ARCHANGEL

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

  Carol stared at the striking auburn haired woman sitting provocatively with her head tilted at just the right angle. Janine’s hand cupped her chin in a thoughtful pose as she leaned with her elbow on the couch armrest. Carol shook her head, turning away to block the urge to tell Janine anything and everything.

  “Don’t look away from me,” Janine ordered, leaning back and lacing her hands lithely behind her neck. “This was a very important deal we had going. What went wrong?”

  “Why not contact the principals in the matter and ask them.” Carol walked over to the small bar situated at a right angle to the couch. She poured a double shot of Jack Daniels and sat down with drink in hand on one of the three bar stools. “I did my part.”

  “They’re not taking my calls.” Janine crossed her legs at the ankles, causing the tight fitting designer jeans she wore to ride up slightly. “Weren’t you curious enough to ask your new friend?”

  “He didn’t volunteer the information and I didn’t ask.” Carol gulped part of her drink. “Look, all I want is to pack my bags and get the hell away from here.”

  “What did you tell him?” Janine persisted calmly.

  “I told him I’d check on the membership and let him know if I thought any of us would be capable of murdering those kids they found,” Carol answered truthfully, knowing it was a waste of time trying to lie to a professional liar. “If I take off now there’ll be no harm done. Hell, I don’t know anybody who’d murder kids anyhow, do you?”

  “Perhaps,” Janine answered with a slight smile curving one side of her mouth into a sneer. “Why would you volunteer to find out anything?”

  “It…it’s not easy lying to him,” Carol admitted, taking another swallow of her drink. “He’s not a fake, Janine. His brother is the Angel of the Abyss.”

  Janine laughed long and hard, tilting her face up and then lurching forward, slapping her thighs in amusement. It was the first time Carol had ever witnessed Janine laugh. It was not a pleasant experience. Finally, Janine sighed deeply. She brushed her hair back absently and relaxed against the couch cushions once again.

  “The Angel of the Abyss, huh?”

  “Did you ask John how he liked facing Raphael?” Carol poured herself another drink. “I can tell you. I was there. He was scared shitless. Raphael’s brother makes Raphael look like Little Orphan Annie. Let me get my stuff together. I’ll be out of here where I can’t be questioned anymore by anyone. I was told to set up the get together between our principals and the four Raphael leads. If it didn’t work out, talk to them.”

  “John seemed to think you had more to do with the meeting failure than you’re letting on.”

  “Bullshit! If Raphael and his companions are still walking around what does that say about these powerful forces that were going to waste them? Maybe we picked the wrong horse in this race.”

  “That’s dangerous talk.” Janine’s tone turned from derisive to malignant.

  “Let me get out of here. I won’t be talking dangerously if I’m long gone,” Carol reasoned, getting off the bar stool.

  “Do you think you know something about those murders, Carol?”

  “No, and I don’t want to know. Raphael gave me a glimpse of Hell. I don’t want to know about that either.”

  Janine stood up lithely. She was a tall woman, slightly over six feet in height. Although slender in stature, Janine’s arms in her sleeveless blouse showed corded muscle and tendons rippling slightly with her movements. Walking up into Carol’s face Janine looked down at the woman now leaning back against the bar with a predatory stare.

  “I don’t like you, Carol.” Janine stroked her left hand along Carol’s cheek gently. “It’s dangerous for me not to like you. I think you’ve been telling your big bad angel wannabe too much information.”

  Carol pushed Janine’s hand away, twisting out from in front of her.

  “Don’t touch me!” Carol clenched her teeth together in anger. She hoped it would keep them from chattering. Janine’s face began to blur. Carol brushed a hand over her cheek where the woman had touched her. It felt numb. “Wha…what did you do…”

  Carol sat down heavily, her legs unable to sustain the weight or balance of her body. She tried to spread her hands and push up from the floor. Instead, Carol simply collapsed onto her side, bouncing slightly on the carpeted floor. Through rapidly dimming vision Carol saw Janine’s face coming blurrily into her field of vision. Janine’s eyes looked black and without pupils. Janine stroked Carol’s cheek again.

  “I think it only fair you know the real killer of those children, all the lovely children. You won’t be able to speak or move for a little while. Don’t worry, you’ll soon be able to see clearly and feel everything.”

  Janine stood up. Carol heard the clap of her hands. A horrible smell assaulted her senses. Carol thought at first whiff she smelled rotten eggs. Now the smell assaulted her senses with a deeper, visceral odor – the stench of a rotting, blotted corpse stored untouched for a thousand years and then opened suddenly into the air. Carol gagged, vomiting her shrimp dinner and liquor. Tears streamed down her cheeks unchecked. Unable to move her lips or mouth, Carol could only wait until the gagging reflex cleared her mouth somewhat.

  Carol felt a lifting sensation. She looked into Janine’s amused face. Something held Carol up in front of Janine as if she were a doll. Carol could feel pressure internally all over her upper body where she was held in such a way as to support her head from a sagging position. Janine inclined her head slightly. Carol’s body rotated slowly to face an unexpected vision. A woman’s face of uncanny beauty met Carol’s terrified gaze with her own curious one. The thing holding her was Janine’s doppelganger. The odorous reek emanating from it was beyond belief. Carol heaved again helplessly.

