Ordo Ab Chao
Chapter VII
Question's safehouse, Koreatown 4:00pm
"This is some work you've done here, mate." Constantine complimented his faceless friend. He was looking at a wall decorated with dozens of pictures, strings stretching from one to another, post-it notes dotted here and there and pins holding random pieces of evidence collected. It was everything that Question had gathered on the pedophile ring they had just eradicated.
Question walked up beside him, "I thought I was just chasing the guys we took down," he said gruffly. "I had no idea the rabbit hole went deeper."
"The hole always goes deeper." Constantine replied. "As the actress said to the bishop."
"Tell me about Felix Faust." Question folded his arms.
Zed and Chas walked in at that moment. After leaving the site of their latest battle, Question had led them all to one of his safe houses. It was in a rundown part of Koreatown, an area of Los Angeles that was predominantly inhabited by Korean people as well as a blend of Hispanics and other Asian cultures. Constantine understood the need for such a filthy location, people weren't likely to come to a place like this looking for anything. A perfect hiding place really.
The apartment was sparsely decorated with only a single couch, an empty fridge, a bed that had clearly seen better days and a massive amount of conspiracy documents and evidence.
Zed and Chas had been to get food for everyone and once they settled down Constantine spoke, "Never met the bloke myself but ever since I first got into this magic thing I've heard whispers of his name. Supposed to be immortal and probably an unmatched practitioner of the dark arts. I don't know which is rumor and which is true. One thing is certain though, the bugger is powerful and renowned."
"Could it really be one man causing all this?" Zed asked.
"With the right tools and access anything is possible, love. Anything." Constantine took his food and began to dig in.
They all looked at Question and he held up his hand, "I'll eat later. Right now I'm more concerned with this Felix Faust and how we're going to stop him." He turned his faceless head to Constantine.
"I don't know." Zed and Chas looked shocked.
Question just turned back to his evidence wall. "Then it's back to the basics. Hit the streets, gather the clues and make the connections." He sounded almost excited while saying this. "There has to be something we're not seeing. There is always more then one person running things."
"More than one person running things..." Constantine stared ahead blankly.
"What is it, John? You got something?" Chas asked.
"No. Not for the Faust problem but for something else, yeah." Constantine started towards the door. "Question, you said you've got some shaman talents yeah? See what leads you can dig up. Chas, Zed you two rest up and wait for me to get back."
"Where are you going, John?" Zed stood up."
Constantine opened the door. "I've got a few deals to make."
Koreatown, California 6:00pm
"I can't read anything or understand anyone," Zed complained, folding her arms in frustration. She and Chas had decided to go walk around and site see since John and Question both had left them.
"I know why they call it Koreatown now." Chas mumbled. Everything was in Korean. The signs, the restaurant menus and the language that was being spoken. Even the non-Koreans that they bumped into had some grasp of the language and were able to get around better.
They wandered around for a while trying random foods and having horrific attempts at conversations with the Korean and Latino inhabitants of the area. They ended up at a doughnut shop not far from where their journey began and decided to relax inside. Doughnuts were simple enough and one could make orders without worrying about the language barrier that had been hassling them all day.
They ate some snacks and relaxed for thirty or so minutes when a small man walked into the doughnut shop. Nothing about him was out of the ordinary or special at all but Zed got a strange vibe as soon as he entered and it grew stronger the longer he stayed. He was sweating but that wasn't uncommon in the California heat.
The man ordered a ridiculous amount of doughnuts, nearly clearing out the shop entirely, then paid with crumbled bills that looked roughly attained and left.
"Something wrong?" Chas munched the remains of his last doughnut.
"That man. There was something really off about him." Zed tried to shrug it off but couldn't.
"Like normal American off or demon off?"
"I'm not sure." she admitted.
Chas swallowed and smiled a little, "Want to follow him anyway?"
Unknown time, Unknown location
The room was barely lit by a few candles that were placed in seemingly random locations. The candle light cast eerie shadows all around the room that seemed to have no doors or windows. Around the wall were markings of esoteric design, half-hidden by the shadows but powerful nonetheless. They were everywhere, on the walls, the floors and even the roof top. Some written in chalk, others in a crimson-colored liquid that was likely blood.
In the midst of it all stood John Constantine, naked down to the undies and covered from head to toe in designs similar to those around the room he was in. A cigarette hung from his lips as he mumbled to himself while working. This was probably the craziest idea he'd ever come up with in his entire life, so much so that he didn't mention it to anyone after it came to him. They would not approve of course.
A deal like what he was planning to make was the stuff legendary foolishness is made of but what difference did it make? Every hour that passed he felt death inching closer and closer to him and there was nothing he could do about it. Why shouldn't he try this? His soul was damned anyway! The First had already confirmed that.
