“We were talking pictures for our stateside translator when the rebels attacked. All of sudden, we found ourselves in the middle of a firefight.”
Rook turned to the professor. “So, you thought… ‘Hey, I’ve got a little time on my hands, so why don’t we take a crack at an ancient buried evil?’ Am I in the ballpark?”
Kadie stepped forward. “This is an important artifact.”
“That just so happened to burst open and cauterize your boyfriend?”
By the way her cheeks blotched and her lips struggled to form a response, it looked like he hit the nail on the head with that guess.
The professor once again stepped in for his volatile student. “As you can see, a line of pictograms surrounds the seal. We were able to partially decode them.” The older man sighed. “We didn’t realize it was such a powerful incantation. … Then… Then, the beast … That creature sprang from the seal, and …”
Yes, Rook knew what happened next. He almost felt a little bit of sympathy for the professor. Rook could remember when he had seen his first demon. He nearly wet his pants. Of course, he had been ten months old at the time, but still. …
Any feelings of commiseration died the second Kadie took a breath to speak. This chick was really getting on his nerves.
“If we’d just had more time …”
“To do what?” Rook asked, as he turned to her. “Like you haven’t done enough damage already?”
But this time, Kadie did not back down. If anything, she seemed galvanized by their argument. “How were we supposed to know?” she demanded. “The seal didn’t exactly come with a warning label.”
“Actually, yes it did. Right here,” Rook said as he pointed to the pictograms above the seal. “Do not open. Hellgate. Bad, researchers, bad.”
Kadie was about to retort when Beauty entered the cave.
“Your expert is here.”
The professor urged Kadie toward the main cave, but she balked.
In an exaggerated bow, Rook stated, “Ladies first.”
Kadie glared at him, but at least it got her moving.
As they left the chamber, Beauty threaded her arm under Rook’s so that they walked out arm in arm. “May I just say one thing about your consultant?”
“Just one?” Rook asked, surprised. Usually, Beauty had way more to say that that.
“Oh là là.”
Even with just one phrase, Beauty could still speak volumes.
* * *
Angela crouched on the toilet seat, holding her breath as a female officer washed her hands at the sink. Not exactly the most convenient time for the most hygienic cop to use the bathroom. Finally, Angela heard the snap of a paper towel being ripped off the roll, and then the clang of the garbage can lid.
Her legs felt weak as she got up from the toilet and sat back down. She stared at the cold, hard metal in her hand. Was she really brave enough to do this? Could she really sacrifice her life for another’s? For Brian? Her mother had been a devout Catholic. Her father? Not so much. But both had believed suicide to be a sin. But how could her ending all of these deaths be wrong? Mr. Nilen had a pregnant daughter. He would never see his grandchild because of her.
It had to end. And end with her. If she couldn’t make death come to her, she would bring herself to its door.
Taking in three sharp breaths, Angela closed her eyes. It would be over quickly. A sharp pain, and then black. She could handle black. Even if she ended up in purgatory like her mother believed, could it honestly be any worse than the shuttered life she was leading now?
Opening her eyes, she cocked the gun. She had best hurry, before anyone discovered her gone. Putting the cold barrel into her mouth, she prayed for forgiveness. Her finger sweated against the trigger. Just one little pull.
Was the room lighting up? Had someone come in, and she didn’t notice? Angela snatched the gun from her mouth as the stall filled with the most brilliant light. So much light that the walls around her receded. It was like standing on a cloud at sunrise. Slowly, a figure materialized before her. Dressed in a robe with enormous white wings at the back, the angel floated before her.
He reached a hand out and caressed her cheek. The touch felt cool, yet calming. “You have suffered greatly, my child.” His voice sounded like butterflies’ wings and a tiger’s roar. “But to all, there is a purpose.”
“What?” she stammered. “How?” Angela did not want to believe it was true. Was this a dream? A way her brain was trying to protect her? Wasn’t she supposed to see the white light after the shot?
