The Belial War

by R. D. Brady

  “How far out should people be?” the anchor asked.

  “At least fifty miles.”

  “Jack—”

  Smoke wafted across the screen as Jack nodded. “Yes. I’m in the infected zone. I will keep providing coverage as long as I can. But, uh, I need a minute.”

  The image switched back to the anchor, who looked shaken, his face pale. He cleared his throat, but a tremor remained in his voice. “According to public records, Denver has more than half a million residents. Those not killed in the initial blast will be exposed to high levels of radiation that will take days to run their course. The death toll will be beyond anything this country, this world, has seen before. You know, um, let’s just take a quick commercial break.”

  Charlie muted the screen as an ad for paper towels came on. But then two commercials later, the newscaster was back. The news was not any better. In fact, it was much, much worse.

  “We are now receiving reports of attacks occurring at major cities across the country. The attackers appear to have enhanced speed and strength. We do not have numbers yet, but the casualties and injured are going to be high. Law enforcement asks that everyone stay indoors and if you are not, to find cover immediately.”

  The family room was silent. All those people.

  “Dad?” her niece Meghan asked.

  “Hey, come here, baby.” Jimmy opened his arms, and his girls ran to him.

  Molly looked toward the windows, then at her mother, tears in her eyes. “Can you take Susie?”

  Numb, Mary Jane could only nod. She clutched Susie to herself, wondering what kind of world her children would now face. Everything had just changed, and Mary Jane didn’t know how to prepare them for that. She watched numbly as the anchor returned. Images of violence flashed across the screen. People lying in the streets, cars crashed through store windows.

  “It looks like a war zone,” Charlie whispered.

  But Mary Jane couldn’t muster up a response, too horrified at what she was seeing. If this had been a movie, she would have turned it off, not wanting these images in her head or her children’s. But how did you turn off real life?

  Time passed, although Mary Jane couldn’t say how much.

  A commercial appeared, and Charlie once again muted the set. Slowly, he stood up, looking toward the window with a frown. “What is that?”

  Pulled from her fog, Mary Jane stood as well. In the background, car horns blared, metal on metal crunched, followed by screams, some cut short.

  Jimmy pushed off the wall, grabbing the hands of two of his girls. “Everyone in the basement.”

  Charlie vaulted up the stairs to get Su’Ona and the twins. Mary Jane shoved Susie at Shaun. “Get her downstairs.”

  Mary Jane hustled up the stairs, sprinting down the hall to her room. She ripped open the door to the closet and pulled out the shotgun Jake had left her. She grabbed the shells, dumping them in a shoulder bag before looping it over her shoulders. She ran out of the room, heading down the stairs after her brother and his family. His eyes grew large at the sight of the shotgun in her arms, but he just gave her a nod.

  They hustled down the hall to the basement stairs, but before they could head down, Joe was heading back up. Mary Jane pulled him out of the way so Charlie and Su’Ona could get down with their boys. “What are you doing? Get downstairs.”

  Joe shook his head. “Molly’s not down there.”

  “What? Molly!” Mary Jane yelled turning back for the stairs.

  Joe raced past her. “I’ll check upstairs.”

  “Molly!” Mary Jane yelled as she ran through the rooms on the first floor.

  Jimmy appeared in the family room as Joe raced down the stairs. “What’s going on?”

  “Molly. We can’t find her. Joe?”

  “She’s not upstairs.”

  “Where would she go?” Jimmy cried.

  “I don’t—” A car alarm sounded outside, followed by a scream. Chills ran over her skin.

  Oh God. “She’s out there.”

  Chapter 74

  Baltimore, Maryland

  Patrick wanted to turn off the set. He wanted to pretend that none of it was real. But he could not look away, not with the deadline having hit. He was waiting to see what new hell Elisabeta unleashed. He knew about the attack in Denver, but he knew more would be coming.

  The newscaster returned, having just replayed the video of the drone strike on Elisabeta, his face ashen. “As you can see, somehow Elisabeta Roccorio survived the attack and seemed to heal. I . . . I don’t know how to explain any of what we have just seen. But I know analysts will be poring over—”

  The newscaster went silent as he pulled over a sheet of paper. He looked up, his jaw dropping. “Um . . .” He pulled at the collar of his shirt. “I have just received word that the explosion in Denver was not, I repeat, not the only explosion. We have reports that bombs have been detonated in Paris and Beijing as well. There is no word on casualties yet, but they are believed to be in the thousands, if not higher. Early reports indicate that the bombs were not delivered by missiles but were already on site. I have been told that radiological alarms have gone off.”

  Another piece of paper was slipped to him. “We, um, we have some video, I am told, from another situation breaking in the country’s capitol.”

  The image shifted to a shaky video that looked like someone had recorded off their phone. People screamed. A fire was burning at a building down the street at the edge of the screen. A woman appeared on camera, blood splashed across her face. She kept glancing around her as she spoke.

