No Quarter: A Supernatural Action Adventure Opera (War of the Damned Book 2)

by Michael Todd

  “And I’m assuming they aren’t looking to grab a margarita and chat it out.”

  “Uh, no, more like grab a missile launcher and blow me to bits before taking Sofia back to their dark Cabo lairs and giving her the once- or twice-over.”

  Katie shook her head and rubbed her face. “I’m going to go on record and say you’re no longer allowed to go on any kind of vacation by yourself.”

  “That’s probably a good idea in the future.”

  “All right, so we need to get the woman across the border safely, correct?”

  “Yes, please, and her name is Sofia.”

  “I will send the corporate jet to pick her up. I’m assuming you’re determined to face and destroy these guys.”

  “You are correct.”

  “Okay, I’ll call you back with the location where the jet will be landing. Hopefully, it can get to you outside of a main airport.”

  “Sounds good. Thank you, Katie.”

  “Anytime, dude.”

  Calvin hung up the phone and smiled to himself, remembering that Katie knew him almost better than he knew himself sometimes. She hadn’t chastised him, at least not too much. She simply did what needed to be done. He was glad he worked so closely with someone who understood the importance of helping innocents when they really needed it.

  “Did I just hear that all correctly?” Sofia asked, giving him a stern face. “You’re just going to shuttle me out of the way? You’re supposed to come with me!”

  “And I will, after I take care of this.”

  “Those men aren’t demons, and they don’t care how many times you flash your red eyes. They will kill you. Gun you down right there in the middle of the road. They don’t care if there are US troops on the other side. Hell, they wouldn’t care if the pope was on the other side. They will take care of you on Mexican soil and let the blood soak into the sand.”

  Calvin smiled and patted Sofia’s hand, allowing his eyes to go full red. “There is one thing these guys need to understand. You never fuck with one of the Damned. Ever.”

  Sofia pulled her hand back slightly and leaned toward the window, realizing she was out of her league. In fact, not only was she out of her league, so were the men who were waiting at the border for Calvin. She forgot what kind of damage the Damned could do, with or without demon protection.

  Manuel was going to meet his match…and then his maker.

  “Maybe you’re right.” Sofia nodded. “Going on a plane seems like a much better option for me. I don’t know if I could handle the wrath of the Damned.”

  “Sometimes even I can’t handle the wrath of the Damned.” Calvin laughed. “So, does that mean you’re onboard with this plan? I told you I would get you over the border safely, even if that means in a corporate jet high above the clouds.”

  Sofia eyed him for a moment and shook her head, knowing it was her only option. She was scared for Calvin, but she found that there was something in him that wouldn’t let him be defeated. Calvin grinned and pressed down hard on the gas, speeding toward the border.

  “Perfect. Let’s get you into your chariot, then.”

  Katie leaned back on the couch with her phone next to her. She had spoken to the pilot and arranged everything for Calvin. She hated that he was going to face all of it alone, but there was not much she could do. He’d decided on revenge, and Katie knew as well as the next mercenary that when that call came, they had no choice but to answer. Her phone began to buzz again.

  She sighed and looked at the screen, expecting it to be Calvin or the general. Instead, it was a New York number. “Hello?”

  “Katie, this is Iris, your real estate agent.”

  “Hi, Iris. Good to hear from you. How is everything going with the settlement on the condo?”

  “Well, that’s why I’m calling. The condo owners have upped the price.”

  “Really? So they’re getting greedy.”

  “Exactly, which is not the first time I’ve seen this situation with these multimillion-dollar homes. They want to sell, but when they get some interest, they play hardball. It’s annoying. What would you like me to tell them?”

  “I want you to hold off a little while. Get them nervous. Let them think we’re walking away, and at the last second, offer them twenty-five percent less than my original offer.”

  Iris went quiet for a moment, trying to figure out if she heard Katie correctly. “I’m slightly confused by your negotiating tactics. They want more money, so you’re going to withdraw the offer and then put in a new one for less?”

