Demon at War (The Mike Rawlins Series Book 3)

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

  “I say if it works on that bitch Navarone after she almost got Mike and Fluffy killed, then fine, use it when you need to,” Jenny stated emphatically. “When will you know how all of today’s adventures come out, Mike?”

  “Agent Ruiz promised me a face to face meeting. He’s on our side. I believe he plans on pointing out the fact to Navarone that D and I saved her life. D knew we were being ambushed. We dived to the ground. She got stitched right across the chest. I got her back to Ruiz and the FBI team.”

  “Tell me you captured all the adventures on video, Cap,” Stan said.

  “Denny has them all,” Laura put in for Mike. “He cut out Demon Inc from the loop because of Navarone’s unexpected visit. We’ll have to wait until he stitches it together. I know they needed to have the complete untouched video in case of any legal problems, or if Mike’s magic manipulating doesn’t work.”

  “That’ll be a classic – Haunts, kidnappings, gun battles, rescues. I want mine on Blu-Ray,” Janis said. “We’re heading out. Keep the rogue missions to a minimum, Cap.”

  Mike hugged Janis and then Connie. “Congratulations again. I’m sorry your great surprise turned into a spotlight on me again. We’ll host a real celebration in San Francisco. Now that I know where we can get a limo, I’ll take us out in style.”

  “We’ll hold you to that, Cap,” Connie needled him while he shook hands with Stan and Jerry again at the door. She pointed at Demon. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten your comments, Fluffy.”

  “You and Brandy mating with the twin toads will bring on the end of the world anyway. Why would I care about your threats, Aunty Em.”

  Mike ran for it, only to have his retreat blocked. He shrugged and repeated Demon’s quip.

  Connie with hands on hips was not amused. “Aunty Em?”

  Stan was next. “Twin toads?”

  “No use trying to get Fluffy to feel any remorse, Aunty Em.” Janis said, pulling on her arm. “Let’s hit the road, toads, before he zings us again.”

  “Okay, Brandy, but no diva stuff on the way home,” Connie retorted.

  After watching his friends jostling each other with insults all the way to their car, Mike turned on Demon. “Man, you’re caustic today, D. What’s with you anyway?”

  “My Polish sausage with Mac & Cheese had to await the engagement party conclusion.”

  “Sorry, I forgot. Let’s go. I’ll do a quickie short order cook special for us.” Mike led the way into the kitchen after making his Mom and Dad aware of what he was doing.

  “You and Farfel can have a couple while you cook, kid. We’re going to bed,” Dan said.

  Demon ran over to wrap his forepaws around Dan’s leg with his face pressed against him. “I love you, man!”

  Jenny hugged Mike. “We’re very proud of you, Mike. You scare the crap out of us, but you’re scary good.”

  “Thanks, Mom. D and I are being careful.”

  Demon released the laughing Dan and rolled over on his back in his death act. “You lyin’ no good, renegade rascal you.”

  “I don’t even need an interpreter to know he just called you a liar.” Jenny kissed Mike’s cheek before going upstairs with Dan.

  Laura and Joanie were standing with big smiles waiting for Mike and Demon in the kitchen. Demon’s dish was ready near the refrigerator. “We heard. We started the water for the Mac & Cheese, and we have the sausage on the fryer,” Laura explained. “You two have had the day from hell. We want you both to know we know it too.”

  Joanie hugged Mike. “You and D were incredible today.”

  Mike exchanged knowing looks with Demon. “Thanks, Sis. We really appreciate this. I’ll get D something to calm his nerves.”

  With Demon lapping up a shot and beer and Mike sipping his at the table, Laura sat down and put her hand over his while Joanie cooked. “I’m sorry I cut Gail out today. That was a cheap stunt, and I won’t do it again. I promise.”

  Mike finished his shot and drank a swallow of his beer. “That’s good, because you won’t get another chance if you do it again. Demon Inc is business. We’re a team and Gail’s part of that team. She doesn’t get left out of anything… ever.”

  “Brandy and Aunty Em already raked me over the coals for that, Mike. It won’t happen again. I love you. You know that, right?”

