Chapter 14

Lucy and Luke get ready for the raid on the museum.

Carlos had spent the last four hours listening to the most boring lecture in the world. The Mayor had put it upon himself to have a vision of investing in the city but not talking extra taxes. His vision included bringing people together from both parties while condemning the history of the party to his left. The Mayor spoke even more about the greater good of the city but then incidently said that in the current route the city might be beyond saving. This man said a lot, and said so very little that Carlos wanted to slap the man in the face for his unending supply of bullshit. He however agreed with the stronger voice that it would be bad to beat one’s boss in front of his minions.

“Just let this meeting end Lord and I will be your humble servant.” Carlos swore to what part of him believed in Christianity. That part that believed however equally believed in Judaism, Islam, Buddhism,  and a part of that wished to sacrifice sheep to some Greek or Roman gods. He knew in his heart it was the sentiment that mattered and whoever was listening would hopefully take pitty and send a sign of divine nature to the mayor, in a way that only the mayor would know, with all of his soul, to shut up.

The Museum raid was to be tonight, and Jules was in the hospital. Carlos held a roll of plans in the open sleeve of his backpack. He couldn’t leave and when the mayor’s ego and self importance had gotten this big, no amount of hypnotism or power of suggestion would work on him. Carlos couldn’t say, “I need to use the restroom.” He tried that three times before and the Mayor refused. As the end of hour four was coming near its end, he could see two other people holding back the pain of the flow in their eyes.

“Diaz!” a loud booming voice summoned him.

Carlos look up to see the Mayor and the rest of the room staring at him. The Mayor clearly had just asked a question and judging by the looks of the faces, Carlos’s answer would set everyone free to actually live what part of their lives they had left to enjoy this night before they came back to work again tomorrow.

“I agree with everything you said Mr. Mayor.” Carlos said, feigning confidence that this was what the mayor wanted to hear.

“Thank you!” the Mayor shouted, letting everyone know that his Dictionary length essay had proven its core thesis. What that argument was, no one knew. “Go on, get the hell out of here men. We will discuss more of this tomorrow.” He continued as his staff shuffled out of the room looking confused.

Carlos shifted his eyes to the east and to the west as he slowly rose. He clutched the plans in his back pack, hoping no one would notice. He didn’t dare leave them in the car. He stole the plans for the Museum because he didn’t want to risk a paper trail if something went wrong tonight. He made a note that he would have to be careful in reinserting these into the City Hall records.

The Mayor naturally stopped him as he was going to walk out of the room. “Diaz, just the hombre I wanted to see.” The Mayor, due to Carlos’s race loved adding little bits of Spanish to their conversations. It wasn’t meant to be racist and for the most part Carlos did not find it racist but on occasion the inside jokes felt a little off between them. This was one of those rare moments. Carlos also felt that this might likely be due to the fact that he commited theft against the government at the moment and even with his knowledge of magic, not always a good idea to get caught.

“I just wanted to tell you I am glad you were able to keep the troops in line. Especially after the new waves of murder hitting the city. The police are asking me to call a state of emergency. Also on another note. South Castle, the historic landmark, we are giving it to CanaCor.”

“CanaCor?”

“They are some investment firm from Canada. I did a look into them. They can bring a lot of money into the city.”

“I mean, can a corporation run a business off a historic landmark? That sounds…”

 

“This sounds shady.” Anna looked on unimpressed at Carlos. Carlos put up a playful smile as If to say, “this is the best I can do.” It then shifted to say, “Do you think you can do better?” Her simple shift of the eye told him defiantly, “duh.”

“So you and Jules both believe we are dealing with a mid level succubus.”

The cheap looking grey van they were in bumped a piece of trash to the side. It then shuttered patheticly and came back to its own pace as it drove down the road. Carlos was holding the plans for the museum in his hands, feeling todays mission had been a success.

