Thief: X

by E. I. Jennings,

  “And how are you getting in there?” Father Thomas thought he was being clever but he wasn’t,

  “I’m walking through the front gates and nothing is gonna stop me.” I patted my bag of goodies, “Better get the party started then.” I grinned.

  We all clambered down the fire escape like a mob of homeless people. Well, homeless people with guns and a bazooka strapped to their backs.

  I stood waiting at the gates for someone to spot me. Sister Succubus and Adram were making their way around to the front as I waited. Wolfie was in the shadows with Smidge and Cerberus.

  “Who are you?” An elf walked in front of me and looked puzzled at my bazooka,

  “Avon calling!” I smiled as darkness surrounded him and heard the crunch of bones. Margot was very, very hungry,

  “Now what? The perimeter’s clear.” Sister Succubus wiped a little blood from her lips.

  I took out a cigar, used a knife to slice the end and lit it, “Now I knock.” I pulled the bazooka from my back and aimed,

  “Shit!” Sister Succubus dove behind me as I pulled the trigger. If this didn’t get Clockwork’s attention I don’t know what would.

  The explosion rocked the building and the door blew in. Trackers crawled out. There were even more than when they attacked my house. It was a good job I had a cure for it. I unzipped my bag and held on to the strap. The bag fell to the floor with the ammunition and I smiled at the feel of the chain gun in my hands,

  “Jesus Christ!” Apparently, Father Thomas hadn’t seen me pack this little gem. The second I pulled the trigger, the familiar hum of the bullets firing from the chamber gave me tingles. Tracker blood splattered and yet the onslaught continued. There was no way I wasn’t getting through that door.

  I pushed forward until the bullets ran dry. The chamber spun and steamed. Tracker bodies piled at my feet beginning to rot and melt. I took a long drag on my cigar and waited. Yes, I was definitely getting paranoid. After thirty seconds no more trackers had scurried out of the hole I’d blasted so I moved forward,

  “Find the girls and my family. That’s your job now.” I told Father Thomas and Sister Succubus. Wolfie and Adram should be inside by now as most of the attack force had tried to storm me.

  I dropped the chain gun and un-holstered the semis strapped to my thighs. The second I walked through the ruined door a few straggling trackers decided to pounce. This time I’d been expecting the attack and my silver bullets made short work out of them.

  I had no idea where Clockwork was getting all the bodies from, as a pile of corpses were stacked in a gruesome pile that reminded me of how this all started.

  “You should be dead.” I expected to see Clockwork but a random, normal looking man walked from the shadows. He was dressed in scruffy jeans and a hoodie. There was nothing special about him, the average Joe, with brown hair, brown eyes. My inner demon recognised his. What was another sin eater doing here? I was analyzing him when more walked forward. I take it back, why were twenty sin eaters here? I knew I probably wasn’t the only one but seeing this many all at once was concerning and they were all men.

  “And you are?” I flicked my cigar ash,

  “You may as well put your guns down because they won’t work with us. We’re just like you.” He smiled thinking he’d made a valid point,

  “Not quite and I’m all out of second chances.” If they didn’t move their arses they’d die.

  They took my response as the threat I intended and all at once they drew katanas, “Did you guys practice that? Have you ever thought about auditioning for Britain’s Got Talent? Although katanas are a bit cliché, don’t you think?” I don’t think they appreciated my sarcasm when Mr. Average Joe started swinging towards me, “You know I’m pissed right?”

  “You can’t win! Stand with us. The Vatican has held us back; all we needed is a leader and he’ll be our God.” He yelled.

  I threw the semis on the floor and dived, kicking him in the legs but it didn’t take him down. Instead, he swung again and I saw the glint of the katana aiming for my heart. No one had told him that wouldn’t work but out of instinct, my hands elongated turning into silver blades. I blocked his attack and while he looked at me stunned I took his head,

  “Like I said, I’M PISSED!” I yelled. The silver spread through my body until I was completely protected by skintight silver armor. That was new but that picture was making more and more sense. Cain was the armor. If the leaves from the tree of knowledge could hold this much power, imagine what the tree itself could do? It wasn’t just a reflex, I knew exactly what I could do.

