Battle Lines (The Ethereal War Book 2)

by Greg Ballan

  Erik sighed. "Cancer. I'm sorry. How bad is it?"

  Anderson looked down at the table. "Terminal, I'm afraid. He doesn't have much time left."

  Erik reached over and placed a gentle hand on the congressman's shoulder. "When you see your dad, you tell him Erik Knight bears him no ill will. Please tell him I'm grateful, as is my wife, for the help he gave her." Erik took a breath. "Your father shouldn't be carrying any guilt over the Observers. That was all his boss' doing."

  Anderson looked up. He was struggling to maintain his composure. "Thank you, Erik. I know that will make him rest easier."

  The two men exchanged a handshake. Erik drained his coffee once again amazed at how much it tasted like the old Madame's he knew. He looked back over at the man happily typing away and felt a pang of envy. Hal looked up at him. He smiled and nodded. Erik lifted his coffee cup in a friendly gesture as he stood to leave. "It's nice to know a place like this exists. I'm gonna have to come back here."

  Anderson smiled. "Are you going to speak to Jeff's sister?"

  Erik looked toward the kitchen and sighed. "Another time, when all of this is done, I'll come back here for a visit. I have some of Jeff's personal belongings that should go to his family."

  Anderson nodded. "A prudent course of action. The door is always open Special Agent Knight. You are, after all, part of the oasis family. I remind you that God, like nature, abhors a vacuum. Look closer to home. You may find a refuge there."

  Denton stood. "Our ride is back, Erik."

  "Be careful, gentlemen. You're not just dealing with crooked politicians. You're dealing with the Devil. Up to now things haven't been going his way. He may get a bit more agitated once you start poking him in the eye with a stick."

  Erik nodded toward Anderson. "He's poked my eye, Congressman, and ethereal being or supernatural boogeyman, I intend to poke back."

  Anderson nodded. "I understand your rage, Erik, but just know the forces you're challenging. They don't tolerate mortal interference."

  Erik stood. "There's no way to recover your relic without mortal interference. Let's just hope God and his forces will have our back when the shit hits the fan."

  Anderson stood, walking the men to the door. "Good luck, gentlemen. May Light watch over you."

  ◆◆◆

  Martin kept staring at Erik as the limousine navigated the highway into DC. Erik finally turned toward his mentor. "What? You've been gawking at me the last fifteen minutes, Counselor. Get it off your chest."

  "It's nothing really." Denton hesitated. "You were awfully generous regarding Anderson's father."

  The detective stared out the window. "It didn't cost me anything, Martin and if it'll give the man some comfort in his dying days, all the better. He did help Shanda and EJ and, at this point, what good does holding a grudge do?" Erik looked over. "What does the good book say? Let he who is without sin cast the first stone, or something along that line."

  Denton nodded. "Yeah, something along those lines." He paused. "You seem to be involved with these ethereal forces more than you realize. That whole oasis revelation is pretty interesting."

  Erik scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, there was something special about Jeff's place. Now I know. Again, I'm not sure we really have a free will. Maybe we're all just puppets in some grand theatre." The moody detective sighed. "I'm not a puppet and I resent having my strings pulled. It's time to cut the cord and fly solo." Erik pointed out the window. "There's DC. We need to get our game faces on. I don't expect our friends to part with their secrets willingly."

  Denton nodded. "I don't know if our puppet masters see it the same way you do."

  Erik and Martin approached the palatial office of the House speaker. His hybrid senses buzzed. There were several non-human biometric signals emanating from human shells. "Cripes, Counselor, half the people here have some sort of supernatural imprint. I've been to DC before and have never, ever picked up on such a presence."

  Denton whispered, "I think you hit the nail on the head earlier. Molec has overturned the applecart and both sides are frantically struggling to set things right again."

  Erik walked to a receptionist and flashed his agency credentials. "I need a few moments with Speaker Collins."

  The woman studied him and her eyes fell on Denton. The old man flashed his senior bureau credentials. "We all know the speaker is in." He leaned forward. "It'll be a much easier day for everyone here if we're allowed a few moments of the speaker's time."

