Subversive Giants: A Supernatural Action Adventure Opera (War of the Damned Book 6)

by Michael Todd

  “Yes, well, you have to remember that most of these guys, whether they’re in fatigues or suits, are politicians at heart. The right side might be a bit foggy for them. When are you planning on coming to see me?” The general opened up his calendar.

  “Tomorrow at lunch okay?” Katie asked with a grin.

  The general grimaced and scratched out his lunch plans on the calendar. “That’s fine. Didn’t have anything planned.”

  “Perfect, then I will see you tomorrow. It’ll be good to see a friendly face.”

  The general couldn’t help but smirk. “I agree.”

  Katie hung up the phone, looked at Angie, and nodded. Angie immediately got on the line with the airport and started making arrangements to have her plane ready the first thing in the morning. Katie walked to the window and stared at the city lights.

  Pandora cleared her throat. You know what you’re doing, right?

  Katie shook her head, her eyes fixed on the horizon. I sure as hell hope so.

  11

  Moloch cracked his knuckles and leaned back in his chair. Baal munched giddily on a bucket of teacup Chihuahuas as they watched the news from Moloch’s office. The newscaster was visibly rattled, which made it all that much more exciting for the two demons.

  The carnage played on the screen. The horrified screams of humans echoed through the office. “As you can see from this footage shot by one of the people in the town, the demons didn’t hold back. Ravaging through the small historic village in England, they managed to demolish some of the oldest standing buildings in Europe. The carnage left in their wake is unimaginable and hard to watch. It seems these days, the news is like a horror movie.”

  Moloch chuckled. “She’s got that right. We are the original horror villains.”

  Baal smiled, grabbing one of the dogs by its tail and popping it into his mouth. Moloch cringed from the incessant barking but tried to ignore it.

  The newscaster continued her report. “All across Europe, including towns in Portugal, Scotland, Italy, and the Netherlands, we saw wide-scale destruction. Images and videos from the events have been flooding the internet, though we don’t know who out of those capturing video actually survived. Specialists in the field of demonology are still trying to piece together the details, as many of the places were too remote for any professional footage to be captured. The President of the United States has sent aid to those in need in these locations and was quoted during a press conference as saying, ‘We will stand by the world as we work through this tragedy and this ongoing war.’ After the speech, the President’s approval ratings hit an all-time high.”

  Moloch snorted. “He means they will send out the bitch, but unfortunately, she’s too late.”

  Baal nodded. “It was a fantastic day. They had no idea what hit them. The only demon fatalities were the one lit up by the Scottish barkeep, and then the one you exploded.”

  A shit-eating grin grew on Moloch’s face. “Yes. And no Pandora and Katie to fuck things up. Good tactics. Terrorize the populace and get them to come to the table. We sign all sorts of agreements and then renege on them. Love it.”

  Baal was beside himself. “I just don’t understand the humans. Why would they think they could ever trust us? Hell, they sign agreements between each other all the time and never fully commit to them. They’re constantly backstabbing each other. What makes them think we’ll hold true to an agreement? We live on immorality and broken promises.”

  Moloch slammed his hand down, catching one of the Chihuahuas as it ran across the desk and nipped at his knuckles. He threw it at Baal, hitting him in the side of his head. “Please keep your lunch in the bowl. Those little bastards always make a mess, and they’re never potty-trained. The little bastard peed on my French Heritage oak desk. It took a lot of work to get this thing delivered to hell. I had to send a whole team. Not to mention the fireproofing bill.”

  Baal grabbed the puppy and swallowed him whole. “Sorry, Moloch, these things have a mind of their own. And I still don’t know why you didn’t go with the locals for your desk. Buying goods from humans, it was the scandal of the year.”

  Moloch waved his hands. “I ate the guy who made it and didn’t spend a cent. Besides, I hate those lava rock desks, always leaving black streaks on the paperwork. I swear by the time I get your memos, they look like soot.”

