“I’m right behind you!”
Just as they managed to reach the vehicle, two Dodge Charger squad cars rolled up to the complex. A third car flew by those two and headed straight for Azazel and Eris. Azazel jumped into the driver’s seat and Eris in the passenger and he floored the vehicle towards Kushiel. He rounded the first corner as the phone rang.
“Hello?” Eris answered, as Azazel was far too preoccupied with the task at hand.
“Go to the Plutus Space Center and stay on the phone,” Lucifer commanded.
Eris placed the phone on speaker and relayed the message to Azazel. He flew down Court Street and fishtailed onto Hobbie Avenue, the street the Space Center was located on. The gated yard that surrounded the campus prevented the tailing officer from gaining a lead, but they did an amazing job of staying on his tail. He unnervingly slowed down for entry onto the driveway leading into the center.
“Go to the rear of the building, find the open loading dock with the ramp, and don’t stop,” Lucifer directed.
Azazel felt quite uncomfortable with the tight turns, especially after the drunken accident this morning. He managed to swing a 180 degree turn into the ramp, slightly losing the patrols until they corrected.
“Go straight, and turn left, just before Chet Amore’s office, the one that you visited today.”
“This is fun!” Eris yelled, giggling and filled with adrenaline.
“No it’s not!” Azazel yelled back.
With his knuckles white from tightly gripping the steering wheel, he did as commanded and swung around the building’s support beams, narrowly avoiding a maze of pallets. The Chargers lagged behind, but not by far.
“There’s a down ramp leading into the basement. Take a right just before the building’s outer wall and after about fifty feet, take another right and your exit will be there.”
“So fucking tight.” Azazel shook his head.
He slowed down as hastily as the brakes allowed, but still slammed into the cement wall. The impact was minor enough to continue, so he followed both of the right turns. Going down the ramp left Azazel nauseous as they descended into the darker surroundings.
“Now take one more right and accelerate into the darkness.”
“Oh god…” Azazel gasped.
He did as commanded, and less than two hundred feet of basement was the darkness that Lucifer directed them towards. Looking into the rear-view mirror, a wall closed in behind them.
“Go ahead and stop the car now and get out. Go to the north wall and find a door. You’ll encounter a hallway that’ll lead you to freedom. This was a one-time use of the facility. No more mistakes with the police,” Lucifer said.
“Were we supposed to just kill those men?” Eris asked.
“No. I actually wanted you to confront them, but there was little that could’ve been done with the attention that you gained.”
“What were we to find there?” Azazel asked.
“Well, you managed to waste all four men, which will be enough for the police to search the premises without interruption. Hopefully, if everything works out all right, the police will discover the hatch in their basement that lead into a sub-basement. Inside that, well, let’s just say that a few unfortunate souls were being held against their will.”
“And what about the Jag?” Azazel asked, already knowing the outcome of his new favorite ride.
“One sec.” Click.
A brilliant white light came from the room, followed by the loud noise of an explosion and shaking of the tunnel.
“Running sounds good right now,” Eris said with a chuckle.
They ran at full speed, Eris leaving Azazel in her dust once again. The explosion wasn’t as grand as expected, though, and the superheated gas barely managed to exit the doorway.
“Aw, shucks!” Eris stomped her foot.
Azazel half-laughed at Eris’s avoidance of curse words, especially with her having no problem killing. “What?”
“I forgot the darn rifle.”
Azazel laughed, “We’ll get you another one.” He hugged Eris as they continued their way down the corridor.
“I know, but I loved that one. It was special!”
“Yeah, you managed to terminate three people tonight with it. I’m just sad that the Jag had to go.”
“It was a beautiful car.”
“I had fun driving…” They entered another room that had motion sensor lights. In the center of the garage style enclosure they found a stunning blue Mazerati Ghibli waiting for them. “Oh…wow…” Azazel was in awe.
