331-333

Chapter 331: The Music Box 

Jennifer was, of course, still hot on Mary Shaw’s trail. 

“Stop running! We just want you to make a doll!” 

Mary Shaw was a vengeful spirit, and even lugging around a doll the size of a kid, she moved wickedly fast. 

But Jennifer’s physical stats were off the charts these days, so she stuck to Mary Shaw like glue, not giving her a chance to shake her off. 

Good thing it was three or four in the morning, and the small-town streets were dead empty. If anyone saw a floating doll with a woman sprinting after it, they’d probably have a heart attack. 

After what felt like forever, Jennifer realized she’d chased Mary Shaw out of the city and into the suburbs. That put her on high alert. 

Right then, Mary Shaw finally stopped and turned to face her. 

“About time you stopped! Why are you running? I told you, we mean no harm!” 

Mary Shaw gave Jennifer a cold stare. This dead witch clearly wasn’t the type to trust anyone easily. 

“Whether you mean harm or not isn’t up to you. I’ll decide that for myself.” 

Seeing a chance to negotiate, Jennifer jumped in to persuade her. 

“Ms. Mary Shaw, we really don’t mean any harm! I’m actually part of the Witches’ Coven, just like you. We found you through the Coven’s records and just need your help with something!” 

Jennifer was stretching the truth a bit. The four Apocalypse girls were Coven members, and she was kind of an outer-circle member, so it wasn’t a total lie. 

“The Witches’ Coven?” 

The name of an organization she hadn’t heard in ages made Mary Shaw pause. 

But then her face twisted with rage. 

“That damn Witches’ Coven!” 

Jennifer froze. She hadn’t expected flashing the Coven card to backfire like that. 

According to the Coven’s records, Mary Shaw had cut ties with them after graduating from witch school. 

Something must’ve happened during her time there to make her hate the Coven so much. 

The Ouija board said Mary Shaw made it in 1885, so this old lady had been out of witch school for over a century. 

Back in those days, witch schools were pretty brutal. Things like corporal punishment or bullying probably weren’t uncommon. 

In fact, the Coven and its school only started cleaning up their act after Ophelina possessed Fiona. In that sense, Lilith’s daughter did the Coven a solid. 

This put Jennifer in a tough spot. 

She’d hoped to use the Coven connection to build some trust, but instead, she’d pissed Mary Shaw off even more. 

Before Jennifer could say anything else, Mary Shaw made her move. 

The doll, Billy, floated up from her hands and shot toward Jennifer like a missile. 

Still trying to talk her down, Jennifer dodged instead of fighting back. 

If Roy were here, he’d probably tell her to knock Mary Shaw out first and then try negotiating—way more effective. 

But as Jennifer sidestepped Billy’s charge, something sliced her face. 

She looked and saw long, thin claws sprouting from Billy’s arms. Those claws were what cut her. 

Jennifer was livid. 

As a woman, she was super protective of her face—most women are. 

Even if her witch powers could heal the scratch without a trace, it didn’t cool her anger. 

“You’re asking for it!” 

A surge of raw power exploded from Jennifer, sending the airborne Billy flying back several yards. 

Fueled by rage, Jennifer transformed into her demon form for the first time. 

Her height shot up to nearly six and a half feet, her skin turned purple, curved ram-like horns sprouted from her head, a heart-tipped tail extended from her lower back, and classic bat wings unfurled behind her. 

It was clearly her first time shifting—her clothes tore apart from the sudden growth, leaving her stark naked. 

Instinctively, Jennifer covered herself to keep from flashing the world. 

Luckily, Mary Shaw was too stunned to attack, or Jennifer would’ve been a sitting duck. 

After facing Roy, a guy with monster-level stats who shrugged off her banshee wail, and now this half-demon girl, Mary Shaw was starting to think she should’ve checked her horoscope before leaving the house. Why was she running into such terrifying freaks today? 

As Mary Shaw snapped out of it and summoned Billy back to make another run for it, Jennifer, prompted by Lilith, remembered she was a witch. She conjured a long dress with magic to cover herself up. 

“Still trying to run? You’re done!” 

