Next History: The Girl Who Hacked Tomorrow (15 page)

Tharcia goes no further than the landing. “I’ll wait here. Tell me what you see.”

Tilton is ashamed, certain the girl picked up a menacing echo from his thoughts, doesn’t want to be with him in her bedroom. He’s seen this reserve before, with sensitive women.

“
Of course,” the priest says evenly.

The door
knob, hung with a bundle of ferns and wilted flowers, turns hard. It is stiff with cold and it creaks. He puts his shoulder to the door, once, then again. On the fourth assault the door flies back and a crystal spray of ice showers from above. Tilton’s face gets it first, the biting cold, like sticking his head in the freezer as a boy, trying to cool himself in tepid Milwaukee summers. Inside, it’s as she described. Every surface, the walls, furniture, floors, her bed, all are coated in a thick rime of frozen water. A single window the black of night.

Beneath clear
layers Tilton can discern Tharcia’s décor. Posters of dragons. Image of a serpent coiling around a voluptuous female body. Pink-breasted goddesses in see-through gowns. Images of pre-Eden Genesis. Tilton is jarred by the angel images. In one, a male angel guides two small girls toward the light from a dark wood. The bedside table is crowded with vials of essences, exotic oils, crystals, jeweled pendulums, all sheeted with ice. A purple glass bottle shaped like a phallus. An icy lover.

Tilton’s gaze stops at
a cluster of charcoal drawings thumb-tacked above the bed. The ice sheen makes of the grouping an installation piece that would be at home in a New York gallery. The priest touches a wall, colder than ice should be. Backing away, about to close the door, Father Tilton notices the rolled-back rug, beneath the frozen surface the vague form of a hand-drawn pentagram on dark wood. Standing with her at the top of the stairs, Tilton’s breathing is shallow, quick. Her face is open, eyes steady. No sign of
told ya so.

“
Is this the location where you were attempting to conjure a demon?”

“If you mean my mother, yeh.”

“You mother is not a demon.”

“
The hell she isn’t.”

Amused, Tilton smiles.
“My child, a demon is considered an unclean spirit, sometimes an evil angel, which may inflict demonic possession. Many think that demons are spiritual entities that may be conjured and controlled. However, control is elusive, and requires a good deal of knowledge and practice. And help.”

“Help. What kind of help?”

“Such as the conversation we’re having right now. A demon might indeed show up, if the conjurer finds an accurate spell, but then might take control of the entire situation. And of the conjurer. Demons are what we deal with when called to an exorcism.”

“So, I couldn’t call my mom this way?”

“Doubtful. You might get yourself into a lot of trouble. I suggest you stop immediately until you can find trained guides. There are complex rules about what certain demons can do. Satan as well as supreme angels must abide by fixed rules. Not all demons hold the same powers.” Tilton contemplates for a moment, switches tack. “Do you believe in sin?"

“W
hat do you mean by sin?"

“Transgression against Divine Law.”

She nods, casting a glance past his shoulder at the door to her room. “I do, but I don't believe the Devil makes us do it."

“But you believe in God.”

“Absolutely.”

“But not in religion.”

Surprised at his perception, she turns her head slowly, left, right.

Tilton nods.
“The Devil's deepest wile is to persuade us that he does not exist. You were conjuring in there, to reach your mother.”

She starts down the stairs. He’s a likable guy, someone she could trust.
But she is ready for him to go.

"
I recommend you cease your activity at once.”

“You said that already.”

“It bears repeating. You don’t need a priest," he tells her outside on the porch. The day is like summer, warm for early November. He looks at her critically, weighing their conversation against other first contacts with possession victims. Her belly is not swollen, her eyes do not roll, no clawed or winged shapes move beneath pallid translucent skin, she emits no fiendish screams.

“You
already have a psychologist. What you need is a perhaps a clairvoyant, a seer. To talk to your mom. Safer for you to resolve it that way.”

