Annabelle Montalvo leaned against the door of her prison cell. She wanted to knock. She wanted to tell them to summon Elijah; tell them she was ready to join the Church. The white walls and lack of human contact pushed her slowly over the edge. She knew she couldn’t take it any longer. She needed out of this prison, even if it meant compromising herself.
She put her ear against the cold metal. She could hear nothing from the hallway. She couldn’t even be sure anyone was out there. She ran her hand along the metal beside her head. It would be so easy just to ball her fist up, to drive it in to the door, and end her torture.
Her hand closed. She squeezed it tight, dug her nails in to her palm. She held it just inches from the door. She lowered it to the door, but stopped just millimeters before making contact. She pulled her hand back a few inches, but she knew she couldn’t resist much longer.
Her hand fell towards the door again.
Her fist hit the metal, but something much larger knocked from the other side. It sounded almost like a body being thrown.
A scream shook the door. It cut off quickly with a strangled gasp.
“Back away from the door. Cover your earssss.”
Annabelle didn’t recognize the voice on the other side of the door. He sounded about her age, but his words came out with a strange lisp. She didn’t waste time arguing with his command.
A burst of energy shook the door. The hinges howled as the metal seemed to ripple. A low roar grew as the hinges exploded off. The roar grew to a furor before finally fading. The door clattered to the floor beside her.
A black woman dressed in a ribbed black corset and leather hot pants entered the room. “Come on then, girl. Let’s get you on out of here!”
“Who are you?”
“You wanna ask questions, or you wanna leave?”
Annabelle couldn’t really argue with her point. She followed the woman in to the hallway, but stopped short when she saw the woman’s teammates.
The thinner and smaller of the men had a distended lower jaw and a cobra cowl on his head. The larger wore forest green pants and a fishnet shirt over a completely massive frame. She figured him to be seven feet tall at least.
“Who the heck are all of you? How did you find me?”
The lanky one answered. “We call ourselves the Ssssnake Ssssquad. You met Black Ssssnake already. The big guy’ssss Python. I’m called Hisssss.”
“It’s our job to cause problems for the Church,” Black Snake said. “We’ve heard nothing but bad things about them from our sources. We want them out of this town. And then we heard they had holding cells down here. Hiss can tunnel like no one’s business, so we thought we would take a look.”
“And we found you.” Python’s voice was a deep baritone, but she could detect more intelligence in his voice than she expected from a massive bruiser.
“We have to find my partner,” Annabelle said. “They took him too. His name’s Freedom Patton.”
Hiss grumbled when he heard the name. “I know of him. We’ve met before.”
“Can you help me find him?”
“Already done.”
They all turned to look down the darkened hallway at a man standing in another doorway.
“Freedom!” Annabelle ran to his side and wrapped both arms around his waist.
“Ah!” She let him go as he cried out in pain. She saw the scars across his chest. His wrists and hands were covered in blood.
“What happened to you?”
“I met this club’s dark little secret,” Freedom said. “But it’s all good. What doesn’t break you makes you stronger or something like that.”
He staggered towards her. Annabelle stepped forward to support him before he fell. She helped him back towards the Snake Squad.
Freedom moved slowly, until Python met them. He lifted Freedom up on to one shoulder. As Python turned, Freedom gave Hiss a broad grin.
“Long time no see, Hissy. You staying on the straight and narrow?”
“I am a hero now, Patton. You would be wisssse to remember that.”
“We’ll see.”
Hiss said nothing else. He turned and stomped off. Python followed a few steps behind.
Black Snake turned to Annabelle. “You coming?”
“What was all that about?”
“Boys waving their dicks at one another. They’ll be fine.” She grabbed Annabelle by the hand. “Come on now. We’ve got to meet Water Moccasin at the other end of the tunnel, then we’ll get the hell out of this place. Wouldn’t want to start us a fight here.”
Annabelle remained quiet as Black Snake dragged her from the Church.
*****
After two weeks of blasting for eight-plus hours, Air Raid was more than a little ready to quit this entire fiasco. He strongly suspected Kennis may know about this Below nonsense, but didn’t know much about how to get either of them inside. The tunnel was hundreds of yards deep, dug by his blasts and Kennis’s own shoveling ability that cleared the dirt out quickly.
