by Michael Todd
Her voice echoed across the streets, halting everyone in their tracks. Some paused mid-swing, looking at Katie, who sighed and shook her head. “We’re all worried about the same thing right now. We can’t be taking our fears, angers, and dislikes out on each other. You can dislike me, or you can love me, it’s your preference, but right now we need to come together as humans.”
One of the protestors yelled, “Yeah, but you’re a fucking demon bitch!”
Instantly, everyone started fighting again. Katie rolled her eyes and looked around, finding the leader of her fan club. “Hey, who is the head of the protestors?”
The woman pointed to a tall middle-aged man. Katie grabbed both of them by the arms and marched them to the center of the fight. “You better hold on to my arm if you want to not fall to your deaths.”
Both of them gripped her out of fear, and she took off into the air and flew high into the sky. She flapped her wings, heading for the water in the distance. “Here’s the fucking deal. If both of you and your clans don’t start acting like fucking adults, I’m going to start tossing them into the Hudson River. Guess who I will start with?”
The protestor was panicking. “You wouldn’t.”
The head of the fan club scoffed. “Don’t make her prove you wrong, please. If you set us back down with the group, I am willing to talk to him peacefully.”
Katie nodded and looked at the head of the protestors. “And you?”
He quickly nodded. “Yes. Yes, I will talk it out. Just put me down, please.”
Katie smirked and took a wide turn, heading back toward the groups. They had all stopped fighting, watching in wonder and fear as Katie slowly brought them both back down to the ground. She set them in front of each other and crossed her arms over her chest. “Okay, start talking.”
They immediately began to talk, discussing as peacefully as they could why each was out there. Katie let out a deep breath and glanced to the side. Schultz and Travers were stepping out of their car and putting on their hats. They made their way over to Katie, who cleared her throat and tried to focus on the two idiots in front of her again.
Schultz stood next to Katie, watching them talk. “You did good, defusing this one. We thought it would be an all-out riot by the time we got here.”
Travers chuckled. “He did. I figured one of you would show up to defuse things.”
Katie forced a smile and looked at the guys, spreading her wings. “Yeah, just a little motivation. Anyway, looks like you guys have this under control. See you later.”
Before they could protest, Katie took off, flying up toward her balcony. She landed, letting her angel armor return and folding her wings back in. As she walked back inside, her wings disappeared. She shut her sliding glass door and looked down, realizing she had worn her slippers out without thinking.
She tapped the snow off them and sat down on the edge of the bed, trying to warm her feet. Pandora cleared her throat. Soooo, it was nice seeing the detective duo. Katie didn’t say anything, making Pandora huff. Okay, spill it. Why were you so short with them? I felt you faking a smile, and you didn’t even stay around to give them a hard time about defusing the situation before they managed to get there.
Katie shrugged. They’re part of my civilian oversight. I’m not sure I can be friends with them anymore.
Pandora stayed quiet for a moment, but only for a moment. So, you think ghosting all your friends is going to make things easier?
Katie sighed. Look, it’s not personal. They’re in the same category as General Brushwood. He was once my friend, but I’ve got to give that up if I want to fight this war on my terms. They are too high in the food chain and too unwilling to let go of the idea of being my boss and my friend. It’s not like I like the idea, but sometimes sacrifices have to be made.
Pandora didn’t like it. I don’t know, Katie. I mean, you are who you are because of the people you have met along the way.
Katie stood up, pursing her lips tightly. No, I am who I am because of you, training, and the angel in me. The rest helped, sure, but sometimes you have to step out of the shadow of your past.
Pandora went quiet, knowing there was no talking to her when she was like that. She was concerned that Katie was sending herself into a dark place. Dark places were never good for people like them. They were filled with temptations of all sorts. When you let the darkness in, it was almost impossible to let it go. She was shutting out the world around her and focusing on nothing but death and war. Pandora had been there before, searching for her place but finding that the shadows were not where she wanted to be. It wasn’t something she could bring up, or not yet, at least. All she could do was stand by and hope that Katie was stronger than what was trying to take hold.
