Demonic Designs (To Absolve the Fallen)

by Babbitt, Aaron

  “I presume he knows where to go,” Abbie surmised, consenting to the terms.

  “Yes,” Metatron verified with a smile. “He will know where to go. Unfortunately, I cannot stay to chat. I have some preparations to make. And you cannot leave quite yet because I think you would become a nuisance if I allowed you to go free.”

  He walked outside of the cell and closed the door. Abbie heard the latching mechanism working, indicating that she was not going to get out of here very easily. She thought about her cell phone sitting at the front desk, along with the rest of her possessions. Not that a phone would have gotten any reception down in this dungeon, but it would have been worth a try.

  Metatron stared at her through the bars. “I know you don’t want to believe this, but I really don’t want to kill any more prophets. I do what I have to do for the good of everyone, and maybe, one day, you’ll come to see my side.”

  Abbie sat on the bench. “I doubt it.”

  Metatron smiled and turned to walk away. “Well, one can always hope.”

  ***

  The door to the apartment opened. Higgins and two of his best guards walked in.

  “Alex?” Higgins called.

  There was no answer. Higgins looked suspicious. He silently signaled his guards to check out the two bedrooms while he examined the rest of the apartment. Confused, they reconvened in the living room. Higgins sighed and pulled out his cell phone. He dialed Matt’s number. There was no answer.

  “Shit,” Higgins said. “Where are they?” Then, he called Elizabeth.

  ***

  “Are you sure, Higgins? Didn’t he just call you?” Elizabeth was silent for Higgins’s answer and then said, “Well, I think I might know where Matt is. Look around for Alex, but, if you don’t find him, stick around the apartment. He should return. I’ll run him down.” With that, she hung up.

  Directly after the call, she was paged by security. She walked over and held down the button, “Yes?”

  “Ma’am, Jeremiah is back.”

  “Thank God,” she said. “I’ll be down to meet him in a moment.”

  As she approached his car, Jeremiah was helping Dylan out of the passenger side. She had never met Dylan before, but, right now, she didn’t have the time for formal greetings.

  “Jeremiah, we have an issue.”

  Jeremiah, who was supporting Dylan, looked at her with tired eyes. “What now?”

  “Matt and Alex had a fight. Matt left and assigned Higgins to watch Alex.”

  “What?” Jeremiah demanded. “He left Alex alone?”

  “Hey,” Elizabeth snapped. “Let me finish, okay?”

  Jeremiah looked up into the sky. “Continue.”

  “Currently, they’re both missing.”

  Jeremiah looked like he was about to drop Dylan. “This had better be really good.”

  “I have people trying to locate them through the tracking devices,” Elizabeth continued, calmly. “But I don’t know where they are, yet. I wanted to let you know immediately.”

  “Well,” Jeremiah responded. “How about you get me some answers.”

  Elizabeth spun, wordlessly, and headed back into the mansion.

  Dylan looked up at Jeremiah. “Your help is kind of cute.”

  Jeremiah scowled back down at Dylan. “Don’t get yourself too worked up.”

  After Jeremiah had gotten Dylan to a room and insisted that he not leave for the night, he went up to Elizabeth’s computer lab, where he saw her hunched over a computer.

  “Everyone leave,” he commanded.

  Everyone got up and walked out the door. Elizabeth started to follow.

  “Not you,” Jeremiah said. “Where are they?”

  “You’d better learn to be nice to me, Jeremiah, or I might just walk out, too.”

  “I’m sorry, Elizabeth,” Jeremiah added sincerely. “Please, help me.”

  She looked unconvinced. “Matt is at the Flow.”

  “Big surprise.”

  “Enough,” she hissed at him. “You degrade him every chance you get, and I’m tired of it.”

  “Where is Alex?”

  “Your savior is at some girl’s house. I presume she’s the one Matt and Alex were having an argument about. Jessica Smith.”

  “An argument? How so?”

  “Alex told her he was from Missouri. Matt accused him of jeopardizing the mission. Alex accused Matt of being jealous. And Matt left.”

