Ch.3 Athena's Iniquitous Gift

Chapter 3

"You can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten you." - Eric Hoffer

Chris and I looked at each other dumbfounded. I pulled out my gun, crouched low and moved to the outside edge of the building, before it met the sidewalk. Chris went to check on Jason before he moved up behind me. The sound of scratching chalk could be heard just barely over the wail of sirens a few blocks away.

The sound of my heart pounding made it impossible to hear anything. I kept telling myself that I had to just pull the trigger- ask questions later. Anyone who is running down the street after us now, or comes around that corner does NOT have our best interest in mind. Right?

I felt Chris breath on my cheek as he knelt to whisper in my ear. He brushed his lips lightly on my face.

Startled, I looked up at him. He looked scared and worried and as if he had come to a decision.
Then he stepped away from me and out onto the sidewalk. A silent ‘No Chris, we’ll get out of this too.’ died on my lips as he took off running to the left. I felt like I had been punched in the gut, and tears misted my eyes.

I blinked them back and covered him as far as I could see him, straining to hear the sounds of Trench Coats. I was promptly rewarded with the heavy pattering of shoes slapping cement, coming from the right side. Maybe they had seen Chris step out and were following him, they might run right past us. Then I felt guilty for my hope.

I put my back to the wall, willing myself to bleed into the shadows. I had my breath held and was trying to make my heart beat more quietly when the running men crested the alley. They didn’t even slow to look.

The footsteps receded and I tried to listen for sounds of a confrontation. Then I heard shouts, they sounded like they were about two blocks away. I shut my eyes, blood rushing through my brain mercifully drowning out the sounds of fighting.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up at Jeff. He helped me to my feet and brought me into a large circle. He had already put Jason and our bags into it. I noticed Chris had left his bag with ours.

Jeff gently turned my chin so I was looking up at him. His look of kind concern put me over the edge and tears coursed freely down my cheeks.

“Ok,” he said gently, brushing them off with his thumbs. “You are going to have to wait to do that. I still need you and so do your two guys. Chris is fast, I expect him to come tearing around the corner any minute now. Stay focused for us just a little while longer okay?”

I nodded and he moved his hand to my shoulder reassuringly. I snuffled and tried to reset myself. He might be right, Chris ran track in high school after all. He was in better shape than most people our age.

The sounds of a fight intensified and I tried to steel myself for the worst.

Jeff was doing something with his hands, and then I could feel a Whoosh of air and a bright light flashed in the middle of the circle. My ears popped with a change in pressure.

Everything but the sirens had fallen eerily silent. Then I could hear the running feet again, coming right for us.

“It’s up. Remember, don’t step outside the circle. Keep an eye on Jason too.” Jeff said facing the entrance to the alley.

Three Trench Coats rounded the corner into our alley, and came to a halt just inches from the circle. They appeared to be sizing us up, and then one of them nodded with an evil smile crossing his lips. The other two stood behind him watching us as the one with the charming smile sat down crossing his legs.

Smiley gazed at Jeff as he began a low voiced chant that seemed to make the ground quake. I ducked down, thinking that the cinder block walls above us would crash in at any moment.

“You have to make a decision. You can stay and probably die fighting for Jason. Or you can run and I’ll keep them busy. They are more interested in me right now anyway, and to be honest, I stand a better chance of saving Jason than you do. I have about one minute left on this circle before they bring it down.” Jeff called out loudly, sweat running down his neck.

“I’m staying with Jason and you.” I didn’t add, “Where would I go?”

I situated myself between the Trench coats and Jason, and prepared myself as best I could mentally. I had eleven shots left. I had another full clip in my bag, but I was under no illusions about being able to reload quickly enough to make a difference.

Jeff was pulling on some wicked looking gloves. They appeared to be heavy leather with a very intimidating set of brass knuckles set into them. I had to look away when I realized they had bits of gore embedded in the tines over the knuckles.

I felt another popping sensation beginning to build in my ears. The standing Trench Coats took a step back from us as Smiley began to get up off the ground. They all backed away from us, as if waiting for something to explode.