  I sliced and diced until I was panting. There was shock and horror as I took each sin eater down but I had warned them. They thought they were invincible because their wounds healed instantly but I didn’t give them time. Twenty heads. I’d taken twenty heads and I felt nothing. They should have been my kin, not dead like this. Oh well. I could see Adram and Wolfie taking out a tracker but I moved on. My job was to kill Clockwork. Nothing else was a priority anymore, not even a rescue attempt.

  I calmed myself, letting my armor and blades fade away. Clockwork had made sure this time that he wouldn’t be disturbed. I must have really upset him when I stumbled on this the first time around. All I had to do now was find him. He wasn’t on the ground floor.

  Darkness called to me as I started to climb the stairs to the upper level. Each step felt like I was walking through tar until I couldn’t move anymore. Tendrils of darkness wrapped themselves around my body, creeping higher, consuming me. I tried to pull away but I felt like I was drowning. I tilted my head up, as my lungs were being drown in darkness. What the hell was this?

  “Get out of her head! Her dreams are mine.” A flash of light appeared in the darkness and I saw Cain holding a spider by its pincers, “Your body is still weak Librarian, don’t make me kill you. Of course if you continue with this dream weave I’ll have no choice.” To prove his point he pulled off a pincer and the Librarian screeched, “Alexandra will you let your cowboy wake you up.”

  The darkness rushed from my body and I collapsed into Marshall’s arms. That was one hell of a dream,

  “You ok?” Green eyes looked down at me. I was so happy to see Marshall I was actually smiling like an idiot,

  “Yeah and the Librarian’s about,”

  “That freaky spider thing?” He said and I nodded, “I wondered what was crawling out the window just now but it was moving too fast.” Cain had saved my arse again. I just wondered how long it would take him to blackmail me with it.

  Marshall helped me up and I brushed myself down, “Have you found your daughter?”

  “She’s out with the others. I’ll need to thank Adram if I get outta this alive.”

  “You’re not going after Clockwork, he’s mine.” Plus, for some reason I didn’t want Marshall getting hurt,

  “No way. I’ve traveled thousands of miles to put this asshole away.”

  “You know I’m killing him, don’t you?” I slid my finger across my neck to illustrate my point, “He’s not going to prison because I’m sending him to Hell, where he belongs.”

  Marshall looked at me and I could see the internal battle raging inside him. He was a good guy at heart and there was a moral dilemma brewing, “Ok.” He muttered. The sin of his acceptance washed over me.

  The place was already steeped with sin but Marshall’s had a bitter taste. I wasn’t him and I wasn’t guilty, I was a demon.

  “He’s in the basement; he was using the poles as a conductor and he’s not come back up so I don’t think there was anyone left up here to tell him. Why are you smoking a cigar?”

  “It’s a Cuban.” I shrugged, “You don’t have to do this. I’m going down there and I’m killing him in cold blood.” I pressed the call button on the elevator and waited,

  “You’re using the elevator?”

  “I doubt he’ll expect me. He’s probably got my head on a spike down there laughing to himself because he thinks I’m dead.”
The door pinged open and we both sighed, “Let’s get this done then.”

  It felt like forever going down one floor and it didn’t help when Marshall pushed the stop button. I was about to argue when he flicked my cigar on the flour and kissed me. I was shocked, appalled, angry and I wrapped my arms around his neck. I wanted it to last but I had to push him away,

  “That was…not the time.” Was I being heartless? Probably but I needed to focus. Having my libido surging me into sex in a lift was not the right time and a little cliché. “Are you blushing?” I teased,

  “I thought…”

  “Yes but not now.” I picked up my cigar before he thought about kissing me again and then I pulled out a stun grenade,

  “The kiss wasn’t that bad, was it?” He laughed. I pushed the stop button again and the doors opened,

  “Nah, this is a little, personal present for Clockwork.” I pulled the pin and threw it at Clockwork’s back.

