Hell's Gates Part 2

Chapter 277-1

Hell’s Gates

Part 2

 

The room was silent as a grave until Mr. Grange said. “So that’s it then, we are screwed and because of you Mr. Striker, you killed Mr. Tate…”His words were cut off by a knock on the door. Everyone in the room looked at either the watch or the clock on the wall noting the time was precisely 3:30 pm. Mr. Wesley quickly went to the door and was handed a large envelope that looked like something like a book was in it and it was addressed to Mr. Granger. Stringum said to everyone in the control room. “Just having a little fun with our little mice, it would be such a shame to waste a good game and night of who done it.”

Mr. Bronson said. “Mr. Stringum if they find out you're behind this they will kill you. These people do not like games when it comes to things like this.”

Stringum said. “Like they haven’t been playing a game of chance with our lives, I have lost count on how many people have died by their hands alone. They deserve to sweat; they deserve to be killed for what they have done. I have been planning this for months and now I am going to see it through so help me god.

“All you and Mr. Wesley done are make things difficult when I had everything in hand from the moment I knew what was going to take place tonight. Tonight is their last only chance to open that door. A chance they will not get again if they can not solve my puzzles. We need them waste time playing my game so when the last hour approaches not only will I have their keys but their very life and secrets I need to wipe them off the map. They have killed their last child and their families. Today will be the last day they will be free, to walk among us. Now shut the f**k up and watch all mine and my friend’s hard work.”

Mr. Granger opened the large envelope finding another video and something extra as he read the note looking at Mr. Striker and Mr. Gregory. He put in the tape said. “Apparently two of you in this room has been kind of busy. On this tape according to this letter that Mr. Striker and Mr. Gregory have been seen conspiring against me and everyone here to ensure he takes the throne its unfortunate that I also can place the blame of this mess on Mr. Fairchild, but I will trust me he will get what’s coming to him, I do not take failure lightly. This letter states that he and Mr. Striker and Mr. Gregory know exactly where the second key is to open this damn box so we might find out where Mr. Tate has hidden those items we so desperately need.

“Plus the fact each of you has seen the five keys that we need to open the box that will give us the location of keys we need to open that chamber door. I’d kill you right where you stand if, I didn’t need you Mr. Striker and Mr. Granger, but mark my words if we do not enter that temple tonight. You two will be the first to die for I hold as you know your life contracts in my hands.

“You may be immortal to the rest of the world, but not too me. In fact apparently not Mr. Tate considering I held his contract as well and you were able to kill him; now then. We have approximate 30 minutes to find out where you two hid the key, and to find out which one of you have the second key to open that hidden compartment in precisely….. 10 minutes.”

He was interrupted as the box on the table made two clicking sounds causing everyone to turn around and look at the big black box on the table that had twisted completely around all by itself and a flap folded down reviling two keyholes. Stringum smiled as Mr. Bronson eyed him, he didn’t say anything because had already been told that Stringum had arranged this little mystery of evil, however, he was quite impressed. 

Mr. Granger put the tape in and took his seat at the head of the table as he looked for the seams to where the rest of the contents of the box could be; finding nothing, said. “Very clever Mr. Tate, I would shake your hand and congratulate you, but someone in this room killed you before I got a chance too.” He said as he looked directly at Mr. Striker and Mr. Gregory.

He pushed the remote as the tape came on watching the monitor where it had been hooked up so we could all see it from inside the control room.  On the video it showed Mr. Striker, Mr. Gregory and Mr. Fairchild conspiring against Mr. Granger, as they plotted the best way to kill him and his two council members. The first scene took place inside the cave we had found in Arizona with Mr. Tate as they shared a quick bite overlooking the desert as the sun was high in the sky. Mr. Tate said to them placing a large map of the grounds of his estate on the table placing several large rocks to hold it in place as the wind blows.

Mr. Tate said. “As agreed after our last conversation together I have taken the liberty of hiding the blade we had taken from  Mr. Granger's safe, the only blade that can kill him and his two council members according to our information. On this map where the big X is I have buried the blade and will give you the key once you arrive with the votes, you will need to obtain the throne. “The other key I will keep for myself, but we will need both keys to open the box which the blade is in.

“Once the deed is done, we will control everything, and I will empty his bank accounts the night of the last day of the celebration of our Lord and masters holy day on November 1st of this year, which is 7 months from now. Giving me time together with the 5 keys of the 12 keys from each of the Kings and the 7 rings we will need to enter the chamber of our temple. Where our master waits too renew our pledges and drink from his cup to give us another 600 years of immortality as I rulers and kings of this earth.

