by Michael Todd
A bus full of sightseers had their faces pressed to the window and gasped in horror as the Phantom hit the ground, writhing and shaking before turning to dust.
Juntto and Angie fought back to back as Red bounced in front of them, slicing through the throats of demons with ease. She stopped and whirled on one foot, slicing the throat of an infected dressed as Sweeney Todd.
Juntto fired, shaking his head. “She has serious fucking skills. Did you see the way she did that?”
Angie rolled her eyes but didn’t respond. She ran toward a group of demons. She fired into them, adrenaline surging through her. She took down two and twirled, kicking a third in the head. He hit the ground, and she put a bullet in his head. She stood there breathing heavily as a sinister laugh came from her left. Slowly, she looked up to see the demonic Emcee from Cabaret standing there with white skin and red eyes.
Angie wiped the sweat from her forehead and turned toward him. “I never did like you. You were fucking creepy.”
She raised her guns and pulled both triggers, but all she heard were clicks. “Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
She slammed one of them in the holster and clicked the button, releasing the other’s magazine. She struggled with the extra magazines on her belt as the Emcee moved closer to her, walking more like a shifty puppet than a human. He got right up to Angie’s face and screeched as loud as he could, freezing her in place. As he raised his arm, she winced, waiting for his blow.
Suddenly, his body jerked to the side, and he hit the ground sputtering. Angie looked up as Red marched over, yanking the dagger from his throat and cutting his head off. She glanced at Angie with an amused look and ran off. Angie let out a deep breath and groaned as she slipped the new magazine into her gun.
Pandora ran up to the roulette table and looked at Katie, who was breathing heavily. “I think we got all the infected. I can’t figure out where the demons are coming from, though. With the temperature of the room, I know there is a portal somewhere.”
Pandora nodded. “Yeah, with the demon powers I have left, I can sense it close to here, but it’s small. Not like the others.”
Katie looked around. “All right, you go left, I’ll go right, and we’ll meet up in the middle. If you find it, call out. There shouldn’t be anyone left in here. Everyone not infected ran for it.”
Pandora nodded, and they both took off. They searched through the large round tables, over the bar, and through the slot machines. Katie rounded the corner and came to a skidding stop by the poker tables. She put up her hand. “Pandora! Over here. Bitches like poker, apparently.”
Pandora jumped on top of the slots and went bouncing across them, flipping through the air and landing next to Katie. Katie raised an eyebrow. “A bit much, don’t you think?”
Pandora shrugged. “What’s life without a little showmanship?”
Katie rolled her shoulders and shook her head. “I can’t close this one on my own. I don’t have enough left in me.”
Pandora took her hand and nodded toward it. “Then we do it together.”
Katie smiled sweetly at her, and Pandora grimaced. “Don’t get mushy on me. It’s not the time.”
Katie chuckled, and the two walked forward, stretching their arms toward the portal. They closed their eyes, summoning their powers both angelic and demonic, and forced the energy from their hands. Hot wind whipped around them, and Katie opened her eyes, seeing a bunch of demons on the other side racing for the portal. “Hurry. They’re coming for us!”
Pandora scoffed. “Please, those little dickless shits? We got this. One big surge. Ready?”
Katie nodded. “Ready!”
“On three!” Pandora yelled. “One, two, three!”
They both pushed a huge surge of energy out of their fingertips, slamming the portal shut just as the head demon put his arm through. The portal cut it off, and it fell to the floor at their feet. They stumbled back, catching their breath.
Pandora swallowed and shook her head. “Shit, that was hard. We don’t have the strength of regular angels.”
Katie shook her head. “Not yet, but we will. We need to get out of here before the cops show up.”
Pandora nodded. “Yeah, I don’t have the strength for all that bullshit.”
Katie looked down at gashes on her stomach and arm. “I could use some of that gentle touch.”
