Soul Census - War of Shadows - Book 1

Chapter 2.4 - Nyack House

Earth Date: 14th of August 1939 CE
Location: Nyack, New York, USA, Earth

Maddock opened his eyes, finding himself bouncing in the back seat of a flivver, having no idea how they’d even left the Sphere. He sat up, feeling wet wind hit his face and breathing in the smell of fresh greenery. The vinyl roof flapped in the wind. Outside he could hear wet tires spinning on the road. In the distance, he heard a dog barking.

Wolfe sat in the front passenger seat; another nameless agent drove the vehicle. Memory of the dream he’d awoken from still lingered in his mind. It was vivid—a flashback, maybe? Perhaps a lost memory from a former life as a Mongol warrior… his life as Taylan Chagatai.

With each moment after his baptism, Maddock gained more insight into who he was… the secret lives and knowledge hidden within his soul. He looked down at his hands. There was something different within him. In addition to gaining skills and knowledge of fighting techniques, his senses were more attuned, and he felt stronger and much quicker.

Maddock peered out the window. They were driving along an urban road hugging the coast. Trees and grass replaced the concrete he was used to in New York. The water in the distance glistened under the moonlight—a very full moon tonight.

Looking down at his watch, he saw it was past nine, which meant he’d been out for over an hour. Wolfe had given him a concoction before they left to help him feel less evil. It made him drowsy, so he slept off the beating Black had given him.

In retrospect he imagined his pride taking a fatal blow from that fight. Certainly the old Willem Maddock would have been devastated from that… but that was the old Maddock. He had changed and continued to change since the goo bath.

Once Black left, Wolfe had immediately taken Maddock somewhere private to explain to him what happened, help heal his pride. Wolfe’s attempt to console him about the fact that he got his ass kicked by a girl was unnecessary. She’d beaten part of the old Maddock out of him and awoken a sleeping version of Maddock. He told Wolfe that, and Wolfe seemed surprised and even a little uneasy. Underestimated as usual—Maddock was used to that.

Nevertheless, if they fought again, he would give a much better fight. As he thought about it, the fact that she was such a bear cat actually made her even more of a hot dish than before. A dame with moves like that… even if it hurt a little, he was going to try to get close to her. As if on cue, a sudden sharp pain in his jaw made him wince.

“You okay?” Wolfe said, turning around.

“Swell,” Maddock said. “We in Nyack?”

“Yes, a few minutes from the house,” Wolfe said, then pointed to the seat next to Maddock. “You will find some things there that will bring you comfort.”

Next to Maddock sat a large leather backpack and something long, wrapped in newspaper. He reached over and grabbed it.

Ripping the newspaper off revealed the hilt of a sword… a scimitar. He rummaged through the bag to find a couple packs of Lucky Strikes, a pair of brass knuckles, a heater with some ammo, and some other devices he did not recognize. It felt like Christmas.

Maddock grabbed the knuckles and gun, stuffing them into his jacket.

“Thanks, Santa,” he said.

“I hope you weren’t also expecting a bow,” Wolfe said. “I’m working on a sheath of some kind for that sword. In the meantime, rely on the knuckles and heater tonight.”

“No—sword is coming with me,” Maddock said.

“It will encumber you and make you vulnerable. Leave it behind—”

“I’ll take my chances, four-eyes,” Maddock said.

Wolfe gave him a disapproving look.

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Maddock said with a grin. “I promise to only use it if I run out of bullets.”

“Speaking of which,” Wolfe said. “Only use the sword or the weapons and ammo in that bag. Nothing else will harm what we’re fighting.”

“And just what exactly is that?” Maddock said.

“We’re here,” the driver said as the car stuttered to a stop.

Maddock looked out the window. The Nyack house loomed in the cover of tree shadows. The windows were dark, and the only lighting came from a nearby streetlamp. It definitely gave the appearance of a haunted house.

Wolfe turned around to face Maddock. “When we go inside, we will encounter some fairly strong beings from the other side.” Wolfe eyed him. “Look, I was actually hoping for an easier first mission for you, but this is how the dice rolled. This may be a rough one for you.” Now Wolfe paused. “If you’re not up for this, I can still get another agent for—”

“Look, bub,” Maddock interrupted. “I’m not backing out. Even if I’m not firing on all cylinders right now, I’ll make myself ready. So enough of your nervous gum-bumping and give me the lowdown on this mission.”

Maddock could see a slight grin on Wolfe.