But the angel, with his golden eyes and white hair, began to fade. “You must be strong, Angela. That is all I may speak.”
She reached out to the angel, but the sound of the bathroom door slamming open broke the connection. Reality snapped back in place. The dirty tile floor. The grafittied wall of the stall.
“Angela!” Brian called out, as he tested each of the doors. “Angela!”
She didn’t answer. What could she answer? Finally, he kicked open her stall. “Oh, God, Angie…”
It was as if she watched from a perch high above as Brian carefully knelt beside her and gently took the weapon from her limp hand. Once the weapon was secured, he pulled her into a fierce hug.
“This isn’t the answer, Angie.”
Angela heard herself say, “Then what is?”
Because right now, she had no freaking idea. If she lived, she caused death. And if she tried to kill herself? Well, if she were looking for a sign from God, having an angel come down and give you a pep talk was pretty clear.
Brian released her from his hold and smoothed back her hair. His touch was so much warmer than the angel’s. Was there ever really been a figure floating before her?
Brian forced her to look at him. “But there is something I need to tell you.”
Panic replaced confusion. “What?” she asked. “Who else has died?”
“No, no. Nothing like that.”
“Well then what?” she asked, searching his face for clues, but all she found was a some stubble and a concerned look in his eye.
“Remember how they pulled your blood earlier this morning to see if you had been drugged?” She nodded. Of course, she did. She still had the bandage to prove it. Brian continued, “Well, we got the results back.”
Angela waited, but he didn’t finish. “And?”
“And, I don’t know how to tell you this.”
Angela’s mind went to cancer. Could it be cancer? Diabetes? What?
She laid her hands over Brian’s. “Just tell me.”
He looked into her eyes. “Angela, you are pregnant.”
“I can’t be,” she said, as her hands fell away.
“They triple-checked the test. You are pregnant.”
Angela shook her head, breaking from of Brian’s touch. “No, you don’t understand. I can’t be.” She didn’t know why she felt so ashamed when she said, “I am a virgin.”
Brian’s eyebrows created deep furrows. “But you were engaged.”
“Nick and I were waiting until we were married.” It all sounded so stupid now. After everything that had happened, clinging to her good Catholic girl upbringing had brought her nothing but pain.
“No one else?” Brian asked, obviously still not understanding the full extent of the word “virgin.” “An office party?” he suggested. “Did you go out drinking? Maybe someone slipped you a—”
Angela stood up. “With everything that has happened, with people dying around me like poisoned flies, do you really think that I would go out bar-hopping? Hanging out with strange men, let alone, let alone allow them to …”
She couldn’t finish the sentence. She couldn’t even stand up on her own anymore. Luckily, Brian’s arms were there to catch her.
“No, Angela, of course not. I’m sorry.” He gently stroked her hair. “But the tests don’t lie. You are going to have a baby.”
As tears rolled down her cheeks, Angela guessed she did have so much
more to cry about and no angel to help explain why.
CHAPTER 3
Location: Same Damned Cave
Beauty broke from Rook’s arm and positioned herself next to their “consultant.” But how could Rook be insulted? The witch doctor in his full tribal headdress made quite the scene. Beauty could not be crouching any closer to the man without touching him.
“So, do you always do house calls?”
The witch doctor smiled, showing his filed-to-a-point teeth. Yet his speech was a fine, clipped British accent. “For someone as beautiful and charming as you, always.”
Rook feared that Beauty would swoon, but instead, she retied a bandage around Chad’s neck like it was a fashionable scarf.
“TuTi, has Beauty briefed you?” Rook asked.
“No, I have not had that pleasure.”
Beauty opened her lips, which apparently had fresh lip gloss applied to them, but her cell phone rang. She answered, “The happiest Arranger on earth.” Instantly, her smile disappeared, and she offered the phone to Rook. “It’s Savage.”
But Rook waved her off.
Beauty’s expertly plucked eyebrow went up. “The Prime Tervian of the Cabal, the guy in charge of our illustrious organization, wants to speak with you.”
