by mike Evans
“Yes, James, demons, the devil wants everything, got it, where the hell is Billy at, again?”
“They said that they want Tony, that they are looking for him, that they will take him back again.”
“He was here just before you left, saying that he thought he’d heard some things at his house. I gave him holy water to spread around the door. It would be good for the two of you to bless the house when time allows.”
“Screw the house, Father Michaels, we need to remove them from the house and keep them somewhere else. This isn’t even close to being over. I don’t know what the next play is but he’s got all kinds of things going on. The demon said something about an outsider, not having the chance to get to have all the fun.”
“What fun?”
“The killing of priests, Father Michaels,” James whispered.
“I know they don’t want us to take them back but we don’t usually lose anyone…ever. Far be it for me to call your job safe but we win more than we lose.”
“Do we win, Father Michaels? These things are already dead. We aren’t killing them. We are banishing them back to hell. I fear when one goes down another comes back, it’s a horrific situation, but it is one we don’t have any choice over. There’s only one-way to cure the world and I fear that neither solution is reasonable or possible for that matter.”
“Which reasons are those?”
“One, we have no more sinners in the world. Over time there will be less and less people going to hell. It won’t take care of what is down there, but I haven’t figured out how to actually keep a demon here, kill it, and not kill the host.”
“What was your other thought, James?”
“The same thing I pray a hundred time every day …to close the gates of hell for good, like forever and never let them back in. It is truly the only way I can think of to have it be over, to be done.”
Father Michaels smiled, he knew that there was something special about the men he picked to do the deeds most didn’t or couldn’t accomplish. “You are a special one son. I don’t think most people think as big as you do, most priests are content with one demon at a time, you want to send all of them to hell and keep them there forever. You have wonderful ideas, you know that, right?”
“Billy was the one that came up with it, Father Michaels. What do you want us to do? I fear Billy won’t want to leave after the threats on his brother.”
“I wouldn’t make him, if there’s still a heavy threat here the last thing I'm going to do is send my top priests away. We must protect the church first and foremost.”
“So, what do you want us to do?”
“I want you to stay here for now. When Billy makes his way back, take him and I don’t care if he kicks and screams to the hospital; you make sure they stitch him up and that he gets disinfected. We aren’t going to lose priests because of stupidity and rushing without thinking, it isn’t going to do anyone any good.”
Chapter 12
Route 66 Motel Los Angeles, California
Laurie sat outside watching the clock, they had another eight minutes before they needed to go punch in. The car was filled with carpoolers all trying to save a buck on gas. A steady stream of smoke made its way from the four down windows, each of the maids were trying to get the last smoke in that they could. There were fifty-two rooms and with the convention going on there would be no empty rooms after this morning’s checkout. Days like this were good for making extra tips. A little care today could lead to an extra fifty cents being left on the pillow or a dollar with the big spenders. Laurie watched the clock roll over and took the last of what she could of her smoke.
“Alright ladies, we need to get in there or Mr. Kirby is going to have a conniption fit. Now remember ladies, if we don’t clean those rooms, then we don’t get their business next time they are back and everything at sixty-six has got to be the best. We didn’t work this hard to become a second-rate hotel,” Laurie said in a gruff voice, doing the best which she could to mock the man that they all despised.
Stephanie said, “Come on, we better go, or he will lose it if we are late.”
The car doors opened to the wood covered station wagon, windows left down to try and help it air out. Laurie did the sign of the cross and kissing the cross she wore around her neck for good luck today. The four entered through the back as they always did. Kirby was checking the clock making sure no one was late and that no one was early. The last thing he was going to do was let someone earn even a minute of overtime. He said, “Good morning, ladies, how are my favorite maids?”
Stephanie looked around pointing at herself and the others, “Excuse me, Kirby, are you talking to us? I wasn’t sure if you hired someone else?”
Mr. Kirby took a long drink of his coffee, “You think you are funny, don’t you, Stephanie? Just remember there are a lot of perfectly qualified men and women in the greater California area that would be pleased as can be to take your place. You aren’t ready to move on and find a new place of employment, are you?”
Stephanie blushed brushing off his comment with both hands. “Oh, Mr. Kirby, why would I ever want to leave a job like this?”
Laurie leaned in and whispered, “He’s fired people for less than disrespecting him. You need to keep it down, if you get fired your husband is going to make sure that you don’t forget it either.”
“Oh please, Sunny isn’t going to do anything to me, I have that man tied around my finger,” Stephanie said.
“You really want to take that chance?” Laurie questioned.
She opened her mouth to say something when Mr. Kirby dropped her card in the punch machine clocking her in. He handed it to her with a smug grin. “You want to leave this place you just let me know when. I know how difficult it is to wash and change sheets. But now that you are clocked in, you are on my time and you can get to work.”
