by Michael Todd
“Man,” Eric said, “that looks like it hurts.”
“You think?” Jeremy retorted, eyebrows high.
“I…um…left my med kit at the base. When we get back, I’ll get you taken care of,” Eric told him.
“I’m probably going to need a couple stitches too,” Derek mentioned from up front. “One of the demons got me good in the shoulder. I’d rather get it taken care of now than get an infection.”
Katie glanced at Korbin. She could tell that he was listening intently and trying to keep his anger at bay.
Eric was the team medic—the guy who should theoretically have everything the team needed with him at all times.
Instead, he had been too worried about finding his own fucking demon to infect himself with to tend to the needs of the team.
Katie could tell by the look on Korbin’s face that he was gonna make sure Eric never made that mistake again.
“Let me ask you a question, Eric,” Korbin said, turning around in his seat. “If Jeremy had been fighting the demon and that laceration had severed his leg, do you think he would have survived the flight back and the drive to the base?”
“No, I suppose he wouldn’t have,” Eric said. “This was my first time out and I, uh…I guess I got a little ahead of myself when we were rushing to leave.”
“Your mistake could have meant someone else’s life.” Korbin allowed a bit of the anger to seep into his voice. “You aren’t thinking about anyone but yourself right now. I don’t know if you came here to find a demon or to be part of this team, but you better get your head on straight before someone dies. Do you really want that on your conscience?”
“Of course not,” Eric admitted, irritation in his voice. “I made a mistake, and it won’t happen again.”
“It better not,” Korbin finished, turning back around.
“Look, we’re a team here, and we all have our responsibilities. Yours is to make sure that we are taken care of medically,” Derek said, not taking his eyes off the road. “We have to be able to trust you.”
“And you will be,” Eric replied.
The two SUVs pulled through the gate and parked and everyone filed out. When they started to unload the gear, Katie patted Eric on the shoulder and gave him a smile to let him know she knew how it felt to be the odd man out. He sighed and shook his head. When it was Katie’s turn to grab a bag to take it inside, Korbin stopped her.
“Come with me. I wanna show you something.” Korbin nodded off to the side.
“I got this.” Derek nudged her out of the way with a grin. “Go see what the big man has to show you.”
Katie put down the bag and followed Korbin out the side door. She put her hand up to the side of her face to try to block the blowing sand that was moving with the wind across the desert.
Korbin led her around the side of the building and down the walkway toward a cluster of buildings that she hadn’t been to before.
When they reached the intricate wrought iron gate, Korbin stopped and pulled a thickly populated key ring from his pocket. He fiddled through the keys for a while before stopping at an old-style iron key. He glanced at Katie for a moment, then unlocked the padlock and pulled the chain through the bars of the gate.
The gate creaked and moaned as he pulled it open, and for a moment it hung up. Korbin got a better grip and yanked it open, then walked forward into an area that at one point had obviously been some sort of garden. Katie wasn’t quite sure where he was taking her, but after the showing in the car she wasn’t about to question him.
He stopped in front of tall metal doors. It was dark out, but the light from the adjacent buildings illuminated the space enough to show its true form.
“I think you’ll find this helpful,” Korbin said with a smirk.
The outside of the building was relatively plain. It had two levels and was built of sand-worn red brick, but it had absolutely no charm to it whatsoever. Korbin pushed open the doors, letting just a bit of light inside. He pulled off a flashlight he had clipped to his harness and clicked it on before continuing inside, leaving Katie standing in the doorway.
Katie squinted into the darkness to figure out where Korbin had gone. She heard a click as the breaker was thrown, and suddenly lights illuminated the space. It was over twenty thousand square feet, with tall ceilings, concrete floors, and a completely open floor plan.
Korbin came out of a hallway and waved her over to him. “This part wouldn’t be good for you. Follow me.”
“All right.” Katie stepped inside and stepped lively to catch up to him.
They walked across the space to another door, and when Korbin opened it there was a large staircase descending downward.
The two of them took the stairs quietly, but Katie kept glancing around, waiting for a demon to jump out. When they reached the bottom there was another door, and when they stepped inside, Katie nodded in understanding.
Korbin pointed to the open space, which smelled a bit like old oil. “This area is about three thousand square feet. It’s considered the basement, and that far wall is exactly five feet of soil and rock from our building,” he told her, turning to her and smiling. “With maybe three days of work—give or take, depending on calls— we would have a secret way to get into the building and back out again. We would have to do it ourselves, though. We can’t let the higher ups know about it.”
“I understand,” she said, narrowing her eyes and staring around the space.
There was definitely enough lighting, and they could clean it up to the point where Joshua could live down here if he wanted to.
She didn’t imagine that he would need that large of a living space, but he would have to be protected just as thoroughly as the product would be. Without him there was no product, and from his reaction to her having a demon inside of her, she was pretty sure he would feel more comfortable on his own anyway.
“We can store the product here, and if anyone tries to get in, we pull it and make it look like not much was in here,” Korbin declared. “We could put all the weapons inside lockers on wheels to get it out quickly.”
“I want this place to be safe for Joshua,” Katie told him. “He is just as important as the product—and arguably more critical.”