  Jeremiah rubbed his face with his hands. “Why did he tell her that he’s from Missouri?”

  “I don’t know, Jeremiah. I didn’t learn of this until just twenty minutes ago, myself. I presume it has something to do with raging hormones and lack of brain power.”

  “Alex doesn’t lack brain power,” Jeremiah corrected. “He’s just in a different place, and he’s reaching out to someone he thinks he can trust. She is probably not a threat. Just the same, we need to check up on this. Have you contacted Abbie?”

  “To my knowledge, she’s not back from lockup.”

  “Not back? I sent her there about two hours ago.”

  “Damn it, Jeremiah,” Elizabeth raged at him. “I don’t know. I’m all by myself on this one.”

  “No,” Jeremiah returned. “You’re not all by yourself. I’m here, and so is Lao Shi. Why don’t you two get Matt, and I’ll find Abbie and Alex. Marla can watch over the mansion. We need to have a family meeting. I’ll try to ascertain what Abbie is doing, first. Maybe, Alex needs a little away time. Hanging out with someone normal might do him some good.”

  “I’m not part of your family,” Elizabeth mumbled as Jeremiah was walking out the door.

  “You may not think so, Liz,” Jeremiah replied. “But maybe it’s just that you hate daddy right now. Don’t forget about your siblings.”

  ***

  Jeremiah looked both amused and befuddled when he saw Abbie sitting on the bench in the cell, praying.

  “What happened?” he asked.

  “Oh my God. Jeremiah,” she said, looking up at him. “We need to get out of here.” She rushed to the bars. “Alex is in trouble.”

  Abbie could not recall a time when Jeremiah had looked surprised, but the look on his face burned into her memory for the rest of her life. Jeremiah grabbed the door to the cell and pulled. At first, Abbie didn’t think that Jeremiah had the strength to break the latch, judging by the amount of effort he was putting into the endeavor, but then she saw molten metal dripping from the locking mechanism. With a snap, the door popped open.

  Jeremiah walked in. “Come on,” he demanded.

  Abbie got on her knees and pointed underneath the bench. Jeremiah looked.

  “Marcus left us this message,” she explained.

  A look of fury crossed the demon’s visage. “Eva,” he growled.

  ***

  Alex knocked on the door and waited patiently. He heard the door unlock, and it opened. Jessica smiled at him. She was dressed very nicely. She had a black, skin-tight, leather dress on, and she wore leather boots. Her lips were rouged, and her hair was pulled back into that ponytail Alex had grown to love. Her skin was so smooth and tanned, and her smile was intoxicating. Alex was immediately enticed.

  “Come in,” she said. “I just finished the preparations.”

  Alex smiled and walked in. “I hope you didn’t go through too much trouble on my part.”

  “No. It wasn’t any trouble at all. Please,” she indicated the table, where two plates were set with steaming food on top, “sit down.”

  “I’d love to,” Alex responded.

  She sat down opposite of Alex and picked up her fork, immediately looking embarrassed.

  “I’m sorry. Did you want to say grace?”

  “Me? No,” he decided. “God and I haven’t really been seeing eye to eye, lately.”

  “I know the feeling,” she replied with a smile. “It’s okay. I don’t usually pray over my food, anyway.” She started eating.

  They had little conversation during the meal. Al
ex didn’t really know what to say, and Jessica didn’t seem to mind. By the end of the meal, Alex felt completely stuffed. But, more than that, he couldn’t get over the feeling that he was in the company of a very beautiful woman. She noticed him staring at her, and she smiled.

  “Thomas,” she began. “I hope I don’t seem to forward, but I think you are one of the sexiest guys I’ve ever met.”

  Alex blushed. “Thanks.” He looked down at his mostly empty plate.

  She laughed. “I wouldn’t normally say something like that, but I thought you might understand...” She looked hesitant.

  “Understand what?” Alex prompted.

