Judas: The Relic (The Iscariot Warrior Series Book 2)

by Roy Bright

  Gary notices something different about Lewis as he strides over to the duffle bags and grabs a weapon. He sees the man go from diminished to determined in the seconds it takes to check his rifle and find cover behind his barricade. He grins, Hell yeah Lewis, you’re ready.

  Eleven

  Judas and Gabriel stand either side of Charlotte in the kitchen, each with a hand placed on top of her head, their own heads bowed, chanting, mumbling ancient words designed to summon up enough energy to bring forth a portal in which to send her back to her time. Moving people through humankind’s space and time is one thing, moving from this realm is quite another. They must ensure that they channel the right energy to send her through the portal safely.

  Close to the ritual’s completion, both men stop and look at one another.

  “You feel that?” Gabriel says.

  Judas looks at him and nods, “Yeah, I feel it.”

  Charlotte speaks without opening her eyes, “Gary and Lewis have trouble coming their way. I can sense it.” She opens her eyes, looking at each of them in turn. “Well, what are you waiting for? Get the portal open and send me back.”

  Judas removes his hand from her head. “Easy now sweetie, hang on a second. We go back together. The Council can wait.”

  Gabriel is in the process of agreeing when she cuts him short. “No!” she snarls, causing him to remove his hand also. “I need to do this so you have to send me back.” She looks at them both, determination burning deep within her. “I can do this, I need to do this.”

  Gabriel’s response surprises Judas, causing him to rethink the protest he is about to unleash.

  “You are right child. You should go and do this on your own.”

  She smiles at him.

  “Whoa! Wait just one minute,” Judas says, turning his attention to Gabriel. “I make the decisions around here regarding her personal safety and I for one do not think this is a good idea.”

  “Then why have you spent all these years training her to be a weapon as well as the Savior, hmm?”

  Unable to find the words, he opens his mouth and wobbles his jaw side to side a little, then raises his eyebrows and shakes his head.

  Gabriel sighs. “Judas, I have seen her do incredible things over the last year, and I am not talking about this little charade you have going on – I mean out in the real world. Even at age eight she possessed immense Divine power and I feel that it is only a matter of time before she finds her true calling. But I do not believe that will happen with her living in your shadow, your over-bearing shadow of protection.”

  He is about to protest once more when Gabriel holds up his hand to silence him.

  “I understand, Judas, really I do. You have filled the parental role for many years in this reality and you feel a supreme responsibility for her, I get it. But it is time to let her go out into the world and become what she is meant to be, and you know what? I am actually glad that you have trained her so well to take care of herself.” He smiles, walks over to him, and places his hands on each of his shoulders. “Old friend, let her go, let her do this.”

  He looks down, taking a deep breath, offering the faintest of smiles, and he nods, causing Charlotte to squeal with glee. He turns to her. “Hey, just because you two have convinced me to let this happen, don’t think it’s going to do so without conditions.”

  She nods her head, smirking. “Naturally, father.”

  He narrows his eyes, “Okay smartass. Condition one, if you get into anything that you feel is beyond you, you call for me immediately… are we clear?”

  She nods.

  “Condition two. You still listen to Gary and accept his judgment. I trust that man implicitly and even though you’re the ‘next-big-thing’, I want you to trust him as well, yeah?”

  She nods again, only this time rolling her eyes, a smattering of attitude in her acknowledgement.

  “Okay, good, and I’ll let the ’tude slide on this occasion, missy-madam.”

  She giggles a little and sticks out her tongue.

  “And now, for the final condition and the most important one of all.” He pauses for dramatic effect.

  It works.

  “Well… what is it?” she says, her eyes wide, her arms raised at her sides.

  He smiles, “Condition three is that I will allow you to do this only if you can summon a portal yourself.” He grins.

  Gabriel draws in a breath through pouted lips, “Oh, good one.” He smiles, turning toward her.

  She grins back, curling her bottom lip inside her mouth and clucking her tongue behind it. She nods. “All right, okay, I see what you’re doing here, fella.” She smiles once again.

