Officer Pennington stepped out of his shack and pissed into the swamp. He swayed on his feet a little as the moonshine he had been drinking took hold of his faculties. As he stared at the golden stream hitting the green murk, he swore that he could hear what sounded like an approaching plague of locusts. He looked up from his piss and shit himself at the sight of what was coming. A fleet of airboats carrying armed men and women that were all hell-bent on murder. He knew he had to warn the others before it was too late, but the boats were already attacking. Bullets zipped all about his person, and one such bullet sliced his still pissing cock clean off into his hands. He screamed, high and shrill, and another bullet penetrated his open mouth.
The minigun whirred a circle of death and destruction, Princess' biceps tense against the recoil. The ammo fed itself in from the long chain of bullets that went from the backpack to the gun. She ripped apart their shacks like they were made out of tissue paper. The shack people were all running away from the gunfire, out onto the pier towards boats of their own. Most of them didn't make it as many kneecaps and organs exploded in the hail of bullets. Princess moved her aim from right to left and then left to right, making sure to cover as much ground as possible until finally, she hit empty. The minigun clicked and whirred as she kept the trigger pressed, but it would fire no more. Princess shook with the residual adrenaline rush.
“I think I just came,” she said.
“There’s still some of them left,” said Remy as the shack survivors made it to their boats. Remy spotted Governor Barnes among their number. The Governor’s men separated into five boats as they got their escape into motion. Remy pressed his airboat to full speed, and his fleet followed behind him like an angry swarm. Gus spotted Wanda trying to fly away from the scene, and he shot that bitch out of the sky. They pursued the boats ahead of them with a relentless determination. Now that they had them in their sights, they would chase them for a thousand years if they had to.
Remy found navigating around the trees that rose up out of the swamp more difficult at the speed they were going at. They shot their guns at the boats ahead, and the boats ahead shot their guns back at them as the distance between the two groups narrowed. One of the fleeing boats stopped paying attention to what was in front of them and hit a thick log floating in the middle of the swamp. The impact launched both them and their boat into the air. Remy watched them splash into the water one after another liked dropped pebbles, and then watched their boat come crashing down on top of their heads with a bigger splash. One of the Cajun crew members managed to duck under the water in time and swam for his freedom, but Remy took care of him with a swipe of his serpent-headed rapier as his boat sped past.
Remy wiped the blood from his blade and looked up to see another of the fleeing boats fall still under a wave of gunfire. A third boat decided that it had enough of running and turned around to head straight towards the Sodomites at full speed.
“They wouldn't dare,” said Princess, but Remy could see that the men on the boat were on their knees and praying.
“They would,” he said as he quickly manoeuvred their boat to avoid an impact.
Prayers were no shield for the bullets that cut them down, but the boat kept on coming even without their guidance and crashed head-on with Gus' boat. The front of the oncoming boat rose up onto the deck and bludgeoned the head of Gus' driver as their boat started to capsize. Remy turned his boat to rescue, and Princess reached out a hand to pull Gus out of the water. He shook the swamp out of his jeans when he got up on deck.
“A car crash and a boat crash in the same damn day,” he said. “We better not be going on any planes after this.”
Darnell and Karina's boat powered on after the last two enemy boats. The chaos of the crash had created a distance between the two groups. Darnell and Karina had let themselves get isolated from their back up and were now the sole focus of the return fire from the boats ahead. There was a loud thunk as one of the shots hit the fan above Darnell's head.
“Ready to get reckless again?” Darnell asked Karina.
“Always,” said Karina.
“Dork,” Darnell said as he closed the last of the distance and took his hand away from the controls. They came up alongside one of the boats and jumped off of their boat onto that one. The boat had four enemies to fight, but the surprise of the intrusion allowed Darnell to instantly kick one of them into the water, and Karina another. They fought the other two hand to hand. Darnell wasn't as experienced as Karina, but he made up for it by fighting dirty. When his opponent grabbed hold of him and pulled him in close, Darnell channelled his inner Mike Tyson and bit his ear clean off. His opponent backed off, clutching at the spot where his ear used to be with a look of horror on his face. Darnell drew his sidearm and finished the job by emptying a clip into the earless cop. Karina had already dispatched of her man by the time Darnell turned around to check on her.
“Just that shit stain of a Governor left,” said Darnell.
“Then let's go cast our vote,” said Karina.
“That line was cheesy enough to be in an 80’s action movie. I’m impressed.”
Darnell took control of the enemy boat and closed the distance on Governor Barnes and his personal bodyguard, police chief Barry Davis. He rammed them at speed, and the boats veered away from each other on impact. Darnell struggled to get things back under control and moved in for a second time as Barry Davis traded gunshots with Karina. They collided again, and the police chief lost the grip on his gun. It fell into the murk with a plunk. He had to hold on for dear life just to stop himself from falling in after it. Governor Barnes could not regain control of their boat, and it crashed hard into a tree on the water. Darnell passed them at speed and circled back to get alongside them. They boarded the crashed boat at a running jump. Karina aimed shots at Barry Davis as she landed, but he evaded and knocked her gun aside. Darnell landed and pistol-whipped Governor Barnes onto the deck. Governor Barnes spat blood and tried to scramble back to his feet, but Darnell froze him in place with the aim of his gun.
