by Michael Todd
Katie turned from the group, heading toward Moloch, tired of him treating her friend like that. Inside Pandora began to panic, knowing there was no way they could fight a demon like him. Katie, however, didn’t care.
She just wanted him to shut the fuck up.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Moloch chuckled, a deep reverberating sound echoing through his chest. It had worked. Katie had heard him and was heading straight for the portal.
He was ready to be done with her and Pandora once and for all, so he braced himself to step through onto Earth.
He could grab Katie and kill her, either freeing Pandora or sending her plunging back to the depths of hell where she belonged. In either case, she would be out of his way and he could move on with his plan to take over the Earth.
The other Damned were annoying, but she was the one who always stood in the way. He couldn’t let that happen anymore.
He may have gotten off track with the T’Chezz debacle, but the situation had grown exponentially since then. They were pouring so many demons to Earth that they actually had a real chance at winning.
There would no longer be demons trapped in the lava pits of hell and Moloch would get his reward, standing at Lucifer’s side after becoming his most trusted advisor.
The things he could do with that power were unimaginable.
Moloch prepared to step through but paused, staring more intently at Katie. Slowly his eyes opened wide in surprise as new information pumped through into his brain.
He had received the understanding, the realization of what made Katie so damn special in the first place. Katie grew closer, her poles out and ready, her attitude written across her face. She wanted to go through the portal and kick his ass, send him spiraling lower into the abyss.
As she approached, Moloch was visible behind the veil, clear as day to Katie.
She stopped and narrowed her eyes at him, and he stared at her with disgust. She couldn’t understand why he wasn’t attacking, why he was allowing her to stand just inches away. He opened his mouth and let out a long and deep growl, shaking the world around Katie.
“I cannot believe they resurrected your kind! You may win this day, but understand me now: you cannot win this war!”
Katie stared at him in confusion. It seemed that whatever Pandora had realized about her, so did Moloch and it was enough to make him give up on that specific battle.
She wasn’t going to let him get away that easily, but before she could make a move he waved his hand, beginning the closing of the gate.
The rumbling of feet caused Katie to turn as droves of demons headed straight for the portal, trying to get back before he locked them out and left them to die on Earth.
Katie dove to the right, landing on her side as the demons trampled past her, many making it through just as it closed.
She picked herself up from the ground and grabbed her pistol, shooting the four demons screeching and clawing where the gate had been just seconds before. Across the fields, the battle still raged. Nearly two-thirds of the demons had been left behind, too far away to make it in time.
I knew he would see it too, Pandora whispered. It’s a blessing and a curse that he knows.
Knows what, exactly?
Never mind that now. You have a battle to win. The hard part is over, now it’s just taking care of the demons left behind. They are stunned by their abandonment and will be easy to kill.
I’m not letting this go, Pandora. If I am some kind of angel, fine, but no more of the secrecy after this battle. I can’t continue to wonder what the hell I am.
With that, she swung her staff and took off the head of an approaching demon.
The motivation of the teams, including the military, picked up after the portal closed. They could see that it was no longer an endless supply of demons, and they had the very real chance of getting it over with.
Katie raced through the field, her anger bubbling higher as she swirled her pole through the air, knocking heads off and jumping over the bodies.
The demons were not going to go down without a fight and they picked up the pace, jumping on top of soldiers and biting down as hard as they could. Damian walked through the crowd shooting every demon he encountered.
The demons hissed at him as he stared them down, not caring at all that he was outnumbered. He began shooting wildly into the crowd, turning every other one into a pile of dust.
Katie found him facing the last of the large groups.
She took off in his direction, calling Calvin’s name. He turned around.
“When I get close enough, throw me!”
Calvin nodded and holstered his weapon, bending at the knees and waiting for her to get into the perfect position. She dove forward, and Calvin grabbed her by the waist and hurled her into the crowd.
She put her hands out in front of her and grew her claws back, slicing and dicing as she flew through them. She landed with a thud and rolled across the grass, then jumped to her feet and gave Calvin a thumbs-up as she slashed her hands all around her.
Chunks of demon flesh flew through the air, oozing black blood after they hit the ground. Katie made her way back to Calvin and Damian joined them, the three of them pressing their backs together and taking out every demon in reach.
The numbers were dwindling fast, and before they knew it they were down to eight. Those eight demons circled them, hissing and snapping. Katie tilted her head toward Calvin.
“I am going to jump. I want you to grab my ankles and spin me in a circle like an ice skater. Damian, you duck when he starts to spin me.”
Damian nodded and watched from the corner of his eye as Katie jumped high into the air. Calvin grabbed her ankles and spun as fast as he could in a circle. Katie’s arms were out in front of her and her claws sliced through the necks of all eight of the demons. Calvin continued the spin and tossed Katie into the air, watching as she landed gracefully with all eight demons bursting into dust around her.
Calvin stood there for a moment, staring at his teammates.