Azazel was clearly pleased with his new ride, and ecstatically enjoyed the return cruise to Kushiel. It handled every turn exactly as he dreamed. By the time he reached the outside of the hideout, he had almost forgotten about his beloved Jaguar. They returned to the stash, and began sorting through the remaining files. Knowing that they were all part of his history made it easier to remember the connections he shared with them.
9 P.M.: Sharika Moore
Lucifer rang. “That was quite a fun time, wasn’t it?”
“Eris seemed to enjoy it. Me, not so much.”
“Yes, well, she is an adrenaline junkie, and a well-trained shooter at that.”
“I realized that. She killed three of the four men.”
Eris was smiling at her accomplishment.
“Who’s your next target? The decisions should be coming easier with the narrowing choices.”
“Yeah, we’re choosing Sharika Moore.”
“Very well, I suppose a reprise from the slaughter is necessary. A proper slowing point just before the double-trouble finale. How appropriate! Make your way to the liquor store where she works. She should be alone.” Click.
“I certainly hope so. No more collateral damage.”
Eris tucked the remaining MP7 into her front coat pocket. Azazel wasn’t exactly familiar with the name Sharika, and even with his Ether Camouflage for the security cameras, he was a little anxious going into the same liquor store that he had frequented nearly every day for the last few years. He knew where everything was, especially the cheap gin and the occasional whiskey.
“Do you find it strange that Lucifer’s sending us to the liquor store just after you’ve decided to quit?”
“I think it might be a test of my character. Maybe he wants to see if I’ll fall into my old ways, but today is too soon for such a test. Maybe Sharika has done something terrible that we don’t know about.”
“I haven’t had a drink since I was fifteen,” Eris confided. “I got so drunk that I blacked out and woke up in an unfamiliar hotel room by myself. I don’t even remember anything that happened.”
Azazel was stunned by the confession, but allowed Eris to continue.
“After that, I never wanted to touch the stuff. I thought I could hang with the guys at that party, but they just kept going and I went with it. I was just gonna let it go and forget about it until I got a video sent to my phone one day.”
Her head hung low and she paused for a moment to collect her thoughts.
“I recognized the name on one of the left over folders. I’d like to have a moment with the man before we kill him.”
“I’m sort of surprised that you told me now before we headed in their direction.”
“Lord knows that I was just gonna keep it to myself. Then I thought about it. Today isn’t just your day. It’s our day. We are tackling all of our problems. I may be far younger than you, but my demons are just as large. I figured it’d be better to let an hour pass before we head in his direction, you know, so it might get out of my system. I want to stay in control and not let my rage take over.”
“Fair enough. I don’t blame you for that. I’ll be there for you, but you may take the lead. After all, you’re better at the gun play than I am.”
“Well duh!” Eris laughed.
Azazel shared in the chuckle as they arrived in front of Prince Sitri Liquors, and they sat in the Maserati. Azazel tapped on the steering wheel, pro
crastinating.
“Would you like me to go in?” Eris asked.
“No,” Azazel replied. “No, that’s alright. I’m fine. Just give me a second.”
A moment later, Eris grew impatient waiting for Azazel to make a move so she exited the car. Azazel quickly followed and found a woman at the counter. Azazel recognized the heavier set, super polite cashier as the one he frequently encountered. He just realized he never caught her name.
“Hey Suga, how’s you doin’?”
“Doing great. Having a strange, long day. You wouldn’t by chance be Sharika, would you?”
“Yes sir. I thought you’d know me by now, baby. So what can I do for ya?”
“Well, I’m not quite sure. I was sent here to talk to Sharika Moore, I mean you, but I really didn’t get any instructions.”
“What’s your name, Suga?”
“Thomas.”
“I see. Well, congratulations!”
“For what?”
“Kickin’ the habit, babe. Ya know, I see many poor souls come in here err day, pissin’ away their lives. Here’s whacha came for. Good luck!”
Sharika slid two cases of O’Doul’s non-alcoholic beer towards Azazel and he smiled. “That’s cute.”
