by Joe Vadalma
"I can turn on my infrared vision. With it, I can see things that are warm. The hotter something is the brighter it seems."
"What about those ghouls?"
"I see them dimly. Their bodies do not give off as much heat as a human's."
"Very well, you and I must go in there and chase them away. Flebert, you stay here. I would turn off the flashlight if I were you, before it gives out."
Flebert shivered. “But I'll be in the dark. What if one of those things come in here?"
Macrome shrugged. “I don't know.” He signaled Isaac to follow him. The vampire and the robot ran into the room where the ghouls were. Flebert heard a struggle. The ghouls made horrible gurgling howls and growls at being attacked. There were thumps and curses and noises that he could not identify. He wished that he could witness the battle so that he knew who was winning.
As Flebert thought about what the horrible creatures were doing and imagined what would happen if they got a hold of him, he felt lightheaded with fright. He stood with his back against a wall to keep from fainting. To add to his utter terror, the flashlight went out again. When he shook it, it did not turn on. The batteries were dead. At the same moment, he felt something bite his leg. He screamed and slid down the wall. “God, the ghouls have got me.” He touched the thing trying to gnaw him. It was small and furry, a large rat. He picked it up and hurled it across the room. It squealed once after landing with a thump. He heard it scurrying away.
Something grabbed his arm and lifted him to his feet. He froze in the absolute horror of being eaten alive.
After a moment, however, to his relief Isaac's dull voice said, “Are you all right, Mister Flebert?"
"Yeah. I'm okay. Did you chase away those ghouls?"
"Yes. But someone else is following us. I often hear footsteps in chambers we just left."
"I'll be on my guard, but with no flashlight, I'm blind as a bat. I'll have to hold onto your arm.” Flebert took Isaac's arm, and they went into the next chamber where Macrome waited.
Suddenly something rushed out of the darkness, and Isaac pushed Flebert down to the floor. He felt someone trip over his leg. A female voice cried, “Let me go, you damned machine.” Isaac voice said, “Not until you drop that knife."
Something metallic clattered to the floor, near where Flebert lay. He reached out and picked it up. It was a long carving knife. “Who-who tried to kill me?"
Macrome said, “The demon, Lucinda. She must have gone through the gate and followed us. Her protestations that she did not want to come to this dimension were playacting."
Meanwhile Lucinda cursed a blue streak and yelled for Isaac to release her. There was also the sound of thumps.
Isaac said, “What shall I do with her? I'm afraid that if I let her go she will try to harm you again. But she is hard to hold. She is kicking me."
"She can't harm me now. I have her knife. Lucinda, quiet down. Do you want those ghouls to come back or something worse to drag you back to your master?"
She shut up immediately. Apparently there were things down here that even she was afraid of. “Please make the machine man let me go."
"And what will you do then? Try to murder me again?"
"No. I promise."
Flebert chuckled. “Do really expect me to believe you?"
Macrome said, “I know. Why don't we tie her up and leave her for the ghouls?"
Isaac said, “No. Demon or not. As long as she is in human form, I cannot allow it."
Flebert said, “Nevertheless, tying her up is not a bad idea. I brought along rope. We can tie her wrists behind her back and loop some rope around her neck. We'll lead her through here like a donkey. In fact, we can tie her between us. Perhaps she can help us navigate the labyrinth.” He tied Lucinda's wrists together and looped the rope around her. He tied one end to Isaac's waist and the other to his own waist. Before they started off, he asked her, “Do you know the way out of the catacombs?"
She sullenly replied, “Yes."
"Then tell us. I know you fear the creatures down here as much as we do. The sooner we get to where our friend Michael is being held, the sooner we can return to the human world. Will you help us?"
"Yes. I see I have no choice. Besides, Asmodeus will punish me terribly anyway. Perhaps if I help you, I will have a short time on earth to enjoy myself. Start taking every left exit you come to for a while, no rights. I will tell you when we need to turn to the right."