“Very good,” Wolfe said. “As I was explaining, we are going to encounter some potentially strong and malevolent beings from the other side. Our weapons and ammo have been treated with something that allows us to hurt ethereal beings. So other than your bare fists, nothing else will get their attention. Do you understand?”

“No, not really,” Maddock said. “How are bullets going to hurt ghosts?”

“These aren’t ghosts,” Wolfe said. “Well, not exactly anyway. These are minor demons—a ghoul and an imp. Also, don’t be surprised if we encounter solids aiding them as well.”

“What’s a solid?” Maddock asked.

“Solids are just regular joes,” the driver said. ”Humans.“

“You pipe down,” Maddock said. “Nobody’s talking to you.”

Wolfe gave him a long look. “You should have listened more during orientation.”

Maddock ignored that and asked, “Can I hurt these ghouls and imps?”

Wolfe let out a breath—he looked like he was going to bust a vessel. “As I already explained, yes,” Wolfe said. “Your 1911 pistol with those rounds, those knuckles, and the sword.”

“And my fists, right?” Maddock said.

“Yes,” Wolfe said. “I guess you were listening earlier, so why are you making me repeat myself?”

“To annoy you,” Maddock said, shoving the scimitar into the backpack. “Tell me this, mac: What do my fists, these bullets, sword, and knuckles all have in common?”

“They were all …” Wolfe struggled for a word. “… enchanted.”

“Enchanted?” Maddock said.

Wolfe sighed. “Remember the room you were baptized in? They were also baptized in there.”

“Ah, they got a goo bath,” Maddock said as he fumbled more inside his bag. He pulled out a triangular-shaped gadget that caught his attention. It felt like it was made of a smooth stone, and it had a red crystal in its center. “And what’s this dingus for?”

Wolfe motioned for him to put it back in the bag. “Easy! That is a Ouija Transponder. Do not touch the crystal. It is used to call for help. Hopefully we will not need it.”

Maddock nodded as he watched Wolfe take his glasses off and rub his eyes before putting them back on.

“Look, Agent,” Wolfe said, “just follow my lead and do not do anything unless instructed. You said you wanted to learn on the job? Well, this is your chance.”

“That’s what I suggested we do, bub,” Maddock said. “I guess you weren’t listening.”

Wolfe slung a bag over his shoulder and then flung the flivver’s door open so hard that it looked like it was going come flying off its hinges.

Maddock followed suit and got out with him. “You know something, bub, if you are going to work with me, you need to lower your temperature a few degrees. I spark you without even trying.”

Wolfe didn’t answer him. Instead, he leaned into the Studebaker and whispered something to the driver before stepping away. He then pulled out his own heater and chambered it.
The two of them exited to the sidewalk while the flivver drove off.

“Stay low and quiet,” Wolfe said. “And do not shoot anything unless I instruct you to.”

“Okay,” Maddock said. “So if something takes you down before you belch out an order, I should stand and watch. Got it.”

Wolfe glowered at him before leading the way. The two of them walked around to the side of the house, crouching down and using the bushes for cover. Wolfe pointed at an open window.

“How convenient,” Maddock said. “Too convenient, don’t you think?”

Wolfe shrugged. “They shouldn’t be expecting us.”

“Yeah?” Maddock said. “Well, if you’re wrong and I get killed, I’m going to come back and haunt you.”

“Not likely,” Wolfe said as he pressed ahead. “It’s forbidden. Haunts must have plausible deniability.”

“Huh?” Maddock said.

Wolfe continued to lead, ignoring his question. When they reached the window, Wolfe popped his head up to peek, then came back down.

“Looks clear,” he said.

“Wait,” Maddock said. “What do you mean by plausible deniability of the haunt?”

Wolfe made a motion to keep quiet. “Not now,” he said.

Maddock sighed. It would probably have to wait.

Wolfe holstered his gun and swung into the window with surprising grace. Once inside, he told Maddock it was all clear and to follow him in. Maddock climbed in, nearly matching Wolfe’s grace… until his boot got caught by a sink faucet. Water splashed on him, wetting his pants on the way in. Annoyed, he turned around and shut the faucet off.

It was dark and the air smelled funny… a chemical smell, like a hospital ward.

“Flashlight?” Maddock said.

Wolfe pressed something on his watch and the room lit up.

Oddly, Maddock could not see the source of the light. It was as if the watch created light without actually emitting it. He would have to get Wolfe to show him what other tricks these watches had.

The illumination revealed a sparse kitchen with hardwood floors, ugly green walls, a stove, and a couple of weathered chairs around a small table. With some revulsion, Maddock noticed the water that had splashed onto him was a thick, rusty brown—and it stunk.

