Demon Gate: Beyond the 9th Circle: The Rapture Was Just The Beginning. (17 page)

Spencer and Vince proceeded down 42
^nd
Street. “So how are we going to find him?” Vince
asked.

Spencer replied.
“Sounds like a surefire way to get stung.”
Vince objected.
Turning and heading up 8
^th
Avenue
Spencer and Vince headed toward the beast’s
lair: Central Park, only nineteen blocks away.
Passing 58
^th
Street Spencer noticed
several demons were following them.
“We’ve got company.” Spencer quietly
declared.
“I know, they’ve been following us since
47
^th
Street.” Vince admitted.
“So why haven’t they attacked us yet?”
Spencer wondered.
“I don’t know.” Vince admitted.
Crossing 59
^th
Street they entered Central Park
and they noticed their tail had increased; it was
now a full blown procession. Many demons
passed by and headed into the park, vanishing
into the foliage. Their entourage remained;
occasionally they would catch a glimpse of a
demon racing by until the Bethesda Terrace came
into view.
Spencer approached the edge of the
terrace and saw the fountain on the lower level,
the hellish prince could not be seen, there was,
however a familiar man standing at the water’s
edge.
“Rodney?” Spencer asked, racing down
the stairs to greet him.
“Spencer, where did you go?” Rodney
asked.
“Rodney, we looked everywhere for
you.” Spencer confessed.
“Don’t lie to me!” Rodney spat “If you
had looked everywhere you would have found
me.”
“What do you want me to say, Rodney?”
Spencer asked.
“Serve me.” A familiar voice called from
behind.
Spencer and Vince turned to see Lucifer standing
atop the stairs, his feet were about twelve inches
apart and he held his hands behind his back.
Releasing his hand to hang at his sides he
strode down the stairs and walked right up to
Spencer. Spencer glanced back to Rodney, and
he was gone.
“Where’s Rodney?” Spencer asked.
“Who?” Lucifer asked.
“Don’t play coy, Satan.” Vince seethed.
Lucifer bore his teeth and almost
growled, Spencer could tell that Lucifer hated the
name that Vince called him. Lucifer managed to
remain composed.
“Why have you come here, Mr. Garza?”
Lucifer asked.
“We came here for your pet.” Vince
revealed getting right to the point.
“Aren’t you supposed to be in Germany?
What are you doing in my neighborhood?”
Spencer asked as Vince summoned his celestial
sword and pointed it at Lucifer, who casually
glanced at the blade and nonchalantly glanced
back to Vince as though he did not fear the
weapon.
“Mortality has tainted your perception, I
am not bound by the laws of man.”
Vince and Spencer began to circle Lucifer.
“What are you going to do with that?”
Lucifer asked.
“What I failed to do in Utah.” Vince
retorted.
“You?” Lucifer mocked keeping his eyes
on Vince, “You can’t defeat me.”
The sound of metal scraping metal crossed
Lucifer’s ears.
“A mortal weapon?” Lucifer asked, then
turned to Spencer and seemed genuinely
concerned, but only for a second.
“So, Michael managed to make use of one
of my weapons.”
“You have two choices, and in both
scenarios: you lose.” Spencer advised.
Lucifer smiled, and permitted himself a cruel
chuckle.
“I consider myself a reasonable man, and
I can see that you’ve made up your mind. But be
warned, I have been sparing you from my
minions. If you will not serve me, you will die.”
“We’re not dead yet, and we can still
wound you.” Spencer warned holding up his
weapon.
Lucifer chuckled again.
“You can’t use those if you’re dead.”
Lucifer said, at those words the sound of a roar
echoed from everywhere and nowhere, the roar
sounded like a lion mixed with a Tyrannosaurus
Rex. Spencer and Vince turned their attention to
the pitch-black void under the upper terrace
where a pair of blood red eyes peered out.
The beast crawled out from its den and
unfurled its large leathery wings. Turning its
head from one target to the other it flicked a
forked tongue testing the air; it seemed to be
checking whose fear was greater.
Vince and Spencer brought their weapons
to bear against the impending attack, one was
going to live and the other would die.
Vince glanced at where Lucifer stood just a few
moments earlier and noticed that Satan was gone,
he was concerned but there were more pressing
matters to deal with.
“How are we going to get this thing back
to Captain Merrill?” Spencer asked.
“I was kind of hoping you had a plan.”
Vince countered.
The hellish prince moved from all fours
to its hind legs, lifting it head into the air and
stepping forward and brought its clawed hands to
bear, who would make the first move. Spencer
was watching the prince, planning his first strike.