He laughed. “That...was fucking amazing!!!”
“Probably the coolest thing I’ve ever seen during an incursion.” Damian agreed.
“It was fun too, like a carnival ride.” Katie slapped her hands together to get off some of the dust.
Personally, I feel like I’m gonna puke.
Don’t be so dramatic. Katie sighed. That was half you too. Thank you for fighting so hard. I know you are exhausted.
All in a day’s work, I suppose.
Katie smiled and looked out over the horizon.
The last of the demons flashed to dust as the soldiers peppered them with ammunition. The screams of the last beasts floated through the air, disappearing into the distance. Katie plopped down on the ground and wiped the dust from her face.
Damian and Calvin sat down next to her, shaking their heads at the casualties lying the on the ground. It was reminiscent of Incursion Day, though the death count wasn’t nearly as high.
“Will we ever see peace?” Katie asked no one in particular.
“Even if we kill every last demon we will never truly see peace,” Damian replied. “We are humans, and we have a tendency to royally screw things up when they are good. Earth is a place of turmoil and fighting. Right now we fight the demons, but tomorrow? Who knows. You saw it today; we are already back to fighting amongst ourselves because of fear and greed.”
Katie found a clean piece of grass and picked it, twirling it in her fingers. “I really hope you’re wrong; that one day we can come together.”
Damian nodded. “And that, young Katie, is why you are perfect to lead the world as close to your dream as you possibly can.”
Katie smiled and leaned her head against Damian’s shoulder, feeling the comfort of one last victory at his side.
Katie walked around the perimeter of the battle, drinking a hot cup of coffee someone had brewed in one of the tents.
The soldiers worked to clear their dead from the
field, carrying empty stretchers down, and returning with the remains of their own.
Though the victory was something to celebrate, the heartbreaking loss stole the mood, making it hard for anyone to rejoice where so many people had perished.
Katie walked over to where Calvin and Damian sat, sipping their coffees and recouping before heading back. Damian smiled kindly at Katie and Calvin tapped his cup against hers.
One thing had come out perfectly for Katie; both of her teammates were alive and unscathed. Damian could go on to his future with the church and Calvin could stay with her to build a strong new team to battle future demons with.
“Calvin, can I use your phone? I need to call the general. I left mine at the base when I went with the idiots.”
“Sure.” He chuckled, pulling it out of his pocket. “You gonna ride back with us to base?”
She eyed him. “Yes, please. Otherwise, it’s a really long walk.”
Katie walked away, dialing the general’s personal number.
“General Brushwood speaking.”
“General, it’s Katie.”
He breathed out. “Oh, thank heaven. How did everything go?”
“The incursion was intense. There were demons everywhere, big and small. We beat them, though, but not without a substantial loss of life. They are clearing the bodies right now but the portal is closed. Moloch closed it himself.”
Katie thought about telling him about the revelation but figured that was better left unsaid—at least until she herself understood it.
“Well, unfortunately in war there will be casualties, and I think you know that better than most. You have suffered heavy losses over the last year.”
She nodded, watching the sky. “Very true, we have.”
“I appreciate everything you did today and the support you continue to show us. You and I can sit down and talk about the people trying to hunt you down, but it will have to wait until I am finished with this clusterfuck over here. I tell you, one rogue colonel can cause a lot of damage.”
“Good luck with that, sir. You know how to find me.”
“That I do, and that I am thankful for.”
Katie smiled after she hung up, holding the phone against her chest and gazing out at the horizon.
Pandora had been really quiet, but Katie knew that she was exhausted from the day they’d had. She had pretty much given everything she had to the fight, and that was after taking over Katie’s body and protecting her from the colonel and whoever was out to get her. Things were changing again, but Katie had gotten used to change. It was, after all, the one constant.
In the world she lived in, change was as frequent as the wind over the desert. She had learned to get used to it and take it in stride.
Where one era ended, another would begin.
She was on the cusp, saying goodbye to her dear Damian and opening the doors to the new team she would build. She didn’t know what all the angel stuff meant just yet, but she assumed that in time she would—and she would float along with that change as well.
She walked back toward Damian and Calvin, smiling as they put their arms over her shoulders and walked her toward the helicopter.
“When did we get a new chopper?” Katie asked, realizing that they had one again after the last one had been knocked out of the sky.
“Consider it a parting gift.” Damian smiled.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Damian sat down on the couch next to Calvin and patted him on the shoulder. Calvin leaned back and let out a deep breath. He hadn’t stopped to think about Damian leaving until that moment, and now he realized it was the end of an era.
Calvin blew out a breath. “I’m gonna miss you, old friend.”
“I’m going to miss you guys too, but I’ll be back. The church will only keep me for so long. You know how things constantly change in that world.”
“I know, but it won’t be the same. We’ve been through a lot together.”
“To hell and back.” Damian agreed.
