Malevolence: CATU Book 4 Ch. 05

Gang Jun

Bryan Chan creeps along the corridor clutching both his shoulder and side. In the heat of the battle on deck he was struck by a bullet in the side but was unaware until moments after. Blood is practically pouring from the wound in his side. His sight is beginning to blur and light headedness ia becoming onset. But he still pushes on attempting to accomplish his mission. The corridors are clear and he only hopes they'll stay that way.

The ship doesn't have any signs to aid in direction which to go is why he spent many hours memorizing the layout of the ship.

Not far to go.

He leans against the bulk head to catch his breath. It is getting harder to take in air without it hurting. He is almost ready to give up, but he does have a mission to perform and failure isn't an option.

Footfalls echo through some part of the ship stirring Chan and giving him the motivation he needs to get moving. Pushing off the wall, he continues down the corridor leaving behind a large blood smear on the bulkhead he was just leaning against.

——

After some time, Chan arrives at the final corridor to the engine room. He is so disoriented from blood loss he almost can't remember why he is there in the first place. As he turns the final corner, he almost wishes he couldn't remember.

"Halt!" shouts a soldier in Chinese.

The entrance to the engine room is guarded by a couple squads preventing Chan from any opportunity of completing his mission. He tries to lift his pistol with no effect and instead looses his grip and drops it to the deck. As soon as the soldiers feel comfortable he is no longer a threat they rush him. The last thing he feel is the butt of a rifle across the back of his skull.

——

The massive double doors explode inward spraying pieces large and small in all directions. Gunfire is instant, peppering the door way as Sam rushes in followed closely by Spencer and Nash. Sam steps behind a pillar avoiding being hit. Spencer and Nash follow suit as well.

"How many do you suppose?" Spencer yells over the roar of gunfire.

"Two squads Russian soldiers, heavily armed," Nash answers.

"Two demons and that big ass Hell Hound," Sam continues.

Spencer peers around the pillar and steals a glance before having to quickly step back to avoid being hit. Sure enough there is a larger than normal Hell Hound standing right next to Avyanna. "That is a big ass one alright," Spencer confirms. "Any idea what the hell it is?" he asks looking to Nash for an answer.

"I thought you guys knew everything," he replies sarcastically.

"Hey, I never made that claim," Spencer says with a chuckle.

"That's right," Sam jumps in. "We know almost everything."

"Glad you two are humble," he says dryly. "That creature is a Fenrir. Think of it as a larger Hell Hound or alpha male if you will."

"Then it can die like the rest of them," Spencer says.

"The bigger they are..." Nash says leaving the rest to hang.

"How do we go about this?" Sam questions.

"You two take the right and work your way toward Avyanna. I'll hit the left and attempt to draw as much of their fire as I can."

"In a hurry to meet a quick end?" Spencer asks.

"Always. It's what keeps me alive," Nash says with a faint smile. "Besides someone has to play decoy and I don't mind."

Before either one can respond Nash is already around the pillar firing. Five of the soldiers go down in the initial attack totally caught off guard. The rest are quick to duck behind their respective covers as Nash takes refuge behind another pillar.

The room is sparsely empty except for pillars spaced every twenty feet with a dais atop a large sloping set of stairs. The entire set up makes absolutely no sense to Nash, strategic wise, but then again it doesn't have to. As long as he stays alive over the enemy then in the end it is a good thing.

Spencer slips out from his pillar following Sam's lead as she heads up the right side of the large room. They fire at exposed soldiers as they are occupied by Nash's abrupt attack on them. With many of them distracted, Sam and Spencer are able to knock out seven or eight of them before they return fire.

"Having fun yet?" Spencer asks.

"As long as it's with you," Sam says with a wink.

——

Avyanna sits in the throne-like chair just as Maltaus used to. She can feel his residual power as it echoes through the chair. It is a shame Talilith had killed him; he was after all one of her most trusted. Normally she would have slain Talilith for her actions during a summoned council, but Maltaus after all was outsmarted. Not just outsmarted, but outsmarted by a lower class demon.

