by Daniel Caet
“You are surrounded! Deliver the weapons and I promise that we will respect your lives! Otherwise you will die right here.”
“Walter Scheck!” shouted Liliath in response. “I can recognise your pig’s voice from miles away. Your word is as reliable as that of your master Himmler, damn dog!”
“You have always had too big of a mouth, Mrs. Von Lauer, I will have to sew it up unless you show me that you know how to use it for anything other than putting you in trouble,” the man replied, causing his soldiers to laugh. In the absence of a response from Liliath, the man changed his tone. “I'm afraid my patience is over. Ahead!” he ordered his men.
Suddenly, just at the moment when the soldiers were preparing to pull the triggers of their weapons a beam of light traveled through the square, jumping from soldier to soldier with a speed that did not allow to see what it was. When the light had reached the other end of the square, Becca saw that the only thing left on the ground was the bodies of the soldiers separated from their heads. Becca turned her eyes to Walter and saw how his face was dislocated and full of terror. A second later, a bullet fired by Liliath's companion, taking advantage of his surprise, pierced his skull, causing the body to fall to the ground with a thud. Immediately, the man came out from behind the truck and entered the square, his eyes clearly reflecting that he could not understand what had happened and turned to look at the place where Liliath was, but she had been much faster and was in front of him. With her hand she touched his forehead and the man fell to the ground unconscious. Liliath, far from worrying about him, turned with her fists clenched in a clear state of tension and uttering a single word made a dense fog fall across the entire square.
“Get out of wherever you are, damn son of a bitch!” she said and the sound was muffled by the fog.
“I guess that's your way of saying ‘thank you’!” Helel's voice rang in the square and Becca turned to see if the man next to him was who spoke, but his lips were closed and he smiled at him. Suddenly, a dark figure materialised in front of Liliath. That man and the one next to her were the same person, it didn't even seem that time had passed. The same constitution, the same intense green eyes and even the same dark clothes.
“Get out of my sight, Helel or I swear I'll kill you damn bastard!”
“Come on, Liliath. You really haven't forgiven me for what happened to that bastard of yours? I thought that by now you would have turned the page,” Helel replied with a sneer and almost at the same instant, flames of an intensity like Becca had never seen materialised around Helel threatening to devour his body. However, without barely flinching, Helel walked among them and moved closer to Liliath. “Your powers have grown, it is evident, you have learned to use the fire of hell. But this would serve you with demons, not with me. My power has also grown, Liliath. We have both changed.”
“For me, you're still the same murderer you've always been,” said the defiant woman.
“In any case, I'm what you and others turned me into. And let me remind you that this murderer has just saved your life.”
“I had everything perfectly under control, I don't need you at all.”
“Under control? You couldn't even use your power to not reveal your true nature. Nature to which you have renounced more and more since you decided to start acting as a sister of mercy.”
“Of course, that is incomprehensible to you. The concept of risking your life for others does not fit in your schemes, does it, Helel?”
“Not when that means putting your own life at risk. How many shipments of these poor unfortunates have you taken to Switzerland this year? Ten? Twelve? All of them at the risk of your own life and, for what? Do you think you are making a difference? You're barely saving a couple of mice, but the snake is still alive and, you know what? There are more mice where you got these from.”
“At least I try to do something to stop this extermination. For you, sitting on your throne of the underworld, these people may mean nothing, but for men these are very dark times. The force that is unfolding across the planet is not accidental. Hitler is nothing more than a puppet and his master is much more powerful and obscure than he seems. That is the power I try to stop, even if you can't understand it!”
“Oh please. Do you think I don't know that it is my brothers who are behind all this? But if you truly believe that saving a few children you harm them, it is you who have become blind and ignorant. The snake has left its lethargy and is not going to settle for your little mice.”
“What do you mean?”
“For centuries the archangels have limited themselves to managing the world of men in the shadow, passively if you prefer. The kingdoms and religions have come and gone as they please, but they have never manifested themselves publicly, they have never revealed their face. They have been content with the status quo as far as I have allowed, of course. But in the last few years something has changed, there are rumours in the underworld, rumours about a new leader, one who does not want to be hidden much more. A leader who desires absolute control, not only over men, but also over the rest of the creatures. A leader who wants to take over hell. Michael already suggested something similar when I got rid of him, but this time this new leader has got to work and has already begun to take the necessary steps to do so. First, with the advance of the Nazi movement conceived to subject all humanity to their will. And a few months ago in my own house. We found the bodies of three of my generals, chiefs of the most powerful demon houses, in three different entrances to hell. All of them without head. Only I could have done better.”
“A very convenient way of saying that he does not only know how to find you, but that he has the power to cause you trouble.”
“Something like that.”
“And, apart from making me happy that someone makes you suffer at last, what does all this have to do with me?”
“We have the same enemy. Your new sister of mercy’s alter ego is threatened by these uniformed puppets and those are led by the same person who now threatens my kingdom. I come to offer you a deal.”