It was Jennifer’s first time in demon form, and she couldn’t rein in her darker emotions. Her fury needed an outlet. 

Flapping her bat wings, Jennifer’s speed spiked, and she dove straight for Mary Shaw. 

Mary Shaw’s heart sank. She turned and unleashed a second banshee wail. 

“Ahh—!” 

The banshee wail was advanced witchcraft, rooted in Celtic myths about a banshee whose scream foretold death. 

Legend said anyone who heard a banshee’s cry in the wild would die within days, no exceptions. 

A Celtic witch studied the banshee’s scream and developed the banshee wail spell. 

Its core effect was mimicking the banshee’s cry to force a person’s soul out of their body—since, for most people, a soul leaving the body meant death. 

Like when Carrie’s soul left her body, she was lost in a haze. If not for her witch friends, she might’ve missed her chance to return. 

The reason the banshee wail was rarely used, despite its power, was that mimicking the banshee’s cry was insanely hard on the vocal cords. 

Luckily, Mary Shaw was a master ventriloquist, able to mimic all kinds of sounds. 

Hit point-blank by the banshee wail, Jennifer slammed into an invisible wall, frozen mid-air, her soul starting to detach. 

Fortunately, she had another soul inside her. 

Mary Shaw saw Jennifer’s eyes roll back and knew she’d landed the hit. 

But before she could catch her breath, Jennifer’s eyes cleared, and her vibe shifted completely. 

In the next instant, Mary Shaw felt Jennifer’s hand, charged with psychic energy, clamp around her throat. 

“Got you at last!” 

“You’re a dual-soul?! Damn you, let me go!” 

Mary Shaw felt like she’d seen more bizarre crap today than in her entire afterlife. 

First, a guy with monster stats. Then a girl with strong demon blood. Now a dual-soul half-demon. 

At this point, if someone told her angels were about to show up, she’d believe it. 

Being a spirit, the chokehold didn’t stop her from cursing. 

“Shut it, you old hag! Keep talking, and I’ll eat your soul!” 

Lilith wasn’t exactly known for her patience—she only played nice around Roy. 

And demons could devour human souls. It was a hell-exclusive leveling trick, though not very efficient. 

Most human souls weren’t high-quality enough. 

That’s why demons loved tempting pure souls—those were top-tier. Fallen souls were meh, unless they were so depraved they had Satan’s face tattooed on their back. 

Mary Shaw clammed up. She still had her revenge to finish and wasn’t ready to vanish for good. 

This Lilith version of Jennifer was a whole different beast. Pissing her off now might actually be the end. 

“Jennifer, get back here!” 

Lilith called out to Jennifer’s drifting soul but got no response. 

She turned and saw a young man standing nearby, holding Jennifer’s soul in his hand. 

“You!” 

Lilith narrowed her eyes. The guy was Jack Schneider. 

Mary Shaw spotted him and immediately shouted. 

“Save me! I’ll do whatever you want!” 

Lilith’s gaze flicked between Mary Shaw and Jack’s soul, and it clicked. 

“So that’s how it is. You’re the one pulling the strings!” 

Based on Lilith’s read of Roy’s strength, even a rampaging Carrie wouldn’t take him long to handle. 

But it had been half an hour, and Roy still hadn’t shown up. Something was clearly holding him up. 

Lilith hadn’t seen the FEAR ambush, but she could guess it was some serious trouble. 

Jack Schneider’s face still had that sunny, handsome, boy-next-door charm, but Lilith had already pegged him as a scheming snake. 

“Lovely lady, how about a deal? I give you this girl’s soul, and you hand over Ms. Mary Shaw’s soul. Win-win, right?” 

Lilith’s eyes narrowed. She had to get Jennifer’s soul back. 

Roy never said it outright, but Jennifer and Nidi held a special place in his heart, followed by Heather and Penny. 

That’s why those four had gone through the bloodline fusion ritual first, while the others were still waiting. 

If Jennifer got hurt on Lilith’s watch, Roy might literally tear her apart. 

But she couldn’t let Jack know she cared too much, or he’d have her cornered. 

So Lilith played it cool, acting like she didn’t give a damn. 

