Neon Nights

by by: Anthony mayfield

  They followed Jake to the side of the basement that the noises were coming from. As they got closer, they realized that it was prayer being offered to satan. They entered a room the size of a college gymnasium. There were 1,200 cots in the room with a man sleeping in each one of the cots. 'What's this?' Terron asked. 'This is the dormitory for our prayer warriors, Jake said. On the other side, there's an even larger room used for the dining area.' 'How is it possible to have all of this down here?' Vice asked. 'This entire underground area is the length and width of one square, commercial block. All of the businesses on top are owned by our followers. We dug out all of the adjoining walls to make one big, gigantic basement to serve our purpose." 'Where's that praying coming from?' Thayer wanted to know. 'From the next room, BA-El. Come I'll show you.' Again, they followed him down the dark hall until they came to a huge, black door. 'This, of coarse, is our prayer room.' Jake said beaming. Jake opened the door and gave it a push, reluctantly, the vault like door, creaked open. Jake stepped inside and motioned for the others to follow. 'Come on in, Lord.' He said. Thayer pushed Terron ahead of him, he stepped in and the others followed.

  There were 666 men, in robes identical to the one Jake was wearing, on their knees chanting to satan in unison. They were saying the exact same words, at *precisely the same time, and at an identical pitch. On a slightly raised platform, in front of the men, there was a nude man kneeling in -a pool of blood at the foot of a large altar. Blood ran from the top of the altar and splashed on the man as he prayed with the others. It looked as if he were kneeling in a bloody waterfall. Jake explained to them what was going on: 'The nude man is one of our high priests. He is kneeling in a pool of fresh blood which we get from the sacrifices that we slay daily on the altar. The blood is pumped from the pool back up to the top of the altar so that it can run freely over the priest providing him with a perpetual blood covering as he prays to our lord. At the end of each day, the blood is drained from the pool

  and served to the prayer warriors with their meal. After the blood is drained, the pool is refilled with the blood of other sacrifices. The process continues 24 hours a day, every day.'

  'How long has this been going on?' Terron asked. 'The prayer has been going on uninterrupted for 6 years now.' 'Where do you get the sacrifices from?' 'This way Tenon, I'll show you." They went down another dirty hallway. Coming toward them was one of the prayer warriors. When he got right up on them, they noticed that he didn't have any eyes, only deep, black sockets. 'Hey, Quinnery, what happened to his eyes?' Vice asked, before anyone else could. 'Oh, that. He's blinded as is all of our prayer warriors. Their eyes were plucked out in a dedication ceremony when they committed themselves to this cause. Now, all they do, in 8 hour shifts, is to pray that lucifer's will be done on earth as it is in hell. Their only needs are food and shelter and we provide both. They surrender their sight for two reasons; one, so that they won't be distracted by any light while praying, and two, so that they will be focused, ever mindful of their purpose.' How are their eyes plucked out?' Thayer asked. 'After our rituals are performed, the men are tied down to a board then we take vinegar, gall, and blood and pour it across their eyes. The high priest then releases crows that have been trained for this purpose. The crows peck and claw at the eyeballs until they can finally pull them out as a savory treat. Afterwards, a special acid is rubbed over the eyelid to remove what's left of it and to burn away any residue in the eye socket itself. Then the men are allowed two days rest before they begin their prayer duties. Here we are, gentlemen, the sacrificial room,' He said smiling like a salesman showing his best product.

  He opened the door slowly and they walked into a large room. People were chained to every available space along the walls. Babies and animals were crammed in rows of cages. Both the people and animals were of every nationality and species imaginable. 'Where did they come from?' Thayer asked. 'Our workers snatch unattended babies, drunks, students, stray animals, or whoever, from around the globe. They bring them here to be sacrificed at the appropriate time. That's how we keep fresh blood all of the time.' Jake said. 'Magnificent, Thayer commented, no wonder the master uses you so much. Even so Jake, it's getting late. Your operation is most impressive, nonetheless, I must get the needed information so that we might be on our way.,' 'Right, Jake said. Let's go to the computer room and retrieve from the computers all that you need.'