“That’s for damn sure.” Calvin chuckled. “At least you are leaving on a positive note.”
Damian nodded. “Very true. I’d rather be leaving in robes than ashes.”
“We can all hope that is our fate one day.”
Timothy sashayed into the room and dramatically plopped down in the chair. Calvin laughed, reaching over and giving him a fist bump. Joshua rounded the corner and smiled nervously, sitting down next to Damian.
Calvin waved. “You made it for once!”
Joshua shrugged. “I figured since this is a family affair I might drop in.”
“And rightfully so.” Damian smiled.
“Okay, boys and girls,” Katie shouted as she entered the room. “As a tribute to our last soap opera night with the legendary Damian, I made gold and purple popcorn. Gold for your gold robes, and purple for your homeboy Jesus.”
Katie passed around bowls of the popcorn and sat down in her chair. Calvin picked up the remote and flipped through the DVR, turning on the first episode. They ate popcorn excitedly as the opening credits rolled.
“Isadora, I can’t let you go,” the male character on the screen exclaimed, grabbing her hands.
“Why, Troy, why? Say it. Say it out loud!”
“I can’t.”
Isadora sighed and shook her head as a portal to the underworld opened before her. “I can’t stay if there is no reason.”
With that she jumped into the portal, leaving Troy standing alone inside his giant mansion. “Because I love you,” he whispered…
But it was too late.
“Mmmm, just like a man to wait until it’s two seconds too late.” Timothy shook his head. “He wasn’t right for her anyway.”
“And Lucifer is?” Calvin laughed.
“He’s technically a king, so bitch will be living in the best lava castle hell has to offer.”
Everyone laughed, watching the next scene. They went through all the back episodes, laughing and talking, booing the screen, talking about predictions for each character. The last scene of the last show came on and Katie shushed everyone.
“I don’t know if I will be able to leave him,” Isadora cried. “I have already pledged my soul.”
Troy shook his perfect head of hair and grabbed her hands. “I will come for you. Just stay alive. I promise I will come for you.”
The camera panned to the side, where the symbol of an angel appeared in the shadows. Everyone stood up and cheered, Katie finding the whole thing rather strange considering what she was going through in her own life.
Hidden angels? Lucifer? Portal to the underworld? Who had written that show, anyway?
“Well, that was an amazing ride, but I have a feeling I won’t be able to watch many of these for a while.” Damian sighed. “Maybe you can just DVR a years’ worth and I’ll come binge-watch them?”
Timothy smiled. “That, sir, can be arranged. Or we will download them and send them to your laptop. You can watch with us on video chat.”
“Whatever we do, I’ll be happy to see each and every one of you.”
They let out a collective aww and huddled together for a group hug. It was exactly what Katie loved about her life the most—her family.
The cool evening air of the desert felt good on Katie’s skin. She leaned her head back and let the breeze roll over her. She had gone out to one of the empty concrete slabs on the base and spread out a blanket, watching the sunset and eventually the stars come out. She wanted to really think about the future, and she found that lying under the deep desert sky was the perfect place to do it.
“You want some company?” Calvin asked coming up behind her. She had heard the crunch of his feet for the last thirty seconds.
Katie looked back to find him and Damian standing there. “Always.”
Damian sat down on the blanket across from her and Calvin plopped down on her right. The three were quiet for a moment, taking in the scenery and just enjoying their last moments together as a team.
Katie hated the sadness, but she was thankful she didn’t have to bury anyone this time around.
“So, what’s your plan?” Damian asked. “You gonna rebuild this team?”
“I thought about it.” Katie sighed. “But with everyone joining the military and the rules changing, I think it’s time we changed with it. I decided that Calvin and I are going to be roaming troubleshooters. We’ll be harder to pin down that way.”
“That’s an interesting idea, but what about the rest of the team?”
“I’ll keep Timothy here, basing the IT out of this place and we’ll get him some more work to keep him busy. And of course, Joshua will be here running the business, making weapons and such. He has taught the girls how to take orders and fill them. Joshua learned how to balance the books from Stephanie, and everything else can be done remotely.”
“I think that could work out nicely. And you know the government will sure as hell not let anything happen to this base or the ammunition factory.”
“That’s for sure.” Calvin chuckled.
“We will be back from time to time,” Katie continued. “But we won’t tell anyone when. We will come and go as we please.”
“How about you, Calvin? What do you think of that plan?” Damian asked.
“Honestly, at first I railed against it in my own mind. I’ve been doing the same thing for a long time, but now that I’ve had time to think about it I am really looking forward to traveling like that. I always wanted to, and it will keep both of us on our toes.”
“Know where you are going first?” Damian asked.
“Yes,” Katie replied, pointing to her head. “The little voice in my head says we have to go to Israel.”
“Whoa,” Calvin exclaimed, surprised.
“That’s not exactly where I had pegged you to go first, but okay. Why?” Damian asked.