“This is worthless,” he said. “Beyond worthless. There’s nothing down here, Kennis. You’re never going to find this sanctum of yours.”
“We’re almost there,” she said. “I feel it. It’s close.”
“It’s a figment of your damn imagination!”
“It’s real, Air Raid. As real as your powers and as real as my mission. We will find it, but we have to keep digging.”
Air Raid stopped and looked at her. Past the soot covering her cheeks, he could see the enthusiasm on her face. She truly believed that they would find this sanctum of hers.
“I’ll give it twenty-four hours. If we haven’t found this place by then, you need to take me back to the surface.”
Kennis thought about it for a moment. “Fine. It’s a deal. But I know we will find it.”
Air Raid summoned another explosive in to his hand. He rolled it to the end of the tunnel. A few seconds later, it exploded and sent dirt everywhere.
“You will not abandon this mission until I say so. Nephthys feels power here. And I will have that power, boy.”
“We’ll see,” he said, not sure if he was talking to Nephthys or Kennis. “We will see.”
*****
The King’s Crown Building towered over all other structures in downtown Valhalla. Standing ninety stories it was the tallest building in the city by over a dozen floors. From the observation bay on the ninetieth floor, a person could see for miles.
Lance Larter could think of worse places to keep an eye on the Church of Hope and Truth’s main complex. He probably visited a few of them in the last few weeks. He agreed to give Nightbird time to find a way in to the Church, but it didn’t mean he wouldn’t keep his eyes on things.
He found he could now focus his vision like never before, even without Caliburn in his hand. He could make out basic movement all around the Church grounds, despite it being nearly a mile away and ninety stories down. The people still looked only a little bigger than ants but he could definitely make out their movements and basic actions.
Despite his raggedy attire, no one paid him any attention. The tourists chatted amongst themselves while the guides didn’t seem to care if he wanted to stay up here all day. He liked the moment of peace it gave him, even if that peace came with dark thoughts.
Arthur could be dead by now. I’ve already wasted so much time. I need to find the Oparian Eye soon, even if I have to kill everyone that stands in my way. You have a few more days, Nightbird. Then I will tear the Church down by its foundation if need be.
He ran his hand through his hair. It was growing shaggy after weeks on the street. He saw plenty of men with unkempt hair on the streets, but it still felt foreign to him. Long hair was for women and foreigners, not for red blooded American males.
“I can’t help but notice that you’re enjoying my view.”
The voice was thickly accented, and an accent he would recognize anywhere. German. He turned to see a hand being offered to him by a man in his late thirties. He wore a deep brown suit, finely tailored. His hair was about as long as Lance’s, but gelled up in the modern style.
Lance kept his eye on the other man as he shook the stranger’s hand.
“I am Hagan Ebernburg. I recently bought this building from the previous owners in order to make it my new American headquarters. And you are?”
“Lance.”
Hagan nodded. “I knew it. My grandfather kept photos of you, Mister Larter. He was an American G.I. back during the war. Worked support for your special squad on a number of occasions. He settled down with my grandmother and stayed in Germany after the peace treaty was signed.”
“I see. I have to say I’m not used to being recognized.”
“I suppose you wouldn’t. What brings you to Valhalla and to my building?”
“I have things I’m looking in to here.”
Hagan looked down through the window. Lance looked away, but the German already focused on Lance’s line of sight.
“The Hopers, is it? A shady lot, indeed. What does a hero of World War II want with them?”
Lance said nothing.
“Zealots, all of them. Little more than a cult, really. And their leader is slime. It will come out sooner or later, I’m sure.”
Lance looked at Hagan, but still said nothing.
“You want in, don’t you?”
Lance remained silent. He wasn’t sure he should answer. He wasn’t sure if he could trust this man he just met. A man that claimed he knew him.
“Yes, they have something I need.”
Hagan nodded. He turned back to the observation deck with an all-encompassing gesture.
“I am a man of many resources, Mister Larter. I can make a lot happen all around the world. But I still don’t have a way in to that cult’s stronghold.”
“I wasn’t asking for help.”
“Weren’t you, Mister Larter?”
“Look, I don’t even know you. I’m not sure how you know me, but I’m not interested.”
