Records’ Keeper

chapter Eleven

Beast

I watch her from my spot in the kitchen. She’s laughing at something Hawk’s wife says. She seems to find her funny. I notice that Brooklyn makes Summer laugh often.

I watch the way Summer moves while cradling her arm. She’s being very cautious of moving it wrong. She reaches for a cookie Twin’s wife tries to hand her. Her brow pinches slightly as she leans back in the barstool.

Climbing up from my seat, the room suddenly goes silent. It does that whenever I enter or move too quickly. I don’t let it get to me.

“They fear you,” the demon taunts. “Show them why they should fear you. Start with that bitch of a baby mother of yours.” I stop walking as I shut my eyes to quiet the voice in my head.

The demon laughs. “Let me out, Gabriel. Let me free.”

“No,” I growl.

The voice laughs as it drifts away.

“Beastie, are you well?” Maksim asks.

I open my eyes. Everyone is looking at me as if I’m losing my mind. I feel as if I am. I don’t reply to him. Instead, I go to the kitchen sink and pull the first aid kit from underneath. The room goes back to chatting again. I take out some pain meds and then go over to the fridge. After grabbing a bottle of water, I take it over and place it and the pills in front of Summer.

“Thanks, babe,” she says with a smile, and then it quickly is replaced with a frown. “I meant, Gabriel.”

I never thought hearing her use my name would hurt as bad as it does right now. When she called me Beast the other day, I thought I would lose my mind. I wanted her to call me Gabriel. But hearing her use the endearment and then take it back, I no longer wanted her to use Gabriel.

I don’t know how long I stand there in front of her trying to calm the rage inside me.

“The bitch toys with you. Cut off her skin and wear it in front of her.”

Pressing my hands to my head, I try to shove the demon out.

The moment I feel a soft touch on my arm, I open my eyes. She’s touching my elbow. She tugs at the arm. I drop both hands back down to my side. Summer threads the fingers on her good arm through my fingers. Her thumb rubs the back of my hand soothingly.

“Brooklyn, I’ll send you the oil I used for my stretch marks. It worked wonders,” Summer goes on to say as if her simple touch isn’t doing something I haven’t been able to do since she was shot. She’s quieted the demon.

Without removing my hand from her grasp, I glance around the room. Maksim is standing closer to me now. Apparently, Priest had also entered the room. He looks at Fem. She glances over at him. They have a quiet conversation with their eyes without speaking one word.

The entire time, I stand beside Summer’s chair as she holds my hand.

I’ve almost completely zoned out, when suddenly Lucien rushes into the kitchen.

“I did it,” he announces, looking frazzled. “I broke into the hard drive. I know who the records’ keeper is.”

It’s been a full seven days since we broke into Pope’s house and found that lock box. Lucien has been frantically trying to crack into that hard drive. It must have been locked down tighter than a military base.

“Fucking, finally,” Priest grumbles. “Who is it?”

“Cardinal Jefferson ‘Gutter’ Watson.”

Priest chuckles, but it isn’t a funny laugh. “Grab Seth,” he tells Lucien. “Beast, you and Maksim come with me.”

“We should grab Zel too,” Lucien adds. “We can use some eyes up high.”

I agreed. We didn’t need any last-minute surprises like the last time we went out. It took Lucien three days to wipe all the cameras completely. The news talked about the incident but had no viable footage of it. The Church did a supreme job of cleaning up the mess the disciples made.

Even two days ago when I went to grab Summer’s clothes was a messy day. I lured those disciples behind the building and next to the trashcans, then let my Bowie do the work. I tossed the bodies in the dumpster and then called a clean-up crew before I left. I searched the web every day to make sure there was no sign of the event anywhere. So far, nothing has come up.

Before long we are cruising the streets in the black Suburban we got after trading in the minivan. I’m sitting in the second row. My hand still tingles from where Summer rubbed it.

“You alright?” Priest’s voice has me looking up from my hands in my lap.

“Yes,” I answer. “I’m capable of doing my job without you holding my hand, Priest.”

