Hidden Demon, page 14
part #1 of Altered Demons Series
Thirty feet from the shed, the grass rustled, sending her into hiding. Controlling her exhalations, she paused, hiding among the leaves and berries of nearby bushes. She peeked through the bramble from the shadows as two large men with rifles neared. They forced a third man to walk beside them, half-dressed with a black bag over his head. She squinted through the dark at the faces of the two large men—the redheaded farmer and the blond giant. The same men who had backed threats from Pastor Jimmy at the church. The redheaded one opened the shed door as the third man escaped, snatching the black bag off his head as he ran. Tripping him, the blond giant smacked his head with the buttstock of a rifle. The bewildered face of the fidgety, long-haired man became clear as they dragged their buddy into the shed. The door closed behind them.
She paused, stunned by how quickly they had turned on their former ally. Jimmy said Knox wanted his people to cooperate if they stayed around—play to stay. What had this one done? Knox had not sent the creature. Was it already dead from Ko's earlier strikes?
Dee stepped out from the bushes, approaching the shed with light steps as she ogled the door. Gun raised, she grabbed the handle, throwing it open. No one. Dee scanned the compact interior with her rifle as before. The same table with a wench above and traps adorning the walls. A skeptical glance at the rug on the floor. Her eyes narrowed, focusing on a hinge system connecting the wooden legs to the ground. She tipped the table to the side, and the attached rug and support went with it. A staircase emerged. Dee pressed a button on the red clamshell, activating the underground radio.
"I'm going in. Keeping comms hot."
As she descended into the underground, the hidden entrance closed behind her.
Dee departed the last step into an austere tunnel lined with too many bright lights. She squinted as her eyes adjusted to the sterile space like a hospital waiting room. Square structural columns repeated along the walls. Cautious steps down the next hallway maintained her stealth, despite night gear contrasting against the stark white environment.
She reached a windowed meeting room. A quick peek. The redheaded church thug headed toward her, head down, as he reviewed a document. She ducked behind a support beam, drumming her rifle barrel guard. The conference door opened. She froze, gripping the long gun tighter as the man exited the room. He took a left down the hallway and around a corner. Dee exited her hiding place, entering the room before the door closed.
An underground war room greeted her. Antique dining chairs surrounded a large conference table on a gold fringed rug. Whiskey and bottled water topped an ornate wooden side table. Patriotic and military photography lined the wall. An illustration of a white dove holding a gun, smoking a cigar, and wearing a beret that read 'Let There Be Light.'
Dee circled the table. A homemade remote control with commands scribbled in German laid on it. She recognized three of the words. Attack. Charge. Hunt. She read the note beside it.
K, hope this helps your designs. -Denny
Photos, red string, and documents littered a massive corkboard on the wall. As Dee inspected it, her case became clearer. Photos of President Freeman and Isabel Ortiz next to Emperor Sakai. A string led to another photo of nuclear plant cooling towers.
Dee flipped through a document pinned to the board—energy contracts between the Freeman Foundation and the Government of Japan. As pages rustled between her fingers, she concluded that Freeman had been conducting business for his wife's organization on the country's dime.
Her eyes wandered to more photos with a red X crossed over them. Isabel's husband, Luis Ortiz. Pastor Jimmy and his wife, Angela Elliot. Ko Hashimoto. Dee touched Ko's image. Other photos of both her and Butler stared back, awaiting their own cross through. She leaned toward the red clamshell.
"Butler, you're on the kill board."
Images from other parts of the board rushed into her vision. Building schematics and aerial photos related to Brand Nuclear HQ in Reston.
"Why the hell are you using military reconnaissance on a business competitor, Knox?"
First Holiness of Rappahannock. Game warden Denny Lee. Sheriff Buddy Perry. State Police Headquarters in Virginia. The Lieutenant Governor. Mercer Energy HQ. Mercer Weapons Industries. Penny Mercer. The hooded man from the church.
All these people you own. Bought and paid for bootlickers. They won't save you today.
