Andrea hesitated and asked, "if we join you then what happens next?"
"You'll hand over your weapon for safekeeping."
"I can keep up with my own weapon."
"You misunderstand. Palin here will seal the revolver into an evidence bag. If you back out of the mission or try to double cross us then he will process it as evidence and execute warrants for the arrests of you and your sister."
"And if we successfully complete the mission?"
"You'll get the gun back and Steve's murder case will be allowed to grow cold. So which will it be?"
Andrea and Janet locked eyes, each mirroring the unease of the other. Andrea knew she had no right to ask her sister to risk her life yet again, but the alternative seemed just as dangerous. Janet suddenly walked over to Andrea and clasped her hand, nodding almost inperceptibly. Tears of gratitude sprang to Andrea's eyes.
"We'll do it," said Janet.
Jagathy nodded approvingly and motioned for Palin to get the revolver. He was sealing it into the evidence bag when Jagathy swooned. Daksha rushed to his side and propped him up. She said, "We'd better get out of here. I don't know how much longer he can sustain the protective spell he cast around this building earlier. The forces of darkness grow stronger with the lateness of the hour."
A sudden cry of anguish from Dorian startled them. At first, they couldn't see what was plaguing him. Then the sound of sizzling flesh drew their attention to the tattoo on his arm. It began to smoke and blacken before taking on the glow of red-hot coals. Jagathy closed his eyes and murmured incoherently, extending his arms towards Dorian. In the next moment, all of the windows began rattling with such force Janet was certain that they would shatter.
"What's going on? Sounds like we're having an earthquake," Andrea shouted over the din.
Daksha rolled her eyes and glared at Andrea. "Don't be stupid. The ground isn't moving. Someone or should I say something is trying to get in here. Put the talisman around your neck and hide it under your shirt Janet. We're going to have to make a run for it. Stay close behind us and whatever you do, don't look up. Keep your eyes on the ground in front of you."
Jagathy spoke louder. Janet still couldn't understand what he was saying but the repetitive, sing-song nature of his intonations made it clear that he was chanting. They all took their leave through the front door, making a run for the black sport utility vehicle parked at the curb.
Oppositional as ever, Andrea couldn't resist the urge to look up. Her stricken eyes widened, struggling to process horrifying sight before them. Her mind ground to a halt, overloaded by the grotesque tableau unfolding around them. Janet grabbed her sister's upper arm, dragged her over to the SUV, opened the rear passenger door and shoved her inside, climbing in behind her.
Palin helped Jagathy and Daksha into the second row of SUV seats as Janet and Andrea climbed into the rear seats. The bulb of the street light illuminating their vehicle shattered with a loud pop that sounded like the report of a gun. They all reflexively ducked and nervously looked around, straining their eyes against the sudden darkness surrounding them.
Janet reluctantly leaned out and groped for the inside handle of her passenger door. She started pulling it closed when the door was suddenly wrenched from her grasp with such force that she was pulled off-balance. Janet began tumbling helplessly out of the SUV.
The acrid odor of sulfur assaulted her nostrils and stung her eyes as the talisman's chain sawed at the back of her neck. Janet's eyes began to water and she blinked frantically trying to clear her vision. Someone or something was attempting to pull the talisman's chain over her head as she fell.
Janet closed her eyes and held onto the necklace with her left hand wincing as it raked against her palm. She opened her tear soaked eyes and shrieked at the dim sight of the sidewalk rushing up towards her face, realizing she couldn't pull her right hand from the door as the weight of her tilting body pinned it there. Andrea acted reflexively, lunging sideways and catching her sister by the left arm.
She pulled her back inside moments before Janet's forehead connected with the curb. Janet pulled the door shut and leaned against it with her hand pressed over her heart. She was thanking her sister when a sudden thump against her window fractured the glass next to her head. Janet screamed, defensively throwing up her hands and ducking away from the door.
Outside, Palin felt his way around the front of the SUV with the fingers of one hand splayed on the hood. He moved beside the vehicle and was reaching for the driver's side door when unseen hands shoved him backwards into the path of an oncoming truck. He shouted and leapt forward slamming up against the SUV as the truck passed within a hair of smashing into him.
Palin hurriedly climbed into the driver's seat, slammed the door, threw the SUV into gear and shot off away from the curb. Janet nervously glanced towards the rear windows and did a double take, her eyes widening with horrified disbelief as a dark form rapidly pursued the vehicle, seemingly growing in size on approach until it blotted out the window.
Is that thing flying? It suddenly collided with the back of the SUV, rocking them forward in their seats and shattering the glass inward. Again, the overpowering stench of sulpher assaulted their nostrils. Palin sped up and swerved, weaving around the slower vehicles until the creature was dislodged. They were fortunate that there were very few cars on the road.
Janet gasped and looked over at her sister. Andrea appeared to be oblivious to the attack. She sat huddled in her seat, staring into space repeatedly shaking her head in disbelief. Janet anxiously turned back towards the rear windows and was relieved to see only cars behind them.
She sank down in her seat and waited for her heart rate to return to normal. She couldn't seem to stop shaking. They merged onto the highway, leaving the storefronts of downtown St. Louis behind. The group rode in silence, comforted by the whisper of tires against the road. At length, Andrea spoke up.
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