He watches me for a long moment before holding his hands up in surrender. “Fine, I won’t hold your hand.”

He turns to face the front of the SUV. The car goes back to silent.

“But if it was Summer,” Seth says from the back seat.

I turn to glare at him. However, he and the rest of the group laughs. In the past, this would have bothered me.

I don’t like people laughing at me, but I get the joke now. Seeing how all my brothers have softened for their women lets me know that even though they are cracking on me, they understand my actions. I’ve watched them all bend over backwards for their significant others. I’ve even seen the calmness and serenity they get being in their girl’s presence. Especially Seth. They aren’t mocking me to be cruel, but out of love.

So, instead of getting angry, I turn around in my seat and go back to staring at my hand. Her touch is no longer present, but the warmth is still there.

Not long after, we pull up to a high-rise apartment complex. Before getting here, we stopped at the building across the way to let Zel out. Closing my door behind me, I scan the street around us. Nothing looks out of place, but I pay attention to all the cars parked near the front of the building. They are all vacant and there are no work vans anywhere around.

Priest walks up to my left adjusting his jacket. “Are you sure Lucien got the cameras on loop?”

Seth pulls out his phone and looks down at something. “Yep, we’re all clear,” he says replacing the phone in his pocket.

“Good. Beast and I will take the elevator up. Seth, you and Maksim wait about five minutes and take the stairs.”

“Got it,” Seth replies.

“Zel, you keep your eyes open and let us know if anything looks out of place,” Priest says leading the way into the building.

We break off once inside. Priest and I go to the elevator leaving Maksim and Seth in the lobby. We make it to the top floor and then march down the hall toward the Cardinal’s apartment.

I didn’t have many dealings with Cardinals. Most of the people at the Church wanted as little interaction with me as possible. I didn’t blame them. I do know that the Cardinals tend to get soft in their later years. Being so far removed from the fieldwork of Deacons, it made sense they weren’t as sharp as we were. However, I also know that once a killer always a killer. It’s like riding a bike. So, by no means will this be easy. Which is why the moment Priest, and I stopped in front of the door, I pulled out my weapon.

Priest puts his ear to the door and listens. He gives me a subtle head shake letting me know he didn’t hear anything. He then steps back and reaches into the pocket of his suit jacket to retrieve two sharp tools. He sticks them both in the lock and starts to fiddle. It takes him less than three seconds to jiggle the handle and for it to click. Replacing his tools in his pocket, he pulls his gun out his back holster.

Slowly opening the door, he steps into the apartment with me on his heels. It takes only seconds to realize no one is home.

“The place is empty,” he says out loud for the others to hear.

“I say we wait it out,” Zel replies. “Lucien has recent footage of him still using the place as his main residence. He’ll come back.”

“I agree with, Zel,” Seth adds and from the way his voice echoes you can tell he’s in a stairwell.

Priest looks around at the apartment. It’s obvious the place is occupied and judging by the empty wine glass on the side table, he’s been here recently.

“Alright, we’ll wait.”

Before Priest could finish his statement, I hear footsteps outside the door. Placing a finger to my lips, I turn in the direction of the door. An older man with dark blonde short hair and brown eyes steps into the apartment carrying a paper grocery bag. The moment he spots us, true fear crosses his face.

“Hey, Watson. It’s been a while,” Priest says.

Watson drops the bag sending vegetables and canned goods across the floor. He takes off running. I follow.

“He’s on the move,” Priest’s voice comes through my earpiece. Cardinal Watson looks over his shoulder as he fires a shot at me.

“Gun,” I shout to Priest as I easily dodge the barrage of bullets.

Watson goes to the elevator and jabs the down button. However, I guess he realizes that it would never get here in time before I catch him. He shoots at me again, slowing down my pursuit as I have to dodge being shot. The bullet lodges in the wall near my head.

He takes off around the corner. Picking up my pace, I round the corner but quickly jump back as another bullet comes flying in my direction.

Peeking my head around the side of the wall, I notice he’s running again. I take off after him. He looks over his shoulder, eyes wide in fear.

