Immolation Ex: The Knower (COMPLETED)

Chapter XXXIV

"We have to go back, Carter!" Angel shouted at the sniper. "Turn around!" she yelled, slapping her hands against the back window.

"I'm sorry, Angel, there's just too many of them. We need to get back to Azazel with this body for Louisa and then we can get him and Michael to help," Carter replied, glancing into the rear view mirror to observe the frantic girl crying in the back of the SUV.

"But, it's Danny, Carter!" she said, tears streaming down her cheeks. The girl lowered herself into the back seat and buried her face in her hands. "...it's Danny..."

"If we go back, they'll get us, too!" Carter said as he turned down the dark alley behind the dilapidated Texas Grande Hotel serving as their hideout. "You know what? I bet you they make him a hostage. Yeah, that's probably what'll happen, Angel," he said, attempting to reassure not only Angel, but himself that their friend would be alright. "I'm sure we'll get a message that he's okay and they want to trade."

"This ain't a T.V. show, Carter," Angel said with a sniff.

"I know." Carter threw the vehicle into park and eased the driver's side door open to step from the SUV. "We just have to have faith that he'll be fine."

"Who will be fine?" Azazel asked, suddenly appearing next to the vehicle. The Watcher jutted his head in through the open door and glanced around. "Where is Khan?"

"The Grigori got him," Carter replied, sadly.

"What?" Azazel narrowed his eyes. "At the hospital? How? I gave you the times..."

Angel looked up at the Watcher pitifully. "There was a shift coming in right when we were leaving."

"And you didn't run, I assume?" Azazel asked, crossing his long arms.

"No, me and Danny...we decided to fight them so Carter could get to the SUV. What else were we supposed to do?" Angel retorted. "Don't look at me like that, you weren't there!"

Azazel sighed. "Very well, let me get this body upstairs so I can get Luisa's spirit orb in it, then we'll decide what to do next."

________________________________________

Michael winced at the sound of Louisa screaming. "We cannot lose anyone else and Annie, I mean, Louisa, has not been trained to deal with the Grigori, yet."

"I do not believe she is going to need any," Azazel said, walking into the musty old hotel room from the hallway.

"And why not, brother?" Michael asked.

"It seems Angel and Carter brought me Louisa's original body."

Carter sat up from his chair. "What are the odds of that?" he asked. "So, what does that mean?"

"It means that Officer Jiminez should be really comfortable in it," Azazel replied. "And since she was already a police officer, she shouldn't need too much in the way of training... like you, Carter. That is as long as she doesn't get swarmed..."

"We'll just have to make sure that won't happen," the sniper said raising an eyebrow. "Still, you said Annie earlier, Michael. Like Little Orphan Annie?"

"No, Annie Oakley, the wild west sharpshooter. She could split a playing card in mid-air and hit it a few more times before it made it to the ground," Michael replied.

"Oh, thank goodness," Carter exclaimed with a sigh of relief. "I was trying to figure out what we'd do with some singing girl with red hair trapped in a police officer's body."

Angel blinked. "I really hope you are kidding, Carter. I can see Dustyn or Danny saying that, but not you."

Carter grinned widely. "I was just trying to make you smile, hon."

Angel walked up to Carter and hugged him. "What are we gonna do without them?"

He patted the girl on the back. "We're going to get them back, that's what!" he replied giving her a squeeze.

"And I'm going to help," said a pretty Hispanic woman leaning against the doorframe, dark circles under her eyes. "It's so weird that you guys grabbed my real body. Still, I can't get over my heart not beating, you know?"

"Yeah, it is strange at first," Angel said as she released Carter to help Louisa cross the room and sit on the squeaky bed next to Michael.

"I would normally recommend a different body, but as you humans say, 'beggers cannot be choosers'. You will have to be really careful not to be seen by anyone you know, Louisa," Azazel said, leaning against the wall. "It might be quite traumatic."

The woman nodded. "I suppose it might be."

"Alright, Annie..." Angel said.

"Who?" Louisa asked.

"Annie...Annie Oakley, that's who you were," said the former cheerleader. "Cool, huh?"

Louisa scratched her head. "Oh Dios mío, that makes so much sense, now. That's why I kicked everyone's ass on the range at the academy!"

"Welcome to the team," Carter said as he generated his God Guns. He removed one from a holster and handed it to Louisa. "Here, you're gonna need one of these."

"I can't take your pretty pistol, Carter. It's not right."

"Here, try this," Azazel said, his energy bow forming in his hands. "I do not need it."

"A bow? I've never used one of those before," Louisa said, accepting the weapon from the Watcher's outstretched hands. "I'm not sure..."

"Be patient," the Watcher responded.

The weapon began to glow, generating a strange orange hue as Louisa held it. "What's it doing?" she asked in confusion.

"Hmmm, that's interesting. It seems as if it's bonding with you," Azazel said with a smile. "It appears to have chosen you as its owner."

The bow changed in Louisa's hands. She looked at Azazel in amazement as it formed into a Winchester-style repeating rifle. "Whoa!"

"Whoa, is right," Carter exclaimed.

Azazel pointed at the shimmering firearm. "You hold in your hands a weapon of Righteousness, Louisa, formed from Heaven's own lake of gold. It can take any form you will it to, but I can see your soul has made its decision."

The woman turned the rifle over in her hands, examining it. "It's so light."

"Don't let that fool you," Carter said. "Trust me, these Heavenly weapons do some serious damage!"

Michael strolled across the room toward the open door. "What say we rescue Danny, then?"

"Yeah!" Angel shouted. "Let's kick some Grigori ass!"

________________________________________

Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed slapped Danny across the face and stepped away, turning her back on him. "Insolent bastard!"

"I don't know what an in-so-lent is, but you might be right about the bastard part," the trucker said with bloody grin. "Muh daddy wasn't around too much when I was growin' up. Hell, I wasn't even sure if that guy was or some other dude bangin' my mom and that's what she told me."

"And to believe that Heaven values your existence," the woman said coldly. "Do you even know who I am you disgusting filth?"

"Nope, but when my friends come lookin' for me it won't matter none."

The countess spun to face Danny. "And why would that be?"

"'Cause they are gonna straight up kill you and all the rest of your golden assholes," he replied with a snarky grin.

The Grigori commander drew her hand back once more to strike Danny, but stopped as a smile slowly stretched over her face. "Bill?"

"Ma'am?"

"Aren't you short a few Grigori soldiers?"

"Yeah, thanks to that feller there and his cohorts," the former Confederate soldier replied.

"Well, I think we just found you a new recruit."

A look of shock appeared on Danny's face. "Tha' hell?"