by J M Bannon
He checked on the cop "dead as a doornail,” he said out loud.
Pāora came into the room, "The Mistress is coming."
Dolly's attention was pulled away by the strange sight of a wooden stool flying out of the portal and smashing against the edge of the counter, followed by a guttural bray. The next thing out of the portal was alive but not human. It was big, twice the size of a man but man-like, it had arms and legs but walked on all fours similar to the gait of an ape.
Dolly had an inkling of what it was, an upgraded version of the creatures he saw in France. Besides the size, these were built to fight, Allard had fitted them with armor; copper sheet, riveted right into the muscle and the aggression level was far higher than the previous encounter. It charged like a bull into the counter smashing it and knocking it off its foundation.
The first creature was quickly followed by three more. The tables and equipment were getting thrown and smashed "Pāora, move back to the Reliquary so we don't get trampled."
Outside in the Reliquary, Dolly could hear one of them smashing into the walls it didn't take much time for the creatures to find the doorway and work to the hall.
Dolly took his shooting stance and put his shot into the meat of the beast. Rose's bullet worked, on entry the blue flash dropped the creature but another one came up behind it leaping over the corpse. Dolly fired again but the bullet hit a metal plate, damaging the creature but not killing it. As it closed in on him he raised the pistol to fire again, when Pāora jumped in front grabbing the beast in a bear hug. Pāora uttered something in Maori and held fast, the creature could not budge, as if it was cemented to the ground.
That angered the beast, and it returned the bear hug. The Maori did not move, but he moaned in pain as the beast squeezed him, Dolly thought he could hear Pāora’s ribs popping. Dolly was at point blank range when he fired the pistol and shot the creature in an open soft spot. It died and released Pāora.
Of the first four creatures to appear, two were dead, another one was making a decent job of smashing its way through the wall. The last had been joined by a fifth creature and the pair were making their way down the hallway to Dolly.
He only had one more shot of special ammo loaded. He had more on him but not enough time to reload, and Pāora lay at his feet writhing in pain. Dolly figured he would at least take one more with him before he was finished and best to wait until it was close enough to make sure the shot would find its mark.
As the beasts bounded towards him he pulled the trigger, through the cloud of gun smoke he watched the creature fall to the ground as the blue ball of magic blasted through its head. The second beast cut around the corpse of its fellow. He frantically reached into his jacket to pull out the tin holding the rest of his special bullets, fumbling it open, trying to retrieve a cartridge and cap. The creature launched itself at the Detective. He dropped the tin of bullets and readied himself, but the creature never landed. Its course interrupted and flung backwards, skewered by a bright spear of light.
"Arnheim's Javelin of Light; nothing better for slaying monsters," announced Enzo.
"There is another one of them in the studio," Dolly said now having a moment to reload the colt. It required him to refill each cylinder with one of Rose's cartridges then pack it with the lever under the barrel, plus put a firing cap in place. Have to get those fancy cartridges for all my firearms.
Enzo moved over to Pāora to check on his state.
"I'll be all right mate," said Pāora, awkwardly getting to his feet.
"Yes, after you see a Physician, your ribs are broken." said Enzo.
Rose Strode into the room, she planted a foot on the dead beast and pulled out the Javelin of Light, "Enzo, get Pāora out of here,” said Rose.
The sheet mirror that decorated the upper half of the Reliquary wall fell and shattered, a small opening appeared as the beast pounded the plaster and slat apart to get through. Rose heaved the spear.
Dolly was in awe, it was a heavy iron spear. He doubted he could toss it over thirty feet and not accurately, yet Rose who was half his weight just threw it like an greek warrior of old and it struck the small target of the beast's face that could be seen through the hole in the wall. The spear, again a bright shaft of light, hung through the wall, the creatures head transfixed by it.
Dolly saw a fierce determination in Rose. It may have been seeing her suited up in her black cavalry boots, black jodhpurs and her long coat with the crimson lining. No, it wasn't the outfit, she had worn that before it was her face, her eyes; they burnt with anger.
