Summary: On an errand for the Consortium, Joe and Frankie find themselves stranded at a haunted house and on the trail of a real murder mystery. Story 3 in the "A Look In The Mirror" series.

Author's Notes: Viper belongs to Pet Fly Productions, all original characters and the original universe to the same (the car belongs to Dodge). The following story and its prequels "A Look In The Mirror" and "Amends" respectively are a continuation of the 1994 season which ignores the syndicated version done in 1996. Please, keep that in mind when you read these stories. I ask, also, that you not use any characters that I have created without permission. If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me. Thank you, and enjoy!

For those unfamiliar with the series... Joe Astor was once a thief until a greedy councilman had his memory wiped and gave him a new identity as a police officer to test Dr. Julian Wilkes's new high-tech police car. Now, he's a fugitive from a corrupt system, fighting to set the wrong things right in the ultimate pursuit of justice...

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Haunting
Evil Overlady

-Prologue-

The windshield wipers squeaked back and forth across the Viper's tinted windshield, making fading semicircles beneath the pounding rain.

Frankie drummed his fingers against the manila folder lying across his lap.

Joe kept his blue eyes focused on the road, the Viper Defender's slit headlights penetrating no more than ten feet in front of them.

"You suppose we could put on some music?" Frankie suggested.

Thunder rumbled.

"Ten foot visibility, Frankie. Not a good time for distractions."

Frankie sulked. "Should've accepted Mrs. Smith's offer of tea and lodging..."

"There was no way we could've known it'd be this bad. Besides, we're three-quarters of the way to Metro. You wanna turn back?"

He sighed. "No, keep on plowing..."

Joe glanced the records officer's way. "So, what's in the file?"

"A copy of Amy Thompson's records from dental records to birth certificate. She's the subject of a missing persons case. Delia thinks she might have a lead..."

"How long has she been missing?"

"Two years. Her parents are worried sick. Poor girl. Sixteen years old and not a trace. Well, eighteen now..."

"Means she's legal. Not a trace?"

"Witnesses say they saw her getting into a black Bronco, but so far it hasn't turned up."

"She might've headed south of the border."

"I don't think she ran away, Joe. Delia doesn't think so either. Sad thing is I think she's dead, but with no body her family doesn't have any closure." Frankie's face was even longer than before. "It's a mean world we live in."

Joe groaned and reached a hand for the stereo, Frankie's look of gloom and doom a hundred times more distracting than a little grocery store music.

A lightning bolt struck a large oak tree in front of them with a huge burst of light. CRACKLE-BOOM!

Joe swerved; tires screamed.

The giant tree moaned and fell onto the road, snapping off power lines which hissed, crackled, and threw sparks under the burning wood.

Firelight reflected off the chrome-colored car and off Joe's astonished face. "Talk about divine intervention..."

"That was the only road into Metro, Joe. We're cut off!"

"Okay. Now, we're in trouble."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Haunting
Evil Overlady

-Chapter 1-

Ronnie passed off the cooler to her mom. "This is so cool, Dad! I finally get to try out that remote control plane I got for my birthday!"

"That's great, Ronnie. Just remember to pack the sunblock," Julian reminded her.

"I got some upstairs. I'll go get it." Ronnie ran into the house.

"Walk!" Julian yelled back.

Mara smiled and shook her head. "I doubt she'll even get in the water without a remote control submarine."

"I design cars, Mara. They just don't belong in the water."

"It was good of you to take some time off from the Research and Development Center. I'm sure Carla gave you fits, though."

"She's adjusting. I got her a speaker phone to save her ears when Frankie calls. I think she said at least six different combinations of 'merciful God' and 'thank you' in Spanish and English."

Mara laughed. "He has that effect on people."

"Dad?" Ronnie stepped out. "It's the phone. It's for you."

"Be right back." Julian spun his wheelchair around and went into the house.

Delia Thorne was on the screen in the living room. "Delia? What is it?"

"Have either Joe or Franklin contacted you?"

"No. I haven't seen them since you asked them to run an errand for the Consortium yesterday. Why? You think something happened to them?"

