by Michael Todd
Like it ever rained in Vegas. This damned area had two settings: none, and “oh my God, it’s the end times!”
The guys were so pumped up. They were wildly reminiscing about their first cars, places they had been, their childhoods, and everything else a little nostalgia could stir up in them.
Katie knew Korbin wasn’t thrilled at what she had done, but he could see the lift it had given the guys. They were alive, they were on-point, and they were in high spirits for the first time in what felt a really long time.
It was a nice thing, she decided, no matter what Korbin thought.
Everyone went inside and sat down in the living room, still talking and laughing. Katie went back to her room to put away her stuff and decompress for a few moments.
It had been an exciting day, and she was tired from that excitement. She sat down on the edge of the bed and laid back, putting her arms under her head. She closed her eyes and relaxed her body, feeling the sleepiness start to creep over her. Just as she was on the edge of slumber the alarm went off, the red light flashing wildly over her door. She rolled right out of the bed and rubbed her face to push away the fatigue.
“Attention! This is not a drill. Please dress for combat and report to the training area immediately,” Korbin ordered over the speaker.
Katie threw off her clothes and pulled out a fresh pair of black leather pants, a tank top, her jacket, socks, and boots, and got dressed as fast as she could. She had not been expecting to go on a call that day, but that was the nature of the beast.
She pulled her hair back in a ponytail and looked at herself in the mirror as she pushed her knives into the holsters on her vest. She opened her drawer and grabbed her two pistols, checking the clips and then pushing them into her belt holsters. She grabbed her earpiece and jogged out of her room, pushing it into her ear as she made her way to the elevator.
When she got to the training area, it was only her and Damian.
Korbin walked out to address the team and stopped, putting his hands out as the guys meandered into the room. Katie glanced at Damian and back at Korbin, standing straight and ready.
“By all means, ladies—no offense, Katie—move at a glacial pace,” Korbin snarked as they lined up. “All right, here is the deal: the incursion is in Henderson, not far from here. As usual we have limited intel, but they will be updating us when we get on the road. So, pack up and let’s head out.”
Korbin clapped his hands and the team dispersed, moving quicker now toward the SUVs. Katie opened the back of one of them and started to load the equipment. Jeremy walked up to help, grabbing duffel bags and throwing them in.
“You’re not going to drive your new car to the op?” he asked.
“Seriously?” She looked at him like he was crazy. “You mean take my very expensive, fucking hard-to-purchase and brand-new car to a location where shit gets destroyed? Are you out of your fucking mind?”
“They keep telling me I am.” Jeremy chuckled as he tossed in another bag.
13
When the SUVs were all loaded, Katie jumped in with Damian, Eric, and Calvin and they sped off behind Korbin, Jeremy, and Derek. Everybody was silent as they tried to get into the mood it took to walk into an incursion. The moments leading up to the call had been fun and light-hearted, and it was really difficult to just switch over like that—especially when such days were few and far between for the team.
Katie wouldn’t have taken it back, though. They had been normal for an afternoon, and that was worth its weight in gold to her.
As they drove the team put their earpieces in, waiting for Korbin to give them further instructions. They really had no idea what they were walking into, except that the area was really rich. It was known as “The Hills,” and looked down on Vegas from a distance. It was a beautiful view, with the lights of the city in one direction and the rolling desert in the other.
People had to have serious money to live there. It didn’t surprise Katie at all that there was an incursion in one of the homes, though. That kind of place held at least some immoral and unethical rich people.
She just hoped that they didn’t come across any huge demons like the last time. She had just started to feel better, and she knew Calvin wasn’t one hundred percent yet, for all he boasted about his regenerative powers.
Katie looked at Calvin, who appeared to be nervous. He was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, palms pressed together, looking at the floor. She wondered what he was thinking, and how he was feeling about going back out there for the first time since the cemetery. She wished there was something she could do to help him get his confidence back.
“You all right?” Katie asked, reaching over and touching him on the arm.
“Yeah,” he said, slowly looking up at Katie. “Just giving my demon a little pep talk, that’s all.”
Katie smiled. “Is it working? Because if not, I know someone who could bitch-slap him around a bit,” She paused for a moment. “Literally.”
I fucking resent that…however true it is.
He laughed. “I don’t think that will be necessary. He is already a bit more talkative, just by you mentioning that option. If he chooses to back down…well, then we will revisit it.”
Calvin winked at Katie and she smiled at what he was doing there.
These demons did not want to fuck with Pandora. They would go against everything in their beings to avoid dealing with her. It was actually a pretty good perk of being infected by her…or with her.
Katie never had to worry about dealing with the lesser demons. They wouldn’t come near her anymore. In reality, it had kind of taken away the one fun thing about her job—fighting the smaller demons.
She turned back and looked out the window, wondering what they would find when they arrived. She really hoped it wasn’t a blood bath like the ones in the recent past.
The SUVs began to slow down, and pulled to the side of the road before stopping. Korbin climbed out, and motioned for the rest of them to join him.
When they were all standing in a circle around Korbin, he pointed to the right at a really nice house situated by itself in the hills. It overlooked Vegas, and was obviously owned by some really rich people.
