Battle Storm (The Battle Series Book 2)

by Mark Romang

  More than once on SEAL missions Thorn had briefly zoned out during a firefight. And each time his instincts took over. While his brain went AWOL, muscle memory kept him alive. Here in the cave with Drakon draped over him like a coffin lid, his instincts took over again. Thorn felt his right hand moving, felt it reaching into a jean pocket. His fingers groped and scrabbled in his pocket but eventually wrapped around his folding knife. He pulled it free, hand still shaking from fright, and flipped open the SOG Aegis’ blade. And with as much malice and strength as he could muster, plunged the razor-sharp 3.5 inch blade through the reddish bangs obscuring Drakon’s left eye.

  Thorn felt the blade tip penetrate hair and eye, heard a squishing sound as he drove the blade deeper and deeper, hoping to reach Drakon’s brain. He twisted the tip, heard Drakon scream in pain. The demon staggered backward off Thorn, swiping at his empty eye socket as he stumbled back. Thorn looked at his knife, disgusted to see the demon’s eye stuck to the knife blade. The orb looked like an overripe black plum. Thorn flicked his wrist, and the eye flew through the cave and splattered against a wall.

  Thorn closed his knife on his leg and dropped it back into his pocket. He then took three quick steps to his left and picked up the Eden sword. The blade had gone out. But he waggled it and the flame erupted, hotter than before.

  “You’ll pay dearly for that,” Drakon bellowed, one hand clutching the battle-axe, the other hand cradling his hollow eye socket.

  “Payday isn’t for another week. How much will a demon eye set me back?” Thorn panted. He could see Webb standing about ten feet behind Drakon. Webb still held the small box, still manipulated the joystick. He didn’t have the slightest idea what Webb was up to, but prayed it would work. Whatever Webb intended to do, he needed to do it quickly before Drakon started spinning again.

  “Once I cut off your head you won’t be able to spew your wisecracking insults,” Drakon replied. Like a giant pendulum, the battle-axe began to swing once more in his mammoth hands. The keening sound sent chills racing up Thorn’s spine.

  Thorn tensed as Drakon advanced. He didn’t want to fight anymore. All he wanted was to hold Emily and Spencer in his arms again, to feel their love wash over him. But he knew he had to keep fighting if he were ever to see them again. He raised the Eden sword and prepared to launch an attack, but then the unexpected happened. Drakon stopped in his tracks. His mouth started twitching. He dropped the battle-axe. The weapon clanged off the ground.

  Thorn’s eyes grew large as he watched the demon seize up and start convulsing. Drakon shook violently as if electricity flowed through his body. Behind the demon, Webb smiled wickedly. He held the small box up, pointed it toward the convulsing demon as if it were an Xbox controller. “What are you waiting on, Mad Dog? Stick the Eden sword in his chest and let’s get out of here!”

  Thorn complied. He ran forward and rammed the flaming sword into Drakon’s breastplate. The sword plunged all the way through to the hilt. Drakon lit up like a torch. Thorn felt a shockwave race up his arm. He let go of the sword and watched the neutralization process take hold. Silvery-black blood spewed out Drakon’s flaming chest and slicked the cave floor. And then the once mighty archangel fell to his knees and toppled over onto his back. A dust cloud rose up, filled the dank air. And Drakon stopped convulsing. He laid still, no longer a threat.

  Chapter 39

  Thorn hurried over to the stream and dunked his hand under the water. The water sizzled and bubbled. Steam rose up. He didn’t know if his right hand would ever be the same. The Eden sword had seared his palm. Webb came up beside him. “Are you okay, Mad Dog?”

  Thorn stood up. “Yeah, never better. What’s that contraption you’re holding? It sure put a hurt on the big guy.”

  Webb smiled. “It’s just something I stole from Caleb Brennan. It was on his jet. It’s some kind of CIA gizmo. I’m guessing the mad scientists at the Directorate of Science and Technology invented it.”

  Thorn nodded. “I can’t believe it worked.” He walked over to the vanquished demon and pulled the Eden sword out. The sword no longer flamed and had cooled off. He wiped the blade clean on his pant leg and placed it in its scabbard.

