The Damascus Chronicles (37 page)

“What about us?” Jackie asked.

“You guys get to shoot the chain gun,” said Rocko.

“Cool!”

“Let’s get to work,” said Michael.

Loading the helicopter at a hanger in the desert, the adrenaline rush hit everyone. It was literally war. At midnight, just as Frank Scarfo had said, the first train started to come in to the train yard. The chopper flew over the area and Serena and Michael dropped down the first bombs, blowing up the train tracks and causing the train to derail and explode before it reached the train yard.

“Sweet midnight!” yelled Serena with ecstasy as she pulled the pin; she had a thing for demolition. A massive explosion of crimson fire came from the wreck. It burned so brightly that it looked as if the gates of hell had opened up. Chaos churned on the ground from the groups of different mob crews taking in the burning wreckage scattered over the area. Fires burned and engulfing clouds of black smoke that filled the air. Back on ground, clamoring gunmen fired up at the chopper in heated retaliation.

“Look at these pukes, it’s party time mother fuckers! YEAAAAH!” yelled Jackie as he unleashed the chain gun. Anthony fired beside him, spraying bodies with bullets that pierced through flesh and organs of the horde below. The ground itself became bathed in blood.

“I live for rock and roll, babies, Yaaaooo!” screamed Rocko as he fired off a gas bomb that covered the ground, allowing the chopper to make its escape from the fire of the remaining stragglers below. The chopper then headed to the airbase. When they got there the train was just about to collide with the main building when Michael dropped the last set of bombs. They hit the train smack dab in the middle, blowing it to bits. With a thunderous blast the battle was over. Satisfied, the chopper flew away into the distance.

“What!” screamed Reynard Desbode as he heard the news of the failed sabotage attempt. “I want those interlopers dead, do you hear me! Dead! Now!” he screamed as he smashed his office window to pieces.

“But sir we’re doing everything we can,” protested one of the officers that had given Reynard Desbode the report. Reynard Desbode was so enraged with anger that he shot the man dead. The officer’s brains splashed all over the floor. Just then Reynard Desbode’s phone rang; he learned that the police had taken down Franco Scarfo’s base of operations and there was no sign of Franco Scarfo or the other mobs that joined forces with him. Infuriated that his dreams of power were collapsing, Reynard Desbode planned a desperate move that would be his last stand to claim ultimate power.

Reynard Desbode and his son headed down to the main laboratory beneath his headquarters while his minions cleaned up the mess upstairs. The lab was a massive underground base of operations and full of so many strange and bizarre metallic instruments that it shone like pure silver.

“It’s time to take the future of this world into my own hands,” said Reynard Desbode.

“What are we going to do father? Our alliances in the city have fallen,” asked a concerned Alazar Desbode.

“We have not the book to awaken the Dark God and we have not the manpower to help us exact revenge,” replied Reynard Desbode.

“Then what do we have, father?” asked Alazar Desbode impatiently.

“We have this!” Reynard Desbode removed a glass canister filled with a strange chemical liquid from a storage unit.

“What is that?”

“EG 99, the virus we have been developing over the past two years.”

“From our bio weapons division, but I heard that it was never tested, as it was too dangerous,” replied Alazar Desbode.

“Now is the right time to use it. We will show these fools who has the power. Come my son,” said Reynard Desbode as they made plans for their attack.

Suddenly on the Las Vegas Strip, every giant television screen flashed with the same transmission. “Attention all citizens of Las Vegas; unless the individual named Damascus brings to our organization the Yomi Tengu book, this city and everyone in it will be killed. Mark my words. This is not a threat. It is a promise. In exactly two hours my men will release a deadly virus that spreads rapidly in air. Its chemical effects will destroy everyone in the city within minutes.” In the background of the video, men could be seen loading transport trucks with the virus. “Damascus, come to the old bottling plant and come alone! Rest assured Commissioner, do not interfere. Otherwise death will arrive, you have been warned!” cried Reynard Desbode, cutting the signal that had broadcast from a secret location.

