ARCHANGEL

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

  “But what if it does recognize what you are?” Catherine clutched Abaddon’s hand tightly, the power of what they had shared the past night making her ache at the thought of him leaving her sight.

  “It will not know what I am. It will only know I have power. The demon will not simply attack me on sight. It must retain its basic calling: the corruption of as many humans as possible. These demons draw from the Stygian darkness Lucifer has made into a vast miasma of latent evil energy.”

  “You said this Bill Clinton was a President,” Raphael said. “What could he do now to augment his power base on Earth?”

  “I heard he’s campaigning to become the next leader of the United Nations,” Catherine answered.

  “That would mean he could travel all over the world without interference,” Angelina said. “His wife is working on being elected President, although she missed the boat in 2008’s election. The two of them in those positions make most sane people want to… hey… Cat… are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

  Catherine nodded in the affirmative. “They’re both demons. Boy, does that fit.”

  “She is not with him?” Abaddon turned to Raphael.

  “Carol told me he was by himself. She saw him walk by registration with his retinue. Something she told me as if I’d think it humorous now makes sense. After he walked by staring at her the whole time he sent an aid to ask her if she wanted to meet him.”

  “What did she tell him?” Catherine asked.

  “I think that was the part she thought I’d find humorous. She told the aid she’d rather meet Hilary.”

  “Good one, Carol.” Angelina chuckled. “Hillary is his wife. She’s the Secretary of State and still angling to be President of the United States. I don’t trust the ease in which Carol dug up all this stuff but she does have a sense of humor.”

  “It fits your plan of attracting his attention though.” Abaddon stood up to go.

  “Do you have your ID wallet, baby?” Angelina asked. “If you attract the Secret Service agents’ attention, you’ll need your ID.”

  “I have it,” Abaddon answered, patting the back pocket of the blue jeans he and Raphael had decided would be appropriate to wear. “Is this outfit too casual for being seen around this Clinton fellow?”

  “You look great,” Angelina replied. “That shirt shows you off too much though. Those jeans are too tight and…”

  “You’re fine, Abaddon,” Raphael interrupted as Abaddon began to look over his clothing, taking Angelina’s criticism seriously.

  Abaddon looked at first Angelina and then Catherine, both of whom were visibly holding back laughter. He smiled in appreciation.

  “Perhaps I will run into Rachel while I am out. I will say hello for you both,” Abaddon stated, turning to go as both nuns gasped.

  “Not funny…” Catherine called out after him. “Raph, have you been to the Abyss?”

  “Abaddon showed me the Abyss for only a moment not long ago. Let me say my curiosity concerning the Abyss ended with that brief glimpse.”

  “It was black and horrific. I’m glad I only felt it for a split second.”

  “Could it be worse than the hell dimension Gorby’s demon took us to, Raph?” Angelina asked.

  “Infinitely worse, Ange,” Raphael replied gruffly.

  Raphael sat silently for a moment, holding up his coffee cup as the waitress went by their table. She smiled and filled Raphael’s cup carefully before going around to fill first Catherine’s, and then Angelina’s proffered cups. After she left the table, Raphael spoke quietly, leaning toward the two nuns.

  “You two know of the term black hole, do you not?”

  “It sucks in whole universes.” Angelina tried to imagine the correlation Raphael was making. “The supposed density of a black hole is such its gravitational pull cannot be resisted.”

  “You don’t mean the Abyss is the same as a black hole, do you?” Catherine asked him. “How could that be?”

  “The Abyss sucks the very hope from your soul until nothing remains but unending bleakness, as if a billion leeches were set loose upon your mind. It is not pain, although pain in a threshold unimaginable remains. It is not evil, although evil unknown of Heaven, Hell, or Earth remains in its abode. The Abyss is a blasphemy of life. Abaddon and the Abyss were forged by the Lord in the bitter disappointment and disillusionment of what Lucifer had done - Abaddon as hope for the Hosts of Heaven and the Abyss for all else in a magnificent all encompassing scheme the Lord set into motion. Such creation assuaged the Lord’s anger, making way for the path of Mankind.”

  Raphael’s incredible explanation left Catherine and Angelina in silence, trying to comprehend the incomprehensible. The three sipped their coffee and many minutes passed before Catherine spoke.

  “How can this thing know of the Abyss?”

  “That is the question my brother and I are seeking answers for. It should not know of the Abyss, nor should it be able to endure the knowledge of the Abyss.”

  “What if it sought out the knowledge?” Angelina asked. “You said the Lord created Abaddon and the Abyss in anger of what Lucifer had done. The demons are of Lucifer, even though the next generation demons have usurped power from an unknown source. What if that unknown source is the Abyss? This demon could be the first one we’ve run across with some knowledge of its power source?”