“A deal? Are you coming to offer me a deal? Do you dare to approach me asking for help after what you did to my son?”
“Oh, please! I can't change what I did, but I wouldn't do it either. You also know I had no alternative.”
“Yes, you did,” Liliath shouted angrily. “Respecting what you promised me, damn bastard.”
“You can call me what you want, but you know perfectly well that if I had left your son alive, we would probably both be dead.”
“It is not true! My son was not a threat to you.”
"No, he was to you!” Helel snapped and left Liliath confused. “I could read that woman's mind, Liliath, her next step was to kill you, but it must be your son who did it, that was the price to pay to become God, do you understand? I ... I couldn't allow it. I'm sorry.”
Liliath didn't answer, she didn't even know what to say. Inside, an avalanche of newly found emotions just collided, generating an immense noise that prevented her from thinking.
“It doesn't matter, that's past tense and neither you nor I can change anything that happened,” Helel continued, changing the subject just like that. “My proposal is simple. I am willing to guarantee your safety on the way to Switzerland, for this and as many mice loads as you can organise, you know I have plenty of resources for it. In return I only ask for one thing. Your help to get to the snake's head. Once I get to that being, I will take care of getting rid of him and we will all be free to continue with our affairs and you will never see me again.”
“Even if I wanted to do it, what makes you believe that I can help you?”
“I have been able to trace the energy that ended my generals to a very specific place in Germany, Wewelsburg Castle.”
“Oh no! No way, I know where you are going and you can forget about it,” Liliath replied, jumping as if she had realised something relevant at that moment.
“Don't be illogical, Liliath. Do you care about that man so muc
h?”
“That man is my husband and I care that he is well and has a quiet life because he is a good man.”
“Your hubby helped Hermann Bartels redesign part of that castle for Himmler, that self-centered maniac!”
"A library, that was the only thing he designed and it was several years ago,” Liliath replied clearly defensively.
“Whatever, but your dear Heinrich knows that building better than many and I need to find a way in. The castle is protected by a barrier that prevents me from crossing it to materialise inside, I have to enter as any other human and, as you will understand, I cannot do it through the door just like that.”
“I don't care what you tell me, I'm not going to involve Heinrich, I've caused enough pain.”
“I have no doubt that he will forgive you and will move on with his life. But if you don't help me, there is probably no life of any kind for him, for your mice, for you or for me.”
Those words discoloured Liliath evidently and she didn't say a word for at least a couple of minutes.
“What will it be then? Will you help me?” Helel couldn't bear the silence anymore.
“I will help you, I will do it for the good of the world,” Liliath finally said, "but after this I never want to see you again, have I been clear enough?”
“Crystal clear! Very well, in that case I let you follow your trip. Fear not, you will not find more soldiers the rest of the way, I will take care of it. See you in Berlin in a week.” And with that phrase he disappeared from the place without a trace.
Becca wanted to know how the story continued, she wanted to know if her mother had managed to get to Switzerland and put those children and women in the truck to safety, if Helel had fulfilled her promise to help her, but the scene around her vanished in smoke and Helel's hand grabbed her arm slightly.
“Hold on, let's take a leap!”
“A leap to where?”
“A week later. To Berlin.”
An instant later Becca found herself in the middle of a street full of people with cars and trucks that circulated in both directions and a radiant sun that, although it illuminated everything, could hardly mitigate the cold. In the center of the street, highlighting above all else there was a huge building with a name on the front that Becca could decipher as an opera house. Helel took her arm again to turn her around, directing her gaze to one of the corners of one of the closest buildings. There was her mother, dressed in a tight tube skirt and a blouse of pure white colour, covered with an open fur coat and a kind of beret-like headdress, all in brown tones. The leather gloves that covered her hands made her look like a Hollywood actress and Becca couldn't help but recognise that she was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen along with her aunt Sadith. A pinch of envy made her wonder why she had not been able to inherit that part of the family genes, but while trying to disregard that thought as useless a figure appeared behind Liliath who was not surprised at all. It was Helel.
“You're late.”
“I always arrive when I must arrive.”
“Let it be, I'm not in the mood for your nonsense. Come on!” she said and prepared to cross the street. Helel followed her, and Becca and her own version of Helel did the same. Liliath went swiftly to an imposingly large house that was located at the back of the opera building. Without hesitation she crossed the gate and went to the entrance of the house where a beer-like blond girl, dressed in service clothes was busy cleaning the many golden fittings on the door. When the girl saw her arrive, it was as if the devil himself had appeared.
“Frau Von Lauer!” said the girl and only stopped to prescribe herself.
“Hello Greta, is my husband at home? Well, it doesn't matter, I'll check it out."
“But Frau Von Lauer, it can't be, I beg you, this is not right! You can't enter here just like that!” the girl protested unsuccessfully as Liliath pushed the door and made her way inside and up the stairs to the second floor.
“Sometimes I love how you do things,” Helel laughed following her.
