by Michael Todd
The captain stood on the deck of the battleship, watching her reaction through his binoculars. “Give her everything we’ve got! Tell everyone to take this bitch down!”
As Katie walked from the kitchen back to the living room, there was a knock on the front door. She put her glass down carefully and stared at the door. She was on alert. Nobody had called to let her know she had a visitor. She opened the door with one fist cranked back, ready to fight.
The general put his hands up defensively. “Don’t hit me. I come in peace.”
Angie walked up, shocked. Not only was the general at her door, but the doorman had not called to let her know they had a visitor.
Katie sputtered for a moment, trying to get her wits about her. “I’m sorry. Come in, general. I’m just shocked to see you. Usually, the people downstairs let me know if someone is coming up.”
The general walked in and took his hat off. “It helps to have a weapon and implore your doorman not to announce me. Sorry to be that way, but this is top-secret, and it’s urgent.”
Walking behind the general was one of his aides. Katie greeted her. This was one she hadn’t met before, but at the same time, he had about a dozen working for him at all times. The general walked right into the living room. “May I use your TV?”
“Of course. What are we watching?”
Batman!
Not now.
The general took a disk out of his coat pocket and put it in the DVD player. “It’s from the most recent assault on the Leviathan. It didn’t go quite as we thought it would.”
Katie watched the video, leaning forward with interest. The footage began from the air and showed the beast creeping through the water and making its way to the shoreline. Several jets were buzzing around, and there were a few battleships at the edge of the frame. As the video went on, missiles shot from the planes to slam into the beast. Explosions rocked the small island and fire, and smoke were everywhere.
Nothing seemed to be working until the battleships fired. When those missiles hit the Leviathan, flesh flew off in scaly chunks. The beast roared so fiercely that the trees on the island shook. Smoke clouded everything. The entire island looked as if it were going to crumble into the sea. The trees were on fire, and there were deep craters on the beach. Tiamat still stood.
Katie stuffed a handful a candy into her mouth as if she were watching a movie. “I hope nobody uses that island for summer vacation.”
The general glanced at her. “If they didn’t before, they will now. You know how crazy tourists can be.”
Katie rolled her eyes. “The stupidity of humanity still baffles me sometimes. Sure, let’s take little Jeannie and Bob on summer vacation! Let’s go where the military bombed a giant lizard thing. We can take pictures of the beach, and the ocean, and with the pieces of rotting flesh and bone.”
Pandora thought about that. Sounds like a perfectly pleasant afternoon.
The general snickered and popped some of the candy into his mouth. The aide stood by, waiting for instructions from the general. She was slightly taken aback by the way the two of them joked. It was her first time around Katie and Pandora, and she was having a hard time following them—not to mention the fact that she had never seen the general act so chummy toward anyone ever, especially not a demon.
They watched the video with bated breath. For several moments, the camera plane flew around but was unable to see what was below. The remnants of the missiles had left a thick fog over the entire place, but the planes were reluctant to fly any lower in case the beast tried to knock them out of the sky. The smoke began to clear, revealing Tiamat. She was beaten and bloodied from the attack, but still moving. She was leaving the island, lumbering back into the water.
Not a soul on the island made a movement. The only sound was the hum of the camera plane. Even the Leviathan was quiet, barely pulling her body down the sandy beach and into the surf. Blood streaked the sand behind her, but she kept moving. The Leviathan pushed into the safety of the waves. The last piece of the beast the camera saw was a torn and tattered tail, with some broken scales hanging off it as it slipped beneath the surface.
When the video was over, the room was silent for several moments. They were all trying to digest what they had just seen. The general had seen the video before, but the enormity of the battle still struck him hard.
Pandora immediately took over. “Oh, that’s not good.”
The general looked at Katie and lifted an eyebrow. “How much time before she heals?”
“My best guess? A month. You could hope for two months if she doesn’t find enough food right away. Do they know where she is now?”