  “It does sound logical.” Raphael gained an even higher respect for Angelina. “I don’t see how they can draw from the Abyss. The Abyss draws from…”

  “Yes, but these Next Gen demons are pure evil,” Catherine cut in excitedly. “The Abyss was evolved from Lucifer’s darkness. It stands to reason the Abyss will leech out goodness, but maybe it has no such effect on demons. In Revelations, the Angel of the Abyss casts Satan into the bottomless pit.”

  Catherine closed her eyes for a moment, recalling the exact wording. “And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled; and after that he must be loosed a little season.”

  “Meaning Lucifer is not destroyed by the Abyss, but merely held in check,” Angelina added. “The demons linked to his essence would have a similar immunity.”

  “Every day reveals a new reason why Abaddon and I were hooked up with you two. I don’t know if all of what you say is fact but your theory would explain many anomalies in what happened this morning. It seems I was right to think Abaddon should not battle this demon in the Abyss.”

  “How do you know Abaddon doesn’t draw power from the Abyss?” Catherine asked. “Abaddon is the key to the Abyss.”

  “Yes, but it appears evil has a key to the Abyss too. What if this demon can blunt Abaddon’s resistance to the Abyss and enable the power of light he holds to be leeched away into the pit?”

  “You’re not just an empty glass today, Raph, you’re an empty pitcher,” Angelina retorted. “Hope and faith have seats at this mission too, dobey.”

  “Did you just call me a dobey?” Raphael laughed.

  “If the sandal fits…”

  “Can you find your lady love and get a recommendation for a computer store?” Catherine asked. “We should get moving on our research while Abaddon shadows Billy Jeff.”

  “She’s working the desk. Wait for me here. I’ll go check.” Raphael stood up. “I’ll call Agent Pomada too and make sure our part in that episode is behind us.”

  “No detours by the crap tables either, young man,” Angelina admonished.

  * * *

  Abaddon allowed the almost magnetic attraction to pull him along through the casino angling methodically in the direction he sensed the signal was strongest. His passing did not go unnoticed. People looked up from their endeavors to chart his progress throughout the huge complex. Marveling at the structures and designs aping olden Venice, Abaddon moved upwards out of the ma
in casino. He entered a thoroughfare from which the gondolas started their journey under painted skies, and balconies overlooked the waterways. Here, away from the gambling aspects, children clung to their parents as families walked along the crowded thoroughfare. The young ones gaped up at the passing Archangel in awe, reaching out to touch his hands. Abaddon’s welcoming smile eased his dread appearance.

  Abaddon’s journey led to a hallway where a small contingent of men in dark suits were taking up positions near a transition point leading to something called the Venetian ballrooms. Two of the men quickly moved to block Abaddon’s way as he walked toward the transition point.

  “I’m sorry, Sir, but this area is closed off for now,” a young man with close-cropped dark hair told him.

  The sandy haired, burly older man next to him, an inch shorter than his younger companion’s six-foot height, gestured Abaddon over to the wall. “Sir, please let me see your identification.”

  Abaddon took out his wallet and removed his identification from inside it, just as the younger man put out a hand in a restraining gesture. In the next moment another retinue of men surrounding a tall gray haired man in a light gray suit hurried toward the hallway. Abaddon looked over the older man’s head as he shielded Abaddon away from the approaching group. The sense of imminent danger so engulfed Abaddon he clutched his two hands together in a grip of desperation, willing control over his form. Feeling the power Abaddon radiated, the ex-President of the United States locked eyes with the Archangel of the Abyss.

  Against the grain of his Secret Service Agents, Bill Clinton approached Abaddon, halting a few feet away from where the older agent had Abaddon shielded from him.

  “Do I know you?” Clinton asked in a raspy drawl familiar to millions of people.

  “No, you do not,” Abaddon answered, meeting Clinton’s stare.

  “Please, Sir,” the younger agent pleaded with his boss. “We have to keep you moving toward the meeting room.”

  “I don’t think you belong here, stud,” Clinton told Abaddon in an irritated voice which surprised the agents around him.

  “Do you know this man, Sir?” The older agent asked him, keeping his body between Abaddon and the ex-President while his younger partner watched Abaddon’s hands which were still in a death grip with each other near the Archangel’s waist.

  “No, but there’s somethin’ vaguely familiar about him, and not in a good way.”

  “We’ll handle it, Sir,” the older man replied. The other agents with Clinton gently steered him toward the ballroom meeting center.

  “Okay, mister,” the young agent said to Abaddon in a slightly menacing tone, “what’s your story? Are you a Clinton hater?”

  “I only saw the man for the first time when he walked over to speak with me.” Abaddon’s his warning sense receded gradually as he flexed his fingers.

  “Oh, come on - where’ve you been, Mars?”

  “Ease up, Matt,” his older partner urged. “I already called in the name on his ID and got nothing. Where were you headed, Sir?”

  “This is my first time in Las Vegas. My friends and I are staying at the Venetian.” Abaddon handed the agent his suite keycard.

