by Heath, Joel
distance on foot, abandoning the bike which was
now too damaged to carry both of them.
Gretchen watched from a broken window on the third floor as Spencer and Vince
approached through the parking lot below.
“Captain, they’re back, and they brought the target.”
Gretchen retreated into the back room where Jessie was anxiously watching Captain Merrill complete some delicate work, thought she tried to keep her distance.
“What are you doing?” Gretchen asked. “Just doing one final check on the detonation assembly.” Captain Merrill replied.
“And is everything okay?” Gretchen asked.
“Just one more second.” Captain Merrill requested, there was a brief pause while a scowl spread across Captain Merrill’s face as Vince and Spencer entered.
“Damn!” Captain Merrill exclaimed.
“What’s wrong?” Jessie asked.
“The detonation trigger is malfunctioning. The timer is running.”
“How did that happen?” Gretchen demanded.
“How should I know? Damn thing just started ticking away.”
Captain Merrill leaned back in his seat and put his hand to his chin.
“Then we have to leave, now.” Gretchen urged.
“The prince will be here any second, how long until the nuke detonates?” Vince asked.
Captain Merrill looked at the timer, “Just under two hours.”
“We’ll hit the grenades and sneak out.” Gretchen suggested.
“We need to make sure the prince is caught in the blast.” Captain Merrill said, knowing what it would mean.
“That means that someone will be instantly vaporized when this thing blows.” Gretchen realized.
“Which means when I give the signal you four will get the hell out of here and get across the East River; get to LaGuardia if you can.” Captain Merrill ordered.
“What? No, you’re not doing what I think you’re doing.” Spencer objected.
“Yes, I am.”
“You don’t have to die.” Spencer affirmed.
“If not me then who? You? Vince?” Captain Merrill asked then looked toward Gretchen. “How about her?”
Captain Merrill stopped himself short of revealing something sensitive at a critical moment.
“Why are you so anxious to die?” Vince asked.
Captain Merrill made a face indicating he thought he got a raw deal.
“Three hours before you arrived a man showed up here asked me to help avenge an injustice. I asked what I could do, and he showed me this capsule, smoke started pouring out. I tried to get away. I was only exposed to a little, it wasn’t much, but it was just enough. He told me that a greater exposure would have caused a quicker change.” Captain Merrill admitted before he removed his shirt to reveal that his torso, from the naval to his collarbone had turned purple, scaly and transformed.
“Are you sure you can do this?” Spencer asked.
“I will not serve in Satan’s unholy army.” Captain Merrill said defiantly. Spencer nodded; he knew that only death would prevent Captain Merrill from turning into a powerful demon so he conceded to let Captain Merrill perform this last valiant act of sacrifice.
A crash out in the parking lot ripped through the building like a blast wave.
“That would be the perimeter alarm.” Captain Merrill advised as he raced to the over look through the other room.
Walking up to the window, he saw dozens of demons; he reached for his side arm and started firing at the encroaching plague.
“What are you doing?” Vince demanded.
“He’s trying to lure them in, the more we get with this the better our escape chances will be.” Gretchen explained.
“How close do you need them? Spencer asked.
“The grenade ring will be effective for most of the parking lot; I want the prince caught in the discharge.” Captain Merrill revealed.
“He wants us, so let’s go down there.” Spencer said as he turned to Vince and Gretchen. “Let’s go.”
Spencer drew his sword before heading out on to the fire escape and down to face the oncoming demonic horde.
Reaching the ground, they were almost surrounded by demons, but Spencer was fighting like a lion for his girl; every demon that came his way was struck down. Spencer could not be touched. Then the prince arrived, standing like a colossus, its wings extended up and out. Its face showed it was furious and the still bleeding wound on its wing indicated it had a personal score to settle with this human. It stood on its hind legs and beat a hand against its chest as if challenging the two that had injured him, it wanted to redeem itself.
The prince held his hand up to stay his remaining soldiers.
