Death Among Us (5 page)

The alarm clock rang and I looked over.  I groaned as it read seven thirty.  I also noticed I was quite alone.  Getting out of bed, I made my way to the kitchen, only to see Roxanne up drinking coffee (which I didn’t even know I had) and smiling.

“Good morning!  I hope I didn’t disturb you when I woke up.”

“You must be some sort of sex ninja because I had no idea you were even gone.”  I should also point out that I sleep like a rock.  Goes with the territory though.

“So what are we going to do today?”

Good question.  I had a class at nine, but smart money was on me skipping that.  We had a day to get ready for our journey to Washington, which was about four hours away.  I also needed to find out where the angels set up the safe house at.

“I hate to ask this, but could you get our bags ready?  I don’t know how long we are going to be there, but I guess just pack what you think is necessary.”

Her eyes lit up.  “It would be my pleasure!  I think we need to update your wardrobe speaking of which!”  She snapped her fingers and she was gone.

“Roxanne?”  No answer.

Where ever she went, I’m sure it was best not to ask questions.  Trying something new, I picked up my phone and dialed Khloros.  It rang which was a good sign.

“Grimm, you figured out how to use that phone properly!  Did Miss Roxanne help you?”

“Good morning to you too smartass and no, she already left for the day.”  I resisted the temptation of hanging up on his ass and continued.  “Has Yuri or Veronica contacted you with any information about the safe house in Washington?”

“Not yet.  You may have to face facts that we won’t know anything until we get there.”

He was right.  As much as I would like to know my itinerary before leaving, it didn’t seem like either of my contacts were in much of a hurry to contact me.  “Very well.  I’ll be down in a little bit.  We are going to go see an old friend about getting properly prepared.”

“Do you think he will actually help you?”

“I guess we will find out when we get there.”

I disconnected with Khloros and got myself ready.  The man I was going to see was not someone to take lightly and there was always a chance things could go south.  I wrote a quick note telling Roxanne where I was heading and then got dressed.

The weather was still nice for mid-fall so I put on my shorts, a long sleeved t-shirt and sneakers on.  I caught a look at myself in the mirror and inspected my choices.  Maybe Roxanne was right, in that I needed an upgrade.  Ahh, I could worry about that later.

I placed Leviathan in my pocket and grabbed my stuff.  As I exited the apartment and was going down the stairs my phone rang.  Looking at the caller ID, I saw it was Maggie.

“Hello?”

“We need to talk.”

Oh great, here it comes.  “Of course.  Do you want to talk over the phone or in person?”

“Can you meet me at Pepe’s Pizza for lunch?”

A public place?  Hmm, maybe it wasn’t going to be as bad as I thought and plus Pepe’s had excellent pizza.  “Yeah, I have an appointment this morning, but I can be there around noon.  Is that okay?”

“Yes, that gives me time as my lecture ends at eleven.  I will see you there Derrick.”

As much as I wanted to think about what she wanted to talk about, I couldn’t take my mind off the task at hand.  As I got into the car, Khloros even seemed on edge.

“Are you sure this is wise?”

“He can help us, if he wants too.  Besides if you know anyone else with access to weapons that can harm demons or celestial beings, by all means let me know.”

He didn’t and his silence only confirmed that.

“I don’t like this either, but we don’t really know what we are getting involved in.”

“There was a time when your scythe was the only weapon you needed.”

“Khloros, these weapons aren’t for me.”  He was right; my scythe was all I needed.  “It’s time we outfitted you properly, you know, just in case.”

“What in the world are you talking about?”

The idea had hit me awhile ago, but the past few decades had been really quiet.  Slay a demon here, stop a coven of witches there, but nothing like what we were involved with now.  “I don’t know, I guess we will see what we can find.  Plus we should get Roxanne something.  I think she is out buying me new clothes.”

He laughed as only a horse/car can.  “Maybe you will go back to being a little more professional in your appearance.”

“No comments from you.  Besides we are here.”

We were pulling up to an empty parking lot beside an abandoned bowling alley.  No one bothered coming here once The Strike Zone had closed down due to people thinking it was haunted.  It was not, just home now to someone who hated visitors.

“Wish me luck friend and pray that he is in a good mood.”

“He is never in a good mood.”

With those words of wisdom, I got out of the car and made my way to the front.  I knew he was watching me, so I waved at the entrance and patiently waited.

