by Michael Todd
Katie put up her hand, and Korbin helped her sit up. Pandora finished repairing the last of her internal issues and stepped out of Katie’s body. She sat next to Katie and took a deep breath. They listened to Korbin and Timothy talk about how badass the three of them were. Timothy smacked his lips. “And you totally did the Hulk smash, Thor hammer, blast off. You pushed that bitch a foot or two into the ground. It was fucking amazing.”
Korbin shook his head. “And whatever the two of you did by holding hands, that was badass too. We were all blinded by the light. We couldn’t see what happened. How did you know that would work?”
Katie pointed at Pandora, who shrugged. “It was a gut feeling. I don’t usually listen to them, but it worked out this time. I knew angels could produce energy. I just took it to the next level. We exorcised the bitch.”
Katie looked at Timothy. “How is everything reading now? Did that get rid of the issue?”
Timothy grabbed his tablet and punched a bunch of keys. After a moment he showed them a map of the town. “Not only is it not showing an incursion, there isn’t a single demon within a thousand miles. The red is all gone. The little specks of red are us standing here. You did good, dudes, really good.”
Katie let out a deep breath. “Good, because I don’t think I have it in me to go back in there again. At least not yet. Fighting her was one of the hardest things I’ve done. I would have died if Pandora and Juntto hadn’t been there. When she got me in the side, I figured I was a goner.”
Pandora scoffed. “I don’t know if I have it in me to walk again. How are you doing, Juntto?”
Juntto grunted as he shrank back into Khal Drogo. “Good. I have a stiff neck, but other than that I could run a marathon.”
Pandora and Katie looked at him. “We have mortal wounds, and you have a stiff neck. This is so unfair.”
Korbin laughed and pulled Katie up to her feet. “We need to get you home. I think I am going to send Timothy back with you too. It’s too dangerous out here for a non-infected.”
Timothy closed his eyes and whispered loud enough for everyone to hear him, “Yes, thank God.”
Katie nodded. “I think that might be a wise choice. Maybe once Juntto and I are rested and better we can help you finish this job for the general.”
Korbin gave Pandora a hand to her feet. “That would be awesome. Until then, please keep your feet on the ground.”
Katie laughed. She turned to Pandora. “Shortcut?”
Pandora yawned and stepped forward, swiping her hands to open a portal. Nothing happened. She frowned and took a wider stance, slashing her hand in front of her again. There was a slight flicker, but it quickly faded away. “Goddammit, work.”
She waved her hands over and over, trying to open up a portal to hell, but nothing she did worked. Finally, she gave up. “I don’t know what’s going on. I guess my demonic powers are running a little low.”
Katie gave her a serious look. “Okay, well, you just went through something seriously draining. There’s a really good chance your body just needs to rest.”
Pandora took a deep breath and looked down at her hands. She didn’t want to say it out loud, but she couldn’t help but wonder. Was this a result of battling Sasha or was it something else? She looked at Korbin briefly. He could tell she wasn’t as confident as Katie was.
Timothy clapped his hands. “No big deal. I can’t take the shortcut, so we have a chopper coming in ten. We can all ride together on the jet! It’ll be like old times.”
Pandora glanced at Katie as they followed Timothy and Juntto to the helo area. “I blame you for all this.”
Katie scoffed. “Why? I didn’t have anything to do with you being too weak.”
“You wouldn’t let me out.”
“If I had, I would have been dead by now.”
Timothy walked over to the girls. “Um, the chopper can only hold three of us.”
Katie and Timothy stared at Pandora, who snapped her fingers and snarled, “Fine, I’ll go back in my cage.”
Katie rolled her eyes. “So damn dramatic.”
“One day I will rise up against my oppressors.”
“I feed you dozens of donuts a week. You’re so oppressed.”
25
The SUV pulled in front of Katie’s condo in New York, and she let out a sigh of relief. She was finally home. Everyone climbed out of the car into a flurry of camera flashes from the mass of reporters waiting outside. Timothy was on his way to Las Vegas, but the rest of them were home. Two police officers held the crowd back as they walked through. Most of them cheered Katie, praising her and the others for their work, but, as usual, there were a few who wished Pandora would go back to hell. Normally Katie would snarl or flash red eyes to scare them, but tonight all she wanted was quiet.
They were exhausted. When they got to the top floor, Angie opened the door and jumped into Juntto’s arms. “Oh, I like this look. I knew you liked Game of Thrones.”
Juntto shrugged. “I like the Lannisters. They are ruthless.”
Katie chuckled as she gave Angie a hug. “What are you guys going to do?”
Angie shook her head. “What do you want to do?”
Juntto rubbed his hands together with excitement. “I want to play video games. I need to get really good, because I heard about the most awesome thing.”
“What’s that?”
Juntto put his hands on his sides. “Video game competitions. Seriously, you can play against other people and win money and fame, but most importantly, a title.”
Katie burst out laughing. “Wow, this shit is getting serious.”
Angie forced a smile. “I mean, if that’s what you want to do, I’m behind you. Of course, you will have to get good enough to at least beat me.”
