Reaction

by Seth M. Baker

  Spotlights shined on the creature from several directions. Gunfire rained down but, compared to the demon’s bellows of anger and annoyance, the gunfire sounded like tiny firecrackers. The demon dropped the remains of the man in its mouth, released the others, and went for the police cruisers. The officers backed away. But instead of attacking the police, the demon focused on the flashing bars on top of the cruisers, pulling them off with its tentacle tongue. Lights flashed from inside its mouth. Pieces of plastic cracked and flew as it chewed. The police kept firing bullets into the creature, but it didn't seem to notice. It went from one cruiser to another, eating the light bars.

  From the avenue, eight men with tour group passes hanging from their necks pulled handguns and began firing at the creature. A police officer looked at them, shrugged, and returned to his shooting. Gunfire crackled like water dumped in hot grease, and finally, as the creature tore at the last light bar, it began to falter and stagger. From a thousand little bullet wounds, black goo oozed onto the pavement. The demon stood up on two legs, clawed at the air, and wailed. All along the avenue, glass shattered, exploding onto the street. The demon dropped back down, took one half-hearted swipe at a SWAT van, knocking it on its side, then fell over onto the pavement and died.

  The crowd was silent for a moment, then began to cheer and clap. Men cried openly. Almost everyone had something digital in their hand, capturing photos and videos of the spectacle. People circled around the monster to get a closer look. Amadeus looked around for Esther and called her name but heard nothing in response.

  The demon’s black tentacle-tongue spread out on the pavement like the roots of a tree. Blood dripped from incisors larger than Amadeus' legs. Even the police were too fascinated to tell people to get away. The eyes of the creature, ranging in size from billiard ball to basketball, still stared at the world. The irises were yellow, the pupils square like a goat’s, and the sclera roiling red. Where it should’ve had ears, it had only stumps leading into the ear canal.

  The creature’s body quivered, and a spray of shit came from its anus, splattering the people unfortunate enough to be standing behind it. They screamed then began to sizzle. Somebody yelled out “acid.” Some firefighters tried to spray the acid-shit-covered people down, but it was too late; they had already boiled down to black piles of viscous goo.

  The mood changed as people cried and shook their heads in confusion and disbelief. Silence fell over the city; horns and sirens stopped all at once, as if everyone was too shocked to speak, to honk, to breathe. The world was watching, and what could they say? This would be broadcast on every news station and internet video site. Amadeus thought about this, wondered how people would react. Then he remembered the farmers' wife and his own unfortunate legal status, and a realization of the danger he was in hit him like a spray of acid shit. If the world was watching, then someone was bound to pick him out of the crowd. He touched his face. His beard had slipped down under his chin Lincoln-style long ago. He pulled it back up and ran down Forty-Second Street.

  25

  Amadeus wanted to go straight back to the Pachyderm and get out of town, but he wouldn’t leave without Esther. He jogged to her building. On the way, he thought about what happened, how on a random day, in America’s largest city, a demon just happened to show up sickeningly close to two people who were involved in his father’s research. Hadn’t Esther said Vesely thought he was under surveillance? If that was true, then Esther could be too. Amadeus shouldn’t be a target; he dutifully wore his fuzzer. Only his friends in Colorado knew he was here. They must’ve been watching Esther. Most likely they saw some flying machine land on her building; that would be enough to send up some alarms.

  The lobby was empty. Feeling exposed there, he took the elevator to the top floor, using the access code to unlock the door. He waited in the Pachyderm. On the flight computer he tried to contact Jones, then Esther. Neither answered, but when he dialed Lilly, her worried face appeared on the screen.

  “Oh my god, I saw what happened. I’m so glad you’re okay,” she said.

  “I was there,” Amadeus said.

  “I know. We saw you. Your beard slipped.”

  “Damn. Lilly, where’s your father?”

  “He locked himself up in his room a few hours ago, said he felt ill, more side effects. Where are you now?” Grassal came on the screen and waved.

  “I’m on Esther’s building, waiting for her to get back. I can’t stay here. They were watching her, Lilly; it’s like they were waiting for me to show up.” Lilly nodded as he spoke. Grassal took the headset from her and put it on.

