by Michael Todd
Damian pulled out the chair and sat down, his eyes roaming over his companion. The kid hadn’t even looked up to acknowledge him and, instead, sat in the chair with his elbows on his knees, staring at the ground. He could tell that something was going on with him because he wasn’t the normal chipper and whacked-out Max whom he had grown accustomed to. By now, he was used to the one who wanted to know the details, wanted to relax, and wanted to learn as much as he could about being a really good member of their tiny little team.
Ravi noticed too. What’s wrong with the kid? He isn’t annoying the hell out of me this morning. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him quite this quiet.
He sipped his coffee. I don’t know, but if he wanted me to know, he would tell me.
She laughed loudly. Are you kidding me? He wants to be Billy Badass when you are around. You are far too intimidating to these humans for him to offer up whatever is going on in that fluffy human head of his. You should ask him. You know, act like you care or whatever.
Damian wrinkled his nose, not too good at the mushy stuff. I really think he simply wants some space, and we should give it to him.
Ravi cleared her throat, putting an authoritative tone in her voice. Damian, I am not kidding. It’s not like I want this kid to think I care, but he reeks of sweat, he didn’t even notice you come out, and I can almost feel his negative vibes in here. You need to talk to him, see what’s up, and show him that you fucking care. And if you don’t, fake it until you make it. He can’t go walking around in some emo haze when he is expected to drop anything and everything at the drop of a hat to go exorcise demons.
He realized she was right. Okay, I get it. Yeah, I know that being distracted is what can lead to a really bad accident, and I’m at a point in my life where I don’t want to bury any more partners—or friends, for that matter. I guess knowing his inner workings is just as important as knowing his outer workings. Damn, okay, I got this.
She was proud of him. Good job. Knock it out of the park. And try not to start it out with any strange or inappropriate jokes. You have the tendency to do that, and I have to say it’s plain weird.
Damian was almost offended. My jokes aren’t weird.
Really? How about the purple duck one? Oh, or the one about the sheepherder and the priest? You told that one to a room full of clergymen.
He lifted his chin. And at least three of them laughed.
Yeah, out of four hundred. I’m serious. Just stick with a good talk like you used to do with Katie. Sometimes, purple ducks and whiskey are simply not appropriate starters.
Damian scooted his chair closer to Max and patted him on the shoulder. “Maximus Gray, you finally got up in the morning and worked out. Things are looking up for you, my main man. What’s on your mind? You don’t seem as chipper as you usually do. And yes, I noticed. I do notice things from time to time.”
Ravi groaned. Oh yeah, talk to him like you’re gonna slap him on the ass and tell him good game. I swear men are useless with things like this.
You’re welcome to take over the conversation, but I know that’s not possible.
She sulked. Rub it in, why don’t you? You become besties with Katie and Lilith, and suddenly, no demon is good enough for you. Ungrateful. That’s what you are.
Max looked at him, hesitant to talk about it at first. Damian could see him pulling back and softened his face and relaxed his shoulders a bit. He wanted the young priest to feel comfortable talking to him. Max shrugged. “I dunno. Life, I guess. I know that probably sounds cliché. Things just feel a bit heavy on my shoulders.”
He sighed and leaned back in his chair. “Max, I didn’t mean to sound like I didn’t care. I do. The two of us are a team, no matter how green you might be. As soon as you fell under my instruction, we became a unit, for better or worse. But there is one caveat to that. In order for us to be in sync with each other—to fight together and have each other’s back and so on—we need to be honest with each other. This is especially important when one of us is going through something tough. If we don’t know what is going on, it could hurt one, both, or everyone involved. You can’t let the weight of the world crush you.”
His companion looked at him for a second, realizing that for the first time, Damian had actually called him Max. “You’re right. It’s important that we’re open with each other. I guess the thing is, everything is different than what I thought it would be. I didn’t join the mercs because of the carnage. I didn’t like the military because of the lack of personal connection to the people they’re trying to save. I joined the church because I believe in what we’re doing, and I really thought the blood and guts would be minimum. Seriously, the battle the day before got to me when I saw the dead bodies. I hadn’t seen any outside of training videos since Incursion Day. I know you were there too, but they were everywhere. And that was my first experience with anything like that. There were kids, adults, old people, and they never even saw it coming.”
Damian nodded, looking down at his coffee. “It’s a crazy world you and I are working in. Seriously, I have seen some shit, heard some shit, and lost some shit that would give anyone nightmares. I’ve seen my best friends die right in front of me, and I’ve witnessed killing fields of nothing but little kids. I’ll be honest with you. It never gets easier, but one thing that does grow is your personal strength. I’m stronger because of what others sacrificed, and that is something I could never turn away from.”
Max looked into his eyes and saw flashes of red move over his pupils like a wave. He had never noticed before, but his mentor’s eyes changed with the shifting of his emotions. It was wild to watch, almost like the demon was dialed right into it. But as far as he knew, the man had never been close with his demon.
“So many things in life are unknown, and for me, this is just another step in the road,” Damian continued.
