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    The Zombie Seven 1: Hell's Gate, And Beyond
    The Zombie Seven 1: Hell's Gate, And Beyond
    The Zombie Seven 1: Hell's Gate, And Beyond
    Ebook706 pages11 hours

    The Zombie Seven 1: Hell's Gate, And Beyond

    By Raymond Towers

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    About this ebook

    Six be too few, eight be too late, Seven stand strong. Seven heroes face a nefarious plot to bring corrupt demons into our world. Defying them are the man called Satan, the prankster Barbas and a very real demonic threat. These heroes will battle in the black dimension known as Hell’s Gate, formed by dark ritual and the blood of innocents. This is only the beginning. Rating: HIGH controversy.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRaymond Towers
    Release dateAug 14, 2013
    ISBN9781301816453
    The Zombie Seven 1: Hell's Gate, And Beyond
    Author

    Raymond Towers

    Raymond Towers is an author of fantasy, horror and science fiction that strays away from the mainstream, plus a little in the way of true paranormal and other genres. He has written and independently published over forty titles, most of them full-length novels and collections, with several more on the way. The author has been a lifelong resident of warm and sunny southern California, a location that pops up frequently in his writing. At the moment, the author is looking for ways to reach new readers all over the world, in addition to pursuing his great love of writing and taking it to the next level.

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      Book preview

      The Zombie Seven 1 - Raymond Towers

      About the cover: The cover image is titled Phoenix From Fire With Wings. It was produced by 7gone, and can be found at Dreamstime.

      About this title: Six be too few, eight be too late, Seven stand strong. Seven heroes face a nefarious plot to bring corrupt demons into our world. Defying them are the man called Satan, the prankster Barbas and a very real demonic threat. These heroes will battle in the black dimension known as Hell’s Gate, formed by dark ritual and the blood of innocents. This is only the beginning. Rating: HIGH controversy.

      #####

      Other e-books by Raymond Towers:

      A Terrible Thing To Waste

      Apocalypse Now! Collection

      Before The Seven 1 – Don Diego Meets Lucky Luis

      Before The Seven 2 – Scary Peter

      Demonic Murmurs Collection

      Dobrynia’s Path 1 – Dark Harbinger

      Dobrynia’s Path 2 – Ragnarok

      Monster Mayhem Collection

      Raymund And Natalie’s Grand Adventure

      Roaches In The Attic 0 – Non-Retrieval

      Roaches In The Attic 1 – First Contact

      The Black Cellar

      The Throwback

      The Two Sides Of Humburg

      Thorns 1 – True Tales Of The Weird

      Two Bedroom Cottage

      Variant Worlds 1 Collection

      Varriano 1 – The Case Of The Missing Q-Drives

      The Zombie Seven 1

      Hell’s Gate, And Beyond

      Raymond Towers

      Smashwords Edition

      Copyright 2013 Raymond Towers

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes: This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      All of the characters in this e-book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, whether living or dead, is purely coincidental.

      This e-book contains a MEDIUM amount of controversial subject matter.

      Foreword: This novel is a complete and separate work. However, it is set in the Chaos Rift Universe, which is an ongoing and far reaching series. As such, some of the characters and / or events described here may pop up in unexpected places elsewhere in the series.

      #####

      Table of Contents

      Roll Call

      Book 1

      Hell’s Gate

      Chapter 1

      Chapter 2

      Chapter 3

      Chapter 4

      Chapter 5

      Chapter 6

      Chapter 7

      Chapter 8

      Chapter 9

      Chapter 10

      Chapter 11

      Chapter 12

      Book 2

      Beyond Hell’s Gate

      Chapter 13

      Chapter 14

      Chapter 15

      Chapter 16

      Chapter 17

      Chapter 18

      Chapter 19

      Chapter 20

      Chapter 21

      Chapter 22

      Chapter 23

      Chapter 24

      Chapter 25

      Chapter 26

      Chapter 27

      Chapter 28

      Chapter 29

      About The Author

      Author Website

      #####

      Roll Call

      From the Dobrynia’s Path series:

      Dobrynia, or Doby for short

      Victor No Name

      From the Before The Seven series:

      Don Diego/Lucky Luis

      Scary Peter

      Colleen Worrell, Loli for short

      Little Eva

      Tekkin the dwarf

      From the novel The Black Cellar:

      Brian Moore, the dad

      Jason Moore, the son

      Patricia Rose, the girl from 1984

      Tobias Montero, Toby for short

      #####

      Book One

      Hell’s Gate

      1

      I could hold you forever.

      Jason Moore’s words came across as a soft lullaby in the dwindling light of the warm evening. The young man of eighteen years sat on the hard cement top of a park bench. In his embrace, with her back close to his chest, was the forty-six year old Patricia Rose, formerly known as Patricia Berman, also formerly known as Patricia Bertolini. To be honest, the age discrepancy is not at all as severe as it sounds, for Miss Rose looked every bit as young and pretty as an eighteen year old, feisty Italian girl should look. The reason she admitted to a much older age, in private conversations of course, was to taunt to her boyfriend Jason. She also did this to gently remind Jason that she didn’t know much of the way the modern world revolved, since up until recently the young girl had been trapped in a fabricated dimension of Hell for a quarter of a century.

      Her voice was raspy and sexy, as she held Jason’s arms tighter to her waist. Tell me again that you love me.

      Jason glanced past his lover’s head of thick, black, wavy hair, and cast his eyes onto the gentle waves lapping up to the edge of Bayside Park, at the place where Chula Vista ended and the Pacific Ocean began. The wind currents coursing over the ocean on this end of San Diego Bay were usually more restless, but today, they seemed to be making a serene exception for the young couple.

      My lungs call out your name with every breath that I take. Jason replied. My heart didn’t know what it was made for, until the moment my eyes first saw you…

      In my bedroom, wearing my bra and panties!