The minutes went by and nothing happened.  I was used to this, so it didn’t really bother me.  I had pulled out my phone and was playing a game when the door creaked open.  I took that as my cue I was being allowed to enter.

The place looked pretty much the same since my last visit.  I made my way passed the front desk and the snack bar, headed towards the old pro shop.  My contact had taken that up as his place of business, whenever he wanted to do business that is.

I got to the door that lead to the pro shop.  The light was out and it looked empty, so I just pulled my phone out.  Isn’t it amazing that you can play games on these devices?  I still remember the day the Atari came out, that was a huge accomplishment.

“Are you going to dick around all day or are you going to come in?”

I looked up and the door was now open.  Smiling, I put my phone away and entered.  “Hello old friend.  I hope I am not catching you at a bad time.”

“Any time you come is a bad time.  What the hell do you want today?”

He was still hanging back in the shadows, trying to get rid of me quickly.  “Just wanted to check out the merchandise you know?  I was thinking about outfitting Khloros with some weapons this time.”

This must have intrigued him, because he stepped out at the shadows.  His head was clean shaved, a scar was running down the side of his face, and the only way you would have known he was an angel was by his bright blue eyes.  “Death, what have you gotten involved in that you need weapons for your horse?”

Haha, I got him hooked.  “So I guess you got some time to talk then, Azrael?”

“There is a sucker born every minute, but the granddaddy of them all is standing here in front of me.”  I couldn’t tell if he was trying to laugh or what.

“What exactly do you mean by that?”

No doubt about it, he was laughing at me.  “Can’t you see, my brothers and sisters are using you.  If a Horseman is the one to stir shit up, then it is on your head.  But if you find something worthwhile, you know as well as I do, they will swoop in and take the credit.”

Azrael was one bitter dude.  He is not technically a fallen angel, as he still has a home upstairs if he wants.  Much like me, he was disenchanted with his role and came to Earth to be left alone.  Unfortunately, celestial beings are never left alone and he doesn’t have my endearing personality.

“No wonder people think you are me.  You need to lighten up a bit.”  His nickname was the angel of death, which some took as he was me.  He is not, but I can see the confusion.  His personality probably resembles what most think.

“I’ll lighten up when someone gives me reason too.”  What a buzz kill.  “You are hiding something.”

It wasn’t a question, it was a statement.  “I’m hiding a great many things.  I’m glad to see you can still spot the obvious.”

“No something else is there.  It matters not, but it does make me curious.”

I crossed my eyes and used the Death stare.  “Secrets aren’t for sale but weapons are.  What do you got?”

It was at that point we got down to business.  He led me into the back where they used to keep the bowling balls.  Now the shelves were covered in weapons, ones that could kill demons and celestials alike.  As he showed me his latest inventions and arrivals, I couldn’t help but marvel at the amount of destruction was laying in this back room.  He had everything from swords, axes, and spears to guns, ammunition, and explosives.

He came over when I picked up what looked like some sort of rail gun.  “That is a perfect choice right there.  You could mount in under the hood and bring it out whenever you want.”

“That sounds pretty awesome!  If I buy it, will you do the installation?”

And so the back and forth in negotiating started.  I won’t get into too much of the boring details, but in the end I think we both won out.  I got the rail gun, a pretty sweet revolver for Roxanne, and a bumper death trap (to be completely honest, I had no idea what it did) plus a few cases of ammo.  It cost more than I wanted, but the extra payment was worthwhile because Azrael installed it all too.

When he finished, he called me over.  “This switch here will release the trap from the bumper.  You get five reloads with it, so use it wisely.”

“What does it do?”

“You’ll find out.”  His expression was almost terrifying.  “Now I retrofitted the cruise control to work the rail gun.  When you enable cruise, the gun will come out from the hood.  Once out, the speed set button will fire the gun.  If you keep it pressed down, it will go into automatic mode.”

“Well that sounds freaking awesome!”  I poked my head into the car further.  “Everything cool on your end Khloros?”

“Yes, the angel did a fine job in outfitting me.  I did make one request and I hope you do not mind.”

“What’s that?”

“Azrael gave me a manual override.  If I fear you are in trouble and incapable of defending us while in the vehicle, I can take over the weapon systems.”

That sounded fine to me.  He already could manually drive whenever he wanted.  “I have no problems, better to be safe.”

I poked my head back out of the car and turned to Azrael.  “I must thank you again.  You have certainly outdone yourself this time.”