  The computer room was the largest that they'd seen so far. It was the only room in the basement that was well lit. The master computer was so large, that it circled the room and totally covered each wall. There was an area that had nothing but telephones in it and they were directly connected to every country in the world. Off to the side, standing erect in the middle of the floor, were ten rows of bookcases that made up a library. 'Have a seat,

  gentlemen. 'Quinnery said. They gathered around a small table with a computer keyboard on it and sat down. Quinnery disrobed and sat in the chair closest to the keyboard.

  'Now, my captain, what can I do for you?' Thayer sat quiet as he looked Jake over. It was the first opportunity for him to see what Jake really looked like since they were in a lighted room. Jake was fair skinned and appeared to be about 45 years old. He sported a tailor made suit which dripped with all of the trimmings. Trimmings like, silk shirt and tie, gold stick pin, Rolex watch, diamond rings, and alligator shoes. Finally, after his personal assessment of Jake was over, Thayer spoke.

  'What I need is information about these men.' He slid Jake a copy of the list of names he had had Connley to call. 'Just what kind of information do you want, BA-El?' "I want to know everything that you know about them. How much money they have, how they earned it, who they owe; I even want to know if they are saved or not. I want to know everything."

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  'Alright, I don't suppose that information would be difficult for me to obtain.

  He took the list of names, fed it into the computer and pushed some buttons. Lights began to blink, bells rang and buzzers sounded as the computer gathered data from various other computers around the world on the men. After fifteen or twenty minuets, all of the information had been gathered and presented to Thayer in a neat bundle. Thayer smiled as he read over some of the information. It was much more than he had imagined it would be.

  'Anything else, lord?' Jake asked, breaking the silence. 'Yes, Thayer said, there is one other thing. I'd like all of the information that you can get on Kenny Matthews. I need to know what cities he's been to over the last five years, what hotel he stayed in, how long he stayed, how much money he has in his account, and any other pertinent information that you have. And, I want the names of the kingpins who run the major drugs and prostitution rings in the cities Matthews has recently visited. I'll also need to know how to get in touch with those dealers. 'Coming right up.' Quinnery said as he began to press more buttons and keys on the computer. The printer had begun to spew out the information when one of the prayer warriors burst into the room.

  'Excuse me, lord Quinnery.' Quinnery nervously looked at Thayer out of the corner of his eye to get his reaction to someone calling him lord. Thayer looked up momentarily before giving his attention back to the information he was reading. Embarrassed, Quinnery snapped, 'Yes, what is it?' 'Forgive me, my lord for disturbing you, but you are desperately needed in the birth sector. One of the sacrificial prisoners is giving birth.' 'So. Handle it.'

  Quinnery yelled. 'But lord, there are complications.' By now, Thayer and the others were attentive to Jake conversation. 'Somebody's having a baby?' Connley asked.

  'Jake, what's going on?' Thayer demanded. Turning to face him, Jake explained; 'It's nothing, really my lord. It seems that one of our women is giving birth and has developed serious complications.' 'We heard that much. Where is this happening?" 'In the birth sector, Ba-El.' 'The birth sector? What, on earth, is a birth sector, and why didn't we see it earlier?' 'I know that you haven't seen it, Quinnery said apologetically, but it was only because you were in a hurry, remember?' 'Are you accusin
g me for your ignorance in not showing us something as important as a birth sector, you impudent, insignificant, little liar!" Falling to his knees, Quinnery begged forgiveness and confessed that the whole mishap was due to his stupidity and swore that it would never happen again. 'Take us there immediately.' Thayer commanded. Quinnery leaped to his feet, shoved the prayer warrior upside the door, and with a bowed head said, 'This way, master.'

  They followed him through a winding corridor and down a spiraling staircase. At the foot of the stairs was a heavily armed guard. He looked up, recognized Quinnery, and stepped aside so as not to slow down him or his fast moving entourage. There were three rooms in the lower basement and all but the middle door was locked from the inside. Standing in front of the middle door, Quinnery pounded on it. "Open the door. It's me, Quinnery.' He yelled. The sound of rattling chains, and sliding latches could be heard before the thick, heavy door squeaked open.

