The Belial Origins

by R. D. Brady

  Laney continued her onslaught. But the men were no longer trying to enter the estate. They seemed content to just return gunfire. She narrowed her eyes. The Fallen could easily get through. What were they waiting for?

  Laney went still; the rocks she had just pulled into the air slammed back into the ground.

  Jake turned to head for the security Jeeps, but she grabbed his arm. “Wait.”

  “What?” He stared down at her.

  “There are Fallen with them. But they’re not coming into the estate. Why aren’t they coming into the estate?”

  Jake watched the exchange of gunfire with a frown. “That’s not right.”

  “Why blow up the fence? Why not ram the front gate? Or better yet, just leap over it?”

  “You’re right. This is… too obvious,” Jake said.

  Flashes from the Book of Enoch rattled through Laney’s mind. Samyaza, the leader of men, had gotten two hundred of his brethren to fall with him. He was the master of deceit and obfuscation. So why this bold an attack?

  Jake grabbed his radio from his belt. “Jake for Kevin.”

  “Kevin here.”

  “Have there been any other breaches or inconsistencies in security in the last few days?”

  Kevin didn’t even question the odd request or the timing of it. “Just one—a section of the southeast corner kept giving out false readings. We actually shut it down. A repair crew is supposed to be out there in another half hour.”

  Laney met Jake’s eyes. The opposite side of the estate from the blast. Laney didn’t wait for Jake. She ran for one of the security Jeeps that was just pulling up.

  An officer stepped out. “Laney?”

  “I need your Jeep.”

  He held open the door. “Yes ma’am. Keys are in it.”

  As Laney hopped in, she thought there was something to be said for hiring all former military. They didn’t waste time on useless questions.

  Jake hopped into the passenger seat, still on the phone. “Kevin, send whatever security details you can scrounge up to the east fence. Now.”

  “Damn it.” Laney slammed down on the accelerator. The back of the Jeep fishtailed as she left the paved road and hit the grass. Cleo loped along behind them.

  Come on. Come on. Laney didn’t have any idea what she would find on the other side of the estate. But she knew she needed to get there.

  They burst out of the trees just in time to see a single figure leap over the fence. A tingle ran through Laney. “Fallen,” she said through gritted teeth.

  A smaller figure, on the near side of the fence, was walking across the field toward the Fallen.

  Laney craned to see who it was.

  “It can’t be,” Jake mumbled.

  “Max?” Laney whispered.

  Max glanced over his shoulder and saw the security car barreling toward him. He started to run toward the Fallen.

  Laney couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She slammed on the brakes and vaulted from the car. “Max!” She sprinted after him.

  Max ran for the Fallen. The Fallen sprinted toward him in a blur, pausing only long enough to pick him up. But that pause was long enough for Laney to get a good look at the Fallen. Gerard.

  And he was wearing headphones—noise-canceling, no doubt.

  “Stop!” Laney yelled.

  Gerard just smiled at her and then sprinted back for the fence. In less than two seconds, he was gone.

  And so was Max.

  Laney fell to her knees.

  “What just happened?”

  CHAPTER 31

  Laney knelt in the grass, staring at the spot where Gerard had disappeared with Max. Vaguely she heard Jake calling for Kevin to pull up the cameras in the area and send patrols out after them. But Laney knew they wouldn’t catch Gerard. This section of the fence was as far from the entrance as you could get.

  Cleo walked up to Laney and sat down beside her.

  Laney pictured Max running across the field—running away from her. She turned to Cleo. “Why did he do that?”

  Cleo didn’t have an answer for her.

  Laney got to her feet and made her way back to Jake. Jake closed his phone and walked with her to the Jeep.

  “He went with him willingly,” Laney said. “You saw that, right?”

  Jake opened the car door. “Yeah. I saw it.”

  Kevin’s voice came over the radio. “Jake?”

  “Go ahead.”

  “The intruders just took off. No one got in.”

