Chapter 1
January 1, 2000
Wichita, Kansas
As the clock strikes mid-night, entering into the new millennium, an evil presence eases its way through a cubby hole from a drainage ditch that ran beneath a road on the north west side of Wichita Kansas. This evil presence was invisible to the naked eye, but its presence could be felt. A cool breeze followed this evil presence, as it made its way along this near empty street. There was no hesitation, as this entity knew exactly where it was going.
With the help of the full moon, the street lights from above had no problem lighting up the streets below like it was day time.
This evil presence turned left, then right, then left again. Each turn was like it was being directed as a ping-pong, rather than an evil entity.
This evil presence made one last right turn, then it made a right, up and over a chain linked single gate, up a short sidewalk. Up the two steps to the front porch, then through the dark brown front door it went.
In the far back bedroom, William Cordell, an old man of 77, lays in a deep sleep. His checked black blanket was comfortably tucked under his clean shaven chin. His arms laid a top the blanket held tight to each side. So tight that his checked blanket formed the tall slender body of the old man. Oh yes, William Cordell was a tall man of 6”3. In his youth, he actually reached 6”5. His brittle bones have settled a good 2 inches in the last 20 or so years.
Suddenly, William Cordell’s eyes opened. His eyes widened even more, as he felt a sudden sense of panic. The poor old man was frozen, as he felt this evil presence enter through his checked blanket, then into his chest. He quickly put his hands where the entity had entered, as if he was having chest pains. Then…he closed his fearful eyes.
When he reopened his eyes, his eyes were a glowing red and it wasn’t William Cordell seeing through them anymore. It was the evil presence, as it had taken over the poor old man’s brittle body.
The old man/Demon reached over with his right hand and grabbed a hold of the corner of the checked blanket, then he tossed it a side. This exposed the old man’s grey striped button up pajama top, with matching bottoms. His feet laid bare.
The old man/Demon quickly sat up, then turned to his left. His long legs cleared his bed, then landed gently on the floor, making sure not to wake up the other three beings asleep within the house. He stood up slowly, then he grabbed a hold of his silver cane with a black handle.
The old man/Demon let his cane lead the way. He went to his bedroom door, then he opened it slowly and quietly. It made a little squeak, but not too loud. He made a left turn and headed toward the front of the house. The house had just the single floor, so there were no stairs. There were two doors along the very short hallway. One on his left and another straight across from the other, on his right.
Then, the door knob of the door to his left started to turn. The old man/Demon quickly stopped and watched as the door slowly opened. A man wearing dark blue pajamas with a button up top took a peak toward his father.
“Dad, what are you doing up. Can’t you sleep,” Jim Cordell asked worriedly, as he tried to rub the sleep from his blurry eyes.
The old man/Demon slowly raised his cane above his head, then said, “I’m sorry, but you must have me mistaken for your father.” Then, his cane came down and stroke Jim Cordell on the head before he had the time to acknowledge what was just said to him. Jim Cordell fell to the floor. The old man/Demon raised his cane again, then gave Jim Cordell one final blow to the head.
Jims wife and the old man’s daughter in law raced to her husband, then fell to his side. “Jim,” Teresa called out hysterically. Teresa glanced up at her father in law and watched his cane come down, striking her square on the forehead. She then, fell to the floor beside her dead husband.
“Daddy,” a voice called out from behind the old man/Demon.
The old man/Demon quickly turned around to face poor little Beth, the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Cordell and the only granddaughter of one William Cordell. “You should have stayed asleep missy,” he said calmly.
Beth, only 9, returned her grandpa a blank confused gaze.
The old man/Demon raised his silver cane with a black handle above his head, then came down violently.
The old man/Demon took a quick gaze around at his fallen family/victims. Then he set his cane against the wall and grabbed a hold of Mrs. Cordell’s feet. He dragged her body back to the back bedroom, where he had caught the poor old man sleeping not long before. He dragged the dead body of Teresa Cordell through the back bedroom door, then to the closet in the right corner. He opened the closet door, then the old man/Demon gently set the lifeless body of the old man’s daughter in law in the closet. Sitting her up against the back wall. He carefully centered her body, making sure to leave room for the others at her right and left.