However, he’s not paying attention and runs smack into Seth who has just emerged from the stairwell. Watson falls to the ground, his gun hitting the floor and sliding away.

“Well, hello, Cardinal.” Seth sneers down at him.

“You are no longer a member of the Church. You have no authority here,” Watson spits out at Seth.

Seth snorts before pulling his gun out and pressing the barrel to Watson’s forehead. “You think I give a fuck about your protocols?”

“Easy, Seth,” Priest says, stepping up beside me.

Watson looks over his shoulder and glares at Priest. “You never did have control over these mongrels.”

Priest smiles. “I’m going to make this simple. All you have to do is answer a few questions and we will be out of your way. That’s not too hard, is it?”

“I’m not telling you shit,” Watson snarls.

Priest laughs. “Oh, you will tell me. You won’t be happy about it, but you will tell me. Get his ass up.”

Seth grabs Watson off the floor and hauls him to his feet. He shoves him in the back and Watson falls into my chest. He looks up at me and cringes before stepping back. Seth grabs his arm and drags him back to the apartment. Once inside we shut the door. Seth pushes Watson down onto the recliner in the living room.

Priest takes a seat on the end of the coffee table right in front of him.

“I always knew you were Luca’s lap boy. I should have known you were his records’ keeper. You two rode each other’s dicks so hard I was always amazed neither of you got pregnant.”

Watson’s top lip pulls back showcasing his teeth. “Don’t you speak our Pope’s name. I know you had something to do with his death. Even if this excommunication order wasn’t already in play, I would have made sure the truth was revealed.”

Priest chuckles. “You think I killed my brother?”

“Half-brother,” Watson snarls. “He told me how your mother was a whore.”

Priest tilts his head to the side. It’s the only tell he has when he’s beyond pissed.

The smile on his face contradicts how I know he really feels. “I’m going to let that remark pass only because I know how your day is going to end. I’m still on the fence on which son I’ll let finish you.”

Watson’s eyes balloon once again when he looks over at me. He thinks I’ll be worse than Seth. I most likely will, but Seth won’t be a day in the park.

“I won’t tell you anything,” he declares, lifting his chin higher.

Priest leans back and pulls out his cellphone. He clicks a few buttons, and it starts to ring with a FaceTime call.

“You found him?” Albany says as soon as she answers.

“Yep,” Priest replies. “He’s all yours.” He flips the phone around.

Watson shoots up from his seat when he realizes who is on the other end of the line. Maksim shoves him back down in the chair.

“This can’t be. She’s dead,” Watson shouts.

“Surprise,” Albany laughs. “I’ve been resurrected. Now, Watson, an excommunication order was signed on my husband and his sons. Who signed the bill?”

Watson shakes his head. “I don’t know.”

“You do know,” Albany argues. “You were there the day it was signed.”

He scoffs shaking his head. “You don’t know anything. A record keeper doesn’t sit in on meetings of the Pope. That’s not how that works.”

“Then tell me how it works?”

He shakes his head again. “I’m not telling you anything. Your skills won’t work on me.”

They all say that. Everyone likes to believe that Albany’s talent will never work on them. They think they are immune. They are always wrong.

“You’re right,” she sighs. “I’m sorry Priest, but I don’t think he’s going to crack. You’re going to have to find the copy of the EO to figure out who signed it. Watson is just too loyal to Pope to give us anything.”

“Maybe we should start looking here,” Seth says.

“No, I think we should check his office at headquarters,” Priest adds.

The entire time they are talking, Priest keeps the phone facing Watson.

“I would never hide important documents in my home,” Watson laughs as if we are all idiots. “You are wasting your time here. And if you think you will be able to waltz into Church headquarters—”

“They’re at his house,” Albany says cutting him off.

“Wait, what?” Watson looks confused.

Albany groans over the phone. “Men are idiots. You never corrected me when I said there was a copy of the EO. If I were wrong, you would have proudly pointed that out just like you did when I mentioned you being present. The moment Seth mentioned your house you started to panic. It was subtle, but it was in your eyes. In fact, you looked to the right. I’m not sure what’s over to his right, babe, but you might want to check there first.”

