by Michael Todd
Alice looked at him and blinked, almost as if she was coming to a realization. “Doctor Thorough is a fantastic scientist. He’s probably one of the most brilliant minds in the whole world. If this doesn’t work for him, it won’t work for anyone. I can promise you that.”
Brock understood. “Then we’ll hold off everything we can for as long as we can. Move fast, get as much data as you can.” They watched the doctor mumble to himself as he stood over a cart. “And keep him on task.”
Alice cracked a smile. “I think I can handle that. It was kind of in my job description. Though I have to say, hell was not mentioned once.”
Brock chuckled. “No, I suppose it wasn’t really in any of our contracts. We may find out why in the next few minutes.”
Katie looked over her team, making sure they were all through. She gave the soldiers on the inside of the hanger a wave. One of them waved back.
Let’s get this shit-show on the road.
With a wave of her claws, Pandora released her hold on the gate. It fizzled shut behind them. Alice jumped, startled by the sound, and looked at where the portal was. In its place was nothing but a landscape of darkness and pain.
Turner slapped the tattooed soldier on the chest. “I’m rethinking the whole idea of going to hell as being a fun thing. I don’t want to spend my eternity with the lava people.”
Tattoos just looked at him straight-faced. “Please don’t go getting all crazy religious on me right now. I am not a pastor or a priest. I cannot help you at this moment. You better be looking at Katie as God right now, because she’s the one who will get us out of this.”
Katie walked farther away from the group. She could feel her angelic energy boiling. She had to hold back her angel powers as if they were an automatic reaction to being in hell. She wanted to go to angel turbo. Home again, home again.
Pandora sneered. You know when you were little, and you would be gone a long time and then come back home, and the scent would make you feel all warm inside?
Katie nodded. Yeah. Though the smell was less sulfur and more warm apple pie.
Yeah, well, I don’t get that feeling when I come home. In fact, all I feel is rage and your angel powers tingling.
Katie stared at the volcanoes erupting in the distance. I have to say I’m relieved that you think that way. I don’t really want you to come here and have warm feelings about the place. No pun intended. This is no place for hugs and sweet dreams.
You got that right, sister.
Alice peered at Katie, took in the hellish scenery, then turned back to her machines. “That’s just fucking unsettling. I always wanted a landscape of death and sin in my view. Maybe I should take a selfie and post it. Hashtag kicking it with my demon homies in the pits of hell.”
“Hashtag Damned good time.”
“Hashtag hell of a weekend!”
“Hashtag doing it demon style,” Tattoos finished with a grin. Then he realized where he was and spun around, his weapon at the ready.
Doctor Thorough held his information screen in front of him, excitement blooming on his face. “The readings are just pouring in. This is insane. The ambient temperature is 205 degrees, oxygen levels are holding steady at ninety-three percent, and the heat index is nearing twelve. What level of hell is this?”
Pandora giggled. One step down from the outer ring. We are seeing readings that will triple in the final rings of hell.
Katie walked back to the group. “We’re not that far in, doctor.”
Brock walked up to Katie, breathing heavily. “We need to have a better vantage point to see anything that’s coming. I feel like something could come around the corner at any second. I think we should move a hundred and fifty yards in that direction toward that outcropping. We’ll find a good defensible location.”
“I agree. Give them space to continue their findings, but pull your men back. We can see them 150 yards away,” Katie replied.
Brock walked back to his men and explained the maneuver. They were trying to conserve as much energy as possible, so they moved with caution and precision. If they were going to have enough energy to fight anything, they were going to have to be extremely cautious. Even with the suits, they could overheat very quickly. Their M16’s would be the most effective form of combat for them.
“Keep your eyes peeled. Watch your six. Your first reaction to any contact should be to call out the threat. You can pull your weapon, but no one fires until I give the word. We don’t want to alert anything to our presence if we don’t have to.” Brock slapped Turner on the shoulder, and led them down to a craggy black outcropping.