Juntto narrowed his eyes at Angie and turned to Katie. “I figured since I am already really good at it, why not get even better? I could conquer the entire video game world? I want to play against Kurtis Ling, Clement Ivanov, and maybe even learn DOTA 2 and work my way up to challenging Saahil Aurora. He is the champion of the world in that game. Apparently, he makes a shit-ton of money, too.”
Katie shook her head. “I don’t understand. You literally live a life where you have powers like a video game character and go out and fight battles like you’re in a video game, but you do it all so you can come home and play video games?”
Juntto nodded. “Yeah, exactly.”
Angie laughed and patted him on the arm, moving him across the hall to his room. “Come on, honey, let’s get you cleaned up and plugged in. I think Katie could use some time to herself. A little quiet time away from you.”
Angie winked at Katie and pushed him into his condo. Katie chuckled to herself as she opened her own door. She tossed her keys in the bowl Angie had put beside the door. She walked into her room and undressed, looking at the dried blood on her side. There was no scar or even a red mark to show where she had been stabbed.
Katie was impressed. You do good work, Pandora.
Pandora yawned. I know. You owe me two dozen donuts.
I think you earned them. Maybe this time you can come out of me and eat your own donuts.
Pandora got excited. That would be awesome, but wait. Then I am taking on the negative health effects. You know what, I’ll stick with enjoying them through you.
Katie snorted shaking her head. Gee, thanks, but next time I get laid, you’re waiting in the hallway.
Pandora gasped. How dare you?
Katie laughed and called Brock. He picked up his phone on the second ring. “Well, if it isn’t the giant spider-killer. Let me tell you, you really amped up the morale in this building.”
Katie smiled. “I’m glad. So the guys got to see her die?”
Brock laughed. “Oh, yeah. They replayed that shit over and over. From the spear through the heart all the way to her head coming to a stop in the courtyard. I think just seeing that will help them heal a little faster. How are you, though? I saw that nasty stab you got.”
Katie sighed. “It hurt like a bitch, and I lost a bunch of blood. It was special metal, but luckily Pandora was out of me for the initial blow. Then she came in and healed me in no time. So, how do you like it in the armory?”
Brock let out a deep breath. “I really like being stationed in one place. This is the first time it’s happened in my entire military career. And it already feels like home. It is a little quiet without you here, though.”
Katie smiled to herself. “I’ll be back soon. Oh, and I got your sword back.”
Brock perked up. “That’s awesome. I was really pissed that she had taken it from me.”
Katie shook her head. “She didn’t want to give it back, either. I’ll bring it to you in person.”
“That sounds perfect. Hey, I am about to walk into a security meeting. Can I call you back in a bit?”
Katie yawned. “Yep, you sure can. I may be asleep, but if not I will answer.”
Katie hung up with Brock, but as soon as she did, there was a loud knock on the door. She sighed. She pulled her yoga pants and sweatshirt on and shuffled over, flinging it open. She assumed it would be Angie, but it wasn’t. Instead, there were two men in black suits staring at her. She had never seen either of them before in her life. “Can I help you?”
The guy on the right nodded, his hands crossed in front of him. “The general wishes to see you in his office ASAP. If you could come with us?”
Katie eyed them and grabbed her keys. She followed the guys to a blacked-out SUV. “I could fly, you know?”
“Yes, ma’am, but we would appreciate it if you rode with us.”
Katie didn’t like it, but she climbed into the back. She knew before the thing took off she wasn’t actually going to the general’s office, but she didn’t care. She had a feeling she knew exactly where they were headed.
Katie was led through the UN headquarters to a secret heavily armored bunker. It was dark down there, with security guards stationed about every fifteen feet. She walked to a checkpoint and stood waiting for the guards to let her through. They were speaking in hushed, angry tones. She knew what they were arguing about. Katie had strapped Tom to her hip before leaving the house.
She had one rule: no matter where she was going, she would always go prepared. The guard at the front held his hand over his gun tightly, his eyes flashing at Katie. “She cannot walk into these meetings with a gun.”
The other guard patted him on the shoulder. “I was ordered to bring her here. She’s got clearance. I was told not to disarm her, just show her into the Council room. That is Katie from Katie’s Killers. Do you want to try to take a gun from her?”
The guard looked at her nervously and shook his head. Katie liked how it all went down. She no longer had to argue with people about her guns. They had accepted long ago that there was no talking her out of it. The general must have prepped them all before the meeting.
The guards opened the door and stepped to one side, standing at attention. Katie smiled and slowly walked into the room. There was a large oval table in the center with leaders from all over the world, just as she had suspected. It was a World Council meeting. Katie narrowed her eyes and peered down the line of men. Among them she found General Brushwood, President Dragos, the German Chancellor, and the President of Ghana. The general looked somber, but the others glared at her with such disdain that she almost felt uncomfortable.
General Brushwood stood up, and the rest followed suit. Katie walked to the empty chair next to him and took a seat. There was a low murmur among the men, and Katie wondered if she was the only woman to sit with the old bastards in one of their secret meetings. Either way, she knew something was coming she wasn’t going to like. She could read the room.