  “Brother, glad you’re okay,” Grassal said. “You need to leave. You’ve got about eight minutes.”

  “I’m fine, I’m on the roof.”

  “Trust me on this. You’re just about to get tangled up in a first-class clusterfuck. I managed to hack into the building’s CCTV. Go have a look over the edge.”

  “What?”

  “Just do it,” Grassal said. Amadeus peered down to the street below and saw four black police vans blocking the entrance. Police officers were streaming out the back. “Somebody recognized you. You’ve got to leave right now.”

  “No! I can’t, not without Esther. She’s in danger too.” He spoke as he looked over the edge.

  “Amadeus, this sounds bad, but you’ve got what you need. Get in the air. Forget about her,” Grassal said.

  Amadeus got in the Pachyderm and started the engines, but not enough to lift off. The cloaking paint took effect and all the exterior surfaces outside became translucent. “How much time do I have?” he asked Grassal.

  “Four minutes.”

  “I’ll call you back.” Amadeus dialed Esther. This time she answered. “Where are you?”

  “In the elevator.”

  “Get to the roof.”

  “Why?”

  “Just go!” Amadeus hung up before she could say anything. He looked at the time. Two minutes. A minute later, the roof door flew open. Esther. Amadeus got out, grabbed her hand, and tried to lead her to the Pachyderm.

  “What are you doing?” she said, wresting her hand free.

  “We’re leaving.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Did you see the police outside?” She shook her head. “They must’ve got here after you did. Look, you’ve got to go with me. Some things you can’t do on your own. That demon showing up, that was no coincidence, okay? You’re in danger, it’s my fault, and I want to help you.”

  “You’re kidding, right?” Esther said. “You think I’m really going to leave all this behind?” She gestured to the building they stood on. “I already told you, this is my company, my life. I’ve done nothing wrong. I’m not afraid of the police. You go, just leave me here. I’ll be fine.”

  The door to the roof opened. A mustached policeman held up his pistol. “Freeze, hands up.” Amadeus and Esther did as he said. With one hand he spoke into his radio. “I found him, he’s on the roof.” As he spoke, Amadeus noticed something red moving up his leg, over his torso and to his head. A laser sight.

  “Oh shit,” Amadeus said. “Officer, get down—” Fwoop. Some blood splattered on the wall as the officer dropped to the ground. Esther screamed. Amadeus pulled her toward the Pachyderm. He heard more silenced gunshots nearby. Esther let herself be led and loaded inside. Amadeus pulled the door closed. He heard the bullets hitting the Pachyderm. None penetrated. The nanosteel really was bulletproof. In the copilot’s chair, Esther rocked back and forth, arms folded across her chest, her breath coming in short gasps. He threw the vertical thrust levels forward and the Pachyderm shot up into the air. With as much speed as he could muster, Amadeus flew out of Manhattan and to open water. He flew with all the lights off. To anyone watching on satellite, the Pachyderm would look like nothing more than the glimmer of a wave. Thermal imaging, though, he wasn’t sure about. Several minutes had passed when Amadeus spoke.

  “Do you believe me now?”

  “
Oh my god,” she said. “Oh my god. He was alive then he wasn’t. I don’t believe it. That was something else, it had to be something else. He’s not dead. It was a trick.”

  “That was no trick,” Amadeus said. “I hate to say it, but I know what it looks like when somebody gets shot. I’ve seen it too much. Now, do you understand why you can't go home?

  “This is your fault, Amadeus. You brought this into my life, you and your father with his…his fucking experiments. And now my life is over. Everything I worked for, everything. What will they say? That I just disappeared? That I took off with some, some murderer? But I know you’re not a murderer, at least I have that consolation. Why did it have to be like this? I was supposed to have a few more prosperous years and retire into a peaceful life of golf and travel and cocktails. Now? What now?”

  “I’m sorry, Esther. Every single day I wish things were different. I would trade anything in the world for things to be the way they were. But they’re not. I can only work to make things the way I want them to be. That’s all.”

