Demon Gate: Beyond the 9th Circle: The Rapture Was Just The Beginning. (16 page)

The ground passed beneath them quickly,
briefly rising as they crested the majestic Rockies
that sliced through the heart of Colorado, and
soon they faded into the distance as they blended
with the curvature of the earth.

As the Newark skyline came into view in
the distance they realized they would be facing
the first line of defense.

Vince reached for the intercom switch.
“Spencer, you might want to come up
here.”
After a minute Spencer appeared in the cockpit.
“What’s wrong?”
Vince pointed out the forward window. A small
handful of demons stood as a nearly invisible
shield, forbidding entry into the city. The first
contact was close and would reach them within
seconds, they would have to punch through.
“We’ve got incoming.” Spencer
exclaimed.
”I can see that.” Vince said paused as the
plane penetrated the small flock of demon’s and
entered the city. Four demons latched on to the
plane and quickly tore a hole in the fuselage.
In the cockpit the ‘master caution alarm’
and an alarm indicating a loss of cabin pressure
sounded.
“Spencer, we have some stowaways.
Careful there was a big one in there. Probably a
brute.” Vince directed, his motive was crystal
clear. Spencer passed from the cockpit and onto
the passenger cabin.

Spencer hustles in, his tense demeanor
put everybody on alert.
“Gear up, they’ll be here any second.”
Spencer grabbed his sword and unsheathed it,
Gretchen summoned her weapon of light, Jessie,
Rodney and Halley racked various automatic
weapons.
It was eerily quiet as they waited
nervously for the demons to appear. A clatter in a
crawl space beneath the floor. A scrape in the
space above.
Ten tense seconds later the first demon
climbed in through an air duct, shrieking as it
attacked, baring it’s claws it went straight for
Rodney. Spencer intercepted, turning his weapon
on the creature. One attacked from the rear of the
cabin, the other striking from the front. Jessie
struck as one demon went for Halley. The third
shrieked and batted its head around, not sure who
was the best target. Everybody converged on the
remaining demon. It darted away, trying to reach
the safety of it’s hole. A glowing sword stopped
the demon’s retreat. It was Gretchen’s sword.
Spencer looked around.
“Where’s the other one?”
A gaping hole opens up and a brutish demon
pulled himself in and grabbed the first person he
could, Halley, before retreating. Halley screamed
out of terror. The demon wrapped his terrible
hand around her head and snaps her neck. Her
body is then relinquished to gravity as it is
dropped.
“HALLEY!” Rodney screamed.
“She’s gone, Rodney!” Jessie consoled,
she tried to be sympathetic, but it just couldn’t
come across as she intended.
The demon roared in triumph.
“Let’s touch down and get across the
river before he comes back.”

Despite the loss of Halley, the remaining
survivors found the airport and landed.
Standing outside the plane Vince assessed
the damage. “She won’t ever fly again, we’ll
have to find another plane when we’re done
here.”
“We should get moving.” Spencer urged.
“Agreed.” Jessie said as she scanned the
area for a vehicle and spotted a military jeep.
Jessie ran to the jeep, opened the door and tried
to start it.

“Thank goodness it still has gas.” Jessie
said with great relief then got out as Spencer,
Vince and Gretchen approached.

“Your chariot is ready; we shouldn’t have
any trouble getting into the city.” Jessie
announced.

Spencer jumped into the driver’s seat, this
was his turf and he knew it well. Gretchen took
shotgun while Vince and Jessie climbed into the
back seat, that’s when Rodney’s absence was
noticed.