Pandora smirked. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Katie rolled her eyes as Pandora leapt into her. She spread her wings and flew back up through the broken skylight just as the cops broke through the doorways with their guns pulled. Out in the cold December Tennessee night, Katie went as high as she could while Pandora tended to her injuries. She soared away from the casino, unsure where she should go.
Pandora worked on her quietly for a moment, thinking about everything that had happened. Katie, I thought I would never speak the words I am about to say. After all, I am perfect in every way.
Katie giggled. But?
Pandora sighed. But I am starting to think that maybe I was wrong.
Katie laughed loudly. Holy shit, hell really is on Earth.
Pandora grimaced. Okay, okay, funny. Now listen. I’m thinking that maybe we shouldn’t have to run from the cops and the military like we did. I mean, after all, they’re supposed to be the good guys!
Katie pursed her lips. We’re good guys too, and we are in the shit.
Pandora paused. Let’s be honest here. It’s just the two of us. We’re somewhere in the gray between good and bad, or at least, we used to be. We have always had the best interests of humanity at heart, though. We should be fighting and collaborating with the military.
Katie flapped her wings harder, not paying any attention to the ground below. I know. I know it’s not a bad thing to collaborate. I mean, I’m the one who originally brought the mercs and the military together. I’m the one who built the relationship between General Brushwood and us. I just hate the fucking oversight. I hate them trying to control every move I make and telling me that I can’t save someone’s life. That’s bullshit.
Pandora finished healing Katie’s wounds and pushed a jolt of adrenaline into her system to mask the pain. Trust me, I’m the last person who wants someone controlling them. I was married to the master controller, and I broke the fuck out of that place. I don’t like the oversight either, but when you look at it from hindsight, there could have been a lot more communication between all of us. It just kind of went from good to BAM, we were telling them to go fuck themselves and riding off into the sunset.
Katie wiped the snow out of her eyes as she turned toward the mountains. And I never thought I would say this in a million years, but...I can’t argue with you on that one. There was definitely a breakdown in communication between all of us. Shit, I didn’t even know about the World Council until they were taken over by some idiot demon and Wilson.
Pandora grimaced. Do you think we might have acted hastily? Not that they didn’t, but we weren’t the bigger people.
Katie spotted a ledge on the side of the mountain and swung over to it, landing hard. She turned and looked back at the casino in the distance, flashes of blue and red lights lighting up the whole area. Yeah, I think you’re right. I guess I do regret talking shit to the World Council, especially Brushwood. He always had my back. On top of that, I didn’t even try to help them. I left them to whatever wolf had their ear, which is bad for the entirety of the world.
Pandora clicked her tongue. I mean, I have to take my fair share of responsibility for this one. Cooler heads could have prevailed. I got so wrapped up, I was dissolving Councils like I was some Supreme Ruler. I’m sorry for that, Katie.
Katie chuckled. I wish I had a recorder in my head. I think that’s the first time I have ever heard the word “sorry” from you.
Pandora shrugged. It was the first time in history I ever said it.
Katie laughed and took a deep breath. She turned and put her hands up, ready to create a portal. I shouldn’t have separ
ated from General Brushwood. That wasn’t your fault. I think it’s time we right these wrongs, because the fate of humanity just might rest on it. Wilson won’t end this war, so they need us as much as we need them.
Pandora was in agreement. What’s next?
Katie dropped her hands to her sides and pulled out her phone. I need to turn myself in.
Angie blasted her last bullet into the forehead of Eva Peron, dressed in her balcony ballgown. A demon came snarling up behind her, eyes red, looking like some sort of character from Funny Girl. She shook her head and hit it hard with the butt of her gun, giving her enough time to reload and put a bullet in its face.
When she turned to continue fighting, she saw a young father with his two-year-old son in his arms, sneaking down the side of the building, trying to get away from demons. Without thought, Angie took off across the street, killing anything in her path. The father backed up against the wall as the Spider Woman in her white suit and white fedora snarled at them.
