by J W Kiefer
Jared spun through the air like an acrobat and landed on his feet. Without even a second’s hesitation, he regained his footing and attacked Steve again. This time, however, Steve was ready for the assault and he met him blow for blow. To mortal eyes, the two brothers appeared as nothing more than indistinguishable blurs of movement as they clashed.
After a few minutes of intense action that ended in a stalemate, the two brothers separated. Jared waited with his free hand in front of his body and his sword arm extended out to his side. Tzedakah burned blue flame, mirroring the fierce expression on his face. Steve’s expression was one of absolute bliss. He tightened his grip on his weapons and flexed his muscles, reveling in the boundless strength he felt.
“This is absolutely unreal!” he shouted gleefully like a child opening a Christmas present. “Such unlimited power! Such might! Oh, how I wish I had known of this power sooner. I’d wondered if I had allowed something in all those years ago. I’d always suspected that it had been working for my benefit. But this—this is beyond anything I ever could have possibly imagined.”
His words were lost on Jared who only saw all the foul things his brother had done. Murder after gruesome murder flashed before his eyes in a cruel montage. Sadly, evil had entered Steve when he was very young, giving Jared a lifetime of wickedness to witness.
Jared would have been horrified and even saddened at the revelation of just how far his brother’s darkness went if he had not been overtaken by Tzedakah’s endless need to bring evil to justice. Still, despite Tzedakah’s overwhelming compulsion, Jared maintained a glimmer of will that belonged to him and him alone. This was the reason why, when he attacked again, he chose to defy Tzedakah by attempting to incapacitate his brother rather than kill him.
Steve saw Jared move, but this time he was too fast. He tried in vain to react, but it was futile. Jared’s movements were so quick that he was upon him and past his guard before he even had time to raise his shadow weapons. He struck Steve with Tzedakah’s pommel ten times before his body even registered the damage.
When his body finally felt the pain, he doubled over, and Jared followed up with an uppercut so strong, it launched him backward like a missile. He reeled end over end before crashing into a parked car.
Steve lay partly embedded in the side of the car. The door had wrapped around his body, covering his left side completely while leaving his right partially exposed. The black shroud that had encased his body dissipated. Jared feared he had killed his brother, but he approached him cautiously just in case.
The streets were unusually empty considering all that had just transpired. Sirens could be heard blaring in the distance as local authorities were finally responding to the chaos that had erupted around the city. Likewise, the inhabitants of Binghamton were all waking up from their night’s rest, ready to start their busy days. He was mentally and emotionally exhausted, and the commotion of the world around him faded away as he focused on the moment at hand.
When he reached Steve’s prone body, Jared bent down to see if he was dead. He touched his neck, feeling for a pulse. Steve’s heartbeat was slow but still there. He stepped back and looked at his brother. He looked peaceful. Jared tried to remember what his brother had been like when they were kids, but all his new eyes saw were the terrible things the killer had done.
One moment had changed his little brother forever. Just one fateful day. Jared remembered that day like it was yesterday. He had forgiven his parents and God for baby Hope’s death, but Steve never had. Bitterness and anger had consumed him. It twisted him inside and broke him.
Jared’s new eyes allowed him to see how the evil entity that now inhabited his brother had used Steve’s pain as a conduit to latch onto him. Once the demon had won his trust, he transformed him into a monster. Slowly it had encouraged his murderous impulses until his every thought was consumed by them. Upon seeing his brother’s life unfold before his eyes, Jared realized just how true Sanctuary’s words had been about the workings of devils.
With a suddenness that incapacitated Jared, Tzedakah invaded his mind. He felt every painful and raw sensation that each of Steve’s victims had experienced. Their pleas for mercy broke his heart and their despair forced tears to his eyes. Biting pain erupted over his body from a thousand wounds that were meant to torture, and he dropped to his knees overwhelmed. He wept bitterly and prayed for death as Steve’s victims had before he finally ended their lives.
