Morgaine and Michael [The Morgaine Chronicles #8]

by Joe Vadalma

  "What can I do to prevent that?"

  "You do not need to do anything. I will handle them. Nonetheless, be aware in case events do not go exactly as planned. And one more thing. Do not trust Morgaine too much. Before you follow her advise again, consult with me."

  Nicholas bowed again. “As you wish, Father."

  A moment later, he was back in his hotel room. As he glanced up, he saw the door to Legion's room silently close. One of those two has been spying on me, he thought. Probably Mandy. It matters not though. All she saw was her husband meditating.

  * * * *

  The day that would change the world had arrived. Election day, USA. In the morning, Nicholas and Mandy made a great show of voting for the media. The rest of the day they spent in seclusion in their hotel suite. By late afternoon, Nicholas’ supporters and election workers started to gather in the grand ballroom of the hotel to await the results. After dinner, Nicholas made an appearance and gave a short speech of thanks for all their hard work.

  Afterwards, he returned to suite and went straight to the bedroom, where he again went into a trance. This time he contacted the demons who Asmodeus had given him to help with the election. He assigned them to doubtful districts in important states. Their job was to use magic to ensure that he carried those districts. They changed totals on voting machines and caused ballot markings to mysteriously move from another candidate to Nicholas. He warned them to be discreet so that he would win those doubtful districts by low margins.

  Towards nine o'clock, when the polls closed on the East Coast, Nicholas, Mandy and Legion settled down on the sofa in their suite to watch the returns on TV. The drink of the evening was Scotch. The two men lit up Cuban cigars. Mandy sat between them, sipping a martini and smoking cigarettes. Due to exit polling, even before the polls closed, Nicholas was declared a winner in some states. Whenever that happened the trio cheered and toasted the reporter.

  Once, when a district that Nicholas thought he should have won easily showed the other candidate ahead, he returned to the bedroom and contacted the demon who was to ensure a win in that district.

  While he was gone, Mandy said, “Do you think he's using magic to win this election?"

  "Yes,” replied Legion. “Some kind of necromancy, no doubt. It's no wonder he's so confident."

  A few minutes later, he returned to the sofa. He looked slightly wiped out, as though he had been running a race. He gulped down his Scotch and poured himself another before settling back in a more relaxed position.

  "What's the matter, Nicky?” Mandy asked. “You don't look good."

  Nicholas grinned at her. “Me? I'm fine. In fine fiddle, as they say. Watch the TV and my landslide victory."

  A couple of hour later, when the Midwest results started to come in, the media pundits started to declare him the winner. About two in the morning, the Republican candidate, who was far behind, publicly conceded the race. After his concession speech, he called Nicholas to congratulate him. The Democratic candidate waited until fifty percent of the vote or more was in from the big states of New York, Texas and Illinois to concede.

  His phone call of concession came at six A.M. After Nicholas hung up, he said, “Okay, Mandy, Vic, show time."

  They took the elevator do the back entrance of the ballroom. As Nicholas and Mandy stepped up to the podium, a great roar from the crowd filled the auditorium with earsplitting noise. Hundreds of balloons were released. Waiters moved through the crowd and passed out glasses of cheap champagne. It took several minutes of Nicholas holding up his hands for silence before the applause and shouting died down.

  He began his speech. “The people have spoken. They have given me and our party a clear mandate to push through a program that will return America to its former greatness and make the world a better, safer and more peaceful place for everyone."

  A second round of applause and shouting went up. When this quieted, he continued his speech, repeating his agenda and the promises he had made throughout the campaign. After he thanked his supporters and workers for all their hard work, he brought Mandy to the podium. He gave her credit for being the bulwark that kept him going. He kissed her. They waved at the excited crowd for several minutes. It was party time. In two months he would be sworn in as president of the United States of America.

