by Lynn Emery
Then he turned his back on LaShaun and the TEA team as if they no longer concerned him. He conferred with his squad. Two soldiers ordered them to line up out of the way. Police officers trained their guns on them as if the team needed a reminder they were trapped.
“Can he do what he says?” Naldo looked at Frank, who could only shake his head.
Abril squinted at the demon and his men. “It’s possible. Once an object becomes powerful, that power can be directed for the wrong reasons. We haven’t tested that theory for obvious reasons.”
“Experiments on holy relics. Seriously?” LaShaun studied their surroundings. Her mind raced with alternatives, consequences, actions to take next.
“Of course. Most of the relics are simply symbols. Stories passed down tend to grow in exaggeration as you can imagine. Then there are those few genuine Holy items, like the staff of Moses,” Frank said quietly. “Only a handful know where it’s kept.”
LaShaun felt an electric shock go through her body. “What?”
“We could sure use that bad boy right now,” Cee-Cee said. “You know, they’re sloppy mercenaries. They haven’t taken our weapons.”
A female soldier seemed to appear out of nowhere as she pushed aside two police officers roughly. “That’s because your weapons are worthless. Our leader has a put a shield around all of us. Go ahead. Test your gun.”
“Sure as hell will,” Cee-Cee shot back. Before Frank could grab her arm or LaShaun could speak, she’d pulled out her Glock 19 Gen4 and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened.
“His power disrupts opposing forces.” The woman smirked at them, then sauntered off.
“Can’t be,” Cee-Cee shouted. She kept clicking away. Nothing. “Damn, damn, damn.”
“Now you’re finally getting the idea. Welcome to the Army of the Damned. Victory!” The female soldier’s voice rang out. She stretched her arms wide.
Cee-Cee spun around and yelled a battle cry. She lunged for the nearest soldier. LaShaun, shaken from her daze of despair, grabbed the enraged woman and dragged her back. Cee-Cee fought to get loose, but Manuel and Abril joined to help LaShaun restrain her.
“I’m going to scrape that grin off her face with my fingernails,” Cee-Cee barked.
Frank stepped close until his nose was inches from Cee-Cee’s. “We need our energy to fight smart. Don’t make us waste it dealing with you.”
He spoke low, but his words took effect. Cee-Cee panted a few seconds longer, blinked hard and then exhaled. “Sorry, sir.”
Abril yanked Cee-Cee against her body. “No, no, keep going like you’re still pissed.”
“Huh?” Cee-Cee gave her a baffled look.
“Just do it,” Abril muttered close to Cee-Cee’s ear.
“Easy,” Cee-Cee rasped back. She spun to face Manuel. “Get out my face, chump. I take orders from TEA commanders!”
Manuel’s eyes narrowed to slits. “Typical arrogant American females.”
LaShaun glanced from them to Abril and mouthed, “What the hell?”
The police officers and a soldier nearby smiled at the scene before them. The lieutenant and her soldiers broke into something Barbatos was saying to point over to them. All laughed and continued conferring.
“Barbatos isn’t all powerful like they want us to believe. Remember the tools of demons: lies and killing hope,” Abril said.
“Right. You think maybe they don’t have Ellie and the others?” LaShaun’s heart fluttered at the chance they were safe.
“Sorry.” Abril put a hand on LaShaun’s forearm to console her. “I mean he can’t disrupt our weapons without disrupting all weapons near us. Barbatos doesn’t have that kind of power. No demon does. Only the Creator is omnipotent over all things.”
The others went quiet at her words. Cee-Cee and Manuel continued their fake bickering. Naldo paced around them nervously. Yet he shot knowing glances at them. LaShaun felt a connection to all of the team members, except the older man who had led them in. He stood aside with one burly Mexican police captain.
“So he’s the traitor,” LaShaun muttered.
“Forget about him,” Val said without looking around. “Explain more, Abril.”
“Demons can influence men, even use a few supernatural powers. But they have limits. Fear and despair lead humans to believe they have more power than they in fact do.”
“You’ll be happy to know your family is near, Mrs. Broussard,” the lieutenant called out from across the grand room. His fellow soldiers laughed.