The older priest listened closely to him, feeling almost as if they were growing closer as mentor and mentee, and even possibly as friends. It was the first time he felt completely comfortable in their conversation—like he was opening up just as much as Max was. That was something he thought would never happen. He’d heard the stories about the man, about his techniques and his fighting. He heard about his life on the SWAT team and how he had never really been a priest who conformed to anything.
Damian smiled, thinking about his time with the Killers. “You know what the best part of being a mercenary was? The people. The people you worked beside had your complete and utter trust and vice versa. We took new people in and, from the first moment, treated them like they were family. The reality of it was that they really were family. There was a bond between us that couldn’t be broken, and for the ones still alive and with the teams, that bond is still there.”
Max looked down at his hands, missing that feeling of family. Damian looked at him, knowing he was yearning for that. He could sense it. “Even when you were down, even when you struggled because of death, whether it was innocents’ lives or your friends, when the pain was too much to bear, you always had your family. They were there like glue. I have mercs who saved my life, whom I saved, and even some I simply had great conversations with. Sometimes, we fought and bickered because, hell, who else were we going to do it with? In the end, though, we came out stronger than when we started. It was almost better than family to me.”
He patted the trainee’s arm. “You and me, we volunteered to live this life, and it’s not glamorous or financially smart in the least. But we didn’t do it for that reason. We did it to serve the church, serve God, and to help those who aren’t strong enough to push back the demon inside them. To me, it’s no different than before the war. We were helping people with demons then too. They were simply demons created inside them by the world we live in.”
A bird dove down onto the cobblestones and hopped about in front of them. Damian watched the bird pecking at the crumbs on the ground. “It’s just the two of us now, Max, and because of that, we are family. I may give you a hard
time, and I may continue to do so, but that’s because I see the potential in you to do great things, to save lives, and to be there for the ones who can’t. Whether you are green, clumsy, and unsure or not, you are still family to me. I knew that before you even got here. And in some ways, you saved me from my lonely existence by joining the team. No one wants to be the Lone Ranger, not even the Lone Ranger himself.”
Max had never had someone simply accept him in their lives like that. “I assumed when I was infected and I joined the church that I would have to be content with the relationship with God and nothing else. Everyone kept to themselves at the beginning, and the ones who didn’t weren’t interested in building bonds, only in being number one. I assumed it would be a cold and lonely road with no one there.”
Damian scoffed. “Please, you got stationed with me. How could anything that happens in this house be cold and lonely? In all truth, though, I understand why you would think that way, but we infected—we have decided not to completely give up our lives. Just because you are Damned doesn’t mean you’re not a human being anymore. We won’t go out like that. We are tough, stubborn sonsabitches. That’s for damn sure. We make family wherever we can because family does not come from blood.”
He looked at him, feeling much better than he did before. “Thank you, Damian. That really means a lot to me. Seriously, that’s exactly what I needed to hear, but I didn’t think I would ever get that chance again.”
The priest slapped him on the back. “Didn’t you hear? Becoming Damned is the new best thing to second chances…and third…and fourth.”
Max smirked. “So now that we are family, does this mean I no longer have to be the official Damian slave?”
He bellowed out a laugh, tilting his head back. “I think you took that too far, my friend. No, that simply means I got your back. When it comes to the heavy lifting, that is all on you.”
The young priest shook his head. “Just like a real family. My dad gets older, and suddenly, I’m nine years old, lugging metal trash cans down the hill, digging out snow drifts, and lifting the fifty-pound bags of birdseed into the feeders that drove him nuts.”
Damian took a drink of his coffee and gave him a side glance. “Did you just call me old?”
Max chuckled. “Hey, if the shoe fits…make it an orthopedic one. Do they make orthopedic boots for kicking demon’s asses?”
He pursed his lips. “You never know. If they don’t, I might be able to get into the shoe business because if they have more trainers like me, we Damned will be kicking ass from our scooters and throwing dentures made of special metal at those bastards.”
Max shivered. “That is a God-awful picture in my head. Packs of Depends in the back cart as you pop a wheelie running over a demon.”
Damian lifted his cup. “Hell, yeah, those fuckers won’t know what hit them if we can move our broken bodies fast enough to take them down. People won’t bite the dust anymore because of demon attacks. They’ll break a hip doing a backflip off the wall.”
The trainee’s face grew serious. “Seriously, though, I saw that in the church, and it was on point. You were like Dominique Dawes but thankfully, without the leotard.”
He lifted his shoulders. “Nobody—and I repeat—nobody wants to see me in a leotard.”
Max looked at the stone archway leading out of the courtyard. “I have to say. I agree with you on that wholeheartedly. I don’t even want to see you in one of the men’s gymnast outfits. Just keep it up with your bow tie and trench coat. It’s like your signature outfit.”
Damian threw his hands up. “Thank you! I’ve been telling my demon that for days now. She merely complains and complains, saying I’m not fashionable enough.”
He shook his head. “Nah, you are like a super creepy ninja priest. You walk out of the steam-filled alleyway with your coat flapping behind you and guns in your hands. They’ll make a movie about it one day, just you watch.”
