by Alex Siegel
Stony frowned. The PEA couldn't immediately release the girl to her parents for the same reason they couldn't release the pets. The girl's condition was unknown, and she might actually be a threat to her own family. The PEA would hold her at a secure location for weeks while observing her closely. Specially trained priests would assess her spiritual status. At least she would be safe and properly cared for.
Kane was lying on a gurney in the back of an ambulance. His broken leg was in a plastic brace. Stony and Mia ran over to talk to their friend.
"How are you feeling?" Stony said.
Kane propped himself up on his elbows. "Like an idiot, but I'll heal. You got him, right? Tell me you killed Orcus."
"He escaped."
"Fuck." Kane pounded the gurney with his fist.
"He was prepared," Stony said. "Better prepared than us, but who could've anticipated a full-grown lion in the middle of Houston, Texas."
"That was a bit of a shocker." Kane looked down. "Poor Ace. He was a good teammate, a little too wired, but fun. I'll miss him. Veronica will be crushed." He sniffed.
Stony sighed, unable to add anything else.
Another gurney was in the back of the next ambulance. He walked over to see if it was another victim, and he found the panther-woman instead. A blanket covered her body. Her pale, beautiful face was very peaceful as she slept. The sedative would keep her unconscious for several hours.
A young, male agent with black hair stood beside the woman. "Sir, who is this?" he said. "What should we do with her?"
Stony took a closer look at the woman's face. Her lips curled in a distinctly feline manner, and her ears had rounded points on top. Her iron collar fit tightly around her neck, and it was appropriate for a dangerous animal.
"She's a hostile," he said. "Put her in a cage and send her back to headquarters."
"A cage, sir?" the agent said.
"She can turn into a cat, a big, strong cat with very sharp claws. Make sure everybody is aware of that fact. Ordinary handcuffs won't do. A steel box with little holes for air might work even better. Handle her like you would a werewolf, although I don't think she is actually a true lycanthrope. She is something else. Related, but not the same."
"Yes, sir." The agent looked at the woman and gulped.
A different agent walked up to Stony and handed him a cell phone. "The director wants to speak with you, sir."
Stony stared at the phone. He had hoped to delay this conversation, but there was no avoiding it now. He waved for Mia to join him as he found a quiet spot. She shared some responsibility for the disaster and would also share in the chewing out. He turned on the speaker so she could participate.
"Stony here," he said.
"Let's hear your report," Director Robertson said angrily, "and don't spare the embarrassing details."
Stony described the events of the night in crisp, professional terms. He left nothing out. He wasn't the kind of guy who ran and hid from his mistakes. Mia clarified some aspects in a flat voice. If she felt bad, she wasn't letting the director know it.
When they were done, Robertson said, "I'm obviously disappointed. Very disappointed."
"There is no way we could've anticipated a lion," Stony said.
"You're supposed to be the Man of Stone, an unstoppable human wrecking ball. Your girlfriend is just as tough. She once ripped the legs off a ghoul, and she breathes tear gas. There is no excuse for letting a dumb animal take out half your team."
"Kane was only injured, sir."
"But he's useless for a while," Robertson said. "Worst of all, you let Orcus escape! He must be some kind of master of animal transformation magic."
"The field teams are looking for him. They might still catch him tonight."
"The chances of that are slim. He had an escape plan, and he executed it perfectly. He made you look like amateurs. We just have to pray he pops up somewhere else soon so we can get another shot at him. Hopefully more children won't die in the meantime."
Stony looked down at the ground. "What do you want us to do, sir?" he mumbled.
"Stay there for another hour or so in case Orcus is miraculously located. If that doesn't happen, come home. Ace's funeral is tomorrow morning. Have a short speech prepared."
"What about the prisoner, the panther-woman?"
"My interrogators will give her the full treatment. She'll answer every question by the time they're done."
Stony almost felt sorry for the prisoner. He exchanged glances with Mia, and she frowned.
