The Hypogeum Ch. 14-15

Ranulf and Loki found the door to the server room was if anything even more secure than the security door on the third floor. Loki placed a charge just below the lock and set the timer for thirty seconds. Then he and Ranulf took cover halfway up the stairs. They waited until they heard a loud bang and saw a wisp of smoke appear from downstairs.

Both men raced downstairs and ran round the corner to see that the thick steel door was now open and hanging slightly bent on its hinges with a large portion missing where the lock and handle had been. Ranulf dived through the door with his pistol at the ready, just in case there were any more enemies inside, he rolled to his feet and found the room deserted. Loki followed him through the doorway and dug a large metal box and a small control unit from his pack, he placed the box on the floor next to one of the racks of computers that made up the server farm and then said, "Time we were outside."

Both men moved back to the stairwell and Loki flicked a switch on the control unit. There was a strange sound from the server room followed by silence. The steady hum of the computers was now silent. Loki reached into his pack once more and did something that Ranulf could not see; he threw the pack through the door and ran back upstairs to the foyer, shouting over his shoulder, "Leggit Ranulf, I just put the insurance policy in place."

Ranulf stared uncomprehending for a moment and then his eyes went wide as the realisation hit him, "Oh shit!"

Ranulf followed Loki as fast as he could.

All three men met up back in the foyer, the sound of Sirens was now deafening as the emergency services converged on the WinCom building. They ran outside and made for the wall to the rear of the building. Not even slowing down they vaulted the wall into the builder's yard and then activated their stones.

None of them heard the muffled whump as a backpack full of explosives and Dancers exploded in the basement, adding inevitable finality to the job that the EMP device set by Loki had started.

* * *

Erika Olafsdottir watched her display screen come back to life and she could see the normal start-up screen. The display flickered and then the computer requested her logon details. She put the handset back on the phone and logged in. Then she pressed the button on her desk to alert the next waiting customer that she was ready to serve them.

* * *

Phanindra Panishwa sat back in astonishment as he suddenly found himself back in control of his computer system. He shouted to his supervisor, "I'm back in. I've taken the DataVault box offline."

* * *

Aleksei Ivanovitch was talking quietly and respectfully on the phone, "I know Sir, I've managed... That is, my team have managed to take back the computers. Yes Sir, we've cured the problem and taken the DataVault program out of the loop."

The wailing Sirens suddenly cut short and the following silence was deafening. The general leaned away from the telephone and shouted, "What is it? What's going on?"

Sergeant Wisbecki was dumbfounded as he frantically scrolled through the lines of text on his computer screen, "Sir, it's stopped. The attack seems to be over."

"What did you do Sergeant?"

"Nothing Sir, it wasn't me... It just stopped."

General Ira Jackson took a deep breath and blew out hard before putting the phone back to his ear, "Sir, Mr President Sir, the attack has stopped... We don't know yet Sir, but the threat has passed... Yes Sir I will."

He replaced the handset and then shouted, "Get me someone from the NSA here, right now!"

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"Control your own destiny or someone else will." – Jack Welch

Alma squatted on the floor next to where Taika still sat, unmoving and eyes closed. She was worried both about how the men were getting on back at the WinCom offices, but also because she didn't know who else might still be around, or on their way to the farm even now. Although the team had thoroughly swept the house and surrounding area before they had departed, she was still uneasy. She had a feeling that something was wrong, terribly wrong, but she didn't quite know what it was.

Suddenly Taika's eyes flew open and she said, "They're coming."

Alma was alarmed at Taika's sudden awakening but more so at her words, "Who's coming?" she asked.

"Red robes."

"What do we do?"

Taika smiled grimly, "We wait."

The young woman examined the pistol that she held, only ever having fired it once, she was not eager to have to fire it again. However, a steely resolve came over her, She thought to herself, if it's a fight they want... Where had that come from? She had never been a fighter in her life. In fact her first experience of violence had not happened until that night she had been attacked in her own home. Tears welled in her eyes as she remembered that night and all of the events that had led up to it, but this time, there was no physical pain, and although she still carried grief in her heart, she found her memories of Jonathon more comforting than saddening. Alma checked her pistol was fully loaded and then said resolutely, "I know what I have to do Taika. I'm ready."

