TAINTED SPIRITS

by Richard Alanson

  “Well, it's good to know that there are other people who know about this stuff. A succubus, if I remember my Greek mythology right they're the ones who suck out a man's soul after having sex with them?”

  “You are correct. It seems as though you are even more fortunate to have escaped with your life than we first thought.”

  “But what Torrez said about her transformation. Do you think he's right?”

  “The Monsignor is wise in all things. He has been fighting these creatures all his life. I trust his judgment.”

  Carter looked contemplative for a moment as he replayed the vicious fight through his mind, almost wincing as he thought about the way the succubus hurtled towards him and tried to claw at his flesh and yet, right at the end, there was something different about her. “I'm not so sure. She could have killed me. She had me pinned down and I couldn't do anything about it but at the last moment she stopped herself. I saw the look in her eyes when she did it. The demon had left her in that moment I think, or maybe Anja managed to overpower it. Whatever happened she did it to save me. If there's a chance of saving her we have to try.”

  “These are dangerous creatures and we can't take any chances-”

  “I know damn well that they're dangerous!” Carter yelled, and then instantly raised his hand in apology. He lowered his voice to a calmer level. “But I don't want to get to the point where we have to start killing the human hosts if we don't need to. We're not going to win the war that way. I don't think God would look too favorably on that.”

  “I agree. We should exhaust all opportunities before we kill innocent people. How is Mr. Tanaka?”

  “Surprisingly he's probably happier now than he was when he was free. He's found religion and he's waiting for God's final judgment when he reaches the pearly gates.”

  “A wise thing to do. He has played a role in this just like the rest of us.”

  “One thing I don't understand, if God is so powerful then why can't he just smite down the devil himself?” Carter asked. Constantine folded his hands into his lap.

  “I am afraid that for all my devotion to God there are still some things I cannot answer even though the questions trouble me as they do you. I have spent many hours in solitude thinking through the answers but they are questions which have troubled philosophers for centuries.” He paused to take a breath. It was interesting for Carter to see a man of such faith still have his doubts. Perhaps the reason his faith was so strong was because he did have doubts, and it started to make Carter think more about his own feelings towards God. “There is a school of thought that when God created the world He wanted to see it develop. Of course you know about the human race being given free will. I do believe that a lot of people look to God for help or blame when the answers lie within themselves. But in this theory God is a witness to events happening on Earth but has taken an oath to not interfere. Some believe He came to this decision after the Great Flood, where the human race was wiped out and Noah's family was spared. God made us a present of this world and if we were ever to reach our potential He had to let us have the world to ourselves. He had faith in us, faith that we would make this world a better place, but sadly there is a taint on our souls from the original sin and this makes it a war between good and evil, a war that rages within every heart to different degrees. God has stayed true to His promise because he is the purest good, and a promise cannot be broken under any circumstance. Have you heard of the philosopher Immanuel Kant?”

  Carter shook his head, listening intently to all of Constantine's words.

  “He was a very interesting man and one his main beliefs was that nobody should ever make a false promise, that it is in fact one of the greatest sins in the world. God could never make a false promise so when He gave us this world He had to let us develop in our own way. The devil of course is not so honorable, and although God could easily take control He will not, because it would render the entire human experience pointless. We have to win this fight on our own to prove that we are pure of heart and that we are as strong as He believes. We have to have the same faith in ourselves that He has in us. But as I said, that is just one school of thought. There are many others and I am sure we could spend hours sitting here discussing the various branches of theology but I suggest that we return to the fight and try to find this succubus before she does any more damage. The last demon we fought brought a lot of death in its short time. We can only hope that we are more prepared this time.”

  “I agree,” Carter said, and as he showed Constantine out he thought much on what the two of them had discussed. In his silent moments Carter looked to God and wondered if it was true. Was all this happening because God wouldn't break a promise? Carter had always been looking at things from his own point of view, had always blamed God for letting bad things happen and never taking the time to think what it was like from God's perspective. Perhaps God was up there right now, looking down on the world with a tear in his eye as he had the power to help, but he had promised to give humans power over their own destiny. Too many people chose the path of evil. Carter wasn't going to be one of them, and despite what Torrez said he was going to try to help Anja as well.

  Chapter 10

  T he following day, after Carter had been doing much soul-searching, he returned to work with a conflicted heart. There were many things troubling him, not in the least that there was an entire brotherhood devoted to hunting demons. He was glad that they were there to offer advice and aid but their very existence only spoke to the fact that the world was faced with a crisis. It was difficult to see where this was going to end. The promise of being baptized in flame was not appealing in the slightest, but so far Carter felt like he wasn't accomplishing anything. He didn't know any more about the Lords of Baal, and now that it had been confirmed by Tanaka that Aguilero wasn't the leader he was even further back than square one. He still wanted to find Aguilero, not just because the man was a criminal but also because he knew about the leader of the Lords of Baal. Yet Aguilero had disappeared. Why wasn't he helping Carter?

  Once again it felt as though the entire world was against him. Carter didn't like the prospect of going after this succubus either. After two fights Carter had come off considerably worse and if this demon was increasing its hold over Anja then he may not be so lucky the third time.