      Jason grinned. What can I say? It was love at first sight.

      Patricia jabbed him in the ribs. It was meant to be playful, but to Jason it hurt. His girlfriend rarely pulled her punches.

      Instead of saying Ouch! he said, Well, if I could do it all over, I’d walk up right behind you and kiss you like this. He began to softly caress her ear with his lips.

      That wouldn’t have worked. Patricia shook her head. I would have assumed you were one of those pervs my dad used to hang around with. I would have kicked you right in the balls, so hard you would have been picking up the pieces for a week.

      You really have a way with words, you know that? Jason chuckled.

      Well, I’m waiting.

      Into her ear, Jason whispered. I love you, Patricia, whatever your last name is this week.

      In his arms, he could feel Patricia’s demeanor soften and relax.

      I love you too, Jason Moore. Now and forever, I love you I love you I love you.

      For the next few minutes, they were content to merely exist quietly in each other’s embrace, watching the last rays of the sun slip into the ocean and the waves change into their evening clothes. They kissed and they giggled as the darkness began to cover them, and as the park’s nightlights began to sluggishly rouse themselves up.

      Look, they’re still at it. Patricia motioned with her head. Can you believe it?

      Jason looked over. In the distance, the young man could barely see the couple they’d been observing earlier. They were both lean and built like athletes, only a few years older than Jason and Patricia. The male was Hispanic, handsome with unruly hair. The female was an Anglo brunette, very pretty and with a tight ponytail. The athletic couple had been there when Jason’s dad had dropped them off at the park some time ago. Over the course of the last couple of hours, they had challenged every runner that passed them by to a footrace, beating every single one. They had also taken to bare knuckle sparring or wrestling with one another. A couple of times, it looked as if one of them had gotten mad and was giving their partner all they had.

      Both Jason and his girlfriend figured one of them was going to storm away angry, but no, the two wildcats were always patching things up with each other and moving on to some other form of combat or exercise. They were practicing martial arts moves now. From what Jason could see, it was full contact.

      Maybe they’re training for the next Olympics. Jason wondered. There’s a training center not that far from here.

      I don’t know, but they should have gotten tired a long time ago from the pace they’re at. Maybe they’re on drugs, or steroids or something.

      Could be. Jason agreed.

      Casually, he glanced behind him, past the trees and children’s play area and into the darkening parking lot. All of the families had already gone, he noted. Except for that one other couple, they were the only people still in the park.

      I should call my dad to come and pick us up. Jason muttered. I really don’t want to.

      Five more minutes. Patricia protested. I want you to hold me for five more minutes and then you can call him, okay? You know they’re going to take me back to Los Angeles tonight.

      Yeah. Jason grumbled.

      Even though the Moores had tried to keep Patricia’s existence a secret, rumors about her had still leaked out. Several unfounded stories about the girl from 1984 had already seen print on the worst of the tabloids. A slew of salivating paparazzi were out tracking down whatever lead they could get their hooked claws on. The good thing was that Jason’s dad had a brother who catered to the big movie companies. So far, they’d been successful in keeping ahead of the news hounds by moving Patricia around from place to place. The situation made it very strenuous for the two lovebirds to keep in touch, much less see each other in person.

      The young lovers stole kisses from each another during those five minutes. They were so preoccupied in each other’s comfort that neither of them noticed the two cars slipping into a far end of the parking lot, or the several young Hispanic men being vomited from them just seconds later. They only became aware of the arrivals when a trio from their number strolled past their bench on the way to the public restrooms.

      We got some lovebirds out here. One of the thugs called out.

      This was when Jason and Patricia turned back to glance at them.

      Just leave ‘em. Another stated.

      The third man, however, glared at the couple. What are you looking at?

      Nothing. Jason said timidly. To his girl, he whispered, Let’s just go.

      Under other circumstances, Patricia Rose would have been defiant. In the recent past, she had dared to stand up against the demon of a man that Jason and his father had nicknamed Satan. She wasn’t foolhardy, though, and her common sense warned her that this was not a fight she should pursue. She began leading Jason away from the bench.

      That’s right. The thug called out. Let your little bitch take you away like that.

      Now, Jason was no fighter, but he wasn’t the type to allow his girlfriend’s dignity to be smeared like that either. He stood firm, even as Patricia kept trying to pull him away.

      What? The thug called out. You got something to say?

      She’s not a bitch! Jason answered, his voice too loud, too angry.

      You ain’t going to do nothing. The other smirked. Just get the fuck out of here before something happens to you and your bitch.

      Stop calling her that!

      Or what? The thug asked. Already he was stepping towards Jason. What’chu gonna do about it?

      Jason was torn between letting Patricia pull him, and getting his ass kicked in front of her.

      Jason, let’s go. Patricia urged.

      They might have had a chance, if they’d started running right then. While the couple was watching the loudest of the trio, the other two thugs had gone around the restroom building and cut through the trees to get on their left side. Further, even more threats were seen striding from the parked cars and approaching from the right. Jason counted seven, maybe eight of them altogether.

      Patricia stood in front of him, hoping to shield Jason from the violence.

      Why don’t you move out the way? The nearest of the gangsters said.

      Leave us alone. Patricia countered.

      In a burst of motion, the thug grabbed her by the shoulders and shoved her into the grass. Right after that, he pushed Jason back.

      What are you going to do, now that your bitch is gone? He said.

      Jason came forward aggressively, as if he was going to push the thug back. Before he could, one of the others came up behind him and shoved him in a different direction.

      What’chu gonna do now?

      Once, twice more they pushed him, bewildering Jason into confusion where he didn’t know who to keep his eyes on. Without warning, a heavy fist smashed into his jaw and he felt himself falling on his side. Jason had been jarred senseless by the blow. Before he could even right himself and get back onto his feet, somebody else kicked him in the ribs. He clutched at his middle, even as he heard Patricia cry out for them to leave him alone again. Right after, Jason heard her shriek as either someone had struck her or shoved her to the grass again.

