First Circle Club

by Alex Siegel

  "Sounds like you admire them."

  "I do indeed," the face said. "Their arrival was an astonishing development. I expected ordinary demons and angels to hunt you down. This team is vastly more interesting than any collection of soulless entities could ever be. Virgil is their leader, and he is a fascinating blend of conflicting impulses."

  Daniel was slightly miffed. It sounded like the face liked Virgil more than him.

  "You never told me what your goal is," Daniel said. "Why are you playing games with lives and souls? Why are you causing so much trouble?"

  "That's right. I never told you."

  Daniel waited, but the face didn't elaborate.

  Daniel decided to ask a different question. "If Virgil and the others are so tough, maybe working alone isn't such a smart idea. Could you find more allies for me?"

  "I cannot," the face said. "I must leave you now. Good bye."

  "Why? Is something wrong?"

  The fireflies scattered.

  * * *

  Unexpected footsteps startled Virgil. He was messing with his phone in the basement of Red Palace Antiques. Somebody was coming down the wooden staircase from the store above.

  Virgil looked over and saw Mrs. Deng, the owner of the store, descending. She was wearing a white silk shirt cut in an old-fashioned style and matching pants. Her round Chinese face had an angry expression.

  Virgil stood up. "Hello, Mrs. Deng. Is there a problem?"

  She walked over to two couches which had been shoved aside. They had served as Virgil's and Lisa's beds after their injuries. Black demon blood had completely ruined the upholstery.

  "What happened here?" Mrs. Deng said.

  Alfred stood up and walked over to her. Lisa and Sara were also present but remained silent.

  "A bit of an accident," Alfred said. "Our apologies. We'll happily pay the retail price for the couches."

  "Two thousand dollars," Mrs. Deng said.

  He smiled. "Sounds fair."

  Sara went to the money bag which was sitting on a shelf.

  "What kind of business are you running down here?" Mrs. Deng said. "You don't keep regular hours."

  "Why does it matter?" Alfred said using his special voice. "We paid the rent in advance. We're not causing any trouble."

  She narrowed her eyes. "Is it illegal?"

  "No, of course not."

  Sara came over. "We're running low on cash, but this should more than cover the cost." She gave a gold coin to Mrs. Deng.

  She stared at the coin.

  "Thank you for dropping by," Alfred said. "It's been lovely seeing you again, but we need to get back to our work."

  Mrs. Deng glanced at everybody in the room suspiciously. Then she went back upstairs.

  After she was gone, Virgil realized he actually had no work to do. The team was waiting for a new lead to develop or for somebody to come up with a brilliant plan. Alfred was still being coy about his great idea.

  Virgil decided he would pass the time by visiting Mei. He left the basement through the back door and climbed the stairs to the alley behind the store. He jogged towards Li and Li's Electronics Boutique.

  He squinted at the sun. It had risen above the horizon, but he wondered if it was still too early for Mei to be awake. It was easy to lose track of time when he didn't need to eat or sleep. Every time of day felt like every other.

  He was glad to see the "OPEN" sign in the window of the boutique. He went into the crowded, colorful interior of the shop. Shelves full of merchandise went all the way to the ceiling.

  Mei was standing behind the cash register, but she had a sleepy expression. It seemed she had just woken up. She was wearing a blue dress with a printed flower pattern. She smiled brightly when she saw Virgil.

  "Hi!" he said.

  "How is the mission going?" she said. "The last time I saw you, you were visiting a horse track to catch a guy with a cell phone."

  "A lot has happened since then. It turns out that guy worked for Ken Walton."

  Her eyes widened. "I saw a story about him this morning on the news. He died last night."

  "He blew himself up with a grenade. I was there."

  Mei gulped.

  "He had it coming," Virgil said. "Daniel was living in his house."

  "Oh, so you must be close to catching Daniel."

  "Closer. Let's not talk about work. I actually came here to be friendly. I'd like to get to know you better."

