A.D. 2005 Corry, Pennsylvania

Prologue

It was dark in the laboratory that night as the man worked with his beakers and potions. He mixed this one with that one and then another with another. He was just about to mix the final potion for his mixture. He thought that it would make him stronger and smarter. The whole reason that he was conducting this experiment was for the betterment of mankind. He poured it into the final beaker. He drank it and it began to take effect.

Something went wrong. He began to laugh a sinister laugh and threw the beaker on the ground. He had added one ingredient that he should not have. That one ingredient pulled out the suppressed emotions in that person and brought them to the surface.

The man started to prepare some more potion and put it into needles for infusion. He wanted to inject more people with this. He wouldn’t have wanted to but for the potion that brought his suppressed emotions to the surface. He made another 10 gallons of potion and put them into needles and started out the door with several of them.

He put on a dark cloak and a hood so he could appear as a shadow in the dark. He began his assault that night, sneaking up behind people in the dark and injecting them, usually in the upper arm, then sneaking back into an alley.

That night he injected dozens of people. Several started to punch and kick the walls of buildings, trying to put holes in them. Some started to beat other people up. Others had varying effects.

The man went back home and went to bed. His work for that night was complete. He had injected dozens of people with the potion and the town was soon to be in an uproar. He did not want to be out when the police started arresting people.

Chapter I

Assistance Needed

Special Agent Jon Zinger awoke from his much-needed sleep. It was 7:00 AM. After he had taken a shower, read his Bible, and eaten his breakfast, he headed off to work.

When he got to work, the chief was already standing at the door waiting for him, along with a friend of Jon's, RJ Wotus. 'Zinger,' the chief said. 'The police have had a night of it. Dozens of people just went insane. We don't know what caused it, but there are still people out there that the police are chasing down. They need your help.'

'Alright, Chief,' acknowledged Zinger.

'Just a moment, Zinger,' said the chief. 'Can you take RJ here with you? I tried to shoo him off home, but he insisted that he help you on your case.'

'That's no problem,' Zinger assured him. 'RJ's a friend of mine and we've known each other for years. Also, he has a great investigative mind, so he'll be an invaluable asset to me. So where do the police want us to meet them?'

‘Just meet them at the police station. I told them you’d be there at around 15 minutes after 9. It’s 9 now so you’d better get over there,’ ordered the chief.

Zinger got back on his bike as RJ got on his motor scooter and they raced off towards the police station. They got there at 14 minutes after 9:00. Officer Reilly met them in the front of the police station. ‘Well, there’s someone at the park that’s still giving us trouble, so maybe you could help us out there.’

'Alright, Officer, we'll be right over there,’ declared Zinger.

'Ready for duty, sir,' said RJ as he saluted. They then took off once again towards the park. Officer Reilly picked up the radio in his car and told the officers at the park that they were on their way.

After about 2 hours they got the situation under control, and had the last several psychos in custody. Zinger and RJ went back to HQ until anything more developed.

Chapter II

Wrestling Match

That night Nathan Jewell and Jacob King were walking back to Nate’s house after going to the store. As they were walking up Washington Street they passed an alley in back of the buildings on that section of Center Street.

As they walked past the alley, a shadow crept up behind them and pulled out two needles and injected them both. He then crept back into the alley. They turned around to look, but saw nothing. They both held their arms where they had been injected.

‘You know what, Jacob?’ asked Nate. ‘You’ve been getting on my nerves for quite some time now.’

‘Oh, yeah?’ replied Jacob. ‘Well, I’ve been getting sick of you always beating me on Wrestle-mania 19!’

‘Well, that’s because I’m better than you are in wrestling,’ declared Nate. ‘You couldn’t beat a three-year old on that game.’

‘I could too! I could beat anybody. But you always cheat,’ said Jacob.

‘I do not cheat!’ Nate said. He then picked up Jacob and slammed him on the ground. Then he jumped down and fell on top of him.

Jacob lay there groaning and moaning on the ground as Nate walked off, pleased with himself. ‘He’ll think twice before ever accusing me of cheating again.’

About five minutes later the police came by and saw Jacob laying there on the ground and called the ambulance. They got out and stayed by him until the ambulance came by about two minutes later. They took him to the hospital and found that he had broken three ribs and his right fibula.

Nate walked down to the park and started shouting at the kids down there. ‘Hey you bunch of stinkin’ morons!’ One guy walked up to him and punched him. Nate threw one punch and the guy went back about five feet and hit the ground hard. Another guy came up to him and Nate picked him up, swung him over his head, and threw him on the ground. Another and another came, but Nate kept defeating them. So it went that night, and Nate beat up about 15 guys that resisted him.

