*
DISCLAIMER: Jim and Blair do not belong to me the are the property of Pet Fly productions. I just borrow them at times and take them out about the town. Phantasm is property of Paramount Pictures and the idea, charaters and all are from the mind of Mr. Don Corisalli. I just decided to toy with take care though or face the consequnces of the Tall Man's wrath!!!!
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When Shadows Fall

by
Anomally

It came around for another pass; how many times so far Blair lost count. Blood streamed freely from slices in his hands and shoulder.

"Flying blenders that's what they are; spherical flying blenders." Blair thought to himself.

He took a chance and poked his head out of the box he had climbed in; the lid hid him slightly he thought as he looked down the long marble halls.

"All clear." he thought as he climbed out of the coffin.

Now he had to remember which way he came from, which way he was going, and where was Mike. He turned a corner and slammed into something hard, at first his mind came up with that he ran into a wall. When he looked he came face to face with a nightmare; he tired to back away when a hand latched onto his face somehow stunning him. In the mind void he thought back of what brought him to this point......

~~ Week ago ~~

"No seriously Jim what did you think?" Blair asked again.

Jim shook his head, "I already told you Sandburg; I had a really great time. Why do you keep asking?"

Blair smiled, "Because this morning you were all grouchy about it, and now you've turned a 360 degree."

"OK, OK chief you got me, I admit the thought of spending my day off at a fair surrounded by bumpkins, livestock, and kids turned me off." Jim started. "I really had a great time it made me feel young again, but in a normal childhood."

Blair nodded, "Glad you had fun man; when Naomi went off on some retreats I'd spend time at friends houses. One time we're up in Connecticut and she went off, I got to go to a fair in a place called Woodstock. It was magick. The rides, food, and livestock it was all like perfect you know. I just thought I would share that experience with a friend. "

"Yea I now know and thanks for sharing Chief." Jim stated.

The ride was silent as both men thought the day through; until a black hearse appeared behind the truck. It's windows were tinted very black except for the windshield, but even then one could not see the evil that lurked behind the glass. The hearse sped up and blasted by Jim and Blair.

"What the..." Jim started and then started to speed after the hearse.

Blair looked at Jim, "What are you doing man? You are like SO way out of you district that you can get stopped for speeding, and you know who these country cops take to city cops."

The truck slowed down letting the hearse speed on ahead; Jim nodded, "Yea let the sheriffs deal with him; plus it is my day off after all."

Blair nodded but deep inside something was bugging him about that hearse. He could feel fear rising in him and he did not know why, what he did know is that he was glad that the hearse was out of sight.

The next day Blair had morning classes at Rainer University and Jim went into Major Crimes. Simon met Jim at his desk a grave look upon his face and motioned for Jim to follow him into his office. Instantly Jim's protector mode went into over drive upon seeing Simon's grim look.

"Sit down Jim and before you jump to conclusions. This has nothing to do with the kid." Simon said.

Jim breathed a sigh of relief, "What's up Simon you look horrible."

Simon held a new file in his hand, "It's this case, mass grave robberies reported at cemeteries all over the city. As soon as Sandburg gets here I want you and him to check it out."

"Grave robberies, sir? That's not our department." Jim stated as he took the file.

Simon shrugged, "It is now."

Once Blair arrived, he and Jim were off to the nearest graveyard. Blair was uncommonly silent as they parked at the cemetery gates.

"Anything the matter chief?" Jim asked

Blair only shook his head, "I don't know; I have not felt myself since we saw that hearse yesterday."

Blair walked on ahead of Jim, a signal that he was not willing to talk; or just needed to be left alone with his thoughts for a bit. As the men entered the gate they stopped as the sight of every single grave was dug up and void of even a coffin.

"All this was done in one night?!?" Jim asked shocked beyond words.

Blair only stared at what was done with wide eyes and uncanny silence. Jim and Blair went through the routine as Sentinel and Guide looking for any clues but there were none. No footprints, finger prints, hair, heat registrations, or fibers the place was clean too clean. Jim and Blair filled up the rest of the afternoon with the same finding at every graveyard they went to investigate.

At the last graveyard on the file list, "Anything Jim?" Blair inquired.

Jim shook his head and stood up when he heard an odd noise; kind of like the growl of an animal. He looked around his ears honing in on the location of the noise.

"What is it Jim? Do you hear something?" Blair asked, not hearing anything.

Jim nodded and looked around some more, "Whatever it was it's gone now. Come on, chief. Let's wrap it up and call it a night."

Jim started to walk between the open graves back to where the truck was parked. Blair looked around on last time just in case, when he saw something in a brown robe dash between two trees.