  Mike made eye contact with Laura. “I love you too. We’ve seen and done a lot together. I’ll never forget any of it. Our walk from the haunted house with D the first time we saw him, and the car ride over there with you in my lap, are memories I’ll never forget. I’ll be here for you with the baby. It means a lot to me you decided to have the baby instead of getting an abortion.”

  “Do you see anything beyond for us?”

  “Sure, for the rest of our lives. I just don’t know if it will be exactly what you have in mind.” Mike gulped down another third of his beer. “We’re friends forever, Laura. Business and romantic connections may change for us, but my love for you won’t change, even when you do stupid things like that petty crap leaving Gail out of the loop.”

  Laura patted his hand. “Yeah, that was stupid. I’m good with day to day, and you’re the best friend I’ve ever had. I’ll make my blunder right with you somehow.”

  “You can start by getting me another shot and beer.”

  Laura giggled. She pushed away from her chair, exchanging grim looks with Joanie who had eavesdropped on the whole conversation. Demon met her at the refrigerator. She stroked his head. “Yep, I know. Another round for wonder dog, barkeep.”

  “She’s intuitive, Cap. You got to give her that,” Demon exchanged with Mike.

  “Sure, but what do I do with her when the shots and beers run out?”

  “Captain Darkness! I’m shocked… shocked I tell you.” Demon snorted in amusement.

  “Careful there, Fluffy,” Laura said, knowing she’d just been zapped by either Mike or Demon. She bent with a shot and beer in hand near his bowl. She filled his bowl and then took over Mike’s shot and beer to him. “You know how annoying the two of you are with this telepathic connection, right?”

  Mike sipped his shot. “Yeah, and we’re very regretful of our connection that no one else can hear. It’s very rude, and we do penance every day in regret, right D?”

  Demon looked over when both Joanie and Laura glanced down at him and supplied his trademark twenty second, lip vibrating burp.

  “Yep, that’s what I figured.” Laura sat down at the table again.

  Joanie served the sausage with Mac & Cheese side dish to both Mike and Demon. They ate with relish since neither had eaten since early morning. “How’s your wound from this morning, Mike?”

  Mike appeared startled at first. “I don’t know, Sis. It hasn’t bothered me at all, and I haven’t had time to even look at it.”

  He lifted his shirt. The scar had not gone away. Demon looked at it in a half inebriated way. “Probably too deep to go away completely, Cap. Put your shirt down. I think Laura’s getting impure thoughts.”

  Mike chuckled and pulled his shirt back down. “It’s all healed, but the mark doesn’t appear to be fading. Demon thinks it was too deep to fade all the way.”

  “So what was funny?”

  “Nothin’, Sis. Just D trying to get a bite. Thanks for cooking and the company. I’ll clean the dishes and go take a shower. It’s school tomorrow. Why don’t you two turn in.”

  Laura yawned as if on cue. “After that interlude with Navarone, and all the rest, I’m beat. C’mon Joanie. We’ll watch something for a few minutes before passing out.”

  Joanie nodded. “G’night you two.”

  Laura kissed Mike as he stood with his dishes. “I hope you can rest tonight.”

  “No worries about that. See you both in the morning.”

  Demon sat near Mike as he cleaned dishes. “Stay out of trouble tomorrow, Captain Darkness. I’m planning on a day of complete and utter nothingness. Don’t ruin it for me, Cap.”

  Mike grinned down at him. “Jinx
. That was a good day, partner.”

  “Yeah, it was.”

  Chapter Six

  A New Threat

  “You look a little frazzled this morning, Den.” Mike peered at Denny in the rear view mirror as he slid in next to Joanie with his laptop already out.

  Denny squeezed Joanie’s hand before grinning at Mike’s reflection in the mirror. “You don’t look like no bowl of ripe cherries yourself, Cap. I was suspicious about our close encounters with the fed kind yesterday so I ran my own query through the Demon Inc network. They put a worm in our network that monitors all incoming and outgoing communications. I killed the sucker and rewrote our firewall structure, but we’ll have to be careful.”

  “Gee… there’s some good news. I was suspicious too. D didn’t like it, but I talked him into spending the day at the park in case the feds decide to send a collection squad for him, despite their professed love for us.”

  “I thought Mike was paranoid nuts when he dropped D off at the park. Now you find the FBI spying on us, Denny? Jesus! You two talk about these bizarre happenings like they’re part of a quiz in science class!”

