NANO POST!!! BEHOLD!!!
Nov. 28th, 2010 08:50 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
realsorienIT'S EFFING DONE WOOHOOOOO!!!! Final official wordcount: 67,258!!
She fell asleep soon after they were in the air. She woke with the strangest feeling that someone else was waking as well, and the sensation was very confusing combines with Bierce’s gentle shaking. “We’re on approach,” He said. “Sorry to wake you.” She made a confused sound, then stretched her arms, rubbing sleep from her eyes. The nap hadn’t been near long enough.
“Uhm...” She blinked, still sleep-mazed. “How long until we’re on the ground?”
Ames answered. “Maybe half an hour. Rome is a busy airport, so it could be longer but I thought you’d want a look and a chance to wake up.”
She nodded, looking out the window. The city sprawled below, huge and ancient- older by far than any place she’d been. She couldn’t make out details, but she could see the ruins of the Parthenon and other structures dotted through the vast area. The airport was far less interesting, being the usual runways and concourse-structures. As they came in closer it was apparent that they’d not face any delays, and they touched down with a heavy thump-and-rumble of tires on cement. She looked around the cabin and noticed something she thought strange; Pavel was sitting rigid in his seat, tensed with his eyes closed.
“Pavel, are you okay?”
“I do not like flying. I like taking off and landing less.” He began to relax as he felt that they were on the ground once again. I am fine; it is silly of me.”
“Everyone is afraid of something.”
“Da. But I do not have to like a fear within me.”
Another white van was waiting for them inside the cargo hangar. “What, does the Church have a private assembly line for these things?” Ranah grinned, even though the joke was poor. “Actually,” replied Ames, “They force us to assemble them from kits whenever they have a few idle Confessors.”
Piling in, Ames took the wheel. “Now. We’re headed to a depot for our additional personnel, equipment and a briefing with our backup. The site is about two hours from the city, high in the hills. Satellite images show some changes to the terrain in the last year, likely from earthquakes. The area of the site isn’t considered safe, and has been off-limits for years. Its not particularly picturesque, so its off the tourism trails by a fair distance. It will be rough going, but not quite mountain climbing. Any questions?”
“I have question. Why has this not been found before?”
“The entry could have been concealed or covered by rockfall. Or... it could be one of those things where it simply wasn’t time for it to be found. I personally prefer that it was buried and hidden. For all we know it still is.”
“So this could be futile.”
“No. Even if we cannot enter, Piper can- He can use the ring to summon something to clear the entry. Worst case we hit him then.”
“Can the demons fight for him?”
“I... Don’t know. It doesn’t seem likely, or he would have used them in a more directly offensive way before this. Solomon used them when he had the ring to build the temple, and not for purposes of war.”
“But they can fight if they are on their own...” Said Bierce.
“Or when used as guardians, yes.”
“I don’t think he’ll have too many from the other side against us. He may have human henchmen though- you said he had two bodyguards? And the strange man who brought the food, right?”
“Yes. I didn’t see or hear anyone else.”
Bierce frowned. “More mercenaries. Wonder if they know what happened to their buddies at the jail?”
“Probably not. All that was kept quiet- it was reported to the media as a fire in the cellblock.” Ames made a turn down a narrow cobblestone lane, then pulled into a garage that waited open for them, closing as they parked. “Right. Here’s where we get outfitted. We’ll get our other teammates, and the backup will be there for the briefing. Let’s go.”
They were in the garage of a modest house, a much newer construction than the rest of the neighborhood. Trooping in, Ranah realized that it must be used as a safehouse or something similar- she’d seen enough police dramas to get that far. They took a short stairway into a finished basement, where several people waited. Two of them she recognized- Vincenz and Johnson, the rest were unfamiliar. The pair grinned and waived as they entered.
Ames nodded to them in response, then started introductions. “Ranah, you know these two, of course. They’re the rest of our team. These others are our backup team- with any luck they’ll have a boring day sitting and waiting. All are Confessors, of course. From left to right we have Luis, Valpariso, who will be in charge. Anita Kell, next to him, is a former US Marine sniper.” Kell grinned in a very predatory way to Ranah, who had no idea how to respond.
“The others are Alex Whitman, who is Gifted- he has a touch of telekinesis,” here Ranah interrupted. “Telekinesis?”
“He can move objects without touching them. How much again, Alex?”
Whitman had an obvious Irish lilt. “Maybe fifteen stone ‘r so, slowly. But tha’s a headache for sure.”
“About two hundred and ten pounds, he means,” clarified Ames. “Next to Alex is Lucretia Manelli, our local contact, and lastly is Deon Guaribaldi. People, I’d like you to meet Ranah Navandilou, our primary subject in this matter, and Pavel, who is here thanks to the offer of Apostle Gavin of St. Judas Cathedral in New Jerusalem.”
Greetings murmured about the room. Several of the backup team were watching both Pavel and Ranah, most obviously Kell and Guaribaldi. Ranah stared back, to which Guaribaldi frowned and Kell laughed. “I like her already,” said Kell. “She has a backbone. So, how did you get mixed up in all this?”
Ranah relaxed, barely. “Piper, the man we’re after, was the one who ordered my Marking. It was done falsely- Bishop Gerhardt just issued a full pardon for me- and it resulted in Piper being defrocked. He’s tried to kill me, and has kidnapped me once looking for revenge or something. I think Charles would be better to ask about the rest.”
The room got very quiet. Luis looked her up and down, carefully, then spoke with a quiet Spanish lilt. “He had you Marked. Why?”
“I was a thief. I used my Gift to steal. I know I did wrong, but...”
“But no thief would be subject to what you have been. I have never met this man, but I already hate him.”
Ranah colored slightly. “I don’t know why he wanted me back then, but now...”
Ames interrupted. “Now, we come to the briefing.” He smiled at her, and she gave a grateful look back to him. “I need not remind you that what you are about to hear cannot leave this room. Matters will be reported in due course, but as there is the possibility that someone within the Church is passing information to Piper, matters must remain quiet for now.”
With nods of acceptance, Ames outlined the recent events, starting with Ranah’s capture by the police in Vienna and culminating with their arrival in Rome. “As you can see, the matter could be catastrophic in nature. We have no idea what will happen if Piper can gain control of Chaumiel’s power. Thus we are now in a race. Has any new information been received, Lucretia?”
“Per your request, I monitored air traffic control. There was an unusual blip about thirty minutes ago, but no visual confirmation of an aircraft. It vanished about two hundred miles south of the target site.”
“Good. That may have been him using a creature to carry him. It wouldn’t have been able to get too close to Rome.”
“Why not?” Asked Pavel.
“Because, as might be obvious, the Church is quite aware of supernatural phenomena, and watches for it. Speaking of which, did anything register?”
Lucretia flipped open a laptop, quickly scanning. “Actually, there are a lot of peaks. All over the city, including... Right here.”
“What?”
“We’re on one of the hotspots.”
“That... Can’t be right.”
“I have an idea...” Ranah said.
“Go ahead.”
“Well, we think the Gifts come from Chaumiel’s power being tapped, right? Maybe... Whatever is happening is affecting that. Stirring it up. We’ve got three Gifted here. Wouldn’t that make a hotspot on the Church’s scan?”
“That... Could make sense. Good thought, Ranah. Fortunately, I don’t see how that could help Piper even if he learned it.”
“Do Gifted normally register?”
Lucretia answered. “Not... Usually. They can be searched for in this way, but only in certain areas. Rome, New York, Canterbury, Paris. Basically from Church strongholds. I can’t tell more than that, miss... You’re not cleared for even as much as you’ve heard.”
Ranah suppressed the thousands of questions that suddenly popped into her head.