“This will be loud and very bright. Close your eyes so you don’t lose your night vision. You’ll know when you can open them again.” Jeff said softly behind me.

I did as I was told, felt my ears pop as a loud roaring sound like a jet engine revved up. The backs of my eyelids lit up and my eyes watered. Then it was quiet. I snapped my eyes open just in time to see a black Vega plow into the three Trench Coats.

“Oy, come on, get in.” Chris yelled at us, grinning crazily.

I spun around grabbing our bags; Jeff already had Jason over his shoulder.

I could hear movement out on the street, but I was too terrified to look. Just move Lucy, keep moving, I told myself over and over.

As I came out of the alley, Jeff had Jason loaded in and was pushing the seat back. He stood up as a Trench Coat hurtled into him. I finished tossing the bags in just as the other two got up off the ground, moving rapidly towards me. Chris yelled at me to just get in the fookin’ car.

Of course, I shot the two Trench Coats on my side of the car instead. I shot them a lot, and they slowed down. I looked over at Jeff, who was diving into the front passenger seat. I slid in behind Chris.

“Go, go, go…” I yelled, feet coming off the pavement just as the door swung shut.

Chris floored it, nicking one of the Trench Coats I had just put many holes in. He spun around with a sickening crunch that I couldn’t really hear. His knees just looked as if they had been smashed and twisted and my brain supplied the appropriate sound effects. The other two Coats were still down. I don’t know what Jeff had done, but he had done it better than my Beretta apparently. The two I shot were still attempting to give chase.

Jeff directed our careening car all over an industrial area and into what looked like a red light district. There were other vehicles on the street and people, mostly desperate looking women walking around. Jeff told us to pull over to the side.

“Look, I need to get some help here. I need to find a guy by the name of Phineas, with long black dreads and blue eyes. I’ll be right back. Don’t lower your window for anyone but Phineas or me. Lucy, keep your gun where people outside the car can see it.” Jeff said in what I was finding to be his usual staccato burst.

I watched him walk away, keeping my gun raised to window level. More than one person looked like they might approach once Jeff was gone, but were deterred by the sight of the gun.
*************
“I’m so glad you came back.” I said lamely, squeezing Chris’ shoulder. “You could have told me what you were doing, you know.”

“No time. Besides, would you have let me go?” Chris asked with an arched brow.

I didn’t answer and he nodded to himself. I leaned over to check on Jason. He was still breathing, but still out cold.

“Chris, I am really worried about Jason. He needs medical help. This has gotten out of hand.” I said, as if I had been waiting to voice the obvious.

“Well, we can’t leave Jeff here. We don’t know where to find a functioning hospital. And, you know as well as I that there is more wrong with Jason than a hospital is likely to fix.” Chris answered me, watching the people around us closely.

None of them were wearing trench coats.
***********
About fifteen long minutes later, Jeff came trotting up to the car.

“Well, we can’t stay here.” He said, as if that was ever really a good option. “I am going to take you back to my place. But if Jason wakes up, you are going to have to knock him back out.” Jeff said, looking me in the eye.

“Look, I appreciate your help with everything. I really do, but I am not causing any more damage to Jason.” I said, returning Jeff’s steady gaze.

“Okay.” He answered simply. He took his hand off the door handle and said, “You are on Oak St. Gilbert is the next one over. Follow the signs to get you out to the Interstate. You may be stuck at the exit lot for a while, they had some trouble earlier.”

Then he took a step away from the car.

“Wait, Jeff!” Chris called, leaning over. “Look, Jason needs help. If you say knocking him out is best then we’ll do it. But you are the only one who seems to know what has happened here. We need your help.” I could have knocked Chris out right about then. But, to a certain extent he was right.

Jeff let himself back in with a slight smirk for my benefit. He motioned for Chris to pull out and begin driving.

We went a few blocks before turning into another alley. I kept an eye on Jason, but I still had no intention of knocking him back out.