“I do not know what you have gotten yourself into, but be careful.  I sense dark time coming.”

We shook hands.  “I will be careful.  Besides, if I die, who would take your shit and buy your stuff?”

He waved me off and went back into the bowling alley.  Our business was done and it was getting close to noon.  I got back into Khloros and resisted the temptation of setting off every weapon Azrael had just installed.

“I think someone owes me an apology.”

“Why?  Because you lucked out and Azrael seemed less hostile today than usual.  What did you do?  Tell him what we were up to?”

Why did he have to be so smart?  “I told him what the angels told me, but that was it.”

“At least you were smart enough to keep your mouth shut about your Lust demon.  What did he have to say?”

“He said we need to watch our backs, that we are being used.  You know, the normal stuff he tells us when we are working for the guys in white.”

For some reason though, this time it seemed like sound advice.  Normally I would chalk t up to him being paranoid, but I would take his words to heart.

“I would agree with him.  If it was not for the agreement already in place, I would say we should turn this job down.”

“Yeah, I probably would have.”

You’re probably curious about the agreement and we have a few minutes, so let me tell you a little bit more.  I lived in Eden with my brothers and some angels for a very long time.   Every so often, I would come to Earth to do my thing and each time I came I was more intrigued.  Combine that with frustration over my limited role in the universe and one day I told them I was leaving the Garden.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t that easy.  The archangel Michael himself came to talk me out of it.  When he realized I would not be swayed, he came up with an idea.  I was given a choice, either stay in the Garden and do my job or sign an agreement that granted me freedom on Earth for a price.  The price was I could not turn down any request from upstairs.

I don’t regret my decision, as most days I am left alone.  Sometimes though, it really comes back and kicks me right in the ass.  I got the feeling this job would be one of those times.

We rolled into Pepe’s a few minutes early.  I didn’t see Maggie’s car, so I went on in awhile and got us a table.  As I told you before, I love food and the aroma of fresh pizza filled my nose.  It was almost Heaven on Earth.

The front door opened and Maggie came in.  My lord she was an attractive lady, this time wearing a skirt and blouse combo with those tall heels again.  I stand by my previous comment, I have no idea how any males managed to pay attention to the subject matter in her classes.

The hostess brought her over and I got up and pulled her chair out.  “It is great to see you.”

Sitting down and putting on her cardigan, she looked at me.  “I don’t even know what to say right now.”

“Take your time, I’m not going anywhere.”

Her eyes pierced into me.  “You look so young, but I know what I saw was true.  And you have been so sweet to me, it is all just a total mind fuck.”

I smiled.  I knew she was in her mid thirties, so to see someone who was ageless would always be a total shock to anyone.  “This is me.  Yeah, I am the great and scary Death but it is only my job.  It doesn’t define me as a person.”

“Can we actually talk about that freely?  Will no one hear us?”

I shook my head.  “Mortals only hear what makes sense to them.  I enlightened you last night, so now you are in the loop so to say.  To everyone else, we are just two people getting ready to enjoy amazing pizza.”

“Can I ask you some questions?”

This was more like it, what I expected.  “Of course you can.”

“Did my husband suffer?”

I was taken aback a little, but also rather touched.  She might not have loved the man, but she still cared.  “No, he was definitely terrified, but he didn’t suffer.  I don’t torture those sentenced to death.”

“I’m glad to hear that.  The asshole was a horrible man and treated me poorly, but no one deserves to suffer.”

I reached out with my hand and she took it.  “His soul has departed the physical world.  I truly hope it went upstairs and if he lived a good life, a slip up at the end doesn’t change that.”

“My next question is about me.  You said it was my destiny to die yesterday.  Now that I haven’t, what happens next?”

This was the one question I wished I had an answer for.  “I do not know, truly.  You are the first mortal I ever gave a reprieve to.”

“Take me with you then, where ever you are going.  Once people here find out Mark is dead, they will think I killed him.  I do not know what it is you do, but I would like a place in it.”

“You want a new identity basically?”

“Yes, but more.  I want a fresh start and make my own destiny now.  I don’t know why, but I feel as if I am tied to you now.

The waiter came by and gave us a basket of breadsticks.  I grabbed one while I was thinking and started munching.  “You feel connected to me?”

“I can’t explain it, but when you left last night, I felt incomplete.  That feeling lasted until I saw you sitting in here.”

Oh hell, what did I go and do now?