The Castrator by Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov (short books for teens txt) 📕

- "THE MAIN CARTELS IN MEXICO ARE SIX AND YOU KNOW THAT VERY WELL. BUT WHAT YOU DON'T SUSPECT IS THAT FELISTER WORKED FOR ALL OF THEM, AND NEVER HAD ANY SCRUPLES ABOUT IT!," SHE STARED AT ME AS SHE SAID THE LAST.

- "SO HE'S BEEN PLAYING HIS GAME ALL ALONG," I SMILED, 'AND I'VE GOT TO LEAN THE PAWN FOR HIM.

- "LOOK, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WORLD YOU COME FROM, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE HERE," SHE TURNED TO ME CRYPTICALLY, "DON'T IGNORE THE BRUTALITY WITH WHICH THE MAIN DRUG CARTELS PUT DOWN THE RESISTANCE AGAINST THEM. MANY DIED FAR TOO YOUNG. THE FACT THAT YOU GOT AWAY IS A BLESSING ON THE ONE HAND AND A CURSE ON THE OTHER. BUT YOU WILL CARRY IT WITH YOU TO THE END."

I LISTENED TO HER TOO CAREFULLY AND DIDN'T SAY A WORD.

- "I CAN TELL YOU ONE THING FOR SURE," SHE DECIDED TO END HER CONVERSATION WITH ME, "ONCE YOU GET INTO THIS GAME, THERE IS NO GETTING OUT. MANY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE MORE EFFECTIVE CARTELS HAVE LONG BEEN TRAINED PARAMILITARIES OF THE MEXICAN ARMY, WHICH HAS STRONG CONTROL HERE IN MEXICO. PORTS LIKE LAZARO CARDENAS ARE KEY TO SOME OF THEM. BUT YOU DIDN'T ACTUALLY COME TO HEAR ALL THIS!"

- "I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHY THEY KILLED MY PATRON, FELISTER," I SAID.

- "WELL, IT'S A DELICATE SUBJECT. IF YOU'RE WITH EVERYONE, YOU'RE WITH ABSOLUTELY NO ONE. 'AND THAT MEANS A HUNDRED YEARS OF LONELINESS," SHE JOKED.

- "THANKS FOR QUOTING MARQUES, BUT IT'S NOT UP TO ME, HONEST," I HUNG MY HEAD.

- "LOOK, IF YOU WANT TO LIVE JUST A LITTLE LONGER, YOU'LL HAVE TO THINK ABOUT MY WORDS COMPLETELY SERIOUSLY," SHE FINALLY ENDED HER CONVERSATION WITH ME.

THEN SHE JUST TURNED AND WALKED OUT OF THE RESTAURANT. I ASSUMED THERE WERE ENOUGH GUARDS AROUND TO BREAK MY NECK IN CASE OF NEED.

I WAS BACK ON THE STREET AGAIN WITH NO MONEY AND NO INFORMATION WHATSOEVER - I HAD REMAINED A LONE WOLF ALL THESE YEARS, WELL AWARE OF SOME THINGS, BUT ULTIMATELY AT A DEAD END.

IT HAD STARTED TO DRIZZLE A FINE RAIN, AND IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES IT WOULD PROBABLY HAVE BEEN ROMANTIC, BUT IN THE CURRENT ONE I WASN'T FEELING PARTICULARLY ENTHUSIASTIC.

AND THEN I WAS STUFFED INTO A TRUNK AND WE WERE OFF IN AN UNKNOWN DIRECTION.

APPARENTLY I WAS REALLY ABOUT TO SEE HOW DEEP THE RABBIT HOLE WAS, AS THE LINE IN THAT FAMOUS TV MOVIE WENT.

THE JOB WAS THAT THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT HAD MADE IT A POINT TO DEAL WITH ALL THOSE WHO WERE MUDDYING ITS WATERS.

IT WAS VERY EASY FOR THEM, BUT THE ANSWERS I WAS LOOKING FOR WERE STILL TOO VAGUE.

AND THEN I REALIZED THAT THE WOMAN I HAD MET HAD ACTUALLY TOLD ME A LOT MORE THAN I THOUGHT SHE HAD.

I WALKED THROUGH THE STREETS OF THE CITY, LOST IN UNHAPPY THOUGHTS, FULLY AWARE OF WHAT MIGHT LIE AHEAD. THIS WAS THE ROAD TO HELL, OR MAYBE EVEN A MUCH WORSE PLACE - ONLY IT WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING OF THE ROAD FOR NOW.

