The Damascus Chronicles (26 page)

Serena loaded her weapon quickly, then sprouted up, firing tear gas grenades around the room. Green gas filled the room and the guards passed out. The crew proceeded up the spiral stairway and through a grand hallway. Guards popped out from the corridors firing at the intruders. “Here comes that mother fucker right now!” yelled Rocko as he fired his mini rocket launcher. The impact shook the manor and obliterated the guards.

When the smoke cleared, all was silent. The pursuers entered a large round room and the large marble doors slammed behind them on their own. A black mist flowed through the room; a purple light glowed in the mist. From out of the shadows and darkness appeared the ninja Jubel.

“What is this!” said Danny.

“Michael I don’t like this,” said Rocko nervously horrified at such a sight.

“Have at you, weaklings!” said Jubel as he summoned up five shadow creatures out of the dark mist. They were grotesque and evil, a mangled version of death. They had no physical bodies but could on take human forms and their green eyes glared with the dark, godless presence of a nightmare come to life. “Kill them children, bring me their souls.” Jubel disappeared into the shadows.

The creatures swarmed, forcing Michael and his friends back to back as they prepared to attack. Their guns did not affect the creatures.

Then, Serena remembered that light could destroy darkness. She took out a flash grenade and tying it to a holy water flask that Father Paul had given her, she pulled the pin and tossed the device in the air, illuminating the room with blessed, brilliant light. The creatures screamed in a macabre manner, burning up and turning into steam, evaporating away.

“They’re gone! But how?” asked a stunned Rocko. “Light overcomes darkness,” said Danny.

“Where did you get that thing?” asked Michael. “The priest gave it to me,” replied Serena. Jubel reappeared. “My name is Jubel, now die!” he cried as he warped around the room on the attack. Michael fired his weapon at Jubel and as the bullets penetrated his body, he fell to the ground and lay motionless. The quartet closed in slowly with caution to confirm the being’s death. Jubel’s eyes opened and his wounds healed; rims of smoke spewed from the rapidly healing wounds.

“It’s not possible – what the hell is that thing!” said Rocko.

As Jubel sprung up to attack, Michael used his psychic gift to create a sonic blast that disrupted Jubel’s thoughts, causing him to become slightly distracted. Jubel came out of it quickly and attacked Michael head on, picking him up and throwing him to the other end of the room. Rocko was dismayed to see Michael unleash his vampiric nature as he charged in fury to attack Jubel. Serena used another flash grenade and the light blinded Jubel, causing him to become unconscious. The quartet fled the scene as the darkened room returned to normal. Running to the end of the second hall, they kicked open the door of the study that Sally was being held captive in, shooting the guards and untying the girl. Sally was in shock. She had never seen her uncle kill anyone, and she was terrified of his vampric appearance.

“Don’t come near me!” screamed Sally in fear. Michael grabbed Sally, looking in her eyes reassured her, “I’m not going to hurt you, let’s go now!”

“What is going on!” said Rocko in shock. Michael teleported them out of the manor and to the safety of his apartment. There, he fell to the ground exhausted, and passed out.

Back at the manor, Franco smashed the large window in his study in rage when Phillips told him that their target had escaped. Jubel appeared in front of Franco. “Idiots! I’m surrounded by damn idiots! That girl was our only insurance to blackmail Damascus and the Santerinis,” said Franco.

“No excuses. I will kill them next time,” said Jubel.

“I’m going to give you another chance and this time do it right,” said an enraged Franco.

Suddenly, Alazar Desbode came forth from the shadows, startling Franco. “What do you want here? Who are you?” asked Franco in fear.

“Don’t be afraid, it’s me, Alazar Desbode.” He removed his cloak that was covering his face. “

Your man could not kill them. He’s just as incompetent as mine,” Franco spat in anger. Alazar Desbode just smiled and pulled out a vial of dark glowing energy and tossed it to Jubel. “Drink this and you will become invulnerable for a short while when you fight. It will only last for 15 minutes at a time. Say the incantation ‘Netis Siku Set,’ use it well and destroy these accursed fools,” instructed Alazar Desbode.

