The Belial Origins

by R. D. Brady

  Chief whacked him on the back of the head. “They were all normal sized.”

  “Sorry to break this up.” Drake stood behind Laney; she hadn’t heard him approach. “But I’m afraid it’s past Laney’s bedtime.”

  “Aw, come on, one more round,” someone said.

  Drake placed his hands on Laney’s shoulders. “Sorry. It’s a school night.”

  Laney stood up. “Thank you for a wonderful evening. And some much-needed exercise.”

  Chief stood up and gave her a hug. “Stop in the next time you’re in Vegas.”

  “Will do,” Laney said. She waved at the rest of the group. “Take care.”

  Drake offered Laney his arm, and she accepted.

  “Admit it,” he said. “You had fun.”

  She tried to not smile, but the truth was, it had been fun—even the bar fight. It hadn’t been life and death, after all—just bruises and bones at risk—which was a refreshing change from her usual fights.

  Then the smile dropped from her face and she groaned. “Oh, God, I’m now the type of woman who views a bar fight as good, wholesome fun.”

  Drake reached over and squeezed her hand. “It just means you’re living a little. Nothing wrong with having a little fun now and then.”

  Laney glanced back at the group of men she’d been chatting with. “They’re a good group of guys.” She turned back to Drake and raised an eyebrow. “How about you? I saw you speaking with Mouse’s sister.”

  Drake grinned. “Just remembering old times.”

  They stepped outside, and a few men nodded at them as they made their way to the car. Ralph was already there, waiting for them. He opened Laney’s door with one eyebrow raised. “You all right?”

  Laney glanced back at the bar and waved at Chief, who’d come outside to see them off. He waved back with a grin. Laney sank into the passenger seat with a sigh. “Actually, it was fun.”

  Ralph closed the door after her and got in the back. Drake started the car and headed back to Vegas.

  Laney looked over at Drake. “So, what was that all about?”

  Drake gave her an innocent expression. “What do you mean?”

  Laney gestured back to the bar. “That whole thing. You knew what was going to happen.”

  Drake grinned. “Let’s say I just wanted to see the ring bearer in action.”

  “So we’ve never met before?” Laney asked.

  Drake stared at her in surprise. “That’s right. Of course, you don’t remember from lifetime to lifetime. But no, we’ve never met.”

  “So? Thoughts?” she prodded.

  “You live up to your reputation.”

  “Is that a good thing or a bad one?”

  “Oh, it’s good. But I needed to be sure. I needed to know you’d be able to handle the fight to come. Otherwise you could easily get Remiel or Ralph hurt.”

  “Remiel?”

  “The current guardian,” Ralph said.

  Laney looked back at Ralph, who was staring out the window. “You’re protecting them.”

  Drake looked surprised. “Of course I am. They’re my brothers.” Apparently Drake wasn’t as cold-hearted or frivolous as he appeared.

  “So does this mean you’ll tell us where the tree is?”

  Drake stayed silent. The miles passed, and Laney assumed he wasn’t going to answer. She closed her eyes, feeling the weariness settle over her.

  “What will you sacrifice to keep it safe?” Drake asked softly.

  Laney’s eyes opened. For the first time, Drake looked like an archangel. There was no flippancy in his tone or face. He was deadly serious.

  Laney opened her mouth to answer, then shut it. What was she willing to do? If the Fallen were made immortal, the world would change. And none of those changes would be good for mankind. She remembered what Victoria had said about humanity and its cruelty and apathy. She pictured the children she had helped save only a month ago. She pictured Max. What kind of world was that for a child to grow up in?

  Visions of people with absolute power floated through her mind. Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot. And they had been mere humans. The destruction a Fallen could wreak with an unrestrained lifeline would surpass the wreckage of all history’s monsters combined. And then she remembered the phrase from The Army of the Belial: When the triads intersect, the time of judgment is at hand. The choice of sacrifice or death will be made.

  What was she willing to sacrifice? Her life? The lives of those she cared about? What if it came to a choice between Max and the tree? Would she be able to give him up?

