As usual on the Netherworld the sun was up, and now it was lighting up the tower room and making it difficult for Christina and Cassie to sleep, even though they were exhausted by their hours of terror as they each wondered what their fate was to be, something that they would soon find out.
"Good morning girls, another beautiful day on the Netherworld, and after you have had your breakfast you will both take up your new posts." Moira said cheerfully.
Breakfast appeared on the only other furniture in the tower room, except for the cots that is, it was a full English affair that made both women forget their fear as the sight of it reminded them of their hunger. This was because neither of them had dined the evening before due to the preparations that they had been involved in prior to being kidnapped. Cassie was too busy eating to voice any protests at Moira, as was Christina; in fact Moira was forgotten for the moment. Therefore, Moira left them to it and returned to the Great Hall with her dark lord, here he gave her back her demonic powers and then he led her up to his sleeping quarters to celebrate their love for each other. However, when the sun reached its highest point above the arid landscape, Moira returned to the tower room to inform the two women of their fate.
"Girls, I have nothing against either of you, no it is the handsome Rob who I want to suffer, and not only for killing me in cold blood but also for killing my father who I had just taken great pains to bring back to life. So you see sweet Christina, Cassie, your kidnapping is all Rob`s fault, because I want him to suffer for the evils that he has put me through. Until the day that he dies, he will know that because of him you two are a prisoner to my whims. Now I want to hear no more complaints from the two of you, if either of you attempts to escape then everybody that you love will die, do you both understand? The twins will be the first to be visited by a demon, then one of you two and finally Rob and the Popist. Do I make myself clear?" Moira asked in her sweetest voice.
Christina looked at Moira and watched to launch an attack upon her, to scratch her eyes out, to finally kill her, but all she could do was to nod her agreement, to do anything else would see her babies killed, Cassie killed and finally Rob and David. Tears flowed freely down her face when she realised that she would never see her two children again, and never hold Rob in her arms.
Cassie bit back the verbal attack that she wanted to make, and she too simply nodded as tears also slid down her face. She reached out and held her sister`s hand tightly, they would win through, surely Rob and David would find a way to rescue them.
"Good, then I will now tell you what your fate is." Moira said coldly. "Christina, you will be returned to Earth, to the city of New Delhi in India, there you will train to be a hand maiden of Lucifer under the Satanist Shekhar, he is not as powerful as me but he is a devoted follower of Lord Lucifer and a suitable teacher. Should you disobey him he will punish you, cruelly, so do not say that I did not warn you, if you attempt to contact Rob, or anyone else I will know it, for I will have a demon watching over you, your punishment will be the death of one of those you love. If you attempt to escape then more of them will die, and should you actually escape then all of them will die, do I make myself clear?"
Christina was on the verge of fainting however, she managed to reply.
"Yes Moira, I understand, I will do exactly as you say." Christina said in a weak voice that made her sister burst into tears.
It was then that Christina saw the triumphant glint in Moira`s eyes and she determined then not to show any more signs of weakness before this monster, obey yes, faint most certainly not and her chin came up and her eyes flashed rebellion, however Moira merely laughed at her before turning to Cassie.
"Cassie, you will stay here in the Netherworld as my hostage to ensure your sister`s good behaviour, you will be my own hand maiden, however do not anger me for the people who you love will be the ones to pay the price for each act of disobedience." Moira said triumphantly.
**********
David flew back into Heathrow the next morning, thankfully he had managed to get some sleep on the aircraft as Sir Willoughby Brown had insisted he fly Club Class, even so he was still suffering from jet lag after two trans-Atlantic journeys. He found Rob at an all-time low, for he had found no trace of his wife or her sister, in fact he looked to be beaten. However, Rob had not forgotten his main responsibility; he looked after the twins while attempting to keep the twins inside a charged pentagram whenever possible. Rob had slung over his back a 20 litre capacity garden pressure sprayer filled with holy water, wooden crosses hung around his and the twins' necks, and he had used the protection spell to stop demons from entering his apartment, Moira would have crowed loudly if she had witnessed it. However, David had some good news for his friend, something that was guaranteed to bring him back into his normal fighting spirit.
"Rob, I took another of Ulysses Bourbon`s books with me for the long flight, on the return journey I found a most interesting spell." David said and smiled when he saw Rob look across at him with interest and a slight gleam coming back into his eyes.
"I found within the heavy volume a spell that will hide us away from demons and Satanists alike, Rob, we can use it to hide ourselves and the twins away from evil eyes while we find out where Moira has taken Christina and Cassie, then we only have to find a way to get to them, simple Rob. However, we will need a new base of operations; there will be no point in using the spell if we are based at either of our houses or the SIS offices." David said.
Rob felt his spirits rise as he listened to his friend, maybe with his help they could still win through.
"Thank you David, as always you are never beaten by the demons of Hell, and I believe that I have a suitable base." Rob replied. "My dead mother in law`s house, Christina and Cassie have been unable to sell it as the locals all know about its bloody history. If we use the spell at a suitable location we can then travel down to Lower Boulding and be invisible to all except those who are within visual sight of us."