  Katie smiled, twirling her hair around a finger. “You never know what can happen in a few days. Maybe the stock market will crash. Besides, there’s probably no one else trying to get it right now at that price, and I’m willing to take the chance and wait another week.”

  “Okay, I’ll do what you ask, but if it works, I might have to hire you onto my team.”

  Both women laughed, knowing full well Katie would scare the hell out of anyone trying to swindle a buyer like that. Katie loved the condo since it had all the charm she was looking for and sat right on the edge of Central Park. What she didn’t love was someone trying to cheat her. They hung up and Katie looked at Angie who was sitting in the other chair, waiting patiently to hear what had happened.

  “It looks like we have a few more days to get our design quotes together. Telephone the women and give them another—ohhh…forty-eight hours or so. That way they can stop pulling their hair out.”

  “What if we don’t get the condo? Will you choose a different one? You really loved the windows and the balconies at the Circa.”

  Katie winked at Angie. “Everything will be okay in the end. Trust me a little. On top of that, we will probably have an even bigger budget than before for our designers, which will be fantastic.”

  Katie stood up and stretched her arms over her head, already feeling better. The action earlier in the day had gotten her adrenaline pumping and sent her mind into overdrive. Not only was she helping Calvin out of whatever craziness he’d gotten himself into, she was also now on the trail of some really nasty humans and their demon accomplices.

  “I’ll call them right away, and I’ll make a spreadsheet so you can see the whole thing easier,” Angie replied, standing up.

  “Perfect. I’m going to head across the street to the precinct. I gotta run something by the detectives over there. I’ll check in with you when I get back, or just knock on the door.”

  Katie grabbed her black suit jacket and pulled it on over her white T-shirt and jeans. She locked the door behind them and left Angie to her day.

  She bounced out of the hotel and paused on the sidewalk for a moment to take in the warmth of the sun before running across the road, barely avoiding being hit by a car. The car honked and the guy shouted, but Katie just laughed.

  “I’ve killed demons bigger than your Prius,” she shouted, chuckling.

  She headed inside the precinct. The guy behind the front desk offered her a sloppy salute, and he pressed the button that unlocked the door to the back. Katie laughed and gave him a return salute on her way through the doors and into the pit.

  The pit was experiencing an unusual level of chaos, even by the standards Katie had seen on her previous visits. Several perps were chained to the bench as expected, but everyone else was rushing around like chickens with their heads cut off. Katie saw Travers walking into the pit from the right, his nose stuck in some papers he was holding. She reached out and grabbed his arm, startling him slightly.

  He looked up and nodded at Katie. “Hey, Katie, sorry. Shit is crazy around here. I don’t really have time to talk right now. The President is coming to town, and all the precincts across the city have special assignments and specific streets and areas that have to be tied down and secured.”

  “Right, yeah, I know. I just have one quick question. What path will he be taking?”

  Travers wrinkled his forehead and flipped through his papers. “Uh, he’ll be coming through Ti
mes Square. Why?”

  Katie grabbed Traver’s arm tightly just as Schultz walked up to them. Her eyes flashed bright red, and she could feel a flash of energy in her chest. He looked at her hand and warily back at her eyes.

  “Make sure that if shit goes down, your men know not to shoot me.”

  She dropped his arm and spun around, heading quickly back out of the station. Travers narrowed his eyes and looked at Schultz, who looked just as confused as he was.

  “Does she know something we don’t?”

  Calvin opened the passenger door and reached down to help Sofia out. She grabbed her book bag and slung it onto her back, then pulled her ball cap on. Calvin rubbed her shoulder, seeing the nervousness she was trying to hide.

  They both looked up when they heard the hum of the corporate jet landing in the distance. They had found a tiny privately-owned airport, and Katie had paid a good sum to keep the whole thing under wraps. No one but the three of them and the pilot had known where the plane would be landing.