“Where did Rodney go?” Vince asked.
“He was here a minute ago.” Gretchen
confirmed unsure.
Spencer got out of the jeep.
“RODNEY!” Spencer screamed only to
have his shouts echo eternally through the empty
airport.
“He couldn’t have gone far.” Jessie said
as she climbed out and searched the farthest
reaches of the tarmac only to find nobody,
Spencer and Jessie fanned out toward the
transport plane and Rodney was gone.
“Come on.” Spencer said, “We have to
go.”
Spencer smashed through a perimeter
fence on the north side of the airport and turned
toward an I-95 overpass and proceeded east then
turning north and then a quick right to merge
onto 1-78 toward Newark bay. The interstate
lead to the Holland Tunnel. Water up to the roof
of the tunnel threw a wrench into their plans.
“Dammit!” Spencer said at the sight of
the tunnel flooded, several objects were floating
in the water. They were bodies; hundreds of
them, most were dismembered and were badly
decomposed.
“So, how do we get into the city?” Vince
asked.
“How else?” Gretchen asked, “We find a
marina and enter the city by water.”
Spencer turned around and headed to a nearby
side street before heading south and turning east
onto 6
^th
Street and continued to Washington
Boulevard and then right into the Newport
Marina.
It took two hours to select and prepare the
ship and get underway, leaving the New Jersey
shore behind them.
“What are we going to do when we get
into the city?” Gretchen asked.
“Find a Prince Class demon and make
him tell us where Lucifer is hiding.” Spencer
said.
The boat landed at a marina off the West
Side highway near 18
^th
Street.
“How are we going to find him? It’ll be
like searching for a needle in a haystack.” Vince
asked.
“Times Square is a good place to start.”
Vince began, “That’s the sight of the first
incursion.”
Most of the streets were over crowded
with cars making it unrealistic to hotwire a car,
forcing them to walk up the west side Highway
to West 42
^nd
Street. Somewhere between 8
^th
and
9
^th
Avenue a car alarm went off outside an old
church. The alarm was weakened due to low
battery power, but it was loud enough to catch
Spencer’s attention.
Immediately Spencer and Vince fanned
out to investigate. Spencer drew his blade and
Vince summoned his celestial sword.
Spencer and Vince approached the car as
its alarm blared and a small winged demon fled
from its hiding place.
“Get it!” Spencer shouted as the demon
fled towards Vince.
Vince swung and his sword connected with the
demon at the shoulder causing it to shriek before
disintegrating.
“Do you think any other demons heard
that?” Vince asked.
“I’m thinking yes.” Spencer said as
dozens of demons emerged from every nook and
cranny within fifty feet.
Gretchen summoned her celestial sword
and joined Spencer in preparation for the
onslaught. Jessie had another idea, “We should
fall back.”
“Where would we go?” Spencer asked,
“The city is overrun.”
“Are you really going to stand and fight?”
Jessie demanded.
“What choice do we have?” Spencer
asked as he made ready for the first wave came
within striking distance.
The first swing tore through four demons,
causing them to disintegrate, the remaining
demons scattered; not a retreat. They were
regrouping.
“After them!” Spencer ordered as he
pursued a group of eight demons while the others
fled from the light of the celestial swords.
Spencer tried to follow but after eliminating three
more, the remaining demons fled into the
darkness, slipped into the sewer or scaled the
sheer face of the surrounding buildings.
Spencer saw two heading for parking lot
further up the street, so he chased after them with
reckless abandon.
“Spencer, come back!” Vince shouted,
but it was too late. As soon as Spencer reached
the demons near the rear of the parking lot
hundreds of demons poured out of every speck of
darkness surrounding Spencer; he was trapped—
separated from Vince and Gretchen. He wasn’t
going to be able to fight his way out of this and
Vince and Gretchen could not get to him in time.
Five small canisters were launched out of
a window three floors up; they hit the ground
around Spencer. Instantly smoke started pouring
out of the canisters. Dozens of demons around
the canisters quickly fell over unable to move,
they were dead. Demons around the perimeter
turned and retreated to the hole from which they
came.
A man emerged from a door by a fire
escape that descended by the window where the
canisters came from, a thick blonde beard
covered his chin, he hadn’t shaved in months, he
wore torn and tattered military fatigues, and worn
combat boots.
“Get you asses in here!” the man shouted
waving the four of them over, Spencer and Vince
moved between the demon horde and the girls
motioning them toward the open door.
Once inside the man closed and
barricaded the door.
“What was in those things?” Vince asked.
“Holy water.” The man replied before he
glared mistrustfully at the people he had just
saved.
“I just used five of my holy grenades to
