by Alan Baxter
Isiah nodded. ‘Listen, my friend, I hate to be rude, but I really need your help, right now.’
Vincenzo’s eyebrows raised. ‘Of course. Whatever I can do to help.’
‘Could you and your crew here help me with a sweep. There is a man that I desperately need to find. He can’t have got far yet, but finding him on my own would be very hard work.’
The old man nodded. ‘Certainly. Our business can wait.’ Isiah smiled his genuine thanks.
A few minutes later he stood with Vincenzo and a dozen of his brood outside the entrance to the train station. ‘He bolted from this very spot, just a short time ago,’ Isiah explained. ‘He can’t have got very far yet.’
Vincenzo nodded and turned to the group, motioned them all to gather round. The circle drew close around Isiah. A few people walking along moved aside, giving the group a wide berth. It seemed obvious that they were up to no good.
Vincenzo took the hand of one of his underlings and the others all joined hands surreptitiously. Isiah took Vincenzo’s other hand and the vampire to Vincenzo’s left rested his free hand on the old vampire’s shoulder, completing the circle. ‘Give us the man’s image, Isiah,’ Vincenzo said.
Isiah closed his eyes. In his mind he constructed a picture of Samuel in Andre Todd’s body. He let waves of Samuel’s personality wash through the image, like a fingerprint of Sam’s consciousness, and then let the image go to Vincenzo. The group nodded and grunted as they all received the mental photofit ID.
They all released contact from one another and stood back. ‘Dead or alive?’ Vincenzo asked.
‘Very much alive, please,’ Isiah replied. ‘It is imperative that I get hold of this man in one piece and as soon as possible. We’ll have to spot him by sight most likely, he’s using some kind of masking magic.’
Vincenzo nodded. ‘You heard him,’ he said loudly. ‘Go. And spread the word!’
In a burst of preternatural speed the group darted off in a dozen different directions, running down the street, across the road. Some shot straight up the walls of the buildings, like lanky black spiders, travelling at fantastic speed, to disappear over the rooftops.
‘Within fifteen minutes there will be at least a hundred of us scouring the city,’ Vincenzo said.
Isiah smiled. ‘Thank you, old friend. Start in this area and work out concentrically. I have no idea where he’s going, but we must move quickly.’
‘We’ll find him.’
Moments later Isiah reformed in his apartment. Back where he had started. Sitting in his armchair he closed his eyes and slipped free of his physical body. Within seconds his astral self was back at the station. He began systematically travelling up and down the streets, sweeping through the buildings, along alleys and over roofs. It was a much quicker way to search but it really was like searching for a needle in a haystack, only the haystack was the urban sprawl and the needle was just one of so many others like it.
As he searched he occasionally spotted one of Vincenzo’s vampires, creeping along a corridor, crawling along a window sill, stalking through late night malls. With minutes ticking painfully by the search continued.
An hour later Isiah snapped back into his body, his eyes dark and angry. The vampires were still searching, but Isiah had to do something about the plane. It was due to leave soon and they would never get there in time to catch it. There was no chance of another to the right location tonight. If they didn’t get this plane, then all would be lost. As the Balance had said, timing was crucial. Why did Samuel pick now to panic and run?
However, perhaps if Isiah could just delay the plane, all might not be lost. They could still catch the same one, even if it was running late. They would have to move quickly at the other end, try to make up the lost time, but it wasn’t over yet. A small mechanical hitch with the aircraft, just to delay it by a couple of hours. The flight would not be cancelled that way. He had checked the airport astrally. Now he travelled physically. Within a couple of minutes he was back in his armchair, satisfied that the rather confused airline mechanic would take a couple of hours at least to find the problem that Isiah had just created.
With a deep breath, his teeth set in annoyance, Isiah closed his eyes and astrally swept away once more, picking up the search where he had left off. With any luck, Samuel’s magic would falter soon. When his mask fell, with so many creatures looking out for him, he would glow like a camera flash in a dark room. There had to be a moment at least, before Samuel could recast his magic, that he would be vulnerable. Someone was sure to spot it. Isiah hoped it was someone on his side, though he knew the devil and his minions were in great numbers and not far behind.
As these thoughts crossed Isiah’s mind the voice of the Balance interrupted his search.
