Wasteland in Red Square (Hell Gate Book 2)

by Josh Matthews

  “Probably because it’s harder to detect them since they’re not derived from humans. That doesn’t mean with practice you won’t be able to.”

  “How am I going to practice?”

  “With them.” Ustagov gestured toward Lucifer and Lilith. Jason protested when the doctor held up a hand. “I wouldn’t recommend it if I thought it would hurt them. This ability to sense the demony aura is a gift that’s already saved your life on several occasions. If you can develop it so you can detect every demony out there, you increase your chances of success.”

  “He’s right,” said Jeanette. “We’d never be ambushed by Hell Spawn again.”

  “How should I do it?” Jason asked.

  “What do you do now to detect the mertvyye demony?”

  “I don’t do anything. I automatically sense their aura whenever they get near.”

  “Interesting.” Ustagov pondered for a moment. “Spend time every day and meditate on the werehounds. It may be for nothing. If you’re lucky, you might be able to train yourself to sense their aura.”

  “I will. Thanks.”

  “Don’t mention it.” The doctor stood and headed out, pausing for a moment by the door. “Please keep me posted on any progress you make. See you tomorrow.”

  Lilith lifted her head at the sound of the door sliding shut, and then lowered it back on the bench.

  “What do you think?” Jeanette asked. “Are you going to try it?”

  “It couldn’t hurt.”

  “Good.” Jeanette stood up to leave. “I’ll let you get busy.”

  Jason jumped up to stop her. “You don’t have to go.”

  “I do.” Jeanette took Jason’s face in her hands, leaned forward, and kissed him. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Jason delayed sighing until Jeanette had left. He had promised Jeanette he would wait until she was ready, and intended to stand by that pledge. What he had miscalculated was how long that might be. It didn’t matter. No one else he knew had found love in the middle of the apocalypse, and he was grateful for what he had. He loved Jeanette with his heart and soul. By the way Jeanette smiled when she looked him in the eyes, or the gentleness with which she touched him, he knew she felt the same. That is what mattered most. He only hoped he and Jeanette would get to spend a night together before the Hell Spawn wound up eating his heart and stealing his soul.

  Sitting down on the bench across from the sleeping werehounds, Jason patted his knees and said, “Well guys, it seems we’re going to have a long, boring night ahead of us.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  The next day passed without incident. Everyone was bored but on edge because tomorrow the train would arrive at the Hell Gate. Most people tried to find something to occupy their time, dealing with the monotony and tension in his or her own way. Everyone cleaned their weapon at least once or, in the case of the Russians, checked their battle stations multiple times. Many of the Russians drank heavily until they passed out in the early afternoon. Others napped. Jason busied himself by inspecting the antimatter devices, removing each from its case and examining it for defects, which was a useless gesture; if there had been a defect that allowed the antimatter to interact with the surrounding environment, they would all be dead by now. He then checked on the horses, made certain Haneef’s minigun worked, and spent a few hours playing with Lucifer and Lilith until the late-afternoon planning session with Svetlana. Even that did little to fill the time because nothing had changed from the original session the previous evening.

  After dinner, Jason asked his team to stick around for a few moments to go over last-minute strategy. Once the Russians had left the dining car, Jason began.

  “I want to make certain everyone is clear about what’s going to happen tomorrow. According to the engineer’s calculations, we’ve made good time and should reach Lake Baikal ninety minutes after sunrise. Right after breakfast, Slava and I are going to head up to the lead engine and place the device. We’re expecting the Hell Spawn to concentrate on taking out the engines, so Sasha and Father Belsario will join us to provide cover. Haneef, Sasha will take the minigun this time.”

  Haneef attempted to hide his disappointment. Jason tried to comfort his friend. “Again, there’s nothing personal about this. If something happens to me, I need you to take over the team.”

  “I understand,” said Haneef.

  “Besides,” said Father Belsario. “We want to put as few people as possible in harm’s way. If Sasha or I get killed, we’ll be resurrected and will rejoin the team later. If anything happens to one of you . . . ” The sentence did not need to be completed.

