Jareth

(A dream I had the night after watching Labyrinth and Night Breed. It doesn't have to make sense... ask the pizza.)

He was a monster. A terrifying monster. Imagine a being that could change it's form at will; be anyone or anything of any shape or size. Now, imagine it killing for pleasure. Killing with no thought about race, sex or age. Monstrous. And they had caught him.

I was terrified as I rode with my partner Capt. Jericho and I told him so. "Fear is good. It keeps you on your toes." Was all he said. And for about the thousandth time, I asked myself why the hell did I become a cop? I really wasn't cut out for this. I wanted a little excitement in my life, so I joined the police force and look at what I get: Homocidal shapeshifters! They say to be careful of what you wish for; you just might get it.

The scene seemed anticlimactic for finally capturing such a creature as this one. I couldn't bring myself to think of it as a man yet. But, if it wasn't a man, did we have the right to judge over it? I was going to ask Jericho but thought better of it. It was night. The suspect was sitting down on a step, his head down. There were four officers covering him. It seemed almost silly, then I remember the four sailors he had killed. Apparently, single people were no longer a challenge. He had started going after groups of people, in public places. There was speculation that the shapechanging was nothing more than illusions. Still, the press has dubbed him, "The Shifter.

As we were walking towards him, he raised his head and looked around. I got the feeling that he was counting the number of people here and wondering if we were about to become victims. I was startled as his face swung towards my group. The world suddenly moved into slw motion. Jareth. He looked almost like David Bowie from the movie Labyrinth. I mean there were some changes in the face and clothes, but it was Jareth. He stopped when it got to our group. I swear he was staring at me. We stared at each other for a second and his face altered to fit the image in my mind. I started. He changed his face. Jericho grabbed my arm.

"Are you OK?" He asked, concerned.

"Yeah." My body worked through a shiver. "I was just surprised to see him looking like something out of a movie." I shook myself. Jareth went back to looking around. We closed in and the officers exchanged words.

"Well, rookie. We get to take 'The Shifter' back with us." He said, playing around, pretending to be scared. "Are you feeling up to it?"

"Of course, Captain. I'm fine."

"OK. Cuff him and take him to the car."

"Yes, sir."

I approached him. Strange. I was thinking of 'it' as a 'him' now. "Sir," I said as I approached. "I'm going cuff you and read you your rights... Please don't resist." I read him his rights and started to put the cuffs on him. I knew something bad was going to happen as soon as I saw him tense. I had one wrist secured when it happened. He turned around and yanked me to him, trying to bite me. I just couldn't believe it! "Jericho!!" I screamed as my training took over.

He was pulling me to him so, I rush at him knocking him over. I guess it was an unexpected move on my part. I fell on top of him and ended up with a knee in his back. I hadn't let go of the secured wrist, amazingly enough. I struggled with him, trying to capture his other arm as the officers crowded around me, weapons drawn.

I finally got a hold of his arm and managed to get a cuff around it. "Hey, Long! You cool?" Yes, I nodded, concentrating on what I was doing. I looked up and said, "I'm cool.", breathing a sigh of relief. When I looked back at Jareth, I noticed I had put the cuff on wrong. It was only around three fingers, totally biting into his ring finger. Oh, Jesus, that had to hurt. "Oh, man. I'm sorry. That's got to hurt." I said as I undid it and recuffed him quickly. I helped him up and he offered no resistance.

"You can see me." He said as we reached the squad car.

"What?" I stammered.

He turned to look at me. "You can see me as I really am... this face was in your mind. I saw it. It is what I am. " He was clearly surprised.

"But, that's from a movie." I opened the car door. "Please get in." I said, all business again. He moved to get into the car. I put a hand on top of his head, assisting him so he wouldn't bump himself on the roof of the car. Suddenly, he yanked free as his hand came up and cuffed my wrist with my own handcuffs. I screamed in pain as he dislocated my shoulder wrenching my arm around behind me cuffing my other wrist. He spun me around and sat me in the back of car. Holding me by my shoulders, he pinned me with his eyes. It had a terrifying and strangely fascinating effect on me.

"You see who I really am and you know my name. I am Jareth. For you," He looked at the officers running towards us. "I won't kill them now." He waved a hand front of my face. I struggled backwards as it mutated into a flesh colored cobra. He laughed at me and was gone.

