The Bill demon smashed Angelina across the face, yanking his hand back in time to avoid Catherine grabbing him. Angelina righted herself, grinning up crookedly at the demons once again, wiping the blood from her mouth.
“That the best you got, punk?”
“Most assuredly not. I needed to get your attention. You two don’t know how uncomfortable it is to be possessed. Hillary and I are going to give you both a treat before we rid the world of you spawn. No amount of praying’s going to save you.”
“Let me get this straight.” Angelina stood up with Catherine at her side. “You two are going to leave your hosts and come into us?”
“We can enter and leave anyone at will,” Hillary replied, the rage surging within her bubbling to the surface. Her hands clenched into fists. “Let’s do it, Bill. I’ve blocked the sound. The sweet music of their screams will be unheard.”
Catherine and Angelina exchanged glances of excitement rather than fear. The bodies of the Clintons collapsed. An eerily malignant entity floated near each of the nuns.
“Let us know how this works out for you.” Catherine gripped Angelina’s hand. She closed her eyes. “This is gonna’ hurt you two overconfident dweebs way more than us. We are the chosen of the Lord God Almighty.”
The screams began, echoing and rebounding in waves of agony as the malicious migrant demons pulled away from Catherine and Angelina, reeling with the first pain they had ever felt. Catherine dived forward to clutch the unconscious Clintons in her arms, covering their bodies with her own. Angelina quickly followed her as the demons lost their incorporeal essence and became visible, no longer able to reenter their hosts with Catherine holding the Clintons. The demons were male and female of gigantic proportions, their wild manes of hair nearly touching the elevated suite ceiling. Although nearly preternatural in their beauty, unlike the other creatures Angelina and Catherine had faced, the fingers of their hands ended in curved scythe like claws more than ten inches in length.
The Hillary demon raked Angelina down across her face and shoulder with a ferocious swipe, catapulting Angelina a dozen feet away, bleeding profusely. At the moment Angelina’s shielding body no longer protected Catherine, the Bill demon slashed her brutally. Catherine gripped the Clintons tenaciously, murmuring prayers through clenched teeth. Angelina rolled to her feet, blood pouring from her wounds and her left eye sightless. She rushed the Hillary demon, hoping to dodge past her at the last second and die near Catherine. The Hillary demon launched a lightning fast blow which rebounded off an invisible force field. Blazing white light filled the room with the presence of the Archangel Raphael.
The Bill demon’s slashing claws clashed against the shield with no effect. Black wings appeared, spreading out between the demons and their prey. Abaddon’s form shimmered into reality. The demons retreated against the far wall. Abaddon looked down at the bloody, ghastly wounds done to his friends. Raphael gently enfolded the two nuns in his arms, looking up at Abaddon in horror.
“We were almost too late, my brother.”
Abaddon turned then, no sword or shield in his hands. He watched the demons scuttling for position across the room. The Archangel held his arms out wide, the need for vengeance a palpable force charging the very air around Abaddon.
“For what you have done here,” Abaddon’s voice rang out with cold fury, “I have come for you. You, who have worshipped and embraced the essence of the Abyss, come to me. I am the guide, the one you seek, the Archangel of the bottomless pit. That which is beyond hopelessness and darkness has come unto you. Soon, you will scream at my embrace, and then you will scream for me as a lover when I am gone. It is time now, my children. I am the Abyss.”
Blackness swept over the demons. Their hideous screams faded slowly as Abaddon engulfed them. Reality blinked like a failing light bulb. Then they were gone. The healed Angelina held on to a shuddering Raphael, fear gripping her for the first time. The tight-lipped Archangel cradled the unconscious Catherine in his arms, struggling to throw off the strands of darkness still dripping like blood from the air around them.
“Where…where did they go, Raph?” Angelina asked in a hoarse whisper.
“The Abyss. It was here in this room for a moment.”
“Where were you guys.”
“We were late.”
Catherine jumped in Raphael’s arms, grasping for the Clintons, the memory of claws ripping her back apart the last thought she had before losing consciousness. Angelina grabbed her hands as Raphael stroked Catherine’s face.
“It’s okay, Cat. We’re okay,” Angelina repeated soothingly.
“We did it?” Catherine asked in disbelief when she spotted the still unconscious Clintons. “Raph, am I glad to see you. Well, how’d we do?”
“Magnificently, little one. Abaddon and I could sense very little until we felt the demons trying to enter your bodies.”
“They’ve been on to us since Gorby,” Catherine explained. “Both Billy Jeff and the Hildebeast were here. It was a trap.”
“Yes, I get that.” Raphael helped Catherine to her feet. “One thing came through before we felt the demons try and possess you two. What is a Car Fifty-Four?”
Angelina laughed. “It was an old TV show Cat and I used to watch on Nickelodeon. The theme song has a refrain of Car Fifty-Four where are you each time the singer lists some emergency. I…”
“May I suggest the word help next time, Sister Angelina? That way, if anything gets through, I will recognize it. You and Cat were very near death.”
