Hellbinders: A Woman's Touch

Chapter One

The building looked abandoned. Sunlight crept in through breaks in the blacked out windows, casting strange pools of shadow and light across the dusty floor. Cain and Ryu looked around the crumbling office building. Max knew that they were skeptical. Hell, if he didn't know any better, he would be, too.

They came to an elevator shaft. The doors were partially open. Ryu moved to look inside, but Max barred his path. He looked over at the assassin.

"You don't want to be doing that."

He picked up a piece of pipe that was nearby and poked it through the opening. The doors slammed shut, crushing the pipe.

"Brigit takes her security very seriously."

The speaker next to the elevator crackled to life. "Well, if it isn't my favorite customer. Who are the new guys?"

"It's a pleasure to hear you, too, love. These are friends."

"You know my rules, Max. They'll have to wait there."

Cain pushed his way forward. "Are you sure we can trust her?"

"Relax, big man. She's as kind and gentle as a viper. I'll be fine." He turned away from Cain and back to the speaker. "I understand completely, love. Usual route?"

"Actually, I just got a new one installed. Tell me what you think."

The floor opened up beneath Max. He yelled as he fell. He looked up, but the light quickly disappeared as the floor closed back up. He didn't fall far before landing on something. He groaned as the pain from the rough landing shot through his back. There was a humming sound, and then he could feel himself moving. He rolled over onto his side, but stayed laying down. He was on a cart, rolling along a track that wound its way down. It was a fairly short ride, all things considered.

When it finally stopped, a square of light appeared, like a door being opened. Once his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he saw the familiar green and silver décor. He stepped off of the cart and onto the lush white carpet. Hard rock was playing in the background, Flogging Molly by the sound of it.

There was a large desk, made of mahogany, at the back of the room. Sitting behind it was Brigit. Her long black tresses were unbound, laying across her shoulders and falling to her waist. She had an impish grin on her softly curved face, her green eyes gleaming with mischief.

"You could soften the landing," Max informed her as he approached the desk.

"Yeah, the pillows for it haven't arrived, yet. You know how those Internet purchases can be. They say it'll only take five days, but it drags on and on and then two months later you're still waiting."

He took a seat across from her, rubbing his sore back. When he looked up, her face had gone serious. She was in business mode. Better get straight to it.

"You've heard about George?"

"I've heard lots of things, Max. None of it I like. Is it true that he and Carmen betrayed you?"

"Well…" How was he going to tell her without bringing up the whole demon thing? He was pretty sure she would laugh him out of her office. "Not exactly. See there was this cult, and I think they hopped them up on some really whacked out drugs."

Brigit cocked an eyebrow and studied him for a moment. Max stayed calm and cool. Couldn't show any weakness.

"That's too bad. How can I help you?"

His eyes shifted over to the swords she kept on display. They were beautiful pieces of work, supposedly made by the Celts during the first Roman invasion. He remembered the legend behind them, the judges of souls. If that were true, they would definitely come in handy for their current task.

Brigit noticed where he was looking.

"I've already told you, they aren't for sale."

"Can I just borrow them? Just for a couple of days. You know I'll bring them back."

Brigit smirked. "No, Max. The only way those swords are leaving this building is strapped to my waist. They were my father's, and his father's, and his father's mother's. They've been in my family for centuries."

Max sat back. He had to convince her, some how, some way. She was eying him suspiciously as he thought.

"You always open with a price for them. What's different this time? Maybe something's different about you. You seem more… soulful."

Max cocked an eyebrow. She had put a strange emphasis on the last word. Was he just being paranoid, or did she know more than she let on? He brushed the thought aside. How many people in his world really believed in the supernatural, anyway?

"Losing your friends to a bunch of crazies changes a person," he countered, leaning forward. An idea came to him as a smile came to his face. "Makes 'em soft. I might need someone to protect me, now. Someone I know I can trust."