“Do you think we can take him?” Vince asked.
“Maybe, but I’d feel a lot better about our chances if we wait until they set off the Holy Grenades.” Vince said.
The prince pointed a clawed finger at Spencer.
“Since you were the first to wound me, you will die first.” He smiled.
Vince and Spencer drew their weapons as the prince began his lunge. That’s when the holy grenades began expelling their sacred contents into large clouds of mist that covered the entire parking lot. The dense cloud caused the demons in the immediate vicinity to fall over convulsing. Each one lay dead on the ground within seconds of exposure to the aerosolized holy water.
“My soldiers!” the prince shouted as he too began to feel the effects of the holy water, his head swung wildly as if looking for an escape from an attack he knew was only seconds away. The prince shrieked a frightening battle cry before charging though the mist, knowing that he was growing weaker with each passing second.
“Why is he not running?” Vince asked. He quickly got his answer; the cloud of holy water was quickly dissipating.
“Vince, move in, NOW!” Spencer shouted.
Vince and Spencer bolted for the prince bringing their swords to bear.
The hellish prince smiled.
Spencer and Vince split off to attack from both sides. The tactic worked, the prince focused on Spencer allowing Vince to attack the prince’s leg and bring him to his knees. Spencer followed up with a swing of his sword, which struck the demonic prince’s leg signaling the fight was over.
“It’s over, where is Satan’s castle?” Spencer demanded.
The demonic prince laughed. Spencer jabbed the tip of his sword into the demon’s forearm causing the prince to shriek in agony before Spencer pulled his sword out.
“I’m not going to ask again, tell me where he is, and I will kill you quickly.” Spencer spat.
The hellish prince considered telling, but decided to be cryptic.
“You can kill me as slowly as you like, the four horsemen will soon ride.” The demonic prince announced.
“The four horsemen?” Spencer asked.
“The Apocalypse.” Vince realized.
“They will soon be gathering at Lucifer’s castle.”
Spencer prodded the prince with the tip of his sword.
“WHERE?” Spencer shouted.
The demon put his hand to Spencer’s head and in a flash he saw a castle atop the mountain with a road, and at the base of the cliff was a small slave camp comprised of sturdy brick huts.
“The Bavarian plateau.” Spencer said.
Gretchen, Jessie and Captain Merrill emerged from the building.
“You have to leave, now, you have less than ninety minutes to evacuate the city, the bomb is about to go.” Captain Merrill said. Spencer took Gretchen’s hand, “What’s the quickest way out of here?” Vince asked.
“On foot, most of the streets are choked with cars.” Spencer led the way down 8thAvenue but after twenty minutes Gretchen was requesting to stop.
“I have to stop and rest.” Gretchen pled.
“The bomb is going to vaporize the city in an hour, there’s no time.” Vince shouted.
Gretchen looked at Spencer with regret, �
�I’m only going to slow you down, you have to leave without me.”
“NO!” Spencer adamantly disagreed before he lifted Gretchen onto his shoulders slumping her over him like a fireman making a rescue from a burning building.
With Gretchen on his shoulder Spencer, Vince and Jessie continued down 8thAvenue only to be stopped by a huge pile of debris that was comprised of large chunks of steel reinforced concrete, pavement and dozens of vehicles blocking 8thAvenue just past the 34thstreet intersection.
“Damn it!” Spencer said.
“Don’t look now, but I think we’re in for another fight.” Jessie announced as several hundred demons of various classes came around the corner of 35thStreet and 8thAvenue.
“Look!” Gretchen shouted, “A subway entrance.”
Spencer put Gretchen down. “Jessie, get Gretchen into the tunnel, Vince and I will give you what time we can to get down there and find a good place to fight.”
Spencer drew his sword and stood next to Vince who held his weapon at the ready, Spencer and Vince positioned them selves between the entrance to the subway and the oncoming hellish horde. Jessie and Gretchen moved toward the subway tunnel.
