The Ghost Hunters and The Familiar Strangers

Clarissa froze as she heard Carlos call her name. She poked Amelia by the side moving closer to Amelia. "Slap me." She whispered to Amelia. Amelia looked at her wondering if she was okay. "Are you serious?" She asked.

"Just do it." Amelia nodded and immediately a hot slap landed on her face making her lose her balance.

"Ouch!" Clarissa yelled. Her cheek was feeling very hot from the slap, she rubbed her hand on her cheek as she turned to look at Carlos who was folding his arms and looking at her.

"Are you done?" Carlos asked. Clarissa ran to meet him as Carlos welcomed her in his arms. "I missed you guys."

"We miss you more," Clarissa said as they all took a seat. "But how come??? How did you guys escape and do you know that girl??" She bombarded Carlos with questions.

"One question at a time sweetie uh?" Carlos said with a smile on his face.

"I am sorry. I just feel... like all of this... like I don't know how to explain it... it's..."

Carlos raised his hands gesturing for her to stop. "I will explain everything ok??" He paused as he began his explanation. "While I was being held captive, Dalton gave me a choice. He told me to make something that can bring a dead person back to life."

"What?" Clarissa asked. "You didn't tell him you don't have the breath of life??"

Carlos smiled. "I made an equipment that could transfer a ghost into a dead body."

Clarissa and Amelia looked at each other. "Wow!"

"I had no other choice because if I didn't he was going to kill me," Carlos explained. "I had no idea what he had in mind, I only thought he just wanted me to bring his ghosts to life I didn't know he planned to attach his ghosts to the hideout so he could have easy access. I was a fool." Carlos said.

Clarissa came closer as she hugged him. "You had to save yourself, we understand that."

"But isn't it better if I die instead?" Carlos asked looking at the girls. Clarissa punched his side as Carlos groaned. "Ouch!"

"Do you think I will be able to live if something was to happen to you?" Clarissa asked as Amelia and Carlos looked at each other.

"Ok??" Carlos said as Clarissa got the first aid kit.

"How did you escape then?" Amelia asked.

"I was getting to that." He said as Clarissa got the cotton wool and methylated spirit ready. "I noticed Dalton was planning something big so I had to do something fast." ***Flashback***

Dalton received a call from Rose. "What's going on?" Dalton asked.

"Everything is going as planned. Clarissa and Amelia are out. Now we are working on finding other ghost seers. How is it going?"

"We are getting more bodies. Just keep in touch and continue to make sure Xen doesn't change his mind." Dalton said as he hung up.

Dalton turned to stare at Carlos and the rest ghosts. "Link, you stay here with Carlos while you four, follow me." He pointed to two girls in their late twenties and two boys in their early thirties. "Carlos, we have some dead bodies in the room so take them and Link..." He gave Link a sign to watch Carlos.

After Dalton and the rest ghosts were gone, Carlos immediately thought of a plan. He has made a key for the chains of Tessa and all he needs is a chance. But how was he going to get that chance with so many eyes watching?

"So um... Link." He called as Link came nearer to him glaring at him. ".. would you love to know how this is done??" He asked. "It will make it easier and faster 'cos I need to use the restroom."

Link gestured for two ghosts to go with him. "So what should I do?".

Carlos explained some things to him as he instructed him pointing at the pieces of equipment and the ghosts." that is all you need to do till I get back."

Link nodded as he began the operation with the equipment while the two ghosts followed after him.

"So what are your names?" He asked the two ghosts- one in her twenties and one in his forties. They both kept quiet. "I guess I will be talking to myself now," Carlos said as he made his way to the bathroom. The two ghosts were about to follow him in when Carlos stopped them. "Don't tell me you are going in there to watch me?" He asked referring to the female ghost. "I don't care if you are a ghost but at least allow me to keep my dignity." He told her as the girl raised her hands at him.

"I have seen quite a lot." She said.

"But not mine... so stay back," Carlos warned.

"Wait Chloe, I will go with him." The older ghost said opening the door and pushing Carlos in. While the door was shut, Carlos grabbed the ghost by his neck and poke a knife into his ribs causing the ghost to burn to ashes. After that, he thought of how he was going to kill the other ghost so he can get to Tessa.

***Reality***

Clarissa and Amelia were so intrigued that for a second they forgot that Tessa was sitting next to them. "What happened next?" Amelia asked waiting to hear more.

"I need a drink first," Carlos said as he went to the fridge to get a drink when he spotted some figures outside and he could hear some voices too. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. The same tension that was felt when Clarissa knocked was the same in the room.

"I will go check it out," Clarissa said as she opened the door only to see Devon, Tamara, Jason, and Norman entering chattering words that could be barely understood and their facial expressions showed they were angry about something. "Thank you for getting the door Claire... oh! Don't bother... you are welcome." Clarissa muttered to herself as she locked the door.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

Devon, Tamara, Jason, and Norman continued complaining as they look in the direction of the fridge only to see Carlos holding a bottle of fruit juice their eyes scanned the room looking for Tessa and they found Tessa sitting next to Amelia. The four of them froze, no one said anything but the eye movement did the whole talking.