by Michael Todd
“It’s ‘skin,’” the politician grumbled angrily.
“Whatever,” Alejandro snarled. “Make it thirty, and we have a deal. I mean, I will have to empty everyone out of this joint, and possibly miss out on business. I mean, it was worth your time to come all the way out here, slumming it in your suit worth more than this whole place.”
The politician clenched his fists and his teeth, trying to hold back his urge to rip the guy’s throat out. He took a deep breath and cracked his neck to calm himself down, and slowly his patented smirk returned to his lips.
“All right, thirty thousand,” he agreed, turning to his driver. “Retrieve the money for this upstanding drug dealer, would you please?
The driver looked at the drug dealer and narrowed his eyes. Alejandro chuckled, obviously not afraid of very much. The driver nodded to the politician and left the room.
“You know what, suit?” The drug dealer stood up and walked around the desk. “Me and you—we ain’t so different.”
The drug dealer put his arm around the politician’s shoulder and laughed as the politician pulled it off. He wiped his suit off and cleared his throat, pulling down on his jacket. He was not amused by the fact that he had to stand there and converse with someone so far below him.
“You see,” Alejandro continued, walking back to his desk as he pointed between the two of them, “we both give people what they want. I’m just a bit more transparent about not giving a shit about their health. You… You try to put on a sly face, but I can read right through it.”
At that moment the driver walked back into the house carrying a gym bag full of money, which he plopped down on the desk next to the dealer before walking over to the politician. The dealer opened it and whistled, then smiled as he pulled out a big stack of cash. He nodded his head and zipped the bag closed.
“Come on, boys.” He waved to his two heavies, then looked at the politician. “How about the people in the living room? You want me to get them out of here?”
“No,” the politician said, wiping off his hands on his handkerchief and giving the dealer with a fake smile. “I suppose it will help to have them here.”
“I should have asked for thirty-five,” Alejandro grumbled as he walked out of the house. “I’m going to lose some seriously loyal customers on this damn deal.”
The politician rolled his eyes as the dealer slammed the door behind him.
The politician carefully removed his jacket and hung it over a nearby chair, rubbing his hands together and closing his eyes as he settled himself and his demon. Then, with no expression on his face, he turned and stared at the driver, who was standing there with a couple of helpers who had shown up shortly after he walked back in with the gym bag.
“I need you to drag a few of those drugged-out addicts in here and drop them in the center of the floor.” He waved a finger toward the center. “I’ll move the furniture out while you start bringing them over.”
The driver nodded and pushed his helpers, moving them toward the unconscious bodies lying around the house. The politician rolled his sleeves up and moved the furniture back against the walls, then stood back and watched until his men were done.
The helpers moved to the background with fear in their eyes as the politician pulled a small vial of blue dust from his pocket. Slowly he walked a circle clockwise around the bodies, pouring the dust on the floor. When he was done he turned and raised his arms over his head, his palms out and open.
“Nos hie vocare te magnanime daemonium septuaginta duo. Exite nostrae tenebras paravimus corporis tui. Quod petis hic damnatio suscipiendum hoc tecum sumus,” the politician chanted over and over. Each time he spoke, his voice was a little louder.
After the third time the house began to rattle loudly, and, in the circle, a massive monster started to materialize.
His curled-up body hovered over the floor.
The politician said the incantation for a final time, and this time the body of the beast unfurled in front of him. His jaws were clamped together and he snarled as his feet floated downward. The beast slowly lifted his head and turned toward the politician.
“T’Chezz’s vessel,” the beast whispered as he looked at his hands. “So he wasn’t tricking me after all.”
The politician shook his head. “No. He’s not really a game player.”
“Why the circle?” the demon asked, looking around him.
“Do you see the rope I placed through the circle?” the politician asked.
“Yes,” the beast growled.
“I am going to light it on fire in just a moment, and no more than five minutes from that time it will break the circle. You will be free to do what you want. I’ve provided food and entertainment.”
The beast followed the politician’s gaze to the bodies beside him. He poked one of them; the human was still alive. He smiled and looked at the politician, nodding. The politician nodded slightly in return and stepped forward to pick up the end of the rope, lighting it on fire. Slowly it burned toward the circle, and the demon looked around in amazement.
“This is where we leave you.” He dropped the flaming rope. “You know what your mission is, so I don’t need to remind you.”
The demon nodded. The politician looked at his driver and the help, nodding at them as well.
The men left the house and closed the door behind them, no longer interested in what happened next. They had done their jobs. The driver hurried forward and opened the door for the politician, who quickly climbed in.
No one wanted to be near that place when the demon broke free. The driver shut the door and hurried around to the other side, jumping in the driver’s seat and taking off.
The politician looked over his shoulder at the shimmering light coming from the structure and then turned back, smiling.
He had completed his mission, and now it was up to T’Chezz to get things going. To take the next step toward his goals.
The black car turned the corner and accelerated out of sight, putting distance between it and the drug house. From within came the screams of the drug addicts locked inside with the monster. He had ingested his food and now sat in his circle, biting down on the neck of a screaming woman and ripping at her flesh until the noise had diminished and her body was limp.