  * * * *

  The next six months were busy ones for Nicholas, Mandy and Legion. There were speeches to made, receptions to give and attend, a cabinet to appoint, meetings with congressional leaders to push his agenda through the lawmaking bodies, and meetings with major campaign contributors and lobbyists. Legion was appointed Chief of Staff and became his closest confident. Nicholas made his campaign manager Director of Homeland Security and another close associate, National Security Advisor. Cabinet posts and other high posts were given to persons of good repute with known expertise in the associated field regardless of political affiliation, gender, race or national origin. He was applauded by the press for his open government.

  By May, things were going splendidly for the new administration. One day, however, Nicholas had a secret meeting with Legion in the Oval Office. “Sit down, Vic. We need to start to work out our new plan."

  "A new plan? I don't get your drift. The bills you've proposed are going through congress with hardly a dissenting voice."

  Nicholas waved his hand in a gesture of dismissal. “All that was fluff to make me look presidential. Now that I've got the power that goes with being President of The United States, we go for the real prize."

  Legion's eyes narrowed. “And what's that?"

  Nicholas leaned forward and said in a hoarse whisper, “World domination, of course."

  Legion chuckled. “Surely, you're joking."

  "I'm dead serious. There are powers behind me whose abilities you would not believe. But we must do our part."

  "I see. And what's our part?"

  "First, we need an excuse to go to war. Next we must use the war to ensure that my power becomes absolute. Thirdly, we expand the war into a global conflict at the end of which I declare myself emperor of the world."

  Legion grinned. He thought, Nicholas has grand ambitions and occult powers, but in a way he's stupid and naive. “Simple plan on the surface. Now, all we need to do work out the details."

  "Correct. Now let me have your thoughts on the details."

  "Hmm. Well, I do have a few ideas. Would you think a rebel army taking over the country of Romania would be cause enough for the United States to start a war?"

  "Those rebels would have to threaten the entire European continent."

  "Perhaps if they used a new type of biological weapon that causes the fallen soldiers of their foes to fight on their side."

  Nicholas leaned forward eagerly. “There is such a thing?"

  "Absolutely. How do you think Doctor Frankenstein created me?"

  "Then it's really true. You are the Frankenstein monster."

  "And there are many others like me, but they're in hiding."

  "This is great. How do you propose putting your idea into action?"

  "Come with me to Romania. We will meet with someone who can help us."

  "It must be a secret meeting. Usually when a president visits a foreign country, it becomes a state visit, and the press is all over it."

  "Of course."

  * * * *

  Legion hired a private jet. Nicholas told his staff that he was going to be away for a couple of days. He refused to tell them his destination. “If anything of great importance comes up, have Milton handle it.” (Milton Hardley was Nicholas's Vice President, a former CEO of a large corporation who was not aware that Nicholas was more than a politician.)

  Mandy wanted to go with Nicholas, but despite her protests, the men refused. “What? Are you two going to meet some hot chicks somewhere?"

  "You know better than that baby,” said Nicholas. “It's simply that there may be danger where we're going."

  "And so you're going to put the president of the
United States in jeopardy. What are your secret service guards going to say about that. I hope your V.P. likes the job.” She turned away coldly, not kissing Nicholas good bye, although she gave Legion a peck on the cheek. She whispered in his ear. “Take care, good buddy."

  As Mandy had surmised, Nicholas had a difficult time getting away from his secret service protectors. Hence, he and Legion needed to sneak out of the White House disguised as plumbers. Later Nicholas and Legion changed into business clothes, dyed their hair, put on fake beards, and wore dark glasses and wide brimmed hats with the brims tipped down. Legion had bribed the owner-pilot of a Lear Jet, who was into smuggling, with an outrageous sum of money to fly them to Bucharest. They drove a rented car from the Bucharest airport on bad roads through the Romanian countryside.

  "Just exactly where are we going?” Nicholas asked.

  "The final resting place of Prince Vlad Tepes, the man known as Vlad the Impaler. Some say that he was the inspiration for Brom Stoker's Dracula. It's in an old monastery called in the district of Snagov."

  "What're we going to do there?"

  "You'll see."

