 
The Princess and the Gates of Hell

By

Steve Wharton

SMASHWORDS EDITION

*****

Published by:

Steve Wharton on Smashwords

Copyright 2013 Steve Wharton

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this free ebook. Although this is a free book, it remains the copyrighted property of the author and may not be reproduced, scanned, or distributed for any commercial or non-commercial use without permission from the author. Quotes used in reviews are the exception. No alteration of content is allowed. If you enjoyed this book, then encourage your friends to download their own free copy.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblances to persons, living or dead, or places events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are products of the author's imagination and used fictitiously.

CHAPTER ONE

Lucifer had not heard from Barbados for three days, his temper was being felt all over hell. He summoned Allocen a Duke of hell and Astaroth the Grand Duke of hell, when the two fallen angels reported to Lucifer he started to scream and yell at both of the Dukes. He wanted the head of the slayer and he wanted it now. "I don't care how you do it but make it happen and now." Lucifer yelled at the Dukes.

Before either of the Dukes could say anything to Lucifer, Lilith came barging into the throne room. "Lucifer, what is wrong with you, you have let my husband die, if you cannot handle the problem I shall take care of it myself. I want revenge for the death of Satan."

"What do you mean the death of Satan? I sent Barbados with two legions of demons to prevent that. I am waiting for the report from him now."

"One of my husband's minions returned to me this morning and told me of his death at the hands of the slayer. You have failed to protect him."

"Woman, watch your tongue, this is my realm, I will not tolerate your insolence. Now leave, I am working on this problem."

Lilith turned and stormed out of the throne room. She went to her abode and sent two of her minions to find and have Regina, Amy, Marchosias, Enepsigos, Naamah and Vepar come to her. She wasn't going to wait on Lucifer to solve the problem; with the help of the six other fallen females she would stop the slayer.

The six fallen females arrived at Lilith's abode and she welcomed the females and said, "I have summoned you here to work out details on how to put a stop to the slayer. Lucifer has failed to protect the fallen. My husband Satan was one of the last fallen to meet his fate at the hands of the slayer. The slayer must be stopped!"

Regina spoke, "What can we do, if the males can't stop the slayer what hope do we have?"

"The wrath of a female has always been stronger then the hate a male has we should be able to lay out a plan to seduce the slayer, and either bring him to our side or kill him ourselves." Said Lilith.

The female fallen all nodded their heads in agreement. Take some time and come up with an idea that we can use. We must all be in agreement as to how we proceed. Let us meet back here in two hours and set our plan and then put it in motion.

The fallen females all left Lilith and were already thinking of a plan.

Lucifer wanted to put an end to the slayer and would go to any length to stop him. He tasked Astaroth to ensure that all of the fallen had at least one legion of demons around them at all times. He then tasked Allocen with determining who the next fallen would become the target of the slayer. After dismissing the Dukes he summoned Mehen, Lucifer spoke, "Mehen I have a task for you that is most important, I want you to find out who the slayer is, do not try to confront him. I want to know all the information about who the slayer is and all that surround him. I want to know what his weakness's are. I want a way to defeat him."

"My lord and master it will be done, but I caution it will take time for find the information you seek." Replied Mehen.

"Do not toy with me Mehen, I know you have sources in many places. Use whomever you need but I want answers and I want them soon. Now leave me and return to me soon with the answers I seek."

Mehen departed from Lucifer and called upon his head minion Cimeries. "I have a task of the most importance for you Cimeries. You have the use of all of my legions; I want you to find out who this so called slayer is. I do not want you to do anything that would make him attack you. I want to know everything about him, do not fail me or you shall pay the price of your life should you fail."

"Master I shall find the slayer and report to you."

"Go make haste and return with the information."

Cimeries was going to enjoy this task he had not been used to find anyone or anything in centuries. He would use all of his resources to find the slayer and deliver him to his master. His resources in the human world would be of use. His first contact would be with his informant in the FBI.

*****

Robert Allen had just turned in for the night, he had a rotten day and was exhausted from a day that saw him getting called on the carpet for failing to submit the reports from his last case. He was ready to retire and was looking forward to the next two months to pass to complete his twenty years with the bureau. He had just laid his head on his pillow when Cimeries appeared in his bedroom. "Robert my old friend, it is good to see you." Cimeries said.

Cimeries, I haven't seen you for a long time, what can I do for you?" Robert said but was thinking, now what can he want. I don't need him around now.

"I am in need of your services; I want you to find someone for me?"

"Who would that be?"

"He is known as the slayer other then that I have no information except this list of my people that he has killed. Included in the list are the locations of where he killed them."

"How soon do you need this?"

"As soon as you can find the information."

"I will need time I am working three cases right now."

"Robert, you have lived well off of my generosity, I would hate to take all of that away from you."

"Cimeries please allow me some time, you have not given me much to go on, I will put this at the top of my list but I need time."

"Very well I will give you some time but do not delay, I need it as fast as you can or I will suffer a fate from my master. But before I suffer you will suffer a worse fate." Cimeries disappeared and left Robert to just say "Shit."

When Robert arrived at his office the next morning he logged on to his computer and pulled up the travel data base, he typed in the query giving only the location traveled to. He did not have a time frame so he put in the last six months; he started the query and let it run in the background while he went about his day on his three active cases. Robert checked back in after lunch and noticed that his computer had completed his query on travelers and when he pulled up the results he was astonished to see there were just over 2 million travelers to the query. He started another query on the data that had come back and wanted just people who had traveled to all of the destinations in the last six months. He would let it run and maybe he would have a better idea on who Cimeries was looking for.

*****

Lilith summoned Cimeries to her chambers and said "Cimeries I need you to perform a task for me. If you provide the information I seek I shall take good care of you."

"What do you require my Queen?"

"I need you to find out who this slayer is, He killed my husband and I seek revenge, all I need is who it is."

"My Queen I can do this for you, and my price is not to high."

"What is your price Cimeries?"

"My Queen I seek only to keep the slayers head."

"That is fair, you provide me the correct name and you can have the head."

"It shall be done my Queen."
CHAPTER TWO

Ryan was enjoying his down time, the battle against the seven princes took a toll on him. The loss of Maria and her return was one of the lowest and highest times of his life. Over the last three weeks he had taken Maria sailing and they traveled for fun and had really enjoyed each other's company. But the time was coming that he had to return to work. The idea of returning to the battle against the fallen was something he was actually looking forward to. Ryan knew that the battles would be getting harder as the fallen that he was fighting would be stronger then the last one.

Ryan walked out to his shop and looked at the figurines he had cast during his down time. He was surprised that as each of the last seven cast's came out as a female. Fighting a female would be his worst fear as he was raised to never hit a woman, but a fallen really didn't fall into the category of a woman.

Ryan picked up the first of the female figurines and het was hit with the name of Lilith, the first bit of the information he received in his mind was she was the wife of Satan and she was referred to as the mother of demons. The information on her say's she is a fallen of the night searching out infants to kill them, she seduces men so she can use them into propagating demon sons. Her home base of operation is what is known today as south eastern Iraq. Ryan went back into the house and found Maria,

"Maria, I need you to find out as much as you can on a fallen female named Lilith. I jotted down some notes on what I received on her. Please find out what you can."

"I know a little about her, but I will find out everything I can."

"Thanks babe."

Several hours later Maria came to Ryan and told him she had what she could find. "Hon, this is a strange female fallen listen to this, Lilith possesses the powers of the Mesopotamian gods plus the occult powers derived from her degeneration into a demon, specifically a succubus. She has superhuman strength, stamina and durability. She has vast knowledge of magical lore and the ability to tap into and manipulate the dark forces of the universe, she is said to be the mother of all vampires."

"Vampires? Do they really exist?"

"Vampires do exist but not as portrayed in the movies, they are not bats or anything like that, they kill their victims and drain their blood and drink it. The don't have fangs to suck the blood off of people. They are just humans who drink blood."

"Thank god for that I wasn't ready to start fighting some mythical creatures."

That evening the same delivery driver arrived at Ryan's house and delivered a package for him. Ryan opened it and inside were plane tickets to Kuwait City, along with reservations for a car rental and hotel reservations in An Nasiriyah It also contained all the information on where to locate Lilith, along with information on Regina, Amy, Marchosias, Enepsigos, Naamah and Vepar all said to be at Lilith's beck and call.

Their flight was scheduled to leave at six the next morning. Ryan went back to his shop and checked all his weapons and ammo and sealed the boxes and called the number for the shipping company. In less than an hour the delivery driver showed up to pick up Ryan's boxes and ship them to his hotel.

The next morning Maria and Ryan were on a plane headed for Kuwait City.

*****

Robert checked his query just before he went home for the night. He found that the travel query had produced a list of twenty-one names that had traveled to all of the destinations that Cimeries had provided him. He reviewed the list and no one really stood out, there were Arab's, European and American names. There was nothing that he could do to reduce the list of names further. When Cimeries returned he would provide the list to him. Robert sent the list to his printer, when it was done printing he pulled the list off the printer and put it in his coat pocket and left for the night.

Robert was getting ready for bed when Cimeries appeared in his home. "Robert have you found anything yet?"

"Yes I have a list of names for you and there is no way for me to make the list any smaller. It contains twenty – one names, that's the best I can do."

Cimeries said, "That is less then I had expected, if I need you again I will contact you." and Cimeries was gone.
CHAPTER THREE

Cimeries contacted Mehen and provided him the list that Robert had given him, after Mehen left Cimeries contacted Lilith. He provided her the list of names. He told both of the fallen angels that the slayer was on this list but he could no get it down smaller. Cimeries went about his business knowing that he was going to be well taken care of by both of them.

Mehen reviewed the list of names and address for them and he decided he would send one hundred minions to each person and kill them all. Mehen called his legions and gave them their orders to find the names on the list and kill them. Once he sent his minions out he would receive a report from each group once their task was completed.

The killing of the names on the list began almost within the hour. By the time two hours had passed fifteen of the names on the list had been killed. Because the killings took place all over the world no one had put together the fact that they had all been travelers that had all been to the same locations that Ryan had been to. By midnight all but five groups of the demons that Mehen had dispatched to do his bidding had returned. He waited somewhat patiently for the remaining five groups of demons to report.

One by one the remaining groups sent a demon back to Mehen to report that their target was traveling and they were trying to locate them. Mehen was furious that they could not be found. He departed and went to see Cimeries, "I need more information, My minions tell me these five names are traveling again, I need to know where they went."

"Of course I will find out as soon as possible, I should be able to have the information by tomorrow."

"You better or you won't like the end results."

Cimeries departed from Mehen and went to his FBI contact, Robert Allen. Cimeries found Robert asleep in a chair with his TV on, Cimeries kicked the chair to wake Robert up. He stirred a little and Cimeries kicked the chair again and said, "wake up Robert I need your services again."

Robert woke and pulled his gun not realizing it was Cimeries standing before him. Cimeries took the gun from Robert's hand before he could fire it.

"Now is that any way to greet a friend?"

"Sorry I was still in a wakeup fog and didn't realize it was you. What do you want?"

"Don't get snappy with me, remember I own you I would be glad to send you to the bowels of hell."

"I'm sorry it won't happen again."

Cimeries handed Robert the list of the five remaining people and told Robert that he wanted to know where they had traveled to and he wanted the information right away, and he would wait for it.

"Cimeries it is going to take me a couple of hours to get the information."

"You don't have a couple of hours."

"Let me see what I can come up with."

Robert sat down at his computer and typed in the commands to check the five names that Cimeries gave him. It took about thirty minutes to get the answers, one went to Rome, one went to Turkey, one went to Orlando and two went to Kuwait. Robert took the results from the printer and handed them to Cimeries who took them. Before Robert could say anything Cimeries was gone.

Cimeries made the trip back to his world and found Mehen and provided the update information of the five travelers. Mehen immediately dispatched his minions to the locations.

*****

Ryan and Maria landed in Kuwait and picked up their rental a car and drove to their hotel. They checked in and went to get some lunch at the hotel restaurant.

"You know Maria I am struggling with this assignment, I was raised to never harm a woman. It seems as though that all of the fallen one this time are going to be females."

"I understand that but remember that these fallen are evil and have turned their back on the lords way. They are not what I would call a woman. They finished their meal and Ryan spotted a demon at the front desk, to the desk clerk the demon looked like any other human. Ryan said to Maria, "we may have some company look at the front desk."

"I don't see anything out of the ordinary, just some man."

"Babe that man is a demon, sorry I forget you can't see them in their true form."

"Do you think he is looking for you?"

"I would almost bet on it."

"How would he know we are here?"

"Now that is a good question that I intend to find the answer to."

They watched as the demon went to the elevator and saw he was joined by ten more demons. They got on the elevator and Ryan watched as the floors clicked off and stop on the seventh floor.

"Looks like they stopped on our floor."

"What do we do now?"

"Give them a few minutes to check our room and then I am going up there and put an end to them."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Stay here and keep the dagger close, if anyone wants to start any trouble with you, use it."

"Ok I will, but please be careful."

"I will babe."

Ryan got up and walked to the elevator, he pressed the call button and when the elevator doors opened he stepped inside. He had the elevator to himself so he called the Angel sword to him, the sword appeared in his hand and he made ready to use it. The elevator reached the seventh floor and he got off the elevator he walked to his room and found the door ajar. He pushed the door open the rest of the way and stepped into the room. He spotted the ten demons talking and he said, "Can I help you?"

The demons looked at Ryan and started towards him. Ryan held the sword behind his back so the demons could not see it and when they got close enough to Ryan he brought the sword up and cut the head off of the three closest demons. The remaining demons tried to stay back from Ryan as they did not want to meet the fate of their brothers. Ryan moved closer to them as they backed up and swung the sword and killed two more demons. One of the demons decided to leap at Ryan and he easily side stepped the leap and brought the sword down across the demons neck and watched as the demons head rolled away from its body until it erupted into flame and disappeared.

Ryan kept himself between the door and the demons so they would have to go thru him to escape. As each demon tried to move to the door he would cut the head off of that demon. There was only one demon left and it was the one that he first saw at the front desk.

"Who sent you? Answer me and I may let you live."

"My lord Mehen sent me, we are to destroy you."

"Why is that?"

"Because you are the Angel slayer."

"Well guess what, I also slay demons," and Ryan brought the sword around and cut the demons head off.

Ryan put the sword away and went back downstairs to rejoin Maria, as he stepped out of the elevator two things caught his eye. First the delivery man was there with his boxes and he also saw a large group of demons outside the front door of the hotel. He signaled Maria to join him as he walked to the delivery man.

"Sir come with me I want to put my boxes in my car."

"Very well sir." The delivery man said.

The three of them went to the elevator and rode down to the parking garage. They walked to the SUV that they rented and the delivery man placed the boxes in the back of the SUV. Once all the boxes were loaded Ryan tipped the man and he started to open the boxes. He found the MAC-10's and loaded them, he took ten extra magazines for the two assault rifles and placed them in the front seat of the SUV. He closed the back of the SUV and he and Maria drove out of the parking garage and move slowly towards the group of demons still at the front door of the hotel. Maria stopped the SUV in the street and Ryan yelled,

"Hey you ugly old boys, here I am come and get me."

Maria sped away and Ryan watched as the demons took chase after them. Maria reached the outskirts of Kuwait City and drove into the desert and the demons followed them. They had gone about five miles into the desert and because the speed she could safely make allowed the demons to start to close in she stopped the SUV and she and Ryan got out and moved to the front of the SUV. Using the bulk of the SUV as cover, when the demons were in range both Maria and Ryan opened fire with the MAC-10's

Although Maria didn't like guns she was a good shot and working with Ryan she was becoming an expert shot. The two of them were dropping the demons like flies, by the time they had reloaded for the third time there were only a handful of demons left. They decided that they had had enough and turned and fled. The demons decided that they would go back and report to their master Mehen that they had found the Angel Slayer but had not been able to kill him. They would need help.

Ryan and Maria got back into the SUV and Ryan told Maria to head to Babylon. That was the first place he wanted to start looking for Lilith. He was pretty sure there would be clues there.
CHAPTER FOUR

"The site of the ancient city of Babylon is now known as Hilliah in what we now call Iraq. There isn't really a lot of the old city left, wars throughout the century's have destroyed most of what was there. What do you think we can find there?" Asked Maria.

"I'm not really sure but all the information we have says that Lilith was prominent in this area. It says she was all but a god in Babylon, There has to still be some reference about her."

When Ryan and Maria arrived at the ruins of the old city of Babylon they were surprised to see just how little of the city remained. They spoke with some of the locals and they told them that the site of what was the summer palace of the president is where the old temple use to be. The palace was now open to the public for tours, an old man told them for a few Dinar he would show them a tunnel that led to the remains of the old temple. Ryan pulled a Twenty dollar bill out and handed it to the old man and he took them to a spot about a quarter mile from the old palace. There he showed them a small cave and he went into the cave followed by Maria and Ryan.

The cave was dark and damp and Ryan took the small penlight he carried and turned it on. Inside the cave there were many drawings on the walls, Ryan was surprised that archeologists were not swarming the cave. The old man told them that the locals kept this place from the government to preserve their history. The went deeper into the cave and came to a tunnel that was smooth walled and looked like it had not been used in hundreds of years. They followed the tunnel for what seemed like miles and it finally opened up into a large cavern. The walls of the cavern again were covered with drawings and as Ryan and Maria were looking over the drawings when Ryan found some drawings that were about a woman. He called Maria and the old man over and he asked the man about the drawings. In broken English the man told them about the Queen that lived in the temple, her name was Lilith. The old man told them legend said she was an evil Queen that had many men to help her have many children.

Ryan listened intently as the man continued telling about Queen Lilith. After about an hour of the history lesson the old man showed them the entrance to the temple remains. The old man told them he would not go into the temple and he would leave them here. Ryan took out another two twenty dollar bills and handed them to the man. The old man thanked him and turned and left back the way they had came.

The entrance to the temple was an old stone door that had not been opened in a very long time. Ryan was surprised at how easy the door opened, Maria and Ryan moved thru the door and into another tunnel that again was smoothed walled but was void of any kind of markings. They followed the tunnel for several hundred feet and it opened into a large room filled with old pottery that was still intact. There was a set of stairs carved into the rock that led up, they climbed the stairs that seemed to rise about fifty feet and they entered into what appeared to be sleeping quarters. All of the furniture was in pristine condition and the bed looked like it had been recently used. The hairs on the back of Ryan's neck stood up indicating that there was someone there that was either a demon or a fallen.

"Ryan whispered to Maria "we are not alone, I can't tell if it is a fallen or demon yet."

They quietly moved closer to the opening that entered into the sleeping quarters, standing there was a female fallen and a male demon. They were discussing some list of names. The female was demanding who else had the list. Almost everyone on the list she said had been killed. There were a few names that had not been located yet. The female was threatening to kill the demon if he continued to lie to her. The demon pulled out some papers and handed them to the female. "One of the people on this list is the slayer. We just have not been able to find him as yet. We think he is somewhere in this area. The name on the list is Ryan Simpson, also I have provided a copy of this list to Mehen he has had his minions tracking down everyone on the list and killing them knowing that one is the slayer."

Hearing the term slayer and then his name made Ryan listen more closely hoping to find out who the two were.

Cimeries said, "my Queen Lilith, I have not lied to you, you never said I could not provide this list to another and Mehen has done you a favor by killing most on the list. He has made it easy for you leaving just a few names left alive. Killing the slayer should be easy now."

"Cimeries do not toy with me, if the slayer is not on your list then I will do to you what I would do to the slayer."

"I understand my Queen, I am sure that the slayer is on this list and that he is here in this area."

"Then I will call my minions to finish off this slayer. Now go and let me take care of my business.

Cimeries left Lilith and when he was gone Lilith headed deeper into the temple and entered into what looked like the throne room followed by Ryan and Maria. Ryan and Maria stopped just short of entering the throne room and found that they had a excellent hiding place that gave them a clear view and allowed them to hear every word that Lilith spoke.

Lilith summoned her head demon and dispatched him to contact Regina, Amy, Enepsigos, Marchosias, Naamah and Vepar and to have them come to her temple right away. She would pass the information that she had received from Cimeries about the slayer. Together they would combine their minions and kill the slayer. When all of the summoned female fallen angels arrived at Lilith's temple they convened a meeting in the throne room and Lilith was the first to speak.

"My sisters I have called you all together to lay out a plan to kill the slayer. Cimeries gathered a list of names that would contain the slayer, he also provided the list to Mehen who has killed all but five of the names on the list. Based on the information I believe the slay is one named Ryan Simpson. I also believe that he is here looking for another fallen to kill. I would suggest to you all that he is here to kill Mehen who was known to have a temple in this area. Killing the slayer would go a long way to all of us advancing in the realm of Hell. Lucifer would be indebted to us and would give us anything we asked for."

"How can we hope to stop the slayer seeing what he has done to some of our male counterparts and their minions?" Amy asked.

"That is simple my sister, the slayer won't suspect that we females are attacking him. He would suspect the minions of Mehen, leaving us with the effect of surprise of the attack."

"My Queen how many of our minions do you think we will need?" Asked Marchosias.

"If each of us committed five legions that should be more than enough to find him and kill him."

The female fallen Angels all nodded in agreement, the combined forces would easily find and destroy the slayer. Lilith instructed the other fallen to have their legions arrive tomorrow and they would be assigned to a search area. Once the slayer was located they would sent word for all the other legions to join them and attack all together. No human could withstand a total almost one hundred thousand demons.

Ryan and Maria looked at each other and frowned. Ryan motioned to head for the door that they had entered and they slowly made their way out of the temple. Once outside of the temple and stared at each other, Maria finally broke the silence between them.

"What do we do now? There is no way we can stand against a force that big." Maria said.

"I'm at a loss right now, we can't go back to the hotel and try to plan, the other demons know about it and we can't stay here and try to plan anything. We need to find some place safe."

"Where would that be?"

"Right now I don't know but we have to find somewhere."

The two of them followed the cave back out to the desert surrounding old city of Babylon. The old man that showed them the cave was wandering around the cave entrance and he walked up to Ryan and Maria.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" The old man asked.

"You could say we did." Ryan responded.

"So you found the entrance to the ancient temple then?"

"Yes we did. Is there another entrance to the temple?" Ryan asked.

Yes but it is hard to get into the temple from it, it is always guarded by the Queens men."

"How many guards there?" Ryan asked the old man,

"There are usually 4 but sometimes there are six."

"Would you show us the way there?"

"Follow me I will take you to the base of the of the mountain, from there you are on your own."

The old man started out walking towards the low mountain range that Ryan saw off in the distance. They covered almost three miles when the old man stopped and pointed to the small mountain, really more of a large hill.

"The entrance is between the two points. You can see the entrance from either one without being seen."

Ryan dug into his pocket and handed the old man a five hundred Dinar bill and thanked him. Ryan looked at the two hills and picked the southern one and motioned for Maria to follow him. They climbed almost half way when Ryan spotted two demons guarding what looked like the entrance to an old house built into the side of the hill. He pointed at them and made sure that Maria saw them.

"I have an idea, I think we can blow the entrance here after I take out the guards."

"I only see two guards, the old man said there were usually four."

"We will have to get a little closer and see what is there."

Ryan slowly started to move closer to the two guards and had covered a hundred feet when he spotted the two other guards. He motioned for Maria to stop and take cover in the brush that was on the hill. Ryan removed the Marlin from case and set it up where he had a clear view of all four of the guards. He sighted the Marlin in on the farthest guard. Ryan checked the distance and wind and rechecked the sight. Ryan placed the cross hairs of the sight on the demons head and squeezed the trigger of the Marlin.

Ryan watched thru the scope as the bullet traveled the distance to the first demon. The bullet hit the demon and its head exploded. Ryan shifted his aim to the next demon and repeated the process again. As soon as he fired he shifted his aim to the third demon. Just as he squeezed the trigger again the sound from the first round being fired reached the remaining demons. The third demon looked in horror as the first two demons fell to the ground and burst into flames.

The bullet struck the third demon and Ryan shifted his aim to the fourth demon and he squeezed the trigger again. The last demon tried to take cover but was not fast enough as the bullet struck it in the chest and the last two remaining demons burst into flames. Ryan watched thru the scope to see if any more demons would come outside because of the sound of the rifle. Satisfied that no other demons were coming out Ryan told Maria to stay hid and he grabbed the pack of C-4 explosive and the detonators and started for the entrance to the temple.

Once he reached the entrance Ryan started to place the charges around the entrance and the surrounding rock of the hill protecting the entrance. Once he completed the task of placing the charges he armed the detonators and headed back to where Maria was waiting for him. Half way back he stopped and pulled out the radio transmitter from his pack and set off the charges. The explosion from the charges rocked the area around the hills protecting the temple entrance and rock started to fall burying the entrance to the temple.

Ryan turned and made it the rest of the way back to Maria. When he reached her he turned and looked for the entrance of the temple and all he could see was rock covering the entire area where the entrance was. He looked at Maria and smiled and said, "I don't think they will be using that entrance for a while. Now I think the next step is to go back to the cave find Lilith and then set charges inside the temple and blow it then blow the entrance to the cave as well."

Ryan went to the back of the Hummer and pulled out two of the nine millimeter pistols and some extra clips for the guns. He packed the small backpack with C-4 and the detonators for the plastic explosive. Once he had everything he would need he headed for the cave entrance.

"Maria I would like for you to stay here and guard the Hummer and all of our gear in it. I don't want anyone from the village thinking we just left it and then take everything."

"I'll guard it with my life."

Ryan made his way back to the cave entrance and crawled back inside and reached the entrance to the temple. He quietly and quickly entered the temple and soon found himself back in the sleeping quarters, he searched the bedroom looking for any clues or items that may be of use in the future.

Finding nothing that he felt could be of use to him he slowly made his way deeper into the temple. He searched each room in the temple in a couple of the rooms he found demons waiting for orders and he quickly dispatched of them with his pistol. Ryan was glad he had put the silencer on each of his pistols before he left the Hummer.

Ryan found a set of stairs that went down and deeper into the temple, Ryan followed the stairs down and they ended in another room that had an altar located at the front of the room. The altar was blood stained from years of use, Ryan suspected that they made sacrifices on the altar. Ryan spotted the hall behinds a curtain at the front of the room and started to follow it, he was about half way thru the hall when he heard voices and they were all female. It sounded like at least seven different females and they were all arguing about how to stop the slayer.

Ryan moved closer to the other end of the hall and he was surprised not to find any demons guarding the entrance into the room. Ryan kept close to the wall of the hall a when he reached the end of the hall he peeked his head around and counted seven females seated around a table and they were definitely discussing what to do about him. He heard them say they were going to commit five legions of demons each in an effort to find him. They were also discussing the explosion that had occurred a little while ago. They were sure the slayer was there.
CHAPTER FIVE

"What the hell was that?" Lilith screamed.

The temple shook and the entrance of the temple erupted with rock, dirt and dust as the entrance collapsed.

"The slayer must have found us and is trying to kill us." Naamah said.

"But how?" Vepar asked.

I was told he was in this area so he must have some information about this temple or he is not working alone. I want his head before Mehen finds him. I want our legions out there finding this slayer."

All seven of the female fallen tried to contact their minions but had no success in contacting them. They were making every effort to contact anyone outside of the temple.

The female fallen decided that they were on their own and would have to deal with the slayer with the minions that they had on the surface already. The females settled down when no other explosions occurred and began discussing how to defeat the slayer

*****

Ryan stepped around the corner and said, "I'll save you all the trouble of trying to find me, I'm right here."

"And just who are you?" Lilith bellowed.

"I am the slayer that you seek."

"If you truly are the slayer answer a question for me before I destroy you."

"Ask what you want I may or may not answer."

"What have we done to you, why are you killing all of my brothers and sisters?"

"I'll answer that one, you are a plague on the earth, you make false promises to human beings to get them to follow you which really means to follow Lucifer. The you collect by stealing the souls of the people. That is why I am doing what I am doing."

"Then know this slayer that I will end your quest for I am going to kill you."

