Light of the Last

by Chuck Black

  Drew took them both out, then covered them to make sure they were dead or incapacitated. As he approached, he kicked their rifles away from their hands and immediately noticed that they were Heckler & Koch G36 assault rifles. “What the heck?” he said quietly.

  One of the terrorists’ right arm was exposed. A pinpoint of glowing light was evident just where a needle would enter the vein. He sidestepped the bodies.

  “Two targets down, north entrance of the Quonset,” Drew radioed.

  “Copy. Quonset clear,” Jake’s voice returned. “Posse Boss, you’d better take a look in here.”

  Drew entered the Quonset and quickly made his way to Jake. He had to get back to his injured men and the mess at the farmhouse. Jake and two of his men were standing beside opened crates. There was a small patch of glowing green on the back shoulder of one of the men.

  “You’re contaminated, soldier. Stay clear.”

  The soldier stepped back three steps, then put his red armband on. Drew quickly inspected Jake and the other soldier.

  “We saw these earlier but missed the markings,” Jake said as he kicked over one of the crate lids. They were marked UN.

  “They’re brand-new G36s,” Drew said.

  “Now we know why the zero points were all rural. They must have had a secondary attack plan after infection or in case of capture,” Jake said.

  Drew shook his head. “We’ve got men down and a viral mess out there.”

  When they exited the Quonset, Jake repositioned his two men back on the west side of the house, advising the contaminated soldier to keep his distance from the others. Jake and Drew went to within a safe distance of Posse South. All six of them were contaminated. Two of the men were watching the house while the other two were administering first aid to the two injured soldiers.

  “All units, there is a sixty- to seventy-foot radius out from blast point that is contaminated with the virus. Keep clear and keep eyes on all possible exits from the house. We may still have terrorists.”

  “Posse North, copy.”

  “Posse East, copy.”

  “Posse West, copy.”

  “What’s their condition, Pete?” Jake called out from thirty feet away.

  “One fair, one serious. Bleeding restricted but we need medical treatment,” the detachment leader replied.

  “Roger that,” Jake said.

  Drew dialed Director Ward.

  “Drew, we still need to clear that house before any medical or CDC personnel get on site,” Jake said.

  “Agreed. The front entrance is massively contaminated. We’ll go in the west entrance and clear from there. We’ll have to be careful. I’m sure the house is severely contaminated too.”

  “We can clear it, sir,” one of the Posse South men said. “We’re already contaminated. It won’t matter now.”

  Drew looked at Jake. He nodded.

  “Take two men with you, and keep contact with all surfaces minimal,” Drew ordered.

  “Yes sir.”

  Director Ward’s voice came in over the headset. “What’s your status, Carter?”

  “Director, we have an Ebola disaster here. We need a full CDC containment facility and medical treatment personnel immediately.”

  “They’re already en route to all four locations, just like you asked. The FBI is en route as well to help manage security,” the director replied.

  “Be advised that local law enforcement are at each location, as well as news teams from the Associated Press and World Media News,” Drew added.

  Silence, then, “That was a foolish move, Carter.”

  “Carter out,” Drew said, ending the call.

  He got status reports from the other assault teams in San Francisco, Denver, and Shreveport. Each of the other teams reported successful missions with only three soldiers injured—one in critical condition. The other teams also faced heavy return gunfire, but none of them endured a suicide bomber with the viral disaster Drew and Jake’s team faced. A total of one hundred and twelve terrorists had been identified, of which seventy-six were killed, twenty-three were captured, and thirteen were still at large.

  “Posse Boss, this is Posse South. The house is clear.”

  “Roger, Posse South. Exit the west entrance and return.”

  “Copy.”

  Drew and Jake finished securing and positioning their men as they waited for the FBI and the CDC to arrive. Twenty minutes later, Drew received a call from Ben.

  “I think you’d better get back here ASAP,” Ben said.

  “What is it?”