Calvin’s plane touched down on the runway and he took a deep breath, raising his arms over his head. The flight from Nevada to Taipei was over fourteen hours, plus refueling. He was definitely ready to get off the plane and onto solid ground. The flight attendant smiled as she let the stairs down, and Calvin nodded before climbing out of the plane.
Standing nearby was Korbin, looking as cool and collected as always. Calvin glanced at the sunny scenery. “It’s nice weather here, that’s for sure.”
Korbin chuckled as he shook Calvin’s hand. “Sure is—a nice sixty degrees. How was your flight?”
Calvin’s eyes went wide. “Long. I am definitely ready to get going on all of this.”
Korbin slapped him on the back. “Good, because I planned on dumping you right into it. We’ll get your bags in a bit.”
Calvin nodded, following Korbin over to an SUV parked to the side. The two guys climbed in and Korbin took off, driving across the small base and out into a large open area. “So, you know why we’re here. To build a fort.”
Calvin smiled. “Right. And to help these places protect themselves.”
Korbin kept his eyes to the front. “That’s right. If you remember that, you’ll be just fine. So, we’re going to be installing a fort of sorts around the city. We’re using mounted guns to take down demons, and launchers with special metal rockets to close portals, walls, and bunkers. Then there will be your normal barbed wire and mines.”
Calvin shook his head, looking at the pile of weapons. “There is some tech stuff too, right?”
Korbin chuckled. “Yeah, and of course, I’m still struggling with that shit.”
Calvin laughed. “Why does that not surprise me? I remember when I first had to show you how to use the Mac. That was very interesting, to say the least.”
Korbin smirked. “I’m getting better. For now, though, I’m relying on FaceTime with Timothy to get me through the details of all of it. You may be able to help on that aspect, too.”
Korbin stopped the SUV, and they climbed out. Calvin looked around the yard at the workers and the weapons ready for installation. He shook his head and glanced at Korbin. “Is it strange? You know, not fighting?”
Korbin shrugged. “I’ve managed to get into a scrape or two. But we’re still fighting, even if we aren’t running into full-on incursions. Better yet, we’re giving ordinary people a chance to fight.”
Calvin smiled. “That’s a good way to look at it.”
Korbin chuckled. “Stephanie’s unending positivity is fucking rubbing off on me. After doing this in Romania and Germany though, it’s a good feeling. Both of them are connected, and this fort will be as well. We aren’t just giving them protection. We’re giving other places a heads-up and a warning. It’s like killing two birds with one stone.”
Calvin put his hands on his hips. “I bet they feel safer already.”
Korbin let out a deep breath. “I hope so. Even more, I hope this gives them the ability to save lives. It’s good to give the citizens a chance to protect themselves, especially with Katie and the World Council at odds. Normal people are going to need all the help they can get.”
Calvin’s face went serious. “Amen.”
9
Nubby dragged his fe
et along the pavement with his knit hat pulled down low. His shirt had holes in the front, and his brown leather winter jacket was at least twenty years old. He sniffled and rubbed the back of his hand across his nose. The crinkling of the twenty in his fist caught his attention, and he paused for a moment. He looked at the twenty, and his eyes moved to his frail splotched wrist.
He shook his head and began to turn around, but a voice stopped him. “Where you going, Nubby? Don’t bail out on me now.”
Nubby turned back to see his dealer standing in front of a rundown row house, with boards covered in graffiti over the windows. The guy looked healthy, and it was obvious he didn’t touch his own stuff. The dealer swaggered toward him. “What’ll it be today?”
Nubby looked down at the twenty, wanting to turn away, but the draw of another hit kept him in place. “Uh, a quarter.”
The dealer smiled and nodded to the guy on the steps, who got up and walked into the house. “That’ll be twenty, brother.”