“Execute him,” Tzedakah demanded. “Justice requires that he die for his transgressions.”
“No!” shouted Jared. “I will not.”
“Yes. You will.”
Forty-Two
All Jeremy could do was watch helplessly as Sanctuary squared off against the Musketeer. He was thankful to God that he was alive, but he wished there was something he could do to help his friend. Using every bit of his remaining strength, he once again tried to get to his feet. But just like before, the pain was too much, and he collapsed.
“Darn it,” he hissed through gritted teeth. “You’re lucky I am all beat up, you French jackass, or I would come over there and beat that stupid grin right off your face.”
The words slid right off the Musketeer who stretched as casually if he were getting ready for an exercise class. When he finished, he pulled at his gloves, swished his blade through the air a few times, and settled into a defensive fighting stance.
He gestured broadly at the angel. “Well then, mon ami, I guess it is finally time for us to see who is the strongest.”
Sanctuary crossed his flaming swords. “Renault, I can assure you this will not take long.”
“Of that, I agree.”
Both combatants warily watched each other from across the roof in an old-fashioned standoff. Sanctuary was the first to move. He darted to the side, trying to flank his opponent. The Musketeer instantly read the move and twisted away from the angel’s double swing while simultaneously blocking his blades and shoving them away from his body. The parry left Sanctuary’s back exposed and the Musketeer in the perfect position to take advantage of the opening.
But when he swung, all he struck was air as Sanctuary backflipped away from his attack. The angel somersaulted twice then hovered high above the rooftop, out of his adversary’s reach. His beautiful golden wings extended like that of a gigantic bird of prey.
The Musketeer huffed. “Don’t you think that is cheating, just a little bit?”
Sanctuary smiled down at the slender Frenchman but said nothing.
The Musketeer disappeared in a violet lightning bolt of motion, zigzagging through the air toward the hovering Sanctuary.
He slammed into the angel, who crossed his blades and took the full force of the blow. Sanctuary was shoved back but managed to maintain his balance.
The Musketeer grinned gleefully as he began to drop. “I shall enjoy clipping those beautiful wings of yours, Sanctuary.”
This time it was Sanctuary’s turn to attack. He streaked like a rocket toward the descending Musketeer. Terrified, the Musketeer twisted his body just enough to avoid the full force of the blow but went spinning violently into the building below. With the agility of a cat, the Musketeer managed to right himself just before he slammed into the rooftop. His boots struck the concrete hard, but he redirected his momentum into a forward roll.
Then he planted his feet and launched himself upward, back into the night sky. Sanctuary was ready for the maneuver and plummeted toward the Musketeer. They collided in midair like two freight trains, sending a shock wave in all directions.
Metal clashed against metal as the two combatants fought. Jeremy still couldn’t help. He could barely follow their movements. But he could pray. And as soon as he reached out to the Lord, he could feel God’s healing power pour into his broken body. It was not enough to repair his broken bones, but it restored a measure of his strength.
He was still unable to stand, but he could sit up and lean against the industrial air-conditioning unit he’d hit earlier. A
s he did, he turned his head just in time to see one of the combatants slam violently into the rooftop. The reinforced concrete cracked and bowed from the impact, releasing a cloud of debris that obscured Jeremy’s vision.
When the haze finally cleared enough for him to see, his heart sank. Sanctuary lay prone and motionless in a small crater of fractured concrete and steel. Both of his blades were missing and the ethereal fire that usually surrounded him was extinguished.
The Musketeer’s cruel laughter pierced the silence as he emerged unscathed from the shadows. He sneered down at the angel who struggled to rise. “I guess I win!”
Sanctuary growled angrily, but the Musketeer kicked him in the face. His head snapped backward, bouncing off a dislodged slab of concrete with enough force to shatter it.
“Tsk, tsk,” said the Musketeer as he ambled over to Sanctuary’s limp body. He readjusted his gloves, gripped his rapier with both hands, and raised it up over his head with the point facing downward.