Ames resumed. “Our target is here,” he pointed on the map he’d brought. “In a cavern, perhaps one that was partly excavated by those who trapped Chaumiel. We don’t know if we’ll be able to access it easily or not, but given how things are going I suspect we will be able to enter with relative ease- things are in motion beyond our control.”
“Meaning... God?” Asked Luis.
“Meaning things of a supernatural nature. God rarely takes a direct hand. If He had been inclined, why would He not have freed His angel?” Ames shook his head. “We cannot count upon divine assistance. Man’s destiny is His gift to us. It’s up to us to succeed or fail. Any questions?”
“What does he have for support, this Piper?” Luis again.
“He has used mercenaries, and may have two with him. He may also have Infernal agents to assist him via the ring. We go with blessed weapons and armor. He has shown no ability to use mystical abilities other than the ring’s power, so I think we do not have to worry on that account. He had one other man with him, but from Ranah’s description I can only assume that he is ridden by an Infernal and relatively incapable of independent action.”
Kell barked a laugh, getting Ames’ attention. “Yes?”
She grinned. “So he maybe got here by a demon or something carrying him?”
“Possibly. It seems quite likely.”
“Well... He might not have willing helpers then. How many mercs do you know who’d handle something like that? Hardasses they might be, but that’d be weird even for us!” And she laughed again, quietly this time.
Ames spared a sardonic grin. “We can but hope. Ranah, we need to get you outfitted. Lucretia, could you help her? She’s not worn armor before. Everyone, set to roll in fifteen.”
“So.” Started Lucretia when she and Ranah were alone. “You’re the stray our Charles has acquired. How are you bearing up under the guidance of our handsome Brit?” She grinned.
“Good. I like him. He actually cares, and doesn’t care that I’m...”
“Marked? No, he wouldn’t. You’ll have to strip to your underwear, then put this on.” She handed over a bodysuit made of some stretchy fabric. “This breathes well and will keep the armor from chafing. How did you win over Bierce?”
Ranah, pulling on the odd clothing paused. “Um? I just was honest.”
“He’s a good man, but rather short-sighted at times. And too young for me.” She sighed. “Oh well, I have Charles to tease. Set? Step into these. The thighs and knees have light armoring; it will stop a knife, maybe a very small caliber bullet, no more. The boots are... Umph. Dammit. Sorry, you go bootless,” she said, looking at Ranah’s hooves. “At least they provided for the tail.” She helped Ranah fasten the gear. “Last bit- the real armor. This isn’t too heavy, but it’ll stop most handgun rounds. If they have a rifle, run like hell or get out of sight. And if you’re hit, it WILL hurt. Might break a rib too, but you won’t be dead- which is the point.”
“If you’re trying to scare me, it’s working.”
Lucretia giggled quietly. “Nope, just making sure you understand what you’re in for. You’re not trained at all, are you?”
“No. But I’m part of this, and I can help.”
“Sorry, but I don’t see...” Before she finished the sentence, Ranah had vanished, then reappeared a short distance away with a grin.
“Son of a... Okay, I’ll shut up now.”
Dead on the fifteen minute mark the two groups separated. Ranah’s team, the actual strike group left first, with the others to trail at least 5 minutes behind. There was an accessway to another house where their van was located. The drive, though long, was uneventful and the stars were bright in the Italian sky as they parked the van- the road ended just a short distance further on at a rockfall.
“That doesn’t look promising,” said Johnson.
“Bierce looked at him and said, “Don’t borrow trouble.” Johnson shrugged.
“I know you see well in the dark, Ranah. How about you, Pavel?”
“I see fine.” Ames nodded, putting on a visor with three lenses. Ranah looked at the odd device. “What’s that?”
“Light-amplification goggles. Nothing fancy, really, but rather expensive. These have flare-compensation as well, which prevents bright lights from blinding the wearer.” He took out a small handheld device. “GPS indicates this way. Doesn’t look too bad,” and he started up the gentle slope. The climb grew slowly steeper as they ascended the rocky hill; Neither Ranah nor Pavel seemed to have any difficulty at all with the climb, seemingly able to move from footing to footing almost on an instinctual level; Ranah was enjoying it- finding something new that she could do well was a special experience.
She glanced up at the stars, then heard something strange- two loud metallic pings followed by a pair of soft ‘phut’ sounds. She looked around, then Ames shoved her, saying “Down!” as more of the pings sounded around them!
He held her there behind a boulder for a moment, then carefully let her loose when he felt that she wasn’t going to move. Belatedly, she realized that someone had shot at them. She looked at him, and Ames held his hand in a shushing motion. He scanned downslope, and nodded. “The others are under cover,” he whispered. “One or two shooters. I didn’t spot them.”
Ranah’s heart was beating a mile a minute, suddenly realizing just how close to death she’d just come. She gulped some air, ears laid back as she tried to get back under control from the panic that was attempting to take over. Ames patted her shoulder, then started looking up the hill once again, scanning very slowly.
The sounds came again, and she heard a snarl; a moment later a bolt of white fire lanced upwards blasting a hole in the hillside. Someone shouted. almost a yip of fear, followed by a scrambling sound. A moment later she heard the tearing belch-sound of a machine pistol from the same direction that Pavel’s firebolt had risen. However, there was no shout or anything indicating that the sniper above had been hit.
“Damn. They’ve got us pinned. Ranah, I’m going to ask you-”
“I’ll do it. What do I need to do?”
He looked at her through the odd goggles. “I need you to watch very carefully for the next shot. You’ll see perhaps a small flash of light, like a flashbulb but smaller. That will be the shooter, or one of them. I want you to teleport to them and bring him back.”
“Oh. Oh! I can do that.” She started scanning, and Ames pressed his hand to his earpiece, whispering. A moment later another burst of fire came from where she thought Pavel was, likely with one of the others. She watched, and when the flash came again, she vanished.
She reappeared on a rough crag of rock, just to the left of a man who looked familiar- one of the men Piper had had with him when she kicked him. She grinned at the thought, and just as he noticed her, she dropped on them and they vanished again.
She landed on top of him when they reappeared, knocking his gun loose. Ames grabbed him then, pressing his gun against the man’s nose. “I would advise cooperation,” he hissed. The man, rather pale, didn’t move. More pings echoed around their position, followed by fire from their teammates at the source; then silence once again.
“Ranah, see to the rifle.” She nodded and grabbed it, actually locating the safety as she did. “Its safe.”
“Do you know what it is?”
“Um... No.”
“Let me see. Yes... Ingram. Bullpup configuration, silencer. Not bad. There are better for sniping though, eh?” He poked the captive, who grunted. “Lie on your belly.” Very quickly the man was trussed up and helpless, Ames relieving him of a pair of pistols and a knife in the process. “No body armor. What were you thinking?”
“That we’d kill you from a distance, of course. Asshole.”
Ames slapped the man hard enough that the sound drew a few more shots. “Do watch your mouth. There’s a lady present.”
Blood dripped out of the corner of the man’s mouth. “Ya think I’ll talk?”
“Personally, I don’t give a tinker’s dam what you do. My debate is whether you’re more of use alive or as a corpse.” Ames’ voice was cold, smooth as oil.
“Do you know what happened to Marcus Stephanos and Michel Leon? I could enlighten you, if you like.”
A few more shots, but no fire returned.
“They got caught. Big deal.”
“No, they got dead. Leon was used by your dear leader Piper as a host for a nasty little demon that blew him into little pieces. Stephanos happened to be in the same cell when it started and died too. Or did you enjoy your ride here?”
The man paled even further. “You’re lying.”
“What reason do I have to lie? We’ll get your friend the same way we got you. What was Piper paying?”
The mercenary went quiet, though he was sweating in the cool air. “Ranah... Be a dear. Could you shoot this man in the let knee?”
She caught Ames’ slight nod when he said this, and nodded. “Sure. Left knee?”
