by Michael Todd
“Okay, tell me all about it,” Stephanie demanded, suddenly awake. “Was he hot? Did he have a big…you know?”
“He was more than hot,” Katie whispered, giggling. “Muscles for days, blue eyes that almost completely hid his demon circles they were so blue, and yeah, his you know was probably the biggest I’ve ever encountered.”
“Oh my God,” Stephanie exclaimed, fanning herself with the napkin. “Did he know how to use it, though? He could have a billy club down there, but if he doesn’t know how to use it it’s a waste of a man. You just have to throw the whole man away and start over.”
Katie giggled through a mouthful of coffee. “No, he definitely knew what he was doing, and it was like he could read my fucking body. It was intense.”
“Oh my God, I love it.” Stephanie groaned. “You needed to get laid, like seriously. Did you know that while you were gone Korbin asked me out on a date?”
“Really?” Katie exclaimed excitedly. “It’s about damn time.”
“I know, right?” Stephanie laughed. “I was such a dipshit, too, I thought he was talking about an incursion, so I’m acting like it’s no big thang, telling him I didn’t want to get blood on my heels. Then I looked at his face. He was like a puppy dog. That was when I realized… Oh. My. Gosh! He is asking me on a real date. So we went out for Italian, and it was amazing.”
“I’m so excited for you guys,” Katie told her. “Seriously, you both deserve to be happy, and I’ve known forever that he had feelings for you. I knew he was scared, though. I’m glad he finally came to his senses and asked you out.”
“Me too.” Stephanie sighed and sipped her coffee. “Now I just gotta get used to navigating his very complex mind.”
Korbin was in his office right after the sun came up and he smiled at his coffee pot, thankful that he decided to install one in his office. He’d had a blast with Stephanie the night before, but she had been wasted when they got home so he’d put her to bed and sat close by, just making sure she was okay. Finally, he had gone to his own room and passed out until the alarm went off. It was going to be a slow day for him, but he was okay with that. He hadn’t had one of those in a very long time.
His office phone rang, and he picked it up.
“This is Korbin,” he answered.
“Korbin, this is the chief, over at the Los Angeles Police Department.” He sounded nervous as hell. “We have a problem.”
“What is it, Chief?” Korbin asked, sitting up straight and grabbing a pen.
“We had a call that two gangs were coming together, but then something strange happened out in the hills. We don’t really know what is going on, only that people are now missing. We sent a small search party out there first, figuring we would check it out before calling you guys, but they never came back. We heard people screaming into the radios about some kind of monster, then we lost all communication with them. I feel like at this point it is smarter to call you guys than lose a second search team. Those guys were veterans, so if they were screaming about a monster you can be sure as hell there is something out there that is not normal; not even for the hills of Los Angeles.”
T’Chezz looked at the drifting souls groaning through the fiery landscape. Moloch sat beside him, chewing on a human leg bone as he leaned back on the bench. He was trying to give T’Chezz some advice, but the demon was struggling to understand what he was trying to tell him. He wanted Moloch’s help, there was no doubt about that, but he felt like T’Chezz wasn’t listening and it was starting to frustrate him.
“You use brute force, T’Chezz,” Moloch told him, smacking his demon lips. “You throw your dregs against their best, but what you need to be thinking about is pitting their best against other humans who can match their skills. Humans who have our interests at heart and allow their demons to direct them. If they have a team hunting us, we should be playing right along with their little game.”
“I don’t see how that would rid us of the problem,” T’Chezz grumbled.
Moloch glanced up from his snack. “Because humans who fully accept enlightenment are much stronger than those forced to do the demon’s bidding, even if they are sharing their power with the human. These Enlightened on our side can be the power for you. Your personal hand of the devil.”
“I’ve been working on a plan, though,” T’Chezz replied. “I’ve been setting up these politicians; the rich old white men who pretty much run the world over there. They are slowly taking down their defenses from the inside while my demons crush the military teams in the rural areas.”
“Come with me,” Moloch ordered, tossing the bone into the lava below and licking his fingers. “I want you to watch something.”
Moloch stood up and cracked his knuckles, then waved his hands. T’Chezz watched as a portal began to open right in front of him.
Moloch nodded and walked into the portal, leaving T’Chezz standing there. Finally he went in after him, coming out safely on Earth.
This was why he wanted to move up. Moloch was much more powerful than he was, but he knew he could get to that point.
The system was designed to make the higher demons more powerful. The more levels you climbed, the more powers you possessed. T’Chezz had no doubt in his mind that he could be one of the most powerful of the Seventy-Two.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Korbin stood in the training area watching the team packing up their weapons and gear. They were headed for Los Angeles to help in any way they could.
He had a feeling this was going to be a big one, especially since the gangbangers had never returned and the search party had gone missing.
He knew the Chief had been nervous since the last big incident and didn't want to take any chances. He wouldn't have called unless he was almost certain there was an incursion happening.
Los Angeles was a busy place, and densely populated. If word got out, not only would people’s lives be in danger, but the media would be all over the damn thing.