  Nikko Castellanos groaned from nearby. “What just happened here? I heard a great commotion.”

  Thorn looked at Webb. “He talks. I thought I broke his jaw.”

  “You didn’t answer my question.”

  Thorn walked over to the assassin and squatted down by him. “A supernatural event just took place and you slept through it.”

  Castellanos examined the sling on his broken arm. “What are you talking about, a supernatural event?”

  “My friend and I just battled a demon right in front of you. The demon is sprawled out on the floor a few feet away from us,” Thorn explained.

  Castellanos shook his head. “I don’t see anything. And I never will. Demons don’t exist, neither do angels. There is no God or Satan or heaven or hell. That’s all a big fat lie, a fable handed down from generation to generation. Only simpletons frightened and badgered by the Bible thumpers believe such a fairy tale.”

  Thorn saw the brass knuckles on Castellanos fingers for the first time. No wonder he hit me so hard. His battle with Drakon had made him forget about the beating he took from Castellanos. “Why are you trying to kill me? Who sent you?”

  “Henrik Skymolt is paying me several million dollars to kill you and Sara,” Castellanos replied bluntly.

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know. It doesn’t matter to me why. I’m only in it for the money.”

  “I have a son. You realize you would have made him an orphan if your plan succeeded?”

  Castellanos shook his head. “Your son wouldn’t be an orphan. I refused to kill Sara. I don’t kill women and children. So Henrik relented and agreed to still pay my fee if I cut out Sara’s tongue. I wasn’t really going to do that, either. My plan was to kill a sheep and take the tongue back to Henrik.”

  Thorn gasped. “Why cut out her tongue?”

  “I guess so she couldn’t proselytize any more.”

  Webb walked over and joined them. “Wait a second, Mad Dog. You and Sara have a child?”

  Thorn nodded. “His name is Spencer.”

  “Congratulations. I bet he’s just like you.”

  “He is. I just hope Spencer doesn’t follow in my footsteps.”

  Webb pointed at Castellanos. “Most atheists aren’t as extreme as Skymolt or this guy. Most of them are just too smart for their own good. Their lofty intellect and love for science blinds them to the truth.”

  Castellanos looked up at Webb. “I could also say your naiveté blinds you to the truth. You’ve fallen into the trap that says a God exists and watches over us and keeps track of how we live, writing down everything we do to hold it against us.”

  Thorn placed a hand gently on Castellanos’ good shoulder. “What if I told you I could prove to you a spiritual plane exists, and that there really is a demon lying not far from your feet?”

  “I would say you’re crazy.”

  “I expected you to say something like that.” Thorn looked up at Webb. “C-Dub, can you hand me the manna pouch?”

  Webb smiled knowingly. “Sure I can.” Webb retrieved the small pouch from the rucksack pocket and handed it to Thorn.

  Thorn opened the pouch and retrieved a manna piece. He faced Castellanos. “Eat this and your opinion will change.”

  Castellanos made a face. “I’m not eating that. I don’t know what it is. For all I know it could be poison.”

  “You’re a lucky man, Nikko. I’m giving you an opportunity to see what the rest of mankind longs to see. I hold manna in my hand, food from heaven. Eat it and your life will change forever,” Thorn said.

  Castellanos snickered. “You really expect me to believe that’s manna? I eat that and I’ll probably keel over in seconds.”

  Thorn shook his head. “You will not die, just your opinions on God and the unseen realm. I will eat a pie
ce to prove to you the manna is safe to consume.” Thorn ate the piece he held in his hand, savoring the taste long after he swallowed. He was hungry, ravenous from all the energy he’d burned. “See, it’s perfectly safe. You’re only afraid to eat it because you might find out you’re wrong.”

  Castellanos watched him closely for several seconds. He held out his uninjured hand. “Okay, give me some. I know I won’t see anything supernatural, especially a demon.”

  Thorn pulled out the last manna piece from the animal skin pouch. It was an especially thick piece. And then he saw that it was two manna pieces stuck together. He smiled inwardly as he handed the manna to Castellanos.

