by Greg Ballan
Erik wrapped the heavy white blanket tighter around his shoulder. Michael pointed to a large rock outcropping several yards away. "Let's sit over there, away from this unpleasantness." The two soldiers of Light paused, the sounds of shrieking demons still audible in between intermittent flashes of fire and eerie light.
"I hope it hurts."
Michael looked over. "Being banished back to Hell? Oh yes, it is a most painful experience. No sane demon or any sentient entity wants to go there. But there are parts that aren't the biblical seas of burning fire and agony. Lucifer, for all his evil and bluster, does serve a purpose. The Father doesn't like losing souls, but there are some entities in the universe that have souls unfit for anything but Hell. Therefore Lucifer serves a greater purpose and his hijinks are tolerated to some degree. But his punishment for starting the first war and ruining mankind is eternal damnation."
Erik raised an eyebrow. "A big price for making someone eat an apple."
Michael managed a smile and nodded. "There is a bit more to the story than is written."
The battered detective sighed. "There always is. Lucifer was correct though, the human race is going to hell on a rail. He doesn't have to do anything. We're doing it ourselves."
Michael nodded. "The game continues, Erik. All hope is not lost. There is still good in the world. Men like you and your stodgy, impudent friend, Mr. Denton, and women like Shanda give hope to the Father." The angel stiffened. "Now I must answer your question truthfully."
Erik tensed. "Your words portend unpleasantness."
Michael folded his hands. "He was never intended to be your son. We had planned this conception after you had been transformed, battling the Seelak. You had become powerful, and we needed a being with your kind of power to father and protect the essence of the holy vessel as it developed. The genetics in your human/Esper DNA was the perfect defense mechanism. The vessel would be able to defend itself if, for some reason, you fell. We needed your unique genetics and the choice was made to allow the vessel to come into being through the act of conception between you and your wife."
Erik sighed. "But that personality, the child I held in my arms, the little boy we had before all this happened, that was EJ."
Michael nodded. "Yes, the soul of a child existed within the vessel and developed as the physical body grew. That was your son, a byproduct of the vessel's creation, existing to keep you and your wife fulfilled as the vessel grew in strength. That part of the being grew and developed more and more and became the entity you called EJ."
Erik felt his stomach twist. "My God. His soul was just a byproduct. An unwanted side effect of some holy biological experiment." The detective wept. "You used us both, like a cuckoo bird drops its own chick in another bird's nest. Shanda and I were the birds in the nest. The vessel was your chick."
Michael pursed his lips. "An uncomfortable analogy, but accurate. You must understand, Erik. Your son's soul exists now, in a better place. The vessel is home and Molec's tampering has been stopped. I must also tell you that this wasn't the first attempt on the vessel."
Erik raised an eyebrow. "What?"
Michael shifted his position. "The Observers."
"The Observers wanted my son?"
Michael shook his head. "No, Molec had managed to control Colonel Ross. The demon used his powers and influence to push Ross through the ranks faster than normal progression and landed him the plum position at Area 51. Molec knew the vessel had been born and used Ross' position to gain access to the child. Molec also wanted to wreak havoc on this planet by instigating an interstellar conflict, which is forbidden."
Erik narrowed his gaze, remembering. "Ross wanted to study EJ, to clone him and make an army."
"That was what Ross intended," said Michael. "Molec used him and had he been able to get the child into his labs, he would have had the child butchered, but your Esper genetics gave EJ the means to defend himself even as an infant. The child called out to you, his father. He called out to you and you heard. You protected the vessel as God ordained and followed through with your destiny. After you defeated the Observer drones and recovered your son, Molec fled and abandoned Ross. The human officer once again had control of his faculties. He couldn't bear the guilt nor even comprehend what was done to him or why. In the end, he took his life. Without Molec's influence, he was simply an empty shell, corrupted and tainted by evil."
Erik shook his head sadly. "Did you know my mother's soul was there? Anderson didn't come right out and say it, but I got the feeling you knew she was there."