Jericho ran to the car as the other officers pursued Jareth. "Shit! Jess? Jessica, are you OK?" He saw that I was cuffed and that my shoulder was dislocated. As gently as he could he got me out of the car and uncuffed me. The pain was pure agony. I couldn't move anything without pain. "Rookie, rookie. This is gonna hurt but we got to snap your shoulder back in place. OK? It's gonna hurt, but it will feel better." He placed my back against the wall and put a hand on my shoulder. "OK? Ready?" I nodded, gritting my teeth. I didn't really know what he was going to do. Then he did it. With a sharp, quick movement, he slammed his considerable body weight through his hand, forcing my back and shoulder to align. I screamed in shock and started to blackout. Jericho held me and started walking me around, telling me it was going to be OK. I didn't pass out and my shoulder did feel better.

We met the other officers at the car. "We lost him, Capt'n."

"Shit. Well, let's get back to the station and try to figure out what to do next and fill out all those wonderful forms." As the cars drove away, a strange squirrel sat still in a tree, taking it all in and paying particular attention to a certain red-headed rookie. A large, gray, male squirrel chittered angrily at the strange squirrel, very ready and willing to defend its territory. The strange squirrel hoped over to it and casually broke it neck as it went by...

At the station, Lt. Jessica Long and Capt. Tom Jericho went over her statement. She had told them everything she could remember. "He's so strong and handcuffs are useless. You need a seamless container to be sure to capture and contain him. That thing he did with his hand proves it."

"Why did you think he said, 'For you, I won't kill them now'?"

"I don't know. Maybe because I had seen Labyrinth. No one knew that he had taken that identity as his own. What has the psychologist said about that?"

"Not much, yet. Go home, get some rest. Hell, take the rest of the week off. You deserve it."

"Yeah Capt'n. If I deserve it so much, why are you only giving me the weekend?" She tossed over her shoulder as she left.

Elsewhere. Jareth sat brooding. That girl. What was it about her that fascinated him? She knew him. His face and his name. Could she be the one? Just stop it! If your enemies even suspected... suspected what? They would get her and use her for bait. They would do terrible things to her. The sudden flash of anger at the thought startled him. And what would you do? You'd what? Try to save her? Come on. She'd be just one more innocent life lost in the war. The Never-ending war. She'd never believe him. She'd never understand...

Jessica decide to take a small vacation after all. She drove out to a beach hotel and checked in. She was determined to do nothing except lay by the pool and relax ... and maybe think about resigning from the force.

After two days calm and quite. She was ready to go home. She went to her room, satisfied that she had made to right decision. Tomorrow morning, she would be resign the force and look for a new job. But tonight, a nice sleep.

In the morning, she went down to the lobby. "I'd like to check out, please." she said to the clerk. He handed her a form to sign talking about the bar in the room. The form was pre-dated. She looked at it. That wasn't right, it was only the 20th, not the 22nd. "Umm, what's today?"

"Tuesday, the 22nd." the clerk answered off-hand.

"That's not possible." Jessica said slowly. "That would mean I was here for four days. I've only been here for two."

"Ma'am, your room is paid through next Saturday and today is the 22nd, Tuesday." The clerk was looking at her strangely.

"Can I see the receipt?" He handed it to her. She dropped the paper when read the name on it... Jareth Peterson. He was here and he had done something to her to keep her here. She looked around trying to spot him. Stop it! He could be anyone or anything! "Thank you." She said dazedly to the clerk as she walked away. She went back up to her room. She was going to leave anyway. No one was going to try to control her life! She checked the bathroom one last time. When she came out, he was there. He stifled her scream with his hand. She hadn't even seen him move.

"Now, I'm sure you have a lot of questions and I guess you do have the right to be mad at me, but I'll explain it all." He said as he lead her by the head to a chair and sat her in it. "Promise you won't scream?" She nodded, trembling.

This is it. I'm dead. He's going to kill me. She was scared. Very, very scared.

"OK, go ahead, shoot." She looked at him in confusion. He sighed "Ask your questions. I don't bite."

"You tried to bite me before."

"Well, that was different. I'm not going to bite you now. Unless, that's what... you want?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No, no." she said quickly, "What did you do to me? Why am I a prisoner?" Are you going to kill me? Was the one question she really wanted to aske but didn't dare. She didn't really want to know the answear.