Katie and Calvin followed behind, staring in awe around them. The place was insane, with rivers of flaming lava and shores of black stone. It all seemed like a dream to Calvin. “This is pretty cool. I mean, when I was a boy, I was in awe of the first man on the moon. Now I get to be one of the first humans in hell.”
“Well, not exactly.”
“True. We’re the first ones not purposely sent here for our crimes.”
Katie smiled. “I don’t know if I’ve been the first anything before. At least not until I ended up Damned.”
Calvin pointed to her back. “And an angel.”
Pandora cut in. I hate to break it to you two explorers, but technically you’re not the first humans. However, if you make it out of here alive, you’ll be the first to leave hell in one piece.
Katie didn’t like how that sounded. Who were the first humans? How come no one knows anything about that?
It was kind of a bust. Let’s just say the last time, it didn’t go so well for the humans or the Ta’lgherk.
Calvin looked at Katie’s face. “What? What’s Pandora saying?”
Katie tried to wipe the worry from her face. “We aren’t the first humans, but they never made it out alive. And Ta’lgherk didn’t fare so well either.”
Calvin sneered. “Who the hell is Ta’lgherk?”
Katie looked up, realizing she had no idea. “Yeah, Pandora who is that? Or what is that?”
Pandora pushed through Katie’s voice. “This really isn’t the time to go down that path. Very long story and makes little sense until you’ve seen what hell can be like for real.”
Katie put out her arms. “Uh, we’re living it right now. Here we are, lava rock and all. Flowing streams of death as far as the eye can see. Sulfur clouds hanging low in the sky and no source of specific light, but it’s not pitch black.”
“Alloy interlaces,” the doctor called out excitedly.
Calvin and Katie looked back at the doctor. He was laughing wildly, and Katie and Calvin just looked at each other, unsure of what that even meant. Calvin ventured a guess. “I have alloy rims on my car.”
Katie pursed her lips and patted Calvin on the back. “I don’t think he’s referring to rims, but good try.”
Calvin nodded. “Yeah, I have no idea. Failed freshman science. Was never very good at that stuff.”
“It’s all right. You tried.”
They moved to the outcropping. A black stone wall was behind them, to their right was a stack of fallen boulders. To their left, the stone ended in a jagged cliff. A hundred feet below the cliff was flowing molten rock.
Katie watched the team set up a new perimeter. A good place for a fallback position.
Or a last stand.
Calvin squinted at the river of lava, then stepped back. “What do you think would happen to this place if all the demons were killed?”
Pandora pushed forward and laughed. “Honey, hell will always be here. You gotta have a place for lost souls. It’s not about destroying hell. It’s about controlling it and putting the fear of God back in these bastards. Believe it or not, they used to have it.”
Katie rubbed her chest and grimaced, looking quickly at Calvin.
He saw her face. “You okay? Look like you have heartburn.”
Katie came forward, wincing. “My heart does feel like it’s on fire.
That’s not what it is
. It’s a warning.
“Shit. Get ready. Something’s coming.”
Chapter Nineteen
Katie groaned, her legs wobbled, and Calvin had to catch her before she fell. She could feel the strength of the approaching demons permeating the air like a bad smell. Calvin stood her up and looked concerned.
Brock ran up and took Katie’s hand, waiting for her orders. She looked at him, her eyes changing from red to ice-blue and back. “Three demons are coming from the east. They’re…big. Tell your men.” Calvin and Katie ran to protect the doctor.
Brock sprinted back to his team. “We’re gonna have contact! You see those boulders? We’re going to set up there and keep watch through the cracks. As soon as the demons approach, Turner and I take point. Cover us. I mean, shower them with bullets. We don’t want them to slip past the rock and get between the doctor and us, so our shots have to be precise.”
The guys listened carefully and got low, making their way to the boulders. Their guns were at the ready. Brock carefully peered through the crack in the rock. Just as Katie had sensed, three large demons were lumbering toward them, obviously on their trail.