      What a way to end a perfect date, Jason thought, as more kicks started pummeling his side and his arm. He tried to roll onto his hands and knees. For his effort, he got a hard sneaker to the head. After that he was curling up and trying to cover his face.

      Luckily, the beating didn’t last very long, as the thugs all stepped away from him a second later. Patricia came over and threw her body over Jason’s, in case the thugs decided to go a second round.

      The fuck are you? The lovers heard the instigator ask.

      In unison, both Jason and his girl looked in the direction the thug was now facing. It was the couple they’d seen earlier, the one that had been running all over the park for the last couple of hours. They were both just standing there, still covered in sweat and brazenly staring at over half a dozen belligerent gang members.

      The Hispanic athlete was smiling wide. I hate to tell you this, but I’m your real dad. I know I should have stayed with your mom and raised you right. If I’d done that, maybe you wouldn’t have turned out to be the chump you are now.

      Fuck you!

      Is that any way to treat your dad? The other quipped. Before we get our little tussle on, why don’t you tell me what ‘hood you’re from, so we know where we can put the chalk-mark at?

      As the thug deliberated whether to answer, the woman with the ponytail pointed at the couple on the floor. You two, stand behind me. No further harm will come to either of you.

      Hey, Doby? Her partner asked.

      Doby turned back. Yes?

      I think these guys need one of your motivational phrases. Why don’t you lay one on them?

      Very well. The woman stepped forward and into the midst of their tight knot of adversaries. She scanned her unwavering gaze across all eight faces. Know this, you band of weak and outcast sons of goats. We have bested the worst of the demons of your world, and we have also vanquished the ancient elementals of the Nine Worlds Of Asgard. Step forward, one or all, for in the end each of you will fall before the combined might of two warriors-born.

      Doesn’t she just give you chills when she does that? Her partner slapped his hands together in admiration. Hey, Doby, I’ll take on all eight this time.

      You will not.

      Why not? The last time we got in a fight, you didn’t even let me get one lick in. I think I should get all eight this time.

      You can have four.

      Oh, bullshit! I said all eight!

      They were looking at one another as if they were mad again, while the thugs were plainly trying to figure out what to do next.

      Finally, the guy turned to face the many, many menaces and sighed. The best thing you can do right now is to turn around and walk away. If you don’t, Doby is going to beat the shit out of at least four of you. After that, she’s going to use her Judging power on you. She’ll probably beat the shit out of you all over again, once she discovers all the bad things you guys have done in the past. Come on, I’ll walk you guys to your car. You can show me what kind of CDs you guys are bumpin’ right now. I just got back into town a few days ago, so I’m kind of out of the loop.

      As Jason and Patricia watched, the small group of ruffians shuffled behind the strangely charismatic guy and actually left the immediate vicinity. In shock, the young couple looked to one another.

      Doby noticed their perplexed expressions and explained, Victor knows how to talk to men of that ilk. He used to be one of them.

      Who are you? Jason asked.

      I am Dobrynia, and Doby is my short name. My, how do you say it? My knack-name?

      Nickname?

      Yes. She pointed. And that is my ward, Victor.

      Your ward?

      Yes, I rescued him from certain death and now his life is indebted to me. I have taken it upon myself to train him as a warrior.

      Questioningly, Jason looked at Patricia, and back at Doby. You people are weird.

      Why does everyone keep saying that? Doby asked. Now, the both of you stand up and face me. Victor may have kept me from bringing justice to that band of misguided miscreants, but I can still practice my Valkyrie ability to gaze into a person’s soul.

      Your ability to what? Jason asked.

      Because there is so little magic in your world. Doby answered. I must discover the present extent of my power. I can do this by gazing into your soul.

      Of course. Jason said. That makes perfect sense.

      Being taller than Jason, Doby leaned forward and stared intently and closely into his eyes. The undue scrutiny made the teen shy away.

      Stand still. Doby directed.

      He’s my boyfriend. Patricia took a step closer to the brunette, looking ready to give Doby a good smack.

      Is he? Doby asked, although her gaze did not waver from Jason’s eyes. You have a pure heart, a gentle heart. You may have never done an evil deed in your entire life, am I correct? Tell me, why are there traces of magic all over your aura?

      Jason immediately clammed up.

      Ah, you have secrets. Doby smiled. I’ve manipulated the magic around you to heal your injuries, which thankfully were not that grievous. She paused a moment, in quiet contemplation. I can see that you care for your lady very much. Turning toward Patricia, she said, Now you.

      What are you going to do? Patricia asked.

      The same as I did to this one. She nodded at Jason. I will look into your soul to discover who you really are.

      What if I don’t want you to?

      On my worlds, it was my divine right to gaze into a person’s soul. Doby admitted. On your Earth, I only do it to make sure I haven’t lost the ability, or to decide on the severity of punishment for those whom you call criminals. Think of it as telling your fortune, in a way.

      You’re not from this world? Jason asked.

      I am not. The pretty brunette replied. I am from the realm of the Nine Worlds Of Asgard, but alas, my universe is no more. I am without a home now and so I stay here on your Earth. She addressed Patricia again. May I have your permission to gaze into your heart, dear girl?

      I don’t know. Patricia squirmed. Since, you stopped those jerk-wads from beating up on Jason, I guess you can. But I won’t make it easy for you.

      Patricia made a mean face and glared directly into Doby’s eyes.

      Doby laughed. You can’t mask your soul, girl.

      It’s not ‘girl,’ it is Patricia. The other countered.

      Hold still then, Patricia. Doby brought her eyes within an inch or two of the Italian girl’s. This would be much easier if it wasn’t so dark now, and… Oh! How did you manage to get so much magic around you?