Katie shoved two guns into her bag as backup, just in case, and ran her hand over the box of bullets. She had learned to hate big incursions; there was a good chance that not everyone would make it out alive.
Their team was tightly knit, more so than ever before; she couldn’t imagine losing one of her teammates. She shoved the thought from her mind. This was her life, and though she had gotten caught up in the other side of things, the reality of it was that she had to deal with this—the potential loss of family.
There were lives at stake; not just theirs, but the lives of those who couldn’t protect themselves from the forces that were seeping through the gates of hell.
Anybody else—anybody not familiar with this concept—would scoff at the idea of running off to put your life on the line to help some gangbangers, but not Katie.
She could still vividly remember those boys in the cemetery that night. They had stood strong and fast, trying to help; trying to hold back that demon with their illegal pistols.
She could still see the pile of bodies on the ground; not one of the gang members had walked away from that fight. They may have been caught up in a lifestyle they shouldn’t have been, but when it came down to it they were brave. They had stood up for other innocent people, only to lose their lives.
Katie shook her head and shoved the box of bullets into the bag. This wasn’t the time for second thoughts.
The team loaded their gear into the helicopter and Korbin took the stick, having spent the last few months flying as much as he could. He didn’t have his pilot’s license yet, but he didn’t have time to wait for the pilot to get there. They needed to get to Los Angeles fast.
“I think we should skip the airport, boss,” Calvin suggested as he climbed in.
“I’d have to agree,” Derek said, his laptop in his lap. “This one is big, whatever it is, and we don’t need to waste time going to one airport and flying to another, only to have to take a car to the scene. It’s out there a ways, so our best bet is to fly right to it.”
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br /> “I agree with you both,” Korbin said. “I’d like to have my own ride there; it makes for a quicker exit.”
“Very true,” Derek agreed, nodding and closing his laptop.
“Except,” Korbin grumbled, “no one better throw a gravestone and crash my multi-million-dollar bird.”
“If that happens, you will know how I felt when I lost my beautiful baby-blue Ferrari,” Katie told him, shaking her head. “It was purely tragic.”
“Except we would all die,” Eric pointed out.
“Meh, maybe.” Katie dismissed the thought. “But if not, you would feel the intense yearning for revenge. Nobody messes with the ride.”
“You might be right.” Korbin buckled in. “Let’s hope we don’t have to find out.”
Katie nodded, still shaking her head thinking about the loss of her baby.
Sure, she loved her Raptor and wouldn’t trade it for the world, but she still thought about her first love—the California T, sitting so shiny on the lot as it waited for her to take it home.
Little did it know its life would be short but meaningful.
Rest in peace. Pandora sighed. Rest in beautiful baby-blue-Ferrari peace.
I will avenge her, Katie growled. Maybe your asshole brother will be there and I can smack him around a bit.
I really wouldn’t wish for that. Pandora shuddered. I do not feel like facing that hunk of asshole this morning. If he is there, that means the whole farm has come out to fight. We might just be outnumbered.
The helicopter flew swiftly through the early morning air, heading straight for the coordinates they had been given. Korbin stared out at the scenery as he flew, watching it stream by him. He didn’t know what was happening, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something big was about to take place.
He had been on hundreds of calls, but like so many times before, this one felt different. He looked back at the team sitting quietly in their seats staring out the windows. This was his team; his responsibility, and he didn’t know if he could take losing another one.
He pushed the thoughts from his head as they reached the scene, which was an old set used for filming westerns about sixty years before.
Korbin slowly took the bird down, avoiding the massive swarm of people on the ground. He was irritated that they were there. This wasn’t a game; it was dangerous, and there were way too many cops and police dogs milling around.
They were obviously waiting for the team to arrive, which was good since they didn’t need to be running into things alone, but the more people there were—especially those who were not infected—the more chance there was that word would get out about what was going on.
He touched the bird down on the ground and switched off the blades. The team grabbed their bags and moved out quickly.
They knew there was some serious shit going down. Katie was shocked that so many of the LAPD had shown up to fight with them. Korbin was pissed, though; the more attention they got, the angrier he got.
They weren’t celebrities. They were demon hunters, and their job was supposed to be top secret, meaning that very few people knew about them. From the looks of things, Katie and Calvin had a real fan club gathered out there. The cops were merely spectators who had come to watch another demon incursion.
“Why are all these people here?” Korbin grumped, pulling his bag out.
“There are high-level demons out here,” Calvin replied, shoving his short sword into the sheath at his side. “These cops are just glad they don’t have to face it on their own. They know the D Squad now.”
“The what?” Korbin replied, lifting an eyebrow.
“That’s what they call us.” Calvin smiled. “We are the Demon Squad, LA chapter.”
“Great,” Korbin replied, rolling his eyes.
As they came toward the crowd many of the cops started waving and clapping. They stopped in front of the group and Calvin patted Korbin on the shoulder, nodding at Katie. She stepped forward and put her hands up to silence the crowd.