"What the??" He whispered, straining to look through the tree when he heard a noise behind him he turned around and looked nothing was there. More growling noises came from all around him, "Forget this!" Blair exclaimed and dashed down the hill to the truck almost knocking Jim into a grave.

"Hey chief you OK? You where moving pretty swiftly." Jim asked.

Blair shook his head, "It's nothing graveyards just give me the creeps."

Jim shook his head and rolled his eyes at Sandburg's obvious lie, "What did you hear chief; low loud growling noise?"

"Yea, there was more than one though; like all around me. Definitely unnerving man!" Blair exclaimed.

"Well it was probably some animal, raccoon, or possum." Jim rationalized.

Blair shook his head, "No animal I know makes noises like that; plus I saw something."

"What?" Jim asked.

Blair rubbed his palm over his eyes, "Don't laugh; but I saw a little deformed midget in a brown robe, but it disappeared behind a tree."

Jim stayed silent unsure of how to answer that description, so he started up the truck and steered it towards the loft. He and Blair both needed a meal, hot shower and a good nights sleep.

PART TWO

That night Blair's mind wandered. Sleep was at best a fleeting thing; his nerves where doing the wha-toosy as he laid in his bed with the lights off. Jim too was wrestling with insomnia it was the case; grave robberies at best where few and far between that quickly sink into the darkness of forgetfulness. This though was a mass wide spread event that could only get worse, he felt.

Daylight rose and both men went through their morning routine; neither said a word before they separated to their own little work niches.

"Well Jim did you find anything at any of the crime scenes?" Simon asked as Jim came through the doors of major crimes.

Jim shook his head, "No sir, all the sights were impeccably clean."

"Impossible." Simon scoffed, and Jim just looked at Simon. "OK I believe you, Jim. I have an assignment for you and your shadow." Simon continued as he dropped a file folder in front of Jim. "It's the last undisturbed cemetery in Cascade."

"Morningside?" Jim said as he read the file.

Simon looked as the confused look on Jim's face. "What's up Jim?"

"It's just that, Simon, I've lived in Cascade for a long time and I have never heard of this cemetery." Jim said assuredly.

Simon thought of it for a moment as well and he drew the same conclusion, "It could be a front for something. You and Sandburg are on stakeout."

"We'll inform you of anything that may pop up, sir." Jim said as he got up to leave and prepare for the nights' assignment.

Simon nodded and rolled his eyes, "I expect that, Jim."

Jim met Blair at the loft and informed him of the assignment at hand; the two left and spent the better part of the night sitting out in front of the Morningside Cemetery.

~~*~~

"Man this is bogus!" Blair exclaimed as he again shifted his postion in the truck; in a vain attempt to get comfortable.

Jim rolled his eyes and nodded in agreement, "Just look at it this way chief in an hour we'll be relieved and back at the loft for some food and sleep."

"Yea I know but staking out a graveyard at night; way to creepy." Blair finished.

Jim chuckled, "What's a matter, Blair? Afraid of ghosts, zombies, creepy-crawlies?"

"No something much worse…" Blair said silently.

Just then their conversation was stopped as a line of hearses drove one by one under the cemetery gates; they passed the truck and drove up the road toward the large, white, house on the hill. The uneasiness Blair had been feeling all day became stronger as the hearses disappeared into the darkness.

"Jim, I do not like this at all." Blair said

Jim reasoned with his spooked partner, "Come on, Blair. It's a cemetery; hearses are not uncommon around graveyards or funeral homes."

"Yea, but this many?" Blair reasoned back, "It's like a procession of death, but not natural."

Jim shook his head and started up the truck and drove it towards the towering old funeral home on the hill, "If it'll make you feel any better we'll go inside; find the director, and do some investigating. OK?"

"Yea…right…OK" Blair said, his voice becoming disconnected as they neared the house.

Jim stayed silent unsure how to react to Blair's present state; he put the truck in park and grabbed his badge and gun. Blair climbed out of the passenger side and stood looking at the house.

"You hear that?" Jim asked.

Blair listened, "No what is it?"

"It's like a low humming sound; it's like nothing I ever felt before." Jim said. "OK follow me chief and stay close."

Blair nodded thinking, "You could not pry me off with a crow bar."

The two men went to the door and Jim knocked a couple of times. Upon receiving no answer he turned the knob and entered the house. The front rooms were dark with no signs of strangeness; each were set up as if to host a funeral, with chairs unfolded and set up in rows. Jim honed in on the humming noise; as they moved back towards the embalming room, before they made it there the entered into a network of white marble halls.