After placing the poor lifeless body of Beth in the closet to her mother’s left, the old man/Demon made one last trip to grab the final body, that of Jim Cordell. He gently placed him on Teresa’s right. Now, the once happy family, was back together…again. The old man/Demon then closed the closet door.
After doing a quick clean-up of the scene and getting dressed, the old man/Demon took up his cane again, then started toward the front door. To the left of the front door, there was a hat and coat rack in the corner. He took a hold of an old forties styled black hat, with a dark grey band around it, then he put it comfortably on his head. Covering his grey hair. He then, opened the front door to the early morning light of dawn.
The old man/Demon made sure to lock the front door, then he made his way across the front porch and down the two steps to the sidewalk, that led to the single front chain linked gate. He opened the front gate, then he stepped out onto the sidewalk, closing the gate behind him. The old man/Demon took a quick gaze around, then he started walking right. As his walk slowly got into a rhythm, the old man/Demon began to whistle the tune of an old 40’s classic.
BAU Headquarters – Quantico, Virginia
January 10th, 2000
Returning from Omaha Nebraska, where they had just closed a case, Agents Richard Baxter and Robert Dykes just exited the elevator to their floor, the floor that belongs to the Behavioral Analysis Unit.
Agent Baxter was an older man of 40. He had short brown hair and a clean shave. His suit top was dark blue in color and his slacks were a little lighter shade of blue. He wore a dark blue tie that matched his top, over a light blue dress shirt. Agent Baxter is 6”1 and a fit 200 pounds. He seemed to be a model FBI Agent by looks.
Agents Baxter’s much younger partner at 24, Agent Dykes, has lighter brown hair, almost ash, that he wore military short. With a clean shave. His suit is a dark grey, with matching slacks. His tie, a dark grey as well, over a pure white dress shirt underneath. Agent Dykes is also 6”1 and an athletic build at 205.
Together, they were a poster of what a professional FBI Agent should look and dress like.
The floor that Agent Baxter and Agent Dykes just entered was well lit and very spacious. It had offices on both sides of a wide hallway. In this hallway, there were well spaced out desks, with men and women sitting at them. All busy doing some kind of paperwork or punching the keyboards of their computers in front of them.
The two Agents, tired from their flight from Omaha, headed straight for their desks in the far left corner. Their desks faced each other and each had a computer on top.
Agent Richard Baxter took off his dark blue suit top, then he gently placed it over the back of his chair. Mimicking his partner, Agent Robert Dykes did the same. Then they both took a seat at their desks. Agent Baxter on the left and Agent Dykes on the right.
Agent Dykes sat back, then he slowly stretched his arms out. “Man, it’s good to be back,” he said, as he glanced over at Richard Baxter across from him.
Agent Baxter returned a blank gaze, then he turned his attention toward his computer.
“Get any messages while we were gone Richard?” Agent Dykes asked, trying to make conversation.
“No, not that I can see,” Agent Baxter answered, not taking his eyes off his computer.
Agent Dykes looked at Agent Baxter, then he started to gaze around. He quickly noticed a well-dressed woman walking in their direction. This woman was wearing a light blue blouse and a dark blue skirt. She wore her light brown hair short, just below her neck line. She was a slim and fit 5”7 and was a very attractive 33 years of age. She wore her make-up light, as if she really needed it.
“Leslie, you don’t know how much I have missed you,” Agent Dykes said.
Agent Leslie Cooper looked at Agent Dykes with a bit of contempt, then said, “That’s Agent Cooper to you Agent Dykes.”
Agent Baxter turned around, then he greeted Agent Cooper with a smile.
Agent Cooper returned a smile toward Agent Baxter, then said, “Now, now you can call me Leslie…Richard.”
Agents Baxter and Cooper exchanged flirting glances, before she put a stack of papers an inch thick on his desk in front of him.
Agent Baxter turned his head, to check out the stack of papers, then his smile quickly turned upside down.
As Agent Cooper set a matching stack of papers on Agent Dyke’s desk, her eyes remained on Agent Baxter. “I’m sorry, I had no choice Richard,” she said.
“That’s all right Leslie. It has to get done…and it is our job to do,” Agent Baxter came back, his smile slowly returning.
Agent Cooper gave Agent Dykes a quick glance, then returned a smile toward Agent Baxter. “You guys have fun. I’ve got some work to finish up. I’ll see you later,” Agent Cooper said, as she excused herself.