  “I’m in Alexandria, where it appears a group of Fallen have begun to attack the area surrounding the city of D.C. I, uh, I believe there are four of them. And they have killed at least twelve people that I have seen and set fires and destroyed property along the way. The police and National Guard have been mobilized but do not seem to be having any effect.”

  The video froze. The anchorman reappeared. “We have lost contact with Suzanne Wu. And we have been informed that military and law enforcement troops are engaged in conflict with the Fallen across the country. If you are in a safe place, police are asking that you stay where you are while they get a handle on the situation.”

  Cain flipped to another channel, then another. It was always a different city, but always the same violence being perpetrated. Patrick realized that his whole body felt numb now, not just his legs.

  “It’s starting,” Cain said softly.

  Patrick stared at the screen. People ran, but he focused on a little child standing still, clutching his mother lying in the street, tears streaming down his cheeks. No one stopped to help.

  “No,” he said, “it’s ending.”

  Chapter 75

  Boston, Massachusetts

  The SUV swerved as Jake avoided a hatchback that had crashed into a telephone pole. The ride from the airport had been heartrending. All hell had broken loose. From what Jake could tell, the same was happening across the country. Elisabeta had made good on her threat. She was terrifying the world.

  Jake slammed on the brakes as a man and woman sprinted in front of the hood of his Jeep. “Shit.”

  Zane, the large yellow spotted Javan leopard in the back of the car, let out a roar.

  “I know, I know.” Jake wanted to get out and help, but he wasn’t sure where to start. Besides, he needed to make sure Mary Jane and her family were okay.

  Get to Mary Jane. Laney’s voice wafted through his mind. His grip tightened on the steering wheel. How could she be gone? After all they had been through, for it to end like that. For her to just be snuffed out of existence. Anger boiled in him. He wanted to smash everything Elisabeta held dear to pieces. But he knew there wasn’t much that woman held dear. Power was all she truly craved. And with Laney out of the way, and the bombs, it was only a matter of time before she had everything she wanted.

  Laney had been right. Elisabeta had been prepared for the missile attacks on the silos. Jake guesse
d Elisabeta had moved the radioactive material out of the missiles well before the attack had been initiated. Then she’d smuggled them in to various countries. Which meant at least nine other radioactive bombs were no doubt already in place around the world. That is, if she hadn’t split the material, in which case there could be double that.

  His cell rang. He answered it quickly. “Yeah?”

  Mary Jane’s voice was rushed. “Molly’s gone. I think she went outside to help.”

  “I’m almost at your place.”

  “I’m heading out to look for her.”

  “No! Stay inside. It’s not safe out here.”

  “And my daughter is out there somewhere.” She disconnected the call. Jake stared at the phone in disbelief. One would think at this point he’d be used to women completely ignoring his statements, yet somehow it surprised him every time.

  He drove forward slowly, not liking anything about the situation. Zane prowled between the windows in the back, his fur standing on end. Then he stopped and let out a roar. Even without Laney and Noriko’s abilities, he knew what it meant. He slammed on the brakes, a telephone pole crashing to the ground, missing the Jeep by inches.

  Jake’s hand had barely grazed the gearshift to throw the Jeep into reverse when his window shattered.

  A split second later, he was being pulled through it.

  Chapter 76

  Jake was nearby. That was good. Mary Jane loaded the shotgun, chambering a shell, glad Jake had taken her through the steps when he’d given her the gun—and also glad he hadn’t let her turn it down the way she had wanted to.

  “What are you doing?” Jimmy asked, his eyes large.

  “I am going after Molly.”

  “Mary Jane, it’s crazy out there. I’ll go after her.”

  “You can come with me, Jimmy, but I am not sitting back and waiting.” She headed for the door.

  “I’m coming, too,” Joe said.

  Mary Jane didn’t even turn around. “No, you’re not. Get downstairs.”

  “I’m going with you. She’s my sister. And I’ll just go without you if you say no.”

  Mary Jane whirled around, ready to give him hell. He stood with his arms crossed, staring down at her. Down, because he was now a few inches taller than her. She recognized the stubborn crook of his jaw—Billy had had the same stubborn look.

  “He’s not a kid anymore,” Jimmy said quietly.

  “He’s my kid,” Mary Jane lashed out.

  Jimmy put his hand on her shoulder. “Janie.”

  She took a breath. “Fine. But you stay with us.”

  “Great. Um, hold on.” Joe sprinted down the hallway and was back seconds later. He handed Jimmy a wooden bat. He had another one in his hand.

  Mary Jane swallowed hard seeing it there but just nodded. “Okay. Let’s go get your sister.”

  Chapter 77

  Washington, D.C.

  The Oval Office was silent. Not a single person of the two dozen inside made a sound as the images of violence played out across the screen in horrific detail. Nancy’s gaze was focused on a screen tuned to a local channel, showing a Fallen wreaking havoc just a few blocks from the White House.