  There, on the inside of the room, smack dab in the center of the floor, was a young, motley faced woman sitting in a very low chair with her legs spread apart. Her feet were high above her head and in stirrups that dangled loosely from the ceiling. Two workers were kneeling beside the woman trying to help with the delivery. An armed guard had positioned himself in a corner farthest away from the action so as not to be in anyone's way.

  'What's the problem?' Quinnery asked in a most agitated way. One of the workers looked up and answered, 'The baby is trying to come out feet first, and we can't get it turned around.' How many Children has she had?' Quinnery asked. The worker closest to the table along the wall, got up and looked on a clipboard that contained information about the woman.

  The momentary lull in action gave Thayer and the others the opportunity to glance about the room. It was anything but sanitary. There were insects scurrying about the floor and walls, and a few roaches, either undetected by the workers, or totally disregarded, were

  crawling on the woman's inner thigh. The only sink in the room was rusty brown. Mold had grown along its outer edges and it ran along the wall in back of the sink down to a small hole, which was occupied by mice. And the room itself reeked of a pungent urine odor.

  Finally, having found the information, the worker said, 'This is her fifth one in five years, lord.' 'Can the baby be saved?" Quinnery asked. 'If we can get it out, we believe we can save it.' The worker answered. 'The woman has served her usefulness. We won't be able to get anymore children from her, get me a knife." Quinnery said. Hearing this, the woman began to cry out, 'No, no. Please don't. I can have more children; I know I can. Please give me another chance!' She sat up and tried to push the child out but it wouldn't;t budge and the pain was so great that she collapsed back into the chair crying uncontrollably. The worker handed Quinnery a sharp scalpel.

  'Grab the woman and firmly hold her down.' He said to the workers. 'Thayer commanded Vice, Connley, and Tenon to help the workers hold the woman down. Even with five men pinning her down, the woman still thrashed and kicked violently. Thayer leaned over and whacked her twice, once in the eye and once in the mouth. She stopped thrashing long enough for Quinnery to kneel down, slit her womb, and yank the baby out.

  The umbilical cord was tightly wrapped around the baby's throat. Quinnery snipped the cord, and slapped the baby's bottom. The child, a little girl, let out a fait wail and Quinnery handed her to a worker and told him to take care of her. By now, the woman was barely breathing. Blood and afterbirth were everywhere. Quinnery kneeled down beside her and said, 'It's been great, in fact you were one of my personal favorites. But, alas, all good things must come to an end. I shall look forward to seeing you in hell." Unexpectedly, she turned and looked him in the eye. Startled, he withdrew. 'Don't count on it,' She said, as she raised her head and spat in his face. 'Why you no good . . . . ' He stopped in mid sentence, bent over, and began slashing at the woman's throat with the scalpel. 'Quick, he barked at one of the attendants while wiping the wad of snot filled spittle from his face, get a pan or something and catch as much of the blood as you can.' He turned, motioned for Thayer and the others to follow, and walked out the door.

  'She has been here for five years?' Thayer asked. 'Yes, lord.' Quinnery replied. 'How long has this setup been in operation?' Vice asked. 'For 9 years now.' 'So, Jake, what is the birth sector all about?' Tenon asked. 'Come, I'll show you, that is, if my lord has the time?' Thayer looked at Jake and said, 'sarcasm can be hazardous to your health, I'd advise you to be careful.' 'I meant no harm my lord. It's just that I know you are quite busy and I

  only wanted to make sure that time . . . ' 'Cut the bull, Jake. Just take us to the birth sector, alright." 'Yes, master. Right this way.'

  He pulled out a large key ring filled with keys and unlocked the door that was left of the middle room. He pushed the door open and stepped aside for Thayer and the others to go ahead of him. They stepped into a large room filled with scantily clad women and a few men. Both men and women ranged in age from 16- 28. They were either watching television or talking, and most of the women were pregnant. Quinnery stepped in the room and locked the door behind him. 'Silence,' He shouted. Instantly, the room grew deathly quiet and all of the women ran to one side of the room and huddled together waiting to see what would happen next.

