Purification

Chapter 5
One Step Behind

Chapter Description: Scott has no choice but to follow a lunatic's directions.

Mount Eden was one of the premier tourist attractions in Auckland. An imposing dormant volcano, it towered over the city skyline, offering breathtaking panoramic views. There was only one way up and down the hill, a winding narrow one-way road. That meant his suspect might still be there by the time he reached it. It also meant this could be a trap. Scott kept that in mind as he swung the cruiser onto the winding little road and powered up the hillside. He cut out the siren, not wanting to alert the suspect to his arrival any earlier than necessary. The sky was blue today and weather turning warm. That meant it was likely to be busy up the top. Scott worried about that. He didn’t want any collateral damage.

Scott turned his car into the car park at the top, scanning the scene for any sign of his suspect or a car matching the description of the one he jacked. There was no sign of it. Instead the place was filled with Japanese and Korean tourists brought here by the coach-bus load. They milled about, snapping photos and marvelling at the deep volcanic crater that was now covered in grass and grazed by cows. Scott parked his vehicle blocking the exit and reached for the gun beside him. New Zealand police didn’t carry guns on them, but they did have access to them. Unfortunately Scott quickly realised that the constable who drove this car still had the key to the gun safe on him. Scott was going out there unarmed again.

Scott stepped into the sunlight and made his way warily through the crowds, looking left and right for any sign of his man. He kept wondering why he’d brought him here to such a public place. It was then that he heard the scream. He turned wildly about looking for the source. He saw a group of Asian tourists pointing and gasping, a few older ladies turning and rushing away shaking their heads. Scott immediately headed in the direction they were pointing. As he pushed past the group of stunned tourists he saw what was causing their shock. They were all looking at a spot on the edge of the volcanic cone just to the side of the car park. There a young man was climbing up the grassy slope into view. He appeared to be in his twenties, White and brown-haired. He was also completely naked.

Scott could see the young man had a dazed, vacant look on his face and he toddled unsteadily over the grass towards them, his arms extended for balance and knees bent. Scott waved his badge to the tourist crowd and announced that he would take care of the young streaker, heading to intercept him. The young fellow blinked curiously at Scott as he approached, a line of drool tracing its way down his chin and dangling there, glistening in the sunlight. Scott placed his hands on the man’s shoulders and looked him over carefully. He could see the stain of white powder dried just below his nostrils. The man’s glazed eyes stared into his as the man suddenly spoke. “Danny need potty-pot! Danny maked poopy!” he announced.

Scott hated this part, but he couldn’t have the poor victim getting all upset right now. He needed him focussed only on his questions and not worrying about the sudden changes to his bathroom routine. He could only imagine what it was like to suddenly find yourself squatting in the grass to do your business the moment the urge struck you.

Scott rubbed Dan’s arm comfortingly and nodded. “Yes and I bet it felt nice to get all that poo-poo out didn’t it?”

Danny blinked in confusion a moment, then smiled and nodded. Yes, of course it felt nice. Now Scott could ask him the questions he really needed to. He lightly tapped Danny on the nose. “Did you sniff something Danny?”

Danny nodded eagerly as more spittle dribbled over his lips and wet his chest and tummy. “Do you remember who gave you the stuff to sniff?”

Danny nodded again.

“And what did he look like buddy? Can you be a good boy and tell me what he looked like?”

Danny paused in thought, but seemed at a loss. Finally he said, “Danny good.”

“I’m sure you are. You just can’t remember eh.” Scott shook his head, none of them remembered. He’d just hoped that since this young man was clearly transformed only moments ago he might still have some memories left. But clearly the drug was too fast acting, Dan lost all his memories within seconds of inhaling the powder.”

“Danny wa’ big boy! Danny sniff-sniff. Danny wittle,” the drooling young man babbled in explanation.

Scott was surprised as the young man suddenly pulled him into a hug, resting his head on Scott’s shoulder. As Scott tried to comfort the boy by closing his arms around his bare body he suddenly felt something that was not skin. Quickly wriggling free of the snuggle, Scott turned Danny around and saw that there was a piece of folded up paper taped to his bare back. Scott snatched the paper and opened it up, revealing the note.

Detective,

Haere Ra

Scott read and re-read the brief note. The place where the defenders of the city made their home. A place across water and under the earth. What did that mean? Across the water had to mean it was across Auckland Harbour. So maybe on one of the Harbour Islands, or out in the Hauraki Gulf? No, it couldn’t be that. It would have taken too long. He didn’t have enough time between Graham’s call and his arrival in Pakuranga to take a boat out to the Harbour Islands and back. That meant it had to be the North Shore, the only other place across a harbour. Under the earth, clearly meant he was somewhere underground. There was no subway system in this city and no underground car parks on the Shore. At least there were none that he knew of. He was a South Auckland cop. This was getting way out of his jurisdiction.

Scott decided to focus on the final clue. The place the city’s defenders called home. City Hall and the police headquarters were both in Auckland Central, not the Shore so they were out. Besides, how would he hide a kidnapped cop in either of those buildings? No, it was something else. Maybe something military. The NZ Navy was based in Devonport, which was indeed across on the Shore! But then there was nothing under the earth at a naval yard, Scott realised. The same was true of Whenuapai Air Station.

Just as Scott was feeling lost and out of options it hit him that there was in fact one more military location on the Shore, one that made perfect sense. North Head was built as a battery to defend the entrance to Auckland Harbour against a Russian invasion in the 1870s. In the century after its construction North Head battery was modernised time and again for World War I and World War II. Then it was closed and turned into a tourist attraction.

North Head was not the kind of place Scott wanted to go poking around. It was a former bunker, the ground riddled with abandoned underground tunnels connecting the bunker’s living quarters, magazine and gun emplacements. Tourists enjoyed picnicking on the grassy slopes of the hill the fort was built on and into. But they rarely ventured into the pitch-black tunnels below. Scott knew that was exactly where he was headed now.