Thomas Amo - An Apple for Zoë - Book One ~ The Forsaken

"How many murders had been attributed to him by this time?" asked Shelton.

"34," said Stasya in a matter of fact tone.

"How long did you remain in the coma?" asked James.

"I remained in a coma for eight months. Under different circumstances the Soviet government would have let me die."

"Why?" asked Shelton.

"There is no use for a 13–year-old Russian girl left for dead in the woods. Unless she is the victim of the most wanted serial killer in the Soviet Union. When the KGB learned I was a victim of this murderer, they took charge over me. The militia was then removed from the case. I was the only known victim to have survived an attack by Andrei Chikatilo and they wanted to keep it secret. I was placed in a military hospital reserved for only generals and diplomats. When I regained consciousness I came to understand why the KGB worked so diligently to keep me alive. I was pregnant."

Both James and Shelton could not believe what they were hearing, but listened in astonishment as Stasya continued.

"Not only had I survived an attack by this monster, but I was also carrying his seed."

"Did you have the child?" asked Shelton.

"Yes."

James suddenly felt sick to his stomach but he knew he had to speak his thoughts. "The sisters— Tarista and Devonia—they're your daughters, aren't they?"

"Yes, Inspector James they are."

The statement hung in the air as only silence filled the room. For several moments no one spoke. James stood up and walked back to the front of interview room seven, staring at the twins. They too stared back at him. He turned back to Stasya. "So just exactly what are we doing here, Commander?" he asked.

"I am trying to help you understand what you are dealing with Inspector."

"So help me understand."

"You cannot apply traditional interviews procedures with them. You must be prepared before you make any attempt to speak."

"Prepared in what way? They're criminals, nothing more."

"That is untrue and you know it Inspector. To walk inside that room with either of them unprepared would be the biggest mistake of your life."

"Then what would you have me do? Douse them with holy water?"

"Evil doesn't fear such superstitious rituals of sacrament," she said with a steadfast conviction as she slammed the King James Bible down on the table. "But all evil trembles at the word of God."

Silence filled the room again as James ran his hand through his hair. He was exhausted and frustrated, but for the first time since the Carlyle murder, it seemed questions might finally begin to get answered. He slowly made his way back to the table, taking the seat next to Shelton.

"I don't believe in God," said James.

"You will by time you leave here today."

"You make it sounds like Inspector James is about to meet the devil times two," said Shelton.

Stasya smirked at Shelton. "Make no mistake Captain Shelton, Inspector James, the evil that sits inside those two rooms is a very old evil."

"What do you mean old evil?" inquired Shelton.

"I mean, it goes all the way back to the book of Genesis."

James shook his head, "You can't expect me to believe any of this angel and demons bullshit. It's not real. The fact of the matter is some people do very bad things. Evil is a label we slap on it. We invent God and the Devil so that somehow it all makes sense and that life isn't that random."

"Why do you deny the facts witnessed by your eyes? You don't remember being dragged through hell? You don't remember the faceless man forging the nails that would crucify our Lord? Or the black winged angel who presented the Roman soldier with the Spear of Destiny?" said Stasya as her voice grew louder, causing her to stand up. James stood in response to her obvious rise in escalating frustration with him. He backed away as she approached him and grabbed him by the arm.

"What are you doing?" he shouted.

"You are going to lie to me and tell me you do not remember room 1219 full of dead film stars watching that man rape the love of your youth Julie Anne Jackson?" screamed Stasya as she pushed James closer and closer to the glass of interview station seven. "And you don't remember Kritzler? The endless line of Jewish girls? Edmund Frayker? Nazi's? The man in White? Kirkland being led away into the darkness by the girl?" she screamed as she spun James like a top and slammed his face into the two-way glass and pointed at Tarista. "OR HER RAPING YOU?"

Stasya was now in a fit of uncontrolled anger. Tarista and Devonia began to both scream, shout and laugh at James as they violently jerked at their restraints. Shelton stepped in and pushed Stasya away from James. "ENOUGH!"

Stasya backed away and composed herself as Shelton checked on James. "You okay, Tommy?" James nodded he was. "Okay, let's everyone chill out," demanded Shelton. Stasya quickly nodded in agreement.

"Forgive me, Inspector James. I don't know how I lost control over myself," apologized Stasya.

"It's fine. I'm okay. I didn't mean to offend you Commander. I don't have any understanding of what's been happening to me. But you are right I do remember. I've been lying to myself and trying to pretend it's been a dream or my imagination."

"Then everything she just said is true, Tom?" asked Shelton. James nodded. "It's true Cap, all of it. What I don't understand Commander Gusarov, is how did you know what happened to me?"

"Because I was there Inspector James. I saw it with my very own eyes."

"When?"

"The day I gave birth to them," she said pointing at the Baranova sisters.

Shelton stared with mouth open. "You saw this when?"

"Summer 1987."

"You saw all of this when you were 13 years old, commander?" asked Shelton. Stasya nodded in agreement. "Believe me when I tell you I was just as confused as you are now. At first I thought the visions were brought on by the drugs the doctors had been giving me.

"You see, when I first awoke from my coma, the KGB interviewed me relentlessly about what had happened to me. I tried to give them details of the assault, but I couldn't. I was in shock. My shock was not only from the fact I had been raped and survived when no one else had, but I was pregnant and about to deliver within the month."

"So when you came out of the coma, they thought it might be the only chance to find out who the killer was, right?"

"Exactly. Of course, at the time I did not understand all they were doing to me. I was still practically a child and I was scared. When they interviewed me I would tell them things that even I did not remember or understand. But whatever I was saying seemed important to them."

James felt chills as he listened to her. "Do you remember anything while you were in the coma?" he asked.

"I remember the coma felt like I was simply just sleeping for a along time. But I also remember dreaming. I dreamt of many girls like myself being lured into the woods and never coming home. I dreamt of concentration camps and a grand hotel where a monster lurked and crawled between the walls."

"You saw all of that while in the coma?" questioned Shelton.

"Yes, but when I gave birth everything changed. I began to see murder."

"You mean you saw the details of Chikatilo's earlier killings?" asked James.

"Not exactly. I mean, yes I did begin to sense Chikatilo. The more he killed, the more in tune I became to him. In fact the KGB began to know exactly when he had committed a new killing because I would become blind until the victim was completely dead."

James rubbed his arms as a chill seemed to overpower the entire room. Stasya could see what she said was affecting James.