  Sofia stepped back, nodding. “That’s a nice jet. I have to admit I’m impressed.”

  “Yeah, it’s a company thing. We only use it in emergencies like this. We have the chopper for the rest of it.”

  “Well, aren’t you guys fancy?”

  Calvin shrugged. “It’s kind of essential.”

  When the jet came to a stop on the runway, and the guide waved his flag, Calvin grabbed Sofia by the arm and led her onto the tarmac. The plane came to a stop and lowered the stairs, and Calvin took her bag and climbed up behind her. He showed her quickly around the plane, introduced her to the pilot, and helped her get strapped tightly into her seat.

  “You should have everything you need.”

  Sofia looked at Calvin as if seeing him properly for the first time, now that the threat of death wasn’t hanging over her head. She smiled shyly and patted the seat next to hers. “I’m not a member of the Mile-High Club yet.”

  Calvin smiled and leaned down, whispering into her ear, “A tempting as that is, I have a personal message to deliver.” He kissed her cheek and walked to the door, where he paused to look back at her. “But I’ll see you on the other side of the border.”

  He winked and headed down the stairs, stopping at the bottom and watching the flight attendant pull up the steps and latch the door. He backed away as the engines began to hum loudly again, seeing Sofia looking down from the window above. He put up his hand and waved, not at all surprised by the turn of events. They had gotten really close on the trip, and he wasn’t going to pretend that the need to get her to safety had been strictly platonic.

  He grinned. “Besides, I’m already a member of the club, just not in that seat.”

  Sofia had no idea what he was saying, but she really wished he had taken her up on the offer. She knew he could handle himself since he wouldn’t still be alive after all that time with mercenaries if he couldn’t, but she didn’t know what she would do if she were the reason he was injured or killed.

  She hoped and prayed that she would see him on the other side.

  20

  Katie was in her room getting ready for a full day of kicking ass and taking names when there was a knock on the door. She stuck her head around the corner, figuring it was Angie. She was awake before ten again, and Pandora hadn’t even had to get her up.

  “Come in,” she yelled.

  The door creaked open, and Angie stuck her head in, looking around before opening it farther. She had her MacBook and a binder in her arms. “Hey, I just came to check in for the day.”

  She walked to the bedroom doorway and waited for Katie to finish getting suited up. She tilted her head to the side, running her eyes over what appeared be armor on Katie’s body. Her two big guns were strapped to her legs, and she had a couple of small ones holstered at her sides.

  “Is there a war coming to town that I’m not aware of?” Angie was half-joking and half-serious.

  Katie smiled and shrugged. “I hate to tell you, but there’s always a war happening around us. However, it’s a bit of a special occasion. The President is coming to town today, and I think it’s a good opportunity for those who want to be evil to do evil things.”

  Angie nodded in agreement; that was definitely a good assumption to make. There were plenty of people who probably wanted to take out their frustration on the President, as there had been with every single leader through the ages. This, however, was the perfect opportunity for the demons to cause some chaos.

  Katie picked up her phone and dialed the station, tapping her foot while she waited for someone to pick up. “Yes, Detective Schultz, please. Thank you.” She turned from side to side in the mirror, admiring the view. She looked badass, and she knew it. “Schultz, I need you to give me a couple of support personnel. I’ll meet them downstairs in the hotel lobby. Thanks.”

  Katie hung up and turned to find Angie still staring at her from the doorway. Katie smiled and grabbed her coat on the way to the door.

  “I don’t want you to go to the President’s parade. Just watch it from your room and order food. We should be done in the next two to three days, tops.”

  “Okay,” Angie replied.

  As Katie opened the door, she turned around and smiled. “Oh, and make sure the designer who’s going to be our lead is ready. We will be purchasing furniture at a reduced rate.”

  Katie shut the door, leaving Angie slightly confused. She pulled the MacBook close to her chest and shook her head. She would never really understand what was going on in Katie’s mind.