"Must be the mausoleums." Jim said as he led Blair silently down the hall.

Blair looked up and down the labyrinth of halls, "Yea man; this place is huge! You can not tell that from looking at the house from the outside. Which is where I would like to be right now."

"What's a matter chief? Scared of the whole graveyard, funeral home concept?" Jim joked.

Blair rolled his eyes, "No it's not that; it's just this place seems so unnatural. Something is positively not right here, man!"

Just then a tall man wearing a gas mask and pushing a dirty coffin crossed their path. The man looked at Jim and Blair, pulled out an axe, and swung it at them. Jim and Blair fell back as the sharp blade came close to taking off their faces. Jim recovered and fired three rounds at the attacker; the bullets struck the man, but he did not stop. A thick slimy yellow fluid oozed out of the attacker's bullet wounds; the man growled and brought his axe down near Jim's feet.

"Jim! Does running seem like a safe bet right now?!" Blair said quickly as he helped Jim to his feet.

Jim shook Blair off and assumed a defensive stance; as the axe man swung at him he grabbed the man's wrist and tried to wrestle the axe from his grip. Jim; after a bit of a struggle got a hold of the axe. The two men fell to the floor and wrestled some more; Jim seemed to be losing when the axe rose up then fell. A sickening wet crunch was heard and both men ceased moving.

"Jim?! Are you dead?" Blair called out and rolled the masked man off of Jim.

Jim quickly sat up; his clothes were covered in the gooey yellow fluid, "I'm not dead but I think that guy is, and I mean before I got him with the axe. While we're fighting I heard no heart beat; I heard yours, and mine but that was it."

PART THREE

"Great man. Just perfect! Can we go now? This is just to weird and creepy for me Jim. My instinct is shouting a resounding turn and run into my brain, and I am ready to take it up on that command." Blair blurted out his voice shaky.

Jim heard his partner but his need to know what the humming was; was starting to out weigh his reason, "In a minute chief; then we'll go. I just need to know what that humming is."

Jim turned another corner without waiting for an answer from Blair. Blair looked back where they came from and decided to keep following Jim rather then to get lost on his own. He turned the corner and looked at the short dead end they had come upon; on a table against the wall sat a medium sized box. Jim stepped up to the box and touched it; he quickly drew his hand back as if he had been stabbed.

"Jim you OK?" Blair asked in a low whisper.

Jim nodded and was about to speak when three doors opened on the front of the box revealing three shiny silver spheres. Jim stepped back and looked at the balls he was about to reach out to one when the suddenly took to the air. They circled near the ceiling, when one finally came down and extended an appendage that contained a human eye. It first hovered near Jim who stood perfectly still as the ball seemed to check him out. It then flew over to Blair and did the same.

"Oh ewwww man that is REALLY gross!" Blair gasped as the ball finished its' observation and rejoined the others.

Jim moved back and stood beside Blair as the spheres hovered for a few minutes; he nudged Blair backward toward the maze of halls. Blair nodded and moved slowly keeping an eye on the spheres.

Suddenly the spheres came at Jim and Blair making then dive to the floor; Jim recovered first and pulled out his gun and fired at the middle sphere. Sparks showered off the globe as the sphere was thrown into the wall by five rounds. The grounded sphere made a mechanical noise as it whirled around on the floor; Jim fired three more rounds at it blowing it up.

"That is IT we're going NOW!!" Blair said and grabbed Jim by his shoulder and helped him up.

Jim's cold blue eyes locked on Blair's ocean blue eyes; at first Jim was angry at being told what to do, but then his reason kicked in, "OK Chief we'll…"

"JIM LOOK OUT!" Blair yelled.

Just then the two remaining spheres' flew full speed at Jim and Blair, as they flew, two sets of two pronged knives emerged from the balls' smooth surface. Blair shoved Jim to the ground as the first sphere came at his head. The knives of one sphere went clean through Blair's hand pinning it to the wall; Blair grabbed his injured hand by the wrist as a drill emerged from the ball and started to go through the flesh of his palm. Blair screamed as the drill worked deeper and deeper into his hand through the veins and bone. Jim jumped up and tried to wrestle the ball hurting his partner; Blair's blood was ejected via a hole in the back of the sphere. Blair soon passed out as the pain became to great for his already stressed system to handle. Jim turned and glared at the other sphere and fired his remaining rounds at it blowing it up; he then turned his attention back to his passed out partner. The sphere in Blair's hand appeared to be stuck as it made straining noises after it stopped drilling.

Jim grabbed the ball firmly, "Well at least your passed out, chief ." With that said, he yanked hard on the ball ripping it out of the wall and his partners' hand.