“Understood.” Korbin nodded. “This is probably safer than any other area of the base. Nothing I’ve given the higher-ups mentions these buildings.”
Katie looked at him. “I appreciate this, Korbin.” She chewed the inside of her lips in thought. “This is exactly what I need to make this work, and it will be good for all of us.”
Korbin nodded, and looked around the space as if he hadn’t been in there in years.
Katie walked over to the far wall and imagined a large door leading to a tunnel—a secret passage from the weapons to the base. This was the perfect place to have something like that. Something important—sacred even—and she wasn’t considering the money in her equations.
“The tunnel is on you, right?” Katie said with a smirk, one eyebrow raised.
Korbin chuckled as he looked down at the knife in his sheath. He fiddled with it for a moment before looking up at Katie.
She cleared her throat uneasily.
“Yeah,” he told her. “I’ll pay for the tunnel. You just make sure it stays secure, and that this kid is doing what he says he can do.”
“Oh, no doubt,” Katie replied. “I’ll beat him into submission.”
Korbin looked at her with a furrowed brow.
“I’m kidding.” She laughed. “Fuck, this kid is scared enough. I don’t think I’ll have to do anything but walk into the room and he’ll fold. He about pissed himself when he realized he had made a deal with a Damned.” She narrowed her eyes and pointed a finger. “But you guys have to be nice to him. He’s good people, I can tell, and his pops was on one of the teams.”
“I’m not the one to tell that to.” He waved a hand. “Your boys are the wild ones.”
“My boys?” Katie laughed. “You’re the boss,
boss.”
It’s about time you stopped talking about that stupid fucking job and got back to base, Pandora growled. I have some serious soaps to catch up on, not to mention that there was an all-new Make A Deal on today. I want to see what kind of slutty costumes they all wore this time.
I have things to do, Katie said, walking to the elevator. We just got back.
And I have been waiting patiently all damn day, Pandora told her. So, what do you think? Where did John go? Do you think he skipped town? Or do you think he went back with that skank Terry? I bet you he went to the skank. Men can’t refuse a fucking skank. She was so obvious with her tight skirts and the way she batted her eyelashes at him. She tried to lie and say she was done, but dammit, I know better than that. Men like him always end up with the whore before they end up with the good girl, who ends up with sloppy fucking seconds.
Katie ignored Pandora’s ramblings about the soap. Katie had been the first one to get hooked on it, but now Pandora constantly talked about it, which made it much less enjoyable for Katie.
She just shook her head and exited the elevator on the main floor. The guys were all relaxing, except Damian, who had gone to the chapel. Jeremy was sitting at the table with a bandage around his arm and a sandwich in his mouth.
“How’s your leg?” Katie asked.
“Not bad,” he said. “Eric is actually really good at that stitching shit. He put some medicine on there and I barely felt it.”
“Good.” Katie chuckled, looking at Derek and Eric.
Derek was straddling a chair backward and had his shirt off. Eric was leaning over him and pulling together a pretty sizeable gash in his shoulder, threading the needle through his skin. Derek didn’t even flinch. He just stared down at his phone, perusing his social media page and laughing at stupid pictures like nothing else was going on.
“And how are you?” Calvin asked, walking out of the kitchen with a plate of food. “You hungry? I made some spaghetti.”
“No.” Katie smiled. “Thanks, though. I’m doing okay. Just glad to be back home.”
“Will I eventually think of this place as home?” Jeremy asked.
“Yeah, if you don’t go getting your arm chopped off.” Katie floated him a quick grin.
“What happens if I do?” he asked with worry in his eyes.
“We use you for practice,” Calvin deadpanned.
“You guys are horrible,” Katie said, shaking her head at Jeremy’s terrified look. “We really don’t know. That’s never happened, and we would like it to stay that way.”
“Right,” Jeremy said, throwing a chip at Calvin. He caught it and tossed the chip into his mouth.
“All right, guys, I’m downstairs if you need me.” Katie waved and walked toward the elevator.
“That’s why she’s the best,” Calvin said to the rest of the guys as she was leaving. “She never stops.”
Or because she has me, you fucking blubbering idiot, Pandora grumbled. I swear these fuckers haven’t a damned clue.
Calm down, Katie told Pandora as she made her way down to the gym.
When Katie reached the training area she flicked on the lights and looked around the space, not used to being there without the guys.
She shrugged off the weird feeling and headed to the weight benches to start her workout. First, she did her arms, since her upper body strength needed the most improvement.
You are such a bleeding meat socket, Pandora mumbled. You are purposely not letting me watch my shows. I think you like to torture me.
Stop being so dramatic. Katie sighed. I have got to get stronger. Better, even.
Why? I am the muscle behind this whole thing. Pandora scoffed.
Because the stronger I am, the more I can use your strength, Katie replied. Besides, you need me to stay alive so you can get your vengeance on T’Chezz.
Oh, Pandora whispered. You heard, and understood that, did you?
Uh, yeah! Katie grunted her laughter as she pushed the bar back up. You may have been in charge at that moment, but I saw, heard, and felt everything you did. I could tell that whoever this T’Chezz character is, he better watch out because you are more than just pissed at him.
