Risen (Haunted Series Book 22)

where it would eventually starve and, in doing so, revert to the foodstuffs demons normally consume.  And no, I won’t mention what they eat, as my wife has a weak stomach,” Orion said.
“Hypothetically, I may know someone who may have looked into Whitney’s case,” Cid began, watching Tom’s face for signs he may be compromising the officer.  When he received none, he continued, “Starfish Cruises recently lost forty patrons and crew who were supposedly headed for a day at the beach.  The normal destination was unavailable, so they sought out another uninhabited island.  Which island is in doubt because none of the locals will talk about it.  A dark web informant leaked that some high-level senator has asked for Whit’s special team to step in and get some answers.  They are being pressured.  I’m surprised he isn’t offering you and Ted a stipend of some kind.”
“To pay them would mean, he would have to list them in his paperwork,” Tom pointed out.  “Explaining Mia may be too much for an unimaginative writer.”  He had a sly smile.  “Don’t worry, Mia. I have a great imagination.”
“Thanks, Tom.  I think?”
“What’s the situation right now?” Mike asked.
“I heard they moved the boat away from the island, but they will be returning,” Mia said.
“How important is it that they continue this investigation?” Nicholai asked.
“I don’t see any real reason beside greed.  They are looking for a treasure,” Mia admitted.  “It’s probably long gone or, if it is there, it is so tainted with evil that I’d leave it be.”
Mark raised his hand.
“Yes?” Mia asked.
“Can I have the floor for a moment?”
“Go ahead.”
“I know we are meeting, basically, to talk about whether Mia should interfere with the treasure hunt that Sabine, Patrick, and Mason are on, along with Kevin Murphy and Fergus O’Connor.  But after listening to the evidence, I’m very concerned.  My fear is, if the demon-with-no-name has started taking people, then he is drawing power,” Mark said.  “In every lifeform before they change, evolve if you will, power is drawn.  Just like Mr. Murphy draws from Mother Nature or a lesser ghost takes the electricity out of the air, the demon needs power in order to leave the island prison.”
“Impressive reasoning,” Ted said.
Dieter hit Mark on the arm.  “Show off.”
“So, it looks like it’s possible this thing is trying to leave the island.  Sabine is powerful enough to carry a demon over water,” Mia surmised.
“But so are you.  Angelo too.  I think it’s foolhardy for any advanced being to go anywhere near that island,” Burt voiced.
Mia wasn’t used to being lumped in with the advanced beings.  She could, however, see what he was pointing out.  “We need to get them to stop exploring the island.  Maybe I can get Gerald, Mrs. White, and Pavel Matveev to pull funding temporarily…”
“I don’t think we need to go that far,” Mike said.  “The three are intelligent people who…”
“Are on a treasure hunt,” Ted interrupted.  “I’m not sure if I had a hot lead, I would leave it, money or no money.”
“Right now, their GPS has them headed away from the island,” Cid said.  “Maybe they have come to the same conclusion.”
“Mia, why don’t you and I do a little recon?” Nicolai suggested. “We won’t land on the island.  We’ll just see if what this young man fears is actually happening.  He presents a good case.”
“If you’re going, can you take a passenger?” Ted asked.  “I can take readings from miles away.  Just drop me off on the nearest island if they won’t allow us on the boat.”
“I’d like to see if I can stall or redirect the investigation,” Burt said.  “If you think that we need to act to shut it down, then I believe Patrick will listen to me. You see, PEEPs have filming rights to the White investigation from which the treasure hunt started.”
Nicholai looked at the investigators.  “How much equipment?”
Ted did a quick calculation.  “A backpack weighing fifteen pounds.  I weigh 185 dripping wet.”
“I weigh considerably more and will be carrying twenty-five pounds of camera and other recording devices,” Burt said.
“We can’t call to warn them,” Mia said.  “The Feds have the satellite phone tapped.”
“We need to be able to find their boat in the dark,” Nicholai said.  “Tell me, can you find an alternate way to inform Sabine of our arrival?”
“I think I can through Komal.  He’s tapped into her.  They speak telepathically.”
“Will he be able to do that from that long of distance?”
“He can try,” Mia said.
“Call him.  Gather your gear.  We set off in one hour,” Nicholai said.
“Why are you doing this?  It’s not that I don’t appreciate it but…”
Nicholai looked at Mia.  “God created the birdmen to protect the children of this world.  I understand that children were victims too of the island.  If Mark is right and this being leaves the confines of his prison, then children will be the first innocents that it will crave.  If I can stop this, I will be saving the Brotherhood a lot of trouble.”  He turned to Orion.  “Get to the vault.  Take this Mark with you.  Get the answers we need to proceed.”
“Yes, Nicholai.”
Mia looked at the rest.  “Decide amongst you who will head this alternate investigation.  If there are any problems, err on the side of containment.  Dieter, stick around. We may need our friend to rally the troops.”
Audrey watched Mia rush out of the room.  She turned to Cid.  “Is this friend Angelo?”
“No, I’m sure she means Roumain.  If we are dealing with a powerful demon, we need the friendship of something more powerful.  Someone who knows what happens to the world when evil rises.”

Chapter Five
Kevin looked over at Fergus as they crept slowly down the passage of the squat cave.  They had spent