The entire room turns toward the large framed picture on the wall. I don’t know why everybody uses pictures to hide shit.

“You also gave yourself away when you told us you wouldn’t hide anything at your home,” Albany finishes. “Cardinal Watson, thank you for your assistance.”

Priest turns the phone back around and smiles into the screen.

“You know my dick gets hard every time you do that.”

The sound of Albany’s soft chuckles fills the room. Seth makes a gagging sound.

“Yeah, well you hurry up and bring that hard dick home and maybe I’ll let you touch my tonsils again.”

Priest’s face turns red before he ends the call and tucks the phone in his pocket. I won’t lie as if the thought of my cock in Summer’s mouth doesn’t flash in my head. I miss the way her mouth felt wrapped around my length. It wasn’t the only thing I missed about her.

“You know, there is a lot of fucking in that house. I’m starting to get jealous,” Maksim pouts.

“You and me both,” Zel adds into the earpiece.

Priest stands from the coffee table ignoring Zel and Maksim. He walks over to the picture and takes it down. To no one’s surprise, a safe is hidden in the wall. It’s a fancy one that will require a retinal scan.

“We’re going to need his eyeball,” Priest says over his shoulder as he places the picture on the ground.

Without thought, I pull out my knife. Place a hand to Watson’s chest and with the tip of my blade under his right eyeball, I shove forward. Watson howls in pain and thrashes against my hold. The eye falls forward. I use the knife to cut the tendons before tossing it to Priest. He catches it but looks down at it horridly.

Watson continues to cry out in pain.

“We could’ve just taken him over to the safe.” Maksim points out.

“Admittedly,” I shrug. “I didn’t think of that.”

Priest turned back to the retinal scan and placed the eyeball against the device. It beeps as a red light scans the eye and then it turns green. He tosses the eye over his shoulder. It flies toward Maksim, but he quickly moves out of the way to dodge it.

Priest opens the safe and sitting inside are stacks of paper. He brings the papers over to us separating them out between us.

I flip the pages in my hand before coming to a crisp white sheet with the official seal of the Church.

I read the paper out loud. “By decree of Pope Luca Otella, it is thereby set forth that Priest Nathaniel Otella, Deacon Killian Hawk Walker, Deacon Hiroshi Zel Tanaka, Deacon Luciano Seth Twins Gramble, Deacon Milo Many Beckett, and Deacon Gabriel Beast Taylor are henceforth no longer members of the Church. They have been excommunicated. Anyone found harboring or aiding them will be punished. Set price of excommunication is ten million per head. Signed into effect by Elliot Joseph Corbyn, Franklin H. Smith, Samuel Mason O’Cleary, and Dominique J Katz.” I finish.

I hand the paper over to Priest who quickly scans over it before passing it to the others.

“Damn, ten million for each of us?” Zel says through the earpiece. “They weren’t playing about wanting our heads.”

A strained laugh comes from Watson. “There’s nothing you can do,” he says as he holds a hand over his bleeding eye. His voice is weak and frail, and he can barely hold his head up. He won’t last long.

“The bill has been signed by people more powerful than you will ever know. I’ll die peacefully knowing you will finally get what you deserve, Priest.”

Priest turns to face Watson. He laughs. “The funniest thing about of all this, is that you believe you will die peacefully.”

The smile on Watson’s face falls immediately.

“Have your fun, Seth,” Priest says without looking at Seth.

Seth rubs his hands together. “This is going to hurt, Cardinal. It’s going to hurt a lot.”

Maksim, Priest, and I make our way over to the kitchen. Priest places the document down in front of us.

“What are we up against, Sim?”

He shakes his head before answering. “I think we all knew Corbyn’s name would be on this document. However, I don’t think it’s wise to go after him.”

“Are you still trying to protect your father?” I ask.

Maksim glares at me. His eyes narrow and darken. “I’m going to let that dumb ass comment pass, little brother. If my loyalty isn’t clear to you by now, let me know?”

