by Siegel, Alex
"Then I certainly won't help you. You obviously don't want a trusting relationship."
He waved his pistol menacingly. "I can compel you to cooperate."
Sara shook her head. "There is no power on Earth that can compel me to do anything. I feel no pain. I'm immune to heat and cold. If you want my cooperation, you'll need to earn it. You can start by telling me how you acquired forbidden knowledge."
The colonel just stared at her.
"But I will give you a warning," she added. "Your experiments have pissed off some powerful folks. If you keep it up, they'll destroy you. It might already be too late. You need me to get you out of this mess."
"All I need from you is information, but this isn't the time or place for a real interrogation, and there are special considerations because you're an alien. Arrangements must be made. You'll wait here in the meantime."
The colonel left and took most of his men with him. The skinny guy in the corner was the last to go, and he gave Sara a fearful glance on the way out.
She looked at the half-dozen soldiers who remained behind. Their rifles were aimed at her head. She squirmed, but the duct tape allowed very limited movement.
"Anybody see a good movie lately?" she said in a joking tone.
She was answered with silence.
Sara had an idea. If she could make contact with Barachiel, the angel might rescue her.
"Can I have a glass of water, please?" she asked the soldiers. "I'm very thirsty. You don't want your prisoner to dehydrate, do you?"
The men looked at each other. Eventually, one brought a canteen over to her and held it to her lips. She head-butted the canteen, sloshing water onto the floor.
She leaned over the puddle and said, "Barachiel! Can you hear me?"
There was no response. Maybe the floor wasn't smooth or clean enough to allow the magic to work.
"Do you want the water or not?" the soldier said irritably.
"No, thanks," Sara said. "I changed my mind."
* * *
Mammon stared across the Lake of Ice at the bottom of Hell. The demon was wandering through the Ninth Circle, also known as the Pit. It was so cold, even Mammon was uncomfortable. Satan was locked in the ice at the center of the lake, and its enormous wings created a constant, freezing wind. Unlike most circles of Hell, the souls of the damned didn't cry out in pain here. They were buried under the ice, permanently frozen in grotesque positions, unable to scream.
Mammon heard a thunderclap, and another demon appeared. It was Azazel. Unlike most demons, the newcomer was handsome, even beautiful. Its skin was as smooth and black as gently flowing crude oil. It was the size of an elephant, but it had the body of a goat.
Mammon was astonished. Azazel was a notorious recluse and hadn't been seen in centuries. It had strange and mysterious powers. Mammon feared very few things in the universe. Satan was one, and Azazel was another.
"What are you doing here?" Mammon said. "Have you finally come out of hiding?"
"The chattering of fiends aroused my interest," Azazel said. "It seems Limbo has an unexpected new resident, a Mr. Peng Li, and you're responsible. Now I find you sulking on the shore of the Lake of Ice."
"I was just getting back at Heaven for stealing the souls of two sinners."
"A bold move. Did you have authorization?" Azazel looked across the lake at Satan in the far distance.
The Ruler of Darkness was half-submerged in the ice. Sinners were jammed into its three enormous mouths, and blood dripped down its chins.
"Uh, no," Mammon said. "Perhaps I was a bit hasty. You won't tell, will you?"
Azazel cracked a smile. "Of course not, most gluttonous one. I think your actions were justified. Such initiative should be encouraged."
Mammon exhaled with relief. "Thank you."
"It is curious though. You violated the Contract. I don't understand how."
Mammon looked down at the black, rocky shore. "I can't explain it. A sudden urge grabbed hold of me. For a moment, I had...."
"Free will?" Azazel raised its eyebrows.
"But that's not possible! I have no soul. I was created for a specific purpose. Are the humans infecting me with their creativity? Will I dream?" Mammon gasped in horror. "Will I... love? What's wrong with me?! I must tell Satan."
"Be at ease. Return to your duties, and we'll pretend this incident never happened. Satan does not need to know."