The general shook his head, frustrated. “They were able to keep up with her for a couple hundred miles, but then she went too deep. As soon as she does that, we lose her. When she resurfaces, it’s hundreds or even thousands of miles away. She doesn’t seem to have to come up for air or anything like that. She’s been swimming too deep for our subs to follow. The pressure down there doesn’t seem to bother her a bit.”
Pandora put her hand on the general’s shoulder and spoke to him like she was speaking to a child. “Remember what I told you. She is incredibly intelligent. She knows who did this to her. She also knows I wasn’t on that island, because if I were she would have seen me. She may not have spent a lot of time around me, but also knows that the wife of Lucifer wouldn’t call her to an island just to let the military take care of her. She saw every single one of you. She must have been stunned, because she didn’t turn around and pulverize your ships. I’m going to go way out on a limb here and say you guys got incredibly lucky. The bitch gives zero fucks.”
“She saw us?”
“She fucking saw you, buddy.”
“And she knows who attacked her?”
“Yep. She’s a motherfucker, but she’s a smart motherfucker.”
“Are you trying to tell me that the US of A just pissed off the Leviathan?”
Pandora chuckled. “You sure did.”
Katie took back over. “Find her, and let’s kill her. This has gone on long enough. I’m not willing to wait until she climbs up the Empire State Building and kills a bunch of people.”
Pandora didn’t see that coming. Wait…what?
Katie spoke out loud so she could include the general. “She’s hurt now. We don’t have a host of angels, just me and you, Pandora. That’s going to have to be enough.”
Pandora groaned. Oh, that’s a good plan.
“We’re going to kill the Leviathan, General.”
We are so going to die. And we never even decided on a good costume.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The fleet moved through the water, coming from all directions throughout the Atlantic Ocean. From large speakers attached to their main decks, the sound of Pandora’s voice speaking in demon blasted out across the water. They couldn’t locate the beast on the sonar, so they hoped to draw her out from wherever she was hiding.
“Tiamat I oz edizz waiting maen esaeu. Esaeu yor nur xuq esaeu yorraeq siga maenawabbi. Esaeu sowa qae yaeza ud zaezaqiza, oth s'ar esaeu gae, I oz going qae qaon yoq fucking qoih aemm esaeun ozz.”
Pandora’s voice echoed, sending chills down the sailors’ spines. This was the first time for many of them to be in direct contact with a demon, and it was a little bit overwhelming.
After hours of the ships cruising through the waters, something stirred far below the surface of the ocean. Mud cascaded. Alarmed fish swam in circles and finally shot away from the shifting seafloor. Even though the beast was foreign to the creatures of Earth, they knew danger when they saw it. The Leviathan took no prisoners and devoured everything in its path.
As the schools of fish swam quickly away, two eyes the size of pick-up trucks opened wide.
Katie looked out the window as the helicopter flew. She was being taken out to a new island, one that was all set up and ready for her. They made sure this one was also as far away from any inhabited place as they possibly
could get. As she approached, she could see dozens of battleships in the distance. They stood off so as not to tempt Tiamat into swimming over to them and dragging them to the bottom of the ocean.
Katie knew that having any humans around was a bad idea. These jokers are going to get themselves killed. I don’t need any distractions right now. If I’m going to kill this bitch, I can’t be looking after humans at the same time.
Pandora took her usual nonchalant stance. Hey, they know what the dangers are. If they want to be eaten by a giant sea-dragon, that’s their business. You can’t babysit everybody.
You still don’t get it. These people rely on me to keep them safe. They think that if they’re with me, they’ll be safe. They don’t realize I can’t protect all of them and myself at the same time. It’s like the time we fought that demon in Times Square. People died because they expected me to save them, but I was fighting a fucking demon at the time. If I can do anything to avoid that situation, then I need to do it.
Pandora kept her mouth shut. She knew she wasn’t going to change Katie’s mind. If she was honest, Pandora didn’t want to see anybody die either, but how often was a demon honest with anybody? Besides, she was completely focused on the giant beast that wanted to eat her whole.