Chapter III

Insult and Injury

Zinger reported to work that morning and found that RJ was already at the station with the chief, apparently brushing up on a few crime-fighting tactics. The chief informed Zinger that a new threat was on the loose. There was a large person at the park that had been beating up teenagers that night and was still in the park. As soon as Zinger had heard this, he and RJ rode off towards the park.

When they got there, they rode up to the gazebo. There was only one man in the park other than Zinger and RJ and he was in the gazebo. Zinger got off his bike and the man said, ‘You know, Jon, you look like a stinkin’ retard riding your bike like that,’ declared the man.

‘Are you the one who’s been beating up all of these people, Nate?’ asked Jon.

‘I sure am. And you’ll be hurting too if you don’t get out of here.’

'Now, you leave Zinger alone, fatman and bobbin'!' shouted RJ.

'Shut the toodle-pip up, Mr. Monkeyman!' retorted the Nate. 'Or I'll lay the rock bottom on you! Due to lack of interest, RJ has been canceled,' said Nate as he picked up RJ, spun him around, and slammed him on the ground.

'Nate, calm down!' commanded Zinger. 'You have the right to remain silent. If you give up that right, anything you do or say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you free of charge,' declared Zinger.

‘Why don’t you just know your role and shut your mouth!’ suggested Nate.

‘Nate, you’re getting yourself deeper into trouble here. You are supposed to respect me as a special agent.’

‘What’s so special about you? You seem perfectly ordinary to me. You’re an agent, but nothing special. But I am the Nate and I am that dang stupid!’ Nate declared.

‘I don’t doubt it, but you’ve done enough damage tonight. You’re going to have to come with me,’ ordered Jon as he pulled out his handcuffs. As he was trying to handcuff him, Nate grabbed him by the throat and lifted him up in the air. Jon dropped the handcuffs as he gasped for air.

‘What’cha gonna do, brother, when the Nate runs wild on you?’ inquired Nate as he tightened his grip a little bit. Then he slapped Zinger in the forehead with his palm so hard that he knocked him out. He dropped Zinger and ran off.

Chapter IV

A Scientific Explanation

Zinger awoke, holding his head. He looked over to the clock at the bank, noting that it was 4:15 PM. ‘I wish I could stay conscious for a whole case for once,’ he groaned as he picked himself up off the ground. 'Hey, where's RJ?' he asked aloud. As he looked around, wondering where RJ went, he heard his cell phone ring. ‘Hello, Zinger here.’

‘Zinger, this is the chief. Come over to headquarters. I have something that you may want to see.’

‘Alright, Chief. I’ll be right down. Zinger out,’ he said as he put away the phone. He got on his bike and headed off towards headquarters. When he got there, he went inside and to the chief’s office.

‘Zinger, you’re finally here. Dr. Mendell Straum here thinks he knows why everybody went crazy last night.’

‘Well,’ began Dr. Straum. ‘Well, I believe it is the result of a scientific experiment gone wrong. Either that, or someone has done this intentionally. I have found a puncture mark on the arms of all of the people that were arrested last night, and I have found a chemical in their blood that has caused their suppressed emotions to be pushed to the surface. So, basically, what they did is what they wished they could do, but they held it in because they knew they had to and they didn’t want that to get out. But when they were injected, they no longer had those inhibitions.’

‘Interesting,’ remarked Zinger. ‘So then the reason that this guy, Nate, is beating everybody up is because that is what he usually restrains. And this chemical that is injected into the bloodstream is taking away those inhibitions, pushing those suppressed emotions to the surface.’

‘Exactly,’ said Dr. Straum. ‘That is exactly what I mean. It’s almost like a virus, but there is someone that made the virus. And that person may not really be evil. It could have been an accident and his suppressed emotions were pushed to the surface. That could be the reason that he started infecting people.’

‘Zinger,’ said the chief. ‘This most recent threat, Nate - I assume that you have not been able to overpower him. I think that Dr. Straum has something that might help you there too.’

‘Yes, I believe I do,’ replied Dr. Straum. ‘I have put together an antidote. We have already used it on the others that were arrested last night. They are now at the hospital recovering. Here, I have it in these needles. If you can get close enough to this person to inject it into his arm, then you should be able to bring him in.’

