by Erik Lynd
Hellcat jumped from demon to demon like they were stepping stones, taking out a large piece of a shoulder here, half a scalp there. Her claws shredded demon skin and dark, almost black, blood dripped from her jaw.
The demons fell back; the onslaught of the Hellcat made them pause. Warily they backed away from the large panther that had just destroyed a half-dozen of them.
Then, just as they seemed to be regaining their courage, they suddenly froze as though listening to some far away voice. As one they turned and ran in all different directions, scattering into what was left of the crowd, which now stood much further away, cellphones still out.
Christopher fell to one knee in exhaustion. He couldn't chase after them, although he knew where they were headed or rather, to whom. Hellcat gave chase until he called her back. Dark Eris also looked pretty beat up. It was hard to tell on such a gruesome visage, but she seemed to have her fair share of gashes and bite marks. With a nod at him and an ear-piercing shriek, she launched herself into the air and soared up to the night sky.
Christopher got slowly to his feet. The ever-present Hell power still flowed through him, causing black, swelling clouds to billow around him. The Weapon burned with energy. It had gorged itself on souls. It wanted more, but it was sated enough for Christopher to will it back into its pocket knife shape. He slipped it into his pocket.
He was the center of attention. The crowd, larger than before, was slowly coming back now that the immediate danger was gone. Christopher looked around and saw cars abandoned in the road. Some were just left in place, others sat at odd angles as if the owners had tried to turn around and then, when the real fight began, just ran. He saw a few heads pop up from the back seats, some had taken cover it seems.
Then he heard a clap, then another. He turned to look at the crowd as more clapping started. Not a lot, most of the crowd just looked confused. He knew what they were thinking. Was he a good guy? Had he brought the monsters? Was he a bad guy?
Not even Christopher was sure of the answer to that.
In the distance he could hear sirens. That was his cue. The battle had seemed to last forever, but only a few minutes had elapsed since he fell from the building.
"Fade," he commanded Hellcat after giving her a scratch behind the ear; she deserved that at least for saving his life. She dissolved into the shadows around him. Then he jumped. Tendrils of power stretched out around him giving him a boost, propelling him up into the night sky.
14
"Well, I guess we established that whatever is going on is in my jurisdiction. The normal police won’t be able to handle this. Hell, I'm not sure I can," Christopher said. "So much for the vacation half of this working vacation."
He was lying on the couch in his suite. A room service tray was on the coffee table next to him, his food barely touched. He knew he should eat, but he had no appetite. Not after almost dying. Eris had done the most damage to the tray, devouring the food like she hadn't eaten in days. She was weak, paler than usual, and weary, but obviously still had an appetite.
He knew how she felt, he still hurt from the battle. The wounds were mostly healed; no scars were left to show the fight even happened, but his body still ached: muscles, tendons, and also something more. He had that sense of missing something, a sense of emptiness in part of him. The feeling came and went over the last few months, but lately he was feeling it more and more, usually after a fight or anything that made him tired or wounded.
"Yeah, I was really hoping this was just your run-of-the-mill, mundane political chaos and terrorism," Hamlin said. He was pouring a whiskey for Christopher—his third since the fight—and one for himself. "I was looking forward to the vacation too." He handed the drink to Christopher. "I needed some sleep."
"Who are you kidding? You just wanted to show off your new Speedo on the beaches. Get those ladies all fired up." They both chuckled.
"You might want to go easy on that Chris, you don't want to be caught off guard again. Remember, somehow they know you’re here; they could be back at any minute," Eris said quietly and somewhat ominously.
Hamlin sighed and after a long forlorn look at the glass, put it down. "She's right," he said.
"I know," Christopher said and then downed the drink in one gulp. "All the more reason."
"Sometimes you can be a real asshole," Eris said.
"Thanks, Dark Eris, I'll take that under advisement."
"I'm not her, I’m me," Eris said.
That startled Christopher. Eris was usually less confrontational. He turned to look at her.
"So you are." Then he returned to gazing at the ceiling. He felt emptier.
"What exactly did you guys fight back there? I mean are we sure they were demons?" Hamlin asked.
"Yes, it was definitely demons," Dark Eris said; she had switched again. To Christopher she said, "Yes, it’s Dark Eris this time, you ass." She stood and walked over to the bed.
"Although things are...fuzzy from my past, I know a possessed human when I see it. The glowing bubbles of energy leaving the bodies after you killed them was their demonic essence."
"Hey, I wasn't the only one killing people out there. I seem to remember some big ugly, bastard fighting alongside me."
"Whoa kid, watch it," even stoic Hamlin seemed taken back.
Dark Eris paused and looked down at Christopher. Dark Eris could be cold, mean, full of hate—she was a demon after all—but there was something different in her eyes when she looked at Christopher; something he had never seen before in her. It took him a moment to realize it was hurt. But before he could say anything, or even apologize she went on.
"But they didn't just dissipate and pass back to Hell. They stuck around. That’s not normal; something is able to keep them here on earth. Not only keep them here, but force them to work together."
"Force them? Is it possible they’re just ganging up? Maybe they’re part of this Alliance we heard of, you know…working together?" Hamlin asked.
