“Which do you choose?” Phil asked, his eyes narrowing at the human leader.
“I haven’t. I decided to leave it to the team to decide.” Jack looked each of them in the eye as he spoke. “If you were my team, assigned to me by my superior officer, I’d either make the decision or accept the orders of my commanding officer. But this time, you are all on loan. Yes, I am supposed to train and lead you, but you aren’t truly mine to do with as I please. I’m not willing to risk your lives on what I’d like to see done.”
Brooke leaned closer to the table and shook her head. “So what? Is this a democracy now? We’re all supposed to…what? Vote on it?”
“Exactly.” Jack nodded his head. He pointed to the map on the wall. “She and her horde are located here, near this small town. According to the angel, she’s holed up inside an abandoned sawmill.”
Azazel stood and stepped closer to the map. “This green all indicates forest, yes?”
“Yup. Hence the sawmill.”
Azazel turned and smiled to Gnat. “Your kind of territory, is it not?”
Gnat smiled and tugged at his beard. “Mine and the Greaters. You are a forest elf, are you not?”
“I am.” Kalen nodded. “Most definitely.”
Jack stepped forward and caught Azazel’s attention. “The tree canopy will be a hindrance to your taking to the air.”
“Won’t be the first time.” He pointed to the concrete ceiling. “And this structure is not conducive to flying either. Unless we met her outside. And at night.” he shrugged.
“Let’s see a show of hands for taking the fight to her.” Jack watched as all of them raised their hands. His mouth slowly curved into a smile until he reached Allister. “You disagree?”
“I have no ‘hands’. But yes. My vote is to take the fight to the demon bitch.”
“Alright then, everybody gear up and meet me topside in one hour. I’ll notify the colonel of what’s going on and maybe we can get some communications gear.”
The crowd quickly took to their feet and worked their way to the exits. Jack tried not to notice Brooke as she sidled in next to Kalen. “I’ll only need a few minutes to get ready. How about you?”
“I’m ready now.”
She flashed him a wicked smile. “Imagine that. We have a whole hour to kill.”
Jack could almost swear her eyes flashed as she smiled at him. He watched the pair exit and shook his head. “Be careful, sugar cookie. She has one hell of a bite.”
*****
Laura paced by the edge of the woods, her eyes trying to focus on the deepening shades of darkness between the pasture and the treeline. She continually glanced back toward the house to ensure that Crystal wasn’t coming out to check on their progress in finding Jim.
Laura turned suddenly when she heard the stumbling steps of someone working their way out of the brush. She ran toward the noise and watched as Derek stumbled out of the woods and collapsed on the ground. He panted for breath and shook his head. “Don’t say it.”
“Don’t say what?” She probed his face for some hint at what he meant.
“Don’t say, ‘I told ya so’.” He rolled to his side and coughed, his breathing becoming more labored.
“What happened, D?” She reached for him and he gently pushed her hand away.
“The old bastard jumped me.” Derek pulled himself to a sitting position and coughed into his hand. He pulled his hand away and stared at it in the moonlight. “He’s definitely got his strength back.”
“Oh, my God. Derek, are you okay?” She grabbed his shoulders and lifted him to a better sitting position.
“I think so. I thought maybe I’d punctured a lung or something.” He held his hand closer to his face and studied it. “No blood though. I think I’m good.”
Laura blanched. “Did he scratch you or bite you?”
Derek shook his head. “No.” Another coughing fit caught him off guard. “But he tackled me and sent me into a tree trunk.” He looked up at her and gave her a pained smile. “They don’t give, ya know?”
Laura chuckled with relief and sat down next to him. “I guess you didn’t get a shot at him?”
Derek grunted. “He knew what I was doing. He pulled the dart and crushed it.” He slowly shook his head, his eyes betraying him and allowing the tears to flow. “He knew exactly what he was doing and…”
“What happened?”
Derek sniffed back the tears that caused his nose to run. “He told me…quit. Go home. Know that this is what he wanted.”
“So, he still had his mind about him?”
Derek nodded. “Yeah, but I don’t think he knew his own strength. He looked shocked when he hit me and I went flying.”
“Are you okay?”
Derek shrugged. “Cracked ribs, I think. I’ll live.” He glanced back toward the trees and shook his head. “Wish I could say the same for pops.”
Laura sighed heavily and held her head in her hands. “He’ll live, D. Just not like what we had hoped.”
The pair sat quietly for a while listening to the sounds of nature. Both wished they could hear a wolf howl so that they could pretend it was their father. Finally Derek turned to her. “What will you do now?”
Laura shrugged. “I guess…” She let her voice trail off as her mind raced. “I guess we should probably have a memorial service for the rest of the family.”
“That’s actually a good idea. Give them some closure.”
“Then I guess I’ll go back. Unless reports of a Halfling in the area suddenly crop up, then…” She turned and eyed Derek. He watched her shake her head slowly.
“You said he wouldn’t. I mean, he’ll turn into the wolf, right? That is what you told me.”
