Rise of the Beast (69 page)

Kurt turned from the telesphere toward his four students. “Ok folks, this is it. You’ve heard what’s going on. This is your cue. I need you to say your goodbyes and suit up; you leave in an hour.”

The group dispersed. They were as ready as they were going to be. Actually, things had worked out better than they had hoped. They would be going in less than 12 hours ahead of the troops, and some of them would be going to Katafanga.

Just beyond the door, Abaddon watched as the team headed for their quarters to make final preparations. This was it.

“I don’t like the idea of Goliath going on this mission,” said Tim, who stood with his wife, Megan. On his shoulder sat the tiny creature whom he loved so dearly.

“He’s been over this all before,” said Megan. “Serena was the first human Goliath ever bonded with. His instincts will be critical for this mission.”

“He won’t be going alone,” said Abaddon. “He will be leading 23 others. Mostly they will be lying in reserve, scouting out the land. In 12 hours, he will be joined on Katafanga by a hundred thousand more.”

“I understand that,” said Tim. “I’m just worried, that’s all.”

Goliath rubbed up against Tim’s neck as if to comfort him.

Abaddon drew closer. “Goliath, I owe you an apology. I should never have left you behind all those years ago. But that is in the past. I need you now. I need you to help rescue Serena.”

Goliath turned to Abaddon then nodded. Yes, it was clear that he knew what needed to be done.

It was 50 minutes later that the group reconvened in the ring room ready to go. Kurt checked their equipment individually; all was in order. In the telesphere image they could see David and Aaron.

“There are presently no guards in their ring room,” began Aaron. “However, there are two human scientists. They seem in no hurry to leave. I believe that they could be an asset since one of your main objectives is to make contact with
a member of the science team. One of them is the leader of the science team. His name is Dr. Geiger.”

Tom Carson stepped forward. “Geiger? Les Geiger?”

“Yes,” replied Aaron. “I take it that you know him.”

“I do,” confirmed Tom. “We worked together for years. I know him very well, or at least, I did.”

“This might be rather awkward,” noted Abaddon. “He knows that you are dead?”

“I assume so,” said Tom.

“Tom, perhaps I should lead the way,” said Bedillia. “It might make things a bit easier.”

Tom nodded. He had a sort of Cheshire cat grin on his face that was memorable.

“OK people, time’s a wastin’. Let’s get to the ring,” said Kurt.

The group quickly moved into position, along with their ACs. Bedillia’s own AC, Mirinda, had taken up a position on Bedillia’s right shoulder. They were ready to go.

The ring before them had been somewhat modified in the past several days. The new electronics were in place. Nikola Tesla stood at the new control console. He would carefully monitor every aspect of their transit.

“OK,” said Nikola. “You’ve never made a hyperspace jump like this one, and it’s likely to feel strange. You might even feel a bit disoriented when you emerge, but it will pass.”

“Your power suits should compensate for any temporary weakness in your muscles,” said Kurt.

“But the weakness will pass within a minute or two,” said Nikola.

“Our prayers are with you,” said Megan.

“We’ll be there with you in less than 12 hours,” said Abaddon. “May the Father be with you.”

“Amen,” said the group, almost in unison.

The ring before them became a starry, misty wonderland. Bedillia took a deep breath and stepped forward, vanishing into the haze. One by one the others followed. The rescue mission was on.

C
HAPTER
27

Serena’s legs were growing very tired and her feet sore when the Prince of Darkness at last arrived. Gone were any attempts at disguise. He appeared as he had on that first day she had seen him in his audience chamber. Minus the traditional horns, red complexion, and tail, he was the classical image of the Devil. In his company were Lielani, Krissie, and two of his guards, though they now took the form of bat winged demons in black with the gaunt pale faces of incredibly old men.

“Well, Serena, what do you think of my little piece of Hell on Earth?” asked Satan. “Does it bring back memories?”

Serena looked directly into the Devil’s eyes. She did her best to control her fear. “Yes, it brings back memories. It is what made me what I am today.”

“I’m sure it does,” replied Satan. “Before we begin with the unpleasantness, allow me to offer you a way out. If you were to fall down on your knees and worship me, I would show mercy, granting you and your compatriots a quick and relatively painless death. Think carefully, for I shall make the offer but once.”

“I don’t need to,” said Serena. “The answer is no. You’re pathetic.”

“Very well,” said Satan. “Then we shall begin. I don’t need to tell you what that lukewarm mass below you is. You and it were very intimate at one time. But do you know what it is? No, of course you don’t. It is the very essence of
evil. It is a living breathing entity. It feeds upon all of those within its grasp, all of those who call it home. Over the millennia it has grown because it has fed and continues to feed. The damned souls within it cause it to multiply, and their life force is the very source of its heat. Allow me to demonstrate.”