  She winced slightly. "And I'm almost afraid to know more about you. Normal guys don't come back from the dead. How old are you?"

  "Uh, technically, ninety."

  "I'm twenty-four. Dating you would feel weird."

  "I look like I'm about the right age for you," he said. "I certainly feel young and virile."

  "But you're not really human."

  "Now you're just being discriminatory. Demon-people need love too." Virgil smiled disarmingly.

  Mei sighed. "I don't know. When are you going back to Hell?"

  "Ouch. You had to bring that up."

  "You see? Our relationship would have problems. You seem like a nice guy. You're smart and handsome. It's just that I want to settle down with somebody who bleeds red instead of black."

  "That doesn't mean we can't have some fun together while I'm still on Earth. The good news is I know how to take care of a woman. I was married for many years, and my wife taught me plenty of techniques." He winked.

  "Where is your wife? Is she dead?"

  "I honestly don't know. I don't want to know. I'm trying to keep that emotional door closed."

  "Did you love her?" Mei said.

  "Very much, but I'm not allowed to see her again. If I look her up, the temptation to visit might be overwhelming."

  "You never divorced."

  "I died," Virgil said. "The ''til death do us part' clause applies."

  "That's creepy. I don't know if I can deal with this. You might poof back to Hell at any time."

  He paused. "How long do you have to stay here in the shop?"

  "My father takes over at noon," she said.

  "Then let me take you out to lunch. It doesn't have to be an official date. We'll just be friends eating together."

  "OK," she replied without great enthusiasm. "I can handle that."

  "I'll just go back to headquarters until then. We're trying to figure out how to catch Daniel."

  Mei nodded.

  Virgil waved his hand awkwardly and left.

  * * *

  Daniel was starting to grow fond of the internet. Back in his day, it had taken weeks of careful research to choose a good candidate for a soul release. He had combed newspapers and chatted with people on the street. He had kept a low profile to avoid arousing suspicion. The work had been slow and time consuming.

  Everything was different now. Technology had revolutionized the business of stalking children. He could create lists of interesting prospects with a simple internet search. The innocent creatures posted every personal detail about themselves on social media for the whole world to see. He could learn about grades, awards, and achievements. High school teens were particularly prone to excessive sharing, and they were already his favorites.

  Some online research had led him to a sixteen year-old boy named Josh Howe. The kid had won academic awards, but his skill as a pianist had earned him scholarship offers at prestigious music schools. He also ran a blog dedicated to "Christian giving" where he frequently quoted the Bible. He was exactly the kind of young man Daniel sought.

  Daniel was watching Josh's home from behind garbage cans across the street. Daniel had to squat down and duck his head to remain hidden, but the awkward position didn't bother him. According to his calculations, Josh would leave his home for school any minute.

  The front door of the house opened, and a tall teenager with red hair stepped out. Daniel recognized Josh from a picture on the internet. Josh's high school was close enough to walk to, but he went to a green car in the driveway instead. Daniel clenched his
fists in frustration as Josh sat in the car and turned it on. This kind of problem hadn't happened when Ken Walton had planned the soul releases.

  Daniel had to improvise. He sprinted across the street. Josh backed the car down the driveway and arrived at the sidewalk just as Daniel reached the same spot. Daniel allowed himself to be struck by the car, and he flopped onto the pavement.

  The car screeched to a stop.

  Josh got out and ran around. "Are you OK?" he said in a frightened voice.

  Daniel groaned. "No. I'm hurt, but I might be able to stand up. Help me, please."

  Josh reached out his hand. Daniel grabbed it and yanked hard, causing Josh to fall over. Daniel extruded a blade from his finger and stabbed Josh in the throat. Daniel's aim wasn't quite as perfect as usual, but spurting blood told him he had still punctured the carotid artery. Daniel extricated himself from Josh's body and got to his feet.

  Daniel checked for witnesses. It was a quiet morning on a suburban street, and nobody else was out.