Brock put his hand up to the others with a closed fist, waiting for the perfect moment. Turner crouched near one of the boulders, ready to move. Tattoos got low, lying on the ground and tracking the demons. The other team member steadied his rifle on a boulder.
The demons snorted as they approached. One seemed to sense something, and all three of them dashed toward the boulders.
Brock shouted, “Go!”
He jumped out from behind the boulders as Turner jumped on top of one. The entire team opened fire, sights aimed directly at the beasts’ heads.
The demons roared with anger and raised their hands. Bits of demon flesh flew in the air as bullets bit into their arms and hands. One snarled and leaped straight for the boulders. Tattoos aimed carefully from his spot on the ground.
He gulped in hot air, then slowly let the breath out of his lungs. His finger eased around the trigger. The shot snapped the demon’s head back. The beast fell to the ground, hissing and gurgling before he disintegrated into ash.
Another demon was quicker, he dodged around the boulders and managed to get behind the team. Brock moved fast, firing intensely. The last team member spun around and fired wildly. The demon seemed confused; he was suddenly under a barrage of bullets. He tried to escape, but he tripped over his own feet. He yelped as he fell backward over the ledge and into the lava pits below.
Brock looked at his teammate and grinned. “That’s two! One last scaly sonofabitch, boys!”
Turner was blasting the last demon with his weapon, but he couldn’t manage a headshot. The demon got close enough to grab the barrel of Turner’s weapon and push it away. Suddenly the beast was hissing in Turner’s face.
Tattoos flew out of nowhere, landing on the demon’s back. He pressed the barrel of his sidearm to the beast’s head and pulled the trigger before it could react. “Night-night, fucker.”
The demon whimpered and blew apart into a cloud of dust, dropping the tattooed soldier to the ground. Turner put out his arms and caught him, backpedaled, and landed hard on the boulders.
Turner stood and helped Tattoos up. “That was badass. And now you know how it feels to be covered in ash. Not fun.”
Back up on top of the ledge, the doctor and Alice were working really hard, trying to get everything they needed. Alice was shocked at all the information coming in. “I’ve gotten so much data. This place is more like Mars than Earth, except we can breathe.”
The doctor laughed. “And there’s no vacuum. Look at the soil toxicity levels. In reality, there should be liquid under these rocks. A sea of just radioactive materials.”
Alice walked to the cart and looked down at one of the machines. The lights were blinking rapidly, and no readings were coming out. “The spectro-sensor for hydration atmosphere levels isn’t working. I’ll open it and see if I can’t figure out what is wrong.”
She grabbed one of the screwdrivers and lifted off the lid. A plume of steam rose from under the cover. Everything was coated in steam and water. She grabbed a rag off the cart and began pulling pieces off and wiping them down. They needed that machine to tell them about the weather patterns in hell throughout the year, whatever a year was in hell.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck. If we don’t get this right, we could send the troops in on a day when acid rain falls. We could have a bunch of humans fucking melting on their way to a major battle.” Alice was slightly panicked, but she was working hard on getting the machine fixed.
The doctor continued to scan the data, adjusting dials as they went. Katie jogged up to him, clapped her hands to get his attention. “Doctor, things are starting to heat up. How much time do you need?”
He flipped through the findings. “Uh…uh, we need at least twenty-five more minutes. We are running very important tests, here. Can’t rush good information.”
Katie wasn’t expecting so long. “Shit. Okay.”
“This information will help us armor troops in the future. It’s crucial.”
“We’ll do our best, but move your asses. Demons are coming, and it won’t be long until they know exactly where we are.”
Katie turned to tell the others and stopped as Brock and his team jogged up to her. Katie could see the redness of his teammate’s eyes, not their normal demon pupils. “All right, guys, the doctor is running a vital test that will help our troops come back here and fight. We need to buy him twenty-five minutes if we can. I know you’re tired and your bodies are rejecting this, but we can do this.”
Calvin tapped Katie’s glass helmet. “You okay?”
