The Redeemer (33 page)

A loud snapping sound resounded as something split the air and struck Satan’s head. His claws loosened around my neck, and I gasped for air. The whip lashed through the air again and wound around Satan’s neck like a serpent, jerking him down to the hard floor. Og and the humanoids fled into the surrounding darkness.

Satan released his grip on me and cried out in pain as the whip burned whelps into his neck. “Let me go! Let me go!”

I wheezed and panted as I crawled out of his reach and hid behind Og’s throne. Hunkering down, I tried to figure out what to do.

I should run after the humanoids. They must know a way out.

“OOWAUOOOOO!”

When I heard Satan howl, I hunkered lower, and I know my blood curdled.

Whatever has hold of him has to be worse than him. This can’t be good news for me. Or could it? Maybe Michael has come for me!

I peeked around the throne to get a better look at Satan’s attacker. Blinking hard, I cleared my fuzzy vision. Then I saw the glistening wings.

“Michael?” I cried out. “Here I am.”

But something was wrong. I squinted and looked again. It wasn’t Michael.

A black angel? He’s sent someone else to rescue me.

The angel pulled the whip tighter around Satan’s neck and placed a foot on his back. When I was certain he couldn’t free himself, I cautiously came out from behind the throne to offer my thanks.

“I don’t know who you are, but you saved my life. He would have killed me if you hadn’t…”

The angel turned her head and looked at me so that I could see her face.

“Don’t you recognize me, Wonk?”

I did, but I knew I had to be wrong.

“Dr. Yale? Is it you?”

“It’s me.”

“You’re an angel?” My head shook in confusion. “It can’t be; you’re a human.”

“So are you.”

“But how did you find me?” I continued to bluster. “I don’t understand. Do you know who I am?”

“I’ve always known who you were, Wonk. You just didn’t know who I was.”

“AAAARGH!” Satan screamed again as he gathered his strength in a final thrust to pull himself free from the angel’s whip. “Let go of me, or I’ll kill both of you!”

Samantha gave the whip a hard tug as Satan’s tongue popped out and hung on the floor.

“In your dreams, hell boy.”

One more pull, and his flailing body went limp.

“Get out of here, Wonk,” she said as she tied Satan’s claws behind his back with the end of the whip then took out her sword and cut through the ropes that bound my hands.

“But the scrolls…?”

“They’re safe. Now go; it’s time.”

“Where should I go? What should I do?”

“I’ll contact you in a few days with your new assignment. Soon it will become known that Noah’s ark has been found. Things will move quickly after that. Now go.”

I hesitated as I rubbed the rope marks on my wrists.

“What are you waiting for?” she asked.

“I, uh, I was just wondering, do you plan to destroy Satan?”

She cocked her head and gave me a curious look.

“No. Why would you ask?”

“It’s just that, well, does Jesus or Michael or anybody know how Satan hates me for betraying him? He won’t stop. If they leave me on the earth, as long as he’s alive, he’ll come after me, no matter what my assignment is.”

She pulled a knot in the whip lashed around Satan’s hands.

“Yes, they know,” she said. “In fact, they’re counting on it.”