“Wait until they enter the tunnel before we withdraw.” Spencer ordered.
Then it happened, like a wave crashing against the rocky shore, the demons clashed with Spencer and Vince. It was hard pressed action here in demon territory; for every demon that fell three more took its place.
Spencer looked over his shoulder to find Jessie and Gretchen were descending the stairs into the subway.
“They’re in, fall back!” Spencer said before swinging at a demon, which then instantly turned to dust.
“Spencer, go I’ll cover you!” Vince offered.
“You’re insane.” Spencer retorted.
“And you’re delaying, Don’t worry, I’ll be right behind you. Go!” Vince ordered, Spencer nodded and ran for the entrance to the subway.
Running down the stairs Spencer nearly ran into Jessie and Gretchen.
“Where’s Vince?” Jessie asked.
“He’s right behind me.” Spencer replied and Jessie was able to calm herself. But when Vince didn't appear for several seconds Jessie's relief turned to sheer blind panic. Jessie started for the stairs thinking that somehow she would save Vince. Spencer stopped her.
"He may be dead already." Spencer warned.
"I have to do something." Jessie cried.
"If you go out there then you will meet the same fate." Spencer warned.
"Then so be it!" Jessie declared, and when she did there was a blinding flash of light, one that was briefly mistaken for the blinding light from a nuclear detonation.
When the light diminished Jessie's right hand firmly grasped a sword glowing with divine light.
"I'm not going to leave him to die alone." Jessie vowed hinting at a deeper pain, then she brushed past Spencer, dropping her M249.
"Fine, count me in." Spencer said before turning to Gretchen.
"If we aren't back in five minutes take this tunnel. It will get you out of the city." Spencer begged, tears began to stream down Gretchen's face as Spencer leaned in to kiss her. "I will see you again." Spencer promised before turning and bounding up the stairs and onto the street above, his sword held aloft, shouting a fierce battle cry.
As the demonic horde came into view, Spencer scanned the area hoping that Vince somehow had survived. As he searched his hope dwindled, then he heard a clanking noise off to the right. Spencer looked to see Vince with a glowing sword in his hand, he stood atop an overturned semi truck that was sitting in the middle of the intersection, and it was surrounded by demons, some had climbed up. Vince swung his sword and dispatched the demons that reached him. The demons on the ground were climbing on top of one another, they had almost reached Vince.
“Jessie, how much time until the nuke goes?” Spencer asked.
“Less than an hour, what are you planning?” Jessie asked.
“The only thing we can do.” Spencer said as he charged the overturned truck slicing though the demons standing between them and Vince.
Spencer quickly glanced back to check on Jessie, but she was plowing through the storm of demonic chaos with growing speed, killing any demon that came within reach.
Jessie reached the semi first.
“Vince, let’s go!” Jessie said as she dismantled the demonic pyramid with three strokes.
“What the hell took you so long?” Vince asked.
“Get down here.” Spencer ordered.
Vince climbed down while Spencer and Jessie covered him.
“Come on, the nuke is going to detonate within the hour.” Spencer said as he led the way to the subway tunnel, striking down a demon on the way.
Spencer, Jessie and Vince descended the stairs into the subway tunnel where Gretchen was heading toward the southbound tunnel.
“GRETCHEN!” Spencer called, Gretchen turned and smiled as she saw Spencer.
“Let’s go, we have maybe forty five minutes until the city is destroyed.” Spencer said as he reached Gretchen.
Everybody dropped onto the tracks and rushed along the tunnel. Vince held up his celestial sword to give them light as they headed into the darkness.
Around 14th Street the tunnel turned and then continued south until the tunnel came to an obstruction just north of Cortlandt Street. The obstacle came in the form of a long abandoned train which seemed to be jammed in a nearly collapsed tunnel, a small lake had collected near the train. It shimmered blackly making the subway feel like an underground cavern.