Pandora wasn’t having it. You should seriously get up and leave. These bastards are going to try something fishy.
Give them a chance. Maybe this is a thank-you thing.
Pandora scoffed. Yeah, right. Bahahaha.
The head of the secret council, President Putin, stood up and banged a gavel. “This secret meeting of the World Council is now in session. Our first order of business is, of course, the demon war. That is why we have asked Katie to join us. We are going to give our members a chance to voice their opinions.”
President Dragos stood. “I will begin. It has come to my attention that Katie might be a serious liability. Ever since she became heavily involved in the war, she has taunted the higher demons, which led them to retaliate. Not only against my country but countries all over the world. There is no oversight with these mercenaries. They do what they want when they want, without any thought to what the repercussions might be for the rest of us.”
General Brushwood grumbled, but he knew he had to hear them out.
President Dragos sat down, and the German Chancellor stood. “My concerns have to do with whether we can truly trust this mercenary. She has shown over and over she has no care for our historical artifacts, our cities, or our citizens. The money we pay her is good; we know that. But are her intentions good? This must be about more than just money. I do not trust that this is the case for Katie.”
Katie lifted her eyebrows, not saying a word as the German Chancellor sat and the president of Ghana stood. “We have no threats in our country. However, I have watched as the demons have searched for this mercenary. They seek to hurt her, so they attack everyone but her. They kill women and children. They desecrate sacred temples. They destroy entire villages in a matter of seconds. Many times, Katie is hailed as a hero. She goes home to a hero’s welcome while we dig small graves for our future generations lost to the Devil’s hand. I fear she does more harm than good.”
President Putin nodded thoughtfully. He gestured to the others. “Anyone else?”
They all shook their heads. Putin turned to Katie, who gave him her full attention. “It has become obvious to many of us that you do not have the world’s best interests at heart. After we heard these stories, we were, of course, concerned. You have extraordinary gifts, but these gifts could seriously harm the world. You need someone regulating you, an independent body making sure you answer for your mistakes. Therefore, we have decided that you will no longer be a private entity. You are no longer on your own, but instead will be regulated under the World Council.”
Pandora was livid. Oh, hell no. I am not going to sit here with a man who poses topless on horses, the newest member of the Third Reich, the Romanian ballerina, and a bunch of scared, weak assholes and be told how I will live my life. They aren’t fit to govern an infestation of pubic lice. Fuck this motherfucking shit, I will burn the whole place down around us.
Katie took a deep breath. Hold on. Just try to stay calm. We are going to say our piece. Just let it come at the perfect moment.
The general stood up and cleared his throat. “If I may, I would like to speak in defense of Katie. I have worked with her for a long time. She should be given credit for bridging the relationship between military and mercenaries. That alone allowed us to acquire special weapons, ammunition, and insight on the battles raging around the world. Time after time she has put her life on the line to protect your countries and your people. Just this morning she killed a Leviathan who threatened the very existence of Romania as a country. She was not paid. She was there to rescue brave men and women trapped in circumstances beyond their control. It is an outrage that you would disrespect a true hero in this manner. I demand to know the name of this attorney, and I would like a full investigation opened on this very secret meeting.”
Pandora could see that the general was getting upset. Frankly, she’d had enough of the rhetoric. She didn’t need someone else putting their asses on the line for her. She and Katie were more than capable of standing up for themselves and facing the repercussions of those actions. Pandora took a deep breath and separated herself from Katie. The men around the table gasped and moved back.
Pandora was actually dressed this time. It was a meeting, after all. She paced the floor in black st
iletto boots, scowling at the World Council with her red eyes. She suddenly slammed her hands on the table and snarled, “How dare you judge me! Humans have run this war for far too long. And to be quite frank, they are running it into the fucking ground. They have no ability to defeat the demons, they have no ability to understand them, and they barely have the ability to stay alive during an incursion.”
Pandora stood up straight and held out her hand. Her angelic form whirled around her, and her wings spread wide behind her. Her crown of thorns was perched at a cocky angle on her head. She gripped the hilt of her sword and strode down the table, glaring at the men. Behind her, Katie summoned her angelic armor. Her wings spread wide behind her, and her shield shone like the sun.
The men of the council murmured, unnerved.
Pandora nodded appreciatively and continued, “This is the War of the Angels. You can fight beside me, you can follow my orders, or you can get the fuck out of my way. There is a reason that both Katie and I are angels. We did not give ourselves those titles. The God you cling to in your darkest moments gave us those titles, these wings, and this armor. With them comes the responsibility to beat the demons and send them straight back to hell. If you think for five seconds you will be allowed to rule me, you are grossly mistaken.”
Pandora raised her voice. “This council is dissolved.”
General Brushwood shook his head sadly.
President Dragos howled with rage. “You cannot dissolve this council! You don’t have the authority!”
Pandora met President Dragos’ eye and shook her head. “I sacrificed my freedom so I could continue to save the people of this world. What have you done lately?”
The general moved around the table. “Katie, we can talk about this.”
“We just did. This obviously isn’t working anymore. I’ll still fight the good fight, but I’ll do it my way.”