  The bastard caught it and laughed. It exploded in his hand and didn’t stun anything.

  “I have to say I’m surprised. It appears we’re both hardier than we look.” A laughing clown was a seriously disturbing sight, “Do you like what I did with your head?” My head was sitting in a jar, looking back at me. My nose looked huge.

  Mom and Cam were unconscious on the floor tied to each other. It was probably best because I really didn’t want them to see how brutal I could be,

  “Yeah, I want that back.” I said nodding at the jar but then I was suddenly dizzy and had to grip onto Marshall.

  My eyes started to itch and Clockwork began to vibrate. The pain in my head made me fall to my knees. Whatever Clockwork was doing made me feel like my head was exploding. Then knowledge hit me. Clockwork wasn’t doing this to me, those damn gauntlets were. In that moment, I wanted to burn the tree of knowledge to its roots.

  As the pain grew stronger the glamor surrounding Clockwork stripped back. The weird clown look was melting away and underneath a man in a suit appeared. A man who I recognised.

  Chapter Twenty Six

  “Clive?” I’d recognise those beady eyes anywhere,

  “What’s he got to do with it?” Marshall couldn’t see past the glamor. Whoopie, it was just me then,

  “Clockwork isn’t a clown, he’s Clive!” I yelled because everyone had suddenly stopped,

  “You mean the pen clicking, clipboard holding assistant?” I wonder if the Major knew that Clockwork had been under his nose all this time?

  “Look, I don’t mean to be rude but can we get back to killing?” I was getting impatient,

  “Isn’t this interesting? The little sin eater can see through magic. Shame it won’t do you any good.” He raised his arms and started chanting. Symbols burned to life on the walls and then sizzled out. “Why isn’t this working? I had enough sin eaters to drain!” Clockwork looked petulant as he kicked the floor,

  “Yeah, about that…they’re dead.” I laughed. Clockwork had obviously been so engrossed down here he hadn’t heard a thing that was going on upstairs,

  “How dare you! Never mind…never mind…they were only batteries…” He rambled. Those sin eaters thought they were going to be free if they worshiped Clockwork but they were only power conduits. “Never mind! I have you.” He started to laugh.

  Marshall pushed me behind him to protect me. I really didn’t need to be protecting,

  “You’ll have to get through me first.” Marshall aimed his gun at Clockwork and I sighed behind his back,

  “I don’t need this.” I mumbled.

  Clockwork strode towards him and smiled, “Let’s see what your deepest, darkest sin is, shall we?”

  The basement phased out and we were now watching a part of Marshall’s life he obviously wanted to forget. I could draw moments like this from people but I was the only person who could see them. Clockwork was already a powerful sin eater in his own right to be able to do this.

  A couple were arguing in a car with a baby strapped in its carrier on the back seat. It was a very young Marshall driving and I guessed it was his wife sitting next to him,

  “Marshall I’m seventeen, I have a life,”

  “And you’ve decided I’m not a part of it? What about Chloe, doesn’t she deserve a father?” Marshall was clutching the steering wheel so tight I could see the white of his knuckles,

  “She’s not part of it either. I told you I wanted her adopted but you wanted to be the big man and do what was right. I thought I could handle it but I can’t. I’m going to live with my Aunt in Colorado and she doesn’t know about either of you.”

  “You can’t do this Wendy! I might mean nothing to you but Chloe’s your daughter.” Marshall was trying to hold back tears but one fell from his cheek. I hated watching the sins of others,

  “I don’t want what you want Marshall. You’re going to follow in your daddy’s footsteps. I saw the application to join the police force. I know what you’re doing. You’ll work your way up to get experience and then become a Texas Ranger. I will not wait at home with a baby wondering if you’ve been killed in the line of duty. It’s too much!”

  “I won’t apply.” He was practically begging,

  “It’s too late. As soon as we get home I’m packing a bag and leaving. Chloe will be better off with you and your family.”

  “You’re a heartless bitch!” Marshall yelled. I could see the anger in his face but it wasn’t anger because she didn’t want him, it was anger because she didn’t want her own daughter,

  “How dare you!” She turned and slapped him.