Just as Jim was about to check on his partner two more darkly dressed men with gas masks on grabbed him from behind and knocked him out. The men dragged Jim down the hall leaving Blair lying in a pool of his own blood.

PART FOUR

He came stepping slowly with long powerful strides; his straight white hair almost invisible against his ashen skin. His eyes were colder then the deepest darkest evil and he kept them locked on the corridor ahead of him. His body was lean and he was tall; his clean dark suit giving him the appearance of death himself. When he came upon the young man with long curly hair lying in his own blood his pale lips turned up in a small smile; that made him seem crueler. With very little effort he picked up Blair and carried him down the hall towards the embalming room. As he walked, four silver balls joined and flew around him as if escorting their master away.

Once in the embalming room he placed Blair on a metal table and strapped him down tightly; he opened his hand and one of the spheres landed in his palm. The tall man grasped the sphere and an arm extended out from it separating into four spider-like legs. From the middle of the four thin spikes a fifth arm with a circular saw at the end came out and began to turn. The tall man grabbed Blair's chin and turned his head to one side, and started lowering the saw towards the side of his head.

Darkness all around him and there was also pain sharp and throbbing. Jim opened his eyes and noticed the floor moving under him, but he could swear he was not walking. Jim stayed limp as he realized he was being drug down the hall; his thoughts went instantly to Blair, he knew his partner was injured and unconscious. His protector mode shifting into high gear and started pumping the adrenaline; Jim in an instant planted his feet on the floor and brought his arms around making the two thugs slam into one another. Jim stepped back a few feet and looked at the two beings in gas masks; he reached for his gun only to find it not there. Both of his captors pulled out axes and started heading towards Jim; who avoided the first axe, and managed to grab a hold to the other before it took his hand off at the wrist. The other one swung his axe at Jim this time going for his head; Jim hunkered down and shuddered as he felt the blade narrowly miss his short-cropped hair. In that instant, Jim grabbed his backup .38 and shot one of his attackers point blank in the stomach. The thug was neither slowed down by the shot, nor by the gapping wound in his stomach. Jim thought it better to ditch these attackers rather than fight them and possible loose his head. Jim started running down the hall the two thugs on his tail; he turned to the right and stopped in his tracks as he spotted more of those silver spheres. The spheres came flying at him with quicksilver speed; Jim turned away only to be face to face with the two attackers and their axes coming at him. Just as the spheres closed in for the kill the set of forks came out of each of them; Jim looked to the spheres and then at the thugs, and just as he was about to become mince meat he hit the ground. The spheres flew over him and impaled the thugs' foreheads through the gas masks. The thugs made odd gurgling noises as the drill bit on the spheres went to work; the thugs simply fell backwards as the last bit of yellow fluid was siphoned out through the back of the spheres. After getting to his feet, Jim gingerly stepped through the yellow puddle on the floor and headed back up the hall towards where he left his partner.

~~*~~

The saw blade touched Blair's skin making him wake up instantly; he screamed as the blade began to dig deeper into his flesh and muscle. Suddenly the saw was drawn back and Blair came face to face with fear itself. The tall man looked up as if someone not there was talking to him; he then looked back at Blair and smiled.

"I'll be back for you later; then I shall complete freeing you from this flesh that makes you weak to time and space." He said in a deep voice.

The tall man then turned and walked out of the embalming room; Blair released the air he was holding and struggled against the straps holding him. Just then Blair heard movement behind him; he dreaded to think what else could happen to him now, he closed his eyes and waited for the worst to come.

"Open your eyes." A male voice told him silently.

PART FIVE

Blair opened his lids and saw a man about his age with kind long dark hair. The man was dressed in black jeans, shirt, jacket, and boots. He said nothing else as he went to work loosening the straps binding Blair.

Blair sat up and touched the small gash on his forehead, "Thanks man, who are you?"

"I'm Mike; and friend this is the last place you need to be. You got to get out before HE returns." Mike said.

Blair hopped to the floor not needing to be told twice, "But who is that guy?" Blair inquired.

"I do not know who or what he is now; but he used to be a mortician way back when. The times when they used a horse and carriage hearses; he was known as Jebidiah Morningside." Mike stated. "Now he's a thing that will not die; who steals corpses and turns them into his own personal army." Mike continued.

Blair went to the doors and looked out down the hall convinced it was clear he looked at Mike, "OK right now that seems like the best theory to rationalize all this, but why was he trying to ventilate my skull?" Blair inquired as he and Mike headed down the hall.

"Because you have something he wants." Mike said confidently.

Mike then gave Blair the; be quiet sign, and Blair put his question on hold until a safer time.

