The successful entry into the Cranshaw House sanctuary of Nicholas Blair, whose body secretly houses the ancient necromancer, Simon Orne, has revealed the disturbing evidence of terrible, unknown rituals . . . as well as a destructive confrontation with the sanctuarys guardian a night-gaunt. Rhyaad and Meili were also successful in recovering the Endecott films stolen from the Collinsport Film Festival — including the mysterious film, The Hounds Daughter. Samantha Brook, in her attempt to distract Blair, in order to allow Rhyaad and Meili to make good their clandestine entry, was saved from the enthrallment of Blair by the quick intervention of Nichole Collins. But Blair, having escaped, has yet again disappeared. Nikki, believing that that the Farnsworth Projector has been procured during Rhyaad and Meili’s search of the Cranshaw House, decides to move forward with Samantha Brook’s plan based to find Richard Upton Pickmans old abandoned studio, which may still contain his infamous camera.
An Italianate mural featuring some kingly or papal character painted on the old brickwork proudly proclaims the neighborhood to be Little Italian. Samantha looks at the darken windows of a pizza parlor and wishes they had arrived earlier.
The street was narrow, one-way, with just barely enough room for the black Ferrari 360 Modena to cruse past the tightly parked line of residential cars. Samantha peers up now through the windshield at the street sign. Greenough Lane. What? How is that possible, its too narrow to even be considered a street, much less to have a name. She glances back and forth across the street now looking at the architecture. The North End of Boston was a maze of narrow streets and alleys, some alleys larger than the streets. Some streets that looked like alleys.
Gosh, Miss Nikki it did not look like this on the map. She said now as if trying to make excuses for the geography.
Nikki spots a space with barely enough room to parallel park the Ferrari 360 Modena and yet she seems to effortlessly slide the sports car into the opening. Of course, owing to the fact Nikki doesnt have a residential sticker, they were certain to find a ticket on the windshield when they returned, Samantha thought. That is if they even patrolled this latewhich more than likely they did, seeing as how parking was such a scarce commodity here in Boston. Maybe they even had some parking neighborhood watch. Some old lady in an upper room with binoculars and a walkie-talkie reporting and suspicious hooded youths wandering the streets at night. Samantha slips her hand into her coat pocket and feels the security of her switchblade.
The wind whips full force against them as they step out on to the narrowest of sidewalks. Nikki slowly crossing in front of the Ferrari to follow behind Samantha as she leads the way, eyes warily scanning the windows of the old buildings, the thresholds of constricted alleys, darken doorways, as they leisurely make their way up Charter Street.
To the left, up ahead, there was an old gate, well rusted and weathered. In the center to the wrought iron work was the head of a hound.
Yes. Samantha says almost skipping ahead to stand before the gate, her hands in some classic models presentation pose. Here we are.
Nikki saunters up with her usual panther-like stride.
She smiles at the visage of the hound.
Samantha pushes on the gate and the ancient hinges protest against her, but the gate gives and swings back to allow them entrance. Samantha instinctively looks to see if anyone is watching as Nikki steps forward now to take the lead and steps into the dark recess of the narrow alley. Samantha follows, looking up at the only source of lightsome very old-fashioned light fixtures hanging on to the wall brackets with their oddly shaped crescent-moon incandescent bulbs.
As they make their way down the narrow alleyway Samantha renews her grip on the switchblade in her coat pocket.
Outside the alley, Rhyaad, who had earlier studied Sams map, which he had found lying on Esthers desk, approached from the opposite end of Charter Street. He had been concerned from the moment he had heard about this trip Nikki with only Samantha Brook as backup. From what he knew of Richaard Upton Pickman there was more than a good chance there was something to be found in one of the old alleys that was a bit more challenging than an rat. He slowed now as he saw the old gate half opened.
He certainly did not like the look of the head of the hound on the wrought-iron. There were rumors that there were still some very ancient things living in and under Boston.
He gently touched the ancient mental gate and entered the alley.
Samantha kept her hand on the switchblade in her pocket as they stepped into a wider intersection of alleys. Or maybe even a street. Who knew in this maze. What she found particularly unusual was the fact they had yet to encounter anyone in the alley, or especially here in this interchange of alleys, which should be a hive for the homeless.
Nikki looks keenly about. The alley smells of garbage, vomit, whiskey, and stale piss and yet there is not a single vagrant huddled asleep in any of the several niches. Something kept them from settling down here for the night.
“Samantha stay close. Nikki says softly.
