by Michael Todd
Immediately the team fell into their rhythm, moving seamlessly around the base, suiting up in their armor, gathering their gear, and picking out weapons.
Eric concentrated on gathering his medic gear first, and Katie grabbed him two guns, the ones he preferred to use, and ammo. She walked over and set them down next to his bags.
Eric looked at the guns, then at Katie. “Thanks.” He grabbed the weapons and checked their safeties before placing them in his bag. “I hadn’t had a chance.”
“You are our medic,” she said. “I’d rather get your guns to give you time to make sure you have everything you need than lose one of our men because we let you come unprepared. Besides, if you’re gonna catch you a demon, you need to stay alive while you are out there.”
Katie smiled and patted him on the shoulder, then walked off toward the garage.
The team rode in silence, everyone lost in their own thoughts. They motivated themselves with all the reasons these demon scum needed to go down, and go down hard.
When they arrived at the jet they loaded it up and climbed aboard, sitting as comfortably as they could while decked out in their gear.
The flight didn’t take very long, and by the time they were landing at Bob Hope Airport, they were anxiously awaiting their next orders. The airport was quiet, and they were able to come right in and taxi over to a covered area where three SUVs waited for them.
Everyone hopped out of the jet and unloaded the gear into the vehicles before lining up to hear what direction they would be heading in.
The mood was solemn but focused, and Katie could feel Pandora stirring inside her. She seemed to be even more focused than Katie but she remained quiet, waiting to find out more details.
“All right, people,” he said. “Still no word yet or any extra details on whether we are looking at demons or straight-up psychos, but at this point we are here and I want every one of you to be in the mindset that we are walking into multiple incursions. This is not a drill, and your lives, as well as those of countless innocents, are on the line here. There is no time for showboating or selfish thoughts. You are on duty, so you need to be ready. Calvin will tell you about our tactical approach plan.”
“Okay, men and lady.” Calvin nodded to Katie, “here is what we are doing. Korbin has split us into three teams. The first team will be Korbin, Derek, and on loan, Sebastian Alexander. The second group will be me, Jeremy, and on loan, Rob Taylor. The third team will be Katie, Damian, and Eric. Now, on Team One, Sebastian will be designated medic if needed, since he has the most experience in that team. On Team Two Rob is the medic, and on Team Three it’s Eric. If anyone is injured on the team, get to your medic. In the meantime, protect the medic. They will be helping anyone in need as well as fighting their asses off.”
“Team leads are as follows,” Korbin said, stepping up. “Team One is me, Team Two is Calvin, and Team Three is Katie. Leads have the hardest job. We are responsible for keeping our teams together, as well as orchestrating whatever attack is called in to us in our location. Keep your earpieces tuned in. Damian,” Korbin glanced at his priest, “that means you, too.”
Katie looked at Damian and smirked, knowing he had a horrible habit of forgetting to turn on his earpiece.
He nodded and reached up, pressing the button on his earpiece.
Katie could feel the adrenaline pumping through her. She was ready to take on the scumbags who had done one of the worst things imaginable: abducted children.
There was no telling what the teams would find when they got their calls. Demons had no moral code or fear of breaking human laws in order to get under their skin and into their minds.
There was a sickness spreading through the streets of Los Angeles; Katie could feel it radiating through her.
It was a new sensation, and not one she was enjoying.
“Gather around,” Korbin said, spreading a map on the table. “We have decided on three main locations we want you in or around.” He looked up at Calvin. “Team Two, you will be in or near Hollywood.” He glanced at Katie. “Team Three, you will be as close to Disneyland as you can get. My team will be near downtown LA.
“Now, your team will be called to the nearest incursion spot when things start to pop off, and you will be responsible for getting there as soon as possible. Designate a driver before you are called, and it shouldn’t be your team lead. They need to be assessing and creating a battle plan for your arrival and operational success. The tablets are charged, and you should be able to access all reports so you can access whatever information you need on the spots you will heading to. Remember, these could be schools, churches, hospitals, or elderly homes. They could be packed or vacant; you don’t know what to expect when you walk into the doors.”
“That means ears and eyes open, people,” Calvin said. “There is no room for mistakes here, especially stupid ones. They could cost you an innocent, or another teammate’s life.”
“I want to make one other thing clear,” Korbin said, folding up the map. “If you can save someone easily do it, but if the demon seems too far gone then take care of it. We are in the job of saving lives, but not if it comes at the cost of others. There has been an influx of powerful demons, ones that may shield themselves as smaller demons to trick you. Treat every demon as top-level.
“Every demon is a Seventy-Two,” Damian said, keeping his eyes straight ahead.
Katie took a deep breath, knowing that she herself had one of the Seventy-Two inside her. It didn’t matter, though. There was no way she would spare any of their lives, even if it meant pissing off her own demon. There was too much at stake.
You won’t piss me off, Pandora said, but you guys better get ready, because this shit is about to get crazy.
I don’t know what you know, Pandora, Katie said. But whatever it is, it better not be a trap. If it is, I promise you I will slit my own damn throat and drag you down to hell kicking and screaming.
