But there was no time for worrying now. Marcus believed that this police officer could provide them with answers. Not only was he just in contact with Israel but he must know what happened to the rest of the guys.
Marcus had developed an interest in Josiah long before any of this. The man had a strange ability for healing. This was an ability that Marcus, more than anybody, was fascinated by and wanted to understand. Marcus had only ever been able to take a persons pain but the ability to cure entire wounds or diseases was always impossible to him. Someone dying of a gunshot wound would still die. They just would not feel any pain as they breathed their last breath. Marcus never knew whether to be relieved or sad in those moments. The agony he was feeling would leave him but at great cost.
But this man, Josiah Versette, may just hold the key to true healing and if he did Marcus was desperate to know it.
Metalcore flew high into the air above the city. It was a grim, grey day with low hanging cloud. He wouldn’t be able to fly in complete stealth but these conditions did help somewhat. No one saw him. The squad car finally reached it’s destination and it wasn’t exactly a surprise. Josiah pulled into the small parking lot behind the forty-fourth precinct of the New Belfast Police Department. Metalcore descended and landed quietly on the roof of the building across the street. He waited.
Ronan, Elaine and Nightfall sat around the dinner table.
“More wine please Elaine,” Nightfall said confidently. Elaine said nothing and filled Nightfall’s glass. Ronan didn’t look up from his food, he simply ate.
Nightfall’s thirtieth storey, corner apartment had a stunning view over New Belfast. Ronan’s apartment was nice, but this was sublime. Anyone in their right mind would question how anyone, even a professional wrestler, could ever afford a place like this. Anyone in their right mind would know that NCW wrestlers didn’t make that much money.
The problem was that Ronan and Elaine were not in their right minds. Nightfall finished his meal, sat back and sighed.
“I think tomorrow night we’ll reveal our partnership. I’ll have a word with Sol before the show starts,” he announced.
“Yes,” both Ronan and Elaine responded at the same time.
“After the beating I gave you the other night your characters will become pathetic slaves to do my bidding. We will own NCW. When I win the title at the Uprising pay per view I want you to present it to me on your knees in the middle of the ring.”
“Yes,” Elaine responded.
“Not you,” Nightfall corrected.
“Yes,” Ronan responded.
“Good.” Nightfall smiled. “Now Ronan go to bed.” Without a word Ronan got up and walked to the far end of the apartment and through one of the doors.
“Now, Elaine. Take your clothes off.”
“Yes,” Elaine responded.
Josiah finally appeared, leaving the precinct out of the back exit to get back into his car. Metalcore stood to attention then slowly hovered up several inches, itching to fly free into the night air after his long wait. Josiah’s car pulled out onto the street and headed west with Metalcore following high above, camouflaged by the black night air.
For twenty-five minutes Daniel followed Josiah through the city street until it came to a stop outside a building he was not expecting. Daniel perched on a fire escape across the road and waited. A few moments later Josiah got out of his car, walked up a small flight of steps and went inside the doors of the New Belfast Community Church.
The food actually wasn’t all that bad. It was warm anyway which was more than could be said about the cell. Greyfall dipped his chunk of bread into his chilli and bit into it with a satisfying sigh. Manning slowly picked at his bread, eating one tiny bite at a time.
“Are you not hungry?” Greyfall asked.
“Not overly, no. I’m worried about Israel. I’ve dreamt every night that we have been here that he is dead,” Manning answered and Greyfall stopped eating.
“You don’t know that Manning.”
“I know. It’s just… that blast hit him worse than any of us. If Kennedy took him I see no reason as to why he would keep him alive. Other than…. other than…” Manning’s voice trailed off. Greyfall knew what he was thinking.
“If I were Vincent Kennedy… I would keep him alive. I would keep him alive to get at you.”
“Yes. Yes, Greyfall I think you could be right. It would be just like him to keep yet another prisoner to… experiment on…. damn it!” Manning yelled as he threw his cup of water across the room which bounced loudly off the wall and several times on the floor. Immediately there was a loud buzzing sound and both Manning and Greyfall grabbed at the bands around their necks. Both men cringed and writhed in pain until the buzzing stopped several seconds later. Manning struggled for breath.
“I’m sor… sorry Greyfall,” he managed through gasps of air.
“It’s ok my friend,” Greyfall comforted while trying not to show too much of his own discomfort. Greyfall thought it best for Manning to still see him as a mighty warrior, even if his strength was numbed by the band around his neck. “How did they ever design these contraptions?”
“Take a wild guess,” Manning answered.
“I would guess… Something Kennedy cooked up in his lab?”
“Bingo. Guess who helped him too.”
Greyfall sighed. “Manning, how long did you work for Kennedy while knowing everything you told us about the experiments on people?”
Manning sighed and put his head in his hands.
“Eat your food.” He instructed. “Only a short while. He legitimately made it sound like we were doing it for the good of mankind. He has a way with words. A way with bullshit. But when I found out the extent of his… when I found out to what level of test subject he was experimenting on… there was just no way I could continue. We were initially told we were using volunteers or criminals, murderers. But… when I discovered the babies…”
Greyfall sighed. “It is a crime he will answer for Manning.”