“Might I offer a suggestion?” Sharika asked.
“Please.”
“Never touch that poison again. I regret losin’ a long-time customer, but under the conditions, I’d love to see one as nice as you make amends with his ways.”
“Definitely not what I expected walking into this place.” Azazel smiled. “I really wasn’t that nice, though. It was more like a drunken blur.”
“Trust me, Suga, you’re one a’ the better ones.” Sharika walked around from the counter and grabbed Azazel by the hands. “There’s some real bastards out there. I saw many a fool come in, never fixin’ themselves. Ya need to keep on this road of redemption. Now get out of my store before you get tempted.” And she kissed him on the cheek. “Good luck!”
“Thank you, Sharika. I’ll do my best to make you proud.” Azazel felt strangely serene as he grabbed the two cases that he was given.
“Oh, and one more thing, I was told to give ya this.” She handed over a small piece of gold. It was in the shape of a coin, although the ancient markings were far from legible. Even so, Azazel knew this to be an Ionia Stater, a piece originating long before any other piece in his collection.
“Holy shit! I’ve been looking for this for years!” Azazel was overjoyed.
“Whatever angel you have watching over ya, I hope everything works out.”
“Thanks again.” Azazel left with a huge smile on his face as he analyzed the detail lacking coin.
Azazel hadn’t noticed that Eris returned to the car while he chatted. “She was sweet.”
“Yeah, she was. She’s always been pleasant, even on my worst days, well, as much as I can remember. I’m super happy that was a pleasurable trip.”
“Me too. Are you hungry?”
“Starving.”
10 P.M.: The Patude Brothers
After a quick stop at a Mexican restaurant for steak tacos, Azazel and Eris returned to the lair. Eris was greeted by a warm surprise. She squealed for joy. “Oh my goodness, look at that!”
“What?”
“Don’t you see it?” Eris ran towards the new present. She picked it up and placed it on her shoulder.
This time, Azazel mouthed the words what the fuck? The item she had just acquired was none other than an RG-6 grenade launcher. With a rotary cylinder for the rounds, it holds up to 6 cartridges.
“Here, you take this back!” Eris tossed the MP7 at him.
The super-excited Eris began running around like an elite soldier, hiding behind walls, aiming the weapon, and making explosion noises from her mouth.
“Let me know when you’re done.” Azazel laughed. It was just like watching a young boy playing with his first BB gun.
Eris’s finger slipped and a canister shot from the barrel, destroying a far wall. The explosion rocked the entire building, shaking filth from above onto the nearby ground. “Oopsies!”
“Alright, hand it over,” Azazel scolded. “I think we’ll have to leave this place.”
Azazel snatched the grenade launcher from Eris’s hands and handed her the two MP7s. “I’ll hold onto this until it’s necessary.”
“That was an accident. I forgot to check the safety.”
“I thought you were good at handling guns!”
“Yeah, that could have been bad.”
“Well, grab all our stuff. We’re out of here.”
Lucifer called as they were making their way out towards the Maserati. “What just happened?” Even through the scrambler, Azazel could tell Lucifer was teasing him.
“Well, turns out the weapon had a hair trigger,” Azazel replied.
“I see that. Tell Eris to be a little more careful next time. Alright, since you’re down to the last two, which of the marks will be first?”
“Before I tell you, I just wanted to say thanks for the little gift at the liquor store. It was a nice gesture.”
“I didn’t want today to be all death and destruction. I want to help you along, and if that means breaking up the killing spree once in a while, so be it.”
“Alright, so I figure the Patude brothers are next.”
“I thought you might hit them up first. Be prepared for a fight. They don’t like people on their property and will protect it at all costs. The RG-6 may be a great breaking & entering weapon, but I think you’re going to need a little more fire power. Look inside the trunk of the Maserati.”
“Give me a moment. We have to vacate the premises right now.”
Sirens wailing in the background indicated that someone had indeed heard the grand explosion and called it in.