“That’s what is supposed to happen.” She lowered her head again and sniffed back her own tears. “It’s just that my luck has been so shitty lately, I don’t know if I want to put that much faith into it.”
Derek placed a hand on her shoulder and used her as leverage to get to his feet. “Help me to the house. We have to break the bad news to Crystal, then call Jimmy, and…” He sighed heavily. “I am so not looking forward to this.”
*****
Mark worked his way toward his office when Jericho stopped him in the hall. “We have primaries you need to look over, Major.”
Mark scanned the report and shook his head. “Seriously? Can these guys not tell the difference between fireflies and pixies?” He shook his head and slipped the sheet into his folder. “Anything else, Jones?”
“No, sir, but this is the third time this year we’ve gotten a primary on that ‘mothman’ type creature. We just can’t seem to get a secondary on it before it disappears.”
“Maybe we need to look for some kind of pattern to the sightings? If we can find one we can have a squad waiting for it.”
Jericho shrugged. “It’s just sightings though, Major. To date, it’s never harmed anyone.”
“Doesn’t mean it won’t start.” Mark opened his door and stepped inside. “Keep me updated.”
“Aye, sir.” Jericho turned and headed back down the hall as Mark slipped behind his desk and fell into his chair. He pulled the report again and ran through the list once more.
“Possible vamp attack. Possible wolf. Possible…what the hell is a wendigo?” He laid the list down and entered his password into the computer. As his eyes scanned the small amount of info he could find, he sat back and shook his head. “Oh, hell no.”
Mark reached for the phone and called Jericho back. “When was the primary turned in on this wendigo thing?”
“Yesterday, Major. We’ve tried to send a secondary spotter into the area but…” his voice trailed off.
“Spill it, Cap.”
“Well, Major, the secondary spotter can’t make contact with the first. It’s like he dropped off the grid.”
Mark closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. “Spin up First Squad. Have them make ready.”
“Sir? We don’t have a seconda
ry yet.”
“I doubt we’ll get one either.” Mark shook his head as he stared at his computer screen. “As much as I hate to say it, Cap, I think our primary may have become a victim.”
*****
Bigby stared out the dust encrusted window overlooking the hangar. He jotted a few notes in his pad and bit a chunk from the protein bar in his pocket.
“Wouldn’t you rather have something a little more substantial?” Mick’s face twisted as he glanced at the wrapper hanging from Big’s pocket.
“If you feel like whipping up a steak and tail, I’d be more than happy to eat it.” He lifted the binoculars back to his eyes and scanned the area once more. “You’re sure they haven’t left this location?”
“Well, no. Not positive. But from the way they talked, they had no intentions of actually leaving. They just wanted to make it sound that way to Walter Simmons.” Mick stretched and cracked the knuckles in his hands.
“Other than the guards milling about, I see nothing happening.”
Mick shrugged. “They stay pretty much inside unless they’re needed.” He noted Bigby staring at him suspiciously. “That’s what I noticed anyway.”
“I’ve seen one vehicle show up but nobody leaves.” He jotted more notes in his pad and then turned his attention back through the window. “Strange lot, aren’t they?”
“I’ve seen stranger.”
“I’m sure you have.” He bit off another chunk from the protein bar and continued to watch the hangar. “I wish there was a building on the other side. I need to see where their air intakes are.”
Mick shot him a curious glance. “Air intakes? Why?”
Big lowered the binoculars and shot him an evil grin. “How else am I going to introduce my favorite gas to them?”
“You…you’re going to gas them?”
“To start with.” Big bit off the last of the protein bar and dropped the wrapper to the carpet below. “Then I’ll make sure they can’t come back by ensuring there’s enough high velocity lead in their diets.” He chuckled at his own little joke.
Mick groaned and rolled to his side. “But Jenny’s in there.”
Big lowered the binoculars and studied him. “What part of ‘I don’t care’ did you not understand?”
Mick inhaled deeply and got to his feet. “You do realize that Mr. Simmons will spare no expense to hunt you down. He won’t stop…ever. Not until your head is on a pike.”
Big chuckled and lifted the spy glass back to his face. “Like I care. As soon as I destroy the squads, Hell itself could open up and swallow me whole and I’d go happily.”
“What in the world could they have done to you that you hold that much hate?”
Bigby looked away from the window and shot Mick a hateful stare. “They took my best mate and commanding officer. They took two armies from me.” He slipped the dust caps back onto the binoculars and settled into the chair beside the window. “I walked away from my career for that man. We had plans, ya know. Big plans. And along comes these haphazard dumbasses and take it all away. I’ve got nothing now, and it’s all their fault.”
Mick listened to him and slowly nodded. “But Jenny had nothing to do with any of that. She just got here. It’s not her fault.”
“Casualty of war, kid. Casualty of war.”
*****
Brooke rolled away from Kalen and gasped to catch her breath. “How much time do we have left?”
Kalen shrugged and nipped at the tender flesh of her side causing her to jump. “Probably enough time for one more.” He ran a fingertip down her spine and watched her stiffen.
“Sorry, love, we’re about to go into battle. I need to eat something.” She stood up and he watched as the sheet slid from her lithe body.