“Look for an opening, and take it.”
Spencer said, then looked at Vince. “Don’t let me
down.” Spencer pled.
“I’ll cover you.” Vince promised.
“Go for the wings and the legs.” Spencer
directed.
Vince nodded holding his sword out in front of
him.
“Now!” Spencer shouted as he lurched
forward, cutting across the prince’s right side
forcing the demon to follow. Vince saw his
opening and charged, but then noticed the
demonic tail coming in to clothesline Spencer.
Spencer leapt over the tail and rolled to a
stop his sword went flying, landing only twelve
feet away.
The hellish prince grinned at the
weakness and struck with his terrible, clawed
hand. Spencer dodged the near fatal attack by
rolling away from the prince and towards his
sword.
Vince tried to attack but the prince flicked
his tail, striking Vince and sending him flying.
Vince landed atop the upper terrace. He wasn’t
moving. For all Spencer knew Vince was dead.
The prince turned to admire his work.
“VINCE, NO!” Spencer shouted drawing
the demons gaze back to Spencer who quickly
scrambled to his feet, and ran to retrieve his
sword.
“You think you can kill me?” the prince
asked, his voice was dark and sinister, but there
was strength behind it.
To his surprise and great relief, he saw
Vince half standing atop the upper terrace, a
glorious sword in his hand.
“Do you think you can kill
me
?” Spencer
retorted trying keep attention on himself so as not
to reveal Vince until it was too late for their evil
foe.
Vince climbed up on to the railing, and
stood over the hellish prince directly below, then
he leapt ramming his sword into the demon’s
back.
The demon roared in pain.
“You should have killed me when you
had the chance.” Vince said, at the very same
moment Spencer rolled forward and sliced
through the demon’s left leg.
“Fools!” the demon shouted, “I do not die
so easily.”
“Spencer, get his wing.” Vince shouted,
“I can’t keep him down much longer.”
Spencer raised his sword and brought it down on
the leading edge of the prince’s right wing.
"Vince, let’s go.” Spencer shouted.
Vince withdrew his weapon and they both
retreated.
“Fools! You will not escape me.” The
prince vowed. He was wounded and not able to
fly, but managed to pursue them with a
sickeningly fast shuffle.
“He’s following us.” Vince announced.
“Soon, he’ll wish he hadn’t.”
The prince roared, not to let his quarry
know that he was coming, but to summon other
demons to his aid. Like wasps from a nest, tens
of thousands of demons erupted out of the trees
and headed for Spencer and Vince. All intent on
a grueling dismemberment.
“Spencer, we’re not going to make it.”
Vince admitted before turning to fight.
“Do you want to stand and fight?”
Spencer asked as they crossed 59
^th
Street.
“We have seventeen blocks to go.
They’ll over take us in three.” Vince said.
Spencer noticed something that would cut
through the gridlocked streets and give them a
fighting chance to get back to 42
^nd
Street, it was a
2013 Harley. Spencer sheathed his sword and
approached and tried to start it, the bike started
with great effort, Spencer tossed the only helmet
to Vince. Vince released his sword, it dissipated
returned to the light.
“Get your ass on!” Spencer shouted.
“Vince strapped the helmet on and took a
seat behind Spencer who then hit the gas and
sped down 7
^th
Avenue leading the prince and his
cronies like a lamb to the slaughter.
As the bike zipped down 8
^th
Street
between 44
^th
and 43
^rd
they breathed a sigh of
relief.
“We’re almost there.” Spencer called over
the roar of the wind as they tore down the
sidewalk.
“Do you hear that?” Vince asked too late.
A small flying demon swooped down and pulled
Spencer off the bike and tumbled to the ground
rolling with its prey. The bike swerved. Vince
leaned forward and tried to gain control and stop
the bike but it was no use, the bike careened into
the line of cars on the side of the road.
Spencer lay on his back, the demon
adjusted to a sitting position on top of him,
struggling to rip into human flesh. Spencer
managed to keep the demon far enough away that
his life was not likely to end in the next few
seconds, but that could quickly change.
Spencer could feel the strength leaving
him, within seconds he would be lying dead on
the ground his body dismembered, he looked
over to the crashed Harley. When, he didn’t see
Vince he turned his focus back to his impended
death.
The demon brought his fangs close
enough to rip a gaping hole in Spencer’s neck.
He tensed his body in anticipation and then the
creature just stopped and it slumped over
Spencer. Spencer pushed the demon over and
found Vince standing over them, a glowing
sword in his hand.
