“I don’t understand how this coven could go through history without someone catching onto them,” Mendenhall said.
“Major, many have caught onto them as you say. Battles the world remembers as glorious moments in warfare were more than likely instigated by his coven. Unlike our group who go through life as anonymously as possible, helping the world as we go. His people use events to prepare the killing ground for Asmodius and his return.”
“For instance?” Tram said from behind.
Randall smiled and turned to look at his guests. “A man named Merlin Storm Foot fought his people in Northern Scotland over fourteen hundred years ago. Alexander the Great lost over two thousand men in Persia when he faced off against one of his followers. More recently an inside source guided Adolph Hitler in his supernatural leanings and quest for power.”
“Not the Joseph Goebbels theory?” Tram said, surprising Will and Ryan with his knowledge.
“Not at all. That man was as dumb as a rock. But his wife Magda was quite an astute follower of Asmodius’ teachings. Granny told us a horror story about the sacrifice of her own children in Hitler’s bunker in ’45. All because she thought that would bring the power of Asmodius back to the Third Reich.”
“If they are all that stupid, why are they even considered a threat?” Ryan pushed.
“Do you think for the most part they’re fools. Most use their power for personal gain and know as we do if their secrets are spilled and widely accepted, their reign’s as the most powerful and influential people in the world would come to an end. You would be surprised if you knew the celebrities and politicians involved. No, they have a lot to lose in the end. But our fear is they can’t resist their true master when he comes calling, even if most have lost their ability to believe the legend.” Randall stopped and faced the men. “And gentlemen, he’s coming.”
Ryan turned to see Will Mendenhall smile. “What are you so gleeful for?”
“For the first time in years someone who’s trying to kill us is doing so without the use of a nuclear weapon someone misplaced. Now all we have to do is take on a horror story from a ridiculous book using Harry Potter’s small army.”
“If I remember right, old Harry and his army got their asses kicked.”
Will looked frustrated as he never watched a Harry Potter movie.
“Now it makes me kind of miss the nuclear weapon thing.”
* * *
The large den had been emptied as the coven within the mansion commenced preparations for its defense. The remaining men and women sat around a warm fire as the storm outside picked up in intensity. Jack and Carl stood by the fireplace as Collins spoke on the phone. Henri sat and drank wine as did Millicent. Elsbeth sat in a large chair with Matchstick and Charlie Ellenshaw facing her. All was silent except for the ticking of the large clock and its calming pendulum.
They watched as Jack moved to the far corner and turned on a large television. He adjusted the channel to the local Boston station.
“…the category four hurricane dubbed Lorraine has intensified ever since passing Cape Hatteras. At first it looked as if it would lose intensity and make landfall north of the capitol but instead headed back out to sea and is now projected to strike Boston head-on. The city is preparing all shelters and emergency services for this, the most erratic hurricane in recorded history to make war on the land…meanwhile…”
Jack switched off the television. “Niles doesn’t think the storm is coincidental. The boys in the Comp Center think it’s acting like it’s on a guidance system.” He turned and faced Millicent. “I take it you have a computer we can use to speak to Europa?”
“Yes,” she said looking from Collins to Elsbeth.
“The Comp Center has pictures taken by the N.O.A.A. that show an object in the direct center of the eye. It’s a ship.”
“So, this guy is coming on like he doesn’t care who knows,” Charlie Ellenshaw asked.
Elsbeth looked away and closed her eyes. “This is why I couldn’t see Asmodius. The power of the storm is blinding my third eye.” She laughed. “I guess the Grey critter is learning. Not very good for us.”
“Any naval assets in the general area?” Henri ventured. “It wouldn’t be too hard for our mysterious visitor to suddenly vanish.”
“And what if it’s not them?” Carl asked. “Have a sub sink a commercial freighter?”
Henri replied by raising his right eyebrow as if to say, oh well.
Carl shook his head at the apparent coldness of the Frenchman. “Besides, the navy gets its ships in harbor clear of any hurricane. The ports will empty out.”