"I'm going through that gate to stop this at the source. Dolly, you stay here and protect them," Rose instructed. Rose walked towards the hall to go into the studio, Dolly walked around the dead beasts and followed her. He watched another beast come through the door into the hall and bound towards Rose. She dropped to one knee bracing the spear on the ground the beast impaled itself on the spear with such force the point came through its back, blue wisps of smoke and aether curled from the wound. Rose deftly spun out of the way of the falling corpse grabbing its shoulders to force it to the floor driving the spear through its back its glow died as she pulled it through the creature.
"I taught her that," shouted Enzo.
Dolly looked at him then to Rose.
"Rose, wait," Dolly called.
"No, I won’t, I can’t. This fool needs to be stopped his recklessness know no bounds! We are in my home, where my family lives, and he comes here to murder us in order to retrieve that vile device. I will not have it."
"Detective, let her go," said Enzo, he knew Rose would not stop until her friends and family were safe.
She stepped into the studio, it was a shambles.
Dolly could see the fury build in Rose.
As she walked to the portal, another copper clad behemoth came through, as it came into the room Rose thrust the Javelin into its back through the copper sheathing. The blue spectral fumes were released, as it died.
"Don't worry Dolly, I'm just going to let the smoke out of all of them. You stop any of them that get past me from going upstairs," Dolly was just getting ready to speak when Rose interrupted "I know you're the Boss; who am I to tell you what to do!”
"No, I was going to tell you good hunting."
33
Saturday the 30th of March
4:05 p.m The Continental Cattle Company Omaha Nebraska
Rose was standing in a vestibule as described by Dolly. To her left a portal shimmered from which Allard’s beasts were appearing. A quick jab of the spear snuffed the life of the one that had just appeared. It slumped to the floor and she climbed over it and stepped through the portal.
There was a brief sensation of the world spinning before she found herself arriving on the other side, inside a cage. On the other side of the bars she could see the large factory and hear the sounds of machinery pounding. Ahead of her, she saw another beast being pulled out of a vat of the black ichor first witnessed at the Monastery. It was followed by another, but she had missed the creature behind her who had yet to pass through the portal.
It pounced on her knocking her off her feet. Her footing was precarious on the slippery ichor covered cement. The spear fell from her hand and clattered across the factory floor out of reach.
She unsheathed the Rod with her right hand and thrust it behind her, producing a translucent rune covered shield of energy, deflecting the beasts’ attack, it tumbled off and rolled across the floor giving her time to crawl over and pick up the spear in her left hand. Before she could turn around the first beast from the vat smashed into her crushing her against the cage. Rose could barely draw breathe as the beast crushed her against the bars, she could barely utter the words, "Sanctus Ignis.” Raziel's holy flames engulfed but did not harm her but ignited the floor where the ichor had spilled. Around her the three original creatures, and a further two produced by the machinery, all covered in ichor began to bellow as the flames licked up their bodies. They flailed around in pain as
the flames ate at them. She ignored the creatures focused on burning through the iron cage; the Rod cut through the iron like a hot knife through butter. As the flames died around her, Rose felt a rush of pain every time she breathed, all she could do was take short, shallow breaths in between stabs of pain. As the Holy flames died down, the metal covered beasts fell to the floor and stilled. Behind her the machine produced another creature which began to lumber towards her. She pushed a bar to one side and stepped through the gap. The creature pawed at her but the gap was too small for it.
Looking around the huge warehouse she saw no-one on the factory floor. Out of the corner of her eye she caught a movement through a window on the mezzanine floor, the scene was very strange, she slowly walked towards a stairway leading to the mezzanine office. As she neared the top of the stairs Rose could make out the figure, it was Marshal Elmore, and he was tied up. Her pace changed, and she moved quickly up the last steps. The door was blocked by the body of the man Rose recognized from Harpsichord, the fellow the Marshal called Leary. She pushed the body to the side of the landing and entered.