He tossed the body to the side and stood up, then stepped carefully out of the circle. The spell had worked, and he was free to start his next round of terror.
He hadn’t come to Earth to chew on drug addicts’ necks.
No, he had come there for a reason—and he wouldn’t be dealing with people who would just stand by and watch him make his move.
He walked toward the front door and grabbed the handle, casually ripping the door from its hinges.
He was free at last, and no one was going to take that away.
5
Katie was almost late to their meeting with Korbin, but she made it just in time and sat down. Calvin was already there.
Korbin greeted Katie with, “By the way, that cannoli you brought back was great! Almost as good as my grandma used to make.” He derived considerable enjoyment from watching her turn slightly green at the mention of food, since Damian had told him the tale of her previous evening’s overindulgence and its aftermath.
“There aren’t any reports of the most recent incidents.” Korbin tossed some papers aside. “For all intents and purposes, these articles say what the DEA told the reporters, word for word. There isn’t anything here that gives us new information.”
“There has to be something out there.” Calvin tapped his leg, frustrated. “Even if it comes from that conspiracy theory paper’s reporter who is always at the scene, asking us questions.”
“Yeah,” Korbin said, pointing at Calvin. “That’s true. There is one particular woman, but I can’t think of her name.”
“Charlotte,” Calvin answered. “Charlotte Guthrie.”
Korbin raised an eyebrow. “Should I wonder why you know that name so well?”
“Nope.” Ca
lvin shrugged. “Just remembered it, that’s all.”
“Who else has met this girl?” Korbin asked.
“Katie, Garrett, Damian… Pretty much everyone.”
Korbin reached over and called for Katie over the loudspeaker. If anyone could help him at that moment, it was probably her. They sat there quietly going over the articles in front of them until she showed up.
“Hey, boss,” she said, sweaty from training and eyeing them both. “What can I do for you?”
“Hey. Have a seat.” Korbin pointed to the empty chair next to Calvin.
Katie smiled tentatively. “Am I in trouble?”
“No, not in trouble,” Korbin replied. “I have a mission for you. You and Calvin are going to San Diego. I want you to check out Charlotte Guthrie, who works for an underground publication called The Seeing Eye. She approached you when we were taking you out of the old parking garage the night you were infected. I want you and Calvin to read up on any stories she has done about the Damned and go from there.”
“And by go from there you mean…” Calvin looked at Korbin.
“I want you to connect with her. Get her alone and find out what she knows, if anything,” Korbin explained. “I want you to really talk to her, if you know what I mean.”
“Isn’t that dangerous?” Katie looked between the two men. “Delving into that kind of reporting? I mean, that publication… They don’t have the best credentials, and half their shit is made-up, like the woman who saw Jesus in her toast and then preached that her toaster was possessed by the devil.”
“Hey, maybe it was. I’ve seen crazier.” Calvin chuckled.
Katie was quiet for a moment. “True.”
Pandora spoke up. There is no fucking way we would possess a small electrical appliance. What a load of horseshit.
“The thing is, she has intel—or at least she may,” Korbin told them. “And if we have to dance with the devil… Wait.”
Calvin’s and Katie’s faces curled into grimaces and Korbin shook his head, annoyed. “That was not what I meant,” he admitted. “For obvious reasons, that was a very bad metaphor.”
Pandora cackled. Ask him if he knows the tango. I got those moves like Jagger.
“Hey, if we have to dance with the devil to kick his ass, I’ll learn the damn two-step,” Katie assured them.
That was NOT what I said! Pandora huffed. It’s like you’re ignoring me here.
“The two-step, really?” Calvin laughed. “I mean, if the devil was dancing, it’d be more like the damn Tootsee Roll.”
Really? As a black man, you are seriously killing your street cred.
“I could never do that.” Katie shook her head.
“You’re white.” Calvin patted her on the shoulder. “It’s all right. We won’t judge you for that.”
I do. I don’t care what color you are! I will absolutely judge you for that shit.
“Gee, thanks.” Katie smirked. “I was starting to think that I was destined to be second-best because I couldn’t actually dance with the devil.”
I’m right here. No need to go all dancing with the devil when you got me. Are you even fucking listening?
“Anyway.” Korbin sighed. “Just try not to divulge too much information to her. We don’t need a story coming out next week with everything you two lunatics told her because you got off-topic.”
“Right,” Katie agreed, clearing her throat and sitting up straight. “We will be on-topic and careful the entire time.”
“And for God’s sake, don’t let her get killed,” Korbin warned.
Katie pursed her lips. “In all fairness, we never actually try to get anyone killed. That would be pretty fucked up of us.”
I do try to get people killed, or at least I did. It’s been a bit anemic lately.
Are you done? Katie asked. I mean, some of that was halfway funny, but I’m in a serious conversation here.
You keep talking to me like I’m not wanted at the adult conversation table, and I’ll give you a serious case of heartburn…heavy on the burn.
Duly noted, and I can’t always carry on a three-way—
Pandora snickered.
CONVERSATION! Katie sighed. Geez, it’s like I can’t say anything without you going right to the gutter.
