by Michael Todd
Determined to resolve the issue, he stepped out slowly and made a scuffing noise. He deliberately tried to not be quiet. The figure jumped and spun to reveal Maps’ frightened face. Her lip twitched, and she drew her switchblade from her pocket and triggered it. Her body shifted into a crouch, and she held it out in front of her and shifted from one foot to the other.
Damian shook his head and tracked her movements. He couldn’t understand what in the world was wrong with her. Her entire body had gone stiff, and as he moved forward, she moved back. He could tell from her rapid breathing and sharp, jerky movements that she was afraid and wished he could see her eyes. Unfortunately, this was the second time in a row that he’d seen her wear a pair of sunglasses to hide her eyes.
He stopped his motions and stood in silence. She switched the knife from one hand to the other and sweat beading on her forehead. He didn’t want to test her, but he wasn’t even sure she recognized him.
With his hands up and palms outward, he stepped forward again. “It’s me. I won’t hurt you, Maps. You know me. It’s Pops—Damian. What are you doing down here?”
When he spoke his name, recognition twisted through her face, but she was obviously still not comfortable enough to lower her guard. “I don’t get it. First, you’re here—why would you be here? And second, your fucking name is written in that book.”
Damian glanced at the book and back at her. “I don’t blame you for being fearful, Maps. I promise you, this is all explainable. As far as my name goes, there is no way it is in there.”
Maps scoffed nervously. “Do you think I’m lying? Check it for yourself.”
He pressed his tongue against his back teeth, and his gaze slid to the book. Ravi, however, didn’t trust the woman. It’s a trick. Don’t do it. She’s freaking out right now.
I have to trust her for her to trust me, he replied and kept his arms in the air as he side-stepped toward the podium.
With slow, measured movements, he turned the book and ran his finger down the page. He froze as his expression settled into a startled scowl. Sure enough, at the end of the list was his name, right below Max’s.
Damian’s face contorted into complete confusion. “I don’t…I don’t understand.”
Maps studied his face and movements for a long moment before she lowered her knife. From his reaction, it was as much a surprise to him as it had been to her. Immediately, her thoughts recalled a visitor she’d met in her studio. An angel, kind and quiet, had come to help Damian through her.
He had spoken as if the words were written. “The names in that book identify those who attempt to stand against the hatred of the three wizards. Those who do not survive or who are infiltrated are given an x. Do not be fooled by the names in that book. Simply because they are listed there as allies does not mean their intentions are good. The book needs to be brought to me. It must be destroyed as the writer is not of flesh and bone. The spirit of the wizards creates it, and those imprinted into it must obey.”
She shook the memory impatiently from her head. “You’re merely a pawn in this…a pawn like so many others.”
His eyes shifted to meet hers. “What do you mean?”
“I was sent here to retrieve the book.” Maps rubbed her face, the gesture both weary and irritated. “To stop this never-ending reign of terror. I was given this medal in honor of following the righteous path, even when it was hard.” She withdrew an identical medallion to the cardinal’s and held it in her palm. “As long as I have this, I will be somewhat protected.”
Damian’s eyes flashed. “So, you are working for the good side.”
Maps closed her knife and shoved it into her pocket. “It’s not that simple. I work for no side. The evil want this book too, and to continue to help the angels, I must give it to them and hope to get it back before too much harm is done. I am, unfortunately, under their control to a certain extent. My life depends on it.”
“I just don’t understand.” He exhaled a deep breath. “What is this all about?”
Maps licked her lips and cast a quick glance at the stairwell. She stepped closer and lowered her voice. “For centuries, the three wizards’ souls have hopped from one body to the next, wreaking hell on earth and helping the demons to win control. Those on this list have been identified as having stepped up to battle the wizards. They can sense you, but they cannot tell their human counterpart. That is where the three Wise Men come into play. They were once on the right side, but riches and power blinded them and shadowed their hearts. So, when they went to fight the wizards, they were themselves infected by them.”
Aha! Ravi shouted. I fucking knew those three toads were hiding something. I could smell it on their souls. Those cocksuckers.
“What about the church and Moloch? He was in the cardinal’s letters.”
She shook her head. “Moloch was merely the idiot who originally helped the three wizards, but he grew weary of their games. By then, though, they didn’t need his help. As far as the church goes, the deception runs deeper than you know.”
“I was afraid of that,” Damian grumped. “How long have you done this?”
“Too long,” she whispered. “Twice a year, I am sent on a mission. One for the church, the other for the wizards. This year has ramped up, and because of the already tumultuous battles raging on Earth, this is the year the wizards have chosen to conjure Lucifer.”
“And this is your job for the wizards?” Damian asked.
“For both sides,” she replied. “They both want the book. The only solace offered by the angel was knowing that if I am forced to give it to them, we will retrieve it.”
He tapped his foot as his frustration and irritation mounted. “And the church members—the leaders. Do you have their names? I want to take care of this from top to bottom with no stone left unturned.”