      Sarcastically, Patricia said, I’m special that way. Are you done yet? Because we have to get going now.

      You love your Jason as much as he loves you. Doby mentioned. For a brief moment, the two teenagers caught a sadly reflective look in her eye. It didn’t last very long, however, as the brunette went back to her serious face when Victor came jogging up to join them.

      Check it out. Victor was all smiles. I got two CDs from those guys. We’re going to have some thumps going on tonight!

      Jason boldly took a step forward. Can you guys really beat the crap out of eight hoodlums? Because if you can, why didn’t you? I was getting my butt handed to me a little while ago!

      Doby has a good reason for that. Victor smirked. Right, Doby?

      The brunette nodded. Yes, I do. The human state is not a condition that can be rectified by applied pressure. It is a foolish notion to pretend otherwise.

      What does that even mean? Jason asked.

      It means boys will be boys. Victor translated. No matter how many occupied jail cells there are in the world, there will still be people out there committing crimes.

      Some of the natural actions of men were not crimes in my worlds. Doby interjected.

      Right. Victor nodded. Besides, if either Doby or I went ahead and beat up those eight guys, the word on the street would get around pretty quick. We’d have people coming around asking questions about us and looking for us. Right at this moment, we don’t want that kind of attention.

      Why? Patricia asked. Are you wanted?

      Maybe. Victor smiled.

      Victor, we have to take them with us. Doby announced.

      And why is that?

      They have secrets.

      What kind of secrets?

      They wouldn’t tell me. Doby shrugged. Loli said if we came across anything unusual we should tell her about it. Both of these people have magic traces on their auras. I think this girl, this Patricia, has been through a Chaos Rift.

      A what? Patricia asked.

      A portal to another dimension. Victor explained. That’s how Doby first came to Earth, by stepping into a portal between Asgard and here. Have you two done anything like that?

      Both Jason and Patricia stiffened up.

      They’ve both gone through rifts. Doby declared. I can see it in their reactions. They have to come with us.

      Victor held up his two CDs. You guys want to have a party? I’ve got some new tunes here and Doby will spring for the pizza with her golden coins.

      Uh, sorry. Jason started. But we have to get going.

      Jason! Patricia admonished him. These people have been to other dimensions just like we have! We should go with them.

      But what about my dad? We should have called him like half an hour ago!

      You can call your dad from Peter’s place. Victor told him. Relax, kid, we’re the good guys.

      We are. Doby nodded, once. Walk with us.

      Since it sounded more like an order than a simple request, the two teens quietly took up a stride behind their new acquaintances.

      Within a span of about a quarter of an hour, they’d left the seaside park far behind and were strolling through the residential streets of Chula Vista.

      So, Jason, you went into a Chaos Rift, right? Victor asked. Where did you go?

      Jason shrugged. Into the past, a few times. A random place or two, and then into 1984 where I met Patricia. Oh, and we went into this one place, where this guy made his own little universe for himself.

      How did he do that?

      He had some powerful demons helping him. In exchange for his help, the demons were going to turn him into one of them. My dad and I screwed up that guy’s plans, by destroying the place he was trying to make into a doorway to this world. A lot of demons were hoping to come through that doorway into Earth.

      Doby and Victor cast a quick glance at one another.

      Demons can be a bitch to fight with. Victor said. We tried to take on a small bunch of them and they almost killed us.

      What of you? Doby asked of Patricia. What is your experience with the Rift?

      I was trapped in one for like twenty-five years. Patricia admitted. I can’t even remember what happened during that whole time, until Jason and his father came and rescued me from that place. It was totally weird to be in there.

      Patricia is forty-six years old. Jason quipped.

      Oh, yeah? Victor asked. You think that’s cool? Doby, tell them how old you are.

      I am not one thousand years old. Doby corrected. Odin halted my age when I officially became a Valkyrie, when I was twenty-two or twenty-three years grown. It took place so long ago I can’t even recall how many years I’ve been alive.

      But one thousand years passed between the time you were mortal, and when you first came to Earth, right? Victor taunted her.

      On Midgard, that would be correct. Doby answered. But I wasn’t in Midgard. I was in Asgard with the gods.

      You lived with gods? Patricia asked.

      And you’re not mortal? Jason added.

      Doby ignored both questions and instead smacked Victor on the arm. I am not one thousand years old!

      Jason and Patricia both smirked, because that was exactly how Patricia liked to smack Jason whenever he got testy with her.

      The strange quartet paused by a sliding security gate. The gate led into the back driveway of a long row of quiet apartments.

      Victor glanced over at the pretty brunette. Do we wait until a car comes by and lets us in, or do we do this the easy way?

      In reply, Doby took a long and careful look around. Apparently satisfied that they wouldn’t be spotted, she crouched down and jumped high into the air. With the skill of an expert gymnast, she vaulted over the six-foot high gate and landed on her feet on the opposite side.

      Whoa. Jason gasped.

      You think that’s something, watch this. In a blur of motion, Victor snatched Jason off the ground. With no apparent effort Victor tossed the teenager over the gate.

      Easily, Doby caught him. Once Jason figured out what was happening, his first reaction was to reach out and cling reflexively onto the Valkyrie’s shoulders.

      That’s my boyfriend! Patricia called out.

      As Doby set the still shocked Jason on his feet, Victor looked over at Patricia.

      Your turn, doll.

      I’m not your doll.

      Whatever. Victor said, as he scooped her off the ground. With the same ease he’d tossed Jason, he lobbed her over the gate.

      A second after, Victor was up and over the gate as well, when a car’s headlights swung toward the gate and illuminated them all.

      I guess we could have waited ten more seconds. Victor shrugged. Too bad!

      This way. Doby took the lead.

      The car that had come in behind them slowly rolled past, and turned toward another section of the apartments.

      That was so cool! Jason remarked. You just threw us both over the gate like we didn’t weigh anything!

