Demon at War (The Mike Rawlins Series Book 3)

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

“You were gone a little longer than I thought you would be,” Denny remarked, as Mike, Sandy, and Demon walked into the computer lab. “Laura?”

  “Yep.”

  “Figured as much. Does Sandy know what we’re doing?”

  “Nope.” Mike turned to Sandy. “You and Denny are going to open a portal for real right now. We’ll let a Haunt saunter through and then close it down. I will attempt to mind mutilate it to turn on its own. Want a piece?”

  A slow smile formed on Sandy’s mouth. “Hell yeah! Oh… Mike… that’s incredible. Do you think you can actually do it?”

  “That’s what we’re here to find out. Denny will have his Haunt killer pack on with Demon backing me up. We can close the portal instantly if things go wrong. Me and Demon will take care of the Haunt with Denny backing us our play if it doesn’t work.”

  “Let’s do this,” Sandy replied.

  “I thought we’d do the experiment here, away from where we plan to do tomorrow’s attack,” Denny said, typing in the last few parameters on his cameras and audio pickups. He placed remote pickups on both Mike and Sandy. He then put a collar with camera on Demon. “Sorry, D, but we need your input feed on this one.”

  “Arf!”

  * * *

  Only minutes passed between when Sandy uttered the last words of the spell before a portal began to form. When it was completed, the observers saw numerous flitting shadows. Only moments later the head of a Haunt poked through the portal. It peered into the earth’s dimension with avarice. Mike blasted it with everything he had, his focus on one command: you will obey me. Its facial features slackened instantly.

  “Come over,” Mike ordered. The Haunt instantly popped through into the earth dimension, staying near the portal where Demon sat next to it on guard. Its lower extremities were now visible. They were each monstrous five talon tipped nightmares, bird like in flexibility and appearance. Until now, they had always been obscured as if partially an element of the Haunt dimension.

  Denny stood with Haunt Killer weapon ready and his finger a microsecond away from Haunt vaporization. Sweat beaded on his forehead. He did not blink his eyes in fear the Haunt would streak around the sealed room, which he and Mike had sealed with holy water and Colloidal Silver mix. Sandy crouched behind him as ordered. She screamed as Demon tore the head off of a Haunt poking across the portal. Denny moved to the side and fired a sealing burst into the portal. The Haunt remained in place, staring vacantly at Mike.

  “I’m going to break connection,” Mike said. “Be ready in three… two… one.”

  The Haunt remained motionless.

  “Well okay. Just as you thought, Den, it understands the lingo. They’ve been playing around with us for a while. I’m going to poke around. If you see me fading out or something, snuff him.”

  “Oh yeah,” Denny acknowledged moving with Demon into position. Sandy remained inches from Denny.

  Mike sensed unchecked rage, but beneath that a cunning intelligence cloaked in unfathomable darkness without rhyme or reason. He grinned, recognizing the shadowy essence he had been battling since being wounded and healed, which now infected him probably forever more. He sliced into its subconscious without mercy. Sandy shook with fear, attuned to the power Mike wielded. She gripped Denny tightly from behind, burying her head in his back. Denny and Demon glanced at each other in silent commiseration as they watched Mike destroy the monster from the inside out. The Haunt’s features melted into slack faced emptiness.

  Mike looked away from the Haunt finally. “I do believe we’re going to be able to use this, boys. I own this thing… own it! I am its Lord and master. It will kill its own kind because they are evil, right George?”

  Sandy gasped from where she peeked around Denny as the motley colored horror nodded. “You… you named it?”

  “Yeah. It knows its name is George, and George is a Haunt killing machine. Ain’t that right, George?”

  Again the horror nodded, actually looking at the others as it acknowledged Mike’s statement.

  “That is some scary stuff, Mike,” Denny whispered.

  “Arf!”

  Mike’s smile of triumph disappeared. He realized from his comrades faces they were worried and fearful he had transformed into a monster. “Hey… it’s me, Mikey. You guys were aware I had to strip out everything in it to control it, right?”

  “I guess I didn’t really think you could do it though,” Denny replied.