She laughed. “I’m fine. It’s like a vacation in here compared to the last time. We need to come up with a defensive network right now. We can probably turn all this information into battle tactics when we come back.”
Brock put up his hand. “The guys and I were talking. The suits are keeping us alive, but they’re not great for fighting. Dexterity is terrible. They stick to your skin like rubber when you move and inhibit your range of motion, and we all know one moment of hesitation against these bastards can mean the difference between life and death.”
Katie pointed at the guys. “The right button on your helmet is to change comm channels. The one below that records a diary of sorts. I want you all to individually start recording your private thoughts on how to change these suits into something you would feel comfortable going into combat with. Give me everything you can think of. Need to pee but can’t? Tell me. Everything. If there’s a situation where we need to live in these suits for days, what is that going to do to us? You might technically be able to breathe out there, but you won’t last thirty seconds. You need to think of this the same way the astronauts do their suits. It’s our lifeline. Only assume we’re fighting aliens on their home planet.”
Pandora thought about it for a second. I’m going to communicate with their demons.
Is that a good idea?
Sure. They can help you. They keep their humans alive by fixing problems from the inside out. Want people to stay cool or function better? Their demons are the ones to ask.
Okay, give it a shot.
Hiedar ud gazaer, assholes. La raph qae qoht.
There was a flurry of demonic conversation, then Pandora spoke using Katie’s voice. “We are doing what we can to amp up your metabolisms, lower your hydration needs, and recycle your waste more efficiently. We’ll try to keep you going, and keep you from having to deal with things like taking a shit in the suit. It’s imperative we keep the inner workings tip-top so you can function without struggling.”
Calvin whispered to Katie, “What does she mean by that?”
Katie shrugged, “As long as they keep us all alive, I’m good with it. We can figure out the details later.”
The demon inside the tattooed soldier spoke to Pandora. I remember something from the old days that may be useful.
Pandora was a b
it nervous, considering they all remembered her horrible past, but listened anyway. The demon actually had a good idea. So, there is a modification of an early spell that will basically amp up all the inner workings of the human body and allow it to work with minimal fuel, minimal hydration, and minimal sleep. It’s like steroids for them. They’re jacked—stronger, faster, and more in tune with everything around them.
Pandora nodded excitedly. Yes, yes, I remember that spell. But it takes a lot of focus by the demon. They have to pretty much do it while simultaneously healing from battle. Here, hold that thought. I’m going to try it on Katie. She’s indestructible.
Katie perked up, hearing her name. You’re gonna try what on who?
Pandora laughed. Just chill. This will be a good thing. I hope.
Shit. Just be careful.
Why don’t we move away from the team for a second?
What? Why?
Just a precaution.
Katie walked over to the boulders, away from the rest of the team. Don’t make me explode or something. Please.
No promises.
Pandora centered herself inside Katie and pulled on the energy of hell. Zhael ya mhael oth xuihg ya ednardhy. Duzz ya chords oth yeild ya banks. Yiz suzor's xaeges lizz laent aer siks, minimal needs oz ya qiza goes xes. Aerja zes zdazz lizz xnaot ya cycle, sending ya xaeges xoyt qae cycle.
An electric shock zipped around inside Katie, moving from one part of her body to the others. Katie’s hair stood up straight on her arms, and her legs went weak. She grunted and dropped to her knees. Calvin ran up and grabbed her under the arm. “Are you all right?”
Katie shook her head and slowly stood back up, feeling refreshed, awake, and stronger than ever. She looked at Calvin with wild eyes. “Holy shit. Pandora just did some sort of crazy spell on me, and now I feel like Neo at the end of the first Matrix. The part where he flexes space and time.” Katie dashed up the boulders, flipped off them, and ran back to the rest of the crew.
Shit, yeah. I’m a fuckin’ ninja.
Pandora laughed. YES! All right, demon friends. It worked. Get to work on your guys, and don’t fuck up the words. I don’t want to have to explain that mess.
