The demons had clearly figured out where the Templars were headed, for they were concentrating more of their numbers between them and the church with every second that passed. Cade and his men kept laying down a blistering stream of fire as long as they could, but they’d been low on ammo before getting into the current firefight and it didn’t take long before their weapons ran dry.
With the exception of Cade’s pistol, all of the firearms were outfitted with shoulder slings so as each weapon came up empty the knight using it simply let it fall by his side and drew his sword. Within moments the four men were standing in a square formation with their backs to each other, their weapons flashing in the moonlight as they hacked and slashed at their foes. Blood steamed in the cold night air and soon the ground at the Templars’ feet was littered with the bodies of the dead and dying.
Still the demons came on.
The four men fought with ruthless efficiency, each focused only on the foe that was directly in front of them and trusting the others to do the same, but Cade knew it couldn’t last. They were getting tired and if one of them fell, the rest were sure to follow.
Just when Cade thought they were going to be overrun, the doors to the church in front of them burst open and three men came charging out dressed in bright yellow chemical suits like those worn by exterminators, complete with hoods and respirators. On their backs the men carried round metal tanks, reminding Cade of those worn by scuba divers. Rubber tubes ran from the top of each tank down to some kind of hand-held spraying device in the men’s hands.
Cade was still trying to process their sudden appearance when the first of the newcomers pointed his gadget at the back of the demon closest to him and squeezed the trigger.
A four-foot gout of flame shot from the nozzle of the device and enveloped the demon in a writhing column of fire. The other two men joined the party half-a-moment later, triggering their own makeshift flame-throwers and sending two more scorching streams of flame into the line of demons before them.
In seconds the demons’ coordinated attack on the Templars devolved into chaos, with the infernal creatures trying to defend themselves on two fronts while doing their best to avoid being set ablaze by their already burning companions. The stench of scorched hair and fur and burning flesh filled the air, along with the shrieks and howls of the injured and the dying.
It was exactly the break Cade was looking for.
The demons in front of him were suddenly far more concerned with their own survival than they were in pressing the fight against him and his men. Cade took full advantage of the opportunity, shouting “On me!” over the din of battle and then forced his way forward into the fray.
His sword rose and fell repeatedly as he hacked and slashed his way through the demon’s rapidly disintegrating defensive line. His men did the same on either side of him, scattering the demons before them like leaves in the wind until they reached their yellow-suited rescuers.
“Head for the church!” the lead man shouted, his voice muffled by the masklike-respirator he wore as he jerked a thumb in the direction of the church behind him. “We’ve got your backs.”
Exhausted by the melee, Cade didn’t bother to argue. He waited for his men to hustle past and then fell in behind them as they all headed straight for the thick oak doors of the church directly ahead.
As they approached, the doors swung open and hands reached out to help them inside. Cade let himself be led through the darkness of the foyer and into the nave proper. Large candles burned in strategic positions throughout the room and by their light he could see twenty to thirty people huddled in small groups amidst the pews. They were a mixed group, mostly adults but with a few children and teenagers thrown in. Cade counted more than a few with makeshift bandages covering some kind of injury, most likely sustained while running the gauntlet to reach the sanctuary in which they currently found themselves.
Commotion erupted behind him and Cade turned in time to see his three rescuers rush across the threshold as the heavy oak door was slammed shut, locking out the demons that had been in hot pursuit.
The three men took a moment to catch their breath and then the leader stripped off his hood and goggles, revealing a mop of blond hair and a thickly bearded face stretched tight with tension.
The tension was expected; the clerical collar around the younger man’s neck was not.
Cade waited until some of the others had helped the men divest himself of the homemade napalm strapped to his back and then stepped over, offering his hand.
“My men and I appreciate what you did for us out there, Father…?”
The priest grasped Cade’s hand the way a drowning man would grab a life preserver but his voice was steady as he said, “Please, it’s Nils. Just Nils.”
Cade wasn’t certain if that was a first or last name, but he supposed it didn’t really matter. Nils would do just fine. “I’m Cade. Is there somewhere you and I can talk?”
Nils nodded and turned to one of the women standing nearby, watching the exchange. “Anna, would you get Cade’s men some water, please, and have Thomas see to their injuries. Their commander and I will be in the sacristy.”
Father Nils led Cade into the small room to the right of the nave normally used by the priests when preparing for Mass. He shut the door behind them and turned to face Cade with weary relief.
“Thank God you and your men have arrived, Captain. Things were difficult enough when Father Giesler first reached out for help, but now everything’s getting quite desperate. If we don’t get out of here soon…”
Cade didn’t disagree with the man, but that was neither here nor there at the moment. “And where is Father… Giesler, is it?”
The young priest glanced away then shook his head sadly.
Cade didn’t need to be told what that meant.
One more casualty added to the list. It was starting to get pretty long.
“But he told you to expect us? Before he…”
Cade wasn’t sure if the good father had fallen victim to one of the protean demons and perished, or became something else, so he just left the end of his question hanging, but Nils didn’t seem to notice.
“He said the archdiocese would be sending people who knew how to handle the situation, people who could help. He didn’t specify who, but… you are the men he was talking about, aren’t you, Captain?”
For the first time Nils looked a bit concerned over the fact he’d just let four armed strangers into the sanctuary with the wounded and the women and children; particularly one who looked as battle-hardened as Cade did, given his eye-patch and scarred face.
Cade held up a hand in mild reassurance. “It’s Commander Williams, not Captain, but yes, we’re the men he was talking about.”
Nils’ relief was obvious. “Good. When the rest of your team gets here, we’ll have to…”
“Rest of my team?”
“Well, yes, of course. We’re going to need a lot more troops if we’re going to get out of here in one piece. You’ve seen those hellish things!”
Again, Cade didn’t disagree, but sometimes the truth was a harsh mistress and he wouldn’t lie to the man, not after all he’d clearly been through. “I’m sorry, Father Nils, but you misunderstand. This is it; this is everyone I brought with me.”
The priest’s mouth dropped open in shocked surprise. “But surely you don’t intend to take on all those things with just four men!”
“Of course not,” Cade said calmly. He tried not to think about the fact that they might be forced to do that very thing before the night was over. Instead, he said, “All we have to do is hold out until morning. The storm will have passed by then and we’ll be able to get reinforcements in to help us with the situation.”