Jack County Demons (12 page)

Sun beamed through the many windows of the church. It was w
arming, welcoming. It came through one of the windows, casting light on Juana and Angelina, who held one another closely.

"We made it through the night," Juana said, a slight smile to
encourage on her face. "How do you feel, darling?"

"Okay. My stomach hurts a bit," Angelina said.

"You're probably just hungry."

Then, the two heard a noise. They turned, seeing Father Ro
driguez enter the room. He had been back in a storeroom for some time. Now, he neared them, cradling the limp and bloodied body of Claudia. He brought her to the altar, gently setting her down.

"What happened?" Juana asked, concerned
and rushing to help him.

"She needs help," Father Rodriguez stated.

"She needs a hospital," LT said.

All eyes went to the Seal who stepped up to help. He checked t
he girl's pulse, then her eyes.

"Where was she?" Juana asked.

"Pancho found her on the street," Father Rodriguez explained. He looked down to the crumpled girl in his arms and added, "She's trying to speak." He leaned in close.

"I . . . I saw them. The demons," Claudia said in a whisper.
Her voice was weak and muffled.

"Are you sure?" Juana asked, eyes wide. She was terrified, su
ddenly cautious and looking around, straining to see out of the church's windows. "Where?"

"The factory," Claudia said. "They're staying in the factory. Down
that old road outside of town. That's where they make their home." Claudia then gasped for air. Her eyes rolled back and she passed out.

"Oh God!" Juana bellowed out. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine," LT assured, checking the girl again. "She just passed out."

Minutes later, Pancho and Rafa arrive. They knock on the bi
g doors to the church, and are greeted at gunpoint by LT, Whisky and Red. They throw their hands up, unsure of what to do. They are stiff, eyeing the Seals carefully.

LT quickly pats them down. He suspected they
had come with good intentions, but there was no way he was taking chances. Once satisfied, he urged them inside quickly. Looking around outside, he slammed the doors closed once more, locking them.

Rafa had a scowl on his face. He stared at LT in anger, saying,
"What you doing here, homie?"

"Chill man," LT said, putting away his
sidearm.

Before Rafa could respond, and before things could escalate, Juana put her hands up sayin
g,

"Rafa, it's okay. They're friends."

"Friends?" Rafa spat.

"Yes. They helped us. This man saved my little girl from those monst
ers."Rafa kept quiet, still eyeing LT but saying no more at the moment. Pancho stepped forward. He kept his cool a bit better. He asked, "How's Claudia? She gonna be okay?"

"She's fine, for now. Now, what about the other
s? Pancho, what about Maria and Carmelita?" Juana asked, concerned.

"
I don
'
t know where they are," Pancho said.

Juana realized he was desperate. Helpless. His eyes, hi
s expression, gave it all away.

She lowered her voice. It was soothing, comforting. "It's
okay, Pancho. We'll find them. We now know where they are. Claudia just escaped from them, though I don't know how."

"Where are they?" Pancho asked.

"The factory," Juana replied.

Pancho puffed out his chest. He was heated, and with g
ood reason. He suddenly became animated, bold. "Let's do this, then. The time is now. We've stood by too long to sit on our asses now. Let's go to those diablos and take back our sisters and daughters. Let's get them back!"

Pancho then turns to Rafa, slapping him on the arm in an
attempt to encourage the man. Rafa, though scared, summons up the courage and the two start to leave.

"Wait," LT said. "Hold up a minute."Pancho turned, say
ing, "Don't tell me to wait, Jefe."

"You should use your brains. Your courage is great and all, bu
t it'll get you killed. Think, Pancho. Think. Let us help you."

Pancho considers this. He studies LT, and after a few moments decides to give the man a
chance. "Okay, how?"

"Listen to me carefully," LT begins. "My name is Warren Carr.
I'm a United States Navy Seal. Been with the teams a long time." LT then turns to his friends, saying, "This is Petty Officer First Class Greg Jackson and Senior Chief Petty Officer Alexander Michaels." Pancho nodded to them, saying nothing. LT continued. "All three of us are United States Navy SEALS. We're here on an important mission. We've been recruited to covertly neutralize this threat. The US government knows about these demons. We're here to help. Thing is, we had no clue what to look for. Or what these things really are."

"You really here to help, homie?" Rafa asked.
He was skeptical.

"I am. Believe me, I am. My team is the best in the world, too. We needed to gather Intel.
We needed the support of the locals. You guys."

Pancho nodded, then looked to Rafa. Though not fully
convinced, Rafa nodded as well.

"Okay, good," LT said. "Because if you hope to get through this, yo
u'll need our help. We'll have to work together."

Rafa grinned, saying, "Okay Rambo, show El
Jefe how."

LT ignored the stab, saying, "Follow me."

Minutes later LT, Pancho and the others are huddled around a large table. On it was a large map of the area.

"The factory is here, as you know," LT said, pointing. "This is t
he only road in or out, though we have three options to get in. Two are on foot. Now, the building is guarded. Those cops are helping them. One is at the entrance, two more along this side. Around back there are five more."

"Damn, how you know this?" Pancho asked.

"We have a support team doing recon. We have a drone overhead, watching everything."

"S
urprised you guys didn't drop a bomb on the damn place," Rafa said. "That's what you do in the Middle East."

LT turned to him, saying, "Well, that wouldn't
help the women now, would it?"

Pancho interrupted
quickly before things got dicey. "How many cops total?"