“Maybe I should keep this.” Vince said
before offering Spencer a hand.
Vince looked back up 8
^th
Avenue to see a horde
of demons seven blocks away, and leading the
way was the prince class demon.
“It must have been an advanced scout.”
Vince guessed.
“Then why are we still here?” Spencer
asked.
Spencer and Vince turned and ran the remaining
distance on foot, abandoning the bike which was
now too damaged to carry both of them.

Gretchen watched from a broken window
on the third floor as Spencer and Vince
approached through the parking lot below.

“Captain, they’re back, and they brought
the target.”
Gretchen retreated into the back room where
Jessie was anxiously watching Captain Merrill
complete some delicate work, thought she tried to
keep her distance.

“Just doing one final check on the
detonation assembly.” Captain Merrill replied.
“And is everything okay?” Gretchen
asked.
“Just one more second.” Captain Merrill
requested, there was a brief pause while a scowl
spread across Captain Merrill’s face as Vince and
Spencer entered.
“Damn!” Captain Merrill exclaimed.
“What’s wrong?” Jessie asked.
“The detonation trigger is malfunctioning.
The timer is running.”
“How did that happen?” Gretchen
demanded.
“How should I know? Damn thing just
started ticking away.”
Captain Merrill leaned back in his seat and put
his hand to his chin.
“Then we have to leave, now.” Gretchen
urged.
“The prince will be here any second, how
long until the nuke detonates?” Vince asked.
Captain Merrill looked at the timer, “Just
under two hours.”
“We’ll hit the grenades and sneak out.”
Gretchen suggested.
“We need to make sure the prince is
caught in the blast.” Captain Merrill said,
knowing what it would mean.
“That means that someone will be
instantly vaporized when this thing blows.”
Gretchen realized.
“Which means when I give the signal you
four will get the hell out of here and get across
the East River; get to LaGuardia if you can.”
Captain Merrill ordered.
“What? No, you’re not doing what I think
you’re doing.” Spencer objected.
“Yes, I am.”
“You don’t have to die.” Spencer
affirmed.
“If not me then who? You? Vince?”
Captain Merrill asked then looked toward
Gretchen. “How about her?”
Captain Merrill stopped himself short of
revealing something sensitive at a critical
moment.
“Why are you so anxious to die?” Vince
asked.
Captain Merrill made a face indicating he
thought he got a raw deal.
“Three hours before you arrived a man
showed up here asked me to help avenge an
injustice. I asked what I could do, and he showed
me this capsule, smoke started pouring out. I
tried to get away. I was only exposed to a little,
it wasn’t much, but it was just enough. He told
me that a greater exposure would have caused a
quicker change.” Captain Merrill admitted before
he removed his shirt to reveal that his torso, from
the naval to his collarbone had turned purple,
scaly and transformed.
“Are you sure you can do this?” Spencer
asked.
“I will not serve in Satan’s unholy army.”
Captain Merrill said defiantly.
Spencer
nodded; he knew that only death would prevent
Captain Merrill from turning into a powerful
demon so he conceded to let Captain Merrill
perform this last valiant act of sacrifice.
A crash out in the parking lot ripped
through the building like a blast wave.
“That would be the perimeter alarm.”
Captain Merrill advised as he raced to the over
look through the other room.
Walking up to the window, he saw dozens
of demons; he reached for his side arm and
started firing at the encroaching plague.
“What are you doing?” Vince demanded.
“He’s trying to lure them in, the more we
get with this the better our escape chances will
be.” Gretchen explained.
“How close do you need them? Spencer
asked.
“The grenade ring will be effective for
most of the parking lot; I want the prince caught
in the discharge.” Captain Merrill revealed.
“He wants us, so let’s go down there.”
Spencer said as he turned to Vince and Gretchen.
“Let’s go.”
Spencer drew his sword before heading
out on to the fire escape and down to face the
oncoming demonic horde.
Reaching the ground, they were almost
surrounded by demons, but Spencer was fighting
like a lion for his girl; every demon that came his
way was struck down. Spencer could not be
touched. Then the prince arrived, standing like a
colossus, its wings extended up and out. Its face
showed it was furious and the still bleeding
wound on its wing indicated it had a personal
score to settle with this human. It stood on its
hind legs and beat a hand against its chest as if
challenging the two that had injured him, it
wanted to redeem itself.
The prince held his hand up to stay his
remaining soldiers.
“Do you think we can take him?” Vince
asked.
“Maybe, but I’d feel a lot better about our
chances if we wait until they set off the Holy
Grenades.” Vince said.