Laurie punched her own card and ushered Stephanie past him so she couldn’t dig herself any deeper.
Mr. Kirby hollered after them, “Laurie, you start on the east wing. Stephanie, you head to-”
“The west wing, Mr. Kirby? Why don’t we get to work the same sides?”
“Nobody likes a smart ass, Stephanie. You two get going. You make sure you clock out today for lunch. You do a really good job about forgetting that.”
“I think it’s the stress of the job, Mr. Kirby.”
“Would you please, just go!”
Laurie pulled her by the arm, “I can’t give you a ride home if you get canned, go clean your rooms, if you get any tip money let me know, we can go grab some McDonalds.”
“McDonalds, oh aren’t you a big spender. That sounds good though, I love McRibs.”
Jack leaned against the sink in the bathroom. He rinsed his fingers under the warm water, daydreaming about what the future or the end of the world was going to look like. He knew double crossing Satan was the right play, but knew if he did there’d just be someone else who stepped up and took his place. He wanted nothing of a world controlled by him, but as the devil had stated it was best to be invited then sent there without an invitation.
He held the straight blade in his hand delicately and started at the base of his neck going up in little one-inch increments, rinsing the glistening blade under the hot water. Jack contemplated running it across his neck and giving God a heads up on what was happening on earth but was pretty sure he’d heard suicide was a one-way ticket to hell. He looked at his chest in the mirror, knife scars, old bullet wounds, and burns covered him proudly. There were very few that he could not still feel when he ran through the memories.
The lightest knocking came at the door and with the scraping sound by his ear and the sound of the water running he didn’t hear it. Laurie opened the door slowly, she knew exactly what she could see from years of experience if people were in the heat of the moment and didn’t hear the housekeeping knock. She walked in looking at the sheets barely slept in. She shrugged pulling them off just like any other bed when she saw a figure in t
he mirror to the bathroom and screamed.
Jack cut his neck with the blade cursing beneath his breath. He took one of the bath towels, placing it beneath the warm water and pressed it up against the small wound. He walked out smiling, only with a few remnants of shaving cream still on his cheek that he would not be shaving anyways.
Laurie covered her eyes apologizing. Jack found a pair of pants sliding them on making sure the zip was easy to hear. “I thought I had the door locked, I apologize for the embarrassment which I’ve caused you.”
Laurie opened index and ring finger looking down to see that he was no longer in his boxers. She smiled nervously, not sure she could feel like a bigger jackass than right now. Jack put up his hand, trying to calm her down.
“Please don’t tell my manager, sir, I didn’t mean to intrude, I was thinking of a million different things I promise. I'm really good at my job; it isn’t easy to get work around here, especially something as simple as this to do for a living.”
Jack took the black shirt sliding it on, the white collar that priests wore was hanging from his ensemble and her face instantly went green. Laurie did the sign of the cross, saying short prayers under her breath. “Oh, my…never mind, I feel even worse, Father, oh chr-…never mind I'm just going to shut up.”
“Are you catholic, ma’am?” Jack asked.
“Since the day I was born, Father…”
“Father Brown, I'm here for a conference, else we don’t usually get to stay anywhere this fancy.”
Laurie snorted at that comment. “You must not get to live anywhere very nice then, huh, Father Brown?”
He smiled, understanding that he was in a dump. He had more money than he could burn in a lifetime now, but kept to his trade knowing flashing money was only asking for unwanted attention that he did not think warranted this being successful. “Well, ma’am-”
“Laurie, Father Brown, please call me Laurie. I'm sorry I interrupted you, I don’t know what is wrong with me, I feel like I’m flustered.”
“It is okay, my child, you are just fine. I would have turned five shades of green and have when I walked in on a nun one day changing with her door unlocked. Here I’d thought that maybe I could surprise her giving her some good news about a benefit she’d asked to do and I saw much more than our God would like me to.”
“Oh my, I couldn’t imagine…until today of course. Have I said that I am sorry, because I really am sorry, Father Brown?”
“Only twelve times, Laurie. Now do you want to finish the room, and I will finish cleaning up this mess? I’ve got a small wound to tend to.”
“I am so sorry about that.”
She backed up tripping on the bed, Laurie put a hand out catching a chair to a small work desk. She collapsed rolling off the side of the bed, the chair atop of her and his suit coat. She laughed snorting not sure that there was a higher level of embarrassment.