The thought brings a smile to her. She spared Talilith not only because of her skill but because she is a female and in the demon hierarchy, the male Demon Lords are regarded with a higher status even though they are equal to their female counterparts.

There will be a place for Talilith once the humans are enslaved. Once Avyanna completes that task then she will have the power to prevent any of the other Demon Lords to be released from their imprisonments. The world after all only has enough room for one Demon Lord.

First thing is first. It is time to see what the world's best had to throw at them. She looks down at the Fenrir. She can feel its tenseness and anticipation. Bezaleel have patience. Let's see what our guests are able to do, she says with a grin. She turns her attention to the two Lesser Demons. Go. Destroy the humans.

The two demons nod and without a word are gone.

——

The two Lesser Demons appear suddenly in the mists of what remained of the Russian soldiers. Without warning the two demons begin ripping into the soldiers. Their clawed hands tear through clothing and flesh. Blood splatters and insides fall to the floor from stomachs shredded open. In just a matter of moments the remainder of the soldiers are lying in a pool of blood with the two demons standing over their lifeless corpses.

Spencer and Sam don't waste any time. They step out from behind their respective pillars and begin firing an onslaught at the demons. None of the bullets even come close to hitting their mark. Instead every round fired seems to fly off in another direction just feet before hitting their intended marks. Spencer casts a glance in Avyanna's direction and soon finds his answer.

"She's preventing us from hitting them."

"Then let's try this, another way," Sam says throwing her H&K UMP off to the side and drawing Kotetsu from its sheath on her back.

"Sam," Spencer says hurriedly.

"Don't worry Spence; I do know what I'm doing." And she does because her father made sure she had the best in life as a child. He had her participate in a number of activities from piano lessons to gymnastics and everything in between. It was her martial arts training that referred to now. Weapon training was one of the things she enjoyed learning the most during her martial arts training. "You go and take care of that bitch up there. I got these two."

"Good luck," Spencer says kissing her cheek.

"You too." She turns her attention to the two demons crossing the sword across her body to let the tip point toward the ground. "C'mon boys, let me see what you got."

——

When the soldiers fall under attack, Nash takes the opportunity to move freely. He places a small device on the pillar he stood at before running to the next placing a similar device on it. Once all his devices are placed he turns his focus to Avyanna. With the two demons distracted with the CATU agents, he takes the opportunity to attack. As he begins his charge up the stairs he notices the Fenrir is no longer at her side.

Where the hell did it go?

His question is answered with a low growl to his left. He swings around with his HK X8 ready to blast the beast back to where it came from but there is nothing there. "Son of a bitch," he mutters. The feeling of fingernails on Styrofoam crawls up his spine to his neck. Before he has the opportunity to face his attacker, he is slammed into and driven forward.

While in the air he manages to twist and face his attacker just before impacting the ground. Bezaleel hovers over him rearing back about to snap its powerful jaws down onto Nash's face. Nash has other plans. Just when the beast is about to bring its head down for a crushing bite Nash throws a right hook knocking the Fenrir in the jaw. The blow causes it to rear back taking its weight of Nash and allowing him the brief moment he needs to slide out from underneath the massive creature.

He quickly gets to his feet and with his gun nowhere in sight he draws his knife and leaps onto the creature's back. Bezaleel struggles to shake the human off, shaking its body as it would when trying to shake water off it coat. Nash holds on as tight as he can and when the opportunity presents itself, he drives the knife as deep as it will go causing the Fenrir to let out a roar of anger.

With a powerful and violent shake, it throws Nash forward leaving the knife embedded in its back. Nash flies into the air and almost lands on his head if not for a last second twist just before landing. He sits up, a little dazed from the impact, in time to see Bezaleel charging straight at him.

——

The man runs as fast as he can through the corridor. He does not want to believe what he has just seen. Even masked slightly by the shadow of the bulkhead, the creature, as he chose to call it, was more frightening than anything he had ever seen. His breathing is beginning to become laborious. No matter how fast he runs, the man, Danny Ross; the one the whole ship is set out to find is just steps behind him. He chooses to look back once again as he has so many times in just the last few minutes and finds that the corridor is completely empty.