  Jason focused on Neal. “You’ll be in the command car with Dr. Ustagov, Melnikov, and Lucifer and Lilith. You’ll have a second device. If something happens to us, it’s your responsibility to deploy it. Lucifer and Lilith will protect you. Melnikov will do what he can to get you close enough.”

  “I won’t let you down.” Neal’s confidence belied his nervousness. “I do have one question. What if I fail?”

  “That’ll leave us with only two devices. Whoever is left will grab one and attempt to deploy it.”

  “If it gets to that point,” said Slava, “this whole mission is a failure, so it doesn’t matter.”

  Jason sneered. “That’s not very optimistic, but it’s accurate. So, let’s not let it come to that. Understood?”

  The two men nodded.

  “Luther and Matthew, Father Belsario and I volunteered you for a tough assignment. You will station yourselves on top of the train to clear off any Hell Spawn that board us.”

  “No problem,” said Luther. Matthew agreed.

  “Just to be clear,” added Father Belsario. “I would join you topside if I wasn’t needed on the front engine.”

  “It’s not an issue,” said Matthew. “It’s our duty to serve any way we can.”

  Jason motioned to Sook-kyoung, Vicky, and Gaston. “You three will station yourselves in the stock cars and guard the horses.”

  “Are you serious?” Sook-kyoung made no attempt to hide her displeasure.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m one of your more experienced fighters and you have me babysitting?”

  “Hey?” said Gaston.

  Sook-kyoung looked over at Gaston and softened her tone. “I meant the horses.”

  “You’re not babysitting anyone or anything,” Jason snapped. “We need the horses alive. If anything happens to them, we walk to China.”

  “Sorry.”

  Vicky mumbled something that no one could understand. Jason asked, “What was that?”

  “I don’t know if I can do this,” said Vicky. “I nearly got killed in Red Square because of my own stupidity. Sook-kyoung saved my life. I’m not cut out for this. I’m here for all the wrong reasons. I’m more of a liability than a—”

  Sook-kyoung reached over and squeezed Vicky’s hand hard enough to stop her in mid-sentence, and then eased up. “You’ll be with me. You’ll be fine.”

  “And if I screw up again, or freeze?”

  “Then you’ll get yourself killed, and probably me along with you.” Sook-kyoung rubbed Vicky’s hand. “I know you won’t let that happen.”

  Vicky sat up in her chair, seeming more confident.

  “As for the rest of you,” continued Jason. “You’ll join the bulk of the Russian troops in the three sleeper cars and dining car. You’ll be under Melnikov’s command, though, so if any of the Russian officers give you orders, obey it like you would an order from me. Understood?”

  Everyone responded or gestured in the affirmative.

  “Werner and Ian, stick by my people who have been doing this for a while.”

  “You don’t trust us?” Werner asked.

  “It has nothing to do with trust,” Jason answered. “You newer members have seen combat three times. Red Square was nothing compared to what we faced in Paris. We’re about to experience what could well be the toughest battle yet, and I want to make sure you
survive it by pairing you up with my more experienced people.”

  “When you put it that way . . . ” Werner laughed, using humor to hide his being chastised.

  Jason made eye contact, one by one, with each member of his team as he spoke. “The truth is, I have no idea what we’re going to face tomorrow. Dr. Ustagov thinks that the Hell Spawn realize what we’re trying to do and will send as many demons as possible to stop us. If so, then we can expect the fight of our lives. And if we succeed tomorrow, then China, Japan, and the States will be even tougher.”

  “Way to give pep talk, mate,” joked Ian. Nervous laughter accompanied the remark.

  Jason chuckled. “Whatever happens, I’m proud of all of you. It’s been an honor to lead you, and I hope to see all of you on the other side. Now, everybody go and get some rest. We’re all going to need it.”

  CHAPTER FORTY

  The pounding startled Jason awake. He bolted upright in his bed, his heart racing and his adrenaline pumping. At first, he thought they might be under attack. Instinctively, he suppressed the fear and let his senses scan for demonic aura. There were none. Then he heard the pounding again. It came from the corridor, this time accompanied by Melnikov’s voice.

  “Jason. Are you awake?”

  “I am now.”

