I Explore Urban Legends - Chapter 172: The Men in Black’s Plea for Help (Patreon)

Balankov loosened the laces and pulled back the tongue of the sneaker. “The label inside wasn’t completely torn off. I asked around and found out it came from a secondhand shop in New York.”

So Liam would have to make another trip to New York.

He took the shoes and headed back to the RV campground.

An item that strange needed to be kept somewhere safe, and his own home was the place he trusted most.

Hardly any strangers came to the campground, Charlotte lived there, and everyone was someone Liam trusted.

While he was thinking about that, he spotted a man standing outside his RV. The man was not a complete stranger. He wore a black suit, black sunglasses, and had dark skin.

He was one of the Men in Black who had been keeping Liam under surveillance.

Liam got out of his vehicle and approached him.

He had no idea what relationship this man had with K, or whether he was an ally. He decided to test the waters.

“Hey, buddy. How’s the surveillance job going?”

The man answered in a sorrowful voice. “Call me J. I’m K’s partner. Unfortunately, every one of K’s operations failed. Before they captured him, K told me to find you. He said you might be able to avenge them someday.”

J’s hands trembled slightly. His face remained impassive, but his grief was unmistakable.

This was no place for a long conversation, so Liam took him inside the mobile home.

When they sat down in the living room, J noticed the children peeking at him and instinctively waved. Liam noticed the gesture. J must be new to the organization if he still had trouble suppressing his emotions.

Once J had steadied himself, Liam handed him some juice and asked,

“What has K been doing these past few days?”

J accepted the glass but didn’t drink. He sat holding it, lost in memories.

“When I first joined, I knew nothing. K was my partner and my teacher. He told me he chose me because I was one of the few people there who still had a conscience. I thought he was joking. But the more I learned on the job, the more I regretted it. I knew far too much and couldn’t change any of it.”

He drained the glass in one gulp.

“Just when I couldn’t stand working there any longer, K stopped me from quitting. He said he had been preparing a major operation that would change the whole organization.

“On the day we made our move, I met so many people who wanted things to change. I greeted them all. It was the first time I’d met so many good people in one place. Things went well at first. We killed the guards at headquarters. I’d never seen K act so ruthlessly. He left no survivors.

“For a moment, I even thought we were making history.

“Then we reached the inner part of headquarters and came face-to-face with the Director. Everything changed.

“K raised his gun and fired as soon as he saw the Director. A blue barrier appeared and stopped every bullet. Then everyone except K and me suddenly put their guns against their own foreheads and pulled the triggers. Brain matter splattered all over the floor.”

J recounted the disaster at astonishing speed.

“One moment we were winning, and the next only K and I were left. K suddenly looked as though he remembered something. He told the Director, ‘So that experiment really succeeded.’ The Director laughed like a madman and replied, ‘You’ll get to experience it yourself very soon.’

“Then I felt myself suffocating. An invisible force lifted us both off the ground. Just before I passed out, I saw K throw something. There was a blinding flash, and the force vanished. K tried to escape with me, but the pursuers came almost immediately. The guards we had killed at the entrance had been sacrifices meant to make us lower our guard.

“K told me he was too old and I deserved the chance to survive. He stayed behind to hold them off, gave me an address and an evacuation point, and told me to find you here once I got out.”

By the time J finished, tears were trickling out from under his sunglasses.

He wiped them away without removing the glasses. He still didn’t want anyone to see his expression.

The mobile home fell silent.

Liam hadn’t expected the operation to end so terribly. He considered what J had told him.

The Men in Black evidently possessed supernatural technology of their own. It seemed to be a recent development, and it was clearly powerful.

After a moment, he asked another question.

“Do you know anything about my past?” J looked startled, then answered with embarrassment.

“I wasn’t senior enough to know. I only helped K keep watch on you a few times. That’s all I know.”

J drew a deep breath and faced Liam again.

“Liam, we failed, but I still have the resources K saved up. We could use them to rebuild an organization and declare war on the Men in Black.”

Liam shook his head firmly. “No. This isn’t over. I hate bad endings more than anything. Don’t worry. I’ll get K out.”