“Remy wants you alive, but I have no problem giving him my apologies if you make me.”
Governor Barnes stayed perfectly still as Karina, and the police chief battled behind Darnell's back. Karina overextended on one of her punches, and Barry Davis countered with a vicious uppercut that lifted her off her feet. Darnell turned to see what was happening at the sound of her pained grunt.
“Karina?”
Governor Barnes used the moment of distraction to reach for his ankle holster and pull out the gun that he had concealed there. He fired upwards and put a hole right through Darnell’s neck before he had time to react. Darnell dropped his weapon and faced Governor Barnes with a gasp. His shaking hand reached up to his bloodied neck and dabbed at the red liquid he found there. Governor Barnes smiled and fired again, penetrating through the gut. Karina saw all of this happen from the corner of her eye and let out a scream of pure, primal rage.
Barry Davis towered over her, but she fired an upkick right at his knee and dislocated the knee cap. He dropped with a grunt as she spun herself upside down onto the palms of her hands and capoeira kicked him right in the face. He was knocked unconscious as he fell overboard and splashed into the water. The alligators took a keen interest in his floating body and moved in to finish the job that Karina had started. Darnell had fallen to his back. Governor Barnes stood over him, holding the smoking gun over his body.
“Don't worry,” said Governor Barnes. “You'll be with him soon enough.”
Rage clouded Karina's vision, and she charged without thinking. Governor Barnes hurried to raise his weapon, but she ducked under and hit him with a double leg takedown. She mounted herself on top and punched him right in the face. His face shape-shifted with the impact, and it was the sleazy, leering face of her stepfather that she saw. She screamed and hit him again, and his face became The Great Giant. With another punch, he was Killer Rex until finally, he was Governor Barnes again. The man who had murder
ed Darnell Watson. She lost herself to the faces in her mind and just kept on punching through the years of suffering and torment. The skin ripped from her knuckles as she damaged her own hands in her fury. Remy Laveau's airboat finally caught up to the scene and pulled up alongside.
“Karina! Karina, stop!”
She ignored him. If she kept going, Governor Barnes would soon be dead. Remy boarded the boat and physically had to drag Karina off of him. She had a wild, savage look in her eye.
“Let me go!”
“It's over. It’s all over. You can stop.”
Karina stopped fighting against Remy's grip and hugged at him instead. A wail escaped from her, long and mournful. Remy could see Darnell's body as he put his arms around Karina. Darnell was Remy's oldest surviving friend, and he, like many others, was now gone. The cold exterior finally cracked, and Remy's tears joined those of Karina's.
The angel Gabriel shimmered like a mirage in the distance as he walked barefoot on top of the swamp.
“So few of you left now,” he said as he walked towards the boats. “I did warn you, Remy. It breaks my heart that it had to come to this. Such a tragic waste of life.”
Remy got to his feet with eyes full of fire. He aimed his gun and shot Gabriel right in the head, but the bullet passed through him as if he were made of water and left no trace of damage.
“Are you so childish, Remy? Don't you see? You fight, but it does nothing.”
Remy shot Gabriel again and again, determined to prove the statement wrong. The other Sodomites on the other boats joined in on the target practice. Gabriel stayed perfectly still with a bored look on his face as bullet after bullet passed through his body. He waited patiently until the firing ceased like dying applause.
“You really are a stubborn bunch.”
“It's done,” said Remy. “We killed your people. Soon we'll figure out a way to kill you too.”
Gabriel laughed and crouched down beside the alligator that was feasting on the corpse of the police chief. He petted the hungry predator as if it were a lap dog.
“Our armies are infinite. You wage war with eternity, and where mortals are concerned, eternity always wins. The Heirs of Salvation are coming for you. They move as we speak, and they do not rest. God is on their side, and they will win the day while you win the battle. Enjoy your filth and debauchery for as long as you can, for our servant Daniel Blanc is coming, and when Daniel Blanc comes, he will build a stairway out of you from which he will ascend.”
The heavens opened, and rain fell from the sky in fat, heavy drops.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The Heirs of Salvation rolled into Fredericksburg, Texas, and what was left of the population scampered away from them like rats, knowing that their ship was about to sink. Their convoy was far more impressive than that of the Sodomites. On display for people's viewing terror were tanks, and helicopters, and all sorts of things that went boom when provoked - and sometimes even when not provoked. Bodies piled up everywhere this convoy went as they carried out every instruction that the angels from on high whispered into their ears.
They came to a stop in the centre of town, and the routine was the same as it always was. The lead truck always played the exact same song from its mounted, external speakers as The Heirs of Salvation went to work sweeping the area for supplies or any signs of life. There were hundreds of them, and they always got the job done quickly and efficiently. The song that followed after them through every door and into every corridor was 'Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition,' by Kay Kyser and his orchestra.
Daniel Blanc stepped out of his truck, followed by his right-hand man, Jacob. He inhaled deeply of the fresh, late night air.
“Another day in service of the Lord,” Daniel said with great satisfaction.
