The Brimstone Betrayal

by Terence West

  "I don't have to tell you anything,” he said, shaking his head.

  "They said you would protect them,” I pressed, “but you abandoned them. What were they doing to you?"

  Vlad remained silent.

  I was tired of pushing a little bit. It was time to kick down the wall. “You left them to die!"

  "I would have died, too!” Vlad turned, slamming his fists against the glass. A buzz like a hive of angry wasps pushed him back from the barrier. Staring at me with his coal black eyes, I saw a trickle of blood run down his nose. The security measures had done their job. Daubing the blood with his fingertips, he slowly took a step away from the glass and composed himself. “We're done here. I have nothing more to say. I will only speak to my Chithula representative."

  "Chithula?” I echoed the word in dismay. A knot began to build in my stomach. That was exactly the name I didn't want to hear. I looked at Vlad one more time. I hated to admit it, but I was getting the vibe he was a victim, too. We were indeed done here. He had just told me everything I needed to know.

  The jingle of keys startled me. Whipping my head to the access door, I saw a guard through the window in his pressed, brown, rent-a-cop uniform. Luckily, he hadn't spotted me yet. Then a familiar smell hit my nose, something like old earth and incense. Looking past the guard, I saw her: Elena. She stopped in the hallway as the guard started to unlock the door. Cocking her head slightly, she looked up directly at me. She had sensed me, too. Her face contorted into a sneer. She pushed the guard out of the way and started to work the keys herself.

  Jumping straight up, I caught the edge of the vent and pulled myself inside. I had to hurry. If I wanted to grab Toby and get out, I didn't have time to be subtle. Pushing off, I slid back into the shaft listening to the aluminum bend, pop and stress below me. Hitting the back of the vent with my feet, I bent at the hips and plunged straight down into the shaft. Pulling my arms in tight I felt the air whistle past my ears and through my hair. Hitting the bottom, I rolled out of the vent and found Toby exactly where I left him. Karl, unfortunately, was there as well.

  Without even stopping, I placed my hand on Toby's shoulder and started back toward the motor pool. “We need to go,” I urged.

  Toby didn't protest. “What did you find out?"

  "Yeah, wait up, suckhead!” Karl shouted from behind as he tried to keep up.

  I shot Toby a warning glance. “What is he still doing here?"

  "Suckhead!” I heard him yell again. “Where are we going?"

  "We?” I asked Toby. “What is this ‘we’ stuff?"

  Toby shrugged. “He won't leave."

  I ignored the Goblin. “We have a lead."

  We moved quickly through the basement, carefully watching for any other Seekers or guards who might be waiting for us. I wasn't sure if Vlad ratted us out, or if Elena sent troops down to find us, but we couldn't take the chance. We had to get out of Brimstone.

  "What's the lead?” Toby asked.

  "We're going to see the Chithula,” I answered.

  Toby stopped. “No. No way."

  "No choice,” I said, grabbing his arm. Pushing him ahead, we disappeared into the motor pool.

  Chapter 12

  I was seriously beginning to regret my decision to visit the Chithula tonight. We were nearing the point of no return, and I really didn't want to have to spend the day locked in my own trunk to avoid the sun. As the lights of Las Vegas were completely swallowed by the darkness, I pushed my coupe further into the Southern Nevada Desert. Well off I-15 and deep onto Rural Highway 93, we were nearing the exit for Rachel, Nevada. To UFO and conspiracy buffs, this was Mecca. Home of the Little A'Le'Inn and the infamous black mailbox, it was the nearest town to the most well-known secret military base in the world, Area 51.

  The atmosphere in the car was thick with unease. As we neared the Chithula, Toby's furrowed brow became more intense. Toby and I hadn't said more than five words since leaving Brimstone. Still angry he had used a Goblin without telling me, I was giving him the cold shoulder. I was being petty, I know, but that's my prerogative. I just don't like Goblins, and Toby knew it. He didn't look like he was backing down this time though. He wasn't going to apologize. I'm sure somewhere in the deep recesses of his brain he was certain I was making him go see the Chithula because he made me work with a Goblin. That was Werewolf logic.

