“Get your hairy butt in front of me right now!” Jenny emphasized the point with gesturing finger. Demon did as he was told with only one glance back at his teen companions, tongue lolling out and his eyes crossed, before proceeding.
“Your… dog is frightening,” Kincaid said. She was huddled next to Ansel, her arm around her friend.
“Only to the Haunts, Ms. Kincaid,” Denny replied. “I know how amazing seeing Demon in action for the first time can be. Don’t think about it so much. You’ve both seen the Haunts, and witnessed a portal opened to hell. Demon helped us close it. Focus on not ever doing anything that helps these things.”
“Never!” Kincaid gestured vehemently. “You’ve got the book. I’m never doing anything like that ever again. This is going to be impossible to explain. Good Lord, we need somebody in authority to act on this!”
“I have it on video,” Denny told her. “I’ll send it to Principal Franz on our way back to school. She’ll see what happened.”
“We better get moving though,” Mike said. “Remember, we still have to clear your house, Ms. Ansel. We can’t take any chances either. Demon Inc will have to take out the Haunts at your house before they know what’s happened. If they get out, they’ll be able to open another portal. We’ll need your help, Ms. Ansel, to take them unawares.”
Ansel moved up close to Mike, framing his face with her hands. “You saved my life. I’ll do anything you want me to do, Mike… anything.”
Mike gripped her shoulders, seeing in her facial features his other Haunt problem was surfacing. “Thanks, Ms. Ansel. I need to explain to both you and Ms. Kincaid that my contact with the Haunts has caused an unnatural attraction when I touch a woman. Please don’t take this the wrong way, but anything of an extra type attraction you feel may be my fault through the wound I took from the Haunt this past weekend.”
“I…I think I understand.” It was clear she didn’t as Ansel tried to wrap her arms around Mike.
Kincaid with her hands on hips had moved near Ansel’s side. “Mary! I’m surprised at you.” She put a hand on Mike’s shoulder, before slipping it around Mike’s waist. “Mike and I have had a connection since he purged those things from my apartment.”
“No way!” Ansel pushed Kincaid.
Joanie jumped in to grab Ansel while Denny slipped between Kincaid and Mike.
Joanie shook Ansel’s shoulders. “Stop it, you two! You’re not listening! It’s the Haunts. They’ve made Mike’s touch toxic to women! Please, Ms. Ansel, think about it!”
Mike whistled. Demon broke away from Jenny, and streaked over to paw both Kincaid and Ansel. Their eyes cleared. Denny guided the reluctant Kincaid away. “It’s hard to explain, but the further we get away from Mike, the more the effect lessens. Let’s get you and Ms. Ansel back to class. Can you drive okay?”
“Yeah… I see what you mean. What the hell was I thinking? I’m sorry, Mary!”
Ansel waved at her as she let Joanie walk her toward the parking lot. “I’m okay, Lor.”
Joanie turned to Mike, who had remained motionless. “You! Mutant hands! Don’t touch anyone when you get back to school… you freak!”
Chapter Thirteen
New Understanding
Mike saluted as Demon snorted with amusement before catching up with Jenny. Mike was already making plans for removing the infestation from Ansel’s house in his head. He waited until Denny and Joanie had the two teachers inside Kincaid’s car before moving. Mike hoped the video Denny had wisely made would garner some attention. Thinking Haunt hunting was a game ended with the realization one wrong play on Demon Inc’s part could be devastating. The moment Ansel’s Haunt opened a dimensional rift by itself after Mike expelled it, the so called game changed for good. Until the rest of the Haunts were exterminated, no one would be safe. Mike smiled in spite of it all. With his telepathic connection to Demon, if D wasn’t worried, then he wasn’t going to go mental over-thinking the danger.
Wondering if he could get Mary Ansel to give Demon Inc a clean path into her house would be what Mike needed to worry about. He started his Chevy and drove toward the high school. If Demon could streak in amongst the Haunts, while the rest of them backed him up, it might be the whole thing could be over in moments. When Mike reached the school, Principal Franz waved at him from the parking lot. He parked his Chevy and jumped out to meet Franz.
“Denny sent me the video, Mike. I know to stay away from you, and I know we need a bigger boat.”
