Chapter 3: Belos the Betrayed

Alex placed his hand on a glass panel in the corridor. A laser beam skimmed down his palm, and the lights switched on, illuminating the entire floor. He went through the hall towards Section 3 - C5. Ahead of him sat a cell labeled 3-C5-12 and on the glass panel, a set of controls appeared. Alex placed his hand on the panel, and the glass began to glow. He then hit the release button, and a tethered black book popped out from a slot in the floor. Alex scanned the controls for the electromagnetic field switch. "Here it is," he pushed the EMF button, and finally the entire holding cell lit up. "Are you scaring the janitors again today?" he tapped on the glass. After a few seconds and still no response, "Don't make me push that EMF pulse," Alex threatened. He gave it a few more minutes then reached for the button.

"Whaaat do you want?" a black cloud of smoke banged into the glass then twisted into the figure of a Man, seconds later it shifted into that of a beast. It continued to change forms between beast and Man. "I could smell his fear from over here," he laughed.

"Stop messing with the janitors Cachi, or I'll send you to sermons," Alex pushed a button, it zapped the book with an EMF Pulse. He knew how much Cachi hated the EMF pulse. Ghost and demons had specific heat signatures, and the EMF Pulse sent high concentrated levels of electromagnetic energy that shocked them. Prolong exposure would destabilize their energy force, but that was the only way to hurt them besides the word of God. Zapping the Book of Death, that Cachi had made his home for centuries angered him, but Alex knew it was the only way to get him to talk.

Cachi screamed, "Death! Death to your soul!" The edges of the book singed then dissolved.

"You've been around since the very beginning of Man," Alex ran his fingers over the EMF Pulse button. "Tell me what you know about the Widow Maker?" Alex hovered his finger over the zapping button again. You never wanted to show them your scared or intimidated. That's how they get inside your head.

Cachi banged against the cell his dog like face smashed up against the glass, the sharp fangs from his jaw dripped with saliva, "On the hunt again Alex?"

Alex turned the knob then pressed the zapper. A more powerful EMF Pulse hit the book again. The burnt edges blackened further inward shrinking the book in size. Cachi howled. He shook the glass cell, but Alex knew it was all for naught the cell was bullet resistant. The inside contained multiple layers of glass. When struck the energy would spread out, over, and through various layers of glass. The outside of the cell wrapped in a transparent polycarbonate layer.

"Don't question me. Just answer my question," Alex said. He turned the knob a second time increasing the voltage for the next zap. Cachi was a stubborn ass Demon.

"Why should I tell you?" Cachi turned into a serpent and hissed at Alex.

"They're destroying more cursed items this month. Our inventories are getting full," Alex smirked at Cachi. "You could be on that list. If you don't tell me," he had his finger on the zapper. If this threat doesn't work, it's the zapper again.

Cachi changed his form back into a man, "What do you want?"

Alex removed his finger, "What demon possesses The Widow Maker?" If anyone knew it had to be Cachi. He'd been around since before Christ. He was the first of his kind. The Yoda of the demons. They were lucky to have caught him. That's why they kept him. Alex knew they would never get rid of Cachi; he was too valuable of a resource for them.

"Not a demon, but a cursed God. The Fallen King."

"Demons, Gods, and dead King's. Your all the same. Can't ya'll just go towards the light when you die?" Alex chuckled. "God is good," Alex mouthed to him. After spending years fighting these things, you needed a good sense of humor. It helps to keep them out of your head.

Cachi changed his form again and broke into a high pitched laugh, "Funny Alex. Keep laughing. You won't be for long."

Alex pressed the zapper, and Cachi's laugh turned into a shrill. "Don't threaten me," Alex's face grew serious. "Answer my question." He knew what type of Demon Cachi was a Class 3 with a level 5 threat, which meant dangerous but still containable. He wasn't the type of demon that killed much only when threatened.

Cachi was back into the form of a Man but struggled, "Belooos... Belos the Betrayed," he said.

Alex hit the release button, and the glass cell shut off. Demons were tricky; you didn't want to spend too much time with them. It would only allow them into your head. He turned around to head back downstairs but sense a presence behind him. Alex slowly turned around, "Bob, how long have you been standing there? I hope you know it's already passed 7 am." Alex reminded him. The janitors only had access to the floor between 5-7am. He hoped Bob didn't see his conversation with Cachi.

