Rise of the Fallen (40 page)

“Commander!” the captain called out.

Sorak turned his head toward the voice as the captain walked toward them.

“We have a problem, sir. The Fallen … they are …” He seemed to struggle for the words.

“Spit it out, Captain,” Sorak snapped.

“They’re coming, sir. They’re all coming here.”

“What? What do you mean
all
?”

“Reports from four of the eight regions indicate at least two legions from each are coming straight to Sao Paulo. It looks like an all-out attack on headquarters.”

Sorak’s face grew as cold as stone. “Initiate Omega Four procedures immediately.”

“Yes sir,” Bern replied and disappeared.

Sorak turned back to the strategic map. “Why?” he asked out loud. “It will certainly disrupt operations for who knows how long, but we have the forces to put the attack down. Why now?”

Validus stared at the map with the commander. Illumination hit him. “It’s me, Commander.”

Sorak looked at him.

“Niturni is behind it, and he’s after me.” Validus struck the table. Anger flashed across his mind. “I should have been more careful.” He began pacing as he pieced together the motivation of his enemy. “I’m sorry, Commander, but I may have just put your entire operation in jeopardy.”

Sorak didn’t look pleased, and Validus knew he had to give him a reason to justify the coming fight. He came and stood before Sorak.

“A year ago, Gabriel delivered orders to General Brandt that reassigned me
from command of the North American continent to the protection of one man—Drew Carter. It’s been challenging, considering the fact that he is a nonbeliever and considering certain, shall I say, circumstances that have affected him. Nevertheless we’ve been able to preserve him largely because the Fallen did not know what he could do or that I was assigned to protect him. A few days ago that all changed. It became clear to me that they became strategic and methodical in their plot to kill him. Yesterday, we nearly lost him. Somehow I think the Fallen have figured out why he is so important. After our battle in Chicago, the guardian assigned with me to protect him stayed with Carter as the FBI took him away. I came here, and I think Niturni must have had one of his warriors watching me to see what my next move would be.”

Validus shook his head for underestimating Niturni’s brilliant mind. “It’s been rumored for decades that Tinsalik Barob was somewhere in South America. If they saw me come here, Niturni has figured out that I am looking for answers too. The Fallen are coming to stop me from getting those answers, either by killing me, or Barob, or both.”

Sorak shook his head. “I can’t begin to imagine what information Barob would have that would cause eight legions to mobilize.” He looked at Validus. “Whatever you plan to do, you’d better do it quickly. It will probably take a day for the Fallen to organize and attack. How many men do you need?”

Validus shook his head. “Now that the Fallen are coming, it changes everything. You can bet Barob knows they’re coming too, and he’ll be on alert. He would see us coming miles away and vanish, if he’s not already gone.” He studied the map in detail. “Fewer is better. Give me one man to get me into the favela; then I’ll go it alone.”

“I’ll send Captain Bern with you. He knows the area as well as any.” Sorak looked at Validus. “Just because Barob’s fallen out of favor with Apollyon doesn’t mean he’s any less wretched. In fact, from what I’ve heard over the centuries, I’m surprised he’s not devolved into a droxan already. If you find him and you’re still alive to speak, what do you have to offer him? There are only a handful of angels that have ever actually talked with him, and half of those dissolved trying. You’d better have something good.”

Validus leaned a little closer to the map, taking in the last few details. “I’m not sure. I’ll think of something.”

Sorak huffed. “I hope you know what you’re doing, and I hope it’s worth it. Once you enter the favela, there’s not much I can do to help you.”

Validus straightened. “You’ve helped me already. Thank you.”

Sorak nodded and sent for Captain Bern.

Validus and Bern left the cathedral and flew to within a few miles of the Rocinha favela. They landed, demorphed their wings, and went the rest of the way on foot. Rocinha was positioned on a steep hillside overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro. They reconned the area to discover just how intense the Fallen’s activities were.

They watched in silence from the cover of the thick trees to the north of the favela for hours. From their vantage point they saw dozens of demons working the gangs of the favela. Validus figured there were probably just as many Fallen who possessed the souls of people. This was definitely Fallen territory. He reconsidered what he was planning to do, but time was running out.