  “Sorry. It’s almost dawn. Colonel wants everyone awake and ready for when we get near vrata. Breakfast is in ten minutes.”

  “No problem. I’ll be there.”

  ***

  Melnikov’s soldiers had eaten before dawn. Jason’s team filed in one by one as the sun broke the eastern horizon. Breakfast was filling if somewhat unusual—hard boiled eggs, sliced cucumber, wedges of canned meat, and gallons of strong coffee. Several members of his team were too nervous to keep anything down. However, everyone had at least three cups of coffee. Jason found that amusing because no one would be dozing off today, no matter how little caffeine they had.

  Svetlana dined with the second breakfast shift, although she didn’t eat. The colonel provided moral support, walking through the dining car and chatting with every member of Jason’s team, trying to get their minds off the next few hours. She adapted her manner to the mood of those with whom she dealt, showing deference when talking with Father Belsario and the Purgatoriati, displaying a cheerful and supportive demeanor with most of Jason’s team, and being more flamboyant with Ian. She even petted Lucifer and Lilith and slipped each of them a hard-boiled egg. Jason appreciated the gesture. Unlike the past two days, the mood this morning was somber because everyone knew today they would arrive at the portal and would engage a horde of Hell Spawn in battle.

  When Svetlana reached the opposite end of the dining car, she picked up a glass of water and faced Jason’s team, calling for their attention. “I’m not going to make a long speech. We all know how important today is, what success will mean for the world, and the difficulties we’re going to face. To those of us who are not around tonight to celebrate our victory, may the sacrifices we make today be talked about for centuries.” Svetlana raised her glass. “To the closing of the vrata!”

  Everyone raised their glasses and repeated the toast.

  ***

  In the prison car at the rear of the train, Klimenko sat in the right swivel seat of the extended-vision cupola, scanning the horizon for signs of demony. Barzukov sat across from him, struggling not to doze off. Klimenko leaned over and slapped the back of Barzukov’s head.

  “Wake up, asshole.”

  Barzukov massaged his skull. “What was that for?”

  “If the major or Melnikov catches you asleep, you’ll wind up down there with the prisoners.”

  Barzukov mumbled something under his breath that Klimenko could not understand and went back to scanning the horizon. Klimenko did the same. He wanted to be especially alert this morning. The train was within forty kilometers of the vrata, so at any minute they should—

  Movement on the horizon in front of and to the right of the train caught his attention. Taking the binoculars from their cubby hole, Klimenko raised them to his eyes. A wave of nausea churned up his stomach.

  “Dear God.”

  “What?” Barzukov asked. He grabbed his own binoculars. “Vy dolzhny byt’ chertovski shutish’.”

  Klimenko snapped out of his initial shock. “Sound the alarm and pass the word. The rest of you, prepare the prisoners.”

  Barzukov jumped to the floor and rushed forward to where the hand-cranked air raid siren had been set up by the door leading to the rest of the train. He turned the handle. The siren increased in volume until its wavering wail sounded above the clacking of the train. A moment later, a Russian soldier slid open the door to the baggage car. “What’s going on?”

  “Pass the word down. We have demony at our one o’clock position.”

  Klimenko went back to viewing the approaching horde. He thought to himself, this must be what the end of the world looks like.

  ***

  Jason and his team were finishing up breakfast when they heard the faint wail of an air raid siren from the rear of the train. A minute later, a Russian soldier slid open the rear door of the dining car.

  “Lookouts report demony approaching from our one o’clock position.”

  Jumping up from the table, everyone ran to the windows along the right side. A black moving mass emerged along the horizon. Svetlana took a pair of binoculars that hung from a hook and viewed it. Jason noticed that her body tensed, and the usual expression of confidence that she wore momentarily cracked. Without saying a word, she passed the binoculars to Jason. When he raised them to his eyes, he understood Svetlana’s reaction.

  Over twenty ravagers were charging across the tundra, heading straight for the train.

  CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

  Jason handed the binoculars back to Svetlana. “How long before they reach us?”

  “Ten minutes, if we’re lucky.”