Jubel removed his hood and drank the potion. As he did, his body levitated and a great white-hot light shot through it, throbbing, and he screamed in a terrible rhythm.

“What’s happening to him?” asked Franco, as the transformation took place.

“His body and soul are joining with the darkness. Now he will be complete and nothing will stand in his way,” Desbode explained. Jubel fell to the ground on his knees and looked up to his masters. His hair was sharp as spikes, his eyes purple, and his pale skin burned in pain as the dark energy ran through his veins, as invigorating as a powerful drug. “Go and destroy them,” ordered Desbode. Jubel nodded in obedience and disappeared. “Now then Scarfo, the agreement we made, it is time you kept it.” Desbode turned to Franco.

“What is it that you want from me?”

Alazar Desbode brought the orb out of his pocket and looking at Franco, chuckled wickedly.

A knock on the door surprised Jackie as he sat in his chair reviewing the documents he’d stolen from Franco Scarfo. Anthony was with him. “Who is it?” called Anthony.

“Let me in you wiseasses, it’s Michael and Serena!” shouted Michael from outside.

“What!” said Anthony as he ran to open the door.

“Sweet Virgin Mary!” said Anthony. He stood motionless for a second and then hugged Michael with joy. “Thank God you’re all alive, we thought you were dead,” said Anthony.

“We were just lucky to survive,” said Danny. “Who is this?” asked Jackie.

“Danny Fredricks, a contact of mine. You know Rocko of course, and this is my niece Sally,” said Michael.

“What happened? You all look like you’ve been through hell,” said Jackie.

“Scarfo kidnapped Sally. We found her at the Tyrell manor, and we ran into something I can only describe as the most horrible thing anyone has ever seen,” said Rocko.

“What?” asked Anthony.

“Franco has some new assassins working for him, some type of organization,” said Danny.

“We can handle them,” said Jackie proudly.

“This is no ordinary criminal consortium,” said Michael.

“Well what then?” Jackie asked.

“Listen, Serena and I are going to show you something, but just know this: we’re not going to hurt you,” said Michael.

“You’re not making sense,” said Jackie.

Michael and Serena then changed into their full vampiric forms and then back into their human forms.

“What the hell!” the two mobsters screamed. “Now pay attention; what we have to say is very important,” said Serena. Michael and Serena laid it all out: the vampires, the Dark Society, the ongoing war.

“You have got to be kidding. This is crazy; you expect us to believe a whacked-out story like this?” asked Jackie incredulously.

“How the fuck can you say that after what we just saw, man! Seeing is believing!” said Anthony. “Okay, so what if you’re right, how do we stop this Dark Society that’s made a deal with Franco Scarfo?” said Jackie.

“We have to find a way first. Franco has a new killer working for him, a ninja he calls Jubel. If we’re going to at least attempt to take him down, and whatever this new threat is, we’re going to need help, and we’re going to need to form a truce with Godfather Scarfo. He and his contacts outside the crime families might be able to give us some help, in addition to the people in this Coven that Serena and I know,” said Michael.

“The Don is never going to believe this,” said Jackie.

“He has to, otherwise we’re all going to be dead meat,” said Danny.

Jackie called Bobby Scarfo to inform him that Michael and his friends had survived and wanted to have a meeting with both families to discuss Franco Scarfo’s treachery. Sally was still afraid of seeing her uncle in his new form, so he took her into the hallway to talk. Kneeling down to her height and looking into her little black eyes he said softly “No matter what I have become, I will always love you.”

Seeing that he would not harm her, she hugged him and asked what had happened to him. He replied, “I’ll tell you when you’re ready. Now let me get you to someplace safe. Do you want to go home with Isabelle and your uncle Mickey Blue?”