AFTER ALL, MONTEREY WASN'T EXACTLY A SAFE PLACE, AND SOME PARTS OF IT HELD ENOUGH RISKS TO KEEP ONE FROM WALKING RIGHT THERE WITH HANDS IN POCKETS. ANYWAY I STARTED TO THINK ABOUT EXACTLY WHERE I WANTED TO GET TO. EVEN WITH THE MONEY I HAD COLLECTED FROM THAT "HELPER" OF FELISTER'S AND MY OWN, I HAD A LITTLE OVER TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS.

I DECIDED THAT THE SMART THING TO DO WAS TO INVEST IT IN A COMMODITY THAT COULD BE BOUGHT AT DISCOUNTED PRICES. BUT I HAD TO CONTACT SOMEONE.

I MUST HAVE MADE A NAME FOR MYSELF AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BECAUSE IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE THE WOMAN IN THE RED DRESS SOUGHT ME OUT AGAIN, THIS TIME WITH A SERIOUS ENOUGH EXPRESSION ON HER FACE.

- "YOU CAN'T SELL THAT STUFF ON OUR TERRITORY," SHE REPLIED, "IF YOU KEEP DOING THAT, WE'LL JUST CLEAN YOU OUT - AND BADLY. AND FELISTER HAS EVIDENTLY NOT EXPLAINED TO YOU THE REAL RULES OF THE BUSINESS. THAT, I THINK, IS RATHER SAD. BY THE WAY, FELISTER LEFT A LEGACY, AS FAR AS I KNOW. IT'S UP TO YOU WHETHER YOU WANT TO ACCEPT IT, AND YOUR DECISION WILL PROLONG YOUR LIFE, PERHAPS."

- "I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THAT WHOLE DEMON THING WAS ALL ABOUT?," I ASKED. "AFTER ALL, FELISTER WORSHIPPED SOME DEMON CULT OR SOMETHING."

- WELL, ALL IN ALL, THAT'S TOO WEIRD. HE BELIEVED HE WOULD BE KILLED SOONER OR LATER. AND IT HAPPENED.

- "WELL, IF I ACCEPT THE FELISTER'S LEGACY, SO WHAT?," I WONDERED.

THEN SHE STOOD UP AGAIN AND MADE A SIGN WITH HER HAND FOR ME TO FOLLOW HER.

CHAPTER FOUR: DETECTIVE DONOVAN

DETECTIVE DONOVAN WAS FEELING GREAT AFTER HIS PROMOTION. HE'D GOTTEN HIMSELF INTO A FIGHT WITH AN AWESOMELY DANGEROUS THUG. NOW CAME THE ENJOYABLE PART - HE HAD SOMETHING TOO MEANINGFUL TO DEAL WITH, BUT THERE WASN'T MUCH TO DEAL WITH. AND JUST THEN HE THOUGHT OF THE MOST UNPLEASANT PART. YES, THEY HAD MANAGED TO DEAL WITH THE BRUTAL AND CUNNING CASTRATOR. YES, THEY HAD MISSED SOMETHING IN THERE SOMEWHERE. WHERE WAS HIS MONEY? THEY'D FOUND A LOT OF MERCHANDISE, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, A LOT OF SHOPAHOLICS, THEY'D CAPTURED HIS MEN, AND SO ON.

THE KANSAS CITY COP FELT LIKE A ROUND FOOL. THEY HAD ALSO FOUND THE DEMON ALTAR OF A FELISTER, BUT HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND SUCH THINGS, SO HE DECIDED TO COMMISSION A LOCAL PRIEST TO INVESTIGATE THE MATTER MORE SERIOUSLY AND REPORT BACK TO HIM.

AFTER A WHILE HE RECEIVED STARTLING INFORMATION BEYOND HIS WILDEST DREAMS.

- "YOUR MAN, DETECTIVE, HAS MEDDLED WITH DEMONS MORE THAN YOU KNOW," SAID FATHER TOBIAS GRIMLY.

- "I DON'T BELIEVE IN AN AFTERLIFE, NOR DO I BELIEVE IN ANY DEMONS," THE DETECTIVE SNAPPED.

- "YOU WILL HAVE TO," THE PRIEST SCRATCHED THE BACK OF HIS HEAD, "OR YOU WILL NEVER UNRAVEL THE DEMONIC ILLUSION."