“Yes, that will do nicely, dear.” She clicked off the safety, and aimed. The man started to shriek, but Ames covered his mouth. “Just a moment, Ranah. What was that? Quietly now.”
“I... It’s still on burst.”
“What were you being paid?” Ranah looked at the side of the gun and flipped the toggle to ‘S’ as Ames asked his question.
“He... Fuck! Okay. We would have been Gifted. He showed us how. We just had to get him into the cave with the b... The girl.”
“Now was that so bad?” Ames drew a pistol, and shot the man in the side. Ranah looked on in shock. “Relax, my dear. Air gun. Tranquilizer rounds.” He grinned, and she sighed and re-safetied the rifle.
“One more up there, then?” She asked.
“Looks like. Half a moment...” He popped up and fired a burst up the hill, which got return fire. A sudden whumph! of sound and a blast of light lit the hillside, and there was an abbreviated scream, followed by the sound of something falling, sliding down the scree.
“Clear now, I think. You... Probably don’t wish to see,” Ames said, looking at the sad thing that had come to rest nearby. He shielded her view, leaving the two mercenaries to enjoy the remaining night together.
The party regathered; Pavel had taken a graze along his arm, and a ricochet had creased a horn, but was otherwise unhurt aside from his temper. It took him a moment before his eyes stopped flaming, which unnerved Johnson completely. “Man, that is the freakiest thing I’ve ever seen. Ever.”
Somehow that struck Pavel as funny, and he chuckled. “I have seen worse from things I have drank in the past! Let us continue, and maybe I can show Piper this thing about me that frightens you so.”
Ames glanced at him. “Good shot, by the way.”
“I am glad I got him. It will be some time before I can do something deadly again. I do have limits.”
“How long?”
“It depends. Maybe a quarter hour before I could do another like the first I threw.”
“It will do. Can you shoot?”
“Da. Father used to take me to firing range when I was a boy.” Hearing that, Ranah rather quickly handed over the rifle, getting another grin from the big man.
Another half hour of climbing and they became aware of a glow ahead; it matched the direction of their goal, and when they reached it they found a lantern by a hole in the rock face, maybe ten feet across.
Ranah looked at the lantern. “Why did he leave it?”
“Probably for his goons to follow,” Bierce answered.
It was obvious that indeed, the passage had been sealed until recently. A sheet of rock had broken loose, shattering into fragments as it went. Within it was dark, but there was a worn, ancient path that started about thirty feet in from the current opening. A smell came from within, an old musty smell... But touched with the scent of incense and burnt resin. No sound could be heard, but far down below there was the barest hint of light.
“Do we go in? Bierce looked down the dusty path, and there were two sets of prints visible- both human. Ames nodded. “We seem to have two opponents left, but that is deceptive given what he has. We need someone to stand watch here, in case he had more help that we’ve missed. Johnson?”
“Aw, why me?”
“Because you’re a better shot then Vincenz.”
“He is not!”
“He is. He’s rated as high as Kell.”
Vincenz nodded, and Johnson grinned. “Fine. If I’m thought of so highly, I’ll do it.”
“Good man. Lets, shall we?” The remaining five started down the winding path as Johnson seemed to vanish into the shadows of the cave mouth. The faint light ahead stayed a fixed distance from them despite the bends that the cavern followed. They reached a widening of the cave, and entered a large dome-shaped chamber. In its center were six pillars, irregularly spaced and strangely bent; they didn’t look like the result of rockfall or any normal cave-forming processes. As they approached, there was a roaring blast of wind! Ranah lost sight of her companions, and could barely breathe- she hung on to one of the rocky pillars, and the wind was gone...
And she was alone.
She panicked, a squeak that was meant to be a scream coming from her mouth. She panted, still hanging onto the rock as if the wind were still there, the room utterly, totally black but for the faint glow coming from the path they’d followed. She slowly pried herself loose, straining her ears for any sign that someone, anyone was with her.
Nothing. Not even the sound of water dripping came to her ears. The light still glowed ahead, her only path. The wind had turned her around before she’d grabbed the stone, and she wasn’t sure which way was out anymore. But... Her friends were in danger. Maybe... But no, she wouldn’t consider that. She had the glow to follow, and she wasn’t helpless; she’d proved that already. She steeled herself, and took out the pistol she’d been given. Just in case, she left the safety on, but kept a finger on it so she could switch it quickly. With that, and a deep breath, she started forward again.
Edging her way along the wall, she kept moving. “It couldn’t be that far, could it?” She thought, and the light seemed brighter, though still a very pale illumination. The color was golden, like light through yellow stained glass, and it seemed to shimmer in a way that light ought not to. FInally, she knew she was close, as the light was actually bright enough to show the shape of the chamber it lit... And someone was waiting.
“There you are! I’d thought you’d run! Now I don’t have to use the Russian.”
Piper.
“Where are they?” She asked, far calmer than she felt. She flicked the safety off and leveled the pistol at Piper’s nose. He laughed. “Break it.” He said, and the gun literally fell apart in her hand! She stared and the bits as they fell to the floor.
“What, you though you could just SHOOT me? Stupid girl. You’ve cost me so much. So very much, you know. If you’d come to me all those years ago things would have been simpler. But, such is as it is. Come.”
“Why should I?”
“Because, stupid girl, if you do not, I will feed your friends screaming, bit by bit, to one of my pets.”
He turned and walked away from her, expecting her to follow. “Where’s your partner?”
“My what?” He actually stopped in surprise.
“The man who fed me when you had me. You know, before I kicked you in the-”
“Do NOT finish that taunt, girl. He... Is a souvenir. A collection-piece in tribute to my abortive time in the Church. You know his uncle, I think.” And he chuckled. “Imagine my surprise when the young man I’d known in the church when he was an altarboy turned up at the Limbo facility. It was wondrously apt, that I could have such a slap at old Gerhardt without any real effort.”
He started walking again, and she caught a gleam of gold on one of his fingers- the ring. She followed, and at last she saw the Angel. A vast circle lay on the floor of an equally-vast chamber, the walls of which had been carefully carven with romanesque pillars and arches. Sconces for torches were on each pillar, unneeded in the light of Chaumiel himself. He floated in air, maybe six feet off the ground. Kneeling, arms raised as if in supplication, his gaze looked to the heavens that were concealed by the unliving stone. He seemed to be carved of ice, or glass, and looked both solid and translucent at the same time. He was naked, but it didn’t seem to matter, and his vast wings stretched out behind him, crossing the borders of the circle beneath- where they did, they vanished as if they’d never been.
Ranah stared at the apparition, hardly daring to breathe. On the floor, following the circle inscribed there were strange sigils, the colors of which seemed t bend and twist as she stared. She looked away as her head swam from the strangeness. Piper watched in amusement as she took it all in. “So... What do you think of our fine friend Chaumiel? A fine fellow, eh?”
“How...”
“How? How? I hardly care. What matters is that it happened, and here he is!” Piper looked upon the Angel, a look of absolutely pure lust on his face. “Power. More than I would ever dared dream lies just before me... But I cannot touch it. That... Will be what you will do for me.”
“What if I refuse?”
“Hmph. I’ll show you, if you’ll follow?” The leer on his face was less than human. He walked around the circle to the far side of the room, to another carven passage. “walk in a ways, but mind that last step. Take a look, then come back and tell me what you think! I’d not suggest that you try popping any of them loose, either.”
Ranah glanced at him, then walked past to where he gestured. She knew there was something different about him, changed from when she’d seen him as Bishop. He’d been... Wrong then, maybe evil, but now it was far more. Like he was consumed from within. She stopped at the edge of a precipice, or at least a deep hole. It was a good hundred feet across, and unlike the chamber of Chaumiel, this was a natural hole. Chained within to the walls were four of her friends, all gagged and stripped to their underwear. One, Vincenz, was missing. In the midst of them, looking hungrily at them was another of the hideous Infernal creatures, its eyeless pits glancing up at what it probably considered another snack.