She takes a step forward and she feels a presence; she turns quickly.
Aware of Nikkis quick reaction, Samantha spins on her heel and motions Nikki to be quiet as she slides up against a nearby wall. As she cautiously peers back the down the alley, her switchblade snapping open.
Despite the stench of the place, which makes him wants to stuff tissues into his nose, Rhyaad senses something. A tingle.
He proceeds warily.
Nikki sees a figure framed by the light of the entrance and she cocks her head to one side, there is something very familiar “Rhy? Rhy is that you?”
Rhyaad steps out into the dim light. “Nikki! It is you! You had me worried for a moment there . . . he sees Sams switchblade. Thankful that at least Sam is armed.
Nikki whirls suddenly at a sound, but it is only a rat. A very large rat.
Whatwhat are you doing here?” She asks looking back over at Rhyaad.
What are you doing here? he asks back.
Looking for Pickmans old studio.
Rhyaad shakes his head, After all these years, I am more than certain Niki that its long been demolished and make into some apartment house or something worse.
Well, Samantha did some research and she thinks shes figured out where his old studio was . . . and so . . . we are going to check and see if anything remains.
Sohow did you know to come here? Samantha asks
“I happened to inspect the map that you left on Esthers desk, and I was planning a trip anyway.
To Boston?
Okay, I was worried about you. So
Nikki smiles, “Well, Rhy, I am glad to have youI have no idea what were going to find.
Samantha closes her knife and slips it back into the pocket of her coat she really would have loved to have stayed concealed in the shadows so she could have leapt out and scared the old teasucker.
“Didn’t you consider what vermin might be lurking here? And I don’t mean the rats!” Rhyaad asks as he walks over to Nikki.
Something from Pickman’s brush perhaps?”
Rhyaad looks at them. “I hope not. But, those things do exist. So, I would suggest caution.
Thought it was all so long ago it would be demolished, Teasucker. Samantha sneers.
They stand now in the intersection of alleys, “So, Samantha, which of these old doors do you think?”
Samantha looks up spying the roofs as if trying to determine a direction.
Nikki steps up to a set of double metal doors and notices the scratches on the padlock are all recent. “Samantha, what we were talking about earlier, can you try to feel which door it is we are looking for?”
When suddenly, Samantha quickly darts down a side alley, one that is behind Rhyaad, as she brushes past him.
He looks at Nikki with an odd shrug.
Nikki turns to follow, “This way.”
“Feel which door?” he asks curiously and then follows.
Samantha rushes now across the old cobblestones, down through the narrow alley, skirting a pair of aluminum trashcans dented, bent, and filled with an assortment of garbage and jutting wooden 2 x 4s. She hesitates, looks around and then comes to a stop in front of a door set into an arched recessed niche. This has to be the one.
How could” Rhyaad spins to watch Sam.
Nikki steps up beside her, “Can you feel it?”
Samantha looks at Nikki sheepishly not wanting to disappoint her, but not wanting to lie to her either, Nothe roof is the only one that matches . . . She says and points up to the roof of the building that is clearly a century or two older than the rest around it.
“Feel? Feel what?” Rhyaad asks coming up behind her.
The heatburning you up, ready or not. Samantha sings.
Nikki grasps the antique door latch, turns it, and finds it seems to easily move easily move and she looks at Samantha, “This is it. Sookay everyone, be careful this could what remains of Pickman’s old underground studio, where he contacted those well, God only knows what he contacted.
Samantha nods and feels the excitement rising Richard Pickmans studio . . . and she was the only who took the time to look for it and found it.
Rhyaad nods silently and prepares himself for Nikkis opening of the door the entrance into a most infamous place if the story is to be believed.
The door hesitates and Nikki shoves against it and feels something give and there is an audible pop. She looks back at Samantha and Rhyaad, and Samantha is surprised to see Nikkis fangs visible in her odd smile. From her long black wool overcoat, Nikki removes a flashlight and the high beam cuts into the darkness of the doorways entrance. She steps through the threshold.
The room is a small anteroom, barren, save for a lot of dust and a set of stairs straight ahead. Samantha watching Nikki shining the flashlight cant help feeling this is all some way-back X-files episode as her flashlight flickers in the gloom precisely like Scully or Mulder.
The scent of mildew and damp earth arises up from the dark cavity of the threshold. Nikki tentatively puts one foot on the stairs and feels the wood give a bit, old nails and the settling of the building having slightly weakened the structure.
Samantha follows closely behind and Rhyaad takes up the rear as they cautiously descend the creaking stairs the air growing colder and damper with each step.
