“So what do you when a good man is punished?”
“You fight for them. Even if you think it's a losing cause, even if you think the odds are against you and there's no hope for winning you should always fight for what you think is right otherwise there's no point in being alive. If you don't stand for something then you'll fall for anything, and that is really how the bad guys win.”
“What do you stand for dad?”
“I stand for the people of this city. I stand for justice.”
“I want to stand for those things too,” Robbie said. Carter smiled.
“I'm proud of you son,” Carter said, “You know, I first wanted to become a cop so I could punish the people who hurt your uncle but after I had you my reasons changed. I wanted to leave the world in a better state for you than it was for me.” Robbie smiled widely and then went back to his game. There had been many mistakes Carter had made during his life but Robbie wasn't one of them.
As he peeled away his clothes and stepped into the warm shower, letting the steaming water envelop him, Carter thought back over his life. There had been a lot he wished he could have changed and at the time he wasn't sure if he could handle being a father but Robbie had been the one undeniably good thing Carter had brought into the world. For all his work as a detective, Carter knew that the legacy he left behind was going to be Robbie. He was damned if he was going to let the Lords of Baal take the world away from his son.
Chapter 3
A fter his shower Carter called Robbie and the two of them picked out a few movies to watch while Nicky ordered the pizza. They spent the evening huddled up under a blanket Robbie sat in between Carter and Nicky. These were the moments that Carter prized. He had his own little family, one that brought him joy and hope and made him a better man. It had been hard losing his brother and then drifting away from his parents as they grew closer to God. It was darkly amusing that now Carter was an instrument of the Lord.
The hours passed and when it grew later Robbie fell asleep. Carter carried him upstairs and then returned to Nicky. The two of them wrapped their limbs around each other until it became difficult to tell where one of them ended and the other began, and the movie played in the background.
“He's getting more curious about things all the time. I'm even talking to him now about the concepts of good and evil. I don't know if I should be proud or scared about how smart he is.”
“Always proud,” Nicky said, “he takes after you.”
“You think?”
“He's definitely his father's son, for better or worse,” she teased. Carter smirked and kissed her on the head.
“You know, there was a time when I thought I was always going to be alone in the world.”
“After your brother...?”
“Yeah. We were best friends you know. I couldn't believe he'd get himself swept up in all that. It was my fault in some ways. If I had been paying more attention to him-”
“He probably would have gotten mixed up in something anyway. You can't blame yourself for that.”
“I know. It's just sometimes I think what would have happened if things had gone a little differently.”
“My mom always used to say that everything happens for a reason.”
“I've never believed that. I always think that we make our own decisions and if it seems like things happen for a reason it's only because we make it. We can't choose what happens to us but we can choose how we react.”
“Maybe you should think of a career change to a philosophy professor.”
“Hell no, I'm a cop for life. One day I'll get to the top of this city and I'll be the one making the policy. I'll make sure to clean this city up properly. I'll make sure that cops like Sosa don't get gunned down and that…,” he was about to say that cults weren't hidden away but he stopped himself before he did. It was the hardest thing in the world to keep a secret from the woman he loved but it was for her own good. There wasn't much he could tell her anyway. He'd tell her everything when he knew more.
“And what?” Nicky asked.
“And that the people I love are kept safe,” he said, leaning in to kiss her. Nicky smiled warmly and surrendered to desire.
“You stay here for ten minutes and then come upstairs. I have a surprise I think you'll like,” she said in a breathy voice. Carter's eyebrow rose along with something else as he watched his wife sway her hips as she left the room. Glancing at the clock, he timed ten minutes, although he was only planning to wait eight.
In the meantime he stopped the movie and flicked through the news just to make sure that the world wasn't coming to an end just yet. The only story was about a stretch of sewer west of the Sepulveda dam that was closed for repairs. It was boring and mundane, just the way Carter liked it. The time to worry about the world was when the news reported fire and brimstone falling from the sky. With that he turned off the television and bounded upstairs. As it happened only six minutes had passed, but with a holy war on the horizon there was little time to waste.
Chapter 4
T he following day Carter was at the station feeling refreshed and vigorous. With no leads on the prostitution ring case so far he called up Father Constantine to see if he’d heard anything. Constantine had a tendency for helping those who really needed it, which was something Carter admired. One of the reasons Carter had turned his back on religion was because it seemed like a way to make people feel smug about themselves rather than actually help those who were in desperate need. Constantine opened his church to anyone who was faithful and wanted to be blessed by the Lord. He made a lot of effort to help people, especially local vagrants, and Carter knew he spent time talking with prostitutes, offering them a refuge on the cold lonely nights, a safe place to receive a hot drink and a little bit of food. Constantine offered no judgment and Carter was always amused that he mixed with the less desirable parts of society when other people shunned the lower levels of the city’s citizens.
“Carter my friend, what can I do for you today?”
“This might sound a little strange but I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of a prostitute. It's for a case I'm working on. I know that there are quite a lot around your area.”