  They arrived at the lake in late afternoon. From the parking lot to the lake was a two kilometer hike. Since the monastery was on an island, Legion rented a boat. When they reached the small pier on the island, as soon as they disembarked the boatman rowed quickly away. Nicholas saw him make the sign of the cross as he left.

  They were met by an old nun. She was bone white, had a thousand wrinkles and seemed too decrepit and ancient to be outside of a nursing home. Nicholas noticed what looked like healed puncture wounds on the side of her throat. In a crackling voice and broken English, she greeted them warmly. “Welcome to the Snagov monastery with the grace of God. Are you here to see where Vlad the Impaler is buried?"

  Legion nodded and pressed coins into her outstretched palm.

  As the bent nun shuffled along slowly toward the main entrance, Nicholas examined the monastery. It was a two story stone rectangular building with a central tower and four smaller towers around it. The facade consisted of fluted half columns and arches. The interior was deteriorated and gloomy. Since it was near sunset, only a blood-colored glow sifted through the high narrow windows. After they entered, the nun lit candles. Although this added a little more light, the interior of the church was still gloomy and mostly in shadow.

  Nicholas noticed a statue of the virgin Mary in a niche and went toward it for a closer look. The old nun grabbed his arm. “Don't go by statue. Danger.” She held an oil lamp so that it lit up a rotting trapdoor directly in front of the icon. “When Vlad was prince, prisoners brought here to pray before Virgin. When prisoner finish praying, floor open up, and fall to death.” A broken board on the trapdoor allowed a view of what was below. Nicholas peered in. Below were sharp stakes that would penetrate the body of anyone falling through.

  The bell in the tower pealed sonorously. The nun said, “Is wind make bells ring. Storm is on way.” She lit several candles in a candelabra around the chapel. “Do you wish to see tomb now?"

  Nicholas glanced at Legion, who nodded. “Yes, please."

  The nun and the two men tramped down a stone stairway into the cellar, a creepy chamber with crypts all along a narrow corridor. The only light was from the nun's lamp. A musty odor of decay of the ancient dead permeated the air like an evil mist. Vlad's grave was covered by an enormous carved rock slab. It would take several average men to move it.

  The nun said, “Do you wish to see rest of the monastery?"

  Legion replied, “Later.” He placed a handful of Romanian lei in her hand. “Please leave us for a while. We wish to pay our respects to the dead prince."

  Her eyes went wide at the amount of money he had handed her. She bowed and said, “As you wish, gentlemens.” She tottered away.

  After he was sure she had gone back upstairs, Legion, with his great strength, pushed the slab out of the way. The sarcophagus was empty except for a stake lying in a pile of moldy dirt. “Now you shall meet the prince of evil himself.” He removed the stake from the sarcophagus.

  To Nicholas’ astonishment, the dirt formed itself into an ancient skeleton. A body slowly formed around and inside the skeleton. First came internal organs, kidneys, lungs, heart, liver, intestines, eyeballs and blood vessels. Next to appear was the muscular structure. In the final stage, this was covered by the palest flesh Nicholas had ever seen. Finally short cropped hair and a large drooping mustache grew on the body's head. The mouth opened and gasped for breath. A groan issued from the corpse. The eyes snapped open, and an arm grabbed Legion by the throat.

  Legion laughed and knocked the arm away.

  "Oh,” Tepes said in Romanian. “I recognize you. You're Frankenstein's creature."

  Legion spoke in the same language. “I'm happy you remembered me."

  Because he was half demon, Nicholas understood every language past or present that existed.

  Tepes bounded out of the sarcophagus. He looked down at his naked body. In Romanian, he said, “Get me clothes at once. I cannot go around like this."

  Legion said, “In good time. We're not your servants. First, allow me to introduce Nicholas Bongiglio. He is the President of the United States."

  Tepes bowed. He switched to English. “I feel foolish greeting the head of state of such a great country in my condition."

  Nicholas acknowledged this by bowing and saying in Romanian, “I am honored to meet the man who saved Romania from the Turks. And don't worry about being in the nude. Your body is nothing to be ashamed of. It's quite handsome."