She jumped when Piper’s hand fell upon her shoulder. “They are unharmed and unhurt, as you see. They live if you obey, they die if you don’t. Or perhaps I need to demonstrate?” he gestured, and the thing leapt at Bierce! “NO!” she shrieked, and the thing stopped at another gesture from Piper, leaving her panting.
“So... What do you think?”
“Where’s Alberto?”
The young Spaniard? He’s there, or what’s left of him. That creature is all that’s left.” He laughed as she stared in horror.
“You’re going to kill them anyway,” She managed, a sob caught in her throat.
Piper scoffed. “You don’t have a damned idea about what is about to happen, do you? When I succeed I won’t NEED to kill them! I’ll have HIS power! ALL of it. No more Gifts, just me. THAT is what I’m after!”
Ranah slumped. “But... Why do you need it?”
“It isn’t need, its desire. I will live forever. I will have the Church as my own, and those who brought me down shall worship me. And I will never fall!”
She straightened, looking him in the eye. “How melodramatic. You could heal the world and all you care about is you. You’re pathetic!”
Stars flashed before her eyes as he slapped her with all his strength. She fell backwards, hitting one of the pillars. “Do. Not. Test. Me. My patience is at an end. You will do what I require, or they die.”
She stared at him, knowing that he would do as he said, and knowing that she couldn’t allow them to die. At the same time, she couldn’t let him win, either.”
“Why me?”
Piper tilted his head. “Why you? What was that you said about it all being about me and selfishness? You’re the same, just thinking about yourself now. I needed a Gifted who was possessed of a gift that was unseen for a hundred years. You, your power, can open the circle. There are others, those who can move things with their minds, but they would be shorted out by the power here. You... You create a passage. Using your power here, on the circle, will open a path through for me to use. Then I need only... Well, you’ll see. I might even let you live, with your little friends if you do this.”
“Can... I ask one more question?”
“One last.”
Ranah heard a sound from the passage they’d arrived through, but made no motion. “Why did you try to kill me in Vienna?”
Piper... Stopped. “What did you say?”
“Why did you try to kill me in Vienna? Your assassin nearly succeeded. I barely lived.”
“I didn’t. My agent was following you in Vienna. I arranged for your capture. I arranged for everything so I would succeed! Why would I kill you? I still needed you.”
“Someone tried.”
“How?”
“An overdose of the tranquilizer the police use.”
“Impossible.”
“Maybe your backers didn’t fully trust you? Maybe they feared you?”
Piper rushed forward and grabbed her by the hair. “I see what you’re doing. Delaying the inevitable. Trying to confuse the issue. Use your power NOW. Open the circle!” He shoved her roughly down before Chaumiel’s glowing form. Shaking her head, she saw Johnson, who gestured for her not to reveal him.
She pushed herself to a kneeling position, facing Chaumiel. The Angel looked... Sad, somehow. But vacant. She saw now, as close as she was, what Piper couldn’t see, and nearly gasped when she did; instead, she glanced back at him. “Promise they won’t be hurt. Swear it before God. Then I’ll do it.”
He smirked. “Haven’t I broken faith with God already in betraying the Church and misusing my power?”
“Not like this. Not at all like what I ask. Swear it.”
She saw the lie in his face. “FIne, I swear. Now DO IT.”
“Fine. She glanced at Johnson, who was now in line. “NOW!” and she gestured- from Piper’s finger there was a flash, followed by another from where Ranah had been! In the pit, the thing that had been Alberto Vincenz howled as it felt it’s master’s control vanish, and it charged- only to be blocked by a NEW master! “GO AWAY!” Screamed Ranah, and with a horrid snarl the beast simply... wasn’t. From Chaumiel’s chamber there was a single sharp crack of a rifle shot, then silence.
It took a while for Ranah and Johnson to get the others freed. The bindings had been created by a servant of the ring, and Ranah didn’t want to use the thing, pronouncing it ‘horrible’. They found their clothing in a nearby chamber, along with what they assumed was the gear that Piper had brought. They also found the withered corpse of Gerhardt’s nephew; whatever had been in him had rotted him from within. This left the Lost Angel and the Ring.
Ranah stared up at him. “He didn’t see it.”
Bierce came up to her. “Who didn’t see what?”
“Piper, He couldn’t see it. Look at Chaumiel. What do you see?”
“I don’t understand...”
“He’s hollow, Will. Chaumiel is gone- this is just a shell. He emptied into all of us.”
They stared at the Lost angel then, for some time.
Ames cleared his throat. “We should be going.”
“Charles... The ring has to be destroyed. And Chaumiel’s binding must be broken.”
He looked at her oddly. “Why, Ranah? I can understand why the ring must be destroyed, but why the binding?”
“If there’s anything left of him... Shouldn’t he be freed?”
“I’ve... No idea how, Ranah.”
She stared at Chaumiel, playing with the ring. “Could the ring do it?”
“Command him free? It controls spirits and the like. If he weren’t contained, maybe.”
“No... It was made by God, right? And given to Solomon?”
“Yes...”
“I bet it would go through that circle like nothing.”
Ames looked at the circle, and the Angel. “Do we dare, I wonder. Do we risk it all, to free him? Can we?”
“Men did this, Charles. We ought to undo it.”
“I don’t want to make that kind of decision. I’ve not the right nor the authority. The ring... Its an artifact of the Church. Impossibly valuable historically. We should consult-”
And Ranah tossed the ring into the circle.
It was like nothing that could have been expected. No blast of light, no explosion, just a gentle, soft ‘pop’ and the field about the angel was gone. He hung suspended there, just for a few seconds, then dissolved. like flames flickering upward his empty shell dispersed til there was nothing left at all. The ring clinked onto the stone floor in the now-empty circle, inert.
Ranah stood and started walking out, the light in the room fading away with Ames staring after her.
Gerhardt stared at the report before him and contemplated the tiny envelope that accompanied it. “And she just tossed it in?”
Ames nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“You made no move to stop her?”
“... No sir.”
Gerhardt looked sharply at him. “You could have. I’m fairly certain of that.”
“Am I to be reprimanded?”
“No, I’m glad the damned ring is dead. Solomon should never have received it either.”
Ames blinked. “Sir?”
“Power like that... Its too much. Even Solomon’s wisdom didn’t save him from a pretty face, remember? And if she’d asked him to use that thing... God protect his contemporaries. But his foolishness ruined him. And left the ring to the ages.”
“What of Chaumiel?”
“What of him, Confessor? I believe our young Ranah was right. He’d been gone for a long time. Just the shell left. If that had stayed, maybe Piper, or another like him, could have used it to tap the power it was still linked to. We’ll never know. The ritual was burned by Rabbi Ishmael and Archbishop Carver at the ruins of the Temple Mount. All copies, even the microfiche we had.”
“I can’t say that bothers me, sir.”
“Good. Now.. I know you have other matters upcoming... Arranging matters for Confessor Vincenz not being the least of them. But I’d like to have you stop in here over the next few months if you can. I’m taking some personal time off, and Apostle Myers will be in charge in my absence.”
“Sir?”
“He was a good boy, my nephew. His name was Karl Holst, my sister’s only son. She’s... Not taking it well. I have to help her.”
Ames looked away from Gerhardt, who suddenly looked much older. “My condolences, sir. Of course I’ll look in on things.”
Gerhardt rubbed his face, then straightened. “What of our young Ranah?”
Ames smiled. “Well... Bierce is taking some of HIS time off, and the two of them are taking the Zeppelin Indira to the United States.”
Gerhardt’s eyebrows rose. “Indeed?”
