Unveiling the Serpent

    The shop had two bedrooms nestled away in the back. He set her up in the small one he never used and did his best to make her comfortable. Will she wake up while I’m gone? I don’t want her to panic because she’s in some strange place. He penned a quick note and left it by the bed. I hope that helps… And I won’t be gone that long.
    
    Daniel left, locking the front door behind him and hopping in Karen’s car. The engine roared to life and he took a deep breath, considering his next course carefully. They had to get to the bottom of what was going on but he couldn’t risk Karen again. At least in the shop she’d be safe.
    
    What if there’s something out there that you can’t handle? He asked himself. What happens to her then?
    
    That concern had to be shelved. There wasn’t any time for extreme caution. There were answers to be found but they required some risk. Daniel felt resolve return to him and he put the car in “Drive”. At least the trip wouldn’t take very long.
    
    He was fairly certain he knew where James McKellan had lived—the description that Andrea gave could only be one of a couple places. Someone owned the house that he was heading to but it was not currently occupied. He was certain that there wasn’t going to be easy access to the lab but he could at least see what obstacles needed to be overcome.
    
    Andrea wasn’t just any spirit. Daniel hadn’t seen her sort of power for ages and even back then, demons were involved. After years of dealing with the supernatural, Daniel was surprised to admit that he had seemingly encountered something new.
    
    And that created more questions. What else could this spirit do? Why was she compelling Karen instead of asking her to do things? What was her real motivation?
     

    Karen’s near possession escalates the Reilly investigation, pushing Daniel to contact an old flame for help. They return to find that the spirits have been quite active in his brief absence, leaving behind the journal of James McKellan. It could contain the answer to the 1805 tragedy but with overt dangers literally springing from the Ethereal, such a discovery may be useless.
    
    Whatever spawned Andrea’s visit seems to have a shocking agenda, one that could utterly destroy the world in a mad attempt to save it. Without aid from outside sources, in the shadow of a city ignorant to the dangers that loom over it, the three investigators must risk more than their lives to stop the coming apocalypse. The enemy here does not merely kill, it destroys the very essence of what it is to be human.