Katie pulled her headset on and tapped the microphone to check it. “Can you hear me? Okay. I need everyone to back off. It’s just going to be the Leviathan and me.”
Pandora pouted. Hey, and me! Don’t forget about me! I’m here too.
Katie chuckled. I know, trust me. You don’t let me forget those kinds of things.
Katie stopped, realizing that sometimes, maybe she did forget that Pandora was there. She shouldn’t do that. Pandora was very useful in these kinds of situations. Immediately, that gave her a new idea, one that she knew Pandora wasn’t going to like very much.
As the thought passed through Katie’s mind, Pandora could tell something was up. What the fuck are you thinking?
Katie began snickering, and Pandora didn’t like it at all. Why are you doing that? You sound horrible, like somebody butchering a pig.
How much juice you got, you demonic bitch? Katie laughed.
Well, if you’re gonna get me turned on by calling me dirty names, I got a lot of juice.
Katie obviously had something up her sleeve. You got more in hell?
Pandora sneered. Of course. Oh, shit!
The helicopter touched down and Katie jumped onto the shore. Before Pandora could ask her any more questions, a voice came over her walkie. “Be advised, Katie, the beast is eighty miles out and coming on strong.”
“Roger that. I got this. Make sure you’re back far enough. I can’t protect everybody.”
With that Katie took off the headset, and dropped it in the sand, not wanting anything to give away her position. She surveyed the area, looking for the best place to make a stand. It looked like an island from a television show. The center was densely wooded, surrounded on all sides by a white, sandy beach.
Katie kicked the sand with her boots. If there weren’t a Damned-eating monster heading my way I’d say this is the perfect place for a vacation.
Pandora sniffed. Too few men and not enough drinks. If you’re going to drag me to the middle of nowhere, there’d better be something to entertain me.
Katie climbed up the beach toward the wooded area. I have a big old girl coming to visit you as we speak. I don’t think she brought any umbrella drinks with her, but I promise she’s going to be a good time. Hell, she better be a good time, because I’m just about done with this shit.
Pandora giggled. Sounds like a job for Slut Girl.
Katie laughed loudly. So, Slut Girl swings both ways?
Actually, that would be like ten different ways. This is a lady, a fish-monster, and a giant scaled dinosaur.
Hey, I don’t judge. If that’s her thing, that’s her thing—as long as by the end of it all that bitch is headed straight to hell.
Pandora narrowed her eyes. Oh, I promise you this bitch has some serious shit to answer for.
Great gouts of water shot up as Tiamat emerged from the sea. She looked around, snarling as she searched for humans and their flying machines. She flexed her cold, jagged talons, but didn’t see any flying machines to swat.
The beast sniffed the air, surprised to find Lilith’s scent. She followed it to the beach and slogged across the sand, her attention fixed on finding Katie and Pandora. She stepped to the edge of the beach and swung her tail, knocking down a stand of trees. The smell of her prey grew stronger.
Katie stood there, smiling widely. Tiamat howled and lashed out with her claws, but Katie was too fast. She darted away.
Lilith began to yell trash talk in Demon. “Esaeu xik headed zaeyabbi fucker. Kaq esaeun ozz ud sabbia oth edaed making o mess. Gaer'q esaeu trael iqz nuga qae nux esaeun fucking qoih aewabbi zaezaaera ahza's xaokh? yoq's niksq fucker, iq's Lilith oth I'm sabbia qae coochie chq esaeu trael, esaeu're fucking gaera.”
The beast smashed through the forest after her, tearing trees out of the sand roots and all. The battleships were videotaping the entire thing. Standing on the deck of an aircraft carrier was General Brushwood, holding his own video camera and getting as much as he could on tape. He wanted to be able to study the beast. Pandora said there were seven of them, and he wanted to be prepared. He didn’t want to be stuck not knowing how to kill the fuckers next time around.