“Great, the outlaws are coming, and the Marshal takes off in the other direction,” Ellenshaw said.
“Elsbeth smiled at Matchstick. “I guess that leaves us Mr. Stick. Do you wish to try and remember?”
Matchstick took his time as he looked from Elsbeth, to Jack, to Carl and then over to Ellenshaw. His large eyes blinked twice. Then he slowly held up a minuscule thumb.
Jack looked at Carl. They could both see Matchstick was shaking.
“Have you gentlemen noticed that without even trying this Asmodius has succeeded in isolating us completely within a few miles of one of your largest cities?”
One thing the Event Group knew well was the singular fact that Colonel Henri Farbeaux knew his traps when he came across one.
“Well, I guess we can throw out the signal lamp crap. No one if by land, two if by sea,” Carl quipped.
Charlie shook his head. “It’s the sea then.”
* * *
Jack and Charlie were the only ones Elsbeth couldn’t convince to leave the large study. The only light being cast was the flickering of the fire. All else had been extinguished. Once in a while lightning tore through the night sky but the thick drapes kept it at bay. Thunder was another problem altogether. Every time the room and seemingly the entire house shook as the coming terror intensified.
Elsbeth sat in the large chair and Matchstick sat on the carpet at her feet. There was no talking, only silence as their two sets of eyes met. As the study shook as thunder boomed outside Charlie Ellenshaw approached Jack as he watched for any falsity in Elsbeth’s claims about Matchstick.
“I take it you’re armed, Colonel?”
Jack raised his sports coat and Ellenshaw could see the nine-millimeter in his waistband.
“So, she worries you still?” Jack asked in a low voice.
Charlie removed his glasses and cleaned them. “Its not her. Don’t you feel it, Colonel? It’s like we’re being watched. And it’s not the good kind of observation. It has bite to it. Like evil is waiting our move.”
Jack did feel oddly exposed for being secured in a large house with some of the best soldiers ever fielded just feet away if needed. It was something his mind picked up during combat. A sense of impending danger that no soldier the world over could ever explain.
“You look tired my friend,” Elsbeth said as a mother would to a son. “Its been a long, strange road hasn’t it?”
Matchstick just curled his nose as he listened to Elsbeth’s soothing voice. Gone was the cackles. Gone was the brave way she faced danger and gone was the light way she had explained all to the visiting group. This was an Elsbeth that was world traveled and exceptional in her intelligence. She was the memory of the world.
“I need you to relax Matchstick. Your journey has rivaled the great explorers of the universe. You have traveled from your home world to this one and then from our plane of existence to the you we call death. Now you are here to save the world once again from a threat mankind doesn’t even know is coming.”
It was at that moment that Jack realized just what the world owed Matchstick and his race. He always knew the small being was responsible for the world being saved. But he never realized the fear he must have felt in doing it. In the years jack had known Matchstick he never once saw or heard the alien complain or feel sorry for himself. He loved from Gus to everyone he met at the Event Group
and it all was unconditional. If he could save anyone in this whacked out nightmare, it would be Matchstick. He deserved peace as a reward for his help.
“Tell me Matchstick, do you hear the pendulum on the clock as it ticks the evening away into night? How soothing is that sound?”
Matchstick’s eyes slowly closed, and it looked to Jack and Charlie as if the small being was fighting to stay awake. Then thunder again crashed outside the window and his black obsidian eyes sprang open. Elsbeth raised her left hand and that was when Jack and Charlie felt their ears pop as if they were in a plane climbing to altitude. Then the boom of thunder was cut off as easily as if someone suddenly lowered the volume on a stereo. Collins eyes widened as he looked at Charlie.
“Told you Colonel. This is some weird stuff. Now all we need is Black Sabbath playing the soundtrack.”
“Now, think about your little bed in the desert. Remember laying there safe and warm? Remember how good it felt to feel the love of your friends and how comfortable you were?”