Priest holds up a hand. “No one is questioning your loyalty, Maksim. You’ve proven it.” He then cuts his eyes over to me. “Right, Beast?”

“Why do you want to wait to go after Corbyn?” Loyal or not, I wanted the answer.

Maksim rakes a hand over his head. “You’re underestimating him. No matter what you think you have planned, he is prepared for you to come for him. Corbyn has more money, more guns, and more allies than you. It would be pointless to take him head on. Especially without the backing of the Church.”

I nod, content with his answer. It wasn’t going to stop me from going after him in the end, but that was my battle with Corbyn.

Watson’s screams break through our conversation. I glance back into the living room to see Seth chop off one of Watson’s fingers and then stuff it in his mouth.

I turn back to the document in front of me.

“What about the other names on this list?” Priest asks Maksim.

“The most alarming name I see is Dominique Katz. He and Corbyn disagree about everything, so it's strange he'd agree to sign this bill.”

“How much of a problem is he?” Zel asks over the earpiece.

“His pockets are deeper than Corbyn’s which means he has the means and time to defend himself. He has trained men around him just like Corbyn, I’m talking military special ops trained.”

Not promising records’ keeper, but still nothing will keep me from making sure my family is safe.

Watson’s scream cuts into my thoughts once again. I turn to see what caused this one. Seth is now slowly carving something into his chest.

“An amateur,” the demon snarls. “He sent an amateur to do the job you’re more qualified to do. You should check the kitchen drawers for something to pull his spine out of his back.”

“Beast, what are you doing?”

Priest’s voice brings me out of my haze. When I come to, I’m looking through the cutlery drawer. I slam it closed causing the silverware to clink together.

“Get out of my head,” I growl.

The demon laughs at my request. Once I gain control, I open my eyes to find Priest and Maksim staring at me. Priest narrows his gaze before turning to Seth who is still working. When Priest turns back to me, he studies me for a second longer.

“Hey, Seth,” Priest calls out without taking his eyes off me.

“Yeah,” Seth replies.

“Wrap it up. We need to go.” Priest says nothing else as he goes back to the document.

“So, who do we go to first?” Priest asks.

Maksim looks down at the bill once more before answering. “O’Cleary,” He points to the name Samuel J. O’Cleary on the paper.

“We’ll have Lucien track him down and find the best way to approach him,” Priest says taking the paper and rolling it up before sticking it in the inside pocket of his suit jacket.

We walk into the living room where Seth is sitting on the table watching the life slowly drain from Watson.

“All good?” Priest asks.

Seth stands and wipes his blade off on the arm of Watson’s chair.

“Yeah, I’m good.” He replaces his blade in his holster.

Priest makes a call to the cleaning crew as we head out of the apartment.

When we make it back downstairs to the lobby, Priest stops me right as we walk outside.

“I know you want to know why I didn’t let you kill Watson.”

I scratched my chin. Until now, I didn’t want to think about it.

He goes on to say. “That thing in your head, do you trust it enough to let it roam free yet?”

I look away from him. “No.”

“Did it come out while we were standing in the kitchen?”

“Yes.”

Priest nods. “We’re going to figure this out, Beast. First, we’re going to handle this EO shit, and then we’re going to get your mother’s voice back.”

I dip my chin to my chest as if I’m agreeing, but deep down I know it’s a lost cause. There is only one way to silence the demon.

It laughs in my head. “ You’re too pussy to ever do that. Don’t make idle threats, Gabriel.”

“Come on,” Priest says tapping my arm. “Let’s go grab Zel and get out of here.”

As he turns, a familiar whistling sound hits my ears. I shove Priest to the side and step back. An arrow comes flying and landing in the concrete where Priest was once standing.

“Archer,” I shout. “Seth, get to the truck.” I don’t have time to check and see if he listens, because I take off for the lobby of the apartment building. I’m a little too late as an arrow narrowly misses my arm, cutting into my flesh.

A second after I’m under the awning of the apartment, Priest joins me.

“Fuck, that came out of nowhere,” he says checking my shoulder.