The priest looked up at the sun overhead and patted Max on the shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go to the pub. I’m hungry.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “It’s not even noon.”
Damian smirked. “It’s noon somewhere.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
The crack of the pool stick breaking the balls made Max cringe, and he shrugged, looking at the two biker guys playing a game in the back. The music pumped loud, and the place was really full for the middle of a weekday. Damian had insisted on stopping by and picking Maps up on the way over, and she teased Max about his tie the whole way there.
The priests sat there watching as she made loops around the bar, talking to almost everyone. She was on fire with her side job, making deals with people and figuring out logistics for the ones she wasn’t sure about. Damian chuckled as she whizzed by, giving the bartender a high five. “She sure does keep herself busy. It’s like she never slows down.”
“She makes me dizzy,” Max said.
The older man smiled knowingly at him.
Max wrinkled his nose and looked away, not even allowing himself to think about entertaining teasing from his mentor. He got enough of it from Maps every time she had the chance. Damian glanced up at the television. The news was talking about some sort of incursion in New York City, and he nodded at the screen.
Damian watched as Katie leapt from the side of a building and spread her angel wings wide. Max’s mouth dropped open a little. “That’s insane. She flew off a building. Like seriously, why can’t I have a talent like that? All I got was mediocre knife skills and the ability to meditate really well.”
The priest laughed and popped a peanut in his mouth. “Be patient. You haven’t been infected that long. You will start to see more and more powers arise, and if you have a good relationship with your demon, he or she will help you even more.”
Max turned away from the TV. “I hope so, because it would be a waste otherwise.”
Maps ran up to the table and grabbed the chair next to him, turning it around and straddling it to lean forward against the back. She put her hands under her chin and stared at him as he did his best to avoid eye contact. He sat up straighter and cleared his throat uncomfortably.
She put her finger out and flicked at a stray hair on his head. “I think I figured it out. I finally realized who you remind me of with that nervous look in your eye and the silver tie. You remind me of those Mormon boys who go to spread the word of their book or whatever. They always look like they think I’ll take a bite out of them or something.”
His expression turned stern and he turned his head slowly toward her, staring her blankly in the face. She put her hands up and turned the chair, then grabbed a menu. Damian watched her as she scanned through it, giggling. “Did you get some new gigs?”
Maps nodded. “Yeah, small ones, but work, nonetheless. Momma’s gonna buy the good Kraft cheese this week at the grocery store.”
“Hey, you guys. You ready to order?” It was the same waitress from the first time Max was there.
Their companion swayed back and forth in her chair, then handed the menu over. “I’ll take an order of cheese fries and a double tequila, chilled, please. No lemon.”
Damian eyed the waitress. “Give her the good tequila on me.”
Maps laid her head in her hands and batted her eyelashes. “Aww, Pops. You always take care of me.”
He laughed. “I just don’t want to smell bar tequila at the table. And I’ll take a—”
Ravi gasped. Oh, oh. Order bourbon. Pleeeease.
Damian handed the menu over. “Woodford on the rocks with a splash of Coke.”
His demon was thrilled. Yay! You’re spoiling me today. I like it. You should continue doing that, just so you know.
The waitress looked at Max. “And for you?”
He handed over the menu. “Just a coffee with cream and sugar for me, thanks.”
She took the order and walked away. Maps propped her black boot up on the chair and looked at the news. She shook her head. “Now that is one badass bitc
h. Seriously, I know you know her, Pops, but she is like a role model.”
Damian lifted both eyebrows. “I’m not sure I would say that, but she is definitely a good person.”
Maps put her chin on her knee. “Tell us stories. Not just merc stories but way back, like before you were infected. We’re all family now, so you need to cough it up.”
He sighed, knowing it was about time he let them in. “Ah, you want to know how it all began. I am pretty amazing.”
They laughed. Damian leaned back and took the glass of bourbon from the waitress. “Well, I was born in the states and grew up in an orphanage. There was a priest, Father Morning. He would come to talk to us all the time. He was the one who taught me about the church. As a kid, I was a loner.”
Maps grinned. “That’s a shocker there.”
He frowned at her. “I simply wanted to make it through the system in one piece. The church became my sanctuary, and they never kicked me out. I used to sit in the pews, talking to God, to myself, to whoever would listen. When I hit my sixteenth birthday, the church took control of my custody orders. I spent the last two years of my childhood there and then joined as a priest on my eighteenth birthday.”
Max was shocked. “Wow, so you’ve literally been with the church your entire life?”
Damian nodded. “Yep.”
The waitress set the cheese fries down, and Maps grabbed them, sticking her tongue out at the younger man. Damian continued. “When I was about twenty, I started to get antsy. I wanted some excitement. I wanted to be a priest, but I wanted to catch bad guys and really do something. So, I got permission, and they created a spot for me on the SWAT team. They thought it would be a non-combative position, but when I got in there, I showed them what I could do. I ended up being a full member of the squad. After a year of fighting beside my bud Chris, we went to this call about a disturbance and hostage situation at a broken-down hotel.”