  Silence fell over the cockpit. Several minutes passed. Amadeus focused on the map, though he wasn’t sure where he was going, just flying low over the ocean.

  “No, I’m sorry. You’re the one that lost your father. It’s just a career, right? I can always have another one,” she said, but to Amadeus she sounded resigned and a little sarcastic.

  “You know you can’t go back, right? Not until this is all over?

  “I guessed as much. If they kill cops, they certainly wouldn’t have any problem killing me. But why?”

  “I’ve been trying to figure this one out. Maybe it’s because we know about the demon gates. The world knows about the demons now, or at least that demon, but so far that’s it, and maybe that’s how they, whoever they are, want it. And they don’t want us to talk. Do you have anywhere you can go? I can take you there.”

  “I’ve got a second house in the White Mountains. There's my sister's house in Rochester. And I have a cousin with a beach house.”

  “All those are probably no good. They’ll know about all of those. Is there anybody from long ago, somebody you don’t have an obvious connection with? I think that might be best.”

  “Hmm. Actually, I’ve got an old, old boyfriend in Nantucket…”

  26

  As they flew over the black water of Long Island Sound, the only sound was the hum of the engine. Amadeus had called Grassal and Lilly to tell them what happened. Esther stared out at the lights of the city. Amadeus held the yoke like it was a life buoy, devoting all his attention to the task of flying, a task made only a little difficult by the high ocean winds. He asked her to find her friend’s house on the map as well as an isolated place to land.

  Martha's Vineyard made Amadeus think of his great uncle. He and his father had visited him once. They flew by commuter plane and rented a car when they arrived. Amadeus was young then, eight or nine. Mostly, he remembered his uncle wearing a blue plaid bathrobe at all hours of the day and smoking sweetly choking tobacco out of a deer antler. He died a few months after they visited.

  “On the east side of White Goose Cove, land there,” Esther said, bringing Amadeus out of his reverie. She had been looking at the map. “Approach from the ocean, keep the lights out and we should be able to slip in no problem. Once we land, I can walk to my friend's, it's only a couple of miles.”

  “By yourself? At,” he looked at the clock on the flight computer, “three in the morning?”

  “This is Nantucket we're talking about here. It's mostly wealthy white people.”

  “It's their kids I'm worried about. I know what they’re like.” Amadeus thought of Davy attacking him on graduation day, back in his old life. “I'll walk with you. Would that be okay?” Esther nodded. “I know this is kind of my fault. I'm sorry you've had to leave your house.”

  “Shh,” Esther said.

  Amadeus made a wide arc and came upon the island from the south, flying low, one hundred meters above the waves. Ahead, a line of red flashing lights stretched across the shore like Christmas lights. He zoomed in on the map. The lights came from the New England Wind Farm. He took the Pachyderm up to three hundred meters and over the turbines.

  “Land ho,” Amadeus said. He waited. Esther said nothing. “That was supposed to be a joke.”

  “I know,” Esther said. “It just wasn't funny.”

  “I guess not.”

  They flew into White Goose Cove and landed in a clearing. He didn't like landing without lights, but they couldn't risk being seen. With two hours until sunrise, Amadeus wasn't worried about anyone stumbling upon the Pachyderm during the night. Even if they came close, they probably wouldn’t see it for the invisibility paint. They got out and started down Starbuck Road. “My friend's house is pretty close, on Madaket. West of here, I think.” She hopped down and started to walk.

  “Hey, wait up just a minute,” Amadeus said. But Esther kept walking. Amadeus yelled after her then. “What the hell?” Then she turned around.

  “What the hell?” she said, shaking her finger at Amadeus. “What the hell? Really? You want to know what the hell? I'll tell you what the hell. I was almost eaten by a monster today. I find out some mysterious people want to kill me. I’m forced to leave my entire life behind. And now I've got to bang on the door of a man I haven’t talked to in over a decade and ask if I can sleep on his couch until, until, when? When, Amadeus, when?”

  “I'm sorry, I don’t know.”

