Malevolence: CATU Book 4 Ch. 08

USS Downley

The helicopter touches down on the deck of the ship just as the sun is beginning to set on the horizon. Its beauty is stolen by the battle still waging over the ocean. Captain Briggs waves and wishes both agents good luck as they exit the helicopter. The rotors never stop as the two agents dismount and just as they step off onto the deck it ss already lifting off.

"Guess they are in a hurry," Sam comments barely audible over the roar of the helicopter.

Spencer is about to reply when Admiral Pellington steps out onto the deck making his way toward them. He is flanked by several heavily armed men, all with grim determination set in their expressions. The admiral reaches the two quickly with his escort on his heels. Once his reaches the two agents the escort spreads out in a circle covering the group with three-sixty coverage.

"I'm Admiral Russell Pellington," he says extending his hand.

Spencer shakes his hand first followed by Sam and they make their introductions.

"Admiral, may I ask why we are here?" Spencer questions.

"I would gladly explain the situation once we are inside," he answers pointing toward the door he came from. "It is much safer this way."

"Very Admiral, lead the way."

——

Spencer and Sam are taken below deck to a small conference room. The room space is mostly taken up by the table which is surrounded by six chairs. Admiral Pellington posts two of the guards in the room with them and the remainder just outside the door.

"Is all this guard really necessary?" Sam inquires.

"Believe it or not, it is," Pellington begins. "This ship has fallen under attack by someone or something. All my efforts to find this saboteur have proved useless. Just before you arrived I lost Squads One, Seven, and Ten."

"So we were called in to take out the threat," Spencer states.

"You were the closest assets near to here that can handle a threat like this," he explains. "I have been through many battle situations and in my experience whatever this is it isn't human."

Spencer and Sam look at each other locking eyes briefly. Sam nods to Spencer then he turns back to the admiral. "We'll need you to recall your squads and get you someplace that can be defended without hindrance."

"The best place will be the bridge then."

"Good," Spencer says standing up. He walks over to the two guards at the door. "I need your headsets."

The two guards look at Pellington for confirmation. "Go ahead."

The two men pull their headsets off and hand them over to Spencer. "Here," he says handing one set to Sam. "I'll track it down; you keep guard over the Admiral."

"Like hell I will," Sam argues. "I'm the better armed one here." She glares at Spencer, the look on her face saying that she isn't going to take no for an answer.

"Alright," he concedes. "You be careful."

"I will," she promises and heads for the door. Spencer reaches out and grabs her and spins her around. They lock eyes and he reaches in and kisses her deeply.

"You better make it back alive," he says pulling away before plunging back in."

Without another word she leaves the room.

"Women," Pellington remarks.

"Yeah, tell me about it," Spencer agrees. "Shall we sir?"

——

Sam, do you copy?" Spencer says into the headset. He sat on the bridge with Pellington and so does nearly the entire guard the admiral has available. Those that aren't there are guarding other important stations located at various parts of the ship.

"I copy."

"Good," Spencer says letting his body relax. He isn't sure why he was so apprehensive about the situation. Sam can take care of herself and she certainly isn't new to this type of thing. "Pellington pulled all the squads back and has a standing order for the crew to stay where they are, so the corridors should be cleared."

"Except for me and the demon."

"Exactly," he confirms. "The squads set up motion detectors throughout the ship and we are monitoring them. The moment something pops up we'll direct you to it."

"Gotcha. Going silent."

——

Sam travels light through the corridor carrying only Kotetsu and her S&W .40 mm. The ship is eerily quiet except for the miscellaneous sounds the ship makes. Her footfalls echo through the empty corridors. The sound carries softly matching the rest of the sounds echoing throughout. She focuses on her breathing to control her emotions and to deepen her senses. Her focus takes her back to the years of learning martial arts. Endless drills and hours spent learning to hone other senses other than the eyes. She is glad to have had that training now.

It has been almost two hours now and three deck levels and she has found no evidence of a saboteur or a demon. The motion detectors set up throughout the ship haven't picked up anything, but that doesn't mean much. Such devices can malfunction or be disabled or if one knows what to look for, avoided. Sam pushes the thoughts to the back of her mind. Worrying about such things is irrelevant and her focus has to be centered on her task. She suddenly finds herself standing before a doorway leading to the final set of stairs that leads down further into the ship.

The sign labeled Deck Four looms above her head. The only parts of the ship that lay below are the most vital parts; the engine and pump rooms and the ship's gunnery storage. Sam stops to think her next steps.

Why stay on the lower deck? Why disable the engines but not do anything else?

Then it hits her like a ton of bricks. "You're going to blow up the ship," she whispers out loud. Tapping the headset, she speaks into it. "Spence, I know what he has planned. The ship needs to be evacuated." Sam now knows where to look and it becomes a race against time.

——

Spence, I know what he has planned. The ship needs to be evacuated."

"Sam? What's going on? Sam?"