“Yes, sir. I don’t know if there’s anything there, but... Time will tell.”
She fell asleep soon after they were in the air. She woke with the strangest feeling that someone else was waking as well, and the sensation was very confusing combines with Bierce’s gentle shaking. “We’re on approach,” He said. “Sorry to wake you.” She made a confused sound, then stretched her arms, rubbing sleep from her eyes. The nap hadn’t been near long enough.
“Uhm...” She blinked, still sleep-mazed. “How long until we’re on the ground?”
Ames answered. “Maybe half an hour. Rome is a busy airport, so it could be longer but I thought you’d want a look and a chance to wake up.”
She nodded, looking out the window. The city sprawled below, huge and ancient- older by far than any place she’d been. She couldn’t make out details, but she could see the ruins of the Parthenon and other structures dotted through the vast area. The airport was far less interesting, being the usual runways and concourse-structures. As they came in closer it was apparent that they’d not face any delays, and they touched down with a heavy thump-and-rumble of tires on cement. She looked around the cabin and noticed something she thought strange; Pavel was sitting rigid in his seat, tensed with his eyes closed.
“Pavel, are you okay?”
“I do not like flying. I like taking off and landing less.” He began to relax as he felt that they were on the ground once again. I am fine; it is silly of me.”
“Everyone is afraid of something.”
“Da. But I do not have to like a fear within me.”
Another white van was waiting for them inside the cargo hangar. “What, does the Church have a private assembly line for these things?” Ranah grinned, even though the joke was poor. “Actually,” replied Ames, “They force us to assemble them from kits whenever they have a few idle Confessors.”
Piling in, Ames took the wheel. “Now. We’re headed to a depot for our additional personnel, equipment and a briefing with our backup. The site is about two hours from the city, high in the hills. Satellite images show some changes to the terrain in the last year, likely from earthquakes. The area of the site isn’t considered safe, and has been off-limits for years. Its not particularly picturesque, so its off the tourism trails by a fair distance. It will be rough going, but not quite mountain climbing. Any questions?”
“I have question. Why has this not been found before?”
“The entry could have been concealed or covered by rockfall. Or... it could be one of those things where it simply wasn’t time for it to be found. I personally prefer that it was buried and hidden. For all we know it still is.”
“So this could be futile.”
“No. Even if we cannot enter, Piper can- He can use the ring to summon something to clear the entry. Worst case we hit him then.”
“Can the demons fight for him?”
“I... Don’t know. It doesn’t seem likely, or he would have used them in a more directly offensive way before this. Solomon used them when he had the ring to build the temple, and not for purposes of war.”
“But they can fight if they are on their own...” Said Bierce.
“Or when used as guardians, yes.”
“I don’t think he’ll have too many from the other side against us. He may have human henchmen though- you said he had two bodyguards? And the strange man who brought the food, right?”
“Yes. I didn’t see or hear anyone else.”
Bierce frowned. “More mercenaries. Wonder if they know what happened to their buddies at the jail?”
“Probably not. All that was kept quiet- it was reported to the media as a fire in the cellblock.” Ames made a turn down a narrow cobblestone lane, then pulled into a garage that waited open for them, closing as they parked. “Right. Here’s where we get outfitted. We’ll get our other teammates, and the backup will be there for the briefing. Let’s go.”
They were in the garage of a modest house, a much newer construction than the rest of the neighborhood. Trooping in, Ranah realized that it must be used as a safehouse or something similar- she’d seen enough police dramas to get that far. They took a short stairway into a finished basement, where several people waited. Two of them she recognized- Vincenz and Johnson, the rest were unfamiliar. The pair grinned and waived as they entered.
Ames nodded to them in response, then started introductions. “Ranah, you know these two, of course. They’re the rest of our team. These others are our backup team- with any luck they’ll have a boring day sitting and waiting. All are Confessors, of course. From left to right we have Luis, Valpariso, who will be in charge. Anita Kell, next to him, is a former US Marine sniper.” Kell grinned in a very predatory way to Ranah, who had no idea how to respond.
“The others are Alex Whitman, who is Gifted- he has a touch of telekinesis,” here Ranah interrupted. “Telekinesis?”
“He can move objects without touching them. How much again, Alex?”
Whitman had an obvious Irish lilt. “Maybe fifteen stone ‘r so, slowly. But tha’s a headache for sure.”
“About two hundred and ten pounds, he means,” clarified Ames. “Next to Alex is Lucretia Manelli, our local contact, and lastly is Deon Guaribaldi. People, I’d like you to meet Ranah Navandilou, our primary subject in this matter, and Pavel, who is here thanks to the offer of Apostle Gavin of St. Judas Cathedral in New Jerusalem.”
Greetings murmured about the room. Several of the backup team were watching both Pavel and Ranah, most obviously Kell and Guaribaldi. Ranah stared back, to which Guaribaldi frowned and Kell laughed. “I like her already,” said Kell. “She has a backbone. So, how did you get mixed up in all this?”
Ranah relaxed, barely. “Piper, the man we’re after, was the one who ordered my Marking. It was done falsely- Bishop Gerhardt just issued a full pardon for me- and it resulted in Piper being defrocked. He’s tried to kill me, and has kidnapped me once looking for revenge or something. I think Charles would be better to ask about the rest.”
The room got very quiet. Luis looked her up and down, carefully, then spoke with a quiet Spanish lilt. “He had you Marked. Why?”
“I was a thief. I used my Gift to steal. I know I did wrong, but...”
“But no thief would be subject to what you have been. I have never met this man, but I already hate him.”
Ranah colored slightly. “I don’t know why he wanted me back then, but now...”
Ames interrupted. “Now, we come to the briefing.” He smiled at her, and she gave a grateful look back to him. “I need not remind you that what you are about to hear cannot leave this room. Matters will be reported in due course, but as there is the possibility that someone within the Church is passing information to Piper, matters must remain quiet for now.”
With nods of acceptance, Ames outlined the recent events, starting with Ranah’s capture by the police in Vienna and culminating with their arrival in Rome. “As you can see, the matter could be catastrophic in nature. We have no idea what will happen if Piper can gain control of Chaumiel’s power. Thus we are now in a race. Has any new information been received, Lucretia?”
“Per your request, I monitored air traffic control. There was an unusual blip about thirty minutes ago, but no visual confirmation of an aircraft. It vanished about two hundred miles south of the target site.”
“Good. That may have been him using a creature to carry him. It wouldn’t have been able to get too close to Rome.”
“Why not?” Asked Pavel.
“Because, as might be obvious, the Church is quite aware of supernatural phenomena, and watches for it. Speaking of which, did anything register?”
Lucretia flipped open a laptop, quickly scanning. “Actually, there are a lot of peaks. All over the city, including... Right here.”
“What?”
“We’re on one of the hotspots.”
“That... Can’t be right.”
“I have an idea...” Ranah said.
“Go ahead.”
“Well, we think the Gifts come from Chaumiel’s power being tapped, right? Maybe... Whatever is happening is affecting that. Stirring it up. We’ve got three Gifted here. Wouldn’t that make a hotspot on the Church’s scan?”
“That... Could make sense. Good thought, Ranah. Fortunately, I don’t see how that could help Piper even if he learned it.”
“Do Gifted normally register?”
Lucretia answered. “Not... Usually. They can be searched for in this way, but only in certain areas. Rome, New York, Canterbury, Paris. Basically from Church strongholds. I can’t tell more than that, miss... You’re not cleared for even as much as you’ve heard.”
Ranah suppressed the thousands of questions that suddenly popped into her head.
Ames resumed. “Our target is here,” he pointed on the map he’d brought. “In a cavern, perhaps one that was partly excavated by those who trapped Chaumiel. We don’t know if we’ll be able to access it easily or not, but given how things are going I suspect we will be able to enter with relative ease- things are in motion beyond our control.”