Laurie pushed the chair off her and lifted the jacket. Two leather straps were wound around the back of the chair, she looked down to see that they weren’t straps so much as cut leather, the type that had been sewn and was currently holding two of the biggest matching silenced pistols that she had ever seen. She looked up confused, “Father Brown, why do you-”
The kind look on the father’s face was now melted away. His understanding, humble face was filled with a rage, she was not expecting. She took the pistols with her backing up on her hands and butt doing a crab walk that would make people wonder if she was drunk. She pulled one of the pistols when Jack started his approach. Laurie aimed it center mass getting her balance and on her knees.
Jack said, “You need to flick the safety off, right there on the side.”
She turned the gun to the side to see what he was talking about. When she found it, she went to flip it off, but a blinding light hit her in the eyes. She never felt the blade of his razor as it was so quick. The only thing she could feel was what felt like a warm shower running down her neck. She dropped the pistol, the fact that she was dying had not yet registered, nor the fact that the shower was her own blood. Jack took a handful of her hair dipping a pinky in it with his free hand and drew a cross on her head. He knelt still holding her up, Laurie’s eyes were beginning to get glassy. Jack whispered close enough for his lips to brush her ear. “Laurie, I hope for your sake that you see God, you aren’t going to want to be on Earth for what is next.”
She could barely articulate anything but managed to say, “I don’t understand, Father. Why?”
Jack took one of the pistols from her and placed it to her temple. “Don’t make me the last thing you see. I don’t want anyone judging you.”
She tried to say something else, but Jack pulled the trigger twice, the twenty-two unloaded behind her ear. Neither one of the bullets exited, and that was why he kept this one on him for close and dirty work. A small trail of smoke came out of the side of her head where the barrel had been.
Jack let go of her and she fell to the floor. He took the rig from the floor, sliding it on; he’d half expected this trip to be boring with all the details he’d already been able to obtain. The day before he had tapped their phone. He knew the two priests were headed to a house to deal with a demon, something a few days ago, he would not have second-guessed as anything but fake. Jack finished dressing, half expecting the woman to become an act of God and have an angel warrior come down and cut his head off for the sins he’d committed.
When she didn’t move, he got his suit coat and collar in place. Jack adjusted his guns until he could raise his arms and no one would see the two pistols tucked beneath it. He took the do not disturb sign off the knob and placed it on the outside door.
Chapter 13
Milton’s Residence, Los Angeles
Carter pulled to a stop a few blocks away. The two young priests walked side by side to the house. It didn't matter how many times they've been requested to go into a home it always was like the first time. They knocked lightly, waiting for an answer, a voice that sounded as raspy as one could scream through the door, "Get out of here now or you will be an uninvited guest!"
“Mrs. Milton, Mr. Milton, are you there, can you please open the door for us?” Carter asked.
No answer came back, then a scream came that was so loud it could have cut through the house’s door. “We need to get in there and we need to do it now!” Nathaniel yelled.
"Yes, then we better get in there, huh?" Carter replied.
Jack had been tailing the two priests for the last few days. He watched the men talking outside of the house. The neighborhood wasn’t the type he was foreign to. There had been plenty of rich folks in his time that had hired him happily to off their significant others.
Jack watched them, indiscreetly reading a newspaper, he adjusted his seat and felt the pistol sitting next to his ribs and thought how easy this could have been if the man in charge of his hit list didn't need it to be clean and void of questions. He was used to people investigating his work he’d performed, like the police and FBI, but not God himself.
Another scream came, the two of them didn’t hesitate and each put a shoulder into the door. Jack thought that he’d be happy if the demon at this house took out the pair of priests. The door flung open when they put their force into it. They spilled onto the living room floor and a shadow came across passing over them slamming the door hard enough to shake the house. They watched as the door shut, seeing their briefcases and supplies being shut out and most likely locked outside.
Carter got up to a knee crawling over to the knob. He went to grab it when Nathaniel saw it turning bright red in just seconds. He leapt, knocking Carter over and pointing to the knob.
“Would you look at that Nathaniel; it’s going to melt soon. I hope you packed heavy because we aren’t going to get to do any reloading. Just to make sure they know that the door will not be opening. The deadbolt began to twist and the chain seemed to be held by an invisible set of fingers as it rose and slid into place, taunting them.
A
muffled scream came from the kitchen, the two got to their feet, both wishing they’d have not set their gear down outside. There was no such thing as having too much. Each demon was different, some easier than others. Each boy took a calming breath to think things over. They rose to their feet when the scream came again. Each of them pulled a cross from their breast pocket and walked in to see what was happening.
A woman, whom they could only assume was Mrs. Milton was pressed up against the wall. Her metal chair had consumed her, looking more like a medieval restraint device than a chair. The four legs were wrapped around her and pressed into the drywall behind her. The seat was pressed against her stomach tightly and the backrest of the chair was down, making her legs immobile.
"Well, you don't see that every day now do you?" Carter whispered.
