by Michael Todd
Gabriel stood up on the head, spread his feet, and looked up to the sky. A bright ray of sunlight parted the clouds, and he smirked as he disappeared into it. Katie blinked. “Are all angels like him? Give you a warning, but then tell you you aren’t doing your job fast enough? There are literally just two of us down here. There are millions, and probably billions of demons fighting against us.”
Pandora licked her top lip and turned to Katie, holding the Christ statue around the neck. “Hold on, did he just call me a soldier for God? Because I’m not sure I know how to feel about that.”
Katie began to giggle. “Why did I not see that coming? You know you are an angel of God, right?”
Pandora crossed her arms. “So. That doesn’t mean people can go around throwing labels out there and ruining my style.”
Katie rolled her eyes and pulled her vibrating phone from her pocket. “This is Katie.”
General Brushwood clapped his hands through the speaker. “Bravo, Katie. Not only did you take two huge demons out on television, but then you and your team have stayed to help with the cleanup efforts. Congratulations on winning this round.”
Katie puffed out her chest proudly. “Thanks, General, but I definitely didn’t do it alone. Juntto, Pandora, and later on the guys came in with Damned from around the world. It was a collective effort, but your praise and thanks definitely mean a lot to both me and Pandora.”
Pandora swung her head around. “Don’t be speaking for me, honey.”
The general laughed. “Hell, Pandora, thank you for all you did.”
Katie relayed the message and she crossed her arms, giving an approving nod. “So, I am assuming that you saw the beheading?”
He let out a stretching groan. “I did. The whole world did. You two were like superheroes. Not to mention that your blue swords looked like lightsabers.”
Katie laughed. “Brock said the same thing.”
Brushwood tapped his finger on the desk. “Is there anything you need? Anything I can help you with to take some of the stress off?”
Katie thought about it for a second. “Actually, yes. If you could get these guys a flight home, that would be great. They’ve been kicking ass out here.”
The conference room was absolutely silent. The mood was somber but nervous. On one side of the long wooden table, Calvin, Stephanie, Joshua, and Timothy sat. They shuffled papers in front of them and Timothy kept his head down, hating the idea that they were in that position. Sean was his friend, and the best dang partner he had ever had. Things had gotten so messed up, and he wasn’t even sure how.
On the other side of the table, Sean wheeled himself up and put the brakes on. He straightened the sports coat he had put on and fiddled with his tie. Glancing at Timothy, he gave him a short smile and then looked away, not wanting to see disapproval in his face. That was the worst part about it; he had let his team down. Although no one had died, the leaked information could have profound consequences if it was sensitive information.
Before anyone else could say anything, Sean mustered his courage and spoke. “Before we launch in, I want to start by saying that I am very sorry. I thought I could trust her. I thought that since I was there, nothing would happen. But there I was in my wheelchair, not even knowing what was going on behind my back. I let all of you down, and for that, I am terribly sorry.”
Stephanie gave him a kind look and then let out a deep breath. “Sean, you violated our security procedures. That is a really serious thing. Luckily, everything was locked down, but that doesn’t let you off the hook.”
Sean nodded, looking down at his hands. “I know that. I fully know that, but I want everyone here to know I was not helping Carmen. We honestly hadn’t even been friends that long, but since she was a troop, I thought we could trust her.”
Calvin tilted his head to the side. “Look, Sean, there is no doubt in our mind about your loyalty to us. We do not think even for a second that you were involved in this any more than being played by the girl. Being led to believe that she cared about you just to take advantage.”
Sean sniffed. “Thank you.”
Calvin cleared his throat. “BUT…you still violated security. Had you done that in the military, you would have been sent to the brig. But we love you like family, and we know you would never betray us.”
Stephanie nodded, and Timothy gave him a comforting grin. “So we will put you on non-essential duty for a little while as a reminder that we all have to be accountable for our actions, even if we are unaware of others’ intentions.”
Timothy raised his hand. “I have to interject here. I want to say something in Sean’s defense. He is no longer Damned. He does not have that extra cover always watching his back. On top of that, he has been injured, as a hero, mind you, and is now bound to a wheelchair. I think that makes him more than vulnerable in that situation. Shit, that would make any normal person vulnerable. Not to mention his separation from his team has taken a serious mental toll on him. He has to basically find a new life and start over. I didn’t like Carmen, but I definitely didn’t see anything like that happening.”
Calvin leaned back in his chair. “I have to say I can understand that. I was without a demon, and it was hard. It was hard to live without that extra comfort, backing, and strength. I didn’t make it as long as you have, but for those days, I was completely and utterly vulnerable.”
Sean smiled at Calvin. “But we move forward and learn from our mistakes. Is there any word on her whereabouts? Any clues to where she might have gone?”
Stephanie groaned, looking down at her notes. “It seems little Carmen has somehow completely disappeared without a fucking trace. She is like a goddamned Houdini. I don’t understand it. The good news is, she was only able to get one specific piece of information. It could have been a whole hell of a lot worse.”
