Rise of the Nephilim (15 page)

Jude was brimming with questions that Leo was refusing to answer until they arrived at their sanctuary somewhere north of the Roman metro area. They had walked a short way through the forest of the Villa Ada, where they eventually reached a small parking lot connected to a road bisecting the ecological preserve. Leo had ushered them into the back of an E-class Mercedes with tinted windows and drove them out of Rome via the A1 roadway, the backbone of Italy’s highway network, without incident.

“Where are we headed?” was the only question Jude had asked that elicted a response from the couple. They were en route to a small villa located just off Lake Bolsena about two hours north of Rome. He still could not get any information about their ultimate destination from there, however.

Eric fell asleep a few minutes outside of the city, and Jude felt himself dozing into the same state. Now that his fate was in the hands of someone else for a change, he could feel all of the tension he had been living with these past two days slowly slip away. The Italian countryside started to wink in and out as he fought slumber, but soon, Leo and Eva could hear him also gently snoring into the rear window.

He awoke to Eric shaking his shoulder to rouse him from the now-motionless automobile. He looked around to gauge his surroundings and saw they were parked in front of a modest, whitewashed home perched on a scrub-covered cliff overlooking what he assumed was Lake Bolsena.

“Where are Leo and Eva?” he asked groggily, as he pulled himself from the car.

“They just went inside,” Eric answered, as they started walking toward the door. “Come on.”

Jude followed Eric over the threshold into the foyer. The Spanish floor tile and stained stucco walls exuded an old-world sensibility that was obviously a reflection of its owners. Knick-knacks and trophies from the couple’s travels around the world adorned the walls and bookcases of the home.

Leo shouted at them from down the hall, as soon as he heard the ornate cedar door shut behind them. “Come in, gentlemen. Feel free to join us in the kitchen. I’m sure you are hungry after your ordeal.”

Jude realized he hadn’t eaten in almost two days, and his stomach ached in anticipation. He hurried into the kitchen and took a seat in a little breakfast nook off to the side. Eva was laying out bread and cheese to eat, while Leo uncorked a bottle of wine.

“I apologize for the lack of decent drinks,” he said, as he filled the four glasses he had set out on the counter-top. “This was all quite sudden, after all, so a young Barbera will have to do.”

“No apologies necessary,” Jude assured him, taking the offered glass. “I’ve always been partial to the Piedmonts, regardless of their age.”

“Then your luck has begun to turn around, I think,” joked Leo poorly. “Now, please…eat.”

The four nibbled on their repast for a few minutes, before Jude gathered up the courage to continue his questioning. “So… about what you said earlier…”

“About my knowledge of the Nephilim?” Leo asked, pretending he could guess where Jude’s line of questioning was leading.

“About how you’re one of them!” Eric interjected through a mouthful of brie.

“Ah, yes… that…” Leo mused as he unbuttoned his jacket and settled back in his chair. “I was once a Grigori, the same as my brothers. I took interest in the Roman and Greek area of the Mediterranean and helped cultivate it in the arts and sciences. Unfortunately, I saw my work undone time and again either by a rogue Nephilim trying to be some sort of god or by mankind’s own destructive nature. I was getting “burned out”, as you say these days. Luckily, true science and technology finally found their roots and, by the early nineteen hundreds, humanity progressed far enough that I found I could live in relative comfort, if I desired to live as a mortal.

“Don’t worry, though,” Leo stated to stem the coming tide of questions. “I never subscribed to the practice of domination over other sentient beings, so I tested my desire with coma patients. They had no competing consciousness, so I was able to stay in their bodies longer than normal before feeling the effects of entanglement. This still only meant I had a little over a year, maybe two at best. I found this body in an ICU recovering from a car accident. His flesh was healing, but the damage to his brain had erased all but the smallest remnants of his personality.”

Leo continued, “I found that inhabiting these bodies still left me with some memories of their life, which made it easier to blend in. This host had also retained some of its memories, like his childhood and love life, specifically, his new fiancée.”

Eva put her arms around his neck, as he rubbed them affectionately. “I knew he was different when he woke up,” she said, “even if he could tell me key things about his past and mine. I thought it might be due to the accident, but still he seemed wiser… older…”

Leo continued, “I put on a good act for a while, but it was difficult, given the circumstances. I know I could have simply left her, but I fell madly in love after only a few days with her. We were together five years, however, before finally I confessed the truth to her.”