Barbatos didn’t join in though. Instead, he glowered at them with a grim and resolute expression. Then he spun around when two Mexican police officers entered from behind the altar. Each held one end of an ornately carved wooden box.
“Screw you and the demon horse you rode in on,” Cee-Cee yelled back.
“You’re out of control,” Manuel snapped. They went back to exchanging insults in English and Spanish.
“If we fight, he’ll have to release his control in order for their guns to fire or knives to cut. His ability to maintain the so-called shield is temporary at best,” Abril whispered.
“And we’ll get shot up.” Frank frowned at Abril.
They gazed at each other in silence, then he looked at Cee-Cee. In response, she pretended to finally get herself under control. Manuel still gripped her left arm as if he didn’t trust her. When the others formed a loose circle around him, LaShaun felt another shock. She knew and opened her mouth to protest. Frank raised a palm to silence her.
“Protect LaShaun,” Frank said quietly.
Cee-Cee lifted her chin to glare at Barbatos and his men. “At all cost.”
“No, I can’t let you—”
“You and Chase must survive for Ellie’s sake.” Val stood straight.
“Agreed. Team?” Frank glanced around quickly at the rest of his TEA members, and all nodded assent.
LaShaun shuddered at the mention of Ellie and Chase. “We can’t start a fire fight with the children here.”
“Trust your husband and the team to get Ellie somewhere safe,” Frank whispered. He glanced around the room.
LaShaun watched him assess the room. Naldo and Manuel followed his lead. Cee-Cee resumed her act of looking pissed off with the rest of them. Abril stood with her eyes closed. LaShaun wondered what she was doing, but didn’t ask. Barbatos stood across from them as if listening to his men. Yet his reptilian gaze bore into LaShaun. She felt a wave of malevolence wash over her. His almost lipless mouth moved. Though he stood almost ten yards away, she heard him. All of the TEA team stopped at once and turned toward him.
“Your plans are dead. No amount of conspiring will help. But all is not lost for you. Join us.” Barbatos walked toward as he talked, his voice like the first rumble of a thunderstorm.
His men objected, but he dismissed them with a wave of one massive hand. He smiled at LaShaun. Cee-Cee moved to stand shoulder to shoulder with LaShaun. The impotent Glock in one hand, a modified stun gun in the other. Naldo dropped to one knee. Frank faced the big demon with his arms folded across his chest.
LaShaun ignored their whispered warnings and took a few steps to meet him. “Our plans have just begun.” Then LaShaun lifted her arms high and spoke in ancient Hebrew. She recited Isaiah 54:17, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.”
Barbatos flinched, as did his soldiers. At each word of the scripture, Barbatos took a forced step back. A few times his huge feet slid on the floor as he tried to gain some purchase. A single large drop of sweat rolled down his forehead. He angrily swiped it away. His men muttered in frustration. LaShaun observed it all as if from a distance. Her surroundings took on a hazy quality. She felt part of the scene yet at the same time strangely outside of it.
“How is she…” Manuel’s voice trailed off. He darted a glance at his cohorts.
>
“Damn,” Cee-Cee breathed.
“Now you see why Legion went to so much trouble. I don’t think even the TEA realizes.” Frank cut off.
Barbatos roared with frustration. The police officers standing around fidgeted. A few exchanged nervous looks at each other, muttering in Spanish. Then the wooden box holding the basket used to feed the five thousand moved. Several whoops of shock came from the crowd. Others gaped at the box. When it moved a second time, several of the local police officers fled. Barbatos’ lieutenant roused when he saw them.
“Come back fools,” he shouted at them. He raised his 50 caliber pistol, teeth bared as he aimed at the police officers too slow to take flight. “They’ll die later. Run like cowards and you die now.”
The crackle of a walkie-talkie cut through the chaos. “We’ve arrived, secured the perimeter. Captured some police running away. Awaiting instructions.”
Everyone froze, but Barbatos. His frown transformed into an ugly smile. “If you don’t want me to slaughter your loved ones, stand down.”