He looked pained. "It was too dangerous for you. I just let you sleep, convinced your brain that it was tired. And you are not my prisoner." He neglected to tell her that he had had to wipe her mind of the two nurders she saw him commit while going back to her room. It wouldn't help the situation. Now, the enemy knew of her existance and it was too risky for her to leave right now.

"So, I could get up and leave right now."

"No. I would not let you..." He began

"So, I am a prisoner."

"No. Just think of it as protective custody."

"And what am I being protected against. You're the only killer in the room. ... Why do you kill?" She said suddenly, wishing immediately that she could take back the words.

He studied her a moment. "Why do you not kill? I kill because it is necessary."

"But, you enjoy it, don't you."

After a moment "Yes. ... Yes, I do enjoy the kill." He looked so feral and frightening. Jessica tensed up again, watching him wearily. "Stop it! I'm not going to kill you! You're not one of them. And I care about you"

"One of who? And why do you care?" Jareth was pacing about the room. Distracted. He stopped by the window, still and watching something out there.

"I'll tell you later. I have to take care of something. You stay here. Promise me." He was very close. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "Stay here. Do not make me angry. It could be very bad for you." He breathed , menacingly. His finger traced down her face and rested on the side of her neck, his thumb wrapping loosely around her throat. Jessica nodded slowly. Then he left.

Jessica was in a panic. What the hell am I going to do? I could run. He'd find me. She was certain of that. She was attracted to him, fascinated. He was different. But he was a murderer with delusions. She was certain of that, too. She paced. Then came a knock at the door. She froze.

"Jessica? Jessica, are you in there?" Jericho!! Thank God. He'd figure something out. She rushed the door.

Jareth was suspicious. They had taken over a boy, maybe 6 or 7 years old. It was very new from the look in the aura. It was too easy. He quickly dispatched the boy and when back to the room.

Damn that woman! She had left!! It was too dangerous. They knew about her and would try to use her. He was livid at the thought and livid at the fact that she would defy him. He wanted, needed to dominate her and then he would be her slave. She already feared him, but he wanted her to love him as well. Damn her. He would get her back and tie her to the bed if necessary. Hmm, what an interesting thought...

He jumped as the phone rang in the room. He picked it up, saying nothing.

"Jareth? I know you're there. Jareth? Well, listen to this..." A familiar scream erupted. They had gotten her!! How?

"Stop. I'm here." The scream stopped.

"You know what we want. You come here and we let her go." He had heard to voice before... Jericho. His heart sank. They had gotten him, too. No wonder Jessica wasn't here. "And Jareth, if you don't, we torture her for a while and then, who knows? Maybe we kill her, maybe we turn her into one of us and you can kill her." The laughter sickened him.

"No. I'll be there. You just let her go."

"Maybe, maybe not. But you don't have choice in the matter." And he didn't, did he? The man gave Jareth his instructions. Damn! Why did he let that woman get to him? Maybe it was because she could see him so clearly in her mind or because she somehow, Knew his name. It didn't matter. He had to get her back.

Cold metal pressing against her legs woke her. She was dazed and foggy. She had been with ... Jareth? No, Jericho. He was going to take her to a safe house. They were in the car, then... someone in the backseat had put a sweet smelling rag over her mouth and nose... then... what? This. What was this? She bound spread eagle on a metal table. It was uncomfortable.

"Ah, you're awake." Jericho? "Just in time. We have need of you." He reached for a phone and start talking. Then he held out the phone towards her and said, "Do it." A man she hadn't seen on her left walked over, reached out, grabbed the little finger on her left hand and calmly broke it. She screamed. The man stayed there awaiting further instructions.

Jericho turned to her after he got off the phone. "Very good. Right on cue. Your boyfriend is on his way to save you."

"My boyfriend? Tom, what's happened to you? Why am I here?" She felt like crying.

"Nothing, everything has happened to me. I'm me but only better, stronger." Crazier. She thought. "I was chosen by them."

"I don't understand. Who are they? Chosen how and for what?"

"Not they, Them! Jareth didn't tell you?" He frowned and then grinned. "Of course, then you would've wanted to be on our side! But I'll tell you. I'll tell you." He smiled and rubbed his hands together it was so like Jericho, but it wasn't him. "You see. Them, that's their name, came to us from the stars." He grinned bigger at the look on her face. "It's true. ETs. They're symbiotic. They need a host to live and in return, they make the host better. But they're at war with another race. You can't say their names in English so, we call them the Shifters. I know you know why. The Shifters want to destroy Them. They say that Them is evil and destroys the host. But it's not true. Just look at me!"