Eva broke in, “I thought he was mad at first. Imagine my surprise when he levitated me off the ground!”

“Weren’t you afraid?” Eric asked in an attempt to reconcile her experience to his. “That’s pretty heavy stuff coming from someone you have known for years.”

“I was for a time,” Eva admitted. “I thought about it, however, and realized that he is the man I married and love. The old Leo died long ago. As long as he keeps his promise, though, I’m fine with him the way he is.”

“What promise is that?” asked Jude

Leo answered, “I promised to grow old and die with her… to never leave her side.” He placed his hand on her knee and looked her in the eye. “I haven’t left this body in thirty years, so she’s stuck with me at this point anyway. Lucky for the both of us, I have a little forward knowledge about which technologies are worthy of investment. I can say one thing for the rise of the corporation on Earth… it’s much easier to influence research with money than by trying to hand someone an epiphany in a dream.”

Jude laughed, “I would imagine so. How did you get to know the Vicar? Does he even know you’re a…” His voice trailed off as he tried to find the correct word.

“Nephilim? Grigori?” Leo offered with subtle contempt. “I don’t subscribe to such titles any more. I have no need for power or control, nor am I content to merely watch and not act. No, eternity has become too long for me. I want to live my life comfortably and die as all men do.

As for our relationship with the Vicar, we were benefactors at his diocese long before he reached his current position. After he had gained some power in the church, we helped him smuggle political and religious refugees to sanctuary around the world, with great discretion of course. That’s why he called us to help with your situation. Now, I need some answers from you.”

“Ask away,” Jude offered.

“Lorenzo mentioned you had a female companion with you when you visited him. He told me she could perform miracles, but he said he could not elaborate more over the phone. My first guess would have been that she was a Nephilim, but meeting with the Vatican so openly and treating for peace is too selfless for their kind. Was she truly one of the Watchers? What was her name?”

“Her name was Inanna,” Jude answered quietly, his eyes averted to the floor in wistful remembrance, as the sting of loss resurged. “She said the Nephilim were openly taking more people, because they were planning a large scale operation soon. The Grigori decided they needed to train us to fight the invasion, so they sent her to do so. That’s why we held the
Many Faiths
conference. Father Gallo, no, Azazel killed her and Emily, the woman whose body she was sharing.”

“By the Architects, I should have guessed it was Inanna! She was always eager to get involved, even if she was afraid to reject the core doctrine of the Grigori,” Leo said solemnly. “She was one of the first of us to help civilize the human race in Mesopotamia, so of course it makes sense she would be the one to volunteer for such a large-scale humanitarian mission. I can’t believe she pushed herself so far, though. I’m so sorry for your loss, Mister Sullivan. It seems you were close to the both of them. As for Azazel… This is troubling. If he has laid aside his normal subversions for such a public maneuver, then he is either sure of a victory or incredibly afraid of what you might have accomplished.”

He pushed his plate away and walked toward a bay window overlooking the lake and the setting sun, as he continued speaking. “We won’t let her sacrifice go unanswered. I may have been out of contact with my kind for a long time, but I still have some power left in this aging body. Eva, my dearest, would you care to fight the devil?”

She clasped her delicate hands together. “How could we not?”

“Well then, gentlemen,” Leo addressed Eric and Jude, “whatever resources are at our disposal are now yours. First, I suggest we get you out of Europe and back to the States. From there we can work on getting you back in contact with the Grigori and better fitted to combat the Fallen.”

“Thank you so much again for your help,” Jude spoke emphatically. “I don’t want to think about where we would be without you right now.”

“Thank me when we get you to safety,” warned Leo, as the four cleared out of the kitchen. “We are still on our own for a little while longer.”

“You know, I’ve been wondering…” Eric chimed in. “Why can’t we just talk to the Grigori now? Aren’t they supposed to be watchers? They should know where we are, right?”

Leo laughed at him over his shoulder, as they entered into a cedar and cream-colored billiards room, “They could follow you around, sure. While we are at it, would you like to fly a blimp over our heads? My kind isn’t omniscient, but we can certainly detect each other’s presence when the conditions are right. No, the safest way to meet is to go somewhere we aren’t being sought after.”

