Pursuit of the Zodiacs (7 page)

The dog-walker said, “No, no … you don’t have to do that. I’ll take them. But how much exactly are we talking?”

Closed out, he didn’t hear her anymore. He focused on getting everything prepared. The Dog Walker took the dogs and left, but not without saying a few words. “You owe me big time. I have a life too, you know!”

She slammed the door. He lost his train of thought. “Think, Louis … think. What else needs to go inside this suitcase?”

Pharisees walked through the wall, scaring the piss out of the Anchorman. “You won’t be needing any of that where you’re going. Everything will be provided. On second thought, maybe another pair of pants.”

Grounded with fear, Mr. Anderson replied, “For the love of God, don’t ever do that again.”

Pharisees said, “My apologies, but we must leave. If I am capable of finding you this easily, so will the Fallen.”

Pharisees grabbed him and teleported them both out of the vicinity. Moments later, the Gemini entered the anchor’s furnished condo.

Unfortunately, the dog-walker forgot his charge’s food and went back to the condo. “Mr. Anderson, I forgot the …”

She gazed upon the Devils, their forms no longer cloaked, stricken with fear, she faints.

One Gemini said, “Come on, let’s have some fun with this one.”

“Let’s make it quick,” came his Twin’s eager response.

They took hold of her, forcing themselves inside her. Moments after the violation, they removed her head and left her remains for Mr. Anderson.

“Our new Guide awaits us just beyond that bridge.” While anticipating the arrival of the other Pursuers, Natenal pointed towards a location not too far away.

Levi thought about the recent betrayal. “I must admit, it’s unsettling to know there’s a traitor among us.”

Natenal countered, “I understand. It’s unsettling to us all. If we keep the whereabouts of our remaining Guides secret amongst us five, our chances of finding out the traitor will be greater.”

Abdeel added, “Yes, and if our Guide turns up dead or missing, it has to be one of us.”

Balance had to be restored among the top five highest-ranking Archangels in the crusade: Natenal, Abdeen, Abdeel, Timius and Levi. The five were the only ones to know of the remaining Guide’s whereabouts. They piled into an unmarked van and drove over the Brooklyn Bridge where they greeted Pharisees and a paranoid news anchor.

As they approached the driver’s side window of the van, Daniel spoke, “Is this he?”

Pharisees answered, “Yes. Everyone please greet our Bookkeeper. He’s very lucky to be here.”

Grenad replied, “What do you mean?”

Pharisees explained, “Our new friend here and I had a little run in with the Gemini.”

He gained the attention of the other Pursuers. Some could barely remain in their seats.

Pharisees accommodated them. “Yes, you’ve heard me correctly, Brothers. It was a short encounter. They are very strong and both their strengths and weaknesses complement the other. But the objective at the time was to save the Bookkeeper after noticing no Scroll was linked to their attire.”

Ozias asked, “Complement the other? Who else did you fight?”

Shiloh added, “Yes, who intervened? Was it another Zodiac?”

Pharisees answered, “In attendance were two combatants who identified themselves together as the Gemini.”

Natenal continued, “I know it’s a bit confusing, but it makes sense nonetheless. It explains the manner in which some of these killings were carried out.”

Simeon said, “This whole time we were pursuing one, but there are two?”

Goliath added, “Ha! I would’ve crushed them both like insects.”

“Goliath, this is no time for arrogance,” Natenal lectured. Then turning to the others, “Let’s make our way ….”

Zodeen cut him off. “Everyone take cover!”

Ammunition from an unmarked location paraded the van’s exterior. Justus used his force field and deflected the remaining bullets.

Pharisees pointed to the window of a vacant building. “There!” he shouted.

As everybody recovered, the shooter disappeared from the window. Natenal ordered, “Pharisees, take Abdeel and Abdeen with you!”

Abdeel and Abdeen jumped out of the van, and Pharisees grabbed them and teleported a hundred yards from the van into the shooter’s building.

Abdeen spoke, “Shhh! Move with caution. He shouldn’t be far.”

The rest patiently waited outside as Abdeen, Abdeel and Pharisees pursued the assailant. Goliath whispered, “Damn! Shiloh’s been injured!”

Timius added, “So am I.”

Timius dropped out of the passenger side of the van, spitting out blood. The Bookkeeper reached out to catch him, but failed. They both fell to the ground. Natenal called for Irisan to use her gift to tend to their wounds. Her hands glowed as she touched both Shiloh and Timius. The bullets slowly made their way out the entry wounds. She finalized her gift by sealing the wounds with a special gel covering. One of the ingredients to this newfound material consisted of her own flesh and blood. The remaining Pursuers scanned the perimeter for any more potential threats.

Mr. Anderson said, “I’m sure the cops will be here any minute. We have to leave, or else face detection.”

Natenal added, “He’s right. I trust that Pharisees, Abdeel and Abdeen have this under control.”

In substitution for the recent rattling of bullets, complete silence occupied the premises. Everyone moved quietly while seeking out the shooter.

They slowly advanced down a hall. “Devil, we’ve made our presence well aware. Show yourself.”