You wouldn’t question that if you just enjoyed ONE NIGHT in the gutter with me.
I’m pretty sure I can do without that.
I could draw you a picture.
How about I get some crayons for you?
Did you just diss me? I think you did! If I fucking knew what crayons were, I’d make you shoot flames out your ass next time you fart.
Lalalalala… I’m going back to the conversation, and don’t you fucking dare!
Hahahahahaha! Now I know what you fear, Katie Maddison!
“Yeah, boss, we aren’t trying to kill folks.” Calvin echoed, fucking with Korbin.
“The reporter has lasted this long on the fringes. I’d hate for us to be the ones who got her burned by the fire.” Korbin shrugged. “The girl is just trying to make a living in her profession.”
“And what profession would that be?” Calvin replied.
“Journalism,” Korbin gruffed, standing up from the table. “Human being. That’s all you need to know. She’s a human being, and deserves to be protected.”
“We got it, sir.” Katie laughed. “Just giving you a hard time.”
Korbin’s eyes narrowed, but there was a glint of amusement in them. “Your cover: you are a very rich couple who have come to town for business.”
“Oh, Lord.” Katie looked at Calvin. “Don’t think for two seconds that you are getting any.”
“What?” Calvin asked, surprised. “I was thinking about what not to tell this journalist, not what sex I won’t be getting as a fake husband—not that as a husband I would be thinking of getting any sex.”
“Mmmhmm,” Katie said, standing up. “All right, husband, let’s get this show on the road.”
“Okay, I know this is for show and all, but there is no need to throw around the H-word.” Calvin’s voice was a bit on the pleading side. “You could really end up jinxing me.”
“Come on.” Katie sighed and walked out of the room.
“Those two will drive me to drink,” Korbin murmured. They continued to argue as they went down the hall, then down to the garage. He looked at what was on his desk that had to be finished.
“I think something else is in order. Anything else.” Korbin stood up and left the office to walk over to the other building.
Perhaps he would take a look around and go over the books. As he walked up he saw a tall, beautiful woman who was about his age standing out front and looking at him.
“Hello,” Korbin said.
“Oh, hello, Mr. Korbin,” she replied with a roll of the “r.” “We haven’t formally met.” She held out a hand, which he took and shook. “I am Mamacita. I own the house that Joshua is staying in.”
“Oh, right.” He smiled. “How is he doing?”
“Good! I just came to help him out a bit, thank him for his generosity at our home.” She smiled. “Running a business can be difficult; stressful, even. It’s all about pacing yourself and thinking through decisions.” She turned around to look at the building. “At least, that’s what I keep telling him.”
“Well, I appreciate that.” He nodded slightly. “It’s very good advice. I’m going to head into the office for a bit. Don’t mind me.”
Korbin smiled and walked away, realizing that Mamacita had a fairly good head on her shoulders.
When he made it into the office, he stuck that thought in the back of his mind and started digging through the purchases. About halfway through, he called Joshua over to join him in the office so he could ask for specifics about the different costs he found in the books for the metals.
“They are what I negotiate,” Joshua said.
Korbin ran a hand through his hair. “I get that, but for someone who isn’t used to business, it can
be overwhelming. Anyone could miss something,” Korbin said with a smile. “Mamacita?” he called.
“Yes?” she yelled back.
“Would you come in here for a moment?”
“Sure,” she said, rounding the corner. “What can I do for you?”
“Here is the information for two different metal companies,” Korbin said, jotting down some numbers. “I want you to call them and order the metals in the amounts we need on this page.”
“Okay,” she said, eyeing Korbin.
Mamacita took the phone Korbin offered and dialed the first number, and as soon as she got the sales rep on the phone she started to negotiate the price.
Joshua watched her in awe, almost shocked to see anyone speak with her intensity.
She had a way with words; it was like she was made for a job like that. By the time she was done, she had managed to secure the materials for a quarter of the price Joshua had been paying.
“Holy shit,” he said, shaking his head. “That was crazy, like you saved so much money right then.” He paused, his voice dropping a bit. “I don’t know if I could ever do something like that. Those people know how to push my buttons,” he admitted.
“Because you let them, mijo.” Mamacita smiled.
“Good job,” Korbin replied, clapping his hands to get Joshua’s attention. When he had it, he pointed to Mamacita. “And that is how you do business.”
Korbin closed the book and tossed the cabinet’s keys to Mamacita. He glanced at Joshua, who was still completely shocked by what had just happened. Korbin couldn’t help but chuckle to himself as he walked around the desk and put his hand on Mamacita’s shoulder.
“You’re hired,” he told her, looking straight ahead.
“What?” she squawked as he smiled and walked out the door.
“Hired?” She looked at Joshua, who was pondering the whole episode. “Like I wanted a job? Who does he think he is, just waltzing in here and pointing fingers at people? Bossing them around?”
She huffed and puffed, standing there with her hands on her hips as Korbin walked across the manufacturing floor.
“I am a strong and independent woman!” she yelled. “I do what I want, when I want to do it. I do not take orders from any man!”
