Kara opened her eyes and blinked in the blackness. Vega still made her feel a little dizzy, but right now the darkness troubled her. She tried to blink the blackness away, but it didn’t work. She wiggled her mortal suit’s hand up to her face, but she couldn’t see it. There was only blackness. The air was tight, and she could hear the faint drippings of a water pipe.
“Brooke?” whispered Kara. Her eyes strained to adjust themselves to the darkness that they couldn’t penetrate.
“I’m over here,” Brooke whispered back.
Kara heard the scrape of feet on concrete, and after a moment she felt a hand touch her shoulder.
“I think we’re in a basement. See if you can find a light switch on the wall to your left…I’m gonna try over to the right.” Brooke let go of Kara’s shoulder, and Kara heard her footsteps go in the opposite direction.
“Okay.” Kara was in complete darkness. She forced herself to calm down and thought about what she was going to do once she was alive again. When her nerves were calm, she struggled to move her feet. After five steps, her hands touched a cold hard surface.
“I’ve found a wall.” Kara slid her hands up and down and tried to feel for a switch of some kind. She heard a faint click behind her, and the lights went on.
“Found it,” declared Brooke, at the opposite end of the basement.
The basement was unfinished, with a dirt-filled concrete floor and open walls with exposed insulation. Cobwebs fell from the ceiling like see-through curtains and covered some scraps of old wood furniture that were piled in the corners. The room looked forgotten.
“There’s some stairs over here.” Brooke pointed to her right and waved Kara to follow. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Wait!” said Kara. “Is this 1228 Pine Avenue?”
Brooke shook her head. “No. The Legion wouldn’t transport us to the safe house directly. But we’re probably really close.”
They climbed out of the basement, pushed open a heavy wooden door, and found a hallway. The old oak floors creaked as the girls sneaked down the hall, trying to find the way out. A musty carpet smell lingered in the air…just like in Kara’s grandma’s house. She loved that stink. She was certain this house belonged to an elderly person. They came to a foyer, which opened to the front door. Even in the dark, Kara could make out the flowered wallpaper covering the walls. Brooke mouthed, “This way,” and trod towards the door. She turned the lock very slowly and pulled open the front door.
They stepped down three concrete stairs onto a sidewalk. A full moon shone down from a black sky. The cool September wind, carrying the smell of wet pavement, caressed Kara’s cheeks, while a light drizzle of rain patted her hair. She wiped the wet from her cheeks and turned to face Brooke.
Brooke turned her head, “Look…we’re on 1194 Pine Avenue West.” She pointed to the black numbers that were nailed to the front of the Cape Cod style house they had just left. “We’re just a few blocks away.”
Kara glanced at her wrist watch. “It’s 8:40 pm. We have 20 minutes to get there.”
At that moment, thunder exploded above their heads and released a deluge of rain. The angry skies had sucked in the moonlight, and only the old street lamps showed them the way.
Squish, squish.
Their shoes pattered onward, squashing the water out as they trod up the street. Crooked gray maple trees swayed back and forth in the wind.
After only a few minutes, Kara was drenched. The rain felt strange against her mortal suit. It felt cool, but it was as though the wetness didn’t seep through, like it stopped midway. Glancing down at the sidewalk while she walked, she saw two dead birds: red cardinals, their necks twisted, resting in small puddles of water. A feeling of dread crept inside her. She kept thinking back at what David had said to Gabriel…that this was an impossible mission, and that the Legion was sending them to their deaths.
Brooke stopped abruptly, and Kara nearly walked right into her. They had arrived at a street corner. The heavy rains had turned to a soft drizzle. Kara glanced up and read the street sign: Cedar Avenue. They were close.
A tingling sensation spread inside her as she surveyed the area. She imagined her old life, where she painted and had a family. I’ll have my family again soon. A group of teenagers appeared on the opposite side of the street, giggling without a care in the world. That’ll be me soon enough.
They crossed Cedar Avenue and were back on Pine Avenue. After four strides, Brooke stopped again. She stared in front of her. Kara followed her gaze.
1228 Pine Avenue was staring back at them. It was an old Tudor-style home with a worn down paver walkway covered in black puddles. An overgrown cedar hedge covered most of the front of the house. There was no light coming from inside. It stood alone in the dark. And all the curtains were drawn.