“Meaning... God?” Asked Luis.
“Meaning things of a supernatural nature. God rarely takes a direct hand. If He had been inclined, why would He not have freed His angel?” Ames shook his head. “We cannot count upon divine assistance. Man’s destiny is His gift to us. It’s up to us to succeed or fail. Any questions?”
“What does he have for support, this Piper?” Luis again.
“He has used mercenaries, and may have two with him. He may also have Infernal agents to assist him via the ring. We go with blessed weapons and armor. He has shown no ability to use mystical abilities other than the ring’s power, so I think we do not have to worry on that account. He had one other man with him, but from Ranah’s description I can only assume that he is ridden by an Infernal and relatively incapable of independent action.”
Kell barked a laugh, getting Ames’ attention. “Yes?”
She grinned. “So he maybe got here by a demon or something carrying him?”
“Possibly. It seems quite likely.”
“Well... He might not have willing helpers then. How many mercs do you know who’d handle something like that? Hardasses they might be, but that’d be weird even for us!” And she laughed again, quietly this time.
Ames spared a sardonic grin. “We can but hope. Ranah, we need to get you outfitted. Lucretia, could you help her? She’s not worn armor before. Everyone, set to roll in fifteen.”
“So.” Started Lucretia when she and Ranah were alone. “You’re the stray our Charles has acquired. How are you bearing up under the guidance of our handsome Brit?” She grinned.
“Good. I like him. He actually cares, and doesn’t care that I’m...”
“Marked? No, he wouldn’t. You’ll have to strip to your underwear, then put this on.” She handed over a bodysuit made of some stretchy fabric. “This breathes well and will keep the armor from chafing. How did you win over Bierce?”
Ranah, pulling on the odd clothing paused. “Um? I just was honest.”
“He’s a good man, but rather short-sighted at times. And too young for me.” She sighed. “Oh well, I have Charles to tease. Set? Step into these. The thighs and knees have light armoring; it will stop a knife, maybe a very small caliber bullet, no more. The boots are... Umph. Dammit. Sorry, you go bootless,” she said, looking at Ranah’s hooves. “At least they provided for the tail.” She helped Ranah fasten the gear. “Last bit- the real armor. This isn’t too heavy, but it’ll stop most handgun rounds. If they have a rifle, run like hell or get out of sight. And if you’re hit, it WILL hurt. Might break a rib too, but you won’t be dead- which is the point.”
“If you’re trying to scare me, it’s working.”
Lucretia giggled quietly. “Nope, just making sure you understand what you’re in for. You’re not trained at all, are you?”
“No. But I’m part of this, and I can help.”
“Sorry, but I don’t see...” Before she finished the sentence, Ranah had vanished, then reappeared a short distance away with a grin.
“Son of a... Okay, I’ll shut up now.”
Dead on the fifteen minute mark the two groups separated. Ranah’s team, the actual strike group left first, with the others to trail at least 5 minutes behind. There was an accessway to another house where their van was located. The drive, though long, was uneventful and the stars were bright in the Italian sky as they parked the van- the road ended just a short distance further on at a rockfall.
“That doesn’t look promising,” said Johnson.
“Bierce looked at him and said, “Don’t borrow trouble.” Johnson shrugged.
“I know you see well in the dark, Ranah. How about you, Pavel?”
“I see fine.” Ames nodded, putting on a visor with three lenses. Ranah looked at the odd device. “What’s that?”
“Light-amplification goggles. Nothing fancy, really, but rather expensive. These have flare-compensation as well, which prevents bright lights from blinding the wearer.” He took out a small handheld device. “GPS indicates this way. Doesn’t look too bad,” and he started up the gentle slope. The climb grew slowly steeper as they ascended the rocky hill; Neither Ranah nor Pavel seemed to have any difficulty at all with the climb, seemingly able to move from footing to footing almost on an instinctual level; Ranah was enjoying it- finding something new that she could do well was a special experience.
She glanced up at the stars, then heard something strange- two loud metallic pings followed by a pair of soft ‘phut’ sounds. She looked around, then Ames shoved her, saying “Down!” as more of the pings sounded around them!
He held her there behind a boulder for a moment, then carefully let her loose when he felt that she wasn’t going to move. Belatedly, she realized that someone had shot at them. She looked at him, and Ames held his hand in a shushing motion. He scanned downslope, and nodded. “The others are under cover,” he whispered. “One or two shooters. I didn’t spot them.”
Ranah’s heart was beating a mile a minute, suddenly realizing just how close to death she’d just come. She gulped some air, ears laid back as she tried to get back under control from the panic that was attempting to take over. Ames patted her shoulder, then started looking up the hill once again, scanning very slowly.
The sounds came again, and she heard a snarl; a moment later a bolt of white fire lanced upwards blasting a hole in the hillside. Someone shouted. almost a yip of fear, followed by a scrambling sound. A moment later she heard the tearing belch-sound of a machine pistol from the same direction that Pavel’s firebolt had risen. However, there was no shout or anything indicating that the sniper above had been hit.
“Damn. They’ve got us pinned. Ranah, I’m going to ask you-”
“I’ll do it. What do I need to do?”
He looked at her through the odd goggles. “I need you to watch very carefully for the next shot. You’ll see perhaps a small flash of light, like a flashbulb but smaller. That will be the shooter, or one of them. I want you to teleport to them and bring him back.”
“Oh. Oh! I can do that.” She started scanning, and Ames pressed his hand to his earpiece, whispering. A moment later another burst of fire came from where she thought Pavel was, likely with one of the others. She watched, and when the flash came again, she vanished.
She reappeared on a rough crag of rock, just to the left of a man who looked familiar- one of the men Piper had had with him when she kicked him. She grinned at the thought, and just as he noticed her, she dropped on them and they vanished again.
She landed on top of him when they reappeared, knocking his gun loose. Ames grabbed him then, pressing his gun against the man’s nose. “I would advise cooperation,” he hissed. The man, rather pale, didn’t move. More pings echoed around their position, followed by fire from their teammates at the source; then silence once again.
“Ranah, see to the rifle.” She nodded and grabbed it, actually locating the safety as she did. “Its safe.”
“Do you know what it is?”
“Um... No.”
“Let me see. Yes... Ingram. Bullpup configuration, silencer. Not bad. There are better for sniping though, eh?” He poked the captive, who grunted. “Lie on your belly.” Very quickly the man was trussed up and helpless, Ames relieving him of a pair of pistols and a knife in the process. “No body armor. What were you thinking?”
“That we’d kill you from a distance, of course. Asshole.”
Ames slapped the man hard enough that the sound drew a few more shots. “Do watch your mouth. There’s a lady present.”
Blood dripped out of the corner of the man’s mouth. “Ya think I’ll talk?”
“Personally, I don’t give a tinker’s dam what you do. My debate is whether you’re more of use alive or as a corpse.” Ames’ voice was cold, smooth as oil.
“Do you know what happened to Marcus Stephanos and Michel Leon? I could enlighten you, if you like.”
A few more shots, but no fire returned.
“They got caught. Big deal.”
“No, they got dead. Leon was used by your dear leader Piper as a host for a nasty little demon that blew him into little pieces. Stephanos happened to be in the same cell when it started and died too. Or did you enjoy your ride here?”
The man paled even further. “You’re lying.”
“What reason do I have to lie? We’ll get your friend the same way we got you. What was Piper paying?”
The mercenary went quiet, though he was sweating in the cool air. “Ranah... Be a dear. Could you shoot this man in the let knee?”
She caught Ames’ slight nod when he said this, and nodded. “Sure. Left knee?”
“Yes, that will do nicely, dear.” She clicked off the safety, and aimed. The man started to shriek, but Ames covered his mouth. “Just a moment, Ranah. What was that? Quietly now.”