      We each have the strength of three men. Doby mentioned. Thanks to the grace of the All-Father Odin.

      And not just any three men, but three strong men. Victor added. Three Viking warriors.

      That is so cool! Jason was awed.

      In front of them, Doby paused and held her arm out for the rest of them to stop. She slowly dropped her arm and called out. I know where you are, Eva.

      Dammit! A new voice answered. As they watched, a short and lean woman stepped out of the shadows. She couldn’t have been over five-foot-one. Except for her pretty face and auburn hair, she was covered entirely in black. When did you hear me?

      I didn’t. Doby revealed. That vehicle that just drove by, its headlights reflected off the wall next to you and gave away your spot. I noticed your little legs against the wall.

      The woman spouted a short stream of obscenities.

      Don’t be too harsh on yourself. Doby consoled her. If that car hadn’t driven by I would not have seen you. You did well this time.

      Still!

      Doby took up her walk again, with the other woman immediately starting a stride to her right and about three feet behind her.

      That’s Eva. Victor informed the newcomers. She’s what you might call a Valkyrie in training.

      Does she have super strength, too? Patricia asked.

      No, she’s just a regular human. But she is good with short-range weapons and she’s a quick as a cat when she’s on the move.

      Jason glanced over at his girlfriend, who mouthed one of those trendy phrases she’d picked up in the modern world, What The Fuck?

      They rounded a dimly lit corner, when Doby stopped before the exclusive stairs to a second floor apartment. Eva stepped past her to ascend the stairs and unlock the door. The short woman pushed the door open and posted up next to it like a security guard. Doby nodded and went in, followed by the rest of the group.

      Jason held back, when he saw Patricia stop to question Eva.

      Can I be a what-cha-ma-call-it in training, too? She asked. I think you’re totally cool!

      Eva smiled, looking flattered. Really?

      Totally! Patricia quipped. That’s so neat!

      Eva took a quick glance at Jason. Valkyrie are not allowed to have boyfriends.

      Ohhh! Patricia looked disappointed.

      Eva winked. That’s real Valkyrie, not regular people like you and me. We can have all the boyfriends we want. Come on.

      As soon as they’d stepped inside, Eva shut the door.

      Jason and Patricia turned to observe a cozy living room with a single couch, a coffee table and a modest-size TV next to a large picture window. On the table sat what was undeniably a crystal ball. It was slightly bigger than a softball. Next to that lay several packs of what they first took to be playing cards, but on closer scrutiny proved to be Tarot cards.

      Doby and Victor were all the way across the living room by then, leaning into what appeared to be the kitchen. From that room came out another female. This one was drop-dead gorgeous, whereas Doby could be considered merely beautiful. She was tall and with a model’s body, and in her arms she was bottle-feeding a baby.

      Hi. She greeted the newcomers. I’m Loli.

      Jason and Patricia greeted her back.

      Peter should be home any time now. Once he gets here we’ll all have a listen to your story and try to figure out what’s what, okay? Why don’t you two have a seat on the couch?

      Okay. Jason nodded. But I have to call home and tell my dad where we’re at.

      That’s fine. Eva can give you the address and phone number for here.

      Victor cut in. The dad may have something to do with this. He went through a Rift too, at the same time these two did.

      Oh. Loli said, thoughtfully. She looked to Jason. If you think you’re father has something to add to your story, why don’t you ask him to come by?

      Heck yeah he has something to add! Jason answered excitedly. My dad beat up Satan!

      Everybody in the room, except for Patricia, turned to look at him.

      Well, not the real Satan. Jason admitted. But the guy who was trying to become Satan. I mean the guy that trapped Patricia in another dimension, and that might have killed something like fifty people.

      Maybe Doby and I should go meet this Satan guy. Victor suggested.

      Oh, we got rid of him. Jason shook his head. We destroyed his house and the cellar where he got all his power from. He’s gone now.

      No, he isn’t. Loli said.

      It was Jason’s turn to gawk. How can you know that?

      Some of the things I’ve seen in my crystal ball are starting to make sense now. Loli elaborated. You two were in that big white house, weren’t you? The one that burned down?

      Jason nodded. Yeah, that was the Grant House. How can you know about the Grant House? That’s like two hours away from here!

      The house burned down in our dimension. Loli went on. But it still stands in that other place, between our world and Hell. The man you call Satan is still there. He’s still trying to open the gateway to this world.

      Shit. Jason grumbled. I need to sit down now.

      We killed him! Patricia protested. We set him on fire with gasoline and he burned to death when the house burned down!

      You may have killed his physical body. Loli replied. But his spirit lives on in that other dimension. Whatever plans he had, he’s still trying to accomplish them today.

      I hadn’t thought of that. Jason said. Satan’s body, his real body, was executed by the state of California back in 1976. The body that burned inside of the Grant House couldn’t have been his real body. He must be able to make physical bodies whenever he feels like it. Crap!

      And he will keep doing that until he is stopped for good. Loli said, noticing that Jason was about to take a seat. Watch out for Tekkin. He’s right behind you.

      Jason looked behind him. Sitting there, half hidden by a seat cushion, was a rather large toad with a small child’s birthday hat tied around its head.

      Don’t sit on me, Bub. The toad said. I may not have teeth, but I’ll clamp on your ass like a vise if you do.

      Geez, you people are weird. Jason scooted over and took a seat on the end of the couch furthest from the toad. For good measure, he put a couple of cushions between him and the gnarled green creature. Jason raised his hips long enough to retrieve his phone from his back pocket, and tossed it over to his girlfriend. You’d better call my dad. I don’t think I can explain any of this to him.

      Patricia nodded. As she’d been previously instructed on the use of such a modern device, she quickly found the memory dial for the teen’s father. The phone rang several times before it was picked up.

      From the opposite end, Brian Moore answered, Jason! Hey, kiddo, it’s about time you called. People over here are chomping at the bit right now, and…

      Mr. Moore. The girl halted him. This is Patricia.