“You want that soul? Take it. Saves me the trouble—I’ll have this body all to myself.” 

Jack’s smile froze, but he quickly caught on. Lilith was bluffing. 

And that’s when she struck. 

Lilith blew a soft breath toward Jack, and his spot was instantly enveloped in a cloud of pink mist. 

It was the same desire magic Jennifer had used before, taught by Lilith herself—and Lilith’s version was way stronger. 

“Should be handled, right?” 

Lilith smirked, confident. Her desire mist wasn’t something you just shook off. Only a handful of people in the world could resist it. 

As she stepped toward the pink mist, she suddenly heard music—a music box, bright and cheerful. 

But in the dead of night, out in the creepy suburbs, it was straight-up eerie. 

Lots of music’s like that. Nursery rhymes and light tunes turn sinister when the setting’s wrong. 

And this music box’s sound was coming from inside the pink mist. 

Lilith’s guard went up, and she stopped in her tracks. 

The mist cleared, and Jack and Jennifer’s soul were gone. All that was left was a music box on the ground, its crank still turning. 

Where’d they go? 

Lilith extended her senses, trying to track Jack. 

Then the music box finished playing, and the crank stopped. 

But a second later, the crank started reversing, and the music began playing backward. 

The tune was already creepy, but reversed, it was nightmare fuel—perfect for a hellish soundtrack. 

The grating sound tortured Lilith’s ears. She was about to crush the box with her mind. 

Then, at the music box’s spot, a little girl in a ballerina outfit appeared. 

And her face was so terrifying, even Lilith, who’d seen it all, felt a chill. 

(Straight out of The Cabin in the Woods.) 

Even ancient monsters with abstract looks couldn’t compare to this face. 

Monsters are monsters—you don’t expect much, so their weirdness doesn’t faze you. 

But a ballerina girl is supposed to be cute. A face full of jagged, circular teeth? That contrast was pure terror. 

There’s a theory called the uncanny valley. 

Humans tend to like robots or creatures that vaguely resemble them, like round robots or pets with human-like expressions. 

But when something looks too human, just shy of perfect, it triggers disgust and unease. 

That’s exactly what Lilith was feeling right now. 

Chapter 332: Stats and Mechanics 

“Ugh, what a disgusting thing!”  

Lilith couldn’t hide her revulsion and immediately unleashed a fireball, aiming to burn the ballet girl to a crisp. 

But the ballet girl, clutching her music box that was still playing its eerie tune, struck a ballet pose and vanished instantly. Lilith’s fireball hit nothing but air. 

A moment later, the ballet girl reappeared about six or seven feet from her original spot, now much closer to Lilith. The music stopped abruptly. 

Lilith’s brows furrowed. This creepy-looking ballet girl could teleport—an ability that was a wizard’s worst nightmare. A teleporting melee fighter was bad news for any spellcaster. 

Luckily, Lilith had plenty of combat experience. After her first attack missed, she held back, choosing to observe the ballet girl’s fighting style instead of rushing in. 

As Lilith stopped attacking, the ballet girl froze too, holding the music box with both hands, standing on her tiptoes, completely still. 

If the enemy didn’t move, Lilith didn’t move. If Lilith didn’t move, the enemy stayed put too. 

They locked eyes in a tense standoff—well, sort of. The ballet girl didn’t exactly have eyes. 

Lilith frowned, starting to suspect this bizarre creature was just a distraction conjured by Jack Snyder to buy time. For all she knew, that jerk had already slipped away. 

The thought made her anxious. If Jack had really escaped with Jennifer’s soul, Lilith would be in deep trouble. 

No more waiting. Lilith decided to go all out, unleashing a tidal wave of telekinetic force at the ballet girl. 

Telekinesis was a favorite among modern witches because it was subtle and hard to dodge. Even witches like Madison, whose talent was telekinetic control, or Ophelia (Fiona), who had other gifts, were masters of it. 

Lilith hadn’t known this trick originally, but after learning from Jennifer and the Apocalypse Coven’s four young witches, she’d picked it up. After all, as one of the first witches, her magical talent was leagues beyond Jennifer’s. 