Jeff got out of the car when we stopped in front of a set of black painted wooden double doors at a service entrance to one of the old buildings. The buildings here looked like they used to house industrial businesses. Most were all boarded up in the back.

Jeff unlocked the doors and swung them wide. I was surprised to see a brick design in the floor and plastic tables with closed umbrellas and chairs turned upside down on them. There were faded fake ivy plants in hanging baskets all around.

Jeff moved some of the tables out of the way, motioning us to pull in. Slowly Chris got the Beast maneuvered into place. As we climbed out, Jeff closed the doors, sliding a heavy bar into place. The inside of the walls were covered in writing, similar to the hotel walls, without the creepiness. We seemed to be in some sort of courtyard.

Jeff walked up to a glass door with plywood on the inside and opened it. He pulled Jason out of the back seat with some help from Chris and we all went inside. It was pitch black, but Jeff had one of those shake lights so we could follow him forward on a tile floor. When we hit carpeting he took a left and then went up some stairs.

Inside a large room Jeff lit some candles and it looked like we were in an office. It had two large metal desks and a couch and table. We settled Jason on the couch.

“This is an old night club.” Jeff announced. “It has emergency lighting wired directly into a few solar cells on the roof. I keep the lights covered, but I’ll pull the coverings off while I give you the tour. It doesn’t get much brighter in here during the day because everything is boarded up, so try to get a good feel for the place. Jason can stay on the couch because it’s in a circle. If he is anything other than the Jason you know and love, he won’t be able to leave it.”

After that cryptic statement, we followed Jeff back down the stairs and waited while he pulled ropes attached to cloth coverings for the emergency lights. They were actually pretty bright and we could see an enormous cavern of a room. There was a horseshoe shaped bar in the middle and pool tables on the side with the office. As we crossed to the other side we saw a set of stairs going up, a large dance floor with a stage and a seating area. We turned and went up the stairs pausing at the mezzanine level before continuing to the 3rd level. It had its own bar, small dance floor and pool table. The place was huge! Towards the back on the 3rd level were two dressing rooms for bands; they both had ratty old couches and chairs, mirrors and tables.

“You can sleep in these rooms if you need to. They aren’t much, but they were good enough for Dr. Hook and Edgar Winter back in the day.” Jeff gestured to the couches. I wasn’t sure if I recognized the names he was tossing out.

He took us across the aisle to the 3rd floor dance floor. On the backside it had a large door with a padlock on it. Jeff took it off, it hadn’t been latched. Inside, when he turned his flashlight on it, we could see a very large service elevator.

“This thing doesn’t take any electricity. It’s all about counterweights.” He said stepping in and grabbing a rope to the side. The thing lurched a bit and he tried another rope, this time the car moved smoothly downward to the 1st floor. He pushed open the door and we stepped out.

“I turned the water service on out at the road. City workers don’t have time to come out and check these old buildings unless there is some sort of emergency, so no one has come to shut me down yet. There are bathrooms below my office and over there,” he said pointing below the mezzanine. “I recommend using the ones below the office.”

No one was tired enough to sleep, so we followed Jeff back to his office. Jeff had a damp bar towel that he was using to try to wake Jason. We tried shaking him, yelling at him and sprinkling water on his face. Nothing seemed to be working.

“Ok. This is not normal. Agreed?” Jeff asked us, we nodded.

“I am going to try something different. Don’t interrupt me once I get started, don’t step into the circle with him unless I say to and if you don’t think you can follow those rules you may want to leave the room for a while.” He said looking right at me.

“What!? I am going to sit right over here until you are done.” I said, sitting behind the desk.

Chris leaned against the wall opposite me. Jeff sat down on the table across from the couch. He took his coat off, pulling a Bible from an inner pocket. This was a seriously muscular man. He wore a wife beater tank top and cargo pants. There were scars of varying types on his arms and shoulders and an eight-pointed compass tattooed on his right shoulder. He wasn’t what you would call conventionally good looking. He was attractive in an ‘I‘m glad you don’t want to rip my head off’ relieved sort of way. The scar running through his right eyebrow and broken nose added to his dangerous looks.