Lilith stood up and somehow made a chair fly at Ryan and he easily side stepped it. The other fallen moved out of the way of the what was going to be a knock down fight between Lilith and the slayer. Lilith picked up the table and threw it at Ryan, Ryan moved to his right to dodge the table but it caught him on the shoulder and caused the shoulder to go numb.

Ryan knew Lilith was supposed to have superhuman strength but he didn't expect her to be this strong. Lilith leaped at Ryan trying to take advantage of the table hitting him. Ryan was shocked at her speed and when she landed she hit Ryan across the jaw knocking him back into the wall. While the blows from Lilith we starting to have an effect on him he was not to the point that he could not fight back.

Though Ryan had been raised never to hit a woman he realized that she was not really a woman but evil intent on destroying him. Ryan managed to get his feet between him and Lilith he pushed her off of him and he quickly regained his feet. Lilith charged him again, Ryan sidestepped her charge and tripped her with his leg and she slammed head first into the wall. Momentarily stunned Lilith turned to Ryan and showed fangs that looked like they belonged to a vampire. It was then that Ryan remembered it was said she was the mother of all vampires.

While Ryan and Lilith were fighting the other six female fallen managed to slide past the fight and ran down the hall and they headed for the entrance of the temple. They found that the explosion that they had felt earlier had blocked the entrance. Amy remembered that there was an escape tunnel in Lilith's bedroom. They ran for the bedroom and quickly found the tunnel and they escaped the temple and came out at the cave. Maria watch in shock as the fallen angels took flight and escaped from Babylon.

Lilith made another attempt at charging Ryan and she expected him to try to dodge her again and she altered her direction but Ryan was not there and she slammed into the wall again. She turned and shook her head trying to clear the stars in her eyes caused by the impact with the wall. She looked up in time to see Ryan's elbow come down across her head. The force of the impact of Ryan's elbow caused Lilith to fall to the floor. Lilith managed to get to her knees and looked at Ryan and saw the sword in his hands, her eyes widened as the sword came down and cut her head off. Her head rolled across the room and burst into flames as did her body. Ryan thought one down six more to go.

Ryan grabbed his back pack and started to place C-4 charges throughout the temple and started making his way out of the tunnel, about half way out Ryan placed more C-4 charges in the tunnel. Ryan finished placing the charges and made his way to the mouth of the cave. He detonated the charges just as he cleared the mouth. The ground shook under their feet and dust and dirt erupted from the mouth of the cave. After the dust and dirt settled Ryan re entered the cave and found the cave completely collapsed blocking any entrance or escape from the cave or the temple.

"Looks like that will take care of the temple now it will be a matter of taking care of the fallen." Ryan said.

"Now we have to find out where they will be all over again though."

"I don't think that will be hard, between the female fallen and Mehen looking for us I think we will find their location pretty quick."

*****

Maria and Ryan headed to Bagdad to find another hotel room that they could use as their staging place. Ryan needed to make contact with Jim and have more C-4 and detonators sent. By night fall they had a new motel room outside of Bagdad and Jim had been contacted, Ryan and Maria had their information and a map of the area laid out on the table.

"We seem to be pretty central to the locations of the other fallen's temples. The only one we need info on is going to be Mehen. I didn't figure on him being involved., I figured on this just being the female fallen." Ryan said.

"So where do you guess they might have gone?"

"That is the million dollar question. They could have gone to any of the temples they all seem to be within a few hundred miles from each other."

"Look at it from the bright side, if we pick one and they are not there then we destroy it and that's one less place they have to hide in."

"Good Point."

"Where do you want to start?"

"Well we have An Nukhayb , Al Jadihab, Chard, Nami, Balad or Simaria to choose from, they could be at any of them."

"What about starting with the farthest away and move in closer as we complete our search of each one."

"I like that idea it also keeps us moving back in if we need more supplies."

"Then it sounds like we start in Simaria."

"Let's get a good night of sleep and head out in the morning."

"I'm all for that."

They started the trip to Simaria after they ate breakfast and Maria was searching for information on Mehen as they drove. Maria searched for any information that she could find and she was coming up without much luck. The only thing she could say for sure is that he came from Egypt.

"I think we should not concern ourselves with Mehen right now and deal with him if we have to, I just cannot find anything about him."

"Ok but I want you to keep trying there has to be something more on him."

"I can do that."

The rest of the trip was made in silence as Maria was busy trying to find more information of Mehen and Ryan was thinking about how to deal with the female fallen if they were at this temple in Simaria. When they arrived at Simaria they set out to locate the old temple that belonged to Vepar. They concentrated their search in what was the ancient city of Amiar. The old city was destroyed when the wars in Mesopotamia had take place centuries ago.

The area around the ancient city had been extensively dug up by the government of Iraq. Many of the artifacts had been removed and placed in museums around the world. Ryan and Maria talked with many of the people that lived near the old city to find out anything they could tell them about the old city and Vepar.

They spent the next three days speaking with the elder's of the villages that were dotted around the old city of Amiar. The common item that they were receiving was there had been a small river that flowed about five miles north of Amiar and it was said that a small temple was there. Many digs had taken place in the area but nothing was ever found.

Ryan and Maria set out with a guide from one of the villages and led to the spot where it was said the river was. They searched for two days for any sign of the temple and were ready to give up when Maria found the remains a small well and when she told Ryan about it they concentrated their search around the well. It took another two days before they found what appeared to be a entrance carved into the rock in a small hill.

Ryan dug his flashlight out of his pack and shined it into the entrance and the light only lit up about twenty feet into the tunnel. Ryan decided he would take flashlight and two of his nine millimeter pistols and a couple of extra clips of ammo and belly crawl into the tunnel. The tunnel was just barley large enough for Ryan to crawl thru, many times his shoulders scrapped the sides of the tunnel. It was obvious that no one had been in this tunnel in years as cobwebs were all over the tunnel.

Ryan had crawled almost fifty feet when he heard voices he shut off his flashlight and moved forward as quietly as possible, he had covered another twenty feet and rounded a bend in the tunnel when the tunnel opened up to a large room brightly lit with steps leading up to a temple with double doors. Ryan laid there looking at the open room and it appeared to be a arena of some type. The steps leading up to the temple were blocked by a small wall. Ryan saw four demons at the doors to the temple and they were talking about something that Ryan couldn't make out.

Ryan pulled out one of his nine millimeter pistols, he was wishing that he had brought along one of the sound and flash suppressors. The sound of the pistol going off would be deafening in here. The shots to take out the demons was only around fifty yards and would be an easy shot. He would have to rapid fire the shots to take out all four demons.

The sound from the first round from the nine millimeter would be to Ryan's advantage as it would not allow the demons to pinpoint his location because of the echo but the fact that he was surrounded by the darkness of the tunnel would most likely allow the demons to find him by the second shot because of the flash of the shot.

Ryan took aim at one of the demons and squeezed the trigger, he shifted his aim before the bullet had covered the fifty yards and squeezed the trigger again. The first two demons fell to the ground and burst into flames and disappeared, one of the two remaining demons must had been scanning the room because he pointed to Ryan's location. It was the last thing he ever did as Ryan shot him in the head and he like the other two demons fell and burst into flame.

The fourth demon spread his wings and took off towards Ryan's location. Ryan hit him in the shoulder with his next shot and the demon screamed out in pain but kept coming at Ryan. Ryan took aim on the demons head and squeezed the trigger again and this time he hit the demon in its head and the demon fell from his flight and hit the ground. The demon hit the ground and burst into flames and disappeared.

Ryan watched the doors to the temple for a moment to see if any more demons would be coming out. When none appeared he crawled the rest of the way out of the tunnel and made his way to the rooms floor. He jumped the short wall that blocked the stairs to the temple doors and made his way up the stairs to the doors of the temple. He opened the doors and found the temple inside lit brightly. He watched for any movement but saw none.

Ryan moved about two feet into the temple when he spotted the red dot of a laser on the floor next to him. Ryan froze he thought about it for a second and he figured that either someone didn't want him here and had a laser scope getting ready to shoot him in the back or it was Maria trying get his attention. He guessed it was the later as if someone was going to shoot him they would not have warned him by allowing the laser to appear on the floor. He totally relaxed when the red dot started to spell out Maria on the floor.

He turned and looked up at the tunnel and he saw Maria standing on the ledge outside of the tunnel. Ryan caught the movement out of the corner of his eye and pulled out his nine millimeter again and snapped a shot in the direction of the movement. The movement of Ryan had startled Maria and she fell to the floor just as a demon flew over where her head had been. Ryan took more care aim with his next shot and the bullet hit the demon in the head just as it was turning to make another pass at Maria. The demon fell to the floor of the room and exploded into flames and disappeared. Maria got up and carefully looked around the room and she only saw Ryan standing at the temple doors. She made her way to Ryan and when she reached him she grabbed him around the neck and hugged him and kissed him. When the embrace was over between Ryan and Maria Ryan said, "We better search the temple and make sure that there are no other demons here of anyone else for that matter."

"That sounds like a good idea I really don't want any more surprises."

Ryan entered the temple followed by Maria and the quickly searched each room in the temple and found nothing, they met back in the main room of the temple and he looked at Maria and said, "I don't believe that this temple has only this main room and four smaller rooms, we had to have missed something.

"I agree let's search the temple again."

"Agreed but let's stay together, I don't want to get separated."

They began searching each room carefully, When they came to the second room Maria found what looked to be a door but there was no handle or anything that she could see that opened the door. She called Ryan over and he inspected the door. Ryan did not see any obvious way to open the door, he searched both sides of the wall looking for something hidden and didn't find anything. He tried putting all of his weight against the door but it didn't budge, he stepped back and wondered what could open the door. As Ryan examined the door and the area around it he saw the two sconces on either side of the door. He thought no it couldn't be as easy as what they show in the movies. He reached up to the right sconce and tried to pull it but it didn't move, he then tried to twist it and to his surprise it easily twisted to the right and the door opened.

Ryan turned and looked at Maria and said, "Is she Egyptian?"

"Not anywhere that I have found information says she is."

"Ok let's move in slowly and stay behind me."

Ryan had moved in about ten feet when he felt something give under his foot. He froze dead in his tracks and yelled "Freeze."

Maria froze where she stood. Ryan looked down and he saw that the block he was standing on and dropped about a quarter of an inch. "Damn it all to hell." He said.

"What is it babe?"

"I think it is a booby trap, I need you to go and find something really heavy back in the main room."

Maria turned around and ran back into the main room and started looking around for something heave and she found a big wooden chair. She tried to pull it but it was too heavy. She tried to push it and it slowly started to slide across the floor.

While Maria was gone Ryan inspected the trap, he really didn't see where anything might cause him harm. He guessed that when he stepped off the trap that something would come out of the walls or the roof and kill him. Maria arrived out of breath from pushing the chair. Ryan moved as slow as he could while Maria pushed the chair onto the trap.

Ryan pulled out a brick of C-4 and placed small pieces of it on the chair, he placed a detonator in each piece and slowly stepped off of the trap. He instructed Maria to back out of the hall and take cover away from the door. Ryan followed Maria and when he was clear he set off the detonators and parts of the chair flew out of the door. Ryan went back into the hall and found that metal spears had come out of the walls and the floor and the roof. The spears would have stabbed him all over his body. But now the spears blocked the hall. He got out the brick of C-4 again and pulled off more pieces and placed detonators in them. He stepped back out of the hall and detonated the C-4. When he walked back into the hall the metal spears had been sheared off creating a opening they could get thru.

They made their way past the spears and slowly moved to the end of the hall, there was no handle to open the door so he tried the sconces again first the right one and it did not move then the left it moved easily and the door opened. Ryan and Maria stepped thru the door and standing there with the ugliest creature Ryan had ever seen was Vepar.

"So you got past my trap, you are a sly one."

Maria spoke, "Ryan be careful that is a hellhound she has with her very dangerous."

"Vepar surrender now and pledge your loyalty to the Lord God and I will let you live."

"The lord Lucifer is my master and I will never again bow down to your god."

"The you shall die Vepar."

Ryan held up his hand and the Angel Sword appeared, Vepar brought up her sword to defend herself but she released the hellhound and she attacked at the same time. Ryan took the sword and swung at the hellhound, the last thing he wanted was the claws or teeth getting a hold of him.

The sword cut a long gash in the right arm of the hellhound. Ryan knew it was big when he first saw it but it stood over nine feet tall and Ryan knew he was going to have his hands full. While Ryan was more involved with the hellhound Vepar brought her sword across the back of Ryan.

Ryan winced with pain but kept up his attack on the hellhound. He swung his sword at the head of the beast and the sword just bounced off not have any effect on the creature. Ryan sidestepped the creatures attack and he hit it on the back with the sword. The sword cut a long deep slice into the beast. It let out a howl of pain and it hit the wall behind Ryan. Ryan stepped the wrong was dodging the beast and Vepar stabbed Ryan in the leg with her sword.

Vepar tried to bring her sword to bear again but Ryan blocked her swing and knocked the sword out of her hand. Ryan went to swing his sword at Vepar but the hellhound grabbed him and tossed him across the room like a rag doll. Ryan slid into the table in the room and caused him to shout out in pain. The hellhound move very fast for his size and covered the ten feet between them quickly.

The hell hound reached down for Ryan but he managed to swing the sword and cut the left hand off of the hellhound. The beast recoiled back in pain as it starred at spot where his missing had been. Ryan swung the sword at the beast's head but again it had no effect on the beast.

Ryan brought the sword around on the back swing and managed to cut the leg of the beast. It pulled back away from Ryan and tried to figure out how it was going to get it's claws or fangs into Ryan.

Vepar joined the attack on Ryan again coming in with her sword aimed right at Ryan's head. Ryan spun out of the way and sparks flew from Vepar's blade as it struck the concrete floor. The hellhound came at Ryan again and he swung the Angel Sword again only this time right at the beasts neck. The blade sliced right thru the neck of the beast cutting off the head of the beast. The hellhound fell to the floor, Vepar stood there in shock and awe looking at her hellhound. No one had ever come close to beating it much less succeeding at beating it.

Seeing that Vepar was in shock Ryan brought his sword up and swung it across the neck of Vepar. She tried to block the swing but was too late she stood for a few seconds before he body collapsed to the floor and burst into flames and disappeared.

Maria rushed over to Ryan and quickly examined him and found the cuts and gashes that the hellhound and Vepar had inflicted on Ryan, She tore pieces of cloth from her blouse and covered Ryan's wounds. Ryan said, "Let's put charges around this place and blow it." Maria just nodded.

Maria helped Ryan up and then helped Ryan place the charges in each room with a detonator that would be connected to a timer. Once back in the main room of the temple Ryan connected each detonator wire to the timer and he set the timer of one and a half hours giving them ample time to crawl back thru the tunnel. Half way out of the tunnel Ryan placed another charge and connected this one to a wireless transmitter and receiver, he would set this charge off once they were clear of the tunnel. When they emerged from the tunnel the light was almost blinding and the heat was oppressive. Ryan sat on the sand and said, "once I set this charge off that temple will be sealed forever. When the charges inside go off the temple will be lost forever and I suspect we will have one irate female fallen on our hands."

"The way I see it, it will be her loss and it will make it easier to find them."

"Do you want the honors this time?" handing Maria the wireless transmitter.

""I would love to."

Maria pushed the button on the transmitter and a large rumble came from the tunnel and dust and dirt flew out of the opening. It was just a matter of minutes before everything settled and Ryan loaded up their Hummer and then moved the Hummer a mile away from the entrance to the tunnel and they sat and waited for the next blast to happen. They didn't have to wait long before the ground started to shake, Ryan checked his watch and said "Right on time."

The ground continued to shake and Ryan and Maria watched as a huge dust cloud formed in the area they had just left. When the ground stopped shaking Maria started the Hummer and they drove back to the area where the tunnel was. They traveled about three quarters of a mile and had to stop. The blast in the temple had caused a large cauldron in the sand.

"How much of the explosive did you use?" Maria asked.

"Only about a pound in each of the rooms. I would guess that when the blasts occurred in each room they filled with the sand from up here causing this cauldron."

"Oh ok, sounds logical to me."

"I think we should head back to the motel and see if Jim's package has arrived yet., and decide where to go next."

"Great but let's stop and get something to eat, I'm starving, I also need to treat your wounds when we get back."

"Good idea I'm kind of hungry myself and you know me I make a lousy patient when I'm hungry."

They headed back to the motel and stopped for a meal on the way, by the time they got back to the motel it was after nine in the evening. Ryan opened the door and sitting on the floor was two box's, Ryan checked the box's and they were from his buddy Jim back in San Diego. Ryan opened each box and found another seventy five pounds of C-4 and detonator's. Ryan repacked each box and took them to the back of the Hummer and stowed them away.

When he reentered the motel room he found Maria busy at the computer trying to find out more information on Mehen, and it looked like she wasn't having much luck. Ryan told Maria to take a break and get some rest he was planning on going to Balad tomorrow it was about a four hour drive. If there is a temple there it would belong to Enepsigos. She was a fallen that was just pure mean, many believed that she was a male who just appeared as a woman. All of the information that Ryan had received from the figurine and what Maria had found convinced him that Enepsigos was a female.

Before Maria could she needed to take care of Ryan's wounds she cleaned them up and placed bandages over each gash and slice.

Dawn broke and it found Ryan and Maria already on the road to Balad. Maria was apologetic that she could not find any information about Mehen. Ryan told her not to worry about it he would contact Gabriel when it was going to be really needed. They completed the trip to Balad and headed for the outskirts of Balad where the ancient city of Assur was located.
CHAPTER SIX

Lucifer summoned Mehen to his chambers, and when he arrived Lucifer asked for an update on the slayer.

"My Lord I believe we have been able to identify the slayer, I believe he carries the name Ryan Simpson and he is currently in the old area of Mesopotamia. I believe that he has already destroyed two temples, one belonging to Lilith and the other to Vepar. It would appear that he is going after some of the female fallen. I have taken the liberty of dispatching a legion of demons to each of the remaining temples in the area that belonged to a female fallen."

"Finally someone who is using their head around here. Do whatever it takes and use as many legions as you need I want the slayer's head by the end of the week."

"My Lord, I used Cimeries our finder and I believe he has not only provided the information to me but to Lilith as well. She may be planning her way to kill the slayer and use it as something to force you into doing something for her."

"WHAT!!!!! I want to see Cimeries here right away. Did you tell him not to give the information to anyone else?"

"No my Lord, I did not tell him that."

"You fool, I should punish you the same way I am going to punish Cimeries."

"My Lord I meant no disrespect."

"Get me Cimeries and don't come back until I send for you."

"Yes my Lord."

Mehen went in search of Cimeries, no matter what Lucifer did to him he was going to do worse. He was going to regret the betrayal by providing the list to Lilith. Mehen burst into Cimeries living quarters and found him trying to contact Lilith. "Cimeries our Lord Lucifer wants to see you right away."

"Do you know why?"

"Yes for providing the information to both myself and Lilith."

"I did nothing wrong, why does he want to see me."

Our Lord Lucifer does not report to me about such issues, he will deal with you himself, now go."

Cimeries made the long walk to the throne room of Lucifer. "Master you wish to see me?"

"You fool how could you give the information that I wanted to Lilith?"

"Master I did not know you wanted the information, Mehen did not tell me that."

"Idiot everyone here knows I wanted the information and that I want the slayer's head, how could you be so foolish?"

"Master I am so sorry, I wasn't thinking."

"Your punishment will be to go to Lilith and protect her and the other females. If one of them is hurt you will die."

"Yes my Lord, it will be as you say."

"Now get out."

Cimeries turned and left the throne room and went to his living quarters and put together a few items he could use while on the surface. He contacted one of his legions and had them meet him at one of the seven gates of hell and follow him to Mesopotamia. He would not fail his master, he would protect Lilith and the others even if it meant his own life.

Cimeries met his legion of demons at the gate of hell located in Mesopotamia in the ancient city of Sumer, Cimeries instructed his legion to split into seven groups and go to the temples in the cities of Al Jadihab ,Uruk , Chard, Nami, Balad, Simaria and Babylon. The seven demons in charge of each group were instructed to report the moment they arrived at their temple and update Cimeries. It took less than an hour for two of the groups to report back informing Cimeries that the temples in both Babylon and Simaria had been destroyed and that the groups of demons had been sent to the other cities to help there.

*****

Ryan and Maria arrived in Balad to find that the temple was out in the open and not hid. It was still a active house of worship to Lucifer and Enepsigos. There were demons all around the temple and Ryan knew that he had his work cut out for him. The temple was set back in a small valley between the mountains. Watching the temple and scouting the area Ryan estimated that there was somewhere between three and four hundred demons at the temple. The area around the temple was rugged and remote and would make it easy to attack or to defend. Ryan and Maria climbed the northern side of the mountain and found a place that would be easy to keep hidden and yet easy to fire the Marlin or a grenade launcher from.

Ryan left Maria at their base on the mountain and he climbed back down and returned to the Hummer. Ryan opened the back of the SUV and pulled out the 444 Marlin and a grenade launcher. He packed up several hundred rounds for the launcher and a couple hundred rounds for the Marlin. He also selected a MAC-10 and filled several magazines for it. He then picked two nine millimeter pistols and several extra clips for each. He also packed several box's of ammo for the nine millimeters.

Ryan slid his arms thru the arm slings and lifted the pack off of the SUV, Ryan knew he would have to make at least two trips to get all of the munitions he wanted. The first pack weighed almost one fifty pounds. The trip back to Maria took almost an hour because of the extra weight Ryan was carrying. He slid the pack off and told Maria to empty it and set the items in the pack in groups of like items. He told Maria he would be back with another pack. The trip back to the SUV and back up the mountain took another hour. When Ryan returned Maria told him that another group of demons had arrived at the temple. She estimated that it held another two hundred demons. Ryan said "well they already know that we are in the area, but they probably don't know exactly where we are so they are going to try to bolster their defense's at all the temples for the female fallen, it will make it a little tougher to destroy the temples and the fallen."

"Do you think it will be like this at all of the remaining temples?"

"Yea this and worse. The closer we get to destroying all the female fallen, the more demons we are likely to encounter, but it won't change how we deal with them."

"That's good."

"Help me set up this camouflage netting it will help hide us as long as they don't come to close to us, then we can set up the bed rolls."

"You must plan on being up here for a while?"

"I think it will take at least a day to get the demons and the temple."

Ryan and Maria had finished setting up the camouflage netting and bed rolls and they were settling in for the long haul. Ryan took the binoculars and looked thru one of the built in holes in the netting when he spotted one of the demons coming their direction. Ryan pulled out one of the nine millimeters and screwed on the sound suppressor and took aim on the demon. If he got too close Ryan would have to shoot it. He hated the thought of giving away their position so quick. The demon flew with two hundred feet and turned away and Ryan watched as the demon returned to the temple.

Ryan settled back and explained to Maria what had just happened. Ryan told he that there seemed to be ten to fifteen demons at the temple entrance at all times, He didn't think that they would be able to keep the initial attack a quiet one. He decided to use the grenade launcher for the initial attack. He guessed that three grenades would do the trick.

Ryan picked up the grenade launcher and three of the grenades, he loaded the launcher and moved back to the hole he used with the binoculars. He took aim at a group of demons that were standing around the entrance to the temple. He fired the launcher bouncing the grenade off the wall so as to give the appearance that the grenade came from a different direction. The grenade rolled between the group of demons and they looked at the grenade not sure what it was. One of the demons started to reach down to pick it up when it went off and blew apart the group of demons killing all of them. While the first group was trying to figure out what the object was Ryan let a second round go quickly followed by the third. When the third one went off the remaining demons were killed. Ryan waited to see if more demons were going to come out from the temple.

Ryan waited for several minutes and nothing moved so he grabbed a couple more of the grenades and he fired again blowing the doors off their hinges. Fully expecting a response from inside the temple he was surprises when none came. Ryan picked up the Marlin and used the scope to look inside the temple, the darkness inside prevented him from see much. He set the Marlin aside and said to Maria, "I am going to try to climb above the temple and see if there is another entrance."

"Be careful you are going into unexplored territory."

"I will be I promise."

Ryan picked up the smaller of the two packs and he took the extra nine millimeter ammo as well as several hand grenades. He thought about taking the grenade launcher but decided the regular hand grenades would do. He took two of the four nine millimeter pistols. Ryan carefully slid out from the camouflage net on the side away from the temple entrance and started to make his climb. He slowly made his way up and back to his right keeping the mountain between himself and the entrance. Ryan climbed about sixty feet and he found a ledge where he could see the entrance and the top of the temple as well as the rear. Looking thru the binoculars he scanned the area and could not see anything that looked like an entrance or a place where demons had gathered.

The only thing that Ryan could see from above the temple was rock, the only good thing about this discovery is that meant that there was only one way in or out for the demons as well. The bad part of it was there was only one way in or out for him as well. Ryan slowly made his way back down the mountain following the same route down that he took climbing up. The trip up and back down the mountain took almost two and a half hours. When he slid back under the camouflage net he looked right into the barrel of a nine millimeter, When Maria saw it was Ryan she lowered the pistol and hugged him.

"I am so glad your back."

"Did something happen while I was gone?"

"Several of the demons flew up this way right after you left but I don't think they saw me or the hiding place."

Ryan moved over to the opening and looked out at the temple with his binoculars and he was shocked to see close to a hundred demons milling around the entrance looking up and pointing at several directions on the mountains.

"We may have visitors soon. They seem to be looking at several locations up the mountain side. They pointed in this general direction so we better be ready."

"What do you want me to do?"

"You take the MAC-10 and keep it close by, if anything breaks thru the netting shoot it."

"Ok I will."

"I want you to try to get some sleep before the crap hits the fan. I'll keep a lookout, we can swap in a couple of hours."

Maria just nodded and slid into her bedroll and tried to get some sleep. Though the sun had set it was still hot and made sleeping difficult. Ryan kept checking the temple entrance but saw no movement by any of the demons to leave the entrance. The good thing about nightfall was Ryan could use the grenade launcher and not have to worry about a flash from the barrel.

Ryan was glad that his binoculars were night vision, he could see the demons at the entrance and they seemed to be getting anxious about standing around. Ryan decided he would give them something to be anxious about. Ryan picked up the grenade launcher and he loaded it and sent one of the grenades flying. The grenade hit the floor almost in the middle of the group of demons. When the grenade detonated Ryan could hear the screaming of the demons and saw the light of many of them bursting into flames then fade away as the dead demons disappeared.

The demons were at a loss as to where the device came from and they took to the air to try and find the source. They circled for more than an hour but found nothing though they did come close to where Maria and Ryan were several times. Ryan sat back against the mountain wall and just sat there thinking about their next move. Ryan had estimated that there were several hundred demons and his two attacks had maybe killed thirty or forty. Ryan would let it settle down some more and then he would launch another grenade. Maria woke and asked "how long have I been asleep?"

"Maybe an hour and a half, while you were sleeping I fired a grenade down into the demons and it caused quite a stir. They flew up looking to see if they could find where it came from and got close to us a few times but nothing to worry about."

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"Like I said there was nothing to worry about."

"I want to be awake if you do it again, I want to be ready."

"Ok I think I am going to fire again in another half an hour or so. I want to let it settle down some more."

The settled back for a little while and waited for some time to pass. Ryan checked his watch and saw forty-five minutes had passed, he made his way back to the opening in the net and looked down at the entrance with the binoculars and he saw that there was no room for the demons to move there looked to be more than a hundred of them down there and they all had their eyes scanning the sky. It looked like they were determined not to let another grenade hit them without them seeing where it came from. Ryan looked above their vantage point and he spotted another group of demons circling the sky looking down.

It would be a little tougher firing the launcher this time they might see it pop out thru the hole. He doubted he could throw a hand grenade and make it to the temple entrance, so he discarded that option. He decided to wait a little while longer before launching another grenade.

Ryan looked to Maria and pointed to the sky indicating that there were demons above them. She nodded her head telling Ryan she understood. He pointed to his watch and held up one finger telling her it would be at least an hour before he fired again.