  “Madam President, we must get you to a secure location,” the Secret Service agent Darrel Saunders insisted again.

  The President shook her head, not taking her gaze from the screens. “My husband and son?”

  “They’ve been secured, ma’am.”

  “Good.”

  “Madam President,” Nancy said quietly, “the country needs you. We have been dealt a horrible blow, but we are going to need you to lead us through this. We need to get you to safety.”

  The President looked into Nancy’s eyes for a long moment before nodding. “The secretary of state stays with me.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Saunders replied. He placed a hand on the President’s shoulder, pushing her toward the door while speaking into his mic. “The Phoenix is on the move.”

  President Rigley had been named the Phoenix because she grew up in the Arizona city. But now, as the scenes of fire and blood played out across the world, Nancy had to wonder if there hadn’t been a bit of prophetic wisdom in her call name.

  Secret Service agents fell into formation around them as they hustled the President down the hall. A window shattered as a wooden flagpole slammed through it, and Nancy was shoved forward. The flagpole missed her but impaled the Secret Service agent who’d saved her.

  “Move, move, move!” Saunders yelled. Gunfire sounded from right outside the White House.

  As they sprinted past the windows, Nancy caught sight of a blur shifting into a man as a hail of bullets raked his chest.

  Someone grabbed her shoulder and shoved her around a corner and into a waiting elevator. Half the agents piled in with Nancy and the President, and the other half took up position outside. More gunfire sounded in the distance as the elevator doors closed.

  “Did he get in?” the President demanded.

  “No, Madam President. He was shot. He did not make it into the building.”

  Nancy grabbed the agent’s arm.

  “Remind them to shoot them multiple times in the heart. It is the only way to kill them.” The Secret Service agent nodded at Nancy, relaying her message into the radio.

  The doors slid open. Concrete walls and a floor greeted them. They were fifteen stories beneath the White House, in what the public considered the emergency bunker. But it was much more than a bomb shelter. The entirety of the United States government could be run from the four rooms that made up the control room. Missile control, electrical grids, water security—they were all headquartered here.

  There was even rumor of an Internet kill switch that could be activated if it became necessary, although even Nancy didn’t know if that was true. The original underground bunker had been created in the 1950s under Truman, but it had been added on to over the years. Now there were rumors that an entire tunnel system had been created under the White House leading to Camp David, the Pentagon, the Capitol, and the VP’s residence. She’d never been in a position to care more about it than idle curiosity. But with everything happening, she had a feeling she might soon learn a great deal about the incredibly secret tunnel system.

  Ahead, two Marines stood on guard on either side of two metal doors. They started to swing them open as the President approached.

  The President shook her head. “I’m going to the apartment.”

  Saunders relayed the instructions over his mic as they strode past the doors and down the hall. Another set of double doors guarded by another two Marines was at the end of the hall.

  “Are we secure?” the President asked.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Good. It will just be myself and the secretary.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Saunders nodded to the Marines at the door, who swung them open.

  The President strode through. Nancy followed, looking around. She’d never been in the apartment. It had been set up in case there was an attack that required the President to remain in the bunker for weeks or even months. Down the hall, on the other side of the elevator, was another larger apartment that could hold up to fifty people.

  But Nancy was sure it was not as comfortable as this apartment, with its plush carpet, small kitchen, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a study.

  “You’ve never been down here?”

  “No. Luckily there’s never been any reason until now.”

  The President nodded, slowly looking around. “What have I done, Nancy?”

  “This isn’t your fault.”

  “You say that, but I think the history books will have a different interpretation. What was the last count?”

  “Three thousand in Denver from the initial blast, and the analysts only have estimates for the Fallen attacks.”

  “What is the estimate?”

  Nancy hesitated. “A million.”

  “My God.”

  “What would you like me to do, Madam Pr
esident?”

  “What can we do? She has us. We’ve already lost a million people to this madness. How many more will Elisabeta demand?”

  “All of them. Until she gets what she wants, she will demand all of them.”

  “I’m afraid you’re right.” The President stopped pacing, looking at a bust of George Washington. “You know, when Washington crossed the Delaware, he was faced with impossible odds. They planned three crossings, and only one made it. The Hessians knew they were coming thanks to a British spy and two American deserters. Even Mother Nature fought against them with an ice storm.”

  Nancy was familiar with the story. “Yet they continued on, and they won.”

  “They did. Because the morale of the army was fading. Washington knew they needed a victory, something to rally the troops and get more men to join, so he did the impossible. I’ve thought about him more than any other president since this all began. I’ve found myself wondering more than once: What would he do in this situation?”

  Nancy had no answer for that. Their odds made the crossing of the Delaware look like child’s play.

  But the President continued, apparently not having expected an answer. “Historians say if he hadn’t managed the crossing, the United States never would have been. He also stepped down after two terms, saying that no one should have the power of the Presidency at his fingertips for longer than that. He was a most reluctant President, according to many, with no ambitions of power beyond being able to serve the public trust.”