The entire city had seen the broadcast.

“Jim! Get a trace on that signal, on the double!” shouted Commissioner Hamilton from her desk back at police headquarters.

The detective and the other men rushed into the computer room to trace the terrorist, but had no luck. The signal was stealthily covered and there was no time to evacuate the city.

Las Vegas had broken out into chaos as mobs of frightened people swarmed the streets. There was rioting and looting; hordes of police squads tried to contain the mobs. The entire city was in state of panic and rebellion; the balance of hundreds of thousands of lives was at stake.

“Damn it Damascus, you better be there,” said the Commissioner to herself, worried. To trust an enemy or not to; that was the end-all question. All the commissioner could do was hope that Damascus would comply.

Michael and Serena caught the broadcast back at Zoratus Enterprises. “We can’t give them the book Serena! But if we don’t give it to them, Reynard Desbode will kill everyone in the city!” yelled Michael.

“We have no choice; we can’t let this madman kill all these innocent people. We must go and meet with Reynard Desbode as he wishes,” said Serena. “You’re right, it’s time,” said Michael as they armed up with some guns and the book. “We’re going to need some help. Let’s call Jackie, Anthony and your cousin Dominus. Maybe they’ll back us up.”

“I don’t know, but let’s give it a try,” said Serena.

Destiny had arrived for the two immortals. Michael and Serena took off, super jumping over the rooftops to get the bottling plant to meet with Reynard Desbode.

On the other side of town Commissioner Hamilton stubbornly snuck down to the bottling plant, going undercover to get a trace on the target. Detective Maceson was at her side. “Commissioner, do you think this is a good idea?”

“We have no choice, Jim. I can’t trust some punk who probably would rather run to save his own skin to do the job.”

“Why not call for backup?”

“We’d be drawing attention then; we have to go in quietly,” said Commissioner Hamilton, loading her pistol.

“Got ya partner,” said Detective Maceson loading his 44 magnum.

“Let’s do this thing.” Commissioner Hamilton was ready as ever.

The two officers kicked in the main doors at the bottling plant. Darkness surrounded them. “What’s going on?” whispered the Commissioner. Suddenly a net dropped down from the ceiling and the two cops saw rope loops come over them, trapping them like rats. A figure covered hidden the shadows pulled the power switch, lighting the entire room.

“I expected to find one fool and instead I’ve captured two of them,” said Reynard Desbode, smiling wickedly.

“What are you going to do with us!” hollered Hamilton.

“Nothing. You’re not worth even killing, such easy prey; you walked right into a trap. You’re perfect for bait. Alazar! Lock them up,” roared Reynard Desbode.

“Yes father, but first how about an unwelcoming reception.” Alazar snapped his fingers.

Guards pummeled and beat the captives to a pulp.

Meanwhile, Michael and Serena met up with Suki and Yoshiro near the cathedral. Dominus was inside making his rounds of the church for the evening in while Father Sullivan was in the vestment room. A pounding and tapping was heard on the front chamber door.

“Come in,” said Dominus, smelling the vampiric scent through the cracks in the door. Serena opened the door and the four moved inside.

“What are you are doing back here?” asked Dominus, surprised to see them.

“We have come back in need of help. Reynard Desbode is about to launch an attack on the city. We need all the allies we can gather for this fight,” Serena explained.

“You know I can’t fight. I made a vow of peace with God not to ever kill again,” protested Dominus.

“It isn’t murder if you’re going to protect the city from destruction. Or are you a coward, cousin?” said Serena.

“I’m not a coward. If it is going to save innocent lives, then I will help you. I am still good with a sword,” said Dominus.

Father Sullivan came in after overhearing the situation. “Go ahead son, I will help you also,” replied Father Sullivan.

“What are you going to do?” asked Michael. “Look at this!” said Father Sullivan as he pulled up his sleeve, showing a coat of arms tattooed on his right forearm.