  The woman tapped her keyboard accessing several data screens. "I'm sorry Special Agent Knight and Bureau Chief Denton." She looked from her screen. "You don't appear to be on the speaker's calendar. Speaker Collins is booked clear through the next two weeks. I can schedule you both later on?"

  Erik shook his head. "I'm afraid that won't work for me. I'll just go in and introduce myself."

  The detective walked toward the heavy door. Two burly uniformed guards approached him. Without breaking his stride, Erik casually tossed one of the men across the foyer. The large man hit the floor hard, skidding into several clerks, knocking them over like bowling pins. The second guard reached for his weapon but Erik kicked him squarely in the chest. The guard sailed back, crashing into the heavy door, collapsing the locked barrier inward.

  Several panicked shouts erupted from the office, and four men with non-human biometric readings rushed forward. One being produced a glowing orange knife, the weapon simply materializing as he rushed toward the detective. The guard lunged forward in an attempt to push the blade through Erik's torso. He tilted his body, avoiding the thrust, and grabbed the man's wrist, slamming his other hand down on the elbow joint shattering the arm bones and joint. The sickening snap echoed off the heavy stone tile work. The guard gasped in pain as Erik slammed his elbow into the man's ribcage and tossed him like a sack into two of his cohorts. Erik spun to face the fourth man but Martin had his pistol drawn and held him at bay.

  One of the guards he'd knocked over shot back up and attacked. The man's eyes burned an angry amber as he launched precision punches and kicks at superhuman speed. Erik blocked and countered each attack, then went on the offensive. He launched a series of left jabs faster than the enhanced human could follow. Each blow cracked like a whip. The guard stepped back as blood spilled from his nose. Erik followed with a low Thai kick taking out the guard's forward leg. The powerful kick snapped the man's femur. The crippled guard fell to the floor wincing but slowly stood, hobbling, favoring his other leg. An orange, burning knife materialized in his hand, similar to the other guard's but much larger and more formidable.

  The guard leapt forward, slicing at a forty-five degree angle. Erik cartwheeled backwards avoiding the weapon. The demonic blade sliced right through the heavy door jamb and frame. Erik raised his arms. Tucked inside its sheath, his staff moaned.

  "Not now, I can handle this." The staff fell silent but Erik could sense the weapon's presence and desire for combat.

  The guard attacked again. Erik stepped forward into the attack raising his arm to block the guard's overhead strike. The detective launched a brutal open palm punch into the man's sternum. Several ribs cracked and splintered under the powerful blow. The guard's eyes popped and he gasped, wheezing as the breath was driven from his body. Erik stepped back. The guard dropped to the ground holding his ribcage, coughing up blood and some greenish fluid. The orange blade dissipated into nothingness.

  "Stay down." Erik barked. "I don't want to hurt you anymore."

  The guard looked up. His face began to change. The pale skin wrinkled and melted away revealing furrowed black flesh."

  "You will lose, Lord of Light. Darkness will rule this planet." Violet fire consumed the being, flaking off ash and withering it away.

  Erik looked down at the burn marks staining the floor. He shook his head. "We'll see, but you won't be around to know either way." Erik looked back over at Martin. "The door's open now, Counselor, and Speaker Collins' calendar suddenly has an opening. Shall we dro
p in for tea?"

  Denton took two steps forward, never dropping his weapon from the fourth guards' head. "Right behind you." Denton dropped his finger on the trigger of his Colt .45 and locked the weapon's sights on the terrified guard's left eyeball. "I'm going to turn away now, but before I do I want you to start walking away from here. I strongly advise you not to do anything stupid, and no funny orange crap popping from your hands. Nod once if you fellow my meaning."

  The nervous guard nodded, his hands dropped limply by his side. He slowly turned, his open hands held out as he walked away.

  "Very nice." Denton took several cautious steps backward keeping his weapon locked on the retreating target. "Are our other friends secure?"

  Erik nodded. "Yeah, one dead and two sleeping it off."

  Several police officers rushed into the office. Denton flashed his credentials and pointed toward the unconscious demonic guards. "These two are very slippery and strong. Cuff them in steel bracelets, not the plastic restraints." The counselor turned and joined Erik, standing like a sentinel directly outside the speaker's office. "Well, let's not keep our host waiting any longer."

