The Secret World Ch. 04

"Did they leave us behind?" Penny she thought to herself, "Where did they go?" Then behind the commander, she saw someone rise from the shadow behind him.

It was Mister O. He moved up slowly with his arms out, one hand to grab him and the other wielding a knife. As he was about grab the commander, his radio transmitted someone speaking in Spanish which caused Mister O to duck down into the shadows again.

The Commander brought the radio closer to his ear as it continued to broadcast in spanish, "Sí," he responded into the radio. He then returned the radio into his pouch and looked around and took two steps closer towards Penny still not realizing the presence of the foreign invaders on his soil. He stopped and looked around a bit at the jungle, then he raised one arm and waved at in the direction they had been moving towards, "Vamanos!" he ordered as the rest of the guerillas followed.

Everyone in the Illuminati party remained where they hid until the last of the guerillas were no longer visible. At first, the strike team members emerged from the darkness, and then finally so did Beau and Penny. Big Papi using hand signals instructed the rest of the party to proceed further up their path.

Penny rushed over to Mister O, "You were going to kill that bloke, weren't you?"

"I was prepared to do what's necessary, Ms. Godfrey," Mister O replied.

"Are you mad?" Penny asked frustratedly, "You could've gotten us all killed!"

"Would you rather I let him find you?" Mister O responded as he walked away from her and continued his path with the rest of the strike team.

Beau put his hand on Penny's shoulder, "Believe it or not, O's just protecting ya in his own way. C'mon, darlin', let's follow along before we get left behind."

The party continued their trek for another hour until they finally arrived in an old run down village. The village itself had houses and shops made of wood and wasn't without electricity. Old vehicles such as scooters were parked along the dirt roads.

Many of the buildings were dark as the villagers were asleep in the dead of the night. Though it seemed most wouldn't notice, the strike team still moved tactically with stealth through out the edge of the village until they located the hospital.

Looking up at the hospital which was only four stories high which seemed to also connect to a church. They noticed one light in the top floor that was on, "Must be Branford's room," Doc Holiday commented.

They all moved into the emergency room entrance where they found it staffed with American nurses and volunteer staff from peace corp organizations. In shock and utter surprise, the staff looked at the Illuminati party with a bit of frustration.

"Hey!" one of the female volunteers called out, "You can't bring those guns in here!"

"We're here on official orders," Mister O demanded as he handed her a set of folded paperwork from one of his pouches.

"I don't give a damn, you're not bringing those guns in here," she argued.

Looking agitated, Mister O raised the tone of his voice as he responded back, "Well, I don't give a fuck what damns you give or not! We're here to take custody of one of your patients whether you like it or not. The question is, are you going to help us find him or are we going to have to search room by room?"

The woman looked at Mister O furiously without flinching. Big Papi then stepped in, "Room by room it is then. Red team, search the records and check for Branford's personal effects."

"Wait!" the woman interrupted, "I don't care if you people are soldiers, I won't let you bully me!" She immediately reached into her pocket to pull out her cellphone and began video recording them.

"Eye in the sky, this is O," Mister O reported in, "Bug problem."

The woman spoke as she recorded, "I have US troops forcing and barging their way in here with guns trying to kidnap one of our patients." Her phone began to smoke as some strange encryption filled her screen until it popped causing her to scream. She then looked at them again and noticed the patches they had on their uniforms, a blue triangle with the all seeing eye in the center.

"Do you understand who we work for now?" Mister O asked. "We don't work for any single government, but all the governments works for our organization," he said holding the folded papers which had the official stamp of the United Nations.

Stunned and puzzled, the woman was in shock. She no doubt recognized the symbol of the Illuminati and then noticed the papers in his hand, "Wait, no. This has to be some kind of joke," she insisted.

"I thought so too," said Penny to the woman, "I've been in your position, and I understand how Mister O can be quite a pain in the arse, but if you can understand the urgency of this matter then please help us. Lives are in danger."

The woman nodded, "Okay, I'll make a phone call," she said. "What kind of name is Mister O anyways?"