"They were supposed to meet me last night. They haven't checked in."

"Maybe they got a little sidetracked."

"Julian, I asked them to pick up a very important file. Franklin knows how much it means to our case. They should've been here by now, or at least called."

"You're right. They would've called." He rubbed his chin. "I'll talk to a friend. We'll retrace their steps. Do you have a copy of the route they took?"

"Yes. I'm transmitting the data now. Do you want some backup?"

"No, not yet. Let's wait until we find out more."

"As you wish." The screen went blank.

Julian found an empty disk and put it in the keyboard, keyed a few commands. The data file downloaded onto it.

He pulled out the disk again and held it, thinking.

Joe was in trouble. He could feel it.

He only hoped Sally Gerraro wasn't too busy to lend a hand.

* * *

Sunlight poured through a cracked window onto Frankie's face as he lay still dressed asleep on a soiled bed. He groaned and rolled over.

"Help me," came a quiet female voice.

"Hm?" Frankie rubbed at his eyes.

A blonde teenager was on her knees by the bed stand, hands together as if in prayer. "Help me." She was crying, tears streaming down her face.

"Amy?"

"Hey, Frankie! You up?" Joe stomped down the hallway and rapped his knuckles on the door frame.

Frankie sat up, then looked to the bed stand.

She was gone.

"Hey. Mr. Mueller's making coffee. He's also shown us a way to get back onto the main road..." He paused. "What's up?"

"Huh? Nothing. Just seeing things I guess. I'll be right down."

Joe nodded and left.

Frankie shook his head. "Weird."

* * *

Joe polished off the last of his cup of coffee and stood, extending a hand. "Thanks again for letting us spend the night, Mr. Mueller."

The middle-aged carrot top stood as well and shook it. "You're welcome anytime. Drive safe, now."

"We will. Frankie?"

Frankie was again letting his gaze drift to their surroundings. "Oh. Right. Thank you." He shook hands. "Listen. You wouldn't happen to own a black Bronco, would you?"

"No. You looking for one?"

"You could say that..."

"Well, I'll keep a look out. Don't expect to find much. Mostly pickups around here."

"Thanks."

Joe raised an eyebrow and followed Frankie out the door.

"You mind telling me what all that was about?" Joe unlocked the crimson passenger side door and made his way around the plain car to the driver's side.

"What? It was just a question, Joe."

"No. I know what qualifies as 'just a question' material." He lifted an accusing finger, and Frankie took a seat beside him. "You're letting that case get to your head."

"If you only knew what finding this girl means to me, Joe..."

"Delia said she had a lead. Let's focus on getting the file back to Metro and then you can question helpful strangers willing to give you shelter from the rain to your heart's content."

He relented. "You're right. That could've gone unsaid. I'm sorry."

Joe started the engine. "Apology accepted." He passed the handwritten directions off to Frankie and drove down the long driveway to the road below.

* * *

The Viper screeched to a halt. Before them was a cliff leading down into a wooded valley below. "You sure this is right?"

"That's what it says!"

Joe grabbed the instructions, skimmed them, handed them back and stepped out. "Maybe there was a bridge..." He sauntered up to the cliff.

Frankie fidgeted uneasily, looking around at the surrounding trees.

"No. Nothing here. I think we hit a dead end," Joe called back.

Frankie turned his gaze to Joe.

The girl stood there beside him. His back was still turned.

Frankie's mouth hung open.

"We must've missed a turn..." Joe continued, oblivious.

The girl gestured to Frankie, delicate fingers asking that he to come to her.

"J-Joe...?"

"Yeah, Frankie?" He half-turned, stepping into her image.

She faded away.

"Brr..." Joe shivered under his jean jacket. "Drafty up here." His eyes drifted downward. "What's this?" He knelt to one knee.

Frankie got out of the car and walked over to Joe, dazed. He definitely needed a vacation after this.

Joe brushed off some dirt. "Looks like a wallet."

Frankie knelt as Joe opened it up.

"Hm... Still money inside. Maybe twenty dollars worth... And a driver's license." He passed it over to Frankie.