  "You are kind.” Tepes turned to Legion. “I have garments stored in the first floor of the northeast tower. You will find a wardrobe there. Bring me something suitable for my meeting with the ruler of a powerful nation. Quickly now."

  Legion grunted. “I'll retrieve suitable clothing, but don't treat me like a servant to be ordered around. You have no power over me.” He strode away.

  Tepes squinted at Nicholas. “You're more than you seem.” He sniffed the air. “There's a supernatural air about you."

  Nicholas chuckled. “I'm half human and half dark angel. I am the son of Asmodeus."

  "A powerful entity in the nether world. What brings you to this wretched place?"

  "I don't know. Coming here was Victor's idea."

  "He calls himself Victor after his creator?"

  "Since Doctor Frankenstein did not give him a name, he dubbed himself Victor Legion."

  Several minutes later Legion returned with garments. Tepes donned designer jeans, a turtleneck shirt and sport coat. Nicholas thought that he looked quite handsome and modern. He would fit in at any gathering of the wealthy and famous, and could easily be mistaken for a movie star.

  Tepes said, “I feel more civilized dressed. Let us go upstairs to talk. Although this is my daytime resting place, I find these catacombs depressing."

  Before they returned to the main floor of the building, Tepes showed them the dungeon where, when he was prince, he kept felons, political prisoners and others arrested by his order. The cells were so small that they were more like animal boroughs. With great pride, he showed them instruments of torture used while he was a living man. After viewing the torture chamber, they returned to the main floor chapel, whose walls held religious pictures dating from the Middle Ages.

  Outdoors, a storm broke. A furious wind blew a solid wall of rain against the building. The bells pealed wildly. Small leaks in the roof dripped in several spots. The crack of simultaneous thunder and lightning was almost continuous.

  While they examined a painting of Vlad himself, a tall figure in a robe with a cowl covering its features approached them. She pushed back the cowl. It was Olivia. She smiled brightly. “Oh Victor, you've returned.” She ran to the ugly giant and covered his face with kisses.

  He gently disengaged from her embrace. “It's good to see you too. I've brought a visitor. This is Nicholas Bongiglio. He's the President of the United States of Americ
a."

  She curtsied. “I'm pleased to meet you, Mister President.” She gave a dirty look to Tepes. “I see you've awakened this one. Why? He's evil."

  "He knows where my creator's notebooks are hidden. Take us to the others."

  Olivia crooked a finger for them to follow her. They returned to the cellar. She stopped by a tomb and moved a carving on the sepulcher. There was the loud grinding screech of stone scraping stone, and a door-sized portion of the wall opened up. Nicholas, Legion and Tepes followed her in. She flipped a switch. The door behind them ground back into place, and several overhead fluorescent lights came on. They were in an enormous laboratory. There was an operating table, several electronic devices, an electric generator and controls, various chemical apparatus, and cabinets full of jars, surgical equipment, and medicine bottles. Standing against the wall toward the rear of the room were what appeared to be oversized coffins with glass covers.

  Olivia led the group over by the coffins. They contained giant human beings, both male and female. Olivia said, “These are new ones we have made. The others who were made by Prince Vlad mostly live in a village hidden in the woods on the other side of the island."

  Nicholas examined the people in the coffins. “Are these alive?"

  "Not yet. We need your creator's formulas to complete them."

  Nicholas said, “This is wonderful. What I could do with an army of such giants."

  Legion said, “You will have such an army after I use them to start the war you wanted."

  CHAPTER 18. THE INTERDIMENSIONAL GATEWAY MACHINE

  "Melody, we need someone with lots of money to invest in this project,” said Westcott. He and Esmeralda were drinking coffee and tea in her living room.

  "And you want me to supply it? Michael left me a fortune, but he was no billionaire. Besides, I intend to donate much of it to various charities and the Church."

  "I didn't mean that the money had to come from you. But Michael had friends who are high in the hierarchy of companies that do this type of research."