An unlit passage led into the innards of the house. He peered through the darkness to see an empty living area with a stairway that led up. A dim light emanated down the stairs from an unseen source. The flickering seemed to hint at candlelight.

Maddock returned his attention to the table. It was stacked with bread boxes. He opened one of the containers to find it filled with mold-covered bread. Upon closer inspection, he could see half-eaten pieces and crumbs littering the floor. He opened another container, only to find more of the same moldy bread.

“Imps and ghouls like moldy bread, huh?” Maddock whispered.

Wolfe inspected a nearby wall clock and paused. Abruptly he brought his heater up, glancing around, an intense look on his face.

Maddock readied his gun as well. “What is it?”

“The clock,” Wolfe said. “And that bread.”

Maddock looked at the clock. The hands were spinning rapidly, faster than normal.

“So what? It’s a faulty clock,” Maddock said.

Wolfe shook his head. “They’re trying to open a portal. We need to get more agents in here,” he said. “I’ll stay here while you go out to the driver. He’s around the corner—”
Just then they heard a woman’s scream, followed by an inhuman-sounding screech. It sounded like it came from upstairs.

Maddock motioned toward the living area.

Wolfe hesitated, pursing his lips in agitation. “Black was right. You should not be here,” he said. “But it’s too late now.”

Wolfe walked past Maddock into the living area. The two Census Enforcers ventured into the dark, holding their guns at the ready. Wolfe’s watch lit up the area, revealing a room devoid of any furniture or adornments. Even lighting fixtures had been removed, with exposed wiring left behind.

Maddock sniffed the air, detecting another strange odor—like a combination of incense and shit. With some annoyance, he realized the latter might have been the sink’s water from earlier.

Wolfe walked up the stairs, Maddock following closely behind. The stairway indeed had pairs of candles on the top three steps. As they reached the upper floor, another row of candles led down a hallway and ended at a door. It was cracked open, leaking a sliver of light from whatever was inside. The center of the door bore a hexagonal symbol smeared on it with something red… blood, from the look of it.

Wolfe walked to one side of the door, gun poised. He motioned for Maddock to go the opposite side.

Wolfe gave him a look, then mouthed off a count. On three, Maddock kicked open the door and rushed in, leveling the gun at what moved. Wolfe did the same, covering the other side.

It took Maddock a full second to dissect this caper. He saw a small room devoid of furniture, save for a bed with an unconscious woman. Her legs were spread open in a birthing position. Another woman stood at the end—apparently the catcher.

The midwife wore a funny-looking hat along with a red robe. Her hands had what looked like countless thorns sticking out of them, dripping with blood. A putrid smell filled the air, like a dead animal, and Maddock had to suppress gagging.

The candles around them projected strange shadows on the walls—shadows made by unseen things: inhuman creatures dancing in the light… demons around the Devil’s campfire. To the side of the bed stood a gaunt-faced man holding a cane and wearing a black robe and the same funny hat as the midwife. The hat bore a triangular symbol with an eye in its center. The man’s eyes were closed as if her was in some kind of trance, and he chanted words in some weird language.

While Maddock leveled his gun at the man, Wolfe kept his on the midwife.

“Step back,” Wolfe said to her.

“I must deliver this baby,” she said. “Or the woman will die.”

“Step away now.” Wolfe cocked the trigger of his gun for emphasis.

As Maddock watched the midwife, he felt chills. She gave the emotionless stare of a corpse.

The woman swung her stony gaze from Wolfe to Maddock. “You,” she said. “The Guardian himself. You stir the vengeance of my brothers with your presence.”

This woman was addressing him? What is she talking about?

“He is not the Guardian,” Wolfe said, waving his heater. “You are mistaken about—”

“No, we are not,” the midwife said, her voice different now—like the sound of demonic choir. “The Guardian’s scent is unmistakable.”

The woman’s eyes turned into a matte-black color as she stared at Wolfe. “You will fail in your attempts to keep the serpent god imprisoned,” she said. “Nothing can keep the darkness of the two hundred from reaching your pretty blue world.”

“Step away now, demon,” Wolfe said to her. “Or I will kill your host body and you will be lost till the end of days.”

“I won’t have to wander for long, Census Agent,” she said to Wolfe, then turned to Maddock. “Saryana sends her greetings from Tartarus, Uriel. She is a close pupil of the master now—”

“Don’t listen to her,” Wolfe said.

The woman moved around the bed, away from the unconscious mother, and then took a step toward Maddock.