Dee exited with haste, following the path of the redheaded man. As she turned the corner, she encountered a massive old-fashioned wooden door, arched at the top and decked out in wrought iron. Gun at the ready, she pushed it open and entered.
As her eyes adjusted from the harsh lighting to semidarkness, the chamber came into view. Vintage lights gave off a warm glow, lining the stone walls of a circular room with caged holding cells at the edge. A massive chandelier hung from the middle of the domed ceiling, illuminating an elevated throne. Covered in gold leaf and animal furs, a metal gavel occupied the armrest. Bolted to the ground in front of the seat, a wooden pole with steel manacles.
Dee circled the room and found another hallway, but as she stepped into the path, a man's voice stopped her.
"Dead girl walking."
Turning back to the circular room, she scanned the dark cells at the edge of the room.
"That's right, over here."
Not aware of exactly where it originated, she dropped her night vision and wandered in the general direction of the voice.
"You walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you will have no comfort."
As she peered into the shaded cell, the fidgety church man, naked and shackled to the stone interior, bled from his forehead. Dee put a finger to her lips. Her helmet muffled her voice as she whispered.
"Quiet. I'll get to you later."
"No, you won't. We gotta be re-educated."
"Re-educated?"
"We are the light. You'll learn soon 'nough - the demon's gotta eat, too."
He grew bug-eyed, fixating on her as he broke into a ring-around-the-rosie song score.
"Demon's Gonna Get You. Demon's Gonna Get You. Demon's Gonna Get You."
She backed away. One step. Then another. His crazed cackles joined a struggle against his bonds, his frenzy turning songs to screams.
"Demon's Gonna Get You!"
Dee scanned the area as a skittish retreat led her to the other hallway. Passing through, she stopped short before entering the next room. She popped up her night vision. As her eyes adjusted to the brighter room, bloody sets of human-sized spiked crosses with iron chains stood unoccupied. Large metal rings and vintage electric lights covered the limestone walls. Someone had drawn seven large hash marks on the wall with chalk.
The gurgle of running water in a floor latrine near the wall permeated the space. It smelled grassy, like a natural stream. In the middle of the room, an elaborate metal altar with scrolled engravings sat integrated into the floor and ceiling. Sweeping steel buttressed it against the stone bricks and natural rock, integrating it into the room. Someone laid on the device, secured to the middle and dressed in a sheer white dress. Their arms and legs stretched as they shivered from the dampness.
As Dee approached, a helmet on the immobilized captive came into view. It enclosed their head except for a small hole. A red laser beam entered from the ceiling, where a single drop of water fell through the hole, landing with a plop. The woman cried out, and Dee recognized her.
"Penny?"
Chapter 30
P
enny begged with a thready voice, "Make it stop. I promise to be a good girl."
Dee grabbed her knife, cutting through the bonds holding her distressed lover's arms and legs.
"Make the noises stop."
Stumbling over screws and latches, she removed the cover of the metal head restraint, tossing it to the side. The laser dot beamed directly on the forehead of the captive woman. A water drop fell from the ceiling, landing on the dot as Penny whimpered. She carried her limp, wet body to the corner and laid it gently against the wall.
"It's cold," Penny said, shivering against the stone.
Dee snapped and shook a portable hand warmer and gave it to her before removing a foil blanket from her pocket. She ripped the package open. As she unfolded it over Penny's cold, pale skin, the bruises from the earlier beating met her eyes. She lifted the dress hem slightly, revealing more purple marks. Dee scowled, coddling her by tucking the foil around her torso. Her hands moved over the thin cover and down her legs to her chilled feet.
"Where's Ko?" Penny asked.
Head down, the hardened hands of the agent paused on the wrapped feet of her one-night stand. Though she considered her more than that. Dee glanced up at her, shaking her head.
Lips quivering on her bruised face, Penny held back tears as she reached out to Dee. A mutual hug brought them cheek to cheek, eyes closed as both held back tears. Short, shallow gasps swelled longer as their embrace faded.
"Who did this to you?" Dee said.
"Buddy and his friends did this," Penny whispered, pointing to her face. "Dragged me to the water device. Strapped me down for re-education."