After several minutes had passed, one of the doctors met with the party in the emergency room lobby. He too was American and appeared to be nervous in his voice, "Greetings, I'm Dr. Nash, and I understand you're here to take custody of one of the patients."

"Yes, doctor, that's affirmative," Mister O responded.

Doctor Nash took the paperwork and reviewed it quickly, "Well, I'm more than happy to help, but we're having complications with the patient."

"What kind of complications?" Mister O asked in a slight agitated tone, "Is he still alive?"

"Yes, he's still alive," the doctor replied, "but, since yesterday, the patient appeared to have some sort of psychotic breakdown and is not very coherent."

"What do you mean?" Mister O asked.

"It would be better if I showed you, I have never seen anything like it in my medical career," Doctor Nash responded.

"Red team," Big Papi called out, "start searching for his personal effects."

"Stacy, please help them out while I show the other gentlemen and lady to the patient," the doctor said to the woman.

Mister O, Penny, Beau, Big Papi, and Doc Holiday followed Doctor Nash up the stairwell as he led them to the top floor. As they reached the top and entered the hallway, they could hear a loud yelling coming from down the hall.

Branford's room was occupied by a few orderlies, local men from the village hired by the staff to help out with the now psychotic Branford. Though his age has shown in person compared to the way he looked in the video, he still managed to overpower the orderlies as they fought to keep him still. Seeing the doctor along with Mister O and the rest behind him, Branford's psychotic rage grew as he began yelling in a strange gibberish language.

"Robert, please calm down," the doctor advised.

Branford smiled at him and continued to speak in a gibberish language until it finally blended into English, "Ah, the good doctor returns with guests."

Mister O stared at Branford intently while Penny entered and felt sudden fear pulse down her spine. The very sight of the man caused her to freeze in her tracks when suddenly his eyes met hers, a menacing smile formed in his face.

"What do we have here?" Branford asked while staring at Penny, "Such a lovely flesh morsel aren't you?"

Penny stood petrified hardly able to form words, "wha...what?"

"I can smell your aroma from here, such a lovely fertile body you have there," Branford taunted, "What say we use that body for its intended purpose? Come lay on this bed so I can open those sweet legs just like how you opened that box."

Penny stormed out of the room while Beau tried to catch her attention, "Well, hold on a minute there, cher, don't ya let that nut get to ya."

Now catching Branford's attention, he began taunting Beau. His voice changed, Branford began speaking with a seductive European accent, "What's the matter, boy?"

Beau turned his head in shock upon hearing the familiar accent, "What?" he said confused.

"Don't you remember, boy?" Branford continued in the accent, "I will strike down upon any nest you form. Any mortal you love, I shall turn and make them hate you! I will not allow you to love, for those you love will either perish before you or they may very well be the end of you!"

The voice was a voice Beau hasn't heard in years, those words were words spoken many years in the past. No doubt, it was the voice of Professor Guillermo, Beau's former master, he who made him a vampire, and he who outcasted him from the Scarlet Disciple and caused years of torment for Beau.

The mere sound of the voice was enough to cause Beau's fangs to emerge, his eye red as the blood his fangs demanded, he lunged forward towards Branford. Both Doc Holiday and Big Papi grabbed Beau trying to hold him back. Being a vampire, Beau's raw strength was greater than a normal man giving both of the strike team members a struggle to hold him back.

"Yes! Yes!" Branford continued as he exposed his neck, "Come and drink it in, vampire!"

Doctor Nash witnessing Beau's fangs and the turn of events caused him to back against the wall in fear, "I don't understand, what is going on?"

"Doctor, your patient is not experiencing a psychotic breakdown," Mister O explained as he grinned at Branford, "Nope, not psychotic at all. The ability to look into minds of my colleagues is not a symptom of any psychotic disorder."

As Beau was still on the edge of a primal state, the frightened doctor looked at Mister O for an explanation, "What is it?"

"That shit he was talking when we walked in, the gibberish," Mister O continued to explain with a grin, "it's the words of the devil, better known as Verbis Diablo. Your patient is possessed by a demon."

Branford blinked causing his eyes to turn fully black. He began to laugh with a demonic echo. He continued to taunt Beau with his demonic voice, "Drink in my demonic blood, vampire, and join me where you belong in damnation."