“It’s the Judah seal. You were in the society of the Sons of Judah!” said Serena.

“Young girl, I wasn’t just in the society; I was your grandfather’s second-in-command!” replied Sullivan chuckling.

“But how, how could you have survived all these centuries, it’s not possible!” exclaimed Suki. Sullivan’s face contorted as he revealed his true form beneath his human visage.

“You’re a vampire!” Michael exclaimed.

“Yes, I am just as you are, fledgling. However, I developed the uncanny gift to be able to live in sunlight without illness or harm. I was in Julius’ service in the war against Reynard Desbode’s forces; we were captured and taken prisoner to work in the copper mines. My real name is Demetrius Meridian, and I am the son of a scholar and soldier for Rome. I escaped with the men before later separating from them. I found myself taken in at a monastery in Italy after I saved a young nun’s life from a demon that was about to kill her. The monks knew what I was; I revealed it to them indirectly by killing the filthy beast. They chose to spare my life and took me in as one of their own. From then on I took a vow to serve God in devotion for letting me live. Years later I traveled to live in Ireland, changed my identity and later came to the states. So here I am. You see; all our destinies have been preordained. We have been waiting to meet and destroy the real enemy, the darkness that lives within each of us. By uniting we are completing the path that destiny has chosen for us. Dominus has never known any of this until now,” said Meridian calmly.

“But how could you not have the devil at you?” asked Michael.

“You let your own hatred do that with evil spirits. I sense that they are now gone from you. Remember this though; you must still choose whom to serve, your Family or God, and make your choice. Now I know what you all did a little while ago,” Meridian read Michael’s thoughts.

“What does he mean?” asked the others.

“The train yard,” replied Meridian.

Serena shut her mouth. Michael looked at the cross for a moment and then came to his senses. “All right. When this is all over, I’m out of it, done,” said Michael.

Serena agreed too.

“Good; you’re doing the right thing,” replied Meridian.

“But Father, how could you,” Dominus interrupted, still shocked by his mentor’s secret. “Son, I knew that I would have to tell you someday. I just did not believe that this day would come. Now you know I am sorry,” said Meridian sadly.

“Look, we have no time for confessions now Father; we have an insane genocidal megalomaniac to deal with. Reynard Desbode is going to release a toxin in the city that will kill everyone unless we bring him the Book of Darkness, which we have here,” said Michael seriously.

“The legendary Yomi Tengu. I have heard of the book but I never believed the legend to be true. How are you going to take down Desbode? As soon as you hand the book to him he will chant the proper incantation. He could open a portal to the dark universe, causing hell to invade earth,” warned Meridian.

“We have no choice,” replied Yoshiro, who had been silently listening the whole time.

“Where is he?” asked Meridian.

“The old bottling plant,” said Suki.

“We need a plan,” said Dominus.

Meridian changed into a long black coat and pants. He pulled out a chest from under his bed. Unlocking it, he pulled out two silver swords, giving one to Dominus and keeping one for himself.

“We have to find a way to stop the launch of the virus. I have to contact Kat. Perhaps she can dig something up for us on the virus. We have one hour and thirty minutes left before they unleash their attack on the city,” Michael said. He called Kat on her cell phone.

“Mike, My God, where are you!” freaked out Kat.

“Calm down,” instructed Michael.

“Haven’t you seen the news? The city is in pandemonium,” said Kat.

“We know who is responsible. I need you to hack into the city’s main system to see if you can dig anything up on this symbol. It’s of a secret society called The Order of the Stykains, also known as the Dark Society. I’m sending you the symbol from my phone. Find anything you can on any organizations that use this symbol,” said Michael. Kat hacked away at her laptop, cracking the city’s main system. She managed to track the symbol to a corporate enterprise. “I got it! The place is called Detastone Corporation. They do military and systems research for the United States government. Among those sponsoring this organization are the Secretary of Defense and the Vice President,” Kat spoke rapidly.