Episode 30: Suit Yourself

Isolated like her first encounter with the parasitic rain Piper Sophia Ridge found herself whole again. At least that was something. Her meditation chamber was dank, dark, and lonely outside of aqua blue in the tank. Save for her new friends within her every cell. Every ... fiber. Every bone. She felt incredible. Happy to be reborn! If only the void in her stomach would subside. She could feel its hunger outweighing any appetite that her microscopic pals ever expressed. The lab might be lonely, but she herself could always count on her legion of ... besties.

“God! This amulet becoming a part of me scares me to death guys. Again! Bad choice of words, I did just die.” She pondered to herself, her associates ever listening. “How can I possibly come back from such a horrible end? I mean my skeleton was all that was left.”

“Untrue!” A multitude of voices in her head recited.

“I saw it through my own ... rather Xander’s eyes. It was awful!”

“We refused to eat your DNA. That allowed us to conceptualize how best to preserve you. You are our salvation Sophia Ridge, we worship you.”

“I love you guys for thinking of me as more than a morsal. I might like being eaten out but in a more pleasurable way.” Giggles led to a sigh! “When you guys congregate in those special places and tickle my fancy that at least makes me still feel ... human, even if I can’t touch any man again.”

“Your existence is precious. Even know the one you call Numb Nuts is seeking answers as to how this was possible. We could easily explain but it is much more fun letting the young deity learn on his own.”

“Deity? James Ian? Let’s just stick to Numb Nuts.”

“As you wish Your Highness.”

“Aw! I do rule, don’t I? Ego much, right?”

“I hear you, Sophia.”

Her head lifted up at hearing a deeper voice of words within her. Shock took over! “Cameron? Oh, my God! I thought you died with my body. I should be mad at you for killing me by the way.”

“Your friends convinced me to risk us. I didn’t know you would be eaten though. I’m glad things worked out.”

“By accident! What if James hadn’t tossed his life fiber over the amulet?”

“So, that’s how we’re alive? Sort of! I guess someone out there is looking out for us.”

“Are we stuck together in my body now?” She flared her eyes. “Not complaining! I think you’re sexy as ... hell. You did look like me for a while and I know I’m sexy. Dang it! Now I see you as that Winnebago demon. Ugh! So, not fucking that dude!”

“Verago! No, I’m a part of your little friends’ choir chapter now. They showed me a way back to my old body. I’m inside Verago now, linked between he and the other parasites, symbiotes, whatever the heck they truly are. All I know is I’m still around as if sitting and looking at a tunnel of fire. I see a body sitting in a lotus position but no idea if that’s me or someone else. I mean how could I be watching myself? Hell’s entrance maybe.

“I can communicate with you through the cool kids here. I need you to tell Jack and Ruby they need to go west. There’s an oil tanker out there in the desert called the Velchek. Black soil all around it. I’m guessing sixty miles out. That’s where the mother and Verago are holed up. I don’t think you guys will be attacked tonight. I can hear through Verago’s voice at least. Somehow his thoughts are blocked though. I’m trying to be cautious, so he doesn’t realize I’m hitching a ride. My body’s done for. He’s morphed it beyond anything my body could take even if we found a way to drive him out of it.”

“I’m so sorry, Cameron. Jack’s putting together a battle plan now. As soon as we’re ready we’ll come get you. Let’s hope that this cursed amulet being a part of me, that it can do something to take out this mother and her kindergarteners.”

“Fingers crossed! Oh, wait! I don’t have fingers anymore.”

“I’ll cross mine for you. Just not my legs.” She giggled! “Sorry. I couldn’t resist.”

“You never could. I better get back. Oh, Sabbath still keeps in touch with me. Well, at least she did when I was in your body. I haven’t heard from her since. Maybe I severed our connection. If you see her, please, try not to kill her. For me?”

“I’ll do my best and warn the others to do the same. Be safe, Cam. I wuvs you.”

“You’re still not licking my face.”

“Ha! As if you have a face right now. Or other body parts.”

Connection severed, Cam was gone. Sophia felt badly for her last remark. Hopefully he hadn’t heard her. Now to warn Jack. Isolation or not, she had to get out of here.

“Back later Babies!”

Outside of the Ganthorian Hilton, Jack Ramse took stock of the leftover sanity that the Roman, Antonaeus Gaicazar, still possessed. After losing his connection to Heaven he looked lost. Passing Malcolm, Jack’s worry grew dim. Malcolm’s expression of doubt was not helping.

“I’m sorry things went bad for you. If you don’t want to join us in battle, I would understand. But we could use you. I can tell you’re a born leader.”

“I have seen my fair share of war. This is but another. I will fight beside you against evil. If I fall, it is by God’s decree.” The Roman put his helmet back on.

“Good attitude. In my era I was a leader too. I guess I still am. Even though Ruby outranks me.”

“A woman as a leader?”

“I know. Still boggles me too.” He chuckled! “She’s tough though. Don’t think she’s not. You saw her shoot down that Magician. Wasn’t a bit of fear in her at the time.”

“You are her mate?”

“No. She might want that, but I’m still married. My wife Renee is back in my time period.”

“Perhaps you should concentrate on what is here and now?”

“You sure do say concentrate a lot.” Jack narrowed his eyes.

“With prayer and concentration miracles will come.”

“Even with losing your link to the Big Guy upstairs you keep your faith. That’s commendable. I wish I felt that way. I can honestly say I’ve never been a religious man. When you kill people, that commandment is shot to hell. The rest just falls in line.”

“Aye! I too have felt such burdens. In war there is little choice.”

“Right! Hey, I need to discuss something with you. Strategy! I have ideas but if you’re against those I’ll understand. What I have in mind might be pretty nasty.”

“I would hear this strategy.”