They continued navigating the labyrinth in this manner. Macrome led the way, followed by Isaac, Lucinda and Flebert in that order. After five rooms making either left turns or going straight ahead, Lucinda told them to go through the right exit.
In the next chamber, Macrome said, “I smell human blood very close now."
"I hear them,” said Flebert. Someone was singing and the sound of shuffling feet reached his ears.
Two chambers to the right, they came upon the people making the noises. Macrome said, “It's Rhami Deju and Robert Longfeathers. What are you two doing here?"
There was the sound of a match and a torch flared up. Isaac cried, “It's too bright. It's blinding me. I must turn off my infrared vision. That's better."
Flebert could now see his friends. “Yes. What are you two doing in this weird catacombs? And why are dancing and singing?"
The two men stopped their activities. Deju replied, “Same as you. We're here to rescue Michael. Alas, it's us who need rescuing now. We've been possessed by demons."
His voice changed. It became deep and gruff. He burst out into evil laughter. “And you four shall suffer the same fate. My fellow demons are waiting to take you over."
Westcott shivered. He did not want to be possessed by a demon. He had that experience twice before. It was horrible. Nonetheless, he put on a brave front. “I'm the only one of us who came be taken over in that way. Lucinda is already possessed by a demon, Sylvan is a vampire, and Isaac is a machine."
"Nonetheless, we will bring you to our mistress,” said Longfeathers. He grabbed Sylvan, who, although a vampire, was quite small. They struggled together, neither getting an edge on the other.
Deju tried to do the same to Flebert but was held back by Isaac.
Suddenly another party entered the fray. Sheila showed up. She took one look at Lucinda and said, “What are you doing here? These two...” She pointed at Deju and Longfeathers. “...are mine to deal with."
She grabbed Lucinda by the hair and dug her nails into her flesh. Lucinda fought back. While everyone else was embroiled in the milieu, Westcott felt that it was his chance to get away. He grabbed the torch out of Deju's hand and fled through one of the doorways.
He ran through rooms this way and that way, sometimes going straight, sometimes turning. Finally out of breath, he listened. He heard nothing. The catacombs was as silent as a tomb. He doused the torch, afraid that the light or smoke would lead the demons to him. He sat with his back against the stone wall and wondered what he should do. He was alone and lost in the vast labyrinthine of catacombs.
After a while he looked up. A golden glow came from the chamber on his left. He climbed to his feet and peeked into the room. In the middle of the room was a person who seemed to be an angel. He had fair skin, the body and face of a handsome athletic young man, golden wings and wore a red robe. His long blond hair covered his shoulders, and his eyes were of the lightest sky blue.
This apparition turned its head toward Flebert and smiled pleasantly. “Ah, my old friend, Lance Flebert. We meet again."
Flebert gazed with awe at this wondrous being. “Who are you? How do you know my name?"
The angel floated toward Flebert with outstretched arms. “I suppose you don't recognize me in my true form. It is I, Sargantas. The being who twice before possessed you. You are mine again."
Flebert screamed, “No! Not again!” He wanted to run to save himself from being possessed by this being for the third time, but was frozen by those hypnotic evil blue eyes.
CHAPTER 20. INVA
SION
After Nicholas left to return to Washington, Legion asked Tepes where he had hidden Frankenstein's notes and other data concerning the creation of living human beings from dead tissue and chemicals. Olivia replied for the vampire. “We hid them in Prince Vlad's sarcophagus after he was destroyed."
"We need to retrieve them. Meanwhile, Olivia, I'd like you to round up the Titans living in the area and have them come here. I wish to speak to them."
Olivia touched Legion's cheek. “Does that mean that you're staying here? Will we be lovers again?"
The thought of Mandy entered Legion's mind. Although previously he thought it was impossible for him to love a human being, he knew that he was in love with Nicholas’ wife. Nonetheless, he needed Olivia on his side if he was going to pull off the Romania takeover for Nicholas. He hated the idea of Mandy being in Nicholas’ power. But he had an agenda of his own. Once Nicholas became emperor of the world, he, Legion, would kill him and take over. Mandy would be his then. Of course, he would also have to do something about Olivia. All that, however, was in the future. Right now, he had to carry out the plan he and Nicholas had agreed upon.