25
The sky was bright blue, and the birds had started to fly back in toward the city of Rio. There wasn’t much restored by any means, but the city was working diligently to get those in need the necessary help. On that day, though, the machines and equipment were still. The soldiers, civilians, and workers weren’t anywhere in the streets. On the far end of the city near the mansions and rich neighborhoods was a beautiful green park. It hadn’t been touched by the battle or the lava that had crept through, destroying everything in its path.
Crowds were gathering, talking jubilantly to one another. There was no class separation or no negative thoughts toward one another. Everyone just gathered there in solidarity. A large stage had been erected in the center of the park, and the mayor of Rio, Carlos Acosta, stepped up to the podium. The entire crowd cheered and he waved, looking out at the battered and bruised survivors.
He pumped his fists, settling the crowd. “I want to thank each and every one of you for pausing from the hard work you have been doing to come here today and honor the heroes who made the size of this crowd possible. President Almada will be coming up soon, but first I just want you to know how proud I am of all of you. Through courage, friendships old and new, and the strength to continue, we are standing here today, looking forward to a bright and new future for Rio de Janeiro. So, without further ado, I present President Almada, the president of Brazil.”
The crowd cheered, jumping up and down and clapping. The president, a middle-aged man with a nice suit, black mustache, and perfectly combed black hair, stepped forward and put his hands together, shaking them in the air. When the crowd finally quieted, he looked at Katie, Pandora, Brock, Juntto, Turner, Eddie, and the team, and smiled.
He shook his head, still smiling. “What a blessing it is to be able to breathe the air and hug our neighbors. Today we gather here in this beautiful park, untouched by the evil that rained down on us just a couple of days ago, to celebrate our heroes. Katie’s Killers and the Damned soldiers who risked their lives, lost one of their teammates, and kept going until every last one of you was safe.”
The crowd cheered wildly. The president looked at them. �
�We owe you more than we can possibly express.”
Pandora huffed, crossing her arms and leaning toward Eddie. “Oh, sure. All the heroes. Except he forgot one.”
“Who?” Eddie whispered back.
Pandora poked her chest. “Me, you moron. Not one mention of me!”
The president turned and put his arm out. “A word from Katie herself. Thank you, Katie, from the bottom of our hearts.”
Katie walked up, shaking the president’s and the mayor’s hands. She stood at the podium until everyone had quieted. “I don’t know how to express how much these words mean to us—all of us. We do not do this for praise. We do this for the survival of our kind, of mankind. But as you stand here and pour out your praise to me, I have to tell you how much every single one of you means to me. Thank you for everything you did. At the lowest points of this battle, you are the ones who helped me. Every child, every smile, every rock thrown or elbow kissed reminded me of your compassion. That alone is what pushed me forward, and what leads me to continue to fight for this beautiful place.”
The crowd cheered again and Katie smiled, shaking her head in embarrassment. “There is something that is vital for me to remind you of. And I think it is even more important that each and every one of you remind each other of this on a daily basis. Love and care for one another. Do it without expectation, without prejudice, and without seeing anything other than a beautiful human soul in front of you.”
Katie swallowed hard, thinking of the people who had died. “We lost so many people we loved during this battle. So many people we will not even be able to bury or say goodbye to. But if we take that and turn it to anger and revenge, it will only breed hate. It will start battles between us, and that cannot happen. If we start to turn on each other, the demons will have won. We know that Lucifer will find his victory in our hatred and our suffering. But there is good news!”
Everyone cheered.
Katie laughed, nodding. “That’s right. There is good news even in these dark times. If we show each other gratitude and grace, we can never lose.”
She raised her arm and waved to the crowd, walking back over to Pandora. Juntto stepped up to the mic and a group of the kids from the bed of the truck all stood up, waving signs with Juntto’s name on them. He laughed and waved back at them. “I had the privilege of fighting with some mighty warriors during this battle. And though my teammates here are exactly that, I am talking about every single one of you who picked up a gun, a knife, a rock, anything, and fought back against the demons.”
Juntto beat his fist to his chest. “As a frost giant, I welcome you to my people. You are worthy of the greatest honors.”
He gave everyone the peace sign, but turned back and leaned into the mic. “Oh, and also, look for Cooking with Juntto, coming to a livestream near you!”
Everyone cheered and the team held their heads high, knowing that the battle was finally over.
The general tugged his jacket down, tilting the bill of his cover to block the sun streaming down on his face. His shoes glimmered in the New York light, and he gripped a folder under his arm. He jogged across the street and stopped outside the unsuspecting government building. Being suspicious as usual, he turned and glanced around, making sure that no one had followed him there.
Walking into the building, the guard immediately recognized him and escorted him to the elevator. Down they went in the quiet descending box until they hit the correct floor. The doors slid open and he took off his hat, running his hand through his white hair. The guard walked in front of him, opening the door and standing tall as Brushwood walked into the World Council’s chambers.