Agent Baxter watched, as Agent Cooper walked away.
Agent Dykes started giving his partner a dirty look. “Hey, you’re married, aren’t you Richard?” Agent Dykes asked, knowing the answer already.
Agent Baxter glanced at his partner, who had only been his partner a few months, coming in as a rookie. Then he quickly turned his attention back toward his messages on his computer.
Agent Dykes shook his head, then continued his gaze around.
“Richard,” a man’s voice called out.
Agents Baxter and Dykes turned to check out who was calling out Richards name, and noticed the Boss standing outside of his office, in front of his open glass door. The Boss was about 5”10 and muscular. He wasn’t wearing a suit top, just the white dress shirt and dark brown tie, with light brown slacks, to go with his light brown hair and clean shave.
“Could you and Agent Dykes come to my office please,” the Boss continued.
Agent Richard Baxter gave a quick nod, then the Boss returned to the confines of his office.
Agent Dykes looked at Agent Baxter and asked, “What do you think Mr. Jones wants with us this time?”
“Just about the case, that’s it,” Agent Baxter quickly answered, as he stood up, then started walking toward the middle of the good sized hallway, where Mr. Jones had his office.
Agent Dykes stood up, then followed close behind his partner.
The two Agents disappeared inside Mr. Jones office. Agent Baxter stopped in front of the Bosses desk, with Agent Dykes at his right side.
Mr. Jones looked up at Agent Baxter from his sitting position. “So, how did it go in Omaha?” he asked curiously.
“I told you in my report. You did get my report, didn’t you Sir?” Agent Baxter asked pressingly.
“Well, yes. But, I want to hear it from you,” Mr. Jones demanded.
“Just like I said in my report, it turned out that there were two, not one. Both murders were unrelated. At first, we thought it might be a serial. But, it turned out to be just a coincidence. Both murders were very similar, that’s all Sir,” Agent Baxter reported anxiously.
“Okay then,” Mr. Jones replied. Then he looked over at Agent Dykes and asked, “What about you…Agent Dykes. What did you get out of this?”
Agent Dykes glance at his shoes, then back at the Boss in front of him. “Well, it’s as Rich…Huh, Agent Baxter said. It turned out to be two separate killers. Both, unrelated,” Agent Dykes answered nervously.
Mr. Jones gave Agent Dykes a suspicious gaze, then he looked back at Agent Baxter. “Well, it looks like you two did a good job. Continue the good work gentlemen,” Mr. Jones concluded.
Agents Baxter and Dykes turned and started to leave, when Mr. Jones said, “Richard, could you hold back for a moment.”
Both Agents stopped in their tracks, then they turned back around.
“Not you Agent Dykes. You, you go get started on your paperwork,” Mr. Jones ordered.
Agent Dykes turned, then left the Bosses office. While Agent Baxter, Richard, remained.
“What is it Sir?” Agent Baxter asked.
Mr. Jones waved his right forefinger, hinting for Agent Baxter to come closer. Agent Baxter stepped forward, then stopped right in front of the Bosses desk.
“How’s the kid working out? Is he doing his share?” Mr. Jones asked.
Agent Baxter, Richard took a moment to think about the question, then he looked at his Boss and said, “He’s still learning Sir, but he’s doing good…And yes, he is doing his part. I assure you Sir, Agent Dykes is a good Agent.”
Mr. Jones returned an unconvinced gaze, then he said, “Okay, that’s all I needed to know. You can return to your paperwork now.”
Agent Baxter turned to leave, then stopped. “Oh, and Sir,” he started.
“Yes,” Mr. Jones replied.
“I was wondering Sir, I haven’t seen my wife and kids in a week. Is there any way I could cut out early today?” Agent Baxter asked hopingly.
Mr. Jones took a moment to give the proposal some thought, then he looked at Agent Baxter, Richard and said, “Go ahead…I’ll see you tomorrow Richard.”
Agent Baxter smiled and gave an appreciative nod, then he left the Bosses office. He walked back to his desk and grabbed his dark blue suit top from the back of his chair, then he turned to leave.
Richard quickly stopped, then he turned to face his partner. “Oh and Robert, it’s only flirting…between me and Leslie that is. That’s all that it will ever be,” Agent Baxter assured.
Agent Dykes nodded.
Richard Baxter took off for the elevator, then disappeared inside.