Angie jumped on top of a cab and ran across, shooting her gun at the demon. The shots hit her in the back, and the infected whirled, her red eyes gleaming and her teeth sharp and jagged. Angie let the magazine drop from her gun and pushed another in. It was her last.
Angie held the gun tightly in her hands and pulled the trigger, hitting the woman between the eyes. Her hat flew off and flipped over to Angie. She caught it midair and smiled, tossing it to the side. The woman turned to ash and Angie jumped down, grabbing the guy by the wrist. “Come on. You need to hide.”
She yanked the man down an alley and kicked a wooden door open, revealing the small back room of a shop. She looked around and pushed him inside. “Hide in the boxes and don’t come out. You should be safe here.”
The man nodded, holding his son tightly. “Thank you.”
Angie nodded back and closed the door, a smile on her lips as she ran out of the alley. Looking over, she could see the portal high up, swirling and flickering. There were demons still coming through it, and she knew that wasn’t going to stop.
Juntto blasted a group of infected dressed for Chorus Line. Angie approached and grabbed his elbow. He looked down at her. “You okay?”
Angie nodded. “Yeah, but we need to close that portal. More demons are just going to keep pouring out. I’m almost out of ammo, and Broadway is almost out of actors. The more that spill out, the more this city will become infected. Let’s face it, this place is dangerous enough without all of these demons.”
Juntto looked up at the portal, waves of heat billowing out of it. The tar on several nearby roofs had caught fire, and civilians were being forced out into the streets, vulnerable and without protection. “We can do that. Good thinking, Angie. And I saw you save that man. That was very heroic.”
Angie smiled. “Let’s save a whole lot more, okay?”
Juntto nodded and set his Tommy gun down at his feet. Swinging his Juntto-sized rocket launcher around from his back, he clicked open the Fire button and aimed it toward the portal. He glanced down at Angie. “You might want to step back. This thing throws out a backblast.”
Angie chuckled and stepped back, looking around to make sure no infected were charging them. Juntto spread his legs far apart and aimed, pushing the red button. Three missiles launched, one after another.
He lowered the weapon, and he and Angie watched with anxiety as the rockets sped through the air and straight into the portal. They exploded just inside, sending a plume of smoke and fire out of the door to hell. The buildings shook around them and Angie reached up, grabbing Juntto for stability. Angie pointed at the portal. “I think it’s working!”
Juntto raised his launcher again. “One more for good measure.”
He sent the missile toward the portal as it flickered and grew smaller. It hit the edge and was pulled inside. The blast shot out, sending them back on their asses. The portal snapped shut, and the waves of heat spread wide.
When the smoke cleared, Angie looked around. The DDF had killed the remaining infected on the ground. Juntto got up, picking Angie up with him. She wiped the rubble from her hands and let out a deep sigh. Juntto chuckled, still holding onto her.
She tried to keep her knees from shaking, but they had a mind of their own. “I’m absolutely exhausted. I don’t think I’ve ever pushed my body that hard before. I don’t know, Juntto—maybe I’m not cut out to be a warrior.”
Juntto reached down and lifted Angie into his arms. He cradled her, laying her head on his shoulder. Smiling down into her exhausted eyes, he couldn’t help but laugh. “You just need to keep training. Every warrior is weaker than the rest at first. When I first started as a young boy, I couldn’t make it all the way through the day, much less a complete fight. Even us aliens have to build our stamina. You are no different. You have the skills to be a badass. All you need is the will and the training.”
Angie nodded with a forced smile, and Juntto set her on her feet. He turned to grab his gun off the ground, and she put hers in her holsters. Glancing down the street, she could see the DDF’s two SUVs. Wilson and Red climbed into the front seats of the first one, and the team went into the second. With a loud squeal, the two SUVs peeled out, heading down the street away from them.
Angie shook her head, unsure if what Juntto said was true or if it was just wishful thinking.
22
“This is General Brushwood.”