  “Well, it just seems like sometimes the right guy comes along, and...Well, it’s just that I had a bad experience, and you’ve been so nice to me. You know.”

  “Yeah,” Alex said. He really didn’t know. He’d never had any experiences to speak of. His exploits had never made it very far. He wasn’t sure if he was too shy, or if the girls he liked had never wanted to go any farther than just making out. Regardless, he thought it best to agree with her.

  “It’s just,” she continued, “I’m afraid if I don’t do something, I’m going to lose my nerve.”

  Alex was getting excited. “What do you want to do?”

  She caught his eye and answered, “You.”

  From that point forward, Alex felt like he was in a dream. Everything became surreal. He found himself sitting on Jessica’s bed. His chest was already naked, and Jessica was taking his pants off. His shoes had been thrown into the corners, and he could see his socks on the ground next to them. He was just in his boxers, and Jessica was eyeing them. She shrugged her shoulders and tugged on them too.

  Alex was thinking that it was strange that she was still fully clothed, but nothing made much sense to him at the time. She pulled his necklace off of him with a snap. He was slightly perturbed by that action, but it didn’t matter. The only thing he wanted at the moment was stripping him naked, and he could get a new necklace.

  Next, she straddled him. She was rubbing him all over and kissing his neck. In spite of his dazedness, he felt himself getting hard. He tried to make a move on her, to unzip her dress, but she didn’t seem to want it. Cupping her left breast in his hand, he sat up to kiss her, but she backed away and brushed his hand off her. Alex thought that, if he didn’t do something soon, he might lose control and make a mess all over her dress and bed that would not only reveal him to be a virgin (and leave him that way), but be incredibly embarrassing in the process.

  Then, she got off of him and smiled. “Alex, I have loved our time together, but it’s about time for this game to be over.”

  He looked at her, confused. The drugs from the food kept him from fully comprehending what she had just said.

  She flipped open a cell phone, pressed a number, and put it to her ear. “He’s clean.”

  “Good,” a deep voice responded. A man appeared from nothingness.

  “Master,” Jessica greeted, bowing low.

  “Quiet,” he commanded with a wave of his hand. He approached Alex with a broad smile. “Alex Tanner. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Enoch.”

  Alex was dazed. He didn’t know if what he was seeing was a dream or if he should respond in some way. Looking down at himself, he remembered that he was naked, and he awkwardly tried to cover himself with his hands.

  Metatron smiled down at him. “Don’t feel ashamed, Alex. I’m not here to judge you. I’m here to offer you a new life.” He looked to Eva. “What’s wrong with him?”

  “I had to sedate him, Master. His food was drugged.”

  “Bitch,” Alex slurred at her.

  Metatron scowled at Eva. “Fool. I wanted the boy cognizant. How am I supposed to have a conversation with him?”

  She looked nervous. “He should be fine in a matter of hours.”

  “Hours? Did it not occur to you that I might wish to speak with him now? You may be less competent than Patheus.”

  “Hey,” Alex objected, shakily getting up from the bed and pointing a threatening finger at Metatron. “You take that back.”

  Metatron, amused, gently pushed Alex backward. The young prophet fell onto the bed and started laughing.

  “Okay,” Metatron said to Eva. “I won’t kill you because you seem to have an advocate,” he indicated the giggling boy on the bed.

  The sound of a helicopter began to drown out all other noise.

  Metatron raised his voice. “Our ride has come.” He picked up Alex and walked toward the exit to the apartment. Looking back at Eva, who was still motionless, he suggested, “It would be wise of you to join us. I don’t think you’ll want to be here when Jeremiah arrives, which should be any minute now.”

  ***

  “So,” Abbie stated, “the story is true.”

  “Yes,” Jeremiah concurred, pulling the steering wheel hard to the right while ashing his cigarette out the window. “Eva has been around for a very long time, and she has always been a manipulator. Samson was stupid, but it was his lust that blinded him until it was too late. I should have known better.”

  “He’s already got Alex, Jeremiah.”

  “Elizabeth said that the tracking devices still register as being at the house.”