Hagan smiled. “I understand. I’m German, I come up to you out of nowhere, and I know who you are. You have every reason to be suspicious.” He shrugged. “But what can I say? I’m a fan.”
“I see. I’m not an easy going person, Mister Ebernburg. I have a lot on my mind right now.”
“You’ve been through a lot in the last few years, I’m sure. I just want to help you out. I’m no hero myself, but I know one when I see him. I just want to make things easier for you. You look like you haven’t had many pleasant days of late.”
Lance said nothing.
Hagan pulled a money clip out of his lapel pocket. “Let me help you in the only way a rich man knows how.” He pulled several hundreds off the top of the roll. He held them out to Lance.
“I don’t need your money.”
“I’m sure you don’t. But I’m also sure that you’ve been living in shelters or grimy motels of late. You could use a chance to clean up and get some new clothes. I’m giving it to you. No obligations. I have a strong dislike for the Church myself. If you can help to break down that cult in anyway, I want to help you.”
“You seem awfully interested in the cult’s business.”
“They’re bad for business, Mister Larter. Zealots don’t buy. All they do is take. I’ve lost several good people to their brainwashing. I don’t want to lose anymore.”
Lance took the money from the German man’s hand. “Thank you, Mister Ebernburg.”
“My friends call me Hagan.” He gave Lance a pat on the back. Lance pocked the wad of hundreds without counting it.
A man in a suit and dark glasses came up behind Hagan. He whispered something in to Hagan’s ear.
“I’m sorry, but I have an important meeting to attend, Mister Larter.”
“Lance.”
“Lance. I hope we see each other again soon.”
“I think I would like that too, Hagan.”
“Well then, my boy. I have places to go, people to see, and money to make. Good luck to you.”
Hagan gave him another sharp pat to the back before he followed his aide away from the windows.
Did I just sell myself out? He felt the money in his pocket. I needed this. I’m going to need real food if I’m going to have the energy to bring those bastards down.
He turned from the window and walked towards the elevators. Several tourists were already waiting for the next trip down.
I’m going to get inside your so-called Church, Elijah. And I won’t be responsible for my actions after I find the Eye.
The elevator dinged. The door opened. Lance joined the other visitors, content in the fact that he now had a leg up in his plans.
*****
With another explosion, the dirt crumbled from the wall. A wall of stone, marked with scratched-on words in some unknown language, stood exposed.
Air Raid raised his hand to summon another explosive charge, but stopped short. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
“The power! Do you feel the power? This is what I seek!”
Nephthys’ words rang through his head like a psychic scream. He barely heard the excited yell from behind him. Kennis ran past Air Raid. She touched her hands against the scribbles.
“This is it! Blast us in there!”
“Do you even know what we’ll face on the other side?”
“It might be dangerous, but you’re a metahero and I can handle myself. We’ll be fine.”
Air Raid opened his mouth to argue, but stopped short. “Do what the girl says. Or I will. And I will make sure she doesn’t survive.”
“Get out of the way,” Air Raid said. He summoned another explosive charge in to his hand and hurled it against the wall. It exploded on content. Rubble flew everywhere as the stone shattered on impact.
Kennis ran past him. She leapt with surprising grace through the hole. “Come on. Let’s make this fast!”
Air Raid folded up his wings and reluctantly followed.
The room inside looked like something out of a horror movie. Skulls and other bones, both human and otherwise framed the entire room. Various objects, most adorned with gold and jewels, hung upon the macabre framework. A mass of silver, gold, and bronze sat in the middle of the room like some kind of dragon’s horde. Kennis leapt around the room, clearly in search of whatever it was she sought.
“What is this?”
“The Church’s dark secret,” Kennis said. “They are far from the true church. The devil works through their leadership.”
“I don’t believe in the devil. I mean, I had a friend that looked like him, but the real devil? No way.”
Kennis stopped her search and looked at him. “Someday you will see enough in this world to change that opinion. I promise that.”
She turned back to her search. “Start looking. It should look like a dagger or a blade. Nothing as ornate as the rest of this, just a simple blade.”
“No, we need to find the source of the power I feel. Someone radiates it. I must have them. If you want to be rid of me, find them. Find them now!”
“I’m sorry,” Air Raid said. “I have to find something else. I have my own motives for being here.”
Kennis stopped to look at him again. “What are you talking about? You didn’t even want in here.”
