“Sheriff, is that you?" she called.

She waited a moment, but there was no response. Quickly, she holstered her handgun and made for the door- only to find she couldn't move.

"Not so fast, dear.” It was that voice again. "You're going to help me find my son."

Suddenly, Kyler felt as if her whole face had been injected with Novocain. Her legs refused to budge, and images of murder filtered into her desire. But unlike Glo and Alice before her, Kyler immediately understood that the life force of Pamela Voorhees had lived on inside that shriveled Skull, and was now creeping like ivy through her soul.

“This iS not... going... to happen,” she gasped, fighting the possession.

“But it's already happened, dear," laughed Pamela as she forced the agent to take a step back towards the table.

Kyler recalled the speech she'd given Tolleson; the Same speech she'd uttered many times since childhood, about not letting anyone use her, or make her into a victim...

"Mom!”

"Yes, dear?" answered Pamela.

Summoning all her willpower, Kyler reached inside her blouse for the sole remaining keepsake of her murdered mother. As soon as her fingers touched the locket, Pamela grunted like a wounded pig and was ejected from her mind.

"It's not possible!" cursed Voorhees. "You're too strong!"

Kyler staggered forward with the sudden release of exorcism. She almost crashed into the table as all feeling and power were restored to her.

"You're no longer a credible threat, Mrs Voorhees,” she panted.

"If you don't let me in..." Pamela began to threaten.

"You've failed.”

"Please!" begged the disembodied killer. "You must let me in. Jason needs me."

Kyler arched an eyebrow. "You know where he is?"

"How could I not?" gasped Pamela. "I'm his mother. All I've wanted all along is to join my boy."

"But if you're such a good mother," Kyler observed harshly, "why doesn't he come to you?"

If anyone else could have heard this otherworldly dialog, they would have sensed the rage fermenting beneath Pamela's reply.

"It's not that simple,” she boiled.

Suddenly, Kyler remembered seeing Jason being dragged behind the pickup: he wasn't moving at all. And how could Alice sell Jason on ZingBid? And why hadn't Jason killed anyone until Glo and her friends had found the cabin?

"There's something wrong with him," she realized. "That's why Jason can't come to you. He's in some kind of dormant condition."

Pamela sniggered, "Oh and I suppose all those people at the carnival just fell to pieces?"

"Then it's only at certain times," guessed Kyler, and she knew from the turmoil in her mind that she'd just hit pay dirt. "That's it. Jason can't come to you because he's immobile, except under specific conditions."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

Kyler drew her GLOCK and shoved the muzzle into Pamela's left eye.

"Tell me how it works," she demanded, "or I'll give you more holes than Jason's hockey mask."

She squeezed the trigger and there was a faint click, as the first of the three automatic safeties disengaged.

"All right!" said Pamela. "Take me to him and I'll tell you."

The FBI agent didn't trust Pamela one bit, but she was in no doubt that the maternal maniac would lead her to her son; finding Jason had always been Kyler's primary objective.

"Okay, Mrs Voorhees, it's a deal. Now where is he?"

Kyler returned the gun to its holster.

"Do you think I'd fall for a stupid trick like that?" spat Pamela. "I said I'll take you to him."

Michelle sighed. Her mistake had been unintentional, but she still needed proof that Pamela would honor the agreement—at least until the inevitable double-cross. So she chose her next question very carefully.

"Tell me Jason's secret," she asked. "Why isn't he active?"

Pamela replied without hesitation.

"When Jason's hurt, he takes time to get better—and the more he's hurt, the longer it takes. But last time, he took such a horrible beating that it was too much for the poor boy! He needs my help."

"But at the carnival he seemed fine."

Pamela chuckled.

"Frankly dear, I don't really understand it myself. But when I see a full moon, I can give him some of my strength. And when I can't, he falls asleep again."

Kyler was suddenly dizzy with the possibilities. She already owned Pamela's head, so if she could find Jason...

"That's incredible," she murmured.

"Yes," agreed Pamela. "Jason's having an awful time. But don't worry. Mommy knows how to fix him."

Kyler reacted sharply. "What do you mean?"

"He's just sick," Pamela explained. "But we can cure him, don't you see? If we help Jason kill someone on the same day that he died, he'll be in the pink again. Then he won't need the moon anymore."

"Friday the 13th," muttered Kyler. "But that's today!"

"And that's why we need to find him," said Pamela silkily. "Now let... me... in..."

Kyler experienced the rapid numbing of consciousness which told her that Pamela was trying to possess her. She stroked the locket— her connection with her own mother was even stronger.

"I don't understand!" cried Pamela, denied. "We made a bargain.

"Oh, I'll take you," said Kyler, ignoring the killer's nail-on-chalkboard wrath, "but you're staying in here."

   Friday the 13th: Carnival of Maniacs, chapter 17