The old woman said nothing in response but stood up and stretched painfully, "I'm too old for lolling around on the floor... They are here."

As if to punctuate Taika's words, Alma heard a car drive up to the farm and screech to a halt. There was a slamming of car doors and then shouting as four or five men looked at the devastation around the farm. Dead bodies lay everywhere broken and in pools of blood.

Alma snuck closer to the door of the barn striving for a better view of the newcomers. She saw a Range Rover parked in the middle of the courtyard with four men, all armed with shotguns stood beside it and one other man still sitting in the driver's seat. Her arms shook slightly as she brought the pistol to bear and held it in both hands, bracing her feet against the recoil, as Ranulf had shown her.

One of the men looked toward the barn door and his eyes met Alma's as she sighted along the barrel, he started to shout a warning and swung his shotgun up just as Alma squeezed the trigger. Her bullet took him in the centre of the chest and he fell to the ground with a grunt.

Immediately, the other three men outside dived for cover and looked around from where the threat was coming. Alma started to move forward so that she could get a better view of the driver, she could see him looking wildly around until another shot rang out and the windscreen shattered by a round that ended its journey in his forehead. Her second shot had alerted the three, armed men to her position and they started to return fire.

Alma ducked back and scrambled to the back wall where Taika stood. Alma was shaking violently now and stuttered, "There's three left and they're all armed. What do we do?"

Taika replied unconcernedly, "We do nothing, child. You just showed me that there be fire in your heart and fighting spirit too. Another lesson learned well I think."

Alma was almost screaming, "This isn't the time for your riddles Taika! What the fuck do we do?"

Taika replied in reproving tones, "There is never any need for a lady to be using profanity, child. I said we do nothing and I meant it. However, I think it be time that these evil men were shown what I am capable of, when it be needful."

A figure appeared in the doorway, he was pointing his shotgun at them and had wore a hate-filled expression as he started to bark an order.

Taika raised her hand and whispered, "Fear."

His expression changed and the colour drained from his face as it changed from hateful malevolence to fear, petrifying fear like that, which would wake a small child screaming from a nightmare. He dropped his weapon, which landed with a clatter at his feet. Taika walked slowly towards him with a hand out in front, and with each step forward she took, the man took one step back. "No!" he shouted, "Stay back! Stay away from me!"

He stumbled and fell against the other two men who had just come forward to the doorway.

Taika never stopped moving forward, she was implacable and whispered, "Choke."

The two that were still armed also dropped their weapons as all three now put their hands to their throats as though being strangled. They couldn't breath as they desperately fought to pull the suffocating bands of force from around their necks. One by one, they fell to the ground, kicking and fighting against forces they could never defeat. The first man went blue in the face and his tongue stuck out, then the second and the third. Each of them was getting weaker by the second until all fell into unconsciousness. They went limp and died.

Taika lowered her arm, sighed and said, "I could do justice to a mug of hot Camellia right now. This sort of game be taking it out of this old lady."

Alma stood in open-mouthed horror at the display she had just witnessed. She had known that Taika must have some amazing powers, but she had never dreamed that the old woman could cold-bloodedly kill three men and then complain that she needed a drink. Taika fixed Alma with a stern gaze, "Don't be looking at me like that young lady. These were scum and they would have killed us both without a thought. Summoned here by Baphomet himself they were, red robes each and every one. Besides, you seem to have been quick to be ending lives this day."

Alma squirmed, "That was different-"

"How? You needed to live; they needed to kill you, but were not good enough. I just did the same thing," her tone softened, "Look child... Alma, they were a cancer and cancer needs to be cut out. It's all you can do. The trees would say that a sick branch needs to be pruned if it's to be stopped from killing the tree. Same thing, different words. You need to live and for that to be, then they," she prodded one of the bodies with her foot, "needed to die."

Alma was still trying to assimilate Taika's words when the Ranulf, Aloysius and Loki appeared at the gate, that being the closest they could arrive due to the wards in place around the property. She saw them stride through the gateway and ran into Ranulf's arms, "Oh God! I was so scared."