They settled back against the wall and Maria placed her head on Ryan's shoulder and snuggled in closer to Ryan. Ryan liked the feel of Maria snuggled in close to him. He knew that he had fallen in love with her a long time ago, but the feeling just kept getting stronger. He was just waiting for the right time to ask her to marry him. Ryan sat there for more than an hour snuggled close with Maria

Ryan gently shook Maria and told her it was time to look over the temple. She sat upright and Ryan moved over to the hole in the net. Ryan checked the sky and didn't see any demons flying around. He checked the entrance to the temple and saw the same large cluster of demons. Most appeared to be sleeping or in smaller groups talking. Ryan picked up the grenade launcher and loaded it then slid it through the hole in the net, Ryan aimed the launcher and fired it. He quickly reloaded and fired again. He pulled the launcher back inside the net and grabbed the binoculars he looked down just as the first grenade went off the second one exploded a few seconds later. Almost half the cluster of demons burst into flames and then disappeared. The remainder of the demons instead of trying to see where the grenades came from all ran into the temple.

Ryan picked up two more grenades and fired the launcher so the grenades would sail into the temple. He watched as the flashes from the grenades lit up the inside of the temple for a short period of time and Ryan saw what appeared to be flames dancing around just inside the temple. Ryan was sure that he had killed a few more of the demons.

"Maria start packing up the packs we are going down, time to storm the front entrance."

"Is that a wise thing to do?"

"I think so, it looks like the demons have taken refuge inside and it's time to flush them out."

Ryan grabbed the large pack and started packing it. It took them the better part of an hour to pack everything, Ryan took the large pack and put it on his back and helped Maria with the smaller pack. Ryan adjusted it and asked Maria if she could handle it. She assured him she could. They made the climb back down the mountain and made their way to the SUV. They emptied the packs back into the Hummer and Ryan started to pack the smaller pack with extra hand grenades and grenades for the launcher. He added extra magazines for the MAC-10 and the extra nine millimeter rounds and clips.

Once they had the pack loaded Ryan hoisted it on his back and they started out on the way to the temple. They rounded the corner into the valley where the temple stood and they stopped about one hundred yards away and hid behind some rocks. Ryan took out the grenade launcher and half a dozen grenades. Ryan loaded the launcher and stood and carefully took aim at the doorway. He squeezed the trigger and the grenade flew towards the temple. The grenade went right into the temple thru the doorway that once held the doors that Ryan had blown off earlier. He rapid fired the remaining five grenades and they followed the path of the first one.

Ryan and Maria ran closer to the temple and came to the bottom steps that led into the temple. Ryan handed Maria the MAC-10 and said, "as I clear a room in the temple take a position at the doorway leading into the room I just cleared make sure no one sneaks up behind us, if you see someone shoot it."

Maria nodded her understanding of her job, she was protecting Ryan's back. They started the climb up the stairs and when they reached the door Ryan pulled the pin on a grenade and tossed it into the room. Ryan pulled one of the nine millimeter pistols and charged the room. Just as he entered the temple he rolled onto the floor and lay flat on the floor scanning the room. He didn't see anything and rolled again to his right. He kept his eyes to the front only moving them as he scanned the room.

Ryan cleared the main room into the temple. He looked for other entrances but there was only a single door at the other end of it. Ryan moved towards the other door when it flew open and twenty or thirty demons came out of it. Ryan started firing the nine millimeter with deadly accuracy and the demons fell as fast as Ryan could pull the trigger. Ryan killed all of the demons that had come out the door, he pulled a grenade off of his belt and pulled the pin and tossed the grenade thru the open door.

When the grenade went off Ryan heard screams from whatever was behind that door. He pulled another grenade and repeated the same toss with the grenade. The grenade exploded a few seconds after he tossed the grenade. He charged the room behind the door and rolled onto the floor as he entered the room. He spotted a few demons and he quickly fired the nine millimeter, the demons fell to the floor as fast as Ryan could pull the trigger. Ryan reloaded with a fresh clip and continued to fire, when the last of the demons fell he had just one round left in the clip. Ryan called clear to Maria and she came to the door and took her position guarding the door making sure that no one demon or not would get by here.

Ryan scanned the room and found a single door, he turned the door handle and it opened easily. He peered down the set of steps behind the door, blackness as far as he could see. Ryan tried his flashlight and the darkness just swallowed the beam of light up. Ryan reloaded his nine millimeter with a fresh clip and removed the unspent round and placed it in his pocket. Ryan smiled at himself at that action knowing he still had tem extra clips left in his pants and backpack each clip holding fifteen rounds.

Ryan let the beam of the flashlight lead the way and slowly started down the stairs. Taking deliberate steps making sure he was making no noise he descended down the stairs counting each step he took, wanting to know how many steps in case he had to make a hasty retreat. When he reached the last step he had counted forty-three steps, the light shined at a closed door at the bottom of the stairs. He shut off the flashlight to see if there was any light coming from under the door. With the light out Ryan could see there was indeed light coming from under the door. He reached into his backpack and took out five hand grenades, he pulled the pins on the first two and let the pins fly he opened the door and tossed the two grenades in so they would roll about what he guessed was half way into the room. He pulled the next two pins and tossed them to either side of the room and then the last one back into the center of the room. Ryan was just able to step to the side of the door before the first two grenades went off seconds later the next two went off and finally the third. He heard some screaming for just a moment before the flames lit up both the room and the stair way before the flames faded.

Ryan stepped into the room and found nothing more than some burn marks on the floor. Ryan was in a bit of a pickle in this room, there were three passageways leading in different directions, he called Maria down and when she arrived he said, "We have a bit of a problem down here there will be four entrances you are going to have to watch or we just blow the temple here. I don't know how each passage goes or to where they go."

"What is your gut telling you?"

"We need to find the fallen she may or may not be here."

"Then let's do that."

Ryan picked the first passageway on the left of the room, he slowly started making his way down the hall being careful not to trigger any traps like were in Vepar's temple. This passage led to a door which Ryan opened and when he did he was rushed by demons. Ryan slammed the door closed and got ready to start shooting if they came out of the room. None tried to come out so Ryan pulled a grenade off of his belt and pulled the pin. He held the spoon tight in his hand until he grabbed the door handle. When he opened the door he let the spoon fly and tossed the grenade into the room and slammed the door closed. The grenade blew and Ryan heard screams from behind the door. He grabbed another grenade and repeated the process again. Ryan opened the door again and he found around thirty demons in various stages of death. He walked to each one and put a bullet in its head. He watched as the last demon burst into flames and disappeared.

Ryan checked the rest of the room and came to the conclusion that this was a bunk room for the demons. There were bunks set up all around the room and many were damaged or destroyed by the grenades. There were no other entrances in the room. Ryan made his way back to the main room and he told Maria what he had found. He then selected the next passageway.

He slowly made his way down the passage and came to another door at the end of the passage. He grabbed the handle and opened the door. Inside were three hellhounds chained to the wall, Ryan quickly closed the door and made his way back to the main room.

"Maria we have a problem there are three of the hellhounds at the end of the passage I just came out of, they are chained to the wall."

"That could be a problem, are there any other doors in the room?"

"I really don't know I didn't stay around long enough to check."

"What do you want to do about it?"

"I think maybe tossing in a couple of grenades and see what happens. I really don't know what kind of effect it will have on them but I don't want to have the grenades cause the chains to come loose and set them free."

"Maybe we need to check out the rest of the temple and then deal with the hellhounds."

"That sounds like a better idea than mine."

Ryan headed down the third passage and he found three doors at the end of this passage. One right in front of him and one each on the left and right side. Ryan left the door on the left as he felt in went back into the room with the hellhounds. The door on the right would be the first one he checked. He opened the door and found it to be a storage room. Things were all over the room just stacked on top of each other. They must not have heard of a box when this room was packed.

Ryan closed the door and shifted to the third door. He opened it and a sword came slicing across the doorway. Ryan jumped backwards as soon as he spotted the sword. He held his hand up and called the Angel Sword and it appeared in his hand. He rolled inside the room and came right up to his feet with the sword at the ready. Standing behind the door was Enepsigos with her sword in her hand. She was not expecting Ryan's next move as he charged her and swung the sword and put a slice in her leg.

She spun around quickly and blocked the return swing of Ryan's sword. They spent the next fifteen minutes thrusting and swinging at each other and blocking each other's move. They both were waiting for the other to make a mistake, the first one would to make the mistake would be the first to take a blow that might be deadly.

Enepsigos made a move to charge Ryan but her foot slipped on the floor and when Ryan made the move to block her charge he sword came down across he hand and cut it off. Her sword fell to the floor and she knew that she had been beat. Ryan told her, "Repent and turn yourself back to the Lord God and I will let you live."

"Never."

Ryan swung his sword and brought it down across the neck of Enepsigos and her head rolled away from her body. She burst into flames and disappeared. Ryan returned to the main room and told Maria of the sword fight and that he had beheaded her.

"Now I need to figure out how to deal with the hellhounds."

"Is there a chance the C-4 would kill them when we blow this place."

"There is a good chance it may, I think I may put a couple of bricks in that room. It will make one heck of a blast."

Ryan went to each of the other rooms and placed the C-4 and detonators. When he finished all the other room he took three full bricks of C-4 placed the detonators in them. He opened the door to the room that had the hellhounds and place the C-4 in front of each hellhound just out of their reach. Ryan left the room closing the door behind him, he made his way back to the main room where he connected the detonators to a timer and set it for one hour. Plenty of time to get out and get to the hummer and move way down range from the blast. The two of them headed back up the stairs Ryan with both nine millimeter pistols at the ready if they would be needed. The made it clear of the temple and as they started down the stairs of the entrance Ryan spotted thirty or forty demons circling the temple. Ryan pointed to some rocks that they headed for to take shelter. He needed to real fast work of these demons or they would get caught up in the blast. Ryan took the MAC-10 from Maria and he opened up on the circling the temple. He emptied the first magazine before the demons knew what had happened.

The demons started a dive towards Ryan and Maria and Ryan reloaded the MAC-10. He opened fire again killing four or five demons round of firing. He reloaded again and got ready to begin shooting again when one of the demons had already made it to their location he flew into Ryan knocking him to the ground and sending the MAC-10 skidding across the ground. Ryan found himself pinned down by the first demon landing on top of him and three other demons quickly joined their brother. They were tearing at Ryan's flesh with their fangs and claws. Ryan was trying to fight back but the demons were too much for him. He could feel his strength draining from him, he was about to pass out when he heard what sounded like the MAC-10 firing. One of the demons fell off of him and burst into flames. He could see several more demons falling and bursting into flames. He heard several more shots before he passed out.

Maria picked up the MAC-10 that had been knocked out of Ryan's hands and she started firing into the demons that were flying down. She had knocked down most of them when she turned and looked at where Ryan was and saw that he had five demons on top of him and they were biting and tearing at Ryan. She flipped the MAC-10 to single mode and took aim at the demons that were on top of Ryan. She was picking them off one at a time, the last one being the most difficult to hit as he was right on top of Ryan. She aimed carefully and took the head shot on the demon just as it raised its head to slam it's fangs into Ryan. The demons head exploded and it burst into flames.

Maria ran to Ryan and knelt down beside him and checked for a pulse on his neck. She could feel that he had a pulse but he was bleeding badly. She took the pack off of his back and found his water bottle. She splashed the water over his face until he regained consciousness, Maria helped Ryan to his feet and urged him to move his feet they needed to put as much distance between the temple and them as they could. It took over half an hour to reach the SUV and Maria helped Ryan into the passenger seat. She closed the door and ran around to the driver's side and jumped in. She started the SUV and pulled away she pushed the gas pedal to the floor and was starting to pick up speed when the blast went off. The concussion from the blast knocked the back window and the heat and rush of wind caused Maria to lose control of the Hummer and it rolled over two or three times. Neither Maria or Ryan were wearing seatbelts and were tossed around inside the SUV, the Hummer landed back on all four wheels and settled to a stop. Maria looked over at Ryan to see if he was ok but there was so much blood from the attack by the demons she could not tell if there were any new injuries. Maria had a sore shoulder but other than that and some small cuts on her head and arms she was fine.

Maria tried to start the Hummer and to her surprise it started right up, she put it in gear and headed back towards their motel in Bagdad. The drive would take just more than an hour, she hoped Ryan could hold out until they got back to the motel. Maria pushed the Hummer as hard as she dared. The trip to the motel took less the forty-five minutes, Maria parked the wrecked SUV in front of the door to their room and she ran to the passenger side and opened the door and helped Ryan inside their room. She helped him onto the bed and she stripped off what was left of his clothes, there were so many wounds and many of them were deep. She looked through the boxes and found the field first aid kit.

Maria started to lay out the dressings and the things she would need to clean the wounds. Many of them looked like they were already infected. She looked up and said "OH GOD PLEASE HELP ME."

A bright white light appeared and an angelic form started to appear. "My child what can we do to help you?"

"Oh Gabriel I don't know what to do. He had so many demons on top of him and he is now hurt so bad, please help him."

"My child, Ryan knew that I could not save him again. His own will to live will be the only thing that saves him."

"Gabriel how can you not save him, he is doing God's work, what the Lord God himself cannot do or what you cannot do, you will allow him to die and let Lucifer win."
CHAPTER SEVEN

A second brighter white light appeared and in a booming voice said "Gabriel what is the problem, Maria has asked for our help."

"My Lord you told me I could not save Ryan the slayer again."

"That is true I did say that, but I didn't say I could not save him."

The bright light moved over on top of Ryan and the light became even more bright. The light hovered over Ryan dipping down and touching Ryan at times. Each time the light touched Ryan he would shake as if having convolutions. Maria gasped as the wounds started to heal and what looked like infection was disappearing. The wounds look like they were starting to heal. The booming voice said "Now the rest is up to him." and the light disappeared.

Gabriel said, "my child you have seen what most have never seen you have witnessed the healing powers of our Lord God."

"That was God himself?"

"Yes my child." Gabriel replied and disappeared.

Maria sat by Ryan's bedside all night long waiting for him to wake up. Maria dozed several times but would jerk awake every time Ryan would moan or cry out in pain. Ryan finally woke late the next day and asked, "what happened? The last thing I remember was being attacked by some demons."

"You were, I managed to kill them and some others and I managed to get you to the Hummer", she went on recounting what had happened and the encounter with Gabriel and with God himself.

"I can tell you this much I feel like I have been run over by one big ass truck."

"And babe I can tell you this you look like it too."

"You really know how to sweet talk a guy don't you?" Ryan said and he started to laugh and winced in pain.

"Babe, take it easy you're going to need some rest."

"No time for rest, I want to go back to the temple and see if we destroyed it."

"Can't do that!"

"Why not?"

"First you're in no shape to go anywhere and second we don't have a car. I rolled it when the explosion went off and its totaled."

"We can just get another one, did we lose any of the equipment?"

"You always the damn warrior."

"Well did we?"

"Yes we did lost most of it. We have one nine millimeter and a few rounds of ammo for it and whatever we had left here."

"Now we really have to go back there, we can't let that stuff get into the wrong hands."

"You're not going anywhere, I'll take care of it."

"But........."

"No buts that's final."

"But I'm ok."

"No you're not your all cut and bruised up your going to stay and rest and that's final."

"Ok, ok you win."

"I'm going to go and try to get us another rental, and figure out how to explain the damage to this one."

"Don't try take it and dump it somewhere and then report it stolen. That will make it easier to get another and you won't have to explain."

"That's a good idea, give me a couple of hours and don't get out of bed."

"I won't I promise."

"I'll be back as soon as I can."

Maria left the room and went out and cleaned out the SUV of what few things were left in it. She then drove it to a isolated place on the other side of town, she then covered almost a mile before she caught a cab back to the motel. She went into the room to find Ryan was still in bed as he promised. Maria then called the police and the rental company to report the Hummer stolen. The rental company told Maria they would deliver another Hummer to her and the police came and took a report from her.

It took less than an hour for the rental company to deliver the new Hummer to Maria. She took it and parked it close to their room. She loaded up what equipment that they had left and went back inside and told Ryan she was going to the temple to see what was left.

"Maria be very careful there may be demons and you cant see them as demons."

"I will you just rest."

Maria turned and walked to the door, she looked back at Ryan and walked back to him and she kissed him. She turned and left, she got into the hummer and made the drive back to the area of the temple and parked close to where they had parked before. She got out of the Hummer and looked over the area, she could not see anyone or anything in the area, She drove closer to the temple driving slowly trying to find any of their equipment. She found the backpack laying on the ground but it was empty. She spent just a little over an hour but found none of their equipment. The valley where the temple was located was completely filled in by a rock slide so she assumed that the temple had been completely destroyed. She turned the Hummer around and headed back to the motel, she took her time driving back and arrived back at the motel four hours after she had left. She opened the door and found Ryan sound asleep in bed.

Maria pulled the lone chair in the room back over to the bed and sat down so she could keep a closer eye on Ryan and so she could be closer to him. Maria was just starting to doze when there was a knock on the door. She jumped up and walked over to the door and looked thru the peep hole and saw a man standing there. "Who is it?" she asked.

The man did not answer but just stood there looking at the door. Maria started to open the door when Ryan grabbed her hand and held his finger to his mouth. He looked thru the peep hole and saw a demon standing there. Ryan motioned for Maria to get the remaining nine millimeter and bring it to him. Ryan leaned over and told her to ask again.

"Who is it?"

The demon did not answer again. Ryan motioned for Maria to open the door and step back out of the way. Ryan moved off to the left of the door and brought the nine millimeter up about chest high and took aim. Maria opened the door and the demon rushed into the room knocking Maria off her feet. Ryan fired three quick shots and all three hit the demon in the head. It fell to the ground just outside the door having been pushed back buy the force of the bullets hitting it in the head. The demon burst into flames and disappeared. Maria scrambled back to her feet just in time to see the demon disappear.

"How did you know?"

"When you asked who it was and there was no answer made me suspicious. I suspect it was a lone demon left at the temple to see if we came back and it followed you back here."

"I never thought about that."

"They know about us so we really have to be careful, They will be on the lookout for us and they will do anything to stop us."

"I'm sorry Ryan I put us in danger."

"Don't worry about it babe, we just have to be more careful.

"Ok hon."

"What did you find out at the temple?"

"All of our gear is gone, I did find the backpack and the valley where the temple stood has been covered by a rock slide, I would guess that the temple has been destroyed."

"That sounds like a good bet to me. I used over a hundred blocks of C-4 so there should not have been much left of the temple."

Ryan winced with pain as he shifted his body and Maria ordered him back to bed. Ryan didn't argue with her order, he was very sore and the wounds were slowly healing. He wondered what would have happened had the Lord not intervened. Ryan returned to bed and slid under the covers and drifted off to sleep.

Morning arrived and Ryan was feeling better but he was still sore and the wounds had been bleeding during the night he had a lot of blood on the sheets. He looked around for Maria and could not find her. He opened the door of their room and saw that the SUV was not parked where it was last night. Ryan went back inside and into the bathroom to take a shower. He turned on the water and adjusted the water so that is was hotter than most people could stand but less then scalding hot. He stripped off his clothes and climbed into the shower. The hot water ran over his body and he felt some of his strength returning. He stayed in the shower for more than half an hour, he stepped out and carefully dried his body. He inspected his wounds and knew he was going to need more rest before he was ready to tackle any demons.

Maria returned with and had supper for them. When she entered the room she found Ryan sitting up watching TV, the look on Ryan's face showed that he was still in a lot of pain. Maria set out the food on the small table that was in the room, and made up a plate for each of them.

"I need to contact Jim and have him send out some new weapons and explosives for us. By the time he gets it together and sent to us I hope that I have healed enough to get back into action."

"Don't push it to hard babe, we have a long way to go."

"I know and while I'm out of commission now would be a good time to plan out next place to go."
CHAPTER EIGHT

Mehen and Cimeries agreed to meet at the old temple of Enepsigos, they agreed to stage their legions of demons at the temple as Enepsigos had abandoned the temple centuries ago. The minions of Mehen had been using the temple as an area to explore the world when they were not doing the bidding of Mehen.

Cimeries was telling the demons about what they would be watching for the slayer and protecting the female fallen. They were told that should even one of the female fallen be hurt by the slayer, that they would pay the price with their lives. Cimeries was just getting ready to tell them what he knew about the slayer when the first explosion went off.

"What the hell was that?" he asked his head demon.

"I shall find out my lord."

The demon departed the large open room and went to the first floor reception room and found there was smoke coming from the front of the temple. He opened the door just after the final explosion. He watched in horror as his demons were blown apart. He retreated to the second room on the upper level of the temple and dispatched more demons to the entrance. The left the room and headed for the doors when another explosion happened inside the temple. The demons that were dispatched to the entrance were killed right away.

The head demon returned to Cimeries to inform him of what happened and to receive new direction and instructions. Cimeries instructed the demon to wait an hour and put one hundred demons guarding the entrance and another fifty in the air trying to find the source of the explosions.

It appeared that the explosions had stopped and Mehen who took to the throne room of the temple when the explosions started found Cimeries and told him that they had to get out of the temple. The foolish female had only one entrance or exit from the temple. They had to get out before they themselves got trapped or killed.

The fallen angel and demon started to head up the stairs leading to the reception room of the temple when explosions started again. They turned and headed back down the stairs and made their way to the throne room. The explosions got louder as though they were getting closer. The explosions stopped and the fallen Mehen and his demon Cimeries waited for an hour to pass after the explosions and they rose from their hiding place and headed for the door. Just as Cimeries reached for the handle of the door the temple shook violently and large explosions were heard. Suddenly the roof of the throne room started to break apart and then cave in. Tons of rock and sand fell in on top of Mehen and Cimeries.

The two looked at the falling rock and knew they were going to be killed. A fate worse than death waited for them as the rock would form a prison that they would not escape from. The rock kept falling trapping Mehen and Cimeries beneath tons of rock and sand.

*****

Three days more passed before the boxes arrived from San Diego that Jim had sent, he had to pay a larger sum then normal for the replacement weapons because of the rush that he needed them. Ryan was feeling better every day and had began his workout regiment again and his sword workouts as well. Ryan told Maria he was ready to reenter the fight against the fallen.

While Ryan was laid up recovering he and Maria decided to fine the temple of Regina. It is believed to be located in the ancient city of Nippur. This ancient city would be close to the current city of Chard. It would be around a two hour drive from Bagdad so they decided to set out early in the morning.

Ryan and Maria departed Bagdad at five in the morning and made their way to Chard. The drive took just over two hours. They had found the site of the ancient city of Nippur and it was another thirty miles north west of Chard. When they arrived at the location of Nippur they found just some old half torn down walls and a few destroyed buildings. The remainder of desert was flat except for the one of the only lakes in western Iraq. Off in the distance Ryan saw what looked to be a small village so they decided to head for to the village and see if they could find out any information. They got into the SUV and made the short drive across the soft sand to what could be best described as a small tent community more like a campsite. There were maybe ten huts and a few tents that made up the community. Maria got out and started talking to an old woman and she just pointed to the lake.

"What did you ask her?" asked Ryan.

"I asked if she knew of the old city and she just pointed to the lake."

"What, it's in the lake?"

"That's the impression I got from her."

"That means a dive, I only have one take in the Hummer. While I'm down there go back to the room and get two more sets of tanks. Is there some way we can find the depth of this lake. It doesn't show up on our maps."

"Let me check the earth maps it may show the lake and it's depth."

Maria got out her laptop and clicked on the GPS function and it located them right away and showed the lake on the map. She typed in some more information and the lake its self showed on the screen and it gave various depths of the lake. The maximum depth showed at sixty feet. She showed the information to Ryan, and he nodded as he finished putting on his wet suit and the rest of his dive gear. Ryan headed to the edge of the lake as Maria got into the SUV and headed to the motel. Ryan put the regulator in his mouth and tested it to make sure he was getting air and he waded out until the water was waist deep. He put his fins on and he dove under the water, Ryan was surprised how clear the water was his visibility was very good and he swam along the bottom. He had thirty minutes of air in his tank, he hopped he would get lucky and find what he was looking for quickly. Ryan was under the water almost fifteen minutes when he spotted a opening between some rocks. He swam over to the opening and discovered that it was a cave.

Ryan checked his watch and air and estimated he had about half of his air supply left, that would give him seven minutes to explore the cave and seven minutes to return to the surface, He entered the cave and was surprised at how fast and how large the cave opened up, he swam for a few minutes and noticed that the bottom was rising. He followed the bottom and he surfaced looking at the temple.

Ryan took off his air tank, mask and fins and set them on the shore line, he then removed his weight belt and took out the waterproof package he had attached to his belt. He removed his nine millimeter and extra clip of ammo and set them aside.

Ryan then pulled out his small buoy and attached the rope to its bottom, he found a rock and tied the other end of the rope to the rock. He had a hundred feet of rope and the depth of the water was fifty-eight feet when he entered the cave. He sat the buoy on the shore and he would take with him when he returned to the surface so he could mark the spot where the cave was so he didn't spend much time finding the cave again.

Ryan picked up his pistol and ammo and headed for the entrance of the temple. The temple was larger than the last one and it looked like it had not been used in years. There were cobwebs all over the doors of the entrance and Ryan cleared them away and tried the levers that served as doorknobs. To his surprise the doors opened very easy and he entered into the temple.

Ryan's little penlight didn't provide much light so exploring the temple took time. Ryan finally checked his watch and saw he had been inside the temple for more than three and a half hours, He was surprised that he was still in the first room he had entered. He had not found a door or a passageway that led off the main room. Ryan needed to get back to the shore line and put his gear back on and return to where he had entered the water and wait for Maria to return.

Ryan found his way out and went to the shore line and put all of his dive gear back on. He wadded back out into the water and found the cave tunnel easily. He swam the short distance and came out of the cave and he dropped the rock he had tied his buoy to. He slowly fed the rope out and watched as the buoy rose to the surface, once the rope stopped going up he dropped the remainder of the rope and followed the rope to the surface. When he broached the surface he removed his mask and looked around and he spotted the SUV and Maria standing at the edge of the shore. He waved but Maria didn't see him, he started swimming towards Maria and it took about twenty minutes for him to reach her.

Maria didn't wait for him to come out of the water, she rushed into the water and was in about waist deep when Ryan stood up and she grabbed Ryan and hugged and kissed him. "I was worried about you. When I got back you were nowhere to be found and no sign that you had come back here. I thought something had happened to you!"

"I'm sorry I worried you, but I found the temple and I was exploring it. That thing is huge."

"Are there any demons or other living things down there?"

"I can't answer that question, I never got out of the main room of the temple but from what I did see no there wasn't anything down there."

"How soon do you want to go back down?"

"As soon as you can get changed we can head back down there."

"How far down is it?"

"Almost sixty feet so I want you to stay close to me."

"Ok give me some time to change."

"Not a problem, I need to pack some things up that we will need or may need down there."

Ryan went to the back of the SUV and got out the backpack, he started putting in C-4 along with the detonators, extra ammo and the nine millimeter pistols. He also packed a few hand grenades once he was satisfied he had everything he sealed the pack and then wrapped it in plastic and then put it into a water tight bag. By the time he finished with the pack Maria was ready. Ryan picked up her air tank and set it on her back and he strapped it up. He did the same with his air tanks. Once Ryan was satisfied that everything was ok with the dive gear they headed off into the water. They swam to the buoy and mad their dive from there it took less than fifteen minutes to reach the cave.

Ryan and Maria walked up the stairs to the temple and Ryan opened the doors. They both had high powered lanterns that lit the room up like daylight. They were in awe at the ornate objects around the room. All were made of gold and shined though this room and not been opened in a very long time. The cobwebs were thick all over the room and a layer of dust sat on all horizontal surfaces. Ryan was surprised that he had not found the three passageways leading off from the main room when he was here before.

