Judgement (The Twelve)

by Jeff Ashcroft

  The senior press officer was reading from his brief to the cabinet, “Reports being gathered Prime Minister, suggest that these ‘Operatives’ must have been some black ops unit.”

  He cleared his throat and shuffled his papers, “At present no one is taking the credit for them.”

  The Foreign Secretary didn’t wait for permission to respond, “Starlight played there part but so did the army and police. We implemented nuclear protocols as per standard activation orders. We have armed the police and imposed martial law and a curfew.”

  The Prime Minster looked up from the pile of reports in front of him, “Even though this country owed them a huge debt of gratitude, how did Starlight Security get wind of this? How did they manage to humiliate Special Branch, MI5, MI6 and the Secret Service who never saw this coming?”

  A multitude of questions was fired back and forth around the table that afternoon, but there were no answers forthcoming to most of them. Had the red sky anything to do with it? What were these grey slime covered creatures?

  One man knew a little of what was happening. He knew about Mister Smith because he’d met him several times over his career, in fact Mister Smith had financed his party which helped win the general election. He’d also financed the Home Secretary, as he groomed him to take over leadership at the next election. He knew about the Shades and The Dark. He knew Smith was the richest man alive and he knew he was very, very old. The Home Secretary was a religious man and believed Smith, because he believed in his religion. He just happened to keep this information to himself whilst secretly letting the Commanders of MI5 and 6 in on it. They were his men bought and paid for. So he sat there, watched and listened and prayed that the world wasn’t about to end.

  He listened as it was explained that they’d captured three Shades alive and despite there best effects at examining the creatures. They still had no idea what they were. Some suggested Aliens, but tissue extraction showed human DNA but without any internal organs whatsoever! The Prime Minister decided that the story to go with was that this was the worst terrorist attack the country had ever faced but they had won through and the worst was in fact over. The Commander of MI5 and 6 glanced at the Home Secretary, they knew that the man was about to be proved wrong, very, very wrong.

  Jennings and some of people were recovering back at the safety of the warehouse. Eight of his team had died and nineteen were currently receiving medical treatment. Jennings, with a bandage covering his forehead, was at the moment up on the forth floor with Anvil and his people.

  Jennings thought that Anvil was going to hit him with that bloody big hammer of his.

  “Look, all I said was, I grieve at your loss, but you’ve only lost one of your team, I’ve lost eight, three of them female.”

  Anvil’s face was like thunder. Jennings raised a hand, “And we might loose another two within the hour, one of whom is my wife’s cousin. So get things in perspective. You need to come down and address the troops, instead of hiding away up here.”

  Anvil took a deep breath to calm down. “Hot Cross was very close to us. Ordinary people live and die. We’ve already lived and died and lived again. The loss of one of us is unbelievable; we’ve been a family for thousands of years!”

  Anvil forced himself to calm down, he realised how close he’d come to loosing it with Jennings. He desperately needed someone to take his rage out upon.

  “You’re right. The loss of your people is no less important than the loss of one of my people. All life is important. I will be down shortly.”

  Jennings looked at these strange leather clad warriors. They sat or stood in the centre of the living area, each one appeared totally devastated with the loss of the one called Hot Cross. He knew that this Edge person had taken the head of there friend, which was one sick mother of a thing to do. He nodded and made his way to the lift gate.

  Anvil waited until Jennings and the lift descended before walking over to Chris, who stood at the window looking up at the sky.

  “What now?”

  Chris continued to look up at the sky, “The day isn’t over yet and may never be until this has settled. It’s winter and should now be dark but look at the sky it’s still bright red and light. I suspect night will never fall until this is finished.”

  “So what now?” Anvil asked again.

  Chris turned away from the window, “We take the fight to The Dark.”

  “Embankment?”

  Chris nodded, “They will be waiting for us at the graveyard, so we try Embankment again.”

  Anvil struck the concrete window ledge with his hammer, shattering a section under the mild blow, “Then let’s not keep them waiting.”

  He turned to the rest of the Twelve, “Our problem is we’ve forgotten our true purpose. We’ve all lived and died. With our re-birth came immortality and over the years we’ve come to love life again but it’s not our right to live forever, far from it. We must if need be, lay down our lives in order to destroy The Dark. That is our purpose in the here and now and the reason for a second chance at living. It’s a gift given to us with the expectation that one day we shall return it. That day has come.”

  The others listened intently and now slowly they gathered before him, resolved to face there destiny.

  Rage thumped his chest, “I for one am ready. I was born to fight and die again if need be.”

  Heartless glanced first at the others then towards Chris, “If I’m to die today then so be it but does that promise still stand?”

  Chris smiled and nodded just the once.

  “Then I’m taking with me as many of those evil shits as I can!”

  Priest crossed himself, “Amen brother.”

