by Erik Lynd
“But we haven’t even told you about the priest. You said you tried to get a hold of him. Don’t you want to know what happened?” Silas asked.
“Of course, yes what did Delentante say?” Lily asked. She was flustered, and Silas was sure what she wanted most was for them to leave.
“He’s dead,” Silas said. “Murdered.”
The blood drained from her face.
“Doug is dead too, murdered in the same cavern the carvings were found.”
She fell back into the chair eyes wide in shock. “No,” She said in a whisper.
“Yes. These books are on Native American culture alright, but they are not really all scholarly works, are they? I think many of these you could find in your local new age shop. They’re all about Native American shamanism and occult.”
She sat there, stunned. “I didn’t want to think he was dead, and since the priest was alive I thought there was a chance.”
Silas grabbed one of the chairs, pun it around and sat on it, folding his arms across the back.
“I think Lily--can I call you Lily?--I think, Lily, that you did go back down there, and I think you saw something that made you think there might be some truth to these silly little new age stories,” Silas said. “Abigail, I think the Pale might be lifting from this one too.”
Abigail put her hand on Silas’ arm then said to Lily, “I know this is hard Lily, but we need you to tell us the truth. You have to trust that no matter what you say, we will believe you.”
“Yeah, and we are probably the only ones,” Silas said.
Abigail squeezed his arm hard. “Gently, Silas.”
“The next day, when he had not come back I went down there. I thought maybe he was hurt, it is not always safe down there; he might have broken a leg or something,” Her voice was shaking and she looked up at them. “I saw the blood--blood everywhere. There was so much of it. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t see Doug anywhere, just blood. So I panicked and ran. Blindly at first, and I ran down some tunnels I had never seen. That’s when I saw them.”
“Them?” Abigail asked, but Silas was pretty sure he knew who ‘them’ was.
Lily nodded. “I noticed moving light ahead so I slowed down and I don’t know why, but I turned off my flashlight. Maybe it was all the blood, but it just didn’t feel right so I turned it off just in case. When I turned the corner a saw a large, open cavern filled with… with…”
“Overgrown iguanas?” Silas offered.
“You’ve seen them too?”
“Yes we have, and we can tell you more, but please continue with what you saw,” Abigail said.
“Well there were hundreds of these things just sort of wandering around the cavern. It might have been feeding time because it looked like many were eating raw meat, and I saw dogs and other animals being brought in cages,” Lily said with shudder. “There was only a little light, mostly from torches and flashlights that the few humans amongst them carried. I’m not even sure they were humans since some of them looked as if they were in the beginning stages of transforming into one of the creatures.”
“They didn’t see you?” Abigail asked.
“No. When I saw those demons, I took off. I’d been running blindly, but I found my way back to somewhere familiar then I got the hell out of there. I haven’t been back since. I couldn’t tell the police the truth about the monsters, they would have thought I was crazy and never even try to find Doug, so I told them that I had seen some large wild animals down there. Unfortunately, I think that accomplished the same thing. When I mentioned it, they sort of shut off and stopped taking notes. That’s also why I didn’t tell you. I just assumed you would think I was crazy.”
“So you’ve been trying to research this on your own ever since?” Silas asked.
“There has to be a connection. Lenape artwork, monsters underground that could easily be interpreted as evil underworld spirits. It seemed like Shamanism might be involved. The Lenape and Native American cultures have a strong connection with the underworld, and there are some ancient Lenape stories that speak of a great monster trapped under the earth.”
“Not to burst your bubble, but we have reason to believe that these creatures are a recent addition to the sewers of New York,” Silas said.
“But there is that Native American who showed up at the bar, and Delentante spoke of one being there when he was attacked. There might be some other connection,” Abigail said.
“Native American?” Lily asked confused.
Silas sighed, “Go ahead and tell her. She knows a lot already.”
Abigail began telling her what had happened with Delentante, setting the interrogation in the real world rather than the otherworld. No point in confusing her any more than she already was.
“And then Delentante was killed by one of these lizard things?” Lily asked.
“Yes, shortly after we left the room,” Silas lied.
“Is there any way you could draw up a map to the location you saw the carvings or this cave full of the creatures?” Abigail asked.
“You guys are going down there?” Lily asked.
“Yes, we have to. It’s only a matter of time before these things get out of the Undercity and start terrorizing people. There have already been some encounters up here. Those humans you saw are the leaders organizing them. That is one of the reasons we were asked to investigate.”
“But you don’t understand, these things were monsters--claws, sharp teeth--the whole nine yards! They already killed Doug. If the Vatican has evidence we need to call the police, hell the National Guard. There was an army of those things down there.”
“We know. We can’t call the government because we don’t have any real evidence other than the three of us as witnesses,” Abigail said.
“So the two of you are going down there and try to stop them yourselves?”
“Yep. That’s the way we roll,” Silas said. “So if you could just whip up a quick map or directions, we can be on our way.”
Lily leaned back in her chair, the shock and sadness gone from her face. She glanced around at all the books and papers sprawled around her office and seemed to come to a decision.