I have every right, Pandora growled.
I’m not judging, Katie told her, allowing the bar to drop before pushing it up again. She wasn’t repping too hard, since she had no spotter. But we will need to negotiate that whole thing. I’m not stepping foot into your realm until I understand not only our agreement, but who exactly you are taking me up against. I don’t want to die down there and be stuck with you and whoever this pissed-on demon is.
Well, fuck. Pandora sighed. Fine, but if you are going to work out you better stop with this measly little up-down shit. Go grab a heavier weight. You have to be ready for one hell of a demon, no pun intended, and I am just the trainer you need.
“Oh, joy,” Katie said out loud, walking back over to the rack of weights. “Boot camp commences.”
Try “Hell Camp.” Pandora laughed.
15
After the workout Katie went up to her room, showered, changed, and came back out. She didn’t see sleeping anytime soon with Pandora breathing down her neck.
She curled up on the sofa and turned on the television, going back through the DVR list to find the episodes they had recorded. She settled in and pressed Play, laughing to herself as Pandora hummed along enthusiastically with the intro music.
She had made Katie suffer during training earlier that night, and was definitely happy to be watching the shows now. As the opening credits ended, Derek wandered in and sat down on the couch next to her.
“Hey there.” He nodded toward the TV. “Whatcha watching?”
“Days of Long Since Past,” Katie replied. “It’s a new soap opera that I find myself slightly obsessed with.”
“Okay,” he said. “Did you watch these before you were Damned?”
“No.” Katie laughed. “I started watching them when I first came here, and haven’t been able to stop.”
“Okay,” he said. “What’s going on?”
“Well,” Katie sat up excitedly and pointed to the blond male actor on the left side of the screen, “John’s best friend Alex was killed in a tragic boating accident, and they suspect foul play. John bolted, unable to handle it, which made him the primary suspect. John is in love with his best friend’s now-widowed wife, but he has this crazy love affair going with another woman he can’t seem to tell no. We are going to find out in this episode whether he just took off and is long gone, or if he is hiding out with his steamy lover. I personally think it’s neither. I think he is with the widow.”
“Oh,” Derek said, lifting his eyebrows. “That sounds…dramatic.”
“Hey,” Eric said, dropping down in the chair. “Oh, nice…you’re watching Days of Long Since Past. Has John come out of hiding yet?”
“No,” Katie said, shaking her head and chewing on a nail. “He is supposed to in this episode.”
“I think he’s just a man-slut.” Eric leaned forward. “Seriously, he is perusing his way through every woman in town. First it was the doctor, Linda, then his best friend’s wife, and then that other whore. I don’t understand why any woman would take him seriously.”
Derek slowly turned his head toward Eric, mouth wide open and eyes staring straight at this big bad Spec Ops guy who was completely oblivious to how he had just sounded. At first Eric ignored him and watched the first dramatic scene, shaking his head.
When the commercial hit, he finally turned and looked at Derek.
“What?” he asked Derek. “Dude, in the Sandpit you have no idea what the hell to do with your time. We got like two channels at the leisure hall. It’s just stories. Don’t go asking me to turn in my man-card anytime soon.”
Eric shrugged and turned back to the television, giving zero shits what Derek thought about it. He was obviously secure in his manhood and his love of soap operas, or at least this one. Katie just chuckled to herself and turned
back to the show as it came back on.
There was no reason for her to worry about whether Derek thought Eric was a pussy for liking the show. She was just happy to not have to deal with Pandora the whole time. The demon had gotten to the point of ridiculous about the whole show.
Derek shrugged and turned his attention to the TV. They watched quietly until a woman in black came on the screen. She was clutching a tissue and crying as she looked out of a window.
“What is wrong with her?” Derek asked.
“That’s the best friend’s widow,” Katie whispered.
“Oh, so she’s sad about her husband,” Derek said.
“No,” Katie replied, clutching her hands to her chest. “She misses John, and wishes he would come back. She doesn’t believe for a second that he killed her husband, but she doesn’t care either way. She loves him.”
“Wait,” Eric yelled, scooting to the edge of his chair. “No fucking way!”
“I knew it.” Katie smiled, bouncing up and down.
“What?” Derek stared at them, then back at the television.
She pointed. “The guy behind her in the trench coat and hat…that’s John,” Katie told him. “I knew he would come back for her. Shhh, shhh he’s going to say something.”
“I told you I loved you,” John said. “I even killed your husband so we could be together.”
Eric and Katie gasped and looked at each other in shock. Derek just sat there looking back and forth at them, unsure what to say. Katie looked like she was going to cry, and Eric had clapped his hand to his forehead.
“It was kind of obvious,” Derek said, shrugging.
“Nooo,” Katie hissed. “John was not a killer. I can’t believe it.” She grabbed her cup of tea and lifted it to her mouth as her eyes stayed on the TV.
“Shit, he could have just thrown him overboard instead of burning the boat,” Pandora grouched. “Now the bitch has one boat less on that last will and testament. He could have gone fucking sailing.”