“Come…” whispered Brooke, as she steered Kara by the elbow towards the neighboring house’s cedar hedge. She crouched down, peeking through the trees. Kara followed her example. There was no movement inside the house, from what Kara could see. Brooke slipped her backpack from her shoulders, settling it on the wet grass. She opened it and pulled out the blueprint of the house. Kara leaned in for a closer look. She could see that there were three floors to the house: a basement, a ground floor, and a second floor. She could see a back door exiting from the kitchen area.
“Two ways out,” whispered Kara. “The front and back doors.”
After a moment, Brooke looked up and met Kara’s eyes.
“What do you think if we separate?” she whispered. “If the elemental is here, they probably put him in the basement,” she pointed to the blue rectangular shape on the paper with “Basement” written under it.
“Demons like dark and dingy places, and my feeling is that he’s there.”
Kara looked down and studied the blue print. “Okay.”
Brooke raised her eyebrows. “So, since you’re still a rookie, I was thinking you could check out the ground floor…” Her hand moved over a few inches as she pointed to a new drawing, “Check out that area, and then we’ll rendezvous back near the front door in about ten minutes. The child might not be here in this house. But if you see the child, come back to the rendezvous spot, wait for me, and we’ll go back in together with our Sparks.” An intense look flashed in Brooke’s blue eyes as she stared at Kara. “You think you could do that?”
A gust of wind brushed Kara’s bangs into her eyes. “Yes,” she whispered back as she glanced at her wristwatch. She sensed that Brooke had faith in her abilities and wondered if she should tell her about the demon’s Mark—that she was innocent—but decided against it. Tiny rain drops started to fall again.
“I’m ready,” Kara said after a moment. “I can do this. I know I can.”
She studied Brooke’s face. “But, are you sure you can handle the basement alone?”
“Don’t worry about me. I haven’t lost a fight yet!”
With determination spread across her face, Brooke shoved the blueprint back in her bag. She rummaged through it and pulled out a long soul blade and two firestones. She pocketed the firestones in her blue jeans and grasped the soul blade in her right hand. Kara copied her and pulled out her soul blade from her backpack. She jammed two firestones into the large front pocket of her hoodie sweater.
Brooke nodded and the pair threw their packs on their shoulders and stepped out of the cedar hedge. Glancing around, Brooke went up the front stairs first. Kara followed a step behind, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up. With her hand gently placed on the door handle, Brooke turned it slowly counter clockwise, and with a soft pop, she pushed the door open.
Their eyes were already adjusted to the darkness around them, and they could see the inside of the house in shadows of gray. They walked into a large foyer, which opened up into a hallway with two rooms on either side of them. The air was stale, with a lingering faint stink of mildew. Although it was dark inside, Kara could tell the house was abandoned. The stairs to the
second level stood at the end of the foyer. She knew from studying the blueprints of the house that the entrance to the basement was through the kitchen. She turned and looked at Brooke, who gave her a nod. Kara nodded in return, and with her soul blade in her right hand she pulled out a Firestone from her pocket, grasped it tightly, and stepped into the room to her right. She felt Brooke moving on her left, but she was as silent as a cat.
Kara glanced at her watch: 9:02 p.m. She had ten minutes to scout out the first floor and then rendezvous back in the foyer. She sneaked inside the large room. She could make out a large sofa and chairs. The air was stale as she crept on. Keeping close to the walls, Kara saw an opening at the left end of the room. She walked carefully towards it. She gripped the soul blade tighter in her hand…any tighter and she was sure her mortal fingers would snap off. She stepped into the opening to her left and was in a hallway. She blinked. To her right was the kitchen. A soft ray of street light came in through the kitchen window above the sink…enough to make out the old nineteen-fifties style kitchen with metal kitchenette table and matching vinyl and metal chairs. She brought her left wrist to her face and glanced at her watch: 9:06 p.m.—she still had five minutes.
Straight in front of her was a room, probably a bedroom. The door was closed. She strained for any sound and heard nothing. Nervously, she turned the door knob and pushed open the door. The door swung open and revealed an empty bedroom. Kara dropped her shoulders and closed the door. Moving down the hallway, she came face to face with another closed bedroom. She pushed open the door, and again it was empty. She shut the door behind her and glanced at her wrist watch: 9:12 p.m. She turned to her right; the foyer stood empty. Kara walked back into the foyer and watched the faint light in the kitchen down the hall from where she stood. She would see Brooke coming back from the basement from here.