He began to chant in Latin. One hand on his Bible, one hand on a cross he wore around his neck. I seriously doubted he was a minister or priest, but he seemed very assured.
******************

Jason’s eyes began to tremble as if he was deep in a REM state. His whole body went rigid and he sat bolt upright on the couch, as if pulled by invisible threads.

“You!” he exclaimed in a raspy voice. He was looking right at Jeff.

“Nobody say anyone else’s name right now.” Jeff called out to us. Then looking at Jason, “ You don’t belong here do you? Why don’t you just go back home?”

Jason turned to look at Chris and me and then looked back at Jeff. He didn’t respond.

“Do you or do you not belong here? Is this person your willing host?” Jeff asked again.

Jason shuddered at the questions, as if ducking a blow. He twisted on the couch to look at me.

“Answer the question. Do you have a valid claim on this person?” Jeff asked, louder this time.

“Lucy, this guy is nuts. Get me out of here.” Jason pleaded with me. But his eyes had a creepy vacancy to them. I resisted the temptation to answer him; I was feeling very out of my element.

A look of frustrated rage I’ve never seen before flitted across Jason’s features.

“Answer the question Demon! Do you have a valid claim on this man?” Jeff yelled loudly. “You must leave now if you do not have a valid claim. Leave now, Demon…”

Jason began to tremble and thrash on the couch. I caught a whiff of sulfur in the air and the olfactory memory made my heart pound.

“You don’t have the strength to keep this one do you? Your connection is weakening as we speak. Find an easier victim. Oh, that’s right. You burned them all up in the fire last night didn’t you? You didn’t even reap the benefits of that sacrifice did you? Who did? Who did you do it for? Were you punished for letting us escape?” Jeff asked in rapid succession. “You didn’t even get to keep her did you?”

That last statement seemed to have an effect on Jason. His trembling intensified and he slumped forward screaming, “That Bitch! That Bitch! I should have ripped your head off you whore of an abomination…”

He went quiet except for a loud rattling exhalation.“Did either of you hear him use a name for the Demon?” Jeff asked.

“Yeah, I think it started with a B. Bath something.” I replied.

“Bath! Bath! You lost! You are weak and you lost to a few low order humans! Go home, Bath. Get out, Bath!” Jeff yelled again, loudly. His right hand was palm out towards Jason; his left was on the Bible. I kept expecting him to call upon his faith or God’s name for extra oomph, but he never did.

Jason tilted over on the couch and nearly rolled off. He didn’t respond to Jeff.

“I think it’s done. The Demon never had a really good tie to Jason. I think Jason is just sleeping now. Lets give him a little time, possession takes a lot out of a person.” Jeff said getting up and heading for the office door.

Demons and Possessions. That was just too much for me. I stepped over to the couch and started to shake Jason awake.

“You probably don’t want to do that. Unless you want another express flight across the room.” Jeff said over his shoulder, “And if you’re going to be stupid, I ain’t gonna save you this time.”

Down the stairs he went. Chris looked at me incredulously. He sighed and sat on the coffee table across from me. Jason opened his eyes and mumbled something incoherently.

I suddenly felt a little scared, remembering the glowing black eyes of the “Demon”. I shivered and pulled Jason onto my lap, stroking his hair.
***********
The smell of cooking meat wafted up into the office about twenty minutes later. It was apparently just the thing to bring Jason around.

We sat at a large round table next to the bar and ate canned corned beef hash mixed with fried eggs. We all had our fingers and toes, and we could remember our names. I’d call that a win.

It turns out that Jeff had a life before we came along. Before everything went bad in the world, Jeff was your average every day blue-collar automotive factory worker. He was happily married with two kids. His wife got an opportunity for a good job about two hours away and took it. Then she took the kids and everything they owned. They got divorced three months after she started the new job. She got remarried and Jeff found God again.

He lost his job, like so many others, when the trucking industry took a dive. With no raw materials coming in and not much finished product going out- there simply wasn’t enough work for people.