  Baal pointed to the television. “It’s back. Holy shit, it’s the barkeep!”

  The newscaster played shaky amateur footage of the Scottish barkeep blowing the head off the demon. “A valiant and brave bar owner in this Scottish seaside town managed to kill one of the demons before being attacked. Unfortunately, the rest of the footage is too graphic to play here. He will be remembered as a hero. Keep him and his family in your prayers. As for the attacks themselves, eyewitnesses described them as sudden, full-force, and then over before they even knew what hit them. From the looks of it, the demons were not out for total destruction. Some say it’s a way for them to make a statement, and others think they’re toying with the mercs, most notably, Katie of Katie’s Killers. Katie has been known to tussle with these giants more often than not. Katie was not immediately available for an interview, but we’re sure she won’t let this go without a fight.”

  Moloch swished his hand through the air, turning off the television. He balled his fist and narrowed his eyes. “That’s exactly what we’re hoping for.”

  Katie let the wind blow her hair back wildly as she flew faster and faster through the air. She took a chopper to the local airport but fancied a flight of her own from there to meet with the general at his base. The air was beautiful, and she could feel fall starting to creep in. It was her favorite season.

  Pandora couldn’t agree more. Call me basic, but I love those pumpkin donuts they have every year at Krispy Kreme. And Halloween is pretty much my favorite holiday ever. Everyone feels justified in being bad, slutty, and free of inhibitions. It’s like my Christmas.

  Katie smiled. Even as a Damned in a completely new life, I always get excited the first time the weather starts to cool. The smell of cinnamon, the change of the leaves, the hot chocolate. I’m a sucker for it.

  Pandora sighed as they spotted the base ahead. I remember the first fall in the mountains I ever experienced. I was with a hot naked man in the woods. He had a small cabin and would chop wood, do me, make fires, and then do me next to the fire. That’s what you need in your life.

  Katie lifted an eyebrow. A lumberjack and log cabin? I think I’ve roughed it enough lately. I’ll take my New York City condo, thanks. Besides, before we get all fall crazy, we have some hot days ahead of us.

  Pandora grimaced. Ugh. I don’t know how I let you talk me into these things.

  Katie circled around the base, waving at those on guard duty. They all watched in awe as she flew over, then gracefully landed in front of the general’s main building. They weren’t really sure what to do. They knew who she was, but they were also supposed to check her in. Katie just laughed as they stood there arguing. She waved her hand and entered in through the front doors.

  Before she could walk through the security gate, a guard stepped in front of her. He was a big man with no fear in his eyes. He crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to check all of your weapons before you can enter.”

  Katie shrugged it off, trying to walk forward. “I’m here to see the general. I don’t check my weapons.”

  He stood firm, blocking her path. “Everyone checks their weapons.”

  Katie narrowed her eyes and pushed her finger into his chest. “I don’t think you fully understand who I am. I don’t check my weapons for anyone. I’ve been through this before with you fools.”

  The security guard just stared at her. “I know full well who you are, Katie. But the rules are the rules, even for you. I know you think you’re above the law, but in this building, you follow my rules.”

  Katie backed up and laughed. “Look, big guy, if you didn’t notice, I�
��m not exactly normal. One swipe from me, and I can send you through the wall. I don’t want it to come to that, so I’m asking you to move aside.”

  The guard stood taller. “Are you threatening me?”

  Pandora laughed. I like this guy. Reminds me of Calvin but with bigger muscles. He gives no fucks who you are.

  “Not a threat, just letting you know how it is. I keep my weapons with me all the time.”

  As they argued, the general stepped out of his office and walked down the hall. He glanced up from the papers in his hand and sighed, shaking his head. He walked over and tapped the guard on the shoulder, who immediately jumped to attention.

  “What’s going on here?”

  “Sir, your visitor is refusing to comply with the rules of the base. She will not remove her weapons,” the guard reported nervously.

