He didn’t wait for her to answer. “Be careful on the ladder,” he said. “Garen will go down first and wait for you. I’ll follow.”
—
The metal ladder was painfully cold. The closer she got to the bottom the shakier she felt, as if she had pounded several cups of coffee. When she closed her eyes to steady herself a kaleidoscope of colors and patterns filled her vision. What the hell was happening to her brain?
The area at the bottom was small, just enough room for a handful of people to stand, and the rocky floor was uneven. Two utility lights hung from hooks in the wall, and a string of bulbs vanished into a tunnel behind them. In front of them was the curtain of plastic slats. Thick wires and plastic tubes running down from above disappeared beneath the curtain.
Regardie stepped off the ladder. He tapped out his pipe on a nearby rock and waited for the final guard to descend. “We’ve just traveled forty thousand years in that climb. When this cave was discovered, no one believed the archaeologists when they said they found evidence of human habitation. And then this chamber was discovered and, well…” His smiled broadened. “Why don’t you step inside and see for yourself.”
Ellen parted the curtain and stepped inside.
Marlo was sitting in a chair, her head slumped against her chest. Another woman stood next to her, back toward them. In the center of the room was something terrible, the source of all the wild energy. A sphere, blacker than anything she had ever seen, yet smooth and polished and reflective. It was half embedded in a pool of what looked like silver paint.
The other woman pulled back her fur-lined hood. “Ellen. Thanks for coming on such short notice.”
Lily’s smile, toothy and scarlet-lipped, was as repugnant as Ellen remembered. Her red hair was pulled back, accenting the sharp angles of her pale face. And the eyes—so strangely large, and capable of fixing you in place like the stare of a cobra.
Ellen turned to Marlo. “What have you done to her?”
“I gave her something she really wanted. Poor thing has been suffering. Did you know she has a bit of a problem with opiates? Nearly OD’d twice. Her father found her with a syringe in her arm before he sent her to us.”
Ellen’s fists clenched at her sides. The guards, as if sensing her anger, stepped closer. Regardie walked past them toward Lily. “Mother,” he said, bowing his head. That’s what Crawford had called her, too.
“Doctor, please have your guards restrain our dear guest, if you would.”
Ellen knew better than to resist, especially seeing the icy eyes of the tallest guard. He took her to a chair a few feet away from Marlo’s, pulled a set of handcuffs from his belt, and cuffed Ellen to one of the rungs of the chair, her arms twisted behind her back. She flinched as the cuffs dug into her wrists.
Lily waved them all away. “Please step outside. All of you. I want to speak to Ellen alone.”
Regardie seemed startled. He stopped in his tracks and blinked. “Yes. Certainly, Mother.” He followed the guards through the curtain.
Ellen found her eyes drifting to the strange sphere. There were clouds, or tendrils of smoke, swirling under the glassy exterior. Her body thrummed. It wasn’t entirely unpleasant, either. Something about the sensation was like the buildup to an orgasm—that mounting toward an inevitable release.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Lily asked. She walked to Marlo’s chair and ran her fingers through the young woman’s hair. “So ancient, too. Older than the earth itself.”
“What is it?” Ellen asked.
“It’s a gift. A present. Don’t you love presents, Ellen? Would you like to watch me open it?” Lily clapped her hands.
“Why are we here?” Ellen asked, hating the way her voice cracked.
Lily circled her. “I think you’re well aware of that. Trying to escape was bad enough, but killing one of my security team? I give you an A-plus for creativity, but the little whore biting off the man’s cock was a bit over the top. Such unnecessary violence requires punishment, don’t you think?”
Ellen didn’t answer. Her eyes kept returning to the ancient object. It wanted her to look at it. She imagined if she could somehow touch it, or peer inside it, she would learn all sorts of secrets. Maybe even how to escape.
Lily stepped behind Marlo again. The young woman was breathing slightly, her eyes partly opened, lower lip wet with drool. “So I gave the poor girl what she wanted most. Junkies are so easy to persuade.” She stooped and gazed into Marlo’s blank eyes. “She’s lovely, isn’t she?” Lily asked. “But such a troubled thing, unfortunately. And now that her father is gone, well, there’s really not much reason to keep her here, especially after her recent behavior. It might be better if she finally found her peace.”