Too bad her sneaky telekinetic strike missed completely. 

The music box chimed again, and the ballet girl vanished, reappearing in a new ballet pose somewhere else. 

Lilith wasn’t giving up. She tried other attacks—fireballs, telekinesis, illusions, gravity magic, transfiguration—but not a single spell could land. 

The ballet girl dodged every attack with graceful, eerie ballet poses. 

By the time Lilith’s final transfiguration spell failed, the ballet girl was right in front of her, striking the iconic pose from Swan Lake. 

(That pose.) 

Lilith was horrified. She was starting to piece it together: this ballet girl was a mechanic monster, one of those creatures bound by weird, specific rules. 

In horror games and stories, monsters generally fell into two categories: stat monsters and mechanic monsters. 

Stat monsters were the classic kind—werewolves, vampires, serial killers, deformed cannibals. They killed humans because their physical stats were just better. Simple jungle law: the strong crush the weak. 

Mechanic monsters were different. They didn’t always have superior physical stats. Instead, they killed using specific, often bizarre rules. Take Freddy Krueger: a mechanic monster who killed through nightmares and fear. Drag him into the real world, and he might not even beat a teenage girl in a fight. 

Back in the day, mechanic monsters were rare; most were stat-based. But in recent years, with creepypastas and Cthulhu-inspired lore exploding online, mechanic monsters had become more common, born from the collective imaginations of internet users. 

The yellow-clad clown and Slenderman that Roy had faced before were mechanic monsters too, though they had decent stats as well. 

The key difference? With mechanic monsters, if you figured out their rules, you could beat them easily. Stat monsters? If you couldn’t match their raw power, you were toast. 

As one of the original witches who’d lived since ancient times, Lilith had encountered mechanic monsters before. They shared a common trait: most came from outer space. 

Pennywise, the yellow clown, Slenderman, the Color Out of Space—all cosmic entities. This ballet girl, with her lamprey-like face, was probably from the stars too. 

(Lamprey eel vibes.) 

Lilith didn’t dare move, afraid of triggering the ballet girl’s mechanics. Her mind raced for a solution. 

But then, out of nowhere, an iron hook shot through the air, yanking Mary Shaw’s soul right out of Lilith’s grasp. 

“Damn it!”  

Lilith lunged to snatch Mary Shaw’s soul back, but she was too slow. She only managed to grab the puppet, Billy. 

And then the ballet girl moved. 

The music box started playing again. In the haunting melody, the ballet girl’s neck stretched grotesquely, her mouth gaping impossibly wide. She swallowed Lilith’s entire upper body like it was a snack. 

Crunch. The sound of wood and straw being chewed filled the air. 

At the last second, Lilith used an ancient decoy spell, teleporting away. In her place, a straw-stuffed scarecrow was chomped to bits. 

Sure, Jennifer’s body could heal from most injuries, but getting her upper half bitten off? That was probably beyond even her regeneration. Only someone like Adrian, with divine healing magic, could fix that. 

“What the hell is this thing?”  

Lilith was shaken and furious. She’d never seen a lamprey eel, so her confusion was understandable. 

But her real fear came from losing Mary Shaw’s soul—the one thing she could’ve used to bargain with Jack Snyder. Now, not only had she lost Jennifer’s soul, but Mary Shaw’s was gone too. All she had left was this ugly puppet. How was she supposed to explain this to Roy? 

The thought of facing Roy’s wrath pushed Lilith over the edge. Losing her cool, she charged at the ballet girl, ready to fight hand-to-hand. 

Surprisingly, it worked. The ballet girl was great at dodging magic but clumsy in close combat. Her long neck and oversized head threw off her balance, making her a lousy fighter up close. 

Lilith had been intimidated by the ballet girl’s terrifying appearance at first, which led to her misjudgment. In her demonic form, Jennifer’s body was ridiculously strong. Even without much melee skill, Lilith could overpower most monsters with raw stats alone. 

“Die!”  

Lilith darted behind the ballet girl and delivered a brutal kick. 