VINCENZO IS WAITING FOR YOU.
Without an answer Isiah leapt back to his body. As his eyes opened he saw Vincenzo standing before him. The old vampire smiled. ‘I was tempted then, old friend. Just a quick taste.’
Isiah shook his head, smiling crookedly. ‘You found him?’
‘We have. This way.’
The vampire jumped through Isiah’s open window without a glance behind. He knew Isiah could keep up. Jumping and climbing, window ledges to drainpipes, the two men reached the roof and ran. They jumped the gaps between buildings, travelling at a blur across the night cloaked city. Within minutes they were at a large building. It was a street corner bar, with offices above. A large flat awning ran around the building on which Isiah and Vincenzo alighted. Two other vampires waited there in the shadows, either side of a window.
As they landed Isiah felt Samuel’s mask fall away. Just in time! He sat on a hard wooden chair in the small room, looking worriedly at the clock on the wall. Several things happened at once. A burst of RealmShift washed across the building like a concussive wave. At the same moment the door to the small room opened and a large man with a huge cigar in one hand walked in. As the large man said, ‘So, Harrigan, what is it exactly that you’re after?’ Samuel realised that his shield was down.
There was a roar from inside the building. The large man spun around, his cigar falling from his hand.
Isiah crashed through the window.
Samuel leapt to his feet as the large man spun back. ‘What the fuck...?’ the man yelled, as Isiah grabbed the knife from Samuel’s hand and threw it aside.
Samuel writhed in Isiah’s grasp. ‘Let me go! He’s coming!’
‘I know,’ Isiah shouted back. ‘And we’re leaving!’
The room filled with a pervasive air of heat and anger. Vincenzo and his two cronies jumped through the window and grabbed the large man, running with him back through the door. ‘Isiah, go!’ Vincenzo yelled as he ran.
As Isiah dragged Samuel back through the broken window the three vampires met Lucifer head on in the doorway, slamming the unfortunate man they carried into the devil’s black chest. They rained blows and knife slashes all over Satan as the devil picked up Samuel’s associate and literally tore him in half in his rage. Isiah and Samuel dropped from the awning onto the crowded street below as Vincenzo and his friends raced off through the building at enormous speed in three different directions.
The devil stood in the empty room and roared again. His fists balled and shaking, his face sheer fury.
Isiah and Samuel landed heavily on the pavement, several people stepping back stunned as they did so, then crying out in surprise and fear as the deafening roar echoed across the street. What the hell was that?
Isiah smiled. ‘I think there’s a wild bear loose up there!’ he said to no one in particular. A few people screamed and ran, others looking around, lost for what to do. An air of panic swept through the crowd and Isiah used the confusion to drag Samuel away. They ran left and right through streets and alleys before emerging once again onto a main thoroughfare and slowing to a walk.
‘The train station isn’t too far now,’ Isiah said, gripping Samuel’s hand like a vice. ‘We can get back on track now.’
Samuel staggered along beside Isiah, panting for breath. ‘What the fuck is this?’ he asked eventually. ‘You act like nothing happened.’
‘Samuel, are you too stupid to realise that you are safer with me? I had a little help from some friends and we got you back. Just. Now we can get on with the task at hand. I’ve already told you that I don’t like it. But I’ll be damned if I won’t achieve it.’
‘But we’re too late. We’ve missed the plane, haven’t we? I wanted to get a different plane, one that none of you would find me on.’
‘You really have no idea of the scale of things here, do you,’ Isiah said. ‘We haven’t missed the plane. Hopefully. Come on.’ He led them down some steps to a train station. ‘Stay with me, stay with the crowds and play along like we originally planned, all right? The devil will start throwing things at us again any second now, but don’t lose it. He cannot get you while you’re in public with me. Don’t kill anyone. And hurry!’
Samuel shook his head. ‘Whatever, man. I feel like I’m being pulled in a million different directions at once.’
As they hurried through the turnstiles, nobody seeming to notice that they hadn’t paid, Samuel felt the hair on the back of his neck raise, a shudder running through him like his blood had turned to ice water. His stomach felt the same. ‘Hold it together, Samuel.’ Isiah’s voice was tight, concentrated, but firm.
‘He’s here,’ Samuel said, his voice strained between clenched teeth.