“No. I want you to take me with you,” she said.
“What? Hell no! This is going to be extremely dangerous! You saw those things. The last thing we need is to be babysitting a civilian,” Silas said.
“You said it yourself--Silas, was it? You said it was the discovery of a lifetime. My specialty is not Native American culture, but a chance like this, to find a real link between stories of the underworld and reality? This is the type of things academics live for. I can’t pass up this chance.”
“Fine, but only as far as the carvings. Then you go topside when we continue,” Abigail said.
“Now wait a minute…” Silas began.
“Deal,” Lily said. “When are you planning this journey?”
“This is crazy Abigail…” Silas tried again.
“Immediately. We have to stop them before sunset tomorrow,” Abigail said, and when Lily raised a questioning eyebrow, she reluctantly continued. “We have reason to believe that they are planning on coming to the surface to attack the city tomorrow night.”
“I think there’s a lot more you’re not telling me,” Lily said.
“We will tell you more in the limo, but we need to get moving,”
“A limo?”
“We ride in style, one of the perks of saving the world,” Silas said, giving in.
“Give me a moment and I’ll meet you outside.”
They left her leafing through a few folders on her desk. As they exited the building, Silas couldn’t help but feel that bringing her along was a bad idea.
Silas dropped through the manhole first. The small tunnel was lined with pipes and electrical conduit. The air smelled musty and cool. A breeze was moving through the tunnel carrying the faint scent of sewage. He was again surprised by how much the sights, sounds, and smells of New York could remind
him of home.
“All clear,” he called up to Abigail. Although they hadn’t expected any trouble this close to the surface, there might have been a city worker checking the tunnels. They did not want to have to explain what they were doing skulking around in darkness.
He heard Abigail drop down silently behind him. There was a click and light filled the tunnel from her head lamp. The head lamps had been Lily’s idea. She had come out of the building carrying a large duffel bag full of what she called “urban exploring gear”. In the limo she had pulled out the pieces of equipment one by one and explained how they worked. They tried to divvy it up three ways, but Silas refused to wear or carry the gear, especially not those ridiculous head lamps.
“I can see just fine in the dark,” he had said.
“It will be pitch-black down there; no human can see in that kind of inky darkness,” Lily had said.
“I agree,” Silas had said and looked away. Now would probably not be a good time to tell her that he was a demon. She would learn soon enough. She had shrugged, and the ladies had separated the gear two ways.
Now under the streets, the bobbing light threw off his dark vision. Great.
Lily dropped down less gracefully than Abigail.
The only gear he had agreed to wear was the small ear piece and tracking pin that Mort had given each of them. It allowed communication with Mort, as well as each other, if they should become separated. They were sophisticated, and Mort assured him they would work through the tunnels despite the large amounts of concrete and dirt between them and the surface.
“Mort, you hear me?” Silas asked.
“Yep. Loud and clear. I have disabled the few security cameras in your tunnel and will turn them off as you guys move, but I won’t be able to alter any unknown or magical security. The tracking devices are working great too.”
Silas frowned at that. He hated having to wear the tracking device; it made him feel like Big Brother was watching. At first he had refused, but Abigail convinced him it was more for them than him. So they could locate him if they became separated.
Silas stepped aside and let Lily take the lead. “We have to go deep. We follow this tunnel to where it meets with a larger access tunnel; then from there we enter the subways.”
Silas looked around as they walked, but he didn’t recognize the area. He had been to the Undercity many times in his stay here in New York. Of all the areas of the city, it was perhaps the closest to the Pale. Many supernatural entities and groups called this realm home. The humans-- “mole people” as they are referred to by other humans--that live down here walk a fine line between the normal world and the world where things go bump in the night. Many of them interacted with the supernatural daily.
It also hosted the Bazaar, an area deep in the underground that served as a sort of black market for the supernatural. Alchemy, magic, occult services, really good chow mein--all could be found in the grand Bazaar. But that visit would be for another adventure; for now he had to keep Lily away from the more radical areas of the Undercity.
Occasionally they came across a small group of homeless people living along one wall in a particularly large tunnel. In these upper areas many of the homeless did not know of the other world around them. They were the most recent additions who believed that poverty and hunger were as bad as it got and for many that was the truth.
They passed through several more tunnels, leaving the homeless behind, then down stairs, that led them deeper into the Undercity. The tunnel opened into a large, abandoned subway station.
“Do you hear that?” Abigail asked.
Silas did, and he also thought he knew what it was.
“Like a rattling sound.” Lily said.
There was indeed a rattle sound coming from a side passage, but Silas didn’t think it was a threat. And he was right. A light appeared at the end of the tunnel and was soon followed by a woman pushing a shopping cart. She turned as she left the tunnel oblivious to them standing there.
“An alchemy merchant, I suspect, heading to the Bazaar,”
“Bazaar?” Lily asked.
“Merchant,” Silas called to the woman. “Do you have any Molcaen dust?”
She stopped and looked back, squinting in puzzlement.
“And who be you?”
