TEN
"Cole, we're fine," said Gretchen as they sat in the house the next day talking. "The firemen said it was a faulty valve on the furnace. If you hadn't come home when you did they said Wilhelm and I could have died."
"She's right, Cole," said Wilhelm. "There's no need to feel guilty. You saved us. I can't tell you how many of our relatives were reportedly gassed in the concentration camps in Germany. To think we came all the way to America and nearly suffered the same fate. You saved our lives."
"I should have been here," said Cole. "I'm just thankful I was able to get home in time to help. It's hard to believe the reports that are coming from the soldiers returning home. Concentration camps where they murdered people? How could anyone be that sadistic?"
"You didn't know the Nazi's," said Wilhelm. "They were very cruel. Every day they keep increasing the number of people that were reportedly murdered there. They say it could be in the hundreds of thousands or even more."
"That's hard to believe," said Cole.
Just then there was a knock at the door. Gretchen went to answer the door as Cole and Wilhelm continued to talk.
"The reports of atrocities committed by the Nazi's during the war is increasing rapidly," said Wilhelm. "There are reports that they will be tried for war crimes. And crimes against humanity."
"Has that ever happened before?" Cole asked. "Trying someone for crimes against humanity?"
"No," said Wilhelm. "It will be a new chapter in jurisprudence. Unfortunately many of the perpetrators escaped. They're being hunted even now. With God's help they will be tracked down and made to pay for their atrocities."
"Cole," said Gretchen, coming back into the living room, Angelique close behind, "your cousin is back."
"Angelique," said Cole in surprise, "what are you doing here?"
"Have you forgotten?" Angelique said, holding up a package she was holding. "We were supposed to go to your parents anniversary party this afternoon. Remember? We agreed I would get the present for your mother and you would get one for your father."
"Oh, yeah, right," said Cole. "I guess it slipped my mind. We had a bit of excitement here last night. But thankfully everything turned out well."
"You don't have a present, do you?" Angelique asked. She turned to Wilhelm and Gretchen. "He does this every year. He forgets about his parents' anniversary and waits until the last minute until he gets a present. Then we have to run all over town until he can find something appropriate. I got your mother one of those figurines she loves to collect."
"Yeah, I guess I forgot," said Cole. "I'm sorry Wilhelm and Gretchen I'm afraid I have to go. It's their thirtieth anniversary. I really should find something really nice for dad."
"Wait here a second," said Wilhelm.
Wilhelm got up and went into his study for a moment. When he returned he handed Cole the very book Cole had come for.
"I know you said we don't owe you anything for what you did," said Wilhelm. "But you saved our lives. And you've always admired this book. It will make a wonderful gift for your parents anniversary."
"Wilhelm, I can't take this," said Cole trying hard to control his enthusiasm. "It's much too valuable."
"Nonsense," said Wilhelm, putting his arm around his wife. "You saved Gretchen and me. Human life is much more important than any object. Please, I insist. And you're right. The thirtieth anniversary is very important. They should have something very special for it. This will fill the bill nicely. And it will help to repay you for what you did for Gretchen and me."
"I don't know what to say," said Cole, holding the book close.
"Just say thank you, dear," said Gretchen. "It's our way of saying 'thank you'. Now you two young people run along. Don't be late for your parents' anniversary. I'm sure they're looking forward to seeing you there."
"Thank you," said Cole, shaking hands with Wilhelm and kissing Gretchen on the cheek. "Thank you very much."
He and Angelique left the house and walked up the street.
"Pretty smart," he said looking at the book. "My parents anniversary? And that story about how I always wait for the last minute. It was sheer genius."
"Well," said Angelique, "you told me you had mentioned your father to him several times. I just figured after your little rescue last night he was bound to remember that. I just gave him the opportunity to offer it to you for saving his life. By the way, the stories about the gas chambers are true. I saw some of them firsthand."
"It was still a brilliant idea," said Cole. "Now I can move on to my primary assignment."
"Which is?" Angelique asked.
"You know I can't tell you that," said Cole. "Not just yet. But soon, I promise you."
"Okay," said Angelique. "I'm going to hold you to it. Especially since you're using some of my poison for it."
"It will come in quite handy," said Cole. "Tell you what; why not spend the night? I can tell you what I can. Not enough to give anything away but enough to let you know why I need the poison."
"How can I refuse an offer like that?" Angelique smiled coyly. "I would suggest we not return until later tonight. Otherwise your landlord might become suspicious about why you spent so little time at your parents party."
"Good idea," said Cole. "I know this nice little restaurant on the other side of town. We can get something to eat while we kill some time."
Instead of shimmering to the restaurant Cole decided to walk. Walking would take longer and perpetuate the illusion they were at a party. Once they finished their meal they would walk back to the house keeping up the façade.
The next morning they lay in bed together just enjoying the respite. Cole's first assignment was finished. He had the book. Now came his second, and most important, mission. Vanquishing Malevant. He was paging through the book trying to decipher its contents.
"So you were hired to kill someone?" Angelique asked. "And to be able to get close enough to him you took this assignment?"
"That's right," said Cole. "I can't tell you who it is, naturally. But let's say it's someone not easy to get to."
"Well that narrows it down to about half the underworld," laughed Angelique. "So, how does the Dark Lighter poison fit in?"
"It's simple," said Cole, rolling over on his side to face her. "This person has a White Lighter in his lineage. Which means he's susceptible to the poison. I just coat the pages of the book with the poison. Once he looks through the book he'll be infected with the poison. After that it's only a matter of time before it kills him?"
"And Talent?" Angelique asked. "How does he fit in?"
"I hire Talent to take this to my target," said Cole, pulling a ring out to show her. "When my victim dies from Dark Lighter poison and it's leaned that Talent went to see him just before he died, everyone will assume he's the one who killed him."
"And when they find this," said Angelique, looking at the ring, "they'll assume he hired Talent to kill the victim."
"Exactly," said Cole. "Since Talent and I have never actually met there's nothing to connect us. They'll vanquish him in revenge for killing my target, then go after the owner of the ring."
"That marking on the ring," said Angelique. "It's Beelzbors symbol."
"That's the beauty of it," said Cole. "Beelzbor and my victim are hated enemies. Which isn't saying much since Beelzbor has ticked off nearly every demon in the hierarchy at one time or another. But it will come as no surprise when they 'discover' that he hired Talent to kill my target."
"Brilliant," said Angelique. "No one will ever suspect you."
"That's the general idea," said Cole. "Now, you'd better get going.
Wouldn't want to have to explain to mom and pop Strauss why my cousin spent the night."
"Good idea," said Angelique.
She dressed quickly and was about to leave when she turned to Cole.
"We still on after this assignment is over?" she asked.
"Of course," said Cole. "I told you. I'm going to have something very big to celebrate once this is all finished."
"Okay," she said. "You know where to find me."
Angelique disappeared from the room as Cole continued to look through the book. A moment later she appeared outside in a small clump of trees that lined the property. A figure wearing dark robes with the hood drawn seemed to be waiting for her.
"Well?" questioned the figure.
"He's got a good plan," said Angelique. "He might just succeed."
"Let's get back to the underworld," said the figure. "You can tell me everything he plans to do."
Together the two vanished from the street as if they had never been there.