- "THE DEMONIC ...?," THE DETECTIVE REPEATED.

- "EXACTLY," CONFIRMED THE FATHER.

- "SO FELISTER WASN'T CONTENT JUST TO COLLECT THE MANGIES, HE WANTED SOMETHING MORE. A GREEDY SCOUNDREL, AND A REAL DOWNRIGHT WICKED MAN," FUMED THE COP.

- "DON'T USE SUCH LANGUAGE IN MY PRESENCE, IF YOU PLEASE," FATHER TOBIAS ASKED HIM STERNLY. "HE WANTED TO ACQUIRE CERTAIN POWERS, AND THAT WAS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO HIM. IN THE END, HE MADE IT ALL THESE YEARS, WHICH IS MORE THAN COMMENDABLE."

- "YOU MEAN SOMEONE WOULD STORM HIS HOME FOR A REASON OTHER THAN DRUGS," DONOVAN WAS AMAZED.

- "EXACTLY," LAUGHED THE FATHER, "BUT THIS JOB IS RESPONSIBLE AND DANGEROUS. LOOK, I'M NOT AN EXORCIST - ALTHOUGH I UNDERSTAND THIS MATTER AND MY TASK IS TOO SIMPLE. I HAD TO INFORM YOU AND NOTHING MORE."

THIS TIME THE DETECTIVE WAS GLOWING. HE DIDN'T CARE ABOUT GHOSTS, DEMONS AND SO ON, BUT HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE ACCUSED OF DOING HIS JOB THROUGH HIS FINGERS. THAT WAS UNACCEPTABLE. NO MATTER HOW MUCH HE TRIED TO CLEAR HIS MIND, HE KEPT COMING TO THE SAME IDEA.

- "WELL, WELL," HE FINALLY COULDN'T HELP HIMSELF, "WHO IS THIS FELISTER?,“

- THAT, MY DEAR DETECTIVE, YOU WILL FIND OUT, OR PERHAPS YOU WILL PERISH.

DETECTIVE DONOVAN DID NOT BELIEVE IN CURSES, SUPERSTITIONS, OR IDLE TALK AND THREATS. BUT HE DECIDED TO TAKE THINGS TO HEART FROM A PROFESSIONAL STANDPOINT. AND ONE THING WAS GIVING HIM PEACE OF MIND - NO, IT WASN'T THE MONEY, IT WAS SOMETHING ELSE.

FELISTER WAS A MEAN AND BRUTAL BASTARD WHO DEFINITELY KNEW WHAT HE WANTED AND HOW TO GET IT. PERHAPS THERE REALLY WAS SOME CRUEL AFTERLIFE CURSE, AND THE POLICE OFFICER HIMSELF WAS ABOUT TO FALL VICTIM TO IT.

THE DETECTIVE DECIDED TO LOOK THROUGH THE DEMONIC ARTIFACTS OF FELISTER AND SAW SOME GRIMOIRES AND OTHER STRANGE AND OCCULT LITERATURE.

"JUST A BRUTAL QUITTER AND CON MAN, AND A PIG CASTRATOR TO BOOT!"

DONOVAN HAD SERIOUSLY FELT THE PLUSES OF HIS IMPRESSIVE PROMOTION AND WAS TRYING TO CASH THEM IN AS BEST HE COULD.

THE BOSSES FROM THE STATE CAPITAL HAD SUGGESTED TO HIM THAT NOTHING AMAZING WAS EXPECTED OF HIM EXCEPT TO BE ON THE SPOT AND DEAL WITH THE GROWING CURIOSITY SURROUNDING THE TOMB. THAT, OF COURSE, WAS HIS REAL JOB.

THERE WAS SOME SORT OF ANCIENT PAGAN TOMB UNDERNEATH FELISTER'S FARM, AND APPARENTLY THERE WERE ARTIFACTS OF DEMONIC ORIGIN THERE.

FELISTER WAS ONE HELL OF A FUCKING VINDICTIVE SON OF A BITCH WHO KNEW DAMN WELL THE COPS HAD WIPED OUT THE WRONG GUY.

DONOVAN EXAMINED THE STRANGE SHAPE OF THE OBJECTS - AMONG THEM WERE, IN ADDITION TO THE AFOREMENTIONED GRIMOIRES - SOME OF THEM OF TOO GOOD A QUALITY, OCCULT SIGNS AND MEDALLIONS FOR SUMMONING THE APPROPRIATE DEMONIC POWERS.

