19 Manhunt

~~~ Des Moines Police Department, Iowa ~~~

Two inmates can be seen lying in their prison cells, smiling happily as they sleep. Then a male and female officer enter their cell.

"It was really worth it to go through all this trouble to get this job. Now we can feed on these poor souls without anyone searching or caring for them," says the woman as she takes out syringes and draws blood from the two inmates.

"Yes, but it's unfortunate that we can't drain them for long... blood tastes much better when they sleep longer..." says the man as dark tattoos start to appear all around his face and arms.

As he touches the inmate's head, his eyes start to glow blue, and flames appear around his hand. While his victim smiles as if he is the happiest inmate in the world.

"True, but it's better than living in some rundown hole and kidnapping homeless people..."

"Attention all units, attention all units. Emergency assembly. All units are requested to assemble. Repeat emergency assembly.

A dangerous and wanted criminal has been spotted driving on Interstate 35 towards Des Moines. Repeat..." comes suddenly through their radios.

The police officers smile, and then the female officer says, "Darling, it seems we'll have something fresh."

"Yes, let's see how his dreams will spice up his blood."

Then they fill ten more syringes and leave their victims alone to find another, tasty one.

~~~ Highway 20, Iowa ~~~

After leaving Sioux Falls, I followed Interstate 29 until Sioux City and then continued on Highway 20 towards Chicago, drawn by Cthylla's aura.

It was already deep into the night, and the drive was smooth as I immersed myself in the timeless jazz melodies borrowed forever from Bobby.

However, as I approach the exit to Interstate 35, my journey is abruptly interrupted by a massive car crash that has blocked the road ahead.

It seems that it happened only recently because there is only a police car here with two officers who redirect the traffic and make space for the firefighters and medics.

"Sir, the road is closed. I advise you to take the exit and then continue from there," says a police officer who stops me.

"Yea, thanks, I will do that." I say to him and want to close the window again, but he places his hand on it and looks at me then at my car with a strange look.

"This is a nice car. Do you drive with it a lot?" he says after a few seconds and then signals to his college who walks to their car and starts to speak into his car radio.

Yeah, that is not good...

"Yes, who wouldn't with such a car?" I say with a smile towards the strange policeman.

But he keeps playing on time even though the people behind me start to honk and says, "Are there some good spots you want to visit next?"

I shrug and say, "No idea. But I will probably check out the East Coast and eat some ugly looking octopus there." to the confusion of the cop.

Luckily, before he could ask any more questions, the other officer waved at him and signaled for him to let me through.

"Okay, thanks for the info, sir. Have a nice trip," he says as he taps on my car roof, and finally, I can drive towards the exit to Interstate 35.

Well, that is awkward... I have a real bad feeling about this.

I follow the road for a bit and then decide to listen to my instincts and use a side road to go to the East Coast. However, suddenly a helicopter comes flying above me and follows me.

Yeah... I think I'll stay on the interstate. There's no use trying to flee from a helicopter.

The loud companion follows me for nearly half an hour until it flies forward and disappears out of my sight.

Well, it seems that they already wait for me...

While searching for a solution, I notice a sign indicating a Rest Stop in Elkhart just 2 miles away. So I decide to pull over and carefully park my car behind some trees and bushes to keep it from being confiscated at least for a while...

Since I don't really want to kill police officers unless I have to, I put my pistol and knife in the trunk and grab the grimoire to read until they arrest me.

This is not the first time in my life that someone has wanted to arrest me because of things I did or maybe didn't do.

So I made it a habit to simply get myself killed during the arrest and after waking up in a crypt, morgue or mass grave... move on and get a new identity.

Afterwards I lock my car and start to walk towards the Rest Stop.

---

I arrive there and can sense a lot of people in the distance, probably waiting for me. But why should I come to them when I can relax and let them come...

The rest stop was a normal one, with very clean toilets, a bunch of vending machines, and enough space to sit around inside and outside.

There are also a few other people besides me here, mostly truckers and one or two families who will probably have an exciting evening.