“Indeed, it is a hotbed of criminal activity but the Lord does place us in the positions we are needed most.” Carter gritted his teeth at this. While he had accepted God into his heart he still wasn't entirely comfortable with the whole concept of religion or that God had planned out his life. He liked to think that he was in control of his life. The idea that God had directed everything so that Carter could be involved in this war made him feel more like a pawn rather than a soldier. There were some moments when Carter really wanted to stand before God and have a frank conversation with the Almighty. The way things were going, part of him wouldn't be surprised if that happened before all this was over.
“However,” Constantine continued, “it has been a long while since any of the women have passed across the threshold of my church. I have encouraged them to come in but they have been reticent and unfortunately I cannot make people do what they do not want to do.”
“Do you know any of their names at least?”
“No. I never asked and they didn't want to tell. If they did I'm sure they would have used fake names anyway. How are you holding up Carter? Are you keeping up with your prayers?”
“I'm trying, I'm trying. And I'm okay. It's hard though, not being able to tell Nicky and Robbie.”
“You could tell them if you wanted to.”
“No, it’s better they don't know. They'd only worry and there's not much they can do about it. When the time comes I'll tell them everything, but for now I want them to be happy. Something happened yesterday. I was chasing a guy and he acted like Tanaka. I thought he was possessed so I used the holy water and he snapped right out of it. There wasn't a demon inside him and all he could remember was some dark figures had been standing over him chanting.
“Hmm, it seems the Lords of Baal are st
ill weaving their web. We must be vigilant Carter. There are dark forces all around us.”
“I know, I know. I think I'm onto something with this prostitution ring though. I'm going to follow this and find out what's happening. I think it's all connected somehow.”
“God be with you,” Constantine said. Carter muttered to himself as he put the phone down.
Carter still wrestled with himself night after night about his place in all this. If God really did have a hand in it all then he didn't understand why He had chosen Carter of all people to be his soldier on Earth. He'd tried to ask Constantine that same question but the priest only had vague answers to give him. God worked in mysterious ways and so on. Of course He did, but Carter didn't know how to figure them out. It was easy to get swallowed up in the enormity of it all so Carter focused on his job as a cop first and as a holy warrior second. If he busted this prostitution ring then he was doing some good in the world, and if it led to more information about the Lords of Baal so be it.
Walking through the seedy streets at night he dug his hands deep in his pockets and lingered around a corner, observing the women at work. Carter stayed in the shadows. The only hint of his presence was the soft glow of the end of his cigarettes.
In the distance Carter could see the bright light of Constantine's church; a beacon to guide lost souls. His plan was to corner one of the women and get her to tell him everything they knew. It wasn't going to be easy. The women looked out for each other. They were as much business partners as they were rivals. Nobody else was going to look out for them so they had to look out for each other. It wasn't as though Aguilero had any fondness for them either. To him they were all just pieces of meat, easily replaceable.
Men like Aguilero made Carter's blood boil. They were not interested in achieving anything good in the world. They only wanted to make a quick buck and they didn't care who they had to use to get it. The worst thing was that they grew so powerful people like Mario were afraid to speak out against them. There had been so many cases where Carter had been sure that Aguilero had been involved but when it came down to it nothing could be proven. Aguilero was one of the slipperiest characters Carter had ever known, and one of the most dangerous. He had to be involved in the Lords of Baal. It was a haven for evil and if there was ever a man that evil came to naturally it was Seth Aguilero.
When the time came, Carter flicked away his cigarette and moved forward. There were only a few girls on the street now. The one that was nearest looked a little nervous. She was glancing up and down the sidewalk, wringing her hands. Maybe she was new to the game. Maybe she knew that there was something to be afraid of. He got in his car and drove forward, stopping in front of her. Winding the window down he beckoned her over. She had red-hair and a heart-shaped face, and like all of these women she looked older than she actually was. A thick layer of makeup lay on her face and her eyes were dead and glazed over. She flashed him a smile and leaned against the car, revealing a generous amount of cleavage. All at once Carter felt pity for her and was incredibly grateful for Nicky. He didn’t know where he’d be without her.
“You free?” he asked curtly.
“I'm always free for a gorgeous man like you honey,” she said. She had a strange accent. Carter wasn't sure how to place it, but it was as though she had not perfected the native English. She opened the door and entered the car. Her short skirt rode up to reveal a thin leg with pale flesh. The car was filled with the scent of cheap perfume.
“Have you done this before?” she asked.
“No, but I know a good place,” he said. He flicked the radio on and drove on. She looked out of the window. He pulled out a cigarette and offered her one but she declined. “You're gonna need it,” he said, and then pulled out his badge.
“Crap,” she said, and put her head in her hands.
“Don't worry. I'm not after you. We're just going to drive around for a while and you're going to answer a few questions for me. Alright?”
“I guess I don't have a choice.”
“Well, you could open the door and roll out but I wouldn't recommend it. I don't think a face all scratched up and bruised would be good for business.” As he said this he noticed that she folded her arms and pulled her skirt down as low as it would go, which was to about the middle of her thighs. As they drove they passed underneath bright streetlights and as he glanced at her Carter noticed the dark shade of bruises on her skin. “What's your name?”