Mike chuckled. “Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. I have a few ideas as to how we can handle the infestation at Ms Ansel’s house. I’ll run it by Denny before we go over there after school when my team can meet us. I really appreciate your understanding, Ms. Franz. Even my Dad who knows all the specifics of this nightmare thinks we’re living in the Twilight Zone. I can only imagine how this all seems to you.”
“I’ve seen the video, kid,” Franz replied, walking next to Mike with a good two foot distance between them. “I’m actually relieved to be in on the details. If I can help you in any way, shape, or form, I hope you’ll count on me.”
“Your understanding with what’s happened lately at your school has been a God send. The Brad Sanderson thing is a non-related problem I wish had never happened.”
“You let me worry about Mr. Sanderson. I’ve already warned the coaches of our football team if they can’t influence their players any better than they’ve been doing, I’m going to get together with other school board members to take a closer look at the program. I’ve reviewed your first encounter with our football team and its coaches, Mike. You and your folks got hosed, having to hire a lawyer when it was you that was attacked.”
Mike’s lips tightened, remembering his encounter instigated by Arroyo Coach Larkin. Some of the football players, triggered by his turning down a recruitment offer by Larkin in his sophomore year, tried intimidation and physical retribution to harass Mike. It had ended badly for them, but Mike’s parents had been forced to hire a lawyer to defend him. “That’s in the past, Ms. Franz. Considering the dimensional war happening now, those days on the receiving end of the football team don’t even register on my annoyance meter.”
Ms. Franz laughed. “Yeah, I could see how you would think that now.”
“I have something else to offer since I’m backing your suspension of Sanderson one hundred percent: if Larkin wants me to, and it’s legal, I could fill in for Sanderson.”
Franz stopped dead in her tracks, looking at Mike for some sign he was kidding. When he met her gaze with interested indifference, she waved him off. “I know you mean well, but their game is on Friday night. Even with as little as I know about football, I know you couldn’t get familiar enough with the plays to ever get up to speed by then. Have you ever played quarterback, even in a pickup game?”
“Nope. I bet I could do it, and I’d do it like a sandlot game. I know you’re getting all kinds of heat for suspending that idiot Sanderson. If Larkin agrees, I’ll come out to practice tomorrow afternoon after school and show him. It’ll take pressure off you, and I’ll help them win the game. I’ll go both ways, offense and defense, if he wants.”
“You’ve been upgraded, haven’t you?”
“Sort of,” Mike admitted.
“The Haunts?”
“They’ve done something to me, and except for the off the wall female attraction problem, the enhancements have been positive.”
“Okay then. I’ll low key it to Larkin. If he wants to try you out then you’ll get your chance. I’m giving Sanderson a five day suspension for his stupidity, so he’ll be eligible to come back next week. You’re certain you want to do this? You do know his teammates will eat you alive if they can.”
“Yep, but I’ll handle it. No matter how good I do, I’m not joining the football team anyway. This is strictly to take the heat off you. I won’t disappoint you either.”
“I won’t pretend to know how the heck you’re keeping all this straight in your head. It must
seem strange participating in possible cataclysmic events, still do schoolwork, and fight in those goofy MMA matches I’ve heard about. Now you want to play football too? You’re going to need a clone.”
“The football commitment will only be until after the game. I’m filling in for Brad, and that’s all. The real trouble with the Haunts this particular time was they were summoned when Ms. Ansel and Ms. Kincaid fooled around with a Grimoire, doing summoning as a gag. They won’t be doing that anymore, but it did clue us into how badly things can go wrong if the Haunts are given a chance to possess a living body.”
“I guess you’re aware of how many people fool around like Ansel and Kincaid, right?”
Mike nodded. “Yeah, and I’m very aware of how many magic and demonology sites there are on the Internet too. I’m not sure whether to warn people or not. We could get that out there on the Syfy network’s Halloween Special they’re doing on our Demon Inc adventures, but I’m wondering if a bunch of idiots will go out and try to do it once they know about it.”
“You’re scaring me, Mike.”
Mike grinned over at Ms. Franz before they split off to their respective destinations. “Welcome to my world. Stay tuned.”