She shook her head, still fearful and worried for her uncle, and clung to him tightly, “Please don’t die, don’t die,” she sobbed.

“Sweetie, I can’t die, not anymore,” said Michael and with that he hugged her and called Mickey Blue and Isabelle, asking them to pick Sally up and bring her with them into hiding.

When Mickey Blue and Isabelle arrived on scene, they were informed of all that had happened. Isabelle felt a hot rush of relief when she saw Sally and held on to her tightly, “Sally! Come baby, let’s go.” Isabelle and Mickey Blue took Sally to the car and the three of them drove off into the night.

On the other side of the hysteria that had taken over Las Vegas a man of darkness sat on the highest office floor of the Bolt building. “Has the virus been converted to the weapons?” asked the dark figure.

“My lord, all is well,” said a young man, bowing with great respect for his superior. The dark figure turned around to face his servant, as the servant raised his head to look at his master. “Well done, my son. You have brought to us new souls for our cause; the dark god Sagamu will be well pleased,” said the dark figure.

“Lord Reynard Desbode, I have news of a strange breed of vampire that has tried to interfere with us. Shall we deal with him and his companions?” asked the man.

“No Alazar, we will deal with these fools later. Getting the shipment prepared is more important. We must have the Black Devils in our pocket, as we have our distribution established in Guatemala and Honduras for our followers,” said Reynard Desbode.

“But father, have you thought about our enemies? Zoratus is gaining new allies, I can feel it,” protested Alazar Desbode.

“That old fool is beaten. It does not matter, my son; we have superior allies and the knowledge that has been given to us from the dark god has helped us vastly,” said Reynard Desbode.

“I think you underestimate them,” disagreed Alazar Desbode.

“You dare question my judgment, son!” demanded Reynard Desbode. Reynard was an ancient and a force to be reckoned with; old as time itself. His face was filled with scars from battles and markings of rune symbols, his hair was pure white like the shimmering moon, and his eyes burned blazing hot green as if he was possessed by hell itself. He wore strange vestments and a cloaked suit.

“Not at all, father. I only desire to serve you and our empire better.”

“Ahh, very well. I will put you in charge of this next mission. Gather your men and bring the dark warrior to locate these misfits you speak of. Kill them and seek the relic. It is hidden somewhere in this city; I can sense it,” commanded Reynard Desbode, handing Alazar Desbode a parchment scroll that was engraved with the image of a jade dragon on it.

“At once father,” responded Alazar Desbode.

“Do this and you will be greatly rewarded. The time of our destiny is upon us,” intoned Reynard Desbode.

“Yes my lord,” said Alazar Desbode as he rose and bowed, then disappeared into the shadows surrounded by an aura of darkness.

“Soon my son and I will rule this world and we will become gods!” laughed Reynard Desbode as he looked around his study, which contained a laboratory of ancient books and chemicals. A scroll hung on the wall was covered with writings and a picture of the relic. Reynard Desbode sought this relic’s dark power. It was the key to unlock the doors of his vision. With his eyes glowing red, he looked out the window at the world he intended to mold into his image, which the entire world then would worship.

Jackie called Don Felice while Bobby Scarfo contacted Godfather Giorgio for a meeting. Both families agreed to meet at a hidden location to talk.

The bartender was signaled to close the place and bar the windows, and so he did.

“This had better be important, to bring us both here!” said Don Felice.

Godfather Giorgio gave a distrustful eye to the boss of his rival crime family. “Yes, what is this that you want us to talk about?” asked Godfather Giorgio, annoyed.

Jackie tossed the Dark Society’s emblem that they had stolen off of Jubel on the table and looking at Michael and Serena, he said, “Show them.”

“Show us what?” said Don Felice, and Serena and Michael transformed into their true forms, releasing their human disguise. Don Felice fell off his seat petrified with fear; Godfather Giorgio just opened his mouth, dropping the cigarette that he was puffing away on.