Ryan moved down the first passageway and it led to what was sleeping quarters. He searched the bedroom and didn't find anything of interest that might useful. He left the bedroom and went down the second passageway it slopped down and was a very long hallway. Maria found that there were torches on the wall but all were dried out from years of non use. The hallway finally ended at a door and it looked like it had not been used in a long time. Ryan tried the door handle and it moved but the door would not open. Ryan put his weight and the door budged a bit. It opened enough that the door did not latch again. Ryan backed up about ten feet and ran at the door and hit it with his shoulder. The door flew open and Ryan tumbled to the ground. Ryan lay there in pain forgetting he had the wounds that were not completely healed yet and a couple were on the shoulder he had just hit the door with. Maria came running over to Ryan and made sure that he was alright.

Maria helped Ryan to his feet and she picked up the two lanterns that they were carrying and she gasped at what she saw. "My god I can't believe that they would leave all of this behind."

"I can't believe my eyes," Ryan said.

They stood there in shock looking at rows upon rows of gold bricks lined on the shelves in the room. Ryan walked over to the closest shelve and picked up one of the bricks. He guessed the brick weighed a pound. He made several trips and took twenty bricks of the gold each time and carried them back to the main room and placed them in the pack.

He moved down the last hallway and it ended at another door. This door opened easily and Ryan and Maria walked into the room. This room was empty except for a row of beds along the back wall. This looked to be servant quarters. There was a door on the far wall.

Ryan tried to open the door it did not move, he put more force but the door still did not move. He reached into his backpack and took out a brick of C-4 he pulled off pieces and rolled it between his palms making what looked like big worms. He pushed the long strips of the C-4 against the door and the door jamb he did this until he had made a complete loop around the door. He pushed a detonator receiver into the C-4 and moved back outside the room. He took the wireless transmitter and pushed the button, the C-4 exploded in a controlled blast that knocked the door completely away from its foundation. Ryan walked back into the room and was happy to see the door was no longer there, he walked thru the door and was shocked to see that there were more doors leading off this room.

This room was empty except for a small table, and the other thing Ryan noticed was this room was clean there was no dust anywhere. Ryan senses became very alert see this room, he carefully opened the door to the right side of the room and found it empty, he tried the center door and found a long hallway. He started to make his way down the hall and found that it emptied into another great room standing there behind ten demons was Regina. The moment Ryan walked into the room Regina said, "so you are the slayer that has everyone so upset."

"I guess that would be me."

"I wonder how Lucifer will reward me for bringing in your head."

I don't think you will ever find out Regina, I plan on ending your perverted existence right here and now."

The demons started forward toward Ryan and Ryan drew his pistol, Regina laughed and said "You fool don't you know that a gun cannot kill me."

"I know that very well but it will kill your demons and Ryan fired his pistol ten times that sounded as though it was one shot. The ten demons that were protecting Regina burst into flames and disappeared, Regina pulled her sword out and challenged the slayer.

Ryan held up his hand and the Angel Sword appeared, Regina laughed and asked, "what is that the so called angel sword that does not exist?"

"Why as a matter of fact it is the Angel Sword."

"Fool it does not exist, it is nothing more than a myth."

"Ask your dead brothers and sisters if it is a myth."

Regina charged Ryan and swung her sword and the blade hit Ryan and sliced his arm. Ryan spun around and brought his sword to bear and cut Regina across her back. Ryan stopped and brought his sword into a block of Regina's swing. Sparks flew when the two blades met and pulled across each other. Regina spun and tried to thrust her sword into Ryan, he blocked the thrust and made a back handed swing and cut Regina across her arm. Regina tried to do a roll and come up next to Ryan but he spotted what she was trying to do and when she came to her feet Ryan was holding his blade at her neck, she tried to kick him but Ryan drew the blade of his sword across her throat and her head rolled off of her shoulders and onto the floor. She burst into flames and disappeared.

Maria and Ryan returned to the main room and Ryan took out all the C-4 and detonators that he had and a timer. He went back down all the hallways and placed C-4 in all the rooms and returned with five more bricks of gold. He figured that it was a even swap one hundred bars of gold for two hundred bricks of C-4.

When all the detonators were in place he met Maria back in the main hall and the headed for the shore. They got back into their dive gear and just before they reentered the water Ryan set the timer for forty-five minutes. More than enough time to get back to the SUV and change. They got back into the water and swam back to the beach where the SUV was parked. The stowed their dive gear and changed clothes. The moved off a little farther and waited for the blast. Ryan checked his watch and saw that he had five more minutes before the C-4 went off. Ryan got out the map and checked for the city of Nami which was near the ancient city of Nineveh they would find the temple that belonged to Amy there.

Ryan had just found the city of Nami on the map when the ground shook and Ryan looked up just in time to see a geyser of water spray fifty feet into the air. Ryan looked at Maria and smiled and said "scratch another fallen's temple."

They climbed back into the SUV and drove back to their motel in Bagdad. They would take the rest of today and tomorrow off and head for Nami. When they arrived back at the motel they both showered and Maria treated Ryan's wounds with antibiotic cream and they both turned in for the night.

They were woke the next morning by a pounding on the door. Ryan got up and answered the door and standing there was a Iraqi police officer.

"Sir may I speak with you for a moment?"

"Yes officer please come in."

The officer walked in the room and sat on the couch and asked, "Sir were you in Chard yesterday?"

"Yes sir we were. We spent the day by the lake until the ground shook and a geyser blew out of the water. Scared the heck out of us."

"So you admit to being there?"

"Yes sir we have nothing to hide."

"Did you do any diving there?"

"No sir, I don't know how to dive."

"Some local people said they saw you diving at the lake there."

"There were some people that were diving there but not us."

"Ok sir thank you for your time."

"You're welcome sir."

Ryan showed the officer out and shut the door. He looked at Maria with a frown on his face. "I wonder what is going on. Maybe we need to lay low for another day or two."

"I am guessing that someone reported us to the police and said we caused the ground to shake and the geyser."

"Makes me glad I emptied the Hummer last night,"

"Me too."

"Maybe we should take another day off tomorrow instead of going to Nami."

"I really don't see any reason too, they took your story and they don't have the time like our police do at home. They are still trying to recover from the Gulf war."

"That is true. Then we can leave in the morning as scheduled."

They decided to do some sightseeing while they were here. The last time Ryan was here he was still in the Navy. They spent the day walking around the city of Bagdad and taking in the sights. They planned on getting on the road around six in the morning and make the hour and a half drive.
CHAPTER NINE

Lucifer was livid that he had not heard from Mehen or Cimeries in the last week, he summoned Allocen to his throne room. By the time Allocen arrived Lucifer had a demon in his hands and was tearing it's head off. He tossed the lifeless body of the demon aside and was going to do the same to another when he saw Allocen.

"It's about time you got here, I want to know where Mehen and Cimeries are I sent them to the surface to protect the females and I haven't heard from them. Go and get me answers."

"Yes my lord."

Allocen wasted no time leaving the throne room he in no way wanted to experience the wrath of Lucifer. He dispatched a legion of demons to find the two missing and bring them back and answer to Lucifer.

Allocen also was taking another legion and sending them to the female fallen. He wasn't sure which temple they were meeting at so he split the legion into seven parts and sent them to each temple. He instructed the leader of each group that if they could not located the female fallen then they were to return back here for further instructions.

The demon legions departed from Allocen for their assigned tasks. The first group headed for the temple of Vepar in Simaria, when they arrived the found the temple was destroyed. The demons searched but found no sign of the temple or of the fallen. They completed their search and departed and returned to hell to report to Allocen. The head demon made his report causing Allocen to become irate. He instructed the demon to take his group and go to the temple of Naamah.

The second group of demons arrived at the temple of Regina Erebi they were instructed to protect the Queen if she was there. Lucifer would kill everyone involved if his wife was dead, and they found the temple destroyed and the fallen was not there and there was no sign of her being there. The group returned to Allocen and reported the information to him. He grew angry again and dispatched the group to the temple Naamah as well.

The third group was sent to the temple of Enepsigos. The demons again found no trace of the fallen and found that the temple had been destroyed, They also reported to Allocen the information. They were sent to the temple of Amy to assist if necessary. Allocen was getting madder by the moment wondering how the slayer could have done all of this by himself. The destruction of the three temples and not finding the three fallen princess was going to mean his head if they were dead.

The fourth group of demons arrived at the temple of Lilith in Babylon, when they arrived at the temple they found that it had been destroyed. They searched the rubble of the temple and found no trace of the fallen, Allocen would be extremely mad that this temple had been destroyed. Satan was his best friend and this was the temple of Satan's wife. The demons reported back to Allocen and as expected he was furious about the temple, and that there was no sign of Lilith. He sent the demons to the temple of Amy.

Allocen was not happy what his demons were reporting back to him, he had to let the Lord Lucifer what had been found. Lucifer would be extremely mad. He also had to report that there was no sign of Mehen or Cimeries. He had to guess that the slayer had killed them.

"My lord Lucifer, I come to you with bad news about the fallen."

"What is it Allocen."

I have dispatched two legions, one with the task of finding and destroying the slayer and as of yet I have no report from them. The second legion was split into seven groups and they were dispatched to the temples of the fallen. I have had reports back from the groups that went to the temples of Lilith, Vepar, Enepsigos and Regina. They have told me that these four temples have been destroyed. There was no sign of the fallen, I also must report that we have found no sign of Mehen or Cimeries. I assume that they have been killed by the slayer.

"This is not good news Allocen. What of the other three fallen?"

"I am still waiting on reports from my minions my lord. Also I do not believe that there is just one slayer. I believe that there must be four or five to do everything that has been done. I cannot believe that one man has done all of this damage and in such a short time."

"An interesting thought Allocen, no one has come up with this theory. The way you put it makes sense. Send more legions of demons out and find them. I want no more failures."

"Yes my lord it will be done."

Allocen departed the throne room and made contact with his legions and he dispatched ten legions to cover the world to find and kill the slayers. He told them he did not want them to come back until every slayer was destroyed. The seven legions left Allocen and departed for the seven gates of hell and started searching the world. They would not fail Allocen or the lord Lucifer.

*****

Ryan and Maria arrived in Nami and set out southwest of the city in search of the ancient city of Nineveh, the temple that belonged to Amy was said to be in this area. The located a old village about twenty miles from Nami and they stopped and spoke with some of the elders of the village. They told them of an old ruins another ten miles south west from their location. The only way there was either by pack animals or maybe by the SUV if they were not in a hurry. Ryan looked off in the direction the elder had told them and he spotted a single black cloud in the sky, Ryan hopped that they might hit some rain as that would cool the temperature and make the sand a little more hard packed. The desert sands shifted all the time and the sand was not very packed down. The Haboob blew at will and always covered the tracks of anyone entering the desert.

Ryan and Maria returned to the Hummer and they decided to try the Hummer, as they did not want any guide that might question all of the weapons that they were hauling. They started out in the direction of the old ruins and Ryan reminded Maria to keep an eye on the water temperature, with the sand and heat it may cause the them to overheat. Ryan checked the outside temperature and at nine in the morning it was already one hundred fifteen degrees. They had covered almost five miles and Ryan kept glancing at the lone black cloud and noticed that it looked to be in the same place. Ryan told Maria to stop and he went to the back and dug out his binoculars and looked at the cloud. He wasn't sure but he was beginning to think it wasn't a cloud at all.

Ryan went back to the back of the Hummer and dug out the desert camouflage net and started to place it around the Hummer. Maria questioned why Ryan was doing that and he told her, "I'm not so sure that is a cloud in front of us, it doesn't look like it has moved at all. The wind is blowing to the east at about ten miles per hour, it should have moved."

Maria nodded that she understood, She helped Ryan finish putting the net around the Hummer and Ryan got out the MAC-10's that Jim had replaced and they headed towards the ruins again. They had covered another two miles and Ryan told Maria to slow her speed to around ten miles per hour. Ryan checked the cloud again with the binoculars and told Maria to stop.

"We have a problem." Ryan said.

"What is it?"

"That's not a cloud it is a large group of demons patrolling the area. We may have hit the jackpot and found the fallen."

"How many demons do you think there are?"

"I haven't a clue but there are a lot of them."

"What do we do now?"

"I have an idea but I don't know if it will work, but take the net off and find the ruins and make like tourists."

"Do you think that will work?"

"Maybe for a little while but I need to think on how we are going to get past them and take them out."

Ryan got out of the Hummer and removed the net and stowed it back in the rear of the Hummer. He got back in and they started moving to the temple and ruins. Once that was done they started moving again, when they got to within two miles of the temple the ruins came into view. They were pretty close to the temple he guessed. The demons had spotted the Hummer as well and headed in their direction.

They kept up their speed and pulled into the ruins of the ancient city of Nineveh and they got out of the Hummer. Ryan told Maria to just make like she didn't know about the demons and act like a tourist. Maria started taking pictures of the ruins when she spotted a man walking their way from the temple. Ryan spotted him as well but saw him in his true form of a demon.

"May I help you with something." The man asked.

Maria responded, "Oh no thank you we are just doing some sightseeing and we were told of these ruins and we came out to take some pictures."

"I'm sorry but you will need to leave this is a restricted area."

"Really we were told that the ruins were open to the public."

"Who ever told you that was mistaken."

"Really it was the Iraqi government that told us."

"Well I will need to get that corrected, we have a permit that allows us to dig here at the site and closes it to the public."

Ryan could tell the demon was getting irritated with them and wanted them out of here. Ryan spoke up, "Mister get your permit and show it to us. The Ministry of Antiquities told us we could come here."

"I will be happy to provide that for you."

Ryan and Maria watched as the man walked away and Ryan spotted the demons that had been flying over them started to get a little closer.

"Well it looks like the crap is going to hit the fan, the demons flying overhead are starting to get a little closer.

"What's the plan?"

"You keep taking pictures I'm going to put twenty magazines for the MAC-10 on the front seat, then I'm going to lay out ten missiles for the shoulder launcher when the first missile hits run back to the Hummer and grab the MAC-10 and start shooting into the sky at the demons. That should keep them off my back long enough for me to blow the hell out of the front of the temple. I'll reload what magazines you empty and use the other MAC-10, that should allow us to make it to the temple and start using grenades."

"You really think that this will work?"

"I sure hope so I don't have any other ideas."

Ryan walked to the back of the Hummer and got out the shoulder missile launcher and ten missiles. He took out all the spare magazines for the MAC-10 and walked around to the front seat and laid them out there. He walked back to the rear of the Hummer and loaded the launcher. Each missile weighed about twenty pounds but carried the equivalent of one hundred pounds of high explosive. Ryan took aim at the door of the temple and hoped that the first round would take out a lot of the demons that were there. The launcher gave a slight jerk as the first missile was fired. The missile hit the front door of the temple and exploded causing a fire ball that engulfed the entire landing of the temple. Demons went flying in all directions and were bursting into flames and disappearing.

Maria ran back to the Hummer and reached in and grabbed the MAC-10 and started firing into the flying demons. They started dropping like flies as the bullets from the MAC-10 were finding their targets. Ryan let three more missiles go and the front of the temple was in complete ruins from the explosions. Ryan set the missile launcher down and joined Maria with the second MAC-10. Ryan had fired five of the magazines when he put it down and started to reload the empty magazines. By the time the first twenty magazines were empty and ten of the reloaded magazines were empty there were no longer any demons in the air. Ryan finished reloading all of the empty magazines and when he finished he went and packed his backpack with hand grenades and C-4.

He grabbed two of the nine millimeter pistols and placed them in their holsters and strapped them to his waist. He placed the extra magazines into the backpack except for two of them, these he handed to Maria and told her to keep them with her in case she ran out of ammo that was in her Mac-10, together they headed for the door of the temple.

Once at the door Ryan took out four grenades he handed two to Maria and told her that when he pulled the pins to toss them into the temple at the same time and to do it right away. He pulled the pins on her grenades and on his grenades and they tossed them into the temple. He waited for the four explosions and they went into the temple, Maria had the MAC-10 at the ready and Ryan had pulled both of his pistols. They found the room empty with the furnishings blown all to pieces and burn marks on the floor where the demons had burst into flames. Other than the destroyed furnishings the room was empty. Ryan guessed that they had killed over a thousand demons already and guessed that there were that many more still hid in the temple.

There were several doors that led off of the great hall of the temple, as Ryan opened each one he tossed in a grenade and closed the door. When he was completed with the last door he returned to the first door and with Maria behind him with the MAC-10 he pushed the door open and they stood ready to fire at any living demons. The first room was completely empty, they moved to the second door and when Ryan pushed it open he found five demons that were badly wounded but still alive. Ryan walked to each one and shot it in the head killing it.

They moved to the third door and found a set of stairs leading down. He closed that door and moved to the next one, when he opened it he found another fifty of so demons still alive with various stages of wounds. Maria opened fire with the MAC-10 and killed all of the demons.

When he opened the last door there were still many demons left alive, he took two grenades off of his belt and pulled the pins, he tossed them in as the demons started to swarm towards the door. Ryan pulled the door closed and he heard the explosion and many of the demons screamed. When the screaming stopped he opened the door and Maria started firing the MAC-10 moving it back and forth covering the entire room with gun fire. When the MAC-10 was empty Ryan stepped into the room and found that most all of the demons had been killed. The few remaining demons Ryan shot and watched as they died.

Ryan and Maria returned to the third door and opened it again. He could see that the stairs stopped at a landing that led into another room. Ryan pulled the pin on another grenade and tossed it so it would bounce off the wall into the room at the bottom of the stairs, when the grenade exploded he heard a few screams from some demons. Ryan took the extra MAC-10 that Maria was carrying and he checked the magazine and found he had a full load. He started down the stairs and when he got to the bottom around the corner and started firing the MAC-10. When he emptied the gun he walked into the room and came face to face with a fallen.

Ryan looked at the fallen and asked "Who might you be?"

"I am Allocen and my lord Lucifer has sent us to destroy you. Before I kill you slayer I have one question that I hope you will answer truthfully."

"I can give you that before I kill you."

"How many slayer's are there? I cannot believe that there is only one of you."

"You're looking at the one and only slayer."

"Then my lord Lucifer will be happy when you are dead."

Allocen moved closer to Ryan and Ryan held out his hand and the Angel Sword appeared in his hand. Allocen laughed and said, "You think that will hurt me."

"All of your brothers before you said the same thing, this is the Angel Sword and it will sent you to your death."

"Fool there is no such thing as the Angel Sword it is just a myth."

Allocen chose that moment to attack Ryan, and Ryan responded with a single blow to the head of the fallen. The fallen stood there for a moment burst into flames as the sword cut right thru the neck of the fallen and sliced its head off.

Ryan spotted the door on the back side of the room, he walked over to the door and tried to open the door. It pushed open easily and Ryan stepped into the large open room. Standing across the room was the fallen angel Amy, she said, "What are you doing in my temple?"

"I am Ryan the Angel Slayer and I have come for you."

"I have done nothing to you why do you want me?"

"You have abandoned our Lord God and turned to the dark and follow Lucifer."

"I will return to the lord god if you let me live."

"Somehow I just don't believe you."

"I speak the truth, I will follow the light and god."

"Then get down on your knees and pray to the Lord God now, ask for your forgiveness and reject Lucifer and accept God as your only one."

Amy fell to her knees but instead of asking for forgiveness she cursed the name of god and pledged he obedience to Lucifer. At that point Amy opened the door behind her and out came two hellhounds. Amy stepped back and told the hounds to get Ryan.

Ryan held out his hand and the Angel Sword appeared. He knew that his pistol would not work on the hellhounds and the sword had its limitations against them as well. The hellhounds moved towards Ryan and he rolled and swung the sword at the leg of the closest hellhound, the sword sliced thru the leg of the beast causing it to fall into the other hellhound knocking both of them off their feet. Ryan regained his feet quickly and thrust the sword into the head of the second hellhound. Both hellhounds were screaming out in pain from the wounds that Ryan had inflicted on them. Ryan knew that they would regain their composure quickly so he moved quickly and brought the sword across the neck of the first hellhound cutting its head off. Ryan turned to do the same to the second hellhound but it was already on its feet and was moving at Ryan. Ryan ducked at swipe the hound took with its massive claws and Ryan cut its hand off as it went by. The hellhound howled and tried to react but Ryan brought his sword around and sliced the hellhounds head off of its shoulders, Ryan turned his attention to Amy,

"I have no weapon to defend myself."

"That does not matter to me, you tried to set me against your hellhounds and you tried to fool me with your going to pray to our Lord God. No it is your time you have betrayed enough. Ryan brought his sword to bear and swung it at Amy and cut her head off. He waited until she burst into flames and disappeared before he left the room.

Ryan returned to the main floor and retrieved the back pack and placed charges of C-4 throughout the temple. He set the detonators on a timer for one hour and he and Maria departed the temple and got into the Hummer and started driving away. They had made it half way to the main road when the C-4 went off causing complete destruction of the temple. Ryan and Maria drove straight back to their motel.
CHAPTER TEN

Two of Allocen's minions had managed to escape the destruction and reported back to Lucifer. They told Lucifer of the killing of their brothers and the death of Allocen. Lucifer asked them how many were involved in the death of a legion of demons and a powerful angel like Allocen. The demons bowed their heads and told Lucifer that there was only one.

Lucifer started howling and beating his fists on his throne and all of hell shook. All of the fallen and demons took shelter in their quarters or around the rocks of hell. When Lucifer regained his composure he contacted Forca. When the fallen arrived in the throne room he said, "My lord how may I help you?"

"Forca you have served me well and kept my line of communication with heaven open. I want you to contact Gabriel and tell him I wish to speak to god."

"Yes my lord I will do this right away."

Forca returned to the surface thru the gate to hell located in Rio and called the name of Gabriel to appear and a bright white light appeared and Gabriel appeared. "What is it you want Forca?"

"My lord Lucifer has requested to speak with god."

"Are you aware of what he wants?"

"No Lucifer does not confide in me as to why he wants to speak with god."

"I will see if the Lord God will speak with Lucifer."

Gabriel left Forca and returned to heaven and spoke with the Lord God. Lucifer was sitting in his throne room waiting on Forca to return with the information if god would speak with him. A bright white light appeared in the corner of the throne room and a booming voice spoke, "Gabriel tells me you wished to speak with me."

Yes god I do wish to speak with you, how could you have broken your promise to all of the angels by killing the fallen?"

"Lucifer you are mistaken I have not killed an angel much less a fallen that has chosen to follow you."

"You may not have killed them yourself but you have one of your angels doing the work for you."

"As usual Lucifer you are mistaken again, I have no angel killing any of the fallen."

"The who is doing the killing of my followers?"

"While I owe you nothing Lucifer I will tell you that it is a human being that is the Angel Slayer, just an ordinary man."

"What! Just a man, I do not believe it."

"Lucifer you know I do not lie, I speak the truth."

The bright white light faded from Lucifer's throne room and he screamed at the Lord God "wait I'm not done" but the light faded until it was no more and Lucifer was left alone.

Forca returned to the throne room just as Lucifer shot fire from his hands in the shape of a ball at the far wall. Forca had seen Lucifer mad before but never this mad.

"Shall I come back another time my lord?"

"Unless you tell me god is coming back here then yes go away."

Forca turned and left from Lucifer, the last thing he wanted was to get hit by one of Lucifer's balls of fire and end up dead.

*****

Ryan pulled the Hummer into the parking spot in front of the motel room and he and Maria got out and went into the room. It was still early so they cleaned up and went out for dinner and enjoying each other's company without having to worry about fallen angels or demons. The night was drawing to a close and they were leaving the restaurant when Ryan spotted a demon across the street. Ryan told Maria about the demon and suggested that they just ignore the demon and deal with demons and fallen angels in the morning. As they walked back to their Hummer Ryan noticed that there were a lot of demons walking the street. Ryan stopped and leaned over to Maria's ear and told her that there must be close to a hundred demons walking the street and they suspected that they were looking for them.

"Let's get back to the motel room where we have a easy place to defend." Maria said.

"I think that is a good idea, let's go."

They got into the Hummer and headed back to the motel. All up and down the streets were demons checking out everyone they came across. Several had paid close attention to the Hummer and the two people riding in it. As they were on the outskirts of Bagdad the number of demons dwindled to none by the time they pulled into the motel. The parked the Hummer and went into their room. Ryan grabbed the MAC-10's and ensured that they had full magazines in them and he pulled out twenty spare magazines and made sure that they were fully loaded. He set one MAC-10 down by Maria's side of the bed and the other by his side. He placed five magazines with each gun and placed a few on the floor on both sides of the bed. He took his pistol and placed it under his pillow. If any demons showed up here they would pay the price.

Ryan and Maria turned in for the night knowing they were leaving early for Al Jadihab to find the ancient city of Uruk where the temple of Naamah was supposed to be located. They had packed the Hummer with all of their gear as they would not be returning here when the finished in Al Jadihab. Both of them fell asleep rather quickly.

It was just past three in the morning when a knock on the door woke both of them, Ryan walked to the door and looked out the peep hole in the door. He stepped back and grabbed his MAC-10 and whispered to Maria 'there are ten demons on the other side of the door," Ryan pulled the slide back on the MAC-10 ensuring a round was in the chamber. He walked to the door and opened it and didn't ask any questions, he fired short bursts from the MAC-10 killing all ten demons. He turned to Maria and said, "Get dressed we need to get out of here."

Without another word both Maria and Ryan quickly changed their clothes and they got into the Hummer and headed out of town. Ryan looked at Maria and smiled.

"What do you think we will find in Al Jadihab?" Maria asked.

"My guess is a lot of demons and seven female fallen."

"I was thinking the same thing myself."

They made the trip to Al Jadihab in less than two hours and headed to the GPS coordinates that Maria had provided for the ancient city of Uruk which was another fifty miles east of Al Jadihab. They would be close to the border of Jordan when they arrived in Uruk. As they approached the ancient city they could see ruins all over as far as they could see. Uruk was a major Mesopotamian city and would have been very large. They searched the ruins for any clue to the location of the temple but could not find anything that might lead them to the temple.

There were no villages nearby where they could ask any of the elders for information. Ryan walked around the ruins again when he spotted some rather large sand dunes off to the north of the old city. Ryan started to walk towards the dunes when he got the confirmation he was looking for. The mass of demons surrounding the dunes gave the location of the temple away. It also told Ryan that the female fallen were here also.

Ryan made his way back to the Hummer and got out the missile launcher and five missiles, he also got out both MAC-10's and all of the spare magazines, He handed one MAC-10 to Maria and all of the spare ammo. He told Maria to be on her toes and not to shoot unless the demons came at her. He then dug out his spotter scope and headed for the ruin wall farthest from the Hummer. He sighted the spotters scope on the top of the dune and came up with a distance of eighteen hundred yards. He did some quick calculations and figured out the angle he would need to fire the missiles at. He loaded the first bird and set the angle finder and when he reached the correct angle he fired the launcher he fired the second missile.

The first missile hit just as he was getting ready to load the third missile. When the explosion occurred the doors to the temple flew open and demons started piling out of the temple. Ryan felt obligated to fire the third missile into the door way, The third missile flew and headed for the temple doors. The third missile hit at almost the same instant that the second one hit. When the third missile exploded the demons quit coming out of the doors.

The demons that had surrounded the temple were looking in the direction of Ryan, Ryan loaded the forth missile and reloaded and fired again. He ran back to the Hummer and rejoined Maria. The bulk of the demons were headed to the spot Ryan had just left, they were intent on killing whoever had just been there. Ryan estimated that there were about three hundred demons headed to his old location, he instructed Maria to toss everything back into the Hummer and then get in. Ryan started the Hummer and started moving away from temple. He knew he was out numbered and didn't have what they needed to complete this job.

"Why are we running?"

"We need to get clear from here, we don't have what we need to take on a force this size. I would guess that they sent six hundred to the spot where I fired the missiles at and there were probably twice that many still at the dune around the temple."

"What are we going to need?"

"We are going to need some heavy firepower like fifty cal's and lots of ammo."

"This is going to delay us waiting for Jim to get that to us."

"I have another idea they may get it to us today. I'll need to make a phone call."

