The Devil's Pact - S01 E341

Story 1 month ago

The Devil's Pact - S01 E341

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 341

It was my favorite piece of jewelry after my wedding ring.

Inside were pictures of Mark and I. It comforted me on the interminable flight to open it up and stare at my husband's face, stroking the tiny photo with a finger, and weep.

We barely made it out of the US, air travel was suspended as we took off from LaGuardia. We had to stop for fuel before crossing the Atlantic, and we had just gotten airborne when the order was given. Luckily, shutting down the Nation's airspace takes time and we were able to slip out over the ocean without anyone stopping US.

The last five hours of the flight were the worst. That's when they started beating Mark again. Every time my husband sent me a thought, I could feel the agony he was experiencing through his sending. I do not know how he is able to withstand it. Just the shadow of his pain was enough to make me cry. Somehow, despite the beatings, he told me about his dream, and what he learned from Azrael. He could conjure magical weapons and armor, he could heal himself, and summon the dead.

When we landed in Toulouse, France, transportation was waiting. I had made calls ahead of time to arrange for several vans and a police escort. The drive to Rennes-le-Château a small, ancient village built atop a rocky hill that rose black out of the countryside took maybe an hour. The only way up the cliff was a winding, narrow lane. Behind the Church of Mary Magdalene lay the Motherhouse of the Nuns that had twice attacked us. Both buildings were ancient, made of vine-covered stone pitted with age

Silently, the SWAT officers slipped out of the vans in their black nomex, MP5s in their hands, and they quickly surrounded the Motherhouse. Meanwhile, the bodyguards formed a perimeter around the two buildings, supported by the French police. I leaned against the van, the September night air cool on my naked flesh. I never got a chance to get dressed, other things were just more important.

Five of the former SWAT officers stacked on the front door. They gave each other hand-signals, then opened the front door and

moved quickly inside. Through the small, stained-glass windows, could see their flashlights shining around as they searched the building. 47 leaned against the van next to me and squeezed my hand, smiling reassuringly at me.

After what seemed like an hour waiting in the cold, one of the SWAT reappeared and motioned to us. 47 formed a guard of four around me and we marched over to the SWAT officer. It was Duncan, who commanded the SWAT for us.

"Ma'am, we have a woman in custody," he reported. "We found her in the basement. If you would follow me, please."

"She was hiding?" I asked as he led me inside.

"No, she is waiting for you," Duncan answered. "We found her just calmly sitting in this metal room, a pot of tea steaming on the table before her and two cups. There was not a hint of fear in her eyes.

We walked through the narrow corridors then down a tight, narrow staircase into the basement. I shook with nerves. You can do this, Mary, I reassured myself. She is one woman and you have fourteen armed men and women immune to her powers, and there are more waiting outside.

In the basement, we walked past old cardboard boxes, reeking of mildew, stacked against one wall. At the far end was a black metal door carved with strange symbols. Inside, I could see a woman in a gray nun's habit, a simple, white veil covering her head, sipping calmly from a cup of tea. She looked up at me and I froze; her dark eyes were ancient, far beyond the youth of her face.

Who was this woman?

Mom said she was a legend, over a thousand years old. Karen said she had been waiting two thousand years for this moment. I steeled myself and entered the room. The walls, the floor, the ceiling, all of it was black metal carved with the same strange symbols as the door. I froze, licking my lips. This was wrong. I should be running out of here. How can she be so calm? She must know what am, what my soldiers are. She should be terrified, or at the very least nervous.

So why is she so calm?

"Would you like some tea?" she asked pleasantly in a thick, French accent. Her face was dusky, a warm and friendly smile graced her red lips, and dark hair peaked out from beneath her vell. She looked Middle-eastern, a little like our former slut Thamina.

I wasn't sure what to do. I swallowed, glancing at 47. There was worry in her eyes. She sensed something was wrong, too. This woman was unnaturally calm. I glanced at the men guarding her and I could see the tension in their eyes, their guns readled in their hands. How are we all intimidated by this one, unarmed woman?

"Well, child, are you going to come in and sit down?" the woman continued. "I would like to talk with you. It is very important."

"Fine," said, and sat down on the hard, wooden chair. She grabbed the porcelain teapot and poured me a glass of a spicy-smelling tea. I took it, sipping, then froze. What If she put something in it?

An amused smile flitted across the woman's lips. "It is not poisoned or drugged, I assure you. Can you close the door so we may speak privately?"

I frowned, "No, my guards stay in here."

"They are not the prying ears I care about," the woman answered. "Please, I have much to tell you."

I wanted to say no. I wasn't here to talk, I was here to steal her Gift. Mark was getting beaten right now. There wasn't time to waste on talking. And yet, her eyes were so ancient, so wise, I swallowed and found myself nodding my head. I did need something else from her, besides her Gift.

"I will close the door, if you hand over your copy of the Magicks of the Witch of Endor," I told her. This entire mess was caused by Brandon getting ahold of that damned book. If we survived this mess, we needed to get our hands on the two copies that we didn't have. No-one else could learn about it and use that knowledge against us.

"Alas, I do not have it," she answered.

"Don't lie to me!" I snapped. "I know it is here."

"Where did you hear that?"

"Wikipedia," I answered. I felt foolish when said that out loud.

She shrugged. "Feel free to search the place once we're finished. But it is gone. I could not let you get your hands on it"

I frowned. "I already have a copy of the book."