  “Then we don’t have much time.” Jason moved away from the window. “Neal, grab two of the devices from my cabin and bring them here. Slava, get the minigun. The rest of you know what to do.”

  Svetlana made eye contact with Melnikov. “I’m heading up to the armored engine, so you’re in charge here. Have two of your men join me.”

  “I will.”

  She caught the attention of Jason, Sasha, and Father Belsario. “Come with me. I’ll show you how to get to the engines.”

  Sasha shook her head. “I need to wait for the minigun. Slava and I will catch up.”

  As Jason fell in behind Svetlana, Lucifer and Lilith attempted to follow. He knelt in front of them. “You two stay here until I get back.”

  Lilith whimpered. Lucifer widened his big brown eyes and tilted his head.

  “It won’t work this time. You protect Neal.” Jason leaned forward and hugged the two werehounds. “I love you guys.”

  Lilith whimpered again. Lucifer licked his face.

  Everyone on the train headed for their combat position.

  ***

  In the armored steam engine, Leonid thought he heard an unusual noise. Moving to the tender, he crawled up on the coal pile and listened. He picked up the air raid siren above the din of the moving train and the roar of the boilers. Climbing up higher onto the coal, Leonid scanned the horizon. After a few seconds, he spotted the horde of approaching ravagers.

  “What are you doing up there?” Mikhail asked.

  Leonid pointed to the south. Mikhail stepped over to the engine’s window and stared out. Upon seeing the demony bearing down on the train, he rushed back to his station and opened the pressure gauges all the way.

  ***

  Because of the noise, no one in the lead engine detected the air raid siren. Vladimir realized they were isolated, so as a precaution he spent most of his time staring out the cab’s windows searching for demony. Because of this, he spotted the approaching ravagers when they were still nine minutes out. He leaned over and tapped Iosif on the shoulder.

  “What?” Iosif brushed hi
s fireman’s hand away.

  “We have company.”

  “What are you talking . . . ?” Iosif joined Vladimir and swore under his breath when he spotted the ravagers. He jumped back to his station and throttled the steam engine to full capacity. “Shovel more coal.”

  ***

  Jason’s team grabbed their weapons and deployed throughout the train. Ian and Werner stayed in the second sleeper car along with the Russian soldiers, each manning the cabins on the right side of the train, while Antoine teamed up with the soldiers in the dining car. Since the windows did not open from the inside, they smashed the glass with the butts of their weapons to allow a field of fire. When Luther and Matthew reached the opposite end of the dining car, they opened the end door, exited onto the ladder, and climbed to the roof. Sook-kyoung, Vicky, and Gaston passed through to the stock car. The animals were already agitated, sensing the approaching danger. Haneef continued ahead, making his way to the prison car.

  Neal ducked into Jason’s cabin, opened the overhead storage compartment above the bunk, and removed two of the antimatter devices. Slinging one armband over each shoulder, he raced back to the dining car.

  Slava ran into the cabin he shared with Haneef and grabbed the minigun. As he tried to exit, Jeanette centered herself in the doorway. “I’ll take it to Jason.”

  “That’s foolish,” he replied, his irritation obvious. “I’ll bring it with me.”

  “I’m taking your place.”

  “When did Jason authorize this?”

  “He didn’t.” When Slava argued, Jeanette cut him off. “If I’m going to die, it’s going to be beside Jason. There’s no time to argue. Give me the minigun.”

  Slava shrugged and handed it to Jeanette. The woman’s body slouched under the weight. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

  “I do. And thanks.”

  As Slava ran off to man a position in the third sleeper car, Jeanette lugged the minigun to the command car.

  ***

  Svetlana passed through her private quarters to the front end of the command car and opened the door leading outside. Jason shut his eyes and lowered his head as a combination of fifty-mile-an-hour wind and soot slammed into his face. Svetlana seemed not to notice. She stepped to the edge of the platform, reached out to a metal ladder attached to the rear of the tender, and ascended. Jason and Father Belsario followed. Once at the top of the ladder, they climbed over the outer rim into the bin and slid down the pile of coal. Leonid spun around at the noise and aimed an AK-47 at Svetlana’s head. Upon seeing it was the colonel, he lowered the weapon.