"Amy Thompson," Frankie read. "She was here."

"A while ago, at least." Joe scanned the woods. "Wait here. I'll see about putting in a call to the local sheriff's office."

"All right." Frankie scanned the ground but there was nothing as distinctive as the half-buried wallet. He stood and made his way to the edge of the cliff. Trees were at the foot of it. He couldn't see past them. "Good place to get rid of a body," he noted aloud.

"The mountains must be blocking the signal," Joe reported. "I can't get through."

Frankie's head snapped up. "I thought Julian had a satellite hook up." He walked back to the Viper.

"Maybe I let the Viper get too close to one of the downed wires?" Joe shrugged.

"Maybe." But the mechanic sounded doubtful. He stepped in and ran his hand along the monitors. "Give me a hand here, Joe. I'm gonna pull this out."

They popped out one of the screens just far enough for Frankie to see the wires behind it. "One of the transceiver chips is missing."

"Did it become dislodged?"

Frankie browsed a few minutes more. "Nope. It's simply not there."

"It was working fine yesterday. So it must've happened since then, but who would-? Nah. That guy couldn't work his way around a calculator."

"If our communications system was in working order I'd be able to run his name through the database. As it stands..." Frankie replaced the monitor. "We're screwed if we don't find a road back to Metro."

"I imagine he's counting on that."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Haunting
Evil Overlady

-Chapter 2-

Sarah Bailey tugged at the duct tape binding her to the dusty old bed.

"I made tea. Just the way you like it, Mother." The older man who had abducted her set a silver tray down on the bed stand. "I know how much you like your tea."

"Please... Just let me go. I won't tell anyone. I promise."

"Like those cops who were looking for you? Don't worry. They're long gone. Those directions I gave them will lead them through enough circles to use up all their gas. And then they're food for the coyotes. Very naughty of me. Huh, Mother?"

"I'm not your mother! Please. Let me go..."

"No!" He jabbed a finger at her. "You're not in control anymore! I'm a man now. I don't have to listen to you anymore. I can lead my own life!"

"Yes. You're a man, a much older man, but I'm not your-"

"You lie! You always lie! You never once - not once - told me the truth!" He pulled a large steak knife from the tray. "Thou shall not lie!"

"No, please!"

Puddles splashed outside and an engine roar sounded below and grew silent. A car door opened and closed. "Anybody home?" a man called.

Her kidnapper hissed and lowered the knife. "I'll be back for you."

Sarah waited for him to leave and yanked even harder at the duct tape. If she had to break her wrists to get away from this maniac...! Anything was better than dying.

* * *

Joe waited by the red convertible as Mr. Mueller stomped out. "Mr. Astor," he growled.

"Have I come at a bad time?"

"What is it?"

"Well, it's like this... I followed your directions to a T, but I ended up at this cliff... I don't suppose you have a recent map of the area."

"Those are the only directions I know. You might try going back the way you came."

"Well, you see, I could, but I'm getting a little low on fuel, and I'd much prefer getting back to Metro, and I have a feeling you know the way."

Mr. Mueller's gaze drifted. "Where's your friend?"

"Halfway to the sheriff's office by now."

Hazel eyes narrowed.

Glass shattered above. "Somebody help me!" a girl screamed.

Joe looked up.

Mueller tackled him.

Joe hit the packed earth. Blue eyes widened at the knife above him. He grabbed the man's wrist with both hands, guiding the blade to the ground beside him, and pulled a hand free to punch him in the face.

They rolled. Mueller brought up a knee and kicked Joe away.

He landed hard against the car.

Joe tried to get up, but Mueller grabbed his head in both hands and rammed the car with it several times before he blacked out.

* * *

Joe could feel Elizabeth Huston's delicate fingers smooth the outline of his jaw. "Liz..."

"Shh..." She kissed him on the forehead.

"I thought... I thought I lost you..."

"It wasn't your fault..."

He saw her in the window of his apartment, drawing back the drapes to smile at him.

"It was. It was my fault. If I hadn't left you there... If I had just taken the car..."

"The outcome would've been the same."

