Marked (24 page)

“Two ways out,” whispered Kara. “The front and back doors.”

After a moment, Brooke looked up and met Kara’s eyes.

“What do you think if we separate?” she whispered. “If the elemental is here, they’ll probably put him in the basement,” she pointed to the blue rectangular shape on the paper with Basement written under it.

“Demons like dark and dingy places, and my feeling is that he’s there.”

Kara looked down and studied the blue print. “Okay.”

Brooke raised her eyebrows. “So, since you’re still a rookie, I was thinking you could check out the ground floor—” Her hand moved over a few inches as she pointed to a new drawing, “Check out that area, and then we’ll rendezvous back near the front door in about ten minutes. The child might not be here in this house. But, if you see the child, come back to the rendezvous spot, wait for me, and we’ll go back in together with our Sparks.” An intense look flashed in Brooke’s blue eyes as she stared at Kara. “You think you could do that?”

A gust of wind brushed Kara’s bangs into her eyes. “Yes,” she whispered back as she glanced at her wrist watch. She sensed that Brooke had faith in her abilities and wondered if she should tell her about the demon’s mark—that she was innocent—but decided against it. Tiny rain drops started to fall again.

“I’m ready, Kara said after a moment. “I can do this. I know I can”

She studied Brooke’s face. “But, are you sure you can handle the basement alone?”

“Don’t worry about me. I haven’t lost a fight yet!”

With determination spread across her face, Brooke shoved the blueprint back in her bag. She rummaged through it and pulled out a long soul blade and two firestones. She pocketed the firestones in her blue jeans and grasped the soul blade in her right hand. Kara copied her and pulled out her soul blade from her backpack. She jammed two Firestones into the large front pocket of her hoodie sweater.

Brooke nodded and the pair threw their packs on their shoulders and stepped out of the cedar hedge. Glancing around, Brooke went up the front stairs first. Kara followed a step behind, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up. With her hand gently placed on the door handle, Brooke turned it slowly counter clockwise and with a soft
pop
, she pushed the door open.

Their eyes were already adjusted to the darkness around them, and they could see the inside of the house in shadows of grey. They walked into a large foyer, which opened up into a hallway with two rooms on either side of them. The air was stale, with a lingering faint stink of mildew. Although it was dark inside, Kara could tell the house was abandoned. The stairs to the second level stood at the end of the foyer. She knew from studying the blueprints of the house that the entrance to the basement was through the kitchen. She turned and looked at Brooke, who gave her a nod. Kara nodded in return and with her soul blade in her right hand, she pulled out a firestone from her pocket, grasped it tightly and stepped into the room to her right. She felt Brooke moving on her left, but she was as silent as a cat.

Kara glanced at her watch, 9:02 pm. She had ten minutes to scout out the first floor and then rendezvous back in the foyer.
Okay, here goes nothing
, she said to herself, as she sneaked inside the large room. She could make out a large sofa and chairs.
Must be the living room
. The air was stale as she crept on. Keeping close to the walls, Kara saw an opening at the left end of the room. She walked carefully towards it. She gripped the soul blade tighter in her hand—any tighter and she was sure her mortal fingers would snap off. She stepped into the opening to her left and was in a hallway. She blinked. To her right was the kitchen. A soft ray of street light came in through the kitchen window above the sink—enough to make out the old nineteen-fifties style kitchen with metal kitchenette table and matching vinyl and metal chairs. She brought her left wrist to her face and glanced at her watch, 9:06 pm—she still had five minutes.

Straight in front of her was a room, probably a bedroom. The door was closed. She strained for any sound and heard nothing. Nervously she turned the door knob and pushed open the door. The door swung open and revealed an empty bedroom. Kara dropped her shoulders and closed the door. Moving down the hallway, she came face to face with another closed bedroom. She pushed open the door, and again it was empty. She shut the door behind her and glanced at her wrist watch: 9:12 pm. She turned to her right, the foyer stood empty.
Brooke will be here soon.
Kara walked back into the foyer and watched the faint light in the kitchen down the hall from where she stood. She would see Brooke coming back from the basement from here.

9:15 pm.

Kara blinked and looked up at the stairs leading to the other level.

9:22 pm.

The rain hit the foyer windows with soft continuous taps. Kara started to feel uneasy.
Brooke should have been here by now.

9:31 pm.

Something is definitely wrong,
she thought
. You’re responsible for your partners,
she remembered the oracle telling them.

CRASH!

What was that?
The loud noise came from the basement, as though a wall had come crashing down. Kara’s eyes widened.
Brooke!

Kara sprinted down the hall and entered the kitchen. She turned to her right and saw the doorway to the basement. She rushed to it and started to descend to the basement. She could hear muffled voices—male voices. Quickly, she stepped down the rest of the stairs. It was darker down in the basement, the windows, had been covered up with newspaper. She followed the voices, her soul blade in front of her as she stepped deeper into the blackness.

BAM!

Kara jumped. She heard a woman scream. They were torturing her. Kara ran blindly into the dark, following the voices. A faint light shone from a room at the end of the hall. She ran towards it. The door stood ajar. The voices were clearer now.

