find Raddick and Crowley."
Ed checked that Katia's gun was loaded and the elevator came to a stop. Ed marched out and led the others towards Raddick's cell.
Alf sighed deeply.
"Katia, what do you think?"
"I think he's right. Giving up Raddick temporarily, if it allows us to find Crowley, might not be such a bad thing."
"And it will buy us time." said Ed, "Time to find out what my Dad saw when Crowley took him and time to figure out a way to stop him."
They stopped outside Raddick's cell and Ed looked to Alf for approval. Alf nodded in defeat.
"Fine. Go talk to Raddick, but after that I need you to tell me everything that's happened." He hit a few buttons on a keypad near the cell door and hesitated with his finger over the last one.
"Ready?"
Ed nodded, his hand hovering near the door handle.
"Go."
Alf hit the final number and Ed yanked the door open, stepped through and let it slam shut behind him...