‘Good,’ exclaimed Jon. ‘This is getting a bit tiresome, and my head still hurts. I hope he doesn’t knock me out again before this is over. Well, I guess I’ll get going. I’m going to get some advice from a couple of old friends.’ He grabbed the needles, walked out the door, and put them in his bike’s saddle bag. Then he rode off towards town.

Chapter V

Words of Wisdom

Jon parked his bike outside Pizza Hut, walked in, and ordered pizza. He then made a couple of calls on his cell phone. First he called his friend Charles Smith, and then his old mentor Bro. Gee, asking them to come down and meet him for pizza and advice.

About ten minutes later they both walked in the door and the pizza came. After greeting each other and shaking each other’s hands they sat down. After they prayed for the pizza, they began to eat and talk.

‘Well, I’ve called you two here today because I need some advice. I assume that you’ve heard about the rash of arrests last night. Well, it was the result of some chemical that was placed in their bloodstream that brings out the suppressed emotions. So basically what they did last night was stuff that they actually wanted to do but just held back. Then when this chemical was injected into their bloodstream, they lost all of their inhibitions. Some beat up their friends; some walked into stores and stole a bunch of stuff; some even tried to destroy buildings.

‘Police were able to arrest pretty much all of them, except for one guy that I had a confrontation with this morning - Nathan Jewell. Apparently last night he went to the park after being injected, and beat up a bunch of people at the park. The police weren’t able to do anything with him, so I went up there this morning. RJ went with me as well, for he convinced the chief to let him come. Then he knocked me out, and I just woke up about an hour ago. RJ was gone, and I don't know where he is now. I went to headquarters then, and Dr. Straum explained what he had figured out with the other prisoners. That is where we stand at present. What I have to do is get close enough to Nate to inject him with the antidote.’

‘Nate,’ asked Charles in disbelief. ‘That doesn’t sound like Nate. Well, I suppose that chemical explains it. He always was a bit violent, but he held it in usually. Well, he likes wrestling, so that probably has something to do with it, also.’

‘Yes, but I don’t know where he is. That’s the problem. Then when I find him I’ll just have to get close enough to him to inject him. Then I’ll arrest him and take him over to the police station. But I don’t know if I’ll be able to get close enough to him without him knocking me out again. I’m getting sick of being unconscious so much. I’m just wasting time when I’m laying there. I can’t do anything - it just delays me.’

‘Yeah,’ agreed Charles. ‘But if you do get close enough to him, and inject him, then all you have to do is take him back to the police station and that’ll be the end of it.’

Brother Gee had held his peace until this time. ‘You two are so stupid. You guys are talking about this Nate like he is the main threat. When you catch him, it’ll hardly be over.’

‘What do you mean, Brother Gee?’ inquired Jon.

‘You’ve forgotten the other guy - the one who made up the chemical in the first place and did the injecting. Once you have Nate in custody, you still have to find this guy that does the injecting, or he’ll keep injecting more people.’

‘You’re right,’ answered Zinger. ‘I can’t believe we totally forgot about him. I am retarded - I prove it more and more every day. But how can we find this guy?’

‘Well,’ declared Brother Gee. ‘Well, you have to try to find him when he does the injecting. Haven’t you realized that he only does the injecting at night? He did all his injecting in the past two nights, but he hasn’t done any since then. And didn’t you say that one of the injectees that has recovered said that he thought he saw a black shape move away after he had been injected?’

‘Yes, I believe he did. Maybe this is some phantom of the night that has decided to unleash it’s wrath on the city of Corry,’ said Zinger.

‘No, you fool,’ said Brother Gee as he slapped Zinger in the face. ‘It is a regular person that has donned a black cloak and hood. He probably was conducting an experiment and something went wrong. It then pulled his suppressed emotions to the surface, causing him to want to inject more people with this.’

‘I need to get my brain checked. I should have known that. Thank you, Bro. Gee for pointing out to me what should have been so obvious if I had not been blind. So you mean, I have to go out at night, and try to lure this man into trying to inject me. Then I must inject him first. That sounds difficult.’

‘Man, I wouldn’t go out at night with that madman on the loose,’ declared Charles. ‘I shudder to think what would happen if my suppressed emotions were to be pulled to the surface with no inhibitions to block them.’

‘Yes, Charles,’ agreed Jon. ‘I don’t want to see my suppressed emotions come to the surface either. I’d rather maintain my dignity. But I have to do it, or else the whole town will end up infected. I have to risk it.