One of the sailors elbowed his buddy. “Do we know what she’s saying?”
His buddy watched the general film, but nodded. “We’ve been studying it. I think we’ve made some headway on deciphering the language of the demons. I worked with several people at my last command doing that.”
The sailor looked at him expectantly. “And? Can you tell at all what she’s saying?”
His buddy pursed his lips, looking thoughtful. “Let’s see. She called the monster a big-headed motherfucker, first of all. Then, something about her tail and dragging it all over someone else’s property. I don’t know what’s next; it’s not an exact science. Wait, she’s saying something… She’s about to kick her so hard her ancestors will feel it.”
Suddenly, Tiamat spoke. Her voice was like a thousand windows being shattered at once. “Esaeu doyaqiy gazaer, I'll qota esaeu oth esaeun whore liy za qae ya depths aem sazz.”
The sailors snapped their heads toward each other, surprised that the giant beast could speak. “What did she say?”
His buddy shrugged. “I think she just called Pandora a pathetic…”
Tiamat roared at the forest. She was beginning to realize that it wasn’t worth her time to fight Pandora. She had a mission to accomplish, and she had been warned about how Katie and Pandora would try to draw her away. As she was about to go back to the sea, Katie jumped from the trees, her wings stretching wide behind her.
Tiamat bared her teeth and narrowed her eyes, letting out a furious roar. She smashed trees into splinters as she made her way toward the angel. Angel wings got the Leviathan every time. The angels were the ones who had defeated her before, and she wasn’t going to put up with it a second time around.
Katie spread her arms out wide, closed her eyes, and whispered, “Sword and armor.”
A flash of light shot across Katie as her body was contained in shining angelic armor and her sword snapped into her hand.
Katie half-expected Gabriel to appear, but no one came.
And the Leviathan was charging at her.
Pandora clicked her tongue. Never an angel around when you really need him.
Tiamat was gaining speed, getting her bulk going as fast as she possibly could. She lowered her head, ready to devour the little angel whole.
Katie bared her teeth and slashed. It surprised both the Leviathan and Pandora when the sword ripped reality and she opened a tall and powerful portal into hell.
Pandora whistled. That’s some pretty sweet shit.
Katie chuckled. I’ve got all kinds of surprises up my sleeve.
&nb
sp; With that, Katie made a running leap into the portal…and into hell. Tiamat’s eyes opened wide as she put her feet out and tried to slow herself down, but it was too late. She was going too fast, and the portal was too close. The Leviathan roared, furious as she tumbled head over tail into the portal behind Katie.
She had no love for angels, but that didn’t mean she wanted to go to hell. Especially alongside Katie and Pandora.
What neither of them realized was that the portal was shimmering as they moved through it. They didn’t notice when the portal snapped shut behind them.
The general lowered the camera down and stared blankly at the island. Tiamat and Katie were gone. He couldn’t believe his eyes. He hoped beyond hope that this wasn’t the last time he ever saw Katie. He knew the last place that she wanted to be was in the depths of hell.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“Fucking hell! That was supposed to stay open,” Katie shouted.
Pandora tsked. Too much mass. If you had asked, I’d have warned you, but I think you have bigger things to worry about. And by bigger, I mean really fucking big.
Katie looked up to see Tiamat charging at her. She let the beast come.
When she could smell Tiamat’s stinking breath, she raised her sword. Tiamat’s teeth flashed, reflecting the fires of hell.
Katie leaped out of the way, popped her wings out, and let them carry her up and over the Leviathan. She cut a deep groove in Tiamat’s back with her angelic sword. The beast screamed and fell, rolling across the hardened lava .
Katie chuckled, but Pandora quickly pointed out that the Leviathan wasn’t the only problem they were facing. Looks like the demons are coming for you too. This was a fantastic fucking idea.
“Shit,” Katie groaned. The creatures scrambled toward her, snarling and spitting. She sliced her sword through the air, taking the heads off of two of the demons.