The ballet girl went flying over thirty feet, much to Lilith’s surprise. That dainty little head had grown massive, but her body was still light as a feather, unable to withstand Lilith’s kick. 

Realizing Lilith’s melee prowess, the ballet girl burrowed into the ground. 

Now Lilith was on the defensive again. 

She extended her senses, trying to track the ballet girl, but it was like the creature had gone invisible—completely undetectable. 

Some monsters could block perception, a trait that made them a witch’s worst enemy. Lilith hadn’t expected to face one today. 

She stood on her tiptoes, barely moving, afraid the ballet girl would sense her and launch a sneak attack. 

A second later, a massive maw erupted from where Lilith had been standing, swallowing a chunk of the ground. 

Lilith immediately unleashed her telekinesis, trying to yank the ballet girl out of the earth. 

But the ballet girl’s magic resistance was insane. In a blink, she broke free of Lilith’s grip and dove back underground. 

Just then, an angel descended from the sky, crashing into the ballet girl’s burrow with unstoppable force. 

Boom! 

The ground collapsed within a thirty-foot radius. Lilith, caught in the blast zone, was thrown into the air. 

That’s how powerful the impact was. 

As for the ballet girl underground? Burrowing during an “earthquake” was like taking double damage. She was dead as a doornail. 

[Ding! Obtained the Ballet Girl’s Fate Chest! Open it now?] 

“Lilith?” 

Yup, the aerial strike was Roy’s doing. 

One look at Lilith’s demeanor, and Roy knew it wasn’t Jennifer. Their vibes were totally different. Jennifer had a cool, untouchable aura, like a flower on a high peak. Lilith? She oozed charm, with a sultry, nightclub-queen energy. Spend enough time with them, and it was easy to tell. 

Lilith hit the ground, embarrassed. In the end, Roy had to clean up her mess. 

“Master, we’ve got a problem! A banshee’s scream forced Jennifer’s soul out of her body, and then Jack Snyder showed up and took it. While I was fighting that monster, the Mary Shaw soul I’d captured got yanked away by his hook! All I’ve got left is this puppet.” 

Lilith came clean, not daring to hide anything. If Roy found out later, she’d be in for a world of pain. 

Somewhere along the line, Lilith had started seeing Roy as a future demon king, treating him with the respect she’d give one. 

Roy’s brow furrowed. He hadn’t expected things to spiral like this. At least Lilith still had Billy the puppet—there was still a chance to turn this around. 

“Hand me the puppet.” 

Roy took it, about to activate his Hellhound Ring, when his Smith & Wesson M629 revolver started vibrating at his hip. 

Francisca had something to say. Roy quickly summoned her. 

“Roy, that Jack Snyder? He’s gotta be the Hook Man!” 

Roy’s eyes widened. “You sure?” 

“No doubt! The Hook Man loves using hooks, and he’s got this face-swapping magic that lets him impersonate anyone!” 

It clicked. That’s why “Jack Snyder” had been pulling all those shady moves. The real Jack was probably long gone. 

Roy remembered what Sasha Anderson had said when she first showed up—that she’d been in a car accident. That’s likely when the real Jack Snyder got replaced. 

“Got it. He’s not getting away with this. Lilith, head to XXX Hospital. The young witches are there. Keep an eye on them and deal with the FEA. I’m going after the Hook Man!” 

Lilith looked at Roy, stunned. “Master, you’re not mad at me?” 

Roy gave her a puzzled glance. “Why would I be? It’s not like you meant for this to happen. The Hook Man’s just too slick. Now go—I’m heading out!” 

The shadowy forms of hellhounds appeared, sniffing Billy’s puppet before bolting off into the distance. 

With a tracking item, the hellhounds’ range and speed got a major boost. 

Roy didn’t hesitate. He shifted into his ghost wolf form and sprinted after them. 

Lilith watched Roy’s retreating figure, touched. She almost wanted to bow and wish him luck, but he was already gone. 

Roy wasn’t the type to pile pressure on his allies. He took responsibility himself. Lilith, always assuming he’d act like her, had misjudged him completely. 

Meanwhile, the Hook Man—aka “Jack Snyder”—had reached his car. 