  “I was hoping you could and afraid you could,” Demon added silently. “It’ll take some getting used to, Cap.”

  Mike repeated what Demon said with Denny immediately agreeing.

  “That’s it exactly, Mike. It’s only four. Do you want me to text Laura and tell her she can bring Joanie over whenever she wants now?”

  “No. I need to make George more presentable for his coming out party. I think you three need a beer. Go have one while I help George out. He’s corporeal now.” Mike put an arm around the creature and guided it out of the lab. Before they went through the door, it put its head on Mike’s shoulder.

  “Oh… my… God,” Denny whispered.

  “Arf!” Demon agreed.

  Sandy wiped away tears. “Do you have anything stronger than beer, Denny?”

  “Yeah, we have Jack Daniels Whiskey.”

  “I…I’ll have a double.”

  “Arf!”

  * * *

  Denny brought everyone into their new screening room, complete with 60 inch widescreen 3D High Def TV, and surround sound system, which elicited loud expressions of delight. The group maneuvered around the state of the art couches and loveseats at perfect viewing distances with awe. Sandy sat on the far side of the room with Demon next to her. The double Jack Daniels had calmed the two of them, but they dreaded the next part of the show.

  Stan and Jerry were hugging and high-fiving the grinning Denny, joking that he was starting to slur his words.

  “Damn. You three started without us,” Janis observed. “Where’s Mike? Is he passed out in the next room or something?”

  “We were all prepared from your texts to expect a full onslaught about our new weapon’s tanker,” Connie added. “I’m assuming we still are on for an inter-dimensional rodeo, right?”

  Joanie was hanging on to the silent Denny uneasily, noting his hand was like ice. “What’s the matter, Denny?”

  Laura grabbed Denny’s shirt front. “Where’s Mike? What the hell is going on here?”

  Gail clasped Laura’s shoulder. “Easy girl. Let Denny finish.”

  Laura’s outburst silenced everyone. Denny disengaged Laura’s hands. “Please sit down. Mike has something to show everyone, and it’s both frightening and scary good. We opened a portal today so Mike could test his power on a Haunt. It worked.”

  Denny guided Laura into a seat. Joanie and Gail sat down on either side of her. The others sat down then without further discussion. “Okay, Mike. I’ve warmed the crowd for you.”

  The door opened to the adjoining lab. Mike walked in all smiles. “May I present the newest member of our team, my good buddy, George.”

  George the Haunt ambled through the door with a grotesque parody of a smile. It waved at the teens, as they cried out in shock, with Stan and Jerry pulling out their iron spikes from under their coats. Laura, Gail, and Joanie all launched out of their seats, scrambling back behind their friends. George was attired in black sweatpants and an orange San Francisco Giants t-shirt, with a matching SF Giants ball-cap turned around backward jauntily on his head. Mike patted his shoulder.

  “It’s okay, pal. They just need a little time.” Mike turned back to his friends. “You’re hurting George’s feelings, huh buddy?”

  George immediately slumped his shoulders, while looking down at the floor in a caricature of disappointment.

  “Jesus… Mary… and Joseph… this…this is too much,” Connie mumbled.

  “What have you done, Mike?!” Laura blurted out. “That thing can rip us apart!”

  There wer
e strident voices of agreement amongst the Demon Inc crew. Even Gail stared at Mike as if he had grown a third eye. Demon then padded over, sat down next to George, and leaned his head against the Haunt. George petted him, to startled yelps from the audience.

  Mike turned serious. “We have a war on our hands, kiddies. This is George the Haunt killer. I turned him. He’s crossing over with me and D tomorrow. George is the whole package. He can pass through solid objects at will, rip Haunts, and crossing over won’t hurt him. He loves us, no matter how hurtful we are to him. Show them, George.”

  George popped his head up, his mimicry of a smile back. He extended his arms wide toward the stunned teens and then hugged himself before blowing them a kiss. He then hugged Mike, resting his head on Mike’s shoulder. Sandy and Denny both walked over and did a group hug with the happy George. Stan and Jerry were the first to crack up laughing, shaking their heads and holstering their spikes.