* * *
Stony stepped off a shuttlebus. He was back at PEA headquarters in Schonenberg Air Force Base. The towering, gray walls of the Tomb were little comfort after a long, difficult night, but at least he was home.
Mia joined him and held his hand. Her warm touch made the situation a tiny bit better.
They had stripped off their combat gear and were wearing white sweat suits now. Stony had left his equipment with PEA agents in Houston. He was too tired and depressed to care what had happened to his stuff. It would find its way home eventually. It always did.
Kane was riding down on a pneumatic lift at the back of the shuttle. He was sitting on a wheelchair with his right leg and hip in a big, plaster cast. The broken leg stuck straight out and looked ridiculous. He winced when the lift hit the ground. Then he pushed his wheels and rolled over to Stony and Mia.
"Are you in pain?" Stony said.
"Not really," Kane said, but Stony could tell he was lying.
"Take a pill."
"Painkillers make me nauseous. I'll be fine once I can lay down in my nice, soft bed. How long do you think I'll be out of commission? Two weeks? Three?"
Stony looked at the big cast. The members of the third division didn't just possess strange abilities. They were also inhumanly durable, and they healed exceptionally fast. On the other hand, Kane had a broken femur, an injury that took months to heal for a normal person.
"Better not try to walk for a month," Stony said, "and let our medical staff take a long look at you. Don't be a tough guy."
Kane frowned. He was used to leading a very active life. A full month of recuperation would feel like a year to him.
A moving van parked with its rear doors facing headquarters. Two PEA agents left the cab, ran around to the back, and opened the doors. Six more agents were standing in the cargo area around a steel box.
The box had many tiny air-holes too small to even stick a finger through. It was the right size for a big dog or a woman, provided she didn't mind tight spaces. The prisoner was inside. Stony didn't hear any noises, so if she was awake, she was being quiet. She was probably smart enough to realize that screaming for help was a waste of breath. For her, the nightmare was just beginning. PEA interrogations were legendary.
He looked at a building to the north. It was very wide and flat like a big warehouse. White paint covered concrete walls which entirely lacked windows or doors. Underground tunnels provided the only access. The building was the notorious PEA prison, a special place built to contain the most dangerous kind of evil. The panther-woman would likely spend the rest of her life there. What a waste, Stony thought.
"Come on." Mia tugged on his hand. "We can squeeze in a few hours of sleep if we go to bed right now."
He nodded.
They trotted over to headquarters and entered through the front door. Two agents were waiting behind the security desk. The guards recognized Stony and Mia on sight, but they still had to go through the check-in process. Stony's badge, fingerprints, and retina were examined to verify his identity. Finally, he and Mia were let through.
They took the nearest elevator to the thirteenth floor, and Stony thought about Veronica as he rode up. He hoped he didn't run into her. He was terrible at dealing with grief-stricken women, and his exhausted, irritable condition would just make it worse. Whatever he told her, it would be the wrong thing.
When the elevator doors opened, somebody other than Veronica was standing there, but Stony had ho
ped to avoid this person too. It was Rathanael.
Rathanael held the title "Emissary and Liaison for Heaven." Robertson was the official head of the PEA, but Rathanael had the ultimate authority. Everybody on the inside knew who was really in charge.
Rathanael was a real angel from Heaven, but he sure didn't look like one. His thick, black hair badly needed a trim. Bags under his brown eyes made him appear tired, but as far as Stony knew, Rathanael didn't sleep. A black tie had a loose, sloppy knot, but at least his white shirt and pants were neat and clean. His leather shoes had worn spots on the toes. A black trench coat hung all the way down to the floor, and he liked it because it hid his wings.
He was chewing on a big wad of pink bubblegum, as usual. Stony had never had the nerve to ask the angel about his gum-chewing habit.
Stony and Mia stepped out of the elevator and nodded politely.
"I heard you had a rough night," Rathanael said around the wad of bubblegum.
"Yes, sir," Stony replied in a humble tone. "Ace died."
"I'm aware. I saw his soul leave Earth."
"But we took a prisoner. She should know a lot about Orcus."