“I... It’s still on burst.”
“What were you being paid?” Ranah looked at the side of the gun and flipped the toggle to ‘S’ as Ames asked his question.
“He... Fuck! Okay. We would have been Gifted. He showed us how. We just had to get him into the cave with the b... The girl.”
“Now was that so bad?” Ames drew a pistol, and shot the man in the side. Ranah looked on in shock. “Relax, my dear. Air gun. Tranquilizer rounds.” He grinned, and she sighed and re-safetied the rifle.
“One more up there, then?” She asked.
“Looks like. Half a moment...” He popped up and fired a burst up the hill, which got return fire. A sudden whumph! of sound and a blast of light lit the hillside, and there was an abbreviated scream, followed by the sound of something falling, sliding down the scree.
“Clear now, I think. You... Probably don’t wish to see,” Ames said, looking at the sad thing that had come to rest nearby. He shielded her view, leaving the two mercenaries to enjoy the remaining night together.
The party regathered; Pavel had taken a graze along his arm, and a ricochet had creased a horn, but was otherwise unhurt aside from his temper. It took him a moment before his eyes stopped flaming, which unnerved Johnson completely. “Man, that is the freakiest thing I’ve ever seen. Ever.”
Somehow that struck Pavel as funny, and he chuckled. “I have seen worse from things I have drank in the past! Let us continue, and maybe I can show Piper this thing about me that frightens you so.”
Ames glanced at him. “Good shot, by the way.”
“I am glad I got him. It will be some time before I can do something deadly again. I do have limits.”
“How long?”
“It depends. Maybe a quarter hour before I could do another like the first I threw.”
“It will do. Can you shoot?”
“Da. Father used to take me to firing range when I was a boy.” Hearing that, Ranah rather quickly handed over the rifle, getting another grin from the big man.
Another half hour of climbing and they became aware of a glow ahead; it matched the direction of their goal, and when they reached it they found a lantern by a hole in the rock face, maybe ten feet across.
Ranah looked at the lantern. “Why did he leave it?”
“Probably for his goons to follow,” Bierce answered.
It was obvious that indeed, the passage had been sealed until recently. A sheet of rock had broken loose, shattering into fragments as it went. Within it was dark, but there was a worn, ancient path that started about thirty feet in from the current opening. A smell came from within, an old musty smell... But touched with the scent of incense and burnt resin. No sound could be heard, but far down below there was the barest hint of light.
“Do we go in? Bierce looked down the dusty path, and there were two sets of prints visible- both human. Ames nodded. “We seem to have two opponents left, but that is deceptive given what he has. We need someone to stand watch here, in case he had more help that we’ve missed. Johnson?”
“Aw, why me?”
“Because you’re a better shot then Vincenz.”
“He is not!”
“He is. He’s rated as high as Kell.”
Vincenz nodded, and Johnson grinned. “Fine. If I’m thought of so highly, I’ll do it.”
“Good man. Lets, shall we?” The remaining five started down the winding path as Johnson seemed to vanish into the shadows of the cave mouth. The faint light ahead stayed a fixed distance from them despite the bends that the cavern followed. They reached a widening of the cave, and entered a large dome-shaped chamber. In its center were six pillars, irregularly spaced and strangely bent; they didn’t look like the result of rockfall or any normal cave-forming processes. As they approached, there was a roaring blast of wind! Ranah lost sight of her companions, and could barely breathe- she hung on to one of the rocky pillars, and the wind was gone...
And she was alone.
She panicked, a squeak that was meant to be a scream coming from her mouth. She panted, still hanging onto the rock as if the wind were still there, the room utterly, totally black but for the faint glow coming from the path they’d followed. She slowly pried herself loose, straining her ears for any sign that someone, anyone was with her.
Nothing. Not even the sound of water dripping came to her ears. The light still glowed ahead, her only path. The wind had turned her around before she’d grabbed the stone, and she wasn’t sure which way was out anymore. But... Her friends were in danger. Maybe... But no, she wouldn’t consider that. She had the glow to follow, and she wasn’t helpless; she’d proved that already. She steeled herself, and took out the pistol she’d been given. Just in case, she left the safety on, but kept a finger on it so she could switch it quickly. With that, and a deep breath, she started forward again.
Edging her way along the wall, she kept moving. “It couldn’t be that far, could it?” She thought, and the light seemed brighter, though still a very pale illumination. The color was golden, like light through yellow stained glass, and it seemed to shimmer in a way that light ought not to. FInally, she knew she was close, as the light was actually bright enough to show the shape of the chamber it lit... And someone was waiting.
“There you are! I’d thought you’d run! Now I don’t have to use the Russian.”
Piper.
“Where are they?” She asked, far calmer than she felt. She flicked the safety off and leveled the pistol at Piper’s nose. He laughed. “Break it.” He said, and the gun literally fell apart in her hand! She stared and the bits as they fell to the floor.
“What, you though you could just SHOOT me? Stupid girl. You’ve cost me so much. So very much, you know. If you’d come to me all those years ago things would have been simpler. But, such is as it is. Come.”
“Why should I?”
“Because, stupid girl, if you do not, I will feed your friends screaming, bit by bit, to one of my pets.”
He turned and walked away from her, expecting her to follow. “Where’s your partner?”
“My what?” He actually stopped in surprise.
“The man who fed me when you had me. You know, before I kicked you in the-”
“Do NOT finish that taunt, girl. He... Is a souvenir. A collection-piece in tribute to my abortive time in the Church. You know his uncle, I think.” And he chuckled. “Imagine my surprise when the young man I’d known in the church when he was an altarboy turned up at the Limbo facility. It was wondrously apt, that I could have such a slap at old Gerhardt without any real effort.”
He started walking again, and she caught a gleam of gold on one of his fingers- the ring. She followed, and at last she saw the Angel. A vast circle lay on the floor of an equally-vast chamber, the walls of which had been carefully carven with romanesque pillars and arches. Sconces for torches were on each pillar, unneeded in the light of Chaumiel himself. He floated in air, maybe six feet off the ground. Kneeling, arms raised as if in supplication, his gaze looked to the heavens that were concealed by the unliving stone. He seemed to be carved of ice, or glass, and looked both solid and translucent at the same time. He was naked, but it didn’t seem to matter, and his vast wings stretched out behind him, crossing the borders of the circle beneath- where they did, they vanished as if they’d never been.
Ranah stared at the apparition, hardly daring to breathe. On the floor, following the circle inscribed there were strange sigils, the colors of which seemed t bend and twist as she stared. She looked away as her head swam from the strangeness. Piper watched in amusement as she took it all in. “So... What do you think of our fine friend Chaumiel? A fine fellow, eh?”
“How...”
“How? How? I hardly care. What matters is that it happened, and here he is!” Piper looked upon the Angel, a look of absolutely pure lust on his face. “Power. More than I would ever dared dream lies just before me... But I cannot touch it. That... Will be what you will do for me.”
“What if I refuse?”
“Hmph. I’ll show you, if you’ll follow?” The leer on his face was less than human. He walked around the circle to the far side of the room, to another carven passage. “walk in a ways, but mind that last step. Take a look, then come back and tell me what you think! I’d not suggest that you try popping any of them loose, either.”
Ranah glanced at him, then walked past to where he gestured. She knew there was something different about him, changed from when she’d seen him as Bishop. He’d been... Wrong then, maybe evil, but now it was far more. Like he was consumed from within. She stopped at the edge of a precipice, or at least a deep hole. It was a good hundred feet across, and unlike the chamber of Chaumiel, this was a natural hole. Chained within to the walls were four of her friends, all gagged and stripped to their underwear. One, Vincenz, was missing. In the midst of them, looking hungrily at them was another of the hideous Infernal creatures, its eyeless pits glancing up at what it probably considered another snack.