I know, she said, going silent again.
“All right, guys,” Korbin said. “Good luck out there, and if we don’t see each other after this, we’ll meet up one day in the big blue place in the sky.”
All three teams headed out to their respective meeting spots. Damian took the wheel in the car with Katie, gripping it tightly as he drove. Katie looked over her shoulder at Eric, who was sitting silently in the back seat.
He had his gun between his knees, his war paint ready, and a look of determination on his face. Katie could tell the bottom was about to drop out, but there was nothing she could do but wait.
When they got close to Disneyland they pulled off into an abandoned parking lot, making sure to pull around to the back corner so they wouldn’t attract any attention.
“So here is the deal,” Katie said. “Damian knows I am no-bullshit in this thing. My team has to be tight—ready to go, ready to fight. There will be no showboating or playing around, and definitely no searching for a demon while we are out there. Kill as many of those bastards as you can get your hands on. Eric, it is important that you assess any and all injuries innocents might have right off the bat. What is the first thing you do?”
“Check their eyes,” he said.
“Perfect,” she said, letting out a deep breath. “Now all we can do is wait.”
Across the city, Calvin’s team with Jeremy at the wheel pulled up in North Hollywood, right at the edge of the Ventura Boulevard. Jeremy found an abandoned building with an attached overgrown parking garage to pull into. He stayed close to the exit and they looked around the structure, keeping their eyes peeled for anything suspicious.
“Jeremy, fight,” Calvin said. “When you get there that is your priority: fight with everything you got. Save whatever people might be there, and kill these motherfucking demons. Rob, you know your role, so I don’t need to explain. Heal everyone you find, and we will have your back as much as humanly possible. If you get into a bad situation, yell out for us.”
“Got it,” he said, nodding his head. “And
the same for you guys. If you need me, yell. I’ll come running.”
Korbin’s team was quiet all the way to the pits, endlessly analyzing every move they intended to make.
Derek tapped his foot as he stared out the window, his med kit and rifle in his lap. He was nervous—that was for damn sure—but he knew he had it. Sebastian parked the car in an off-road made for service vehicles. When they came to a stop, Korbin turned and looked at all of them.
“I’ve made my speeches,” he said. “You boys know what your job is. All I ask is, stay alive to see another day.”
“You got it, boss,” Derek said. “The same goes for you.”
“I’ll do my damnedest,” he replied, turning back around. “Hopefully a Higher Being is up there looking out for all of us.”
Calvin looked down at his watch and then back up at the street as another car passed the old parking garage.
They had been sitting there for hours with no word, but that had always been a possibility. They had to stay vigilant, hoping that in the end the children were safe and as few people as possible were killed.
Calvin put his hand up to his ear and pressed the button, waiting for a response from the other teams. They needed to stay in contact and know where each other was just in case they needed backup.
They might be in separate teams for the night, but they all belonged together in the end. One big family, even the guys there helping them out.
“Team One, Korbin checking in. Any status to report?”
“Negative,” Calvin said. “Still awaiting orders.”
“Roger that,” Korbin said.
“Team Three checking in,” Katie said. “Status is same, still awaiting orders.”
“Just hold, guys. Be patient.” Korbin looked outside their SUV. “This will happen.”
As soon as Korbin said that Calvin’s walkie talkie went off, so he pressed his earpiece to mute the other teams and pulled it up to his mouth. He could feel that pre-fight exhilaration running through him.
“Team Two reporting,” he said.
“Team Two, you are to report to La Cienega Boulevard to the abandoned store in the fifteen hundred block,” the woman from the main base said. “There is one cop down, and one unaccounted for. Suspect unknown, so approach with caution.”
“Copy that.” Calvin punched the address into their GPS.
Jeremy immediately pulled out of the parking garage and headed in that direction, making sure to keep his speed consistent as to not bring any attention to themselves. When they approached the abandoned store, Jeremy pulled over to the side and parked the vehicle. Calvin unmuted his earpiece.
“Team Two reporting,” Calvin said. “Taking a call on the fifteen hundred block of La Cienega. Officer down, suspects unknown.”
“Good luck,” Korbin said.
“Godspeed,” Damian added.
“Kick some motherfucking demon ass, guys,” Katie yelled.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Listen up,” Korbin said turning in his seat as the car sped down the 5. “We are headed over to a spot off the 5 near LAX. There is a warehouse over there—empty most likely, but not abandoned. The roving guards on the property found the bus, with one child deceased. He was able to call in the event before there was radio silence. There have been ten minutes and counting of radio silence, which in this world is a very long time.”
“Do we know what happened to the second guard?” Derek asked.
“No, and for all we know he is a part of the whole thing,” Korbin commented. “There is one thing that I want to address before we get there, though. This is going to be a mentally taxing call—we already know that. I don’t know if any of you have seen a dead child before, but it’s different than a dead adult. Both are tragic, but there is something unnatural about a dead child. We know for sure that there is at least one, but I need you guys to be prepared for the worst. We can’t let it shock us. We have to move forward, and we have to find whatever did this—it or they will most likely still be there—and take care of it. There can’t be any hiccups along the way, is that clear?”