Matchstick’s eyes closed again and this time when he tried to close his strange eyelids they faltered. His large and bulbous green head slowly went to his chest.
“Can you hear me little man?” Elsbeth asked.
“He hears.”
Jack and Charlie exchanged startled looks. The voice coming from Matchstick’s lips were not his words. They were Gus Tilly’s. The old man who had saved Matchstick in the desert and became his best friend. Charlie wanted to say something but was stopped when Elsbeth held her index finger to her lips.
“Matchstick, we need you to remember the times of your forefathers. Can you help us do this?”
Matchstick was motionless.
“You know he’s not alone in here, right old lady?” said the voice that used to be Gus Tilly’s.
Elsbeth looked at Jack who nodded his head. He mouthed the words ‘Gus Tilly.’
“Yes, that’s very nice of you to get your friend Gus to speak for you.”
“That’s not who I mean you old witch. I mean there’s something in here with him. This thing is tracking you.”
Charlie looked at Jack as the house started to shake and this time it wasn’t because of the thunder. Elsbeth looked up.
“Asmodius is here.”
* * *
237 Nautical Miles off
Montauk Point, Long Island
The large container ship rode easily through the eye of Hurricane Lorraine. Dmitri Sokol knew something had attracted the attention of Asmodius when the Grey suddenly left his spot at the bridge windows. It seemed the closer they got to their destination the more influence the alien was receiving from its quarry. Now Asmodius stood at the very bow of the container ship staring at the wall of swirling air and sea. Sokol saw that the hurricane had increased in intensity since just a few hours before.
He went to the bridge wing and looked out at the distant figure of Asmodius as the alien stared out to sea with outstretched arms. It seemed even at that extreme distance the Russian could hear a soft chant emanating from the Grey. The unrecognizable words echoed across the calm waters of the eye and bounced around. Sokol could tell the creature was reaching out for information and a possible demonstration of his infinite power. He almost felt sorry for whoever was on the receiving end.
Sokol was just about to seek the shelter of the bridge when he noticed something on the surface of the sea. Bobbing to the surface on all sides of the ship, thousands of fish started to float to the surface. Hundreds of differing species and varieties. They seemingly just died and Sokol suspected it wasn’t from the sudden change in the weather. He knew it was the poisonous thoughts of Asmodius Modai.
* * *
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Elsbeth was deep in a trance. Matchstick hadn’t moved or spoken in over five minutes. Jack was beginning to worry about the safety of their small friend when the mansion shook once again. This time Jack had been looking out of the window and there had been no flash of lightning and no roar of thunder. It was if a giant being were walking the mansion’s long halls.
He watched Elsbeth’s lips move but no words came out. Then her eyes opened.
“The two rivers. The ancient city. You see don’t you Matchstick? See through the eyes of your fathers and many others of your species. They keep the memories alive for them that follow. Do you see?”
“He sees,” came the voice of Gus Tilly.
Charlie exchanged a nervous look at Jack as he returned from the window.
“Remember the tales of Asmodius Modai?” Elsbeth mumbled as her eyes once more slowly closed.
“The fallen One.”
“Yes. Gus will help you be brave. He will help you remember. Now I address Augustus Tilly. You are with your small friend, aren’t you?”
“I’ll always be with Matchstick. He’s my boy. I am one with him and always will be. They shouldn’t have done to him what they did. Never trust the outside world. They let my boy down.”
Jack felt the shame in the statement even though he knew it wasn’t really Gus talking. It was the memory Matchstick had of his father-like figure. This meant that the small alien had felt let down by the people outside of Gus that he most depended on. Him and the rest of the Event Group. Even Charlie felt the guilt slap him hard enough to feel real.
“Matchstick, can you help me stop Asmodius one last time? Together we can stop him from regaining that which he lost many years ago. If we don’t, he will cause great harm to the people you love. The people I love.”
Charlie nudged Jack as he nodded toward Matchstick. The tears flowed easily down his face as his eyes started to move rapidly.