  “I’m doing nothing,” Judas replies, “I am merely stating the fact that if you can do this, I will accept you are strong enough to go out there on your own.”

  Charlotte takes a step back, signaling for them to give her some space. Taking two very deep breaths, she tells herself, Okay, Charley-girl, you can do this, just concentrate. As dad always says, focus on your objective. My objective is a destination. The bank, focus on the bank. Focus your Divinity, focus where you want to go. Focus your Divinity, focus your Divinity… she repeats the last phrase over and over in her mind, deepening her concentration.

  Judas smiles as a strong field of Divinity works its way from, and envelops her. He whispers to himself, yeah baby-girl, go on, do it… do it!

  Raising both her arms, she lowers her head a little more. The room begins to shake, only a little at first but then it grows in intensity causing crockery and various other items to fall to the floor, disturbed by the violent vibration humming through the kitchen.

  Judas looks around, concerned. He calls out to her. “Hey, hey! Let’s dial it down there a little, Jean Grey, yeah?”

  Charlotte loses her concentration for a second and drops her arms. The vibration stops the very second they reach her sides and she turns her head toward him, smiling. “Thanks for that dad!” she says, rolling her eyes. Taking in a deep breath, she closes and then snaps open her eyes. As she does, she shifts her weight onto her right foot by stepping forward and thrusting her arm out. A portal rips open in the kitchen with such force and intensity it causes both men to jump.

  “Holy shit,” Judas says, staring at the immense anomaly as it crackles and fizzes with pure white energy, “now that’s a fucking portal!”

  “Judas!” Gabriel says, shooting him a disapproving look.

  Charlotte looks at the two stunned men and smiles, “Okay, I agree to conditions one and two, and here is condition three,” she nods toward the portal, “later, losers.” Without waiting for them to respond she steps through the powerful rift and it blinks shut the very second she does.

  Judas looks at Gabriel and shrugs, “Kids, eh?”

  Twelve

  Man-mountain Conrad Bzovsky and his small but stocky partner Marvin Halstead steal out from behind cover across from the US Bank, taking up position behind the shell of an abandoned car. Conrad activates the radio microphone on the side of his combat helmet, speaking into it with his thick Ukrainian accent.

  “Six-seven, this is four-two, over.” He looks at Marvin who is sighting down his weapon, checking the street ahead. He sniffs and then scratches his right cheek. Impatient, he repeats his call. “Six-seven, this is four-two – over.”

  Marvin glances at him as the big man shakes his head and rolls his eyes. He snorts a laugh, amused at Conrad’s annoyance, then takes a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe away beads of sweat from his dark brown forehead. He scrunches the pocket square up, stuffs it back into his pocket, then resumes his task of monitoring the street.

  Conrad is just about to call in once more when their radios squelch into life and a man’s voice responds.

  “Four-two, this is six-seven, go ahead. Over.”

  Conrad nods. “Six-seven, this is four-two. We have spotted a target entering the US Bank on Griswold. Target was alone upon entry, but unable to determine if solo inside. Request sup
port so that we may enter building, over.”

  There is a brief silence before the man on the other end replies. “Four-two, this is six-seven, wait one, Prophet requires a word.”

  Marvin looks at Conrad and raises his eyebrows. Their radios fire up once again and a different male voice speaks to them – older, commanding, and controlling.

  “Four-two, this is Prophet. We are coming to you. Do not enter until I arrive. I want to know why someone is poking around the US Bank while the world is falling apart. Four-two, copy?”

  “Solid copy, Prophet,” Conrad replies. “Will sit on nest, await your arrival. Four-two out.” He pushes the talk button on the side of his helmet and looks at Marvin. “We wait.”

  Marvin nods. He puts his eye to the weapon’s scope once again and continues to monitor the street.