The angel nodded as if this fact were obvious.
The hallway became uncomfortably quiet. Conversations with Rathanael always involved long, awkward pauses. Stony believed it was because the angel was immortal and didn't perceive time the same way humans did.
"Go to sleep," Rathanael said at last. "Tomorrow promises to be a busy day."
"Is that a prediction, sir?" Stony said. "A prophesy? A threat?"
The angel didn't respond. He just walked past Stony, stepped into the elevator, and pressed a button. The doors closed.
Stony frowned.
"Sleep sounds like a really good idea," Mia said.
He nodded, and they walked off towards their apartment.
* * *
Orcus looked out the windshield of the stolen car at a dark, narrow country road. The car was traveling at a steady, cautious pace, but he wasn't driving. A heavy growth of trees on both sides blocked all the stars except for a narrow strip above. The car's headlights provided the only illumination, and they just pointed ahead. The sides and back of the car were as dark as a cave. He heard the drone of insects over the engine noise, and the tiny bodies of dead insects decorated the windshield.
Angry thoughts swirled in Orcus's mind. The night had been a disaster, and he had many questions about what had happened. He intended to get answers.
He was near Jasper, Texas, which was close to the Louisiana border. Lakes and streams peppered the soggy land, which saw plenty of rain but never snow. The nearest interstate highway was a hundred miles away. Small, struggling farms were the main industry in this impoverished area. There was nothing else to do except avoid getting attacked by mosquitoes and alligators.
Orcus saw a sign that read, "PRIVATE DRIVEWAY - NO TRESSPASSING - BEWARE OF DOGS." He smiled.
"There." He pointed. "Turn at the sign. That looks perfect."
He looked at the woman driving the car. She was his slave for life, and her cursed iron collar kept her from rebelling. She was young and beautiful, of course. He prided himself on his taste in women. Her silky, blonde hair flowed smoothly over her shoulders. High cheekbones and a straight, perfect nose gave her the look of a fashion model. She kept her blue eyes pointed forward. She knew better than to meet his gaze, even when he was staring at her. She had to remain submissive at all times.
Her name—at least the name Orcus had given her—was Pomona. She was wearing jeans and a white T-shirt. He preferred his women naked, but too much bare flesh could attract the wrong kind of attention when traveling. He had to maintain a low profile while he put his life back together.
Pomona turned onto a narrow road barely wide enough for the car. Ruts and rocks made the ride uncomfortably bumpy. She slowed to a stop when the car approached a steel gate in a wooden fence. A chain and padlock held the gate closed.
"Wait here," Orcus said.
"Yes, master," she replied softly.
He got out of the car and checked the sky for light. Dawn would come soon. Fortunately, the night was still nice and dark.
He quickly climbed over the gate. Black robes tangled under his feet, but he reached the other side without falling onto the mushy ground. He looked across a lawn of weeds and dirt at a small house. The building stood on tall stone piles, a common trick in areas where flooding and vermin were a problem. A steep staircase led to the front door.
Orcus drew a knife with a long, black, serrated blade from under his robes.
Two big dogs came charging out of the darkness. They were magnificent German shepherds. Long chains attached to their collars prevented them from escaping, but they had free run of the yard. The dogs barked ferociously as they ran towards Orcus.
He whispered a few words in the harsh language of demons, and he intertwined his fingers in a specific way. The dogs immediately stopped their attack. They stood in front of him, completely motionless.
Orcus put his hands on their warm, furry heads. He extended his mind outwards until it touched the small minds of the animals. He probed their canine thoughts and memories. He molded their desires to suit his needs. An old man lived in the house, and he was alone. Kill, Orcus thought. Kill the old man.
He unclipped the chains from the dogs' collars.
The dogs immediately turned and ran back to the house. They entered through a doggy door. Ferocious barking and growling made Orcus smile.
He climbed the stairs leading to the house at a casual pace. The front door was closed and locked, so he kicked it open. He entered the house, which was really more like a shack, and he flipped on the light.
