Chapter 40

Everett

When I closed my eyes to set the plan into action by blowing up the warehouse, it never even occurred to me how much it would hurt to leave my sisters behind. The physical pain from the emotional turmoil I just sent my family into was almost enough to make me want to back out, but Mom and I had this planned down to the last second. I had to keep my walls established, my mind silent, and my whereabouts unknown if we wanted this to play out how it needed to.

I was pivotal in Mom's plan to get Uncle Sam back and kill Lucifer.

Standing in the middle of the sand, in the pitch black of night was unnerving, but I knew where Lucifer was, and I knew how to get to him. I began my walk towards the caves that Mom had described in detail, learning about them from Aunt Serra's memories. They were close, but they were also warded. Mom had given me explicit instructions and a spell to bring down Lucifer's shields, but I had never gone toe to toe with demons on my own. My sisters had always been there, backing me up. My cousins had always been there, ready to go down fighting to keep me safe.

I took a deep breath and knew that if Mom trusted me enough to keep this completely a secret to everyone, including Dad and Aunt Serra, then I was strong enough on my own to handle the mission. I had to see it through to the end. Mom trusted me and it was my destiny.

My senses could feel the shimmer of the protective bubble that Lucifer had set up around the secret caves where he had kept Aunt Serra and where he was currently keeping Chuck. I reached out to touch the wall and it tried to attack me with a bolt of electricity. My abilities, however, absorbed it easily and I smiled, knowing how much Lucifer had underestimated my entire family.

Whispering the spell to myself, I could feel the wall accept me through as a member of Lucifer's band and close behind me as I walked through. The demons that guarded the cave saw me coming and tilted their heads in tandem, confused.

"What the fuck—" I silenced the larger of the two before he had a chance to continue with the flick of my hand. The Mark was satisfied at my sudden violence and I was encouraged.

Turning to stare at the other demon, I held my finger to my lips, keeping him silent. I gestured to the cave entrance and whispered, "Where is Lucifer?" The smaller demon turned to stare at me over his shoulder and made a face. I took a slow breath and lifted my eyebrows. "Look, you can help me or you can die, and then I'll do it myself anyway. Your choice."

Gesturing towards the right fork, the demon led me down the tunnel towards a dull glowing light. I held him around the neck, listening carefully. Then, deciding to take a page out of my aunt's book, I decided a grand entrance would be the best.

"Lucifer!" I shouted, my voice reverberating through the tunnels, sounding too much like Dad. "I hear through the grapevine that you and I are a match made in Hell."

Answering my call, there was a dull, lifeless laugh, followed by a long, heavy sigh. "The prodigal son," Uncle Sam's voice was barely his own. Lucifer changed the way he sounded, right down to the tone and inflection. "I'm not going to even bother to ask how you found us."

I moved towards the voice, not afraid in the least. "I'm clever like that," I answered, using the demon as a shield. "Surprising, isn't it? Played my hand real close to my chest."

"You're expecting me," Lucifer sounded exhausted, breathing heavily, "to believe that you're here to join me?"

"Why the fuck else would I be here?" I demanded, finding strength I didn't know I had. "Do you realize how much power I have with Hell's Gate? How easily I could outgun my sisters?" I shook my head from behind the demon I held in front of me. "I'm done being underestimated. I'm sick and fucking tired of being the scared little boy that they are convinced might go off the deep end any minute."

Lucifer's face was hidden in shadow and my heart froze, watching my uncle's face stare at me with such distain. This was it; I had to convince him I was in it to win it, or he'd kill me on the spot. Either way, I had to make sure my Gate stayed in my control.

"Prove it," Lucifer whispered, narrowing his eyes.

Immediately, I turned and opened my Gate, sending orange sparks into the darkness around us. I turned to face the Devil and stared him in the eyes as I shoved the demon through my Gate and held my hand open, showing Lucifer that it was his to use, if he cared to.

Stepping into the light, Lucifer tilted his head and licked his lips. "Come here," he muttered, beckoning with a finger. "You're gonna take care of a chore for me."

I steeled myself and allowed my Gate to close, following my uncle down the hall.

…

Liberty

If I opened my eyes any wider, they would have popped right out of my face. Everett. Everett was gone.

"Oh my god," Glory sobbed, her face contorted in anguish, tripping on rubble behind her. "Where did he go? Why did he leave?"

Mom was staring at the empty spot where Everett had been standing with her mouth hanging open. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. It couldn't be true. Everett couldn't have just left us.

Daddy turned to Mom, holding her by both shoulders. "Toss me there," he was saying over the chaos. "Throw me to where he is."

Momma was shaking her head, still staring at the empty spot where Everett had been. "I can't," she whispered. "He's blocking me. I can't hear where he is. There's nothing."

"Bullshit!" Serra screamed, turning towards Mom, wiping dirt and smoke from her face as she shouted at her sister. "There has to be something we can chase. He's got to leave some sort of signature! There has to be something."

Hot tears brimmed in my eyes, dripping down my cheeks in disbelief. My brother had abandoned us in our greatest time of need. He left. "He left us," I whispered. "Oh my god, he left us."

Faith watched Mom and Dad, shaking her head as well. She closed her eyes and tried to force herself through time and space to chase him, but remained standing where she was. "There's something holding me here," she muttered through her tears. "I can't jump."

"None of us can," Glory cried. "He's holding us on this plane."

"Why?" I screamed. "Why would he do that? What's going to happen?" I turned to Mom and I couldn't help the sob that leapt out of my chest. "How could you just let him go like that?"

"I couldn't stop him, Lib," Mom whispered. "He's been trying to leave since yesterday. This just gave him a reason. We'll figure it out after we kill Lucifer."

"What if Lucifer kills him first?"

Steeling herself, Mom stood up to her full height and the flames that still burned behind her made the edges of her wings shimmer. "Because now, more than ever, we just have to." She used both of her hands to wipe her face and sniffed loudly. "We need to get out of here before the whole place comes down on us."