“My goodness. You truly are a heavenly body.” He leaned forward and bit her on the cheek of her bottom, causing her to squeal and swipe at him.
“I mean it. Stop or I won’t be held responsible for what happens next.” She laughingly pulled her top back on and began to shimmy into her leather pants.
“Oh, wow, I love watching you do that.” He sat on the edge of the bed and reached for her again. She quickly hopped aside and laughed as he playfully grabbed at her. “Come to me,” he hissed as he stood and pulled her to him. He shoved his face into the crook of her shoulder and nibbled up the side of neck and to her earlobe.
“Please, Kalen, I really have to eat something.” She tried to push him away and he held his arm out to her.
“So have a quick snack.” He smiled at her mischievously.
Brooke paled and quickly shook her head. “I-I can’t.” She pushed past him and made for the door.
“But why? I don’t mind. Really.”
She froze at the door and exhaled slowly. “Kalen…vampires cannot feed from elves.” She turned slowly and gave him a sad smile. “It’s like giving alcohol to an alcoholic. Once we start…we can’t stop. And the effects are…not good.”
He lowered his arm and closed the distance between them. “I’m sorry, Brooke. I didn’t realize.” He pulled her into an embrace and gently kissed her cheek. “Go if you need to. Eat and gather your strength.” He pulled back and gave her a broad smile. “I’ll wait for you topside.”
She gave him a sheepish smile and slipped through his door. He felt her own door shut through the concrete wall, and he placed his hand against the wall and closed his eyes. He tried to ‘feel’ her on the other side, but all he could feel was the cold of the cinder block. He sighed lightly and began dressing.
As he stood at his door and prepared to leave, he glanced once more at the bed that was still warm from their lovemaking. He smiled to himself and wrapped the bow over his shoulder before pulling the door shut behind him. He may never be able to return home, but it didn’t matter. She was his home now.
*****
Lilith stepped out onto the balcony of the warehouse and watched as more of her Legion came to her. They were arriving in groups of three or four at a time and quickly making their new home war ready.
She listened to the steady ‘beep-beep’ of trucks as they backed up and equipment was unloaded. She smiled to herself when she saw some of the crates that she feared had been intercepted being unloaded. She would see to it that they were rerouted. They would attack the largest churches first and work their way down. Amongst those cathedrals, she intended to send a team to attack the Capitol and the White House.
She felt Samael’s hand as it slipped around her waist. “Soon your Legion will be complete.”
“And we will go to the human hunters and regain that which is ours.”
“Until then, you will be sending out the remaining devices?”
She nodded as she watched her Legion hard at work. “They will be in place or close to it. Then once we have reclaimed what is ours, they too, will be positioned and readied.”
Samael watched as the Legion repacked the crates and prepared them for shipment. “At what point will I be making my appearance to the humans?”
She turned and ran her hand across his broad chest. “Soon, my love. Once we have destroyed the churches, you shall step forward and declare yourself the one responsible. While the humans are still trying to ascertain how to deal with a ‘devil’, I’ll position myself to step in and take the reins.” She smiled at him and he felt his insides flutter. She was beginning to realize her true potential for evil and it made him love her that much more. “After I show them that only I can control the monstrous, evil, vile creature responsible for all of this death and destruction, I’ll simply demand that they bow to me if they want to be saved.”
“I’ve wondered, what will you do if they refuse? They can be quite stubborn.”
She laughed, a deep, hearty laugh. “My love, they want to be ruled. It’s in their basic makeup. They would rather be ruled than allowed their illusion of freedom.” She raked her nails across his chest causing him to shiver. “Just look at the people here. They pretend that they’re free, yet they do nothin
g to stop their own rulers from stealing more of their freedoms with each passing day.”
“There is a difference in being governed and being ruled, my love.”
She turned and leaned against his abdomen. “Is there? I think not. Not truly. And once they think that the only way they can be saved is to bow to me and call me their queen, they’ll stand in line to kiss my feet.”
Samael raised a brow at her and shook his head slightly. “I hope that you are right.”
“I am. Wait and see. They will cower and cry and beg me to save them.” She suddenly spun and gave him a chill smile. “But you have to truly step up and show them your evil side. You need to make them believe that you truly are your brother.”
Samael smiled at her then lifted her to face him. He planted a kiss on her mouth then dropped her. “If anybody knows how evil my brother can be, it’s me.”
She quickly smoothed her gown then stared upwards at him. “It’s not me you have to convince, my love. It’s the surviving humans. They have to believe that you truly are Satan.”
“As I said, have no fears.” He stared out through the hundreds of Centurions working below. “I know evil.”
*****
Ingram marched into Jameson’s office and dropped the report on his desk. “Results are in.” He sat in the chair opposite the older man and watched as he scanned the report.
“These reaction times are accurate?”
“To the microsecond.” Ingram smiled. “We calibrated their reactions to the recordings and it’s spot on.”
Jameson smiled as she went through the report more thoroughly. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
“Look at the measured reaction times for the fangers.”
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