"Re-education?"
"A reset, inside, torture meant to break me down… I, I can't."
Penny dropped her head, covering her face. Dee lifted her chin and wiped a tear from her bruised cheek, caressing it as a tear came to her own eye.
"What else did they do?"
"Nothing else. This time," Penny paused, lip quivering for a tense moment. "None are innocent, Dee. Do you hear me? None of them."
Dee held her hand as she gritted her teeth.
"They will pay, I promise."
Penny offered a weak nod toward a different doorway.
"You're close. It's over there."
Dee tilted her head toward the massive steel bank vault door, already opened toward a pitch-black interior.
"What's in there?"
"Dad's demon."
Dee gently released Penny's hand as she stood. She flipped her night vision over her eyes as she stepped through the vault. Motion lights activated, forcing her to flip the goggles back. As her eyes adjusted, she trudged further into the shiny circular metal space. An armor-plated control room inhabited the middle with large, numbered cages along the edges.
Broad streaks of blood lined the floor leading to an enclosure labeled with the number one. As Dee scurried toward the central room, something yawned loudly in the distance. Her head started throbbing as she entered the control room. The panel inside sported multiple buttons. Her finger moved across one set labeled with numbers and another set of different colored buttons with multiple words. Fire. Spikes. Gun. Energy.
"It's a training room," she said, pressing button number one. Through the narrow window slits of the armored enclosure, she spied the massive cage door rising, ending its journey with a clang. The expected creature did not arrive.
Dee left the bunker, cautiously scanning the area as she approached the wide-open cage. Deep wheezing emanated from the blackness. She switched on the tactical light of her rifle, gritting her teeth as her headache grew. The beam landed on the face of the demon lying in a pool of blood. An immense metal helmet encircled its head. As the beast raised it, a single eye gazed at her before the head dropped with a mighty thud. A sorrowful moan echoed from the creature. Dee entered the cage, kneeling beside the behemoth.
As it twitched between soft growls, she laid her weapon and helmet to the side. With one eye on the demon, she ran her hand over the military armor plates covering it. She reached under one metal cover to touch the body of the creature for the first time. Thick, coarse fur pushed back against her hand as she stroked it. The demon grunted and sighed. Her fingers hit a hard bump. Eyebrows scrunched as she peered under the armor. An electrode sewn into shaved skin connected to wires embedded on the surface. Her hand followed them toward the head and a switch labeled with the word 'armed' beside a glowing red button.
Dee disconnected the headgear latches, the massive damage from the earlier rifle shot still visible. She yanked on the helmet. The demon pulled back. The headgear rolled away into the blood pool as she stood and backed away. She gasped. The broad head. Black nose. Rounded ears. Bright eyes. The creature looked at her, its enormous teeth offering the semblance of a grin instead of a snarl. The head dropped to the ground once again.
She returned, laying her hand on the side of its face as she caressed it. The giant bear closed its eyes at her touch. Dee mirrored it as the memories of the creature filled her. Seeing what it saw, she compared it to the hunting story Knox had shared.
***
Knox and his buddy walked through the wilderness, rifles at the ready. Knox kneeled to the ground, measuring a bear track.
"That's the one," he said.
As they came through to a clearing, a giant Kodiak bear and her two cubs searched the river. Fish flopped past, distracting the animals as the two men stopped short. Knox raised his gun. A second gun barrel rose beside it from the brush.
"We only need one," Knox whispered as he pulled, then pushed, the rifle bolt.
"Ready? 3. 2. 1."
As two shots resonated, the mother bear and one baby went down. Blood filled the surrounding water, mingling with bubbles downstream. The remaining cub sniffed at the dead sibling, pawing at the lifeless carcass. It turned toward mom, scampering to her and licking her face. It jumped on her unresponsive body until it tired and stood between its fallen family members, howling in agony. A net landed over it, cinching tight as they dragged it away.
***
Her head throbbing from the memory, Dee pondered the bear with a pitiful look. Torn from its family and experimented upon, she knew what this manipulated creature required of her. Its blood pooling on the floor, the agony of the animal transmitting to her in real time, she felt it all.