He picked up the cue ball and rolled it into the pre-set rack of others at the end of the table, breaking the formation along a multicolored network of vectors. “Now rest up, we leave for the nearest airfield first thing in the morning.”

Eva extended her hands to both Eric and Jude and led them out of the billiards room to the bottom of the staircase. “You can take the first two bedrooms on the left. Each one has its own shower and toiletries, but if you need anything, just let us know. I’ll see if Leo has any clothing for you to change into. Now… up with you both and sleep tight.

Eric was already halfway up the stairs by the time Eva had finished. Jude lingered a bit longer to thank her once again for the hospitality and followed suit. Once in his room, he ventured into the marbled bathroom and took a hot, relaxing shower to wash away the grime of the day. He stepped out, quickly toweled himself off, and dropped onto a king-sized cedar bed replete with a sigh-inducing memory foam mattress and matching pillows. He lay there on his back on top of the covers, allowing himself the luxury of meditating on the heat radiating from his body as it cooled itself from the near scalding water. He closed his eyes and let himself drift into the inky blackness of his subconscious. Slowly, he wafted down little by little, until he faded into slumber.

Early the next morning, the group was up and travelling through the Tuscan countryside to the town of Grosseto located west of Lake Bolsena. Leo promised them he had private transport that would be able to get them anywhere along the US eastern seaboard, and that was enough for Jude and Eric. The two passed the time on the drive through the hills of Italy by gawking at the various farms and wineries that littered the landscape. Jude had always meant to vacation here and sample the bouquet of experiences the area had to offer, but now he wondered if he would even live to see his own home again.

The morning news had turned his stomach sour with apprehension. He expected more coverage on the search for his whereabouts, but the focus had turned to a major UN Security Council raid on the Vatican. Dozens of influential cardinals and priests were on the suspect list as co-conspirators in the Geneva bombing. It was obvious to him that Gallo was behind the claims, but his friend’s position with the church and his charisma made it impossible for doubters to remain skeptical for long.

What had horrified Jude the most was that Vicar Savelli had been named as one of the originators of the plot also. Eva and Leo had been especially upset. Unfortunately, they were powerless to help the Cardinal. All they could do right now was keep running.

An hour and a half after they left the villa, they reached the outskirts of Grosseto. Eva took up the role of tour guide and told them of the town’s history and historical attractions as they passed through. “Grosseto has been fought over by Prussian emperors, the de Medici families, and even Papal troops. It has always been an economic crossroads of sorts in the northwestern part of Italy, which has kept it just strong enough to constantly vie for independence from its rulers. The city caused so much trouble for its overseers during the fourteenth century that Pope Clement IV actually excommunicated the whole area in retaliation for its insubordination. Today, the city is a tourist destination to see the Medici walls and fortress, as well as a number of churches, including the
Cattedrale di San Lorenzo
located near the center of the old city.”

She continued her lecture through the interior of the antiquated
città.
Once they passed the western edge of the township, the clusters of buildings thinned out and gave way to a large, flat valley filled with farmland. The primary road leading out of the city ran alongside rows of tomato plants, heavy with bright red and gold fruit, for about a half mile. The farm abutted against a chest-high stonework wall surrounding the local airport. They followed it for a few hundred meters until they reached an open gateway with a small road leading out to the tarmac. The facility was a rural affair with a small terminal suited for the light passenger traffic that utilized it. The main purpose of this particular airport, according to Leo, was commercial fare for the large amount of agricultural exports the area produced.

Leo drove down a service road alongside the tarmac and slowed to a halt in front of a beige, corrugated steel hanger about halfway down the runway. “This is our stop,” he informed them, as he engaged the brake and opened the car door. He pulled a secondary pair of keys out of his jacket pocket and approached the entrance to the hanger. He disappeared into the building for a few seconds, before the larger bay door began to slide away. Eric whistled in admiration at the sleek, ocean-blue business jet parked inside.

“Now this is how you flee an active manhunt!” he said enthusiastically, as he circled the vehicle for a better look.

“What do you mean?” Jude asked. Very rarely had he flown anything other than commercial. Any time he had needed to take a smaller aircraft, it had been some prop charter to get to a remote location for a shoot or investigation. The tipped-wing jet in front of him was a mystery.