David smiled at his friend and nodded his approval of his plan, and then he said.
"Then we just need the suitable location to drop out of sight Rob, inside a multi-storey car park would be best, we can arrange to have a different car waiting for us there. An MPV would be best, not only to give us enough room for everything we will need for the twins, but it will also give me elbow room to work the spell." David said.
"Yes if we are going to do this then it needs to be done right, and a change of vehicle is definitely a requirement." Rob agreed sounding more like his old self.
Rob called Sir Willoughby Brown who took the opportunity to tell him of the successful attack by the Royal Naval frigate and the utter destruction of the starship and its bloody crew. With the case over he was now in a position to agree to Rob`s request, he would have John Agers and Malcolm Palmer drop off the MPV at the local multi-storage car park in two hours' time. This would give Rob time to pack all the things necessary for a long stay away from home, the two cots took the most amount of time to disassemble, and because they took up so much space they went in David`s estate car. Rob did not tell Sir Willoughby Brown of their intended safe house, it being on a need to know basis, for Moira could easily appear before Sir Willoughby Brown and after entering his mind obtain their new address. Sir Willoughby Brown knowing this did not even ask for this or any other information, he merely trusted Rob and David to do whatever was needed to protect the twins and to find Christina and Cassie.
David had another of the garden sprayers that held 20-litre of holy water; it was slung over his back. After ensuring that none of Rob`s neighbours were in the hallway he sprayed the hallway, the lift and the parking area under the apartment block with holy water while saying the Lord`s prayer, this would protect it against demons and chase any watching demon away with its tail between its legs.
Mughasar was such a demon, one who looked more humanoid than monster, although his head was quite large and he had horns growing out of the top of his head; he was jet black in colour with huge
red eyes that seemed to glow, and he had large sharp teeth within a cavernous mouth. Moira had charged him with the task of watching over Rob to ensure that she knew everything he was doing in his attempts to find his wife and Cassie. He was positioned on the staircase, but had not fully materialised, which meant that he could watch but not be seen unless the light was coming from just the right angle, however he was still able to feel pain when the correct weapon was used against him. The first that David knew of the demon`s presence was when Mughasar screamed in pain, for he had received a blast of holy water right in his large mouth. With his mouth feeling as if he had gargled with acid, Mughasar returned to his modest hovel in one of the hell dimensions to tend to his painful wounds. Moira was not to know of Rob`s disappearance for a full 48 hours.
With the way now clear, Rob, David and the twins drove to the local multi-storey carpark and found John Agers and Malcolm Palmer waiting for them, also with them were Simon Markman and Angela Collins, two more SIS agents.
"Sir Richard thought that Simon and Angela could watch the twins when the time for action finally arrives." John Agers said.
The need for extra help had not been overlooked by Rob and David, they had just felt that it was not fair to endanger any more lives, and in any case, most of the SIS agents preferred to stay away from their spooky cases.
"Before you say anything Rob, I should add that these two brave souls volunteered for the job." John Agers said smiling at the other two agents.
Rob looked at the two volunteers and smiled. "Thank you Simon, Angela, your help will mean that David can join me when we have to go to war, wherever it might take us."
"No problem Rob and you should also know that these other heroes here also volunteered, but Sir Richard decided that Simon and I should join you, he felt that we both needed the rest." Angela Collins replied.
It was now time to get to work and David began to mix the necessary ingredients for the potion that went along with the spell, all he would need to do when the potion was ready was to light it and then recite the spell, and they if all went well they would disappear off the demon/satanic radar. Along with various common and not so common minerals, roots and leaves, this potion called for some exotic items. David had found everything that he required within a shop named The Magic Shop, it was one that catered to people who thought that they were witches or who were in fact Satanists, and it was known to very few people not into the subject of witchcraft or the satanic arts.
David had decided to change some of the words as the original spell called upon a powerful demon named Pairmon to come to their aid, and not only could David not call upon a demon, but to do so would might well negate their aim to disappear from evil`s radar, when he told Rob he was not happy.
"Why on Earth did you not say so sooner David, the spell may not even work with the changes that you want to make." Rob complained angrily.
"I know that it will, something has ensured our success up until now, why would it leave you when you need it most?" David replied in defence of himself.
He knew from the moment that he had read the spell when still over the Atlantic that it could mean failure, but something deep inside of him had told him that he was wrong to doubt, it would still work, he must rely on his faith, and he now determined to do just that.
"Ensured our success David, that evil bitch has taken Christina and Cassie; it was not around then, was it?" Rob replied angrily.
"I know Rob, but it did try to warn us." David argued. "Rob, let us at least try the spell, if it works then I will know, if not then you must decide whether to recite the spell in its original format or not." David declared.
He was equally as angry as Rob was, but mostly with himself for not coming clean before now.