“Not a step closer,” Wolfe warned.

“I see. The Fugue is strong,” the woman said, looking at Maddock. “You don’t remember yet. Know this, then, Guardian—the serpent god will thwart the plans of the Elder Quorum and adorn their souls on the weaver’s bridge in Tartarus.”

Maddock saw her raise a hand into the air, palm facing down in a strange gesture.

“And once the Fugue lifts from you, you will be forced to make a choice,” she continued. “Help your Census friends …” She stretched out her hand, then squeezed it onto the thorns, aggravating the wounds and making more blood spill down. “… or have a place in the new order, with Saryana at your side,” she said. “Those are your paths. Only you can choose your destiny, Uriel.”

Wolfe suddenly jumped in between them and fired his pistol. It caught her in the head, but she did not fall. She stumbled back, wearing a full-tooth smile.

“The Tree will die,” she said, her voice an inhuman-sounding rumble. “And so will the dominion of the Elders.”

Blood gushed out of the woman’s head and skin, running down her body. Her features drowned in a waterfall of blood, and her form changed and shrunk. Before Maddock’s eyes, he saw the woman transform. As the blood washed over her, black fur took its place, and a snout protruded out where her face had been. Hunched over on four legs, the creature growled at him—she was now a black hyena.

Wolfe fired his gun at it, catching the hyena as it leapt into the air toward Maddock.

Maddock dodged the attack and swung his own gun around. He fired a few shots, riddling the creature on its way to falling against the wall.

After they both fired several more rounds, it stopped moving and appeared dead.

While pulling something out of his bag, Wolfe moved toward the robed man now. “Exit this plane while you can,” Wolfe said, leveling a device at the man. “Or I will do this the hard way.”

The man did not seem to flinch, his eyes still closed and mouthing strange words.

The pregnant lady let out a scream and sat up, as if breaking from whatever trance she was under.

“What is this? Where am I?” she said, looking around wild-eyed. “Help! Help me!”

“Calm down,” Maddock said.

Suddenly, from somewhere in the room, an inhuman cackling sounded.

Maddock whirled around toward the source, leveling his gun at it. What he saw was about the size of a small child and nude with red skin—and a demonic-looking face, horns, and glowing green eyes. From the back of its muscular body sprang a pair of bat-like wings, with a sharp claw at the joint. Tattooed on its wings’ membrane was an intricate pattern of glowing purple symbols.

Something about those symbols got Maddock’s attention. They look… familiar.

“Shoot it!” Wolfe said.

Maddock fired, but the creature jumped up and flew over him. It circled them, hugging the walls, diving and zooming up in unpredictable patterns. Its wings fluttered rapidly with a sound that made his skin crawl. He got off more shots, each missing and hitting the wall behind the thing.

Then Maddock cast a quick glance toward his partner. Wolfe held something in one hand while keeping his gun on the robed man, who seemed oblivious to what was going on.
“A little help here?” Maddock said.

“Can’t,” Wolfe said. “I have to watch this one. Just keep that imp busy.”

So that was an imp. How the hell do you keep an imp busy?

Maddock let loose with his heater, but again the thing dodged each shot with ease. The imp shot up and then dove at him, cackling as it whizzed by and scratched his face. Maddock slapped at his cheek, feeling blood. He cursed as he fired off his gun, ineffectively spraying in the direction of the demonic thing. The imp swooped down past him again, but Maddock fended it off with his free hand and managed to land a punch on the little bastard, sending it tumbling against the wall with a thump.

Maddock tried to take advantage, firing his entire gun magazine at it, but it recovered quickly enough to dart up in the air again, escaping the attack. The imp then looped up and dove at him yet again, scratching his neck and face with its claws as it swooped in and then flew off.

Out of ammo, Maddock dug into his backpack for a reload, but instead his hand brushed against something better.

“Let’s see you evade this, asshole,” Maddock said, raising his scimitar high and bending his knees at the ready.

The imp was undeterred. It launched at him like a projectile, its glowing green eyes leading the way. Maddock shifted to his side and, with precise timing, slashed at the imp’s rear as it flew past. He felt his sword slice through its flesh.

The imp screeched. Flames poured out of its ass as its severed tail flapped on the floor, spewing smoke and sparks.

Wasting no time, Maddock leapt, using the bed to spring him up into the air toward the creature. As he came down swinging the sword, he delivered a solid blow. Its head split open, shooting a volcano of fire into the air, barely missing Maddock, who had to jump back to avoid getting burned.

