The Night Stalker

One Hundred and Ten

Hunter and Garcia paused by the door. Both of their guns aiming at whoever or whatever had made that noise, but neither of them fired. Due to the darkness, it took Hunter a couple of seconds to spot her. She was pressed against one of the corners of the room, curled up into a tiny ball. Her knees were tight against her chest. Her arms hugging her legs so hard the blood seemed to have drained from them. Her eyes were wide open, staring at the door and the two new arrivals. One word could describe her whole being — fear.

Hunter recognized her straight away — Katia Kudrov.

He holstered his gun and quickly lifted his hands up in a surrender gesture.

‘We’re Los Angeles police officers,’ he announced in the calmest voice he could muster. ‘We’ve been looking for you for a while, Katia.’

Katia burst into tears, her body convulsing with emotion. Hunter stepped into the room and approached her very slowly.

‘You’re gonna be OK, we’re here now.’

Her eyes were still wide, staring at Hunter as if he was an illusion. Her breathing was coming to her in bursts. Hunter feared she was too shocked to speak.

‘Can you talk?’ he asked. ‘Are you hurt?’

Katia sucked in a deep breath through her nose and nodded.

‘Ye— yes, I can talk. No— no, I’m not hurt.’

Hunter kneeled down before her and took her in his arms. She hugged him tight and broke down in a barrage of desperate tears and high-pitched yelps. Hunter felt as though he was absorbing her fear through his skin.

Garcia stood by the door, both hands wrapped firmly around his gun, his gaze incessantly moving up and down the corridor outside.

Katia’s eyes met Hunter’s. ‘Than— thank you.’

‘Are there others here?’

She nodded. ‘I think so. I never saw anyone. I’m never let out of this room. The lights are always off. But I’m sure I heard something one day. I mean, I heard someone. Another woman.’

Hunter nodded. ‘You are the first one we found, we’ve gotta look for others.’

Katia’s arms tightened further around Hunter. ‘No. . don’t leave me.’

‘We’re not leaving you. You’re coming with us. Can you walk?’

Katia breathed out and nodded.

Hunter helped her stand up. She looked much skinnier than the pictures he’d seen of her.

‘When was the last time you ate?’

She gave him a tiny shrug. ‘I don’t know. The food and the water are drugged.’

‘Do you feel dizzy?’

A succession of quick nods. ‘A little, but I can walk.’

Hunter’s questioning gaze moved to Garcia.

‘We’re good here, let’s move.’

Hunter moved Katia in between him and Garcia and drew his weapon again. They stepped towards the door cautiously, ready to brave the corridors again.

All of a sudden all the lights went off.

They were left in absolute darkness.

For an instant all three of them were frozen to the spot. Katia let out another cry, but the fear in her voice this time almost chilled the air.

‘Oh my God, he’s here.’

Hunter reached for her again. ‘It’s all right, Katia. It’s gonna be OK. We’re still here with you.’ As his hand touched her arm, he felt her shivering.

‘No yo— you don’t understand. It won’t be OK.’

‘What do you mean?’ Garcia whispered.

‘He’s like a ghost. He moves like a ghost. You can’t hear him when he comes for you.’ She started crying and her voice faltered. ‘And. . he. . he can see you but you can’t see him.’ Her breathing accelerated. ‘He can see in the dark.’