by John Hook
“I’m just a border town escort. They never tell us anything.”
Paul as usual ignored Rox. She made him even more uncomfortable now that she made no attempt to hide her attitude.
“Well, hopefully I can find out more,” Saripha said quietly.
“How?” I asked.
“I’m returning to stay with the manitor.”
Paul’s face lost its color. The irony of thinking he became white as a ghost didn’t escape me. I was a bit shocked myself.
Saripha smiled. “I have chosen to be with Guido. Guido isn’t really his name, by the way, but even I can barely pronounce his real name.”
“Why…?” Was all Paul could get out.
"It's complicated. The fact is, I can learn a lot from him and he can protect me in this world now that we are stirring things up. If I am with him, I can also see to it that he is convinced to look out for your interests."
“You are doing this? He isn’t compelling you in some way?” Izzy asked.
“No. Surprisingly, we hit it off. I say surprisingly because I am a human and he is a very alien being who doesn’t think very much like a human. He is of an ancient and deeply magical race. I have a lot I can learn from him. More pragmatically, his patronage and protection are my best shot at surviving this world as a mortal. However, I have to say, for being so different, he is actually… charming.”
“So we won’t see you?” Sidney asked.
“Not at all. I will be free to come and go and arrange for you to come to me if needed.”
“But you will be without human company.” Sidney protested, though we all knew it was more our loss he was examining.
“I will miss you all, but there is some really deep connection I have with Guido. I think this is why I am here.”
“You are always full of surprises, Saripha.” I said, genuinely, but with a smile.
“You should talk.”
“So, what now?” Izzy asked.
“We need three things, from my standpoint. Recruit and develop an army, at least for defense. Explore more of this world to see what’s waiting for us out there. Develop technology to give us an edge over demons and whatever else is bigger and badder than we are—probably almost everything.”
“You are mad, Quentin,” Paul spit out.
“Probably. Care to elaborate?”
“We have our own corner of Hell. It’s ours to do with as we want. Our manitor has pledged it to us.”
“And you just expect the rest of Hell to just leave us alone?”
“They might if we don’t go stirring things up.”
“Paul, this place is called Hell. There is a reason for that. No one is just going to leave us alone. There is also something else.”
“Besides your stubborn need to fight all authority?”
I laughed, as the administrator emerged in all his petty officiousness. “Paul, I’m still dead and I’m still here. Nothing has changed. I still don’t feel I deserve to be here. I suspect there are a lot of others here who don’t either. I can’t just sit back and say everything is okay now. I have to do something.”
“To what end? You are fighting all of Hell, the natural order of this place. What can you possibly accomplish that you haven’t already?”
“May I remind you that you didn’t think I could accomplish this?”
“Fine. You are right. However, where does it stop?”
“Maybe when I find Bowling Pin Jesus.”
Paul look confused. I don’t think I had ever told him about BPJ.
“I don’t know, Paul. I just know this isn’t right and I have to keep going.”
“Of course you do, because you don’t care how many get harmed as a result of your arrogance…”
Saripha put her hands on Paul’s shoulders. He calmed a bit. He ultimately trusted Saripha. We all did. “Quentin is right. We have two choices. If we are to remain citizens, true citizens, we have no choice but defy the order here. Otherwise, we become like the mass. There is no live-and-let-live in this place. I am convinced of that now.”
“It will take time.” I added. “Chaos won’t be descending tomorrow, Paul.”
“Now there’s a comfort.” Paul sighed.
“That’s the spirit.” I added, slapping Paul on the back.
With that, we all said our good-byes to Saripha, who left in the wagon to return to the tower and then on to Guido. Tweedledee and Tweedledum had shown up mysteriously in the wagon, apparently to act as guides. Saripha was perfectly comfortable with them. They still creeped me out a bit. We all went our separate ways to figure out what our parts were in our little corner of Hell.
I had one last thing to attend to.
I stood in Rox’s apartment. I didn’t know what I wanted. I had so many conflicted feelings rolling around inside me, I didn’t know if I was coming or going. Rox leaned against a wall, a glimmer in her eyes. I think she was enjoying my turmoil.