  He ran off, shaking his head in disappointment. Sloppy work, he thought. Not up to my usual standard.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  "Maybe we could advertise in the newspapers," Sara said. "If we published insulting things about Daniel, he might be forced to respond."

  Alfred shook his head. "He would know it was us. He would never fall for such a transparent ploy."

  "What if we used his sister as bait?" Lisa said.

  "How?" Virgil said.

  "We could pretend to threaten her life. I assume Daniel still cares for her."

  "That's a dirty play, but we are desperate."

  The team had reconvened in the basement of Red Palace Antiques. A lot of ideas had been discussed, but none had been clear winners. Virgil was getting frustrated.

  "Let's use religion against him," Haymaker said. "His motive is sending souls to Heaven. What if we had somebody publically claim there is no Heaven? Daniel might crawl out of hiding to debate him."

  "I don't think that would be enough," Sara said.

  "I've been meaning to ask. What is Heaven like?"

  "Well, I was just in the First Heaven, the lowest rung. It was pleasant but a little boring. The weather was nice. Warm and sunny all the time."

  "What did you do there?" Haymaker said.

  "Chatted with each other and drank non-alcoholic beverages."

  "Forever?"

  "Yes," Sara said, "like an endless beach party with Mormons. Heaven isn't meant to be productive."

  Haymaker's phone rang. He answered the call, and as he listened, his expression became very grim.

  He hung up. "Daniel has struck again," he reported. "Killed a boy in his own driveway. We're going to Elmhurst. Let's roll."

  * * *

  Virgil parked his car on a nice suburban street. Most homes were one story tall, but a few had upper floors. The lawns were deep, wide, and green. Relatively young trees suggested it was a newer neighborhood. He didn't like the plain, repetitive architecture used for most of the homes. Clearly, a commercial developer had built them. The neighborhood wasn't quite as nice as the ones Daniel usually hunted in.

  Virgil, Lisa, and Sara were riding in the lead car. Haymaker parked his own car with Alfred as his passenger. Everybody got out.

  A crowd marked the location of the murder scene. The victim had died near a car at the end of a driveway. A police line was holding back around a hundred onlookers. A few reporters were prowling around with cameras and microphones.

  "Let me go talk to them," Haymaker said. "Sara, you're with me. Let's check the body."

  Virgil watched as the detective and Sara used their identification to get through the police line. The body was under a sheet, and Sara gently lifted the sheet. Her face showed no emotion as she examined what was underneath.

  Virgil turned to Alfred. "Are you ready to reveal your repugnant idea?"

  Alfred closed his eyes, and his whole body sagged. "Yes."

  "Let's hear it."

  "Daniel's core belief is that his victims go to Heaven. That belief allows him to rationalize everything else."

  "So far, he's been right," Virgil said.

  "What if a priest were to proclaim otherwise?" Alfred faced the body. "One close to the victim who could speak authoritatively. What if the accusations described sins worthy of eternal damnation? Daniel did this murder on his own. It's all on him. Sending a soul to the wrong place is a totally unacceptable mistake."

  "I get it. Daniel would have a very pointed conversation with that priest."

  "Exactly." Alfred nodded. "Daniel can't walk away from those accusations. The situation is intolerable. We simply have to watch the priest until Daniel shows up."

  Virgil now understood Alfred's earlier hesitation. The plan required dragging the victim's name through the mud. The dead boy's reputation would be destroyed. His friends and family would suffer even more pain on top of their already insufferable grief.

  Furthermore, the priest would be in terrible danger. Daniel might kill him out of spite.

  "One of us could pose as a priest," Virgil said.

  "Too risky. Walton had pictures of us, and Daniel probably saw them. He might also check out the priest before getting close. No, for this plan to succeed, the source of the accusations must be entirely legitimate."

  "You were right. The idea is repugnant."

  Alfred nodded. "But it will work."

  "Unfortunately, yes, and it's the best idea we have."

  Virgil looked at Lisa, and she nodded solemnly.

  Eventually, Haymaker and Sara finished examining the body. They came back.