  “This is my familiar. I call her Carrie, like in the Stephen King book.” Janine giggled, which was almost as horrifying to Carol as the creation holding her. “After I sacrificed the first twenty children my prayers to the divine Lucifer were answered. My helper here appeared for me. Carrie doesn’t speak but she sure can do. She’s going to help me get everything you know or think you know.”

  Carol’s eyes rolled around wildly. She began to feel the numbness around her mouth fade. The surreal way Janine’s doppelganger held Carol without effort or emotion hinted at far worse ahead. Raphael’s glimpse into hell shot through Carol’s mind. She felt the certainty of her own demise at hand.

  “Let’s go somewhere we can talk without interruption.”

  Carol was rotated once again. The doppelganger followed Janine through Carol’s condominium and out the back door. A few minutes later, Carrie stuffed Carol into the trunk of Janine’s Mercedes. Carol began to sob. Hopelessness and fear enveloped her every conscious thought. All she could imagine ahead of her was pain beyond belief and then Hell. After an interminable time the Mercedes stopped. Carol heard the doors open and readied herself to scream at the top of her lungs as the trunk latch popped open. She managed only a whimper before Carrie’s foul hand clamped with jaw breaking strength over her mouth.

  Carrie plucked Carol out of the trunk effortlessly, still sealing the terrified woman’s mouth. Again, Janine gestured to her familiar almost as an afterthought. Carrie followed her into what Carol concluded was Janine’s home: a huge split level house with attached two car garage. Janine hit the switch closing the outside garage door before opening the door into the house. Moments later, the three were trekking down a long flight of stairs which ended at another metal door. Janine unlocked the deadbolt and led the way into the room. After Janine turned on the room light Carol groaned, sobbing again at the sight of what looked like an operating room, complete with table and surgical trays.

  “Let the screaming begin,” Janine announced happily. Carrie strapped Carol on top of the surgical table.

  Hours later, Janine smiled down into Carol’s pain twisted face. She had ordered her doppelganger to skin Carol alive, leaving only her face untouched. Shock had mercifull
y set in. Although Carol’s eyes looked back at her, the brain behind them was disconnected. Janine injected Carol with a syringe at the neck. Carol’s body shook as if in the midst of an epileptic fit. Carol’s head tossed from side to side violently. She screamed uncontrollably. Her exposed nerve endings sent torturous messages to her brain. Janine laughed lightly before injecting Carol with another syringe. Carol’s screams faded with the pain, but consciousness remained.

  “Ah, you’re back, my dear girl,” Janine whispered in Carol’s ear. “You gave us such a fright. We thought we’d lost you. I’m sure we haven’t finished our talk yet, have we?”

  With the pain receding, Carol nodded almost gratefully.

  “Oh God in heaven!” Carol screamed out suddenly, startling Janine. “Forgive me, my Lord! Forgive me…forgive me…forgive me….for…”

  Janine clutched Carol’s neck, diving half atop the prone woman, only to discover Carol was dead. Carol’s eyes stared at her sightlessly, only the slight smile curving at the corners of her mouth still quivering as Carol’s body relaxed in death. Janine looked up at the impassive Carrie with suppressed rage.

  “Stuff this bitch in a bag. We’ll take her to the condo and dump her body in the living room. Leave nothing of hers here. That’ll give her little friends a wake up call, just like the FBI agent who thought he was Elliott Ness.”

  * * *

  Raphael walked quietly from the main bedroom, closing the door behind him. He joined Abaddon. The Angel of the Abyss had maneuvered two chairs for them to sit on in front of the suite’s large picture window, looking out over the Las Vegas Strip. Abaddon handed his brother a cup of freshly brewed coffee when Raphael was seated comfortably.

  “They are sleeping.”

  “It is a time when I am happy I do not require sleep,” Abaddon replied. “I hope our companions will be able to sleep without dreams.”

  “They are very deliberate in their thinking. If anything, they are most anxious to find the human who did such a thing.”

  “And yet Sister Mary Catherine asked you to sit with them until they fell asleep,” Abaddon pointed out.

  “Yes, but only because she didn’t trust herself with you there. I believe she wishes to retain the edge her prayers have given her.”

  “Her aura was very strong tonight. If… what’s wrong, Raph?”

  Raphael sat up suddenly, spilling his coffee.

  “Something’s happened… something dreadful,” Raphael intoned. “Do you not feel it?”

  Abaddon stood up, staring out at the night, concentrating intensely for a few moments before looking down at Raphael.

  “I’m sorry, Raph. I don’t feel anything. I am still somewhat numb from my time in the Abyss though. Is it a demonic presence or the evil of Pomada’s child killer?”

  “I…I’m not sure,” Raphael admitted, the connection with what had pierced his thoughts receding.

  “Put up a barrier around the apartment. We shall fly out and seek this nameless thing which troubles you,” Abaddon urged, his ebony wings flickering into view.