  A year ago, she would have said no. But now? She wasn’t sure. All she did know was that she was willing to die trying to protect both Max and the tree.

  “I’ll do whatever is necessary,” she said at last.

  Drake nodded and settled back into his seat. “That’s what I wanted to hear.”

  They settled into a comfortable silence, and before Laney knew it, they were crossing the Las Vegas Strip and pulling up to Drake’s private entrance at the Illustra.

  Laney reached for her door handle, but Ralph was already outside her door, pulling it open. His eyes studied her from head to toe. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  She nodded. “I’m fine. Really.”

  Drake handed the valet the keys and then joined Laney and Ralph on the sidewalk. The three of them watched the car drive out of view.

  Drake turned and kissed Laney on the cheek. “Thank you for the wonderful evening. I haven’t had such fun in a while.”

  Ralph studied the two of them. “So, did you come to any resolution?”

  Laney looked at Drake. “Did we?”

  Drake paused before he nodded. “We did. And when the time is right, I will tell you where the tree is.”

  Laney started. “Wait a minute. The Fallen are going for it now.”

  “Yes, they are. But they haven’t found it yet. They aren’t even close.”

  “And when will they be close?”

  “When they find the book.”

  Laney looked between Ralph and Drake. “Book?”

  Ralph shook his head and shrugged.

  “Don’t look at Ralph. He doesn’t know about it,” Drake said. “Only the archangels charged with guarding the tree are aware of the book. It’s a written record of the archangels and their assignments. But for obvious reasons, its location is protected. And until they find the book, there’s no reason for you to worry—and no reason for me to reveal the tree’s location. Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s been lovely meeting you. Once you have this all wrapped up, stop back and we’ll have some real fun.” Drake placed another kiss on Laney’s cheek and headed for the hotel entrance.

  Laney pictured Max. “The Fallen—they have the seer,” she called out.

  Drake froze, his shoulders tensing. He turned, and his gaze pinned Laney in place. “What did you say?”

  “The seer—his name is Max. He’s only a boy. They have him.”

  “And Victoria too,” Ralph said quietly.

  Drake let out a breath and closed his eyes. “Well damn.” He walked back over to Laney and Ralph. “I still won’t tell you where the tree is. But the book is in India.”

  “India?” Laney wasn’t familiar with the ins and outs of the country. What she did know was that it had over a billion people and covered over a million square miles. “Could you be a little more specific?”

  “You’ll find it in Thiruvananthapuram.”

  Laney raised her eyebrows.

  “On the western coast of India in the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple.” Drake took Laney’s hand, his face serious. “You need to get the book before they do.”

  “Will you help us?”

  Drake shook his head. “No. This is not my fight.”

  Laney stared at him. “But we’re talking about the Fallen being made immortal.”

  “I have done my time. I’ve spent a thousand years protecting humanity. You’ve spent, what, two years? Call me in another nine hundred ninety-ei
ght.”

  “How—”

  Ralph’s hand on her arm stopped her. “Laney, don’t.”

  She looked up at him. She wanted to push Drake more to help them. Two archangels on their side would be a huge boon. But one look at Ralph’s face and she changed her mind. She turned back to Drake. “Why is there even a book? It seems like a pretty huge security risk.”

  Drake smiled. “Well, every bureaucracy has its redundancies. Even ours.”

  Laney pictured a group of powerful archangels sitting in cubicles, answering phones.

  Drake tapped her shoulder. “Now, you run along and keep the book from getting into their grubby little paws. Do that, and you won’t have any problems.”

  “But can’t the seer just tell us or them where the tree is?” Laney asked.

  “That knowledge is kept even from him,” Drake said.

  Exasperation ran through her. “Why? If he can see where the book is, why can’t he see where the tree is?”

  It was Ralph who answered. “To give humanity a chance to stop what’s about to come.”

  Drake shook his head. “No. Not humanity.” He took Laney’s hand. “You. You must stop what’s about to come. Now get to work.”