The beam of Nikkis flashlight washes over old wood slat barrels, crates, stacks of cardboard boxes. She runs the light over the room, across a dilapidated settee, the thick columns of the wood supports with a variety of odds-and-ends hanging from rusted nails. She lifts the light running it across the ceiling and illuminates a naked incandescent blub hanging down from a drop cord of woven insulation thick and greasy with dust and grime. A bit of brown twine was tied to a pull cord. Nikki reaches up and pulls it and surprisingly the power is on which is odd, as is the 100 watt bulb that comes to life. Someone has been recently.
The dangling light begins to sway casting an eerie dance of shadows foreshortening and then lengthening as the blub bobs back and forth.
“Gah”, Rhyaad whispers, and covers his eyes against the bright light.
Light too strong tea sucker? Sam smirks.
Along an edge of debris Nikki moves over to the far wall spotting stacks of old mildewed canvases, a broken easel, and a couple of worktables splattered with paint. “Good Lord, Sam you were right– this is it.” Nikki says.
Samantha looks about now, I knew artists were messybut dayum.
When Rhyaad opens his eyes and blinks against the sudden harsh illumination he looks about and nods. “This must be the place.”
Nikki brushes away cobwebs from her face and looks around the debris.
Samantha accidently knocks over a few pillows on a couch and smiles seeing something
“This was no ordinary artist,” Rhyaad says as he surveys the place, noting the paintings on the walls.
Nikki steps around what appears to be an old abandoned boiler, dismantled and stored here in the back of the basement studio, and notices two old painting on the wall. One of them is a ghastly portrait of a man who appears either half insane or in the midst of half of a transformation and if so, what just what is he transforming intoshe steps closer and looks at the brass plate at the bottom of the frame which reads: Self-Portrait the paint has a small brass plate on the frame, which reads: Self-Portrait.
Rhyaad shuffles through a stack of old newspapers.
Nikki moves further along the outer edge of the clutter, which seems to be making its congregation into the center of the room.
She takes note of an odd structure.
The light overhead continuing to sway.
“Oh, is that the well, the infamous well?” Nikki asks, moving now through the labyrinth of decaying cardboard boxes and wooden crates filled with odd mechanical parts, past twine bound bundles of old newspapers and mildewed stacks of books, stepping around a shadeless floor lamp, a seamstress dummy, an old, broken wicker basket filled with grimy rags, as she draws closer to a brick structure rising from the earthen floor.
Samantha glances over to the circular structure, I would imagine so, she replies as she pushes over a wood slat crate as the swaying 100 watt bulb swings away from her then back . . . Heyyou know its uncapped. . .
Rhyaad looks over toward her, “Uncapped? That’s not good….”
Nikki pushing aside some more debris suddenly exclaims, “Rhy! Samantha! It’s here! I cannot believe itI think this is it! Pickmans camera!”
Samantha furtively withdraws the 1854 naval colt she had spotted earlier among the settee cushions, and after checking to see if it had any rounds, trains it on the well.
Nikki examines the camera, Well, this is what we came for.
There is a sudden scraping sound.
Nikki looks over toward Rhyaad and Samantha, Did you hear that.
Rhyaad draws one of his pistols and points it at the well, Yes.
Miss Nikki . . . Samantha says trying to keep her voice low, Maybe you should justgrabthe camera and lets run . . .
Nikki works with the tripod, collapsing it, and struggles to free one of the legs from the clutching clutter.
Samantha looking at the well suddenly breaks into a smile, Puppy!
Rhyaad draws the other pistol when he hears the word “puppy”
There is a low growling sound in the room.
Samantha skips almost like a little child toward the well, Oh, does the puppy wanna come play?
“Sam!” The alarm in his voice is clear. “Get away from there!”
Nikki is suddenly knocked back by the abrupt appearance of the dog-faced creature climbing up out of the well.
Samantha, Rhyaads voice breaking the odd trance that seems to have captivated her, freezes in fear, not because of the demon but because of its vicious canine features.
Rhyaad points both pistols at the creature.
Old ladders and buckets go scattering across the room.
Samantha can barely speak, d…dog… as she raises the pistol.
Rhyaad blasts the creature with most of the guns clip.
Nikki races over toward the camera: the hound creature quickly following after her.
Samantha an odd grin spreading across her face leaps atop the demon.
Nikki whirls quickly to the right even as the creature smashing through barrel staves rushes at her and slams her up against the wall.