THE DETECTIVE WAS NOT PARTICULARLY IMPRESSED, FOR WHAT HE HAD SEEN WAS NOT UNHEARD OF.

BUT HE PAUSED OVER A PARTICULAR PASSAGE IN ONE OF THE GRIMOIRES.

''THE ANCIENT OF THE ANCIENT LAND,

OLDER THAN I COULD HAVE GUESSED,

GIVE ME MIGHT AT THY COMMAND,

TO WORK MY SPELL.''

DETECTIVE DONOVAN WONDERED WHAT THIS CHILDISH NONSENSE WAS, BUT IN TIME BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT THINGS WERE MUCH MORE SERIOUS. IT LOOKED LIKE WICCAN MAGIC TO HIM - NOT ANYTHING TOO COMPLICATED, BUT FROM WHAT HE REALIZED WAS THAT THE SPIRITUAL POWERS OF A FELISTER HAD APPARENTLY PLACED CERTAIN CURSES AFTER HIM.

AFTER SUMMONING A FEW TRUSTED PEOPLE, HE REALIZED THAT THERE WAS AN ENTIRE UNDERGROUND COMPLEX BENEATH THE RUINS OF FELISTER'S HOUSE, AND BEHIND HIS SMALL, WELL-INSULATED CLOSET BEGAN UNDERGROUND PASSAGES THAT LED WHO KNEW WHERE.

- THAT SICK BASTARD KNEW EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS DOING. AND PLAYED COMPLETELY APART FROM HIS PATRONS.

THE COMPOUND BENEATH THE FARM, AND MORE PRECISELY BENEATH FELISTER'S HOUSE ITSELF, MUST HAVE COVERED SEVERAL ACRES, AND PERHAPS MUCH MORE.

- "HOW COULD A HUMAN HAND HAVE BUILT SUCH A THING?," THE DETECTIVE WAS AMAZED. "I THINK IT'S TOO LATE TO GO BACK, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THINGS HAVE GONE TOO FAR. HE WAS WORKING ENTIRELY FOR HIMSELF, AND WAS ONLY RETURNING SOME OF THE GOODS TO MEXICO."

THEY HAD TOURED THE ENTIRE UNDERGROUND COMPLEX, WHICH WAS MORE THAN GORGEOUS - THAT'S HOW IMPRESSIVE AND GOOD IT WAS. BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT BOTHERED HIM. HE STILL COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT KIND OF PERSON FELISTER WAS. HE LOOKED LIKE SOMEONE WITH NOT A DOUBLE BOTTOM, BUT EVEN A TRIPLE BOTTOM. A COMPLETE MYSTERY.

IN ONE OF THE WELL-INSULATED ROOMS OF THE HUGE UNDERGROUND DRUG LAB OF FELISTER THERE WAS A SMALL INSCRIPTION IN A SORT OF CHAPEL "WHOEVER IS WORTHY, HE SHALL TAKE THE INHERITANCE! AND THEN HE WILL KNOW WELL WHAT TO DO WITH IT. TO THOSE WHO WOULD TRY TO REMOVE ME, I WILL SAY THAT THEY WON'T GET TOO FAR EITHER!"

HERE DONOVAN NO LONGER FELT A SHRED OF DOUBT THAT THE JOB WAS SERIOUS, AND DECIDED TO SET A TRAP AROUND THE PSYCHOPATH'S HOUSE - THAT WAS HOW HE QUALIFIED FELISTER. MAYBE THEY HADN'T CAUGHT EVERYONE IN THE ORGANIZED POLICE RAID, OR MAYBE THIS DEMONIC ILLUSION WAS BEYOND HIS CONCEPTION OF WHAT WAS POSSIBLE - EITHER WAY IT WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.

WALKING AROUND THE UNDERGROUND FACILITY, THE DETECTIVE NOTICED THAT AS LARGE AS IT WAS, HE SEEMED TO SEE NEW AND UNEXPLAINED THINGS EACH TIME, AND IN THE END HE KEPT RETURNING TO THE PREVIOUS LOCATION. MAYBE THIS PLACE HAD A SOUL OF ITS OWN?

THEY WANTED THE APPROPRIATE BALLISTICS EXPERTISE TO DEAL WITH ANY SUSPICIONS THEY MIGHT HAVE. IN THEIR OPINION,