Maddock waited for the eruption to subside, then he advanced, swinging his sword into a figure-eight motion and cutting what was left of the imp into small, smoldering chunks that splattered onto the floor. Maddock spit onto the remains.

“That’s one flamerino down.”

At that moment came a commotion from the robed man, and Maddock turned in that direction. The robed man slapped his cane against Wolfe’s hand, knocking whatever he was holding out of it. The man then began to shake violently, and blood spewed out of his mouth. As he stumbled back against the wall, blood poured out of his nose, ears, and eyes. He dropped his cane, and upon falling to the floor, it began to glow and deform. It slithered on the ground, twisting and turning. Then it grew into something big and scaly… a giant snake.

It lunged up at Maddock, who deflected its bite by punching the side of its head. The force still knocked him off-balance, and he fell to the floor, his sword falling away from him. The snake then rose up, its head nearly touching the ceiling. Its body was as wide as a tree trunk. From its head, cobra-like appendages flapped open, and a red glowing forked tongue flickered out. Liquid fire dripped from its fangs.

Gunshots blasted away as Wolfe pelted it with his heater. The snake ignored him and went at Maddock instead. The snake’s head was right on top of him, but he managed to grab its jaws with his hands, pushing it away from him.

As he struggled with it, venom dripped off its fangs onto his leg, burning him. With an angry grunt, he rolled his body hard, flipping the snake over with him onto its back. Maddock pushed down on the tip of its jaw, keeping it closed and pinning it to the floor. The snake whipped its tail around the room and wrapped it around Maddock, ensnaring him before he could react.

The giant serpent began constricting Maddock, squeezing the air out of him. He struggled, kicking and using all his strength to break free, but its grip was too strong. Maddock fought to breathe. The room got blurry. He felt his head bobbing as he began to black out.

Just as he was about to enter Queer Street, the snake let out a hissing screech. The familiar wet sound of steel hacking flesh filled the room. The snake’s grip loosened, and Maddock flopped onto the floor.

He looked up to see Wolfe hacking away at the snake with Maddock’s scimitar. The snake coiled and rolled, but Wolfe continued until its head came off. Liquid fire spewed from its neck, and it collapsed to the floor.

As Maddock got to his feet, he heard a scream from the pregnant woman. He looked over and caught sight of the robed bimbo. The man’s body began to bloat and expand, like a water-filled balloon. His robe ripped away to reveal skin tattooed with intricate symbols that tore open like seams in fabric.

Wolfe rushed at Maddock, pushing him out the door and tackling him to the floor. Before Maddock could react, he was already out of the room, the two of them landing near the stairway.

“What the hell—” Maddock started to say, but then the floor shook, and the entire home rumbled violently as if in an earthquake.

He looked toward the room, where the door swung closed on its own. From behind the door, he heard a woman’s scream and then a horrific sound—a muted explosion, with wet thumps hitting the walls and floor. Then there was silence.

Wolfe stood up slowly, a grim expression on his face as he gave Maddock a hand up.

Maddock made a start toward the room, but Wolfe blocked him.

“There is nothing you want to see in there,” Wolfe said.

“But the woman,” Maddock said.

“She’s dead, Agent,” Wolfe said.

Maddock looked toward the door, noting a puddle of thick blood oozing out underneath it. “I need to get my scimitar anyway,” Maddock said.

Wolfe silently holstered his gun and stepped aside.

Maddock walked toward the door, putting his hand on the knob. He knew whatever he was going to see must be ugly, but he had seen plenty of that in the war. He could handle it. Maddock opened the door. Inside, all his senses were attacked at once by something horrific. Blood everywhere. Guts and entrails sticking to the walls. Flesh-covered bones on the ground… and the smell of burned flesh.

He saw the sword near the door. He snatched it and retreated into the hallway, where he doubled over and upchucked onto the ground.

Wolfe stared at him, then put a hand on his shoulder. “You okay?”

Maddock stood up, averting his eyes from the horror in that room. “What… happened in there?”

Wolfe sighed. “Let’s get back to the Sphere, and I will explain there.”

Maddock cast one last look back at the room. The candlelight somehow stayed lit, but the demonic dancing shadows were gone, and nothing else stirred. He kicked the door shut, never wanting to subject his eyes to that again. Whatever had happened here, he guessed that they had cleared this home of the evil threat.

“All right,” Maddock said. “I need a drink… and I don’t mean coffee. I want a real drink.”

Wolfe nodded. “I will join you in that. I know just the place. Let’s go.”

Without argument, Maddock followed him out of that hellhole.