“We were a little shook,” Angelina admitted. “Almost is for horseshoes and hand-grenades anyhow, not Archangels. We knew you guys would come.”
“When you and Abaddon didn’t arrive right away we figured they had blocked our signal.” Catherine looked around. “Hey, where’s Abaddon?”
“He took the demons into the Abyss, Cat,” Angelina answered. “Oh man, you should have heard them howl. It was awesome.”
Raphael took Catherine’s hand. “Let me show you.”
Catherine closed her eyes. She watched the replay of Abaddon’s appearance and the subsequent launch into the Abyss. Tears glistened down her cheeks.
“It was always his plan to take them there,” Raphael reminded her.
“But what if he needs us?” Catherine wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her habit.
“We could not help him even if he did need us, Sister Mary Catherine. As he told me, do your job and I will do mine.”
“He’s only been gone a short time, Cat,” Angelina said. “He fought the first demon we faced for a long time. If they’re as powerful as they seemed to be, he’ll need more than a couple of minutes. Let’s get the Clintons up and active before the Secret Service busts in and opens fire.”
Chapter 30
Recovery
Catherine and Angelina waited for Raphael to help the Clintons regain consciousness. The Archangel soothed the formerly possessed pair’s transition from demonic possession into reality. Looking around wildly at first and then gratefully at Raphael, the Clintons regained composure slowly. Their first conscious act was to embrace each other, tears of relief and joy streaming down their faces. The two nuns and Raphael allowed them time to grasp the situation. Raphael busied himself returning the suite to its former look before the blood of battle while Catherine and Angelina stayed near the Clintons, helping them up finally onto the couch in the living area.
Hillary looked at her hands. She stood up from the couch, hurrying over to where a mirror was mounted. She sighed deeply, running her hands along the sides of her face. Bill Clinton walked over and put his arms around her comfortingly.
“Oh Billy, we…we’re so old.”
“I…I’ve missed you so much,” Bill stammered out, kissing her neck tenderly.
“Oh God!” Hillary exclaimed, turning in his arms. “Chelsea! She was just a baby when…”
“She’s grown and doing pretty well,” Catherine reassured her, moving alongside the two. “The demons prob
ably made sure everything went well with her during childhood. The demons are the highest order of sociopaths. They would have needed your daughter’s well-being as a prop to further their ultimate goals.”
Hillary began to cry with heartbreaking sobs. Bill held her tightly in his arms, trying to mask his own pain. Catherine and Angelina saw the two most famous people in the world for the first time. Bill Clinton stroked his grieving wife’s hair, whispering gently to her until finally she quieted, her shoulders still heaving with the effort.
“Our baby must think we’re monsters.” The sense of loss in Hillary’s voice was so intense the sound evoked a feeling of regret beyond imagining.
“We’ll have to show her, honey,” Bill stated. “Thanks to these folks we have time to make things right.”
“Come sit down,” Angelina urged. “We’ll get you some coffee and talk this through. I’m sure Raphael can help.”
Bill Clinton acquiesced, gently steering his wife to the couch while Catherine poured coffee from the sterling silver service Clinton’s aid had pointed to on his way out. Catherine brought over a tray with five full coffee cups. Angelina followed with another tray, providing sugar, creamer, and serving utensils. Raphael placed a chair near the Clintons. He took their hands comfortingly. After a few moments, the group of five sat quietly sipping their coffee.
“Is there anything either of you can remember from your experience. Any information would help us tremendously. We were caught unawares in this instance. It almost cost Sister Mary Catherine and Sister Angelina their lives. In our other cases the victims were cognizant of what was happening, almost as unwilling participants.”
“Except for brief times when the demon as you call it possessed another to have its way, it was like being trapped in a dream state,” Bill answered. “When I was released briefly, I was unable to move. The creature would always have some news thing on TV, called CNN, where I would be forced to watch what this thing had done. I was really the President?”
“Yes, Sir,” Catherine acknowledged the fear in Bill Clinton’s voice with a gentle shrug. “CNN, huh? That’s cruel and unusual punishment.”
“Oh God in heaven,” Bill whispered, grasping Hillary’s hand. “That the country still exists is…is like a testament to our constitution. This is the first time I’ve been with Hillary since shortly after Chelsea was born.”
“We were at some sort of party or get together,” Hillary said. “I remember holding Chelsea in my arms as she slept, looking at Bill - then nothing until I was released for a short time as Bill described. If Bill was President, then I really was a Senator and am now Secretary of State?”
“Yes,” Angelina answered. “Look, we know this seems like something from the Twilight Zone but you two can help us.”
“Meaning people who contact us with this world domination agenda might also be possessed,” Hillary perceived, looking at Bill with a new strength of purpose slowly transforming her features. “We might be able to get some payback for what was stolen from us.”
Angelina patted Hillary’s hand. “That’s the spirit. We could have warned Gorby to be on the lookout for stuff out of the ordinary but we had no idea as to the scope of this thing.”