‘I know. He’ll make himself seen any moment. Remember, almost everyone here can’t see him, or his minions. Don’t react to anything he does.’
‘I remember.’
As they headed towards the platform, Samuel made a small noise of fear in his throat. Isiah squeezed his hand. ‘I see him, Samuel. Be cool.’
An old, grey haired train guard sat on a stool at the entrance to the platform. His face was lined, tired. Unseen by him, and just about everybody else, was the Devil. But Isiah and Samuel could see him. Lucifer stood behind the old man’s stool, one arm draped loosely around his neck, one gnarled, black, taloned hand resting lightly on the left side of the old man’s chest. ‘Ignore him,’ Isiah instructed.
As they passed, Lucifer hissed, one long finger disappearing into the old man’s chest. With a gasp, the guard clutched at his left arm, toppled slowly forward off his stool. Samuel’s voice was high pitched. ‘Fuck me, did you see that?’
Isiah’s face was dark, his black eyes like bottomless pits. ‘I saw. He’s making distractions.’
People began running towards the fallen train guard, Is he all right? I think he’s had a heart attack! My god, I think he’s dead!
Samuel’s eyes were wild. ‘Can he do that to me?’
Isiah kept his eyes on the Devil. ‘Not while I’m looking after you. That’s why he wants to split us up.’
The Devil’s laughter bubbled like tar pits as he strode towards Isiah and Samuel. Minions appeared in front of them, stepping from thin air through the shimmer of RealmShift. One of the minions climbed onto the lap of a waiting passenger, who sat quietly reading. Isiah sent it back to Hell with a bolt of energy, but not before another had leaped onto the next passenger on the bench, melting into the unfortunate businessman. ‘Watch him,’ Isiah said, gesturing with his chin. They stopped walking, apparently waiting for the train like everybody else. Isiah could feel Samuel trembling as the Devil approached. Isiah smiled at Lucifer. ‘Now don’t make a scene,’ he said, sounding like an exasperated parent. ‘That was a close one, but I’ve still got him.’
Lucifer’s face twisted. ‘Give him to me!’
‘No.’
Suddenly the businessman on the bench leapt to his feet, shouting incoherently at the top of his voice. He ran forwards, grabbing Samuel by the collar, trying to drag him towards the tracks. Samuel cried out, beating at the man’s face and arms. Lucifer took his cue, raising his hand to strike at Isiah. As Isiah gathered his will and pumped a bolt of raw energy directly into Satan’s chest, knocking him back, Samuel delivered a devastating head butt to the lunatic dragging at his clothes. There was a sickening crunch as the man’s nose was flattened. He screamed, staggering backwards. Lucifer roared in anger.
‘You’re drawing attention,’ Isiah warned, energy crackling around his free hand. ‘Back off. You will not have him.’
‘I will have my way, Interferer,’ Lucifer roared. He raised his hand toward Samuel as the train began to appear from the tunnel. People were looking at Isiah and Samuel, wondering what would happen next, as the raving businessman fell to the floor. They were blissfully unaware of the number of other entities around them. The minion stepped from the man’s prone form, grinning maliciously. The businessman, his senses returning, clutched at his broken face, sobbing. ‘What’s going on,’ he wailed, looking around himself. Everybody turned away, suddenly occupied by the incoming train.
Lucifer turned his hand, an invisible force pulling at Samuel, dragging him towards the tracks. Isiah held firm, with body and mind, resisting the Devil’s power. ‘He’s trying to throw me in front of the train,’ Samuel cried.
‘I know,’ said Isiah, his teeth clenched, his face fixed in concentration. ‘I’ve got you. Shut up.’
The Devil growled, releasing his grip as the train passed, slowing to a halt. As the doors hissed open, the gathered crowds surging forward, several minions stepped in between the train doors and Isiah. ‘Just walk through,’ Isiah hissed, pacing forward. He pumped a shield of energy before them, knocking the minions back. Lucifer shot energy of his own back at them, which Isiah managed to deflect, though it rocked them both. He cried out as the power of it singed his body and mind. Samuel whimpered, his dark face slightly grey with panic. They stepped onto the train just as the doors hissed closed again. The train lurched away and the Devil’s face twisted in rage. As they disappeared into the tunnel they saw him step straight through the wall of the train a few carriages back.