“Plans change.”
“Fine, go do your thing. But I warn you that you won’t have long before the masters of this place find you.”
Air Raid’s mind screamed with agony as Nephthys took control. “Good. Their souls will be mine!”
Kennis’s hand went in to her loose shirt. A dagger came out with it. The blade extended to a full-length sword as she raised it in front of you. “You carry a demon with you, Dustin.”
“Dustin isn’t here anymore. And I am no demon, Christian. I am a god!”
“There is only one god, monster!” Kennis charged towards Air Raid. His eyes went wide as Nephthys dropped her control.
He hurled his body back. His wings brought him up in to the air, just inches away from Kennis’s blade.
“Kennis, stop!”
“Dustin, I can help you, but I need you to come down here. I can exorcise the monster from you. Let me—!”
A blast of flame smashed in to Kennis’s side. Her clothes caught fire as she fell to the floor of the room. She quickly rolled as she tried to douse the flames.
Air Raid turned to see the massive form of Elijah’s right hand man, Seraphim. Fury raged in his eyes. He flew up in to the air towards Air Raid. His flaming sword swung around, ready to strike.
He reacted on instinct. Two massive explosives formed, one in each hand. He hurled them directly at Seraphim’s chest.
Seraphim disappeared in the massive blast. The explosion slammed him back against the wall, only inches from their makeshift entrance. The entire room shook as bones, jewels, and precious metal flew everywhere.
Air Raid climbed to his feet. “It’s not the would-be angel. Find their leader! Find my power!”
Kennis stood up a few feet away. Her shirt was gone. Her pale skin was burnt in several places, though an elaborate tattoo that covered most of her right half seemed unmarked. Her head turned right to left as she surveyed the room in search of the weapon she sought.
“Yes!” She dropped to the floor and shoved a pile of gold and jewels away. She came up with a foot-long blade. It looked like an ancient spear-tip of some kind. Air Raid couldn’t understand what she might want with it.
“Do what you need to do,” Kennis said. “I’m leaving.”
She ran past him. He turned to follow her.
“You have your mission. You will find my power or I will find it myself!”
*****
Jane sat in a darkened room, completely naked. She still couldn’t quite remember the path she took every time Elijah or Seraphim brought her here. She only knew the trip hurt her head. No natural light entered the room. Only the glow of a single candle offered her any view of her locale.
An uncomfortable bed, filled with straw, sat under her. A rough blanket offered the only padding to it. A simple wooden table held the candle. A stone framework made up the ceiling. Writing in some language she didn’t recognize lined the stone’s edges. A heavy wooden door blocked any means of escape.
She wanted to cry. She wanted to weep. She knew now that this Church was a lie. Everyday Elijah came to have his way with her, but now she came to him. The cold dark room was like a second home now. But no matter how much she hated it, she couldn’t bring herself to break down. She wasn’t sure if it was the control he somehow possessed over her or if it was her own stubbornness.
I need out. I need to escape. But how can you escape a man that can stop your every movement?
The room shook around her. It felt like an earthquake, but she knew no earthquakes ever hit Valhalla. Still the vibrations grew worse. The door splintered in front of her. The quake subsided moments later.
Jane knew her chances when she was given them.
She jumped from the bed and slammed in to the shattered door. It fell to pieces upon impact. She started out in to the hallway, but found it completely unlit. Darkness surrounded her.
She threw her head back and forth. She hoped her eyes would adjust, but it was no use. She couldn’t see anything. The darkness was too thick.
A light emerged somewhere in the distance. She started towards it as it rapidly grew. It rushed towards her.
She gasped in horror as she saw the light’s source. Light radiated from Elijah’s skin as he moved with inhuman speed. He stopped just inches in front of her. Elijah’s hands grabbed her blonde hair and yanked back on it.
“Where are you going, Jane?”
“I just want to go! Please, let me go!”
Elijah leaned in close to her. His eyes seemed to flash red as he ran his beard across the side of his face.
“I am far from done with you, woman. You will complete my grand plan. You will bow to my will in the end.”
He smashed her head against the wall of the hall. He felt his lips touch her forehead as her mind faded to oblivion.