“SAM! What the Hells are you doing!” Rhyaad yells.
“Sam get back!” Nikki screams.
Samantha, having seen the beast making its way toward Nikki had reacted quickly, jumping on its back to protect her as she now rides on its back, clinging to it like a bull rider,YEEHAAWW.
Rhyaad tries to aim carefully at the creature without hitting Sam. “Get away from that thing!”
The hound-like beast pulls back its lips to expose black gums and razor sharp teeth as it growls deep in its throat like a wild dog. Its tail smashes through an old ladder and over turns the piles of junk stacked about the room.
Samantha grabs what she thinks are its ears and tries to guide it to the well.
Nikki regaining her feet and seeing Samantha on the back of the Ghoul Hound leaps across the room and grabs her, pulling her free of the beasts back, “Now RHY! Shoot IT. NOW!”
Rhyaad zooms over to the opposite side of the well with vampric speed and aims into the creature’s mouth.
Samantha falls to the floor and lays sprawled there.
The monster hound howls in pain as Rhyaads point-blank bullets riddle its mouth and throat.
Several rounds find route into the creature’s brain.
Thick horrid blood gushes from its mouth.
Blood splays around the room as it thrashes about and slings its head.
Wounded, it makes its way to the opening of the well.
Rhyaad seeing it is not dead yet, opens up both barrels on it.
The Ghoul Hound slides into the opening of the well and climbs back down into it.
Falling back into the darkness of the well.
Samantha scrambles up, wincing from a twist in her back, and spots an old barrel of turpentine, as she suddenly becomes herself once more. Help me, She yells as she tries to move it to the well.
“Grab the camera, Nik! Time to get out of here!” Rhyaad snaps.
Nikki rises from the floor, and hurries back over to the camera and tripod and snatches them up.
Rhyaad puts the guns away and helps Sam push the barrel of turpentine over toward the well.
Nikki, camera in hand moves back toward the stairs, “Let’s get the bloody hell out of here!”
Samantha with Rhyaads help tips the barrel over and breaks a hole in it, the fluid pouring down the well. Not till we have our asses covered, who has a match?
Guessing her intent as they pour the fluid down the well. “Match, hell….” He says and draws one of his guns and reloads.
Sparks from the shots ignite the flammable fluid and they run from the well as it becomes an inferno as Samantha and Rhyaad shove debris aside to run away from the circular brick well spewing a growing column of flame.
Nikki seeing the flames looks around the basement, Up the stairs and out of here, this place is a tinderbox.”
Samantha makes it to the stairs and stops and motions for Rhyaad and Nikki to follow.
Nikki, with camera and painting in hand, tries to shepherd Sam up the stairs, the flames now rising higher.
No, you first Miss Nikki.
“Rhy, come on, get to the stairs. Nikki demands.
There’s no hesitation coming from Rhyaad as he bolts for the stairs, waving at the others to hurry.
Miss Nikki! Samantha pleads for her to go up the stairs.
Nikki looks up at the painting of Pickman on the far wall.
Go. She yells back to Rhyaad and Samantha.
Nikki! Samantha screams as she watches Nikki move back into the debris cluttered basement, with black smoke bellowing to curl across the ceiling, the crazy swing of the swaying bulb making dancing shadows.
Go Sam! Rhyaad pushes her.
Not without Nikki!
Nikki grabs the painting.
Flames races over the old newspapers, up the cardboard boxes like a living thing seeking to devour the trash and cluttered junk long stored and forgotten.
Rhyaad grabs Samantha and pulls her up the stairs.
Nikki!
Nikki leaps over the old settee as sparks settle into its cushions.
Nikki! Samantha yells, Hurry!
Nikki races up the old warped steps behind Rhyaad and Samantha.
Rhyaad kicks the door open leading into the alley.
Rhyaad quickly follows Sam.
Samantha grabs Nikki’s hand as she exits the recessed doorway and keeps running.
Samantha saying softly to her, dont stop dont stop dont stop dont stop
“I think getting away from here as quickly as possible would be highly advisable.”, Rhyaad understates in agreement as they hurry down the alley
Nikki turns to make sure everyone is behind her, I am glad you decided to make the trip Rhy.
Rhyaad keeps running along behind them, while trying to reload at the same time.
“Sam back to the car.”
“Me too! I had a feeling this would happen.” He said glancing back to be certain there were no hounds behind him.
Samantha shouts, less talking more running, as she hears sirens from the fire department.
Smoke is bellowing out of the open door into the alley.