  As he was working at his desk, he overheard people talking about a murder that happened last night.

  “The dude must have been into some freaky shit. There were scratch marks all over his body and not ones that came from a woman. It's like a bear or something did it. There's no sign of fur or anything though.”

  “How the hell would anyone smuggle a bear into a hotel room?”

  “Hey, you pay enough and you could smuggle anything into some places. I'm telling you, it's the only thing that makes sense.”

  As soon as Carter overheard the conversation he was gone. It could only be the succubus. He sped through the streets in his car. Tires screeched as he pulled up outside the hotel. Before the receptionist could say anything Carter had flashed his badge and ran up the stairs, not wanting to wait for the elevator. The entire floor was cordoned off with police tape. Carter walked under it and nodded to the other officers at the scene, but the homicide detective looked at him with suspicion.

  “What are you doing here McBride?” detective Mann said. He'd taken over from Carter after Carter had been reassigned. He'd been close to Sosa, and since Sosa had died from someone that Carter had brought in, Mann blamed Carter for Sosa's death. “Have you forgotten you're not on homicide anymore?”

  “Figured you could use some help in such an unusual case. Besides, since I'm vice I need to look at anything that could be connected to prostitution.”

  “There's nothing that indicates this man had a visit from a whore.”

  Carter arched an eyebrow. “Are you kidding me? A man is found in a hotel room, naked, with scratch marks all over his body and that doesn't scream some kind of sex game to you?”

/>   “Whatever. I don't have time for you Carter, have a look around but don't get in my way.”

  “I wouldn't dream of it,” Carter said with a false smile. There was nothing he liked better than riling up people like Mann. They had egos bigger than the sun and they'd all give him the respect he deserved when he became chief. Despite everything that was going on with the Lords of Baal Carter still wanted to plan for the future. He took his career seriously and one day he would be chief of the police, even if it would take some time. That's if they survived, but Carter didn't want to think about the alternative.

  The hotel room was nondescript. The minibar hadn't been touched. The room led out onto a balcony. Carter stepped out and looked out upon the city. Millions of people, all in danger from an unknown threat. He leaned against the balcony and looked down. It was wide enough for a succubus to land. Maybe the guy had picked Anja off the street; maybe she just got a whiff of desperation and knew he'd be an easy target. He rolled up his sleeve and looked down at the scratch marks that were still evident upon his flesh. They matched the ones he saw on the dead body.

  The door opened. Carter quickly rolled down his sleeve. “If this is how you investigate a crime then no wonder you got transferred. Do you think you're going to find anything out here?” Mann said brusquely.

  “I was just looking out over the city we're sworn to protect. Sometimes it helps to take stock of things.”

  “Yes, well, do it on your own time. Here's something you might want to look at, the victim's cell phone. We've got all the data off it and running it through forensics. Feel free to take a look.” Carter took the bag from him and reached in for the cell phone. He switched it on and waited for it to boot up. There was no way Mann was going to find the truth behind this crime because he'd never consider the possibility that a flying succubus was responsible so it was up to Carter to follow the trail. The more this went on the more his life was becoming defined by the secrets he held. He'd always been a cop who lived on the edge of the rules, but that was only because he had little patience for red tape when it interfered with his ability to uphold the law. It frustrated him that he couldn't call on the help of L.A.'s finest, but nobody would believe him if he told them about the Lords of Baal or anything else he knew. Sometimes he felt as though he had been caught in a dream and wondered when he was going to wake.

  The phone beeped as it turned on. Carter scrolled through the last numbers called but didn't get past the first one as he recognized it instantly. He had spent so long tracking Aguilero that he'd basically memorized everything about him, including the numbers of the businesses in which Aguilero was involved. This one matched a bar that Aguilero owned, and when he saw it Carter clenched his fist in triumph. Finally he had something to link Aguilero to a crime scene, and it was enough to bring him in for questioning.

  Turning back into the room, Carter thanked Mann for everything and then made his way back to the station and made a request for a warrant for Aguilero's arrest. Finally he could start getting some answers to the questions that had been burning in his mind.

  Chapter 11

  C arter waited eagerly for the moment when Seth was going to be brought through those doors. He still felt vexed from the last time the two of them had crossed paths. While chasing the reasons behind Paulo Hernandez's murder Carter had paid a visit to Seth and had been summarily thrown out and beaten by a couple of Seth's guards. The tables had turned now and even if Seth wasn't involved with the Lords of Baal he was still a vile man who had valuable information. If Carter could just get something from him the streets of LA would be safer.

  Part of him had wanted to make the arrest himself but he thought it would be better if he was there waiting for Seth to be brought in. Carter found it difficult to wipe the smile off his face. Many of the other cops congratulated him and the arrival of Aguilero was something of an event. When the car pulled up everyone lined up to watch Aguilero being hauled in.

  The man was small but fierce and Carter knew he should not be underestimated at any cost. A great cheer and round of applause rang around the station as Aguilero's fingerprints were taken and he was booked. Led to an interrogation room, Aguilero didn't seem the least bit intimidated. The expression on his face was blank and he didn't look afraid at all, but the man was in cuffs and that was a victory that should not be denied.