The prince pointed a clawed finger at
Spencer.
“Since you were the first to wound me,
you will die first.” He smiled.
Vince and Spencer drew their weapons as
the prince began his lunge. That’s when the holy
grenades began expelling their sacred contents
into large clouds of mist that covered the entire
parking lot. The dense cloud caused the demons
in the immediate vicinity to fall over convulsing.
Each one lay dead on the ground within seconds
of exposure to the aerosolized holy water.
“My soldiers!” the prince shouted as he
too began to feel the effects of the holy water, his
head swung wildly as if looking for an escape
from an attack he knew was only seconds away.
The prince shrieked a frightening battle cry
before charging though the mist, knowing that he
was growing weaker with each passing second.
“Why is he not running?” Vince asked.
He quickly got his answer; the cloud of holy
water was quickly dissipating.
“Vince, move in, NOW!” Spencer
shouted.
Vince and Spencer bolted for the prince
bringing their swords to bear.
The hellish prince smiled.
Spencer and Vince split off to attack from
both sides. The tactic worked, the prince focused
on Spencer allowing Vince to attack the prince’s
leg and bring him to his knees. Spencer followed
up with a swing of his sword, which struck the
demonic prince’s leg signaling the fight was
over.
“It’s over, where is Satan’s castle?”
Spencer demanded.
The demonic prince laughed. Spencer
jabbed the tip of his sword into the demon’s
forearm causing the prince to shriek in agony
before Spencer pulled his sword out.
“I’m not going to ask again, tell me where
he is, and I will kill you quickly.” Spencer spat.
The hellish prince considered telling, but
decided to be cryptic.
“You can kill me as slowly as you like,
the four horsemen will soon ride.” The demonic
prince announced.
“The four horsemen?” Spencer asked.
“The Apocalypse.” Vince realized.
“They will soon be gathering at Lucifer’s
castle.”
Spencer prodded the prince with the tip of
his sword.
“WHERE?” Spencer shouted.
The demon put his hand to Spencer’s
head and in a flash he saw a castle atop the
mountain with a road, and at the base of the cliff
was a small slave camp comprised of sturdy brick
huts.
“The Bavarian plateau.” Spencer said.
Gretchen, Jessie and Captain Merrill
emerged from the building.
“You have to leave, now, you have less
than ninety minutes to evacuate the city, the
bomb is about to go.” Captain Merrill said.
Spencer took Gretchen’s hand, “What’s the
quickest way out of here?” Vince asked.
“On foot, most of the streets are choked
with cars.” Spencer led the way down 8
^th
Avenue
but after twenty minutes Gretchen was requesting
to stop.
“I have to stop and rest.” Gretchen pled.
“The bomb is going to vaporize the city in
an hour, there’s no time.” Vince shouted.
Gretchen looked at Spencer with regret,
“I’m only going to slow you down, you have to
leave without me.”
“NO!” Spencer adamantly disagreed
before he lifted Gretchen onto his shoulders
slumping her over him like a fireman making a
rescue from a burning building.
With Gretchen on his shoulder Spencer,
Vince and Jessie continued down 8
^th
Avenue
only to be stopped by a huge pile of debris that
was comprised of large chunks of steel reinforced
concrete, pavement and dozens of vehicles
blocking 8
^th
Avenue just past the 34
^th
street
intersection.
“Damn it!” Spencer said.
“Don’t look now, but I think we’re in for
another fight.” Jessie announced as several
hundred demons of various classes came around
the corner of 35
^th
Street and 8
^th
Avenue.
“Look!” Gretchen shouted, “A subway
entrance.”
Spencer put Gretchen down. “Jessie, get
Gretchen into the tunnel, Vince and I will give
you what time we can to get down there and find
a good place to fight.”
Spencer drew his sword and stood next to
Vince who held his weapon at the ready, Spencer
and Vince positioned them selves between the
entrance to the subway and the oncoming hellish
horde. Jessie and Gretchen moved toward the
subway tunnel.
“Wait until they enter the tunnel before
we withdraw.” Spencer ordered.
Then it happened, like a wave crashing
against the rocky shore, the demons clashed with
Spencer and Vince. It was hard pressed action
here in demon territory; for every demon that fell
three more took its place.
Spencer looked over his shoulder to find
Jessie and Gretchen were descending the stairs
into the subway.
“They’re in, fall back!” Spencer said
before swinging at a demon, which then instantly
turned to dust.
“Spencer, go I’ll cover you!” Vince
offered.
