Demonic Designs (To Absolve the Fallen) (43 page)

Alex looked back at Matt, surprised, and reached for his wallet.
 
Matt took it out of Alex’s hand and replaced it with a shiny black trifold.
 
It felt like leather, and, to Alex’s surprise, it was scuffed up some.

“There’s four hundred dollars cash in here, along with three major credit cards.
 
There’s also a driver’s license and social security card in here.
 
I hope you won’t need your new social security number today, but I’d suggest that you learn it quickly.
 
You will also find other odds and ends in here that will make it seem more realistic.”
 
Matt smiled and added, “Including pictures of me and Liz.”

Alex opened the trifold, sifted through the different credit cards, membership cards, and identification cards, and found two familiar, smiling faces.
 
He smiled, too.

“Remember,” Matt continued, “your dad...What’s his name?”

“Robert Kinsfield,” Alex answered immediately.

“Correct.
 
He’s a real estate tycoon.
 
He owns a great deal of the Las Vegas Strip, and he is very influential in many circles.
 
His name might be known to your classmates and professors.
 
If anyone asks you about him, be vague.
 
No one should have any reason to doubt your stories, and no one you will be in contact with has met him personally.”
 
He handed Alex a piece of paper.
 
“This has your cell phone number, your social security number, your license plate number, and your address on it.
 
This is for quick reference, but get these things memorized.
 
Any other important phone numbers you can find in your phone.”
 
With that, he handed Alex the cell phone, palm pilot, and laptop.

“Okay,” Alex said.
 
He found room for the laptop in his backpack, and he stuck the other two devices in his pockets.

Matt popped open his door and said, “Let’s go.”

Matt explained that the building they were headed to was a bit of a walk.
 
They had parked where they did because it was pretty close to the building the last class was in.
 
He said that they would experiment with different lots, but today, this one would have to do.

“Oh,” Matt added, “I almost forgot to tell you.
 
We’ll be meeting with Abbie today, after school.
 
You don’t start her class until tomorrow, but you will be training with her today.”

Alex nodded, silently.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s too much.”

“I know,” Matt agreed.
 
“But soon you’ll find your niche, and it will all come natural to you.”

“I hope so.”

They came to a brick, square, rather dull-looking building.

“Well,” Matt said, “this is it.
 
I’ll be waiting right here for you when your class is over.
 
Then, we go to Philosophy together.
 
That ought to be fun.”

***

Jeremiah stepped out of the car.
 
“I’m glad you decided to show, Dylan,” he commented.

“Like I could avoid you for long,” the young man replied.
 

His closely cut black hair, along with his dark complexion revealed a partially-Latino heritage.
 
The tight, stonewashed jeans and bright, yellow t-shirt accentuated his tall and slim figure.
 
His face was round—childlike—but the features on it were sharp.
 
His eyes resembled those of a marijuana smoker, half closed.
 
The eyes and the way his mouth would hang, slightly agape, while he concentrated often made him look confused.
 
But the pothead look and the sense of confusion were very misleading.
 
Behind that innocent-looking face was a calculating intelligence—and a deadly power.

He was leaning against his own car in the middle of a deserted parking lot, looking almost bored.

“Well, it’s time,” Jeremiah said, shortly.
 
He lit up a cigarette, indicating that he would probably be there for a little while.

“Is it?
 
What time is it, Jeremiah?
 
Is it time for me to lay down everything and follow you into the depths of Hell? ...So to speak.”
 
He smiled, quite amused by the whole spectacle.

“I should hope it doesn’t go that far,” Jeremiah stated.

“Me, too.
 
So am I to go with you to your mansion in Vegas?
 
I’ve never been there.
 
It seems a little warm for my blood.”
 
He grunted a small laugh.

“That’s cute.”
 
Jeremiah chuckled as well at the inside joke.

“I think I’m cute in general,” Dylan replied.

“Have any problems lately?” Jeremiah asked.

“None that I couldn’t handle.
 
They haven’t felt the need to send any demons after me.
 
Two guys broke into my apartment and waved guns around.
 
I guess they didn’t know the extent to which my power could affect them.
 
I think they wanted to bring me to Metatron.
 
Maybe they thought that since I was one of yours, I could give them valuable information—after a little torture.
 
They didn’t kill me—a mistake on their part.”

Jeremiah leaned against Dylan’s car, too.
 
“Well...what happened?”

Dylan laughed.
 