  13

  Footsteps echo down the corridor of the US Bank on Griswold Street and Gary draws in a deep breath. In the time that he and the rest of his companions had spent heading west, away from New York City following the Day Zero event, they had found themselves in a plethora of dangerous and seemingly hopeless situations, all of which had been brought to a swift and decisive resolution by the devastating angelic-warrior skills of Judas. But Gary knows that he won’t be coming on this one, he can just feel it. Realizing that he and Lewis were on their own with nowhere to run has him feeling more than uneasy, it has him feeling actual fear, an emotion he has not felt in such quantity for a long time.

  As the footsteps draw nearer, he looks at Lewis, who is now swallowing hard and gripping his rifle, to the point Gary can see the whites of his knuckles on his red, podgy hands.

  Lewis notices Gary staring at him and he takes two deep breaths and nods at his partner, smiling a little, nervous, worried.

  The footsteps stop and Gary pushes the butt of the rifle into his shoulder and aims down the sight.

  Broad beams of light stream down toward the floor from the windows above, adding a misty and mystical ambience to the space as motes of dust dance within their radiance, rising within the light. A voice echoes within the corridor from out of the shadows further down as the descending sun brings dusk closer to them.

  “My name is Colonel Nathan Taylor. I have 16 men with me, all heavily armed and well trained. We are curious as to who you are and what you are doing here.”

  Gary looks at Lewis and then back into the direction of the Colonel’s voice. He closes his eyes and sighs. Opening them he shouts, “You Army?”

  “Some are,” the man says, his voice blunt and direct. “And who might you be?”

  “Detective…” Gary smiles, “former West Babylon P.D Detective Gary Cross.”

  “Well former Detective Cross, you’re a long ways from Babylon. Tell me, what are you doing in this bank here in our ruined city?”

  “Well, Colonel, that’s a very long story, but I can assure you we are not here for any of its contents, not that money will do anybody any good right now.”

  A brief silence plays out.

  “So, not robbing. In that case may I assume you are just taking refuge?”

  “Yeah, something like that.”

  “Something like that or exactly like that, former Detective Cross?”

  Gary smiles. He knows where this is going and what the Colonel is doing. Engaging him in worthless chitchat so that his men can move into position and gain the upper hand. He weighs up his options. Could he trust this man with telling him exactly who is behind the vault door? Could he risk exposing Charlotte to chance? Or indeed Lewis and himself? That involved trusting that the Colonel and his men were not weak minded enough to allow Hell’s influence to penetrate and turn them. Gary had seen it before. At first, what would seem like innocent and peaceful people were taken over by dark energy, scared of being around Charlotte, knowing who seeks her, and they succumb to fear and prejudice. Then, in that moment and without knowing, they invite the Dark One into their hearts, turning, becoming dangerous and devastating foes.

  “Well, Detective?” the Colonel says, interrupting his decision-making.

  “Gary,” he says, correcting him, “please, just call me Gary.”

  “Well, Gary, what are we to do about this little situation we find ourselves in?”

  “Hmm,” he says, while checking up at the skylights, attempting to sense movement, “we could just sit down like civilized men and talk about it, or you could just walk away and come back in a few hours to find us gone. Whaddya say?”

  Colonel Taylor laughs, “I don’t think I can do that Gary, but I would like to chat with you further. Tell me, are you and your companion armed?”

  Gary snorts a laugh, “Of course we are.”

  “Well then, how’s about you allow me and my men to approach you, slowly, with our weapons stowed and we can discuss this like gentlemen?”

  He considers the request. It is clear that the man now has the upper hand, his men will have no doubt moved in to position. If he decided to take the room by force, he could. He can’t be sure if he is able to trust him, but he knows that he is out of options. If he shows willing to conduct a peaceful parley, then he may be able to turn that to his advantage and gain some extra security for Charlotte. But a feeling of impending doom still hovers around him. The fear that the Colonel’s men won’t be able to handle what he has to tell them, if it came to that. He shakes his head and looks at Lewis who eyes him back, his concern evident. “Okay Colonel Taylor, instruct your men to have all of their weapons put away and Lewis here and I will do the same. Let us talk this through like rational human beings, then we may all be on our merry way.”