"We knew her soul was missing. We suspected Lucifer had it in the Soul Market but we had no jurisdiction there. Having you and your colleague there to chase Molec and push him gave us the wedge and the excuse to snoop. We knew if your mother was there, you would sense her presence. A child will always know when his parents are near." Michael placed a hand on Erik's shoulder. "But I assure you, we had no idea what was being done to the souls. Had we known, I would have personally led my forces to overturn the marketplace. He would have suspended the rules to free the innocents."
Erik ran his fingers through his hair. "My entire life, I've been a puppet. The only real thing I had was Shanda, and now she's gone. I'd rather be dead than have to carry all this with me."
Michael sighed. "The exact intent of Lucifer's punishment. He knew exactly how to torture you. Physical pain and normal human weakness wouldn't impact you, but the loss of your life and what you hold dear would cause you great agony." The archangel shook his head. "My fallen brother is a vindictive bastard as much as he is twisted and evil. I confess, I didn't anticipate Lucifer's interference nor did I expect to have you bear the brunt of our campaign to clean up Molec's and Lucifer's long-standing feud."
Erik turned to face Michael. "But you had no problem using me like a pawn these past years and now destroying my life."
Michael winced. "Again, we did what needed to be done for the greater good and the salvation of this world. For what it's worth I do regret that you, alone, have to bear the burden. I did not want that. I cannot apologize for you fulfilling God's destiny. These were unusual and dangerous times and drastic measures had to be taken. In the end, Earth is safe and despite my brother's meddling and mankind's slipping into the sewer of depravity, there is still hope. Where there is hope, there is God. Light will triumph as is foretold in scriptures." Michael stood up. "I have given you the truth, hybrid. There is nothing more to be said. I must now send you to your life so this timeline can be reset. The holy men inside Vatican City will also know the truth of what happened. You are one of Light's greatest warriors and will be heralded as such. It has been an honor battling by your side." The archangel extended his hand. Erik reached forward knowing what was about to happen.
"Good luck, Michael. Look after my son and please tell him his father will never forget him."
Michael nodded. "You have my word."
They clasped hands and Erik vanished.
Chapter 11: The Hollow Man
Dawkens' Gym. Milford, MA
Martin Denton was nervous as he walked into the facility. He'd been here dozens of times before but this was the first time since the Ethereals "fixed" things. He'd reached out to his young friend several times but Erik never responded. Two months had gone by; dozens of phone calls and e-mails unanswered. Martin realized he needed to visit his friend in person.
"Mr. Denton!"
Martin turned. "Alissa, how are you?"
The young woman ran over and gave Martin a warm embrace. "I was going to call you this evening. I'm so glad you're here."
Martin smiled as the young woman escorted him to a table at the juice bar. "I've been trying to get a hold of Erik for weeks and he's been excellent at avoiding my calls."
Her face grew solemn. "He's like a hollow man, Mr. Denton. He comes to work, teaches his classes, then hides in his office till well past closing and then lifts enormous amounts of weights and exercises like a madman until well past midnight. I don't think
he's been back to his apartment since you both returned from investigating your son's murder. I can only sense that he's in great turmoil. The pain is intense but he won't talk about it. I confronted him last week, asked him what happened and that I could sense his hurt. He told me I wouldn't be able to help and I could never understand and he hoped I never would."
His apartment? Denton remembered the work being done on Erik's house. The old man wondered what kind of changes his young friend discovered upon his forced alternate reality. "Is he back in his office now?"
Alissa nodded. "Yes, he hides back there between appointments and classes. Mr. Denton, I listened by his door a few times and I heard him crying. He kept saying the words 'Shanda' and 'EJ' over and over again and how much he misses them. When he left to teach a class I found a small picture of a woman with wild purple hair holding a small child on his desk. The picture was worn and creased, like he'd been carrying it on his person for some time. Do you know who they are? I've known Erik for years and I've never heard the names before."
Denton sighed. "I don't know," he lied smoothly, "but I promise I will go talk to him and see what I can do to break him out of his funk."