  "See anything interesting?" Virgil said.

  "Same wound, same killer, but the incision wasn't quite as precise. The body was in a funny position too, as if it had fallen onto its face. Daniel was a little clumsy this time."

  "The victim is Josh Howe," Haymaker added. "He was driving to high school when he was murdered."

  Virgil studied the car and the body. He surmised what had happened.

  "Daniel pretended to be struck by the car," he said. "That's why the car is parked half-way into the street. Josh got out to investigate, and then Daniel stabbed him."

  "That's different," Haymaker said. "All of Daniel's other victims were killed while on foot."

  "He didn't know this one would be driving. Ken Walton's staff didn't prepare a perfect murder plan. We have something else to talk about. Alfred told me his idea."

  Virgil relayed Alfred's plan. Haymaker was silent for a moment afterwards.

  "I hate it," he finally said. "Josh doesn't deserve to be publically condemned as a sinner, and the priest will have a target on his forehead. You're making a bad situation into a dangerous, unpredictable one."

  "What's the alternative?" Virgil said. "Let Daniel kill somebody else?"

  Haymaker clenched his jaw.

  Virgil continued, "I share your reservations. We'll approach this carefully. We'll make sure the priest understands and accepts the risks. OK?"

  "It's not OK. None of this is OK, but I suppose it's the best we can do. Let's talk to the parents." Haymaker pointed at the house. "I was told they're inside."

  The house had gray stucco walls and a standard shingle roof. Unusually tall windows gave it a little elegance.

  The team walked over to the house.

  A policeman at the door held up his hand. "No neighbors, no reporters."

  Haymaker took out his badge. "Chicago PD. I'm the lead investigator on this serial murder case. The rest are from the state police."

  "Oh. Go on in."

  Everyone went into the house, and Virgil saw a scene that had become bitterly familiar. Friends and family members were trying to comfort grieving parents. Virgil realized the body being right outside didn't help. The house was almost part of the crime scene.

  Alfred entered the crowd. His gentle manner and soothing voice created an instant calming effect. Virgil marveled at Alfred's ability.

  The psychologi
st spoke to both parents and a few others. He soon focused his attention on a man wearing a black shirt and black pants. He had the white collar of a clergyman and was carrying a well-worn Bible.

  Alfred brought the clergyman over to the team. "This is Pastor Don Cliff of the local Presbyterian church. He was close to Josh. They actually worked together on a Christian blog. It's a kind of internet page."

  Virgil studied the pastor. He was in his fifties or sixties. His gray hair was receding, and he wore narrow glasses.

  "You're all with the police?" Don said.

  Haymaker nodded. "Chicago PD and state police. We've investigated other, very similar murders recently. Josh is the victim of a serial killer."

  Don's eyes widened. "Oh."

  "This is where the conversation gets difficult." Haymaker glanced at the grieving parents. "Let's talk outside."

  "Why? Is something a secret?"

  "Please, bear with me."

  Everybody went back outside.

  Virgil looked up at a blue sky and a warm sun. The pleasant weather was completely inappropriate for a cold-blooded murder. In the movies, violent crimes always happened in the dark or the rain.

  The group walked along the sidewalk and soon left the unruly crowd behind.

  "Now I'm nervous," the pastor said. "It must be a big secret."

  "Yes," Virgil said. "We know who killed Josh. His name is Daniel. We know everything about him except where he is."

  "What?! Why isn't there a man-hunt? Police should be combing the neighborhood. Reporters need to get the word out!"

  "No. We'll never find the killer that way. We need your help."

  "Me?" the pastor said. "What can I do?"

  They were crossing a bridge over a gurgling creek. Trees rustled in the breeze and provided nice shade. It was such a pleasant setting, Virgil gestured for everybody to stop walking.

  "I want you to be bait," he said. "You can make the killer angry and draw him out. He'll confront you, and that's when we'll arrest him. But you must understand this assignment will be extremely dangerous. Daniel may become violent. He may try to kill you."