Maps scoffed. “I am barely told my own damn name most days. I don’t know the details. And to be honest, that has been deliberate. When I was first forced into this, I tried to detective the fuck out of it, but it only made it worse on me—beatings, torture, loss of loved ones. So, I stopped, and I simply do what I’m told to do. Or at least that was the plan until I saw your name in this book. This is what the three Wise Men are looking for. They want the names so they can take you out before you even have a chance to find them.”
Damian put his hand on the book. “So, don’t take it to them. Take it to the angels.”
“Like I haven’t thought about that.” She rolled her eyes. “But not only will they kill me, but when I die, they will drag me down to hell. And there is nothing the angels could do to save me. I was marked. Those are the rules.”
Ravi spoke quietly. I don’t get it. She’s human. Why was she marked?
His gaze settled on the woman beside him. “Why were you marked?”
She looked at her hands and traced her fingers over the scars on her palms. “I come from a very long line of warriors—guardians of the world against the wizards. Centuries ago, the man who became my great, great, many times great grandfather was killed by the wizards while they were still in their original bodies. He fought alongside Gideon and Gabriel. Since then, they have tried their best to protect us from the mark. But my grandfather’s blood—the same that pumps through my veins, carries a marking to the wizards. A curse, some would say, through which we are destined to serve their will until they have succeeded in the mission.”
Well, fuck, Ravi said. This chick is a good keeper of secrets, that’s for damn sure.
Tell me about it. I wish there was a way—
Don’t even think about it, she huffed. You have your own problems right now. Like your names in that book.
Damian looked at his and Max’s names and bit the inside of his cheek. His expression grim, he grasped the top of the page and ripped downward. Maps gasped and thrust her hand out instinctively. He folded the ripped page in half, tucked it inside his jacket, and patted the pocket as if to punctuate the action.
He then shut the book and handed it to
Maps. “Take the Wise Men the book. When they ask, tell them that was how you found it. They will assume someone else found it already.”
Her frown was stiff, but she nodded and stuffed it into her bag. “I hope they believe that.”
“Have you ever given them a reason not to trust your word before?” he asked.
She shrugged. “Besides digging too deep ten years ago? No. They believe my fear is too great to disobey them. And in some circumstances, that isn’t untrue. But I have vowed that even if I have to do these things for Moloch or the wizards, or for whatever evil entity comes knocking, I will always stand up when I can. You are my friend—the only friend I’ve ever really had. And I will do this for you.”
Damian shook his head and rested his hand gently on her shoulder. “Not for me, for humanity. If I can beat them, I will, and you will be free. But even more than that, we will have saved the human race another mass casualty and possibly even extinction.”
She tapped his hand quickly and lowered her head as she shoved the center of her glasses. “We’ll see each other soon, I’m sure of it.”
Chapter Eight
Damian stepped out of the cab and tugged on the collar of his priest attire. Ravi was still stunned by what they’d discovered. Of all people, I could have been knocked over with a feather when I saw her face. I would have considered your weird, scared friend Wally before I thought of her. I still feel like something was off, though. My demon-dar isn’t working like it should be, and I think it’s the wizards.
As he pushed through the gate into the courtyard, he looked at the evening sky. There is a lot off with all of this, Ravi. There is so much to make sense of. To understand. We have battled some of the demons closest to Lucifer, but we haven’t eliminated these three wizards yet?
She sighed dramatically. Wizard demons are different. When a wizard dies, he can latch onto his magic and take it with his soul to the next dimension. While there are angelic wizards, there are also demonic ones. The yin and the yang. It has to balance, and so it does.
Why? Why does it need to be yin and yang? he grumped.
The demon chuckled. You sound like a five-year-old. I don’t know why. Because He said so. I don’t think it would make much difference to you meat sacks. We know that angels don’t necessarily do what humans think is good. They do what is necessary. So, in reality, even if there were no demons, you people would create them.
That is very deep, Ravi. Very deep—minus the meat sack part. That was unnecessary, he said with a smirk.
Damian reached the front door and used his key to let himself in. His stomach rumbled, and he looked at his watch and realized it was dinner time. The dining room light was on, so he headed there and poked his head around the door frame. Max was engrossed in the next assignment from the Wise Men. He looked up and nodded before he turned his attention back to his task.
After a moment, he raised his head again and stared at his mentor, blinked a few times, and burst into laughter. The older man stepped forward with a deadpan look on his face and his hands on his hips. “Yes, yes. I know. I always preach about how I don’t need to wear the uniform—how I don’t want to conform—but here I am, dressed in the damn thing. Go ahead, let it all out.”
Max held his hand on his stomach and nodded. “Oh… Oh, I am. I am. You look like it’s Halloween. And maybe that’s only because I know you so well now, but it’s a good thing you push back on the whole uniform thing. You don’t look nearly as scary or intimidating in the priest’s suit. The collar doesn’t match your eyes.”
Damian sighed and approached the table to pull out a chair and sit. He grabbed a handful of chips from Max’s plate. “Whatcha working on?”
The trainee looked at the papers and wiped a laughter tear from his eyes. “Oh, I’m doing research on our next target. I wasn’t sure when we would be called on to go kick their asses.”
His mentor turned the page toward him, stared at the dark robes, and raised his eyebrows as he slid it back. “I know all about that cult, actually.”