  The assassin popped it into his mouth. He chewed it briefly and then swallowed. He looked around, up and down and to each side. A smug look appeared on his face. “I told you I wouldn’t…” Castellanos’ eyes suddenly bulged. A look of horror replaced the confident look on his face. He gazed at the spot on the cave floor where Drakon lay. And then he screamed and closed his eyes. “I knew it. There’s some kind of hallucinogen it that stuff,” he stammered. “That demon isn’t real, it doesn’t really exist. I’m just hallucinating.”

  “Give it up, Mad Dog. This guy is a lost cause. We need to get out of this cave. Cops are going to find us if we don’t stay on the move,” Webb said.

  Thorn nodded and stood up. He looked down at Castellanos, who still covered his eyes. “I tried to help you. I showed you kindness. But if you follow us and try to kill me again…I won’t be so nice.” Thorn turned to Webb. “Come on, C-Dub. Let’s go find my family.”

  They started walking, leaving Castellanos alone with Drakon.

  Chapter 40

  They walked down a twisting passageway, heads stooped, side by side for the moment. The passageway widened and narrowed every few yards. Their headlamps illuminated the way.

  Webb touched Thorn’s shoulder. “So tell me everything, Mad Dog. Besides getting married and fathering a child, what have you been doing for the past five years or so?”

  “Caleb Brennan flew us down here on his personal jet the same day we fought in the Vegas warehouse. He gave us new identities and paperwork. The name I’ve gone by for the past five years is Adam Thorn. Sara goes by Emily. Brennan also gave me a topo map of this region and the location of the cave we’re in. We lived in this cave for five months. After that we found work on George Wickam’s sheep station. It was a good, quiet life up until today,” Thorn said. He looked at Webb. “What about you, C-Dub? What have you been up to?”

  “Other than drinking lots of whiskey, I haven’t been doing anything. I’m homeless and live in a tent. I guess I lost it after our fight. Stealing the Eden sword from you and trying to sell it was a big mistake. I’m sorry I betrayed you, Mad Dog,” Webb said softly.

  Thorn picked up his pace on the rough terrain, risking a twisted ankle “I told you when we were fighting in the warehouse that I’d already forgiven you.”

  “I know, I remember you saying that. But I didn’t believe you. You have to understand how much I hated myself for what I did. I just couldn’t figure out how to forgive myself. I turned to the bottle to make the guilt go away. It worked somewhat, but now I’m an addict. If I could only kick this booze habit I think I could be somebody. I look at things differently now. I used to be brash and cocky. Acquiring lots of money was all I thought about. But now I no longer think like that. One good thing about living on the streets is you don’t care about money anymore. You only covet food and warmth, and you can empathize with other people who don’t have anything.”

  “I can tell you’re a different person now. You’ve been humbled,” Thorn said. “So I take it Caleb somehow found you and hired you to protect us from Castellanos?”

  “That about sums it up,” Webb answered. “I’d still be passed out in my tent if Caleb hadn’t showed up.”

  Thorn halted. He had to get something off his chest. He stopped so fast that Webb bumped into him. “I need you to promise me something, C-Dub. Actually, it’s more like a favor.”

  “Okay, name it. I’ll do my best.”

  Thorn swallowed hard. “If something happens to me, I need you to look out for my family, take care of them and keep them safe. Take my spot.”

  “Don’t talk like that, Mad Dog. You sound just like Reece.”

  Thorn hadn’t thought of Petty Officer Michael Reece in a long time. Reece died from a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. Reece had served with him and Webb in SEAL Team 8. A couple of weeks before Reece died he kept telling everyone he could sense his time on earth waning. Everyone thought he was just homesick and had a death wish. But then one day the Humvee Reece rode in rolled over an IED. The hidden incendiary device exploded and Reece died in the fiery wreckage. Somehow Reece knew he wasn’t coming home alive. “I can’t help it. I feel the same way Reece did.”

  “You’re not going to die anytime soon, Mad Dog. You’re just paranoid. And it’s understandable why.”

  Thorn grabbed Webb by the collar. He jerked the big man close, face to face. “My family is your family, C-Dub. Swear to me you’ll keep them safe, that you’ll show Spencer how to be a man.”

  “You don’t know what you’re asking. I can’t mentor your son. I’m a boozehound, and Sara hates me.”