“A customer, if you have what I’m looking for.”
“And what do you be wanting with Molcaen dust? Trying to poison a werewolf, or perhaps turn yourself into a woman?”
“What?” Silas said. He knew about use of it to poison a werewolf, but not about the sex change thing. “No, no. Neither of those, I just have my uses.”
“And I wouldn’t be an ethical apothecary if I didn’t ask the intent of my more potent ingredients,” she said.
He almost laughed. “I have cash,” he said instead.
“And then I have what you need. Come closer. I have it here in my basket. How much you be needing?”
“All that you have.”
That made her pause.
“And that will be expensive; I have at least six ounces,” she said eying him again cautiously as he approached.
Silas pulled a money roll from his pocket. “Last time I checked Molcaen dust was going for two hundred an ounce. Is that still the rate?”
Her mouth widened into a great smile. “And yes it is. Still be quite rare; if it had more uses it would be a lot more expensive.”
Silas peeled off a few bills and handed her the money. She pulled a small pouch out from her bags.
“And I throw in the leather bag for free, because that is the kind of merchant Helatia is.” She looked up into his face and frowned.
“And are you the one they are calling Silas?”
Silas was caught off guard, “Yes.”
“And Phil be looking for you. I’d stay away from the Bazaar if I were you,” She said.
“Ah he must still be mad after that incident years ago. Can’t believe he’s still upset about that.”
“And they be saying you killed his five children.”
“Well yes. But they were all assholes,” Silas said.
“And that is true. I best be going now. Like I said, stay away from the Bazaar. And if you come, watch your back.”
She pushed her cart and wandered off down a side tunnel.
“Who the hell are you guys?” Lily asked. “Did you really kill some guy’s kids?”
“Yes, but they were adults at the time,” Silas said. “And they were trying to kill me.”
They had told her as much as they could on the ride over, but in the grand scheme of things that wasn’t much. She knew that there was something dangerous and not really of this world lurking beneath the city streets. Some of their vague answers had pissed her off. She didn’t believe most of it, which they had expected, but since she had seen evidence of the monsters with her own eyes she was convinced at least some of what they said was true. If she decided to bolt now they would be in trouble without a map.
“What did you need that dust for?” Abigail asked.
“I’m hoping we don’t need it, actually.”
“I am serious. I want to find out what’s going on, but this is crazy! Who the hell are you?” Lily asked, angrily this time.
“We told you we are agents for the Vatican investigating unexplained phenomena and the murder of one of our priests…” said Abigail.
“Yeah, yeah. You said that all before, but this is bullshit. I want to know WHO you are right now, or I don’t go another step and you can find the carvings all by yourselves.”
“I’m a demon summoned from hell. This is St. Abigail. She’s a Saint returned from the outskirts of heaven. We work for the Holy Roman Inquisition and are humanity’s greatest, and perhaps only, hope for survival as we approach the coming apocalypse. Our primary job is protecting humans from evil, supernatural entities that grow stronger by the day. Oh yeah, and I’m also a singer in a rock and roll band that plays in a bar off Thirty-eighth,” Silas said.
Lil
y said nothing, her mouth wide open.
Silas smelled something rancid just before hearing the faint scurrying sound. “Quick, get into the tunnel.”
“Why?” Abigail asked. Lily was still looking stunned.
“Goblins. A lot of them.”
“Goblins? This close to the surface?”
“Yep. I would know that smell anywhere,” Silas said and grabbed Lily’s arm, pulling her toward the tunnel.
“Goblins?” Lily squeaked.
“Yeah. Disgusting little creatures, but vicious as hell. If they see us it would be like walking into a family of honey badgers,” Silas said.
Abigail jumped down into the train tunnel and Silas followed, dragging Lily with him. He switched off Lily’s head lamp just as the goblins rounded the corner. It was a small tribe, maybe ten or twelve carrying torches. They stood about four or five feet tall with skin pulled tight against their heads and bony joints. Each carried a large knife or sharpened piece of rusty metal at its side. With their long arms and short, stocky torsos they looked like green, emaciated monkeys.
Lily was about to scream, so Silas pulled her close and covered her mouth with this hand. She screamed into it and began to struggle. He clamped down tighter and held her still with his arm wrapped around her body.
“Quiet, or you’re dead,” he whispered into her ear. He could probably take on the whole tribe and survive, although it would not be pleasant, but they were quick and he wasn’t so sure he and Abigail could keep Lily from being torn to shreds in the process.
Lily grew quiet in his arms.
The last goblin in the group paused and looked around as the rest headed off down a side tunnel. He peered down the dark train tunnel. Goblins’ vision in the dark was almost as good as Silas’, but he hoped they were well concealed behind the concrete wall.
The creature sniffed the air a few times and took a handful of steps in their direction. Silas prepared himself to make it quick; he didn’t want to risk the rest of the tribe hearing their friend and come running back. But the creature just sniffed a few more times before running to catch up with its friends. It was probably confused by the smells at this level. Goblins usually roam much deeper where there are fewer human civilians roaming about.