Mammon felt a sudden calm. Its troubling thoughts and fears evaporated.
It noticed Azazel was standing on the shore of the Lake of Ice.
"What are you doing here?" Mammon said.
"Just passing through," Azazel said. "Good bye." It vanished with a thunderclap.
Mammon looked across the lake at Satan.
"Why am I here?" Mammon muttered. "I have work to do." It also vanished.
* * *
Dr. Harlow's eyes kept closing. Dawn had come, and he had been awake all night.
He and his assistants were just finishing the process of packing the experimental equipment in the basement of the house. All the delicate electronics and laboratory apparatus were in cardboard boxes. Some of the boxes had already been loaded onto trucks, but Harlow had no idea where the stuff was going. Colonel Knox was keeping the location of the new headquarters secret for the moment.
Whenever Harlow closed his eyes, he saw the face of the creature called Sara. She looked like an attractive woman in her mid-thirties, but the examination had shown how superficial her appearance was. There was nothing human about her.
His experiments had brought that monster and others like her out of hiding. They were coming for him and would eventually catch him. The colonel's soldiers could only slow them down. The events of the night had left no doubt about that. Harlow's only hope was finding a way to use the portal safely first. Once he reached Heaven, he would be secure for all eternity.
"Dr. Harlow!" a soldier yelled down the stairs. "Rena Penn is out front waiting for you!"
Harlow shook himself to wake up. He needed to be sharp for this conversation.
He grabbed a leather briefcase off a table and hurried up the stairs. He continued through the house and went outside.
The morning was chilly but clear. The sun was just above the horizon, and it made him squint.
Rented moving trucks were parked in the driveway and on the street. Soldiers disguised in civilian clothes were carrying stuff out to the trucks. Everybody was moving quickly despite their exhaustion.
Ms. Penn looked sharp in a brown suit. The woman certainly knew how to dress. A colorful scarf provided a playful touch without detracting from her air of authority.
"Let's go, Dr. Harlow," she said. "My jet is already waiting."
She led him to a black limousine parked on the road with its engine idling. The two of them sat on the back seat. Real leather dyed blue covered the seat, and Harlow ran his fingers across the soft surface with admiration.
The driver put the car in gear and drove off.
"Why is your team moving?" Penn said.
"Just a safety precaution," Harlow said. "The colonel was concerned the neighbors had seen too much."
"Oh. Where are you going?"
"I honestly don't know. I'll find out when we get there."
He kept his briefcase on his lap. The batteries and coils inside weighed heavily on his thighs. He didn't let his anxiety show.
"You demanded this meeting," Penn said, "so talk. You have until we get to the airport."
"Even you must admit this research is extremely important."
"Right, which is why it must be managed by professionals instead of amateurs."
"I'm not an amateur," Harlow said. "I've published papers in the best journals. If I didn't work for the Army, I could teach at any university I wanted."
"Yet you're running your experiments like a high school science fair project."
"I take offense at that characterization. You're not even a scientist."
He looked out the wind
ow. The car was already on 1st Avenue and headed north at a quick pace. They would be at the airport soon.
"One doesn't need to be a scientist to recognize sloppy work," Penn said. "Which reminds me. We should talk about some rumors I heard about you."
He faced her. "Rumors?" His voice cracked.
"These aren't your first experiments that have a body count."
"That's classified information. I can't talk about it."
"Improving human intelligence with gamma radiation?" she said. "It's like something out of a comic book."
"The theoretical results were sound," he shot back angrily. "Early experiments were encouraging."
"Why didn't you practice on animals first?"
"We did, but the numbers weren't reliable. It's hard to give an IQ test to a monkey. I don't know why I'm even arguing. There was a full inquiry, and I was acquitted."
"In other words," she said, "you found a good lawyer."
Harlow clenched his jaw. "Can we get back to the main topic?" he said through his teeth. "You can't tell the President to terminate the Crusader Special Unit."