"Elmore?" she whispered, scanning the room.
"What took you so long?" That made Rose smile, "Cut me down, please" finished Elmore. Rose looked around for something to cut the rope.
"Check Leary out there, he'll have a knife on him and won't mind if you borrow it,"
Rose came back in with a big bowie knife, "This isn't a knife it's a short sword," Grabbing a chair she stood on it and hacked at the rope. The rope gave, and Elmore dropped to the floor.
"Oh, sorry about that," said Rose climbing down to help Elmore sit up. He was badly beaten with one eye swollen shut. "We need to get you to a surgeon."
"I'll mend. Don't worry," said Elmore holding his hands out. Rose needed no urging and slid the knife in-between Elmore's wrists and cut the rope.
"I thought you were going to Paris to confront the Necronists?"
"We did."
"Well, how long was I hanging there that you got back here?"
"I didn't fly here Elmore, I came through a special gate, something this Necronist Allard uses to move around."
"Would his first name be Henry?”
“You mean Henri,”
“No I meant Henry, but I’ll be sure to get a hangman that can pronounce his name right,” said Elmore.
"I think it is," Rose confirmed.
"He was here. I was talking to him and thought I had persuaded him to give up, then he snapped. He's the one who shot Leary then he took off. I watched from up here as he turned on that huge contraption down there then disappeared down to the basement."
"We were led to him by the Necronists, but he got away. The unusual clock you found in Harpsichord, we located another one, and believe these are the devices they use to conjure the portals to move around."
"I have to find out where he has gone before we lose his trail again, he used the device to break into my lab and steal the soul crystal used in the Harpsichord massacre."
"All right, let's go," said Elmore getting to his feet.
"Whaaooo, you, my friend, are in no shape to do anything."
"You don't look much better, I'd say the way you're walking and breathing you have a broken or cracked rib." said Elmore as he went over to the desk where his jacket, hat, and guns lay.
"I'm going after Allard. What I need you to do is stop that machine, or better yet, destroy it. They use it to manufacture these meat abominations. Allard is using necromancy to animate these beasts and right now they are pouring into my home."
"In London?"
"Yes, there is a gateway leading directly to my basement laboratory."
"From Omaha?"
"I guess. Where's that?" said Rose.
"Here. Omaha is in the Nebraska Territory, east of where we first met," confirmed Quentin.
"Well, I don't have a high opinion of it so far," Rose stated as she checked her belt and tinctures.
"Off, you go then. Down the stairs to the factory floor then take another set of stairs at the far end… Holy Shit!" yelled Elmore.
One of Allard's abominations had managed to enlarge the hole Rose had made in the cage and was wandering the factory floor. Rose screamed to get the beast's attention, it galloped towards Rose and Elmore. He took aim with his Henry rifle and took the shot. Upon seeing the first shot hit but not stop the animal he fired two more in quick succession.
Rose bound down the stairs and leaped from the third step into the air driving the spear into the back of the creature, causing it to crumple into a heap. "I forgot to let you know these things don't really mind bullets," Rose drew the spear out of the corpse, the spear’s removal sounded like a boot pulling out of mud. They made their way the length of the factory and came to the top of the stairs.
"You'll need this," Rose held out the Javelin of Light.
"Can I touch it? It won't burn me if I'm unworthy?"
"Don't be silly," Rose scoffed, Elmore reached for the spear, and she added, "unless you are a chronic masturbator."
"He swiftly pulled his hand back, define chronic?"
Rose laughed only to stop, wincing in pain from the damage to her ribs. "Take it. I'll be back to get it later. Understand; this is a holy relic that I have been entrusted with and I now charge you to keep it safe."
"Anything special I should know about it, or how to use it?"