      Patricia? Where’s Jason? Is everything okay?

      I don’t know how to answer that. Patricia replied. We met some people at the park a little while ago. I think you should really come down here and talk to them. Just you, by yourself.

      That sounds serious.

      It is, but my instincts tell me they’re on the good side of the Force.

      Okay. You said to come down by myself?

      Yes. It would be better that way. You’ll have to trust me on that.

      Tell me where you are.

      I’m going to pass the phone to somebody who knows what the address is here. Oh, and Mr. Moore, I think you should bring Mr. Dirby’s notebook with you, just in case.

      At that same moment, much further north than Chula Vista…

      Satan’s name was Abaddon Keys, and he was not a happy man. He was tall and stout, with sharp, menacing features and a black goatee he was letting grow further and further away from his chin. He wore a long black frock, because it suited him to do so. His black leather shoes were of a style not seen since the late sixties, because they were his favorite kind back then. At the moment, Abaddon Keys sat on a cement bench with ornate iron backing, in the large and maze-like grounds of the Grant property in Benton, California.

      Before him, stood a mature and fat old woman. The witch was trying his patience by ignoring his direct questions and inspecting some of the rose bushes that had survived the big fire. The very same fire that not too long ago had taken the Grant house down, and the smaller guesthouse right behind it as well.

      Yes, Abaddon Keys was alive and well in the real world.

      You can add rose petals to all sorts of recipes. The old woman droned on, pausing to push a few loose strands of ugly gray hair away from her face, which was even uglier than her hair. Sandwiches, scones, cookies; I can make popsicles out of green tea and rose petals. I can even make a rose petal jelly and lick it off a man, if I wanted to.

      She turned to give Abaddon such a lecherous smirk that even a monster like him felt repelled. He did not allow his disgust to surface on his face, however, because this woman held a very real power within her being. A power that Abaddon Keys had been attempting to acquire for some time now.

      The woman’s name was Mad Maude, and she was a demon incarnate.

      Tactfully, Abaddon said, That sounds delicious, but it will have to wait until I conclude with the business at hand.

      What business? Maude laughed at him. Dreky has no business with you! When are you going to get it through that bald gourd of yours that he was just using you for his own ends? He never really meant to make you a demon. He doesn’t have the ability to do such a thing!

      Abaddon’s fists tightened at the revelation. He’d suspected as much, of course, but actually hearing it inspired him to violence. He still had all those captured souls trapped in his little dimension. Oh, how he enjoyed watching them suffer…

      As Maude went back to the rose bushes, Abaddon had another thought. He hadn’t known his demon’s name until recenty, and had been in the dark about the name ever since he first met the dark entity way back in the nineteen-fifties. And here was this old woman who looked two days away from being a homeless transient, blatantly mocking the demon’s name. Just how powerful a demon was she?

      You should refer to him as Drekavac, as is proper. Abaddon said, testing her.

      Oh, fuck him! Maude puffed. She turned and lifted the hem of her old dress high up, way high up, and revealed her pepper-colored and untidy pubic hair, while she used her other hand to spread wide her sex. Better yet, fuck me. I’ll make you a potion that’ll keep your pecker up for two months straight.

      I’m not in the mood.

      The old hag laughed. You don’t have to be. My potion will work regardless. She let go of her dress and made her way over to where Abaddon sat. In short order, she’d slid her haggard form over his lap and was reaching down to fondle his crotch. You’d fuck me if I was prettier, wouldn’t you?

      No. Abaddon admitted. You smell.

      So, I’ll take a bath and you can take it with me.

      The witch’s touch was starting to rouse him up, he noted with some distaste. She leaned her head closer to his ear, where Abaddon discovered that even her breath smelled foul.

      We can go somewhere and take a bath right now. She purred.

      Impatiently, but trying not to show it, Abaddon asked her, What about this other entity we’ve been waiting for?

      Oh, he’s already here. Maude replied.

      What? Where is he?

      He’s hovering about, to and fro. He’s been here for some forty-five minutes or so. I just didn’t feel like telling you about it until right now.

      Abaddon’s face tightened. He hated being toyed with, and here Mad Maude was toying with him, just as Drekavac had been toying with him before. He felt like shoving the old woman to the ground right at that moment and stomping on her head.

      She must have seen this in his eyes. You try it and I’ll bite your entire face off. Go on. See if I won’t.

      Abaddon knew he was getting nowhere. He had to change tactics. There’s a sauna in my dimension. You could get cleaned up there. We could go in there together.

      Well, why didn’t you say so? Maude had his cock in her hand by then. She began stroking its full length. I don’t have to look like this, once we get into your little hidey-hole place.

      Abaddon knew that demons weren’t bound by the same restrictions as humans were, not within his created dimension. Drekavac could be either human or demon there, and his five Nephilim, they could change from living trees into free-roaming monsters, if he dared to release them. Even Abaddon, with his limited powers, could create new bodies for himself there, provided the correct sacrifices of flesh were made.

      You would change your form, instead of staying the way your are? He asked.

      Of course I would. Maude released his hard cock and slid off his lap. I hate this body, but it was the only one available for me at the time. You tell me who you want me to look like, and I’ll become her. You like Marilyn Monroe, don’t you? Every man on this world likes Marilyn Monroe. How would you like to fuck her in that little sauna of yours?

      Is this before or after we finish with our business? Abaddon pressed.

      I’ll let you decide that, once you get a good look at me naked. Maude strutted away from the bench. To the bat cave!

      That’s what the old woman had taken to calling the remnants of his black cellar, Abaddon knew. He stood up, glancing around for any signs of the other demon, the one they had been waiting for all this time, but he found none. He knew this one’s name as well. It was Barbas, and it had some very important information for them.

