The Devil Inside

by Heather Atkinson

  “We’ve not had chance to set a date yet,” said Cass.

  “Am I invited to the wedding of the year?”

  “Course you are.”

  “Great. I love any excuse to go out and buy a big hat. This round’s on the house.” She looked to the others. “I just mean for them, unless any of you are getting married too?”

  They all shook their heads.

  “Then you have to pay,” she said before flouncing back behind the counter.

  “I bet she gives you a box of custard tarts as a wedding present,” said Pete.

  “Never mind all that,” said Black. “We need to figure out what we’re going to do. I’ve been chased, threatened, persecuted and called a satanic disciple of the darkness and it’s not even lunchtime. I’m pissed off Brodie and I want a solution to this mess immediately.”

  “I don’t have one.”

  “In that case you’re going to find yourself in a cell before the end of the day.”

  “Hey, this isn’t my fault. I’ve done what none of you lot have been able to do and got evidence that Malachi is one shifty bastard. It’s up to you to figure out how to use it.”

  “Sir,” said Pete. “We need to find a judge who’ll give us a search warrant to get into the compound. Once we do that we’ll have everything we need to shut down Higher Light. Me and Donaldson can lead the team using officers we’ve personally handpicked.”

  “I know at least one DS in my station is one of Malachi’s disciples,” said Donaldson. “So God knows how many more are.”

  “And we don’t know which judges are in with Higher Light either,” said Pete.

  “I know one you can use,” said Brodie, thinking of The Weasel’s victim. “She owes me a favour.”

  “Who?” said Black.

  “Judge Jennifer Murphy.”

  “How on earth does she owe you a favour? Actually, I don’t want to know. But she’s a good person to approach, she has a deep sense of fair play.”

  “If she gies’ you any snash just refer her to me.”

  “Will do. Right, now we’ve got our judge what team do we put together to go into the compound? I want everyone ready to move the second we have that search warrant, so Malachi has as little warning as possible.”

  “Thanks to that wee grassing sneaky bastard Mason,” spat Brodie. “But Malachi must know a raid is imminent. He’ll be hiding all his secrets as we speak.”

  “Perhaps not,” said Cass. “He thinks he’s invincible, the world’s saviour. Nothing can stop him.”

  “Aye, you might be right there hen,” said Pete. “He is one arrogant sod.”

  Brodie smiled when they heard shouting outside the café. “Looks like the show’s about to begin.”

  The café clientele picked up their brews and congregated at the window to watch as the disciples faced off against the seething mass of neds, thugs and roasters that had gathered on the pavement before them. As one, the disciples raised their hands and began singing a hymn.

  The neds all looked at each other in consternation before bursting out laughing.

  One mad mental stepped forward, swinging a bike chain. “It’s gonnae take more than singing to save you.”

  The bats squealed collectively before scattering in different directions, the neds making chase.

  “Oh that was wonderful,” exclaimed Edith. “And we can see daylight again.”

  “Elliott,” Brodie said into his phone when it rang. “Nice one. Get over to the café across the road from the office. Our usual one.” He hung up and looked to the others. “Elliott and Ross have got everyone settled at the hotel and they’re on their way.”

  “Now that lot’s cleared out,” said Black. “I’ll head over to see Judge Murphy and get that search warrant. McLaren, Donaldson, you’re with me. On the way I want you to come up with a list of trustworthy officers and have them on standby. We need to move the second we have that warrant.”

  “But Sir,” said Donaldson. “How do we choose? We don’t know who we can trust.”

  “As Brodie here is so fond of saying, follow your gut.” Black looked to Brodie, Cass and Christian. “And you lot stay here and don’t get into any more trouble, for God’s sake.”

  “He’s right pal,” Pete gently told Brodie while Black and Donaldson left. “You’ve more than done your part. You can take it easy now.”

  “We were doing that this morning until the bats infiltrated the safe house.”

  “Stay here in public. It’s safer.”

  “Aye we will. We could use the rest.”