“Anja,” she said in a hollow voice. He assumed that right now she would be chastising herself for being so stupid as to get in the car with a cop but that wasn't his problem. “Anja. I'm Detective McBride. I'm not interested in you. I want the people higher-up. Just answer some questions for me and I'll put you back on the street.”
“There's nothing I can tell you,” she said, staring out of the window at the sky. Carter gripped the wheel tightly. It frustrated him that so many of these people who were under the heel of men like Seth Aguilero were so afraid that they wouldn't dare testify against them or even betray their confidence. What had these men ever done for them? “You'll be safe Anja. If anyone has threatened to hurt you I can promise you that they won't carry out their threats. You'll be safe. There's another life out there for you.”
Anja said nothing in response. She merely kept staring out of the window. Carter continued to drive around although he wasn't sure how long he could take it before it became clear that she wasn't going to help. As it turned out it wasn't going to be left to his decision. At a stoplight Anja shoved the door open and made a run for it. Carter yelled and with her leg hanging out of the door he grabbed her wrist before she could leave. She gasped and then before his eyes Carter saw her hand transform. Her nails turned into long claws. Carter was so shocked that his grip loosened for a brief moment, and that moment was all Anja needed. She scratched him, the claws cutting deep into his flesh and it was all she needed to flee.
Carter cursed as he cradled his hand and then turned the car around. The momentum of the car swung the door closed. Other cars honked at him but he didn't have time to even flash his badge. Anja was running along the sidewalk and then disappeared down an alley. Carter put his foot on the gas and swerved to follow her. He was still trying to process the image of her nails turning into claws. If the scratch marks on his arm weren't evidence of what had happened he'd never have believed his own eyes. The world was becoming a stranger place every day.
Carter wasn't going to let her get away from him. The bright lights from his car slashed through the darkness of the dead-end alley illuminating the desperate figure of Anja searching for an escape route. There was nowhere to run or hide. He grinned as he brought the car to a halt but left the headlights on.
He was about to get out of the car when he saw Anja stop in front of him. She glared at him with a penetrating stare for a moment and then wide black wings suddenly sprouted from her back. The wings were as dark as obsidian and reminded Carter of a bat's wings. His mouth hung open in shock as she rose through the air, the wings beating powerfully, and then she soared away into the night.
Carter stepped out of his car and looked up at the sky. She had almost already disappeared into the obsidian dark of the night so he tried to track her movements by listening to the beat of the wings, but he had lost her. Only the stars were there to gaze down upon him. Anja was gone.
“What the hell have I gotten myself into?” he asked.
Chapter 5
C arter's heart thundered in his chest as he got back in his car where he sat with hands gripping the wheel, knuckles white with fright. He looked over at the passenger seat and found it difficult to believe that Anja had been sitting there just moments before she had transformed into something inhuman. Her body and face had stayed the same but the wings...Carter couldn't get the image out of his mind. One demon had been enough to terrify him for his entire life but it seemed as though the gates of hell were opening and all manner of creatures were pouring forth.
“How am
I supposed to fight these?” Carter asked, looking at the scratches on his arm. He leaned his head back against the head rest and closed his eyes. He was just one man without any supernatural powers at all and it felt as though he was the wrong man for the job. They needed something more, something that could actually fight against these creatures. For the first time in a long time Carter felt genuine fear rippling through his body. There was only one person who he needed to see, Father Constantine.
Carter made the short drive back to the church and walked in. Constantine was there. As soon as he saw Carter, the priest had a concerned look on his face. There were a few vagrants sitting in the pews, drinking hot soup. Carter nodded to the office. Constantine took him back where they could speak in private.
“Has it been an eventful night?” Constantine asked.
“I don't know if I can go through with this. It's too much...too much.”
“Sit down, please, and tell me what happened,” Constantine said. They both sat on a couple of chairs that were in his office. The desk was wide and made of mahogany. Old, thick books rested on the surface. Some of the volumes were open; others were closed and stacked up in a thick pile. Behind the desk there hung a picture of Jesus, and other religious paintings adorned the other walls, but these were smaller. A bookcase filled another wall. As Carter relayed the story of what he had seen that night Father Constantine's eyes widened. When Carter finished speaking, Constantine pressed his lips together and ran his hand across his chin. “Indeed these are dark times.”
“I know you've involved me in this because I saw things but I don't think I'm the man for the job. Fighting the demon inside Tanaka was hard enough, but now I need to fight one that flies?! I can't even comprehend what's going on. This is all too much Vincent. How are we supposed to win this thing?”
Constantine sighed. “It is natural to have doubts when faced with such an enemy but we must hold our faith. Our resolve is one of the most powerful weapons we have. Trust in God and….”
TAINTED SPIRITS: A Carter McBride Supernatural Thriller (The Demon Wars Series Book 2) Page 2