*****
Air Raid ignored the damage he caused as he continued past Seraphim and the rubble covering him. He needed to go deeper in to their lair. He needed to find Elijah if he was to have any hope of getting rid of the monster bonded to his soul.
The halls were dark, but a series of low yield explosives produced enough light to allow him to see. He went maybe a hundred yards up the tunnel before a blast of wind struck him. His hollow-boned frame couldn’t stand up against the push of the whipping winds. He flew back down the tunnel and in to the Church’s treasure room.
Elijah emerged from the tunnel only a second later, impossibly fast for any normal human. But if Nephthys was right, he was far from human. He dragged a light-skinned black woman behind him by her blonde hair. He let her head drop hard to the floor.
“You come in to my sanctum and expect me to ignore it. I am Elijah! I am worshipped by thousands above us. I will not let some insufferable winged fool show me disrespect!”
Another blast of wind struck Air Raid hard in the chest. He fell back to the floor and crashed down hard atop his wings. His powerful wing muscles pushed him up to his feet as he summoned his most explosive charge in to his hand.
He hurled it towards Elijah, but another blast of wind sent the charge crashing in to a nearby wall. It exploded in a shower of stone and bones.
“Get him! Get close to him! Let me eat his soul!”
Air Raid wasted no time. He hurled his entire body forward. His wings caught the air as he flew through the explosion at the cult leader. The move caught Elijah flat-footed. Air Raid struck shoulder first with his bearded foe.
“Lay your hands on him! Now, now!”
Air Raid’s hands dropped to the side of Elijah’s skull. He felt Nephthys take control as explosive energy rose in to his hands. Elijah’s hair burnt as the charges exploded against it.
Agony roared through Air Raid’s body. He could hear Nephthys roaring laughter rush out of his brain and fill the room around him. He lost all sense of time and space.
*****
Jane awoke as air rushed around her. Flashes of a large man in a police uniform filled her vision as memories fought to appear in her head.
Father?
The image faded as reality rushed in. She lay on a cold stone floor. Elijah stood over her. A winged man, not Seraphim but some bat-winged epsilon, clutched his hands to the side of Elijah’s skull. Both the winged man and Elijah seemed to be in a great deal of pain.
A woman’s laughter filled the room around her, but she couldn’t see the source. The winged man fell away from Elijah, even as Elijah’s body started to spasm. His entire body seemed to ripple as he dropped to his knees.
His skin turned a dark red as massive ram horns sprouted from his skull. His legs shifted as a tail sprouted from his back. Jane pulled away from him as his form continued to grow more demonic.
“Enough!” Elijah’s voice roared out. The woman’s voice cried out in agony.
“I will not be made a plaything. I will not bend to your puny powers! Go back to the void from which you rose!”
The demon that was once Elijah stood tall as energy rippled across his skin.
“All of you be gone!”
The energy flooded out from his body. The world turned a glowing red.
Jane didn’t know how, but she now lay on the sidewalk in front of the Church. The sun was setting, but the cement still held the intense heat that beat down upon it for the entire day. It burned her bare skin as she climbed to her feet. Despite her lack of clothes, she didn’t stop for a moment. She ran out in to the street, away from the Church complex. A few cars swerved as she ran in front of them. She ignored them as she focused on just getting away.
She ran head long in to a field of darkness. From within the darkness came a smiling face. “Where are you going, Jane?”
She stepped back as Mishelle emerged from the shadows. She pressed her body close to Jane’s. Jane caught a glimpse of a red leather corset and matching knee high boots as Mishelle’s body moved against her own. Mishelle ran one hand down her back in a gentle caress. Jane felt her body melt at the other woman’s touch.
“You don’t want to leave do you, Jane? You don’t want to lose the feeling of my skin against yours, do you?”
Jane couldn’t contain her lustful moan. She didn’t know how the other woman could do this to her, but she couldn’t break away no matter how hard she tried to resist.
“You can’t leave me, Jane. You’re mine now. You’re mine always.” Mishelle’s lips touched Jane’s cheek. Her hand fell down over Jane’s pubic bone.
Jane could only gasp for air as Mishelle’s hands parted her folds. Mishelle pulled Jane back in to the falling shadows. Jane fell to the hot concrete, but her focus was no longer on the pain against her skin. Her only thoughts on the pleasure rising between her legs as Mishelle kissed a line down her body.