  All it took was that second. Marshall was too stunned to notice the red light. Something hit. The car crunched and rolled. When it came to a stop the only sounds heard was a baby crying and the drip of blood that was running from Wendy’s ear.

  The basement came crashing back and Marshall was on his knees crying. No wonder his sin always felt greater than others. He blamed himself for killing his wife and because he was at the wheel, the sin was true. It had been an accident, a tragic accident.

  Clockwork was smiling and kicking at Marshall who was so traumatized he wasn’t fighting back. It’s a good job he had me. I pulled out my Glock from my ankle holster and shot Clockwork six times in the heart. He staggered back clutching at his chest and swooned. He actually swooned! The laugh gave him away. Why wouldn’t he just die? He pulled open his shirt and I saw exactly why he wasn’t dead. He didn’t have a heart. In its place were cogs grinding away,

  “Ah, now I get the name,” and I understood what he wanted to heal.

  “You can’t kill me that way you idiot.”

  “And you can’t heal and make yourself a God either. The girls are gone so you may as well give up now.” I took a nice long drag of my cigar and blew the smoke in his face,

  “I don’t need them anymore. I’ve drained enough power from them to make the ritual work. It’s amazing how keeping them alive restores their energy levels. Although I didn’t expect all my sin eater to get themselves killed. Never mind though, I have you now.” He muttered something under his breath and his smile was scary. It looked like I was now on the menu.

  I ran at him but hit something hard, “Do you really think I wouldn’t cast a power circle for this?” I ran at it again and felt my skin sizzle. I fired silver bullets but nothing broke through, “Just give in Xan, make it easier on yourself. I’ve read your file. This is what you want; death. Let me help you.” He began chanting and my body became stiff,

  “Fuck you!” I could feel my power humming inside me,

  “I can feel your power already. You had so much potential and wasted it all. Never mind…never mind…it's mine now.” He was pulling the power from my sin eater side,

  “You do know I’m only half sin eater?” He looked at me puzzled, “I guess you didn’t find out my other secret. You should always do your research.” I stepped forward slowly, breaking whatever was holding me in place. I could hear Clockwork screaming at me but he continued drawing sin from me. He w
as getting stronger and I was starting to feel the strain of what he was doing,

  “Give up Xan, you can’t win. I’m a stronger sin eater than you.” He was probably right but I had something he didn’t; Cain.

  The problem with knowledge, once you had it you didn’t always want it. I felt sorry for Eve and what she must have felt when she ate that apple. I only had the leaves and I didn’t want the knowledge that had come with them. Unfortunately, they also told me what I needed to do.

  Marshall had finally shook himself free of his mind and was staring at me,

  “Get mom and Cam out. I’m ending this now.” I said turning my head to him. I could see the silent plea in his eyes but I had to finish this. He nodded and I turned my head back to Clockwork. I trusted Marshall to do what he needed to,

  “You’re delicious.” The cogs in his chest sprang free as new muscles began to form. I watched as a heart replaced the metal. The first beat made him stumble but he soon recovered. “I have to say I thought you’d be dead by now?” He was starting to glow. Age spots and wrinkles disappeared. He was getting younger, back to his prime.

  “You want everything I have?” I yelled,

  “Oh yes I do!”

  “Good. Take it. ALL. OF. IT!” Instead of fighting the drain, I pushed with it.

  I concentrated and saw every molecule in my body. He wanted it so he could have it. I felt myself spinning out of control. My molecules exploded. I no longer had form. I was a conscience floating in the wind, except the wind was me. Adram had warned me years ago about not having a physical form but I didn’t care if I could reform or not.

  Clockwork was pulling me inside him and I let myself go, “Amazing!” He laughed.

  I was soon deep enough to see what made him live. Neurons sparked, organs pumped, muscles spasmed and I was right in the middle of it all. He felt powerful now but I was still alive and it was time he wasn’t.

  “No….no…no…something isn’t right!” I felt him clawing at his chest.