She jumped when Piper’s hand fell upon her shoulder. “They are unharmed and unhurt, as you see. They live if you obey, they die if you don’t. Or perhaps I need to demonstrate?” he gestured, and the thing leapt at Bierce! “NO!” she shrieked, and the thing stopped at another gesture from Piper, leaving her panting.
“So... What do you think?”
“Where’s Alberto?”
The young Spaniard? He’s there, or what’s left of him. That creature is all that’s left.” He laughed as she stared in horror.
“You’re going to kill them anyway,” She managed, a sob caught in her throat.
Piper scoffed. “You don’t have a damned idea about what is about to happen, do you? When I succeed I won’t NEED to kill them! I’ll have HIS power! ALL of it. No more Gifts, just me. THAT is what I’m after!”
Ranah slumped. “But... Why do you need it?”
“It isn’t need, its desire. I will live forever. I will have the Church as my own, and those who brought me down shall worship me. And I will never fall!”
She straightened, looking him in the eye. “How melodramatic. You could heal the world and all you care about is you. You’re pathetic!”
Stars flashed before her eyes as he slapped her with all his strength. She fell backwards, hitting one of the pillars. “Do. Not. Test. Me. My patience is at an end. You will do what I require, or they die.”
She stared at him, knowing that he would do as he said, and knowing that she couldn’t allow them to die. At the same time, she couldn’t let him win, either.”
“Why me?”
Piper tilted his head. “Why you? What was that you said about it all being about me and selfishness? You’re the same, just thinking about yourself now. I needed a Gifted who was possessed of a gift that was unseen for a hundred years. You, your power, can open the circle. There are others, those who can move things with their minds, but they would be shorted out by the power here. You... You create a passage. Using your power here, on the circle, will open a path through for me to use. Then I need only... Well, you’ll see. I might even let you live, with your little friends if you do this.”
“Can... I ask one more question?”
“One last.”
Ranah heard a sound from the passage they’d arrived through, but made no motion. “Why did you try to kill me in Vienna?”
Piper... Stopped. “What did you say?”
“Why did you try to kill me in Vienna? Your assassin nearly succeeded. I barely lived.”
“I didn’t. My agent was following you in Vienna. I arranged for your capture. I arranged for everything so I would succeed! Why would I kill you? I still needed you.”
“Someone tried.”
“How?”
“An overdose of the tranquilizer the police use.”
“Impossible.”
“Maybe your backers didn’t fully trust you? Maybe they feared you?”
Piper rushed forward and grabbed her by the hair. “I see what you’re doing. Delaying the inevitable. Trying to confuse the issue. Use your power NOW. Open the circle!” He shoved her roughly down before Chaumiel’s glowing form. Shaking her head, she saw Johnson, who gestured for her not to reveal him.
She pushed herself to a kneeling position, facing Chaumiel. The Angel looked... Sad, somehow. But vacant. She saw now, as close as she was, what Piper couldn’t see, and nearly gasped when she did; instead, she glanced back at him. “Promise they won’t be hurt. Swear it before God. Then I’ll do it.”
He smirked. “Haven’t I broken faith with God already in betraying the Church and misusing my power?”
“Not like this. Not at all like what I ask. Swear it.”
She saw the lie in his face. “FIne, I swear. Now DO IT.”
“Fine. She glanced at Johnson, who was now in line. “NOW!” and she gestured- from Piper’s finger there was a flash, followed by another from where Ranah had been! In the pit, the thing that had been Alberto Vincenz howled as it felt it’s master’s control vanish, and it charged- only to be blocked by a NEW master! “GO AWAY!” Screamed Ranah, and with a horrid snarl the beast simply... wasn’t. From Chaumiel’s chamber there was a single sharp crack of a rifle shot, then silence.
It took a while for Ranah and Johnson to get the others freed. The bindings had been created by a servant of the ring, and Ranah didn’t want to use the thing, pronouncing it ‘horrible’. They found their clothing in a nearby chamber, along with what they assumed was the gear that Piper had brought. They also found the withered corpse of Gerhardt’s nephew; whatever had been in him had rotted him from within. This left the Lost Angel and the Ring.
Ranah stared up at him. “He didn’t see it.”
Bierce came up to her. “Who didn’t see what?”
“Piper, He couldn’t see it. Look at Chaumiel. What do you see?”
“I don’t understand...”
“He’s hollow, Will. Chaumiel is gone- this is just a shell. He emptied into all of us.”
They stared at the Lost angel then, for some time.
Ames cleared his throat. “We should be going.”
“Charles... The ring has to be destroyed. And Chaumiel’s binding must be broken.”
He looked at her oddly. “Why, Ranah? I can understand why the ring must be destroyed, but why the binding?”
“If there’s anything left of him... Shouldn’t he be freed?”
“I’ve... No idea how, Ranah.”
She stared at Chaumiel, playing with the ring. “Could the ring do it?”
“Command him free? It controls spirits and the like. If he weren’t contained, maybe.”
“No... It was made by God, right? And given to Solomon?”
“Yes...”
“I bet it would go through that circle like nothing.”
Ames looked at the circle, and the Angel. “Do we dare, I wonder. Do we risk it all, to free him? Can we?”
“Men did this, Charles. We ought to undo it.”
“I don’t want to make that kind of decision. I’ve not the right nor the authority. The ring... Its an artifact of the Church. Impossibly valuable historically. We should consult-”
And Ranah tossed the ring into the circle.
It was like nothing that could have been expected. No blast of light, no explosion, just a gentle, soft ‘pop’ and the field about the angel was gone. He hung suspended there, just for a few seconds, then dissolved. like flames flickering upward his empty shell dispersed til there was nothing left at all. The ring clinked onto the stone floor in the now-empty circle, inert.
Ranah stood and started walking out, the light in the room fading away with Ames staring after her.
Gerhardt stared at the report before him and contemplated the tiny envelope that accompanied it. “And she just tossed it in?”
Ames nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“You made no move to stop her?”
“... No sir.”
Gerhardt looked sharply at him. “You could have. I’m fairly certain of that.”
“Am I to be reprimanded?”
“No, I’m glad the damned ring is dead. Solomon should never have received it either.”
Ames blinked. “Sir?”
“Power like that... Its too much. Even Solomon’s wisdom didn’t save him from a pretty face, remember? And if she’d asked him to use that thing... God protect his contemporaries. But his foolishness ruined him. And left the ring to the ages.”
“What of Chaumiel?”
“What of him, Confessor? I believe our young Ranah was right. He’d been gone for a long time. Just the shell left. If that had stayed, maybe Piper, or another like him, could have used it to tap the power it was still linked to. We’ll never know. The ritual was burned by Rabbi Ishmael and Archbishop Carver at the ruins of the Temple Mount. All copies, even the microfiche we had.”
“I can’t say that bothers me, sir.”
“Good. Now.. I know you have other matters upcoming... Arranging matters for Confessor Vincenz not being the least of them. But I’d like to have you stop in here over the next few months if you can. I’m taking some personal time off, and Apostle Myers will be in charge in my absence.”
“Sir?”
“He was a good boy, my nephew. His name was Karl Holst, my sister’s only son. She’s... Not taking it well. I have to help her.”
Ames looked away from Gerhardt, who suddenly looked much older. “My condolences, sir. Of course I’ll look in on things.”
Gerhardt rubbed his face, then straightened. “What of our young Ranah?”
Ames smiled. “Well... Bierce is taking some of HIS time off, and the two of them are taking the Zeppelin Indira to the United States.”
Gerhardt’s eyebrows rose. “Indeed?”
“Yes, sir. I don’t know if there’s anything there, but... Time will tell.”
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Date: 2010-11-28 06:50 pm (UTC)