  CHAPTER 62

  When the world stopped swirling, Gerard still felt the anger and grief that had enveloped him as he’d sat on the riverbank holding the bodies of his children. He relived killing Samyaza, the feel of Samyaza’s blood running through his hands. But even that did not dull the ache caused by the loss of Kyra, Arya, and Peter.

  He was back in the present time. Ahead of him, Elisabeta turned to look at Max.

  “Where are we going?” Elisabeta demanded.

  “To Qasr Antar. It’s just up here,” Max said, pointing forward.

  Qasr Antar—the temple found at the highest elevation of the ancient world, Gerard thought.

  Then he looked around in confusion. No one had even looked his way. Why was no one asking him what had happened?

  “They do not realize you have seen anything,” Victoria said softly.

  Gerard’s grief was still fresh. “What… what was that?”

  Victoria looked at him quietly for a moment. “You know what that was. It was you. It was what your leader did to you when you made your own choice rather than follow him blindly.”

  Gerard shook his head but said nothing. Was this some kind of trick? It didn’t feel like a trick. It was as if a door had been opened in him—a door that now refused to close.

  He walked forward to where Elisabeta stood.

  Max walked away from them, heading to the northwest corner of what had once been the temple. He pointed to an array of rocks. “It’s under there.”

  Two men started forward to move them, but Gerard waved them away, stepping forward himself. Emotions churned through him and he needed the physical activity. He grabbed the first boulder and tossed it away like a Tinkertoy. Several more boulders quickly followed. Underneath was a small cavern only a few feet deep.

  Gerard squinted. “There’s something in here.” He reached down and pulled out a stone tablet. And the moment he touched the tablet, a memory appeared, intact, in his mind: he saw himself chiseling it out and placing it here after he had buried his wife, his children, and the rest of the village. He hadn’t buried Samyaza and his troops. He’d left them to rot.

  Gerard knew that in 1869, Sir Charles Warren had split this tablet in two, taking half to the British Museum. On that half, an ancient message had been inscribed: According to the command of the greatest and Holy God, those who take an oath proceed from here.

  Gerard’s hand gripped the edge of the stone and crumbled it.

  “Careful!” Elisabeta barked.

  An image of Samyaza covered in his family’s blood entered Gerard’s mind. He swallowed down the anger and schooled his features.

  Then he stood and handed the stone tablet to Elisabeta. It was written in Greek. It said, Go forth and live the lives we were promised. Fulfill the roles we were meant to play. In his grief, Gerard had written it to remind his brothers of why they had come.

  Gerard remembered this, but he knew that in this life he could not read Greek. So he looked at Elisabeta. “What does it say?”

  “That we are the chosen ones,” she said. “That this world belongs to us. That we should have dominion over all.” She nodded at Max, narrowing her eyes. “A good reminder, but also a stall. Where is the book?”

  Max ducked behind Victoria. Elisabeta reached for him.

  “No.” Victoria clutched Max to her, but another guard grabbed her and pulled her away.

  Max looked at Gerard, his eyes huge. But Gerard saw another child’s eyes. Without thinking, he rushed to Max and pulled him into his arms.

  Elisabeta stepped back, her eyes narrowing. “What are you doing?”

  “The boy is already scared. It will be easier to get the information out of him if we do not scare him further.”

  Elisabeta studied Gerard curiously for a moment, then glanced back at the tablet. “And that is the only reason you are protecting him?”

  Gerard forced a scowl to his face and scoffed. “Protecting him? Hardly. We need answers, that is all.”

  Elisabeta paused. Gerard held his breath. Finally, she waved her hand. “Very well. Get what we need and bring him down when you’re done.”

  Gerard nodded as Elisabeta gestured for the guard to take Victoria with them. Gerard watched them go before he turned to Max. Blue eyes watched him seriously. “I need you to tell me where we go next,” Gerard said.

  “India,” Max replied without hesitation.