  “Good.”

  “Be careful pal, okay?” Brodie told him as he left.

  Pete hesitated by the door. “You too.”

  “He’ll be fine,” said Cass, taking Brodie’s hand, his eyes full of anxiety for his friend.

  “Malachi has more surprises up his sleeve. I’m feared he’ll set a trap for them.”

  “They’re professionals, they know what they’re doing. Come on, Edith’s getting the yum-yums out in celebration of our engagement.”

  Brodie looked round and smiled at the sight of two yum-yums sitting on their table by a vase of red roses. Christian picked up one of the long doughnut twists covered in icing sugar and stuffed it into his mouth.

  “What?” he mumbled through a mouthful of dough when Brodie glared at him. “I missed breakfast.”

  “You greedy sod,” said Brodie. “That was mine.”

  “You can have mine,” Cass told him. “I couldn’t eat something so sweet this early anyway.”

  Appeased, Brodie resumed his seat and tore into his yum-yum while Cass ordered a croissant.

  Edith had just placed a plate piled high with a variety of pastries and a pot of coffee on the table when Elliott and Ross arrived.

  “I’ve heard about Mason,” said Elliott, slumping into his seat. “I can’t believe it.”

  “None of us can,” replied Cass, pouring out coffee for them all. “He was so convincing.”

  “He’s probably had some of Malachi’s special brainwashing treatment,” said Brodie. “It’s the only way he could have got so many lies past me, like Susan Silvers did.” He sighed, shoulders slumped. “Or maybe I’m just losing my edge?”

  “No fucking way,” they all said in unison.

  “Oy you lot,” snapped Edith. “Watch your bloody mouths.”

  “Sorry,” they said as one again.

  “He fooled us all Brodie,” said Cass. “Including Gardner, a qualified clinical psychologist. This isn’t your fault.”

  “Aye, I suppose you’re right hen.”

  “Course I am.” She smiled. “You’re going to have to get used to saying I’m right now we’re going to be married.”

  “I’ve no problem with it,” he winked at her.

  “So what do we do now?” said Ross.

  “Well, first of all,” said Brodie. “I’m glad you’ve got some clothes on.”

  “Speak for yourself,” said Edith on her way past carrying a tray of cakes, giving Ross a wink as she went.

  “Secondly,” continued Brodie. “DCI Black said we’ve done our part and we’ve to keep our nebs out from now on and leave it to the polis.”

  “And what do you say to that Boss?” said Ross before savaging a doughnut.

  “I agree. We’ve worked bloody hard lately and we’re all knackered. They’re off to get a search warrant and raid Malachi’s compound.”

  “That’s fantastic,” said Elliott. “But Gardner gave us a warning before we came here - Malachi won’t go down without a fight. He’ll have something planned, something nasty if he thinks everything’s unravelling, which it is.”

  Cass’s eyes widened when the café door opened. “Brodie.”

  “By Christ, I don’t believe it,” he said.

  Malachi strolled into the café wearing a smart dark blue suit, flanked by Cain and Abel. He appeared calm, gaze serene but confident. He opened his arms wide, as though he were blessing the entire café.

&nb
sp; “My friends,” he smiled.

  CHAPTER 31

  “May I join you?” said Malachi, gesturing to the table.

  “No,” retorted Brodie. “Piss off.”

  “I did think you’d like to hear how your sister is. Clearly I was wrong.”

  “Wait,” said Brodie when he turned to leave. “Alright, sit down. But that pair can wait outside on the street like the dog jobbies they are.”

  “Abel, please,” said Malachi, holding up an elegant hand when he growled. “You are above such trivial insults now. Remember that.”

  “Sorry Sir,” he said with a small bow, scowling when Brodie laughed at him.

  Malachi looked back at Brodie. “Abel can wait outside but I must insist Cain remains.”

  “I thought your god would protect you,” said Cass coldly.

  “He does at all times but Cain has had more interaction with yourselves than I have. His input could be invaluable.”