"I have service via the satellite link."

"Ok let me get a little farther away from the temple."

Ryan pulled over after another two miles. He had Maria dial a number and Ryan was connected to an old friend of his that was over here working as a civilian security firm. Ryan told him what he needed and his friend told him he would get the fifty cal and ten thousand rounds to him within the hour.

Ryan and Maria waited and right on time his buddy showed up and transferred the fifty cal to Ryan along with ten thousand rounds of ammo. Ryan signed the paperwork and the fifty was his.

They drove back to the place they had parked the Hummer the first time. All of the demons had returned to the temple, Ryan pulled the fifty out from the back of the Hummer and he set the tripod for the big gun on the ground where he had a clear view of the dune. He had Maria get out the Grenade launcher and a few grenades. Ryan knew he was about eighteen hundred yards from the temple and knew that the launcher would not reach the temple with the grenades but he could come close and that's what he needed to get the demons coming towards him.

Ryan fired the grenade launcher three time and got the reaction he wanted the demons started coming at him. When the demons were in range of the fifty he opened fire. The fifty caliber rounds were tearing thru the demons and dropping them to the point that the demons that were towards the rear started tripping over the dead demons before they could burst into flames. By the time the demons quit coming at him he had fired almost twenty-five hundred rounds.

Ryan got the missile launcher from the Hummer and he fired two more missiles into the temple. He got no reaction from the temple. He put the fifty back into the Hummer and they got in and Ryan moved closer to the temple, he grabbed the backpack and filled it with C-4 and they took the MAC-10's and headed up the stairs to the temple entrance. When they reached the entrance Ryan carefully entered the temple and found the room empty. He looked around for other doors or passageways, he counted one door and one hall. He checked the door and it opened it and found another empty room. He closed the door after placing a charge of explosives and set the detonator into the C-4. Ryan and Maria headed down the hall and it ended at another door, he carefully opened it and standing in the room were six female fallen.

Five were hiding behind the older of the fallen.

"I am Naamah, how dare you attack me?"

Well Naamah I am Ryan the Angel Slayer, I have been sent to dispatch you."

"Don't think that will be easy."

Naamah was using her power of seduction on Ryan. It had been a long time since Ryan had been with a woman and he was starting to fall for the seduction of Naamah.

Maria came into the room and saw what was happening to Ryan and she opened up with MAC-10 on Naamah. Though the bullets would not kill the fallen it would incapacitate them for a little while. Maria took the angel sword and began cutting the head off of the fallen.

"What happened? Where are the Naamah?"

"You were in some kind of trance and you were giving in to the fallen. I came in and shot her then took your sword and cut her head off."

"Thank you for being there."

"Ryan I would do anything for you."

"Let's get ready to get out of here, I'll set the charges."

Ryan went thru every room in the temple and set C-4 charges and placed the detonators in each charge. He went back to the main room and set the time for one hour. They left the temple and got into the Hummer and drove out of the area and headed for the Bagdad airport with a stop at the church in Bagdad to send his boxes home to San Diego.

Once the boxes were all sealed and addressed the priest called the delivery company as Ryan and Maria left for the airport. They arrived in San Diego after a eighteen hour flight. They got their car and drove home.

They walked into their house and Ryan plopped down in his chair and just said "Thank God, we are home."
CHAPTER ELEVEN

Ryan pulled Maria close to him and they sat on the couch in their living room, "Maria I want you to know that I love you so very much."

"I do know that babe, and I love you so very much."

"Maria we are in a dangerous job, but I want to ask you a question and that question is will you marry me?"

"I was so hoping that you would ask me that and the answer is yes."

"You have just made me the happiest man on earth."

Just as Ryan said that a white light started to appear in the living room and the figure of an Angel started to appear. The form started to become sharper and it formed into the Angel Gabriel.

"My children the Lord God has sent me to congratulate you upon you decision to get married. The Lord will bless this union. Before you do, this last task is not yet complete,"

"It isn't, I thought all we had to do was dispatch the female fallen?"

"That was the first part of the task, your figurines will not give you the last part of the task. You are to locate the seven gates of hell and destroy them. Though this will not stop all of Lucifer's followers from coming to the surface it will slow them down."

"That should not be too hard."

"My child each gate is guarded by seven hellhounds and seven demons. The hellhounds and demons are nothing like the few hellhounds you have faced or are the demons like any of the ones you have faced so far."

"Very well Gabriel when do we start?"

"Tonight my children. Start planning tonight."

The Angel disappeared and left Ryan and Maria to ponder where to start. Seven seems to be a common number with Lucifer. First the seven princes then the seven princess and not the seven gates of hell guarded by seven hellhounds and seven demons.

"This is going to be a fun search for me. I'll not only use the regular internet as well as religious sources."

"I hope destroying the gates is as much fun for me as it will be researching it is for you."

Maria spent the next day and a half searching all of the information available to her. It appears that there is one on each continent the only one specifically name was on Antarctica and it is said to be the south pole its self..

"Ok babe I have the information we are going to need."

Ryan came over and sat next to Maria and said go ahead with the info.

"The seven gates are located on Antarctica at the south pole its self, the next one is in Australia at the Rookwood cemetery in Sydney, the third is in South America in Rio near the large statue of Christ, the forth is in Asia at Sumer, Mesopotamia which is now in Iraq, the fifth is in Africa in Egypt somewhere under the left paw of the sphinx, the sixth is in Europe at the Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris and the last one is in North America on Lebanon Road in Collinsville Illinois."

"Does it matter what order that we take them out?"

"No I don't think it does."

"Then I think we will take Antarctica first. It's summer down there so it won't be as cold."

"That sounds like a smart thing."

Maria went back to researching travel to Antarctica and came up with the only way to get down there was to be invited as part of the scientific expeditions that will spend six months on the ice before coming home or hire your own boat. Maria explained this to Ryan and he said to hire a boat of their own.

Maria went about making the travel arrangements and they would fly to Lima Peru and then catch a small ship out of Lima's sea port. The trip from Lima to Antarctica would take nine days there and nine days back so they would have twelve days on the ice. They went shopping and bought all the extreme cold weather gear they would need for the task on Antarctica.
CHAPTER TWELVE

They left San Diego at six in the morning and landed in Lime Peru at nine then made the one hour ride to the Lima sea port. Their ship was waiting for them and their noon departure. The ship was a converted transport that had staterooms added and could hold five hundred passengers, but for this trip the only passengers would be Ryan and Maria. They had chartered the Tango and her crew led by Captain William Rocco. The would be staying in the owners cabin for the trip to Antarctica and back. When the SUV pulled up to the gangway the officer on deck contacted the Captain to let him know that their guests had arrived. A second pickup pulled up and they unloaded several crated of cargo that belonged to Ryan and Maria.

The Captain came down from the bridge and had his deck hands bring aboard the crates and the luggage for Ryan and Maria. Ryan and Maria walked up the gangway and they were welcomed aboard but the deck officer and the Captain.

"Welcome to the Tango, I am Captain William Rocco."

"Thank you Captain, I am Ryan Simpson and this is my collogue and fiancée Maria Johnson."

"A pleasure to meet you both. Mr. Jenkins please show our guests to their quarters."

"Yes Sir"

The deck officer showed Ryan and Maria to the quarters and told them he would have the luggage brought right up.

They settled in to the cabin and it was just a matter of minutes and their luggage was delivered to them. They unpacked their luggage and put their belongings away. They walked back onto the main deck and watched the crew as they made all the preparations to get the ship underway. Ryan looked up at the ships stacks and saw that the ships engines were running by heat waves and puffs of white smoke coming from the stacks.

Maria and Ryan watched as the ship's crew started bringing in the mooring lines that held the ship against the pier. Once the last line was undone from the pier the ship blew it whistle five times telling all the ship's around them that they were underway.

As soon as the whistle quit it was announced "Would Mr. Simpson and Miss Johnson please join the Captain in the dining room."

"Guess the Captain wants to see us," Ryan said."

Maria and Ryan made their way to the dining room and found the Captain seated at a table with coffee and Ice tea and snacks. He rose when Maria and Ryan approached.

"Please have a seat and join me."

"Thank you sir." Maria said.

"My understanding is we are going to be docking in Casey."

"Yes sir that is correct."

"A bit odd two American's and we are docking at an Australian outpost."

"I wish I could tell you more Captain but our job here is classified."

"I understand that sir, I must admit I was surprised when the owners called and said we had been chartered by you folks. When we charter it is normally two or three hundred people not two."

"Your owners gave us the best bang for our buck."

"That's good otherwise we would have been just sitting in port for the next ten weeks."

"Glad we could keep you working Captain."

"Feel free to use all of the ship's amenities we are sailing as though we have a full load."

"Thank you Captain maybe when we get to Casey you can entertain the station a couple of times, I'm sure they would enjoy it."

"I'll see what we can do."

"Thank you Captain I think we are going to stroll around the deck and turn in early tonight."

"Have a good evening sir breakfast is served from seven to nine."

"Again sir thank you."

Ryan and Maria went up on deck and walked the ship several times. "It sure is peaceful out here." Maria said

"It sure is that's one reason I joined the Navy, I loved how peaceful the nights at sea were."

"You never talk much about your time in the Navy."

"Not really a lot to say about it, in my job we did some things that one is not really proud of but we followed orders."

"What did you do in the Navy?"

"Well I was a SEAL, the Navy's special forces, I was a sniper."

"No wonder your such a great shot."

"You're not going to say much more about it are you?"

"I would rather not."

"I can accept that, but know this if you do ever want to talk about it I'm here."

"I know that babe."

Ryan pulled Maria close and gave her a deep soft kiss and said "I love you Maria."

"And I love you too Ryan Simpson."

*****

Lucifer summoned Astaroth his Grand Duke, and when he arrived Lucifer said, "Astaroth something is wrong I have not heard from Allocen, Cimeries or the female fallen including my wife in over a week. I want you to take whoever and whatever you need and find them or what happened to them."

"Yes my lord I will report as soon as I know something."

"Hurry Astaroth, I want to know as soon as possible."

Astaroth departed the throne room and gathered one of his legions and he sent them to Mesopotamia to the locations of each of the females temples. He wanted to know the status of each temple and the whereabouts of the slayer. They were not to engage the slayer just report his location.

Two thousand demons departed to Mesopotamia in search of the female fallen, Allocen and Cimeries. After they knew what had happened to them they would find the slayer.

The demons all stayed together and began searching the temples of the female fallen and they were stunned to find that each temple had been totally destroyed. There was no sign of anything left living. The commander of the demon legion sent a messenger back to Astaroth to report the destruction.

The demons started their search in San Diego looking for Ryan Simpson. They knew it was him who was the slayer because all the other people who had appeared on the list of names had been killed and this Ryan Simpson had been in Mesopotamia and was now gone.

The demons staked out Ryan's house but they did not find or see anyone come or go and no lights ever came on in the house. The commander decided that the slayer was gone and on another job of killing fallen angels and demons.

The commander returned to hell with his legion and reported what he had found. Astaroth was disturbed that they had not found the slayer but he knew where to find out if they were traveling. Astaroth would make a trip above himself.

*****

Robert Allen was just about ready to go home he only had three more days left with the FBI before he retired, He was ready no more favors for everyone because he was FBI. Astaroth appeared in the room with Robert. "Robert you have more work to do for me."

Robert spun around with his gun drawn and stopped short of shooting and said, "Jesus don't you guys ever knock."

"Don't ever use that name in front of me. I have a job for you."

"What do you want?"

"Find Ryan Simpson and do it fast."

"Who is he?"

"He was on the list of names you provided to my brother and sister."

"I will get right on it and report back to you as soon as I have something."

Robert began his quarry and in less than half an hour he handed Astaroth a piece of paper with two words, Lima Peru. "He caught a flight there seven days ago."

"You will be rewarded for you promptness."

Before Robert could say anything, Astaroth was gone.

Astaroth reported to Lucifer and he was ready for the actions that Lucifer would have learning about the death of the fallen and his wife.

"Astaroth knocked on the throne room and Lucifer said "Come in."

He walked in and bowed and said, "My lord I have the information you want, all of temples have been destroyed and all of the fallen with them."

Lucifer flew into a fit of rage that was felt throughout hell, Astaroth slowly backed out and went to his quarters he would ride out the storm there.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The Tango arrived in Casey a day early and the skeleton crew at the Australian outpost assisted in off loading the crates that belonged to Ryan and Maria and then load them into an ice cat, the ice cat would carry them to the south pole and provide shelter if the weather should turn bad. But this time of year the temperature would stay just below freezing and no bad weather was expected.

Ryan and Maria climbed into the ice cat after all the crates were loaded and they were checked out on the operation of the ice cat. Ryan pulled out of Casey station and headed for the south pole, the trip should only take two days. The ice cat had been there before as had many of the other stations so to see them there was not unusual.

Late the afternoon on the second day Ryan spotted a demon flying towards them, "Looks like we have company."

"What is it?"

"That spot in the sky is a demon, must be coming over to check us out. Make like you don't know he is there."

The demon circled over the ice cat and seeing that there was no response he headed back in the direction of the south pole. Ryan said, "looks like we are headed in the right direction."

"It sure looks like it."

"Babe how much farther to the pole?" Ryan asked.

"Based on GPS we still have about forty miles to go."

"Sun will be down shortly, let's stop for the night and grab a bite to eat."

Ryan stopped the ice cat and Maria went to the back and grabbed two MRE's (ready to eat meals). She grabbed the portable cook top and set it up outside and prepared the MRE's , when they were hot she carried them inside and they ate the meals. "Not the best food in the world but it will keep us going." Ryan said.

"There really not all that bad, I've ate much worse."

"Based on the GPS we should get there around an hour after we roll in the morning."

"I'm just wondering how I'm going to find the gate, I doubt that the demons and hellhounds will be standing out in the cold."

"Never know they just might be. Remember you can see them most us of can't"

"That's true, I didn't think of that."

Early the next morning Ryan had the ice cat rolling across the snow packed ice. He was hoping to make the south pole by eight. There are two south poles one is the Geographic South Pole and the other is the Magnetic South Pole. They were headed for the Magnetic South Pole. It would take another two days to reach the Geographic South Pole if the Gate was not at the Magnetic South Pole. The ice at either one was thick almost two miles thick based on the information that Casey station gave them. Ryan was hoping that the gate would be located at the Magnetic South Pole because the United States had a station that was always manned at the Geographic South Pole.

Maria finally woke and came to the front of the ice cat and joined Ryan, rubbing sleep from her eyes she asked, "how much farther?"

"I guess about half an hour, and I think we picked the right pole as there has been a lot more activity by the demons."

"Do you think they may try to stop us before we get to the pole?"

"I doubt it they should be pretty use to seeing one of these things all the time as the scientists are always out here. I did take the opportunity to be ready, the MAC-10's are all loaded and ready to go, I stored them right beside our chairs."

Ryan was coming up on the south pole and topped out over an ice hill when he spotted the hellhounds and what looked like a boat load of demons.

The closer they got to the pole five demons started flying towards them, Ryan stopped about a half a mile from the pole and he could see all seven of the hellhounds and these made the ones back in Iraq look like puppies.

"Babe, you should see the size of these hellhounds."

"Are they big?"

"Big isn't the word for them, more like gigantic. They have to stand ten feet tall."

"How are we going to deal with them? You had a hard time with ones back in the temple in Iraq."

"Once we get out I want to set up some of the scientific gear that's on this thing and I will set out the missile launcher and a few missiles, we can see how they react them."

"Why set out the scientific gear?"

"I figure that the demons are use to see certain things when the real scientists come here so we can make like we know what we are doing with this stuff. When the demons go back to the pole I should be able to get off a couple of missiles before all hell breaks out."

"If you say so."

"I do and I want you back in the cat after I fire, I don't want one of those beasts getting a hold of you."

"But I can provide backup support if the demons start to come. I can see them then you know."

"Ok but if I tell you to get inside you do it."

"I will."

"Ok let's get some of this gear out there."

They started to off load the steel box's with the scientific equipment. Ryan would hand it to Maria and she would set it out, open the box and start to twist the knobs and make like she knew what she was doing. Ryan kept an eye on the demons and it finally seemed like they were satisfied with what was going on that they left and headed back to the others at the pole.

Ryan handed her the launcher and then seven missiles. He jumped out of the cat and opened the case for the launcher and loaded a missile into it. He grabbed his spotter scope and got range and wind speed and direction. He sighted on the closest hellhound and fired, he reloaded and fired on another hellhound before the first one hit. He moved the he picked up his scope and followed the first missile right into the hellhound. To his surprise the hellhound exploded into a million pieces.

He grabbed another missile and loaded it into the launcher and fired it again at a different beast, The second missile hit its target and the third hit seconds later and destroyed a third hound before they were moving at them. Ryan loaded a forth missile into the launcher and fired again. He missed the hellhounds but hit the group of demons that were trying to keep up with the hellhounds.

Ryan felt the launcher shift and the tap on his head and he instantly pulled the trigger on the launcher. Maria had decided to load the launcher, she had seem it done in the movies so she reached up and touched Ryan on the head and the missile fired. Maria almost didn't get out of the way fast enough as the flame from the missile almost got her. She stood off to the side and loaded the launcher again and tapped Ryan on the head and a fifth missile was away. Maria loaded the sixth missile and tapped Ryan again and the missile was away headed toward a hellhound. The fifth missile killed another hound but the sixth missile maimed the next hound blowing off one of its arms. Maria loaded the seventh missile and tapped Ryan and the seventh missile was on its way. Ryan dropped the launcher and grabbed one of the MAC-10's, a handful of spare magazines and he told Maria to get back inside the cat. Without turning to see if Maria obeyed Ryan left the cat and was sprinting as far as he could get. The remaining hellhound was less than two hundred yards from him and the one he blew the shoulder off of was just a little farther back.

Ryan called the Angel Sword to him and it appeared in his hand. Just as the sword appeared Ryan went into a slide avoiding the hellhounds claws. As the hellhound kept running past the sliding Ryan he brought the sword across the hounds leg cutting off the leg. Now Ryan had a one legged and one armed set of hell hounds trying to kill him. Ryan figured that this evened the odds a little. Ryan spotted the one armed hound getting ready to stomp a massive leg down on him and he rolled away and sliced a deep gash in the leg of the hound.

The one legged hound had made it up on its one good leg and was limping toward Ryan, Ryan ran toward the one legged hound and slid to the left of the beast and sliced the other leg off of the hound. The beast fell to the ground howling in pain, Ryan scrambled to his feet slipping on the ice a couple of time before gaining steady footing. He moved in on the badly injured hellhound and he drove the Angel Sword deep into the beast's head thru hi eye. Ryan twisted the sword and the hound died. Ryan had forgot about the other hound and it grabbed Ryan with its good arm and tossed Ryan like a ragdoll.

When Ryan quit sliding he regained his footing and stood ready for the beast. The beast charged and Ryan side stepped to his right and saw the beast move to cover Ryan. Ryan stood his ground and just as the hound grabbed for Ryan he brought the sword and cut off the beasts arm. The beast slipped on the ice and fell to the ground and Ryan was on top of it. He was slicing and jabbing the beast everywhere he could see before finally landing a blow to the eye of the hound and the blade pushed into its brain. Ryan pulled the sword out and the hell hound died.

Ryan turned back to the ice cat and saw that the demons were surrounding it and Maria was firing at them the best she could, Ryan headed back as fast as he could run. Ryan started firing at the demons as he got to within one yards of the ice cat. A few of the demons turned their attention to Ryan and Ryan hit them with a spray of bullets from his MAC-10. The closer Ryan got to the ice cat the more demons would fall from his gun fire. Enough of the demons had been killed by Ryan that Maria was able to take a more careful aim and more demons started to die.

Ryan was within fifty feet of the ice cat when the last demon fell, Maria opened the door and ran to Ryan and leaped into his arms crying. "Babe it's ok you were holding your own and doing a good job."

"I'm so sorry I let them get too close."

"No babe it's ok your ok."

"I wasn't paying attention, I was trying to figure out a way I could help you when the demons started pounding on the windows and doors."

"Babe, it's ok. Really."

"I won't be so careless in the future."

"Babe, stop it's ok. You did a good job."

Maria just hugged Ryan tighter, Ryan told her that they needed to load up everything and move closer to the pole and see if they could locate the gat it's self. Maria finally let go of Ryan's neck and helped him load all the gear back into the ice cat. Once they had it all inside Ryan started the ice cat and they started to move closer to the pole at a snail's pace.

The closer they got to the pole Maria said "I don't see anything except ice and snow."

"There it is, about two hundred yards in front of us."

"I don't see it."

"It must be like the demons you can't see them until they are a threat to you."

"As long as you can see it."

"It looks like all the hellhounds and demons that we killed were the guards. Ryan pulled the ice cat to a stop just twenty feet from the gate. He got out of the cat and walked to the gate. The closer he got to the gate the more defined it got, right over the gate Ryan looked down into the bowls of hell it's self. Flame and molten rock were all over the place and Ryan could hear people screaming for relief from the fire. Ryan knew that the one screaming down there were the souls that Lucifer had claimed.

Ryan returned to the ice cat and got out a case of C-4 and placed the bricks around the gate. He placed wireless detonators in each brick. The remainder of the case about twenty bricks he placed wireless detonators in each brick and covered the case back up, he tied a rope to the crate and lowered the crate about twenty feet into the gate. Ryan returned to the ice cat and backed it off a quarter of a mile away. He picked up the wireless transmitter and pressed the button. The C-4 detonated and Ryan could see that the hole that had been there was being covered by the water that had been melted by the blast. The water was freezing almost as fast as it got to the gate. In less than fifteen minutes the gate was gone.

Ryan and Maria inspected the site of the gate and Ryan confirmed that it was gone. Ryan looked at Maria and said "Time to go home." They got back into the ice cat and returned to Casey station. They made it back with 2 days to spare, Ryan had left word with Captain Rocco that if they were not back in nine days that he was to leave their without them.

The crew loaded Ryan and Maria's crates back on board and made ready to leave port. By six that nigh they had gotten underway and were well out to sea. Ryan and Maria spent the next nine days in their cabin. Upon their arrival back in Lima they made arrangement to have the crates shipped back to San Diego and they went to the airport and caught the next flight back home. As the made the turn on the street to their house Ryan spotted twenty to thirty demons were watching the house waiting for their return.

Ryan was tired and in no mood to mess with any demons, he drove right past the house and stopped just around the corner of his street, He looked at Maria and said, "Wait here, I won't be long."

Ryan only had the Angel Sword but he would make quick work of the demons. He snuck up behind a van that he had seen at least five demons and he opened the rear door and dispatched of the eight demons that were in the van. He next moved to the four demons that were standing next to his RV and he quickly killed them. He moved around the back of the house and had a little tougher time killing the ten demons that were there. He opened the back door to his house and went to his bedroom and got a nine millimeter pistol and put on a silencer and he walked out the front door. The last eight demons started toward him and he quickly shot each of them. He walked back to his car and got in and drove back to the house and the two of them went in without a word. Once inside Ryan said "Wake me in a week and he climbed on the couch and took a nap.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Lucifer had his Dukes gathered together to select the new princes of hell when all of hell shook violently, boulders started to fall everywhere in hell. "What in the name of darkness was that?" Lucifer asked.

The dukes looked around and all were as shocked as Lucifer was Astaroth said, "something great has happened, I can't explain it other than that."

"I want to know what it was, picking the princes can wait."

The dukes left Lucifer and gathered all the fallen angels together, there were now only one hundred and five left. The slayer had killed thirty of their brother and sisters, for that the slayer would pay.

Astaroth said "I have called you here for two reasons, I'm sure you all felt the shaking in hell our lord Lucifer wants to know what caused it. We were meeting to pick the new princes when it happened so I can tell you it was not caused by our master losing his temper.

The other reason I have called you is this business about the slayer. We did have information about who he was and where we could find him but that information has been lost. After we find out what caused the all of hell to shake as it did we need to find out everything about the slayer we can and put a stop to him. From now on if you leave the underworld you will always be in groups of seven, nothing can stand up to the power of seven angels. Now go and search all of hell and report back to me as soon as you can."

The fallen departed and began the search of hell. It didn't take long and Bernael reported to Astaroth, "My duke, I believe I know what caused the shaking of all of hell, one of the seven gates of hell has been destroyed. It has been permanently been sealed. It was gate number two in the southern most pole of earth."

"Damn Lucifer is going to be mad and may cause more damage with his temper."

Astaroth went to see Lucifer and make the report to him. "My lord one of the gates of hell has been destroyed and has permanently been destroyed."

"I want to know who and how>"

"Lord we know the who or have a pretty good guess and that would be the slayer."

"Find him and kill him I won't say it again."

"Yes my lord." Astaroth said as he was excusing himself.

*****

While Ryan was napping, Maria was busy looking for all the information she could find on the gate on the Asian continent it should be located in or near the Great Temple Mount in Israel. The gate is located away from the Old City of Jerusalem twenty miles south then east one and a quarter miles, lies the Devils Temple Mount and the gat of hell.

She believed she had the information that Ryan would need to locate and destroy the gate. Ryan started to stir and began to wake up. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he asked, "What have you been up to?"

"I've been searching for the Asian get of hell. I believe I have a good point of reference in trying to find it. The first information I had put it under the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, but I kept digging and found in is outside of the city about twenty miles."

"Well how soon do we leave?"

"Day after tomorrow, only because I couldn't get a hotel room for tomorrow."

"Sounds good to me, a whole day at home, how nice."

Ryan and Maria landed in Jerusalem two days later and had a rental Hummer waiting for them. The drove to the motel that Maria had reserved a room for them at and settled in for the night as it was already past eight in the evening. A good night's sleep and a fresh start in the morning would do a world of good in getting over the jet lag.

Maria and Ryan were off to an early start the next morning and they were headed for the spot that Maria had identified as the gate to hell. The drive took them just over forty-five minutes and when they pulled into the secluded area where the gate to hell was supposed to be it wasn't there the searched an area of ten square miles and could not find the gate.

"Maria are you sure it is supposed to be in this area?"

"Everything I have searched all the records say it should be."

"What about the Temple Mount back in Jerusalem, remember I saw demons there once before."

"I know but all of our Intel say's that it should be in this area."

"I not convinced of that, even though your Intel has always been correct, we have covered a lot of area and we have come up empty."

"Let's make another sweep of this area and if we come up empty again then we can move back to the Temple Mount back in Jerusalem."

"Ok one more sweep and if we don't find anything we will go back to Jerusalem."

Maria started to move the Hummer and she had gone about three miles back to the west and Ryan grabbed his neck and doubled over in pain.

"Babe, what is it are you ok?"

"I have the feeling that there are fallen or demons in the area and either a lot of them or they are massive. The pain is intense."

"I don't see anything except those large dunes we passed before."

Ryan lifted his head and scanned the area with the binoculars he still was not seeing anything. He looked over the large line of dunes and saw nothing but the feeling in his neck was not going away.

"Move closer to the dunes and let's see what's there."

The closer they got to the dune the more intense the pain in Ryan's neck became. Maria had to stop the Hummer several times to let Ryan adjust to the pain in his neck. They had moved to within one hundred yards and Maria had to stop. Ryan told her the pain was too much. Ryan had felt pain like this once before and it really was not this bad. It took almost an hour before the intense pain started to pass.

"Wow I've never had it so intense or last so long before I could handle it."

"Do you think the gate could be in the dune?"

"There is definitely something there and it is big and has a lot of power."

"You know that this gate is called Satan's Front Door. It is believed it took two thousand legions of demons and devil's to create the great gate because it is the most powerful and strongest doors that Satan has for gaining souls, maybe that is why it is so painful."

"That could very well be the reason."

"Why didn't you feel it before?"

"We didn't get this close before, I was looking for demons in the area and we didn't see any. We are going to have to be more observant when we a looking for these gates.

"Speaking of demons and being more observant is that a demon and a beast coming this way?"

"Ryan looked towards the dunes and said "Yes it is, and you can see them?"