“I had hoped that you would be more of a challenge.” He sighed. “But sadly, you never really stood a chance. I know I can’t truly destroy you, angel. But know this: as soon as I am done with you, I will take my time with the prophet.”
Jeremy’s rage rose as the Musketeer taunted his friend.
“God,” he pleaded, “I know You are listening, so please give me the strength to wipe that infuriating smile off the face of this humongous piece of crap.”
To Jeremy’s great delight, heavenly power built up in his right hand.
“This one’s for the Shogun!” he whispered.
The Musketeer was too busy with Sanctuary to notice the sudden change in spiritual pressure, so the blast of divine power that shot from Jeremy’s outstretched hand took him completely by surprise.
To Jeremy’s immense satisfaction, there was no smile on the Musketeer’s face as he went soaring off the edge of the building. He fell straight down, just as two police cruisers arrived in front of the building. Thanks to the paralyzing effects of the divine energy that had struck him, the Musketeer was unable to move or teleport. He struck the ground hard and bounced twice before coming to a stop a few feet from two startled police officers.
“Who’s going to take his time now, jackass?” Jeremy shouted triumphantly at the roof’s edge.
Jeremy’s shout roused the stunned Sanctuary. His eyes flicked open and he sat up gingerly. The heavenly radiance that usually encompassed him returned as he rubbed his neck. He turned to look at Jeremy who had slumped sideways a bit from the kick of releasing so much spiritual power. Besmudged and bruised, he was so exhausted that he couldn’t even right himself. It took everything Sanctuary had not to laugh.
“You good now?” Jeremy asked sarcastically when he realized the angel was amused. “I can come over there and help you up if you like. It’s not like I just saved your hide or anything like that.”
Sanctuary forced the grin off his face and got to his feet. “I’m sorry, are you going to be alright?” he asked, concerned.
“Oh yeah. I mean, I’m sure the massive internal injuries I probably sustained will heal on their own, so I’m good. Didn’t need my spleen, anyway. What the heck does a spleen even do?”
Sanctuary gingerly walked over to him, reached down, and picked him up. Jeremy nearly passed out from the pain. His head lolled and his eyes lost focus as Sanctuary walked to the edge of the building.
They peered down, hoping against hope that they had finally managed to incapacitate the Musketeer. All they saw were two dead police officers and a handful of people milling around, looking confused.
Jeremy blinked to clear away the fog in his head. “I think I am going to need a hospital,” he slurred. “Or a walk-in clinic at least. Maybe a veterinarian. God has assured me that I am not going to die, at least not yet. Right now, dying might be preferable.”
Sanctuary made a decision as he looked out at the horizon. Whatever it was Jared was currently encountering, he was going to have to face it alone with Tzedakah. That would have to be enough. Sanctuary prayed that their bond was strong enough to overcome whatever challenges they were facing. But Jeremy needed immediate medical attention, and for now, there was nothing more either of them could do to help him.
“Hang in there, brother,” Sanctuary said as he extended his enormous wings, gently rose, and headed for the nearest hospital.
Forty-Three
Steve’s eyes were closed, but he was not unconscious. Whatever the entity was that had been helping him, it had minimized the damage from the impact to next to nothing. He cracked open one of his eyes and saw his brother crouched in front of him, holding his head as if he were in pain. Unsure of what exactly was happening to Jared, he decided it best to play possum and figure out his next move.
Jared’s eyes were squeezed shut. His face was contorted in an expression of intense anguish. Steve had no idea how it was possible that his brother was alive. It all felt surreal, like he was trapped in some sort of low-budget horror film or something. In fact, this whole day had been one long walk into the paranormal and the bizarre. Perhaps he was having some sort of psychotic break, but he decided to go with it either way.
“I will not!” his brother suddenly shouted.
“He is going to kill you,” the voice in his mind rasped. “You must destroy him first.”
Kill me? Steve thought. I suppose it does make sense.
Why else would his brother come back from the dead?