"Just now. I was trying to find Stubbins. You seen him?" Bob asked.

"Yeah, he took off downstairs. Must be his first time here," Alex laughed. Bob gave Alex a blank stare. "You alright Bob? You look just like Stubbins did earlier." Bob was a tough son of a bitch who didn't believe in any of this nonsense. That's why they hired him. In the past few years though Alex could sense the job had started to take its toll on Bob. Pretty soon they would have to replace him. He'll have to talk to Barca, his Boss about replacing him soon.

"I'm fine," and he stalked off to the elevator.

By the time Alex reached the corridor, Bob had already left. There was something off about Bob, and Stubbins too. He'll have to swing by The Sanitation Department and check on them.

Alex went back to his office and sent a text, "Hey Bloodstone! I got a name. Belos the Betrayed. Find me any info you have on him. Thanks!"

Bloodstone texted back, "How did you find that out?!!!!"

"My sixth sense" See you at 1300 hours!" Alex replied.

Alex received another text, but he ignored it. His sixth sense didn't think it was urgent. He mainly used it to communicate through other dimensions or with Spirits. He could even sense them, but demons were tricky. The ancient or older ones were powerful and could mask their energy inside their hosts very well. They tricked him before, and it almost cost him his life.

13:00 Hours -------------------------------------

Dr. Bloodstone was the most punctual out of the team and well prepared. She had her projector up and ready to go when they assembled in the conference room along with a packet of information placed nicely in front of each team members chair. "His story begins in Latin America. The locals there talk about a God-King name Belos," Dr. Bloodstone clicked to the next slide. "Betrayed by his half brother for the throne. He tricked Belos and destroyed his body. Then cast him down to earth to live for all eternity, formless, leaching off others to survive," Bloodstone explained. "Alex, did you get the video I texted you?"

"What video?" He hadn't checked his messages for hours. In the afternoon Alex spent time meditating. It helped to keep the voices out of his head. That was the worse thing about having a sixth sense. He could hear them all the time.

Dr. Bloodstone clicked to the next slide and pressed play. "Who the hell is that," Alex sat up. She was gorgeous, exotic like, but shit full of issues he could sense it already.

"That is Karina Cattaneo. We have for the first time actual footage of the Widow Maker."

"That's not possible," Alex moved closer. "Where did you get this?" Alex motioned to Dr. Bloodstone. "Make that video bigger please." Dr. Bloodstone enlarged the video. A quick clip someone had taken on their phone in a cafe. It showed Karina arguing with herself about touching herself. He felt embarrassed for her; she was practically screaming at herself like a mad woman. When she looked up, the whole cafe laughed, and she cursed out Belos' name before taking off. It had to be the Widow Maker. "She looks twenty maybe twenty-five the oldest. How's that possible?" Alex questioned.

"Damn, she's one hot host!" Ballz nodded his head. "If I were her Demon I'd touch her too."

"Ballz, that's just sick. She's an eighty-year-old woman. Have some decency," Dr. Bloodstone gave him a disgusted look. "Youtube," she shrugged. "According to the locals, they say Belos is the God of Life. He can give you an unnaturally long life."

"Where was this video taken?" Alex asked. If this was recent, they have to move fast the Widow Maker was incredibly elusive.

"New York City. A day ago," Bloodstone answered.

"Do we know where she's headed?"

"Yes. Our camera's show Karina getting into a taxi. When the taxi driver was questioned he said he dropped her off at JFK Airport," Dr. Bloodstone sighed. "She boarded a flight to New Orleans."

"What?" Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" Alex stood up. Social media - it had it's pros sometimes. It's the closest they've been to the Widow Makers whereabouts. They needed to move fast to catch her.

"I did. I texted you," Bloodstone rolled her eyes. "Check your messages next time."

Alex made the call, "Grab your gear, guys. Let's hunt!" he took out his phone to make a call. "Hey, Bloodstone. Brief the pilots have them ready in thirty. We're going to New Orleans," Alex said. "Let's continue this on the jet," and he left.

"What about the guns and tech?" Gunner raced after Alex.

"Bring all the high power gear, and you decide on tech. Make sure you get those restraints though," Alex replied. "A Demon God's gonna be tough."

"Yup! I'm on that."

"Okay. Then we're good," and Alex began to talk into his phone. "Barca. You won't believe this. We found her."