Hellboy looks out the glass.
"Where?" he asks.
"Over by the building," I answer.
"Oh, yeah," he says. "Who's the gal with her?"
"I imagine that's her cousin," I tell him.
We watch as Maggie spots the truck and looks around the parking lot. She starts heading for one of the other cars that came with us with her cousin in tow. I see her walk up to Manning as he gets out of his car. I touch her mind as she talks to him. There's a woman inside who's entranced the men with her singing, but the women are revolted by it. I quickly turn back to the books I was going through and find the one I want. After I quickly read the entry again, I start rummaging around the truck.
"Whatchya, looking for?" he asks around the butt of the cigar.
"Ear plugs," I answer without stopping my search.
"Watta need ear plugs for? Ya ain't got no ears."
"Not for me, for you," I reply as I pull open a drawer. "Ah."
I pull out my find and hand them to Hellboy. He takes the cigar out of his mouth as he takes them from me.
"So what do I need them for?" he asks.
I grab the book I was reading and hand it to him. He reads for a minute.
"Aw crap," he mutters as he starts to shove the things in his ears. "I can barely hear with these things in."
"That is the idea," I tell him physically and mentally.
I look out the glass again and see a woman with a strange man standing next to her. Manning is standing in front of them. She appears to be singing. I glance at Maggie. She and her cousin both have their hands over their ears. I see them starting to try and get away from the noise. I look back at the woman and notice that more are joining her. I look at Maggie again. She and her cousin have stopped walking and they're in obvious pain. I glance at the creatures again, and they're at least a half dozen of them. I check on Maggie again. She and her cousin are now on the ground curled up into fetal positions.
"We need to get out there," I tell Hellboy. I turn and head for the back of the truck.
"Well, if you insist," he replies. I turn and see him draw back his right hand, readying to strike the door.
"That won't be necessary," I say before he lets go.
"How else do you suggest we get out?" he asks.
"This way," I answer.
I reach behind a loose panel and push a hidden button. The ramp starts to lower a second later. I hear screeching that sounds like a combination of cats fighting and nails being run down a chalkboard. It causes a shiver to run up my spine.
"How long have you known about that button?" he growls at me.
"Always," I casually reply.
"So, why didn't you tell me about it?"
"There was no need."
He glares at me. He's thinking about all the times he "needed" it. Unfortunately for him, letting him have a new way to sneak out and see Liz doesn't fit my definition of need.
I'm down the ramp the instant it touches ground. I quickly head for Maggie and her cousin. Hellboy's right behind me.
"What's with them?" he shouts over the noise.
"Sensitive hearing," I shout back.
I bend over and pick Maggie up. Hellboy does the same with her cousin.
"Where do we take them?" he asks loudly.
"The truck," I answer.
We put them on the floor of the garbage truck and then I push the hidden button again. I jump out as the ramp starts to rise. I turn and look at what's happening.
There're now eight of these creatures screeching at the growing group of men. Not only are there the agents crowding around them, but men are starting to come out of the bar and off of the street. There are too many civilians for Hellboy to get a clear shot. He stands there with the Samaritan tightly grasped in his hand. A look of frustration is on his face.
I notice movement to my left and I look. It's Liz. Her hands are engulfed in flames, but she's not sure what she can do.
We'll have to get closer, I tell them.
They nod in agreement and we start to move forward. I step into a patch of light and one of the creatures spots me. The wings that she must have had tightly tucked against her back rip through the back of her shirt leaving it in tatters. I've been expecting the wings, but I'm not expecting what happens next.
"Welcome, brother," the creature says. "Come join us in our feast."