Anna noticed outside her ex’s coy smile that his apprentice, Luke was staring at Lucy with a strange hunger. Lucy had her head down low, her beautiful dark hair covering her face. She was deep in thought and Anna had begun to wonder just what kind of relationship Jules and his apprentice had. The van shuttered again but Luke seemed unnefected. He looked back at Anna to see what she was staring at. She just simply averted her gaze.

She peered outside to see the run down alleys and graffiti end and as they turned the corner the streets opened up to the posher districts in town. She always loved this part of town. The way the buildings were so far apart and lots of room for walking and the occasional park. The plague of the industrial and residential district was dying into one of open space and life. The more “vintage” part of town would be just five minutes ahead. She came on this trip because she wanted to see how the new recruits would act and react going into their first real battle.

She liked knowing how people worked. They were complex puzzles and when pushed with a stress they do not know a sort of raw being emerges its true self. In some ways its subtle. The way Lucy just hung her head, sighing, no doubt a thought to Jules in the hospital. She was a mental girl, one who did not rely on others. Anna knew Lucy was also thinking hard of the combat to come. It was a war between the two sides, concern for the outside and a focus on the self.

Luke, his looking at Lucy. Anna knew he was undressing her, and it was perhaps his way of distracting himself from the coming battle. The two of them would fight side to side. Naturally Lucy being pretty an alpha like Luke would enjoy the sight of a pretty girl. Carlos used to be alpha. He was such a confident b*****d. He would have the same confidence when he would push her on her back, the only part of his hand touching her would be the palm on the side of her neck and the thumb pressing so lightly on her throat. It would trace her neck to jaw to the soft spot under her ear.

The van bumped.

Anna instantly slapped Carlos for being a bad driver.

Carlos acted like he was in pain, then after a second, jumped to asking questions. “Okay Luke, tell me, what is a succubus?”

“A succubus is a mid level demon. Known for its ability to inhabit objects as its domain and seduce people. Often they feed on the blood and lives they destroy.”

“Good. Now what is a domain? Lucy, since Jules isn’t here, I will have you answer.”

“A domain, is a place where a demon inhabits. If destroyed the demon is vulnerable. In our particular case, the succubus is inhabiting a painting. Therefore, as Jules told me, we should expect minimal resistance. A Battle Mage worth their salt can destroy any mid to low level demon solo.”

“The demon will likely use tricks when you get close, potentially summoning minor demons as back up but even that would just weaken it. We have been tracking this painting for six months waiting to get a crack at it. If it talks to you, do not listen.” Anna sighed as she finished her contributions.

“But quick question; If a demon can manipulate its domain, then cant she hide the painting in plain sight. Change it to aa statue or such?”

Carlos stopped the van and then got in the back with them. He grunted as he tried to make way. Anna allowed herself a glimpse of butt for a bit too much self indulgence then pretended to note nothing. He unfurled the map.

“You don’t know how many laws I broke but. Here is the layout of the map. Some university professor has been nice enough to grace us with a wing dedicated to German Art from the 18^th century. Now that particular wing is located on the third floor on the far west corner. It’s a real whose who of some people I never heard of or gave a f**k about. But I need you to memorize that map. It can save your life.”

Luke grabbed the unfurled map and started to take verbal notes. He looked at the lovely, no, not lovely, sexy, Lucy. Perhaps if he acted like he knew what he was talking about, she would in turn converse with him and they may very well have this phenominal chemistry. She could open herself to him.

She brushed her hair aside from her eyes and just simply began stating, “So the first floor is all metallic sculptures.”

Luke responded, “it’s a good thing the demon is only hiding in a painting. The idea of fighting an armored knight…”

“Luke! An armored knight would be the least of your problems. I fought a succubus before. They love to play tricks.”

“So what you are saying Carlos, is that we should focus on using our powers to disrupt illusions?” Lucy asked.

“Exactly. They are weaker unless they are given time to gather strength. But fortunately we haven’t found any evidence that recently it has been able to feed. However if you go in unprepared, even a mid level demon can kill you. Anna, we almost here?”