“You’re insane.” Spencer retorted.
“And you’re delaying, Don’t worry, I’ll
be right behind you. Go!” Vince ordered,
Spencer nodded and ran for the entrance to the
subway.
Running down the stairs Spencer nearly
ran into Jessie and Gretchen.
“Where’s Vince?” Jessie asked.
“He’s right behind me.” Spencer replied
and Jessie was able to calm herself. But when
Vince didn't appear for several seconds Jessie's
relief turned to sheer blind panic. Jessie started
for the stairs thinking that somehow she would
save Vince. Spencer stopped her.
"He may be dead already." Spencer
warned.
"I have to do something." Jessie cried.
"If you go out there then you will meet
the same fate." Spencer warned.
"Then so be it!" Jessie declared, and when
she did there was a blinding flash of light, one
that was briefly mistaken for the blinding light
from a nuclear detonation.
When the light diminished Jessie's right hand
firmly grasped a sword glowing with divine light.
"I'm not going to leave him to die alone."
Jessie vowed hinting at a deeper pain, then she
brushed past Spencer, dropping her M249.
"Fine, count me in." Spencer said before
turning to Gretchen.
"If we aren't back in five minutes take this
tunnel. It will get you out of the city." Spencer
begged, tears began to stream down Gretchen's
face as Spencer leaned in to kiss her. "I
will
see
you again." Spencer promised before turning and
bounding up the stairs and onto the street above,
his sword held aloft, shouting a fierce battle cry.
As the demonic horde came into view,
Spencer scanned the area hoping that Vince
somehow had survived. As he searched his hope
dwindled, then he heard a clanking noise off to
the right. Spencer looked to see Vince with a
glowing sword in his hand, he stood atop an
overturned semi truck that was sitting in the
middle of the intersection, and it was surrounded
by demons, some had climbed up. Vince swung
his sword and dispatched the demons that
reached him. The demons on the ground were
climbing on top of one another, they had almost
reached Vince.
“Jessie, how much time until the nuke
goes?” Spencer asked.
“Less than an hour, what are you
planning?” Jessie asked.
“The only thing we can do.” Spencer said
as he charged the overturned truck slicing though
the demons standing between them and Vince.
Spencer quickly glanced back to check on
Jessie, but she was plowing through the storm of
demonic chaos with growing speed, killing any
demon that came within reach.
Jessie reached the semi first.
“Vince, let’s go!” Jessie said as she
dismantled the demonic pyramid with three
strokes.
“What the hell took you so long?” Vince
asked.
“Get down here.” Spencer ordered.
Vince climbed down while Spencer and
Jessie covered him.
“Come on, the nuke is going to detonate
within the hour.” Spencer said as he led the way
to the subway tunnel, striking down a demon on
the way.
Spencer, Jessie and Vince descended the
stairs into the subway tunnel where Gretchen was
heading toward the southbound tunnel.
“GRETCHEN!” Spencer called, Gretchen
turned and smiled as she saw Spencer.
“Let’s go, we have maybe forty five
minutes until the city is destroyed.” Spencer said
as he reached Gretchen.
Everybody dropped onto the tracks and
rushed along the tunnel. Vince held up his
celestial sword to give them light as they headed
into the darkness.
Around 14th Street the tunnel turned and
then continued south until the tunnel came to an
obstruction just north of Cortlandt Street. The
obstacle came in the form of a long abandoned
train which seemed to be jammed in a nearly
collapsed tunnel, a small lake had collected near
the train. It shimmered blackly making the
subway feel like an underground cavern.
Spencer approached the train, reached for
the door, and pried it open. The smell of rotting
corpses hit Spencer like a tsunami. He would
never get used to that smell. Yet they needed to
get inside and the grisly fact was that they would
have to walk through the train to keep putting
distance between them and the ticking bomb in
the midst of the corrupted city. The nearest
station was the Chambers Street Station, it would
take too long to back track. Going through the
train was their only way though.
Spencer sheathed his sword and climbed
into the tomb of a train car and helped Vince,
Gretchen and Jessie in. Dozens of dead bodies
were between them and the other end of the train.
Gretchen tried to hold her breath and maintain
her composure as she passed each severely
decomposed corpse.
Passing along, Spencer noticed a body lay
across the aisle, another tragedy, it was a young
girl who must have just had a sweet sixteen party.
She would never live to be a mother. Spencer
now felt the true impact of an early death. He
shook his head and moved on. Spencer and Vince
helped Jessie and Gretchen across, the last door
was in sight, only fifteen feet away.