  “That’s where the tree is?”

  Max shook his head. “No. That’s where the book is. It will tell you where the tree is.”

  Gerard looked out over the valley. He remembered when he and his brothers had first arrived here. He remembered the heady rush of freedom. He remembered Kyra. He closed his eyes and took a trembling breath. Opening them, he spoke, not looking at Max. “Why was I shown that?”

  Max leaned his head on Gerard’s shoulder. “Your path is not set. You can’t choose a side without knowing both sides of your history.”

  Gerard looked down at this strange little boy. “But I have chosen. I have chosen my brothers. I have chosen Samyaza.”

  Max’s large eyes studied him. “Have you really?”

  Gerard turned away. He’d chosen long ago. But his family’s faces pulled at him. He remembered the love, the contentment. And he knew he had not felt that way before—or since. In this life, Elisabeta had found him when he was a teenager, just come into his powers. And he’d chosen to stay with her. After all, she had shown him what he was capable of.

  Gerard hefted Max up higher and began the long walk down the mountain. “I have made my choice,” he repeated.

  But even in his mind, the little’s boy’s words haunted him. Have you really?

  CHAPTER 63

  When Laney and Ralph reached McCarran Airport, Jake and Henry were already there, waiting for them, and the Chandler jet was ready to go. Laney and Ralph boarded, and they were on their way.

  Once settled on the plane, Laney called Clark and found that, by some miracle, they had a safe house in that part of India, although it currently wasn’t staffed. It did have an up-to-date medical suite though. Laney swallowed, hoping they wouldn’t have to avail themselves of that particular service.

  Clark also had agents based in Europe, Asia, and Africa, and he’d sent them on their way to the site as well. Hopefully they could get to the temple before the Fallen. So far there hadn’t been any reports of any problems in the temple.

  But the Fallen had now had Max for over twenty-four hours. If he told them right away where the book was, they’d have a huge head start. Laney prayed that somehow Max and Victoria had been able to stall.

  Jake closed his phone and Laney looked over. “Jordan and Jen are getting the second group together. They’ll be a few hours behind us,” he said.

  L
aney sighed. She wished they were closer, but it couldn’t be helped. “Okay.”

  Jake took her hand. “So what’s the archangel like?”

  Laney pictured Drake in his leather pants. “Not what you’d expect.” She told Jake about Drake, starting with his show and ending with their goodbyes back at the Illustra.

  “So you got into a fight at a biker bar?”

  Laney grinned. “With a surprisingly friendly group of guys. Well, after the fight, at least.”

  But then her smile dropped as the conversation with Drake at the Illustra floated through her mind. “He wouldn’t help us, Jake. The world is spiraling out of control. We could be dealing with an immortal Fallen, and he wouldn’t help. I don’t get it.”

  Jake remained silent.

  Laney looked over at him. “You agree with him.”

  Jake sighed. “He’s a soldier. He’s following orders.”

  “But that’s not right. He should—”

  “Laney, the military works because soldiers don’t question orders. They do what they’re told because they know they don’t have all the information—and because they trust that the role they play in things is important. I’m guessing it’s the same for the angels.”

  Laney tried to interrupt, but Jake continued. “I mean, let’s play this out. Drake jumps in to help us. It becomes a slippery slope. Let’s say we succeed and protect the tree. What happens if the archangels start disobeying orders and one day one of them stops guarding the tree? Think of the danger to the world! The battle would be never-ending.”

  A part of Laney knew Jake was right. But she still couldn’t help but think that having two archangels on their side could tip things in their favor. “I don’t know. I still wish he was helping us.”

  “I know. But we’ll play the cards we’ve been dealt.”

  Laney sighed. What other choice do we have?

  Jake went back to reviewing the information on the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple that the SIA had forwarded them. But Laney was too keyed up to focus on that right now. The flight time from Las Vegas to India was supposed to be close to twenty hours, although the pilot had said he might be able to shave a few hours off if they were lucky. Laney hoped the time would pass quickly.