He used a sealing spell to trap Jennifer’s soul in an iron hook, then released Mary Shaw. 

Mary Shaw was still grumbling. “What took you so long? I almost got caught by that woman!” 

“Shut up, idiot! I told you these people are trouble. Why’d you even come here to die?” 

“They took my precious Billy! I had to get him back!” 

Every puppet was like a child to Mary Shaw, and Billy was her favorite. She couldn’t bear losing him. 

“Then possess Billy and leave! Why do all the extra crap?” 

Mary Shaw fell silent. If she hadn’t gone into that bedroom to kill, she might’ve escaped. 

Of course, neither she nor the Hook Man knew Roy was onto their tricks, ready for Mary Shaw’s appearance. Even if she’d tried to flee, she wouldn’t have gotten far. 

“That guy’s not gonna let us go!”  

The Hook Man started the car, glancing at Mary Shaw. “I know. We’re heading back to Ravensfall. I’ll see if I can call in some backup.” 

He pulled out a sleek phone and started dialing. 

Chapter 333: Stepmom 

“Hey, Mr. R? It’s Hookman. I ran into some trouble on my mission and urgently need backup from Cabin!” 

A steady, middle-aged voice came through the phone. 

“Oh? What kind of trouble?” 

“I crossed paths with an FEA agent named Roy Black. He’s insanely strong—I couldn’t do a thing against him!” 

“Roy Black?” 

Mr. R’s tone shifted instantly. 

“You know him?” 

“Know him? Oh, I know him all too well!” 

Mr. R’s voice had a gritted-teeth edge to it, a tone Hookman had never heard from him before. 

And how could he not be furious? 

After the Crystal Lake incident, Cabin’s investigation pinned everything on Roy Black, an FEA peripheral agent who was on a school trip at the time. The Crystal Lake base had cost countless resources—manpower, money, you name it—and now it was just handed over to the FEA on a silver platter. 

Worse, their research on the lake’s creatures was a total bust. All the data ended up in the FEA’s hands (Mr. R didn’t know Roy had swiped it himself). Years of hard work, all for nothing. Just thinking about it made Mr. R’s blood boil. 

Hearing Roy’s name again? Yeah, he was seeing red. 

“Hookman, you still in Washington State?” 

“Yeah, I’m on my way back to Ravensfall.” 

“Stall for time. I’ll bring backup soon!” 

“Got it, Mr. R. I’ll wait for you in Ravensfall.” 

Hanging up, Hookman’s expression relaxed. 

“Mary, good news. Mr. R seems to have a personal beef with this Roy Black guy. Cabin’s backup is on the way.” 

Mary Shaw didn’t look convinced. 

“Is this Cabin group legit?” 

Hookman grinned. 

“You don’t know who’s behind Cabin. They’re the real power in this country. Even the feds can’t touch them.” 

Seeing Hookman’s confidence, Mary eased up. 

“Alright then. Let’s head back to Ravensfall and give Roy Black a little surprise. Hand me that girl’s soul—I’m going ahead.” 

Taking the soul from Hookman, Mary vanished from his car. 

Roy, in his Ghost Wolf form, had been tracking them for a while when his Hellhound suddenly lost the trail, clearly confused. With Roy’s tracking speed, there’s no way Mary could’ve escaped unless she was on a rocket. 

The only explanation? She teleported a huge distance, enough to throw off the Hellhound. 

Damn it! She must’ve gone straight to Ravensfall. 

Roy thought for a second, then teleported back to his Bumblebee car, drove to the police station, and barged into the holding cells. 

The detention area always had someone on duty. The officer on shift blinked in confusion as Roy stormed in, eyes glowing blue. 

“Who are you?” 

“I’m an FEA agent. Here’s my badge. I need to requisition suspect Jamie Ashen to assist with a case.” 

The officer glanced at the badge, then raised an eyebrow. 

“You got FEA paperwork?” 

“Of course. Check this out!” 

Roy threw a precise punch to the officer’s jaw, strong enough to knock him out but not cause any real harm. 

He headed straight to Jamie Ashen’s cell, ripped the door off its hinges, and yanked Jamie out. 