"No, demons don't work that way. We’re loaners. Honestly most of us can't stand our own kind. Sometimes a few of us more powerful ones will work together on some project, but that’s only as a necessity. To have so many low-level demons fighting together is almost unheard of. No, this army was not their idea; something is forcing them."
"I think I know what, or I guess, who was controlling them," Christopher said. "I saw a man just before the battle started, right after I killed the one that pushed me out of the window. He was dressed in priest’s clothes and the demon sphere went right to him as if called. He was a dark soul."
"Jesus. One of these things has the ability to control an army of demons?" Hamlin said. Now he did pick up his glass and take a long drink.
"Those were fairly weak demons," Dark Eris said, "and you saw what they were capable of. If he found a way to control the more powerful ones," She paused and looked at Christopher. "More ugly bastards like me, then he would be even more of a threat."
Christopher looked away; he couldn't look her in the eye. He wanted to apologize, but couldn't. "Why are they possessing humans? Why not just show up and start killing, or whatever it is they are trying to accomplish?"
"Demons are children of Hell. They don't really belong here, as much as they wish they did. We can manifest for short times, but eventually this world will reject us, the fabric of this reality thins, and we are forced back to Hell. By possessing a human, we can extend the time here almost indefinitely depending on how we use the mortal shell. If we abuse it or alter it too much, it too will start to reject us. Usually we destroy it before it gets to that point."
"As much as we need to talk this out," Hamlin said. He was looking down at the new smart phone that Eris had made him buy, tapping at the screen like it had buttons three inches thick. "Eris is right, those things could be back at any moment. We need to get out of here."
"I suppose I could get us another hotel room," Christopher offered.
"We don't even know how they found you. They might be
able to hack hotel reservation systems. I think we need to hole up in the lair. Or maybe I could pull some strings with a contact I have in Interpol and get us a safe house."
"This is like the Bronx all over again. You cops and your safe houses. What's wrong with just using the lair?"
"Nothing. The only downside I see is that while it’s great for hiding, going in and out of the airport all day might be suspicious. But I was thinking, we didn't look around the whole place; I wouldn't be surprised if we found a back door. Just like the one in the Bronx. It would make sense that your predecessor liked to hedge his bets with escapes routes. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the one we took through the airport wasn't even the front door."
"A back door? If not in the airport then where?" Christopher asked.
"I'm not sure," Hamlin said a little sheepishly. "But if I were to guess, I would say a slightly less regulated part of town."
"Shit," Dark Eris said. She was looking at her phone. "Near the airport? Unregulated? I hope you don't mean what I think you mean."
"It won't be that bad," said Hamlin.
"What am I missing?" Christopher asked, eyes darting between the two of them.
"He's talking about Neza-Chalco-Itza, the world's largest slum."
"This is all just guess work," Hamlin said. "I'm just going on gut and what we know about this Beast's lairs, which ain't a whole hell of a lot."
Christopher looked around at the room forlornly. Five-star hotel to slum, he was going to miss this. "Well let's get going. Eris is right, they could be back any minute."
15
The Collector stepped from the shadows as though he had just appeared, but Golyat had known he was there despite his use of shadow travel. One of his pets must have taught him that secret trick. Still, he arrived quietly with none of the sickness that path can leave with a traveler. He had some skill.
Golyat waited for the Collector to reveal himself. He sat patiently on the couch—though for someone of his girth, it was more like a chair—near the fire that warded off the chill in the night air. This was his favorite room in the house; he would sip his drink and stare into the fire, sometimes for hours, as though he could read his fortune in its flickering light. It was dark, always dark in this room. The only light came from the fire.
He didn't know why the Collector remained silent for so long, perhaps to size him up? The Alliance was fragile and maybe he was trying to gage Golyat, maybe already planning how he would strike, planning what would be required. Too much, Golyat would say; too much is required to defeat me.
"I know what happened. I watched the news," Golyat said and took a long sip of his drink.
"Yes Golyat. He had companions with him, companions I was not aware of," The Collector replied.
There was something in his voice that made Golyat turn his massive head and neck and look at him.
"There was a demon with him. A thing of beauty, she fought against her own kind. I like that fierce independence."
"Ha," Golyat laughed. "Are you in love? Do you desire this demon?"
The Collector seemed to be ignoring him. "I must add her to my collection, I must make her mine. What power she would give me..."
Golyat hid his disgust. This one creeped him out. "Eye on the ball, eye on the ball. You can have her once we have taken care of the young hunter. Tell me what happened tonight, the news was not as detailed as I would have liked."
The Collector nodded, reluctantly it seemed to Golyat, then he recounted what had happened.
"It seems the boy hunter is more accomplished than we thought. His power is growing. And that Hellhound; it wouldn't even be a factor if not for Anabelle's stupidity." Golyat said. "It is best he involved himself in our plans, it will force our hand. We will make him ours or kill him."
"So, you have a plan then?"
"Yes, and a secret weapon or two."
"And what of me? What is my part?"
"Same as it always has been, go and build your army. The Days are almost upon us."
The Collector stepped back into the shadows.