~~*~~

Jim rounded another corner just as he was about to resign to being lost; he spotted the puddle of blood where Blair was hurt, but there was no Blair. Jim then heard footsteps echoing down the halls; it seemed like it was coming from everywhere. Jim held his gun ready for whatever was to come.

Just then the Tall Man rounded the corner; he took one look at Jim's gun, and smiled slightly and raised his eyebrow a little.

"What can I do for you, Sir? The funeral home is closed for a private wake." The Tall Man stated his voice booming.

Jim answered the man without lowering his gun, "I'm looking for my partner."

"Are you a detective?" The Tall Man asked.

Jim nodded and brought up his badge with his free hand, "Cascade PD."

"You weapon will do you little good against me, detective; as for your partner I have plans for him, but I thank you for giving him back to me." Tall Man said confidently with a sneer.

Jim shrugged, "Well we'll see about that won't we?"

With that Jim fired off his remaining rounds at the ominous Tall Man just as four of the silver spheres started to head towards him. The Tall Man was not phased but the bullets; and stood smiling wickedly as he watched the spheres chase after Jim.

~~*~~

Blair followed Mike in what seemed like complete circles; when Mike finally pushed through a double door into a room with a red carpet, and new coffins lining the walls.

"They way out is through that door." Mike stated; pointing at the door across the room.

Blair looked at the door and shook his head, "I can't leave. My friend is still in there."

"Go and live with your skull intact; or stay and face the chances of getting you skull ripped open!" Mike said his anger rising.

Blair stood firm his sky blue eyes meeting Mike's, "I WON'T leave with out him!"

PART FIVE

"OK but I'll go look for him you hide in here someplace." Mike exclaimed and then dashed off through the doors back into the halls.

Blair looked around the room and shuddered, "I hope just because I hide in one does not mean it'll necessarily be mine. Blair reasoned with himself as he climbed into a coffin, "Just hiding that's all; yea positive thoughts."

Jim ran down the hall trying to loose the spheres chasing after him; no matter which way he turned the spheres followed tightly. Finally he came to a room with a swinging door; he stopped as an idea flooded into his mind. He turned towards the spheres as they rocketed towards him; on cue the globes brought forth their impaling weapons. Just as the sphere's were on top of him Jim fell backward through the door and braced his feet against it. The spheres rammed into the door and became stuck in the wood on their knives.

"I'm getting too old for this." Jim thought as he lay on the cold marble floor the humming noise he had followed in to the building was now louder then ever. Jim proceeded to zone out on the sound.

~~*~~

Mike felt the Tall Man near as he looked for the police detective in the halls of the mausoleum. They should have never come here him or the other two men, but he knew why they or at least the smaller of the two had been drawn here. It was for the same reason the menacing Tall Man had been chasing him around from city to city. Mike did not want Blair suffer the same things he has suffered through out his ordeal with the Tall Man, but he knew that there was so far no way to really stop the Tall Man. Mike's thoughts were broken as he felt the Tall Man going away from him; he knew he had to find the other man and then get them and himself out of here as fast as possible. Mike continued down the hall until he reached the doors leading into the crematorium; he stopped as he saw four of the Tall Mans orbs stuck. Mike pulled the doors open and found Jim lying on the floor.

"You must be the friend." Mike stated.

Jim looked up his zone out broken in an instant; he looked up and saw a man dressed all in black standing at his feet. "Who are you?"

"I'm Mike and I have been sent to find you by your friend, come on we have little time." Mike answered bluntly.

Jim sat up quickly, "You've seen Blair? Where is he? Is he OK?"

"Yea to all of the above." Mike answered looking out the doors checking for troubles.

Jim stood up as Mike checked the halls; he turned around and saw a white door. He went over and opened it; inside was a small empty room; except for two silver posts in the floor. Jim walked up the pole and felt the vibrations coming off of them; he stuck his hand between then and jumped back when his hand seemed to disappear. He looked at his hand and saw that there were no wounds or anything; just that it was hotter where ever his hand went. Jim looked between the poles from a distance and wondered what exactly he was dealing with here. Jim walked up to the poles again and raised his hands to touch the tops of each of the poles.

PART SIX

"Where did he go?" Mike asked when he walked back in the room and noticed Jim was gone; he then noticed the door opened at the other end of the room.

Mike walked up behind Jim and placed a hand on Jim's shoulder shaking him out of his revelry.

"If you are willing you can do that after we find your friend. It'll stop Him in Cascade for at least a little bit." Mike stated.

Jim nodded and then followed Mike out of the room and down the halls, "So who is He? What is He?"