They had not started the session yet, and instead were sitting around talking about the victory in Brazil. The general set his things down on the front table that faced the council. He smirked, hearing one of the presidents talking about Katie and Pandora slicing the head off the old demon. “It was as if they had recreated the art of war. His head fell straight off, and his body crumpled to the ground. It was a victory a lot of us worried would not happen. I almost didn’t watch because I feared I would see her death. But no, I saw her bravery and honor more than anything.”
President Dragos of Romania banged his gavel, getting the attention of the council members. “Now that General Brushwood has arrived, I think it’s time we officially begin this meeting. World Council meeting is now in session. The first order of business is personal to me. I have not discussed it yet with you. I thought it would be better to just throw out on the floor. I am recommending that General Brushwood of the United States Army be elevated from partial member to a permanent member of the Council without delay.”
The council members whispered to each other. Dragos beat his gavel again. “The general has shown his dedication to this council and to the world. He has been on the right side of humanity each and every time. Instead of constantly worrying about his status, this will allow him to speak freely and become part of the closed-door discussions that would very much be rewarded by his presence and his expertise and knowledge. By doing this, it will allow us to share information, and he will be able to have a stronger say in the actions of the council.”
The general hadn’t been expecting this at all. He stood up, listening to Dragos speak. Dragos looked directly at him. “We have overlooked you time and time again, and then find ourselves running to you for assistance, knowledge, and wisdom. I regret not bringing this to a vote long ago. You are a cherished entity to this war and to this council. Do you accept the nomination?”
Brushwood cleared his throat and leaned toward his mic. “Thank you, President Dragos, for such a thorough and touching speech. Of course, I accept the nomination. I would be ecstatic to work with you and the council in a more grassroots manner. We can all thrive through cooperation and honesty.”
President Dragos gave a sort of smile, but his black mustache was so thick that the only way you could tell was from his raised cheekbones. “There it is. We shall vote immediately.”
Dragos went down the line, every person giving their vote. It was unanimous; they all wanted the general to join the council. It was a good step for him to be able to push a more cohesive understanding of working together toward the betterment of the world.
The council meeting lasted for more than two hours, with Brushwood sharing information that would be relevant in the building of the forts. When the meeting ended, two members of the council, China and the UK, waited behind for everyone else to leave. When the room was clear and the elevator had come back to the floor, they climbed silently inside. They rode to the top and walked straight out of the building, hopping into the same limo.
The car took off, heading through New York and over near Central Park to a small, semi-rundown apartment building. Two guards dressed in black came out, helping the two leaders from their car. The first guard leaned in, whispering, “She is waiting in room 333.”
The UK member nodded. “Very good. We are going straight up.”
The two members took one guard and left the other at the door. They headed straight up to apartment 333 and walked inside. Slowly they entered the empty living room area, stopping halfway. There was a woman standing at the window, looking out at Central Park.
The UK member cleared his throat. “Did you get it?”
Carmen turned around, her hair no longer pulled back. Instead, she wore it down in curls, and was dressed in a tight pencil skirt and a silk blouse. She walked over, her black heels clacking across the floor. She stuck her hand out, handing them the jump drive. “It has the program you wanted. It’s supposed to find something.”
The Chinese guy took the jump drive and turned to the British member, nodding his head toward her and walking to the door. He reached inside his inner jacket pocket and pulled out his gun, aiming and shooting her before she could respond. Her body hit the floor, and blood seeped out in a puddle around her.
He put the gun back into his jacket and cleared his throat. “Yes. It’s their Leviathan tr
acker.”
The Chinese representative walked back up, looking down at her. “We really should have asked the Americans about this.
“They were sitting on this information. Now, we will use it.”
The day had been full. The team had stayed at the celebration, meeting and greeting everyone there. They didn’t mind it, though; it gave them a chance to see the faces of the men, women, and children they had saved. To Katie, that was what made it all worthwhile: the souls saved.
Afterward, Brock snuck her away and they took a borrowed Jeep down to the beach. It was a cool night, but it was absolutely gorgeous out. Katie took off her sandals and held them in one hand as Brock took her other one in his. They swung their arms as they sank their toes into the cool white sands.
Katie looked at Brock. “This wasn’t much of a vacation for you.”
Brock laughed. “No, but I’m starting to realize that vacations aren’t really made for people like us. We just hang onto the small moments. I have to go back to Bahrain soon. Korbin will be chomping at the bit to get my help in things. What will you be doing?”
Katie shrugged. “I think I’m going to stay in Brazil for a little while to help with recovery. See what I can do to lift the morale of these people.”
Brock chuckled to himself. Katie smiled and bumped him with her hip. “What?”
He shook his head laughing. “Nothing. It’s just, that sounds so angelic of you. Staying to help the needy, to bring them back to their feet. No, it’s a good thing. I’m just messing with you.”
Katie giggled. “I guess between that and making flaming swords and growing twelve feet tall, I may actually be starting to get this whole angel thing down. And you know, after watching her this weekend with the puppy, the flying, and the swords, I think Pandora might actually be getting the hang of it too, although she would never admit that. She doesn’t like to reveal the best of her.”