Katie paused for a moment, making sure she was doing the right thing. She swallowed her pride and let out a deep breath. “General, this is Katie.”
The general was silent for a moment. “Katie, it’s really good to hear your voice. I’ve been thinking about you. Good work in Tennessee.”
Katie shuffled her feet in the snow. “Yeah, well, the military and the World Council didn’t feel the same way.”
The general sighed. “I know. And I’m working on it, but with Wilson in the picture and whatever is going on behind the scenes, it’s been difficult for all of us. I’m not their favorite person right now. I’m bordering on treasonous in their eyes because I won’t back their witch hunt for you.”
Katie groaned. “I know, but in reality, this is my fault. I should have done this from the beginning.”
“Done what?” the general asked.
Katie thought about it for a second. Pandora cleared her throat. Go on. You know it’s the right thing to do.
Katie nodded. “I want to come in and talk to them. Stand trial or whatever it is they have in store for me.”
The general was silent for a moment before responding, “I think at this point, that would be for the best. If we can get this over with, we can clear your name and get you back out there.”
Katie nodded. “When should I come in?”
“We are meeting at the World Council tomorrow. Can you get there? I can come get you if I need to.”
Katie smirked, remembering what a good friend he was. “No, that won’t be necessary. I can get there on my own. The UN building in New York, right?”
“That’s the place,” he replied.
Pandora pushed through into Katie’s voice without asking. “General, it’s Pandora. I feel like I need to apologize for the manner in which I acted. It was the old Pandora, without much thought. I mean, it felt really good to give those asswipes the finger and everything, but I know it caused more harm than good.”
The general chuckled. “You did exactly what I wish I could do, but thank you for that. Right now, I’m not concerned with fluffing their egos with apologies. I want to get you and Katie back and get everything straightened out. We need you two out there fighting. Wilson is somehow a free man, and I don’t like the sound of that.”
Pandora snickered. “Don’t worry, General, I’ve got a plan for that.”
The general winced. “This wouldn’t be a plan like trying to dissolve the World Council, would it?”
Pandora laughed. “Hey, that was an impulse. This is an actual plan that I have put quite a bit of thought into. Well, Katie and I h
ave.”
The general chuckled. “Then I look forward to it. See you tomorrow.”
Katie pushed Pandora back down and hung up. Without a word, she opened a portal and stepped through.
The clanging and shouting coming from the Chinese restaurant kitchen filled the entire establishment. The smell of cooking food wafted through the room, and Wilson stood with his hands in his pockets, waiting for his order. Snow was falling in New York, and the Christmas lights shimmered festively despite the battle that had just ensued in the center of the city.
The phone in Wilson’s pocket buzzed, and he moved out of the crowd waiting for food and opened it. “This is Wilson.”
“Wilson, it’s Belly.” Mr. Belly sounded slightly anxious.
Wilson glanced around, but no one was paying him any attention. “Good to hear from you. Did you know about the New York incursion? Put me where I needed to be.”
Mr. Belly cleared his throat. “I did, and I heard you had to fight alongside some of Katie’s people.”
Wilson shrugged. “They’re government people too, so I wasn’t really worried. What can I do for you?”
He could hear Mr. Belly flipping through paperwork. “I’m calling to discuss the upcoming court case. I’ve been going over everything, and I think you will be fine without me there.”
Wilson frowned, remembering that Belly was a lawyer, not a fighter. “Why would you miss it?”
Mr. Belly paused for a moment. “To be honest, I’m a bit nervous about coming. They all know me individually, but not the collective group. You’ve heard Katie’s coming in, right? I don’t want her to find out who I am in case she decides to retaliate.”
Wilson chuckled. “Nonsense. There will be more than enough protection, and from what I’ve been told, Katie will not be going free. She is coming in of her own accord, and she will go to prison that way as well. That’s assuming the Council doesn’t decide on execution, which I would be more than happy to carry out.”