He smiled at Olivia. “Yes to both your questions. Now, be a good girl and get those Titans together. C'mon Vlad, we need to search your sarcophagus. Soon you'll be prince of this land again."
* * * *
After Frankenstein's papers were retrieved and the Titans who had been living in their forest hideout came to the monastery, Legion spoke to them. He stood on a platform to address the hundred artificial men and women before him. “It is time for you and I to go out in the world.” He held up Frankenstein's notebook. “In here are my creator's secret of producing our kind. After we are many, we'll obtain weapons and take arms against our enemy, the human race. We must destroy them utterly, otherwise they'll destroy us. This is a holy war to see who will rule the earth, humankind or we Titans. I have learned of a hidden cache of weapons not far from here. It has been there for many years, neglected by those in power of this land called Romania. We will strike the capital and take over the government. The one secret we must keep is that we intend to commit racial cleansing on scale that will make the holocaust seem like child's play. For the time being, we will make the human's who live in this area our slaves until we have the numbers and power to wipe out mankind completely from the earth.” He raised his fist. “Death to the humans. Long live Titans."
The artificial people were enthusiastic and excited. They craved the power he promised them. He knew that once Nicholas triumphed over them, they would his slaves, along with the humans he was teaching them to hate.
* * * *
When Nicholas returned to the White House, the first thing Mandy asked was, “Where's Victor?"
He leered at her. “You're so transparent. Your lover is in Romania doing a little job for me. Don't worry, you'll see him soon enough. Meanwhile, I insist that you play the loving wife both in front of the media cameras and when we're alone.” He held out his arms. “Now, give your husband a big kiss."
Sullenly Mandy went into his arms and pressed her lips against his. When his hands slipped under her sweater and unsnapped her bra, she closed her eyes and pretended that she was in Legion's arms.
A week later at breakfast, the following newspaper account on page three of the World News section caught her eye: AP. Cluj Napoca. A small army of rebels of unknown origin captured an abandoned armory, a relic of Communist times. Many vintage weapons including tanks and artillery were stored there. The Romanian government has sent in a battalion of its small army to quell the rebellion. It is said that fierce fighting is occurring in the area. Reports have said that the insurgents were large in height and bulk, and included both male and female fighters. Rumor has it that they were of truly gigantic stature. Persons fleeing the area have called them giants or Titans.
She waved the newspaper at Nicholas. “Look at this.” She pointed out the article. After Bongiglio read it, she said, “Is this what Victor is doing? Starting a revolution?"
Bongiglio smiled. “Yes. I hope he's successful. Our future depends on it."
"What do you mean? What are you two up to?"
"Can't tell you, love. Top secret stuff."
* * * *
Legion's force defeated every Romanian contingent sent against it. Legion was a brilliant strategist. His troops gathered dead Romanian soldiers and reanimated them using Frankenstein's techniques. These animated corpses were used as cannon fodder, suicide troops that would attack under the heaviest fire. These zombies attacked until their bodies were so wrecked that they could no longer proceed. Even when they lost their legs, they kept firing from wherever they had fallen. When the Romanians realized that they were being attacked by their own dead in addition to giants, they became demoralized and fled in panic.
Before the Romanian government could obtain aid to help fight against the horrors that attacked it, Victor's army had Bucharest surrounded. That afternoon, it marched into the capital. One of his first targets was an obsolete nuclear installation in a disused building in the center of the city which contained material imported from the Soviet Union in the nineteen seventies. Next the radio stations and government buildings fell. Soon, the announcement went out that a new regime was in power.
One-by-one nations closed their embassies and denounced the new government as illegitimate. None, however, attacked the country to oust the rebels. Some nations refused to do any trade until the legitimate government was reinstalled. Nonetheless, once the fighting stopped, actual trade with other nations went on pretty much as usual through third parties and smugglers. The ousted government protested to the U. N. which debated the situation endlessly and passed several resolutions which were never carried out.