LaShaun mentally unclenched the ball of concentration she’d formed as she quoted the scripture. Barbatos gave a grunt of satisfaction. Then he spun around and strode to a decorative archway leading to the outer courtyard at the front of El Obispado. His men spread out to aim their weapons at LaShaun and the other TEA team members. A tense thirty seconds went by in silence. No one, including the local police officers, moved. The lieutenant and his men visibly relaxed, sure they’d gained control once more.
“Do we have a plan?” Manuel murmured aside to Frank, his lips barely moving.
“We have to play out this situation by ear. Too many unknowns. Connect with our folks when they get close enough. Use your gifts, push to the limits.” Frank swallowed hard.
Cee-Cee’s gaze darted around the room. “Hey, where the hell is Jonah? Holy shit. Either they’ve got him or…”
“Barbatos would be parading him out here to gloat even more,” Val whispered. “They’re not searching for him. Which means they don’t realize we’re missing somebody. He’s slipped off.”
“A wild card we can use?” Frank looked at LaShaun.
“Let’s hope and pray so,” she replied softly.
With her head lowered, LaShaun concentrated again. The soldiers maintained their confident stances. None of them, including the lieutenant, noticed a shift in the atmosphere. Apparently only Barbatos could detect her aura. Frank moved closer and put an arm around her shoulders as if to comfort LaShaun. Then LaShaun looked up to the domed ceiling, a faint smile on her face.
Frank leaned in close to her right ear. “What?”
“And a little child shall lead them all,” LaShaun murmured.
Chapter 18
All of the electric lighting winked off. A collective gasp went up when shadowed darkness dropped over them like a heavy blanket. Several of the police officers yelped when flames of huge torches set into the walls flared to life. Soon the smoky scent of Sulphur mixed with lime filled the air. LaShaun looked at Frank who gave a slight shake of his head.
“No clue,” he said softly. He continued to frown, a blank look in his eyes.
LaShaun could almost hear his mind working as he lined up alternatives, evaluated consequences. She looked at the police officers, and then the soldiers. “Frank, they’re all human.”
Frank blinked back from his intense mental strategizing. “Which means…”
He didn’t finish the thought as the sound of multiple footsteps on stone grew louder. Moments later, cowed police officers, still looking shaken, marched Chase, Jennifer, and the salon owner into the room. LaShaun’s heart froze with dread when she saw Ellie in Chase’s arms. One chubby arm circled her father’s neck. She glanced around the crowd until her little brown gaze settled on LaShaun. Ellie waved a tiny hand at her, yet didn’t call out. LaShaun started toward them, but the lieutenant closed the few feet between them in seconds. He pressed the muzzle of his heavy pistol against her neck.
“Any clever moves and we’ll put an end to this bullshit right now,” he barked.
“Seriously, dude. You ain’t foolin’ nobody. Your boss will skin you if anything happens to her,” Cee-Cee replied. She punctuated her words with a snort.
“True.” The lieutenant swung the pistol around to Cee-Cee’s chest. He smiled when Cee-Cee stepped back. “Your friends will miss you, but the general won’t give a crap. Let’s see how much they care about you.”
“Take it easy, Cee-Cee,” LaShaun said softly. “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”
“What in hell is she talking about?” A tall female soldier shot a quick glance at LaShaun, and then at the lieutenant for guidance.
He bared his crooked gray teeth in what passed for a smile, gaze still on Cee-Cee. “Speaking in riddles under pressure. Religious idiots.”
“If she’s talking in Holy Scriptures, we should know what it is. Maybe she’s getting a message from…” The woman looked up at the ceiling.
“Don’t be a stupid cow,” the lieutenant snapped. He didn’t react when the fierce woman hissed at him. “Their so-called Supreme Being doesn’t care about them. They die by the millions without their precious deity lifting a finger.”
Cee-Cee guffawed. “You should’ve gone to Sunday School, bitch.”
“See?” The female soldier glared at him. “She’s right to call you a fool. Knowing your enemy is the first rule of engagement Barbatos teaches us. Otherwise your enemy has advantages you don’t even know exist.”
“Humph. Good for you, girl,” Cee-Cee replied with a tight grin. Her gaze never left the lieutenant. “Sounds to me like y’all need a change of leadership up in here.”