The faintly discernable figure walked in view in the dark hall, possessed with fire in its eyes. It opened a portal not too far from where he stood.

Abdeel speaks, “Who are you, and why have you fired upon us, Devil?”

It stood there motionless, watching them. Its stare alone would turn an average man pale. Pharisees bent down to touch the same floor for a reading, but he couldn’t develop an analysis.

“Interesting,” Pharisees said.

In a nearby wrecked office, Abdeen noticed a clock on the wall next to an “Under Construction” sign. There had been a fire not too long ago, and he assumed
the clock had stopped at the time of the fire. Abdeen checked his own watch only to see it matching the same time on the wall clock, “6:00.”

Abdeen commented, “Something is odd. My watch is no longer functioning.”

Abdeel glanced at his watch. “Mine as well.”

Abdeen said, “Enough of this! You’ve done enough to earn your end! We’ll force you to talk one way or another.”

Abdeen discharged three fireballs at the Demon. They lit up the hallway and revealed the Demon’s true form. It had black wings pressing up against the walls elevating its legs.

“That explains why I couldn’t get a reading. Be aware Brothers, it can foresee our every move,” Pharisees said.

Struck with three fireballs, the Demon didn’t budge. It absorbed them and grew even stronger. It cleared the hall by sending six of its own fireballs uniquely unmatched. The Pursuers maneuver out of harm’s way, and they engaged. The roaring crush sounded as the fire reached its unintended target. They moved simultaneously wielding their Super Swords at the Demon.

Pharisees said, “Abdeen, your gift is no good here. Your fire only fuels the Demon!”

Distracted, Abdeen replied, “What?”

At that moment, the Demon’s powerful wing drove Abdeen through a wall. The Demon then breached through Abdeel’s guard, landing a sudden blow to the ribcage of the Archangel. Abdeel slumped against the wall. Pharisees touched the floor and released energy; the floor pulsated and glowed, stopping at their enemies’ feet. His touch of revelation unleashed.

“Sagittarius?” Pharisees said.

Sagittarius kicked Pharisees against the wall. The impact caused the air to leave his body. An immobilized Pharisees tried to regain his breath.

Abdeel fired his laser backed with water gifts he incorporated with it. He clipped one of Sagittarius’s wings and the impact spun him off balance.

Pharisees attempted to enter his mind, but the Zodiac’s well-conditioned mind capabilities blocked his advances. He teleported to meet him head on, but Sagittarius read his move and created a web of fire, which covered the hall paralyzing Pharisees in his tracks. Seventy-five percent of his flesh disintegrated upon contact.

Abdeel yelled, “Pharisees!”

Pharisees hit the ground grimacing in agony.

Sagittarius blocked another big section of the hallway with a more intense web to halt Abdeel’s advances. “Damn you!” Abdeel, unable to penetrate the firewall with his water gifts, started to recharge in hopes of discharging a force with even more pressure.

Abdeen walked through the flames, but the surface beneath him crumbled and he fell through to the floor below.

Pharisees is thrown into the forgotten portal. “Noooo!” Abdeel yelled. The walls crumbled upon Abdeel’s water onslaught. The pressure drove the Zodiac through a window. A few stories down, he landed hard on a dumpster in an alley.

They heard a cracking noise and felt the shuddering of the fortifications of the building. The fight came to an immediate halt as the building collapsed. Time had returned to its normal state. From outside, Sagittarius heard loud sirens echoing off the alley walls.

The NYPD arrived and surrounded the area. The officers couldn’t figure out what had caused all the damage.

Sagittarius exited through the back alley, a few cops spotted him. Afraid by what they had just witnessed, they opened fire. Sagittarius returned the favor, setting them all ablaze.

More police officers entered the alleyway towards their fallen colleagues.

An eerie calm ensued amongst spectators as they gossiped amongst themselves. There’s no sign of Pharisees, Abdeel or Abdeen.

Chapter 7

ONE MUST SUFFER LOSSES

“Y
ou fucking idiots!”

They sat there marinating in their failure. Of course, the Mayor didn’t take any break in reminding them. For moments like this, the reasoning for his soundproofed, massive custom-built office stood clear, as the heightening level of his voice bounced off the walls.

Taurus continued his ranting towards the Gemini. “It’s really hard to call you two Gemini. You’re nothing like your Father, not even close!”

One Geminis replied, “Watch your fucking words, Zodiac!”

Taurus continued, “What the Hell am I supposed to tell him?”

The other Twin answered, “Just tell him he got away. Someone else got involved. We’ll take care of it.”

Taurus responded, “Excuses, excuses. That’s all you’ve got. Your Father would be shaking his head right now.”

They both looked at each other with a display of hatred. A Geminus got up and with both hands on his hips, began pacing back and forth, and said, “Don’t mention our Father again, Zodiac. This is your last warning.”

Taurus said, “Fuck you! What, are you going to cry? Ever since his summoning, Sagittarius has already eliminated three Pursuers. That is how you handle business.”

The Twin replied, “Sagittarius?”

Taurus said, “Yes, we’ve found Sagittarius. May you juveniles observe and learn something.”

The Gemini’s silence turned to envy. They stood up and exited the Mayor’s office.