  Denny put his arm around Joanie. “Hey… easy now… we can’t all run down the street waving our hands in the air and screaming for help. If D was in the car he’d already be doing his man up dance in front of you. That was some intuitive action making D safe on a hunch. What if we pretend everything’s fine and they wipe our computers and capture D?”

  Joanie quieted, the battle between pretense and reality warring in her head. After a few moments she leaned against Denny. “I don’t think I’m cut out for this dimensional warfare.”

  Mike glanced back at her in the rear view mirror. “You better be, Sis. The alternative is watching the Haunts swoop in and obliterate us. I’d rather be on the front line, or sticking it to them through a portal, than hiding in a basement praying the monsters pass me by.”

  “I know, but I still don’t like it.”

  “There’s a crowd in the parking lot.” Denny leaned up, pointing at the line of students and signs. “The good news is if the signs are any indication, it’s about football.”

  “Nuts! It seems like that football game was two years ago. From what Agent Ruiz told me, they’re not going to release details about the kidnapping or gun battle until all loose ends are accounted for. At least we won’t have to deal with that today. Put your game faces on. We have to pretend we’re so happy about the game, and that the team has Bradley back for the remainder of the season, we’re just too thrilled for words.”

  “They’re not set to mob me and Joanie.”

  “I’ll be humble and quietly supportive.” Mike drove to his usual area, back and to the left at the end. He opened his door without enthusiasm, but brightened a little when he saw a couple familiar football teammates’ faces leading the small crowd over. The signs being carried urged Arroyo to ‘Stomp Concord’. Mike knew Concord was Arroyo’s next opponent. He shook hands with the wide receiver, Alexander Graham Bell, but just Bell for short.

  “Bell!” Mike then shook hands with the big lineman, Tony Conterro. “Hey, Tone, what’s with the flash mob?”

  “We’re on a mission.” Bell put his arm around Mike’s shoulders. “The team voted to draft you. Because none of us objected, the coach agreed to no practices, meetings, or snide remarks if you’d be available on the sideline in uniform for the games, ready to play.”

  Tony put his hands up in an animated calming gesture. “Don’t say no, Mike. You’d only play if someone got hurt. Even the coach was impressed with how you spotted the weaknesses last Friday. We have a real chance this year! You can play quarterback, linebacker, or even kickoff team.”

  Mike watched Bell give the crowd a gesture. They went nuts waving their signs and cheering. “Look, guys, I appreciate this, but some things went down on Sunday that will be coming out in the news. There’s nothing I did wrong, but it would be a hell of a distraction from the team if I’m anywhere nearby.”

  Bell chuckled, trading knowing looks with Tony. “You must not have been surfin’ the ‘net this morning. Demon Inc is mentioned in connection with solving the Kinsler girl kidnapping, killing kidnappers, and rescuing FBI Agents. We all want to ride the wave with you.”

  Another chorus of cheers broke out, with Mike trading uneasy glances with Denny, who had his notebook computer open on Mike’s car hood. Denny looked away from the cascading Internet sites to nod imperceptibly, confirming Bell’s news.

  “I promise to consider all of it, okay? I would recommend not jumping to conclusions about the case coming out. Even I don’t know what’s happening yet, guys.”

  Tony gripped Mike’s shoulder. “We know you were on the right side of it no matter what happened. Take a couple of days if you need to. No pressure, buddy. Me and Bell are football players. You’re a football player whether you like it or not. We need you with us on game nights. Hey, if you want to think of yourself as a mascot, that’s okay with me.”

  Mike laughed, his hands waving in surrender fashion. “I want you guys to get your championship. If I can help without enduring those everyday practices, count me in. I’d rather be on the sideline to point out something I see to the coach than take someone’s position. Without you two on Friday night, I would have been a joke.”

  “That’s what we wanted to hear, Mikey!” Bell gripped Mike’s shoulder, giving him a shake. “We want you in uniform at the game… period.”

  Mike shrugged at Joanie and Denny. He raised his arms straight up, fists clenched. “Arroyo!”

  Cheers and applause rattled loudly amongst the crowd of students.

  Mike turned to Bell. “Okay, Bell, Tony, you’ve won. Take your peeps to school. I need a moment to consider how stupid my getting rolled by you two is.”