  That’s because the infiltration was much more subtle, Laney thought, tuning out the rest of the conversation. Gerard had taken Max. Which meant Samyaza had Max.

  But why? Why did they want a five-year-old? And why had Max gone with them willingly? Maddox never would have—

  Laney’s back straightened. Oh my God. She sprinted around the car to the passenger door. “Jake, we need to get to Kati’s. Maddox never would have let Max out on his own.”

  Jake jumped behind the wheel and hit the gas as soon as Laney had closed her door. Cleo bounded along behind them.

  Laney held on to the dash, envisioning the worst. Ever since Max had been abducted two months ago, Maddox had been even more vigilant. He would never have let Max out alone, even on the estate. So how had Max gotten out?

  Jake screeched to a halt in front of Kati’s cottage. Laney was out the door before the car came to a complete stop. She vaulted up the steps and barreled through the front door. “Kati? Maddox?” she yelled.

  No answer.

  She ran into the den off the kitchen at the back of the house and slammed to a stop. Maddox and Kati sat together on the couch. Their heads were tilted back.

  They weren’t moving.

  “Oh my God.” On wobbly legs, Laney made her way over to them. She put her hands to Kati’s neck. But her hands were shaking so hard she couldn’t get a pulse.

  Jake came up behind her, pulled her hand away, and put his own fingers on Kati’s neck. “She’s breathing.”

  Laney let out her own breath and sat down heavily on the coffee table as Cleo padded into the room and next to her.

  Jake checked Maddox’s pulse next. “He’s breathing too.”

  The relief that flowed through Laney was so powerful, it made her almost dizzy.

  Cleo leaned over to Kati and sniffed at her face. Jake shook Maddox. “Maddox. Wake up.”

  Maddox didn’t show any sign of hearing him.

  Laney shook Kati. “Kati, wake up.”

  No response either.

  Without warning, Cleo let out a massive roar. Laney nearly hit the roof, but neither Kati nor Maddox moved.

  Laney rubbed the ring on her finger and leaned down to Maddox. “Wake up, Maddox. Wake up,” she ordered.

  Maddox’s head moved. A frown appeared on his lips.

  “Come on, Maddox. Wake up,” Laney said again.

  Maddox’s eyelids popped open, then closed. He opened them again and looked at Jake, then Laney.

  “What’s going on?” His words were slurred.

  Jake looked around. Two mugs sat on the end tables next to the couch. “They’ve been drugged,” he said.

  Laney nodded. This was unreal.

  “I’m going to look around,” Jake said.

  “Drugged?” Maddox blinked a few times. He turned to Kati, his eyes going wide. “Kati.”

  “She’s been drugged too. But she’s breathing,” Laney said, struggling to think of how this could have happened.

  Maddox grabbed Kati and held her close. A tremor ran through him, and his eyes were wild.

  Laney took Maddox’s hands in hers and looked into his eyes. “Maddox, I need you to focus. Has anyone besides you, Kati, and Max been in the house today?”

  Maddox shook his head. His eyes were clearing, but his arms stayed wrapped protectively around Kati. “No. Why?” He looked around. “Where’s Max?”

  Laney swallowed. “He’s gone. Gerard took him.”

  “What? How’d he get in?”
/>   “He didn’t. Max went to him.”

  Maddox’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

  Laney shrugged, her confusion and fear returning as she remembered Max reaching for Gerard. “I don’t know how to explain it. Max left here deliberately to meet Gerard. He went with him willingly.”

  Jake returned, holding up a pill bottle. “This is why you guys didn’t know.”

  “Those are Kati’s sleeping pills,” Maddox said.

  Laney knew that Kati had been having trouble sleeping for the last few months—ever since the attack in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

  Maddox picked the bottle up and shook it. It was empty. He paled. “She had this filled yesterday.”

  “Who had access to your drinks?” Jake asked.

  “No one. Just me, Kati, and Max. Although I guess anyone could have laced them sometime when we were out.”

  Laney looked around the room. She knew Maddox kept the cottage locked up tight. “I suppose—but they couldn’t know you were going to have tea at the right time.”