      As he considered the demonic hierarchy once again, Abaddon used his long strides to cover the distance to the remains of the Grant House. Like Mad Maude, he too was headed for the ruins of the Black Cellar.

      2

      Brian Moore stepped into the crowded apartment in Chula Vista, not knowing what to expect. The first person to greeted him was a short and fairly fierce little woman who demanded to see his wallet. Only after she’d confirmed his identity did she allow him to pass. The second person he came across was a grinning Hispanic who shoved an open box of pizza at him.

      I’m Victor. The man introduced himself. That chick that just opened the door, that’s Eva. If she was a little bit taller, she’d be pretty hot, but as short as she is, she’s like a little angry midget.

      Eva eyed Victor with a deadly glare.

      See? She thinks she can intimidate me with that look. Victor poked Brian’s chest with the pizza box. Hey, grab a slice and follow me. I’ll introduce you to the rest of the gang.

      Uh, okay. Brian nodded. He’d been so worried about his son, and so tormented by the security people that had come for Patricia, that he’d neglected to eat earlier.

      Once Brian had taken a slice, Victor handed the box over to Eva. Here, short stuff, hold this for me.

      Eva grunted her refusal.

      I’ll take you into a portal with me, the next time we go in one. Victor teased her.

      Really? Eva suddenly looked excited. Don’t you fuck with me like that!

      I promise I’ll take you. Victor replied. As long as Doby says you’ll be safe there. You know I want to see you putting your moves in action, someplace where they don’t have those pesky little things called laws and jail to worry about.

      Eva showed a bright grin as she took the box. She turned toward Brian. What would you like to drink, Mr. Moore?

      A beer, if you’ve got any. Brian said.

      Then I will be right back with one. Eva walked away.

      Brian took a deep breath, as he took a few steps further into the living room and saw the handful of faces there. On a small couch was a very attractive and very tall woman with a large frog on her lap. Beside her sat Jason and Patricia, both of who did not look fully at ease in their present company.

      Hey, guys. Brian waved.

      With visible relief, Jason waved back. Hey, dad!

      Across the couch and opposite a small coffee table, sat a very pretty brunette with a ponytail. A few feet to her side, and close to Brian, was a fairly muscular and handsome man wearing a black leather jacket and jeans. This last man stood up to shake his hand, causing Brian to switch the folder he’d been holding under an armpit.

      Is it true that you nailed Satan with a lug wrench? The man asked.

      Brian looked over at his son.

      Jason nodded back. We told him some of the story, dad.

      Victor introduced them both. Brian Moore, meet Peter Martinez, also known as Scary Peter.

      Nice to meet you, I think. Brian shook the man’s hand.

      Sitting next to Peter is Dobrynia, my mentor. Victor continued. But you can call her Doby for short. Across the couch you’ve got Peter’s girlfriend number one, the very fine Colleen Worrell, who is a certified witch and who you can call Loli. On her lap is our resident dwarf hiding in a toad’s body. His name is Tekkin.

      A resident what? Brian asked.

      Dwarf, bubba, dwarf. The toad replied. Ain’t you people ever clean your ears? Why do I always end up having to say everything twice around you lunkheads?

      He’s crabby because he’s being punished. Loli informed Brian. For popping into bathrooms while people are taking a shower!

      Hey, I come from a liberated world. The toad protested. How was I supposed to know everybody on Earth is so uptight! That Doby babe doesn’t mind me watching her in the shower.

      A few heads turned toward her.

      Doby shrugged. In my world, we were taught not to be ashamed of our bodies.

      I am not ashamed of my body! Eva’s voice was heard booming out of the kitchen.

      Victor patted Brian’s shoulder. Trust me on this. If you hang out with us for any amount of time, you will see Doby naked. Just don’t try and cop a feel because she might end up breaking all of your fingers.

      With a serious look on her face, Eva walked back to hand Brian a beer. She’d also brought along a kitchen chair for him to sit on.

      Thank you. Brian said.

      You’ve already met our little spark plug, Eva. Victor finished off the intros. She is Peter’s girlfriend number two.

      Brian glanced at Loli, then at Eva, but neither of them seemed particularly offended by the admission. Last, he looked at Peter. You have two girlfriends and they both know each other?

      I consider myself a very lucky man. Peter nodded.

      I’ll say. Victor joked. I’m trying to set up a similar arrangement with Doby.

      You can go your way whenever you want. Doby said. I won’t stop you.

      That was a joke, babe. Victor told her, before facing Brian. Anyway, that’s the bunch of us. Have a seat, man. Take a load off.

      As Brian took his chair, Victor stepped away and sat down on the floor next to Doby. She didn’t seem to mind when he placed his arm on her lap, and right away, she began to smile and muss up his hair.

      Brian cleared his throat. So, uh, what’s the special occasion?

      That’s what we’re here to figure out. Loli leaned forward, pressing her breasts against the toad’s wide head and pushing his little party hat to one side. The toad didn’t seem to be bothered by this at all. Loli’s arm reached over to the coffee table, where she flipped closed the top of an open pizza box. Hidden behind the box lid was a large crystal ball.

      The toad began complaining when Loli straightened up. Aw, come on, guys! Let me have my dignity back! Don’t keep me looking like this forever!

      Loli glanced down at the amphibian on her lap. Have you learned your lesson?

      Yes, I have. The toad replied. I will never again pop into the shower while anybody’s using it. Well, not unless I’m sure they won’t mind.

      Loli looked at Eva, who shrugged with indifference.

      Okay, but somebody has to kiss you before you can turn back, just like in the fairy tales. Loli decided.

      That’s not fair, sister! Nobody wants to kiss an ugly old toad like me!

      Then you’ll just have to stay the way you are forever. She teased.

      The toad sighed, and began to amble about on Loli’s lap. I know Eva won’t do it and neither will you. Hey, Doby, will you do me the favor?