"I wouldn't think of it. I was just going to recommend new management, both military and scientific."
"You want to get me fired."
"In a word," Penn said, "yes. Knox is an arrogant zealot with bullets for brains. His stubbornness will be his undoing. You're just creepy. Every time you open your mouth, my gut tells me you're lying. You still haven't revealed your secret source of information."
He settled back in his seat. He couldn't win this argument with words, so he would have to use the briefcase.
The limousine arrived at the section of O'Hare airport where private charters picked up passengers. It was a small building to the north-west of the main terminal. A blue jet with State Department markings was waiting.
Penn got out, and so did Harlow.
She looked at him with a surprised expression. "What are you doing?"
"Walking you to your plane. I'm curious to see how big-wigs fly."
"Don't become a pest."
"Wouldn't think of it," he said.
They walked over to the jet together. He swung his briefcase casually even though it weighed a good twenty pounds. The advanced cobalt lithium ion batteries were heavy.
Penn climbed up the steps and entered the plane. Harlow followed calmly even though his heart was pounding. As soon as she looked away, he deposited the briefcase inside a coat closet.
He looked around the interior which had space for ten passengers to travel in style. The blue chairs were wider than those on a commercial jet, and there was plenty of leg room.
"All this just for you?" Harlow said in a tone of admiration.
"You can go now," Penn said impatiently.
"I suppose one last plea for mercy won't do any good."
"No."
He shrugged. "Have a safe flight."
He left the airplane and walked back to the limousine.
The driver rolled down the window. "Need a ride. I'm available. I'll give you a discount rate."
"Sure." Harlow thought for a moment. "North Riverside Armory, Illinois National Guard."
"You're a soldier?"
"Don't ask questions. Just drive."
"Yes, sir," the driver said.
Chapter Thirteen
Sara sighed with irritation. She hated waiting for something to happen. She had been sitting on the concrete floor of the water building for hours. Her wrists and ankles were still bound with plastic ties, and the duct tape felt like a straitjacket. She was stuck until her adversaries decided to do something with her. At least she didn't need to eat or use the restroom.
The experience reminded her of Heaven in a sad way. Her afterlife had been an endless beach party on a perpetually sunny day. Angels had served delicious but non-alcoholic drinks in limitless quantities. Her entertainment options had been volleyball, lying on beach chairs, and talking to other souls.
Unfortunately, the only thing anybody ever talked about was past lives. There were no new memories, no fresh accomplishments. The conversations looped around and around. Sara heard about the same little league baseball games so many times she could recite the scores from memory. It was pleasant but ultimately pointless. Eventually, she became eager for the End of Days just so something would change. She was waiting for the ultimate punchline to God's cryptic joke, just as she was helplessly waiting now.
Sara heard footsteps outside the building. The door opened, and the skinny man she had seen earlier entered. He showed his badge to the soldiers guarding Sara.
"Is the prisoner secure?" the man said.
"Yes, sir," the nearest soldier replied.
"Give me a rifle."
The soldier raised his eyebrows at the strange request but handed over his weapon. The newcomer checked the magazine and loaded a round into the chamber.
"Now get out," he said, "everybody. I need to talk to the prisoner alone."
"Sir?" the soldier said.
"You heard me. Wait outside. As chief scientist of the Unit, I take full responsibility."
All the soldiers reluctantly left the building. The last one closed the door.
The skinny man aimed the rifle at Sara's head, but his hands were shaking.
"You're a scientist?" she said calmly.
He nodded. "And I know you're not an alien. There is no Nibiru or whatever."
"Then what am I?"
"The adversary I was warned about."
Sara narrowed her eyes. "Who warned you?"
"I'm not telling."
"Then why are we talking?"
"Because you know how to use the portal safely," the scientist said. "You can get me into Heaven. I want to live there. Tell me the secret."
Now we're getting somewhere, Sara thought, but Heaven is a place for the dead, not the living. It's probably not even possible to survive there.