“So?” Rook responded.
“Your uncle isn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer.”
Sighing, Rook accepted the phone from Beauty, then immediately hit the “end call” button. Grinning, he handed it back to her. As he knelt beside the witch doctor and Chad, Rook couldn’t help but notice that Beauty turned off her phone. Guess he wasn’t the only one who didn’t want to talk to old uncle Savage.
TuTi sniffed the vice president’s nephew. The bone piercing his nasal cartilage vibrated with the effort. “Something is wrong. Desperately wrong.”
“Um, you could say that,” Rook said, as he opened Chad’s shirt.
The witch doctor let out a hiss and jumped away.
“Yep. That was pretty much my response,” Rook noted as Chad roused a little, but equally quickly, he went back into his stupor.
Like a cat approaching a snake, the witch doctor snuck forward to examine the symbols more closely. “Why didn’t the guardian stop this?”
“He tried, but he was killed.”
TuTi’s head snapped around. His voice was thick with shock. “How? I mean, Walter was such a nice… guy.”
Rook threw a thumb in Kadie’s direction. “Tell that to the overeager grad student over there. She’s the one who killed him.”
The witch doctor set his eyes upon Kadie. Rook knew that she was pretty damn lucky that TuTi did not have his curse kit on him, or her skin would be boiling off right about now.
Chad roused again. “What’s happening?”
Beauty put a hand on his shoulder. “Shh, darlin.’ We are trying to figure that out right now.”
Rook looked at TuTi. “Got any answers for him?”
“Best guess?” TuTi asked. “An ambulatory biphasic porticular vortex generator.”
Chad tried to sit up, but Beauty urged the student back down as Rook answered, “You mean a walkin’, talkin’ Hellgate of our very own?”
“It is unprecedented, but yes,” TuTi answered, leaning over the markings again. “I do believe so.”
Chad thrashed under Beauty’s hold. “Gawd, it hurts! Help me.”
“Can I give him something?” Beauty asked. From Rook’s nod, she opened her huge Chanel purse and sorted through an impressive array of medicinal plants and pharmaceuticals. “Let’s see, honey. Do you think Vicodin or Percocet would make you feel better?”
Chad lifted himself up onto his elbows. “Just give me something!”
Rook liked it better when the kid was comatose. He turned back to TuTi. “Any idea what will trigger it to open?”
The witch doctor shook his head. “Without the proper codex, it will be trial and error to sort out the portal’s sequence.” He pointed to Chad’s chest. “Plus, there are a few symbols that do not match the original seal. What those portend, I do not know.”
Rook frowned. “But the ancient wards will keep it from just … just …”
“Spewing forth hell? I’m not sure. The Holy Seal is intact, but it wasn’t blessed by an elder, nor was it sanctified by the blood of a dozen virgins.”
Rook nodded toward Beauty. “You heard it. Get on virgin detail.”
* * *
Beauty risked a few wrinkles as she frowned. “That’s certainly easier said than done.”
But, as always, Rook simply shrugged at her concerns. “Then start looking in countries that don’t get Jersey Shore.”
To her surprise and delight, TuTi rose to her defense. “Rook, Beauty is correct. We cannot take the matter of the virgins lightly.
Beauty really wished she could gloat properly. However, Chad refused to take the medications. But wasn’t he the one who asked for the pills? And didn’t he understand how hard it was to get double-prescription-strength Oxycontin? But the student’s head thrashed from side to side as the other men spoke.
“These cannot just be girls pulled from the streets. They must be cleansed and purified.”
Rook waved him off. “I’ll let you two lovebirds handle the quality control.”
Beauty should have been insulted by the comment, or at the very least miffed that Rook was shoving even more responsibilities onto her. However, the thought of working side by side with the witch doctor more than made up for any annoyance.
Rook rose to his feet, stretching out a kink. “Now, the question is, how do we find an elder with the necessary power to—”
Chad’s head snapped back, and a wail that felt like it came from the deepest bowels of hell rose from his throat. It was like a hyena’s cry, while a hundred evil little girls scratched their nails down a chalkboard.