"Please do," she pleaded. "I'm really worried about him. He's been in moods, but never this bad or this long."
Martin walked down the narrow hallway toward Erik's office. He was nervous and felt a pit form in his stomach. He wondered what he'd find behind the door. He gently knocked. "Erik, it's me, Martin. Can I come in, please?"
"The door's open, Counselor, come on in."
Martin opened the door and was shocked by his friend's appearance. "A beard and moustache, well that's different."
Erik pointed toward the chair on the other side of his desk. "Have a seat. A lot of things are different." Erik reached behind to a small table. "Can I pour you a cup of coffee?"
Martin nodded. "Please."
Erik poured. "I'm sorry, Counselor, I should have returned your calls. I've been in brooding and self-pity mode for several weeks now. There are some drastic changes, starting with my home … well, not actually having my home anymore." Erik sat back down and raised his mug in a toast. "To the one friend who I can talk to about this crazy shit." They clinked their mugs and sipped the hot beverage.
"What happened after I got zapped back here?"
Erik laughed. "I got the whole truth about me. This was a preplanned setup dating back to the Observer invasion, which, by the way, was caused by Molec."
Denton nearly choked. "Good Lord, how deep in bed are we with these ethereals and demons?"
"The relationship runs deep, Counselor, deep enough that they feel free to mess with my life, Shanda's life, and give us a phantom son to raise for their own purposes. Beyond that, I really don't want to think about it anymore. I've been pondering the universe, the multiverse, Heaven, Hell and whatever may lay in between for six weeks now and I'm no closer to understanding any of it, so I choose to just leave it be."
Dentin nodded. "Amen. And yes that was meant to be sarcastic." He leaned forward. "Erik, what exactly has changed in your life besides the obvious we both already know?"
Erik's eyes widened and he sighed deeply. "I still live in my apartment in back of what was once Madame's Restaurant. I'm loaded with cash. Apparently I haven't spent much of my sign on bonus or the bonus I got for ending the Observer conflict. I still drive my black coupe and deposited most of my firm paychecks for the last four years. In this timeline, you guys never laid me off because Shanda and I were never a couple and EJ never existed. The Observer war still happened but was solely about Gray's abduction. As far as the gym goes, Alissa still knows the firm is bankrolling us but nothing there has changed except that you dumped it on me as a training center for new recruits. It's just like Shanda was wiped out of my life and I just went on living like I was single." Erik tilted his head. "Which I am, now."
"Nothing else is different?"
"Counselor, I think it's quite enough as it is, don't you?"
Denton sighed and nodded. "Yeah." He took another sip of his coffee. "Did you follow any of the headlines regarding Rome?"
"Yeah, a massive underground geological disturbance that devastated the city and cost hundreds of lives." Erik frowned. "I read it. He looked up toward Heaven. "Not the most original idea, no offense." The detective took another sip of his coffee. "I gottta level with you though, Martin."
"What?"
"I've been staking out Shanda's shop."
"Oh boy!" Denton cringed. "Did you make contact?"
"No, just watching." Tears streamed down his face. "Every time I see her, I feel it here." He pointed to his heart. "It hurts so much inside. The emptiness is more than I can take. I feel the shattered link in my head. This void won't ever fade. She had a place inside my mind and it was ripped away and now there's nothing." Erik sobbed. "Just a big empty space."
Denton sighed. "Alissa saw a picture of Shanda and EJ on your desk. How did you manage to keep a picture of them?"
"Alissa is too nosy for her own good. I kept a wallet-sized photo inside my staff so I'd always have them with me whenever I traveled. When I placed the weapon in my gun cabinet, the staff pushed the picture out for me, like it knew I needed a memento. I guess that was one detail that fell through the cracks. It's the one thing I have that links me back to my past."
"And keeps the torment fresh in your heart."
Erik nodded. "Yeah, that too."
"So what have you learned about Shanda?"
Erik raised an eyebrow.