But what about RJ? I still don't know what happened to him. For all I know Nate could have beat him up more and taken him off somewhere. But somehow I don't think that's what happened. Well, maybe Nate just let him go and he went home. Well, let's hope that what happened. I was looking forward to his help.' Bro. Gee stared at the table and made a low groaning sound as if trying to figure something out.

'Well,' said Zinger, 'thank you guys for the advice - I really needed it. I would never have figured it out on my own. I guess I’ll see you guys later.’ And with that he walked out the door and rode off on his bike.

Chapter VI

Playground Duel

As Zinger rode down Center Street on his bike, he wondered where he would find Nate. At last he turned into the McElroy’s Flower Shop parking lot and got off his bike. He parked it next to the guardrail and decided to pray. He realized that, once again, he had forgotten to pray during this case. It seemed to be a consistent problem.

He knelt down beside his bike and began to pray. ‘Dear Lord, I thank You for this beautiful day and I thank You for my job as a special agent. Lord, please help me to find Nate. I don’t know where he is but I know that You do. You know exactly where he is at and I know that You can help me to find him. Please direct me to him so I can inject the antidote and help him overcome this. I thank you, in Jesus’ name, Amen.’

He got up and got back on his bike. He rode over to East Pleasant Street and turned Eastward and rode towards the high school. The Lord was leading him in that direction. Then he saw Nate standing across the street from Concord school beating up Kellen Caruso. ‘Nate, cease from your violence,’ commanded Zinger.

Nate stopped beating him up and starting walking towards Zinger. ‘Haven’t you learned not to mess with me?’

‘I’m a slow learner,’ informed Jon. ‘I want to help you, Nate. Your behaviour is the result of a chemical in your bloodstream that is bringing your suppressed emotions to the surface. If I can only inject this antidote into your bloodstream, it will be over. And you can be your old self again.’

‘I don’t want to go back to my old self,’ said Nate. ‘I like me this way. I don’t like holding back. When I suppress these emotions, I want to beat someone up, but I can’t. But now I can beat someone up whenever and wherever I want to. So you’re not going to inject me without a fight.’

Nate walked up to Zinger, who was standing on the Northward side of East Pleasant Street, about thirty feet from the corner of Concord Street. Then he punched him square on the jaw, knocking him to the ground, and ran off towards King Street. Then he jumped up on top of the storage shed by the basketball hoop.

Jon pursued him and jumped up on the shed also. Nate then kicked him in the jaw, knocking him down to the ground on the West side of the shed. Stunned, Jon lay there for 30 seconds before getting up. As soon as he got up, Nate jumped off the shed onto the pavement that served as the basketball court on the North of the shed.

Then, being chased by Zinger, he ran to the monkey bars and started to climb them. Jon climbed up behind him, and pulled out the needle. He climbed up beside the Nate, and before Nate could stop him, he put the needle into Nate’s arm. Nate pulled it out, but it was too late: it had already gotten into his bloodstream.

‘NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!’ screamed Nate. ‘I want to stay like this. I hate you, Zinger,’ he declared. He then picked Zinger up, and threw him westward into the grass ten feet away.

Jon grunted as he hit the ground, and thought, ‘Praise the Lord, I’ve done it. Thank you, Lord.’ And everything went black.

Chapter VII

A Shadowy Villain

Zinger awoke with pain all over his body, realizing that he was in a hospital bed. His head especially hurt, because he had been knocked out yet again. The Chief was by his side, waiting for him to awaken.

‘So, you’re finally awake, Master Sluggard. You’ve been unconscious all day - I’ve been sitting here for several hours. You were brought in last night after you’d been unconscious for about half an hour.

‘They’ve treated your wounds, and you’re all right now, save for the bumps and bruises. You must be rather sore after all you’ve been through. We were just waiting for you to wake up.’

‘What about Nate?’ inquired Jon, still a little groggy. Did the injection work? I remember that I injected him, and then he pulled it out. That was just before he threw me.’

‘Well, the injection worked. He turned himself in about half an hour later. He said that he regretted all that he’d done and that you were laying unconscious at Concord School. He’s also in the hospital getting the last of that chemical out of his system.

‘Now you just have to go get the other guy; the one with the potion that’s injecting people.’

‘Oh, I forgot about him. What time is it?’

‘It’s 9:00 PM now, the day after you injected Nate. You were unconscious for over 24 hours.’

‘That’s a new record,’ joked Zinger. ‘My previous longest time being unconscious was about 12 hours. Well, I suppose I’d better get going, for I must get this guy when it's dark. Where’s my bike?’

‘Your bike is outside. We brought it here just a few hours ago when Dr. Straum reminded me that you still had to get the other guy.’