“That is our target,” Korbin began. “The new intel says it was a bit of a bloodbath. There was some kind of party going on when the demons broke through. People are scattered, some inside the house and some outside. We have to eliminate all threats, and from the sound of it there are quite a few, although no large demons have been reported. It looks like we will be dealing with low-level demons, mostly encased in their human hosts. Remember, if there are any Damned you believe can be saved or used for science purposes, please restrain but don’t injure them.”
“And if they can’t?” Eric asked.
“Then kill them right then and there,” Korbin stated. “Don’t risk your life or the lives of your teammates by trying to be the hero.”
Eric nodded. “Understood.”
“Now, we are going to split up into two groups of three, with Derek staying behind in the SUV to run tactical,” Korbin continued. “The first group will be Damian, Katie, and Eric. The three of you will go into the house and clean it up. The second group will be Calvin, Jeremy, and me, and we will be going out into the desert around the property to collect demon heads from those areas. As always, we will most likely come upon human casualties, though I have been told there are no children this time. There was a party going on; a fundraising event, so there were quite a few people there during the attack. From what we know right now, there isn’t a lot of movement anymore inside the house. I am Team Lead for Team Two and Damian will be leading Team One. I want both teams to break out and talk for a minute about strategy. Damian, there is a blueprint of the house in the back of your SUV. As always, good luck.”
The teams split up, getting into separate SUVs. Korbin climbed into his, with Calvin at the wheel. Calvin looked at Korbin and nodded, then glanced in the rearview mirror at Jerem
y. The man was breathing heavily, but looked ready to go. Calvin winced slightly as he shifted his shoulders, still not completely healed.
“I want you to tell me honestly if you are up for this or not,” Korbin told Calvin. “There is no shame in not being healed enough to go into battle. I would rather have you in top shape ready to fight than lose you for some stupid reason like needing rest but being too macho to admit it.”
“I’m good to go,” Calvin told him, looking straight ahead. “I’m ready to get back into this game and kick some demon ass.”
“All right.” Korbin patted him on the shoulder. “Now, when we arrive we are going to pull up the driveway and park, but as soon as we get out I want it to be go. There is a brick border around the whole property, which is mostly sand, cactus, etc. We will split up, and Calvin and I will go right. Jeremy, you go left. Check all bodies to make sure there are no survivors, and take down any demon bastards you find. If you need backup, click the button on your earpiece and give your location. We will get to you as soon as our feet can carry us there. Are there any questions?”
“No, sir,” Jeremy declared.
“Not a one,” Calvin replied.
“Okay, good.” Korbin turned back around in his seat. “Then let’s get this show on the road. I want to be home in time for dinner.”
“That’s what I’m talking about.” Calvin laughed, shifting the car into drive and speeding off toward the house.
When they reached the front gate they slowed down, swerving between the bodies along the way. There were quite a few dead lying on the grounds, and there was smoke coming from one side of the enormous columned house. Calvin pumped his brakes, seeing flashes of red eyes in the distance.
Korbin put up his hand and Calvin turned, parking to the side of the drive.
“All right, boys, let’s get ‘em good,” Korbin said.
They waited until Damian’s team had driven to the front of the house before piling out of the SUV and taking off in their respective directions. The demons scattered, and Calvin counted at least six of them on the ground. He looked at Jeremy as he crept in the other direction, then knelt behind a bush next to Korbin. They peeked around it, watching one demon drag a dead human body to the side, growling and snarling as it ripped into the woman’s flesh.
“That caviar-infused body lotion ain’t gonna do shit for that rich bitch anymore,” Calvin whispered.
Korbin looked at him. “I have an idea. You ever play games like Duck Hunt?”
Calvin chuckled. “Yeah.”
“I’m gonna creep up the side and push the demons out of hiding,” he explained. “When they step into the open, shoot them square in the head with that rifle you got. Sound good?”
“Works for me, boss,” he said, knowing Korbin was only doing that to keep things light for him.
Korbin nodded and pulled out his pistols, checking out the side of the house before making a run for it. He pressed his back against the house and shinnied along, rattling the bushes as he went. Two demons suddenly ran out ahead of him, and Calvin took aim. Slowly he breathed out and pulled the trigger, shooting one of the demons in the neck. The other panicked, not knowing where the shot had come from, and ran straight toward Calvin, giving him a clean shot right between the eyes. Both demons fell into a pile on the ground, and their bodies slowly morphed back into the humans they had taken over.
Calvin smiled, and looked up fast at the sound of a twig cracking. Straight down the side of the sandy yard, a demon was creeping around a potted bush. Calvin steadied his rifle and looked through the sight, letting out another long deep breath before pulling the trigger. Korbin laughed, watching the demon writhe and growl until its body turned to dust. Just then two demons darted from behind the house, tackling Korbin to the ground. He pulled his pistol up and shot one of the demons in the head, before the other knocked the pistol from his hand and pinned his arms to the ground. Calvin moved the rifle back and forth to try to get a good shot, but with Korbin struggling it was too risky.
“Lay flat,” Calvin yelled.