"I do not know. Some form of evil that will not die." Mike stated matter-of-factly then signaled Jim to remain quiet.

~~*~~

Blair tried every way possible to keep himself awake and alert. But the pain in his hand and in his head coupled with the blood he was losing was making it a challenge. Plus the semi-cushioning in the coffin was getting way to comfortable; Blair raised the lid a bit and spotted two of the sphere's entering the room. They flew slowly around the room; Blair lowered the lid and lay very still willing the sphere not to find him. Blair sneaked a peak just as one of the spheres flew over; it came around for another pass; how many times so far Blair lost count. Blood streamed freely from slices in his hands, head, and shoulder.

"Flying blenders that's what they are; spherical flying blenders." Blair thought to himself.

He took a chance and poked his head out of the box he had climbed in; the lid hid him slightly he thought as he looked down the long marble halls.

"All clear." he thought as he climbed out of the coffin.

Now he had to remember which was he came from, which way he was going, and where was Mike. He turned a corner and slammed into something hard, at first his mind came up with that he ran into a wall. When he looked he came face to face with a nightmare; he tired to back away when a hand latched onto his face somehow stunning him

~~*~~

Jim raised his eyebrow at Mike's very vague information about the Tall Man; he knew once this was over he would have to grill the younger man more in depth. Mike suddenly pushed Jim down a different hall and had him hide behind a heavy red velvet curtain. Just then The Tall Man passed by pushing an old metal gurney in front of him; strapped down on it, eyes open, lying totally motionless, was Blair. Jim started to follow when five growling midgets blocked his path.

"Be careful those things work for the Tall Man; they used to be corpses now they are mindless slaves, with only killing on their primitive minds." Mike stated.

Jim was growing tired of this and he now just wanted to leave and cleans the whole building by fire.tinued.

"Because you have something he wants." Mike said confidently.

Mike then gave Blair the; be quiet sign, and Blair put his question on hold until a safer time.

~~*~~

Just then the Tall Man rounded the corner; he took one look at Jim's gun, and smiled slightly and raised his eyebrow a little.

"What can I do for you, Sir? The funeral home is closed for a private wake." The Tall Man stated his voice booming.

Jim answered the man without lowering his gun, "I'm looking for my partner."

"Are you a detective?" The Tall Man asked.

Jim nodded and brought up his badge with his free hand, "Cascade PD."

"You weapon will do you little good against me, detective; as for your partner I have plans for him, but I thank you for giving him back to me." Tall Man said confidently with a sneer.

Jim shrugged, "Well we'll see about that won't we?"

~~*~~

Blair followed Mike in what seemed like complete circles; when Mike finally pushed through a double door into a room with a red carpet, and new coffins lining the walls.

"They way out is through that door." Mike stated; pointing at the door across the room.

Blair looked at the door and shook his head, "I can't leave. My friend is still in there."

"Go and live with your skull intact; or stay and face the chances of getting you skull ripped open!" Mike said his anger rising.

Blair stood firm his sky blue eyes meeting Mike's, "I WON'T leave with out him!"

PART FIVE

"OK but I'll go look for him you hide in here someplace." Mike exclaimed and then dashed off through the doors back into the halls.

"I'm getting too old for this." Jim thought as he lay on the cold marble floor the humming noise he had followed in to the building was now louder then ever. Jim proceeded to zone out on the sound.

~~*~~

"Can you handle this thing?" Mike asked and tossed a weapon and belt at Jim.

It was two double-barreled shot gun that had been welded together the belt contained shotgun shells. Jim looked back at Mike who was pulling out an identical gun and belt.

Jim smiled and loaded the weapon, "I think I can manage." With that he unloaded both sets of barrels into the middle midget.

The blast sent yellow goo, cloth, and flesh bits onto the floor and wall; Mike followed suit and blasted another midget. The remaining midgets growled grunted and charged at Mike and Jim. Mike quickly reloaded his gun and fired at the next one; Jim backing away finally loaded his gun and fired again. Now there was only one left, the midget stopped and turned around and began to skitter away. Mike and Jim both loaded the guns and fired on the retreating monster blowing it to bits. The two men then ran down the hall following the direction the Tall Man took; they both stopped at the door of the room they had just come from, the only difference what that the spheres had been removed from the door. A high pitched mechanical sound started up beyond the door; then Blair's screaming filled the room and the immediate hall.

Jim's eyes opened wide, "Blair!" He said and tried to rush through the door.

"Wait! You'll won't save your friend if you are dead!" Mike said as he grabbed a hold of Jim.