“The Patude brothers are located at 3774 West State Route 102. Make your way in that direction and take a peek in the trunk when you have a free moment.” Click.
“That’s a little bit of a drive, isn’t it?” Eris asked.
“Yeah, and we better hurry.”
Azazel punched the address into the GPS and found a route through the back roads, through the countryside. Once they were outside the Abel town limits, he pulled over to check and see what surprise Lucifer left him, alongside a medical kit.
“Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! That is freaking awesome!” Eris was ecstatic.
“Ok, it is a pretty cool looking gun, but what is it?” Azazel pulled the new weapon out.
“May I?” Eris held her hands out with the give me gesture.
“Please oh please don’t shoot it.”
“I told you that was an accident.” She plucked the gun from his hands. “This is the shotgun I was telling you about. The AA-12. This thing is so awesome. I can’t wait to use it!”
“Oh Lord. I think Lucifer created a monster.” Azazel shook his head as they continued the drive.
After about fifteen minutes, they reached the two story farm house. It had a red barn and some antique farm equipment dotting the vast yard. Two fences surrounded the home, and a gate prevented easy entry. One of the fences enclosed around a few goats and chickens grazing the yard.
“Well, we’re here, but I’m not sure what we’re doing here,” Azazel said.
“Do you know these men?”
“I can’t think of where I would know them from. I’m running out of enemies.”
“Think hard, what could the Patude name possibly mean to you?”
Azazel leaned against the Maserati, contemplating all the possible scenarios from his past that might have popped up. Eventually, he just drew a blank. “I don’t want to go inside. I don’t know what I’m going after them for.”
The phone rang. “Hey Azazel, here’s the reason you’re looking for. Watch the footage.”
Azazel hated not knowing where Lucifer was listening in from. He figured it must’ve been a bug in the car. A video came through the phone, showing Azazel his purpose here. The two
brothers, one tall and one short, both brown hair and medium build, were meeting with one of today’s previous marks, Jerome Mills. They handed Jerome a fat manila envelope, as well as a briefcase. Azazel didn’t need to be a detective to know what was inside the briefcase.
“Well, my friends, let’s just say that Matt and Mike Patude have been funneling drugs into Cain for years, and received immunity from the gang-bangers and the police through the typical corruption. Many of the problems Cain deals with on a normal basis originate from these outstanding folks. I’m tasking you with the duty of eliminating them.”
“Is there a particular association to me that they hold?”
“I could give you a few small coincidental occasions that might give you some closure as to why these people have been chosen, but just think of it as a favor to me.”
“A favor for the devil, how cute.” Azazel laughed.
“Now or never, my friends. I hope you enjoy using the lovely weapons, and try your best to make this quick.” Click.
Eris looked at Azazel and they both shrugged. “Well, which one of these babies do you want?” Azazel asked.
“I’ll take the grenade launcher. As much as I always wanted an AA-12, this thing is just awesome!”
“Just make sure not to shoot accidentally again,” Azazel teased.
“Yeah whatever. Just grab that heat sensor thing.”
Azazel almost forgot about that piece of equipment. “Yeah, that’d probably come in handy now, huh?”
“I’d say so.”
They jumped the fence and ran towards the west end of the farmhouse. Azazel thought about the disassociation with Jerome, and now he’s going after a couple of people further up the food chain. Was Lucifer going to send him after a drug kingpin next?
Just before reaching the house, the older brother happened to walk out on the front porch, saw the movement and ran back inside. “We have company!” he yelled.
“Shit. There goes our surprise.” Azazel said.
Eris ran around the front and shot a grenade through the front window, and seconds later the living room exploded. Smoke filled the room and billowed out into the night sky. The wall above her was peppered with automatic weapons’ discharge. The suppressing fire was deafeningly loud. Azazel ran up behind Eris as backup and she pointed to follow her to the rear of the house, but a grenade dropped behind them. They tossed themselves around the corner and narrowly missed getting hit by shrapnel.
The Djinn Trials: Azazel Page 12