"Impossible to know. Probably a dozen. Maybe
less," LT said.

"I been in there before, you know," Pancho said. "The south door h
as a loading dock. There's a basement, here. One door to the basement. One way in and out. I'm guessing they holed up there."

"Okay," LT said, nodding and making a note on the map. "We
'll sweep in here," he pointed. "Red and Whisky will go with you. You'll clear out this area here. Red, you take the south side. I'll take the east."

Everyone nodded. The plan was simple.

LT added, "And Rafa, if you ghost us I'll put two in your chest and call it a day. So don't mess with us."

Rafa grinned, saying nothing.

LT went over the plan once more, ensuring every man knew his role. Once done, everyone broke. They went to separate areas, each gearing up and getting ready for the assault. Rafa stood in the corner with Pancho. He asked, "Think we can trust them?"

"I trust no one, you know this. But I think they're here to hel
p. Just watch my back and I'll watch yours."

Across the church, the Seals got ready. They put on their ass
ortment of gear, cleaned their weapons, and mentally got ready.

"Got a bad feeling about this one," Whisky
said.

"I wish you'd keep such thoughts to yourself,"
LT replied.

"Brother, you know it too."

"What's that?"

"Something isn't right," Whisky said.

"Shut up, Whisky," Red interjected. "We don't need that bad mojo before an op. You know better."

"Doesn't matter either way," LT said. He nodded his he
ad back toward Rafa and Pancho. "Watch them. Keep your eyes on them."

"Will do," Red said, looking over as well. He turned back, m
aking final adjustments to his gear. Then he tucked his .45 into his holster, now ready to go. "Those bastards can't be killed. You know this, don't you LT?"

LT turned, angry. "You too?"

"I'm not saying Whisky is right, adding the bad juju. But hell, brother, those things aren't human. Our objective here was recon. Assess only. Shit, those demon things can't even be hurt, let alone killed. If we go in there, we aren't coming back."

"Maybe so, but I'm not quitting. Not now. Not
when these people need us."

The Seals went quiet. Each man reflecting on whatever t
hey needed to before the final showdown.

Finally, Whisky broke the silence. "Know what I wonder? Why does
it always have to be virgins? What's up with that?"

"Ha!" LT chuckled at this. "Everyone has their vices, including demons. Just
watch one another's backs. We'll figure a way out of this. We always do."

The team nodded,
and then finished getting ready for the action.

The factory lurked in the tall, desolate landscape of dead g
rass and nothingness. It stood alone, silent and still, looming at the end of a dead road.

LT took cover behind a small mesquite tree. He scanned the a
rea, then hurried along to the south entry. Whisky ran right behind, covering their six.

LT crossed the open area in a few second's time,
and then tucked himself behind a packing crate that had been left out to rot for God knows how long. He looked at the only doorway in or out, watching carefully. He was quiet. Three cops stood by the door, unaware of their presence. They were too close for comfort. Within twenty feet. They lumber about, bored and hot, distracted by their nonsensical chattering about the local town whores.

Using hand signals to communicate, LT and his team ran toward
another load of crates. These were new, having been recently delivered. LT wondered what was inside. He then made his way past them, creeping along until the cops were within eight feet.

Then, the team split. They covered one another's angles, p
utting the three cops in their sights.

Red and Whisky broke off, leading Pancho and
Rafa around the building toward the east side. The Seals reminded the men to remain quiet. Any bit of noise would severely hinder their chances. They began to creep along the wall of the factory, slinking wordlessly. They neared the edge, and just as they rounded the corner, Red stopped them in their tracks.

Two more cops were within five feet of their location. Luckily
, their backs were turned. Red stepped back cautiously, rounding the corner and turning toward his men. They pressed themselves into a shadow from the sun, pushing into the wall as if they were part of it.

Just as they were hiding,
Rafa took a wrong step. Doing so, he kicked a tin can accidently. It wasn't loud, but it was loud enough.

Shit, thought Red. He kept his eyes on the
corner.

The cops heard it. It wasn't enough to raise any alerts, b
ut enough to arouse suspicion. Besides, they were hot and bored, and any reason to investigate was enough for them. One of the two looks to the corner then begins walking close.

He rounded the bend, doing so without resolve.

Red stepped out from the shadow, grabbing the large cop with brutal force. He placed his hand over the cop's mouth, yanking him hard against the wall. Red tucked his forearm under the man's chin, placing his other hand against the back of his head. Red squeezed on the cop's artery on his neck, and seconds later the cop relaxed in his grip. Red kept squeezing until the cop was completely limp, dead asleep.

Red quickly pulled him back into the shadows.

The other cop, however, noticed his partner hadn't returned. Suspicious, he called out, saying, "Greg? You there?"

No response.

This caused the remaining cop to grow more suspicious. Having been told to be on the lookout, and not daring to upset the demons, the cop drew his service pistol. Holding it outstretched, he rounded the corner. His training had been rough at best, and he came around the corner with the pistol held far out.

Whisky was on him in a flash. He grabbed the cop's wrist, yanking it to the
side. The cop yelped in pain as Whisky turned the man's arm in an uncomfortable position. Then, he slammed the cop against the wall, pulling the gun away before the cop could fire. Tossing it aside, Whisky cocked back his fist and threw it hard. It connected square on the cop's jaw. Instantly, the cop went down with a thud. He was out, snoring like his partner.