Max frowned. “You do?”
Damian nodded and flipped a chip into his mouth. “Yep. They were the ones who infected Katie a few years back.”
The young man’s mouth fell open slightly. “Oh. Will you be okay?”
He scoffed and stood. “Please. If nothing else, it will give me the motivation to kick them even harder. But there is something else I want to talk to you about. Grab your coat. I’m gonna change, and we can grab dinner at Howard’s down the street. I really want some fish and chips.”
It took only a few minutes for him to change, then he and Max headed to the quaint restaurant. The major dinner crowd had already left for the night, and they found a booth in the back corner for privacy and went ahead and ordered their food. When the waitress had disappeared to the back, Max folded his hands in front of him and waited.
Damian cleared his throat and peered cautiously around. “There has been something going on that I tried to protect you from. But now, it seems I need to tell you everything.”
The young man listened and took it all in as he related the details from the beginning. He told him about Wally, the journal, the cardinal, and the significance of the insignia. The waitress interrupted him and put the food down. It provided a much-needed break in the story.
You will make his head explode. Ravi chuckled.
He glanced up at the younger man as they fixed their food. I haven’t even reached the book part yet.
Yeah, I’ll stay in here and try not to watch.
The priest sipped his water. “So, I found a clue in one of the journal entries and followed it. That led me to a secret room within a mausoleum and in that room was a leather-bound book.”
He related the encounter with Maps and the whole story behind it. Max seemed intrigued. “Okay, so what does it have to do with us?”
Damian stared at him for a second before he replied. “Our names are in the book.”
Max stopped chewing mid-sentence. “But you said Maps was supposed to take it to the Wise Men. They wanted to see who would be coming for them.”
His mentor shook his head and retrieved the page he’d torn from the book. He unfolded it and handed it over. “I tore it out before she took it. We couldn’t let them know we were on to them.”
The young man studied the page and handed it back to him. He put his fork down, leaned back, and wiped his mouth with the napkin. “So why didn’t you simply take the whole book? We could have tried to figure this out.”
Damian could see that his companion had begun to panic. “I had to save Maps’ life. She could get away with a missing page, but not without the book. She was willing to put her life—and soul—on the line for us. I had to give her something.”
Max folded his arms over his chest and his gaze shifted suspiciously around the restaurant. He leaned forward to whisper, “If they find out, we’re… God, how did this even happen?”
The priest shuddered. “I assume it’s because I started to look for the cardinal. The wizards foretold that we would stop them. I don’t know how, but we have to do it—to stop this before it gets so bad there is no going back.”
“I honestly don’t understand.” He tossed his napkin onto his plate. “I understand you, but why me? And why did you hide this from me in the first place?”
Damian felt bad. He was right, but hindsight was a bitch. “I tried to protect you from this precise situation. Little did I know it would happen anyway. I’m sorry, Max.”
Astaroth spoke in his head. You need to breathe. There is nothing you can do about this now. And most likely, it is not even because Damian hunted the cardinal. These things are foretold years and years before they happen. It’s quite possibly the other way around.
But I can barely survive a fight with normal Damned. Now, I have to fight three strong wizards? It’s impossible.
The demon did an admirable job of remaining calm. Nothing is impossible. We will train, and you will get there. It’s better to
know now than to walk into it unprepared.
The waitress approached and smiled as she changed out the bread basket. Damian stared at his plate, but Max immediately tensed. Between two pieces of bread was a white card, similar to a business card but a little larger. It almost shimmered under the lights, and a glossy sheen seemed to hover over it in an unnatural way.
Max glanced around, but no one paid them any attention. “Uh…Damian? What is that?”
His mentor looked at him, bewildered for a moment, but followed the direction of his eyes to the card. On his side, he could see a portion of a symbol in the corner. He drew the card out and examined it, turning it back and forth. It looked like nothing more than a blank piece of paper at first glance, but he knew better than that.
Ravi sniffed. That smells like…like…wings and halos and shit. That’s holy paper. His official paper. Someone is sending you a message, dude.
Damian frowned as he studied the apparently blank missive. But there isn’t anything on it.
What about the symbol on the other side? she asked.
He squinted and turned it over. Two symbols in the lower right-hand corner immediately caught his attention. He held it closer and fixed them into his mind. One is the insignia on the medallion, and the other…
The symbol of the angel warriors from the Armies of Heaven, Ravi mumbled in a daze. This is magic paper. Well, it used to be considered that. Now, humans have a scientific way to do the same thing with ink. There is a message on it, but you have to figure out how to read it. If you are meant to know, you will.
Max wrinkled his nose. “Anything? What is it?”
Damian glanced quickly at him and, realizing he had gone off in his own world and his trainee now waited, impatiently for him to snap out of it. “It has the symbols of the Angel Warriors as well as the insignia on the cardinal’s medallion. Ravi says we have to figure out how to read it. That there is a message on it.”
His companion raised an eyebrow. “Are we talking magical words, wave of the wand? Or are we thinking more like James Bond special ink? Or maybe it’s like Harry Potter’s map.”