Chapter 6: Double Damnation

 

Higher Hell

Chapter 6: Double Damnation

 

Okay.

Back on the case.

I needed to get after Joe Bianco.

Gabby had just gotten home from work, and I wanted to get an early start.

“Have a good day, Cas?”

“Yeah. I watched one of you DVDs and listened to some of your CDs. I like that Marilyn Manson. Reminds me of some of the guys back home in Hell. Bauhaus felt like home, too. Pretty cool.”

She smiled.

“Yeah, they rock. What movie did you watch?”

“Reservoir Dogs. Hey, watch this!”

I morphed into Harvey Keitel. Complete with black suit and sunglasses.

“For all I know you’re the fuckin’ rat!”

I even had the voice down.

Gabby burst out laughing.

“That’s awesome! Though Tim Roth is more my type. I wouldn’t go out like that though. You’d probably get mobbed by people wanting autographs.”

“Heh heh. Probably.”

I went back to my usual Human form.

But I kept the shades.

“You want something to eat?” Gabby asked as she went to the kitchen.

“No, thanks. I wanna get out there and see if I can catch my guy. I know where he lives now, so I’ll go hang out and watch for him.”

“Oh, okay. Where’s he live? Is it close?”

“Not real far. Some fancy apartments. The Trafalgar Building.”

“The Trafalgar?”

“Yeah.”

Gabby stopped what she was doing in the kitchen and came out. She had a strange look on her face.

“I used to live there.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. With my Mom and-…It was a long time ago.”

She didn’t look very happy. I think I’d brought up some bad memories for her. Shouldn’t have mentioned it.

“Sorry. I was thinking of asking if you wanted to come along and help me find the guy, but I can tell that place has some painful memories for you, huh?”

She gave me a weak smile.

“I’d like to help, but no, I don’t ever want to go there again if I can help it. That’s where my Mom died.”

“I’m sorry. Don’t worry about it. Forget I even mentioned it.”

She smiled again and casually waved away my apology.

Gabby turned to go back to the kitchen and gave a loud squeaky yelp of surprise.

Gamygyn was standing there in the kitchen doorway in his Human form. He must’ve just rematerialized.

“Forgive me,” Gamygyn apologized. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Gamygyn looked a little embarrassed. He was even blushing slightly. His grey eyes didn’t seem to want to make contact with Gabby’s.

“I need to talk to Casmiel.”

Gabby just stood there speechless, one hand over her heart, recovering from the shock of finding Gamygyn in her apartment. Her eyes were locked on his face, which just made him more nervous.

“What’s up?”  I asked.

Must be urgent if he didn’t even use the door. He’d usually never let a Human see him rematerialize.

“I’ve heard some strange rumours, Casmiel. I’m not sure what’s going on.”  Gamygyn said.

“What do you mean ‘strange’?”

“Someone else from our World seems to have been in contact with your target.”

“Another demon? What for?”

“I don’t know. Like I said, it’s all rumours. But some are saying it may be someone from the Other World.”

“You mean Heaven?” Gabby interjected.

Gamygyn seemed surprised at Gabby’s understanding. He gave me an exasperated look.

“Casmiel, what have you been telling this girl?”

I waved away his question.

“Nevermind that. Are you saying my guy has a gaurdian angel or something?”

“I don’t know,” he shrgged. “I don’t understand why either a demon or an angel would contact him. It’s very unusual. I thought I should update you though. I’m going to go look around and see what I can find out. Can you meet me at midnight in the same alley where we spoke the night you came here?”

“Sure.”

“Good. I’ll let you know then what I’ve found or didn’t find.”

“Got it. Thanks.”

Gamygyn gave me a nod, then looked nervously between me and Gabby for a second.

He wasn’t sure if he should dematerialize in front of her.

“Oh, don’t worry about her,” I said with a roll of my eyes. “Just go.”

He sighed, shook his head.

“I don’t know about you, Casmiel.”

He disappeared.

Gabby looked at me, confused.

“What was that about?”

“Oh, he didn’t want you to see him disappear. Gamygyn’s a cool guy, but he likes to do things by the book. We’re not normally supposed to show ourselves or our powers to Humans unless we’re taking them to Hell. It’s pretty much against the rules for us to have regular contact with Humans.”

“What about you? I’d call staying here with me ‘contact with a Human’.”

“Yeah, I’m not real big on rules.”

She grinned and gave a small chuckle.

“Something tells me that’s an understatement.”

I grabbed my jacket and threw it on. I stowed the shades in my pocket.

“Well, if I don’t have to meet Gamygyn ’til midnight, that gives me some time to go hang out looking for my guy. Who knows, maybe I’ll find out what Gamygyn’s all worried about myself. He’s probably just overreacting to gossip.”

Gabby’s face got real serious all of a sudden. I thought it was the memory of the place I was going. I wished I’d kept my mouth shut about it now. The idea that I had said something that hurt her bothered me.

But it wasn’t that that had her worried.

“Speaking of hanging out watching somebody, I saw that guy again today. The one you saw outside the church.”

The Freaky Guy?

Again?

“Where? What was he doing?”

“He was standing across the street watching this building when I left for work today.” she replied.

“Did he follow you?”

“I don’t know. I saw him when I went out and he looked at me. I started walking towards work, and when I looked back to see, he was gone. I didn’t see him anymore after that.”

Hmm.

I didn’t like it.

What the hell was he doing out there?

“You know, maybe we’re reading too much into this, Cas. He might’ve just moved into the neighborhood and that’s why we keep seeing him around.”