"You know it goes to Heaven?"
He nodded, but he was so nervous, his teeth chattered.
"Which portal? There are many."
"North Riverside," he said. "McCormick Woods. We tried an armored spacesuit, but it didn't work."
That answer surprised Sara. The team had visited every passage to Heaven within hundreds of miles of Chicago, but they hadn't stopped in North Riverside. Apparently, Barachiel didn't know about that one.
"Before I reveal any secrets," Sara said, "tell me why getting to Heaven is so important to you."
"It's important to everybody, right? That's the big prize, the ultimate reward. People wear crosses, pray every day, avoid sin, and go to church, just to get into Heaven. They sacrifice happiness in life for a blessed afterlife."
"Perhaps, but you're trying to cheat. You want to use a back door instead of the front. Why?"
The scientist wiped his forehead with his sleeve. "I may not deserve Heaven."
"I see. You've sinned, and you're trying to avoid Final Judgement."
"That's right, and you're going to help me."
"I don't think so," Sara said.
"Then I'll shoot you!"
"The guards outside will hear the gunfire. They'll take exception to you shooting such a valuable prisoner. I'm an alien, after all, the only one in captivity. Besides, a few small bullets won't do me much harm. I believe that rifle shoots 5.56 mm ammunition. You could empty the entire magazine into me, and I'd survive."
"You're sure?" His finger tightened on the trigger.
"And consider what would happen if you did manage to destroy me," Sara said. "Your colonel would be extremely upset. I don't think you'll be allowed to keep your position. And, as I'm sure you're aware, I have friends with violent tendencies. When they find out you killed me, they'll come after you with bloody vengeance in mind. Your death will be a slow, agonizing preview of Hell."
His hands were shaking, but he eventually lowered the rifle. He stared at her with bloodshot eyes.
"How about if we cut a deal?" Sara said. "You tell me everything, and you help m
e escape. In return, I'll use my influence to get you out of this mess. It's never too late to seek salvation."
"Why did you lie earlier? Why did you tell the colonel you're an alien?"
"We all have our secrets to keep. Do we have a deal?"
The scientist considered for a moment. Finally, he said, "No. I'll let the colonel handle you. He'll ship you off to a maximum security facility far away where experts will study you under laboratory conditions. I expect they'll keep you locked in a cage forever. You won't be my problem anymore."
"But you need my help to get into Heaven. The armored spacesuit didn't work, right?"
"I'll build a better suit, one tough enough to keep me alive in that environment. It can't be impossible. Angels live there, after all."
"What about my friends?" Sara said. "They're still after you."
He shrugged. "The colonel can deal with them, too. I just need a little more time. It won't take more than a couple of days to build another suit."
He left the building, and the soldiers returned. Sara smiled awkwardly at them.
As she thought about the conversation, she realized the scientist was a fool. He was so worried about keeping his physical body alive in Heaven, but he only needed to survive long enough to deliver his soul. Once he arrived, he would never have to leave even if he died. He could use the secret portal right now if he wanted.
He obviously didn't know this fact, but his secret benefactor probably did. Somebody was playing a very nasty trick on the scientist.
Sara thought about her own problems. Allowing herself to be captured didn't seem like such a smart idea now. She wasn't looking forward to being locked up and treated like a lab rat. It sounded a lot like Hell.
* * *
Dr. Harlow arrived by taxi at the Riverside Cavalry Church of Christ. He stepped out and paid the driver. Yawning from a debilitating lack of sleep, he turned towards the church.
Pollution had stained the gray stone walls. Slate tiles covered the roof, and some pieces of slate were broken. There was a stained glass window above the front door, but dust covered the glass on the inside. Tall grass and taller weeds surrounded the building. A sign in front simply read, "CLOSED - AMEN."
The place was buzzing with activity though. Delivery trucks and cars filled the driveway and lined the street. Men were carrying boxes inside at a quick pace.