"Liz... I love..."

Freezing water hit his face. "Wake up, pig!"

Joe recoiled, felt the sticky blood on his forehead.

"Joe, you okay?" came Frankie's voice.

"Shaddup!" Mueller snapped. "You caused enough problems." Joe felt his breath. "Now, you're gonna tell me what you're doing here, mister."

"I told you," Joe croaked. "We're just looking for directions."

"Lying! I. Don't. Like. Liars."

"We're missing a transceiver chip," Frankie explained. "We're just checking to see if it got left here by mistake. Then, we'll be on our way."

"I don't sports fish."

"It's not fishing gear. It's a piece of computer... Look. You obviously don't have it. So, we'll be going..."

"You'll go when I say you can go. Right now, I have a little unfinished business..." Mueller stomped up the basement steps and shut the door.

"Joe, I have a theory about how that chip got removed... Earlier I saw Amy Thompson's ghost..."

"Frankie, I have a headache."

"No, it makes perfect sense. According to Amy's records she was a computer whiz. She kept to herself. That's how very few people noticed she was missing. And I've read when there are ghosts about things tend to get misplaced. I think Amy took that chip to force us to come back here and catch her killer."

"Frankie, computer chips behind the monitoring system don't get misplaced. They get taken."

"Ghosts exist, Joe. Maybe not everyone accepts them... "

"And why do you think that is?" Joe turned his gaze Frankie's way. "There's a perfectly reasonable explanation..."

"Then why was Mr. Mueller so surprised to see us back? Why would he lead us to the scene of the crime? It was Amy, Joe, trying to communicate with us."

"Frankie, if I have to hear the word 'ghost' and 'Amy' in the same sentence ever again you're gonna be the one asking for an aspirin. We need to get out of this tape and help that girl upstairs. Any ideas?"

"Just one, but we're gonna need to do a Mr. Fantastic for it to do any good."

Joe followed his gaze to the tool bench and a hand saw off to one side of the room. "Terrific..."

* * *

Sally Gerraro brought her blue car to a halt in front of the giant piece of used firewood. "Well, I think that explains why we haven't heard from Joe yet."

Julian tapped away at the keys of his laptop. "The Viper's communications systems are down, as well as every telephone in a ten mile radius."

"No calls. No messages." Sally poked her head out the window. "No way around."

More tapping. "There's a detour about a half a mile back, but it'll take us over an hour through dirt roads, and I don't think your STX can take it."

"Like I said, 'No way around.' Unless you can make my car fly." She eyed him.

"Your car isn't as sophisticated as the Viper. I can't make it do anything. However..."

She snorted. "'Sophisticated.' What's wrong with a little old fashioned driving? Much better than having the steering wheel suddenly rip out from under you because you have a virus in the system... What're you doing?"

"The main communications system may be offline, but the cockpit controls for the probe are on another circuit. If I can activate the Defender sequence from here..."

"You might be able to send Joe a message via the probe!"

"In theory anyway..." He tapped away. "Still think technology's the harbinger of the Apocalypse?"

"I never said that."

"You still hand-write most of your police reports."

"So?"

Julian smiled and shook his head.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Haunting
Evil Overlady

-Chapter 3-

The candy apple red sports car sat unattended in the blazing midday sun.

Systems came on. Numbers scrolled down a tiny computer screen. Monitors flipped around. Side view mirrors folded in. A hard rooftop with a pair of solar panels emerged. Red hexagonal tiles flipped to silver. The windows tinted.

The rear section of roof opened up, and the probe emerged. A pair of fans lifted it skyward.

It swooped down, running a pass around the base of a dilapidated house and stopped before a basement window. Infrared showed two individuals sitting in chairs next to one-another. Infrared deactivated, and a regular camera showed Joe and Frankie talking to each other.

The probe shot out a thin red beam and cut away at the window.

* * *

"No. I am not gonna hop around like some one-legged rabbit just so I can break my neck on this cement floor!" Frankie protested.

"If we don't do something, that girl's dead! ...Do you hear something?"

They glanced around them.

A floating machine dropped down in front of them.