“He say’s he will try. But he knows Asmodius has grown stronger during his long sleep.”
Suddenly the room exploded with light and sound. Wind struck from nowhere. The two large French doors were blown from their hinges and vanished into the storm outside. Rain washed in as Jack and Charlie tried desperately to avoid flying debris. Collins made Charlie lie on the floor as flames from the fireplace leaped from the grate and flew high over his and Ellenshaw’s head. Jack then dove for Matchstick to cover him.
“Wake up Matchstick!” Jack yelled as the double doors of the study burst open and Carl, Henri and Randall burst in to be met by flying glass.
“It’s not Matchstick!” The old woman screamed out.
Jack saw Elsbeth Barlow trying to stand but the buttressing of the mighty wind threw her three feet away. Randall ran to assist but was blown from his feet and into the wall.
“Jesus Jack, look out!”
Jack heard Carl’s shout of warning, but he was too late to stop the grandfather clock as it was thrown across the room, missing him by mere inches.
Then shots rang out as Ryan, Will and Tram opened fire from the swinging, broken doors at something Jack failed to see. As suddenly as the assault had started it stopped. Lightning and thunder returned, and the house vibrated with energy. Jack helped Charlie up and pulled Matchstick into his arms. The alien was wide awake and wide-eyed. Then the room became preternaturally quiet. Jack stepped over the shattered remains of the grandfather clock and faced Ryan, Mendenhall and then Tram who stood just inside the study with eyes as wide as Matchstick’s.
“What in the hell were you guy’s shooting at?” Collins asked trying to get his own heartbeat under control.
“Oh, come on,” Ryan said loudly. “You didn’t see that ugly bastard?”
He’s right Colonel. The thing was standing right over Matchstick and looked like it was about to smash him into pulp. So, we fired.”
Jack looked at Tram. The Vietnamese sniper simply nodded his head confirming what Ryan and Mendenhall had seen.
“Jack, I saw it too. The Grey threw the clock at you. First it was there and then it wasn’t. Billy the Kid and his two sidekicks would have hit it, but the bullets passed right through it.”
Collins turned and looked at the wall near the spot he had been standing. Six bullet holes were punched through the
old plaster wall. All were at a height the Grey’s head would have been.
Randall and Millicent helped Elsbeth into a chair. The old woman was haggard. Her hair windblown and scattered. Her forehead was bleeding. She lowered her head into her hands.
“He’s much stronger than before.” She looked at Randall and Millicent. “Inform everyone to leave. We can’t win this.”
Randall looked shocked and the woman pilot shook her head in disbelief.
“Go now.”
“Noooo.”
Jack knew it was Matchstick talking. He put the small alien down and went to a knee. “What did you say buddy?”
“Noooo run. Stay, fight.”
Elsbeth managed to rise up from the chair. She stumbled and it was Henri Farbeaux who reacted first and caught her.
“Not if you cannot help,” she said going to her knees next to Jack and leaning on him.
Matchstick looked from face to face.
“No more Greys. No more Grey master. Never again.”
Will Mendenhall looked at Ryan and Tram. “I guess that means there’s going to be a rumble.”
Ryan placed his pistol in his belt.
“Its about time I got to shoot something.”
* * *
Montreal, Canada
Colonel Regev Slivinski watched as the Canadian customs agent eyed his Russian passport. The agent compared his picture with the actual face standing before him.
“Your business in Montreal, sir?”
“Pleasure. I spent so long in military of Russia being lied to about the west, I thought it finally time to see for myself and confirm the lies we are told now that they retire me.”
“Well, good for you.”
Slivinski watched as the agent slammed the customs stamp down. “Enjoy your stay, sir.”
“I’m sure I will.”
Slivinski, in a nice but older suit, retrieved his suitcase and made his way from the international arrival’s terminal. Once outside Slivinski eyed the cabs and finally spied the one with the flickering license plate light. He moved toward it.
Season of the Witch Page 28