Maria shocked at the question said "Yes, yes I can."

"Let's move away from the dunes slowly, hopefully they will think we are leaving."

Maria started to move along the length of the dunes and when they started to fall off and flatten out with the rest of the desert she kept going straight. The demon and the hell hound stopped following them and headed back to where they had come from. Maria made a long sweeping right turn and followed the width of the dunes until they flattened out.

"Babe, I come up with about a hundred yards long by a hundred yards wide."

"Yea I can see that, and for a dune they are tall as well I would guess about a hundred fifty feet tall. If that is the gate than the damn this is huge."

"How do we find out?"

"The only way I know how is to climb the thing."

"I have a better idea, how hard would it be to mount that big machine gun to the back of the this thing?"

"I don't think it would be that hard, why?"

"Let's mount it and I'll drive close to the dunes and when the hell hound and demon come out you can shoot them."

"You know that is a good idea. The fifty cal might just be big enough to stop the hell hound."

Maria kept moving away from the dunes until they could not be seen without the binoculars. She stopped the Hummer and Ryan got out and got the fifty cal out from the back. He took the largest of the crates and set it so the top aligned with the back glass. It was a little lower than the glass but the tri pod would make that up. With the fifty cal set up he dug out two sets of ear plugs and a set of ear protectors that would completely cover his and Maria's ears. That should keep the sound from the fifty cal from causing them to go deaf for a while. Ryan took some rope and tired down the fifty cal so it wouldn't move as Maria was driving. Once the fifty cal was ready Ryan climbed into the back of the Hummer and laid down so he had a clear line of sight out the back and over the fifty cal.

Maria started the Hummer and headed back towards the dunes. She wanted to stay on the same side she was on when the saw the demon and hell hound. Ryan was feeling the pain in his neck again but it was not as severe as it was before. The closer they got to the spot they we at before the stronger the pain got.

"Here they come babe," Maria said.

"Try to keep it as straight as you can, I want them right behind us."

"Will do babe."

The fifty cal has an effective range two thousand yards and fires about five hundred rounds per minute, so Ryan would start firing when the hell hound was within one thousand yards of them.

"Ok babe keep me straight they are getting close."

Ryan began with a short five second burst that killed the demon that was with the hell hound. He shifted the aim of the fifty cal and fired another short burst and the bullets from the fifty cal tore into the hell hound causing it to scream out in pain but they did not stop the hell hound from coming towards them. Ryan could see the blood coming from the beast as it got closer to them and he fired another short burst into the hell hound.

The hound stumbled but kept coming at them. Ryan fired again and the hound fell to the ground, withering in pain. It was howling as though it was calling for help. Ryan spotted two more hell hounds come from the dunes and started closing in on them. Ryan fired another short burst into the hell hound on the ground and it burst into flames and disappeared. Ryan shifted his attention to the other two hell hounds closing in on them,

Ryan fired a ten second burst into each of the hell hounds and Ryan could see the flesh being torn away from them. Ryan fired again the two hell hounds fell to the ground. Ryan fired a third burst and the hell hounds like their brother before them burst into flames and disappeared.

Ryan was a little surprised that there were no demons or anymore hell hounds coming after them. Ryan grabbed his binoculars and scanned the dunes. There was no movement of any kind.

"Maria!" Ryan yelled.

Maria stopped the Hummer and turned around to look at Ryan. "Move closer to the dunes. I want to try to flush more of them out."

Maria nodded and turned the Hummer around and started driving the way they had come from and moved closer to the dunes. They covered the entire length of the dunes but nothing came out from the dunes.

"Try the other side of the dunes." Ryan instructed.

Maria nodded again and headed for the other side of the dunes. They covered the length of the dunes again and still no hell hounds or demons. Ryan had been concentrating so much on the hell hounds and demons that he didn't notice that the pain in his neck had disappeared. Maria was getting ready to turn the Hummer around when Ryan told her to stop.

"Where did they all go?" Maria asked.

"I'm not sure they just stopped coming."

What do we do now?"

"Get me close to the dunes, I'm going to climb them."

"Is that wise?"

"Probably not but I have to flush them out somehow."

"If that what you want then let's do it."

Maria drove the Hummer as close to the dunes as she could get. Ryan was busy making up a backpack with C-4, Grenades and spare magazines for the MAC-10. When Maria stopped the Hummer and Ryan got out and looked up at the top of the dunes. The slope was not very steep and the sand was pretty soft.

"Wish me luck," and Ryan leaned over and kissed Maria. He hoisted the pack onto his back and started the climb. It took almost thirty minutes for Ryan to reach the top of the dunes. His feet kept sinking into the soft sand. Ryan scanned the top of the dunes but he could only see sand. Ryan was looking to the south of the dunes when he heard Maria screaming at him, he looked down at her and she was pointing the other way from what Ryan was facing. He started to turn around when he was knocked to the ground but a heavy blow to his backpack. He scrambled to try to turn over when the massive claws from a hell hound ripped thru his arm.

Ryan was glad he had put on his body amour. The claws from the hell hound were shredding it away. Had he not been wearing it his chest would have been hamburger by now. The hell hound was still inflicting plenty of damage to Ryan. Ryan's arms and legs had been clawed badly and he could feel the warm blood running down his body. The hell hound grabbed Ryan in its massive hands and lifted Ryan over his head then slammed him down into the sand. Ryan felt his body jar from the impact with the sand. Ryan tried to call the Angel Sword and when it appeared in his hand a demon kicked it away. The hell hounds grabbed Ryan again and this time brought him up so it could sink its massive teeth into Ryan.

Just as the hound opened its mouth the hell hound hit the ground causing Ryan to fly from its hands. They were so close to the edge of the dune that Ryan began rolling down the dune. Ryan had no idea what had happened as he passed out from the injuries he had received.

Maria saw that Ryan was in trouble he was trying to fight two hell hounds and two demons. Maria jumped into the back of the Hummer and tried to aim the fifty cal but she couldn't see the top of the dune. The Hummer was too close. She went back to the driver's seat and pulled the Hummer forward away from the dunes. When she thought she was far enough away from the dunes she stopped the Hummer and climbed back into the back of the Hummer. This time Maria could see the hell hounds and the demons. She pulled back the slide on the fifty cal just as she had seen Ryan do and she started firing the fifty cal. The first rounds caught the two demons and they fell to the ground dead.

She shifted her aim to the hell hound that was fighting Ryan. She watched in horror as the beast grabbed Ryan and started to bring its fangs down on Ryan. She started firing at the hell hound and it fell to the ground tossing Ryan down the side of the dunes. Maria shifted he aim and fired at the second hell hound. The fifty cal peppered the second hell hound and it disappeared back into a gate.

Maria climbed back into the driver's seat and drove the Hummer to where Ryan was laying in the sand. Maria stopped the Hummer and jumped out onto the sand. She ran to Ryan's side and she checked him for what looked like a serious wound from the hounds claws Maria tore stripes of cloth from her blouse and covered the wounds to help stop the bleeding. She then helped Ryan into the Hummer. She spun her tires in the sand as she headed for the hotel.

When they arrived back at the hotel she parked the Hummer in the basement parking garage and helped Ryan to the elevator and she punched the button for their floor. When the doors opened she helped Ryan to and then inside their room. She needed to treat these wounds quickly some of them looked really bad. Maria had to go back to the Hummer she left the first aid kit down there.

Maria left the room and took the elevator back down to the garage and got the first aid kit. She closed up the Hummer and locked it and turned around and she came face to face with a man that looked like he had not taken a bath in a month. In broken English he said, "Give me all your money and you won't get hurt."

"Maria looked around and she didn't see anyone who might be able to help her, she said, "Mister I don't have any money, it's all back in my room."

"Then take me there and no tricks. If you try anything I will kill you."

Maria could see the man meant business he was holding a long knife that looked shiny and new. Maria led him into the elevator and pushed the button for her floor. When the elevator opened she led the man to her room. She fumbled with the key but finally got the door to open.

Ryan heard the key being fumbled and he grabbed one of his nine millimeter pistols and he quickly screwed a sound suppressor on to the pistol. He laid back down on the couch and when the door opened he saw as a strange man pushed Maria into the room. He heard the man say. "Now get me all of your money."

"While you're at it give me all of your valuables."

"My purse is over there on the couch."

"Quit wasting time hurry up."

The thief looked at the man on the couch and saw all the blood, he knew he wasn't a threat. Maria walked to the couch and sitting there was the pistol she had taken off of Ryan it still had the silencer attached to it. She knew that the man was still holding the knife. She reached down and picked up the pistol, she turned and said "You should know that it's not wise to bring a knife to a gun fight."

The man started to say something and Maria shot him right between the eyes. Ryan jumped awake from the sound of the man hitting the coffee table, Ryan tried to get up but was too weak to stay on his feet.

Maria asked, "What do we do with him?"

"Drag him to the elevator. Send him to the top floor then push the first floor. We won't worry about him anymore."

Maria did as Ryan said and watched as the doors closed on the elevator and it went to the top floor. She watched as the numbers started back down and finally stop on the first floor. Maria turned and returned to her room.

Maria helped Ryan to the bathroom and stripped off his clothes and cleaned up the wounds. She applied a antibiotic cream and put bandages over the wounds. She brought in fresh clothes for Ryan and helped him dress. Except for the bandages on his arms the rest of the bandages were covered by his clothes.

Maria could hear sirens off in the distance and noticed that they were getting closer. She guessed that they found the man in the elevator. She walked to the window and looked down as several police cars and an ambulance arrived at the hotel. Shortly after they arrived the ambulance crew were coming out with their stretcher and a body bag that was full, they loaded the body into the ambulance and the ambulance pulled away. It was several hours later before the police left the hotel. They had covered the top floor as someone who was waiting said the elevator came down from that floor. Ryan had fallen asleep on the couch while all the excitement was going on, Maria let him sleep there and when morning came she got up and made coffee and walked over to Ryan and woke him with the smell from a cup coffee and soft kisses on his lips.

"How are you feeling this morning?"

"Sore but I think I'll live."

"I do think you need a few days to recover, you have some pretty deep gash's and slash's."

'I think a day or two will work, then back to the gate and see what we need to do to destroy it."

*****

The demon in charge of the security at the Asian gate of hell was in a hurry as he entered the great hall that led to Lucifer's throne room and he didn't see Semyaza and ran right into him. He grabbed the demon by his neck and said, "do you know who I am fool?"

The demon shook his head no and Semyaza said "I am one of the sons of god and I am the leader of all of Lucifer's armies. Where are you going in such a hurry."

The demon bowed and said, "Master I come from the gate of hell in Asia and we have been attacked by the slayer. We have managed to fight him off for now and one of the hell hounds injured him, but he killed several of my men and three of my hell hounds. I have come to inform our lord and Master Lucifer and ask for replacements for the one I have lost."

"Return to your post I will send replacement and bring them myself with more forces."

The demon said "Thank you master I am grateful for your kindness."

"Now go before I change my mind."

The demon turned and hurried away knowing that he had reported and more forces would be coming.

Semyaza entered the throne room and said, "My lord may I speak with you on a matter of great importance."

"What is it Semyaza, I have little time."

"My lord I bring news of the slayer. He has attacked the Asian gate. He was pushed back and he was injured by one of the hell hounds but he did manage to kill several of our demons and some of the hell hounds. I would like to lead a force to fortify the gate and bring you the slayers head."

Lucifer perked up with the news from Semyaza and said, "Well done, take what you need and bring me his head. Now go."

Semyaza departed the throne room and went to his quarters and contacted his legion of minions and made arrangements for seven more hell hounds to take with him. The group departed for the Asian gate of hell.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Ryan has stayed in the hotel room during his recuperation, because he didn't want to draw attention to his wounds. Three days passed and Ryan was ready to make a drive by the dunes and see if anything had transpired since his encounter with the hell hounds and demons. They left out of Jerusalem early in the morning and took their time heading out of town. As they made the turn to the east when Maria stopped the Hummer.

"Do you see what I see?"

"Yea and it does not look good. There seems to be a lot of activity over on the dunes. Let me grab the binoculars and get a better look. Ryan got out and opened the back of the Hummer and dug the binoculars out of their case. He brought them to his eyes and just said, "Shit."

"What's the matter?"

"Here take a look." Handing the binoculars to Maria.

Maria looked at the dunes through the binoculars and her mouth just opened and no words came out. She kept scanning the dunes and Ryan could tell she was counting.

"This is not good I counted ten hell hounds and a ton of demons."

Let's get out of here we have some planning to do."

They both got back into the Hummer and headed back to Jerusalem. Once back in the hotel room Ryan got out the satellite photos that Maria had downloaded from the internet. Ryan went over them with a fine tooth comb but they reveled nothing that he could use.

"I want to go back to the site tonight I want to stake out the dune and see if they drop their guard during the hours of darkness."

"What time do you want to get there?"

"Let's look to arrive right after dark, I want to spend the night there."

Ryan and Maria turned in and set their alarm for seven that evening, Ryan was awake before the alarm went off and made coffee. Maria woke a few minutes later and shut off the alarm. They dressed in black so they would not be visible at night, it was close to eight when they departed. When they arrived close to the dunes Ryan took out the camouflage makeup and covered his face with the black and handed it to Maria who did the same thing Ryan had done. They got out of the Hummer and walked until they were within five hundred yards of the dunes. Ryan was surprised to see that he could actually see the glow of red coming from the gate.

At eleven that night he noted in his note pad that the activity of demons and hell hounds had diminished to the point that there were only two hounds and two demons. Ryan could hear a car and watched as it pulled up to the base of the dunes and four men got out and climbed to the top. They raised a pentagram on a pole and laid out two tables which they covered with a red cloth which they placed various worship items on. The glow from the gate gave Ryan plenty of light to see what the men were doing. Cars started arriving shortly after the first one arrived,

Ryan noted that all of the people were dressed either in black robes or red robes, neither the hell hounds or the demons gave them a second look. Ryan and Maria watched quietly and with interest the ceremony that was conducted. As the devil worship service came to a close an hour later Ryan noted with interest that many of the people left items and the demons picked them up when the people were gone and took them inside the gate.

Ryan and Maria watched this for three days and it was always the same the items left for the devil were always take into the gate fifteen minutes after the last person left. Ryan made his way back to the Hummer and when the last car left he followed it back to the main road. He passed the car and when he cleared the car he slid the Hummer sideways causing the car to stop. Ryan got out of the Hummer and walked to the car.

The driver of the car rolled down his window and said, "What the kind of idiot are you?"

"The kind that is going to kill you" and Ryan pulled out his pistol and shot the two occupants of the car. Ryan searched the car until he found the robes, Ryan told Maria to follow him and Ryan took the car and drove it thirty miles from the dunes. He closed up the car and left it on the side of the road.

Ryan and Maria returned to the hotel and turned in for the night. Ryan awoke close to nine the next morning and got right to work, he opened the crate that contained the stash of C-4 and detonators. He took his large backpack and he opened it and took everything out of it. Next he picked up a brick of the C-4, placed a detonator in it and put it in the backpack. He did this until the backpack was full. He took the wireless transmitter for the detonators and connected it to a small digital clock. He set the clock for alarm at one thirty in the morning he then placed the clock in the backpack. He closed up the backpack and set it to the side.

Ryan called down for room service and ordered breakfast for him and Maria. He hung up from room service and went and woke Maria and told her that breakfast was on the way. When Maria came into the living area of their room she spotted the backpack and asked what it was, Ryan told her it was packed full of C-4 and they were going to the worship service that night and that they would leave it as a gift. They spent the rest of the day lounging around the hotel.

They arrived close to the dunes at ten thirty wanting to watch the men set up the worship gear. Right on schedule the men arrived, and set everything up, when a few more cars started to arrive Ryan pulled the Hummer back onto the road and followed one of the cars and parked next to it. They got out and put on the robes they had taken the night before and put them on. The woman from the car next to them came over and introduced herself and said, "Are you folks new, I haven't seen you here before?"

Maria answered, "We are from the states and we heard about this service and wanted to come and worship."

"That's great it is good to have you here."

Ryan and Maria went up the dune with the other couple they had just met, and when the service started they followed the actions of the couple. When the service ended the other couple and Ryan and Maria went to the spot where all of the gifts were being laid and placed their gift along with the others. They walked back down to the Hummer and got in and waited until all of the other cars had left and they followed in line. When they turned on the road to Jerusalem, they heard rather then saw an explosion. They turned their heads to see flame and a plumb of white smoke. They smiled and drove back into Jerusalem and turned in for the night.

*****

Semyaza had watched the worship services happen each night and saw all the gifts that were left for the devil, he was surprised that none of the demons tried to sneak one for themselves. Once the service was over and all of the humans had left the demons started taking the gifts thru the gate. Semyaza spotted the backpack and told the demon who had just picked it up that he would take that one. He entered the gate and heard a sound coming from inside the backpack, He opened it up and saw the clock and it was counting down, three, two, one and then it hit zero and that was the last thing that Semyaza ever saw. The backpack exploded and parts of the backpack flew everywhere and a piece of the frame flew off and cut the head of Semyaza off.

All of hell rocked from the explosion at the gate of hell. Lucifer was so mad that something had happened in hell again that caused all of hell to shake. Kunopegos a fallen was passing the throne when Lucifer grabbed him and instructed him to find out what happened, and to make sure he checked all the gates to hell. Lucifer tossed Kunopegos to the ground and said, "Make it fast I want to know."

Kunopegos got to his feet and hurried away from Lucifer he sent his minions out to find out the cause that had rocked all of hell. It took less than an hour for his minions to report to him that the Asian gate to hell had been destroyed. Kunopegos went to Lucifer's throne room and told him the news. Lucifer took his sword and cut the head of the messenger.

Lucifer watched in horror as the head and body of Kunopegos burst into flames and disappeared, and he dropped his sword, he had committed the most deadly sin that an Angel could commit, he had done what had never been done since the beginning of all time, he just killed another Angel.

Hell shook and a bright white light appeared and a booming voice said, "Lucifer what have you done? You have taken the life of another Angel."

"I have do so, it was in a moment of rage." Lucifer answered God.

"For this you must be punished."

"What can you do to me? You have banished me to this place for all eternity, you can do nothing worse."

"Lucifer you will leave this place and become a human, you will find and fight the Angel Slayer. Should you defeat him you will be returned to this place with its river and lake of fire to rule over, Should you lose to the slayer you shall cease to exist.

The white light disappeared and Lucifer disappeared, Lucifer fell and tumbled down the sand dune that had once been a gate to hell. Lucifer stood and realized that he was nude, He tried to bring forth clothes but nothing happened. Lucifer tried to fly but again nothing. Lucifer then realized that he was a mortal man. He started walking and came to a house that had clothes hanging on a line outside the house and he took some clothes and dressed, Next he would seek out the slayer and destroy him so he could regain his kingdom.

Lucifer started walking again and five hours later he found himself at the great Temple Mount in a city. He stopped a man and asked where he was the man said , "You old fool you are in the holy city of Jerusalem, the home of Jesus the son of God."

Lucifer thought great he was a mortal man now and he had to begin his search for this slayer in the place where his enemy's son was born. In a strange kind of way it was fitting, he would kill the slayer here where gods son was born.

"Where can I find the one called the slayer?"

"I know of no one called that. No go you bum."

Lucifer was not use to being spoke to in this manner and his temper was growing, he grabbed the man and said, "I asked where the slayer was now tell me."

The man pushed Lucifer's hand off of him and he punched Lucifer in the mouth. Lucifer stumbled back and felt the warn blood running down his lips. He reached for the man again and the man said, "Look fool just go away before I really hurt you." Lucifer felt the anger grow and said, "Fool I am Lucifer, the devil, tell me what I want to know or I will destroy you."

The man started laughing and said "Yea right," as he turned and walked away muttering something about the old man being crazy. Lucifer started to walk around the city and he would stop people walking and ask about the slayer, he received the same stupid look from all of them.

Lucifer walked around the city asking anyone who would stop and listen to him, he was becoming tired, a felling he had never known, he spotted an cafe and walked into the outside seating area and say down. A young woman brought him a menu and sat it down in front of him and said she would be back to take his order. Lucifer thought finally someone who knows who he is. In a few minutes she returned and asked him what he wanted. Lucifer said, "I am looking for the one called the slayer, what can you tell me about him."

"I don't know of anyone called the slayer now what do you want to eat." She replied.

"I have no money for food, I cannot pay. So just bring me something."

"What do you think this is a soup kitchen get out of here," she yelled.

A man and woman were sitting three tables away and the man got up and walked over to Lucifer's table and told the waitress "bring him whatever he wants and add it to my bill."

"You do not need to do this."

"Oh I know I don't I just won't let someone who is down on their luck go hungry."

The man walked back to his table and sat down, he looked to his female companion and told her what he had done. She looked at Lucifer and smiled. The couple paid their bill and left. Little did Lucifer know who he had just spoken to.

Ryan looked to Maria and said, "I'm glad we could help out that old fellow, I hate to see someone down on their luck."

"I just hope he appreciates it."

"One never know now do they."

"Your Right about that."

Ryan and Maria made it back to their hotel and made arrangements to have the crates picked up and delivered to their home in San Diego. Once the delivery man picked up the crates they went to the airport and checked in for their flight. Fourteen hours later they walked into their home.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The day after returning home Maria was busy gaining all the information she could find on Rookwood cemetery in Sydney, Australia. The most important item she was focusing on was the grave of Richard M. Tillman located in the remote section of the cemetery, There is no other grave located within three acres of his grave. It was separated by a seven foot tall cement wall that surrounded the three acres with a steel gate that was always locked. The gate was locked to keep people out of the area. Tillman was a notorious person of evil in Australia and a huge devil worshiper. There is no other grave located within three acres of his grave. The area around his grave is said to contain the essence of evil. Maria believed it was the gate to hell.

Maria sat down with Ryan and went over all the information that she had obtained and Ryan agreed that this was the most likely site of the gate. Ryan told her he was going to need another week before they could leave because he was waiting on replacement weapons.

The replacement weapons were delivered by Jim five days later and Ryan was thankful. He gave Jim a ten thousand dollar tip. During the week that Ryan and Maria had been waiting for the weapons Ryan had taken two of the bars of gold that he had taken from the temple and sold them, the war chest was now full again. Maria came out to the workshop and told Ryan she had made the travel arrangements and booked their hotel in Sydney. They would fly out in the morning and it was a fourteen hour flight.

They arrived at the Sydney airport and went to their rental agency to pick up their rental and they were told that there were no Hummers there to rent so they took a Ford Expedition SUV. They loaded their bags and went to the hotel to check in, the room that they were supposed to get was not available so the hotel put them in the Presidential suite for a very modest upgrade fee. They went upstairs and put their bags down and walked the suite.

"Now this is the way to live." Ryan said.

"I'll get lost in this room." Answered Maria.

"It's still early let's take a ride out to the cemetery and snoop around a little."

"I'm ready when you are." Maria answered.

They made the drive to the cemetery and turned into the Rookwood cemetery off of Homebush Bay Drive, it was a pleasant drive and they found the cemetery to be isolated from any communities that were inhabited." They parked the SUV and walked up to the gate that kept people out of the burial site of Richard M. Tillman. Ryan picked the lock and the padlock opened easily and they went thru the gate and slowly looked over the area.

They saw the house at the far end and walked over to it. It was obvious that the house was not being kept up. It was run down and starting to look like it might fall down.

Ryan said, "don't look up but there is someone in the upstairs far left window looking at us. It appears to be a human, it does not have the appearance of a demon or a fallen.

"What do you want to do?"

"Keep walking around looking at the area."

The person watching from the window disappeared and before too long the person came out of the house and said, "What are you doing in here this is private property."

"Hello sir My Name is Ryan Simpson and my fiancée are visiting Australia and I was told of my great, great, great uncle Richard M. Tillman was buried here. I thought I would come and visit the grave."

"I don't know of any Simpson's in the family line."

"I only know what I have been told growing up, it is said that he is separated from the rest of the graves by a brick wall. No one back home knows why."

"I'll tell you why but come in the house and have tea with me."

"We would be glad to sir."

They went into the dilapidated house and they were surprised to see the inside of the house was in beautiful condition. Most of the furnishing were just fantastic. They were escorted to the parlor and offered a seat. The man told them he would be just a minute with the tea.

Ryan thanked their host and they sat back in the chairs. A few minutes later the man returned carrying a tray with tea cups and a tea pot. He sat the tray down and told his guests to help themselves. He stood back up and a pistol appeared in his hand. Ryan froze and said, "Sir we don't mean to trespass if you want us to leave we will leave. We don't want any trouble."

"It is odd to me that I have never heard of your family and we have never had any visitors before. This house has been here since 1678 and my Great, great, great grandfather has been buried here since 1720."

"If I ask you to go will you go?"

"Yes sir no questions asked we will leave."

"Then stay and enjoy your tea and tell me of your family."

Ryan thinking quick on his feet made up a complete family and how they were related. The old man listened intently trying to pick up on any deceit in Ryan's voice or actions. Confident that Ryan was being honest he gave them a tour of the house, he showed them every room except the basement, no one had been down there since the late seventeen hundreds. Ryan's neck felt that old familiar feeling while he was close to the basement door. he knew the gate to hell was down there. Ryan thanked their host and told him that they were very thankful for the tour of the house.

They left the house and headed back to the gate and their SUV. Once in the SUV and headed back to their hotel Ryan said, "I know that the gate is in the basement of that house. I just don't know how we are going to get in there."

"I do think that the old man does not believe your story. I don't think he will let us back in."

"I think your right about that, so how else do we get in?"

"I need to think on that and so do you."

When they arrived back at the hotel Ryan got out some paper and drew the floor plan of the house. His photographic memory was helping him again. Ryan had the house and the area around the house sketched out in an hour. He noticed one thing that he might be able to use. The back of the property was close to the wall and he might be able to cut thru the wall and then into the basement.

Ryan went to the local hardware store and bought a battery operated saw a couple of extra batteries and a couple of concrete blades, he also bought a new small backpack to replace the one he lost in Asia. He drove back to the hotel and put the batteries on charge. He packed the backpack with C-4, detonators and hand grenades. If all went well he would not need to enter the basement, he hoped to blow it from outside the house.

They drove back to the cemetery the next morning and drove to the far side, Ryan grabbed the saw, the extra batteries and the blades. They stayed close to the wall so as not be seen from the house. Maria carried two of the nine millimeter pistols and a couple of gallons of water. Ryan had to explain that the water would be used to cool and quite the blade.

Ryan started to make the cut into the wall and he made a two foot long pass thru the wall, he next cut a two foot wide pass. Ryan made two more identical cuts that joined the first two. He pushed the piece of concrete into the back yard of the house. Ryan then passed the backpack thru the hole and he followed. He crawled to the back of the house and found a window that with a little rubbing he could see thru.

Ryan was shocked to see the old man in the basement and he was talking to a demon and rubbing the head of one of the hell hounds. Ryan could see the opening of the gate to hell. Ryan wasn't sure but the brightness of the fire seem less intense. Ryan didn't like what he was seeing in the basement but it looked like it would be an easy job to blow the gate.

Ryan was just about to open the backpack when something grabbed him and slammed him against the wall behind him. He heard the growl to know he was up against a hell hound. Ryan felt the impact of the wall against his back and it jarred him. Ryan had no other weapons with him so he called the Angel Sword. The sword appeared in his hand and he brought the sword up to block the swing from the hound.

Ryan was a little of an advantage because of the small area between the house and the wall. Just wide enough for him to make a full force swing with the sword. Ryan made like he was going to swing the sword and suddenly he let go with a round house kick right to the hounds knee. The force of the kick caused the bones in the knee to break and the hound went down in pain. Ryan moved in quickly and thrust the sword as hard as he could into the eye of the hound. The force of the thrust allowed the sword to go thru the eye and into the brain of the hound. The hound burst into flames and disappeared.