Ellen tensed. “No,” she said.
Lily shook her head. “All that note-passing you two were doing was cute. And the exercising”—she squeezed Marlo’s arm—“such seriously ripped babes! What admirable discipline and dedication! And to think I always considered you rather soft.”
Ellen couldn’t hold back anymore. “You fucking bitch.”
Lily laughed. “Spunky as ever! No wonder Ray was so drawn to you. I really didn’t get it at first. Picking you over me? But having watched you for all these months, I understand it now. There’s far more to you than meets the eye.”
Ellen pulled at the cuffs and winced as the metal bit into her skin.
“So Marlo has worn out her welcome. But I still need you,” Lily continued. “William is doing amazing work for me. He is gifted on so many levels. He just went straight to the top of his class. But he misses his mommy so much.” She frowned and stuck out her lower lip. “So Mommy needs to stick around. At least for a little bit longer.” She stepped in front of Marlo and lifted the chin of the unconscious woman. “But this pretty thing? She’s served her purpose. Her daddy’s gone, and there’s no one else to take care of her. And we can’t have her hurting anyone else.”
Ellen’s body was shaking. This was all too much.
“Marlo,” Lily whispered.
Marlo’s lips moved silently. Her eyes twitched beneath half-closed lids.
“Marlo, dear,” Lily continued. “I know you’re really enjoying yourself right now. But you have to pay attention to me. Open your eyes. Open your eyes, Marlo.”
Marlo grunted. Her eyes remained closed.
Lily turned to Ellen and shrugged. “Junkies,” she said. Then she pulled her hand back and slapped Marlo hard across the face.
The young woman blinked. Opened her eyes.
“There we go.” Lily smiled. “Marlo, listen to me. Pay attention, okay? I want to show you something really special.” She grabbed the girl’s face and stared into her eyes. “Look into my eyes, Marlo. Look at me. There you go. Yes, look deeply into my eyes.”
“Don’t do it, Marlo,” Ellen shouted.
Lily glared. “I can make her suffer, Ellen. Suffering you can’t even imagine. And you will watch it. You will be responsible for it. So if you don’t want her to suffer, shut your fucking mouth.”
Ellen’s breath caught in her throat.
Lily turned back to Marlo. “I’m going to take off your shirt, dear. You’ll feel much better without these dirty old clothes.” Lily moved behind her and pulled Marlo’s arms over her head. She pulled off the scrub shirt and tossed it onto the floor. Marlo’s flesh broke out in goose bumps in the cold air. Lily returned to face the young girl. She wet her forefinger and thumb with her tongue and pinched a tiny, pebble-hard nipple. Marlo groaned. “Hot little thing, isn’t she? Regardie, the old goat, has been slobbering over her since she arrived. And can you blame him? She was so much fun when Crawford and I had her. A nasty little thing when she got really worked up. But, sad to say, the guard she killed will be her last bit of fun.”
Ellen closed her eyes. Dear God. She’d never been much for praying, but now it was all she had left. Dear God, please. Please don’t let this happen.
“Now, my dear. I want you stand up.
Go ahead. You can do it. I’ll help you. Just take hold of my arms. That’s it. Now stand up. Good girl.”
Marlo rose, unsteadily. Her eyes were glazed and distant.
“Now your pants. Let’s get you nice and naked.” Still holding the girl’s arm, Lily pulled down the scrubs. They piled around her ankles. “That’s better.” Lily ran a finger along her jutting hipbones and up her belly. “So pretty. No wonder your father loved you so much.”
Ellen closed her eyes again. God, please. I can’t take it. I can’t watch this.
“See that thing over there?” Lily pointed. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
Marlo’s lips moved and her head nodded, ever so slightly.
“I have some friends inside it. And they are dying to meet you. Let’s go pay them a visit, shall we?” She helped the unsteady young woman step out of her bunched scrubs. Marlo wobbled and her head rolled back. Lily grabbed her by her hair and pulled her face into hers. “No nodding off. You need to stay with me, Marlo. Now—let’s walk together. Good. That’s very good.”