The main room had cheap lawn furniture instead of real furniture. Folding chairs were placed around a radio, probably the old man's only source of entertainment. A camp stove on a table seemed to be the make-shift kitchen.
An open door led to the only other room. Orcus glanced through the doorway and saw the two dogs tearing apart a man on a bed. Blood already covered their muzzles and paws.
Orcus spotted a keyring on a nightstand. He slipped into the bedroom, taking care not to disturb the dogs while they were enjoying themselves. He grabbed the keys, walked outside, and returned to the steel gate.
He tried a few keys until he found the right one for the lock. He opened the gate and stepped back. Pomona drove the stolen sedan into the yard and parked beside a rusty pickup truck. He relocked the gate.
She got out of the car but kept her eyes down.
"Bring the child," Orcus said.
"Yes, master."
She opened the trunk of the car. She pulled out a burlap sack with pictures of potatoes on it. The sack squirmed in her grasp, but she controlled it easily. A little boy was inside, but exhaustion and dehydration had weakened him to the point where he couldn't put up a fight.
Orcus led Pomona back into the house. After a moment of consideration, he decided the main room would do for the summoning ceremony. He pushed all the furniture to the side.
"There." He pointed to the middle of the wooden floor.
Pomona placed the squirming sack on the spot and backed away. She knelt with her head down.
The dogs had finished their task by now. Covered with fresh blood, they sat and watched the proceedings with their tails wagging.
Orcus was still holding his ceremonial knife. "In the name of Forneus," he muttered. He stabbed the sack repeatedly until he was sure the boy inside was dead.
Normally, Orcus would've drawn out the kill to appease the sadistic desires of his master, but tonight Orcus was in a hurry. He had urgent questions to ask Forneus.
Blood seeped out of the coarsely woven sack. Orcus dipped his finger in the sticky, warm fluid and drew a pattern on the floor. The design featured a star with five points decorated with arcane symbols. He worked quickly. The ceremony required fresh, wet blood.
Finally, he stood back and muttered a prayer, "Lord Satan, b
y your grace, grant me, I pray thee, the power to conceive in my mind and to execute that which I desire...."
A swirling black mist began to form in the center of the star. The dogs yipped and ran away.
The mist gradually solidified into the shape of a man. He was wearing a crisp, black business suit with a red handkerchief in his breast pocket. He had a devilishly handsome face, if one ignored the pointed eyebrows and solid black eyes. Giant bat wings flapped slowly behind him. Smoke drifted up from a smoldering cigar in his mouth.
Orcus bowed deeply. "Lord Forneus, I am honored that you answered my call. Thank you for coming so swiftly."
"You had trouble earlier," the demon said in a harsh, deep-throated voice.
"Yes, your highness. Who attacked my home?"
"The Paranormal Enforcement Administration, of course. I warned you repeatedly about them. I told you to be careful."
Orcus clenched his jaw in anger. The PEA was a secret government agency dedicated to stopping people like himself.
"Were all the PEA agents killed at least?"
"No," Forneus said. "Out of the four who attacked, only one died."
Orcus gaped in disbelief. "How? The house was full of dangerous animals with orders to attack any intruders. Flora and Diana had the same orders."
"Flora is dead. The PEA took Diana away in a box. Your 'dangerous animals' were killed."
Orcus paused to absorb the upsetting news. He had hoped Flora and Diana would rejoin him, but obviously, that wouldn't happen now. He didn't love his slaves, but they were highly prized possessions. He had spent years meticulously training them. He had taught them words of infernal power. He had shared the fruits of forbidden knowledge with his precious slaves. He had given them the extraordinary ability to not only control animals but become one. They had served him well. Losing two in one night was a bitter blow.
"But Diana is still alive?" Orcus said.
"For the moment," Forneus said, "but the PEA may still execute her. They certainly will never release her. The only way you'll see her again is if you bust her out of prison, but you'll likely fail."
"But I still don't understand how just four agents could've won that fight?"
"The assault team was not ordinary humans. They have walked the same dark roads as you. They have powers."