“Will do, Mike.” Franz waved as she headed to her office building. “Let me know if any teacher or student screws with you today.”
“Not happening. I will be a good boy for the rest of today.”
“Jinx!” Franz called out without turning.
* * *
Mike, Denny, and Joanie walked toward Mike’s Chevy, having met up in the quad at day’s end. The day had been unremarkable after the lunchtime battle to close a Haunt gateway from hell. Mike noticed his sister clutching Denny’s hand as they walked. Denny had worn his jacket for the remainder of the day over his Joanie torn shirt. Denny looked up to see Mike grinning at him.
“What?”
“Nothing,” Mike replied. “It’s just nice to see normalcy for an hour.”
“Ansel’s staying with Kincaid until we get the troops ready for the assault. I’ve alerted everyone, so they’ll be at your house shortly after we get there. Luckily, this was Stan and Jerry’s light practice day. It’s no problem for Connie and Janis. Mr. Corbett will be there with the Demon Inc war wagon. He freaked in his text messages to me after seeing the video of today’s rift closure. He’s unsure what to do with that footage commercially, but he sent it along with everything we have to the Homeland Security office. Mr. Corbett is no longer thinking of our excursions with an eye toward Demon Inc’s commercial success. I believe he’s shifted focus to humanity’s survival.”
“It was a hell of a lot more fun when we were just blasting a few ghosts at famous haunted places, Den.”
“We can’t ever let up now, guys,” Joanie said. “This is way beyond scary with them opening a rift by themselves. We have to keep filming until the authorities can’t ignore what’s happening. I pray all of us are alive when that time comes. Today’s surprises have my head screwed up. You didn’t see that gateway from our perspective in the parking lot, Mike. Good Lord, it was like taking a glance at the end of the world! I-”
“Rawlins!”
The three teens turned together at the sound of Mike’s name. Coach Larkin jogged toward them.
“Let me handle this, no matter what way it goes,” Mike whispered at his companions.
Larkin didn’t stop until he was practically invading Mike’s airspace, his chin jutting out, and fists clenched. “What the hell is this shit about you volunteering to save the football team, you arrogant jerk!”
“Just say no, Coach,” Mike replied with calm reserve. “Since Sanderson was stupid enough to try and instigate a beat down on me using an ex-felon, I knew Principal Franz would not have any choice but to suspend him. I didn’t want her to take the heat for the football team being without a quarterback, so I volunteered to take Bradley’s place. If you don’t want my help, fine! Walk the hell away, Coach! I figured you’d be too stupid to take me up on the offer anyway.”
“What makes you think you can play quarterback, you prima donna? Are you nuts? You’ve never even played organized ball. Have you ever even thrown a football?”
“I’ll show you tomorrow afternoon after school, Coach. You’ll have nothing to lose, and a chance to watch me get my head handed to me. What more do you want? If that’s not enough, then say no and be on your way.”
Larkin grinned. “I’m holding you to it now, Rawlins. You’re right. I’m going to enjoy watching you get hammered. See you tomorrow, genius. Don’t forget to bring full disclosure papers saying you understand the danger. Here.”
Larkin handed Rawlins a note. “This is a public file up on-line for the papers you need to have your parents fill out and sign. I hope you’ve had a physical done in the last year because I’ll need a copy of that too.”
“I’ll have it all by tomorrow, Coach,” Mike promised, pocketing the note.
Denny gestured at the receding figure of Coach Larkin while staring at Mike in disbelief. “You’ve gone around the bend, brother. Larkin’s going right into the locker room now and prep the team on your tryout tomorrow. We peons at Demon Inc need you alive and able to move. What do we do when the team puts you in traction?”
Mike noted Joanie transmitting similar signs that he had just popped the top off her annoyance meter too, seeing the all too familiar mouth tightening and brow knitted look of disapproval she had been perfecting. “Let’s quit mucking around here. We have Haunts to exterminate. You two can get off on ratting my plans out to the rest of our crew. Think of it this way. Imagine what sarcastic bombs Demon will blast into my head when he listens to my latest misguided plan.”
Denny put his arm around Joanie, guiding her toward Mike’s car without hesitation. “He’s right. D is going medieval on his butt when he hears about this.”