  "Where the hell are we? We must be halfway to Tijuana by now."

  "We're going north, Karl, not south. I thought Goblins had a good sense of direction.” For once, I was thankful there was a Goblin sitting in the back. It broke the tension and at least I could yell at him.

  "Rose,” Toby warned, never raising the tone of his voice. “Ease up on Karl."

  "Yeah, suckhead,” Karl chimed from the back seat with his annoying helium-filled voice, “be nice to the Goblin. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have gotten to see your boyfriend in the cage."

  "He's not my boyfriend,” I spat out and suddenly realized I sounded like those snobby hotel heiresses that dominated television.

  I was definitely going to smush the little beast, or maybe leave him by the side of the road in the middle of the desert. A devious smirk swelled on my lips. How Karl had persuaded us to take him with us, I would never know. I think less persuasion was involved than sheer will. I wasn't sure if he thought there would be more money involved for him, or if he thought he was helping us, or he was just simply bored and wanted to tag along. Whatever the reason, a nasty, green Goblin was firmly seated in my car.

  I wasn't exactly sure where I was going. Having only been here once before, I squinted my eyes in the darkness. The headlights barely illuminated the road and surrounding foliage as if they weren't powerful enough to fight the darkness. An oppressive feeling washed over me. I knew we were getting close. No one—with the possible exception of the Air Force—was willing to try and tame this hazardous landscape, explaining why the Chithula had remained secret all these years. Even Bugsy Siegel, when he planted stakes in the middle of the desert for the Flamingo, hadn't known about them. And they wanted to keep it that way.

  Spotting an ill-maintained dirt road ahead, I let the car decelerate. Turning the wheel carefully, I felt the shocks bounce as we rolled over the first washboard. The car jolted and bucked as I tried to weave through the deep ruts. Reaching across the center console, I placed my hand gently on Toby's hoping he wouldn't pull away. To my delight, he rolled his hand over and laced his fingers into mine. We were heading into the belly of the beast—all of us.

  Amidst the rolling valleys, I began to see the lights of the Chithula's compound glowing ominously. Coming over a crest in the road, I saw it. A Spanish Mission that had been claimed and converted to their needs, it seemed smaller than I remembered. Not native of the American Southwest—or this plane of existence for that matter—it was a mystery how the Chithula had gained so much power and influence. Why had they stopped here? Why not rule the world? It was hard for me to fathom that the Chithula would settle for just a fraction of the power they could have. Still it was comforting that they had.

  Pulling up to the front gates I saw an armed guard materialize out of the darkness. I'm sure there were many more just out of sight with a bead drawn on my head. Throwing the coupe into park, I placed both hands on the steering wheel in plain sight as a gesture of our peaceful intentions. I nodded for Toby and Karl to do the same.

  The guard stopped a few feet from the driver's side of the coupe, an AK-47 cradled in his hands. He was dressed in a drab, tan uniform, the brim of his hat slung low over his brow. No markings or insignia were visible. His face was stern and emotionless. He couldn't have been more than twenty-three. “State your business,” he commanded.

  I rolled down my window and sniffed the air. Amongst the pungent smell of sagebrush, I clearly caught his scent. He was human. “We're with the Brimstone Syndicate. We have business with the Chithula."

  The guard's expression remained unchanged. “Name?"

  I miss
ed what he said. “What?"

  "Your name, Vampire,” the guard barked. “What is your name?"

  He knew I was a Vampire. Why doesn't that surprise me? “Rose. Rose Webb, Brimstone Seeker."

  "Yes, ma'am,” the guard answered, a spark of recognition on his face. He eased into parade stance, his feet spread the same distance as his shoulders. He motioned toward an unseen guard on the other side of the gate. “You are expected."

  I couldn't help but hide the shock on my face. “Pardon me?"

  "Yes, ma'am,” he replied. “The Chithula has been awaiting your arrival."

  I felt a ball of snakes begin to writhe in my guts. Still, all things considered, I shouldn't be too surprised. This was the Chithula we were talking about. I heard a thunderous squeak as the gates ahead of the coupe started to open.