“Ah.
So you admit I could reach her?”

“Not likely, but not out of the question.”

“All the same, Father, could I have your card?”

“Certainly, here you are. I am going to think about this and call some people. I will be in touch.”

Looking at his card, she says, “Oh good, you use email.”

“Yes,” Tilton
smiles, heading down the steps, “saves on gas.”

Studying him as he
strides away, she lets him nearly reach his car before she calls his name. He turns around.

“Father, I have one question. Wh
y does God need so much money?”

OFFICE OF THE NEW YORK CITY MEDICAL EXAMINER

CC
: Department of Forensic Biology

REFERENCE
: CODIS database.

NAME
: Villa, Anne Katrina (“Annetka”)

CASE NO
: 20XX-277

DOB
: unknown, no verifiable birth records

AGE
: assumed to be age 22 years +/- 2 years

RACE
: Brazilian/Caucasoid

SEX
: Female

ID BY
: Direct identification not possible due to condition of remains see notes. Lorelei Margaritte Villa of New Jersey made remote identification of jewelry attached to the remains as belonging to Anne Katrina Villa, aka Annetka, stated to be the identifier’s blood cousin.

INVESTIGATIVE AGENCY
: NYC CME

EVIDENCE OF TREATMENT: N/A

EXTERNAL EXAMINATION: The autopsy is begun at 8:47 A.M. on November 2. The remains are presented in a black body bag. Remains consist of an intact internal female skeleton, held together by connective tendons ligaments and cartilage. All flesh removed from skeleton at time of incident. Contents of skull, including eyes, other organs removed at time of incident, scattered at crime scene. Jewelry on the remains includes several necklaces of pearls and diamonds, two ornate gold and platinum rings, and one 2-inch wide gold wristband with diamonds in a hexagram pattern on left wrist.

The skeleton is that of normally developed white female measuring 67 inches height, weight of recovered remains 22 pounds. This is generally consistent with the assumed age of twenty-two years.

It is well to note in this report that four skeletons were recovered from the scene of the incident. Identification of this skeleton as that of Anne Katrina Villa is preliminary and based on secondary evidence such as stature and physical dimensions, jewelry, and location of remains at the scene, which was on Annetka’s four-poster bed. The three other skeletons were heaped together in the living room.

Skeletal examination is normal in most respects, except that subject’s pelvic arch is more consistent with male anatomy than female. Because the female organs were removed during the incident, gyno examination not possible. It is a conjecture that carrying a child to normal birth for this individual would be difficult to impossible due to the reduced pelvic opening.

An unusual variation in skeletal form is observed at the chest and upper back. The scapulae are abnormally developed, extending from the region of the C6 vertebra down to T8, and of unusual thickness and rigidity, resembling the density of ape or gibbon bones.

Another unusual feature is the sternum. In the case of this subject the sternum has an anterior ridge extending 8 cm into the chest cavity. This biology
is found when additional rigidity for powerful musculature is required.

The body of the
scapulae has dorsal and costal surfaces. The former is divided into two fossae by an outstanding process of triangular form, with enlarged dimensions as noted above. Marks on the scapulae are suggestive of healed surgical removals of bony projections. We can provide no information on the shape or intended function of these projections. We do observe that the bone in these locations was in the process of regrowth, projecting 2 cm. outward from the scapular anterior surface. These projections would have been visible through skin and some clothing.

INTERNAL EXAMINATION

HEAD, CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM: Skull is void of brain matter, no exam performed.

SKELETAL SYSTEM: Intact with anomalies noted. None of the bones are fractured. During the incident all flesh had been removed, leaving only connective cartilage and ligaments as discussed.

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM, THROAT STRUCTURES: Missing from remains, no analysis possible.

CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM: Missing from remains, no analysis possible.

GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM: Missing from remains, no analysis possible.

URINARY SYSTEM: Missing from remains, no analysis possible.