  “Can’t say for sure. It’s something you need to see.”

  Ben’s voice sounded strained, and it made Drew anxious. He took a moment to inspect every square inch of his body, including the soles of his boots.

  “Jake, every man here needs to be quarantined until the CDC declares them clear. Keep Posse South isolated, and inform CDC. Ben will have gotten the additional LASOK glasses to the CDC to equip their mobile containment facilities to help verify containment. I need you to see this through. I can’t stay.”

  Jake removed his night-vision goggles and looked at Drew. “You sure that’s wise, Drew?”

  “No, but I don’t have a choice. Doesn’t sound like we’re out of this yet. I’ll keep this set of glasses with me to do an hourly inspection. If I am infected, it’ll show long before I’m contagious.”

  Jake nodded.

  “Your men were outstanding tonight,” Drew said. “America owes them a great debt of gratitude.”

  Jake nodded. “Be careful, Drew.”

  Drew began making his way back to one of the choppers. He would continue to inspect himself thoroughly for any contamination, but as an added measure, he would have to strip naked and burn his clothes. Once on board, he would get further updates from the other three assault teams, brief Ward on the details of the mission, and give Sydney a call to let her know that all had gone well.

  America had been saved, at least from the worst of the attacks, but he knew more potential devastation was coming. Would the country survive it? Would he and his team survive it?

  “Commander, Brumak is hurt badly, and Crenshaw’s not doing well either,” Rake reported, pointing with his sword to the west side of the farmhouse. He was bleeding badly from two of his own wounds.

  Validus looked at Carter, who was already twenty yards out, making his way back to the choppers nearly a mile north of their location.

  “Persimus, find Jayt and join up with me to cover Carter. Tren, you and Rake recover the rest of the team and make sure the Fallen’s assault here is fully contained. Stay with Brumak and Crenshaw until they can move to a better location and fully heal. This isn’t over yet.”

  “Yes sir,” Tren and Rake responded, then left. Validus hurried to catch up with Carter as Persimus moved swiftly to find Jayt.

  Validus and Carter walked side by side, each scanning their own realms for threats.

  “We’re not out of this yet, are we?” Carter asked, taking a second to look toward him.

  Validus shook his head, then stopped and held up his hand. Carter complied as Persimus and Jayt joined them, both with swords ready.

  “What is it, Validus? I don’t see anything,” Persimus said.

  “I don’t know, but something’s not right.”

  Then, in the murky dark sky above, five winged demons came at them at once. Validus was confused because he didn’t see any physical threat to Carter and an aerial assault against experienced warriors, even at night, was suicide. What were the Fallen attempting? Their assaults were always coordinated with a terrorist or criminal threat from one of their human pawns, but the area seemed clear for miles.

  Then Validus witnessed something unprecedented in Fallen history. Just as he, Jayt, and Persimus positioned themselves and pushed off the ground to execute their fatal cuts, the demons demorphed their wings while simultaneously translating into the physical world of men. The angels’ swords passed through them as if they weren’t t
here.

  This was indeed a suicide mission, for according to the Noahidic Accord, their fate of dissolution to the Abyss was sealed. But for the few seconds of existence that remained, there was never a more dire threat to Carter than right now. In earthly form, these demons could take immediate and effective deadly action against him.

  The instant Validus realized what was happening, he began translating, and so did Persimus and Jayt, but he feared it would be too late. Carter could never survive such an assault.

  Drew was half a mile from his team when it happened. In spite of all that he had seen, this was something new and horrid.

  Three demons translated into physical form before his eyes, each one brandishing a dark and grisly sword meant for him. He brought his AR-15 to bear on the closest one, but one lightning-fast slice from the demon’s blade crumpled the front barrel and tore the weapon from his hands.

  The force of the blow gave Drew his first indication of the frightening power these dark warriors wielded. All five senses immediately kicked into overdrive, but the most dramatic one was the smell of evil. It was indescribable…some strange mix of decaying flesh and sulfur.