“Providing I take his places as Magistrate and you Mr. Fairchild and Mr. Gregory will be my two councilors while Mr. Striker takes my place as High King, but we must act quickly or we will not get another chance for another 600 years; depending who takes the throne. ”

The next scene took place outside apparently last night seeing the how deep the snow was and showing the back of the house and the closed in glass indoor pool. Mr. Striker, Mr. Gregory, and Mr. Fairchild had shovels in their hands as they dug deep into the ground pulling out a small stone box that Mr. Tate had provide for them. Seeing Mr. Tate bound and gagged as Mr. Strikers and two of Mr. Striker’s men the same two men that had arrived last night with Stringum’s trunk of severed heads.

Mr. Striker walked over to Mr. Tate and pulled his keys that were around his neck. One was the one that would be needed to open the secret chamber of their temple. The other was the key to open the stone box so they believed but the thing was Mr. Tate had already placed his key and a vile of his blood inside the sealed box waiting to be found so everyone here knew that key was a false key to the chamber.

We watched as Mr. Striker opened the box finding the blade that was black as night with strange writing and symbols on it. Mr. Granger and his two councilors looked directly at Mr. Striker and Mr. Gregory, as the cameras followed him the men back into the house from the back door all the way to Mr. Striker’s room. Telling his men to take Mr. Tate to the ally not far from here and wait for them.

Mr. Striker quickly placed both keys inside the stone box with the blade and pulled two boards from the floor of the wardrobe and placed the box inside it and replaced the boards pounding the nails back into place; then quickly left the room with Mr. Gregory and Mr. Fairchild and gathered the boys he intended to sacrifice in honor of Mr. Tate’s death. The tape ended with them leaving the estate.Mr. Striker and Mr. Gregory were in total shock and disbelief as they looked at each other.

Mr. Granger leaned back towards his two councilors and whispered something in their ears watching them get up from the table and leave the room. None of them said a word as the two men soon came back with the small stone box and placed it in front of Mr. Granger, he growled angrily. “If I find what I think is in this box you two are dead; I will slit each of your throats as my sacrifice for our master will demand I do so. I will then cut out each of your hearts and eat them and enjoy watching you two become those demons that feed upon flesh for the next thousand years.”

He opened the box pulling out the two keys and the black blade of death the only blade that can kill those with immortality.” He quickly inserted the key into the black box where the two keyholes had appeared. Turning it as it clicked, but without the other one, the hidden compartment wasn’t going to open.

He looked at each of them and Mr. Holliman said. “This key came to me not more than a day ago, I haven’t figured out what it goes to.” He took the key off his key ring and slid it over to Mr. Granger watching him take the key and place it in the second lock as it turned and clicked watching a small door fold down just above where the two keyholes were. Plus on the other two sides of the box, another large flap folds down reviling five more keyholes.

The drawer slid out automatically inside was another large envelope. That said. “To all that are inside this room, I have placed the five keys you need to open the next compartment reviling the location of the keys that you need to open the chamber door that leads to our master’s temple inside this very room. The first Key which is mine, you will find once you have obtained the other four. To prove that keys I made still exists you will have to look more closely to see where I have hidden them in plain sight using the evidence I or Mr. Stringum has provided being as I am dead and have asked him to represent me if I can not.

“The second key must be won since by now you have found the blade and the key that was on my person that fits inside the box before. Once place all five keys into the box a map will give you the location to where the box I have prepared may be found with all five chamber door keys… With the map inside is the location of 7 puzzle boxes that I have hidden in plain sight throughout the house that hold the rings, each puzzle box must be solved then placed into the correct order. 

“However if you do not have 7 rings nor their blood of the member that it is tide too; that allow you to open the second door. Your quest is doomed; you must pronounce their name using the coronets I have provided, as you, I know. You need not only the rings and their living blood, but the members themselves to form the payer ritual that summons our master. 

"You have until 10 pm to be inside the chamber with all 12 keys, all 7 rings, and your chosen King or our master will not answer, instead, you will be either dead, or your bodies will be transformed to serve as lower demons on this earth. For the next 1,000 years. Failure isn’t an option as we all know that our master shows no mercy for those that fail him no matter the reason.

“I have instructed Mr. Stringum that winner of tonight’s game will obtain the second key and the vile of blood you need to open box in front of you… The teams should have already been decided and all players must be present to win the game. If more then two members are missing and they have won the game. The key, as well as the purse, will go to the other team. 