9:15 p.m.
Kara blinked and looked up at the stairs leading to the other level.
9:22 p.m.
The rain hit the foyer windows with soft continuous taps. Kara started to feel uneasy. Brooke should have been there by now.
9:31 p.m.
Something was definitely wrong. You’re responsible for your partners, she remembered the oracle telling them.
CRASH!
The loud noise came from the basement, as though a wall had come crashing down.
Kara sprinted down the hall and entered the kitchen. She turned to her right and saw the doorway to the basement. She rushed to it and started to descend to the basement. She could hear muffled voices…male voices. Quickly, she stepped down the rest of the stairs. It was darker down in the basement. The windows had been covered up with newspaper. She followed the voices, her soul blade in front of her as she stepped deeper into the blackness.
BAM!
Kara jumped. She heard a woman scream. They were torturing her. Kara ran blindly into the dark, following the voices. A faint light shone from a room at the end of the hall. She ran towards it; the door stood ajar. The voices were clearer now.
“Commander Urobach…kill the angel female! I want to taste her soul…” said a hoarse voice. Kara could hear someone moaning. Brooke.
Heavy boots thumped the ground. “Not yet, Zelar,” said another voice, as smooth as silk. “Be patient. She still hasn’t told us what we need to know.”
“You want me to rip off another arm, Commander?” said a high-pitched third voice.
Trembling, Kara edged forward and then flattened herself on the wall. She inched forward. Hidden in the shadows, she stared in horror. Brooke lay semi-unconscious, spread-eagled on the ground. Her left arm was missing, a luminous hole near her shoulder. Three men stood around her. Even from a distance, Kara could see their black eyes—higher demons. Two were dressed in the same gray suits Kara had seen before, and both carried death blades. Black mist emanated from the shafts. But the third man stood out. His long leather jacket swished at his heels as he paced around Brooke. Standing about six-foot-seven, he towered above the other two. His black, oily hair hung loosely over his shoulders. He carried no weapons. He crouched down near Brooke’s head, wiping her wet hair off her face.
“Come on now, little angel…tell me, who else is coming?” asked the same silky voice. “How many guardian angels has the Legion sent after the elemental?” Urobach turned his attention away from Brooke for a moment and looked over to the opposite side of the room. A rusted metal cage about the size of a large bird cage rested on the floor.
And inside the cage, Kara saw a young child. He was wearing only a thin pair of white and blue pajamas. She could see him shivering. His eyes were red, and dried tears smeared his dirty face.
Urobach turned his attention back to Brooke. “How did the Legion know where to find us, eh?” He stood crouched over her, his black eyes searching. “If you don’t answer me, I will hurt you.”
After a moment, Brooke struggled to open her mouth. “I...I don’t know,” she croaked. Pain flashed in her eyes. “I was given an assignment…they told me where to go …”
The Commander’s lip curled into a smile. “Tut, tut, tut…. I’m afraid, little angel…that is not a good enough answer for me…” With frightening speed, he jumped up, and black electricity shot out of his fingertips and attacked Brooke. Her body convulsed up and down. She cried out in pain. Kara watched in horror as Brooke’s mortal body sizzled. Brilliant light shone through tiny holes all over her body. Her angel core was spilling out. She was dying.
Without another thought, Kara jumped through the door frame. “STOP! YOU’RE KILLING HER!” She lifted her weapons in front of her and prayed silently that she was going to make it out alive.
Urobach snapped his head around towards the doorway. He stopped his attack on Brooke. His eyebrows shot up on his forehead, and an evil grin materialized on his face. “Well, well, well …what do we have here, my friends?” The Commander’s black eyes widened, as though he was trying to suck her energy out. The other higher demons turned to face her, their bodies bent.
The Commander came closer to Kara. He flashed a crooked smile. “Hello, little one. Aren’t you a pretty thing.”
Kara glanced over at Brooke; was she still alive? She tried to move, but her legs seemed to be glued to the spot. She turned her head and met Urobach’s black eyes again. “W…what do y…you w…w…ant?” was all she could muster.
He moved a massive leather boot a step closer to her. “Want?” answered Urobach. “My friends and I just want to have a little chat.”
The demons nodded in agreement. Their bodies started to sway from side to side, their eyes glaring at her, anticipating an attack.
