A short drive outside town led to a small gas station, quiet and mostly empty.
Noah got off the bus, stumbling a bit as he wasn't used to Raph's shorter legs. It was dark, and a couple fluorescent bulbs casted a blue glow over his pale skin and slick black hair.
He had gone through Raph's memories so he could pick up on the guy's habits and mannerisms. So he bounced a little as he walked, head turning around to check everything that moved.
The gas station had a store that glowed in the night's darkness, with a single clerk sitting at the counter and reading a magazine. Noah, or rather, Raph, watched this guy for a moment, then took out a pack of cigarettes.
He took out a box of matches that he usually carried around.
Raph liked to believe the smoke was better with a match. He loved old movies like that—the image of a single match and its light were enamoring.
Behind him, a clang behind him made him jump. He turned to check what made the sound, but there was nothing there. When he turned back, Isaac was right in front of him, startling him and making him drop the match.
"Fuck, Cap, what the hell?" He cursed as he got down and picked up the match. Meanwhile, his heart was pounding.
Isaac had actually come.
The mob captain was tall and broad, a strong figure paired with a chiselled jaw and brown curly hair. His striking blue eyes twinkled with delight after scaring Raph.
"You're too easy to scare. Toughen up, Raphy."
Raph stood up and sighed, looking around. It was only Isaac, which was strange. In his past life, Noah had never seen a captain move by himself; Isaac should have some made men with him at least.
"I got the week's deposit," Raph said calmly, then he pulled the brown bag from his jacket and handed it over.
Isaac took it and pulled out the money without a care in the world, counting it right there. Raph's forehead wrinkled, checking the cashier in the gas station store before asking,
"Shouldn't we go somewhere a bit private?"
"What? Are you afraid of him too?" Isaac asked, pointing at the cashier. "He's seen me a couple times and knows not to fuck around."
Noah became more sure that they were alone from the way Isaac spoke. He was too confident and careless.
This wasn't the Isaac he once knew—this was the Isaac that had tasted power and no longer feared anything.
"But anyway," Isaac exhaled, stuffing the bag into his own jacket. "Why'd you take so long? You normally get here before me and start looking around like the CIA has your name on a list."
Raph pursed his lips, eyes darting side to side for a second before he spoke in a shaky voice.
"I thought something was following me. Now I know what you're going to say—that I'm being paranoid—but I saw this ghost, apparition, Phantasm, whatever the hell it was, at the park. I think it's following me."
Isaac watched him for a moment, face even, pale blue eyes just frozen in place.
Noah's heart told him he had broken the illusion, done something Raph would never do.
Then Isaac's face broke into a smile, and eventually, a long laugh echoed through the empty gas station.
After having his fill of laughter, Isaac wiped his eyes and sighed.
"Ghosts can't leave the place they were born. Was this little girl covered in black flames? Have you offended anyone recently?"
"Um… no and no," Noah's mind reeled at the mention of the black flames, but he maintained the illusion. "What do black flames have to do with anything? And offending people is sometimes my job."
Isaac rolled his eyes and remained silent for a moment.
Raph just stood there staring at him, hoping he'd actually answer. A light flickered over them and Isaac finally faced him.
"There are different types of spirits. Most are formed at the time of death, based on the powerful negative emotions one feels. So different Phantasms will come from a dead person. But Wraiths are the most uncommon—they're all formed from concentrated hatred and righteous vengeance."
Noah's head spun, the faint lights of the gas station blurring.
So that was it.
He was a Wraith born from people's hatred of the Ironfield mob.
"Wraiths are usually marked by black flames," Isaac continued. "A small amount that some can use to mark you for death. If you see a Wraith, report it, they don't form naturally. Someone alive has to send them for you. So it's likely an enemy of the mob. But if it's just a ghost, don't worry, just leave their territory."
Noah struggled to keep a neutral look on Raph's face. He nodded to Isaac, mumbling something about making sure to keep an eye out.
Isaac noticed the look on Raph's face and regretted even telling the guy. He put a hand over Raph's shoulder.
"Hey, relax, Raphy. If you see a Phantasm in our territory and think it'll disturb your job, call me. Lord knows those hunters don't actually do their damn jobs."
Noah, whose head was down, blinked twice and managed to put on the illusion again. He needed to ask some more questions.
"Hunter? Are those the guys with black badges?"
Isaac, for once, didn't look so confident. His face fell, and he ran his hand through his hair as Raph sensed the gears in his mind moving.
Isaac whispered a curse.
"The less you know about them, the better. Even their stupid name, if they find it in your memories… they don't kill normal people, from what I heard. But… just be careful. I hear they're out of town dealing with the disaster in Ojiwa."
From what Noah remembered, there was an earthquake in Ojiwa, and it disturbed the only nuclear facility there, in Port Siwa, which then caused widespread concern on the news.
"Demon hunters dealing with nuclear fallout?"
"You don't remember the nuclear test on Bikini Toll?" Isaac scoffed. "The government promised it wouldn't affect us here, but then people started dying..."
Isaac faced him, eyes darkening.
"It wasn't meant to reach us here, but negative emotions swirled around the test and what it meant for the future of humanity. Then the people of the islands were displaced by the fallout…"
It suddenly clicked in Noah's head and his eyes widened at the implications.
"A Phantasm was formed?"
The hunters were at Ojiwa because they were worried a Phantasm would be formed by the negative emotions.
Isaac didn't answer and just stared at him.
In that quiet moment, Noah finally decided it was time.
He couldn't be sure what defenses Isaac had against possession, but he needed to find a way to possess the man and attain his memories.
While also killing the body he currently possessed.
First, he raised his head and gave Isaac a shaky smile.
"I wanna use the bathroom. Can you drive me back into town after?"
Isaac simply nodded and walked towards the station store to buy something while he was in the toilet.
Noah watched him go for an eerie second, completely still, eyes wide open and filled with malice.
Then he turned and walked towards the back of the gas station.
There he spotted a couple of yellow barrels and a small smile crept onto his face as the plan pulled itself together.