  Thorn increased his grip. “You can and you will. God will take away your addiction if you let him. All things are possible through Christ. You saw what just happened back there in that room. That wasn’t us. We didn’t neutralize the demon, God did. That was Jesus power on display. He’ll do mighty things through you, C-Dub. All it takes is faith.”

  “Okay, I’ll do it. But you have to promise me you’ll fight with everything you have to stay alive. I want you to live to a ripe old age, an old man who walks around with a cane and has a face like a raisin, full of wrinkles.”

  Thorn nodded. He let go of Webb’s collar. “I promise.”

  They started walking again, but soon stopped in their tracks. Noise filtered down the corridor. A smattering of mumbling voices and dim light flashes came from another passageway to their right.

  “I bet those are the cops, Mad Dog. I saw them earlier. They’re heavily armed like a SWAT team,” Webb said softly.

  Thorn looked around. He pointed at the stream that flanked them. The icy water disappeared underneath an overhang. “Okay, the fastest way we can get away is in the stream.”

  Webb nodded. “It looks cold, but I could use a bath.”

  “That overhang stretches a long ways and hugs the water. You won’t be able to surface right away. You’ll have to hold your breath for about two minutes. Just swim with the current and you’ll be headed the right way.”

  Webb nodded and headed for the stream. “Aye-aye, Captain. Let’s do it. This feels like we’re on a mission.”

  “Yeah, one last mission,” Thorn mumbled. He followed Webb over to the stream. They extinguished their headlamps, took a couple of deep breaths and eased into the dark stream without a sound.

  Chapter 41

  Besides the current, Thorn and Webb used the dolphin kick to help propel them swiftly underwater. They needed all the speed they could muster. The overhang became a ceiling and met the stream in places, forming a watery tomb for anyone who dallied.

  Fortunately they were both elite swimmers, though Thorn swam faster than Webb. Thorn had once been an Olympic caliber swimmer while in High School, coveted by many Pac-10 universities.

  With their headlamps turned off, they cruised underwater like human torpedoes. Thorn counted off seconds in his head. When he reached 120 seconds, he counted off an additional ten seconds to make sure the overhang no longer hovered overhead. He then surfaced noiselessly. Webb bumped into him and then surfaced just as quietly. They treaded water and sucked in air, amazed at their surroundings.

  They were in a large, rectangular room similar in size to a dining hall. Glowworms lit up the room. Bluish-green, psychedelic hues sparkled and glowed all around them. The glowworms’ sticky strands hung from t
he ceiling like glow-in-the-dark ropes and made the room look like an oversized discotheque.

  “What is this place?” Webb asked in an awestruck voice.

  “It’s just another room in the cave. And those are glowworms giving off the bluish light.”

  “We’ve seen a lot of cool places during our time in the Navy, but this may be the coolest, Mad Dog.”

  Thorn wished he could enjoy the natural spectacle, but the urge to meet up with Spencer and Emily ruined the moment. “Come on, C-Dub; let’s get out of the water.”

  “I won’t argue with you. This ice-water is causing major shrinkage.”

  They swam to the bank a few yards away and climbed out. They flipped on their headlamps to their lowest settings. There were no signs of law enforcement, and thanks to the glowworms they didn’t need much additional light to see. As they picked their way along the lumpy cave floor, Thorn tried to figure out how much farther they needed to travel to reach the cave exit. His best guess suggested another mile, but he knew the distance could be more or less. He hoped Emily and Spencer were close to reaching the exit, or had already left the cave by now. He’d known about the dangerous whitewater, but trusted Emily’s kayaking experience to negate the danger.

  “Mad Dog, I forgot to ask you something.”

  Thorn smoothed back his wet hair and wrung out his beard. “What would that be?”

  “Did you ever figure out what the etching means on the Eden sword?”

  The question jarred Thorn. In all the excitement of fighting Castellanos and Drakon he’d forgotten all about what he’d learned. Spencer was in grave danger. Thorn picked up his pace. “I finally solved the code a few minutes ago, right before Castellanos jumped me.”

  “Well, don’t keep me in suspense. What does it say?”

  “Yahweh will gather his people when the pup of the rabid dog confesses.”

  “Okay, do you have any idea what that means? It sounds like nonsense to me.”