The P.O.E. & a Gateway in the Basement

Chapter Nineteen

"I have a deal for you... agents. If you walk out of here right now... I will let Britney free and allow you four to leave here alive. What do you say?" Balthazar has a tight grip upon his sword.

"You know that we can't do that. You and I both know that you won't stop until somebody kills you." Rebecca explains.

"I actually agree. I couldn't stop even if I wanted to. Maybe that is the reason I was sent to Hell in the first place. It has been so damn long I can't even remember. All I know is that I need living souls to survive. The more I have in my possession the stronger I become." Balthazar actually thinks about it for a second. His sword is still tightly around Britney's neck... drops of blood begin to drip upon the flesh-endorsed floor, which the blood then disappears. "So on that note let me do what I do best." Balthazar is ready to slice a small hole around Britney's throat. But somebody else slices Balthazar's back with their own sword. Balthazar screams out in pain then turns around to see who the attacker is; while Britney's under the master demon's radar or intentions slips free from his grip and scurries into Jacob's free arm.

"I bet that you didn't think you would see me again... did you demon?" Brett grins knowing that he just spoiled everything for the demon.

"I am going to devour your soul... you little cockroach! How did you get through the catacombs of Hell? Let alone get inside my own private part of it where I am King." Balthazar is actually ready to fight. He does not care who his opponent is. Since now he can not have Britney's soul he needs to feed off of somebody else's to feed his appetite.

"Brett I am so glad to see you again." Rebecca is overjoyed with happiness.

"I am... happy... to see... you too." He is now in the middle of a sword fight with Balthazar. Every part of his sentence broke apart from every clash of both of their swords clinging off one another's

"Hey Rebecca... while Brett has Balthazar distracted. Why don't we figure out how we are going to get that key?" Nick points towards Balthazar's feet.

"I thought that Britney has the key. Wasn't she holding it when she was trapped inside the cage?" Rebecca is a little confused.

"I did have it but there was a sword around my neck. I wasn't so much worried about your mission as I was about getting my throat sliced." Britney is still holding onto her neck with her left hand.

"Quit being such a baby... it is just a scratch. If you still had the key we could be out of this nightmare."

"I don't think that you are getting the whole point of Brett distracting Balthazar, do you?" Nick is a little shocked. He has never seen his sister lose focus so quickly when they are on a High Priority mission before.

"You are right, Nick. Priorities... can't change the past so how are we to retrieve the key without Balthazar noticing." She looks in Balthazar's direction and sees that Brett is better with a sword then she originally thought. He must have been practicing with his techniques while they were apart. He is still holding his own against a very worthy adversary. As they try to decide who is going to try to steal the key that is upon the flesh-endorsed floor without Balthazar noticing, the headmaster's spirit appears throughout the far side wall. He floats up to Balthazar's position, grabs the key and then over towards the group of field agents.

"Damn it you old geezer... even in death you are a pain in my ass. I wish I had the chance to steal your soul." Balthazar is now angry because he can not do anything about his key being taken from him... he is actually surprised that Brett is as good as he is with a sword.