“I hope you didn’t come here just to stand there.”
“I don’t know what to do with my feelings.” I said, lamely.
“You looking for suggestions?”
“I don’t know who you are.”
“Sure you do. I’m the fantasy bad girl of your dreams. Exotically beautiful in a way that was designed to appeal to you. Someone who is as comfortable with deep pain as with deep pleasure. Someone who can take you to the extremes you seek.”
“I seek extremes?”
“Of course you do. What do you think drives you to take on devils and demons without concern for the odds. “
“My stubborn sense of fair play and justice?”
“That makes you stubborn. The addiction to extremes and passion makes you the risk taker.”
“That’s just it. I never was that much of a risk taker. My fantasy heroes did all the risk taking for me.”
She had my shirt open and was running her hands over my still tender ribs as she applied just enough pressure to remind me they were sore but not so much as to make me wince. “How nice that you lived in a safe enough world that your risk taking could be vicarious. Now, in this place, those characters—those stories—have been absorbed into you.”
I was having a little trouble staying focused. I was still conflicted, but one side of the conflict was beginning to win.
“So when you helped kill me and were going to make me your pet, you were completely under Janovic’s control?”
“And if I wasn’t?” She gave me her best evil smile. “Would you feel any less aroused by me?”
“Well, when you put it like that...”
“You need to get over it. I’m done apologizing for anything. I have been a part of Hell for longer than I can remember and I have been a puppet. Apparently I have a taste for the work. I am who I am and will no longer care about being what anyone expects from me. You need to decide if you want me or not.” She smiled back at me as she crossed back towards the bed. The black cloth dropped from her shoulders, revealing the shimmering winged jaguar. “Just don’t take too long.”
“We’re not going to have any more kids, are we?” I said as I crossed over and lay down beside her.
Sometimes, surrender is a good thing.
The Rebellion Continues:
Hard Corps
Available Exclusively as a Kindle eBook:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AG2ESL4
Quentin Case is getting restless. That usually means trouble.
Trapped in a world of torture and magic that might be Hell or simply a hellish world, the "Citizens" of Rockvale have managed to carve out a sanctuary under the protection of a mysterious Manitor. Quentin is not satisfied with this momentary lull. He is still angry. Reluctantly, he has been trying to keep the peace while Kyo builds up Rockvale’s defensive force. However, when one of Rockvale's own goes missing, Quentin runs headlong into the unknown.
Exploring this world, making more enemies than friends, Quentin sets out to raise an army to go up against a giant Demon King, a new Manitor and his psyc
hotic Shade, as well as the strange angel-like being that seems more powerful than all of them. What he will do when he faces them isn’t clear, but long range planning has never been his long suit. He will need magic of his own. Quentin doesn’t trust magic. The trouble is, unless he can learn the true nature of his power, those closest to him --Rox, Saripha, Izzy, Kyo, and the new arrival Blaise-- are at terrible risk.
Quentin stumbles upon a tantalizing secret. In the midst of this world of both ordinariness and pain is a place where people are left alone, allowed by the powers that be to live unmolested. Quentin is skeptical, and rightly so, but that is where the path to the missing person leads. What Quentin discovers is so terrifying it will change the Citizens’ lives immeasurably.
This is a world where few choices are good ones. Maybe, in such a world, making the right choice is even more important.
A rousing blend of high adventure, science fiction and horror, this sequel to Hard Case will thrill and surprise you!
About the Author
John Hook is the pseudonym of John Warner who started out as a freelance magazine writer and editor in New York City in the 1970s and early 80s, right out of high school. He later picked up a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology. He spent the next years doing research and teaching as both an assistant professor and an adjunct professor. He now works as a policy and program analyst. Although everything he has done has involved a good deal of writing, he has only recently begun producing novels.
He lives in Northern Virginia with his wife, two dogs and a cat (Bandit, not Rooni).
The author enjoys talking to his readers. Please contact him at [email protected]