He takes a few more steps just to make sure he is not delusional. When he is sure Ross has given up the chase he stops and tries to catch his breath. His panting echoes in the otherwise silent corridor. The utter quiet unnerves the young man. He is sure if Ross had caught him he'd be dead right now. It is a good thing he had taken Track in high school, it did come in handy after all.

"There is no escaping me," a voice comes from behind.

The young sailor turns to find Ross standing over him with a large pipe wrench. Thoughts surge through his mind. How did he get in front of me? He must have taken a short cut. He brushes aside the thoughts; he doesn't have time for them now. Run! His mind screams. But by then it is too late. The pipe wrench crashes down with amazing force splitting the sailor's skull and splattering brain matter all over the corridor.

——

Bryan Chan is dragged up to the command bridge. He barely registers the journey there. At some part of the trip he ceases to remember what part of the ship they are in or even how to escape from it is he had the chance.

His Chinese escorts curse and tell him obscenities, though much of them he doesn't hear. It feels like his senses were beginning to leave him. He is dragged to entire way as the feeling in his legs seems to have already left him. They feel numb and if not for seeing them with his own eyes he could swear he had lost them.

They enter the bridge and he is overwhelmed by the activity. Sailors are engaged at their stations and none of them even turn their heads to glance. The only one to take interest in him or his escorts is Delun Tong, the captain of the Gang Jun. He is deposited at the captain's feet and his escorts take a step back.

"So, you are the one responsible for damage to my ship," Tong states. "And a traitor to Mother China."

Chan struggles to lift his head to look up at the captain. After a moment he is successful though his head swim briefly. When the dizziness leaves he says, "My allegiance lies with something else entirely."

"Which is why I will be your executioner," he says with a wry grin. Tong holds out his hand and one of Chan's escorts steps forward and hands him a pistol. "This really is too quick for you, but seeing how I have a sea battle to win this has to be done quickly."

Chan has already lowered his eyes to stare down at the deck. His head spin from dizziness. Blackness is threatening to take over his vision. He just sits waiting for the inevitable. As the pistol presses against his head, he breathes out a sigh. He has already accepted death the moment he left for his mission. His acceptance is set in concrete the moment he failed his mission. His only saving grace is he created hopefully enough havoc.

He fights through the darkness to once again look at the captain and smile. Emotionless, Tong catches and holds Chan's stare and then he pulls the trigger. The gun shot rings through the bridge bringing a momentary hush throughout. The only sound is that of Chan's lifeless body hitting the deck.

"Dump the body overboard and get this cleaned up," Tong commands as the noise returns to the bridge. He hands the pistol back to the sailor, "Make a final swept through the ship. I don't want any more surprises."

——

Bridges tears through the jungle. He runs as fast as he can, jumping fallen logs and ducking low branches. Vines whip at his face striking him hard and drawing blood. He ignores them and continues his escape. Hell Hounds are right behind him. He can't shake the feeling of them anymore than he can their pursuit. He can hear the shouts from the soldiers but can't make out what is said.

Finally his trek comes to an end as he slides to a stop short of flying off the edge of the cliff that now sits in front of him. "Whoa," he says out loud. He peers over the edge to see the dark, deep blue of the ocean below. Then suddenly he spins around as a low growl emits from behind him. Stepping slowly in a low prowl is one of the Hell Hounds. From the howls still filtering from the jungle, Bridges knows the others aren't far behind.

The creature stalks him in a semi-circle, not once taking its eyes off him. Bridges thinks to blast the beast but reconsiders so not to draw the other Hell Hounds or soldiers to him faster. Instead, he does the most insane thing he ever thought he would do and that is to jump.

——

One of the things Nash enjoys the most about DEP Six is the technology. They have stuff no one else has, not even the regular military. The beauty of it is even though he looks defenseless, he really isn't.