  Tony gripped Mike’s shoulders with a big grin. “My man! Bell and I won’t let you down, coach! Come out and have some fun, Mike. You won’t regret it.”

  “I’m on it, Tony, if I can help, I will. Now… disperse your crowd, guys.”

  Tony spun around, his arms out stretched. “Let’s go to school, kids.”

  “I’m sorry, Mike,” Denny whispered, moving next to him. “I was so focused on this past weekend and the FBI worm, I missed the fallout from Sunday.”

  “It’s not your fault, Den. We’ve been busy. Just so we’re not to blame for whatever leaked out about Sunday, we can deal with the rest. I don’t want Ruiz and Navarone tearing me a new one over something I know we didn’t do. At least we know something’s out there. We have some time before class. See what you can find out.”

  Joanie patted Denny’s hand. “I’ll see you in class. See you later football wizard.”

  “Watch your official texts, Sis. Denny will give you a warning about anything we find that might make this day get crazy.”

  “I will, Mike,” Joanie replied over her shoulder.

  Mike watched Denny’s face as he skimmed through the news, using FBI, Homeland Security, and Tina Kinsler to mine for articles taking place the day before. Denny’s eyes narrowed in concentration as Mike moved around behind him. Mike read the rapidly changing headlines. When Denny had a dozen windows cascaded down the screen he began sifting through the articles one by one. After the first few, he turned to Mike with a grim look.

  “You see what I see, brother?”

  “If I’m reading the news right, I get the feeling they’re making me into a vigilante. They don’t mention that we were called in to help, or anything about our past successes with Jimmy Manjetti or Stacey Americh. The FBI’s part is hardly mentioned. Demon Inc gets tagged in the news bits like we’re hired mercenaries. Did I miss anything?”

  Denny grinned, shaking his head in agreement. “The only thing missing is the announcement as to when the Grand Jury convenes to have you arrested on murder charges. I’ve got this covered, Mike. I made sure last night I had copies of everything we recorded in multiple places and hidden flash drives. I went over the clips we filmed. They are pu
re gold, including the demise of Carlos Santiago. We have your saving that nitwit, Navarone, including you zigzagging with her on your shoulder, complete with whizzing gunfire. I thought I overreacted, but I had this paranoid gut feeling we were going to get hosed. One of the places that got an unedited folder of clips was our employer: SyFy Channel.”

  Mike clapped his friend’s back. “Your gut feeling may keep me out of prison if the damn feds move on us like we’re the bad guys. You and D are tuned to the same wavelength. He didn’t even give me a word of grief about being dropped off at the park to hide for the day. I made a water and food station for him beyond the trees at Bonaire Park, but I promised him a steak for dinner.”

  “Yeah, I knew D wouldn’t adjourn to the park in hiding on a whim. What we don’t know is how many behind the scenes ploys are being played by the feds.”

  “Pack up, Den. No use going through anymore of that now. I have the gist of what’s going on. Maybe the FBI knows already or maybe not. I’ll try calling Ruiz and see what he thinks about all this. I have a feel for people now. I don’t see Ruiz doing anything like leaking crap after giving me his word.” Mike took a deep breath. “On the other hand, D’s insistence I give Navarone a little jolt must not have worked too well. Either that or she’s still out of it because of her wound.”

  Denny closed out his scanning operation, marking where he left off for later inspection. “Dealing with Demon Inc complications is going to get weird, Mike. The more famous we get, or the more times we get called in on a case of some kind, we’re at risk. That Navarone woman wanted us discredited. You heard her. She didn’t care about Tina Kinsler, at least not if we could save her. You saving her life must have really scrambled her brainwaves. I guess you need to work on your ‘touch’ thing. The media wants to bury heroes. If they get the fed’s help to do it, we need to make a business decision.”

  “No, Den! That ain’t happening. We need to get smarter. I’m not leaving a kid out there I can help in the hands of monsters. I agree completely with anything else… but not that. We’ll consult a lawyer. Let’s look at the people we’ve helped so far, and see if there’s a lawyer who might be favorable to us with the right credentials. We need a shark. When and if we get called in on a case, we’ll need a form for an agent or cop in charge to sign, exempting us from any consequences of any kind.”