Slowly, by fractions of an inch at first, the stalled train started moving northeast, toward the Edgware Road station.
“Simon,” Wertham called over the HUD.
“Yes.”
Wertham was stationed at the northeast end of the rail where it emerged from the Underground for a time. On its route through London, the train ran above ground intermittently. Simon had guessed they were going to be at their most vulnerable during those times.
“We’ve got trouble. A group of demons has just entered the tunnel here.”
Fear stirred within Simon, fighting off the effects of the drugs the armor had put into his system. “Have they seen you?”
“Negative. But there’s no way they’re going to miss hearing that locomotive. I can hear it up here without the suit’s audio booster.”
Panic started to rise inside Simon. He fought it back and tried to think clearly. Even with the drugs in his system making him sharper and more clear-headed, it was hard.
But all they could do was proceed with their plan. It was too late to turn back now.
“We stay with what we’re doing,” Simon said. Then he called to the Templar, bringing them to him, and started running northeast, toward the end of the Paddington tube and the demons. If they got lucky, they could attack the demons and create enough confusion to allow the dead train to be pulled clear and allow McCorkleson to ease their escape train out onto the main track.
Then it was just a matter of surviving long enough to escape.
Simple, really. But he had to force himself not to think of the people he might lose.
Or that they might fail.
Simon checked his weapons out of habit, then he began to run.
Forty-Seven
S top the car,” Warren ordered.
The driver applied the brakes and brought the SUV to a halt near the Edgware Road tube station. It sat in the middle of other midsize buildings that lined Edgware Road and Bell Street. The broken windows were dark but the skies were still light gray from the evening sun sinking in the western skies.
“What are we doing here?” Naomi asked. She’d acted somewhat reluctant about coming, but she had.
Warren wasn’t sure if she was there because she wanted to be, because she was curious, or if she was there to spy on him for Tulane, who had stayed behind. Warren didn’t think it mattered, nor did he think he cared.
“The man who took my hand is here.” Warren opened the SUV’s door and stepped out into the falling snow.
“How can you know that?” Naomi stayed on his heels.
“Because I saw him here,” Warren replied, focused on the strong impression that quivered inside his head. “Because I can feel him here now.” He started walking, crossing the shattered debris that littered the area in front of the tube station.
Naomi followed him, pulling her coat tight against the freezing wind. “What are you going to do?”
“What am I going to do?” Warren snorted mirthlessly, not believing that she couldn’t figure that out. He’d lived with images of his stepfather beating him for years before the man had shot himself. During his recovery, he’d been haunted by nightmares about the knight that had taken his hand. The old fear had returned, and he knew the only way to rid himself of it was to destroy what he feared. “I’m going to kill him.”
“By yourself?”
Warren looked around, feeling a little uncertain when he saw that the Cabalists and the security people had remained with the car. He started to call out to them.
“There were a lot of them the last time we crossed their path,” Naomi said. “Do you think the handful of security guards we brought with us are going to be able to stand against them?”
Frustrated, Warren gazed at the tube station. He hadn’t thought to bring more people, and he doubted he would have gotten more volunteers.
Don’t worry, Merihim said. You don’t need them. I will give you an army.
“I’ll go alone,” Warren said, answering Naomi’s question.
“You didn’t come here to die,” Naomi accused.
“No.” Warren continued across the rubble. Suddenly he was aware of others’ eyes on him. Feeling threatened, he glanced around and saw shadows moving along the edges of the buildings.
Stop, Merihim said.
Warren did.
“Demons,” Naomi warned quietly as she drew back. “They’re all around us.”
Recognizing the demons as well, Warren felt a worm of fear slither through him. There were Darkspawn, Imps, and Gremlins in the hunting pack. Above them, a dozen Blood Angels clung to the sides of buildings. Warren couldn’t help wondering if Merihim had intentionally set him up to get killed.
No, Merihim said. I didn’t betray you. I brought you an army. These serve me. Just call to them and they’ll be yours.
Why aren’t you here?
This is your battle. I have my own. Tonight you can prove my investment in you, or you can die. Either way, I’ll know what I need to about you and your abilities to be part of my plans.
“Warren,” Naomi said softly. “Maybe we can get back to the car.” She put a gentle hand on his shoulder and pulled. “Come on. Before they rush us.”
In the next moment, the demons broke free of the shadows and came running at them.
Warren wanted to run, but he couldn’t move. Naomi yanked on his shoulder twice, then she abandoned him and ran back to the SUV.
Command them, Merihim encouraged.
Fear ran rampant through Warren. It was the most familiar emotion he had. All his life, it had been his constant companion. Fear had driven him to live a small life, to take abuse from people he’d offered friendship to, to be taken advantage of by people who were nowhere near as smart as he was. Fear had chased him to bed