Ryan was hurting from his impact with the wall so he pushed the block of concrete thru the hole he had cut and then the backpack which he followed thru. Ryan worked the slab of concrete he had cut back into the hole. He turned to tell Maria something but she was gone. Ryan did a quick search of the area but to no avail he did not find Maria. Ryan took off to the SUV. He rounded the corner of the wall and he spotted Maria closing the door to the SUV. He ran up to her and hugged her and kissed her.

"What was all that for?"

"I came back out from the house area and you were gone. I looked for you but couldn't find you. I took off running back here and saw you closing the door. When I couldn't find you back at the wall I got scared."

"We need to head back to the hotel. I need some attention, my back is killing me a hell hound slammed me into the wall, I was forced to kill it with my sword."

"Oh babe I'm sorry I wasn't at the wall to warn you."

"I don't think it would have mattered, it totally surprised me. I never heard it."

They got into the SUV and Maria drove back to the hotel. By the time they arrived Ryan's back had stiffened up to the point that he could barely walk. When they got to the room Maria went to the bath and filled the whirlpool tub, she turned on the jets and helped Ryan undress and into the tub. Ryan sat in the tub for the better part of an hour before he got out. He told Maria that a lot of the stiffness was gone. He thought a good night's sleep would help a lot.

Ryan crawled into the bed and was sound asleep in just a matter of minutes. Maria sat by the bed side worried about him, she had seen him with a lot more wounds then what showed on his back and not stop. If Ryan was still like this in the morning she would take him to the hospital.

When Maria woke Ryan was sitting up watching the HNN news and drinking coffee, "How are you feeling this morning?"

"Actually I am feeling good today, my back is a little sore but not bad."

The channel that Ryan was watching broke in with breaking news, the reported identified herself and said she was with ASN Channel two.

"Í am live covering a fire at the Rookwood cemetery home and tomb of Richard M. Tillman. Mr. Tillman built the house in 1678 passed away in 1720. Mr. Tillman was accused of several murders in the very early days of Australia and it was said that he was the devils servant. Over the years the Tillman house has said to be haunted and that strange things have happened here. Believed killed in the fire was Tillman 3third great grandson Richard Tillman, I will have more later as things develop."

"I think we need to make a trip back out there, I believe that the demons or a fallen set the house on fire because of our visit yesterday."

"When do you want to go?"

"As soon as we can get dressed."

"Are you up to it."

"Yes not a problem at all."

They dressed and made the drive back to the far side of the cemetery, the fire department was still there, the fire was out and they were looking for any remaining hot spots. Ryan climbed one of the trees so that he could see over the wall and he saw the firemen working and he had a clear view of the gate. He noticed that there was a unusual number of demons around the gate. Ryan thought they actually made it easier for him to take out the gate, he could toss a bag with C-4 in it from here and make the gate easily. Ryan stayed in the tree until after the fire department left the house and when they left the number of demons shrank from a high of twelve to the current number of three, but as the number of demons went down the hell hounds showed back up.

The number of hell hounds didn't matter much to Ryan it would take a while for them to figure out where the C-4 came from and by that time Ryan would be gone. Ryan climbed back down the tree and headed back to the SUV and told Maria what he saw and what he was going to, they got back into the SUV and drove back to the hotel.

When they arrived back at the hotel Ryan got out one of the gym bags he had bought and packed it with C-4 and detonators and a timer. He would set the timer when he got back into the tree. Once the bag was full packed he set it by the door so he would make sure to grab it on the way back out.

Maria had the news on and they were talking about the fire again when the reporter said, "the police are looking for two Americans to question one a male named Ryan Simpson and the other a female named Maria Johnson, police ask if you know the where-a-bouts please call them."

"Ryan come quick the police are looking for us to question about the fire."

"WHAT!"

"That's what the reporter just said."

"How in the world did they get our names?"

"I don't know but what do we do?"

"We contact the police before someone else does."

They quickly crated up everything and called the delivery man and he came and picked up the crates with instructions to keep them they would need them back. Once the delivery man left Ryan picked up the phone and called the police and told them who he was and where did they want him and Maria to come to. He was instructed to remain in their room and the police would come to them. In less than ten minutes the policed were knocking on their door, Ryan opened the door and invited them in.

"The officer with the sergeant stripes spoke, "Are you Ryan Simpson and Maria Johnson?"

"Ryan answered "Yes sir we are."

"Were you at the Tillman home earlier today?"

"No sir we were there yesterday?"

"What was the reason for your visit?"

Growing up I was told that Richard M. Tillman was my third great Uncle, I thought being as we are here on vacation I would stop and see his grave. I had no idea that there was someone living in the house and we met had tea, we talked about the family, we left and came back here."

"Have you been out of your room today?"

"No sir we have not."

"We have a witness that says you were there this morning."

"He is mistaken we have not been out of the room today."

"He wrote down the plate number and we found that it is rented to you."

"I can't explain that we have not been out of the room today."

"Can we go look at your rental?"

"Sure lets go."

They went down to the garage and Ryan was really shocked to see the SUV was not there. "It's gone" said Ryan.

"What do you mean it's gone?"

"Just what I said, it's gone Maria parked it right here last night and it's not there now."

The sergeant watched Ryan's face carefully and he could tell the he was really surprised to see the SUV was missing. He said to go back to the room he needed to contact the station and report the SUV missing.

When they arrived back in Ryan's room the sergeant used the room phone and called in the missing SUV. Maria looked as surprised as Ryan was when she heard the officer say the SUV was stolen. The officer thanked them for their time and said he would be back in touch. He also told them to remain in the country until the police released them. The officers left and Ryan and Maria guessed they would be cleared.

"What about the SUV did you move it?" Ryan asked.

"No I was shocked when the officer called in and said it was missing."

"I was totally blown away when I got to the garage and it wasn't there."

"So what do we do about a car or truck now?"

"I'll see if I can get us another one," Maria answered.

Maria went to the phone and started calling the car rental companies to see if she could get another rental. She got lucky when she called the second company which happened to be the same one she got the rental from the first time and they had another Expedition that they could rent. Maria took care of all the required information and made arrangements to have the SUV delivered.

Ryan called the delivery company and made arrangements to have their crates delivered. The delivery man showed back up and brought the crates and he said, "sorry I couldn't tell you about the SUV being gone but I figured it would be better if you didn't know and showed real surprise to the police. They should find it later tonight, I broke into it and made it look like it was stolen. Hope you don't mind."

"Mind heck no it helped out a ton."

"Ryan gave the delivery man an extra tip for the added service. The delivery man left and Ryan turned and smiled at Maria.

They decided to go to the hotel restaurant and have supper, they stopped at the desk and told them they were going to be eating in the restaurant and they were expecting the rental car company to bring another car for them. They were half way thru with their meal when the SUV arrived. The man from the car rental agency delivered the keys to their table. Maria and Ryan had been discussing what the plan for the gate would be. They decided that they would put on the show of sightseeing and on vacation. Once the police made up their minds that Ryan and Maria were not guilty they would go back to destroying the gate.

They had spent the next four days doing the tourist thing when the Sydney police called and told them that they were free to leave. Ryan told Maria that they would go back to the cemetery and scout out the gate. If all was clear they would make the attempt to destroy it the next day.

They returned to the hotel and loaded up the few items that they might need including the bag full of the C-4, Maria drove to the far side of the cemetery and parked where the SUV would be out of sight. Ryan and Maria made their way quietly to the tree that Ryan had climbed earlier and he climbed it again. Ryan looked down on the gate and saw that there was only one hell hound and one demon guarding the gate.

Ryan opened the bag and set the timer for one minute and he swung the bag and let it go and it went right into the gate and hung about a foot and a half down into the gate. Ryan scrambled down the tree and told Maria to run. They were about half way back to the SUV when the bag blew. Pieces of the hell hound landed near them as they ran.

They reached the SUV and jumped and Maria headed for the hotel. Once back at the hotel Ryan called the delivery company and told them to pick up the crates and send them back to San Diego. The delivery man came and picked up the packages and Ryan and Maria left right away for the airport. They checked in and boarded their plane. Ryan slept most of the way back home. Maria liked the time with Ryan sleeping it let her do the searching the next gate and that would be the gate in Rio in South America.

*****

All of hell rumbled again the third time in less than a month, with Lucifer missing no one knew what to do. Not one Angel has stepped up to try to solve the crisis happening in hell. Hell was falling apart with parts of the roof of hell falling into the lake of fire. The flames were growing being fed buy the roof. The flames from the rest of hell were diming as no one was getting new souls to feed the fire. Several of the fallen asked what was happening to hell. Was it being destroyed, had god decided that it was time for all things evil or all sinners to be destroyed. There was no one to ask the questions with Lucifer missing.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

After a few days rest Ryan and Maria departed San Diego for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rio as it is called is the largest city in Brazil and destroying the gate to hell will be difficult due to its location being close to the giant statue of Christ. The terrain will be difficult to climb, while there is easy access to the statue, the rest of the mountain is very hard to climb. It will be tougher having to carry all the weapons that Ryan thinks they will need, and locating the gate will be the toughest if it on the side of the mountain.

They left San Diego and the flight took them fourteen hours. They checked into the hotel and the rental company already had their Expedition waiting at the hotel for them. The delivery company had already delivered their crates and they were waiting in their room. They made the decision to become tourists for the day and take a tour to the statue of Christ.

The next morning they rose late for them being the time was close to eight in the morning. They stopped for breakfast and then headed for the train that would take them to the top of Mount Corcovado where the statue of Christ was. Maria had her camera and Ryan had the binoculars. Ryan planned on scanning the mountain on the train ride to the top.

They arrived at the train station and it was close to ten in the morning and they purchased their tickets. The next train was at ten fifteen so they would not have long to wait. The train pulled into the station and they boarded making sure to get a window seat. The train pulled out right on schedule at ten fifteen. The ride to the top of the mountain would take twenty five minutes and it gave Ryan a good view of the western slope. The ride up was at a relatively slow speed providing Ryan plenty of time to scan the western slope.

When they reached the top they got off the train and Ryan told Maria that he did not see anything at all on the ride up. Ryan walked around the statue and carefully scanned the eastern slope and again came up empty as was the northern and southern slopes. Ryan walked back to Maria and said, "Well the gate is definitely not on Corcovado mountain. There are some valley's that I can't get a real good look at but I can see far enough to say the gate isn't in them."

"Well we are far enough up that we should be able to see it somewhere in the city."

"That's true and info you got says it is near the statue."

Ryan started scanning the city and country, though Ryan's binoculars gave him a pretty wide view it was still going to take a long time to view three hundred sixty degrees. Ryan started on the north side and slowly moved west. When Ryan had covered all of the city from the north to the west north west he started to see Sugarloaf mountain, He thought he spotted some movement about three quarters of the way up the side of Sugarloaf mountain.

Ryan continued to scan the mountain and was about ready to move past when he caught the movement again. Ryan moved the binoculars back to his right and he spotted the movement again. Ryan concentrated on the area around the what he thought was movement when he spotted a hell hound on a ledge on the mountain side.

Ryan took out a pen and marked the hand rail with an arrow pointing to Sugarloaf mountain. He walked over to where Maria was taking pictures and he told her he found the gate and that it was on the mountain sitting out in the bay. Maria walked over with Ryan to where he had marked the hand rail. Maria looked thru the binoculars and was about to ask Ryan if he had been seeing things when she spotted the Hell hound.

"Babe, I've got a question, how come I can see them, Up until about a month ago I couldn't see then as demons and I couldn't see the first hell hound?"

"I can't answer that, we will have to ask Gabriel the next time we speak with him, but I'm glad you can see them."

"The mountain looks pretty shear How are we going to get to the gate?"

"Another question I can't answer right now but I'll bet I'll need climbing gear."

"I didn't know you could climb like that."

"I never have tried it before so I just have to be a quick learner."

"Are you crazy, you can't do that."

"Crazy yes and you should by now I never say can't."

"I just don't know."

"Trust me babe, I can do it. Let's see if we can get closer to the mountain."

The two of then caught the next train down Mount Corcovado and got into their SUV and headed for Sugarloaf mountain. They had covered about half the distance when Maria saw a sign that said tram rides to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain. They followed the sigh and found it was really cable car rides, not t hat it really mattered. They parked the SUV and they walked up to the ticket window, the last ride up and back left at four thirty and they took that ride.

On the ride up Ryan watched and saw that they went right over the top of the gate and Ryan could see right inside the gate. Ryan thought that he might be able to drop a bag of C-4 right down the throat of the gate, it looked like it would be a straight down drop. The problem would be riding out the blast from the C-4.

Once they reached the top they got off the ride and were told they could stay until the next car arrived. Ryan calculated the time it took form where he would drop the bag and the time on the top and the ride back down and came up with forty minutes. That would be a long time if the hounds or demons spotted the bag before it blew.

They got on the next car for the ride back down and rode the tram back to the bottom where they got into their SUV and headed back to the hotel. On the ride down Ryan explained about the time and he wondered if it might be too long. They would be vulnerable to attack by the demons.

Once back in the hotel Maria plugged her camera into the laptop and downloaded the pictures she had taken and Ryan got out a map of Rio and was examining it. Ryan was coming up with a plan when Maria called out to him.

"Babe come here and look at this."

Ryan walked over to the back of the couch and leaned down and gave Maria a kiss on the neck and then looked at the picture that was on the screen. Maria had turned on the range finder option on her camera and it was showing the distance between mountains was only a mile and a half, This was giving Ryan a different idea. He could use the middle of the tracks going up to the statue using the missile launcher.

Ryan explained the idea to Maria and she liked it a lot better than dropping the C-4 from the trolley. It most likely would have to shot at night after everyone was gone from the statue. They would need to scout the area tonight and see when it is not busy with people.

That evening they drove back to the base of Corcovado mountain, it was past ten and it was just as busy as it was at ten in the morning. Ryan and Maria decided to grab some food and wait around until midnight.

At midnight they walked back to the base of the mountain and they were surprised at how busy it still was. The idea of using the missile launcher from this mountain was not going to be a good idea. Maybe they could find another point in the Tijuca Forest National Park that has a good view of Sugarloaf mountain.

The next day Ryan and Maria took the tour thru the Tijuca Forest National Park, and Ryan was amazed at the number of peaks that had a clear view of Sugarloaf mountain. Now it was just finding the right one that had a shot for the missiles.

Ryan asked what time the park closed and he was told the closed at eleven at night, Ryan liked that idea he would have access after that. He marked the trail that he would need to take to get to the peak with the best shot. They went back to the hotel so that Ryan could gather the launcher and the missiles.

When they arrived back at the hotel Ryan opened the crate with the launcher and he took five missiles out. He loaded the missiles into his large backpack. He also grabbed his spotters scope.

They waited until midnight and left for the park. When they arrived Ryan easily cleared the fence that was meant to keep people out of the forest. Ryan told Maria to stay with SUV incase it would need to be move to prevent anyone from getting suspicious and start looking around the park. Ryan found the mark he had made to identify the trail. He started making the climb to the peak. It was slow going as Ryan was carrying an extra one hundred fifty pounds. Ryan finally made it to the top and removed all of the items from his backpack and loaded the launcher.

Ryan took his spotters scope and checked the gate on Sugarloaf mountain. He had a clear view of the gate and saw that there was one hell hound guarding the outside of the gate. Ryan checked the wind and distance and picked up the launcher and took aim on the gate. Ryan fired the first missile and followed it to the gate. When it hit, it missed the gate by less than a foot. He reloaded and took aim again.

Ryan fired the second missile and it flew straight towards the gate, As Ryan watched the missile travel towards the gate he spotted a group of demons flying as fast as they could to the missile. The demons came from above and behind his position, Ryan started to check above him to see if the trail of the missiles gave his position away. Convinced that there were no demons he turned back to follow the missile and he watched as it hit the gate. The missile flew into the gate and exploded somewhere inside the gate.

After the dust and rocks cleared away Ryan saw the gate was still there. Just as Ryan sent the missile on its way he spotted the largest cloud he had ever seen. Ryan realized it wasn't a cloud but a large group of demons and several of them turned to see where the missile had come from. Ryan grabbed the backpack and the launcher and slid back into the trees. The demons flew in and landed on the ledge that Ryan had just been on. The demons were talking to each other and this was the first time that Ryan could not understand what they were saying. One of the demons kept pointing to the spot that Ryan was hiding. He didn't have any other guns with him so if they came at him he would have to fight hand to hand as there was no room to use the sword.

The demons appeared to be arguing about what to do, one wanted to go into the trees and the rest of them wanted to go to the gate. The majority won and the group of demons took off and headed towards the gate. Ryan waited until he was sure that it was safe to come out. He belly crawled back to the ledge and got out the binoculars and looked across to the gate and Ryan could see the missiles had no effect on the gate, and the number of demons was enormous. Ryan wouldn't bet any money but he guessed that there were more than six or seven thousand demons at the gate.

Ryan knew there was no way he could fight that many demons no matter what kind of weapons he had. Ryan figured that his only hope would be a drop of the C-4 into the gate. Ryan crawled back off of the ledge and made his way back down to the fence that he jumped when he came in and Maria was right where he had left her.

"Babe you're not going to believe this but I'll bet there are over six or seven thousand demons up there now and the missiles had no effect on the gate."

"That's not a good thing. How are you going to destroy the gate now?"

"I think it is going to be back to the first plan of dropping the bag of C-4 from the cable car."

"You're not going to like this either, I am going alone and set the timer for about fifteen seconds. I can get out of the cable car by myself if I have to but I can stay on the top until they can get the cars running again."

"Your right I don't like that option at all."

"I really don't see much of an option."

"I'm really concerned about how safe it will be."

"I'll set the timer so it goes off after I reach the top, I should be ok up there."

"When do you want to do it?"

"I think the midday tram ride."

"Then get a good night's sleep tonight."

"Ryan woke early the next morning and got the bag ready with the C-4 and the detonators. He placed the timer in the bag and set the bag next to the door. He called room service and ordered breakfast for both he and Maria. By the time the food arrived Maria had gotten up and she said, "Thank you, you knew I'd be hungry."

"Yea we didn't have much last night."

"You still think a drop from the tram is the way to go?"

"Yea I do I really don't know of a better way. Had the missiles had some effect I would try that again."

"Well I just want you to be careful, I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I will babe I promise."

Ryan checked his watch and it was almost time to go so they put the room service tray outside the door and headed down to the garage and their SUV. The drove back to the tram station and Ryan waited for the midday tram. He was riding by himself and was behind a family with a couple of teenagers. Ryan could see two cars in front of him and as that car passed over the gate someone in the car tossed something out of the car. Ryan saw one of the demons swoop down and catch the item, Ryan frowned at the action of the demon. He watched as the demon took the item back to the ledge that the gate sat on.

The kids in the car in front of him threw a cup that had been a large drink at one time. Another demon swooped down and grabbed it. He carried it away from the gate and dropped it. Ryan was puzzled by the action, the first item was carried to the gate and the second item was carried it away from the gate. Ryan decide not to drop on the way up he changed his mind and decided that he would drop it on the way down he would pick up some trash at the top and drop it at the same time.

Once his car reached the top he quickly found the trash can and took a couple of soda cans and carried them back with him as he got on the tram car going down. The tram car in front of him and the one behind him were both empty. As he came over the gate he dropped all three items at the same time. Three demons swept down and the two that grabbed the cans carried them away from the gate. The one that caught the gym bag took it right to the gate. He didn't look inside it at all, he showed the bag to the head demon who took the bag and carried it into the gate. Ryan knew he had fifteen seconds left before the bag blew. He would never make it to the bottom in time.

He hopped the gate would contain the blast and not do any damage outside the gate. Having already destroyed two gates he didn't hold out much hope of that happening. Ryan watched his watch and counted down the last five seconds and when the C-4 detonated the blast shot fire and rock up into the air and it was hitting the cable that held the cars.

When the blast debris died down Ryan thought he was going to be safe. Suddenly he felt the car jerk, He looked back and saw that the cable was almost cut in two, He hoped that the cable would stay together long enough for him to get out of the car. His car moved another ten feet when the cable broke. He was still almost thirty feet in the air when his car fell, When the car hit the street below him the car was hit almost right away by a truck. The truck pushed the tram car almost fifty feet down the road and the truck climbed on top of the car.

It was almost ten minutes before anyone realized that someone was in the tram car and trapped under the truck. Police, fire and ambulance arrived in another fifteen minutes. There was a lot of blood that was on the ground by the tram car. The emergency crews worked with all speed to get Ryan out.

Maria gasped when she saw the cable car fall and watched as the truck hit the car. She hopped that there was no one in the tram car. When she heard the siren's she started to get a little worried. She ran over to the accident scene, Maria's heart jumped into her throat when she saw the same shirt that Ryan was wearing laying on the ground and the emergency teams working on someone. She pushed in closer and saw that it was Ryan and she screamed. A police officer came to her as she was trying to get to Ryan. "That's my Fiancée!"

Two officers grabbed her and pulled back from the scene. The emergency crews are working on him when they get him stable they will take him to the hospital. The emergency crews finally loaded Ryan into the ambulance and departed with lights and sirens blaring. The police took Maria back to her SUV and escorted her to the hospital after they made sure she was safe to drive.

When Maria arrived at the hospital the staff got as much information from her about Ryan as she could give them. They told her to have a seat and they would take her back to see Ryan as soon as possible. Maria sat was worrying about Ryan, how bad was he hurt, would he be ok. It took almost an hour before the nurse came and got Maria. The nurse escorted her back to Ryan's room, when she pushed the curtain aside and walked in she gasped at all the bruises and cuts that Ryan had on his body. She had seen Ryan badly gashed and clawed but this was ten times worse. The nurse told Maria that Ryan had a broken arm, a broken leg, a broken collar bone, several broken ribs and a concussion. All and all he was very lucky to be alive.

Maria leaned over and gently kissed Ryan on his lips and he stirred but didn't wake up. The nurse said that he was under some pretty heavy pain meds. The nurse told her the doctor would be in shortly.

The doctor came in and went over the injuries with Maria again and added that he had a small fracture to his hip and a ruptured spleen. They would be taking him to surgery shortly to fix the broken leg and arm and remove his spleen. The remaining injuries would just take time to heal. In less than an hour they came and took Ryan to surgery.

*****

Lucifer thought what fools these humans were the man paid for his meal and left. Little did that man know all he did was give Lucifer strength for another day. As the first week passed Lucifer quickly realized he could not rely on the humans being nice and paying for his food. He had been thrown out of several restaurants and a gang of thugs beat him up. Lucifer quickly put together a gang of his own. Being a slick tongued devil that he was he fell right into the leadership of the gang. His small gang started terrorizing the people of Jerusalem. He was quickly building a large chest of money but not fast enough. He had heard of the large explosion in Sydney, Australia and he had to get there. He knew that there was a gate there and he knew that the slayer was behind it. He had his gang rob three banks and bring the cash they got back to him. He figured out that he would need a plane to get to Australia. He told his gang he would be going on a business trip. They were to keep up with their terror that they were inflicting and any money they got was to be put into his account at one of the banks that he had not robbed. He told them he would keep track of all the money and he would allow them to keep some so they would not rob him.

Lucifer arrived in Sydney, Australia and made his way to the cemetery where the massive explosion took place. He knew there was a gate at this place because he had used it before. He saw that the spot where the gate had been located was completely destroyed. Lucifer was becoming furious that not one of the actions he had taken before his exile to earth as a human was working to get the slayer. There would be hell to pay once he returned to hell.

Lucifer had been in Sydney for seven days when he heard about the explosion in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he knew right where the gat to hell was there and he had to get there quickly before the slayer got away again.

Lucifer boarded a flight to Rio and when he landed it was the next day and he had not had much sleep, something he learned that he needed in this form. He was walking thru the airport in Rio and he saw some poor sap that was being wheeled thru the airport in a wheelchair. It reminded Lucifer of the beating he took back in Jerusalem, he actually felt sorry for the poor human, he thought he recognized the man but shrugged it off.

Lucifer went right to Sugarloaf mountain where he knew the gate was located. He saw that a large part of the side of the mountain had been blown away and that the gate was gone. Lucifer's temper was getting the best of him and some tourist was close by and Lucifer started to punch and kick the man. Lucifer got away before the police arrived throughout hell.

*****

All of hell shook violently again and more rock and debris fell, all of the inhabitants of hell screamed louder than the normal screams. They were all convinced that hell was being destroyed Lucifer had fled to keep from being destroyed himself. There was no one in charge without Lucifer and no one was stepping up to take charge. The fallen started to gather to discuss the situation happening in hell. Many were starting to plead to god to take them back into the fold and forgive them for following the darkness. None of the fallen received an answer to the pleas. They never thought to pray for forgiveness from the one true Lord and God.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Ryan was released from the hospital and cleared to travel as long as he agreed to see his doctor when he arrived back home. Ryan's medical restrictions would not allow him to do anything for at least three or four months. Maria made the travel arrangements and they were leaving for San Diego in the morning.

Maria made sure that all of their crates were packed and she called the delivery company and made arrangements to have everything picked up late that evening. She also had all of their luggage shipped. She would have her hands full with the wheelchair and getting Ryan into the house once they arrived back home. She put in a call to Jim Elgin, Ryan's friend back in San Diego and told him what had happened and he told Maria to call him again once they were on the way home from the airport and he would meet them at the house to help get Ryan into the house.

They arrived at the airport and the airline had they staff wheel Ryan thru the airport. On the way to the gate Maria spotted a man walking thru the concourse and she thought she recognized a man from Jerusalem that Ryan had paid for his meal.

The fifteen hour flight was hard on Ryan and the flight was bumpy and each time the jolt hit Ryan he winced in pain. Ryan refused to take the pain medicine because he wanted his mind clear. About half way thru the flight Ryan broke down and took the medicine thirty minutes later Ryan was fast asleep. Maria was glad that Ryan had finally consented to taking the pain meds.

Once the plane landed in San Diego the airline people met them at the gate and brought the wheelchair onto the plane and helped Maria get Ryan to the exit of the airport. Maria went and got their car and came back and picked up Ryan, she called Jim and he told her he would meet them at the house. Once they had got to the house Jim looked at Ryan and said, "My friend I've seen you have the crap beaten out of you and back in Iraq when you got hit by that grenade you didn't look this bad."

Ryan just smiled and said "Shit happens my friend."

The two of them got Ryan into the house and into bed. Maria thanked Jim for his help and she gave him a big hug. Jim said "If you need anything let me know I owe him my life several times over. I can't tell you how many times he saved my life."

"I promise Jim if Ryan or I need anything at all I'll let you know. I know once the crates get here I'll need to inventory them and we will need some replacement stuff. I'll need your help doing that."

"Just call and I'll be right over."

Jim left and went home. Two hours later the deliveryman delivered all of the crates and luggage. He looked at Maria and said, "Trust me he will be alright, God is with him honey."

Maria looked at the man and said, "How do you know?"

"I do, I just do."

Maria thanked the man and gave him the same tip that Ryan always gave him. He left and Maria opened up the crates and put the luggage in the bedrooms and unpacked them. She was thankful that Ryan was sleeping, she was careful not to wake him.

The next two weeks were hard on Ryan he was almost totally dependent on Maria because he couldn't do much of anything for himself. By the end of the third week he was starting to walk again and doing things for himself. He was getting stronger every day and the bruises and cuts were healing. Ryan was getting antsy to resume his duty of destroying the gates to hell, he knew that he still had three more to go.

Maria told Ryan about the man she saw at the Rio airport and she said, "That man you helped out and paid for his meal in Jerusalem, I swear that I saw him in the Rio airport, he was arriving as we were leaving."

"Maybe it was, maybe he got robbed in Jerusalem and he was just waiting for replacement credit cards and cash. I was glad I could help him out."

"Oh well, how are you feeling today?"

"If not for the casts on my leg and arm I think I could return to the tasks that God has laid out for me. I feel really good today."

"Don't try to push it too much, I know you are getting bored but you're not ready yet."

:I won't push it but I want to start planning the next gate. It is going to be the hardest yet. I want to tackle the gate in Africa, I think you said it was under the one of the paws of the Great Sphinx."