A tiny voice inside her head told her to run. She blinked hard and struggled to find her voice. “S…stay away from her!” She yelled as she thrust her soul blade into the air.
At this, Urobach chuckled. He wrinkled his forehead. “I like this one better.”
And before Kara could react, he reached down and lifted Brooke’s rag doll body up above his head, smiled at Kara…and ripped the body easily in half, as if it were made of paper.
“NOOOOOO!” screamed Kara. She watched hopelessly as Urobach threw her friend’s severed body to the higher demons. They snatched up the body parts from the floor and opened their mouths. Their jaws extended grotesquely down to their waists as they swallowed her friend.
Kara’s knees buckled beneath her. “Brooke!” She cried. She trembled uncontrollably. She stole a glance at the child. It cried silently, eyes wide and on Kara; a silent pleading. They were both going to die.
One of the higher demons stepped forward, close enough that Kara could smell his foul breath. “So, the question is, will you play with us now?”
Licking his lips, he displayed rows of rotten teeth. “My Commander requires some information.”
Urobach cocked an eyebrow as he strolled over to Kara. “I will not lie to you, little angel. It will hurt…yes. And you will die, eventually. My master wouldn't have it any other way. Pain is necessary.” He was only
a few feet away from her.
Kara looked over to the elemental, and she cringed. Fear flashed in the child’s eyes; its tiny little hand grasped the metal bars as it whimpered. Kara’s training took over, and in one fluid movement she threw her firestone at the Commander’s feet. It shattered as it hit the ground. A red mist engulfed the demon.
But then it evaporated. Urobach was still there. He grinned at her.
Kara shook her head in disbelief. “What…?”
The Commander wiped down his jacket, as though specs of dirt clung to it. “Your little toys don’t work on us,” he laughed. He glanced at his cronies and snapped his fingers. They charged.
Kara ran out the room and raced up the basement stairs, the demons at her heels. Summoning all the strength she could muster from her mortal legs, she pressed on as fast as she could. Jolting down the hallway, she ripped open the front door and bolted down the street.
Kara ran down Pine Avenue West and headed towards the Mont Royal Park. She knew the park well. She’d come here by herself during the summer holidays. She knew perfectly well what lay beyond the forest…Beaver Lake.
She reached the park, hopped the fence, and ran into the thick forest. It was an uphill run from here on, and she prayed her mortal legs could keep up. She ran for her angel life. She knew if they caught her, they would kill her. She shot a glance behind her and spotted the higher demons, just a few yards behind. She knew it was only a matter of time before they caught up. Images of Brooke’s pale face pulsed in her mind, and a feeling of hopelessness washed over her.
“You cannot hide from us, little angel!” yelled one of the higher demons from behind. “And since you won't come quietly, it gives us great pleasure to use force!” The demon wailed a high-pitched screeching laugh.
His laugh echoed in her ears. But Kara pressed on. She could see a clearing up ahead. Almost there. Straining her mortal suit with everything it had, she ran for her soul, and for Brooke’s. She reached the clearing at the top of the mountain. She spotted Beaver Lake, its oval shape reflected in the moonlight. Kara rocketed downhill, concentrating hard not to trip over tree roots or rocks. She could hear the demons behind her, so close.
The lake was getting bigger and bigger, bouncing into view. It was only a few yards away. Soon she would be safe.
A sharp pain shot into her back, and she stumbled to the ground and rolled to a stop. Dizzy, she pushed herself up; the pain was so intense that her vision blurred. She blinked. She could make out dark shapes running towards; they were almost upon her. She felt sick and weak. Excruciating pain shot from up her back. The poison was paralyzing her.
Run, Kara, said the voices inside her head. You’re almost there.
I can’t. I won’t make it, answered Kara.
Yes you can. Remove the death blade . . . it’s making you weak. You can make it. Run.
She felt a sudden rush of new energy and hope. She reached around and felt the blade in her back. She wrapped her hand around it and pulled. She stared at the black blade gleaming in the moonlight. She pushed herself up, threw the dagger on the ground, and started to run again. Kara felt the blade’s poison inside her, eating away at her soul. She knew she only had a few seconds.
Little waves rippled in the moonlight as Kara reached the lake’s shore. She heard the demons’ breathing behind her. She heard a hiss in the air, and something stung the back of her neck. Then, with one last effort, Kara fell head first into Beaver Lake.
Chapter 15
Last Hope