"I'll save you."
Dee slowly extracted the ancient katana her friend no longer needed. The one he had used to save her mere hours ago. She placed the tip of the sword by the bear's ribcage under the armor. After laying her other hand upon it, she bowed her head, offering a silent apology for the cruelty of the men who had perverted it. This fallen angel with fur. The work of genuine demons. She scowled as she plunged the sword deep into its chest cavity. The eyes and mouth of the animal grew wide before dimming and closing as the lifeless tongue hung to the side. Its lungs expelled their ultimate breath while Dee offered a last comfort in Japanese.
"Rest in Peace."
Chapter 31
A
s her mind quieted after slaying the demon, a creaky noise like a rusty wheel startled Dee. Still by the demon's side, she turned to Knox Mercer, rolling up in his wheelchair. A group of familiar faces gathered behind. Sheriff Buddy Perry—hat and all—held Penny in front of him as a human shield. Denny Lee escorted two German shepherds on each heel, eyes glowing red. The two church thugs—the redheaded farmer and the blond giant—drew their pistols.
"It seems we have a problem, Miss Dee," Knox said.
"Yes, Colonel, we do. You're a liar. And that chair isn't fooling anyone."
Knox looked around the room with a smirk on his face. Penny teared up as he locked the wheelchair in place with the handles, moving the footrests out of the way with his good leg. He pushed himself upward as his hidden second leg emerged from under him. Knox stood.
"Daddy? How long?" Penny said, trembling.
"Not now Penny!" He said, focusing on Dee. "First we must re-educate Miss Dee."
"No! No!" Penny pleaded, wriggling against the sheriff's grip.
Buddy smacked her in the ear.
"Hush now, you deceitful slut!"
Penny seethed from his slap.
"You brought her here with your sinful ways," Knox said, turning to his daughter for the first time. "No matter how often my friends and I disciplined you, you always backslid into your vile and scurrilous actions."
"Disciplined?" Penny ridiculed through tears, her southern accent growing thicker as she raged against her captor. "Mom died and you let these psycho shits violate and abuse me." Dee made a fist as Penny exposed her pain. "Dressed me up as something I'm not since high school! I'm not your fucking toy doll to do with whatever you want!"
Knox scoffed.
"We tried to make you something special. Trained you properly. You could have had anyone. Done anything," Knox said, pointing to Dee. "Her death? And that of the creature? This house is awash in your sins, you worthless brat. And now payment has come due."
Penny locked eyes with Dee, mouthing, 'I'm sorry' before hanging her head. Over her sniffling, Knox continued preaching.
"You imagine we are simple, Miss Dee, but nothing is ever what it seems… is it, former agent? You're Freeman's dirty little secret, cast overboard like bad bait. No wonder you don't understand nuclear energy would ruin us around here. Without coal, well, I don't exist. We'd be half as large and twice as dumb. This entire region depends on it for our livelihood. But those traitors in DC don't get that. The President had to try the Hail Mary in Tokyo on his way out. Well, things could have been different. The demon should have been there."
Dee fixated on Knox as rage filled her face. Memories of that night in Tokyo flooded into her mind as she completed the blanks on her own.
***
Dee opened a limo door.
The President turned to face her.
"Mr. President, time to go home."
Dee reached out her hand.
The President took it, exiting the limo.
"Wait! No!" Ko yelled.
A bullet hit her.
Blood sprayed the President.
Dee went down.
An eagle flock swarmed.
The sniper fast roped down the building.
Entering a vehicle, they removed the mask.
Knox Mercer.
***
The one who had caused her recent pain stood feet away, ready for her justice. Dee had practiced killing on those deemed worthy by her government. On the battlefield. In the streets abroad, where uprisings and insurrections abounded. Yet there could be no more honorable kill than old man Mercer after his treatment of Penny and the bullet to her own shoulder. Her mind sizzled with revenge as her heart pumped with payback. Yet he was also the man she could not kill. Her deal with Butler constrained her actions. She would take Knox alive. The others warranted no such protection.