Anna pointed to the next light across the one they were going through. The strip malls came to a stop and soon opened up on the left. It was a wide patch of grass, like a park. Inside that park was an ancient building designed with two wings and in the center, a large gothic style circular structure that was the entrance and hub.

Luke began to notice something inside of him was trembling. He couldn’t be sure if it was his skin or his heart. Something was not right, it was out of his control. The twitch in his left eye gave him a great sense of unease. He wanted to say something about this, but he looked to his comrade in arms and she just looked on deep in thought. What was she thinking at a time like this?

 

Jules. He wasn’t going to be here for this moment. The back of the van opened up. Carlos’s cheesy smile was their greeting as they were getting ready for their trial by fire. Lucy got up first and got the strangest feeling as she leaned forward that a certain someone behind her was checking out her bum. She thought about sending a backwards kick to where his gaping chin was probably but then thought instead it was best to get her feet on the concrete floor and focus to the task at hand.

Her feet clicked with the ground and around the corner she saw Laurence and Jessica having heated debate at the corner of the Musuem exterior. She gave him a slight bop on the top of the head with a playful gesture and backed off when her and Lucy made eye contact. Laurence was stuck there thinking whatever nonsense was going on in his mind and then he too began to walk towards the gathering of friends.

She noticed Anna had stayed in the seat of the van not yet getting out. Lucy then asked Carlos, “She okay?”

“Let’s get this show on the road. The newbies wont defeat this demon by standing out here!” Jessica yelled. Jessica then started pounding on the van. “Get your a*s out here!” There was then a moment of silence. Jessica looked around and then again pounded on the van door. When there wasn’t a response again, “She must be on her period. Is it that time already?”

Lucy saw Carlos shudder for a second. “What is that about?” Lucy asked Carlos.

“Bad memories.” It was a simple response. One that made Lucy want to laugh as she believed it to be a joke. However Carlos’s face showed a sadness, one of a man once forced to be subjected to said period time and time again. Jules had told stories of what they were once like as a couple.

She couldn’t let her thoughts linger too much on Jules. Not if she was going to be fighting for her life. She wanted to make him proud, be the kind of woman that he would look to.

Laurence finally caught up to them. The gang began talking up their normal crazy talk that Lucy found herself an outsider to. Luke felt the same way, she could tell. Then again she always thought Luke was the type most social when around friends for a beer, but would hide in a corner when he got home.

Anna yelled, as if responding to the conversation that Lucy was half not listening to, “I was just trying to get a sense of the area.” She kicked open the door and got out. The jump from her seat to the floor might have been a bit much as her knees and legs buckled one bit more than she was probably ready for. She got herself neat looking and flashed her pretty woman smile for show to say she was okay and ready.

Carlos asked, “And?”

Anna, “I can sense a demon. But, its fainter than I would have pictured.”

Luke puffed his chest, shoulders back, “So it is probably even weaker than we thought.”

Laurence corrected, “Or, there is something blocking it’s energy.”

As they began to talk again, forming their usual late night bawdy conversations, Lucy found her footsteps taking her to the quiet front of the entrance. She got a look at the inscription above the entrance, “History Is The Future.” She started to contemplate the words. Did it mean anything? She let her eyes follow the cold and soulless stone pillars that held up the second of the central unit. They focused in an out of the cracks that time had given this establishment and even further, contemplated patterns and reasonings.

The quiet of this location, it calmed her. Inside however she pictured a she creature with a pitchfork dancing around in circles waiting to combat some brave warrior who would dare enter. The trees to her left danced only for a moment, and then she felts the embrace of a cool night breeze. Her hair rustled only a bit, and she waved it back from her eyes.

Footsteps on the grass began to approach her. She didn’t want to look fearing that it might be Luke. She didn’t want to be comforted by a braggart at this moment.

