Rob’s eyes went wide with panic at the sight. He could only spew muffled screams through his gag while thrashing around on the floor of the Escalade.
“Let me see,” Jason asked, snatching one of the parchments. “Looks like Latin, maybe. This word is soul, this one means money. Holy crap,” he mumbled. He handed the parchment back to Alex with a trembling hand.
The guys looked at one another with the twitching demon between them. Alex swallowed hard, thinking of Raymond Cordingly and wondering how many beings like Rob were already angry over how that had turned out…
A slap at the window of the SUV scared the hell out of all of them. The guys yelped. Wade rolled his eyes and opened the passenger door. “Ah don’t think there’s an easy way in. Gonna have to go through a window an’ try ta open the front doors from th’ inside. Drag this guy up to th’ doorstep an’ be ready.”
Drew looked over to Alex. “You sure about this, man?”
Alex shrugged, opening the side door of the SUV. He grabbed the briefcase with one hand and Rob’s bound ankles with the other. “Can’t think of a better reason to be arrested, anyway.”
The three young men hustled Rob out of the Escalade. The demon writhed in captivity, alternately growling, crying and trying to plead through the gag. He was heavier than he looked, creating a difficult burden complicated by the need to carry the briefcase and the bag of his wings, tail and bits of horn.
Of the four of them, only Wade’s heart had been hardened enough to do something like this without doubt. But each of the others found a moment, in turn, to look down at the crumpled remnants of demonic horns sprouting from Rob’s head and the baleful rage in his eyes to remind them of their lack of options.
As they made it to the front door, they heard the crash of a window being broken around the corner. “Hope this works,” Jason muttered.
“No kidding,” Alex agreed.
“Ow!” Drew snapped. He dropped Rob’s shoulder, letting it hit the ground. “He’s burning!”
The others looked down as smoke came off of the demon. Hot boils appeared on his skin. Flesh bubbled up and burst. His cries became increasingly desperate. The sound of Wade working the locks from within caught their attention, and an agonizingly long moment later the door was pushed open.
“Wow,” Wade blinked at the sight of Rob.
Nobody wanted to touch him, but Alex shrugged. “Gotta finish this,” he grumbled, and each of the guys took hold of Rob’s bonds while doing their best not to touch him directly. They hauled him inside the dark church.
“What now?” Jason wondered.
“We just leave him here, maybe?” Drew suggested.
“Maybe we’re supposed to bring him to the altar?” Alex thought. “Do they even have altars in Episcopal churches? I’ve never been here before.”
“That’s probably fuckin’ sacrilege,” Wade countered. “Get us in just as much trouble as-oh shit!”
Light came up from everywhere and nowhere at once. It illuminated the chapel, quickly becoming blinding in intensity. A voice boomed, “Step back from the fiend!”
Frightened by the sudden display, each of the youths complied. Rob fought to rise, managing to get to his knees just before the angel appeared. He was tall and muscular, shining with light and glory as he strode from beside the pulpit down the aisles of pews. “Creature of the Pit, you do not belong here!”
Rob screamed. The angel drove a great sword of light through his heart. His body began to crack and smolder, looking much like a burning coal before he finally began to crumble to ash. The bag of demon bits in Jason’s hand suddenly ignited. He dropped it on the floor on reflex, then watched it burn away to nothing. Rob’s ashes floated away on a wind to seemingly nowhere.
Alex blinked, opened the briefcase, and then stepped away from it as the contracts within also ignited and burned into nothing.
The four battered, weary, frightened young men turned to the painfully bright angel. They couldn’t make out much in the way of features. “Your part in this is done,” the angel’s voice boomed. “Go in peace.”
“Uh,” Wade began, “if y’all’re actually an agent of God, ah got some questions-”
“Wade,” Alex hissed. “They don’t answer questions. You’re just gonna piss him off.”
“Seriously? But he’s like right there! Ah got serious theological issues!”
“Angels can’t even tell you straight if God exists, man.”
“Wow. That makes no sense.”
“Welcome to religion,” Jason said, eyes rolling.
“I will show you out,” the angel sighed.
* * *
“You’ve been sleeping with him for days and you haven’t even exchanged cell phone numbers?!”
“He hasn’t exactly been far out of reach!” Lorelei snapped back.
Rachel fumed. “Rub it in, why don’t you?” The two picked their way back out of the wrecked pool hall, frustrated by the lack of clues but grateful for the lack of bodies.
“Have you tried to see him again?” Lorelei asked. As they walked out of the pool hall, the succubus instinctively headed for her car. Rachel followed, having no more appealing option.
“I’ve been trying to see him since I realized my sight was blocked. If he’s not with you and I can’t see him, it has to be either magic or some other demon. Odds are it isn’t magic,” she added. “You sure you don’t have enemies around here?”
“Only one other from the Pit even knows I’m around, and he would know better than to challenge me, even if…Rachel,” she winced, turning from her.
“What?”
“You’re glowing. Brightly.”
“What?”
“Your halo.”
“Don’t fuck with me,” Rachel snapped, “my halo’s been a fucking joke ever since…since…Monday,” Rachel’s voice trailed off as she cast her eyes upward. A holy light emanated from around her head. “I can see him,” she gasped.
* * *
Outside on the steps of the church, the angel’s light was less bright. “You have served a greater good this night than you know,” he said.
“That’ll make us feel better when we get arrested for all this mess,” Drew sighed.
“You four shall suffer no mortal ills because of your actions tonight. Look upon yourselves. Your wounds already heal. Leave the vehicle behind. No mortal authority will trace it to you, nor your battle earlier.”
“You saw that?”
“Heaven sees much, Jason Cohen. Moreover, I see tonight’s events in your memories. Perhaps you will yet find your faith.”
A single car came up the hill at a rapid clip. It slowed quickly upon approach, brakes squealing as it came up to the church. Alex recognized it immediately. Both doors opened; to his surprise, Rachel leapt out of the passenger’s side and ran up the steps. Lorelei was there, too, slipping out of the driver’s side but then quickly stepping back. She held her hands up to block out the light of the angel at the church.
“Rachel,” the voice said as the light went out, “we must speak.” With that, all sign of the other angel vanished.
Rachel threw her arms around Alex. “Are you okay? We were so worried!”
“We?” Alex blinked.
“Yes, me and-Lorelei,” Rachel said, catching herself. She looked down to the street, where Lorelei stood well away from the curb. The guardian angel was silent for a moment as she made a decision. “Come on,” she said, tugging Alex to follow her down the steps.
“Hey, Alex,” Drew asked, “is this…?”
“Yeah. Guys, this is Rachel,” he said as they walked. “Rachel, this is Drew, Jason and Wade. They’re my friends.”
“Hi,” Rachel waved over her shoulder. “I’d love to talk, but I’m kind of in a rush.” She dragged Alex over to Lorelei. Then she let go.
“What-?” he blinked.
Rachel nudged him. “Hug her, dummy. She can’t go on sacred ground.”
Alex looked at Lorelei, whose worries were obvious even as they faded. He reached out and took her into his arms. “You had me concerned,” Lorelei said.
“He said his name was Rob,” Alex explained.