Well, maybe to see Dana, he surmised. Only a fool like his brother would rise from the grave just to save a girl. The girl he could never see as anything more than a friend until it was too late. Maybe instead of a revenge movie, he was in some ridiculous paranormal romance story instead.
It was time to put an end to Jared, this time for good. He reached inside to his unseen benefactor and allowed him to once again provide him with demonic power. The shadows coalesced around him and this time his muscles expanded and swelled from the unrestrained power.
With a roar of defiance, he ripped his trapped arm free and sprung at his brother. Steve’s shout brought Jared back to his senses just in time to see both of his fists bearing down on his face. Before he could react to the sudden attack, Steve struck him square in the jaw with a double-fisted uppercut that sent him careening through the air.
Steve threw his arm forward and a line of shadow energy surged from his fingertips and rocketed toward Jared. The shadow took on the form of a large tentacle with thousands of two-inch-long barbs protruding from it. The tentacle wrapped around Jared’s leg and bit deep into his calf. Steve pulled his arm down, redirecting his brother’s momentum and sending him hurtling toward the ground.
Jared struck the road so hard that he put a man-sized divot in the asphalt. He could feel Tzedakah screaming mentally at him, but his voice was distant and distorted as if it were trying to reach him through water. Before he was able to sort out why his connection to Tzedakah was strained, he felt himself being flung up into the air once again.
Steve repeatedly slammed his brother into the ground like a rag doll, cracking the road in several places. Jared was not taking any real damage from the continuous beating, but his broken connection to Tzedakah made it impossible for him to counter it. Over and over again he smashed into the ground before Steve finally let go of him and sent him hurtling through the air.
Dana and Lee came barreling around the bend in the road just in time to see him being launched in their direction. Dana slammed on the breaks and the car swerved and stuttered, halting just before an airborne Jared flew past their windshield. He hit the ground a few feet from the stopped car and tumbled toward the river.
Before either of them could process what happened, Steve lunged past them using the hood of Dana’s car as a springboard. The car rocked as he launched off it with so much force that he caused the frame to bend and the windows to shatter.
Steam poured from the car’s hood and both airbags went off. Dana’s heart was beating out of her che
st. The front of her car was flattened, and both front tires had exploded.
“What the hell was that?” she asked.
“It looked like a man and then possibly another man,” Lee said with his usual calm demeanor. Other than a few small cuts and bruises, he seemed none the worse for wear.
“I know it was a man,” Dana snapped. “Gosh Lee, what exactly did you do in the military? Nothing, and I mean nothing, seems to rattle you.”
He just looked at her and shrugged. “The usual things.”
Lee, who had completely recovered from the shock of the accident, pointed to a woman who was sitting on the sidewalk only a few meters from them. “I think we may have a civilian hurt over there, ma’am.”
Dana peered through the broken glass in the direction where Lee was pointing. Just as he had said, there was a woman sitting on the sidewalk, clutching her leg and crying for help. She might have heard the lady’s cries if it wasn’t for the loud ringing in her ears.
Lee popped out of the car and rushed to where the woman sat. Dana, on the other hand, gingerly extricated herself from the crushed car, and made her way over.
Lee had his hand pressed firmly on one of her upper thighs and with his other hand, he was fumbling through one of his pants pockets. Before long, he retrieved a rolled-up bandage and gently started wrapping it around her injured leg. The woman was pale from loss of blood and shock, but otherwise not in any immediate danger.
Dana looked for the two men who had disappeared by the river. What in the world was going on? If Lee had not confirmed that he had also seen them, she would not have believed her own eyes. It just wasn’t possible, was it?
“Promise me you won’t engage them,” Johansson had said.
That son of a bitch knew what was going on and he had refused to tell her. Had he known that something was off even back during the Stalker investigation? Come to think of it, she didn’t remember anyone calling in the FBI in the first place. Johansson just showed up out of the blue. That was not how interagency relations worked. No one had questioned it because he was FBI.