      Under the rules of the Valkyrie, I am forbidden from consorting…

      With members of the opposite sex. The toad finished off and frowned. Yadda, yadda, yadda. I know, you’ve told me a dozen times before. Well, I’ve got news for you, babe, those rules don’t apply on this planet so get used to it. The toad further shuffled around until it faced Patricia. How ‘bout it, toots? Please don’t make me ask one of the guys to do it. I’m begging you here!

      What happens if I kiss you? Patricia asked.

      I’ll turn back into my normal self. The toad grinned. I mean, I can do it now if I really wanted to. But I gotta respect the rules of the house here, too. That’s why I went along with the punishment in the first place. It was either that or I get kicked out of this apartment, and I really don’t want to go back to living on the street again. I just made these new friends. You know what I mean?

      I think so. Patricia admitted squeamishly.

      Eagerly, the toad hopped away from Loli, past the barrier of cushions Jason had set earlier and onto the pretty teen’s lap. Do me a favor and get this stupid birthday hat off my head, before I end up choking on its string when I turn back to normal.

      Okay. The girl said.

      Once the hat was off, the toad puckered up at her.

      Patricia glanced over at her boyfriend. Should I?

      I don’t know. Jason replied.

      You can’t go wrong if you kiss a frog. The toad smiled up at her.

      Still, Patricia hesitated.

      You’re on the right road if you kiss the right toad.

      Just do it already. Peter complained. Otherwise he’s going to start with the limericks!

      Oh, okay. Patricia leaned forward. She’d barely begun puckering her lips when the toad hopped up and kissed her.

      Patricia straightened up in a hurry, while the toad turned to face Loli. How ‘bout it, sweetcakes? That enough for you or are you going to be put me through even more humiliation than this?

      That’s enough. Loli smiled.

      The toad hopped off Patricia’s lap and over to an empty spot just past the coffee table. Ladies and gentlemen. He announced, and a second later he was no longer a toad, but a naked man of about four feet in height and with a smatter of grayish-black hair on his head. The dwarf has once again entered the building. Please, no autographs until after the show. Eva, honey-buns, can you direct me to where I might find my clothing?

      Come on. Eva left her chair and strode over to what Brian assumed were the apartment’s bedrooms.

      Don’t start without me. The dwarf pointed a finger at Loli. Matter of fact, let me grab a piece of pizza before it’s all gone. Tekkin snapped his fingers. A moment later, a slice was drooping out of his hand. He began munching on it as he walked away.

      Brian glanced over at his son and his son’s girlfriend, before he looked to Peter sitting beside him. You’ve got a very interesting bunch of friends.

      I’ll say. Peter agreed.

      It is the zombies that bind us together. Victor added.

      Zombies? Brian asked.

      Peter nodded. Well, most of us, anyway. Doby, Victor, the dwarf Tekkin and I, we were involved in the zombie massacre that took place in La Jolla a couple of months ago.

      Hey, I read about that! Jason cried out. It was on one of the tabloids!

      What do you mean by massacre? Brian asked. I thought it was just a couple of guys that got high on bath salts, who were going around taking bites at people.

      That was the official cover story. Peter explained. That they had to cordon off all of La Jolla because those two guys were running around loose. The real story, the story you didn’t hear in the news, is that some hot voodoo chick opened up a portal and released an army of Haitian zombies onto all the rich people.

      You’re telling me that an army of zombies invaded La Jolla, one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the country, and it made almost zero mention on the nightly news?

      Dad, it came out on the tabloids! Jason insisted.

      There’s a lot of stuff that doesn’t make the nightly news. Mostly because the public isn’t ready to deal with it yet. Peter nodded. The supermarket tabloids will publish the truth sometimes because it makes the people telling the real story look like idiots.

      So what happened to all the zombies? Brian asked.

      They got sent back to whatever voodoo dimension they came from. Peter said. It was an opening into a different time and space, just like what you and your kid, and the pretty girl over there went through.

      You mean there are more than just one opening like that?

      We call them Chaos Rifts. Peter nodded, then motioned over to his girlfriend. Loli, tell this guy what you’ve researched so far.

      Brian shifted his gaze over to the woman with the supermodel looks.

      They’re not as rare as you might think. Loli started. You’ve heard the odd story about someone talking a walk down the street. Suddenly they find themselves in the same place but one hundred years in the past. Or what about the clairvoyants, who can describe events that won’t happen for maybe a hundred or even hundreds of years in the future? I believe that a lot of these people either went through Chaos Rifts or found a way to look into them.

      Tell him what you found out about the navy. Peter insisted.

      There is a rumor that the Nazis were very close to discovering wormholes toward the end of World War Two. Loli said. And another rumor that the U.S. Navy was experimenting with wormholes during the Philadelphia Experiment in 1943. That was under Project Rainbow and later at Montauk Island as well. These wormholes are described as being a lot like the Chaos Rifts these people here have gone through.

      If I hadn’t gone through one of those rifts myself, I’d say you were all crazy. Brian stated. I’d hate for somebody to accidentally step into one of these things. Geez, that gives me chills!

      Doby did that. Victor said. That’s how she ended up here. And Tekkin went through one too, and now he has no idea how to get back to his world. But that’s not the worst part. Loli’s been wondering if our Chaos Rifts have anything to do with so many hikers missing in this country’s national parks. If they’re connected, then maybe these rifts are opening up just long enough for someone, or something, to be able to reach out and grab people and take them out of this universe.

      Brian gulped. People go missing in our national parks?

      Wearing a snazzy wine-colored vest over a black long-sleeve shirt and black slacks, and a black beret on top of his head, the dwarf came back into the living room. I’ve got my dancing duds on, fellas. How do I look?

      You look very handsome, Tekkin. Doby was the first to reply. I still don’t see why Eva got so offended over what you did, and why you allowed them to punish you in the first place.

      Eva had come

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