Marlo’s eyes opened wider. A smile crossed her face. She blinked and her eyes focused on the black sphere. She seemed to be coming out of the narcotic state. Maybe if she awoke enough she could resist. She would understand what was happening and fight back. Ellen prayed she would. Even if the guards came in, which they would at the first hint of trouble, at least Marlo would be able to stop what was about to happen. Ellen didn’t know what that was, but she knew it was going to be horrible.
“Yes, Marlo,” Lily whispered. “It’s calling to you. You want to touch it, don’t you? It feels so good, doesn’t it? Feel it. Inside you. All over your skin. Between your legs.”
Ellen’s own body was responding. A wave of pleasure washed over her, and she instantly felt revulsion. What the hell was that thing? She ground her teeth together until they felt they would snap and pulled tightly against the cuffs to feel the pain. She needed to resist.
Marlo stepped closer. Lily was leading her by the arm now. Marlo was awake, eyes wide, her body leaning in toward the object. The vague swirlings within the sphere had quickened, forming a vortex with its open mouth facing the young woman.
Ellen gasped. Oh my God, it’s going to pull her in.
“There you go,” Lily said. Marlo leaned forward, inches away from the silver liquid at her feet, then caught herself. She blinked. Her eyes widened, and the smile disappeared from her face. A look of confusion, then her head drew back. Her gaze changed, and her eyes and mouth showed a mounting fear.
Ellen screamed. “Stop, Marlo! Don’t!”
Lily turned, smiled, and shoved Marlo with both hands.
Marlo went tumbling into the shimmering pool. It didn’t splash so much as it swallowed her, sucking her in, and she was engulfed in the silver-and-black liquid up to her breasts. Her hands went out to stop her fall and slapped onto the black sphere. Her arms and torso stuck to it instantly, as if the surface was covered in glue. She struggled to pull her head back, her neck shaking with the strain. Her eyes were wide, her mouth open, and she started to scream.
Ellen began screaming, too.
Lily watched, rapt.
Marlo started shaking, her entire body vibrating as if the object was electrified. Her mouth opened wide in a crazed grimace, and her eyes rolled back in her head.
“No, Marlo,” Ellen screamed, knowing it was too late.
Lily stood behind Marlo, her hands spreading out as if she were unfurling wings. She inhaled deeply, sucking in the wave of dark energy. Then she exhaled, and pushed forward with her arms until they were fully extended, fingertips pointed at the sphere. It felt like all the air in the room was being sucked into the black orb. A deafening buzzing, like the magnified screeching of a night insect blasted through a blown amplifier, nearly knocked Ellen senseless.
Ellen knew it was over. Marlo, poor girl, oh you poor, sad, fucked-up girl.
It took her brain a few seconds to process what happened next. Her eyes saw it first, but it didn’t make sense. A human body couldn’t do that. It was impossible. It was madness.
Marlo was gone. What was left of her body had spread across the sphere, a mass of flesh and fluids and melted bone.
Ellen broke, her sanity evaporating, chased by Lily’s screeching laughter.
Chapter 8
“Look down there,” Mantu said.
He and Ray were in the cockpit, watching the Midwest rolling out below them.
“What city is that?” Ray asked.
“Kansas City,” Burnham shouted from the controls.
“Jesus,” Ray whispered. The entire city was on fire, it seemed. Nothing but orange and yellow flames engulfed in heavy black smoke.
“Jesus has nothing to do with that,” Mantu said. “I knew things were bad on the coasts, but this—” He shook his head. “Imagine how many people are caught in that. Families. Children.”
“I don’t want to think about it,” Ray said.
Even the normally stoic Konstantin seemed shocked. Ray steadied himself on Burnham’s seat. The pilot shook his head. “This is the worst I’ve seen yet,” Burnham said. “I’m gonna have to go out of the way to get around it. This smoke is a problem.”
“Will that set us back?”