Korbin released his muscles and laid flat on the ground. As soon as his body cleared the shot Calvin took it, hitting the demon in the side of the head. Korbin wrinkled his nose and spat out demon blood, pushing the dead body off himself before it turned to dust. He looked at Calvin and gave him a thumbs-up.
Calvin pointed the rifle at the ground, pulled out another clip, and slotted it in after removing the empty one.
He chuckled and shook his head, freezing as he felt the hot breath of a demon on his neck. He set the gun on the ground and slowly turned around, staring straight into the beast’s eyes. Calvin reached for his knife, but before he could grab it the demon pounced, pushing Calvin down onto his back. Calvin was powerless to move; it had all happened so fast. He could hear Korbin’s voice in slow motion as the beast pulled his arm back to strike. Calvin closed his eyes and waited for the pain—for the end—but it never came.
When he heard a gurgle he opened his eyes and stared up at the demon, who was holding his throat, his eyes wide. As his body began to go limp Jeremy tossed it to the side, looking somewhat the worse for wear. His eyes were dark, his lip was bleeding, and he had sand all over him. He panted as he reached down to help Calvin to his feet.
“Thanks, man,” Calvin said, shaking his head. “I thought that was really the end, I’m not going to lie.”
“You all right?” Korbin asked as he jogged up. “Good work, Jeremy. What happened?”
“You guys…” He paused to try to catch his breath. “You didn’t answer the comm.”
“My earpiece fell out when those bastards tackled me,” Korbin told him.
“I guess mine isn’t working.” Calvin tapped it. “Are you okay? How many were there?”
“Four.” Jeremy was still panting hard. “Four vicious dirty motherfuckers, and I ran out of ammo.”
“Shit!” Calvin exclaimed. “And you took all four on your own?”
“Yeah.” He chuckled. “And I don’t want to do that again. One got me pretty damn good.”
Jeremy turned and showed his upper arm, where a deep gash bled hard through a rip in his shirt. Korbin ripped open the shirt to look at the laceration, and Jeremy winced as Korbin pushed on the skin.
“He really did a number,” Korbin agreed. “But I don’t have time to stitch you up right now.”
As Korbin ripped a strip of fabric from the bottom of his shirt and tied it around the wound, Calvin turned and looked at the house; he could see flashes from gunfire inside. Team One had found demons.
“Did the other team say anything on the comm?” Calvin asked.
“No.” Jeremy groaned as Korbin pulled the fabric tighter. “Not a peep.”
“Should we go in?” Calvin put his rifle on his back and pulled out his short sword.
“Not yet,” Korbin told them. “We’ll let them do their thing. With our earpieces not working, we could easily be injured by friendly fire. Jeremy, I want you to listen. Keep listening, and if you hear anything from the other team about needing help or someone going down, I want you to tell me immediately. We won’t leave them hanging.”
14
Katie climbed back into the SUV and waited for Damian, Eric, and Derek to situate themselves. Derek pulled out a blueprint of the house and handed it to Damian, who spread it out on the dash. The place was big but pretty open, which was good—there wouldn’t be that many hiding places for the demons to scurry off to. Damian pulled out a pen and made three big circles on the map.
“Okay, this is how we are going to work it,” Damian started. “Eric, when we go in, you and I are going to head straight up the main staircase to the second floor. When we reach the top, I will go left, and you go right. Katie, you have the entire bottom floor including the garage, which looks pretty big.”
“Got it.” Katie looked at the blueprint.
“The bedrooms will be the worst danger zones, so make sure to use your mirrors to check inside rather than j
ust blowing into a room,” Damian said. “Katie, you have six large rooms to check, but the only one that looks like there will be a lot of places to hide is the office on the ground level. Take the big rooms first. Work your way from one side to the other so that you know nothing will be sneaking up behind you.”
“Right,” Katie agreed.
“Eric, just kill the demons. No questions,” Damian ordered.
“Katie…well, use your judgment, but don’t be a hero,” he declared. “If you can save a life, fine, but if not take them out.”
Katie nodded. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”
“Everyone, make sure to have your earpieces in and on. I don’t want there to be any miscommunication,” Damian instructed. “If a demon gets away from one of us, we need to let Katie know so she can be on the lookout for it.”
“Got it,” Eric confirmed, nodding.
“All right, guys, let’s make this quick and painless, I want to be home for dinner.” Damian smiled.
Yes, dinner, Pandora replied.
Don’t start, Katie warned.
They drove off after Korbin and the others had already made their way to the house. They passed the SUV, which had pulled into the grass in front of the house. Katie had her pistol in one hand, and her knife in the other. Damian looked back at her and nodded before getting out of the car. Katie looked at Eric.
“I’ll be okay,” he assured her. “Just keep your earpiece on.
Katie nodded and got out of the car, crouching as she moved up to the front door. Damian grabbed the handle and looked at Katie, who had her gun at the ready. Quickly, he pushed open the door and lifted his weapon. Katie peered into the grand entry, but saw and heard nothing—though her demon senses were tingling.
They cleared the foyer and looked at each other. Damian nodded to Eric and then Katie, and she stood watch as they slowly made their way up the grand staircase and split at the top, one going right and the other left.