  Erik smiled and they walked through the destroyed doorway, stepping over the unconscious guard.

  Several men stared open-mouthed as Martin and Erik walked into the palatial office.

  "Gentlemen, Speaker Collins is going to have to cancel this meeting." Erik pointed toward the shattered doorway and filleted door frame. "I'm sure you can show yourselves out."

  Two men and one woman looked over at Collins, waiting for the speaker to say or do something. Collins, to his credit, didn't seem panicked. He made a small gesture with his right hand. "That's all right. We'll finish this discussion later this afternoon. Tell the President I'm not budging on the spending bill and if he wants his rider attached, he needs to play ball and get with the program."

  The woman nodded. "I'll pass along your message, Mr. Speaker, but we have the votes to uphold a veto. You must know that."

  Collins smiled a shark-like grin. "Ahhh, Ms. Vinsen, you should know by now it's never over until all the votes are counted."

  "And everyone's been bribed or blackmailed." Vinsen stood gathering her briefcase and papers.

  Collins dramatically put his hand over his heart. "You wound me, Madame."

  The three filed out of the speaker's office clearly not happy about something. The woman glanced up at Erik. She studied the damage done by the two men. "Smack him one for me if you feel so inclined."

  Erik studied the cocky man behind the desk. He looked down at the frustrated woman. "I'll take it under advisement, Ms. Vinsen."

  Denton slipped his .45 into its holster and approached the table seating himself directly across from the senior congressman. "Mr. Collins, we have some questions for you regarding a particular theft of a very valuable object."

  Collins' upper lip stiffened. Other than that, there was no facial expression. Erik detected a wave of discomfort despite the man's effort to remain calm. The House Speaker was not going to be rattled so easily.

  "Well, I do like a dramatic entrance, Special Agent Knight, and greetings Mr. Denton. Word on the street is you're retiring."

  Erik raised an eyebrow as he took a seat next to Martin. "I'd rather have made a more peaceful entrance, but your receptionist was less than hospitable, as were your guards."

  Collins looked over Erik's shoulder as one of his men began to stir.

  "Tell him to take a break, Mr. Speaker. There's been enough fisticuffs for one day."

  Collins appeared to be weighing options. The detective knew he was considering the odds of having more of his demonic security unleashed.

  "Special Agent Knight vaporized a wraith not too long ago and sent several other major demonic players back to Hell. I don't think you want this place reduced to a pile of rubble." Denton leaned forward. He too knew what was going through the speaker's mind.

  Collins leaned back and addressed his guard. "Bruce, take a long lunch. See if the men outside need medical attention and have Colleen clear my calendar for the next hour or so. Also, get a crew up here to fix my door and polish the tiles where Hank met his demise."

  The shaky guard nodded and disappeared.

  "Okay, gentlemen, you have my attention." Collins stood and made his way toward a wet bar and began mixing a large drink. He turned back toward Erik and Martin and raised a bottle of very old Scotch. "Gentlemen?"

  Both shook their heads.

  "Your loss. Discussions are always better over a good drink. Collins resumed his seat. "Now what's so all-fire important that you had to kill and cripple my guards and interrupt a budget bill meeting?"

  Denton leaned forward. "Erik, if I may."

  Erik nodded, happy to let Martin begin.

  "My son was murdered along with two other clerics in Vatican City not too long ago. During our investigation of that murder, we discovered the theft of a very special relic that holds a great deal of significance to certain elite forces that are waging a stealth war on this planet."

  Collins sipped his drink, studying Denton with ice-cold eyes.

  "We were able to apprehend a few bad apples during our visit in Vatican City. Several clergy are sweating out their sins in a penitence prison at the basement of Vatican City as we speak. In exchange for not being turned over to a divine judgment, they sang like canaries. Your name was on top of their song list, Mr. Speaker. You and a certain senior senator seem to be playing outside of your league with some very dark forces."

  Collins' face set to stone. He took another sip of his drink, taking time to compose his response. "I don't know what you're talking about, Agent Denton. I have no dealings with the Vatican nor do I have any interest in the fairy tales spun by some delusional cleric whose only past time was probably diddling altar boys."