Jim looked at Mike and stopped his charge; instead he looked through the small knife holes in the door. He was horrified by what he saw; the Tall Man was sawing through Blair's head with one of the sphere's, blood was flying everywhere as the deed was being done.

PART SEVEN

"Now I have a plan it may work but I am going to need you to be focused on it totally. Your friend will live; you have to trust me on that." Mike said forcefully.

Jim only nodded and turned away from the carnage in the next room. He looked at Mike; who reached into his black jacket and brought out a silver sphere.

Jim jumped back a bit, "Where did you get that?" Jim asked.

"I made it; the difference between mine and his are that mine does not have a human brain sealed in it. It is mechanical." Mike said as he closed his eyes and the sphere floated up off his hand. The sphere floated around silently and then hovered in the air, "Now Jim when I give the signal open the doors then duck or this thing will make a hole in your skull big enough to fly planes through."

Jim winced at the imagery Mike was bringing up. "OK got it."

"Then you'll help me push him through the door into the room. Once there force him back through the gate; then you like you do on a tuning fork stop the vibrations. After that we'll have little time to get out of this building before it implodes with us in it." Mike continued.

Jim again nodded and took his place at the door he looked at Mike who backed down the hall a bit.

When Mike nodded, Jim threw both doors to the room open, "HEY!"

The tall man stopped his sawing and turned and looked at Jim; Jim then squatted down and a silver ball game flying at the Tall Man full speed. As it reached him, a long ice pick type spike was revealed that plunged itself into the center of the Tall Man's forehead.

The Tall Man looked cross eyed at the sphere and then smiled, "A toy." He said in a deep booming voice. He then went to remove it; as he pulled it out something in the sphere clicked and suddenly more spikes protruded outward from in side the Tall Man's flesh and from the sphere's surface. The hand holding the sphere became impaled and yellow fluid was leaking out from the Tall Man's face and hand.

"My game now Tall Man!" Mike said and walked up beside Jim. Mikes eyes were open and metallic gold.

Jim and Mike then rushed the Tall Man sending him flying into the next room. The Tall Man recovered just in time to stand and grab Jim about the throat with his free hand, as him and Mike rushed him again. Jim gasped and wheezed as the Tall Man tightened hie other man and then get them and himself out of here as fast as possible. Mike continued down the hall until he reached the doors leading into the crematorium; he stopped as he saw four of the Tall Mans orbs stuck. Mike pulled the doors open and found Jim lying on the floor.

"You must be the friend." Mike stated.

Jim looked up his zone out broken in an instant; he looked up and saw a man dressed all in black standing at his feet. "Who are you?"

"I'm Mike and I have been sent to find you by your friend, come on we have little time." Mike answered bluntly.

Jim sat up quickly, "You've seen Blair? Where is he? Is he OK?"

"Yea to all of the above." Mike answered looking out the doors checking for troubles.

PART SIX

"Where did he go?" Mike asked when he walked back in the room and noticed Jim was gone; he then noticed the door opened at the other end of the room.

Mike walked up behind Jim and placed a hand on Jim's shoulder shaking him out of his revelry.

"If you are willing you can do that after we find your friend. It'll stop Him in Cascade for at least a little bit." Mike stated.

Jim nodded and then followed Mike out of the room and down the halls, "So who is He? What is He?"

"I do not know. Some form of evil that will not die." Mike stated matter-of-factly then signaled Jim to remain quiet.

~~*~~

"Flying blenders that's what they are; spherical flying blenders." Blair thought to himself.

He took a chance and poked his head out of the box he had climbed in; the lid hid him slightly he thought as he looked down the long marble halls.

"All clear." he thought as he climbed out of the coffin.

~~*~~

"Be careful those things work for the Tall Man; they used to be corpses now they are mindless slaves, with only killing on their primitive minds." Mike stated.

Jim was growing tired of this and he now just wanted to leave and cleans the whole building by fire. "Well what do we do? I am out of bullets."

"Can you handle this thing?" Mike asked and tossed a weapon and belt at Jim.

It was two double-barreled shot gun that had been welded together the belt contained shotgun shells. Jim looked back at Mike who was pulling out an identical gun and belt.

Jim smiled and loaded the weapon, "I think I can manage." With that he unloaded both sets of barrels into the middle midget.

Jim's eyes opened wide, "Blair!" He said and tried to rush through the door.

"Wait! You'll won't save your friend if you are dead!" Mike said as he grabbed a hold of Jim.

PART SEVEN

"Now I have a plan it may work but I am going to need you to be focused on it totally. Your friend will live; you have to trust me on that." Mike said forcefully.

Jim only nodded and turned away from the carnage in the next room. He looked at Mike; who reached into his black jacket and brought out a silver sphere.