Nubby handed him the cash and walked over to the steps, waiting for the kid to come back out. The kid hurried down the stairs and slapped his hand, leaving a small baggie with white powder in it. Nubby looked around and shoved it in his pocket. He threw up his hood and hurried away, going twice as fast as usual. He turned the corner and made his way to a large run-down trailer park on the edge of town. The woman on the end stared at him with narrowed eyes as he pulled his hood farther over his face and jogged up the steps into his trailer.
He plopped down on the couch and pulled the baggy from his pocket. He didn’t want to take it. He didn’t want to get high anymore. A warm sensation blew up his neck, and his eyes glowed bright red. Do the fucking drugs, you pussy. You know how it makes us feel. Don’t get stingy with it, either.
Nubby shook his head, his eyes dimming. This was how he had survived for so long with a demon in him. He had been feeding it all sorts of drugs. It was the only way he had found to get it to shut up and leave him alone, but he knew he had to stop.
Nubby took a deep breath and shook his head, throwing the baggy on the table in front of him. He groaned and stood up quickly, pulling his hat down over his ears. “I gotta get out of here.”
You sonofabitch. You fucking open that bag now! Where the fuck are you going?
Nubby hurried to the trailer door, looked back at the bag, and then bolted outside. He picked up his speed, jogging at first and then bursting into a full-on sprint as he made his way back into town. He curved to the left when he hit the main area and ran in the opposite direction from where he had just scored with his dealer. As he approached the Community Center, he slowed down, shoving his hands in his pockets and walking through the front doors.
He looked at the sign out front. Small little plastic letters formed titles and room numbers. Some of the letters were missing, but he quickly found where the group was meeting. They were the only ones there that night. Nubby had signed up with IA, Infected Anonymous. They were helping him through the hard stuff.
When he got inside, the director of the group nodded at him with a comforting smile. “I think we’re all here. I’m so glad to see all of you. Let’s start this meeting off with some stories, good or bad, about how you have been doing. Nubby, why don’t you go first?”
Nubby cleared his throat and pushed his hood back, resting his hands comfortably in his lap. “Uh, okay, I guess. As you all know, I’ve been feeding my demon drugs for a long time, just to keep him at bay and weak. I know that’s not what I need to do. I know I need to take charge and push him back on my own. So, today I went out, and I scored a quarter and went back home. I sat there staring at it, listening to the voice in my head cussing and screeching. I’ll be honest, I almost did it, but at the last second, I threw it down and ran out. I came right here.”
Everyone nodded and clapped. Nubby gave a small toothless grin. “I won’t lie. I don’t know if I’ll be able to say no a second time, but at least I did this time.”
The director gave him a kind smile. “You did well, Nubby. You showed you can overcome both addiction and your demon at the same time. Kind of like fighting off two demons at once. Now, who’s next?”
Just then, the door flew open, slamming against the wall. Wilson and Red stepped through the doors, guns at the ready, with the rest of the team behind them. “Is this the IA meeting?”
The Director stood up quickly. “What is the meaning of this? You can’t just barge in here like—”
Red rolled her eyes and fired, taking him down. “Shut up, asshole.”
Wilson chuckled, and the two stepped aside, letting the team run forward. They massacred the group of recovering Damned, cutting their throats and leaving them there on the floor to die. For them, they were ridding the world of demons. What they refused to see was that they were killing human beings in the process—which was exactly what Mr. Belly wanted.
Juntto and Angie walked up the sidewalk toward the convention center, looking at the huge crowds waiting outside for their next tournament. Juntto walked confidently, looking like Dan TDM full-on, with bright blue hair and everything. As he walked forward, a group to his right immediately started to point and shout. Angie sighed as the fans approached, looking for an autograph.
Juntto smiled and signed away, knowing full well he was impersonating the guy. When more people started to swarm, Angie grabbed his arm and pulled him off. “Come on, superstar. We gotta get inside.”