  Raphael clutched his brother’s forearm, shaking his head in the negative. “No, my brother, sit. We would not have any idea where to start. You need more time to gather your control. I can’t tell if this feeling is for someone or something. Odd that it was so fleeting.”

  Abaddon took Raphael’s cup and refilled it. He sat down next to Raphael, handing his brother the refilled cup.

  “What did it feel like, Raph?”

  “It…it felt like hopelessness, unimaginable pain, and then strangely… salvation.” Raphael stared out at the night sky. “The presence felt so familiar, and yet… I am at a loss to tell you whether it was anything more than a premonition. We must proceed with caution tomorrow, my brother.”

  “I will accede to your guidance. If I find some thread to follow I will leave caution to you. In some things, brother, what I do may not be in line with your suggested course.”

  Raphael reached out, grasping Abaddon’s shoulder with affection. “Of course, dark brother, you are the fist of God. I don’t expect the fist to play patty-cake. I will handle the caution part of it. I meant it would be good to steel yourself against losing control of your human appearance in front of strangers at the site.”

  “I will have better control tomorrow. Sister Mary Catherine’s prayers helped me immensely. They grabbed me just before I exploded right through the walls of our room. I knew not where I was going or what I could do.”

  Abaddon knelt quietly, his huge hands clasped in front of him at the window frame. “I think it would be good to pass these hours in prayer until we leave tomorrow.”

  Remembering what swept through him moments ago, Raphael put his coffee aside and knelt next to his brother. “I believe you are right.”

  Before dawn broke, Angelina used the bathroom. She then opened the door of the suite bedroom. When she saw the two Archangels still kneeling in prayer, tears welled up in her eyes. Angelina brushed them aside, walking quietly out into the main suite. She gently wrapped her arms around the unmoving Abaddon, kissing the back of his neck.

  “Good morning, little one,” Abaddon whispered without looking up.

  “Good morning, my love,” Angelina whispered in return, waving over at Raphael. He smiled at her in greeting. “Hi, Raph. I see you two have been busy covering all the bases.”

  “We have been readying ourselves for what lies ahead.” Raphael shrugged happily, feeling better than he had in some time. “Prayer was a very good way for us to pass the hours. I hope you and Cat were able to sleep.”

  “We’re fine. As usual, Cat was right. We came to sin city and maybe sin city took a little bite out of us. Pomada’s case file gave us perspective. Cat’s prayer session gave us strength. Say, baby, have you ever watched any cartoons before?”

  “I don’t believe so. What is a cartoon?”

  “Let me show you.” Angelina tugged on Abaddon’s clothing.

  Minutes later, Angelina was channel flipping with the TV remote control in hand with two curious Archangels seated on either side of her. When she paused at an animated dog, jumping around a wild haired, bearded man, she stopped station cruising and giggled in delight.

  “Scooby Doo,” Angelina announced. “You guys need to see this. It’ll lighten things up a little. I watched the Scooby gang all the time when I was a kid.”

  * * *

  Catherine peaked out of the bedroom, having been wakened from a deep sleep by bursts of laughter. She saw her three companions enjoying what turned out to be a Scooby Doo marathon on one of the cable channels. Seeing Abaddon pointing at the television screen amid booming belly-laughs at the antics of animated creatures, Catherine felt a need so primal race through her body, it was all she could do to keep from running out to couple with him right on the couch. She closed her eyes, mouthing prayers for strength, and calling to mind the pictures from Pomada’s file. Catherine stood unmoving for many minutes, her hands clenched tightly at her sides. Hearing Angelina and the Archangels’ laughter, Catherine knew this too was part of their future path - a small oasis in the midst of hell.

  Abaddon stopped laughing, looking over into Catherine’s eyes as she stood next to the bedroom door. He smiled at her with almost a reverence in his eyes. Their eyes locked in a passionate fury, which brought a chill surging through Catherine’s inner core. She shivered and walked quickly over to the couch.

  “Having fun?”

  “I was just showing the boys how to lighten things up, Cat,” Angelina replied, waving at Catherine. “I thought they needed a good laugh.”

  “You’re right about that.” Catherine hugged Abaddon.

  “I feel a little left out here,” Raphael joked.

  “Roowrrr?” Abaddon made a very credible Scooby Doo questioning sound which had both Angelina and Catherine rocking in appreciative laughter.

  “Tha…that was perfect,” Angelina stammered out when she caught her breath.

  Abaddon, surprised at how
his simple imitation of a cartoon dog affected Angelina and Catherine, launched immediately into a five minute Scooby Doo recitation, complete with facial expressions. The two nuns were in hysterics, tugging on Abaddon’s shirt, trying to make him stop, which only evoked another ‘Roowrr?’ in answer. Raphael watched with much amusement as Catherine and Angelina jockeyed atop a now standing Abaddon trying to cover his mouth while he cavorted through the living room. Abaddon worked his way over to Raphael, wearing Catherine and Angelina around his neck, bending down to voice a last ‘Roowrr?’ for Raphael.

  “That’s it, no more cartoons for you,” Raphael stated in mock angst, standing as he plucked both women from Abaddon’s shoulders. “Come, come, children, it is time to clean up and go to breakfast.”