Spirit Breaker by William Massa

term to describe ghosts. ”
    “You live for this shit, don’t you?”
    Casca shrugged sheepishly. “We all have our interests.”
    More like an obsession , Talon though. An obsession he was beginning to share.
    He pondered the billionaire’s words. They’d often discussed the two universal forces coursing the universe, the light and the darkness . Both of these power sources could be accessed through occult ritual, and he’d both confronted the darkness and tapped into the light. Despite numerous conversations, ghosts and spirits were a subject they’d barely touched upon. He remembered the apparition of Michelle he thought he’d seen during his life-and-death battle with Zagan. At the time, he’d been convinced she’d returned to give him strength. Later on, he wasn’t so sure and seriously wondered if he might’ve imagined the whole thing.  
    As a professional soldier, death cast a large shadow over him, now more so than ever. Nevertheless, he never had dwelled too much on the possibility of life after death. Figuring out life was hard enough; part of his pragmatic character was to avoid wasting time on questions for which there were no definitive answers.  
    “Where are we going, by the way?”
    “The Nexus Foundation is sending out some of their people to help us with our current problem. Dr. Adira Austen is their top parapsychologist, and I have a feeling she’ll have some helpful advice as we prepare to face the Reaper.”  
    Talon nodded, but the idea of setting foot in the abandoned mall again filled him with dread. “You know this stuff is insane.”  
    “It’s a hell of a thing to wrap your mind around. But it also illustrates how little we know about the world beyond. The Foundation’s philosophy is to use the scientific approach when it comes to the supernatural.” Casca’s face lit up with passion as he continued. “Nexus holds some of the best equipped para-psychological labs in the country. Their scientists are investigating what mystics have been talking about for centuries. Quantum physics, string theory, dark matter. New models of the nature of reality. Cutting edge, ground breaking stuff.”
    “How much do they know about us? About what we do in the front line of this battle?”
    “They know you work for me and that I have an interest in stopping occult threats, the Reaper being one of them. Beyond that, Dr. Mason and his team know not to ask too many questions.”
    “I see.”
    Talon still felt uncomfortable about turning this mission into a group effort. The Foundation and Casca were unknown variables that made the ultimate outcome of the mission harder to predict. But he could use some help. The Reaper and his followers weren’t like any enemy he’d ever faced before.  
    The limo pulled up to an office building and drove into its underground parking structure.  
    It was time to learn about ghosts.

C HAPTER T WELVE

    ADIRA WAS SURPRISED to discover that Casca had rented the entire top floor of a downtown Ampton office building for the upcoming meeting. How much money did the man have to throw around? Her surprise deepened when she met the handsome, boyishly good-looking man. She had expected someone older, more serious looking. Casca clearly was a jet setter, but there was an intensity and sense of focus to his demeanor that caught her off guard.  
    She was even more taken aback by the intense man that accompanied him. Apparently he’d survived an encounter with a malicious entity. Casca had jokingly introduced him as “ Talon, the most dangerous man alive, ” but something about the man’s bearing convinced her that it wasn’t an empty jest. The man radiated danger, projecting a palpable edge. Something in his gaze felt familiar too. She’d spotted the same haunted expression on her own face in the wake of the traumatic events that had set her on her current quest to investigate the mysteries of the paranormal.  
    Adira asked to take a quick look at the wounds