“Jules will be okay.” A hand went on her shoulder. It felt slender but compassionate. A woman’s touch. Lucy turned around and saw that it was Jessica. Jessica looked at her and smiled, then too looked at the building in which they were going to do combat in.

“I sense him in your thoughts.”

Lucy’s face wanted to turn red, “What?” She played coy.

“I don’t need magic to sense that. It is my intuition. Am I right?”

Lucy smiled, “Don’t tell the others.”

“He is a bit goofy but when he cares about someone, he will move heaven and earth.”

“Does he care about you?” Lucy asked, unsure what the answer might imply.

“He would move heaven and earth for me, no doubt. But only as a friend. You have my blessing girl.”

“Blessing for what?”

“I am just saying the b*****d hasn’t gotten tail in about 13 years. It will be good for him.” Jessica than slapped her newfound friend and laughed.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Lucy responded, “what happened between you and Laurence back there.”

Jessica flashed a “you should be ashamed” look playfully with her eyes at Lucy. “That, well, um…” She started to get a little pale then red. “It is that…” Her voice was starting to choke on her own words. “It is just…” Again, she couldn’t bring herself to say it. It was more like she wanted to but had to fight her instinct to keep quiet.

Lucy pressured, “You know about me and Jules. Or rather the lack of me and Jules. Come on.”

“He cried last night during sex.”

There was an ackward pause.

Lucy tried to interpret, “Laurence…cried…”

“After we fucked.” She said it so bluntly.

There was another pause and then both of them laughed. The laughter grew inside Lucy. It was the blunt face, or was it the blunt words that just wrecked through any social wall that had existed between them a moment ago?

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the collective stare at them, and then she remade eye contact with Jessica. They held their breaths, and then let out another round realizing the silliness of it all.

“Wait, wait, why did he cry?” Lucy tried to ask as quiet as possible.

“Really, you’re not shocked that me and Laurence…”

“Oh…it’s a secret?” Lucy looked up in horror this time.

“Duh!” Jessica gave her a slap on the arm.

“Didn’t expect to be this much in the inner circle Jessica.” Lucy smiled.

“You weren’t supposed to be, I’m the moron who opened her stupid mouth.”

“Okay, so why did he cry?”

“We kinda…use…magic and spells to enhance the whole experience. It is hard to explain. Okay, how about this, picture tantric yoga, but with mind manipulation and hypnosis involved.”

Lucy just looked back with a strange look on her face.

“Round two, picture energy. Now imagine you are bombarding a person as mentally and spiritually as well as the whole ‘you know’. After awhile, when all is said and done, a wave of random emotions explode. Its intense.”

“So it was like relieving stress?” Lucy looked on innocently.

“That and he kept crying about the dog that died when he was a kid. I felt like I was his therapist for a good ten minutes.”

“HE CRIED FOR TEN MINUTES!?

“Will you shut up?”

Fortunately no one seemed to look in their direction.

Another moment of silence came. Jessica then said to Lucy while still looking at the building, “It will be fine. You are strong. I sense that you are ready. I have fought a lot of demons up till this point. Be on your game, and you will be faster, stronger, and tougher than they are. And this is just one. Come, I think we are about ready.”

 

Lucy and Jessica walked towards the side window on the west wing of the building. There the others had gathered. Luke was getting a last minute briefing from Carlos. Within a minute, Anna and Carlos held their hands and a large Electro Magnetic Pulse took out the security system within the building. Jessica opened the window. Luke and Lucy stepped foot inside the museum to begin their adventure.

The door slammed behind them. The two battle mages in training turned around in shock. They thought nothing of it soon after and they moved forward summoning their armor and weaponry to fight with. They wandered towards the unknown, towards the worst night of their lives. Within a couple of minutes, nothing would ever be the same for the group of battle mages that watched the city as it’s protectors. 

Author's Note

Going to edit this tomorrow. Outside of spelling, feel free to leave thoughts and criticisms.