“Um, trying to have a conversation here …” Rook said, as he nodded to the British guard. “Keep him quiet.”
The guard obeyed, but looked at Beauty as Chad’s entire body arched and the sound became a high-pitched buzz. “Exactly how in the bloody hell are we supposed to do that?”
Beauty had no idea, but at least Chad’s mouth was open, and Beauty was pouring OxyContin in as though it were pixie dust. “Get his shoulders.”
Leaning over, the guard tried to hold down the agitated student. Too late, Beauty noticed the symbols on Chad’s chest become a fiery red. The flaming portal sprang open, consuming the guard so quickly that he didn’t even have time to scream.
In horror, Beauty watched the witch doctor dragged toward the open maw. She snatched his hand, pulling back against the portal’s unnatural tug. TuTi struggled against the tide, but then found her gaze.
“You truly embody your namesake.” With that, the witch doctor let go.
“No!” Beauty screamed, grasping at air. Then she, too, felt the portal’s call.
“Rook!” she screamed, but he took a step back. “Help!”
She had known Rook for a very long time. Sure, he could be a dick, but was he really going to let her get an express, one-way ticket to hell? Beauty needn’t have worried. Rook was only backing away to get the speed he needed to jump over the growing portal. Once clear of the spinning flames, he raised a fist and punched Chad in the jaw.
The man’s head snapped over. The inhuman wailing stopped, and the portal snapped closed. Rising and falling on the unconscious student’s chest, the seal sat quiescent. Beauty reached out and touched the flesh along the edge.
“The good ones always slip away.” At least the witch doctor had known the risks. Poor Chad and the others did not.
Rook shook out his hand, feeling the sting of the punch. “Yeah, and from now on, let’s make keeping Chad happy and calm a priority, ’Kay?”
Rising to her feet, Beauty couldn’t agree more. “I’m so on board.” She looked around. The cannibals had taken their dead and now stood ready at the entrance. “Time to make our exit?”
Rook was about to answer wh
en Kadie stepped forward with a look of sheer horror on her face.
“What have you done?”
Without warning, she flew at Rook, fists flying. But Rook caught the student by the wrists and slammed her up against the wall.
“You know what? I’m really getting tired of your attitude.”
Suddenly, Rook pulled a knife from his belt and unceremoniously gutted Kadie. The remaining guards yanked their guns into firing position. What was Rook thinking? He would never … well, never was a bit of a stretch, but Rook wouldn’t usually stab an unarmed woman.
* * *
Rook felt the warm blood gush over his hands. Such a satisfying feeling. He heard a gun cock, and then Beauty yelled, “Don’t!”
His Arranger must have realized that the blood spilling out onto the floor was not a dark red, but a nice bright demon green. Even now Kadie’s face warped and melted away, revealing the scaly-faced creature beneath.
“Think I couldn’t smell the demon in you, Shivate?” he asked, grinding the blade in deeper. “Why are you here?”
The thing spat a vile wad of demon saliva in his face. “I will have my due!”
Damn, but Shivates were a strong bunch, even when gutted. She threw Rook back. He landed with an ungraceful thud. Quickly, he brought the knife to bear again as the Shivate shed the last of her human skin and grew her claws to their natural eight-inch length. Beauty would be so jealous. But as the Shivate pounced toward Rook, a spear pierced her side. Then another, and another, until the demon looked like a perverse shish kebab.
With one last rattling gasp, the Shivate slumped. The cannibals tested the demon, jabbing and chattering around her until they were certain that the she-beast was dead.
The eyes behind the professor’s thick glasses were glazed over in horror and denial. “What do we … What do we do now?”
Rook wiped the green blood off the knife. “Um, get outta here before the cavalry strikes up the barbecue?”
As the cannibals dragged the body of the Shivate out of the cave, the professor’s voice shook. “But what about …”
Rook: Let's Avoid the Apocalypse, People Page 3