  "Your guards reek of ethereal influence. Two of your men produced blades from thin air, Congressman." Erik sat back in his chair. "If you want to do this the hard way, I have no problem." Erik tensed his hand and a burning blue ball of plasma the size of a small pearl materialized. "You must know what I'm capable of, Mr. Collins. Today isn't the day to try my patience." Erik snapped his arm forward like a cobra strike. The micro plasma ball slammed into the wet bar. The bottles and the entire bar were enveloped in blue energy. Bit by bit they vaporized as the burning energy ate away the molecular structure vaporizing the plaster wall behind the structure as well.

  Collins' face tensed. A bead of perspiration formed on his brow. "I know who you work for. I know who pulls your strings." A burning ball the size of an orange materialized in Erik's outstretched hand. The ambient heat from the energy caused both Martin and Collins to shield their faces. "A projectile of this size will vaporize the entire back wall and keep going for several yards." Erik turned the burning sphere on the House speaker. "Or it can vaporize you as well. You and your friends have a soul bounty out on my son and you've attacked my wife and ruined my home and my business as well as crippling several decent people in my employ." The plasma sphere continued to intensify. The papers on the table next to Erik burst into flame. "I'm not in the mood for games of deception or intrigue, Mr. Speaker. You either tell me what I want to know or I'll send your soul to Hell right now and you can spend eternity in some real fire. Are you willing to die right now, today? Because I'm more than willing to kill you and anyone else that's a threat to my son and my wife." The fire spread to more papers. The expensive mahogany wood began to smoke and char. Collins was visibly shaken as Erik brought the burning sphere closer to his face. "Five, four…."

  Denton batted out the burning papers. He looked over at the now-terrified politician. "For Christ Sake Collins, do you really wanna die today?"

  "Three, two…." Erik's arm tensed.

  Collins broke. "All right, all right!" He flinched, backing away from the burning weapon. "Just make that thing go away!"

  Erik relaxed and willed the agitated ions to disperse. Collins shook his head. "We didn't put the soul bou
nty on your son. We just want the boy detained so he can't take possession of the cross. Molec put the mark out on your kid."

  Denton leaned forward. "Go on."

  Collins leaned toward the counselor and whispered, "I got the call informing me that Lucifer wanted the cross." He pointed toward a phone sitting alone on a glass table. "Whenever I get ethereal instruction it's from that phone. I don't question the orders. I just do what I'm told. So when I was told to arrange the heist, I needed a mercenary that knew Vatican City and had an axe to grind against the Church."

  "Lazarus," Denton snarled.

  "Yes, my associates recommended Lazarus. No sane man or woman is going to go into Vatican City to steal. Even as immoral as humans have become, there are still some lines most crooks won't cross, if you'll pardon the pun." Collins took another sip of his drink. The man was sweating. "Lazarus was ideal—an excommunicated priest turned to the darkness and doomed to live outside all he held so dear while he lived. Father Lazarus was the perfect mercenary and he jumped at the chance to take some vengeance against the papal dynasty and the very church that betrayed him."

  "Did you tell him to kill?" Denton's hands balled into fists.

  "Hell no! Just the opposite, in fact. We wanted stealth—an in and out operation. Our agents in Vatican City staked out St. Martha's Chapel for weeks, studying the comings and goings of the staff and clerics. Nobody was supposed to be in that chamber. It was supposed to be a simple smash and grab. I acquired the stealth garb so he could get inside despite his particular affliction and get the job done, then get out unseen. What good is taking something of such value if those you robbed immediately know it's missing? Especially if your marks are the forces of Light." Collins tone was desperate.

  "I didn't think stealing this thing was wise but I wasn't going to question my superiors. When Lazarus returned with the relic, he was vaporized by one of our employers for his brash, cold blooded murders. The vampire was a good thief but we couldn't risk him compromising us or indicting us in this theft. This was a huge rule violation and the implications are catastrophic to both sides. It was at that point we realized the orders we received weren't legitimate. Believe me, I expected to get incinerated right there on the spot. Our side is less forgiving and tolerant of failure. We can only figure that somehow Molec was able to influence somebody higher up in our organization. And I know everyone is being thoroughly vetted from the lowest congressional staffer to the highest ranking officials."