“Alright! Not long-ago Cameron and Malcolm found a book in the desert. A Chinese book of magic and historical documentations, James says. That’s how we pieced together the amulet and this Verago character. Lilith too, I suppose. Quite a few assumptions, I think. We really don’t know what’s true. Anyway, James feels that there are spells in the book that could be used against Verago. The only thing is, there are curses associated with each spell.”

“Tis’ bad then.”

“For us maybe. You’re immortal, right?”

“I am. Although, I have lost much of my power, I do still feel a long life within me. If not, I have lived long enough to know that I would be ashes to the wind.”

“That might keep you from those curses. We need somebody willing to sacrifice themselves to cast any spell that might help. James suggested you. Only because you have the best chance of surviving whatever the curse might be.”

Gaicazar pondered Jack’s words, his thoughts troubled by necessity. God would want him to end this evil. Rid it from existence. At any and all cost.

“I shall pray for guidance. Should I receive a sign then I shall agree. Until them I must say nay.”

“Fair enough!”

Both men heard a clearing of a throat behind them. Turning in step they spotted young James Ian Pryce with hands held behind his back, foot tapping the dirt.

“Anything wrong?” Jack squinted through the shadows.

“Not really! I just felt I needed to talk with our Roman friend here.”

Gaicazar peaked a brow, “Speak, young one.”

James released his wrist and brought forward something he had held back. Within his hand was the Chinese blade Soultaker. He showed it off with a slash in the air while still in its sheath.

“What is this?” Antonaeus grew curious.

“I realize this is a much smaller blade than you’re used to using but it too is enchanted. Unlike your sword, this one, claims souls. It used to belong to a Chinese warrior named Kong Zao. He used it to ward off evil just like your blade did. However, this blade is compensated by absorbing souls into it. The Book of the Living claims that it can fell demons. I’m thinking that could mean Vampires. Possibly fallen Angels. However, there would most likely be no soul within any of the vampires. They are dead.”

Jack stopped James by holding his hand up. “We know Sabbath and her sister have a split soul. Still Vampires.”

“Yeah, and that is rare. Which is why Lilith needs them and keeps them under her control. It’s obvious she has them for a reason. I’m guessing that in some way once Verago reaches his peak strength he can manipulate their soul to his advantage. After all, he does have Cam’s soul occupied right now. He must be feeding on it or he I doubt he could exist in Cam’s body. I’m thinking he siphoned Gaicazar there and Sophia’s pets to hold that soul prisoner. Immortality is a strong drug. Impervious parasites the finest armor alive.”

“Then this sword is of no use to me if it cannot pierce the beast.” Gaicazar expressed!

“It can. If the right person sucks those microbes right back out of Verago.”

“How might we do such a thing.”

“She’s on her way now.” James turned to see Sophia sprinting toward them. Gaicazar’s eyes widened upon seeing Sophia once again. Only different! “She swam with the big fish again. They brought her back from the dead. Still boggles the mind but I’m just glad it happened. The red hue in her skin is due to also absorbing the amulet. I’m thinking she can defeat Verago. Suck him right back into that Amulet. In this case Sophia herself.”

“I’m not sucking off any demon.” Sophia joined them overhearing James.

“Take things serious Sophia.” Jack scolded her! “There’s no time to be joking around. By the way didn’t I order you into quarantine?”

“Fine! Yeah, but I broke curfew, Daddy. I needed to tell you something important.”

“What?”

“Cameron isn’t dead. He communicated with me through my microbial posse. When my body was eaten his conscience moved into my buddies. There’s a unified mind and now he’s part of that.”

“Interesting!” James folded his arms.

“Right! Cam is back inside his body through the thoughts shared with the aquarium microbes and those that I used to have on me. In me. Even though Verago took them hostage they still share a mental connection. Also, Cam told me to tell you to head sixty miles west. Locate an oil tanker called the Velchek. That’s where the vamps and Verago are living.”

Jack stood expressionless. His mind totally blown by everything.

“He doesn’t want us to kill Sabbath either.”

“Let’s hope we can avoid doing that. If she really is Eve from a past life, I’d hate to piss off God.” Jack grimaced! “But again, he did cast her out of Eden.”

James looked down at the shards of Gaicazar’s original blade. “What if I could rebuild this blade. Do you think it might still possess powers?”

“Here lie the power of God.” Gaicazar pointed to his eye. “My blade is enchanted through it. Without God’s gift, I am nothing.”

“Are you certain that it’s powered by your eye? Would you allow me to try something? If I’m correct you might be back in business. If not, we can’t say that we didn’t try.”

“Aye! You have my blessing.” The Roman respected the boy. There was just an aura about him that was calming.

Looking over his shoulder near the cattle pen James found Elle Franklin teaching Greta Winston how to fight by torchlight. Elle wanted to give the young woman a fighting chance in this world. Whistling loudly to get their attention James motioned the girls to join them.

Eying Sophia, Jack pointed toward the ship. “Quarantine! Until we leave.”

Groaning, Sophia marched back up the ramp and into the Ganthorian craft, passing Elle and Greta along the way.

“You rang?” Elle pressed a thin button on a hydraulic spear and watched it retract back into a short pencil sized shape. She then stashed it in a belt sheath holding dozens of them along her new life fiber outfit. “Niberian needles, James called these.” Close enough to Nigerian to satisfy her family origins. They worked well!

“How charged up are your limbs?” James questioned her eying her diamond arm that the suit revealed by reshaping the fabric.

“I was out here all morning without using any reserves. No fighting vamps tonight, I should still be gassed up. Why?”

James knelt down and collected the hilt of Gaicazar’s sword and a piece to it. Passing it to Elle he felt a bit of energy coursing through the metal. That alone convinced him that it still had life in it.