  The general looked at Katie, who grinned. “What? You know I don’t disarm for anyone.”

  The general gave her a disapproving look and turned to the guard. “She’s fine. Let her through.”

  The guard looked at him, shocked. “But sir!”

  The general folded his papers and put them behind his back. He fixed the guard with a cold stare. “Son, are any of you demons here?”

  The guard looked at the other men and back at the general. “No, sir, none of us are infected.”

  The general put his hand out for Katie. “Then I don’t think the woman with the angel wings is going to shoot you.”

  The guard stepped aside, but he scowled down at Katie as she passed through. She gave him a huge condescending smile and bounced along next to the general. He shook his head at her. “Come on, we can talk in one of the clean meeting rooms. I still don’t understand why you bring all that here. You know I’m not going to take you down.”

  Katie shrugged. “I have to always be ready for trouble, especially these days.”

  The general opened the door to the meeting room and waved her in. “I suppose you’re right. Still, we need to find a better place to meet.”

  “Whatever you need, boss,” Katie agreed as she took a seat across the table from him.

  The general opened up a file and ran his finger down it. “I figured while you’re here, I’ll update you on the six incursions across Europe.”

  Katie leaned back and folded her hands in her lap. “Sounds perfect. It’s been on my mind.”

  The general pulled out the paper. “Okay. Manarola, Italy sustained damage to thirty percent of their town, sixty percent of their small port, and the body count is up to fifty-three, but that doesn’t account for those fully swallowed, sent out to sea, or ripped into pieces. Portree, Scotland sustained fifty percent damage, and a casualty count of a hundred and fifty so far. Bled, Slovenia reports their castle is completely demolished, and the town had a seventy percent destruction rate. The casualties there are climbing by the second due to the wreckage, but the last report was over six hundred, mostly tourists.”

  Katie shook her head. “This is out of control.”

  The general put up one finger. “Not done yet, that’s only halfway. Bibury, England sustained a sixty percent damage to its historic buildings, which is basically the whole town. They reported twenty-three casualties. Fewer people there, but priceless pieces of history. These last two are the big hitters. Sintra, Portugal had a festival for the moon goddess going on, and there were thousands of people there. Destruction of the castle and the outlying city is at thirty percent, but the body count is nearing two thousand.

  “And last but not least, Giethoorn, Netherlands. This place got their ass kicked. Fifty percent of the town is just gone, and their death toll is five hundred and rising. There are pictures of the canals they use to get around. The water is red with blood.”

  Pandora growled. Those places were chosen specifically to piss me off. They were important places to me, at least two of them. Moloch is just being a straight-up dickhead now.

  Katie sat quietly for a moment before speaking. “I’m sorry we weren’t there for that.”

  The general shook his head. “No, Katie. The places were so far off the map that no one picked them up. The portals opened, demons poured out, and then bam, they were gone. There didn’t seem to be any planning. We couldn’t have gotten there fast enough, even on your wings.”

  Katie sighed and tapped her finger on the table. “It’s a tragedy, and I’m afraid it will continue.”

  The general shut his folder. “I know. That’s why getting you set up as quickly as possible is imperative. How is the move coming?”

  “Last I heard from Calvin, they were getting settled in and waiting on the big trucks to deliver equipment. Of course, they will make their changes to the property, but knowing them, it won’t take long at all.”

  The general nodded. “Good.”

  Katie sat forward. “Look, it’s obvious here, they are eating us a little bit at a time. If we don’t do something to force them on the defensive, we might be done.”

  “What are your thoughts? Do you have an idea?”

  Katie smiled. “Why don’t we attack hell?”

  The general’s eyes grew wide. “As in going down there and going nuts on the bastards?”

  Katie tilted her head back and forth. “I think it will have to be a little more structured than that, but in the end, we unleash Earth on hell, angel style.”

  The general chuckled, wiping the sweat from the back of his neck. “The idea makes me nervous, but we’re at a point where I don’t see many other ways than to take the fight to them. How will our soldiers fare down there?”

