2.2 Crusaders Book II - Demon's Deal

1.          Swiss Alps

The Alps; divided into two main parts, the Western Alps and Eastern Alps, whose division is along the Rhine from Lake Constance to the Splügen Pass. The western ranges occupy the greatest part of Switzerland while the more numerous eastern ranges are much smaller and are all situated in the canton of Graubünden. As the temperature decreases with altitude (0,56°C per hundred metres on yearly average), three different altitudinal zones, each having distinct climate, are found in the Swiss Alps: Subalpine zone, the Alpine zone and the Glacial zone. The glacial zone is the area of permanent snow and ice. When the steepness of the slope is not too high it results in an accumulation and compaction of snow, which transforms into ice. The glacier formed then flows down the valley and can reach as far down as a thousand meters or form overhanging seracs, which periodically fall off due to the downwards movement of the glacier and cause ice avalanches.

Fraulein Dure was rappeling down on these breaks in the glacier to an underneath cavern. She was far most the most experienced agent of the Crusaders, and was due to retire as instructor next February. She was dressed in the thick clothing suite for the Alps with the matching Eskimo head cover. She radioed back her position.

"Dare One to Base Camp. Over." She held the comms speak set close to her lips. Its freezing and despite her previous hikes here she had never encountered such temperature drop before. She reached for the gun on her waist and felt more assured that its there. She also felt from there to her inside her jacket for the extra gun she had there. She let go of the hook that was keeping her attached to the rope. She tugged at it to assure herself that it still firm up there. Then she pulled out the ice pick from her left boots and adjust the twin light on her Eskimo head cover. It picks up the cold gleaming surface in the cavern. Then she found what may appeared to be a small stream that flows into the far end of the cavern.

That was a good choice to follow on.

"I would follow it if I were you." She turned to look at the person who spoke to her. He was dressed in a waiter suit holding a tray with a glass of wine.

"Whiskey, if you want. It would keep your body warm." The man smiled at her. "Like me. I had two already. I am feeling warm."

Dure held the ice pick in both her hands.

"Do you feel it getting warm?" The waiter had placed the tray down and pulled at his bowed tie. "I think I need to take off my shirt."

"Who are you?" Dure asked of him.

"Me? They called me Baal. You can call me Ben."

"Baal? Baal the demon?" Dure dropped the ice pick and reached for the crucifix underneath her jacket. She took it out and placed it in front of her.

"Back off, Demon. I have the crucifix." She kept on pushing it towards the demon.

"Had would be more appropriate." Baal smiled as he willed the crucifix to fall from her hand. He then motioned her to look behind. Dure turned to her rear and saw what was behind her.

"Oh my God!" Dure was looking at Abyss of Hell; souls all around, clamoring all over other to climb on top of each other but not able to get out. There were guards using pitch forks to pushed them back. Dure turned back to look at Baal who had shed his clothes. His skin was all red and flames licked at certain parts.

"Welcome to my world, Dure. Its a one way trip."

Fraulein Dure screamed out loud. She ain't going home anymore. She's going to Hell.

2.          Final Touches

The town of Brooke View had a population of six hundred and seventy one but five of them left for their family reunion a hundred miles away. So with six hundred and sixty turning to bed at four am in the morning, the Sheriff and the five deputies still went about their patrols on those quiet streets.

"Sheriff, this is Brad." Sheriff Tommy Jones III picked the comms unit. He was sitting at the office polishing his newly acquired hunting rifle. He's going hunting next season; issued the darned license to himself before he signed the leave form.

"I am here, Brad. But I ain't signing your application for transfer to the Forensic. We don't even have a Forensic Department." Sheriff then paused. "Hell, we don't even have a microscope."

"Sheriff, I do. I have the basic set in my house. I can bring it here in an hour." The Sheriff turned to another channel.

"Lowe, you are on next. If its about Maryanne, she ain't marrying you. Not even for the second time. You foul up the first one, so you ain't getting another one again. Over." The sheriff does not mince his words.

"Pardon me, Sheriff. Its me, Andy. The call came through. We are to be ready." If Andy tells him that, the Sheriff listen well. Andy was groomed to be his successor.

"Andy, round up the rest of the boys to come to the playing field now."

The park was getting filled up by the town folks in their nightdresses or pj's but no one knows what and why they are doing here. They are not talking but just slipped in to sit there on the benches. Soon when the benches were filled up, they just mingle outside the diamond patch.

At the strike of eight on the town' clock, everyone on the park including the six officers all stood up and bowed their head to the diamond patch. Then the unbelievable happened; the diamond design soon broke into two and started to overlap each other. It showed a familiar design that tells a different tale.

Overhead the cloud starts to cover the sunlight and then six ex-officers walked into the new diamond patch.

"We are the One's. The threat is established and we were hold it against anybody or thing that would come here." The Sheriff announced it to the listening crowd. Then he paused. "I just got news that the Crusaders are being taken care in where they may hide or try to fight us. Fraulein Dure was imprisoned by Baal."

The crowd went on cheering and soon the euphoria died down. Then the town folks went back to their homes and everyone who was working went back to work.