Dead silence filters back.

"Sir," a crewman says to Spencer. "Her comm link has been cut off."

"Damn!" Spencer yells throwing the headset off onto the console in front of him.

"We can't evacuate this ship," Pellington protests. "There's a battle going on out there."

Spencer turns toward the admiral. The battle or the crew isn't on his mind. The situation with Sam is now his focus. "What's on the lowest deck?"

"The engine room, gunnery storage..."

"That explains why the ship needs evacuation," Spencer says looking down at the deck. He looks up abruptly catching Pellington's eye. "The ship is going to be blown up. Get it evacuated."

Spencer picks up the headset and puts it on as he runs to the door where the guards are standing. "I'm going to need this," he says grabbing the M-16 Viper from the guard's hands and heads out the door.

"Hey!" the guard yells after him.

"It's fine," Pellington says. "Agent Reeds, what are you planning to do?"

"Save this ship and my partner," he yells over his shoulder.

And with that he is out the door. Pellington turns to his communications officer. "Open a line to the rest of the crew."

"Yes sir." The officer pushes several buttons then turns back to the admiral. "It's ready sir."

Pellington picks up the microphone and speaks into it, "Attention crew, this is Admiral Pellington. I am addressing you this evening because of an important matter that has come up. Right now as I speak two special agents are hunting down the saboteur. However, this ship is in danger of being sent to the bottom of the sea. That is if these two agents are not successful. Now I am not asking any of you to stay, you are more than welcome to evacuate the ship. I plan to stay with any of you that wish to also. We are at war gentlemen and if this ship falls it could mean the loss of this battle. We may be crippled but we are the lifeblood, the heart of the armada and I will not give up. Let your immediate commander know your intentions so that we can secure your evacuation."

Pellington sets down the microphone and waits. Within just a few minutes the commanders of each crew throughout the ship replies that none of the men are going to leave and plan to see the battle to its end. No matter how the end came. Pellington smiles at the bravery and loyalty of his men to both him and their country. "God help us all," he says low under his breath. "God help us all."

——

Sam? Do you copy?" he says into the headset. "Damn it. Sam if you hear me, I'm headed your way."

Spencer races through the ship as fast as his legs will carry him. Each footfall rings through the corridor almost as loudly as the motion detectors. The noise doesn't concern him at the moment. If anything he hopes the noise will draw the demon to him rather than Sam. It was now just a matter of getting to her before the demon does.

——

Sam? Do you copy? Sam if you hear me, I'm headed your way."

Sam hears Spencer over the headset and shakes her head. "Damn it Spence, can't you just sit still?" she mutters.

After inspecting the engine room and determining the demon was through with his business there she treads her way toward the gunnery storage. She sloshes through nearly two feet of water which she determines is seeping through a small crack in the hull. She presses on keeping her senses on alert. The lighting is dim enabling her to only be able to see just mere feet ahead of her. Thankfully the engines are down to lower the amount of noise that would normally be filtering throughout the deck.

A few times she has to step over or through bodies of dead crewmen but they are nothing compared to the amount of bodies piled in the engine room. She feels a twinge of sorrow for all these men but quickly dismisses the feelings as not to cause distraction.

Sam turns a corner with her gun held high and at the ready and is instantly blinded by the intense light flowing out of the room ahead of her. Blinking several times her eyes slowly begin to adjust. "Son of a bitch," she says under her breath.

Blue and red spots float around in her vision as she enters the storage room. The room is packed with gunnery supplies and shells and is otherwise empty. Sam scans the room looking for any hiding spots or traps and sees nothing.

How can he not be here?

Demons are able to teleport short distances and into most places; places not protected by a ward. Sam was careful to have tracked the demon but no matter how careful, it was able to slip past her.

A noise comes from behind her and her first thought is Spencer. So she spins around with her weapon lowered. A mistake she'd never make if she made it out alive. She is lift by her throat, the gun knocked from her hand and she is carries backward until her back slams into the bulkhead.

Stupid human. When are all of you going to learn?

The demon somehow looks different to her than any she has encountered before. For some strange reason she doesn't sense his presence either, which intrigues her. But she doesn't have time to think about that. The demon slams her a couple more time against the bulkhead. Her head bangs and bounces each time causing brief blackouts each time.

You're lucky Typheryian will not allow me to destroy you. I don't see why a human could be so impor— The demon pauses midsentence and seems to study her. His face contorts into what Sam can only describe as shock. You're a Marid carrying a child. Maybe you aren't so lucky after all.

Sam isn't confused by the fact she is pregnant. Shortly before setting out to rescue Spencer she became aware of it. She was planning on telling Spencer, as soon as the time became available.

"You're the one that isn't going to be lucky," Spencer says from the doorway. Before the demon has time to react he unloads on him.

Bullets tear into the creature pushing it back but the demon keeps its grip on Sam. Spencer's gun clicks empty and without a spare clip it becomes useless so he tosses it aside. The demon growls and slings Sam across the room. She flies like a ragdoll crashing through a stack of barrels. Darkness surrounds and takes her over.