  Quinnery began to address the questions that he knew ran through Thayer's and the other's minds. This is another wing of our birth sector. Here we keep women for the prayer warrior's pleasure and for reproduction. The prayers come in to the women whenever they feel like doing so, have their fill of them and leave. When the women conceive, they remain here until the child is ready to be born. At that time, they are taken to the room we just left. After they give birth, they are taken upstairs to a hold over room for three weeks. At the end of the three weeks, they are brought back down here to start the process all over again. If they become sickly or can no longer conceive„ they are immediately sacrificed. Of coarse, the tender young infants are used in special, ceremonial sacrifices throughout the world.'

  'How does that work?" Thayer asked. 'A sect of satanic worshippers will contact us expressing a need for a child to sacrifice. If we have one, we have it delivered to them. We usually keep six babies at all time and never more than thirteen. The few men that you see in here are homosexuals. Some of the prayer warriors prefer them over the women and, like the women, once they can no longer endure the pleasurable pain associated with masochism, they , too, are sacrificed.

  In the room to the right of the middle room, we house pregnant animals. The same thing applies for them, when they can no longer produce, they are sacrificed. However, some of the animals are used for food.

  'Why all of the guards?' Vice asked. 'As a precaution. We don't want anyone to think that they can escape and, we want to be prepared should it become necessary to defend this place. 'Has anyone ever tried to escape?' Terron asked. 'There have been a few futile at­tempts. We have had some stubborn women who refused to be broken. Rather than comply with our demands, they would either try to escape or to harm us. The problem was quickly

  dealt with. 'What would you do?' Connley asked. 'Well, first we have our way with them, then we torture and beat them into submission over several days. Afterwards, if they still refuse to cooperate, as an example to the other prisoners, the rebels are tied to a wall and we throw darts at them until they were dead.'

  'Where did you find such loyal prayer warriors and the other followers?' Thayer asked. 'They come from all over the world. Many are recruited from college campuses, some, due to their impatience with Christianity, come looking for something new, fast, and exciting. So, we give it to them. They have head knowledge about Christ, but they never really allowed him to enter their hearts. They now view Christians as dull, lackluster, lazy, all talk and no action people. They detest Christians who speak of power yet lack evidence of it and those who accept poverty with open arms when their God has everything. They realize that God does exist and that he is all powerful, nonetheless, they have been convinced, by demon spir
its no doubt, that God shall fail due to the inferior, undisciplined people that he has chosen to represent him.

  They know that Christians can win, but, like us, they now believe that Christians won't win because of their indolent, self centered attitudes and their unwillingness to sacrifice in order to unite as one body regardless to the cost. We have united. That is why, now and in the end, we shall reign. The other recruits are the lonely, outcast who were there for the taking. A few promises, a few insignificant signs and wonders, a whispered secret, and viola, they belong to us.'

  In addition to the guards inside, are there any others?" Connley asked. 'Yes, every business on this block employs at least one guard, our guard, whose major purpose is to protect the operation we have going here. Moreover, one of the businesses trains guards, again, our guards. So there in never less than 100-125 armed, well trained guardsmen protecting us at all times.' 'Excellent. Thayer said. You are doing quite well. I'm certain all of hell applauds your efforts and should they continua, uninterrupted, great shall your reward be in hell.' Quinnery beamed pridefully and stuck out his chest. 'Are there any more setups like this?'! Terron asked. 'Yes, there are other centers like this set up all around the world. Some are much larger others are about equal to this one., I don't think we have any smaller than this one. Oh, wait. I take that back. The one in Iran is a tad bit smaller.

  One of our largest centers is buried beneath the Mojave Desert. It's over three miles long and just about a mile and a half wide. No one knows anything about it but us. It's the next best thing to being ubiquitous.' They all chuckled. 'Well, I guess the information that you