They race down the narrow sidewalk toward the Ferrari.
Nikki opens the door and tosses in the camera and the painting.
Rhyaad follows, diving into the back seat.
“Drive like a vampire, Nik!” He tells her while holding on to the camera.
Samantha locks her door and whips the seat belt around her, Dogs, I so hate dogs!
The high performance engine roars to life and Nikki snatches gears, fishtailing out from the tight parking slot and down the street, crossing through a main thoroughfare.
Nikki shifts, the car spins into a turn and zooms under flashing caution traffic lights.
What’s a little breaking and entering, and robbery? Rhyaad asks from the back of the car, looking out the window as he hears rapidly approaching sirens.
And arson. Samantha adds.
Nikki looks back in the rearview mirror to see a Boston police car sliding around a curve to fall in behind her.
Ah, Nikki, we havethe police. Rhyaad says from the back seat.
I see. Nikki says.
Now where did he come from? Rhyaad asks.
Neither of us can spend a morning in a cell. Nikki frowns.
She looks up into the rearview mirror and sees a second patrol car joining the pursuit.
“Oh, Bloody f**k.”
Hrm . . . these cars are all electronic these days . . . computers in the hoods. I wonder. Sorry Nik.” He smashes out the back window.
Nikki downshifts and takes yet another turn much too quickly, tires burning.
Samantha holds on as she sways against the curve.
Rhyaad closes his eyes and chants something, and when he opens them again his eyes glow bright blue and sparks fly around his hands.
A dip in the road and the black Ferrari hits the pavement. Hot sparks flying.
Rhy faces backwards, watching to see if they have gotten away. He shakes his head as the energy burst seems not to have disrupted the cars in pursuit.
All of Bostons streets seem much too narrow as she zooms along, the car bouncing on the uneven pavement as she is pushing 85 and accelerating.
Nikki’s looking for I-90 as she turns the wheel hard, and dips down into yet another narrow one-way street.
The sirens wail behind her as the patrol cars zoom to catch her.
Nikki takes a hard curve and the tires squeal with black smoke.
Ahead Nikki sees the flashing lights of two patrol cars blocking the intersection.
Nikki downshifts, and slams on the brakes, the car skidding and sliding sideways, as she snatches it into reverse.
Wheels spinning and blue smoke arising.
It seemed we had out ran them for the moment. Rhyaad says looking to see the roadblock.
Nikki is silent as she places her arm on the back of Samanthas seat, looking back through the shattered rear window, as she speeds in reverse toward the oncoming police cars.
Samantha crouches in her seat to look in the side mirror.
Object may appear to be closer
Ah Nikki Rhyaad says as the Ferrari zooms back straight for the oncoming patrol cars.
The two cars that had been blocking the intersection scream spinning tires as they speed off to follow the retreating 360 Modena.
Rhyaad looks at her, We might not make it out of here with that camera after all Nik
She looks at him and frowns, her blue eyes having gone dark.
The two police cars dodge out of the way at the last possible second, one going up on a sidewalk, as she speeds past them and jerks the wheel of the car hard, spinning the Ferrari in a 180 degree turn in order to face the wrong way down the one-way street as she shifts gears and stomps the accelerator.
Samantha looks over at her, You said you were once a party girl.
Nikki smiles and takes a hard right to speed down another one-way street luckily without traffic as she whips the car into the entrance of a parking garage, whirls in a tire screaming U-turn, sitting to face the street, and turns out the lights.
The third car zooms past its two comrades, who attempt three point turns at the end of the street.
The Ferrari sits in the darkness idling. Godd*****d Boston police have a bloody great response time, Rhy.” Nikki says.
“Uncanny. In LA people do far worse than this every night and get away.” Rhyaad offers from the back seat.
Nikki sits for a moment.
Theyre gone, at least for the moment?” Rhyaad adds.
Nikki looks out the windshield at the darken street. I am going to have to ditch the car on the way back and then have to report it stolen. Theyll have the license number for certain.
“Exactly. Or better yet ditch it now.” He suggests sitting forward.
“Try to clean off prints back there.”
“Better idea. I make a portal to Harker Manor. Then we set the car on fire and hop through the portal.” He tells her.
Nikki turns and looks at him, You can do that?”
Samantha turns all the way around in her seat to look at him as if to say what?
“Hopefully we don’t end up in slingshit China in 1300 . . . or somewhere. I just came here from Harker Manor, Nik. There’s something special in the basement.”
You can make a portal for the car and all of us? Nikki asks.