* * *
Demon looked around the Rawlins’ living room with everyone staring at him. He had listened to the very sharp vocabulary dress down of Mike with appreciation. Humans amused him to no end. The connection he had with Mike was beyond anything he’d ever experienced in all his hellish universe or the threatened human one. He backed up next to Mike and growled, hunching toward the offending humans he cared for almost as much. Demon understood loyalty in a way no one on this plane of existence could comprehend. He knew Mike would die for him in a heartbeat. Piling on, even though Mike expected it with a good natured grin, was not going to cut it with Demon.
“That’s it?” Janis waved her hands up in the air beseechingly. “We look to ‘Deputy Dawg’ for his first sarcastic debut in front of a crowd and this is what we get – growled at?”
Demon glanced up in exaggerated form at Mike. “Tell Brandy to sit her drama queen butt down somewhere if she can find a seat big enough.”
Mike spun around, one hand clamped over his mouth, and one with pointed finger gesturing at Demon. “No!”
“Don’t leave us hangin’, Mikey!” Stan ordered. “You agreed to the rules up front. The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth… so help you God! You’re the only one with the power to interpret the paranormal pup.”
“C’mon, sissy,” Janis coaxed. “He nailed you good and we want the action. Spill it!”
Mike turned to face the group. “Fine. I hope you’re pleased with it. Demon will nod if I’m interpreting it correctly. If I’m lyin’, I’m dyin’.” Mike repeated Demon’s thoughts to the group verbatim with a nod from Demon as he curled his lip up at Janis.
Janis gasped as everyone in the room erupted. “Oh no you didn’t! You did not just call me Brandy! Oh my God! Get ready, Dawg. It’s Klingon justice for you!”
Mike had to wait a full three minutes as Demon launched into a ‘Walk Like An Egyptian’ dance right in front of Janis. “Another ace, D. Can we go kill some Haunts now, people. With my long suffering Mom and Dad’s indulgence, I see myself sharing a beer with my canine partner after this badass day.”
“Mike’s right,
” Jerry seconded the notion, while looking at his watch, and leading the way to the door. “Let’s ‘get ‘er done’. We told your teachers dabbling in the black arts that we’d meet them out in front of Ansel’s house in fifteen minutes. Laura and Joanie are already waiting to go on line with us from Demon Inc.”
Stan followed after Jerry. “This is going to be one heck of a movie. C’mon Brandy.”
Janis launched onto Stan’s back going out the door, sputtering threats and promises of his imminent demise with Connie and Gail laughing behind them. Denny and Steve Corbett brought up the rear, deep into a last minute checklist of items needed out of the Demon Inc equipment van when they reached Ansel’s house. Mike and Demon stopped in front of Dan and Jenny Rawlins who had just come down from upstairs. Jenny hugged her son tightly.
“No more scars, and stay the hell out of the Haunt universe,” Jenny ordered, releasing Mike finally.
Dan shook hands with his son. “You come back in one piece and I’ll dole out a couple beers apiece to you and your partner here.”
“Arf!”
“Don’t worry. Me and Demon got this all planned out. It’s going to be a walk in the park,” Mike promised, before getting blasted by Demon.
“You no good lyin’ scar-faced pug!” Demon nipped Mike’s shoe heel.
Jenny looked at Dan as the two walked out. “We just got rolled.”
“I’m afraid so, Hon.”
* * *
Kincaid drove up behind the Demon Inc equipment van as the teens were donning their helmets, Kevlar jackets, and new reinforced gloves which still allowed easy movement due to the thin material.
“Oh my God,” Ansel gasped out, seeing the shotguns and holy water backpacks. “Is there going to be anything left of my house? Those things you’ll be shooting won’t blow holes through my house like in the ‘Ghostbusters’ movie, will they?”
The teens exchanged uneasy glances. Denny spoke up first.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Ansel, but there will be some water sprayed. Unfortunately, when the Haunts get nailed, they dissolve into a very nasty puddle of ectoplasm. You may need to turn the clean up over to your insurance company, along with rooming in with Ms. Kincaid for a couple days until it airs out.”
Demon Inc (The Mike Rawlins Series Book 2) Page 17