  Speed for once stood as still as a rock, “Hot Cross was a friend and they took his head for Christ’s sake!” He shot Priest a look, “Don’t you dare say it! Those bastards won’t see me coming. I’ll fucking burn out like a moth in a flame if need be.”

  Slash pulled free his large knife that was strapped to his thigh, “They like taking heads? Well, wait until I’ve finished with old Bowie here!”

  Priest learned over and blessed the blade, “Jim would be proud you carry it for him.”

  Huntress had a full quiver of arrows again, reaching over her shoulder she somehow managed to find one single black tipped arrow from amongst the rest, “This is for Edge.” The tip was unusual in that it was conical in shape. “I’ve filled this with holy water, blood taken from Hot Cross and a small explosive charge. It’s a present for that sick mother fucker.”

  “Please….”Priest began. But Patch laid a hand on his arm, “It’s only an expression priest, none of us mean any disrespect to The Creator.”

  Patch looked over to Chris, “I will use the sword of my father to revenge Hot Cross. She drew the blade and made a small cut to the palm of her hand, “I swear by this blood oath. To win this day or die trying.”

  Bulls Eye snatched a gun and spun it around first horizontally and then vertically, “People used to say I disrespected the law and even hid from it as a performer in Wild Bills circus, but I was a lawman once, a deputy for that murdering bastard John Wesley Harden then that back shooting Earp. They don’t mention it in history but at the shootout of the OK Coral Earp blasted away all over the damn place, killed a young mother, blamed her death on Johnny Ringo. Funny thing was Ringo wasn’t that bad a kid, far better than Doc ever was, that’s what made me sick of killing” He spun the gun back into its holster and held out the palm of his hand. “Patch”

  She hesitated for a second before realising what he wanted. Carefully she made a small cut to his hand then clasped it with hers. He nodded, “Today I’ll be a lawman again, a law sworn by this blood oath and before God, to win or die trying.”

  Rage walked over and held out a massive hand to Patch, she nicked the flesh. He placed his hand over theirs, “Win or die trying.”

  The others followed suit, Speed moved solemnly and slowly as he allowed Patch to cut his hand, “Win or die trying b
ut let’s win eh?”

  Heartless nicked his cheek with his pincher claw, placing the red stained metal on top of their hands, “By my blood so do I swear.”

  Anvil, Chris and Priest remained. Anvil glanced at Chris who ordered, “You go first.”

  Anvil nodded, allowing Patch to cut his skin. He laid his hand over theirs, “We shall win this day.”

  Chris walked up, placing his own hand over theirs. It started to bleed all on its own. His skin glowed with a golden light, “Today we face our fate. I’ve only been with you all for such a short time but I’ve come to think of you as my brothers and sisters.” He smiled at Anvil, “And you as my father.” Then at Patch, “And you as my girlfriend. Today we shall win.”

  Priest was the last and with the first drop of blood closed his eyes and blessed them all in the name of God the Creator, when he removed his hand, they all found that their cuts had healed. Patch walked with Chris to a secluded area.

  “Am I your girlfriend?”

  Chris took both of her hands in his, “I may only be seventeen going on sixty but if you want to then yes I want you as my girlfriend.”

  Patch grinned from ear to ear, “After the battle, let’s seal it with a kiss and a cuddle in my bed.”

  Chris turned bright red, “That’s a deal.”

  Chapter Twenty Two

  They stood on Embankment, together with Jennings and his people. Behind them, covering the area were two companies of The Queens Guards, or in this case the Grenadier Guards. The tide was high and running fast.

  Jennings had mentioned that it was seven at night but still blood red light. “Those soldiers are itching to shoot someone.”

  He pointed to the city which still burned in places, “It will take ages to rebuild and fix all the damage the Dark have done.”

  The streets where deserted, black smoke billowed along streets mixed in with litter and rubbish. A female shoe lay abandoned in the road near to where they where standing. A mini had crashed into a lamppost and was empty, the driver door wide open with dried blood on the seat and window. A pedal cycle stood on its single foot rest in the centre of the road on the bridge. The only other vehicles on the bridge were the tanks, which in itself looked very surreal.

  An army helicopter flew past fast heading towards Battersea. Big Ben struck eight pm, a lonely isolated sound.

  The soldiers watched the strange selection of leather clad people gathering at a flight of steps leading down to a doorway into the bridges nearest arched leg. They looked on with awe and amazement at the huge hunch back Rage and the other strange leather clad men and women. What was the white hair thing all about? Then there was the question of the weapons some of them carried. A huge black hunting bow, samurai swords and a massive hammer, as well as someone festooned with knives of every description and what about the one with metal hands! The solders looked at Jennings and his people, all were heavily armed. This unsettled the solders even more so. Civilians with guns for Gods sake!

  Chris adjusted his wide brimmed hat and with Anvil and the rest backing him up, he slowly started down the damp slippery concrete steps. The door at the bottom was closed but not locked. Pushing it slowly open, Chris allowed his eyes to adjust. Entering the pump room, he immediately saw the missing back wall leading to the Victorian sewers, “This way.”