“Yeah. But in which life? I would give anything, I would literally give my left arm for that prick to be found out. I don’t know if there’s a God that will judge him after he’s dead and damn it I would love to see him answer to men in this life.” Manning was getting passionate.
“Surely the infinite of Hell is sufficient is it not?”
Manning almost smiled. “Yeah, I’ve never wanted Hell to be real so much in my life. Just for him.”
“There is still hope.”
Manning smiled. “You’re right. The others are still out there. Daniel. Marcus.”
“They say to never underestimate your enemy, which is true. But it is every bit as important to not underestimate your allies.”
Chapter 16
“Im gonna ask you again Israel, were there others with you at the time of the attack?” Josiah asked for the...he had actually lost count how many times he had asked.
“I don’t remember.” Israel had said these words more than any others over the last week. The daily visits from police officers got really old, really fast.
“And I told you. I don’t think my name is Israel,” he continued. Playing dumb seemed like the most sensible approach. Give them absolutely nothing.
“Did you live there? Did you work there? Could you identify any of the attackers?” Josiah asked.
“I don’t remember.”
“Cut the crap!” Josiah demanded as he stood up from his chair. Israel genuinely jolted in shock. He wasn’t expecting that at all. “You don’t have any memory loss, you know full well what your name is Israel and you know whether or not there were other people there! The first thing you asked was where were the others?! The scans came back negative! You show no signs whatsoever of memory loss so help me out and start talking. You are heading for PATMOS when you are well enough anyway so you may as well be a benefit to society before you do!”
The words were spoken with such authority that Israel almost started talking.
“I want my lawyer,” was all he said. “And a TV!”
“Missing your soaps?”
“NCW.”
Josiah was taken aback by the comment.
"Seriously? Wrestling?"
"I've grown to like it... I think.” Israel kept up the memory loss bluff. In reality he barely enjoyed it, but he was desperate to see if any of his friends were ok.
Ronan paced around the ring like a hungry wolf. Elaine sat on a chair beside the commentators. Nightfall blew her a kiss from the ring, a gesture she returned with a smile. He had laid his opponent out with ease, taking a few bumps and knocks himself. He might have Ronan, Elaine, Sol and the rest of the guys back stage under his control but he didn’t have the fans, either in the arena or watching at home, so he had to sell it. Wrestlers who continually defeat their opponents with extreme ease in squash matches didn’t stay a novelty for long. It was best for Nightfall to look more like he was earning his top spot through effort rather than the writers just making him look good every night. The fans weren’t stupid, they knew when certain guys were just getting an easy ride to the top because of backstage politics or relationships. It never went down well.
Nightfall hit his finisher on his opponent in the center of the ring. The crowd was really alive. Pinning him, the referee hit the one, two, three count and signalled for the bell to ring. The crowd cheered. It was funny how much the crowd had changed over the years. Ten years ago a rain of boos would be filling this arena. Good guys were cheered and bad guys were booed. Now it was almost a total reversal. The negative, trolling rebellious fan had taken over and guys like Nightfall were fan favourites.
Ronan slipped into the ring under the bottom rope and picked up the helpless opponent, throwing him through the ropes to the floor outside. Ronan turned to Nightfall for orders. Nightfall grabbed Ronan in an embrace, speaking straight into his ear and pointing to the announcers table. The announcers knew what was coming and began to leave their seats. Elaine stood up and climbed the steps up to and into the ring as Ronan climbed out and picked up his victim from the floor. The crowd was cheering Ronan on as he grabbed him by the throat, lifted him right off his feet and choke slammed him through the table.
While the crowd cheered Ronan climbed back into the ring and approached Nightfall. Standing in front of his once rival, Ronan slowly bent down onto one knee and dropped his head into his chest. The crowd couldn't quite believe or understand what they were seeing. Ronan was bowing to Nightfall. Nightfall laughed loudly and gestured for Elaine to approach. Elaine slowly walked over while looking down at Ronan, then turning her gaze to Nightfall she smiled and slowly kissed him while the crowd and announcers looked on in bewilderment. Nightfall’s hands caressed Elaine’s body all over, his tongue visible as he ravaged her. While the crowd enjoyed the bad guy, this was uncomfortable to watch.
“Well that was… stupid and gross.” Josiah turned off the TV wheeled in for Israel.
“Yeah it was,” Israel agreed. He knew this wasn’t a storyline. Ronan and Elaine weren’t themselves, he could see it as clear as day. “What is going on with them?” he thought.
“Right… well, listen man, is there anyone I can even contact just to let know you are alright?” Josiah interrupted Israel’s train of thought.
Israel answered honestly.
“Nah. There isn’t anyone.”
“There isn’t anyone or you don’t remember anyone?” Josiah asked.
“No there isn’t anyone. I don’t think so anyway.”
Josiah could hear the truth in Israel’s voice. For the first time he felt himself pitying the broken man in the bed. He looked at his watch and stood up.