  Drew dove to his right, toward the blue arcing flames of a translating Validus, while drawing his FN. He rolled and came up on one knee, targeting a demon, and put three rounds into it. Before the demon hit the ground, his body dissolved and disappeared into the earth, but two more demons translated to take his place.

  Drew turned just in time to see another blade coming down on him from behind. He rolled and kicked at his assailant’s feet as the blade tore into the dirt beside him. The demon pounced on Drew before he could get another shot off, and a massive, powerful hand ripped the FN from Drew’s grip.

  It felt to Drew that each passing second would be his last. The sound, smell, weight, and sight of a demon this close was nearly paralyzing. How could anyone survive such a thing?

  The demon dropped his sword in exchange for a knife, but Drew beat him to the first blow. His knife sank deep into the demon’s side, and the curses that spewed from its lips revolted Drew in the darkest of ways. The weight of the demon quickly dissipated as his flesh dissolved to a green vapor and sank downward through Drew.

  He had momentarily escaped death, but more demons were coming. He rolled to his hands and knees, trying to regain his feet, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught the sight of another dark blade slicing toward him. This time, there would be nothing he could do to stop it. His last sensation would be the sound of clashing swords as Validus and his warriors finished translating into earthly warriors.

  Validus didn’t wait to finish translating to initiate his first cut. Carter had miraculously survived two demon attacks already. His quick and skilled actions had bought Validus and his men a few precious seconds to complete their translations, but now a third demon was executing a fatal slice that would surely end the man.

  The demon’s blade was already inches from Carter. Validus had no choice but to slice upward through Carter, attempting to precisely time the translation of his blade to intersect the demon’s. A fraction of a second too late, and the demon’s blade would finish him. A fraction of a second too soon, and Validus’s own blade would kill Carter.

  The collision of these two powerful blades sent sparks flying in all directions, and Validus hardly dared look to see if Carter had survived. The demon cursed, and Validus finished him with two quick counter slices.

  Before the demon fully dissolved, he grabbed its dark sword and maintained the translated weapon. He turned to see Carter on his feet, knife in hand, waiting for the next attack. This was a man worthy to protect!

  Carter glanced at Validus as more demons came, translating from spirit to physical form all around them. Without a word, the man seemed to know his thoughts. Validus threw his golden sword to Carter, and together, they began to fight the strangest battle of blades the world had ever seen.

  Drew reached for the gleaming sword and snatched it from the air just as a demon came at him. The golden handle of the sword felt good in his hand, like it belonged there…like it had always belonged there.

  Never in his wildest dreams—or nightmares—had Drew thought that working with Gus at Fortress East might determine his survival. He had learned everything Gus could teach him in the art of swords, but he felt wholly inadequate to stand beside such legendary warriors and fight against the forces of evil in such a way. Although this sword was the epitome of perfection in weapon design, he needed both hands to wield it effectively. It was meant for a larger bearer like Validus.

  Drew sliced the brilliant blade to meet the demon that came at him. He wondered if there was any chance of surviving such a battle. But what he lacked in skill, the sword itself seemed to provide, knowing just where to move. And with each cut and slice, Drew’s hyper senses and heightened mental acuity and motor skills learned and adapted to this bizarre arena.

  He was also keenly aware that Validus and his two fellow warriors were taking great risks to protect him. Why should such valiant angels risk their very lives for him? They were the holy ones. They were the perfect ones. And yet even now, they seemed willing to sacrifice it all to keep him alive.

  Their four blades flew in a flurry of synchronous combat. It seemed to Drew that the attacking demons were nearly suicidal in their attack once translated to physical form. Once when a blade was nearly to him, the demon and his sword dissolved away before he could finish his cut. It was a strange thing, almost as if the demons had less than sixty seconds of existence in the physical world.