Juntto loved the attention, although he knew it wasn’t for him. Angie pulled him inside and took him around the corner into an empty hallway. She pointed her finger at him and gritted her teeth. “You can’t just go walking around looking like a celebrity. For all you know, Dan TDM is here. It would be really confusing if you came face to face with him. If you want to play these games and not attract attention, you need to tone it down just a bit.”
Juntto sighed and nodded. “You’re right. Of course, you’re always right.”
He closed his eyes and focused. Angie stepped back, keeping one eye out for other people and the other on him. His hair turned from blue to black with his normal silver patch. His body widened a bit, and he gave himself a bit of a gut. Dark facial hair sprouted and grew into a small hipster bush around his face. He shifted his eye color to bright blue and let his clothes morph to fit his hipster vibe.
When he was done, he put out his hands and smiled. “What do you think?”
Angie looked him up and down and raised an eyebrow. “Not really my thing, but better than having to be your celebrity groupie. No one should think you’re anyone famous, and you can start fresh with some new games today.”
Juntto grinned. “I’m so stoked.”
Angie chuckled and pulled the ID out of his pocket, hanging the lanyard around his neck. She leaned in and gave him a peck on the lips. “At least you aren’t a teenager today.”
Juntto smiled at her. “The day is young. It depends on how long I can behave in this body.”
Angie groaned. “Yesterday, you went through like five looks after you screwed up and tried to walk around looking like Bill Gates.”
Juntto shrugged. “I thought no one would recognize me.”
Angie gave him a serious stare. “Really? You came to a gaming convention looking like the biggest tech geek in history and thought no one would notice?”
Juntto sighed. “I didn’t realize humans were so weird and clingy with celebrities.”
Angie took his arm and led him from the hallway. “Wait until you see the Bieber fans. They’re the worst.”
They walked through the lobby and up to the large screen displaying all current and future competitions for that day. Juntto squinted as he looked at the huge board. Angie shook her head. “I’m into gaming and everything, but who knew there were so many game groupies? Damn.”
Juntto really wasn’t paying attention. “I could do Destiny again, but that was kind of boring. Wait! They have a DOTA 2 competition. Oh yeah, that is what I want to do.”
Angie looked up at
him. “Are you sure? You haven’t played computer-based games in a while. You sure you don’t want to just go with something Xbox-based?”
Juntto waved his hands at her. “Nah, it’ll be like playing mashtu on my planet. Once you ride the red beaver and get the fiery hoop, you never forget how to do it.”
Juntto walked off, and Angie stood there for a moment, confused. “Do I even want to ask? No, I don’t.”
She turned and looked for Juntto, finding him heading straight for the main auditorium. She ran through the crowds and grabbed his elbow. “Where are you going?”
Juntto nodded toward the gameplay arena inside. “To play DOTA 2.”
Angie shook her head. “You have to play lower-level tournaments before you get to play for a world title. Plus, DOTA is a team game, remember? You need to find a team. Most everyone who comes here to play that game comes with their group.”
Juntto stopped and stuck out his bottom lip. “But the team I played with online were from Australia or something. How am I going to find a team at the last minute like this?”
Angie stared at him for a minute. “I guess you’re going to have to put on some of that hipster charm and go out there and start asking people.”
Juntto tapped his foot. “Maybe I should just pick another competition.”
Angie shook her head. “Come on, it shouldn’t be that hard to put together a team out of all these people. You’re really good at that game. It was the one that started it all for you. I saw your face when you saw it listed on the board. You lit up like a fucking Christmas tree.”
Juntto whined a bit, kicking his foot at the floor. “But I’m no good at meeting new people. The first time I met you, I tried to kill you, remember?”
Angie chuckled. “Yeah, but it turned out all fine in the end. Just don’t try to beat anyone up or stab them, and you’ll be good.”
Juntto sighed but refused to budge. “But...but...I’ve competed in single combat a million times. Maybe they have one for that.”