“Well, I can do it . . . just not very well . . . ”
Nikki is wiping the steering wheel, the gearshift — she looks back at him, “Do we leave fingerprints?
What?
I mean Vampires? Do we leave fingerprints?
Nikki, it is your car, they would expect to find your fingerprints in it. Samantha tells her.
A portal? Nikki says , shaking her head.
“Unless you have a better plan. Rhyaad tells her, You and I can easily outrun them on foot, but Sam can’t.”
Nikki looks back at him, How safe is this portal thing, can you fix it so I can drive the car through it.
He stared at his hand. “Um, the car, well, not very”, he admitted.
Okay, you and Samantha, use the portal.
Miss Nikki, I am not leaving you. Samantha tells her.
I can move much faster alone. Nikki tells her.
Rhyaad gets out of the car, I’ll work on a portal.”
I will
No, Samantha, you need to go with Rhy.
Rhyaad moving in front of the car drew that odd, old wand from his jacket and began to wave it in circles, chanting.
Nikki looks at Sam, “Sorry, this is a mess.”
Nikki leans over and opens the glove compartment and takes out a city map of Boston she had put there earlier.
“Rhy, you can get Sam through the Portal?” She asks as she looks over the map.
He finishes his spell and jams the butt end of the wand to the pavement. A strange shimmering appears in the air. “Yes, but it must be quick.”
“You take the camera, the painting and Sam.” She says still looking at the map.
Rhyaad opens the passenger door, Come on Sam, hurry.
A hole appears in the fabric of what most people call would call spacetime. Black, edged with violet. Gradually a dim image appears on the other side of some strange stone temple like room.”
We have to hurry, it won’t last long.”
Nikki looks up at Samantha, “Go I will see you when I can just call St. Clair and report the car stolen. I dont know when I will get back to Collinsport. I am going to dump the car in Back Bay.”
Rhyaad grabs Samanthas shoulders and pulls her away from the car, shutting the door with a kick of his boot.
Samantha stumbling as he pushes her looks at Nikki still in the car.
“I am very sorry, Samantha.” Rhyaad says as he grabs her and shoves her through.
“Are you sure you can escape, Nikki?” He looks back and asks.
The portal is already beginning to shimmer again.
“I just have to worry about the sun.” She told him, “I will get a motel room somewhere. Now, go.”
“Sorry Nik, but my responsibility is to Samantha now. Good luck Nik, A’a dome vara lle.” And he jumps through after Sam just as the apparition vanishes.
Nikki slowly drives the car out the garage, checking the map, she is not that far from Back Bay. She is certain they will have the main highways patrolled as will I-90, which is where she had been heading. So, she drives the speed limit and makes sure she uses her directional signals. One hand holding the map against the steering wheel.
At Harker Manor, fortunately, Samantha Brook lands well, materializing a few feet over the stone altar and breaking a bone or two falling, where as Rhyaad, he materializes with his arm intersecting an iron pole and his momentum causes his arm to be torn off.
Rhyaad cannot help wailing in pain as the severing of his arm. Thankfully the wails from the basement attract a certain werewolf, who after getting over her initial shock of finding them there especially Rhyaad missing an arm and begins to help the injured pair.
As Elenor begins to stitch the pieces of his arm back together he howls in pain and curses himself for having left Nikki behind. Once he is able to speak to her again, he knows he will have to apologize profusely to Samantha for almost killing her and explain why he had to follow her and leave Nikki behind just in case she didn’t wind up in Scarlet Creek New York in 2012.
Back in Boston, her eyes ever wary on the rear view mirror, Nikki makes her way to the bay.
This is a very beautiful city at night, Nikki thinks.
She is going to have to come back sometime.
She can see now the city lights glistening on the dark waters of the bay.
Nikki whips the car into a parking lot, and turns the sleek black car around facing the bay. She looks back and sees the camera and the painting Rhyaad forgot them. She gets out and places them on the ground and then gets back into the car and sighs as she looks down at the dash, “Well, sorry to have to lose you old friend.” She says to the car.
Stomping the accelerator the wheels spin and the car lurches forward as she drives it straight toward the bay.
Through the retainer, she grabs the door latch and pushes the door open.
The earth rushes past below her and the bay comes upon her quickly.
The car smashes through a bench hits a rise of land and Nikki leaps out as the car zooms up and out and over into the bay.
She hits the ground rolling and feels her shoulder separate.
She lies on the ground and looks up at the sky.
She has got to find a place to spend the day.
Cue music end of episode