From the tunnel behind him, two of his minions brought forth goats, two of them. Without hesitation they threw the animals into the viscous black liquid. The beasts cried out as they struggled in the tar like mass. Yet even as they did so the black liquid around them began to froth. A moment later flames erupted all around them, quickly consuming the flesh and muscle from their bones. But it didn’t stop there. The entire pool erupted with violence. Serena could feel the growing heat.

A minute later, this pool had been transformed into a seething, turbulent pool erupting with flames. It had become what it truly was, a piece of the Great Sea of Fire. Serena gazed at it in wide-eyed terror. The heat, the smell, it was all as she had remembered it. She tried to remain in control, yet her lips trembled and tears came to her eyes.

“Oh God, teach me how to die as I lived, for You,” said Serena.

It was then that the cage shook. The heavy chain connecting it to the winch above had become taut. Then the cage rose into the air. All the while Serena prayed silently, her eyes closed, her hands clasped. For her, this wasn’t just a death by torture; it was a death by terror, by the one element that most filled her mind with total, unreasoning panic.

The cage rose to a point about ten feet above the floor before coming to a jarring halt. All the while Serena quivered uncontrollably. Then it was on the move again, amidst the squeaking and clanking of gears and cogs. It was moving over the roiling black liquid of the pit.

In her mind, Serena was standing on the precipice of that terrible cliff that jutted out above the Great Sea of Fire. She’d managed to control her emotions that time. This time it was more difficult.

“How does it feel, Serena?” laughed Satan. “Does it bring back memories?”

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want,” whispered Serena, in a trembling voice. “I’ll dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Again there was a shutter, as the cage came to a halt directly above the center of the turbulent black liquid in the pit. Amidst the heat and horrible smell,
the cage swayed. Then there was a sense of falling followed by an abrupt halt. The cage had only dropped about a foot, but it was enough. Serena was crying openly now, unable to stop.

“Child of God, don’t despair,” shouted Leland. “This is not the end for you. This will be your finest day. Remain strong for your Father, for He shall not abandon you.”

Satan looked over at Leland and laughed. “You’ve become a raving lunatic on your last day on Earth.”

“If you only knew,” laughed Leland. “I’ll let it be a surprise.”

Satan turned once more toward Serena, watched her total terror. He seemed most satisfied. “No Serena, you are not going to die yet. You will plead for death, but it won’t find you. You will be in pain, but it won’t grant you death.”

“So be it,” shouted Leland. “You have pronounced a sentence upon yourself. You seek to torment Serena but five hours, but I tell you that the Lord will torment you and those who follow you for five months. They shall feel Serena’s pains, but they will not be able to die.”

“So melodramatic,” said Krissie.

Again Satan turned to Leland. “Shut up human. Your mad ranting is beginning to annoy me.”

“Very well,” said Leland. “I shall say no more than this. Today marks the beginning of the end for your Earthly empire. Your ambitions shall lead you to a thousand years of dark imprisonment, chained hand and foot to a wall. And that will be but the beginning of your downfall. Still, I don’t want to spoil the surprise.”

Satan turned to his heckler, anger in his eyes. “We’ll see how you boast when it’s you in that tiny cage.”

Leland didn’t respond. He returned Satan’s intense gaze unflinchingly. Satan broke eye contact first. He focused once more upon the poor damsel before him. The night was still young.

“This is our last night, Les,” said Nabuko. “If we don’t escape tonight, we will drown tomorrow afternoon.”

Les turned to the teleporter ring just 15 feet away, then back toward Nabuko. “Right now, I think the ring is our only way out. But without power, we’re going nowhere.”

Nabuko’s eyes had suddenly turned toward the ring. A blue glow emanated from its depths, even as mists began to form. “Les, the ring is active.”

Les turned to see the wall beyond the ring vanish in the billowing haze. “But the power is off, how can this possibly be?”

They both stepped back as the glow brightened. It was accompanied by an uncharacteristic hum. Then a dark-haired woman dressed in black emerged from the mists. She wore some sort of dark visor over her eyes, and held a menacing looking rifle in her hands.

To Les, she looked like some sort of a cross between Barbarella and Emma Peal of the Avengers. She gazed about the room then focused upon the two humans before her.

“A space alien?” posed Nabuko, who seemed really shaken.

The woman lifted her visor, revealing her bluish green eyes. She certainly looked human enough.

“Dr. Geiger, Dr. Yamura, don’t be afraid,” said the woman. “I mean you no harm. I’m here to help you.”

As Les and Nabuko watched in wonder, a second figure came through the ring dressed very much like the first. This one was a black man in his thirties. He lifted his visor and looked toward the people before him, a broad smile on his face. “How are you doing, folks?”

“Good,” said Les and Nabuko almost simultaneously.

Then the third figure emerged from the mists. It was another woman. She lifted her visor. Her presence seemed to bring a wave of relief to Les and Nabuko.

“Mrs. James,” said Nabuko. “Ma’am, it is really good to see you.”

Krissie smiled. “Good to see you too, Nabuko. You too, Les. We need to get
you and the rest of your team out of here. Bad things are about to happen.”