  Pandora scoffed. Shish kebobs.

  Katie grimaced. “Well, they can’t go down there unprotected. Humans will roast, so we’ll have to come up with a solution for that. We’ll also have to get a deeper understanding of the terrain and climate.”

  “Yes, well I think this will be a good time to bring in Research and Development. Those guys are constantly tinkering down in their labs. They’re working up with all kinds of new technology based on studies of the infected that we’ve procured.”

  Katie agreed. “I think you’re right. Being an infected, I’ve never been too hot on R&D, but their usefulness may be what we need right now. This isn’t a mystery to Pandora, but she doesn’t know any of the nuts and bolts science of it. To the rest of us, it’s foreign territory and not on this planet.”

  “Other realms aren’t exactly something we’ve taken the time to really study. In fact, until recently, other realms were some urban fiction shit. Then again, my whole life seems to be that way. I definitely think this is doable. I just want to make sure I’m not sending these men in on a suicide mission.”

  Katie shook her head. “No, I won’t let anyone else go if that’s the case. There’s no point in me taking men out there if I know they’ll come back in an urn. We’ll make sure everyone is safe, and I want this to be volunteer-based. I don’t want anyone down there who doesn’t want to be there.”

  The general understood. “That’s not completely out of our realm. I’m sure we’ll have ample brave volunteers.”

  Katie slapped her hands on the desk. “You get a team together, and I’ll lead them. We get in, we get information, and we get out. Then we plan our attack.”

  The general ran his finger over his lips and then grinned. “I’ve got a team for you.”

  “Son of a bitch,” one of Brock’s team members muttered, squashing a bug against the tattoos on the back of his neck.

  Brock chuckled. “You okay, Turner? You got one of those bloodsucking birds on your back?”

  Turner rolled his eyes, slashing his machete through the thick brush. “This is fucking stupid. If I’d thought I’d be spending my time humping through the jungle, I would have skipped out and been drinking mai tais on a beach somewhere.”

  One of the other guys pulled out his gun and pointed it at a huge snake. “Stop bitching. I got snakes on a plane over here.”

  Brock took his knife and threw it hard, pinning the snake to t
he tree. “You know these demons aren’t going to make it easy for us. This time they had to open up portals right over ancient voodoo sites of mass sacrifice. You aren’t going to find those right in the center of New York.”

  One of the other guys snorted. “You might. Have you been to New York lately? It’s a wild town.”

  Turner groaned. “We’ve all been there, asshat, remember? Or are you still drunk from our trip there?”

  They all laughed as they humped through. Suddenly, the sound of cracking branches stopped Brock in his tracks, and he put up his fist. His finger came to his lips, and he signaled for the guys to get low and look around. They all followed orders. They crouched down and began reaching into their holsters and pulling out their guns.

  Suddenly, a large monkey leaped straight at Turner. Its eyes were an inflamed red, and its fangs dripped yellow foam. Turner spun and pulled the trigger, hitting the monkey between the eyes. It shrieked and turned to dust, and Turner freaked. “What the fuck? Demon-infected animals? You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!”

  Without warning, other animals appeared in the dense brush surrounding them. Monkeys and gorillas, panthers and snakes. Huge lizards and small, quick foxes. All of them had burning red eyes.

  Brock roared at his team, “It’s showtime, boys!”

  The guys moved fast and hard. They quickly fanned out, forming a loose perimeter and blasting the beasts with everything they had. The monkeys and smaller animals went down fast, but the panthers lurking in the bushes took some group effort. By the time they were finished, piles of dust were everywhere, and all the guys were panting.

  Brock knew they were close to their target. Someone was attempting to keep them away.

  He pulled his M16 around in front of him and checked the magazine. “I bet you the all-you-can-eat buffet at Mr. Fung’s that we find a nice big demon right over that ridge. Who wants in on this?”