Spencer already has his knife drawn and is charging the demon by the time the demon brings its attention around. Spencer jumps at the demon as soon as he is within range, aiming for the creature's heart. The demon catches Spencer's wrist controlling where the knife is to go as the rest of his body slams into the demon throwing it off guard and sending both to the ground.

——

Sam finds herself surrounded by nothing but white. She sits up looking around and sees nothing but absolute whiteness. Then the voice fills her head.

My child, you are so close to your destiny. Soon you will face it and I will show you your true calling.

She looks around quickly scanning the area to match the voice to someone or something. There is no one and nothing there.

You worry so much about what you cannot see. Soon you will not worry about your feeble human senses. Soon you will learn true power!

"Who the hell are you?" she yells into the white.

Her answer soon comes as a figure appears in the distance or at least what Sam assumes is in the distance. Surrounded by nothing but white, her head swims trying to distinguish distance and the reality she now sits in.

The creature as only Sam can describe, it looks much like the one she fought in the gunnery storage room. The fact alone feels like it was so long ago. It is covered in what looks like armor but at the same time she knows it is the creature's skin. Its eyes glow in a dull yellow. Its mouth appears covered but yet it can still speak. This creature is like the other which means it is a demon, just what kind she doesn't know. But its power burns brighter than the other.

"Who are you?" she asks.

By now you should not have to ask such a question. But, I will indulge you with the answer. Typheryian. It is a name you will come to know and answer to. Until then you will have to wake and wait.

"The only thing I will do is destroy you!" Sam yells as she stands reaching for Kotetsu. She makes it three steps before finding herself back in the ship's gunnery storage room lying on the floor. It takes her a moment for her mind to come back and realize where she is. Her attention is directed by the sound of a body slamming onto the deck.

You foolish human I can destroy. The demon stands over Spencer holding him up just off the ground by his shirt. The demon's other clawed hand is held up to strike. Sam with Kotetsu in hand is already in motion. She leaps at the demon as he turns to regard her. She flies past seemingly not doing any damage and landing quietly. The demon smiles before half its body splits and falls away landing on the deck in a splatter.

"What took you so long?" Spencer asks as she helps him to his feet.

"A knock to the head kind of slows you down," she answers.

"I agree. I meant with your other condition."

"Oh." Her face reddens. "I was waiting for the right time."

"I can understand that, just wasn't expecting to find out this way," he said with a chuckle.

"Spence, I'm so—"

She is interrupted by him pulling her in for a deep kiss. "Hey, don't worry about it. This is wonderful news. How far along are you?" he asks with a smile.

His smile warms her and melts away the fear she has at taking so long to tell him about it. "Three months, just before our mission to Russia."

"Well that's just awesome," he says pulling her in again for another deep kiss. When he pulls away he says, "We do need to get back up the bridge and get someone down here to undo all this. I have a feeling the admiral didn't take my advice to evacuate the ship."

"He seems about as stubborn as you," Sam teases.

"Yeah well, I don't generally take no for an answer."

——

Back on the bridge the atmosphere is intense. Pellington is issuing orders faster than his XO is able to relay them to the respective stations. Sam and Spencer enter and seeing the commotion step to the side of the room and wait patiently. After several intense minutes the comm officer makes an announcement. "The Nan Shuin has been sunk!"

The entire crew cheers loudly. Pellington stands back with a smile on his face watching his crew celebrate. When he notices the two agents waiting off to the side, he quickly turns his attention to them and walks over. "I take it that since you two are standing here you were successful in your task?"

"That's correct Admiral. Your saboteur was a de—" Spencer begins, stopping when Pellington holds up his hand.

"I'm sure I do not want to know what it was. I have a feeling you will tell me not human but I'm old for surprises," Pellington says with a hint of humor touching his words.

"I understand," Spencer says. "We were able to eliminate the threat but you will need to get somebody with bomb experience down there to make sure it doesn't go off."

"And the remainder of the ship?"

"Clear, but the damage to the engines is extensive so I doubt you'll be going anywhere anytime soon," Sam explains empathetically.

"That won't be a problem. We've got the best engineers in the Navy. We'll be up and running before this conflict is over," Pellington assures her.

"That's good to know then sir," Spencer says trying to detour the conversation back.

"I know you two probably have quite a bit on your plate as well and need to get somewhere," the admiral speculates.

"We hate to come and go Admiral but yes we do need to get home," Sam jumps in helping Spencer out.

"That is completely understandable. You have yourself a good partner here Agent Reeds."

"Tell me about it sir."

"Well," the admiral says patting Spencer's shoulder. "I can have a gunship ready for your departure in ten minutes."

"Thank you sir."

"Not a problem son. You two probably have saved this crew and this battle. If I ever have some kind of problem like this again I know who to call upon."