  “Yeah, right,” retorted Cass.

  While Abel left the café, taking up position outside the front door, Cain pulled up a chair for Malachi. Elliott and Ross parted ways to allow him access to the table, Brodie and his friends forming a semi-circle opposite him. Cain didn’t take a seat, preferring to stand on guard duty by his master’s side.

  Brodie considered how Malachi’s presence here was a good thing. If he could keep him distracted long enough then it would give Pete and the others time to get the search warrant and raid the compound. “You no’ brought your wee spy with you then?”

  “Mason?” replied Malachi. “No. I thought his presence would only inflame things.”

  “Never trust a journalist. I went against my instincts and look what happened.”

  “Don’t blame yourself, he does have an extraordinary talent for deception.”

  “Because he’s a journo. It goes with the territory. Don’t go thinking you’re anything to do with it.” Brodie’s lips curled into a grim smile. “Your wee spy wasn’t quick enough to tell you about our hacker, he was too busy messing about in the shower, which sounds like vanity to me. Maybe it’s time he had some of your adjustment therapy?”

  “You’re upset, I understand.” He looked around their group, taking in all their faces one by one with that deep disconcerting gaze that missed nothing. “You all look so tired,” he said, voice soft and hypnotic. “Wouldn’t you like all this mess to end?”

  “Aye we would,” said Brodie. “Does this mean you’re gonnae turn yourself in?”

  “For what? I haven’t done anything wrong.”

  “You don’t know what wrong is.”

  “I’m aware that you see me as some sort of monster Brodie but all I want to do is help people and make this world a better place for everyone. I appeal to you one last time - join us.”

  “I tried that once and you turned me into a fucking machine.”

  “Only because you were in the process of releasing the demons inside. If you’d allowed the process to be completed you would have realised the true miracle that is Higher Light.”

  “What a load of old fanny,” said Ross.

  “Alright, take it easy,” Brodie told him gently. He looked back at Malachi. “Listen to me you freak. Your mask is slipping. People are finally seeing you for what you really are. I wonder what Samantha would think of you now?”

  Colour built up in Malachi’s face from the neck upwards and his eyes darkened, the gold ring around the iris vanishing.

  “Looks like you’ve still got some of your own devils dancing about inside,” said Brodie.

  “Malachi is a higher being of light,” announced Cain. “Devils find it impossible to live within his radiance.” His hands clenched into fists when Christian and Ross sniggered.

  “What really happened to Samantha?” pressed Brodie, his amber gaze competing with Malachi’s for strength of intensity.

  “Why do you want to know so badly?” said Malachi.

  “You killed her, didn’t you?”

  “No.”

  “Then who did?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “For someone who claims to be a higher being you wouldnae know the truth if you fell over it arse over tit.”

  “It’s not your fault you use such coarse language Brodie, it’s the devils that dwell within you. They force you to say these things.”

  “No one forces me to do anything.” He recalled what Malachi had recently done to him and his face burned with rage and humiliation.

  “I feel the anger and pain that dwells inside you Brodie,” said Malachi softly. “It’s haunted you your whole life but you don’t have to tolerate it any longer. Just imagine,” he continued, voice an hypnotic caress. “You could be truly free, for the first time in your life - free of pain, free of the anger that takes you over, that you can’t control. What if one day it slips from your grasp and you end up hurting someone you love?”

  Brodie’s hands clenched into fists when Malachi’s gaze slipped to Cass.

  “I would never do that,” he snarled.

  “How can you be so sure?” pressed Malachi, his voice the same gentle whisper. “I suspect your brother never thought he’d commit such an atrocity when he was just a child. The rage claimed him and he was helpless against it. That single act determined the course of his entire life and still the devils taunt him. He can never live a normal life because of them. But what if I could offer both you and him hope? I can achieve what the hospital he’s trapped in has been unable to do - free him from the devils that haunt him, the same devils that made him decapitate his own father.”