Denton laughed. "Come on. I know you. You dug deep. I'm sure you have details of her life somewhere already."
"I do," Erik admitted.
"And…"
Erik stared at the floor. "And she got married back in 2014…to Carla her store manager." Erik took a moment as Martin digested the shocking news. "Carla's pregnant and they're expecting sometime next month."
"Invitro I assume."
Erik nodded. "Yeah. Charlie Gallagher gave me all the details. I'm happy for her. I admit I was a bit surprised, but Carla always was keen on her."
"I'm sorry Erik. I don't know what to say."
Erik drained his coffee cup. "There's not much to say, Counselor. I'm thirty-five years old. I've fought demons, archdemons, aliens, criminals and I've destroyed a fucking Soul Market. I lost my wife. I had a kid that really wasn't mine and I've battled alongside angels." Erik slammed his mug down. "And none it was worth a damn because everything I was fighting for was taken from me. Now I'm alone and miserable." He looked over at his friend. "Just like I'm supposed to be." Erik wiped away a stray tear. "When I first saw her, I figured I could rekindle our romance, show up, knowing her favorite flower, her favorite movie, her favorite food and all her quirks and literally sweep her off her feet. We'd have a whirlwind romance, some great passionate sex and then get remarried. I thought maybe we could start all over again." He looked away. "I didn't think she'd find happiness in the arms of her manager."
"I don't know what to say, Erik. Love transcends gender."
"I don't care about that, Martin. I'm beyond that shit. She doesn't even know I exist. I'm nothing to her! She's happy. I watched them together. They're genuinely happy. They laugh, they dance in the store, they giggle and hug carefree of the world around them. God we struggled so much and so much happened to us. Her life is simple and uncomplicated now and she's with the woman she loves all the time." Erik sobbed. "We barely had four hours a day together and we both worked like dogs to keep things going." Erik stood and paced. "I envy her, her happiness and at the same time I'm relieved that she doesn't remember the pain." Erik spun back. "I guess I'm jealous and my pride is hurt. She found happiness without me."
"Oh my friend, you can't think that way. She loved you. I know that was taken away, but you can't forget how you two felt about each other. I remember your wedding and the reception; how she looked in your eyes and how she melted into your arms while you danced. She loved you, son. She was happy with your life. D
on't torture yourself like this."
"I need time, Counselor. I just need time to get my head around this."
"Okay! Take the time, take a trip, have a vacation, God knows you've earned one!"
Erik nodded. "Maybe I'll do that. I've been contemplating something but I'm going to need to reach out to a few people and call in a few favors."
"Well then do it. Let time heal you, or at least start the healing process."
◆◆◆
Milford, MA. St. Michael's Church
Erik forced the lock on the front door of St, Michael's Church. It was one in the morning and darkness claimed the massive open space. A single light lit up a large marble crucifix. In the corner a massive bronze statue of the archangel Michael stood towering ten feet in height. Erik stopped to study the massive statue. It looked nothing at all like the real ethereal being. He bowed slightly toward the cross and nodded toward the statue, feeling ridiculous talking to inanimate objects.
"Hi. I know it's been several weeks, a little over eight weeks now. I'm doing the best I can given the circumstances, but I made a promise awhile back I need to keep. In order to keep that promise I need some help." Erik turned up the collar on his jacket. "I'm not gonna push the issue and say you owe me one but let's lay the cards out on the table. You guys kinda owe me more than one. I'm calling a chip in. I need a favor. Can you guys hear me?"
Erik waited, pacing back and forth, "I'm new to this so I'm not sure what the protocol is here. I know you can hear me." An hour passed, Erik stood stone still staring into the darkness, waiting. "Okay, let me rephrase this." He tensed his arm. A burning ball of blue plasma formed in his hand, lighting up the darkness. "The inside of this place is made of wood, plaster and a great deal of other flammable materials." He added more power to the burning orb. The energy expanded, basketball size, hovering inches above his open palm. "One plasma blast is all it would take to…"
