From the Ashes: CATU Book 6 Ch. 13

"Clear," Terrigian says as he takes a step out. His foot barely touches down as his head is severed from the rest of his body. It is sent flying across the expanse of the room while his body is left to fall forward onto the floor.

The Lesser Creature drops from the ceiling onto all fours snarling. Its tongue drops from its mouth followed by a long trail of sticky saliva. It growls then leaps at Spencer. He holds his stance letting the creature fly at him until almost the last moment then he dives under and begins firing a torrent of bullets. The bullets tear into the creature putting it down before it even slams into the desk sending the desk into splinters.

"We need to get out of here and to the safety of the Black List," Sternigan says looking to Spencer.

"You think?" he answers dropping the clip from the gun and replacing it with another.

Sternigan brushes off the sarcasm turning his attention to Angela. He tightens his arms around her tighter lifting her up off the ground. "What else do we expect to see?"

"I guess you'll just have to see," she answers with laughter.

Sternigan frowns. "Just what the hell makes you want to betray us? They won't give you what they promised."

Angela laughs again. "Oh, I've already gotten what they have promised."

"What does that mean?"

Angela closes her lips into a smile and falls silent. The seconds pass and when she doesn't answer Sternigan shakes her and says, "Answer me!"

"Forget," Spencer snaps seeing the frustration and obvious stress the man was under. Spencer can see the cracks forming under the surface and it is just a matter of time before the man snaps. He can only imagine just what has been going on with the Black List especially with things to have gone this wrong. "We can question her once we're someplace safe."

"Yeah," Sternigan agrees. "You take point."

Spencer nods and cautiously steps out of the small office. No dangers present themselves and he signals the Black List leader out. They cross the expanse of the floor to the elevators without incident but both men felt and immediate sense of danger building.

Spencer pushes the down button calling the elevator car then turns to Sternigan. "Something's coming. Be ready."

Sternigan looks Spencer straight in the eye. "If it gets bad you better be prepared to drop her without hesitation or I will." Spencer looks at him with doubt. "She won't hesitate to kill you."

The doubt fades to be replaced with a hardened look. "I'll do what needs to be done."

The elevator door opens with Spencer's back to it and the look of surprise on Angela's face is barely a sign of the impending danger. Spencer starts to bring around his gun as he spins around catching sight of the demon standing in the elevator and suddenly he stops.

"Delgrious."

The demon casts a toothy grin and leaps at the human. In a split second Sternigan releases his grip to pull a pistol from beneath his jacket giving Angela her freedom. She takes a step forward and throws her foot back slamming it into Sternigan's arm into his chest and sending him back a few steps. Then using the momentum leaps forward and tackles Spencer just before the Greater Demon reaches him.

Delgrious passes over the two and slams full force into Sternigan. They fly back into a desk, ripping it in half in their wake with the large human being pinned beneath the Greater Demon.

Spencer rolls out from beneath Angela and gets to his feet just before she does and manages to step in and land his fist into the side of her face just as she is standing up. The impact sends her straight to the floor with her face almost impacting if not for her being able to get her hands underneath at the least moment.

Spencer stands over her with his gun still in his hand pointed down at her. "You intended to kill me back there didn't you?" he asks glaring down at her.

Angela rolls over slowly onto her back to face him. A smile creeps slowly across her face. "Not back there, no. We want you alive. For now. But me no mistake Spencer Reeds, I have no problems killing you."

Her cold words bite hard into him. Here is a woman he grew up with. A woman he had feelings for, one he still has feelings for, the only woman, other than Sam that he ever loved and now, she is betraying him. His hand wavers just slightly and Angela takes the opportunity and kicks the gun free from his hand. Before his mind can catch up a second kick catches him under the chin and sends him sideways into a nearby desk.

Spencer rolls up to his feet, shaking his head as the ringing in his ears fades. How the fuck is she so strong? He turns to face her and already she is on him throwing punches. Punches he is just barely able to block. She is fast and each strike he blocks stings his arms as if he were blocking a lead pipe instead of another human arm. Is my Second Sight being hampered somehow?

He continues to block each strike, just managing to stay equal with Angela and focusing on nothing else. "You must have gotten some training while I was away," he says hoping to distract her while pulling out a little information.

Angela doesn't miss a beat as she presses the attack, pushing the CATU agent back across the room. "Training has nothing to do with it," she answers. "It's because of the Chimera Project that I am stronger than you."

"The what?" he questions.

Angela smiles as she keeps the pace steady. "You'll learn more soon Reeds. There is someone that would like to see you. It is the only reason we haven't killed you yet."

"You could have fooled me," he says as he throws a nod in the direction of Delgrious. "The way he threw his self at me says otherwise."

"What do you expect?" Angela says smirking. "You are responsible for everything that happened to him. He is still a little pissed about that one."

"Then he's going to be pissed some more."

"We'll see," Angela says with a grin. "But I doubt your daughter is going to let that happen."

Before the entire sentence escapes her lips Spencer drops his guard, totally unprepared by the words he has just heard. The action costs him.

Angela's fist slips through catching his chin giving her the chance to step in with an elbow to the midsection doubling him over where Angela is able to step to the side and deliver a roundhouse kick to the side of his head sending him into darkness.

Sternigan tries to get up but struggles against the weight of the hand pressed against his throat. He blinks away the dust from his eyes and stares up and the fierceness burning in the eyes of Delgrious.

It's not often one of us gets to kill the leader of the Black List but I'm glad I have the opportunity to do so. The Greater Demon breathes anxiously.

The Black List leader is lifted into the air held high only by his throat. He struggles to fight against the demon but he finds his left arm hangs uselessly at his side. He can feel blood steadily dripping from his fingers as a large splinter of wood sticks out from his shoulder.

"Take all the pleasure you want, but ending my life isn't going to end the fight against your kind," Sternigan says defiantly.

It may well not but a snake without a head cannot strike very well.

Without another word Delgrious rotates his wrist and with a loud crunch Sternigan's neck breaks. His body goes limp and falls to the ground in a crumble.

The Greater Demon turns to the small woman and grins. Bring the human before we delay Aurelia any longer.

Angela nods and Delgrious mists away into nothing. As soon as the two humans are alone, Angela kneels beside Spencer and brushes the side of his head. "It's too bad we're on opposite sides of this little war Reeds. We could have been lovers." She leans in and brushes her lips across his.