Everything was done and Constantine stood up to survey the markings and ancient Latin phrases he had written to insure they were all correct. There was no room for mistakes with what he was about to do. Finding that everything was complete he set up the final piece of the puzzle. A small empty bucket was placed inside one of the circles inside it sat a candle burning in its stand.
Seeing no other excuse to waste time he reached down and lifted a sack that was moving slightly. Inside the sack was a small kitten that purred a little. "Sorry about this mate." Constantine produced a knife and slit the kitten's neck allowing the blood to pour down into the bucket being careful not to put out the flame of the candle.
"Et sacrificium, quod a Domino, perduci ad infernum. Venite ad me infernum Dominus! Invito me anima mea!"
An invisible pulse shot through the room and pushed Constantine back a step. The blood in the bucket began to vibrate and ripple.
"Et sacrificium, quod a Domino, perduci ad infernum. Venite ad me infernum Dominus! Invito me anima mea!"
Constantine screamed the words over and over again until he was out of breath. Suddenly, without warning the small flame from the candle exploded upward and spread out along the length of the room. Inside the flames Constantine could see Hell in all its terrifying glory. He could hear the screams, see the souls burning, smell the sulfur and rotting flesh. He could see the demons feasting on innocents and suffering. The tortures, the punishments, it was almost too much for him but he couldn't look away.
Then he saw the blackened figure stepped right through the flaming portal on the roof and appeared floating in between the portal and the bucket of blood.
"...John Constantine...You rang...?" The pleasure and excitement in the demon's voice was barely hidden. Constantine wanted nothing more then to try and kill this monster but that would serve no purpose and much to his displeasure he needed to make a deal with this creature who just so happened to be one of the three Lords of Hell.
Koreatown, California 7:00pm
The small man had so far done nothing expressly suspicious but he'd eaten all of the food he'd ordered earlier, enough for 5 people, then went into the nearest place that sold food and purchased another excessive amount.
"Well, there's definitely something strange going on," Chas commented as they followed the man down another street. "This guy's put away more food in an hour then I can in a week or two."
"I wonder what's going on?" Zed wondered.
"Hunger demon most likely." Chas replied. "Probably got out and possessed this poor sap recently."
"Should we call John or Question?"
"No need to bother them. They're both chasing bigger leads anyway. I've handled hunger demons before by myself. They're pushovers." Chas puffed his chest out with much bravado but Zed wasn't convinced.
The man hadn't noticed a thing so far and seemed content to continue walking and eating exorbitant amounts of food that no man his size should be able to consume. Chas and Zed followed him in silence for a while and he led them past a few business and turned into an alleyway.
"Hold on. Let's give him a little head start so we don't look suspicious." Chas stopped Zed a moment and then they continued into the alleyway.
"Where'd he go?!" Zed jogged forward a little and looked around. "He's gone!" the alley was a dead end and completely empty save for a dumpster and some random trash.
Chas put his hands on his hips. "Well I'll- his eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed face down into the ground.
"Chas!" Zed shouted.
The man was behind Chas gripping a large chunk of wood. "...it isn't nice to spy on people..." his voice echoed in a demonic way and he grinned while inching closer to the defenseless Zed.
Unknown time, Unknown location
Steam poured from Constantine's body and the air reeked of sulfur and burning. It was enough to drive any normal, sane man to the point of vomiting but Constantine held it in.
"This has to be done," he kept telling himself.
He struggled to his feet and began preparing for the second part of his plan. So far everything had gone as he had hoped and although he was drained physically he was on the way to hopefully securing himself a place among the living for a bit longer.
It took him longer to reset all the symbols and markings that had been messed up during his previous conversation but he eventually got it done and again stood over the bucket with the candle. He reluctantly produced another small kitten from a sack and proceeded to slit it's throat like the last one.
"Tertio hoc vocare immolo Domino inferni. Venite ad me infernum Dominus! Invito me anima mea!" he shouted repeatedly like before.
Another flaming portal was ripped open in the roof unleashing the noxious sulfuric gases and pained human screams into the room. This time Constantine could feel the heat from the portal as the creature passed through and floated before him.
"...why have you summoned me petty magus...?"
Constantine lit up a cigarette. "I'm trying to sell my soul to you, mate. I've got a deal for you." He grinned.
The creature remained silent for a moment. "...why would you do this ? What do you gain...?"
"Don't know if word reached you down there yet but I'm on death's doorstep and no way out of it this time. Damned cancer is killing me quicker than an orgy with AIDS infested hookers." seeing that his humor was lost on the Hell Lord Constantine continued, "I've got an important case that needs solving so you guarantee me that I'll live long enough to see this case through and I'll sell ya' my soul. Easy as pie."