“Yeah, maybe. But I still don’t like the way he was acting towards me. If I see him again, I’m gonna ask him what his problem is.”

Gabby smiled.

“More Human contact? You really don’t like rules, do you?”

“Hey, they’re made to be broken, right?”

 

The Trafalgar.

I had a couple hours before I was supposed to meet Gamygyn, and I wasn’t going to waste them.

It was pretty obvious, looking in at the posh lobby and the night watchman on duty behind a desk, that I’d never get to wander around in there dressed in my normal get up.

I waited ’til there was nobody around and no cars going by, and…

I morphed my clothes into the ‘Reservoir Dogs’ suit and put on the shades.

That song from the opening credits of the movie started running through my head.

I strode into the Trafalgar lobby with a swagger like I owned the place. The night watchman looked up lazily from the little TV he was watching behind his desk.

“Can I help you, sir?”

“No, thanks. I know the way.” I lied.

“Should I call and announce you?”

“No need. I’m expected.”

The watchman shrugged and went back to watching TV.

Phew!

I was hoping he wouldn’t press me to know who I was here to see. If I’d told him I was visiting Joe Bianco, no doubt he would’ve called ahead to tell him.

Apparently, I didn’t look dressy enough to be seeing someone of Bianco’s stature.

I strolled into the elevator and pressed a floor number without looking. Hell, I had no idea what floor to check first anyway.

The doors opened with a little ding and I stepped out onto what turned out to be the seventh floor.

This ain’t Bianco’s floor.

I could tell right away, these apartments weren’t fancy enough for him. It was just a pretty plain looking hall with pretty plain looking doors. Even without seeing inside them, I could tell every one of the apartments on this floor were probably identical inside. Bianco would want something that showed he was better than everybody else.

I walked down the hall. Worth looking around, I guess.

I turned a corner in the thick carpeted hallway, and froze in my tracks.

There he was, leaning casually against the wall.

Not Joe Bianco.

The Freaky Guy!

What the fuck is he doing here?

And how did he get past the night watchman?

He was still just as dirty and ragged as before. Black hair a perfect mess. Shoulders hunched, knees bent, he looked like he was crouched to spring at me.

But he just stood glaring at me.

Okay, Gabby. This is no coincidence. He’s got to be following me. Why else would he be in this neighborhood?

“What’s the deal, pal? What do you want?”

He didn’t answer, but I saw a flicker of the rage and contempt I’d seen from him before cross his face like a shadow.

I was already bored with this shit.

“What the fuck’s your problem?”

Slowly, he raised his arm and pointed a dirty, long nailed finger at me. He held it there, staring me dead in the eyes for a moment, then he turned and walked away.

He walked weird. Like he wasn’t used to walking indoors. It was like he wanted to break into a run but was trying not to. The way he moved reminded me of a bird, or a dinosaur on a TV documentary.

He rounded a corner.

I jogged ahead and peered down the other hallway.

He was already gone.

What in the name of all that’s un-fucking-holy is the deal this this moron?

I made a mental note to tell Gabby ‘I told you so’ when I got back as I returned to the elevator.

Alright, forget about that asshole. I’ve got a bigger asshole to find.

This time I took a second to think before pushing a button.

Joe Bianco is a rich motherfucker. A powerful guy with lots of people under him.

There you go! Got to be the top floor.

I hit the button and waited.

The doors opened with a ding again, and I knew I was in the right place.

The floor was laid with gleaming marble tile. In the center of the room was a big gold fountain. The crystal water sprayed up from the center and trickled back down with a tinkling, musical sound. The walls were covered with expensive artwork in expensive frames. Classic, modern, photography, there was a little of everything here. It was like a mini art museum. Big leafy ferns and potted palms stood next to thickly upholstered chairs here and there around the walls.

And on the other side of the room was a big set of fancy carved oak doors.

This has got to be Bianco’s place.

Rich bastard.

Isn’t there some Human saying about rich fuckers getting into Heaven about as easy as a fat ass camel through the eye of a needle?

Well, the fact that I’m here is proof, I guess.

I wandered into the room wondering if I should change into my demonic form. Nah. I’ll wait ’til I’ve got him where I want him. Catch him off gaurd.

Just then, a couple of things happened almost simultaneously.

With a ding, the elevator doors slid open again, and out stepped Joe Bianco.

As I started to turn and face him, the big oak doors swung open, and out stepped-

Joe Bianco.

What the fuck?!

I couldn’t speak. I just stood there looking stupid as my head swivelled back and forth looking from one Joe to the other Joe.

Who caught who off gaurd?

Which one do I go for?

If I pick the wrong one, the other is going to get away.

What in the hell is going on here?

The two Joes looked at each other and smiled. The Joe by the oak doors lazily lifted a hand and pressed a button on a small keypad on the wall.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

A fucking alarm!

Five guys came scurrying out the door behind Joe Number One like rats from a sinking ship, all with guns in their hands.

Damn it!

They can actually shoot me in Human form! Fuck! Why didn’t I change before?

I wasn’t going to take all of them on at once, especially not knowing which Bianco was the one I needed.

I ran into the elevator and jammed a finger into the ground floor button.

The Joes were still smiling at me, which just pissed me off even more. I looked at the one closest to the elevator.

“You can’t hide from me forever, Joe!”

They both laughed.

“I don’t need to.”

I don’t know which one said it. The doors were sliding closed already.

I had no idea what just happened in there.

Gamygyn had better have some fucking good answers!