Yeah. Just look at him. My normal, nice, reserved Captain and partner was crowing. "But why did you break my finger, Tom? You would never have done that before."

"It was necessary." Dismissing it with a wave of his hand. "Do you want to see them? Of course you do." He brought over a jar. With a pair of forceps, he lifted what looked like a squirming worm out of the jar. "These are young ones almost ready for a host. Would you like to be a host? It's such an honor. They have to breed rapidly because Jareth and the others have been killing Them off for a long time. When the host dies, so does Them."

He held the worm over her. Enjoying her uneasy and fear. "They enter the host's body through what ever means is necessary... through the mouth or ear or sometimes burrowing into the skin. They always find a way." He looked at his watch. "Hmm. Jareth is late. I guess you're going to have to be punished."

Jessica paled. "You don't need to punish me. Don't you want me for a host? Please." She was scared. Jericho wasn't the man she knew. He was cold and heartless. Inhuman. Even Jareth was more human. He scared and fascinated her, but not like this.

"Oh, you'll heal if we let you live and if you're chosen as a host. But you do need to be punished, Jareth is late." He was admonishing her like she was a slow child. Jericho looked at a tray a instruments and picked up a scalpel. "Ah, this should do. Yes, very nicely" He walked over to the table...

Jessica had stopped screaming. It seemed to give Them pleasure and she wasn't having any part of it. So far, they had left her face alone, but her body was a lattice work of scalpel cuts. They had carved designs in her body and broke all the fingers in her left hand and started on the right. Something different for every 3 minutes Jareth was late. She flinched when Jericho looked up from his watch.

"30 minutes has passed and still no Jareth. I guess we miss judged your value to him. So now what do we do to you?" She was still. "Do we kill you? No, I don't think so." Her hopes lifted. "I think we'll make you a host. You seem worthy of the honor."

Her hopes sank. "No." she croaked, her voice hoarse from the screaming. "What?" Jericho actually had the nerve to seem surprised. "You don't want Them?"

"No" she repeated. "I don't want to be a host. They destroyed the person you were. How did you get chosen for this honor? How did you take the host?"

The man that was Tom Jericho stopped, he looked a little confused. "I - I don't really remember. It was , was... Jessica?" He shook his head. "No matter. I have to make you understand. Once you're a host you'll understand..."

"No! Tom, don't do this to me!" She struggled futilily against her bonds as Tom approached with the jar and the forceps.

"Hold her." he commanded of the other man. She continued to struggle but there wasn't much she could do except keep her mouth shut and her ears down. She panicked as the worm got closer and closer to her. Then the pressure on her head was gone. She opened her eyes to see the man who had been holding her, was missing his head. His hands flailed about, then he toppled over backwards.

Jareth! He was there to save her. It wasn't much of a fight between Jareth and Jericho. Soon, it was over. He untied her and lifted her from table. She was crying. She didn't know if things had gotten better or worse.

"We've got to get you to a hospital." He said gently. She looked at the bodies. "I'll take care of this place." He put her in the car and went back to the house. They left when he came back. A couple miles later, the house exploded.

Jessica looked at him, "So, you're one of the good guys." She said hesitantly.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that. I'm kinda like a cop."

"Are there more of Them out there?" "Yes. And I'm supposed to stop Them." He sighed. "There's so many of Them."

"Are there more of you?"

"A few."

"Will I meet any the them?"

"I don't know. I don't know what's going to happened now. I have to report."

"What about me? Am I in danger? She didn't like the idea very much

"No. I don't think so. Not as long as you listen to what I tell you. I think you'll be fine. Besides, even if you tell anyone, they won't believe you. They think that I'm some psycho who uses illusions to scare people."

"So now what?" She asked, wondering if her life was ever going to be normal again.

"Now, we get you to a hospital, tell them you were kidnapped and tortured and that you got away and I found you on the side of the road." She looked at him. He had changed into another person. "After that, I'll report and then we'll see."

"Well, sounds like a plan." Jessica leaned back trying to ease the pain in her aching body. I guess time will tell. I think I'm still resigning from the force. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? Jessica bet it wouldn't be boring.

All stories, scenes, works and poetry owned by Eden Blackthorn
(c) 1997-2001 - Eden Blackthorn
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