He held her close and stroked her hair as she nestled against him, whilst the other two conferred quietly with Taika. When Ranulf and Alma pulled apart, he looked across at the other three and said, "We've done the easy bit. Now things might get difficult."

Alma realised what he meant, they were about to broach Baphomet in his lair and she started to shiver, yet again to her amazement, she found that she wasn't shaking with fear but with excitement.

Ranulf led the way along the narrow underground corridor followed by Loki, Taika, Alma and Aloysius bringing up the rear. As they grew closer to the vault they could hear the demon roaring his defiant challenge, although only Alma could hear the underlying tinge of fear in it. She still couldn't quite understand why he would be scared of her.

Taika was very quiet as they made their way towards Baphomet; she was also very worried as she was still not sure that Alma had understood who she was.

Loki was nervously playing with the Dancers in his pocket and was thinking uncharacteristically solemn thoughts about his own mortality.

Aloysius was getting annoyed at banging his head all the time and was eager to bring the fight to Baphomet; he hoped that all he was doing and all he had done so far was making a difference.

Ranulf was worried as well, he was still unsure of his ability to command this small band and was petrified that he would get them all killed.

The roaring grew louder and louder still as the group reached the door to the robing room where they waited a moment to gather their nerve. The roaring demon went silent and then called out, "I know you're there little heroes. Come to me and meet your destiny. You cannot prevail. I have won. Soon I shall walk the Earth as its king but you will not be there to see it!"

Taika moved forward to stand in the doorway of Baphomet's vault and shouted back, "You haven't won! You've lost! We've already stopped DataVault and now we're going to stop you!"

The demon screamed and howled, "NOOOOO!"

He leapt towards the old woman and tried to grab her with his writhing tentacles, but she merely raised a hand and he stopped dead in the air as he hit an invisible barrier. His tentacles travelled all over the dome of transparent energy trying to find a way to reach Taika, but could not. Taika stepped forward allowing the others to come into the room. She said, "My wall is only impenetrable from that side."

Loki whooped loudly and threw a handful of Dancers at Baphomet, they increased in speed and ricocheted all over the room at odd angle, unfortunately, instead of burying themselves into Baphomet's flesh, they merely bounced off him harmlessly. The demon laughed as he swatted them away, "Is that the best you have little Joker?"

Dismayed, Loki whistled and slowed the Dancers to a stop, they were unable to penetrate the barrier, so fell to the floor.

Then Loki pulled a machine pistol from his belt and he and Aloysius waited for the word from Ranulf. The leader readied his weapon and cried, "Now!"

All three men dove through the barrier at the same time, Ranulf to the left, Aloysius to the right and Loki straight forward, as one they rolled to their feet and then all fired their guns on full automatic, spraying Baphomet with hot lead. Although the bullets caused him pain, they didn't seem to be penetrating his thick hide. He roared in pain and fury and launched himself at Loki, grabbed the young fighter's arms and started to pull them apart.

Loki screamed in agony as he felt his shoulders begin to separate.

Ranulf turned his rifle round to hold it by the barrel and ran forward, he swung with his makeshift club at Baphomet's tentacle group nearest him, the attack threw the demon off balance and he let go of one of Loki's arms, then, almost faster than the eye could follow, the tentacles struck out like a whip and knocked Ranulf flying into the far wall.

Aloysius also moved forward to attack; he threw his gun down and drew his Jian sword. Baphomet sensed the new threat before he saw it and stepped back so that the Chinese sword met only air as it swung. Baphomet threw Loki at Aloysius and both went down in a heap, however, before the demon could advance more than a step, Aloysius rolled to his feet and adopted a defensive Wu Shu stance.

Puzzled more than frightened, Baphomet swung with his tentacles to hit the giant man, but his own strike met only air as Aloysius dropped to the floor and spun round on his heel to perform a leg sweep that sent the demon crashing to the ground. He roared once more and lashed out with his foot at the advancing Warrior, striking Aloysius full in the chest, knocking the wind out of him and making him stumble backwards.