  “Only you, Mikey, could have thought of something like this,” Stan said, joining the group around George.

  In the next half hour, the new arrivals came into intimate contact with George, who reacted like a newly adopted puppy. The deadly Haunt won them over one by one with Laura the last to accept their new addition, remarking she now realized why Denny, Sandy, and Demon were already three sheets into the wind.

  “If I wasn’t a Moby Preggo, I’d be slinging back boilermakers and Jello shots until I passed out.”

  “We have everything laid out on the serving tables to your left, my friends,” Mike said, gesturing at the aforementioned spread with warming pizzas, breadsticks, and dip. Beer and wine were in a cooler next to the table. A bottle of Jack Daniels with shot glasses graced the end of the table nearest the cooler. “We should have a toast to Stan and Jerry on a terrific win today in overtime.”

  “I thought it was a big deal too until I came here,” Jerry said, putting an arm around George. “Having our own pet Haunt trumps just about anything I can imagine. Let’s have the a couple of shots and you can fill us in on the plan for tomorrow’s attack.”

  “Jerry’s right. He and I are going to need ushers at our wedding. George will certainly calm the in-laws down,” Stan added to appreciative laughter.

  “Did you guys make a breakthrough on the nuptial front?”

  “Yeah, CD,” Janis said. “It’s a breakthrough in that we’re planning a joint wedding, and sending out invitations to our families. It may be a little empty in the rows meant for family. Me and Aunty Em are cool with it, because we are so going to be dressed to the nines, with many, many friends in attendance.”

  “We’ll make it the event of the century around here,” Mike stated, having walked over to begin pouring the shots. He handed each shot to George who grasped the shot glass with impressive dexterity before serving them with a bow. “No expense will be worried about. Get ready for the dream honeymoons of all time at Demon Inc expense.”

  Mike held up his shot glass to the others and Laura’s small cup of wine. “To Demon Inc’s newlyweds to be. May God bless and keep you all safe. George, Demon, and I will waste everything of a dangerous nature in support.”

  “Arf!” Demon barked out enthusiastically while slurping from his freshly filled bowl.

  George nodded and bowed in comical agreement.

  “We had extra beds delivered here if anyone needs a sleepover. Otherwise, I’ll call a limo company and have you all delivered home, and brought here again tomorrow morning,” Mike said. “We’re doing this full bore tomorrow. Let’s not overdo it tonight. We have Agent Navarone as our sponsor and chaperone. Denny said your Dad’s staying over tonight, right HG?”

  “Yep. He’ll be here around eight, which is why I can stay tonight too… although not quite in the manner I’d hoped. He doesn’t know about George of course. What will you be doing about outing George, Mike?”

  “There’s no getting around the fact I’ll have to let the feds in on both George and how he came to be,” Mike admitted. “I may have to nudge a few people. Otherwise, they may confiscate me and George for experimentation. That won’t go well for them.”

  “Arf!” Demon emphasized the statement with a visceral growl.

  George immediately sat down next to Demon and hugged him, drawing raucous laughter and snorting amusement from Demon.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Portal War

  “What the hell…?” Navarone’s exclamation tapered off into shocked silence, facing the fully outfitted Demon Inc crew in front of her. George stood at the center, dressed in yellow waterproof slickers, complete with helmet and face shield. “Is…is that one of the monsters?”

  Mike patted George’s shoulder. “This is George. He’s on our side. I emptied him and filled him with love for us humans. He’s happy with his new position, right George?”

  George nodded enthusiastically. He then knelt on one knee, his head bowed, with a hand extended above his head in supplication as Mike had taught him.

  Navarone’s eyes narrowed in suspicious accusation of Mike, staring at him as the revelation presented sunk in. “You…you did something to me! This explains everything! Good Lord… you can even make the monsters do your bidding. I’m thinking of pulling the plug on this whole scam. How do I know I’m not standing here because you ordered it? This is… hideous!”

  Prepared for her reaction, Mike patted George and helped him again to a standing position. He walked over in front of Navarone with his hands making placating motions. “Look. I did influence a few of your decisions. I saved your life, and helped your position on the FBI’s prized employee list. I am not doing anything to you now, when I could empty you like a glass of water.”