  “So that’s what the hell,” Esther said, sounding relieved. She started walking again. He followed her through the noisy Nantucket night. Crickets sang, frogs chirped, and the wind made the tall sea oats wave and rub against each other. After about forty minutes of silent walking through sleeping neighborhoods, Esther pointed out a house. “That’s the house. I really don’t want to do this, but there’s not much I can do, is there?” When she rang the doorbell, a thin, bald man peeped out the door. He recognized Esther and smiled.

  “Darling,” he said. “You’re the last person I expected to see on my doorstep at four in the morning. It’s been, what, three years since the last time? Who’s your little friend?”

  “An old friend’s son. David, I hate to ask you this, but can I stay with you for a while?”

  “Um, yeah, well, you see, I would but I’ve got someone really special here and I think that may not be the best idea. Sorry.”

  “Your ego’s still as big as Boston, isn’t it? I’m not here because I want to get back into your bed. I just need your help. I’m standing in a shitstorm and I need an umbrella. Can you be my umbrella?”

  “This isn’t about the Manhattan Monster, is it?” She nodded but didn’t say anything else. “Fine. Okay. God, I totally misread that situation. Apologies. Come on in, have some coffee. I’m awake now…”

  “I really am sorry to wake you, I know it’s early,” Esther said.

  “It’s okay. Would your little friend like to join us?” David asked. Amadeus wanted to punch this guy in the mouth.

  “I need to get to Prague. Esther, can you tell me the directions again? I forgot them.” He pulled out his phone. She sighed and waited until he was ready.

  “Vesely lives in the Mala Strana near Legii Bridge. His apartment is above a bank, number three-oh-two. Vetezna Street. Two-oh-three Vetezna Street. Czech is a damn confusing language and their addresses aren’t much better.”

  Amadeus repeated the directions back to make sure he had everything.

  “Oh, Prague is such a fabulous city,” David said, looking befuddled. “It feels like a city from a fairy tale, only with drunk people. Do go to the town center and see the astronomical clock.”

  “Yeah, sure, I’ll do that, since I’m not actually going for anything important.”

  “Amadeus,” Esther said, putting her hand on his shoulder. “I know this isn’t your fault. You’re doing your best. So, thank you, and good luck.” She hugged him. “Give my regards to Gustavius.”

  “I will.�
�� They went inside. Amadeus turned away and began the long walk back to the Pachyderm.

  27

  He called Jones and told him what happened and what he planned to do. “But I’ve got one question: is the Pachyderm good for a transatlantic flight?”

  “I don’t see why not,” Jones said. “Stay high, watch out for seven-forty-sevens, and you’ll be fine. I'll keep a log of the flight; it’s a minor distinction, but you’ll be making the first transatlantic flight ever using a craft of this type. Worst comes to worst, you can do a water landing. The Pachyderm should float. The water will make the verticals malfunction, but you'll still be able to hydroplane your way to Iceland or Greenland or where ever is closest for you. Just make sure you've got a full charge.”

  “Okay, Jones, thanks,” Amadeus said. Jones smirked.

  “And Amadeus,” he said, “I’m glad you got Esther out of there.” Just before the screen went blank, Jones leaned forward with a shaking hand to switch off the video. Five hours later, he sat on the eastern edge of Newfoundland, squinting against the late morning sun, staring at the Atlantic and thinking about his life. The ocean roared like a rhinoceros as the waves crashed against the rocky shore, washing the kelp away.

  Amadeus decided to take a nap. He was thankful to be in Canada; the weather was nice and cool, and he slept poorly when it was hot outside. The thought of sweating and sticking to the vinyl of the seat made him shudder, the way some people shudder when someone runs their finger across a chalk board. He fell asleep hoping weather in the Czech Republic would be equally pleasant.

  Amadeus awoke a couple hours later to an alarm announcing his battery was fully charged. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, the muscles in his body feeling like brittle rubber bands, he ran a manual check of the battery levels. Both the dummy lights and the manual check showed a fully charged Pachyderm. When he flipped the switch, the engines whooshed to life. As their speed increased they changed from a whoosh to a steady hum. Amadeus pulled the vertical speed lever back, and the Pachyderm lifted into the sky. The rocks of the shore below became a shapeless, lumpy grey mass.