‘OK - I’m going after this guy now. I can’t wait any longer. Bruises or no, I have to go when it’s dark because that’s when he strikes.’ Zinger then picked himself out of the hospital bed and walked out of the room. A nurse tried to stop him and tell him that he had to stay in bed for a couple more hours, but he couldn’t delay. If he did, this madman may inject half the people in the city.

Before he left, he made sure that he got another two needles with the antidote in it. He may need a backup needle in case the first attempt goes awry. Then he walked out the front door of Corry Memorial Hospital and found his bike. He put the needles in his saddle bag and rode off.

When he got to the park, he noticed that, strangely enough, there was no one there. He decided that he should pray before he started his search.

‘Dear Lord,’ Zinger began. ‘I thank You for sparing my life last night and I thank You that I was not severely injured. I ask that You would help me to find this person that has been injecting people with a chemical. Lord, I don’t know where he is, and I don’t know where he’ll be. But I also know that You know exactly where he is, and so I ask that You’ll show me where he is. Please, Lord, in Jesus’ name, Amen.’

He then got back on his bike and rode over to House of Television. The Lord led him there. He noticed that the lights that were usually very bright on the side of the road were not working. He got off his bike and grabbed a needle.

He began to walk southward and as he passed Connie’s Closet, a dark shadow crept up behind him. Zinger sensed it and turned around, seeing what looked just like a hole of blackness in the basic shape of a person. The shadow pulled out a needle and stepped towards Zinger. The needle was almost to Zinger’s arm when Jon grabbed the shadow’s arm and threw it over his shoulder. The shadow grunted as he hit the ground and his needle flew off into the street.

He got up and tried to punch Zinger, but Jon blocked it. Zinger threw a punch at the shadow’s head, hitting him right in the jaw. The shadow fell to the ground, then kicked Jon in the shin. Zinger reeled in pain as the shadow kicked him again, this time in the other shin.

The shadow got up, and it appeared as if he would defeat Zinger. But God gave Zinger an extra dose of strength, and he kicked the shadow in the jaw, knocking him to the ground.

Zinger knelt down beside him as the shadow groaned. Blood dripped from the top of his dark form. The lights suddenly came on and Zinger saw that it was a man wearing a black cloak and hood.

‘Now let’s see who you are,’ suggested Zinger as he pulled the cloak from the man’s face. He was shocked when he saw who it was. ‘RJ?! RJ Wotus?! You were the last person I expected. It must have been an accident - I don’t believe that you would do all of this on purpose.’

'It wasn't me,' denied RJ. 'The shadow did it. I had nothing to do with it - don't let him take me again!'

Jon pulled out the needle and injected it into RJ’s arm. ‘You’ll be all right soon. The antidote will take effect in about half an hour,’ he informed RJ. ‘Meanwhile, I’m going to have to place you under arrest until we get you to the hospital,’ he said as he pulled out his handcuffs and put them on RJ. He then went out into the road to get the other needle. ‘I’d better not leave this lying around or all my work will have been in vain.’

Jon then called the Chief on his cell phone and told him to come and get RJ. After that, he knelt down and thanked the Lord for His help. ‘Thank you, Lord, for Your help today and yesterday. Thank You for leading me to RJ and also for helping me to detain him without hurting him. Help me to remember to pray more often. In Jesus’ name, Amen.’

Chapter VIII

A Clear Conscience

Half an hour later, the potion had fully cured RJ. Dr. Straum confirmed that the chemical was completely gone from his bloodstream and that he was back to his old self.

RJ sat up with a very sad look on his face. 'I wish I had never mixed that potion. I planned it to make me stronger and smarter and it was for the betterment of mankind. I really made a mess out of it, haven't I.'

'It's OK, RJ, 'assured Zinger. 'It's all better now. You won't have to go to jail. It was an accident, we all know that. You were originally going to have to go to jail for ninety days, but I talked the Chief out of it. But you will have your laboratory locked up and you won't be able to use it for a year. That's the best I could do; the Chief really didn't want to let you off.'

'Praise the Lord,' said RJ. 'I'm glad that that's all that came of it. And nobody really got hurt, save for the people that Nate beat up.'

'Well, they've all been treated and released,' Zinger informed him. Jacob King was worst off, and they just released him. His bones will heal up in a few weeks. Well, praise the Lord that it's over and that no one got seriously hurt. And now we know that it was an accident and now RJ has a clear conscience. I hope nothing like this will happen again for a long time.'