"I'm not sure but I do remember something about the Sphinx."

"Well we have some time to plan what to do, I would like it if you could start the research on it."

"Why don't we do it together."

"I think we can do that."

They spent the next four days gaining all the information they could about the Sphinx and the area around it and all the theories and claims about there being a gate to hell under the Sphinx. One of the most important things they learned was there was a tunnel that led from the Pyramid of Khafre to the Sphinx. Not many knew about the tunnel and entrance was not open to the public. To gain access to the tunnel required permission of the Department of Antiquities of Egypt. Ryan call a friend of his and he was able to gain unrestricted access to the tunnel.

Ryan went to the doctor and he finally had his casts removed and the doctor told him he could slowly return to normal activities, Ryan wasted no time at all in returning to his daily workout routine and by the end of two more weeks Ryan proclaimed himself fit.

Maria wasn't so sure but she yielded to Ryan knowing that no one knew his body better than he did. Ryan asked Maria to make all the travel arrangements for the following week. She made the arrangements and they would leave for Egypt on Monday of the next week.

They departed for Cairo and the flight took thirteen hours. Ryan went over all the information that he and Maria had found and committed it to his memory. Once in Cairo they checked into their hotel and waited for the delivery of their SUV and their crates. Maria had gotten with Jim and everything that Ryan had used had been replaced.

Maria instead that Ryan take a day or two off to recover from the travel but he told he that he wanted to go out to the Sphinx and the Pyramid of Khafre just to scout out the area and maybe walk the tunnel between the two wonders of the world. Ryan agreed to wait until tomorrow to go out to the two marvels.

The next morning Arrived and Ryan was up early and ready to go. He woke Maria early, so they could get a good start to the day. The trip to the Sphinx and the Pyramid of Khafre took them less than half an hour as the pyramid and the Sphinx lay on the outskirts of Cairo to the southwest. They walked the Sphinx first and spent five hours touring it and walking around it, and didn't see anything that would indicate that there was a gate around it, but it was said the gate was under the left paw. The Sphinx is also known as the Abu al Hol which in Arabic means Father of Terror

It was close to one in the afternoon when they went into the Pyramid of Khafre. King Khafre was an evil and heretic Ruler in the forth dynasty of Egypt about 2570 BC it is believed that King Khafre was in league and worshiped Lucifer. Ryan and Maria showed the credentials they received from the Egyptian Department of Antiquities that gave them unrestricted access to the pyramid. They asked the guide where the tunnel was that led to the Sphinx. She looked at her boss who spoke to her in Arabic and told her to take care of them they were VIP's with diplomatic status from the United States.

The guide told Ryan and Maria she would take them to the tunnel but that she would leave them there as they were not allowed to enter the tunnel. They ensured her that would be fine. The guide unlocked the gate and handed Ryan the lock asking that he relock the door when they were finished.

The tunnel was wired and there were lights as far as they could see, about twenty feet in front of them was a golf cart and they walked to it and sitting in the seat was a sign that said "provided for Ryan and Maria." They got into the golf cart and started to drive to the other end of the tunnel

"Why are we getting the royal treatment?"

"Did you look at the credentials that we have? We are listed as US VIP's and have diplomatic status."

"Wow your friend has some kind of pull."

"I will agree he does have a lot of pull in DC."

"Who is he?"

"We served together in the Navy and he works for congress now, I'll tell you more about him later."

Ryan pointed ahead and the tunnel split three ways, one each to the right and left and the third went up. Ryan eased the cart into the left side of the tunnel they had traveled a quarter of a mile into the left tunnel when the pavement stopped and Ryan could see a red glow from up ahead of them. "Look ahead I think we just found the gate."

"Wow, the red glow down here looks pretty."

"That maybe so but think what's there."

"I know such evil. Do you see any demons or other things?"

"Surprisingly no and I can see the gate it's self. They must think because they are down here no one will find the gate and it's safe."

"Either that or something is going on that we don't know about."

"I doubt that. Let's head back to our hotel and get things ready, I think this will be an easy one instead of a hard one."

They drove the golf cart back to the door they came thru when they entered the tunnel. Ryan relocked the door and they made their way back to the tour guide desk. Ryan informed them that they would be back sometime in the morning and would be going down into the tunnel again.

After leaving the pyramid they did a bit of sightseeing and Maria took pictures of all the pyramid's and the Sphinx. It was starting to get late and they were both getting hungry, they stopped and ate on the way back to the hotel. Ryan was feeling the activities of the day. He knew he still wasn't a full hundred percent but he would not tall Maria that.

Ryan took time to pack a gym bag with C-4 and the detonators along with a timer. He was going to set the timer in the tunnel for six hours after they left the gate. That would give them plenty of time to make it to the airport and leave before the C-4 exploded. They packed all of the crates and luggage and called the delivery company and the driver arrived in less than half an hour. They had two o'clock plane reservations and they intended to be in the air long before the C-4 blew.

They arrived the next morning at the pyramid and went thru the same check-in that they had gone thru yesterday. They drove the golf cart to the gate and there we still no demons. Ryan walked to the gate and looked in and he spotted a ledge about thirty feet down. He set the timer and tossed the bag onto the ledge. He walked back to the golf cart and he and Maria left the pyramid and drove right to the airport. They were able to get on a plane that left three hours before their scheduled plane was to leave. Ryan checked his watch and saw that they still had five and a half hours before the bag blew up.

When they got home they saw the news and they were talking about a small volcano that was under the Great Sphinx and after sitting dormant for thousands of years the volcano had erupted damaging a large part of the Sphinx.
CHAPTER NINETEEN

Lucifer was getting more and more frustrated at always being one or more steps behind the slayer. He arrived in Egypt after the gate had already been destroyed, now he had a fifty-fifty chance of meeting him at the next gate, would the slayer go to the one in North America or in Europe. Would he go to the one in Louisiana or France, he was betting it would be Louisiana. The Voodoo Queen Antoinette Lafeaut belonged to him, Antoinette Lafeaut's grave was located less than a hundred feet from the gate. That had to be where he was going, Lucifer went to the airport and bought ticket to New Orleans.

*****

Ryan and Maria were back in San Diego three days when Maria made all of the reservations to Europe. They were going to Paris, France. The gate is said to be at the Pere Lactase Paris Cemetery in Paris. Some of France's notorious figures in its history are buried there. It is said that the evil permeates in this cemetery, there have been many attempts to destroy the cemetery over the years but it is said that an evil force protects it. The cemetery only contains fifty graves and it is no longer used as all of the religions say the ground is not holy.

The nine hour flight to Paris was smooth and pleasant. When Ryan and Maria deplaned they retrieved their luggage and picked up their rental car. They had received a car as big automobiles like Hummers and SUV are outlawed in France. They went to their hotel and checked in to the Americana Hotel. As French hotels go this was a grand hotel, old but elegant, the rooms were fit for the President or for a King.

When they entered their room they saw that their crate had been delivered and was sitting by the dresser. They un packed their luggage and decided to find the exact location of the cemetery and just have a look at it. They found the cemetery without much trouble, and parked their car on the street and walked up to the gate. A sign on the gate said "enter at your own risk, evil lurks here." They pushed open the old rusty gate and walked into the cemetery and they were surprised to see the gate right in the middle of the cemetery. The gate was surrounded by the graves of the fifty people buried there, Ryan took the time to try to read some of the names. Ryan did not know any of the names and most were hard to pronounce as they were French and Ryan neither read or spoke French.

The gate appeared to be deserted just as the one under the Sphinx was. Now Ryan was beginning to give some creditably to the statement that Maria had made back in Egypt that there might be something going on they didn't know about. Ryan said, "Let's go back and get the C-4 and blow this place tonight and get out of here."

"Are you sure?"

"Yea we can be back home tomorrow."

They wasted no time and the round trip took less than an hour, Ryan set the timer to blow the C-4 in half an hour. There was a short comment on the evening news about the Pere Lactase Paris Cemetery having finally been destroyed. Ryan and Maria were on the first plane back to San Diego in the morning. When they arrived back home they decided to take a few days off, there was no doubt in Ryan's mind that this last gate was going to be the toughest one of all. The cemetery where the Voodoo Queen was buried was a big tourist draw and there would be people around all hours of the day and night. That would pose a problem in its self, how to destroy the gate and not hurt innocent people, the destruction of this gate would take careful planning.

Maria wasted no time in gathering all the information she find on the final gate. Legend says that the gate is located near the tomb of the great Voodoo Queen, Antoinette Lafeaut. She died in 1867 she is buried in Basin Street graveyard, what they call St. Louis Number one. When Maria showed Ryan all the information she had gathered about the last gate Ryan mad a snide remark "Voodoo – Hoodoo you don't believe in that junk do you?"

"Ryan Simpson you of all people should not joke about something like that. With all you have been thru and seen, fighting demons and fallen angels, How can you doubt that voodoo exists?"

"Well I think magic is just a bunch of bologna that's all."

"Let me tell you something about voodoo in the United States, Oral traditions suggest that the occult part of magic mixed Roman Catholic beliefs, including saints, with African spirits and religious concepts, although voodoo is thought to be a Caribbean magic it has its base here in this country. Just remember many people were burned at the stake in the north east because people thought they were witch's and warlocks. Magic is practiced in both the white and black version with white being good magic and black being bad magic."

"I know and they even do songs about it."

Maria just shook her head and walked out to the backyard and wondered what she was going to do with him. She could not believe that he had that kind of view with all he has seen. Ryan walked out and put his arms around her and said, "Babe I was just teasing, you really made a good point and I have to believe that it does really exist."

Maria turned around and put her arms around his neck and she pulled his lips to hers and they kissed like they had never kissed before.

Ryan took Maria by the hand and led her back into the house, and back to the information about the Louisiana gate. "Now please tell me everything I need to know about this last gate."

"The cemetery is located in the French Quarter of New Orleans, it is one of the most visited cemeteries in the United States, It is said to have a mixture of good and evil in the cemetery, it has a strong Catholic influence with a cathedral located very close. The main draw for visitors is the voodoo queen's tomb. The only problem I see with the destruction of the gate is going to be visitors."

"That's what I was thinking myself. I am going to have to visit the cemetery to see the layout and exactly where the gate is."

"Do you want me to make reservations for the trip?"

"If you don't mind your a lot better at it then I am."

"I'll take care of it, when do you want to leave?"

"Anytime is good with me, it's going to be a short flight compared to our last few."

"That is so true."

Maria went to the laptop and did her magic and in about an hour she said, "all done we leave in the morning."

"Good job babe."

Ryan spent the rest of the day in his shop cleaning it up. It had been left a mess when he started this last task of the lords, He picked up the figurines he had left laying on the bench and started to put them on the shelf. He knocked over one that was on the shelf and he picked it up and was hit by a massive amount of information about a fallen angel. He could not believe the name of the fallen, it was Lucifer.

"Maria come here quick, please."

"What is it babe."

"I was cleaning up and I knocked over this figurine and when I picked it up I was slammed with information about a fallen, you will never guess who it is."

"I have no idea at all."

"The fallen of all fallen, its Lucifer himself."

"My GOD it can't be that."

"I don't know but that was the name."

"I need to know everything there is to know about him."

"Really that is easy, many religions think that Satan and Lucifer are one in the same but they are not, Satan was just an angel Lucifer was one of the Archangels. A Archangel is one of Gods heavenly children, Lucifer didn't like answering to God, he tried to start a revolt against God with the other Archangels, he was very close to Michael and he almost joined Lucifer but in the end he did not. God banished Lucifer to hell where he would rule forever until the final days of everything. He would fight God and as we are taught he loses to God."

"Then why would I get his name?"

"Lucifer has had to have done something that has changed things."

A white appeared and the form of an Angel appeared and then became Gabriel appeared to both Ryan and Maria. "My children I see there is much confusion on the fallen ones name you received. I was sent by the Lord Our God to clear this up for you. Lucifer has done the unthinkable thing and he has killed another Angel. He has been stripped of all of his powers and sent to earth as a human. The battle between him and out Lord that has been foretold will not happen. He will battle Gods messenger and Slayer for his fate. Do not take him lightly he is cunning and devious and will do whatever it takes to stop you from destroying the final gate to hell and to destroy you himself. Be aware he may not be alone, though he will not have any other fallen or demon with him."

"Gabriel I do not take any foe lightly, I take it that they are just as capable or more so then I am."

"That my child is one of the reasons our Lord chose you to become the slayer."

"How will I know who he is?"

"You already know who he is, you have seen him and helped him once and he still rejects kindness."

"Helped him, I would never knowingly help him....Oh my God the man down on his luck back in Jerusalem."

"Correct my child."

Gabriel disappeared and left Maria and Ryan to make the decisions on how to handle the gate and Lucifer. "How do you suggest we deal with this Ryan."

"I'm not sure at this moment. I would guess that anyone with him will be a human and will most likely be bad."

"That sounds about right."

"I think You and I will be armed to the teeth knowing what I know."

"That sounds like a good idea. Do you still want to leave tomorrow?"

"Yea I do, we will just have to be much more careful about checking the place out."

Ryan packed two crates to have shipped to New Orleans, inside them was both MAC-10's, all the ammo for them, all four nine millimeter pistols with silencer's and all the ammo for them, his spotter scope, all the ammo for his Marlin and the Marlin that he broke down to fit in the crate along with the silencer for it. He also packed his gym bag with C-4, he put the detonators but not in the C-4 and a couple of timers and put it in the crate. Maria had picked their hotel because it was right across the street from the cemetery. Ryan called the delivery company and the man that had been picking up and delivering all of their crates showed up at their door.

"My friend be careful this time it will be very dangerous. You are up against the most evil of evil."

"Thank you sir I will."

"I will deliver after you arrive tomorrow."

"Thank you very much."

The delivery man left with the crates and he seemed to be taking extra care this time. He was always careful but it seemed to Ryan that he was taking extra care.

"Maria how do you suppose he always seems to know what we are doing?"

"Maybe he is just a delivery man from heaven."

"Why do you say that?"

"I've searched the company and it does not exist. The number goes to a church that does not exist"

"You're kidding?"

"No babe I'm not kidding."

"Well I don't want to dwell on it, it just seems odd."

"I think I'm going to turn in so I'm fresh for tomorrow."

"I know you will be up early so wake me when you get up."

"Will do babe, I love you."

"I love you too, goodnight."

Ryan woke early as he and Maria thought and he woke Maria, he had already fixed breakfast, after breakfast they left for the airport, they had three hours before their flight left.

They boarded their flight and settled in for the trip. Ryan laid back his seat when they were in the air and slept most of the way. Maria worked on her laptop seeing if she could find out any more information on the gate or on Lucifer. Search as she may she found nothing more than what she already had. Once they landed they picked up their luggage and car from the rental agency and drove to the hotel.

They were very careful when they arrived at the hotel as they did not want Lucifer to see them. They didn't see anyone looking their way from the cemetery or on the street. They checked in and went to their room while they were putting their clothes away there was a knock on the door and Ryan looked thru the peep hole in the door and saw the delivery man, he opened the door and let the man in and he set the crates down in the living area. Ryan tipped him and thanked him for the great service he has provided for the last year. The man just nodded and left.

Ryan opened the crates and took out the MAC-10's and loaded them, then did the same for the pistols. He put the Marlin together and screwed the silencer's on all the guns that took them. He got out the gym bag and inserted the detonators into the C-4 and set one of the timers into the gym bag after setting the correct time.

Ryan went to the window and moved the curtains apart slightly and looked at the cemetery thru his binoculars, he scanned the cemetery and found nothing out of the ordinary. He would have to keep checking until he found Lucifer. He also found the site of the gate. Ryan thought it was in the perfect spot about twenty feet inside the gate to the cemetery. Ryan spent almost an hour watching the cemetery and still didn't see anything. He backed away from the window and sat in the big lounge chair, "Babe did you see the car circling the block while you were checking the cemetery?" Maria asked.

"No I didn't I was watching the cemetery its self."

"It's a big black SUV, looks like a Suburban I think."

Ryan moved back to the window and saw the SUV turn the corner coming right towards the hotel. He watched as it passed and it stopped right after it made a left turn on the first street past the hotel. Ryan watched as they parked and just sat there. They sat there for about fifteen minutes and they pulled away and circled the block six times and parked again. He watched them do this for over an hour and it never changed.

"Well I think they are watching the cemetery and never saw us come into the hotel, I would guess that they are bad guys."

"Can you tell how many of them that there are?"

"No the windows are tinted pretty dark."

Ryan went back to the window and watched for another hour and they were still doing the same thing. Maria took over watching and she watched for almost two hours when the routine changed. They stopped where they had always stopped but this time five men got out and five new men got in. "Babe there are at least ten of them they just changed out five for five."

"That's good to know."

Ryan took over watching the cemetery and he spotted a group of maybe tem men walking into the cemetery and they split up and they each walked over and talked to another man and the man that had been there started walking out. The man joined up with the other men leaving and Ryan wondered how he had missed them.

Ryan told Maria to get some sleep he would wake her in about four hours to take over watching the cemetery. He wanted to keep an eye on it all night. Maria turned in and fell asleep pretty quick. Ryan kept watching the men that had entered the cemetery and they were just sitting on benches or leaning against trees. It was almost four in the morning when Ryan woke Maria and they changed places, Ryan was asleep almost the moment his head hit the pillow.

Maria watched as the exchange of men occurred half an hour after she took over, she also saw the SUV start to circle the cemetery again at six in the morning. She estimated that there was at least fifty men in the cemetery and another five in the SUV. Ryan woke at seven in the morning and made coffee, he checked with Maria to see how she was doing and told her he would take over. She told Ryan she was doing good but she asked for a cup of the coffee. Ryan brought her a cup and told her he was going to go up to the roof and see what he could see.

Ryan was surprised at the layout of the roof, he was above all the other buildings in the area and as he looked over the area around the cemetery he caught the glint of sun reflecting off of a scope. They had snipers on the other roofs but they were not very experienced to let the sun hitting the scope to give them away. Ryan went back down and got the binoculars from Maria. He told her that there was at least one sniper and most likely more. He wanted to check out the rooftops of the other buildings.

Ryan checked out the other rooftops and counted twenty two snipers. That made it close to one hundred men watching the cemetery. Ryan made his way back to his room and sat down in the chair.

"What's the matter babe?"

"They have snipers on the surrounding rooftops. Looking at what we've seen so far I put their number at close to a hundred."

"We have the fire power to handle that."

"I know the first thing I am going to need to do is take out the snipers, then worry about what's on the ground."

"What do you need me to do?"

"Work the spotters scope like you did before, I'll need distance and wind direction."

"I can do that babe."

Ryan got the Marlin and loaded it and took extra ammo for it. He handed Maria the spotters scope and they went to the roof. Ryan set the Marlin on a tripod and he took a quick wind direction and a quick look at his first target area. Ryan picked up his binoculars and looked for the first target. He decided to take out the farthest one from him. He found the target leaning back against a ventilation duct and he changed from the binoculars to the scope on the Marlin. Ryan centered the crosshairs of the scope on the man's head and asked Maria for distance and wind.

Maria found Ryan's target and gave the distance of seven hundred feet, she found a flag blowing and centered the scope on it. She told Ryan the wind was out of the north east at three miles per hour. Ryan made a slight adjustment of the scope and squeezed the trigger. Ryan kept the scope on his target and watched as his head exploded spraying brain grey matter on the ventilation duck behind him, the man slumped over dead. Ryan picked up the binoculars and checked to see if any of the other snipers reacted to the first shot, he doubted they would because of the sound suppressor. As he suspected none of the other snipers were aware that one of theirs had been killed.

Ryan shifted to the next target and Maria gave Ryan the information that he needed and Ryan adjusted and fired again, Though it was a kill shot it was a little off to the left, wind must have changed he thought. Ryan shifted his aim again and Maria gave him a distance of four hundred seventy feet and wind direction of north, north east, "Babe, give me a new wind speed please."

"New wind speed five miles per hour."

Ryan adjusted the Marlin and slowly squeezed the trigger, Ryan could feel the power of the nearly three thousand foot pounds of energy that the rifle produced. He shifted to the next target and repeated the process. All told Ryan shot twenty three of the snipers that would have done the same thing to him. Ryan also targeted twelve of the men in the cemetery before the rest of the men realized what was happening and took cover.

Ryan slid the Marlin back and they went down to hotel room after Ryan and Maria picked up all the brass that was ejected by the Marlin. Once down in their room Ryan said, "Let the boys in the cemetery cool off a bit they are a bit jumpy right now."

"How many are left I would say less than fifty."

"Ryan does it bother you to kill other people?"

"Babe it would be a lie if I said no, but in fact it does and it always will, but we have a job to do, if it requires that I kill then I will."

"This may sound bad but I'm glad it bothers you, that shows me you have some compassion and caring for your fellow man.

"Thank you babe."

"I'm going to go watch the window and see what is going on down there."

"Ok I'll make us some lunch."

Ryan moved the curtain just far enough so he could see thru the window. Ryan scanned the cemetery and saw that some of the men were leaving, all in all another fifteen left, that should leave somewhere around thirty. Ryan kept watching and the men were returning to their post, Ryan spotted a limo come around the corner and it stopped where the SUV always stopped. Ryan grabbed the binoculars and watched to see what was happening, a man got out of the back of the limo and he was really yelling at the man that had walked over to him from the cemetery. The man from the limo slapped the other man who just bowed his head.

Ryan was trying to get a good look at the man from the limo but was having a hard time doing so, the man looked familiar and thinking on the face Ryan remembered he was the man from the cafe in Jerusalem.

"Babe come over here quick."

"What is it?"

"Here look where the SUV stops and tell me if you recognize the man in the black suite."

Maria looked down and said, "sure that's the man I was telling you about at the Rio airport."

"He's also the man I helped at the cafe back in Jerusalem."  
"Really?"

"Yep and that means that that fellow is Lucifer."

Ryan cracked open the window and took one of the pistols and took careful aim and fired a shot. It had the desired effect as the bullet hit the left front tire causing a loud pop as the tire blew. Both Lucifer and the man who was talking to him hid behind the limo, Ryan watched to see what they would do. The back door of the limo opened and the limo started to move away slowly due to the blown out tire. Ryan aimed the pistol again and fired taking out the rear tire this time. The limo came to a stop and the driver got out and checked the tires and he walked up to the back door and the window rolled down about three inches, Ryan aimed carefully and fired a round into the limo thru the open window. The driver fell to the ground trying to hid and the window went back up on the limo.

Ryan guessed that the limo had bullet proof glass and he was going to test that theory. He picked up the Marlin and sighted on the rear door glass, Ryan took a deep breath and slowly let some out and then squeezed the trigger. The glass on the back door exploded showering the driver still laying on the ground with glass. Ryan chambered another round and shot into the door. The passenger got out and started yelling "Coward you have to shoot an unarmed man."

Ryan could see he was not unarmed at all the grip of a pistol was clearly seen out of the waistband of his pants. Ryan chambered another round and aimed at the ground at the man's feet and squeezed the trigger again. The bullet missed hitting the man by a foot.

"Coward whoever you are come out and meet me like a man."

"Get rid of your men in the cemetery and I'll come out."

"You have a deal" Lucifer said.

"Then do it."

"All of you get out, out of the cemetery."

Ryan watched as the men started leaving the cemetery he watched a couple of them drop down behind headstones determined to save their boss. "Ryan aimed the pistol and shot at the tree behind one of the men. "All of them."

"Fools get out."

The two men got up and walked out of the cemetery. Ryan told Maria "keep a gun at the ready and if any of the men showed back up take a shot at them, you don't have to hit them just get close."

Ok babe but please be careful."

"I will babe."

Ryan walked out of the room and had his pistol in his waistband behind his back. He walked out of the hotel and stopped and stood fifty feet from Lucifer. "Just who are you?"

"Your worst nightmare Lucifer."

"You just keep thinking that."

"Lucifer I know you have no powers and you are now just a mortal man, Now get rid of any weapons that you may have and we will settle this like men."

'Lucifer took off his jacket and laid it on the back of the limo, "now just who did you say you were?"

"I'm the slayer Ryan Simpson and your time has come to an end."

"So you're the famous slayer who has terrorized all of my followers."

"I killed them and I will kill you."

"I don't think so." Lucifer said, and he charged Ryan.

Ryan easily side stepped him and allowed him to trip on his foot that he stuck out just as Lucifer went by causing him to fall face first on the sidewalk. Lucifer regained his feet and charged Ryan again and Ryan put his fists together and slammed Lucifer on the back of the neck Causing Lucifer to hit the sidewalk again

Lucifer was slower getting up this time, Ryan moved in and slammed his fist into the side of Lucifer's head. Lucifer found himself fading in and out. He tried to get up once more and Ryan slammed his fist into the side of Lucifer's head again, this time Lucifer did not move, Ryan called up to Maria and said "Bring down my gym bag please and grab that small white rope out of the crate as well."

Maria did as she was asked and when she got downstairs she asked what Ryan was going to do.

"I'm going to drag Lucifer over to the gate and tie him up, next to the gate then I'm going to blow him hp."

Ryan drug Lucifer the gate and tied him up and he opened his gym bag and he broke off a piece and pushed a detonator into it. He then took the piece of C-4 and pushed it into his mouth. Ryan reached down for the gym bag and a bush lit with fire and a loud booming came and said "STOP MY SON!" Ryan froze in his tracks, he knew right away it was the voice of his Lord and God. "Yes my Lord."

"This is not the way is must end for him. Release him and send him thru the gate to hell. Give him time to get thru the gate and then destroy it."

"As you say my Lord."

"My son you had done as I have asked of you, I am proud of you but the task is not over, There are many more fallen. It is up to you and Maria if you wish to continue what has been set before you. Tell me tomorrow what you decide, now do as I ask."  
"Yes My Lord."

The bush stopped burning and Ryan looked at it and not a single leaf or branch was burned, he knew he had just seen God.

Ryan did as instructed and removed the C-4 and he untied Lucifer, he turned him around and said "now go thru the gate and you will live. You have to the count of two hundred to go thru and keep going."

Lucifer looked at Ryan and said, "You and I are not finished, you will pay for what you have done to me and my followers."

"Go now before I change my mind."

Lucifer ran to the gate and went thru the gate. When Ryan had finished counting to two hundred he set the detonator for five minutes and tossed the gym bag thru the gate. He saw it land about ten feet inside the gate and he turned and walked back to his hotel room.

"Babe, why did you let him live?"

"You didn't see the burning bush or hear the voice?"

"Burning Bush? Loud voice? Are you ok?"

"Yea it was God and he told me to let Lucifer live he said it wasn't meant to be this way."

"Oh wow God came to you, that is great and explains your hair it's a little bit more grey."

"Get out of here, that's what happens in the movies."

"Go look."

Ryan turned around and looked in the mirror and searched his head for more grey hairs." Maria started laughing and said "Got you"

"Ok so you think I'm crazy."

"No, no I don't I saw it all myself. It was the Lord God himself."

"Thank God you had me worried for a little bit."

Suddenly the ground shook and Ryan turned just in time to see the gate close up. He looked at Maria and said "it's time to go home."

*****

Ryan and Maria had been home for three months and had not received any assignments for fallen angels, they were at their wedding day. The wedding ceremony was just beautiful. They had almost five hundred guests in attendance between all of Maria's friends and Family and all of Ryan's Navy friends. There was going to be one big party in a little while. The exited the church and stood and greeted each guest as they left and they all had one question, "How did you get the two brightest stars anyone had ever seen to stay above your heads? Ryan and Maria looked at each other after everyone had left for the reception at Ryan and Marias house, "What stars were everyone asking about?" Ryan asked.

"I have no idea."

A bright white light appeared and the Angel Gabriel formed and the bright white light stayed. "Our children it was me your Lord God and my son Gabriel over your heads. Your marriage was blessed in heaven long before it was on earth." And the light and Gabriel disappeared. Maria looked at Ryan and said, "Some marriages are really made in heaven then."

Ryan pulled Maria close and kissed her and said, "Come on we have guests waiting for us to arrive."