"Just trust what you feel and that the Angel Arnheim wields the Javelin with you. Now stop that machine and I promise I'll be back to get my relic," Rose hugged Elmore to both his and her surprise. She looked back at him one more time then prepared to descend the stairway; it was dark so Rose grabbed a lantern and hurried down.
Darkness at the bottom of the stairs was pushed back by the flickering light of the railroad lantern. Rose entered the laboratory filled with metal rejuvenation tubes. To her surprise the bodies of two men were crumpled on the floor in a pool of drying blood. There was no sign of Allard. One of them she didn't know, but the other was the Company Man from Harpsichord. As she surveyed the room she caught the reflection of herself in a copper sheet, "How many of these bloody doors are there?" Rose said out loud, inspecting the frame. Seeing the pull chain with its white wooden handle she gave it a tug and stepped back for what came next.
34
Saturday the 30th of March
11:05 p.m Dimetri’s Vila Lago d'Orta Italy
Allard passed through the gate with the American and the soul magnet. This door opened to the control room where the Mute worked. Before it shut he called out, “open door twenty."
The Mute worked the controls at his post closing the portal and opening the door in Omaha that was connected to the Homunculus machine.
"You; set that down over there," ordered Allard pointing the gun at Tommy. Tommy complied and placed the device on the counter.
"Seer Allard, when did your agenda trump the Brotherhoods' plans?” said Caiaphas staring out the window over Lago d'Orta.
“We needed the device; without it, we would be set back months, perhaps even years," countered Allard.
"Quiet, I'm not here to listen to a rationalization of your disobedience."
Everyone in the room heard the click of the hammer falling on an empty chamber of the pistol when Allard pulled the trigger. Doctor Caiaphas turned to face him smiling.
Shit, the gun is empty. Allard dropped the pistol and drew the second gun from his waistband firing at the doctor; spraying bullets, some hitting Caiaphas others going through the window behind him.
Caiaphas fell back from the impact of the bullets. His body lay half out of the broken window behind him.
"I've had enough of your mysterious conspiracy!” yelled Allard. He felt a sense of relief, not that he had killed one of his Brotherhood, but that he was rid of the oppressive Caiaphas. He was finally free of him.
"You there, I need to get away from here fast, where can you send me that no one will find me?"
Dimetri stood there with his mouth agape.
"Answer me. Write it on your stupid little board or on the wall for all I care," Allard screamed, his face red and sweaty, pointing the pistol at Dimetri.
"Wait, Dimetri, he's out of bullets," Caiaphas said as he stood up. He had two bullet wounds that were bleeding. "Two out of six, not very accurate Henri, but still fatal for anyone else," he finished.
A bell rang, and the light blinked over a numbered gate, signaling a traveler seeking transit through the Nexus. Allard looked at Dimetri, who then looked to Caiaphas for guidance.
"By all means, Dimetri, open the gateway and let the caller come through,” said the Caiaphas as he felt his wounds.
Allard panicked, pulling the trigger again and again but the gun remained mute. Caiaphas patiently walked up to Allard and took his head in his hands. Allard flinched in fear at his touch and the feel of the warm blood on his face from Caiaphas’ hands.
Caiaphas moved in close and whispered into his ear. "Henri, how sad to see a man so lost to ambition. You failed me, not because you tried to be more, but because you were so worried about how you were perceived in the process of becoming more."
Caiaphas murmured, "Now come with me."
Allard was no longer in the room with the man he had shot. Now he was in a filthy stone mausoleum that stunk of age and rot. At the far end of the room, deep in the shadows and darkness, he sensed Caiaphas.
The words were in his head and compelled him to step into the darkness. Although he stepped from the light into dark, he could still see. He heard squishing and looked down to see he was standing in a pool of liquid. He felt the moisture soak into his shoes then into his skin.
Looking up, he saw the true form of Caiaphas within his mind. Henri Allard's sanity collapsed in on itself, his mind crushed trying to comprehend who and what his Master really was.