“I’m good,” I tell him. “Zel, do you have sights on Archer?”

“No, he’s on top of the building. He had to be waiting there since we got here. He hasn’t been in any of the cars that pulled up.”

“We are getting swamped out here,” Maksim shouts. Glancing back toward the truck, I can see the many arrows puncturing the vehicle.

“You said he’s on our roof?” I ask Zel.

“Yeah, I think so.”

Turning around, I stomp back into the building.

“Beast, where are you going?” Priest shouts.

I don’t answer as I stop the first person I see. “Where is your maintenance elevator?” I growl.

The man carrying his small dog shakes as he points around the corner. I march off leaving him there. I find the elevator and climb in. Pulling my gun out of my back holster, I take the safety off. As soon as the doors open, I step off ready to fire. However, I don’t see anything. The top of the building is open except for a few large air conditioner units. I use the first one as a shield as I peak around the other side of the building. That’s when I spot Archer.

He came in after us. Many other priests tried to duplicate the magic that Priest had. There were so many blind recruits the year after Hawk came in, it was crazy. However, most failed because they couldn’t understand the real reason we were as successful as we were. It had nothing to do with our gifts but more to do with the man that raised us.

Archer is blind in one eye, but he turned out to be a decent recruit unlike most others they brought in. He’s nowhere near as talented as Hawk though.

Archer’s back is to me as he rapidly fires off one arrow after another. It reminds me of one of the superheroes my son likes.

Before I can aim my gun, Archer turns around with an arrow docked and fires straight at me. I duck behind the metal unit before I get hit.

“Beast is that you?” he calls out. “Why don’t you step out of the shadows. Let me get a good look at you.”

Slowly, I glance around the air unit. An arrow comes whizzing by again as I slide back to avoid getting hit.

“Beast, I need you to get me a clear shot,” Zel says in the earpiece.

“Where are you?” I whisper.

“To the left of that large green square thing.”

I move to the other side of my unit and peek around to see where Zel is. I spot a flash of light reflection. We’ve used the technique before. Zel usually holds up a mirror and reflects it off the sun so we can find him.

“Alright,” I say. “I’ll draw him out.”

I listen closely trying to find where Archer is.

“Archer,” I say once I don’t hear him. “We don’t have to do this. I’ll come out.”

It’s silent for a moment, and then I hear the slight sound of gravel underneath feet right on the other side of the unit. Seconds later, Archer rounds the corner, his arrow docked. I only have a split second to react as the arrow flies clipping my ear.

I move fast, knocking the weapon out of his hands. Archer drops down and sweeps my legs out from under me. I stumble to the ground falling on my back. He does a backwards flip heading toward his weapon. Getting back to my feet, I pull my Bowie out and toss it in his calf.

He groans as he stumbles to the ground. I march over to him and grab his leg. He turns to the side and there is a small object in his hands. Too late, I realize what it is. The small dart launcher shoots off, hitting me in the chest.

I stumble back before yanking the little dart out of my chest. The moment I pull it out, I start to feel woozy.

Archer gets to his feet and charges at me. Even though the vision of him keeps getting blurry before clearing up, I can see him well enough. As soon as he’s close enough I reach out my hand and grab him by the throat. He pulls out a small blade and slices at my arm.

I groan. “Fuck.”

I toss his ass to the ground a few feet away from me. Immediately, my world becomes more and more blurry.

“You feel that?” Archer asks rolling to his side. “It won’t kill you, but it’s enough tranquilizer to knock your big ass out.”

I stumbled once again. I have to prop my hand up against the air unit to keep my balance.

“I’ve been…..poisoned,” I say out loud knowing someone in my earpiece will here.

“Stay put, we’re on our way, Beast,” It’s Seth’s voice I hear in the earpiece.

Archer leaps up from the ground and charges at me. His shape is too blurry to make him out completely. He yells as he draws closer.

My vision clears long enough to watch the bullet from Zel’s rifle blow a hole in his head. It’s the last thing I see before I go crashing to the ground. Only one thing crossed my mind. Summer.