Daniel Blanc's hair was long and as white as Christmas snow. The eyes that were set into his gaunt face were a piercing grey and alive with fanaticism. Jacob was a rougher looking sort. He looked like a cowboy with his hat, jeans, and boots, but it was the giant scar that ran across his neck that most often caught the eye. A souvenir from his past life as a contract killer.
“Do you feel like exploring with me, Jacob?”
Jacob shrugged.
“I go wherever you go.”
Daniel Blanc walked towards one of the houses and Jacob drew his gun in case any unseen threats were lurking in the shadows. Daniel tried the door handle, but the door was locked. He knocked instead and waited to see if anyone came to the door, but there was no one.
“Hello? Anybody home?” he called out in a neighbourly tone. When there was no response, he stepped aside and turned to look at Jacob with a relaxed smile on his face. Jacob read instruction in that smile and moved forward to smash the door open with a kick of his boot. Once inside, Jacob started a sweep of the building, clearing it room by room. Daniel followed lazily behind and took his time looking over the contents of the house. Each item told a story about its former occupants and what they were like, and as a former history teacher, Daniel Blanc liked the stories that told of a time that was no more. Every place that he went now had its own story to tell. Every room a museum for a life soon to be forgotten.
It was in the study that Daniel found the item that most intrigued him. There, in a glass case, dressed onto a faceless mannequin, was a civil war era military uniform that used to belong to a Confederate General. The uniform was a thing of beauty. An elegant, dignified grey with gold buttons on the chest and gold embroidered patterns on the sleeves. A sheathed sabre sword hung from the mannequin’s hip. Daniel let out an appreciative whistle as he took it all in.
“Wow, would you look at that,” he said in a tone of pure admiration. “Jacob, could you come in here for a moment?”
Jacob holstered his gun and entered the room.
“Would you say that I am like a General to you?”
“I suppose that would be one way of describing it.”
Daniel smiled and nodded at the uniform in the case.
“A General should be dressed for the part, don't you think?”
Jacob took his cue and smashed open the glass case. When Daniel made no movement towards it, he removed the uniform from the mannequin himself and presented it to Daniel. Daniel raised up his arms and Jacob dressed him in the greys of the Confederacy as though he were a southern tailor. Daniel took control and buckled the belt himself, securing the sabre tightly to his hip. He looked at himself in the mirror and posed as if being painted for a portrait, grabbing the coat by its lapel.
“Yes, this will do. This will do very well.”
“Hey boss,” came a voice from outside the house. “We got something.”
“It sounds like the troops need their General. Shall we grace them with our presence?”
Jacob said nothing and silently followed Daniel out onto the front porch where they could see four people on their knees in the middle of the road with Salvation guns pointed at their heads. 'Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition' had begun its second loop as Daniel Blanc moved to greet these people.
“One thing I love about my job is all the new people I get to meet.”
Daniel walked a line in front of them. A large, black man hyperventilated as Daniel looked down on him.
“Name?”
“Roy, sir.”
“Nice to meet you, Roy.”
Daniel smiled warmly at Roy and moved along. There knelt a man and woman who appeared to be husband and wife. They cowered before him.
“John,” said the husband.
“Tracey,” said the wife.
They cast a protective glance towards the last person in the line as Daniel brought himself to a stop in front of a young boy that could only be their son. The boy was the bravest of them all, or perhaps the most stupid. He lifted his head and looked straight at Daniel with a burning defiance set into his eyes. Daniel's jaw dropped at the sight of the boy's face. There was something familiar about it. Something he couldn’t quite place.
“I kno
w you from somewhere. What is your name?”
“He's our boy,” said the father. “His name is Sam.”
“Sam,” Daniel repeated. “No, that doesn't sound right at all.”
Roy got to his feet and made a run for it. He was screaming and crying with every step, knowing that the odds were against him.
“Want me to kill him?” asked Jacob.
“No. Just bring him back,” said Daniel, sounding almost bored.
Jacob gave the Salvationers a signal, and they caught up to Roy before he could get too far. He sagged against their grip, trying to sandbag their efforts, but they raised him up off his feet and carried him as he screamed.
“Let me go! Please, let me go!”
Roy started breathing in donkey like brays as he was thrown down on all fours in front of Daniel Blanc.
“Are you any good with a sword, Roy?”
“Eh-excuse me?”
“I used to fence a bit myself, but I fear that I may be getting rusty. Hard to find good practice these days.”
Daniel unsheathed his newly acquired sabre slowly, letting the sound of sliding steel be heard. He so loved that sound.
“Please don't. I beg you,” said Roy with a quivering lip.
“Silly Roy. I'm not going to kill you in cold blood. What kind of man do you think I am? I am a gentleman, and gentlemen have rules about this kind of thing. Does anyone here have a sword that they could loan Roy? He'll only need it for a minute.”
A Salvationer stepped forth and presented Roy with a rapier. He held it in his shaky hand as if it were a poisonous snake about to bite.
“What is this?”
“I am challenging you to a duel. You offended my honour by running away from me like that. This is the best way to move past the insult. It's good for both of us.”
“I don't want to fight you, mister. I never held no sword before.”
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