“Everyone, this is a very serious situation,” she began. “We are here to help. You all know me and my colleague here, but let me introduce you to our fearless leader Korbin.”
Korbin looked around as the crowd erupted into cheers, thankful for what he did. He could feel the anger leave him, and he realized Calvin was right; those men relied on them. They knew that if they went into that situation, none of them would go home to their kids and wives.
They considered them a team of superheroes. Katie put her hands up again and quieted the crowd.
“Who has a 9mm?” Katie asked loudly.
Almost every hand in the crowd went up and Katie smiled. Korbin lifted an eyebrow and looked at Stephanie. She shook her head, letting him know that he needed to just trust wherever this was going. He sighed and turned back to the crowd, knowing she was right. She had, after all, been one of the main people on all of the most recent incursions, while Korbin had spent his time building their new base.
“Now, who is willing to go with us into the brush?” Katie asked.
Korbin looked around as all but three hands went down. Katie nodded and waved those people over. She glanced at the others, who looked almost ashamed for not volunteering.
“Hey, don’t give me those looks,” she told them. “Every single one of you is vital and important to the protection of this city. You will get to go home to your families tonight, and that is okay with me. I need all of you to stay low and stay prepared for anything, though. Most of you know that these things can spiral out of hand in a heartbeat. I don’t want a bunch of cop deaths on this mission. Spread out, and keep your eyes peeled.”
Katie went over to the three volunteers and grabbed her bag, pulling out a box. She could tell they were nervous, but she was proud of them for stepping up.
“What are your names?” Katie asked.
“I’m Adam,” a dark-haired obvious rookie told her.
“I’m Pescoville,” a thirty-something red-headed cop replied.
“I’m Jamie,” the third police officer informed Katie. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun at the base of her neck. “We all work out of the same precinct.”
“Thank you, folks. You are seriously appreciated,” Katie assured them, handing them each enough bullets for two loads of their pistols. “I want you to get rid of your normal bullets and use these in their place. These are special and rare, so use them sparingly. That being said, do whatever you need to do to get these bastards locked down. I don’t want to see any casualties. I want you guys to suit up. You are going to be our second string. If any of these demons get past us, you stop them from going any farther.”
“How do we know these bullets will kill the demons?” Jamie asked.
Damian chuckled, walking forward. “We just spent one hell of a day with the military testing these babies out. Trust me, they kill very well.”
“You remember what happens when a demon dies?” Katie asked.
They all shook their heads. “They either turn to dust or they shrivel back up into their human skin, but either way they are dead. Now, does anybody out here have a machete?”
“A machete?” Adam exclaimed, surprised. “We are Los Angeles cops. We don’t really run around with machetes, though it might help keep the peace if we did.”
“What do you need a machete for?” Jamie asked.
“You might need it to decapitate a demon if the bullet doesn’t kill them right away,” Katie said, closing her bag and tightening her vest.
“Oh, God.” Jamie grimaced. “I think I just threw up in my mouth.”
“I used to do that all the time.” Katie chuckled as she tightened her bootlaces. “You get used to it after a while. If you don’t have anything like that, make sure you pop them right in between the eyes.”
Pescoville nodded. “That I can handle.”
“Yeah,” Jamie agreed. “If it means I don’t have to cut anyone’s head off, I’ll become the best shot you ever saw.”
&nb
sp; Chapter Twenty-Four
The team started toward the hills, knowing the demons were just on the other side.
They made their way to the top and looked down, watching hordes of demon gangbangers running wildly around, ripping the limbs from the bodies of the members of the search party. The gang members had been duped. They had come for a fight, but their bodies had been taken over before they could even fire their weapons.
Since their souls were already dark the demons had completely taken them over, and only hours after the whole thing had started their faces were barely recognizable. Katie shook her head, pulling out her two short swords and holding them in front of her. She looked down the line and nodded, winking at Derek, who had his knives out and ready.
“All right, team,” Korbin yelled. “Let’s kick some motherfucking demon ass.”
With that the team raced down the hill into the center of the action, splitting apart and taking different areas. Stephanie jumped over a demon’s head and turned quickly, stabbing it in the back of the neck. She turned back just in time to dodge the slashing claws of another demon. Derek and Eric battled through the mass of infected, slicing with their knives and taking as many heads as they could. Katie smiled at Calvin as he pulled a demon’s head straight off its body and tossed it over his shoulder. She leaped and spun in the air, kicking three different demons in the back of the head. Their skulls clanked together like wooden stress balls and they dropped to their knees. She severed all three of their heads from their bodies with a few slashes of her sword.
The sounds of pistols firing suddenly caught their attention, but Katie punched another demon in the face and sliced his neck open before pausing to listen. One of the demons must have gotten past them, and the secondary team was on the job. After a few moments, the pistol fire stopped and a roar came from the other side of the hill.
“TAKE THAT, YOU MOTHERFUCKING DEMON FROM HELL!” Katie recognized the voice as Jamie’s; she was pretty surprised the tight-ass quiet one had gotten so into it.