  “Very well,” he says. “Listen up. With the exception of those stationed on over-watch and those covering entrances and exits, you are to stow your weapons, I don’t want to see anyone sporting iron in my immediate vicinity.”

  Every man does as he is instructed, such is their respect for him.

  He looks to his left. “Sergeant Bzovsky, Corporal Halstead, Private Barnes – on me.”

  “Sir!” they reply in unison.

  He then looks right and signals to another group of men, “Corporal Gayle.”

  “Sir!” the sharp reply comes once again.

  “You and two others hold this line. Nothing comes past you in either direction without my permission. Are we clear, Corporal?”

  “Solid copy, sir!” he says, nodding his head and pointing to two of his men, beckoning them over.

  Colonel Taylor turns toward the corridor. “Okay Gary, we’re coming down and there are four of us.”

  “Understood,” Gary replies.

  The Colonel marches down the corridor flanked by Conrad and Marvin with Barnes bringing up the rear.

  Gary motions to Lewis to lower his weapon. Lewis nods and with a trembling left hand, applies the safety on his rifle. He breathes out and then in, slow and deep while at the same time wiping sweat from his brow.

  “It’s gonna be all right, Lewis, we are just gonna talk and everything will be fine.” He smiles at him.

  Lewis nods back, “Yeah… cool. It’ll be all right.”

  Gary turns his attention to the four men approaching and lowers his rifle, then slings it over his right shoulder. He hasn’t applied his safety; he is too experienced for that. Holy shit, he says to himself, laughing a little as he examines them. All four are big men of clear muscular builds, the Colonel being the largest. He guesses the officer to be in his fifties by the extent of the grayness in his hair and the time-weathered skin, but such presence radiates from this man he knows that underestimating him would be foolish.

  Gary steps forward, Lewis following, albeit his movement delayed and he holds up a hand. “That’s close enough, Colonel.”

  Colonel Taylor stops and indicates to his men to halt. He smiles. “Okay Gary, here we are. So would you mind telling me what you are doing here?”

  Gary curls his bottom lip back, biting it a couple of times. “You have to understand, Colonel, I am not here to cause any problems,
quite the opposite in fact, but it may just be for the best if my reasons for being here remain undisclosed for now, until I can get a feel for the stability of your men.”

  “What the fuck does that mean?” Marvin blurts out, his eyebrows scrunched together.

  The Colonel silences him with a swift look.

  Gary holds up his hand, his gesture apologetic. “Look guys, I don’t mean to offend, really I don’t, it’s just that…” he pauses. For the first time in as long as he can remember he doesn’t know what to say. He doesn’t know how to offer up an explanation that does not reveal Charlotte’s identity. He can only look at the Colonel and his men and shake his head.

  Colonel Taylor lowers his eyes and sighs. “You are putting me in an impossible position here, Detective Cross. I have people who rely on me for their safety; others under my protection. These men around you have families within that group. There will be concerns that you won’t have an explanation for your presence here, and in our experience it’s that kind of obscurification within a man that can lead to them becoming one of the stalker drones.”

  Gary smiles at the phrase, knowing that the Colonel is referring to someone who has become a Taken.

  The Colonel moves forward a few steps. “Gary, on the flip side of this I risk breeding worry and contempt within my ranks if I am not seen to take charge of this situation, and that is another way that people can become stalker drones. We are walking a tightrope here. Our normal practice would be to assess you and see if you are fit to enter our quarantine zone and then, hopefully, become part of our community. If you were to fail that initial risk assessment, we would have no hesitation in protecting our group and facilities by removing you from the equation. Am I making myself perfectly clear?”

  Gary smiles, nodding at him.

  “So you can see that without a proper explanation, without a proper reason for us to trust you, you are a very real problem for us, and for the people that we are responsible for. I cannot allow that so I ask you again, Gary, for the final time – what are you doing here?”