“Time to clock out,” he said as he began making a move towards the door. “My relief should be outside now.”
“More people to visit?” Israel asked. Josiah stopped and turned back to Israel. The two held eye contact for several moments.
“Yeah… I do.” Josiah answered.
“You ever… I dunno… pray for them?”
Josiah started to feel uncomfortable.
“Good night, Israel,” he said as he turned and walked out of the room. The night shift police officer was already on guard outside the room.
As Josiah walked down the corridor of the hospital he couldn’t help but wonder what this man had on him. How did he know these things about him?
Marcus couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing or hearing but he was enthralled. It was certainly different.
“You see that’s the one thing people seem to gloss over when they read the gospels of Jesus. Yes Jesus healed the sick. Yes He helped the needy. Yes He was a great teacher. But don’t forget people, everywhere Jesus went, every town and village he came across… and there were a lot of them… every miracle He performed and just about every lesson He taught… after all of this Jesus left behind him a trail of social devastation. Jesus went town to town pissing people off!” Pastor Mike of New Belfast Community Church was getting passionate. Marcus was sitting in the very back row of the half filled sanctuary listening.
Wednesday evenings weren’t an overly popular time for people to make it out to church, especially the weekly meeting entitled ‘The Resistance’. Pastor Mike loved his regular church and loved his congregation, but it was at these Wednesday evenings were he really felt God’s purpose for him truly being fulfilled.
Mike had never quite fit in with the normal clergy of this neighbourhood. Most, if not all of them, were ordained through some higher power in their respective faiths and denominations. Pastor Mike was simply a man with a vision and no formal titles or qualifications. He started NBCC four years ago from scratch in his apartment and now they were hiring out a two storey building to fit the congregation that had gathered around him.
Sunday mornings were still a fair bit more hard hitting than your standard church service, but at The Resistance on Wednesdays the gloves were off. Because of this and the midweek timing, he spoke to a group of only several dozen. Marcus continued to listen for several minutes. He was looking at the backs of heads trying to find Josiah but he couldn’t place him anywhere.
“Jesus was a social terrorist. The religious leaders, the authority, the Romans hated His guts to the point that they killed Him. Do we ever really stop and think about that?! Yeah we grow up and go to Sunday school and sing songs about how Jesus died and rose for me la-la-la isn’t life fantastic? But do you ever stop and really visualise that fact that the man we put our faith in was bludgeoned and beaten half to death, had big ass nails pierced… listen to me! Had big ass nails driven through His hands! Hung up on a cross to die for us… and we sing happy go lucky songs about it?!” Pastor Mike held up his Bible.
“This book is utterly soaked in blood. Just about every other chapter of it is about some kind of blood bath.” He stood in silence, letting the ripples calm for a moment. Marcus was starting to get a little bit freaked out. He got up and left through the door at the back into the foyer of the building.
“Alright, son?” An elderly man who was sitting on a chair and watching over the door asked him. This took Marcus by complete surprise and even more of a surprise to him was what came out of his mouth next.
“Uh yeah, uh… where’s the bathroom?”
“Just go through that door and it’s the next door in front of you,” the old man answered.
“Th- thanks man.” Marcus stumbled and walked through the first door. Once he was through he let out a huge sigh as he went into the bathroom.
“I don’t even need to pee!” he thought to himself. “Why didn’t I just leave? Something about that old man…”
After an acceptable amount of time had passed Marcus flushed the toilet, ran the water and placed his hands under the dryer to make the noise. Leaving the bathroom he made his way back into the foyer. The old man was up out of his seat and standing with his hand on the door handle of the main sanctuary. As Marcus came back into the foyer he started to open the door.
“Ok son?” He
asked. Marcus stood for a moment then started towards the open door.
“Yeah… yeah thanks,” he answered as he re-entered the main foyer. He took his seat again at the back of the hall.
“Ladies and gentlemen I am not trying to scare you,” Pastor Mike was yelling. “I am not telling you to go home and check under the bed for the boogeyman ‘cause he’s coming to get you.” A small wave of laughter spread across the hall. “What I’m saying is… know this… the moment you accept Jesus Christ as your saviour… the moment you give it all over to him and declare to the Heavens that He is Lord… you are at war.”
A chill went down Marcus’ back. The hair on his neck stood on end and goosebumps shot all over his body. He had never heard anything like this before. He didn’t want any of this to be real
“Satan… the enemy is scared. Scared of Jesus and scared of you. He knows who walks beside you, knows what dwells within your heart… and he can’t stand it. So he tries everything he can to get to you, trip you up, embarrass you, hurt you, confuse you, lure you, tempt you because he knows what a threat you are to him!”
“Amen!” an older man yelled out from the front.
“He knows what damage you can do and he is terrified!”
“Amen!” more people yelled.
“So he’ll be coming at you from every angle he can, through every foothold he can get access to and in every way he knows how and believe me, he knows a lot of ways!
“Sumbitch gonna fail!” a young man yelled out to the laughter of almost everyone. Marcus couldn’t help but crack a smile.
The Hade War Page 15