Jamie was fast asleep and woke up in a panic as Roy hauled him up. 

“Mr. Black? What’s going on?” 

“I need you to take me to Ravensfall to find Mary Shaw.” 

“Huh? I don’t even know where Mary Shaw is!” 

“Mary Shaw’s goal is to kill you because your family was behind her death years ago. If I bring you along, she’s bound to show up.” 

Jamie was floored. He didn’t even know about this, so how did Roy, who’d never been to Ravensfall, figure it out? 

“Mr. Black, is this for real?” 

“Dead serious. Mary Shaw killed your wife to lure you back to your hometown so she could finish you off. Don’t you want revenge for your wife?” 

That hit Jamie hard. 

As mentioned before, Jamie and his wife were super tight, even planning to start a family. The mention of revenge lit a fire in him. 

“Alright, Mr. Black. I’m in, even if it means jail time later.” 

“No jail for you. Let’s hit the road.” 

Roy dragged Jamie to Bumblebee. 

“You drive. I’ve got a call to make.” 

Roy dialed Gerald, filling him in on the latest about Hookman and asking him to have someone check the roads for clues. If they could prove Hookman was impersonating Jack Snyder, Roy would be in the clear. The blame would fall on the FEA’s Seattle branch for not investigating properly before deploying FEAR, leading to this mess. 

The Seattle branch would probably lose a few higher-ups over this. 

“Mr. Black, if that’s the case, the fault lies with Seattle,” Gerald said, relieved. Sure, they were colleagues, but Gerald was Team Roy all the way. He knew whose side was stronger. 

“Mr. Olin, one more thing.” 

Roy mentioned “borrowing” Jamie. Better to report that. 

“No biggie. I can get you the paperwork, and if you slip that cop some cash, it’ll smooth things over.” 

In America, money solves most problems, and Roy wasn’t exactly broke. 

“Cool. I’ll make sure the cop gets paid. Mr. Olin, I’m heading to Ravensfall. I’ve got a feeling this is gonna be big.” 

Gerald tensed up. When Roy called something “big,” it was never small. At the very least, it’d be on the level of the Devil’s Late Show with the King of Greed. If it was Silent Hill-level? Disaster. 

“Got it. I’ll reach out to the Seattle branch. Maybe we can even call in a favor.” 

Say what you will, Gerald was a slick operator. The guy was already planning to pin all the blame on Seattle and make them owe Roy and him a favor. 

“Mr. Olin, I’ll leave that to you.” 

Hanging up, Roy noticed Jamie hadn’t started the car. 

“Why aren’t you driving?” 

Jamie looked embarrassed. 

“You didn’t give me the keys. How am I supposed to drive?” 

Roy smacked his forehead. He’d been so caught up with the call he forgot. Lately, he’d been letting Bumblebee’s autopilot handle everything, so keys were basically pointless. 

“Forget it. Bumblebee, switch to autopilot!” 

“On it, Mr. Black.” 

Bumblebee roared to life, the steering wheel turning on its own. 

Jamie’s jaw dropped as he watched the car drive and talk. This sci-fi stuff straight out of a movie made him feel like he was still dreaming. 

“Is this Knight Rider?” 

Knight Rider was a 1982 American show about a guy with a high-tech, AI-powered car that could drive itself. The series was a massive hit, running for four seasons and even spawning a movie. (Older folks probably caught the show; I’ve only seen the film.) 

Bumblebee’s behavior matched the show’s car, KITT, so no wonder Jamie was freaking out. 

“Quit gawking. Bumblebee needs directions!” 

Roy didn’t confirm or deny the Knight Rider thing. 

“Oh, right! Head that way!” 

Jamie, hyped to be “driving” a talking car, couldn’t contain himself. 

“This is awesome! I’m basically driving KITT! This was my childhood dream!” 

Roy rolled his eyes. Jamie’s excitement was so intense he seemed to have forgotten all about avenging his wife. Looked like he just wanted to cruise around in Bumblebee. 

With Jamie’s directions, Bumblebee tore through the streets at breakneck speed, pulling into a rundown small town. 

This was Jamie’s hometown, Ravensfall. 