“They told me to come with them ‘nice and easy.’
 
I acted weak and helpless until they touched me.”

Jeremiah took a long drag off of his cigarette.
 
“And then?”

“What do you mean ‘and then?’
 
Then, I burned them from the inside out.
 
I think the first guy’s heart exploded before he realized what was going on.
 
The second guy took a little longer to die.
 
Not much, though.
 
His eyes popped.
 
I had to leave; I don’t think the landlady would have been too keen on the idea of my being there after she found the bloody mess.”

Jeremiah started laughing.
 
“They should have done their homework.
 
Really.
 
Making physical contact...”

Dylan grew somber.
 
“I don’t want to die, Jeremiah.
 
This time, I could handle it.
 
But if they had sent a demon, I don’t think I could have fought him off.”

Jeremiah placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder.
 
“That’s why you should come to the mansion.
 
It’s as safe I as can make it.”

“I could meet your new protégé.”

“Alex.”

Dylan nodded.
 
“I kept thinking you would come get me.
 
I kept thinking that I was at least
that
important to you.
 
Why did you just leave me on my own for so long?”

“Dylan, I didn’t mean to,” Jeremiah said.
 
“And I thought you were safe enough where you were.
 
I
am
 here, aren’t I?”

“It’s been almost four years since I last saw you.
 
You were working with that...oh, what’s his name?...
 
Matt.”

“Yeah.
 
Matt’s there.”

“Oh.
 
So, he could stay with you, but I had to live out on my own?”

Jeremiah shook his head.
 
“You had a job to do.”

“I know.
 
I know.
 
But that kid couldn’t have been protected by someone else?”

The demon threw his cigarette on the ground and snuffed it.
 
“I knew I could trust you.
 
Besides, you were never alone.
 
You had assistance, if you should ever need it.”

“Great lot of help
that
was.
 
Those assholes
could
 have killed me.
 
Who else was assigned to David?”

“Some friends,” Jeremiah answered.
 
“Friends who were probably
looking
for demons and didn’t even notice two mortals.
 
They told me you had left.
 
So, I thought I’d look you up.”

“Jeremiah, that was almost four months ago.
 
You certainly took your time looking me up.
 
Had I known that there was someone else assigned to him, I guess I would have told them, but you never bothered to reveal that to me. ...Prophets?”

“Four of them,” Jeremiah said.

“Four?
 
And I never sensed them?”

“You probably did, but you didn’t take any notice of them.
 
None of you were ever all in the same place.
 
I made very sure that you remained incognito.”

“You think the five of us could have taken a demon?”

“I think there’s more than a good chance,” Jeremiah affirmed.

“Are they going to be able to protect the boy without me?”
 
Dylan smirked.

“You think you’re that important?” the demon queried.

“I would like to think so.
 
I did take two of Metatron’s goons by myself.”

Jeremiah cocked his eyebrow.
 
He decided not to pursue the issue any further.
 
“I summoned them to Nevada, too.”

Dylan’s face turned serious.
 
“You put so much into that project.
 
Do you really think that five-year-old boy will be able to defend himself against Metatron?”

“No,” Jeremiah replied.
 
“But I don’t think that he will be a target.
 
Metatron is more focused on what’s happening in Las Vegas at the moment.
 
Besides, David isn’t my concern anymore.
 
After this little to-do, I’m done.
 
Let Abbie protect him.”

“She’ll like that,” Dylan laughed.
 
“A going away present.
 
Why is he so important, anyway?
 
He’s too young to help in this battle.”

“Evidently, this isn’t what he was meant for.
 
Whatever he does will be after my time.
 
I was just told to make sure he didn’t die.
 
Now, though, I need those prophets a little closer to the mansion.
 
He’ll just have to do with the mortal guards I left for him.”

“Your mortal guards are inept, at best.
 
Let’s hope you’re right that Metatron isn’t concerned with him.
 
Anyway, I don’t think anyone realizes that the kid is important, yet.
 
Mine was the only attack I know of, and it was directed at
me
.”

“Well, that’s all over now,” Jeremiah said.
 
“Are you going to join us for the party?”

“I don’t know,” Dylan teased.
 
“You
did
leave me.”

“Get in the car,” Jeremiah ordered.

“Are you going to take me there?”

Jeremiah nodded.
 
“We have some stops to make, but I could use the conversation.
 
And, I have some pretty interesting stories to tell you, too.”