"Ah!" Frankie cried. "Julian, you make that thing quieter than the proverbial mouse."

"Delia's been looking all over for you guys," Julian's voice sounded through the speaker.

"Julian?" Joe wondered. "How did you...?"

"Tapped into the Viper's systems. The probe's on a different circuit. Here. I brought you a little present..." The probe dropped a remote control into Joe's lap.

Joe smiled. "And it's not even my birthday. How nice..."

"One problem at a time. Now, hold still..." A thin red beam sliced through tape easily.

"Thanks." Joe got to his feet. "Now, see if you can contact the local sheriff's office. Tell them we got a killer on the loose."

* * *

Sally nodded and dialed on her cell phone.

"We got it, Joe. Help's on the way."

"Come on, Joe. We gotta hurry!" Frankie yelled from off screen.

* * *

Sarah lay on the bedroom floor in a pool of blood. Everything hurt. She didn't know how many times she'd been stabbed but somehow she could still breathe.

"Stay with me..." came the soft voice of girl about her age.

Sarah opened her eyes to someone who looked in some ways like herself. "Who... are you?"

"Help is coming..."

"Wish I could... believe you..." She let her eyes slowly close.

"No. No, wake up. Do you hear me? Wake up! Don't let this psycho win. Fight it! Fight!"

"I... can't..."

"Yes, you can. You're strong, stronger than you know. You can beat this thing."

Sarah gulped and felt a tear trickle down her cheek. She stretched her hand out to the girl.

The knife came down again, more times. "Die, you stupid bitch!"

* * *

"Hey!" Joe snapped and kicked Mueller in the face, knocking him to his back.

"Frankie!"

Frankie rushed to the girl's side, tearing blankets off the bed to stop the bleeding. "C'mon, sweetie. Stay with me..."

Mueller recovered and got to his feet.

Joe ripped out his Glock. Blue eyes were ice-cold, calculating. "Just give me a reason," he spat.

Mueller still held the dripping knife.

Joe cocked the gun.

"Joe. Don't..." Frankie said softly.

Teeth clenched, but Joe relaxed his grip. "You make me sick..."

Mueller lowered the knife and smiled. "You can't prove anything..."

Joe lifted his other hand into view and moved a ringed thumb.

A few mechanical sounds came from outside the window.

The probe hovered there.

"I have all the proof I need."

Even the country man understood, and his sunburned face paled.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Haunting
Evil Overlady

-Epilogue-

The crimson sun melted into the midnight-blue waters of the ocean. The tide rolled in, foamed at the boulders at the foot of the cliff.

Joe watched the setting sun, leaning on the hood of the Viper in its civilian mode.

Frankie stepped quietly up to him. "They think she'll make it. She got really lucky. Nothing vital got hit. It's a miracle she made it this far."

"I suppose you would say it was Amy..."

Frankie shrugged.

"I saw her."

"What?"

"Standing next to Sarah. Just for a moment, but she was there."

Frankie snorted. "You're pulling my leg."

Joe turned his eyes Frankie's way.

"You're not."

"I'd appreciate it if you could keep this between us."

"Hey... Who's gonna believe an ol' ghost story anyway?"

"Yeah. Right..." He paused. "Don't try to recruit me for one of your weird wicca societies. Okay, Frankie?"

"My lips are sealed."

"Good."

Frankie exhaled noisily. "Well, I'd say I told you so, but I'll settle for you letting me drive the rest of the way to Metro."

"Ha! Nice try."

"What? So you're not going to let me drive? I have blackmail material here, Joe. I can tell the whole world how you're seeing ghosts."

"Who's going to believe you?"

"Then, I'll haunt you for the rest of your life."

"Frankie, you're not the haunting type."

Frankie blinked innocently. "I'm not?"

Joe looked him straight in the eyes. "No."

"I can be."

Joe shook his head.

"You wanna bet?"

"No."

"'Cause you think I'll win?"

"'Cause you think you'll win."

"Oh, come on! Is it really as bad as all that?"

"Yes."

"This is unfair, Joe."

"I know."

Return to Viper Fanfiction