save your miserable asses; now tell me why I
did,” the man said.
“We’re looking for a demon.” Jessie
replied.
“you’re too late most of them have left,
what few there are mostly underground. Pick
one!” the man spat.
“A bigger one than your average hell
raiser.” Vince corrected. The man’s face went
from not trusting to questioning their sanity.
“The big black one with dark grey scales
that came around about six weeks ago?” The man
asked testing the level of their insanity.
“That’s the one.” Spencer confirmed.
“I can’t help you.” The man abruptly said
before turning to walk away.
“What?” Jessie demanded.
The man stopped.
“Get this into your heads.” The man
began, “Everybody that goes near him dies, I lost
five men to that damn thing in the last three days,
and until you showed up it was just me again.
Even if you could get through the hordes of
demons he’s just too strong. I really don’t want to
be the last human on this earth.”
“Can you at least tell us where he is?”
Jessie begged.
“Why? So you can get yourselves killed?”
the man scoffed.
“We can handle ourselves.” Vince
assured.
“So could my men.” The man retorted
before walking away.
“Look! He’s going to come after us
sooner or later, how do you want to die, hiding
like a coward or fighting?”
The soldier wanted to take a swing at Spencer,
but managed to restrain himself.
“Watch your mouth, asshole.” He spat,
then he paused and studied Spencer for a couple
seconds before conceding, “Fine, he’s in Central
Park, but it’ll be damn near impossible to get to
him, I’m sure he’ll be glad to see you, before he
decapitates you.” The man said.
“We’ve faced him before.” Vince said.
The man laughed, his sanity must have been
close to breaking. Then he realized that Vince
was serious.
“If you can stand a chance against him,
what good will that do?”
Spencer smiled,
“What if we get him to come to us?”
The man batted an eye at Spencer
“Bring him here?” the man scoffed, “No
problem, oh, wait. HE’LL BRING HIS WHOLE
DAMNED ARMY WITH HIM!” the man
snapped. “And did I forget to mention, he’s too
damn strong.”
“Remind me how many of those holy
grenades you have left?” Spencer smiled.
The man calmed down and reluctantly smiled, he
could smell a plan cooking.
“Three dozen. I could have three times
that many with your help. Of course it will take a
few hours.” The man said before extending his
hand. “I’m Captain Merrill, United States
Marine Corps.”
Spencer introduced himself and the rest of
his group.
Vince noticed a large object lying on a
large and sturdy table. “What’s that?” Vince
asked, pointing at the object on the table.
Captain Merrill looked at the object, and
back at Vince. “My last resort.” He said, “A ten
kiloton nuclear bomb. I found her four months
ago at JFK; apparently the Air Force was going
to nuke the city to contain the demon invasion
force, I guess they thought the city was already
lost. It could be ready to go in a couple hours if
needed.”
“What kind of damage would that thing
do?” Jessie asked.
“Everything within a mile would be
vaporized. If this thing goes, I wouldn’t want to
be in the city or anywhere near it.” Captain
Merrill admitted.
Spencer smiled.
“It looks like we have a plan.”
Gretchen sunk to a seated position on the
floor and Captain Merrill took notice of it.
“Are you alright?” Captain Merrill asked.
“Yeah, I’m just not feeling that great.”
Gretchen admitted.
Captain Merrill checked Gretchen’s vitals and
performed a few routine health checks before
asking for some privacy.
Spencer, Vince and Jessie left the room
and Captain Merrill spoke quietly.
“How long have these feelings
persisted?” Captain Merrill asked.
“Six weeks.” Gretchen admitted.
“You’re pregnant.” Captain Merrill
bluntly related.
Gretchen nodded,
“I know.”
“Who’s the father?” Captain Merrill
asked.
Gretchen said nothing forcing Captain Merrill to
draw a conclusion. “Spencer, isn’t it?”
Gretchen nodded.
“Does he know?” Captain Merrill asked.
“Not yet.” Gretchen replied, “How far
would you say I am?”
“I would say about four months, maybe
five.” Captain Merrill replied before standing and
heading for the door that secluded Spencer,
Vince and Jessie.
“You won’t tell him, will you?” Gretchen
asked.
“That’s your job.”
Captain Merrill pushed the door open and entered
the next room.
“How is she?” Spencer asked.
“She’ll be fine, but we have a lot of prep
work ahead of us.”
Captain Merrill lead the group to a table that he
had used to construct his ‘holy grenades’ and
they quickly got to work building more by using
smoke grenades and adding holy water.
As the last of the holy grenades were
completed, Captain Merrill stood and approached
Vince and Spencer.
“Can you two handle this demon of yours
alone?”
“Is everything alright, Captain?” Spencer
asked.
“It’s fine. I just need help setting up for
the party.” Captain Merrill lied.
Spencer nodded.
“It shouldn’t be a problem, we’ll try and
gift wrap him for you.” Spencer promised before
heading out on the hunt.