It was barely dawn. Roy and Jamie saw streets littered with leaves and trash, empty houses everywhere, and hardly a soul in sight. 

Seeing his hometown like this, Jamie’s excitement turned to sorrow. 

“How did Ravensfall end up like this?” 

“Mary Shaw’s doing. Ever since she broke free from her seal, she’s been taking revenge on the town’s residents. Come on, let’s head to your place.” 

Roy knew Mary Shaw would have traps waiting in Ravensfall, but she didn’t know he’d already read the script. This time, he’d strike first. 

The mention of going home made Jamie go quiet. 

About ten years ago, Jamie left Ravensfall for another city. His dad had remarried a young, attractive woman right after his mom’s mysterious death. Over the decade, his dad went through three wives, each younger and prettier than the last. 

Jamie couldn’t stomach it. Back then, he suspected his dad had something to do with his mom’s death. Now, it seemed Mary Shaw was the real culprit, but Jamie still couldn’t forgive his father. 

“Stop overthinking. Just give directions.” 

Roy felt for Jamie. In Dead Silence, it’s revealed at the end that Jamie’s dad was long dead and turned into a puppet. But this time, Jamie’s fate wouldn’t be as grim as in the movie—not with Roy by his side. 

As for Mary Shaw, if that old ghost wouldn’t take his kindness, she’d face his wrath. 

Soon, guided by Jamie, Bumblebee pulled up to a fancy mansion. 

Jamie’s dad was both the mayor and the richest guy in town. In America, plenty of small towns work like this—a single family holds the mayor’s seat for generations, owning most of the land like local royalty. Think of Falltown, controlled by Elena’s grandpa, Simon (Chapter 89). 

“Go knock.” 

Jamie hesitated, then stepped up and rapped on the door. 

A moment later, it swung open, revealing a stunning woman in her early thirties. Blonde, elegant, tall—a real head-turner. 

From Jamie’s confused look, it was clear this was his dad’s latest wife. His new stepmom. 

The woman lit up when she saw Jamie, pulling him into a warm hug. 

“Oh, you must be Edward’s son, Jamie, right?” 

Being hugged by a gorgeous woman around his age, with a figure that was, well, noticeable, left Jamie a bit dazed. 

“And you are?” 

“I’m Ella, Edward’s current wife. Your stepmom.” 

Edward was Jamie’s dad. 

Even though Jamie had guessed as much, hearing it confirmed soured his mood. 

“Where’s my dad?” 

“He’s inside. We just finished breakfast. Oh, and who’s this?” 

Ella’s eyes landed on Roy. 

Roy gave a faint smile. Ella was actually a perfect puppet created by Mary Shaw, indistinguishable from a real person. She definitely knew Roy would show up in Ravensfall—her warm act was all a performance. 

And what a performance. Her acting was even better than Madison’s. No wonder she had movie-Jamie completely fooled, even making him scream in terror when he reached the Ravensfall theater. 

“He’s—” 

Jamie started to introduce Roy but fumbled. All he knew was Roy’s name and that he was an FEA agent. Nothing else. 

“I’m Roy Black, Jamie’s friend. I’m just tagging along to check out his hometown.” 

Roy flashed a grin, covering for Jamie. Ella nodded, looking like she’d just pieced it together. 

“Got it. Come on in, both of you.” 

Ella ushered Jamie and Roy inside with all the warmth of a real stepmom. 

A few steps in, they spotted an elderly man in a wheelchair in the living room, hooked up to an oxygen mask. 

Ella hurried to his side, resting a hand on his back as if soothing him. But Roy knew better—she was controlling the puppet. 

That’s right. Jamie’s dad, Edward, had been turned into a puppet by Mary Shaw. Unlike Ella, this puppet wasn’t perfect and needed someone to operate it. 

Ella was basically a ventriloquist, using her voice and movements to make Edward “talk” to Jamie and Roy. 

“My boy, you’re finally back.” 

Edward’s voice was frail but emotional, like an old man genuinely thrilled to see his kid. 

Jamie had been full of resentment, but seeing his dad like this, it all melted away. 

“How did my dad end up like this?”