  “Give him hell,” was the general sentiment given to Carter as he strode to the interrogation room. Carter cracked his knuckles and before he went he grabbed an apple, feeling the satisfying crunch between his teeth. Finally it felt as though he was making progress in this case and he was going to savor every moment.

  When he walked in he found Aguilero sitting comfortably in his chair, unperturbed by the circus that surrounded his entrance. Carter took another bite out of his apple and leaned back in his chair, trying to look like the most relaxed person in the world but really he was brimming with anger. Usually when people were brought in to be interrogated they had at least a little fear but Aguilero showed nothing. He was one of the most formidable enemies that Carter had ever faced. He acted as though he was untouchable, and Carter couldn't wait to see the look on his face when he was finally brought down. He also wanted to ask Aguilero about the Lords of Baal, but Carter didn't want to give away his own role in the holy war.

  “You know, I stopped by your gym the other day. It's gone downhill a lot since we last met there.” Aguilero didn't respond. “I'm sure you've got plenty of meetings to attend with all your businesses so I won't try to keep you too long but you have to give me something Aguilero. We both know that you're mixed up in something bad so just tell me what it is and we can both get out of here. I'm not your enemy you know, you might think that but I just want to put bad guys away. Is there someone else you can help us bring in? You know a lot of information and information is valuable. If you like I can talk to some people and see what price they're willing to pay. Help me to help you, that's all I want.” Yet again Aguilero remained silent. Carter was getting more annoyed the longer this went on. He knew that interrogating Aguilero was not going to be straightforward yet he didn't expect it to be stonewalled like this.

  “Fine. You want to play it like this? We'll play it like this. I've tried to be nice and offer you a chance to come forward but if you don't want to play ball that's fine. But this time I have you Aguilero, so let's get down to business. There's been a murder and your number was the last number called. It's right there in the phone. Now what do you have to say about that?”

  Aguilero pressed his lips together and then bowed his head. He shrugged and closed his mouth. It would not open again. No matter how much Carter pressed, no matter how much he shouted and bawled or threw his chair across the room Aguilero remained the picture of serenity. No other words left his mouth and nothing that Carter said or did drew any response. Even when Carter threatened Aguilero with not being let go until he said something, he was still met with silence. Carter gave it everything he had but Aguilero wasn't like the other criminals that passed through the station. He wasn't filled with fear. There was nothing Carter could do to strike the fear of God in him. Maybe that was because he was aware of the Lords of Baal; that there was a greater threat than most people could comprehend. Maybe it was just because he was a tough son of a bitch. Either way the end result was the same. Carter had nothing.

  Carter slammed the door behind him and ran his hand through his air, exhaling in frustration.

  “No luck?” Garrett asked.

  “Not yet,” Carter growled, “do me a favor and move him to a holding cell. I want to see him sweat. Maybe that'll loosen his lips. Men like him need to first learn that they're not invincible.” Garrett nodded and went inside to escort Seth out, but as soon as he did Carter heard a yell. He ran into the room and saw Seth spitting on Garrett. The two men managed to subdue Seth quickly. Carter wasn't going to tolerate him disrespecting another officer like that. Others heard the disturbance and came in to help. Seth was hauled away.


  Back in the bullpen, Garrett was wiping away the saliva that dribbled down his cheek. Usually he was a mild-mannered sort but on this occasion his cheeks were flushed red and he bristled with anger. “I just know that man isn't going to get as much punishment as he deserves,” Garrett said bitterly. Carter placed a hand on the man's shoulder.

  “Try not to let him get under your skin. He's a piece of work and he'll get what's coming to him, but you know what? I honestly don't think justice means an eye for an eye. Aguilero has done a lot of bad things but real justice is to rehabilitate him. It means penance and peace, that's the kind of justice we should all be striving for.”

  “Okay, who are you and what the hell have you done with the real Carter?” Garrett asked with a smile.

  “Hey, even old dogs can learn new tricks,” Carter said. He left Garrett in good spirits, although he himself was feeling low. He needed some way to get through to Aguilero but the man didn't look as though he was going to break, and unless Carter could get something more concrete on him it wouldn't be long before he would have to let Aguilero back on the streets, and he would be much harder to catch the next time. It was rare that Aguilero made mistakes so Carter had to capitalize on this one.

  Chapter 12

  T he following morning the city was abuzz regarding a controversial case where a Latino man was found guilty of assaulting a police officer, despite some video recordings taken by witnesses showing that the man had been provoked. Because of his interest in other areas Carter had only been peripherally aware of this case but on this occasion there was no escaping it. Everyone had an opinion and they were warned by the chief that it was going to be a difficult day. The jibe about publicity that Aguilero had made the previous day came back to haunt Carter. The city felt as though their protectors had betrayed them and they would not be shy in showing their displeasure. Indeed, it wasn't long before riots broke out. Shop windows were smashed and fire bombs were hurled into public areas. The police put out a statement saying that people should stay in their homes and then the entire force was mobilized. Carter sent a quick message to Nicky telling her and Robbie to stay indoors. He hoped that Father Constantine would be smart enough to stay safe as well.