  "Do not deviate from the path,” the guard instructed. “Another guard will meet you at the entrance.” He stepped back from my car and nodded. “Have a good evening, ma'am."

  I wasn't sure if that was an actual sanction, or a warning. Shifting the car back into drive, I gave it a bit of gas and we slowly started into the compound. In the rearview mirror I could see the massive gates closing behind us. I could feel the sizzle of bile creeping up my throat as my worries became deeper. I glanced down at the digital clock on the stereo face. Only a few hours from dawn, we weren't going to make it back to Vegas tonight. I leveled my eyes out the windshield. Forget worrying about sleeping in the trunk, I didn't want to stay here during daylight.

  The mission's roof reached high into the night sky, the crucifix long since removed from the steeple. Its drab, brown sides matched the desert. To the left of the entrance, I spotted what looked like a used car lot containing some of the most expensive cars I had ever seen. I wondered why the Chithula would have such lavish vehicles and keep the road to the compound in such a bad state of disrepair. As we pulled up to the entrance, Toby turned and shot me a worried glance as if to say, We don't have to do this. But it was already too late for that. We couldn't simply turn around and leave, especially since the Chithula was somehow expecting us. To say the least, it would be insulting and they didn't take disrespect lightly. I knew the odds were good we weren't going to make it out of here alive anyway, but we were already staring down the monster's gullet. We had no choice but to move forward now.

  A guard moved quickly down the front steps and around to my side of the coupe. With his weapon slung over his shoulder, he reached down and opened my door. Shifting the transmission back into park, I unbuckled my seatbelt and slipped out. Toby and Karl followed suit.

  "Ma'am,” the guard greeted me exactly as the other had, “if you and your companions will follow me, Chithula is waiting."

  I nodded for him to lead the way.

  As we moved up the stairs, Toby was on my heels. “I don't like this."

  "What would you like?” I asked in a hushed tone.

  "I don't know,” Karl chimed in. “They seem very friendly. If you ignore the automatic weapons in their hands, I mean.” The little Goblin stopped in front of a guard standing motionless next to the front door. Snapping his small frame rigid, his face became very serious as he saluted. “Semper fi, Marine."

  "Hoorah,” the guard barked without changing his facial expression.

  Toby cocked an eyebrow at the Goblin. “How did you know he was a Marine?"

  Karl shrugged. “Just looked badass. Took a guess."

  The Goblin was going to get us killed. “Come along, Karl."

  The Goblin snickered and rushed to my side. “That was fun."

  I shook my head. “Karl, you're an idiot."

  The guards on either side of the massive double doors reached in and slowly pulled them open. As my eyes adjusted to the light pouring out of the doors, I wondered if this was what the Taj Mahal looked like inside. Clearly reflecting the Chithula's Arabian and Persian heritage, the interior of the mission had been completely gutted and redecorated. Marble stretched along the floors while tall arches dominated the walls and doors. It was beautiful. As the guard escorted us through the main hall, I couldn't help but notice how immense this place looked. From the outside, it seemed it would be much smaller inside. The power of the Chithula was on full display here. Noting the gold etching on the vaguely Roman designs, I knew I wouldn't mind living in a palace like this. Yet there was a staleness to the air. This place was lifeless. Not actually constructed by living beings, it felt dead.

  We stopped before another set of equally massive and impressive doors. This time however, the doors weren't constructed of wood. Seeming somehow created out of pure gold, the doors glistened in the light. Their polished surface was extraordinarily exquisite. This would have marked a good time to check my hair and makeup before meeting the Chithula ... if I could see my reflection.

  "Please step back,” the guard instructed.

  His two fellow guards moved to the center of the gold doors and grabbed onto the handles. Throwing their entire body weight into it, they started to move the doors slowly. I had expected a deafening roar from the hinges, but as they opened, they were completely silent despite their immense weight. It made sense though. The Chithula would only have the finest things.

  As the golden doors opened, I saw into the main audience chamber. Never having been this far before, I craned my head to see inside. During my last meeting with the Chithula, a high-ranking official had met me just inside the front entrance. A routine case involving a wayward Werewolf, the creature had sought asylum within the Chithula's walls. It was my job to retrieve the wolf, so I asked if they would release it into my custody. I was told no on the spot and sent on my way.