FEMALE GENITAL SYSTEM: Missing from remains, no analysis possible.

TOXICOLOGY: Samples of connective cartilage and ligaments submitted for analysis, although drug, nutrient and toxin uptake of these tissues is very slow it was considered worth doing. Results available eta 21 November.

SEROLOGY: Routine toxicological studies ordered see caveat in Toxicology.

LABORATORY DATA: No gram stain, culture, cerebrospinal fluid bacterial antigens, hemophilus, streptococcus pneumonia possible. Missing pleural cavity.

DRUG SCREEN: not possible see toxicology note

URINE SCREEN {Immunoassay}: not possible see toxicology note

(signed)

Harvey Schwartz, Ph.D.

Chief Toxicologist

EVIDENCE COLLECTED:

1. One human skeleton, female with variations see notes

2. Pearl necklace, 22 inches, 40 pearls 1/2 in to 1/4 in diameter, platinum wire chain

3. Diamond pendant necklace, weight 2.2 oz., gold chain

4. Gold ring with emerald, right ring finger, weight 1.8 oz.

5. Platinum ring with solitaire diamond, right thumb, weight 1.4 oz.

6. Wristband or bracelet, left wrist, 2-inch wide gold, 23 diamonds in a hexagram pattern

OPINION

TIME
OF DEATH: 10:30 - 11:00 A.M. on 1 November.

IMMEDIATE CAUSE OF DEATH
: Unknown

MANNER OF DEATH
: Suspected HOMICIDE (part of suspected multiple homicide). Suicide highly improbable. Industrial accident or Act of God highly improbable.

Before the dust of Father Tilton’s departure settles from the pleasant air, Tharcia knows she will try again. Her altar candles chalks incense crystals stones essences pendulums are sheeted in ice. But she has two things that are new and available. One is the handwritten spell, in the back pocket of her white jeans. The other is her dream-twin’s suggestion that she needs a bigger pentagram.

Iced out of her ritual space, w
ithout her sacred altar, her laptop, props and supplies, she must improvise. She’d seen a lappy on Clay’s workbench. She’ll try to log in. He won’t mind, it’s only a few web searches. After all, she reasons, beyond all the arcane trappings, the candles, the robe and the chants, results in the Spirit world revolve around
intention
.

The sun is warm as Tharcia
hurries to Clay’s workshop. It’s quiet inside, cool and scented with oils, his familiar tangy sweat. On the long workbench under a sunny window an array of metal things, rolled-up paper diagrams, tools arranged in careful order. The aircraft that waits in the center of the space is small, a single-seater, mid-wing. It is missing some body parts, a panel on one wing is open, exposing internal structure, electrical wires, silvery tight-braided cables. The motor cowling rests on the clean concrete floor.

O
n the workbench, Clay’s dusty laptop. She lifts the lid, pokes a finger at the start button. It’s an older computer, not his main one, a machine he uses with his flying work, sourcing aircraft parts. The thing whirs, starts easily enough, there is no login, it opens right up. In the lower right she sees the date is behind by three days. She considers changing it for him but thinks he might have a reason, besides it would leave tracks. Not that she’d mind if he knows she used the laptop, and will probably tell him if she remembers. The date won’t make any difference.

Tharcia
opens a web browser. The home page makes her smile, the National Weather Service, centered on Watsonville California airport. Just the thing a flyboy would be most interested in, the weather. But down to work.

She enters a search,
largest pentagram on earth
, which returns nine million results.
Oh, whoopee.
Scrolling down, what appears most are postings of various occult groups and Wicca bloggers, websites on arcane books and ritual spells, stuff about the Nazi holocaust and a pentagram dating before 2300 BCE in Mesopotamia. She clicks on a link labeled Washington D.C., reads that the streets of the U.S. Capitol are supposedly laid out in the form of a pentagram. Interesting, but nothing she can use. She kills the page and searches on.