I grab a packed apple pie and two cola cans and walk outside to a picnic table to eat in peace and read some stuff that could maybe help me later...

After a few minutes, I hear the helicopter coming. They probably have had enough of waiting for me, so I stand up and wave at them.

"Wow, there is a black helicopter directly above us! I want to wave at it too!" shouts a five-year-old kid while running and starts to wave with me at the helicopter.

"Mister, do you see it? It's hovering right above us!"

"Yeah, I see that... but shouldn't you be sleeping or something?" I say while turning towards him.

"Yes, but I didn't want to, so I sneaked away!" says the kid, proudly.

I close my eyes and try to sense an aura that is running wildly around and searching for someone, and I find one inside the building.

"It's time that you go to your parents. It will get here loud soon."

"No, I don't wanna!" protests the kid while still looking upwards.

I sigh and say, "... Come on, I will give you this cola can as a reward if you leave me alone," and show him my second can.

"No, I want the pie."

I look at my half-eaten pie, then grab it and stuff it in my mouth and say after swallowing it, "Nope, it's already gone and now go, one of your parents is at the entrance already."

He sulks at first but then grabs my second cola can and runs to the entrance of the rest stop building.

A few moments later, a brown-haired pretty woman comes running out of it and then hugs him while saying panicky, "Micky! Thank God you are safe, never do that again!"

But Micky seems not to understand why his mother is so concerned and only says, "Okay..." and then opens the can after freeing himself from his mother.

She looks at him confused, and the kid only says, "My reward for going back to you!"

"What?" she looks around and sees me, and I wave at her and show her my cola can. She nods at me gratefully, then grabs the kid before walking back inside.

Over the millennia, I raised a bunch of children, and many of them were troublemakers like this kid. However, they eventually grew up and became great people.

Sadly, none of the children were biologically mine since I was never able to father any...

---

I let out a loud sigh as the helicopter continues to hover above me, then stand up to face the incoming police units.

They surround the rest stop and come from all sides towards me. I must have done something pretty bad to attract so much attention... or perhaps it's not my fault and Aiden did something wrong, who knows.

The various policemen, including a sheriff who looks like Chuck Norris in his younger years, and his deputies, take their stances and wait until someone starts to give orders.

"Police! You're under arrest! Drop your weapons and lie face down on the ground!" Chuck Norris screams, pointing his pistol at me.

I look confused at my hands where I only have a can of cola and my book. I mean, people call books the most powerful weapons, but I don't think they mean it literally...

"I can't do that; my clothes will get stained," I say, throwing the can backwards into a garbage bin.

Basically, I have three options. I can simply refuse any orders, provoke them to attack and then die in the skirmish.

Another option is that I can surrender and then attack them, getting shot in the process. Or, I can grab one of their guns, shoot myself, and avoid hurting anyone.

"I said on the ground or we will use necessary force to make you surrender."

"Sounds nice, but I still pass," I say, putting my book in my back pocket, which makes them very nervous somehow.

But they still don't use force...

Then I open my arms and say, "I'm waiting! Make me surrender..."

When they start to come closer I notice something strange. There are two abnormal 'people' in the crowd... Their auras are like dancing flames that try to hypnotize you if you stare at them for too long.

The Sheriff waves at someone then one of the strange beings, dressed like a male police officer, steps forward with a Taser and shoots it at me while smiling.

But I shift my body to the side, catch the two electrodes, and grab the wires with my other hand, to the shock of the policemen.

But the creature smiles even more, and I can see blue flames in its eyes that make them glow... this could be interesting...

*Bang!*

One police officer shoots at my foot, but I step back, evading the bullet.

Before more people can shoot at me and ruin my chance to see what these creatures are up to. I quickly let go of the wires, raise my hands and say, "I surrender."

The Sheriff raises his hand to stop his people from shooting me. He then walks behind me, puts my hands behind my back, and handcuffs me, while saying, "You are under arrest for first-degree murder and identity theft."

Sorry, Aiden, for thinking bad of you. It seems I'm the culprit here...

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, an attorney will be provided for you."

Well prison time...