“Commander Urobach—kill the angel female! I want to
taste
her soul—” said a hoarse voice. Kara could hear someone moaning. Brooke.

Heavy boots thumped the ground. “Not yet, Zelar,” said another voice, as smooth as silk. “Be patient. She still hasn’t told us what we need to know.”

“You want me to rip off another arm, Commander?” said a high pitched third voice.

Trembling, Kara edged forward and then flattened herself on the wall. She inched forward. Hidden in the shadows, she stared in horror. Brooke lay semi unconscious, spread eagled on the ground. Her left arm was missing, a luminous hole near her shoulder. Three men stood around her. Even from a distance, Kara could see their black eyes—higher demons. Two were dressed in the same grey suits Kara had seen before, and both carried death blades. Black mist emanated from the shafts. But the third man stood out. His long leather jacket swished at his heels as he paced around Brooke. Standing about six foot seven, he towered above the other two. His black oily hair hung loosely over his shoulders. He carried no weapons. He crouched down near Brooke’s head, wiping her wet hair off her face.

“Come on now, little
angel
—tell me who else is coming?” asked the same silky voice.  ”How many guardian angels has the legion sent after the elemental?” Urobach turned his attention away from Brooke for a moment and looked over to the opposite side of the room. A rusted metal cage about the size of a large bird cage rested on the floor.

And inside the cage, Kara saw a young child. He was only wearing only a thin pair of white and blue pajamas. She could see him shivering. His eyes were red, and dried tears smeared his dirty face.

Urobach turned his attention back to Brooke. “How did the legion know where to find us—eh?” He stood crouched over her, his black eyes searching. “If you don’t answer me, I will hurt you.”

After a moment, Brooke struggled to open her mouth. “I—I don’t know,” she croaked. Pain flashed in her eyes. “I was given an assignment—they told me where to go…”

The Commander’s lip curled into a smile. “Tut—tut—tut. I’m afraid, little
angel
—that is not a good enough answer for me—” With frightening speed, he jumped up and black electricity shot out of his finger tips and attacked Brooke. Her body convulsed up and down. She cried out in pain. Kara watched in horror as Brooke’s mortal body sizzled. Brilliant light shone through tiny holes all over her body. Her angel core was spilling out. She was dying.

Without another thought, Kara jumped through the door frame. “STOP! YOU’RE KILLING HER!” She lifted her weapons in front of her and prayed silently that she was going to make it alive.

Urobach snapped his head around towards the doorway. He stopped his attack on Brooke. His eyebrows shot up on his forehead, and an evil grin materializing on his face. “Well, well, well…what do we have here, my friends?”

“
Oops, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea
,” thought Kara. The Commander’s black eyes widened, as though he was trying to suck her energy out. The other higher demons turned to face her, their bodies bent.

The Commander came closer to Kara. He flashed a crooked smile. “Hello, little one. Aren’t you a pretty thing.”

Kara glanced over at Brooke,
was she still alive
? She tried to move, but her legs seemed to be glued on the spot. She turned her head and met Urobach’s black eyes again. “W—what do y—you w—w—ant?” Was all she could muster.

He moved a massive leather boot a step closer to her. “Want?” answered Urobach. “My friends and I just want to have a little chat.”

The demons nodded in agreement. Their bodies started to sway from side to side, their eyes glaring at her, anticipating an attack.

“
Oh, God, oh God….This can’t be good.”

A tiny voice inside her head told her to run. She blinked hard and struggled to find her voice. “S—stay away from her!” She yelled as she thrust her soul blade in the air.

At this, Urobach chuckled. He wrinkled his forehead. “I like this one better.”

And before Kara could react, he reached down and lifted Brooke’s rag doll body up above his head, smiled at Kara—and ripped the body easily in half, as if it were made of paper.

“NOOOOOO!” Screamed Kara. She watched hopelessly as Urobach threw her friend’s severed body to the higher demons. They snatched up the body parts from the floor and opened their mouths. Their jaws extended grotesquely down to their waists as they swallowed her friend.

Kara’s knees buckled beneath her. “Brooke!” She cried. She trembled uncontrollably. She stole a glance at the child. It cried silently, eyes wide and on Kara; a silent pleading. They were both going to die.

One of the higher demons stepped forward, close enough that Kara could smell his foul breath. “So, the question is, will
you
play with us now?”

Licking his lips, he displayed rows of rotten teeth. “My Commander requires some information.” 

Urobach cocked an eyebrow as he strolled over to Kara. “I will not lie to you, little
angel
. It will hurt—yes. And you will die, eventually. My
master
wouldn't have it any other way. Pain is necessary.” He was only a few feet away from her.

Kara looked over to the elemental, and she cringed. Fear flashed in the child’s eyes; its tiny little hand grasped the metal bars, as it whimpered. Kara’s training took over, and in one fluid movement she threw her firestone at the commander’s feet. It shattered as it hit the ground. A red mist engulfed the demon.

But then it evaporated. Urobach was still there. He grinned at her.

Kara shook her head in disbelief. “What—?”

The Commander wiped down his jacket, as though specs of dirt clung to it. “Your little toys don’t work on us,” he laughed. He glanced at his cronies and snapped his fingers. They charged.

“
Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my GOD!”