  Maddox went still. He spoke slowly. “The tea was Max’s idea. He wanted us to have a tea party.”

  Shock pulled at Laney. None of this made any sense. Why would Max drug them and then go with Gerard?

  Cleo nudged her. Laney wrapped her arm around the panther, happy for the cat’s warmth, because all of a sudden she felt very cold.

  “Has anything been different with Max?” Jake asked. “Anything off?”

  Maddox still looked dazed, but he pulled himself together. “Not really. I mean, he sees things—you guys know that.”

  Laney nodded. “Anything else?”

  Maddox paused, glancing between Jake and Laney before his gaze came to rest on Laney. “He’s had the same nightmare for a few weeks now.”

  “What is it?” Laney asked.

  “Someone attacks the estate. You and I die, along with a lot of other people. And then Max said he was taken anyway. Everyone dies, and it doesn’t matter, because he gets taken anyway.” Maddox shook his head. “But it was just a dream.”

  Laney leaned back. She was thinking about the explosion. “Are you sure about that?”

  “I…” Maddox shook his head. “I don’t know. But we need to find him.”

  “We will.” Laney nodded to Kati. “Can you take her upstairs? I’ll send the doc over to make sure she’s all right.”

  Maddox nodded before gently lifting Kati into his arms.

  Laney watched them go. Had Max foreseen the attack today? Had he given himself up in order to keep people from dying?

  Jake walked over and put his arms around Laney.

  She leaned back into him. “Victoria’s gone, and now Max, too. What is going on, Jake?”

  CHAPTER 32

  Laney walked along the perimeter of the fence with Cleo by her side. They’d already inspected the area where the explosion had occurred. Henry had brought a team in to repair it, and they would work all through the night. Now Laney was inspecting the area where the real assault had originated. Where Gerard had made off with Max.

  Laney peered out through the fence. The afternoon sun had started its arc toward the horizon, although night was still a few hours off. She sighed, knowing it was stupid to think maybe she’d see something. They’d scanned all the cameras in the surrounding area for a hit on Gerard. Unsurprisingly, they’d come up with nothing. He was gone.

  And so was Max.

  Her heart clenched. Damn it. Didn’t we just go through this? Why is everyone so focused on a five-year-old boy? It couldn’t be just because he was important to Laney. He had to be important in his own right. But why?

  Laney wanted to growl in frustration. She ran her hands through her hair. Kati was losing it, and Maddox was like a caged tiger. Laney had needed to get out of there. She’d needed to think.

  Victoria and Max going missing at the same time wasn’t a coincidence. She was sure of it. The Fallen had Victoria, and now they had Max as well. But why?

  Victoria was born over and over again. They knew that. What precisely her role was they still didn’t know, but there was no question that she was special.

  But what was so special about Max? Was it because he talked to spirits? Because he could dream of the future? Did Gerard or Samyaza want to know something? Was that what was going on? But why would they think that Max would be able to help them? How would they even know about him?

  Cleo picked up her head and sprinted across the grass. Danny and Moxy stepped out of the trees ahead of her. Moxy ran for Cleo, her tail wagging. She jumped around the giant cat, nipping playfully at her heels. Cleo turned around and around and then began to chase Moxy.

  Laney watched them with a smile. Danny stopped next to her. “Hey.”

  Laney linked her arm in his. “Anything?”

  Danny shook his head. “I have programs running through all the security footage. Now it’s just a matter of waiting.”

  “And you needed to walk.”

  Danny nodded. Laney sighed. She knew how helpless he felt—because she felt the same way. Strange as it might sound, there was a comfort in knowing they were both sharing the same concerns. The two walked quietly together, just content to let their shared fear speak for them.

  But Laney’s mind couldn’t help but play over everything she knew about Victoria and Cain.

  Finally, she spoke. “Danny, is it possible for humans to be immortal?”

  “Sure.”