“It’s a Gulfstream G450,” Leo answered with pride, “one of the best that money can buy in its class. It can hold up to four people, plus crew, comfortably for trips up to eight thousand kilometers. I bought it specifically for trips to America. Are you ready to fly?”

“More ready than I’ve ever been,” Jude said emphatically. “Where are we going?”

Leo answered, as he pulled down the side entryway of the craft and extended the stairs, “We are flying to New York City to make contact with a group of such individuals and seek their assistance. They are what you might call revolutionaries. Not all of us identify with the Grigori or the Nephilim, believe it or not. I have a few favors I can call in at an airport just outside of the city, so we can hopefully land without scrutiny.”

He paused to extend a hand to his wife, as she approached the stairs. “Ladies first, my dear. Would you make sure the bar is properly stocked, while I begin the preflight checks?” He beckoned the other two to board and ventured forth toward the cockpit.

Jude stepped into the cabin and stood agape. The inside of the plane was awash in soft white light. In fact, the entire cabin was white with sparse accents of polished cedar. Four plush Italian leather seats greeted him at the fore of the cabin, two to a side. Each pair faced each other, sharing a pull-out table top with small flat screen televisions facing each seat. Further down the aisle, a leather couch was secured to one side, while a big screen LED television sat opposite. Near the back was a bar, where Eva was currently taking inventory. Past her, at the aft of the vessel, was the door to the restrooms. It was currently ajar, and Jude swore the restroom looked almost full-size.

“I see what you meant,” he said softly to Eric when he boarded. “Have you flown in one of these before?”

“It’s one of the rare perks of VIP security missions,” he smiled. “Governments aren’t the only ones that use PMCs.” He pushed past Jude and sank into one of the chairs with a contented sigh, before he began playing with the screen in front of him.

“How do you like it?” Leo asked Jude, as he came up behind him.

“I don’t think I can ever fly commercial again,” Jude lamented.

Leo winked knowingly, “If I’m going to travel, I’d rather do it in style. Eva will have to entertain you for the next hour or so, while I get us up in the air and out of troubled airspace.”

“You know how to fly too?” Jude exclaimed, impressed at Leo’s versatility.

Leo patted him on the shoulder with a fatherly air and let loose a small static shock as if to remind him of his alien half. “Flying a jet is as simple as flying a kite when compared to the things I’ve experienced. Now go sit down. I want to leave as soon as possible. I pre-scheduled our flight yesterday, so we have permission to leave when we are ready. The longer we tarry, however, the greater the danger grows.”

Jude gave him a firm nod and slid into the seat opposite Eric, his back to the cockpit. Eva minced back toward them with a couple of brown bottles of pale ale. “
Birra
, gentlemen?” She asked, as she handed the beverages to the two. They gladly accepted her gift.

She managed to secure her own spot, as the aircraft backed out of the hanger and onto the service way. The engines emitted a series of whines, as Leo taxied slowly toward the end of the airfield. They turned onto the runway and waited patiently for clearance from the control tower.

Jude could hear Leo talking over the radio in Italian. His voice began in a bored, almost routine tone, but slowly escalated to a belligerent and defiant one. He couldn’t make out much from where he was sitting, but he knew he heard the word
fuggitivi
over the roar of the superheated air screaming through the jet’s nacelles. The argument carried back and forth for a couple of minutes before he cut the radio. “Architects take you all!” he yelled at the inert communications device, as he slammed his headset down in frustration.

Jude bent down to peer through the port hole and looked toward the airport. Two security vehicles were driving toward them, yellow lights flashing at an angry frequency. “Damn,” he muttered in a thick southern drawl, his normally suppressed accent emerged to betray his distress.

“Hang on, everyone!” Leo yelled into the intercom, as he thrust the throttle all the way to maximum. The Gulfstream lurched, catching Jude off guard. He fell forward and slammed into the corner of the small television fixed in front of him. The impact left his head swimming and vision blurry. That, combined with the sudden sensation of the plane lifting off of the ground was too much for his addled consciousness. Darkness ate away at the edges of his vision. Before it enveloped him completely, he smelled the sharp, acrid odor of vomit and felt the growing wet sensation it made, as it ran down his pant leg. After that… nothing…