  After coming to the Chithula, the wolf seemed to vanish completely off the face of the Earth. It seemed their protection was all-encompassing. So much so that the beings in their charge were never heard from again. No one, and I mean no living soul anywhere, ever spotted the wolf after that day. When I couldn't retrieve him, his name was added to the global Brimstone database in case he skipped the country. To this day, the wolf hadn't been captured or surveiled. Anywhere.

  Which was odd about Vlad. If he was indeed in the Chithula's protection, why did I find him loitering in a bar? And how did a Vampire like Vlad come into the protection of such a powerful organization in the first place? These were just some of the questions I had for the Chithula, assuming he didn't kill us on the spot.

  The audience chamber was slightly less opulent than the main hall but no less impressive. The dominant color was again white marble, yet there seemed to be less of it. A thick, black rug ran from the mouth of the room to an elevated platform at the rear. Inhumans of all shapes, sizes, and breeds lounged in lavish furniture against the walls. All dressed in the finest fabrics and the most modern styles, this was the Chithula's court. These Inhumans worshiped, and obeyed. Nothing more. They chattered as if their lives meant something not realizing it was all a façade created by the Chithula. He wanted people to rule, and these Inhumans came willingly.

  I saw him then. Walking out of a large door at the rear of the platform, he was magnificent and awe-inspiring. He was Chithula, one of the most powerful Ifrit on this plane of existence. He was completely engulfed by flame, making his hulking outline appear only as a black shadow beneath it. His head had two long curved horns that swept forward from his temples and terminated near his jaw. His eyes appeared as two glowing coals in his eye sockets while his mouth was wide and filled with angry, jagged teeth. His powerful arms hung almost to his knees, while his massive hands looked as if they could crush me with little effort.

  "Did anyone bring marshmallows?” Karl asked under his breath.

  I reached down and smacked the Goblin across the back of his head. “Shut it, Karl. One more outburst like that and we'll be roasting you over the fire.” I let my eyes gloss over black and showed my fangs. “I hear Goblin is an acquired taste, but I'm very open-minded."

  As Toby chuckled softly under his breath, Karl shrank back from me f
or the first time since we met. I returned my attention to Chithula.

  Ifrit, one of the three classes of the Demon species known as Jinn, were powerful creatures of fire supposedly created by Allah Himself. Often malevolent, they felt they were better than all other creations because of their elemental nature. The Jinn were first written of in the Arabic world and even made an appearance in the holy Qur'an. Jinn—composed of the Maryut, Ifrit, and Shaitan—were a robust species whose power had never been truly charted. Often confused for Genies, there was an old maxim that helped explain: Not all Jinn are Genies, and not all Genies are Jinn.

  An Ifrit can appear however it wants, but Chithula found it distasteful to masquerade as a human. He looked poorly on any species that disregarded its own heritage and tried to steal the human's. Chithula was less racist than most Ifrit, but his hatred was still palpable.

  Moving to the front of the platform, the Ifrit stood staring expectantly at the three of us. “Approach,” Chithula commanded. When it spoke, it sounded like several voices of different intonations all speaking together. He clasped his hands behind his back and waited.

  Toby, Karl, and I walked quickly along the black rug all the while being watched by several guards. It seemed the guards were pointless as the Ifrit could easily kill the three of us, but I knew it was a power thing. They were there to enforce Chithula's will when he could not be. We stopped several paces short of the bottom of the stairs and bowed our heads in respect.

  "Rose Webb,” Chithula spoke slowly drawing out the dual syllables of my name, “I am honored you grace my court."

  I couldn't help but look confused.

  "You have made quite a name for yourself as a Seeker,” Chithula explained. “I have been very pleased with your performance."

  "Thank you,” I said finally, still rather confused.

  The Ifrit's burning eyes seemed to stare right into me. “You should have come to me much sooner."

  My mouth was dry. I could feel the heat rolling off Chithula as if I were standing too close to a campfire. “You know why we're here?"