  “Why you arrogant…” Navarone started reaching inside her jacket.

  Mike stopped her. He froze her in position as if she were a manikin in a store window. “We need you, Agent Navarone. I’d like you to be with us in this inter-dimensional confrontation of your own accord because you believe in us.”

  Mike held her until he saw signs of realization in her eyes. He then released her. Navarone removed her hand slowly from its previous action, resting her hands at her sides. She stayed still, trying to express a neutral stance. Realization she could be Mike’s zombie slave if she made a wrong move colored every thought. She shrugged in resignation.

  “Okay… how do you want to play this?”

  “We have proof now with George no one can deny. George will be crossing over with Demon and me, lending extra muscle for managing the hose. I will also be zapping Haunts as I can, turning them against their own. We’re going to be doing irreparable damage to their dimension, maybe enough to give us an edge or even an acknowledgement of superiority. Father Ramirez is here with us. He will be on hand in full raiment to bless the water we’ll be replenishing the tanker with. Give us a chance! This is not a war between you and I. We’re on the same side.”

  Navarone stared at Mike with distrustful anger, but the solid evidence George provided put all her petty grievances on the back burner. “I’m going over with you. Otherwise, you’ll have to compel me. No negotiation on that point. Is it a deal or not?”

  “You do realize you may die instantly when you cross over, right?”

  “You do it without any problems,” Navarone countered.

  “I carry Haunt DNA in me. You don’t. Do as you wish. It ruins everything big time if our main sponsor is killed just when we’re establishing the existence of this world wide danger. I’d rather you stay alive, but I’m through trying to save you.”

  “I’m going.”

  Mike gritted his teeth at the sheer stupidity Navarone was displaying. “Fine, here’s our plan. Sandy will open-”

  “Sandy Albertson? Are you nuts? She’s-”

  “Hey! Don’t dictate. Sandy can voice the Latin incantations better than any of us. She opened the portal yesterday. She’ll be opening the one today. We then allow the portal to draw our targets with my crew fighting them off as they come through the portal. An open po
rtal is like a magnet to the Haunts. Once we have them gathering in hordes on the other side, we launch our counter attack. If you’re stupid enough to go over with us, you’ll have to stay back behind us, and observe only. You can take a weapon pack; but so help me God, if you hit George even by accident, I will mind wipe you until there won’t be a single thought left in your head! Is that clear?”

  Navarone obstinately grabbed Mike’s Kevlar vest. “I’m going! I will not fire on your pet!”

  Mike grinned. “Let’s do this.”

  * * *

  Haunts poured through the portal in escalating numbers with Mike, Demon, Navarone, and George off to the side while their comrades blitzed the Haunts at angles where they would not seal off the portal with their shots. A Haunt broke the plain and streaked upwards before dive bombing Janis on the right side. George cut it in half with a blinding streak to Janis’s side.

  “Holy shit,” Janis gawked at the Haunt vaporizing inches over her head. She gave the smiling George a quick hug. “I love you, you big bugger.”

  Mike and Demon moved into the portal breach, maiming and killing. “Showtime! Bring the hose!”

  Stan and Jerry dropped back to work the tanker hose hydraulic release before guiding the hose and its telescoping support to Mike with George behind him. Gail moved alongside to provide close in support, her job to pick off Haunts without sealing the portal or hitting George. Mike and Demon led the way through the portal. Mike had on his Kevlar, mobile Haunt Killer pack, iron spike, and gripped the business end of the tanker hose. George supported him from the rear with Demon at his side. Navarone, with her own pack, followed the group.”

  “Five bucks says she’s dead in the first thirty seconds,” Janice said, moving into the breach with Gail.”

  “Don’t say that, Brandy. Damn it!” Connie hissed from her other side. “We’re all on the same side.”

  Jogging to positions on either side, Jerry and Stan covered supporting firing areas with their weapons at the ready. Steve Corbett and Denny followed with Denny protecting the wide angle camera play Steve supplied.

  “Remember, we have to make sure we don’t hit George,” Gail cautioned her cohorts.