The Hell Lord floated silently, thoughtful of his response. Constantine noted that this creature was much different from The First or the other Hell Lord he'd recently met with. "...until the case is solved...?"
Constantine had to fight back his grin. He'd done it. The creature was in his pockets. "That's right, mate. Until the case is solved."
A really foul-smelling place, unknown time
Zed's nostrils were assaulted by the powerful odor of rotting food and dead flesh. She sat up quickly and covered her nose then looked around. 'This is like the third damn time we've been kidnapped! I hate California!' she thought to herself while trying to look around.
She was in a dimly lit room and couldn't make out many details because the stench was causing her eyes to water furiously. She wiped them on her sleeve, "Chas! Chas!" she called out.
Zed heard some groans and then the sounds of shuffling. "Yeah...yeah I'm alive. Where the hell are we." Chas rubbed the back of his head. "And what the hell happened?"
"We got kidnapped. Again," Zed informed him. "Hungry Korean demon whacked you with a piece of wood and then got me too."
"How the hell did that little bastard carry us both here by himself?" Chas looked around. "Wherever here is."
"...I didn't..." a voice spoke from the darkness. Bright lights came on and Zed immediately screamed at the top of her lungs.
All around them were the remains of bodies and tossed away food. The bodies had bite marks and were missing chunks of flesh here and there as if they had been chewed on for days. The stench was now unbearable and Zed vomited to the right of her.
"...Mmmm...I'll use that to season your skin..."
Chas used the wall to stabilize himself then stood to his feet. "You're not eating us without a fight." He reached down and picked up a jagged thighbone gripping it like a sword. "And I've taken down hunger demon before so you better bring it!"
"...hahahaha..." The man's teeth began to grow to abnormal length and his jaw jutted out until his face looked like that of a piranha. His fingernails grew like claws and saliva began to drip down his lips and jaw.
"Okay." Chas tightened his grip. "Still nothing I can't handle." A door opened behind the demon and in ran at least a dozen others matching the first one. "Shit..." The hunger demons charged him all at once. "Zed stay behind me!"
Chas struck out as hard as he could and caught the first demon in the head with the sharp end of the bone. It squealed like a pig and then hit the ground squirming but two more took its place instantly. Chas took a wound to the shoulder and arm but stabbed forward through one's face and caught the other in the neck with a sidelong strike.
"There's too many of them!" Zed screamed. She reached down into the muck of death around her and grabbed a bone then stabbed down into the shoulder of a demon that had bitten Chas on the forearm. The two looked at each and then rushed the oncoming demons.
Several gunshots rang out and the demons paused as they watched five of their comrades burst into flames and vanish.
"...holy magic...!"
"...a priest...!"
"...we must flee...!"
The demons turned to the doorway and stopped. The Question was standing there brandishing his pistol. "You lot aren't going anywhere!" He opened fire, aiming straight for the heads of the demons but they charged him, filled with fear of death.
"C'mon!" Chas rushed the back of the nearest demon and drove the bone through it's back.
Zed and Chas went to town on the backs of demons they could while Question dodged blows and shot them from the front. Once fear set in the hunger demons were easily defeated and the three were left standing in the middle of a massacre breathing heavily.
"How'd you find us?" Zed asked in between breaths.
"Constantine hit you both with a tracking spell." Question responded. "Asked me to keep an eye on you both while he handled his business."
"Not surprised after the first two kidnappings." Chas dropped the bone and they all started out of the hunger demon feeding grounds.
"Thought you were busy chasing a lead." Zed said
"Lucky for you both I finished that early and was able to find you." Question replied.
"Yeah. Thanks." Chas rubbed his chin and his wounds began to heal. He saw Question looking and simply said, "Long story. Another time perhaps."
Question said nothing but they knew he wanted to know more. "Any word on John?" Zed changed the subject.
"No, but we can wait for him back at my safe house. Come on." Question turned without another word and started out of the building.
Malibu, California 9:00pm
"...it's okay, honey. I know the accident wasn't your fault. I love you and the children and I miss you all but I need you to let go so I can pass on..."
"It's just so hard without you!" a teary eyed man blurted out between sobs.
"...I know, honey. I know. I wish I could come home but I can't and every moment I spend in limbo is more and more pain..."
The man wiped his tears. "Alright. Okay, Misha. I'll let go." He inhaled to calm himself. "I love you."
"...and I you..." the woman's body began to jerk and twist in her seat then her head slammed into the table and she didn't move.
"Oh my god! Madam Xanadu! Madam Xanadu!" The man's eyes widened. His friends had told him not to go to a psychic but he didn't think he'd have to deal with seeing a woman die in front of him.