Standing in a firm stance, he waits for the Fenrir to get close before activating his well visible yet hidden weapons. In almost the blink of an eye, gauntlets appear to wrap his hands and forearms. Nash easily catches Bezaleel with both hands and tosses the creature off like it was a ragdoll. The Fenrir slams into a nearby pillar and drops hard to the floor. Nash slowly wriggles his fingers then closes his hand into a fist.

The gauntlets amplify his strength and with just a thought he can bring them out or back into the small armband-like device. He looks down at Bezaleel as the creature begins to stir and makes a mental note to thank whoever made the gauntlets.

——

Spencer runs at full speed up the dais carrying two AK-103s and firing full blast at the Demon Lord. A smile creases Avyanna's face as she holds up a hand. The bullets stop mid-air before falling to the floor. Undaunted by the spectacle in front of him, Spencer continues to unload on Avyanna until both guns empty. By then he has reached the top. Tossing the guns aside, he jumps and dives at the demon, ready to tackle her full force. Instead, he is met half way by what feels like a giant hand grabbing a hold of his body.

Spencer tries to fight against the invisible hand gripping him tight but to no effect. He looks at Avyanna and scowls at her as he still has a smirk. Then suddenly he is flung backward and into the wall. The impact takes his breath from him as pain racks his body. Before he has a chance to regain his breath, his is slung again and again and again.

Spencer's head rings, his body aches and he won't be surprised if a rib or two are broke. He flinches at the tightening of the invisible grip expecting another meeting with the wall and instead the release is suddenly slackened and he finds himself falling for the floor. The impact with the ground feels far worse than the wall. Spencer attempts to get up, but only makes it as far as pushing his body up using his arms when darkness overcomes him.

——

The two Lesser Demons draw out their swords and split up, each going to opposite sides of Sam. She already has Kotetsu out in a ready position. The demons snarl at the small woman.

Sam watches them slowly circle her, not taking her eyes off either one of them for very long. The two demons seem content with just staring her down rather than attacking, so Sam provokes the fight.

Sweeping low with Kotetsu, Sam aims for the closest demon's legs and barely maneuvers out of the way of the other demon's blade. The first jumps back away from Sam's attack and the other taking the opportunity comes down with his blade only to meet air. Sam rolls to her feet bringing both demons in front instead of either side. "You have to do better than that," she taunts revealing a hint of a smile.

Neither demon gives any hint of amusement and responds by launching themselves at Sam as if synchronized together. With the attack coming in fast, Sam has only the option to move backward. She leaps back thrusting out Kotetsu in a low arc as she does so. The demons move at incredible speed, the first one doesn't have a chance to avoid being hit by the blade. Kotetsu connects and slices through tissue like a knife through butter. The demon's face opens mimicking butterfly wings. The lifeless body slumps to the ground. Brains ooze through the opening to the floor.

The second demon continues unfazed by his partner's demise. Whether it affects him or not, Sam can't tell. The demon presses meeting her blade. His skill is good but it is nothing Sam can't easily match. The demon's strength does impress her though. With each blacked attack, Kotetsu shakes sending vibrations up through the sword and into her arms. They lock swords, the demon pushing hard against her and back. Sam struggles against his strength but he seems to have more leverage over her and more strength.

The demon pushes her back until she hits a pillar. The impact is great and the pain shudders through her, but she pushes it aside and focuses all her strength into her arms. The demon pushes back, matching her, keeping them at a deadlock. His face leans in close, so close Sam can smell his bile breath. It rolls over her causing nausea to roll around in the pit of her stomach. "Ever here of a breath mint?" she grunts out in defiance.

The demon just grins. The look makes Sam think he knows something she doesn't. Perhaps he does...

No!

She pushes aside the thought as if it would consume her and allow aide in her defeat. She has to defeat this bastard. With a sudden burst of strength the demon flies from her. He impacts the wall, leaving a massive ring of cracked stone around where his body hit. Sam is astonished at the sudden reserve of strength. When it remains without dissipating, it leaves her with a feeling of awe and excitement. As long as it lasted she would use it.