"All is fair in love and war, but it is frailer for those that cheat the master of his prize. Good luck and happy hunting. You should have not of killed me, or cheated me in life… thinking you could simply remove me so easily. Now that I am dead you, will dance before me one last time, or die if you fail in your tasks; signed Mr. Tate.”

Mr. Granger passed around the note, as his steeple his fingers together eyeing the room, looking for the keys hidden in plain sight. The clock on the wall read 10 minutes too 4 the game would start at 4:30 since Mr. Granger and his guest had been delayed. Mr. Hamilton being the only one privileged in the room with the knowledge of where to start to look for the keys or what they look like rubbed his chin and smiled reading the last few lines. “All the evidence needed is in this room to prove the keys I made exist; providing you are smart enough to see them in plain sight.”

Mr. Granger said, looking through each of the letters finding nothing, however, there were four videotapes, two of which they have watched, and two that haven’t been. Mr. Holliman said. “My I watch Mr. Tate last Will and testament again I think we might learn what those five keys look like?”

Mr. Granger shrugged his shoulders and slid the tape over to him. The moment the tape played no one saw anything as Mr. Holliman quickly fast forward to the end where the boys came into the picture. He paused and smiled, pointing to the boys, seeing the keys and small vials around their neck in the shape of a pendant.

Mr. Granger came closer stating he couldn’t see anything. Then his eyes widen and pointed to each of the keys. And the little heart shapes of red that was looked more like a red ruby. He said. “So the boys are wearing them, the question is where are the boys now?”

Mr. Wesley came closer so he could see and said. “No, it can’t be.” this tape was shown long before tonight and we all have seen these boys and been with them, none of them had these on them….However, if I recall last night, during the show during dinner. The girls were each wearing a pendant just like these.”

Mr. Striker said. “So what, it proves nothing. Far as we know those keys are long gone by now. We should be hunting down Mr. Stringum and make him tells where they are; instead of going on a fool’s errand.”

Mr. Granger said. “Not necessarily considering everything Mr. Tate has said so far has been true. The letter stated that Mr. Stringum only has the 2nd key, which must be won. Mr. Tate was alive all last night during the party until you idiots killed him; which means he is the only one that knew where the other four keys are since we have the first key here that you took off him before you killed him. Put in the other tape in, the one where these idiots were conspiring to kill me.”

Mr. Holliman did as he was asked as they watched more closely, finding nothing then all of sudden they saw something, seeing the boys that Mr. Striker, Mr. Gregory, and Mr. Fairchild was escorting not so kindly out of the house and off the estate… Mr. Granger said excitedly. “Stop… looks you fools. There around their necks the pendants the same pendants that were around the boy’s neck on the boat. I can be certain if the girls wearing them last night since some of us weren’t here.” He quickly placed the last tape in that said Mr. Tate’s murder on it. Everyone pulled their chairs closer to the TV.

Stringum’s look alike knocked on the door at the wrong time or the right time depending on how you look at it. Mr. Wesley being close to the door opened it asked impatiently as Mr. Granger said. “What is it were busy?”

Fake Stringum said. “Just reminding you the game starts in 30 minutes unless Mr. Wesley and Mr. Striker are choosing not to play since they are both team captions. If so I….”

Mr. Granger said cutting him off… “No they are playing, just gives us the clothes they will be wearing.”

The fake Stringum said. “Nothing but these armbands and they need to be present and dressed or should I say undressed and on the field by the time the game about to start.”

Mr. Granger said. “Yes, yes…” waving him away. “Now get the f**k out.” Mr. Wesley hurriedly closed the door and took his place as the Mr. Striker and his men were busy hacking Mr. Tate and the boys to pieces and eating their hearts. 

Mr. Holliman found a trash can and started to vomit making us all feel sick. Mr. Granger pointed to the dead mangled bodies of the boys and Mr. Tate showing the key pendants still around the boys necks or laying on the ground in the blood-drenched snow as the four men had fallen into a sleep after their feasting, then woke up looked what they had just done as the morning sun rose above them fleeing the scene of the crime living the key pendants and the evidence behind.

The tape played on as someone wearing a mask of white and dressed in black quickly gathered up the key pendants and the weapons they used placed them inside a black bag and fled the scene unseen as he or she left, blinding into the crowd. The video ended as Mr. Granger looked at Mr. Gregory and Mr. Striker said pointing to the TV. “Do you still claim you didn’t do this and you can not remember doing it? Apparently, the evidence is overwhelming. You had the keys right there in plain sight and you left them there lying there on the ground for someone to take so they can force our hand to play Mr. Tate’s stupid game. Now we have no choice but play his game, or we all pay for your stupidity.