  “That’s a pretty expensive suite he’s booked in, Ed,” Matt observed.

  “No law against that.” Ed handed the keycard back to Abaddon after noting the information on it down on an electronic pad. “In any case, you’ll have to go back the way you came, Sir, until we clear the area.”

  “I will rejoin my friends,” Abaddon agreed. “Thank you. I am sorry to have gotten in your way here.”

  “No problem,” Ed grinned up at Abaddon. “Have a good day, Sir.”

  Abaddon nodded and turned to walk into the Venetian Shoppe area.

  * * *

  “That guy don’t look like he belongs here,” Matt insisted, calling in the suite information off his partner’s pad. “Look at the size of him and those face scars…”

  “This is Las Vegas, Sparky. No one looks out of place here.”

  “We’ll see,” Matt watched Abaddon’s receding form with uneasy suspicion.

  * * *

  Abaddon returned to the restaurant on the first floor. Raphael glanced up from his coffee as Abaddon entered.

  “Here comes our representative of the Abyss now.”

  They all looked up at Abaddon expectantly as their waitress, noticing Abaddon’s return, hurried over to fill his coffee cup. Abaddon smiled his thanks at the woman and sat down. Abaddon sipped the drink contentedly, leaning back to enjoy his companions’ comforting presence.

  “Well?” Raphael gave Abaddon a slight gesture of impatience with his hand.

  “He walked right over to me.” Abaddon recited the details of his encounter.

  “At least we know where we need to be,” Angelina observed. “If they hurry him along he might not glance in our direction. How about if Raph stays near us and attracts his attention?”

  “I believe you two are capable of attracting his attention without me endangering your deception. We have no idea how long he will be here. Let’s just station you two outside this hallway later when he is due to emerge and see how it goes. If we keep it simple, everything may proceed according to your plan.”

  Angelina clucked her tongue and gave Raphael a slow regretful head shake. “Yeah, that’ll happen. So, you’d leave us helpless damsels out in the open with the great big monster?”

  “Do you want to go with us to buy our computer, Abaddon?” Raphael asked, after the four shared a laugh over Angelina’s remark. “Carol told me where to guide our taxi driver.”

  “What of yesterday’s adventure?” Abaddon asked.

  “I talked with Agent Pomada. All is well. The cells were stopped and the members rounded up late last night in a coordinated effort. He told me unless there is a leak we won’t be hearing about it though. The FBI is frantically trying to trace the threads overseas. He wanted to know if we spoke any other languages.”

  “I think he wants us to go undercover for him,” Catherine added with some excitement. “It may help with our own missions. The United States cannot be the only place attracting demonic activity.”

  “It’s the most powerful country on Earth,” Angelina pointed out. “Where else could they hope to harness more power?”

  “What about Red China?” Catherine asked. “They have all the ingredients for world domination and no conscience.”

  “True, but we can blend in most everywhere else. China would be a difficult place for us to move around in without causing a stir.”

  “Should we not concentrate on the present demon, Muffy?” Abaddon asked.

  Angelina’s surprised intake of breath set off her companions’ laughter at Abaddon’s out of character sarcasm.

  “Okay, that’s it, no more coffee for you, wise guy.”

  Abaddon moved behind Angelina’s chair, using his huge hands to massage her neck gently. His touch sent a shiver through Angelina.

  “I could not pass it up, my love,” Abaddon told Angelina as she moaned quietly under his grip. “Shall we go and obtain this new technology for demon hunting?”

  “Maybe we should return to our suite for a nap,” Catherine suggested. She blushed as Raphael eyed her with amusement. “I… okay… let’s go shopping.”

  Chapter 29

  Political Demonology

  “The computer department at that Walmart was sure happy to see us,” Angelina said, as Raphael and Abaddon set the boxes down in the spacious living room area of the suite. “I can’t wait to check out our new laptop. Think of it, Cat, four gigs of RAM memory and a three hundred and sixty gig hard drive.”

  “We were lucky someone special ordered the laptop and then canceled.” Catherine helped Angelina begin tearing into the boxes. “Under a thousand dollars and they threw in a printer. The last computer we worked with had what, Ange, a hundred and twenty-eight megabytes of RAM?”

  “Yep, and this one has the IBM dual processor in it,” Angelina agreed
, excitement lighting up both her eyes and tone of voice.

  “Should we simply stay out of your way?” Raphael asked.

  “You guys sit over there on the couch. We’ll handle the computer setup,” Catherine directed. “This stuff has been the first thing keeping me from imagining Abaddon ravishing me all day.”

  Angelina stopped and hugged Catherine delightedly for a moment. “I knew I shouldn’t have let you sit next to the Archangel of love in the shuttle.”

  “I…I’ve never felt like this,” Catherine whispered, looking over at Abaddon as he sat down next to Raphael. “I can’t stop imagining…well…you know.”