Before Baphomet could gain his feet, Ranulf was once more lashing out with his makeshift club, there was a dull thud as it connected with Baphomet's skull and the demon was stunned momentarily. As Ranulf sought to press his attack, Baphomet rolled sideways and scrambled to his feet.

Loki shouted, "Duck!" as he threw something at the demon.

Everyone, including the two women behind the barrier huddled as close to the floor as they could just as the explosive hit Baphomet in the stomach and exploded. There was a thunderous noise as the bomb went off in such an enclosed space and thick cloud of acrid smoke surrounded the demon, who stood and laughed, "Is this the best you have? Is this what has been sent to defeat me?"

Alma was appalled, these three men had thrown themselves into a battle that they could not possibly win... Because of her. They believed that she had some power that could defeat this monster.

The fight raged in front of her and with each attack or counter another wound was raised on one of the men, the demon was roaring in pain when he received a blow, but her brave companions could not really damage him. Taika took the opportunity to whisper something during a lull in the battle and Alma watched a fireball grow in her hand, which was then launched at Baphomet. In seconds he was engulfed in flames. As the fire flickered and burned, the demon laughed again, "Foolish woman, I was born in the fires of the Hypogeum! Do you think your puny powers are a match for me?"

Suddenly he lashed out at the three men who attacked him, Loki was struck in the groin with a foot and he fell to the ground in agony. Baphomet placed a huge foot on top of him, pinning him to the floor. Aloysius was knocked backwards as a mass of tentacles whipped him through the air to land in a crumpled heap, at the same time, a beam of black light shot from Baphomet's eye and the beam threw Ranulf against the far wall, pinning him about eight feet from the ground. Baphomet crowed, "See little Mother? See what power I have at my disposal? You think to challenge me? Here? Where I am stronger than you can ever be?"

Aloysius, who had been temporarily forgotten, climbed back to his feet and shook his head to try and clear his thought, he could see Taika, still standing silently behind the shield protecting her and Alma, who was looking at the scene before her in open horror. He reached down for his sword and raised it for the attack. He ran straight toward the demon who had his attention fixed elsewhere and struck with the sword, it bit deep into Baphomet's side where it lodged, Baphomet screamed as thick, black ichor oozed from the wound and the dark beams pinning Ranulf to the wall faltered allowing him to land on the floor.

Baphomet spun round and grabbed Aloysius, pinning his arms at his side as he pulled the giant warrior closer to his gaping maw. Aloysius could see the massive teeth getting closer to his face and struggled wildly to break free. Loki took the opportunity to pull his hunting knife from its sheath and stabbed it as hard as he could into Baphomet's ankle causing another roar to erupt.

Ranulf also closed on the demon and grabbed at the tentacles holding Aloysius, as he pulled, the giant was able to free his arm, which was pulled back before his mighty fist was driven straight into the teeth that threatened him. There was a loud crack as one of Baphomet's fangs snapped and he dropped Aloysius as he staggered back, both surprised and hurt at this new attack.

Ranulf was once more sent sprawling as he fell backwards from the demon and Aloysius grimaced and held his arm at an odd angle. The act of breaking Baphomet's tooth had also broken his hand.

Loki was still on the floor, holding the ichor soaked knife and desperately trying to get his wind.

Once again, Baphomet roared his defiance.

Loki staggered to his feet and all three men once again adopted a threatening stance.

Baphomet looked from face to determined face and then laughed out loud again, "See the little puppets, dying for the cowardly Mother who stands and watches. Why little heroes, do you fight for her, when she will not fight for you?"

No one rose to the bait, the three men merely stood silent until Ranulf answered, "We fight for the Lady because we choose to."

Loki added, "Yeah! Come and fucking get it, Fang face!"

Baphomet breathed deeply and then stood up straight, his tentacles grew longer and thicker and all could see that he was growing. Soon he topped ten feet tall and the top of his head was brushing against the vaulted ceiling of the chamber. All the people facing him were wide eyed at the sight of his transformation. With lightning speed the huge tentacles lashed out again and snaked around all three men, lifting them off the ground like they were dolls, even the hugely strong Aloysius was powerless to prevent being held captive. Baphomet stared directly at Alma, "Come to me little Mother. Offer yourself as sacrifice."