Liliath headed straight for one of the rooms and, pushing without contemplation the double doors that stood in her way, entered the room causing cries of protest from those inside. What Liliath and everyone else found caught Becca by surprise. In the room there was a large bed and in it three women and a man, all of them completely naked engaged in some kind of sexual game that involved introducing something through the man’s ass, which made Becca blush slightly.
“Hello Heinrich!” Liliath said lightly to the thin little man that looked at her with a drawn face from the bed.
“Mar ... Martha? What are you doing here? Who has let you in?”
"You better send your little sluts to have coffee in the kitchen, I need to talk to you. Then you can continue with whatever you are doing.”
The man said something to the women in German and they got out of bed in all their nakedness and began to look for their clothes around the room to immediately leave. The man, on the other hand, threw a silk gown over and faced Liliath.
“Get out of here, I think I was clear enough, I didn't want to see you again! It was you who decided to leave, so at least respect my pain. Get out of here!”
“Well, it didn't seem like the fun you were having was anything like pain,” Helel snapped wryly and clearly amused by the situation.
“Helel, don't mess, you're not helping!”
“Who is this bastard?”
“Hi, I'm Helel and I need your help!” Helel replied with a sneer, provoking an even greater anger in the man who came out the door of the room, calling for service to throw them out of the house.
“Heinrich, that's all right, ignore Helel, he's always been a jerk. I need to talk to you, I beg you.”
“Talk?” replied the man, turning to face her. “How many times did I ask you to talk? How many times I begged you to fix the problems of our relationship that only you saw? But you refused completely, and you just left me here like a dog. Find yourself another one who wants to chat with you because I'm not going to do it.”
“Heinrich, I need to get into Wewelsburg,” Liliath snapped, making him stop dead and stare at her.
“I don't know what you are up to, Martha,, but you have no idea what you're saying. That place is cursed, horrible things happen there, inexplicable things. If you want to keep your life, do not even think about getting close and do not think that I am going to help you to enter if that is what comes to your mind.”
“Yes, that is exactly what I am thinking. Heinrich, I know you hate me, that the pain I have caused you goes beyond all that is forgivable, but, I beg you, if we want to enter Wewelsburg, it is for good reason, a noble reason.”
“We?” asked the man even more surprised.
“Yes, Helel and I,” Liliath replied cautiously.
“I think we have not had the chance to introduce ourselves formally. As I said before, my name is Helel and I am your wife's husband,” Helel held out his hand to the man's horror.
“Husband? But we are still married! What kind of woman are you?” shouted the man running down the stairs.
“Actually, I married her first,” Helel shouted, enjoying his amusement and making things look even worse.
“Helel, stop it!” Liliath shouted as she ran downstairs behind the man. “Heinrich, wait, please!”
The man openly ignored her and went through the double doors of one of the rooms on the lower floor that gave access to an office with shelved walls full of books. He began to search frantically in the desk drawer until his hands hit a gun that immediately pointed at Liliath. ‘Heinrich, put the gun down, you know perfectly well that you don't want to do this,” Liliath said with absolute coldness.
“Of course I want, in fact I should have done it a long time ago! It has taken me a long time to understand it, but this is the only way to get rid of you, to escape from this curse.”
“Well, enough with the drama,” Liliath replied and the man immediately let out a shriek and dropped the red-hot gun tha
t hit the ground with a metallic noise.
“But, who are you?” the man, visibly frightened, dropped on the couch behind the desk as if trying to get away from Liliath as much as possible.
“Believe me, you better not know. The only important thing is that you understand that I do not intend to harm you, in fact the only thing I want is your safety and, as far as I can, your happiness. But you know perfectly well that, as long as Hitler's threat and his spider continue to exist, no one will be safe. You told me yourself many times, remember? What has changed?”
“What has changed is that this war is too big for men like me, men without influence and without power and who, despite everything, have to live in this world that they control. Call me a coward if you want, but I want to live. Are you able to understand that?”
“Of course I understand, Heinrich, and believe me that I do not judge you, but I have made my decision to face this death and hate machine with everything I have and the only thing I am asking is that you help me, help us. I don't need you to fight this battle for me, Heinrich, just help me win it.”
Liliath's words seemed to take effect and calm the man who relaxed his posture on the couch. For a moment he said nothing, he didn't even look at Liliath, he just looked at a photograph of an older man who was on the desk.
“My father and I never understood each other, you know?” he said finally. “And after the death of my mother the thing only got worse, we became two strangers. He became a bitter old man who liked to spend the day among whores and I transformed into a bitter young man who preferred books. I always criticised him for considering him a vicious and a degenerated man, until it was I who discovered the whores, of course,” he snapped smiling cynically. “And yet, there was one thing I always admired about him. Nothing, absolutely nothing was above his principles, not even the family. If he considered that something should be in a certain way, he clung to it until its final consequences, even if that implied a loss for him. If he were here, he would slap me for my lack of blood and courage to rise against that monster of Hitler and tell him that Germany is not what he intends to do with it. I guess, like the whores, some defects are inheritable, right? Tell me what you need.”