  Jennings had twenty of his people guard the entrance. He called for torches, passing some of them down to Anvil and his people. The sewers stank as they trudged along the sewerage covered walkway. Chris stopped at an intersection. From the left sewer came a scream of pain. Silently Chris ordered Jennings and twenty men to wait there with Bulls Eye, Slash and Heartless, whilst he led the remainder of the Twelve plus ‘Boom Boom’ and the rest of the security team in that direction. It didn’t take long before he found the cause of the screaming. A pumping area consisting of a large concrete platform with dozens of pipes and rusty pressure valves also contained the bodies of thirty mutilated people. Most had been eaten down to the bones. But four people were cowering in the corner, three women and one male. They had yet to be consumed. A party of eighteen Shades and a ghoul, were just finishing off an unfortunate victim (Chris couldn’t tell if it was male or female). He guessed that had been the dying scream he’d heard.

  Chris whispered, “Destroy all but one.”

  Anvil let fly with his hammer that blasted a standing Shade to ash. The weapon ricocheted off the far wall, taking out several masonry bricks before returning to Anvils outstretched hand via another Shades head. Speed shot across the water, actually RAN over the water! A kneeling Shade was sweep off the ground so fast it looked no more than a grey blur until it impacted with a wall and exploded. An arrow hissed across the space to thud home in a Shades yellow vacant left eye. It too exploded.

  The ground trembled violently as Priest pounded along the walkway, turning the corner he targeted the ghoul which had decided to go for another victim. Seeing Priest at the last second, it raised both blooded and clawed hands to defend itself. It was like standing in front of an approaching train! The impact with Priest lifted it off its feet. Priest didn’t stop until he hit the tunnel wall. The Shade just blew apart.

  Patch drew and threw a wicked looking ‘Hira Shuriken’ , a four pointed short bladed throwing star.

  It spun a curve through the air missing Priest, turned and struck a Shade that was rushing him. One of the points buried itself to the hilt in the centre of its forehead. Hot ash rained down on the cowering captives. Chris looked at her with interest in his eyes.

  Patch placed her hands on hips and in a mockery of a teachers voice said, “Hira Shuriken is a modern, smaller version of a much bigger Shuriken. Shuriken is Japanese for ‘Hidden sword’. It has four thin longer iron spikes. I was taught to use the Shuriken by my master. The art is called ‘shurikenjutsu’. I prefer the smaller ones because I’m dainty and cute. Here ended the lesson” She pointed her tongue at him

  Chris gave her a quick teenage smile then strode forward until he stood between the captives and the remaining Shades. They were getting ready to rush him. He straightened the brim of his hat dropped the smile and changed instantly to Judgement as he raised his head to stare directly at them all.

  “Be Judged.” His voice echoed off the walls.

  One Shade took a step forward, hesitated and fell to its knees, hands held out imploringly.

  “Judged,” Chris replied softly.

  The Creature simply turned to dust and a gentle sigh drifted away into the darkness. The others how ever, screamed a bubbling war cry and charged.

  “Judged!” Chris bellowed.

  Chris gripped the lapel of his long open overcoat and swept it out and across his body. As the leading edge caught each Shade, the creature was cut in two with fire and flame. All but one exploded without a sound. The last, he held back from judging. Instead Huntress sent an arrow through its thigh and another through its arm. It fell to the floor, gurgling cries of pain, as black ash and red rimmed holes appeared around each of the arrow heads.

  Chris swept his coat tails aside and knelt on one knee before it, “Tell me what I want to know and I shall free you.”

  Chris pulled one arrow free. Instantly the wound healed, easing the pain. The creature looked up at him, “You Judgement?” It bubbled.

  Chris ignored him, “Tell me what I want to know and I will free you painlessly from this shell and your bondage to The Dark.”

  “Yes free! Ask question.”

  “Tell me where The Chosen one is?”

  The thing squirmed and struggled as it tried to answer. It cried out in pain and fell back hissing, “Cross bones Graveyard. Follow the sewers.” The words came out strangely human.

  “Be judged as saved and depart.” Chris laid his hand gently on the creatures head.

  Anvil could have sworn it actually smiled as it silently turned to ash.

  Chris stood and wiped his knee free of dirt, “That last act allowed it to partially redeem itself. I have sent it onwards t
o Purgatory where it will be given a second chance in life or death.”

  Anvil looked at Chris questioningly, “So Purgatory exists?”

  Chris nodded, “It is that place where no living person should tread.”

  The penny dropped, “Is that where you took us before you fixed the In-Between?”

  Chris offered his father a slight shrug and a quick nod before addressing the captives, “You’re all safe now. Follow these gentlemen and they will escort you back to a safe area.”

  Chris instructed a stunned ‘Boom Boom’ to take three of his men and escort the captives back up on top.