Brigit smiled coyly, still reclining in her plush chair. "Max, you flatter me. I know for a fact that you haven't lost any edge. But, it has been a long time since I did some field work. It might be fun to join you for a bit."

"That's the Brigit I remember. Make sure you bring those swords."

Brigit cocked an eyebrow again, but didn't say anything as Max left through the lift. When he rejoined the others, they looked more than a little unhappy.

"Why the long faces?"

"Where are the swords?" Ryu responded.

"They're coming. Just have to wait for her to sharpen her daggers."

He started to walk towards the door, but Ryu stepped in his path. Max stepped to the side, but Ryu followed him.

"We agreed that I would handle them."

Max shoved past him. "And she won't let anyone else touch them. We want the swords, we have to take her."

"And what happens when she's possessed?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there. Now come on. I don't want to leave my car unattended for too long in this neighborhood."

Ryu looked less than happy as he followed. But then the assassin never looked happy unless there were ketchup covered waffles in front of him.

Max could hear Ryu sulking behind him as they approached the car. Much to Max's surprise, Brigit was already waiting for them. She was leaning against the vehicle, clad in a faux corset that was black with green detailing and fitted black pants. Her boots went up to her knees, a kind of corset lacing on the sides. True to her word, the swords were strapped to her waist.

"Gentleman, what took you so long?"

"Just the usual pissing match," Max commented as he strode up and opened the driver door.

He noted that Brigit was eyeing Cain and Ryu, most likely sizing up their strengths. It was unsettling at how she could read a person just by looking at them for a few seconds. She had had him pegged on their first meeting.

"Why do you always find the highest strung people to work with? Don't they know that it's going to kill them?"

Max shrugged as he hopped into the car. "I like being the life of the party."

Brigit smiled as she slid into the front passenger seat. Ryu and Cain got into the back, their eyes fixed on Brigit's black tresses. Much of the ride was spent with Brigit and Max chatting, catching up, reminiscing about times past.

She asked probing questions. They were subtle, but Max knew the way her mind worked. He would only tell her the basics: a job that took them out to an abandoned mill. He didn't mention that killing the enemy also meant killing a possibly innocent person, that the demon in that person's body would likely possess her.

Hell, he wasn't sure what would happen to him now that he had his soul back. Ryu and Cain might have to kill both of them. It grew dark as they left the better parts of the city. Red and orange were tinting the skyline as they reached their destination.

Brigit, in the middle of laughing, stopped abruptly. Her eyes sharpened as they darted toward the building. She didn't say anything as she got out of the car, drawing her swords. Max and the others exited the vehicle, as well, watching her carefully.

Max was instantly on alert. He had never seen Brigit so intent on a target.

Her fists were white as they gripped the hilts, the blades seeming to glow with a faint white light. Her breath rasped out of her as her pupils dilated, taking over the whole of her eyes. There was something different about her, a darkness, a feral cast to her features.

Voices, coming closer.

A screech pierced the night air, renting it open.

Before Max knew what was happening, Brigit had taken off towards the building. The three men only looked after her for a few seconds, not fully comprehending what had happened. They exchanged confused looks between themselves.

Screams of pain came from ahead, jolting the men out of their dazed state. They started after Brigit.

Figures began to form ahead of them, a frenzy of movement. Brigit was at the center of the whorl wind, the fading light glinting off of her blades as she danced through the enemy.

Smoke rose from each person as the blade sliced through them. Bodies littered the ground about her. A single person stood. Her blade found his heart.

He gasped as the smoke rose, confusion written on his face. She pulled the sword out. He tried to speak and staggered back. Yet, there was still a form there, a kind of hazy image. Brigit whirled around, the sword slicing the smoke in half. It dissipated as the man fell to the ground, gripping his chest.

He took his hand away. There was no blood, no wound where the sword had pierced his chest.

Brigit stood over him, breathing heavily from the exertion.

"Judgement has been passed," she rasped. "Go home, all of you."