  Abbie sighed. “Don’t you think Metatron would have thought of that?”

  “Abbie, I have no choice but to look.”

  “Then?”

  “Then,” Jeremiah answered, “I go to Vienna.”

  Her face was solemn. “Jeremiah, if Metatron has Alex, it may be time that we start considering our options.”

  He looked at her, amazed. “What exactly do you think I’ve been doing?”

  “You don’t understand,” she replied as she looked into her lap. “If Metatron has him, we can’t get him back. You know that as well as I do.”

  “I’m not leaving him to die,” Jeremiah yelled at her.

  “How many demons work under Metatron?” Abbie asked.

  “Thousands, but--”

  “How many of them are likely already in his castle?”

  “Hundreds, but Abbie--”

  “No, Jeremiah,” Abbie interrupted seriously. “We can’t afford to lose you. We can’t afford for you to side with him. Alex cannot be helped.”

  “I can’t believe I heard you correctly,” Jeremiah spat at her. “Abigail Martin, the friend to all prophets, is going to doom our only hope to a slow and painful death?”

  “There is no alternative,” she argued. “You can’t beat him. Nothing we currently possess could assail his defenses. You must let him go.”

  “No,” Jeremiah defied, shaking his head. “Never again.”

  Abbie turned to look out the passenger-side window. “Then, you will fall once more, and you will take all of us with you.”

  ***

  “Son,” James Tanner called to Alex. “Why are you afraid?”

  Alex was facing his father. They were both sitting in comfortable chairs, like the ones he remembered having in his home in Kingstone. It seemed like so long ago since he had been home.

  “I’m alone,” Alex observed. “Terribly alone.”

  “Oh, Alex,” his father replied, smiling warmly at him, “you aren’t alone. I wouldn’t let you walk this journey by yourself.”

  “I think that I’ve been captured by the enemy,” Alex confided.

  “Yes.” James Tanner chuckled. “It would appear so.”

  “She used me,” Alex declared, slamming his hand down on a coffee table that he couldn’t remember being there before. “I loved her.”

  “You only thought you loved her,” his father corrected. “But that doesn’t make it hurt less, I know. The only option you have is to learn from your mistakes.”

  “Well,” Alex said. “I’ve made so many, it will take some time to learn from them all.”

  Alex’s father leaned back in his chair. “And you may never learn from them all. But part of being human is trying.”

  “I
was angry with you,” Alex admitted.

  “I know.”

  “I thought you had forsaken me.”

  His father nodded. “But I hadn’t.”

  “What will happen to me?”

  “You will be tested,” James answered. “Metatron will want you to join his cause. He’ll want to use you to get to Jeremiah.”

  “What should I do?”

  “You’ll know the right choice when the time comes.”

  “I’m not strong enough to do this,” Alex wailed.

  “Ah,” his father remarked sagely. “You are already learning.”

  ***

  Abbie and Jeremiah looked at the clothes on the floor in silence. Abbie cried, but Jeremiah was aloof.

  “You’re going, aren’t you?” Abbie asked.

  “Yes,” Jeremiah replied shortly.

  “What should I tell the others? Should I say that now we must defeat Metatron without Jeremiah? Or should I say that we must now defeat Metatron and Jeremiah?”

  Jeremiah took her by the shoulders and stared into her eyes. “Tell them that I would have done the same for them.” He looked down at the clothes and back to Abbie. “I would have done the same for you. Abbie, my faith is stronger than it used to be. God is using Alex—I can feel it. I will not allow him to be twisted by Metatron.” He let go of her and walked toward the door, adding, “Metatron will never again be my master.”

  “Then, I shall go with you,” Abbie said.

  This caused Jeremiah to pause. “No,” he responded without turning around. “You will have to keep everything together while I am gone. I’m counting on you to make sure everything goes according to plan, no matter what happens to me.”

  “It was your plan,” Abbie pleaded.

  “It is God’s plan,” Jeremiah corrected, and he walked away.