‘Oh, fuck,’ Samuel whined. ‘I wish he’d leave us alone.’
‘Not after the insult we’ve done him, Samuel. He wants you bad. Brace yourself, this is only a moment’s rest.’
The train rattled along, rocking slightly. The passengers read or listened to music or stared blankly out the windows at the dark city.
‘How long is the train ride?’ Samuel asked.
‘About twenty minutes, but he’ll be back before then.’
‘I prefer my method, Isiah. I’d rather kill someone than be this much on edge. He could grab us any second!’
‘You’d rather kill because you’re a coward, Samuel. Don’t panic.’
The train rocked along for another few minutes while Samuel fretted. Then the door to their carriage opened and a pretty young woman, a look of the librarian about her, stepped through. Though she looked innocent enough, Isiah and Samuel could see her eyes like no-one else in the carriage; yellow, slitted.
The woman raised an accusatory finger, pointing directly at Samuel. She let out a short scream to catch everybody’s attention, then, ‘That man! He’s the bastard that raped me! He raped me!’ She continued to rant and scream as people turned to look at Samuel’s quivering face.
‘She’s lying,’ Samuel said angrily. ‘I haven’t seen this woman before in my life.’ The woman screamed and sobbed, tears running down her cheeks. Samuel held up his hand, entwined with Isiah’s. ‘Do I look like someone that would rape a woman?’
Two large men wearing torn denim and leather jackets, their heads shaved to the slightest stubble, stood up. ‘One way or another, you’re a sick bastard,’ one of them said, his face sneering.
‘Don’t rise, Samuel,’ Isiah whispered. ‘He’s trying to start a fight, cause confusion. Don’t let him.’
The muscles in Samuel’s cheeks twitched as he ground his teeth. ‘I’ve never seen that woman before,’ he said again.
One of the shaven headed men stepped forward. ‘She says you seen a lot of her. And you say you’re a faggot. Either way, I don’t
like you.’
‘Oh, fuck it,’ Samuel said. His free hand shot up, palm open, the heel of his hand striking the large man just below the nose. There was a crunch and a scream cut short as the man fell to the floor like a sack of rocks.
‘Shit!’ Isiah cursed as people began screaming and shouting at them. Several people rose to their feet. The Devil grinned.
The big man’s friend stepped forward, his face furious, his arm swinging round in a large arc to punch Samuel. Before Samuel could react, Isiah spun them around, intercepting the man’s punch, turning its momentum against him. Isiah slipped one leg behind the man, turning his arm over, letting that momentum send him flying backwards onto the floor. He landed hard, his breath escaping in a rush. Isiah sent his boot hard into the man’s ribs to keep him down, then dragged Samuel towards the door at the other end of the carriage.
People grabbed at them, cursed them as they ploughed through to the next carriage. The woman that had accused Samuel of rape slumped to the floor as they left, the Devil leaving too.
‘I can’t take much more of this,’ Samuel said, trembling.
‘We’ll get a rest at the airport. I can’t do much while we’re moving, that’s all. Hang in there.’
They had a few short minutes before Isiah sensed RealmShift again. At the far end of the carriage minions started popping into existence. Dripping and grinning they advanced between the unsuspecting passengers. Isiah began pumping bolts of energy into them, frying one after another, but more followed.
‘Fuck me, he’s opened the gates of Hell on us,’ Samuel whimpered. ‘I’m gonna do it my way, Isiah.’
‘I’ll kill you first,’ Isiah growled. ‘Be cool.’ He continued pumping his devastating energy into the little demons. ‘Hold on to me,’ he said, dropping Samuel’s hand. ‘I need both hands.’
The moment Samuel’s hand left Isiah’s grip there was a rush of RealmShift and Samuel was whipped away from Isiah’s side. Isiah used all his energy, sending a massive wave of power at the advancing minions, driving them back, then spun around. Samuel was hanging unconscious in the arms of a large bearded man in a suit. A man with yellow eyes like a cat. Several passengers were looking confused, watching the unusual scene play out. Tired of the game, Isiah launched himself at Lucifer, grabbing around his throat. Samuel fell senseless to the floor as the Devil growled, meeting Isiah’s challenge, his hands flying up, tearing at Isiah’s hair and face, raining blows on his head.