Mishelle paused as her breath fell on Jane’s only focus. “You will never leave us, my love. Leaving will only bring you great misery.”
The words faded away as Mishelle’s mouth touched Jane’s nether lips. Her orgasm washed all other thoughts away.
*****
His body free of Nephthys’ influence, Air Raid stood up a free man for the first time in too long. He felt alive like he hadn’t felt for years.
It’s over. It’s finally over.
“Heretic, you will pay!”
Seraphim rose in front of him. The dark-skinned “angel” lowered his flaming sword and pointed it toward Air Raid.
Air Raid took to the sky just as a burst of flame flowed across where he once stood. He flew straight up in to the oppressive heat over the city.
He dropped two charges towards Seraphim. The Church’s enforcer flew up and away from them on his own wings. He made a beeline for Air Raid.
Air Raid soared skyward faster, hoping to put distance between him and Seraphim. But Seraphim kept on his tail. He hurled a blast of flame followed by another.
Air Raid spun to avoid the blasts. He summoned his own charges. He hurled them towards Seraphim. Seraphim took his own evasive action. The charges flew in to the side of the King’s Crown Building. Glass rained down as several stories of windows exploded at once.
I can’t win this, Air Raid thought. He’s as good as I am if not better. I escaped Nephthys and I’m going to get killed minutes later.
Air Raid went in to a dive. He streaked past the King’s Crown as Seraphim roared after him. He tried to cut off Air Raid’s flight, but succeeded only in slicing a large chunk out of the side of the building.
Air Raid used the distraction to make a break for it. He flew past the massive skyscraper and streaked back towards street level. He flew over the grid-locked MLK Avenue before he turned on to a side street.
Seraphim’s roar of frustration flowed across the city. He flew down and after Air Raid. Air Raid didn’t stop for a moment. He pushed his frame to go as fast as he ever flew. He needed to get away before Seraphim could hit him with a blast from his sword’s flames.
Another blast of fire soared past him, only inches from his right wing. He took another turn, this time on to the equally busy D avenue. Another blast of flame roared past him. It struck the ground just in front of a moving Prius. The Prius spun, and the Focus behind it crashed in to its side. He heard the horns start up as two more cars joined the pile-up.
I can’t focus on that right now. A moment’s distraction is all it will take for this psycho to burn me out of the sky.
He turned sharply and flew down in to an alley. His wings barely fit in the narrow space, but he knew Seraphim’s larger wing span would force him up and over the buildings. He turned to see Seraphim roar up and over him. Air Raid dropped to the ground, directly in front of a sewer grate.
One explosive charge was all it took to blow it open. He took a deep breath before he dropped down in to the tunnel. His night vision was better than a baseline human. The heatwave had left the tunnels nearly empty. And the old cisterns under downtown offered him enough room to easily maneuver even at flight.
He took to the air of the tunnels and started down the twisting pathways. He was sure he would soon be lost, but he didn’t care. All he needed to do was put distance between himself and Seraphim.
In another hour or two, he could get out of here. And out of the city once and for all. He was done with Valhalla. The Church, Kennis, Nephthys, could all be damned. He had been away from the rest of Epsilon long enough.
It was time to go home.
*****
He heard the sound of the USA Today drop on the doorstep in front of his hotel room. Lance Larter rose from his bed. He drew on the pair of jeans he left beside his bed and walked to the door.
He opened it, bent down, and grabbed the paper. As he stood up, he saw the woman standing on his doorstep.
She wore dark sunglasses despite the sun only being a dim flicker in the east. A mess of bright red hair, unlike any color known in nature, surrounded her head. It was obviously a wig.
“Nightbird?”
“It’s about time you woke up, big boy.”
She pushed past him in to his room. She took a second to look over the room, never removing her sunglasses.
“Nice little place. Seems like you’re moving up in the world.”
“I’ve found a little bit of money. That’s all. Have you found what I want?”
She removed the glasses to reveal her deep green eyes. “It’s dangerous, but yeah. We’re in, baby. We’re in.”
Nicholas Ahlhelm is an avid writer as well as the editor and administrator of both Metahuman Press and Pulp Empire. Even with projects like Out For Vengeance, Living Legends, and Timeline appearing at MHP, he still finds time to write the webcomic Arc.