Jim jumped back a bit, "Where did you get that?" Jim asked.

Jim winced at the imagery Mike was bringing up. "OK got it."

Jim again nodded and took his place at the door he looked at Mike who backed down the hall a bit.

When Mike nodded, Jim threw both doors to the room open, "HEY!"

"My game now Tall Man!" Mike said and walked up beside Jim. Mikes eyes were open and metallic gold.

Jim and Mike then rushed the Tall Man sending him flying into the next room. The Tall Man recovered just in time to stand and grab Jim about the throat with his free hand, as him and Mike rushed him again. Jim gasped and wheezed as the Tall Man tightened his iron like grip around his throat. Jim pounded the man's wrist trying to break his grip but it did no good. Jim's eyes rolled back in his head as his air was completely cut off. Just then he was able to breathe again; Jim came to; to see Mike wrestling with the Tall Man. Jim got up and staggered into the Tall Man helping them regain the upper hand; the pushed the Tall Man in between the metal poles and he disappeared.

"Do it NOW Jim!!" Mike hollered at Jim

Jim raised both hand and placed them above the poles he slowly lowered his hand. He hesitated as he brought them down; just then his hesitation was cast aside as the Tall Man's hands came back though the gate. Jim slammed his hands on the poles and the vibration stopped. The Tall Man screamed as his hands were severed at the wrist.

Jim turned and looked at Mike who was pointing his gun at him, "What's this?" Jim asked slightly angry.

"WATCH OUT!" Mike shouted as the Tall Man's hands shed their skin, and came to life.

Jim crab walked backwards as Mike fired a shot that blew one of the hand creatures to bits. The other ran at Jim and was about to leap in his leg when a huge chink of the ceiling broke apart and landed on it.

"We have to get out of here NOW!!!" Mike yelled as he dashed through the door and began un-strapping Blair.

Blair grabbed his head and rolled off the table on to the floor, "Wha….what's going on?" He mumbled through the pain.

Jim supported one of Blair's sides, "Explanations later chief. Now is time for running."

Mike supported Blair's other side and they all dashed down the halls quickly with Mike's guidance. They made it outside to the porch just as the large building fell in on itself. Jim, Mike, and Blair tumbled down the stairs as the building disappeared all that remained was two metal poles that slowly sank into the ground.

"It is finished for now." Mike said and stood up dusting himself off.

Jim then stood, "Where are you going? I have to get a less vague answer about who exactly that Tall Man was." Jim said.

"I have to go prepare for the next time, and you know about as much as I do about him. Which is nothing; except that he hates cold, and he used to be Jebidiah Morningside." Mike answered and started to walk off.

Jim started to chase after Mike, but first he checked on Blair's head wound. When he looked up Mike was totally gone from sight. "People disappear to readily. Come on chief let's get your head checked out then go home."

Jim supported Blair a little as they walked towards the truck as they got to it; a classic black Cuda zipped past them. It's engine growling like a tiger on the prowl; Mike waved at them from behind the wheel and squealed the tires as he drove off.

"So what was that about people disappearing big guy?" Blair asked as he got into the truck.

Jim shrugged and got in to the truck and drove towards Cascade General Hospital. "I wonder how we're going to explain this one to Simon?" Jim asked.

Like we always do, but in the report we can hold back some of the more fantastic details and label them as unknown phenomena." Blair rambled.

Jim nodded, "Sounds good to me."

~~ Next Day ~~

"Jim do you ever get tired of playing mother hen?" Blair asked while he tried to log on to the internet.

Jim smirked at Blair and hit him in the stomach with a pillow. "Well if you get tired of getting injured then I can quit taking care of you."

"Like I choose some new and exotic ways and manners to have my skull ventilated every time I walk out the door." Blair said.

Jim nodded and smiled at Blair, "Yea sure chief; how's your head by the way?"

"It hurts, Jim a lot. My whole head feels like just a helmet of pain." Blair frowned.

Jim snickered as Blair's frustration, "Well chief you will survive long enough for me to go to the station and fill Simon in; then I'll go get some lunch."

"Yea yea go I can get a lot more work done with out you hovering over me." Blair stated

Jim put his coat on and shook a finger at Blair, "Remember what the s iron like grip around his throat. Jim pounded the man's wrist trying to break his grip but it did no good. Jim's eyes rolled back in his head as his air was completely cut off. Just then he was able to breathe again; Jim came to; to see Mike wrestling with the Tall Man. Jim got up and staggered into the Tall Man helping them regain the upper hand; the pushed the Tall Man in between the metal poles and he disappeared.