Hearing this, J froze for a moment, then hurriedly said,

“No, that’s too dangerous! The Men in Black’s headquarters isn’t like the Reptilians you’ve dealt with. They have an actual army, fully armed with standard-issue weapons.”

Desperate to discourage Liam, J even added rumors he had only heard secondhand. “They have experimental equipment, too, and supernatural biological weapons!”

That only made Liam more interested.

“Now I definitely have to see the place.”

J said helplessly,

“But I don’t know where they’re keeping K. He might not even be at headquarters.”

“That part I can handle.”

J shot to his feet. “You know where he is? I didn’t think you were this capable. Even K underestimated you!”

Liam called toward the doorway,

“Charlotte, where’s that K fellow?”

J looked at the door. Was there another expert here?

Nobody came in. He searched the room and still saw no one.

Was Liam bluffing? J gave him a puzzled look, then noticed a spider on his shoulder. Liam was talking to it.

“Yes, the one dressed in black. Not this one, the other one. He isn’t as dark. That’s right, the old man.”

After a strange exchange with the spider, Liam looked back at J.

“Charlotte says K is in Philadelphia right now.”

J pointed at the spider, dumbfounded.

“Why are you talking to a spider...?”

Then he caught himself. “Wait. Our headquarters isn’t in Philadelphia. Of course! They must have transferred K there. That’s great. They won’t have nearly as many troops in Philadelphia!”

J was so excited he could barely stand still. He grabbed Liam, eager to charge off immediately.

Liam made no move to leave. Instead, he said,

“You’re not coming.”

J was baffled.

“Why not? I’m a good shot, and I know how the Men in Black work. I can help you.”

Liam knew all that, but it was exactly why J had to stay behind. “Everyone knows you escaped from headquarters. You’ve been able to hide only because this is a forest. What happens when you go into a big city?”

J realized how recklessly he had been thinking and clutched his head in distress.

“Liam, we’ve only just met, but I’m begging you. Please save K. He really is a good man.”

Liam gave him a smile.

“Don’t worry. He still knows plenty of secrets I haven’t learned. I’m not letting him die before I get my answers.”

He handed the basketball shoes to Charlotte and told her to put them somewhere safe.

The trip to New York would have to wait. The devils had been around for countless years, so Liam wasn’t in any particular hurry to deal with them. But K might not have much time left.

He remembered meeting K in Philadelphia before. Perhaps there was more going on in that city than he realized.

First, though, he had another important matter to settle.

J needed somewhere to stay.

“Come with me. You can’t stay here.”

J nodded. There were too many children in the campground for him to risk drawing attention to the place.

Then, Liam led him into the forest.

J looked around at the untouched forest. There were no other people, no tall buildings, and no electricity.

That also meant no surveillance cameras, no police studying wanted posters, and no strangers casting suspicious glances his way. For the first time in days, he felt a little at peace.

Liam led him into a cave and set down the supplies he was carrying.

“You’ll be staying here for now. I’ve brought enough food and other supplies for a week.”

J smiled.

“Thank you. I feel safe here.”

“You noticed it too? That’s right. This cave is the perfect refuge from modern society. Nobody knows you’re here, and nobody will find you.”

J sorted out the supplies and lay down on the straw bed.

Between his exhaustion and the feeling of safety, he fell asleep almost immediately.

Liam was impressed by how quickly he adapted, but at least it saved him some trouble.

He left quietly rather than disturb J.

After Liam had gone a little way, a tall woman appeared beside him.

“That Man in Black doesn’t seem to mean any harm.”

Liam nodded and added, “Keep a close eye on him while I’m away. If a trained operative like that decides to cause trouble, he could do real damage.”

“Understood. I’ll protect the children.”

Charlotte vanished and moved swiftly through the forest, spinning webs as she went.

Liam returned to the campground and climbed onto his mount.

Lily appeared at his side.

“Little One, where are we going?”

“Philadelphia.”

“What’s there?”

“The truth I’ve been looking for, and an old acquaintance.”

“Great! I’ll stay with you the whole way.”