Suddenly she sat upright and her eyes were the color of milk for a moment then returned to normal. "I'm fine. Thank you for your concern."
"No, thank you for letting me talk to my wife again," the man said happily and stood up. "I'll be sure to leave you a good review on Yelp."
Madam Xanadu turned her back and began tinkering with objects, ignoring the foolish man she'd just scammed out of three hundred dollars. The sound of the bells above the door ringing signaled he was gone and she exhaled loudly.
Then the bells rang again, "I'm sorry we're closed for the night." she said sweetly but kept her back turned to hide the annoyance on her face.
"I'm a bit shocked to see you running a scam like this, love. It's much more up my alley."
Madam Xanadu turned around, "John Constantine? It's been years." she didn't sound especially happy saying this.
"Indeed it has." Constantine lit a cigarette. "Seems like you've fallen a bit on the food chain so to speak."
Madam Xanadu scoffed and waved her hand. "Immortality gets boring. This is simply fun for me." She motioned for Constantine to follow her and led him into the back area of the business. Constantine heard the doors lock then the store began to close itself down and the lights began to go off behind them.
She led him to a solid wall and with the wave of her hand a doorway appeared. The door opened and led into a lively occult nightclub.
"Now this is the Xanadu I remember." Constantine smirked as he looked around from the doorway. There were all sorts of creatures and humans in attendance and the band was playing a lively tune that made him tap his foot for a moment. This was a place where anything someone with magical abilities could get whatever he wanted. Dozens of doorways were all over the establishment and Constantine knew some hid sexual fantasies being lived and others were paths to only God knew where.
Madam Xanadu waved off the comment and continued walking, "Just another thing to help the centuries pass," she said nonchalantly. Constantine knew that he wasn't in Los Angeles anymore and likely not even the same plane of reality. This club reeked of magics from numerous sources, blended together like a seductive cocktail.
Constantine followed her and eventually they made it to her office where she unlocked the door and waved him in. He went into the office and took a seat on the opposite side of the desk while Madam Xanadu sat in the large chair reserved for the boss.
"So, why have you come to see me after all this time? You must need something." She got straight to the point.
"Well damn! Can't even offer a bloke a drink?" Constantine joked but straightened up when Xanadu continued to stare daggers. "Oh, come off your high horse there like you don't bloody know what's going on out there! Everything's gone bananas and I need to know where I can find Felix Faust." Madam Xanadu's face was a mask. "You already knew Faust was behind this?"
"We immortals tend to stay out of the doings of mortals."
"But Faust is immortal! And he's mucking up the natural order!" Constantine pointed out.
"Not truly immortal like myself." Madam Xanadu waved him off. "Still, whatever he's doing is amassing massive amounts of power and we can't have him becoming too mighty now can we?"
"No, we can't." Constantine rolled his eyes. He disliked dealing with immortals as their views on life and the loss of it were distorted by lengthy existences.
"Faust has death cults worshiping whatever random deity those foolish mortals believe in now. They sacrifice and kill in his name, fueling his death magics. My sources haven't been able to locate his whereabouts as of yet but we have been tracking this man." Madam Xanadu took out a police report page.
"Who's this..." Constantine glanced at the paper. "...Donald Trump supposed to be?"
"That, my dear Constantine, just so happens to be the leader of a death cult that worships a deity I hear you've recently spoken with." Madam Xanadu grinned and it made Constantine uneasy.
If he was surprised by her knowledge of recent events Constantine didn't show it. "The First..." he whispered and looked at the paper for more information.
"Yes, the First of the Fallen. Donald leads the cult but unbeknownst to majority of it's members Donald really takes orders from Felix Faust to further whatever agenda he's working towards."
"How do you know this?" Constantine asked.
"Followed the money." Madam Xanadu replied. "He receives deposits monthly from a dummy account that traces back to a corporate interest I know Faust is a major holder of."
"Bloody immortals using that life to rack up fortunes." Constantine shook his head, feeling a bit jealous he wasn't rich for a moment.
"Indeed we do." Madam Xanadu didn't seem to notice or care. "You find Donald and make him talk. He'll be able to point you in the direction of Faust."
Constantine folded up the paper and tucked it away then stood up to leave. "Thanks, Xanadu." he smirked. "Been a pleasure as always."
"The cancer has nearly eaten through your chest. It's a wonder you're even able to move at all." Her cold voice stopped Constantine at her office door. "Yet you still smoke. Are you eager to suffer the First's tortures?"
Over his shoulder and with a cigarette in his mouth Constantine said, "Don't worry your precious little self about me. The First won't get anywhere near this lovely body anytime soon."