“Mighty smartass for someone with a .50 caliber bullet aimed at her heart,” the lieutenant snarled. “Now shut your fu…”
“Well, well now. Seems like someone is eager to get the party started without me,” Barbatos called out from across the wide room. His booming voice bounced off the walls.
“This one seems eager to die,” his lieutenant snarled. He aimed at LaShaun again, nudging the muzzle against her neck hard.
Barbatos settled his menacing gaze on his second-in-command. “Kill her too soon and there will be consequences.”
“Sir, she…” The big man’s voice petered when he saw the expression on his commander’s face.
“Should I put someone else in charge who understands what must be done?” Barbatos didn’t raise his voice as he stared at the lieutenant. The unspoken threat sparkled in his eyes.
“See? Like I was sayin’,” Cee-Cee muttered to the disgruntled female soldier. The woman shot a heated glance at Cee-Cee, but didn’t reply.
The lieutenant, his gaze still on Barbatos, pulled the gun away from LaShaun. Then he took care to take a few stiff steps away from her. LaShaun smelled anxiety seeping from his pores. She glanced at Cee-Cee, who gave a slight nod. Yet LaShaun couldn’t sense Cee-Cee’s intent. Emotions and paranormal energy crackled in the air around her, causing havoc with LaShaun’s psychic gift. Still something didn’t fit. Then she felt it. Tingling in the soles of her feet. Encouraged, LaShaun closed her eyes. Nothing. She gathered the familiar electric force within. A deep voice reached into her mind.
“You need to accept that your god cannot rule here,” Barbatos rumbled.
LaShaun’s eyes snapped open. The demon continued a mocking diatribe. His lips, curved into a horrid smile, never moved. His head jerked a fraction when she smiled back. Then she whispered a prayer aloud while conjuring the image of a shining cross in her mind. She mentally pictured the stipe of the cross as a sword.
The big demon rocked back on his heels. “You cannot stand against us.”
“And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it,” LaShaun shouted back at him. The cross materialized, a blade of golden radiance that plunged from the ceiling.
“We’ve cleansed this so-called ‘holy’ place.” Ba
rbatos drew himself up to stand ramrod straight. He lifted his arms, or tried to. He grunted like a weight lifter attempting to lift a barbell.
LaShaun walked toward him. “You’re a thing from hell, so of course you don’t understand. This is merely a building, meaningless stone and wood. The church’s power is in the faith of His people.”
“LaShaun don’t,” Chase called out.
He handed Ellie to Jennifer, then shoved aside the police officer next to him. Caught off guard, the man fell. The salon owner seemed to transform in a blink from a petite girly-girl into a warrior. She kick-boxed her way through the remaining two policemen, and left them crumpled in pain on the marble floor. But other officers rushed in. Automatic rifles surrounded Chase before he could race to LaShaun’s side. Another officer shot the salon owner, and she dropped to her knees. The man then slammed the butt of his rifle into her head, and she fell over.
Barbatos’s roar cut through the bedlam. “Enough. Look how we triumph!”
He pointed to Jennifer holding Ellie, one hand closed around her neck. Chase tried to get up again, but the officer stabbed the rifles into him. Barbatos strolled over to Jennifer while everyone else stood as if paralyzed.
“Move and I’ll blow you into a thousand pieces. We don’t need you at all,” the lieutenant yelled at Chase, his bravado restored.
“We have the girl. You know…” Barbatos stopped speaking. He paused a few feet away from Ellie and Jennifer. Then he slowly turned to face LaShaun again. “We could just end this foolish back and forth right now. Take our prize, be done with you annoying vermin.”
“I like that idea a lot, sir.” The lieutenant glowered at Chase then LaShaun.
Barbatos looked up at the cross. It hovered a good ten feet overhead. “Hmm. A nice magic trick, but nothing more. Thank you, Sergeant Evans, you’ve done very well indeed.”
“But we investigated you,” Frank blurted out. “Covered every aspect of your life. How—”
“You found what I wanted the TEA to find,” Jennifer broke in. She darted a quick glance at Barbatos. “I look forward to a promotion, sir.”