Spencer approached the train, reached for the door, and pried it open. The smell of rotting corpses hit Spencer like a tsunami. He would never get used to that smell. Yet they needed to get inside and the grisly fact was that they would have to walk through the train to keep putting distance between them and the ticking bomb in the midst of the corrupted city. The nearest station was the Chambers Street Station, it would take too long to back track. Going through the train was their only way though.
Spencer sheathed his sword and climbed into the tomb of a train car and helped Vince, Gretchen and Jessie in. Dozens of dead bodies were between them and the other end of the train. Gretchen tried to hold her breath and maintain her composure as she passed each severely decomposed corpse.
Passing along, Spencer noticed a body lay across the aisle, another tragedy, it was a young girl who must have just had a sweet sixteen party. She would never live to be a mother. Spencer now felt the true impact of an early death. He shook his head and moved on. Spencer and Vince helped Jessie and Gretchen across, the last door was in sight, only fifteen feet away.
Spencer moved to the door with four strides and reached for the emergency release lever and pulled it, the door didn’t open.
“Why isn’t the door opening?” Jessie asked.
“I don’t know.” Spencer replied trying the emergency release again, again there was no positive result; the handle broke off in his hand.
“Gah!” Spencer exclaimed.
“How are we going to get out?” Gretchen asked.
“I have an idea,” Spencer admitted drawing his sword again and sliced the door open, multiple pieces fell from the shattered glass and fell to the ground, Spencer resheathed his sword and lead the way into the tunnel.
“Are we far enough away from ground zero?” Vince asked.
“I’m not sure.” Spencer asked, then glanced at Gretchen as though inviting her input, but she only shook her head.
“I would rather not be in the city when the bomb goes off. Let’s just never stop moving until we hear it and then we keep moving.” Gretchen admitted.
As the final minutes ticked away on the massive bomb, Captain Merrill approached the demonic prince.
“Why don’t you fly away?” he asked sarcastically, pulling his foot back and delivering a kick to the wounded demon, who then shrieked, more in anger than agony.
The prince remained silent for a moment while watching
Captain Merrill, finally speaking he did so with a gravely voice.
“You would rather die than serve my master?” the demon asked.
“Considering your ‘master’ never gave me a choice? You’re damn right I would.” Captain Merrill spat.
Captain Merrill looked up towards the nuke, then to the prince.
“Your time is almost up.”
As they reached the final station before leaving the island, Spencer suggested they should take the surface streets the rest of the way. They would be able to travel farther now that they had bypassed the mass of abandoned cars near Times Square.
Spencer climbed onto the station platform before pulling Gretchen up, Vince and Jessie climbed up and they headed for the stairs leading to a glass door blocking them from Fulton Street.
Heading right they turned onto to Broadway and then onto the main road that lead to the Brooklyn Bridge and the way out of the city.
It wasn’t until the halfway point on the Brooklyn Bridge that they came into view, pale as the dead and each wielded a sword that pulsed with evil. Seven hive queens stood under the final support tower of the bridge, ready to fight. Spencer stopped causing his fellow survivors to stop as well.
“Any minute.” Vince reminded nervously about the impending deadline.
“All we have to do is kill these seven demons and we are out of the city.” Spencer summarized encouragingly.
“Gretchen,” Spencer began looking into her eyes, “We’re going to need you.”
Gretchen nodded.
Spencer continued walking toward the seven hive queens, and as he did he drew his sword. One by one Jessie, Vince and Gretchen each summoned their celestial sword before charging into battle.
At the sight of the celestial weapons, most of the hive queens retreated leaving two to fend for themselves. When swords clashed, there was a momentary release of a great deal of energy before the remaining queens turned to dust.
“We’re almost to safety.” Spencer called as he rallied his allies and raced the rest of the way to the west bank of the East River.
“It should be any second.” Vince shouted as they reached the buildings on the other side of the river.
And then a blinding light, brighter than the sun lit up the sky. The nuclear bomb had just been detonated and a mushroom cloud rose over the city that would forever sleep.