  The battle seemed to last for hours, but Drew knew it had only been a matter of minutes. It was the effect of adrenalin and his hyper mental activity.

  Just when it seemed the fight was over, another wave of demons surged for a final attack, and that was when Drew faltered. Three demons came at him at once, the first two simply to block his blade and the third to execute a deathblow.

  It was a final, desperate attempt, and it worked.

  Validus lunged toward the third demon that was executing a slice toward Carter. The demon didn’t even seem to care that his blade would take out at least one of his cohorts as well.

  In a tangled mesh of bodies and steel, one dark blade from an unseen fourth demon found its way to Carter. Validus turned and yelled, but Jayt was already reacting. His sword was bound by the blade of an assaulting demon, so he left it and became Carter’s shield. The sword pierced him through as the last of the demons dissolved away.

  “No!” Validus screamed.

  Carter reached for Jayt as he fell to the ground, his wound now open and empty where a dark blade had just been.

  Validus knelt across from Carter as Persimus stood guard against any final assaults. “Hang on, Jayt,” Validus said, but he had seen too many wounds to believe there was any hope.

  Jayt held up his hand, and Validus took it. He coughed and his lips turned red with blood. “Didn’t think much of you or your mission.” Jayt fought to utter each word as he shot a quick glance toward Carter.

  Validus lowered his head. Losing a warrior was never easy. Guilt seemed inescapable, especially as a commander.

  Jayt squeezed Validus’s hand to get his attention. “But you…and this mission…were worth…dying for, Commander.”

  Validus squeezed Jayt’s hand as he drew his final breath and dissolved away to Mount Simcha.

  “I’m so sorry,” Validus heard Carter say. “I don’t…I’m not…”

  Validus looked up at the reddened eyes of the man. Carter knew the score. He knew that Jayt and many others had given their lives for him. If Validus felt the burden as a commander, he could only imagine what this man was feeling.

  “Don’t question your resolve or your mission, Carter. Elohim has called you. Make the sacrifice of this warrior and all of those before count for something.”

  He saw the man’s soul fill with a quiet confidence that only a soldier could muster. Carter nodded.

  They had fought toget
her and survived. Such combat forged brothers of the most unlikely of men…and of angels.

  30

  COVER-UP

  Drew arrived at NexTech two hours later to meet up with Ben. Before Ben would let him past the roof stairway entrance, he took five minutes to inspect Drew with another set of Ebola-tuned LASOK glasses. When they finally made it to the Blue Room, Drew congratulated the tech team, then downed an entire bottle of water as he sat next to Ben at the table.

  “What have you got, brainiac?”

  Ben looked at his team. “Guys, you know the procedure when we finish a project. Go take care of it.”

  When the room was clear, Ben asked Alice to pull up some data.

  “It may be nothing, but Alice continued to monitor the government databases and servers before they cut our access just a few minutes ago. Running a threat analysis algorithm we were subcontracted to develop for a defense contractor, she found a host of anomalies and potential threats our agencies seem to be completely ignorant of.”

  Drew looked over Alice’s assessment. “That is amazing, Ben. When the dust settles, we’ll get this to the CIA so they can use it.”

  “Yeah,” Ben said absentmindedly. “And then she found this too.”

  Ben had Alice display the details of one specific assessment linking classified communiqués and directives that had been initiated in the last twenty-four hours. None of them, in and of themselves, specifically indicated an operation, but Alice’s threat analysis algorithm had connected enough dots to trigger an alert.

  “There is a thirty-two percent chance of action against the designated target,” Alice offered.

  “Alice, who is the designated target?” Drew asked.

  “You are, Drew.”

  “Even though the probable threat ratio is low, it’s specific,” Ben said. “I think you’d better be careful, Drew. Besides the IGA, who did you make angry?”

  Drew looked at his friend. He hadn’t told Ben just how corrupt the director and the president seemed to be. Senator Boyd’s warning certainly seemed justified.