Jeff became part of the horde of homeless that every larger city contends with now. While staying at the Catholic Church, he learned a few things about good and evil. He saw a lot of violence on a daily basis, most of it borne out of desperation. And he began to see a pattern.

Quiet unassuming people began to do perfectly awful things. Things like skinning animals alive, reproducing crucifixions and explosive beatings. They always wore trench coats for some reason. And they would gather together as if communicating telepathically. They almost seemed like a flock of watchful crows.

As time went on, it was clear to Jeff that this had to be the work of the Devil. He began to read everything he could find on exorcisms and other methods of dealing with the Devil and his minions. What he found in his research differed greatly from what actually worked in real life, and many of his Catholic friends died horribly, still clinging to useless conventions. It was faith that banished the Demons, not the trappings of a church. Crosses, holy water, wooden stakes- none of it did anything without unswerving faith.

Last night was a major turning point in Jeff’s battle for the Good. A sacrifice of that magnitude signaled that something much bigger was on the horizon. Jeff wasn’t sure where he was going, but he knew he didn’t want to be around for the next chapter in Danville history. This town was lost as far as he was concerned.

When noon rolled around we decided to start taking shifts keeping watch. We couldn’t be sure that the Interstate was going to be open today and we didn’t want to risk getting caught waiting for it. If we absolutely had to we could take non-interstate roads tomorrow, but the stories coming in about those were very disturbing.

Jeff had built and arranged blinds on the roof, so that Chris and Jason could sit in them undetected by people on the ground or the taller building across the street. It afforded us a great view of all of the movement immediately around the nightclub.

Jeff joined me in my room on the third floor, sitting on the coffee table across from me on the couch. I found myself checking the floor for another circle, and wouldn’t you know there was one!

“What’s on your mind Jeff?” I asked, the long tense hours giving my sunny disposition an edge.

“What exactly are you?” he asked me simply.

Again with the shocked silence! My inner confusion must have shown.

“Look, you should be dead already.” Jeff explained, adding to my confusion. “That Demon should have had you under his control and used you up by now. He knew your name, and that didn’t even faze you. You hurt him somehow. That’s why he threw you back.”

“I don’t know.” And I really didn’t. “I am as baffled as you are about that. I remember what you are describing and you are right. I felt myself going under, and then It screamed and I screamed and I was sailing back across the room. I don’t understand it either.”

“I’ve never seen anyone survive an encounter of that sort. Jason isn’t the only person to be brought back from a minor possession, but no one has been in the claws of a Demon and lived to my knowledge.” Jeff said quietly, studying me.

Feeling overly scrutinized, I leaned forward to shift my legs up onto the couch. Jeff reached out to catch my hands, holding them still, looking into my eyes. I returned his gaze, my heart beating wildly.

He reached up and brushed my hair out of my eyes, tucking it behind my ears. I froze, unsure of his intentions and unsure of my own self-control. On the one hand I couldn’t deny that I felt safer with him around. But on the other, this was a violent man. If he decided I was the enemy, he could put down some serious damage.

“I, um, you should take this chance to get some rest.” He seemed to gather himself not meeting my eyes anymore. He left the room, shutting the door behind him. I felt a strange sense of loss, as if an important moment had passed and I didn’t appreciate it. I shut my eyes, mulling over our discussion.

A few minutes later, Jason came into the room. He said that Jeff had decided to take his shift. Jason’s color had improved, but he had a haunted look in his eyes. He laid down on the other couch; I don’t think either of us slept much.

Emergency services were very busy all through the day and night. We heard a lot of gunfire and at least one sizeable explosion. In the morning we decided to get back on the road, taking Jeff with us. We were pretty crowded in the Vega, but we couldn’t leave him behind. Even though he had suddenly gone all nervous around me, I was still oddly comforted by his presence. I even volunteered to sit in the back with him. We didn’t say much.The Interstate was open, but the checkpoints were overloaded. People were fleeing Danville in droves. I wondered how many of them were really just people and how many were Demon Touched like Jason, spreading out like a virus.

Maybe it was just Danville.