The last comment was enough to snap Beau back to his senses, his eyes reverted back to his normal shade of red. "No, mon ami, yer not worth it," he said as he turned and exited the room to check on Penny.

Mister O checked his cell phone briefly and then put it away. He then turned towards the doctor, "Dr. Nash, thank you for your assistance, but as of right now your assistance and the assistance of the orderlies are no longer required. Please vacate the room."

Dr. Nash didn't hesitate to leave the room with the orderlies. Meanwhile Doc Holiday closed the door behind them while Big Papi approached Mister O, "Okay, well, you're the expert here. You're in charge of the Op now."

"Very well," Mister O responding to Big Papi, then he turned to Branford, "Okay, here's the deal. I'm going to give you one opportunity, just one."

"Oh?" Branford laughed.

"You can tell me your name, demon, cooperate with us and we'll let you continue to inhabit that sorry piece of shit's body, but you'll be under the watchful eye of my organization," Mister O offered.

"If I refuse?" Branford smiled arrogantly.

"Then I'm going to fuck you up," Mister O threatened.

Branford laughed mockingly at Mister O, "Okay, mortal, I refuse."

"Why do these fuckers always gotta choose the hard way?" Doc Holiday complained.

"You wanna play this like we did in Spain?" Big Papi asked.

"Yeah, that's the plan," Mister O replied.

"I'll get Beau and Penny to help me," said Big Papi as he made his way out of the room.

"You are all forsaken from the graces of heaven, even the fires of hell shall abandon you all to be left forgotten in the voids of hell!" Branford taunted.

"Yeah, well heaven doesn't want us and hell's too afraid we'll take over," Mister O replied.

"Yup, we are sailors afterall," Doc Holiday commented.

"So arrogant is that of man. You are nothing more than a feast of souls for us to dine on," Branford threatened.

"Do you demons practice saying that shit in the mirror or something?" Mister O responded, "I've heard you demons say the dumbest shit ever. You're not intimidating us."

Branford watched as the two inscribing glyphs on the walls. They were about to perform some sort of ceremony, but the demon inside Branford recognized the glyphes and smiled, "You fools!"

"Problem?" Mister O asked as he continued with the glyphs.

"Those are binding spells!" Branford laughed, "You imbeciles are pathetic, incompetent. You dare threaten me, yet those binding spells will keep inside this vessel of a body. How do you plan on performing an exorcism?"

Mister O sighed as he heard Branford, "Yeah, keep talking," he said as he continued with the glyphs.

Branford laughed, "I admit, as a demon we're prone to leading weak mortals like you astray with lies and deception, but yet, I speak the truth and your pride has allowed you to continue your impending failure. Perhaps you would do well to wait for the priest so you can play the role of an altar boy."

Mister O didn't respond until he and Doc Holiday completed all the glyphs. He then turned towards the laughing Branford with a look of irritation on his face, "You think you're a badass, don't you?"

Branford laughed at him, "Perhaps. Although I will enjoy tormenting your soul when you have failed this poor excuse of an exorcism."

Mister O grinned, "You're inhabiting the body of an asshole. Real grade-A deuchebag. I could care less about him, but he has information I need."

"Is that so?" Branford responded.

"Yes, it is so," Mister O responded, "So, why would I want you to leave this old dying body when you can keep it alive and can also recover forgotten memories in that ugly melon of his," he explained while tapping the side of Branford's head with his knuckle.

"You dare touch me, mortal?" Branford scowled.

"Oh, shut the fuck up!" Mister O demanded, "First off, you throwing everyone's dirty laundry around like you did earlier is the biggest evidence that you're a young demon. The show you displayed is equivalent to a child throwing a tantrum looking for attention."

"We have a phrase for that here in the mortal world," Doc Holiday added.

"Yep," Mister O continued, "Your whole charade is what we call amateur hour."

Branford's arrogant laughter stopped, "What are you saying, mortal?"

"Let me spell it out for you," Mister O explained, "Since you're not in full understanding of the current situation, this is not an exorcism. This an interrogation. Which means as of right now, you're my bitch."