“Mr. Striker and Mr. Gregory if you lose that game and Mr. Wesley and Mr. Holliman win the purse and the key. I will have no choice but too back them instead of you two, since neither of you have at this time have what you need to make your pledge. You lost Colby’s brother and yours Mr. Gregory has come up missing as well. Mr. Fairchild and your men failed to obtain replacements for you and got themselves either captured or killed. Mr. Holliman and Mr. Wesley besides my self, and my two councilors Mr. Sanderson and Mr. McGillis have our pledges.

“If neither of you can obtain a replacement by the time we are ready to enter the chamber. Not only will you to have failed miserably. I will add your lives as well so others will know that you failed and everything you own and have accumulated over the years will belong to Mr. Wesley and Mr. Holliman as we take the last vote which of the two will be crowned the new High King. With that being said, there is only one thing we have to do is see if this key fits in one of the five keyholes. If it does not, you both will forfeit your rights to the crown. Because nor I or our master will tolerate failure.”

He picked up the key from the table that had been inside the box with the blade and the first key giving us access to the first clues in regards what the remaining keys looked liked. The moment he found the right keyhole trying each one to find the one it fits in, he turned the key and it clicked and locked into place. Confirming that it was one of the keys needed, to unlock the holding place of the map were the 7 puzzle boxes are the 5 keys needed to unlock the chamber to their temple. We watched Mr. Striker and Mr. Gregory’s face seeing the sigh of relief that they were just given one more chance to live. 

Mr. Granger leaned back in his chair steepling his fingers, said very calmly. “You should not have killed Mr. Tate or those boys; you should not have been caught. You should not have left the scene without searching the bodies you left behind. You should have not left any trace of evidence that would lead back to us. Instead, you have disgraced us, and yourselves and our master. If you do not win that purse or the key or obtain eligible pledges according to too our bylaws by tonight; you are both dead men.

“I will have no choice but offer you as well as sacrifices and have one of these men before you take your place as one of our 12 kings. As for Mr. Stringum, I will deal with him personally and find out how much Mr. Tate has told him. Perhaps I can use him, and his friends being as they are very rich, very useful whereas you Mr. Striker and Mr. Gregory have outlived your usefulness.

“Unless of course, you prove otherwise, however, time is not on our side. More so your side… if we do not obtain the keys to our temple we will have no choice but wait one full year and have too remake the keys and remake the 7 rings of power out of the 17 remaining rings.

“Lucky for you Mr. Tate was blinded by his greed and anger for what we have done to him by refusing him our help or our money to pull him out of the debt he got himself into. Not knowing the correct number of rings we would need too open that second chamber door; is 3, not 7. Yes, there are twenty- four members and yes 7 members are required to form the prayer circle to summon our master.

“However, he did not know that 3 ring’s that override the 7 rings of power are right here in this very room, representing the Holy Trinity… who happened to be myself and my two councilors. However, I am leaving the following tasks to you two idiots to find the 7 rings and have them in your possession by the time we enter the chamber; if you haven’t done so. You will take each other's life, by your own two hands, suffering until you both lie dead in the circle, according to our bylaws.

“Your deaths will not be swift, as you know as well as I do. You can not die like these mortals, being as you both have drunk from the master’s cup. He is the only one besides me that can kill you.   How death found Mr. Tate, I do not know, for he should have been healed and recovered from his mortal wounds.

“I can only think of two possibilities: One angel of death among our enemies. Two the master provides the means for his death, being as this blade was not used when you gutted him like the pig he was, I will send Mr. Sanderson and Mr. Gillis to the morgue to locate Mr. Tate’s body and determine how he died. Of course, there is a third option. He has been taken prisoner; in any case, I do not care. He was going to die anyway tonight since he has served his time and has become a problem and a disgrace.

“Upon their return and after either, you have won the purse and the key. We will discuss our findings, and prepare ourselves to enter the chamber once we have obtained the keys, to enter. For I feel they are close, in fact in this very house. My own tells me that all the keys are here and are in arms reach. I will search for them, and seek them out. Mr. Tate was wise to hide them from us.

“However he was not wise enough too know that the key I hold is the master of all them. It will guide me to where he has placed the box. We will play as if we need that map to find the keys and rings to see who is trying to stop us from entering the chamber and I will destroy them. Now go, about your tasks I need to speak to my two councilors. Do not fail me again Mr. Striker or you Mr. Gregory.”

They both bowed low placing their right hands over their sternum repeated. “Yes my most Holy King, we will not fail.” They backed out of the room and Mr. Holliman and Mr. Wesley were about to do the same, until Mr. Granger told them to wait a moment.