“Yes, sir,” Derek and Sebastian answered.
“Good,” he said. “I promise, whatever needs to be addressed after will be addressed, but unfortunately this is the job we have and the job we need to take care of. I will be there with you every step of the way. Do you have any questions for me?”
“What if the demon hasn’t fully taken the human yet?” Derek asked. “But they are the ones that did it?”
Korbin took a deep breath and looked at Derek. “Double-tap the son of a bitch right between the eyes.”
Derek stared at Korbin in disbelief but nodded, seeing the anger written plainly on his team lead’s face.
They pulled up one block from the warehouse and parked the SUV. Korbin nodded to both men and they exited the vehicle, following Korbin down a long dark corridor to a back entrance of the building.
With guns out they slowly entered, taking each turn and each room with extreme caution. First one would lead, then the next as they worked together to clear their route.
When they reached a set of double doors, Korbin put his hand in the air to signal them to stop. Slowly he crept over to the door, and pushed it open a crack. He could see the back of the bus, one back door slightly open and a small body lying on the ground.
He turned to his men and nodded before opening the door and creeping out into the space.
Derek and Korbin provided cover while the medic ran over to the child and checked his pulse. Sebastian looked up at Korbin and shook his head.
They had found the dead child. Small whimpers echoed through the space, and the medic crept over to the open door of the bus and peeked inside. There were close to fifteen children huddled together at the front, with the bus driver dead in the front seat. He put his finger to his lips and nodded to Korbin.
Korbin let out a sigh of relief and slowly made his way to the front of the bus, checking underneath and all around for any sign of the demons. When he rounded the corner he dropped onto one knee and stared down at the two kids lying on the pavement. They were both bloody and battered, but still breathing.
“Sebastian!” Korbin called. The man came running, placing his kit next to him, and popping the small locks. He pulled out his tools and got to work.
Korbin could feel anger building in his chest—something he hadn’t felt in a very long time. Sebastian grabbed his shoulder and gave him a nod, trying to pull him back from the edge.
He had to keep his wits.
Just then, the doors around them opened and red eyes shone in the dark recesses of the warehouse.
The demons had found them, and there were plenty to go around.
Damian parked the SUV down the street from their call, pulling out both his bible and a gun. They had been called to one of the major churches in the city. There wasn’t a lot of detail on the phone during the call, only screaming and terror in the priest’s voice.
Katie could see the recognition in Damian’s eyes as he stared at the steeple down the street.
There was no movement outside but Mass had already begun, so the church would be pretty full. Katie pulled out the tablet and looked at a blueprint of the church. Around back in the cemetery there was an old stone chapel that held a passageway into the church.
It would bring them into the main hall, from which they could enter the sanctuary.
“I need everyone alert,” Katie said. “We are going to take this underground entrance into the church. Once inside, you need to keep your eyes open and check every person, even the priest, for signs of infection.
“Once we get the people to safety, we’ll attack whatever is inside. We don’t know what we are walking into and that makes this extremely dangerous, so stick close.”
“Got it,” Damian said, nodding.
“I’ll help as many as I can,” Eric agreed.
The team dispersed, circling the block to enter through the cemetery. They stayed as l
ow as they could, unsure who was watching from the many windows in the church.
When they reached the stone chapel, Damian and Eric slid open the heavy stone door and cleared the area. Katie took the lead as they walked through the old passageway, which was thick with cobwebs and mold.
When they reached the end, they found the door unlocked. Katie was surprised; she figured it would have been bolted shut.
“They keep the inside door unlocked,” Damian explained. “It was originally a way for priests to escape capture and find sanctuary inside, but now it’s just an old wives’ tale—a talisman of sorts. Lets the church say they never close their doors.”
“Always tricking people.” Katie winked.
They moved quietly from the side entrance to the main hallway, and stopped right outside of the doors. They could hear crying and screaming from inside the sanctuary. Katie took a deep breath, looked at the guys, and nodded.
Swiftly she moved forward, opening the doors and crawling inside. Once in, though, she slowly got to her feet, looking around in awe at the scene.
They brought their guns to the ready, then stared at the dead in the aisles, the pews, and anywhere else they could have fallen. Eric bolted forward with his gun raised and went to each body, making sure there was nothing that he could do.
There were a few older ladies to the side who were still alive, though badly injured. Eric tended to their wounds as best he could and helped to quietly usher them out into the church’s courtyard. When he came back he looked disheveled, almost lost. Katie walked up to him and put her hands on his shoulders.
“I know it’s hard,” she whispered, “but this is important. We have to find this demon. We have to fix this. I need you to ball up all that emotion and bury it. Bury it as deep as you can until we get out of here. When we get back, we will all deal with what we have seen.”
“All right.” Eric shook his head and took a deep breath. “I got this.”
“Good,” she said.