“It explains those Next Gen demons at the Wharf sacrificing everything to get rid of us,” Catherine said.
“But…but couldn’t the Lord simply…” Bill began in confusion but stopped when Raphael shook his head.
“My brother Abaddon and I are working here on Earth under guidance from our Lord. Our Father’s will must be worked in a manner of his choosing.”
“Sorry, I…I didn’t mean to imply…” Bill paused, a look of dread coming over his face. “Ab…Abaddon? The Angel of the bottomless pit? Of…of the Abyss?”
“Abaddon took your demons into the Abyss. He has not returned as yet. They were drawing strength and power from the Abyss. Until now we thought it was strictly my brother’s dominion. He will find out what the truth is.”
“But what if they… defeat Abaddon?” Hillary clutched Bill’s hands even tighter in both of hers, leaning against him. “They could come back.”
“Hillary,” Catherine whispered, kneeling in front of the Secretary of State. She covered the couple’s hands with hers. “The Archangel of the Abyss will not be defeated.”
Hillary pulled her hand away and stroked the side of Catherine’s face.
“You are so young to be doing this. I pray all is well with Abaddon. It’s just that…if something goes awry, those… those things will be back for Bill and I.”
Catherine gestured back at Raphael and Angelina. “Then the three of us will be dead. The demons must pass through us first.”
“Have faith,” Raphael added. “My brother is…”
“Hillary didn’t mean to insult Abaddon,” Bill interrupted. “It…it’s just that he is an angel and these things he fights are fiends from hell.”
Angelina laughed, making apologetic gestures even as she did it. “Sor…sorry, I keep forgetting you two haven’t met Abaddon. As Cat told you, Abaddon is the Archangel of the Abyss.”
“What Sister Angelina is trying to say is although those two demons came from darkness my brother is the Lord of darkness. Abaddon is the Avatar of our Father in heaven - the vengeance of light which cannot be defeated by darkness.”
“Then you really aren’t afraid for him?” Hillary asked hopefully.
“We…I mean I am a little flawed,” Catherine admitted, looking away from Hillary. “I worry.”
“And I.” Angelina sighed, clasping Catherine’s shoulder.
Raphael shrugged. “And I. Such is the way of all things. Where there is hope, there is despair. Where there is confidence, there must also be doubt. Where there is doubt though, my friends, there must ultimately be faith.”
“What would you suggest we do next?” Bill asked.
“I have no idea how to be a Senator or Secretary of State,” Hillary remarked.
“Believe me, Mrs. Clinton, neither do the other ninety-nine elected Senators,” Angelina comforted Hillary. “If they did, the borders would be closed, the IRS would be disbanded, and half the Middle East would be a parking lot.”
The Secretary of State laughed. “Call…call me Hillary. I think I see what you mean. I’ll wing it but my former supporters will be greatly disappointed in my future actions. Maybe Bill and I can achieve exactly what the demons wanted us to but with a much different result.”
“We’ll help whenever you need us,” Angelina promised. “We’ll stay in constant touch anyway. You’ll probably be contacted by the demon hotline. If they want a meet, they’ll get the Scoobies instead of you and Bill.”
“Scoobies?” Bill repeated questioningly.
Catherine giggled. “A little joke, Sir. We’ll make sure the demons don’t get you two alone.”
“But how will we know who they are?” Hillary asked. “I mean we’ve already explained the only way we’ve known what they did was to see it on TV. Oh hell, it doesn’t matter. I’m in no matter what. How about it, Billy?”
“Could we at least see Chelsea before we see the next demon?” Bill took Hillary into his arms again. “We set things right with Chelsea and then we become demon hunters, okay?”
“Of course, Billy,” Hillary promised, kissing Bill softly.
“Just make sure you call us though if something spooky tries to get close to either of you,” Angelina said. “We don’t want to lose the two of you now that we pulled the most famous couple in the world back from the dark side.”
“We’ll need to wait for my brother,” Raphael reminded them. “He’s the half of the equation we really need. After this, he may require some down time anyway. As Sister Mary Catherine and Sister Angelina know, things have been a bit hectic for us. This new wrinkle with finding demons that can body hop when it suits them is disturbing to say the least.”
“Maybe so but they can’t hop into Cat and me. Let’s leave our friends to catch up on old times. Abaddon won’t
come back here, will he?”
“He will return to wherever we are.” Raphael handed Bill Clinton a card. “I think we should go back to the suite for now. Here is a card with our number on it. Call us day or night. Don’t take any chances. These demons cannot possess my companions. Because I held you both the creatures will no longer be able to possess either of you either.”
“We won’t meet with anyone we are unsure of anyway,” Hillary promised. “But what if the whole congress is possessed?”
Catherine and Angelina looked at each other and then at Raphael. Angelina finally broke the silence following her question.
“We can’t say for sure. They may or may not be able to detect whether you two are still possessed. You both have aids galore, some of whom you’ll probably want to dump. I’d recommend having your aids immediately go over the details of your schedules.”
ARCHANGEL Page 39