Paranormals (Book 1) by Christopher Andrews

you’ll never have to eat one of her overly-dry cakes again)
     
    (SHUT UP!!!)
     
    After a pause, Alan spoke again. "I, um, thought you might want to know a little more about what, uh, happened, now that you’re ... but I can just come back later if you want."
     
    Steve sighed. "No. Might as well get it over with. I don’t want my curiosity to finally rear its ugly head at three in the morning with no one around."
     
    Steve heard Alan sit down next to the bed again. Since Steve was partially strapped to his bed at this point, that probably felt like a safe enough move for him.
     
    "Three days ago," he began, "several of your neighbors reported a large disturbance at your home. The police arrived to find the ... remains of your parents, your aunt and uncle, and your cousin. Officially, y our brother is ‘missing,’ but ... we’re presuming the worst. You were found shortly thereafter and brought to the hospital. Judging from the damage caused, we surmised that paranormals were involved. You verified our assumptions yesterday."
     
    Steve nodded, but most of his attention was lingering elsewhere. "If you found me, then you saw the motorcycle?"
     
    "Yes. You were attacked while riding it?"
     
    "Yeah."
     
    "You’re lucky they didn’t hit you. The front tire looked like it’d been struck by lightning."
     
    lightning
     
    "Not unless lightning strikes sideways ," Steve muttered.
     
    "Steve," Alan said, and now there was another pause, "when we found you, shards of broken glass were protruding from your eyes. I’m ... afraid that your natural vision was permanently ruined. You, uh..." More silence — Steve could hear him shifting uneasily in his seat.
     
    "I’m blind," he finished for the older man. "Don’t worry, Alan, I’m a bright guy. I’d already figured that much out on my own." And he had — he’d simply been trying not to think about it.
     
    ... the basketball game against John and Dan the day before had gone so—
     
    "You don’t have to be, Steve," Alan whispered.
     
    Those words snapped Steve back to the moment. "What?"
     
    "You don’t have to be blind ."
     
    "I got that. What do you mean ?"
     
    Alan kept his voice low, as though he were afraid of being overheard, even though the door was closed. "What I’m about to tell you is extremely confidential, Steve. Do you understand?"
     
    Steve nodded. Despite his depression, he found himself listening attentively.
     
    "There’s been a lot of deliberation on what should be done. The PCA is screaming for our latest developments at the company, and the general public is always screaming for action ... and we have our suspicions as to who might be responsible for the murders—"
     
    Steve latched onto that like a striking snake. " Who?! " he demanded.
     
    "Did you ever meet Richard McLane?"
     
    The emptiness, the pit inside was no longer cold now — like his wounded eyes the day before, it was starting to fill with heat. "Twice."
     
    "Joseph fired McLane the day before the murders. There was an outburst and a lot of threats thrown by the man, and now the police can’t find him. If he did it, he must be brought to justice, of course, but there are certain considerations that go beyond that, and they seriously complicate matters."
     
    I’m not interested in any "complications," Alan. "Such as?"
     
    "If McLane is consorting with paranormal rogues, it could severely jeopardize national, perhaps global security. McLane led the company in weapons development, and our company leads all the others. If McLane discloses his knowledge to rogues, or even begins working for or with them, the ramifications would be disastrous. To be honest, the PCA might not have the raw power to deal with a threat of this magnitude ..."
     
    The door opened, and Alan practically leaped to his feet to meet the intruder before they could enter the room. Steve heard someone whisper something, and Alan replied with a request for a "few more minutes." A second later,