"OK then David, we will give it go." Rob said as he got his anger back under control. "As you say, the angels have been with us so far, why not one step more. If only I had not been chasing aliens then I would have been able to get back in time to protect them." Rob replied guiltily even though he could hardly be held responsible for what happened. "Simon, Angela will you watch over the twins?
Of course Rob, no problem." Angela replied.
All four SIS agents knew about the black magic cases, knew about the spells recited that had shown the aliens as the culprits behind the horrific murders. However, they felt very uneasy to be so near to their two colleagues when they were actually going to recite a spell, but then they knew what hung on its success. This being so they forgot their worries and while Angela and Simon played with the twins, the other two Agents kept watch for both the enemy and for innocent shoppers.
Rob knew that if his friend failed then he would have to decide whether to recite the original spell, or not, with the dangers to his soul and of the demon tricking him. David had finished stirring the potion and he now lit it, causing a white plume of smoke to curl upwards towards the roof of the MPV. It was at this moment that a couple of shoppers returned to their vehicle, and they stopped to look nervously at the group of six people in and around the MPV. John Agers walked across to them and showed them his identity card to put their minds at rest.
"There is no need for alarm but if you have finished shopping then we need you to drive away, please say nothing to anyone, it could put lives in danger."
The two shoppers quickly got into their vehicle and drove off, both of them wondering what the plume of smoke had to do with an anti-terrorist operation.
David and Rob had ignored the two shoppers and had proceeded to recite the amended spell in the MPV.
"We, champions of the right hand path, call upon the angels upon high to look upon the six adults and the two young children gathered here. We beseech you to protect us all from evil, make us invisible to demons and Satanists alike so that we can continue the fight against Lucifer and his minions."
David knew that it was not so much the words of the spell that counted as the potion and the power of those who called upon the higher powers, so he hoped that the substantial changes that he had made to the wording of the spell would not matter. He realised that Moira would have had no problem with such a spell, he and Rob on the other hand thought of themselves as ordinary men with no power at all to call upon, they of course were wrong, unknown to them they had acquired quite a lot of psychic power during all of their battles against evil. The four SIS agents watched with mouths open in awe as a glowing light fell upon them and their two colleagues, and then a tingling sensation spread over their skin, finally the power of speech returned to Agers.
"Guys, I think that maybe you were successful."
Rob looked across at his colleague and smiled. "I think that you may be right John."
For he and David had also felt the same tingling sensation spread over all of their skin, and when Rob went to check on the twins he saw them quiet and smiling, for they too had felt it.
"Thank you David, I am sorry that I doubted you." Rob said apologetically.
"No, Rob, I am sorry for not telling you everything about the spell back at your apartment." David replied.
With the spell a success Rob and David climbed into the MPV, it was now full with half of their belongings, the rest being in the Range Rover driven by Simon Markman.
John Agers and Malcom Palmer watched as their friends drove off, then they went window shopping, one hour later they drove Rob`s and David`s vehicles back to the SIS headquarters, in this way even if their foe was there to notice the switch in drivers it would be too late to get on the track of Rob and David.
One hour later Rob stopped off at a fair size town to pick up more essentials, this time in the form of ten bottles of Scotch whisky. David had told Rob that they would have to make use of a demon, if they were to stand any chance of locating the two women. This in turn meant that they would need a large bribe, especially as neither of them was a Satanist. With this item loaded aboard the MPV, Rob drove on towards Lower Boulding. One hour later and Rob was letting them into their new base of operations in Lower Boulding
, David would use John Ryman`s old bedroom, he had been Rob`s brother in law and had died a heroes death in the first of Rob`s black magic cases. Rob was in Christina`s and the twins were in Mrs Ryman`s bedroom, they could also use it as a playroom as it was quite large. Angela Collins had been given Cassie`s old bedroom and Simon Markman had to make do with the settee in the front room.
They had debated whether to use the protection spell but David had thought that it could actually attract attention to themselves, it being to ward off evil when their location was known to a demon or a Satanist, so they had decided against it.
It had been quite late by the time they had settled the twins down in their cots, so Rob had decided to put off their campaign meeting until the next morning, after the twins had been cleaned and fed.
When the sun finally rose upon a new day, and with the twins cleaned and fed, Rob and David settled down in the kitchen with a coffee to talk about a plan of campaign. While they did so, Angela watched over the twins and Simon Markman ensured that no one was taking too much of an interest in the house.
"David, how can we make use of a demon if we cannot trust it?" Rob asked.
"From what I understand about such matters Rob, once they have accepted a commission, they are bound to complete it, as long as we do not attempt to renage on the contract." David replied.
This seemed to satisfy Rob who now had another query.
"David, where will we conjure up the demon, we can hardly do it here, not only because of the danger to the twins but this place is supposed to stay off the demons` radar?" Rob asked.
"No of course not Rob." David replied. "I have been giving this some thought and the only way that I can see would be for us to drive back along the M3 motorway towards London, we can stop off when we find a likely spot and conjure up our demon and then wait around until it returns with the information we need."