Once firmly in power, Legion opened several defense plants, which made many Romanians happy with the new regime who had ushered in a new era of prosperity and high employment. Legion announced to the world that he was going to build missile and nuclear facilities. He let it be known to people who he knew were spies from several countries including the United States that he was prepared to make war on certain of Rumania's neighbors. He even allowed false document concerning the building of missile bases and troop movement to fall into the hands of these agents.
* * * *
During a news conference, Nicholas issued a stern warning to the new regime in Rumania to desist from its warlike intentions, stop all nuclear arms development and reinstate free elections. “Otherwise there will be grave consequences,” he told the world. “The United States is prepared to initiate armed conflict unless this Victor Legion fellow obeys the resolutions passed by the Security Counsel of the United Nations. I'm sure our allies will join me against this tyrannical regime."
A reporter asked, “The leader of the rebels is named Victor Legion. Wasn't that the name of your former chief of staff? And by the way, what happened to the Victor Legion who was your chief of staff?"
"Well, Brigley, I guess it's quite a coincidence that this terrorist has the same name. I don't think either Victor or Legion is all that uncommon in the name department. As for what happened to my friend and associate, I'm sorry to say that he had a family emergency that required his presence. One that he would rather not have discussed in public. Once his problem is resolved, he plans on returning to my administration. He's one smart fellow, and I miss his advice very much. Say a prayer that his relative recovers quickly. That's all I'm going to say about that. Dirk, you had a question?"
After the new conference, there was a lot of speculation about what the mysterious family emergency was. Several reporters vowed to chase that one down. One scratched his head and said, “I didn't know that Legion had a family. I was always under the impression that he was an orphan who did not know anything about his relatives."
* * * *
In a Blitzkrieg move, reminiscent of Hitler's conquest of Poland at the start of World War Two, Victor's armies attacked Bulgaria and Serbia. At a tumultuous session, t
he U. N. passed a resolution that was carried almost unanimously to send a peacekeeping force to defeat the conqueror. The European nations and the United States were of one accord that this unprovoked attack had to be stopped quickly, and that the dictator who called himself Victor Legion must be killed or captured. In less than a week, the peace keepers mounted a counteroffensive. England, Germany, and France sent troops to Hungary. The United States mounted its attack from bases in Czechoslovakia. Russian and Polish armies attacked from east.
Surprisingly the Titans, as they were now called, put up stiff resistance against all comers. The use of atomic weapons against them was debated fiercely in the parliaments, the U.S. congress and the United Nations. The decision was to wait before using such drastic measures; surely the massed might of the world could defeat an army of ragtag insurgents who had appeared from nowhere. Many believed that the giants had something to do with the radical Moslem jihad movement. Others disagreed. In truth, all attempts to gain hard intelligence failed. As a result, barely anything was known about the Titans, except that they were fierce and canny fighters, and that they had a way of turning the dead of their enemies into zombies who had to be blasted to pieces in order to be destroyed.
* * * *
Nicholas sent a several bills to congress stating that the country was in a state of emergency. One bill was a declaration of war between the United States and Romania. Included within this bill was reinstatement of the draft and suspension of certain civil rights for the duration of the war. Other bills were for additional funds to fight this new threat. Again clauses in these bills placed additional power in the hands of the administrative branch until Nicholas had unprecedented power in his hands. Such power had never before been given to a president, not even during World War Two or the Iraq war. He was as omnipotent as Hitler, Stalin and the kings of old. His word was law. Whatever he decreed had the force of government behind it.
He declared that the United States needed to be under martial law to prevent any large scale antiwar movement such as occurred during the Vietnam war. Millions of young men were drafted into the armed forces and many thousands were sent to do battle against the Titans. Anyone who opposed these measures or the war was arrested without warrant and thrown into secret prisons. Some were simply never heard from again. After a while, so many people were rounded up for political reasons that Nicholas initiated a prison camp system similar to the internment camps of World War Two.