Chapter 13: The Exorcism of Leslie Petterns

The cold, misty air clung heavily as Alec, Lina, Ken, and the rest of the team arrived at Leslie’s location. They had spent hours chasing leads, piecing together fragments of information, all pointing to an ominous truth: Leslie Petterns wasn’t just another target for the tribes. She was something more—someone who posed a unique threat to their mission. And now, she was in grave danger.

The team had barely had time to recover from the failed prom mission. The young couple they’d tried to protect was still in critical condition, and the team was on edge, knowing that one more mistake could cost more lives. But as they entered the old, decrepit mansion where Leslie was being held, they pushed those memories aside, focusing solely on the task at hand.

Inside the mansion, dim candlelight flickered against the walls, casting eerie shadows that danced with a life of their own. The air was thick with the smell of incense and something else—something darker. Leslie was seated in the center of the room, surrounded by a circle of symbols and strange artifacts, her face pale and her eyes wide with terror.

Ken’s grip tightened on his weapon. “This is some twisted ritual. What are they trying to do to her?”

Yusen, analyzing the setup through his portable tech device, furrowed his brows. “It appears to be an attempt to purge her—spiritually or mentally. They’re trying to exorcise her, or rather, the past life they believe she carries. They think her past self is cursed or dangerous. To them, this isn’t an attack; it’s a purification.”

Leslie’s eyes met Alec’s, pleading silently for help. She seemed to be in some kind of trance, her body swaying slightly as if controlled by an unseen force. The tribe members surrounding her chanted in a language no one recognized, their voices low and rhythmic, filling the air with a foreboding energy.

“We need to move quickly,” Lina whispered, her voice urgent. “If they finish this ritual, we don’t know what might happen to her.”

Ken nodded. “Everyone, get ready. We’re going in on my signal.”

Just as they were about to break the circle, one of the tribe leaders stepped forward, raising his hands and addressing them directly. His eyes burned with an intensity that sent chills down Alec’s spine.

“You do not understand,” he said in broken English. “Leslie carries the spirit of one who has caused great suffering. She must be cleansed, or her power will destroy many.”

Alec stepped forward. “That’s not your call to make! Leslie’s done nothing wrong. She’s just a person trying to live her life. Whatever you think she’s carrying, it’s not real.”

The leader’s expression didn’t falter. “You may not see it, but the spirit knows. It remembers. It will awaken and consume her, and all who are close to her.”

The tribe members resumed their chanting, the sound growing louder, filling the room with a sinister resonance that made the walls shake. Leslie’s eyes glazed over, and she started muttering in an unfamiliar language, her voice blending with the chants around her. Her face contorted in pain, her body writhing as if she was struggling against an unseen force.

“Enough!” Ken shouted, his voice booming as he broke through the circle, gun raised. Alec and Lina followed, standing on either side of Leslie and preparing to protect her at all costs.

But as they broke the circle, a dark, chilling wave of energy washed over them, forcing them to step back. It was as if an ancient, malevolent force had been unleashed, filling the room with a palpable fear that clawed at their hearts.

“Stay strong!” Yusen’s voice crackled through the comms. “Whatever’s happening, it’s connected to the artifacts around her. Destroy them, and you might be able to break the connection.”

Without hesitation, Alec and Lina began smashing the artifacts one by one, breaking the symbols and disrupting the ritual setup. The chanting faltered, and the tribe members looked around in horror as their ritual began to unravel.

The leader screamed, “No! You do not understand what you’re doing! You’re letting the spirit loose without guidance!”

Ken raised his weapon toward the leader. “Whatever’s happening, it ends here. Now.”

Just as the last artifact shattered, a deafening silence filled the room. Leslie gasped, her body collapsing forward as if she’d been released from an invisible grip. Alec caught her, pulling her away from the ritual circle.

But in that moment, a shadowy figure emerged, an apparition hovering above the ground. It was a dark, ethereal form, its features indistinct but menacing. The spirit let out a spine-chilling scream, its voice echoing through the mansion as it turned its gaze on Leslie.

“Run!” Yusen shouted through the comms. “Get out of there!”

The team didn’t hesitate. They grabbed Leslie and sprinted out of the mansion, their hearts pounding as the spirit’s wails followed them, growing fainter as they put distance between themselves and the cursed place.

Outside, they gasped for air, their minds reeling from the experience. Leslie looked up at Alec, her face pale and her eyes wide with gratitude and fear.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice shaking. “I don’t know what they thought I was, but… I felt something. Something dark, something that wasn’t me. I don’t know how to explain it, but it was there.”

Alec put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “It’s over now. Whatever they were trying to do, we stopped it.”

Ken glanced back at the mansion, his face troubled. “This whole ‘past lives’ thing… it’s not just superstition to these tribes. They genuinely believe it, and it’s driving them to desperate measures. If there’s any truth to it, we’re dealing with forces we don’t fully understand.”

Yusen's voice came through the comms, calm but with an edge of worry. “We need to be careful. If the tribes are willing to go to these lengths to ‘purify’ people, we can’t underestimate what they’ll do next. This was just one tribe out of many. We don’t know what the others have planned.”

As they walked away from the mansion, Alec felt a chill run down his spine. The tribes were relentless, and each encounter seemed to grow more intense, more personal. This fight wasn’t just about stopping attacks—it was about challenging ancient beliefs and facing forces that defied reason.

The team had won this round, but they all knew that the struggle was far from over.