"One other thing," Golyat said. "You might want to watch your back. He has your scent now. It might take the boy a little bit to understand that, but eventually he will come for you."
The Collector grinned as the shadows closed around him.
"I know."
16
Getting back into the lair was as easy as getting out. They simply had to wait until no one was looking before ducking into the service tunnel. The entrance was strategically located to avoid security cameras, it might have been the only blind spot in the entire airport. His predecessor had planned it well.
They slipped through the little-used tunnels to the lair entrance; despite its invisibility Christopher knew exactly where it was, it called to him. He fished the Book out of his pocket, and it shifted in his hands to become a key: not a modern cut key, but a large, archaic hunk of iron. It took only a moment for Christopher to find the keyhole that had appeared in the wall. With a quick turn, the door opened and they were in.
Once inside the main room Hamlin said, "Kid you look for the back door. Frankly, I'm kicking myself that we didn't check this place out more thoroughly when we arrived. I guess I wanted the vacation to start as much as you guys did. Getting soft in my old age."
"Got it," Christopher said. He put his bag down on the couch. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm gonna play with the computer and see what I can see. Check the news, that sort of thing."
Hellcat slipped from the shadows now that they were away from any prying eyes. She rubbed up against Eris, demanding some attention. No house cat, Hellcat was taller than Eris’ waist and almost knocked her over, but Eris just smiled and gave her a vigorous scratching around the ears.
"Want to join me in poking around the place?" Christopher asked Eris.
She hesitated for only a moment before nodding wordlessly, but it was enough to let Christopher know she was still pissed about what he had said at the hotel.
They walked off down a corridor they knew led to the bathrooms, but had other doors they hadn't opened. It turned out one did, indeed, open onto a long hallway. Hellcat padded quietly behind them.
"This looks promising," Christopher said with a smile. Eris didn't return it.
"Eris," Christopher started, "I'm sorry I said what I said back there. I'm just not myself lately, I mean, I guess... fuck, I have no idea what I'm trying to say. I'm... I'm..."
"Lost?" Eris asked quietly.
That caused him to pause. He stopped and froze in place. That was it, that word described everything he was feeling. "Yeah, that's it. That’s the word for it. Only it's not all at once. It's like I’m slowly getting more and more lost. Some feelings are becoming blurry. I don't know, maybe the power is changing me or something."
"Maybe the nature of who you are changed. In some ways you’re not really human anymore."
That was another blow. She thought he was losing his humanity. And she was probably right, how could he not, when his main job was to kill, destroy, and damn.
"But I don't think that's it," she said. She must have seen the confusion on his face, because she tried to clarify. "You are a good person Chris, that's why I agreed with Dark Eris to reach out to you for help. We watched you and I just knew you were a good person, a good person in an impossible situation. No, I think this is more to do with the chunk of your soul that the were-hellhound took out of you and what the Librarian said about it."
"Yeah, since that happened, things have been different. The power inside me has felt different. Not that I knew what the hell I was doing before, but after that fight... it has been harder to control and everything just seems more and more distant. It’s changing me, slowly. I can feel it."
"It's as though you were wounded and it isn't healing. It's festering," she said.
"Like I'm rotting from the inside," he said. "In the spirit sense."
He stopped and leaned against the wall, suddenly feel
ing tired and sick.
She reached out and touched his face gently. "I want to help you so badly, but I can't. I just don't know what I can do. I wish there was something I could kill to take away this pain."
Christopher looked up sharply at that. That's when he saw the hardened lines, the firmness and confidence, but most of all the dark eyes. At some point Eris had changed to Dark Eris in their conversation. Now it was Dark Eris who held the concern and sadness in her eyes. It was the demon inside that was touching his face, it was the demon with the tear sliding down her cheek.
Taking notice of her hand on his cheek, she pulled it away slowly, staring at it like it had betrayed her. Then she brought it quickly down to her side, gave Christopher one of her disdainful smiles, and quickly brushed away the tears.
"More tears…I swear Eris cries over everything. Why did I get stuck with such a weak human? This hallway seems to go some distance, I think we might be on to something," she said and walked briskly down the hallway, leaving a stunned Christopher to wonder what exactly he had just seen. "Move your ass."
Christopher shook it off and caught up with her. She was right. The hallway was long it had to lead somewhere. After a few hundred feet it ended at a brick wall. She looked at him expectantly.
"I think we found our back door," Dark Eris said.
Again, he simply touched the wall and, with a rush of unsteadying power, found himself on the other side. Dark Eris was moments behind him. They were in another tunnel. Old, worn brick covered the walls that stretched off into the dark. Despite his heightened ability to see through darkness—a useful side-effect of his powers—Christopher couldn't see to the end.
"Looks like it might be an abandoned sewer, or perhaps an old access tunnel. Either way it’s heading south, into the slum area. It's hard to judge, but we might be at the edge of the airport."
Dark Eris nodded and they moved on. It was a long walk before they found a set of stairs leading up. The stairs were as old as the tunnel, the brick and concrete crumbling away, but they were still intact enough to use. The tunnel continued on, and the scent of sewage grew stronger.