  Katie headed to the elevator and took it to the lobby, where the cops were conversing with the concierge while they waited for her. She had put on her black coat, a new one that was much lighter than the other and didn’t have the fur around the collar. She was wearing so much gear she didn’t want to deal with the weight.

  She walked up to the two cops and put out her hand. “Katie.”

  “Nice to meet you. I’m Jenkins, and this is my partner Roberts.”

  Roberts shook her hand and lifted an eyebrow. “What’s up with the jacket?”

  Katie looked around her for a moment and opened it up halfway, feeling a little like a flasher in an alley. They both shook their heads, their faces becoming somber when they saw her weapons and armor. All traces of humor gone, they all put on their game faces and headed out.

  They rode down to Times Square and started moving from building to building. Katie stood at the window of one of the high-rises inside a vacant apartment. She stared at the street below, trying to imagine the motorcade rolling through.

  “This is too low,” she told them. “We would need to be higher than this to see the playing field.”

  “Where do you think the demons will attack from?” Roberts asked.

  Katie thought about it for a minute. “I personally think they’ll come infected and then carry out their attack among the crowd, but I can’t be certain. If that’s the case, I need to be able to get to them as fast as possible before any civilians are injured or killed. It’s easy to go down, but it’s a lot harder to go up, so I think getting higher in the building is going to be the best bet. If they come from a building, great. If they’re on the street, I can also get to them pretty quickly.”

  “How will we know who’s who? The streets will be packed.”

  “A mixture of my gut and their beady red eyes.” Katie smiled. “Trust me, we won’t miss the bastards, wherever they come from.”

  Katie tapped on the window and shook her head. She looked down at the street and up at the building across the way. She just wasn’t positive she would be fast enough, even jumping through a window.

  “I could use a damned pair of wings,” she grumbled. “Come on, let’s look out from a couple of stories above.” The cops followed as Katie led them from the apartment.

  When the door closed, Gabriel materialized from the shadows with a smile on his face. He nodded and clapped his hands, disappearing in a flash of light.

  Katie p
ut her feet up on the chair and bit into one of the donuts. The Hot and Ready sign had been on when they got there, and Katie couldn’t believe her luck. She was actually in the mood for donuts, and not just because Pandora had willed it so.

  What do you think will happen tomorrow? You think the demons will show?

  Pandora groaned, nearly orgasming over how good the freshly-made donuts were. I swear, if I could have donuts this fresh all the time, I would give up my demon card.

  Katie laughed. Pandora, focus.

  Oh, sorry, what did you ask me?

  Do you think the demons will show tomorrow?

  Of course. They want to take over. This is their opportunity, and they’re too stupid to realize we’re on to them.

  Katie sighed, looking around the small pizza shop next door to the Krispy Kreme place. There were no tables in the donut shop so they’d gone over there, buying a piece of pizza but scarfing down the donuts. On the table next to Katie was an untouched piece of extra cheese pizza, the grease staining the paper plate.

  Katie looked up from her donuts as the chair next to her scraped back. Gabriel took a seat.

  Would you look at this? Mr. Fucking Manners here thinks he can just roll up on our donut party, sit down without asking and take over with his weird-as-fuck eyes.

  Have you forgotten about our red eyes?

  Way better than his “I can see into the depths of your soul” eyes. That is some straight-up serial killer shit.

  “Actually, Pandora, I can’t quite see into the soul, just the emotions behind it,” Gabriel answered, letting Pandora and Katie know he could hear what was going on inside her head. He smiled beatifically at Katie. “I took your request up to my boss.”

  Katie was taken aback by that. “Uh, request? I don’t know if I made one, did I?”

  You made a request to the man in the clouds?

  No? If I did, I don’t remember it. It’s not like I’ve been on my knees praying before bed. I think you would have noticed that.

  Damn right I would have.