James realized Stasya was right. It was pointless. After all that she had told him, why would she lie now? Stasya sensed that James believed her.
"Trust me Inspector, I know what I'm talking about. I have been hunting them nearly 13 years. You understand now why I told you that you must be prepared before you speak to them?" asked Stasya. James agreed. "So then are you ready to translate for me?" he asked. Stasya shook her head and backed up.
"I can't go inside Inspector. My presence will only serve to complicate matters. You said you had a translator?"
James nodded.
"Then it would be better for all concerned if you called on this person."
James turned to Shelton. "Cap, call Agent Summers, tell her I'm going to need her help."
Shelton made her way to a phone and placed the call. "Summers? It's Shelton. Inspector James needs you to interpret the interview." From the expression on her face, James could tell there was no reluctance on Summers part. Shelton hung up the phone. "She'll be here in two minutes. You sure you want to go in there after everything Commander Gusarov just told us?"
"I have to Cap. If I don't then Kirkland's death is meaningless," said James as his thoughts went back to the voicemail on his cell phone—the voice that sounded like Julie telling him Kirkland wasn't dead. He hoped it was true. And what of the voice? Could it have been Julie? If so, then the message would have been delivered before she was murdered. His thoughts were suddenly broken by Summer's voice.
"You ready, Tom?" she asked as entered the room. James looked up at her and was actually glad to see her. After everything they had been through, he felt he could trust Summers with his life.
"I'm ready," he said as he noticed Summers looking at Stasya.
"Agent Summers, this is Commander Stasya Gusarov former KGB.
"How we gonna play this Tommy?"
James turned to Shelton and looked past her shoulder at the Baranova Sisters. As he expected they were watching him intently. He wondered if they could hear him. "Agent Summers and I will start with Devonia."
Stasya interjected. "Only ask them questions that pertain to your investigation. Do not let either of them break your focus, it's too dangerous."
"Cap, you keep a watch on Tarista and take notes to her demeanor while we speak with Devonia. If you catch anything that Summers or I need to be made aware of you have my permission to terminate the interview. Commander, you're going to be my extra set of ears. I need you to listen for things Agent Summers may miss."
Stasya and Shelton agreed. James looked at Summers and she nodded she was ready. As they began to make their way to the room, Stasya called out, stopping them.
"Wait, give me your hands," she said reaching for James and Summers hands. "Yours too," she said to Shelton. James reluctantly took Stasya's hand. "What are we doing?"
"We're going to pray."
Chapter Thirty
Pray
The four of them linked hands, forming a circle. Stasya gripped James and Summers' hands tightly as Shelton completed the circle.
"Close your eyes everyone and clear your mind of all thoughts. God is listening," she said as she began to prepare her thoughts for prayer. Without warning a blinding flash filled her mind. Stasya found herself standing in the interrogation room only she wasn't with Devonia or Tarista, she was with Clem. The room smelt of sulfur and burnt skin. Clem looked at Stasya and spoke with no effort.
"He's coming Stasya, he wants her. I tried to warn her," he said as he raised his melted hand up to her face. Stasya could see imprinted into his palm the words, Because your family.
Stasya screamed and broke the prayer chain. Her eyes were wild as she stared at Summers. Her breathing was panicked and labored.
"What's wrong? What happened?" asked Summers. Stasya only backed away from the three of them. Moments later, Paige Collins entered the room followed by Jessalee.
Paige could immediately sense something was very wrong with Stasya. "What's going on?"
Angrily, Stasya confronted the director. "Why did you not tell her?" she said pointing at Summers.
Paige calmly scanned the reaction of the others before she replied to Stasya. "It wasn't the right time," she remarked coldly.
Stasya grabbed Paige by the collar of her blouse and slammed her into the wall. Nose to nose the two women glared at one another.
"Stop it! The director and I have news!" shouted Jessalee. Paige held her eye locked to Stasya's.
"So maybe you could back off," Paige ordered Stasya.
"Not until you tell that girl the truth!" shouted Stasya as she tightened her grip on Paige's shirt.
"Tell me what?" asked Summers, as she moved closer to Stasya.
Stasya glared at Paige with bitterness in her eyes. "She was going to let you go into that room with those fiends. She knows if they get you alone it will take them no time to get inside your head. Believe me you don't want that. Five minutes alone with Tarista and Devonia Baranova are long enough for them to unhinge your mind."
"They can't touch her or you Stasya, I guarantee it!" shouted Paige. It was the first time James had seen the director not in control of her emotions.
Stasya angrily barked back, "You have had me hunting them for 13 years. I have seen the trail of blood they leave wherever they go. Don't tell me they can't get to us! Their seductions have no boundaries. No chains or walls can protect us from them, so how dare you lie..."
"They're in a Faraday Cage!" screamed Paige. Jessalee and Summers looked confused as the standoff continued.
"What the fuck is a Faraday Cage?" asked Shelton.
Stasya instantly fell silent, she and Paige locked eyes. "It's a stronghold designed to contain extreme levels of telekinetic or psychic power," said Stasya, never taking her eyes away from the director.
Paige held her gaze. "You're not the only one who knows what they're capable of," said the director as she pulled the hem of her blouse up and exposed her stomach. There were several odd shaped symbols and marks that were cut and seared into her skin. Paige gave everyone a clear view of the grotesque marks.
"What the hell?" asked Summers.
"Devonia did this to me 13 years ago," said Paige. Stasya looked closely. "Do those marks spell something?" she asked.
"Yes, it's the witches alphabet, it spells Judas," said Paige with no emotion.
"Why Judas?" asked Shelton.
"Because I had just had an ab ... I had a miscarriage and somehow Devonia knew it."
Summers and Shelton gasped at what Paige had just said. James tried to be sympathetic to the conversation. "Why don't we all sit down a moment," he said as he pulled a chair for the director. Everyone else took a place at the conference table. James sat next to Paige. "How did it happen?"
"13 years ago in Hollywood it was my misfortune to investigate the death of Charles Cargill Mondurge."
"Wait I remember that case. Wasn't he the studio executive who committed suicide? His daughters claimed he said that demons or something like that were trying to kill him?" stated Shelton.
"They weren't his daughters and it wasn't suicide, it was murder, I just couldn't prove it," she said.
"What happened?" asked James.
"Mondurge inherited Weirlech Film Studios from his mother the French silent film actress, Lisalette Mondurge. The studio had amassed such a vast fortune during the twenties, she built herself this enormous 275 room gothic fortress that overlooked Hollywood. She hid away from the public for decades and everyone basically forgot about her until 1966, when she burned the studio to the ground. She claimed the devil lived there. Needless to say she was committed and her son Charles took over the estate. Three years later the Manson Family murdered five people on the very site where the studio once was."