If Barob was in this favela, he had probably possessed a man. It would be his best chance at hiding and surviving. The only way Validus could find him without being detected was to translate to physical form, but it also meant that he wouldn’t be able to see the threats of the demons around him. The sun was setting, and the shadows of the favela grew longer with each passing minute.

I could sure use your help right now, Persimus
, Validus thought as he considered the translation skills of his friend.

Validus carefully considered all his options and chose the body of a twelve-year-old boy. In that form, he would be less likely a victim and not much of a threat to gangs. Such boys were often runners and lookouts, so he would be less conspicuous as well. He studied one such lad and made some adjustments.

He removed his sword and handed it to Bern.

Bern took the sword, but lines of dread etched his face. “It’s rough in there,” he said quietly. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

Validus kept his eyes on the favela, already plotting a route through the shacks once he translated. “I don’t have a choice.” He looked at Bern. “If I make it out, just have my sword waiting for me.”

Bern nodded. “I’ll stay here as long as I can.”

Validus took a deep breath, then translated through the blue flame and into the world of humans.

It took Validus some time to adjust to his body and stature. He was fully a thin, brown-skinned boy; all that was different was his mind and his spirit. He entered the alleys of the favela wearing black shorts and a dirty white T-shirt that hung loosely from his neck. He was just a few hundred yards from where Captain Bern had said the warrior went down, but navigating through the maze of buildings and narrow alleyways was a challenge all in itself.

The smell was overpowering for Validus, but the sounds seemed dull and distant. He walked down the side of an alleyway that was littered with trash and smelled of urine. When he was nearly to the building Captain Bern had identified, a group of four boys approached.

“Hey! What are you doing here?” They quickly surrounded him.

Validus did his best to look scared and timid. He stayed silent and tried to pass by them.

The tallest of the boys pushed him back. “You don’t leave. We don’t know you. This is our turf. What are you doing here?”

“I … I am not from this part of the favela. I am looking for my uncle.” He dropped his head.

“Why? Who’s your uncle?” another asked.

“I don’t know,” Validus said.

The boys laughed. “He doesn’t know, but he is looking for him,” they mocked.

“I don’t have parents now,” Validus said, adding a quaver to his voice.

The laughter subsided. The tallest boy looked at his friends. “What’s your name?”

“Diego.” He looked up at the boy and saw him soften. “Can you help me find him? I will pay somehow … I promise. I’m a hard worker.”

The boy put on a crooked grin. “I’m José, this is Paulo, he’s Luiz, and that’s Matheus. He doesn’t have parents either.”

Matheus grinned with sympathetic eyes.

Validus flashed a subtle smile toward the boy.

“Do you know where your uncle lives? We know everyone here,” Matheus said.

Validus shook his head. “I just know that many say he is kind of crazy … and kind of scary.” He swallowed hard.

José let out a short laugh. “That’s just about every man here. That’s not much to go on.”

“But his eyes are wild … like a dog.”

“Ah,” José said. He turned to the other boys. “He is looking for Miguel.”

The other boys’ eyes grew wide. Luiz shook his head. “Even the gangs are afraid of him. He tells them things, and they leave him alone.”

Paulo leaned toward Validus and cupped his hand around his mouth. “They say he is possessed by a demon!”

Validus could hardly contain himself. This was too easy. He swallowed hard and opened his eyes wide. “I … I think he must be the one. Where does he live?”

“You don’t want to live with him, Diego. He’s a bad man,” José said.

“That’s right,” Paulo added. “He will cut your heart out and eat it.”

José shot Paulo a hard look, then put his hand on Validus’s shoulder. “You can live with Matheus in the tin shack we found near the trees. You can work with us, and we’ll share what we have. We are brothers.”

Validus stared at the boys, amazed at their spirit of courage and of mercy. There were heroes even here in the slums of Rio de Janeiro. “I will be your brother.” He smiled, then let the smile fade. “But I still must see Miguel. I am supposed to give him a message. Can you show me?” He stood straight and squared his shoulders. “I am not afraid of him. Show me, and I will go alone.”