  Laney waited for him to continue, then realized that this was his sum total of comment on the subject. “Care to explain for those of us without a genius IQ? I mean, because biologically speaking, the body breaks down. Most of the time when people speak about immortality, they’re really talking about extending life a little bit or transferring consciousness to some type of technology. But is it possible to be biologically immortal?”

  “Well,” Danny said, “there are two promising lines of research. The first involves stretches of DNA known as telomeres. As we age, the telomeres shorten. When they disappear, the cell dies. Researchers theorize that if they’re able to lengthen or stabilize the telomeres, immortality could be the result. Or, at a minimum, it would result in a significant increase in lifespan. The other line of research is, of course, the turritopsis dohrnii.”

  Again Laney waited for him to continue. He didn’t.

  Laney tried not to sigh. “And what exactly is a Turrito dorny?”

  Danny smiled. “A turritopsis dohrnii—it’s a jellyfish. It never dies.”

  “How is that possible?”

  Danny opened his mouth and then closed it. Laney had the distinct impression he was trying to figure out a way to dumb down what he wanted to tell her. And she was happy he was doing so.

  “You know the film, Benjamin Button?” Danny asked.

  Laney nodded. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button told the story of a man who ages backward, so that at the very end of his life he’s a baby.

  “It’s kind of like that,” Danny said, “except the jellyfish ages normally—until it reverts back to a polyp and starts the process all over again.”

  “How long does that go on?” Laney asked.

  Danny shrugged. “They’re not sure. But they theorize it could be indefinite.”

  “An immortal jellyfish?”

  Danny smiled. “Theoretically. Besides, immortality must be possible.”

  Laney paused, not sure what Danny was getting at. But then she understood. “Because Cain exists.”

  Danny nodded. “He was human once—and I suppose he maybe still is. So if he can become immortal, there’s no reason someone else can’t also. They just need to figure out how.”

  Laney knew her mouth was hanging open. Immortality was possible. She let out a breath. Okay. Shove that on the back burner for now.

  “I don’t suppose you have any ideas about why Max would go with them?” she asked.

  “No. I can’t imagine it. I mean, he knows who they are. He knows what they’ve done. I just can’
t figure out why he’d go, unless somehow they convinced him they were the good guys. But how would they even reach him to convince him of that?”

  “I’m coming up with blanks as well.” She paused. “Maddox said Max has been having the same dream for a few weeks. Did you know about it?”

  Danny nodded. His eyes looked bleak. “Yeah. He fell asleep when we were watching a movie once. He woke up screaming.”

  Laney closed her eyes, feeling Max’s pain. Damn it. No kid should have to deal with this.

  Danny’s next words came out hesitantly, as if he was testing the waters. “I don’t think it was just a dream.”

  Laney had been expecting that. “You think it was a premonition.”

  Danny nodded.

  Laney sighed. “I think you’re probably right. Maddox said that in the dream, both he and I die when the Fallen attack the estate.”

  “Like the attack yesterday.”

  Laney nodded. “But by running to Gerard, Max managed to prevent the rest of us from getting into a fight. He thought he was saving my life, and Maddox’s. Maybe he was. Maybe he did.”

  They walked in silence for a bit, then Danny cleared his throat. “There’s something else. I didn’t say anything before because I wasn’t sure what to make of it. It was just too weird.”

  Laney stopped and faced Danny. “What was too weird?”

  Danny’s gaze strayed over to where Cleo and Moxy were chasing each other. “The other day, Max fell asleep in my office. Under his pillow was a book on chaos theory. When Max woke up, he knew the contents of the book.”

  Laney felt a tingling of recognition. “Chaos theory?” Laney wasn’t sure she really understood chaos theory, and she’d read a few books on it. “Are you sure?”

  Danny nodded. “I tested him.”

  “Tested him?”

  Danny put up his hands. “I didn’t hook him up to a lie detector or anything. I just asked him a bunch of questions related to the book over the next couple days.”

  “And?”

  “And he passed. He knew all the answers. But I don’t understand how. No one can learn that way. It’s not possible.”