  Brodie lunged across the table at Malachi, wrapping one hand around his throat. When Cain moved to intervene Christian and Elliott jumped up and held him back while Ross just stared at the scene, unsure what to do, his custard tart halfway to his mouth.

  Malachi smiled back at Brodie as his grip tightened.

  “You’ve got your own devils inside,” growled Brodie. “Let’s choke them out of you.”

  Such was the fury radiating off him that not even Edith protested against the violence being perpetrated in her establishment.

  “Brodie, stop,” said Cass, clamping her hands down on his arm. “This is what he wants you to do.”

  “He can’t hear you,” said Cain because Malachi couldn’t talk. “The devils are in charge. The man has gone. Just think of the future you’ll have with a man who is so strongly possessed. One day you could be the one being choked.”

  “You’ve no idea what you’re talking about,” she spat at him. She took Brodie’s face in her hands and forced him to look at her. “Don’t do this babe,” she said when those burning amber eyes locked onto her. “You’ll destroy everything.”

  Cass breathed a sigh of relief when the fire in his gaze was doused and he released Malachi, who sagged back in his chair. His only reaction was to take in a single deep reviving breath.

  “Are you okay Sir?” Cain anxiously asked him, shrugging off Christian and Elliott, who had slackened their grip.

  “Fine thank you,” he replied, adjusting his clothing and sitting up straighter in his seat, his voice coming out raspy. He cleared his throat and when he spoke again it had returned to normal. “You possess a great power Brodie,” he said. “Just imagine what you could achieve in this world, the people you could help if you channelled it correctly, if it was free of the evil that has you in its grip, the evil you inherited from your father.”

  This time it was Brodie who had to hold Cass back as she scrambled to get at Malachi. “No hen,” he said, grabbing her and dragging her back across the table. She put up such a fight Ross had to help his boss haul her back into her seat.

  “You twisted bastard,” she yelled at Malachi.

  “The inimitable Cassandra Carlisle.”

  “It’s Cass you fuckwit.”

  Malachi merely smiled at the insult while Cain went purple with the effort of containing himself.

  “Your family implanted your own personal devils inside you,” Ma
lachi told her. “It’s such a shame when a family rejects one of its own merely for speaking the truth about someone overcome by their own devils. They saw you Cass and they wanted you for their own. You became infected with them from your attacker’s touch. Your family sensed their presence inside you and that is the real reason your parents and brother rejected you, not because of any disagreement about the truth. They felt the evil inside you and it scared them. But I can help you Cass. Once the devils are gone your family will accept you back into the fold and that’s all you really want, isn’t it? A place to belong. A real family.”

  Cass’s fury sparked again as Malachi once more saw straight into the depths of her very soul.

  “Take it easy hen,” said Brodie, his arms locked tightly around her as she fought to get back at Malachi.

  “He is so full of shit,” she cried.

  “Aye he is. He’s so full of it, it pours out of his mouth in bucketloads. He honks the place out with his manky patter.”

  The metaphor made her lips twitch. “Yeah it does and it stinks.” She looked back at Malachi. “It stinks,” she yelled.

  “Too right it does,” said Brodie. “He’s just trying to get into our heads.”

  Cass ceased her struggles and took in a deep breath. “Alright, I’m calm.”

  Seeing he was losing them both, Malachi looked to someone else. “I know the burden that has weighed you down your entire life Ross, a burden that torments and pains you.”

  “Burden?” he frowned.

  “Being ginger.”

  Ross let his custard drop back to the plate and leapt up, bellowing with rage, Christian and Elliott rushing back around the table to restrain him.

  “Bastard,” Ross roared at Malachi, straining against his friends, his face as red as his hair.

  “Now you’ve pissed everyone off,” Brodie told Malachi. “It’s time for you to leave before I take the leashes off and let them all at you. Don’t think your two wee puppies could protect you. They’d be flattened.”

  Malachi sighed and looked down at his hands. “I didn’t want it to come to this.”

  “You thought we’d be happy to follow you back to your manky compound and let you turn us into blank people, seriously?”