José looked at the faces of the other three, then put an arm around Validus. “Come, we will show you.”

The boys led Validus through a few more winding turns, and they ended up in the bowels of the favela, where few dared tread. He saw two men with guns on tops of buildings nearby. He could tell the boys were scared. They all hunkered down near the corner of a building, peering around it. The buildings were so close together here that one had to go through the front compartments to get to the ones behind.

José spoke in a hushed voice as if the walls had ears. “He’s through that shack, then to the left, through two more, then one more to the right.” José looked right into Validus’s eyes and hesitated. “You shouldn’t go in there, Diego, especially now that it’s getting dark.”

Validus swallowed hard and took a deep breath. “You are good brothers.”

He looked up and down the street and at the two gunmen he had spotted earlier, then stood up and walked to the door of the first shack. He looked in, then entered; it was empty. At the back was a doorway to the next. There he found one man slumped in the corner in a euphoric state.

“What you doin’ here?” the man mumbled.

Validus ignored him and pressed on until he stood at the last doorway leading to Tinsalik Barob. A blue tarp hung as the only barrier to the room. Validus pushed aside half the tarp and peered into the dark and murky room, but no one was there.

Validus stepped through the entrance. Shivers skittered up and down his spine, something he was not accustomed to. This shell of flesh had sensations that always surprised him, and he was glad he didn’t have to translate often—for multiple reasons.

To his right was a crusty bed near one corner and a couple of pots in the other. A small table with a lamp and a ripped and tattered lounge chair were to his left. The seat and back cushions were indented in the form of a man. Validus touched the cushions—cold. He searched for clues, but there was virtually nothing in the room from which to draw any reasonable conclusions.

After satisfying himself that he had learned all he could, he returned to the street. His four new friends were still waiting by the corner a couple of buildings down the road. Validus ran to them with fear dripping from his eyes.

“I can’t believe you’re still alive, Diego. What did your crazy uncle say to you?”

Validus shook his head. He tried to appear both afraid and relieved. Strangely, it was not hard to do. “I … I didn’t see him. Where does he go? When will he be back?” he asked, searching the faces of the four boys.

“Nobody knows,” Paulo said with eyes open wide. “Some say that at night he prowls the shadows of the streets looking for new souls to eat.”

José stepped forward. “That’s nonsense, Paulo. Matheus has slept in the street and has never seen him, have you, Matheus?”

Matheus shook his head. “You can stay with me, Diego. If you want to see your uncle, your best chance is in the morning.”

Validus considered the delay and didn’t like it, but he didn’t have much of
a choice. These boys were his best lead. How ironic that the potential fate of the world might lie in the hands of four unsuspecting boys living in the slums of Brazil.

“Maybe you’re right. How far away is your shack?”

José turned. “Matheus and I will take you; then we will all meet you in the morning to help you find your uncle.” He looked at the other three boys. Matheus and Luiz nodded right away, and then Paulo added his approval.

“I am grateful,” Validus said, smiling wide. “I’ve never had brothers like you before.”

Validus followed José and Matheus through the winding alleys of the favela until they reached the edge of the surrounding tree line. After some careful and nearly parkour-type maneuvering, the three boys arrived at a dilapidated tin shack that threatened to fall at any moment.

Matheus beamed as he invited Validus to join him in the single ten-by-ten-foot shelter. Validus’s heart broke, trying hard to return the smile.

José looked sad too. “My father refuses to work for the drug lords, so we don’t have anything to spare, but I will try to bring some extra food tomorrow morning.”

“Thank you, José,” Validus said.

The boy nodded and left.

Matheus offered Validus one of two tattered blankets as they prepared for the long, dark night.

“José is a good brother,” Matheus said.

“Yes. And so are you, Matheus,” Validus replied.

He turned to look at the boy lying next to him. He could just see the profile of his face in the murky night. No longer a child, not yet a man. Validus imagined the frustration of his guardian until the age of reason was reached.

“Why don’t you go to one of the orphanages?” Validus asked. “At least there you would be fed and have a place to sleep.”