Burnham nodded. “A little. But we’ll still have enough fuel to get to Tango by sunset. Just keep your fingers crossed someone’s there to fill us up.”
Konstantin had a headphone clasped to the side of his ear. He kept turning dials and muttering.
“Is he getting anything?” Ray asked.
“Nada. There was some military chatter about an hour ago, but by the time I got on it was over. And honestly, military chatter makes me nervous.”
“Why’s that?” Ray asked.
Burnham looked at him as if he was stupid. “We’re in a giant Russian aircraft, Ray, remember? If there are any Air Force guys fooling around up here and looking for something to shoot down, we might as well have a big red target painted on us.”
“Well, then, I don’t want to think about that, either,” Ray said.
“Good—don’t. Because the extra crap-ton of extra fuel we’re carrying makes us a gas can with rotors.”
“You think America’s finest would shoot us down without warning?” Mantu asked.
Burnham shrugged. “From what I understand, the military is pretty much a free-for-all anyway. There’s no central command anymore—hasn’t been for months. The brass are all hiding underground or hunkered down far away from the States, and I don’t see any reason why they’d want to come back to this. You said you were a teacher, right, Ray? Do you read much history?”
Ray shook his head. “Not as much as I should have. I taught U.S. history for a year. But that was very basic stuff.”
“Well, I read a lot. I know what happens when empires fall apart, and it’s no different now. Doesn’t matter if it’s Rome or Egypt or the Mayans, it’s always the same. Stuff hits the fan, as they say.”
“You say stuff,” Mantu interjected. “Everyone else says shit.”
Burnham ignored him. “After the initial breakdown and chaos you get gang leaders popping up. I think we’ve probably hit the warlord stage by now. People get scared and start looking for protection, and whoever has the biggest ego and the most weapons generally rises to big chief. My guess is when our boys and girls in uniform discovered their chain of command no longer existed, more than a few of them decided to grab all the weapons they could and become king of the mountain. And all those doomsday preppers with basements full of guns? They’ve been waiting for this.”
“What about the rest of the world? Same deal?”
“Europe is a mess. Russia, China, the Middle East, too—when the collapse hit, it took everyone down because everything in the world is so connected. The coordination of the attacks was incredible.”
Mantu nodded. “The bombs hit everywhere within a few days. Then the assassinations. Governments were caught with their pants down. No one knew
who to attack because everyone was under attack, and it’s a wonder some idiot didn’t decide to go full-scale nuclear. We wouldn’t be having this discussion if that was the case.”
Ray stared out the window. “So they did this? Lily and her organization?”
Claire sighed. “Yes. But not always directly.”
Ray said, “I don’t understand.”
“It’s complicated,” Claire said. “If we had hours I could probably explain. Their operation—the Black Brotherhood, as some call them—is incredibly complex. They work, like we do, on numerous levels, both physical and spiritual. On a very basic level, they infiltrated positions of power with techniques as old as time—intimidation, blackmail, murder, and torture.”
Ray nodded. “Yeah, I’ve had a taste of that.”
“But there is a higher level, too. An inversion of what we call the Great Work. This planet has been a playground for discarnate forces and beings since human consciousness emerged. Higher consciousness is like a bright light, and it attracts all sorts of entities.”
“Like moths,” Mantu added. “We’re porch lights.”
“Yes. And over the course of human evolution, certain gifted persons learned to interact with them. Knowledge was passed to those people. Such is the origin of religion and the technologies of magic.”
“But the Black Brotherhood played with the bad guys,” Ray said.
“To put it very simply, yes,” Claire answered. “But it’s not always good guys and bad guys, or black versus white. Like humans, the entities of the inner realms are a mixed bag—with their own desires and motivations. They can be manipulative as well as helpful, hateful as well as kind.”
“Micah always used to say they had their own agenda,” Mantu added. “So we had to be careful who we aligned ourselves with because they’re tricky. The beings Lily and her predecessors deal with are the nasty fuckers. They get off on consuming human energy, which is why they always demanded sacrifices from their priests. Like Moloch and the gods of the Aztecs and the Mayans, and whatever being infected the Nazis.”
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