Pursuit of the Zodiacs (39 page)

“I’m only going to ask you this once: Who are you?”

The Bookkeeper didn’t answer. Leviticus took out his dagger and thrust it in the Bookkeeper’s shoulder, causing him to scream in agony.

“He’s only a Bookkeeper! I’m the one whom you should speak with,” Ithiel yelled.

Leviticus ordered, “Bring him over here.” He kicked the Bookkeeper aside and diverted his interest to Ithiel. The Bookkeeper held his injured shoulder and looked away so as not to see them beat and torture an already battered and defenseless Ithiel.

“No!” The Bookkeeper yelled as Exodus dragged him over to Ithiel and forced him to watch them torture his Guardian. Exodus said, “You’ll remember this better and will be able to describe it in more detail to others.” Tears trickled down the Bookkeeper’s face as they crucified Ithiel upside down.

Ithiel could only hold it in for so long before he screamed in dreadful pain. His deafening cry neither one of them would ever forget. Without pause, they cut the Pursuer’s throat in front of the Bookkeeper. “Was this event worthy of your book, Mortal?” Gloated Leviticus.

They set fire to the craft, and all five Master Archangel’s passed by him. They settled for the pleasure of seeing one watch another die. They took one last look at their work and departed back from whence they had come.

The Bookkeeper prayed.

Ever since the revelation of the existence of Supernatural forces, Devil and Angel clashes rose. It became so common that some places became ghost metropolises, while the rest of the New World embraced the supernatural presence.

“Ice cream! Get your ice cream!”

Downtown New York, an ice cream truck driver stationed his vehicle in a park just a short distance inside a field. Children rushed to buy ice cream from the vendor, but Demons appearing from a sewer diverted their attention. The children scurried off to their respective guardians, and the ice cream truck vendor hid inside his truck and waited for the Demons to pass.

An Archangel emerged from a Gateway above a collection of tall trees. It was a child
dressed in armor. Alongside the child was her Guardian, a Supernatural Angelic dog with a wingspan of 15 feet.

Nothing made sense to the occupant of the ice cream truck, especially after witnessing the child mercilessly decapitating Demon heads left and right. Once the atrocity ended, the child behind the armor removed her helmet.

The ice cream vendor shook in his truck as she approached him in her bloodstained armor. The little girl must have been no older than eleven years of age. She surprised him when she asked, “Ah, hi there. Can I please have some ice cream?” asked Sabrina, a Master Archangel and God’s newest courier. The innocence of her tone cloaked the severity of what she had just done.

The ice cream vendor handed her a double-scoop of vanilla in a trembling cone through his truck window, and added, “This one is on the house.” He watched as she shyly took the ice cream and departed. “We are indeed living in interesting times, and it is a blessing in itself to be of witness,” he thought to himself, still shaking, but grateful to be alive.

Natenal and his men arrived back at their new safehouse.

“Sabrina, it brings comfort to see you. What is your business here?” Natenal spotted God’s new courier on the couch watching television.

Sabrina answered as she shut off the television. “Natenal, it’s very good to see you too, Brother. God has appointed me as the new courier and is expecting a report. Where are the others? And I can’t help but see there are some new faces here.”

Natenal reluctantly acknowledged the young lady as his Superior. “You’ll have your report shortly. There’s a lot to deliberate, I assure you. I’ve sent a few members of our group out on a rescue mission to retrieve two of our own. They should be arriving shortly from this Earth’s Moon.”

Sabrina said, “Make certain they leave before the rise of the Super Full Moon.”

Natenal replied, “My apologies, but that day has completely escaped memory. Has it been that long?”

Sabrina said, “You’re not the only one who has forgotten. Who did you send to the Moon?”

Natenal answered, “I placed Abdeen in charge of that operation. He is accompanied by Levi, Zodeen and our new recruits who go by the names Adam, and Cancer.”

Sabrina said, “Cancer? Do you mean …?”

Natenal broke in, “Yes, I sent a Zodiac. He has been cooperating with us and joined our campaign. Leo and the Gemini have been eliminated. We’re working on finding the rest. Our next breach will be the White House.”

Sabrina’s said, “That’s excellent news. May God be praised. I’m afraid I must ask about the casualties.”

Natenal responded, “We are grieving the loss of Shiloh, Pharisees and Jedediah. They’re the only ones among the dead, thus far. There is also grave news that Bishop is planning to move against God and the Kingdom.”

Her eyes widened, and her eyebrows rose. “Are you sure of this, Brother? If this is accurate, then who knows how many men he has already stationed in the Kingdom to await his orders.”

Natenal responded, “Yes, I am convinced that is Bishop’s plan. So, forward this message with caution. Those words are for our Father’s ears only.”

Sabrina replied, “Certainly, I must return and report this at once. I see that Daniel and Goliath are absent. Why?”

Natenal answered, “They should be here momentarily. They had their own assignment to fulfill.”

Sabrina said, “God bless you, Natenal. And, as far as our comrades who have fallen, their sacrifice will not go unremarked. We will reunite with them again after their passage through the Judgment Realm.”

Natenal responded, “May your journey back to the Kingdom meet with success, Sabrina. Farewell and take care.”

Sabrina said, “God willing, I will return soon. May your next report state that you have successfully completed your assignment.”

Natenal answered, “Without a doubt.”

Daniel and Goliath exited the Dimension Gateway. The Vampeers were few, but an odd species truly worthy of envy. Their DNA was a gift in itself, causing most to
live to over a thousand years. Their healing capabilities were uncanny. Daniel and Goliath shared the same fortune thanks to Dracuul. Daniel’s severe burns had almost fully healed, but weariness and a hunger for blood remained their Demon. They stumbled upon some off-duty police officers who routinely hung out in an alley near a local bar.

“Well, look at this. If I haven’t seen public intoxication at its finest,” one officer joked to himself. “You guys feel like working?”

These crooked cops pulled out their handcuffs, batons and tasers and accused The Pursuers of resisting arrest. They assaulted Goliath and Daniel. One hit Daniel in the back of the knees. On one knee, he caught the officer’s second strike midway through.

“Damn, this one is huge!” Another officer said, while pointing his taser toward Goliath.

The two Pursuers grabbed exposed limbs and feasted on the four off duty officers. The grown men shed tears of regret and begged for their lives. But mercy turned her head. With their newly found fangs, they continued puncturing the necks of the off-duty officers.

The experience overwhelmed them. Guilt and pleasure blackened their existence. “What have we become, Daniel? We are nothing more than blood-sucking mosquitoes preying on the very lives we’ve sworn to protect! We have become indigenous Pursuers of Blood,” Goliath said.

Daniel said, “Yet we still live and are able to continue our mission stronger than ever! Unless you have the gift of reversing time, that will be enough complaining. We’ll grasp our new gifts and conquer them.”

Goliath retorted, “You can accept this abomination if you want, but don’t expect me to join you, Daniel.”

Goliath left and headed back to the safehouse where the others waited.

Daniel yelled after him, “Go ahead. I’ll meet you there, but you will soon come to terms and accept what you’ve become the moment your thirst returns.”

Daniel, left behind, fed upon the remains that Goliath chose to neglect.

Moments away from their destination, Abdeen received word that the Moon would soon enter its transition into the Super Full Moon. “We must be in and out. There will be no time for idleness.”

Observing through the display window of their craft, they identified smoke at a distance. Next, they discovered Ithiel’s transport engulfed in flames. “My God, we are too late!” Zodeen exclaimed.