Lucifer's Apostles

Lucifer's Apostles Episode 34

Before finishing work, Tank face-timed his children, which was the most important job he had to do all day. Even Dahlia wanted to talk, even if it was only to tell Tank that Tiffany had a boyfriend and that he was ugly. Aaron told Tank about his trip to the beach with his mates and how everyone had gotten scared because they thought they had seen a shark. It turned out to be a pod of dolphins. After Dahlia and Aaron left, Tank talked to Tiffany until she was called away.

The helicopter had been dispatched with Marty and Lisa. Stakeouts had been posted on the large sheds. Melissa Westbrook’s boyfriend could not be brought in for questioning. He had shipped out of Townsville two weeks ago for army drills.

Tank drove to his apartment, where he showered and changed into shorts and a T-shirt. He packed his duffel bag and went to Katie’s. She answered the door with a smile. Her ocean-blue eyes had a sparkle to them. She was wearing a short nightie that looked like a long shirt that buttoned up the front, her hair was in a ponytail, and she had removed her makeup. Instead of dressing up or wearing lingerie, she was natural. Tank liked it very much.

“Thanks for coming in today. I needed everyone I could. We still couldn’t find out much before tonight. Marty called. They found a stack of cars at three locations. All three were parties. Parties on a Sunday night? Wouldn’t you have them on a Saturday?” Tank asked.

Katie ushered Tank to the table. She had heated the stroganoff and the rice and now dished it up. She carried the two meals to the table, where she had placed two candles. After turning out the lights, she sat and said Grace. “Our Father, for this day, for our friends, we thank you, Amen”.

Tank was a little taken aback. It was the first time they had said Grace, except for the family dinner when her mother had. He would always say it with his children. “Ana and Nina helped me prepare dinner. If you’re not a fan, blame them”, Katie said with a smile.

Tank took a mouthful of food and let the flavours linger in his mouth. After he swallowed, he said. “This is delicious. I’ve had beef stroganoff before. It’s never been this good”.

“There is enough for seconds as well as lunch tomorrow. I see you brought your duffel bag with you. Does that mean I have the pleasure of your company in bed tonight?” she asked with the girly giggle that was becoming a habit.

“It does. I thought about it long and hard for about nine seconds and decided, yep, I want to spoon you all night”, Tank said. Katie told him she was unsure what spoon meant and reminded him that he knew they had to work tomorrow. He laughed, saying, “It just means that I cuddle into your back, nothing ribald”.

After they finished dinner, Tank had seconds and then thirds. “So much for tomorrow’s lunch Sarge”, she said. She asked him if he had room for Russian fudge and ice cream. Of course, he did. “It is Sunday, so you are allowed”. They ate the dessert before Tank told her it had been the best meal he had eaten. They had set a rule that there would be no talk about work at the table.

It was 9:30 when they finished packing the dishwasher and cleaning up. Katie told him to hang his clothes on the other side of her wardrobe, which confused him when he looked because both sides were complete. She then explained which side she had meant. One side of the closet had her casual and her ‘going out’ clothes. The other side had her work apparel, which was where she had hung the clothing she had washed and ironed for him.

Katie had a bath, and Tank was about to sit down to watch anything on television that was not the news. He thought he saw movement outside the window from the corner of his eye. He went over and looked outside. It was easier to see without light, so he blew out the candles on the way. He saw nothing. It may have been his imagination, he thought. He went to the bathroom and knocked on the door before he entered. “I’m going to go and lay on the bed. If I doze off, wake me when you come in, please”. He laid down and was asleep within a minute.

When she finished her bath, Katie kissed him on the cheek. He woke and kissed her on the mouth until she pulled away, “You need sleep, Sarge. You tell me about the tired soldiers all the time”, she said as his face turned back onto the pillow. He was wrong. She had spooned him all night.

***

Maria just had the worst day of her life. Nothing had ever come close, not even when she was told about Christopher and Helena. She hurt everywhere, especially her shoulder and her insides. Jacko had decided that pinning the clothes peg on Maria was a fun game. She would curse him with every word she knew while he laughed at her, making her angrier. Then he would jab the stun gun into her until she passed out before pouring water onto her face to wake her.

Snake entered the room and walked up to the bed. That was Maria’s last memory until she awoke in a strange room. She could not see anything except what was directly in front of her because her head was in a clamp. She could not move any part of her body as she was tied down and cuffed. She could see both of her knees that had been spread apart. That was when she realised that she was on a labour chair. It was something she had dreamed of, not this way. It was a nightmare. She also had a ball gag in her mouth, masking her screams.

Walking into the room, Snake asked, “Are you comfortable”? For the first time since he had started this job, he did not feel sorry for the victim. She had turned into a wild animal since she killed Melissa. Jacko had something to do with that, no doubt. Still, he had not liked her since they had taken her. She was as fake as they could come.

Maria tried to look at him, but he had moved out of range. Stopping herself from screaming, she tried to talk to him. Hopefully, he would remove the gag, she thought. He took no notice. He was checking her body. She could feel him. He took a cannula out of her arm, and she felt him put some tape to replace it. Why did she need a drip? Then she realised the only water she had drunk all day was when Jacko poured it down her throat until she choked.

She saw Snake go to the doors in her vision and open them. She saw someone with a red robe and mask walk in, followed by others dressed in purple, black and blue robes. They formed a semi-circle around her, and the one in red moved behind her. A woman’s voice started chanting something about everything for their saviour, and everybody in the room chanted back.

A man with a blue robe came into full vision of her, and she realised her nightmare had only just begun. She looked behind the man dressed in blue and saw Christopher smiling at her as she felt herself being violated. She closed her eyes but could not shut out the noise or stop the tears from streaming down her face. She wished that she were dead. She opened her eyes, and Helena had replaced Christopher, laughing, enjoying every second.

The pain and humiliation lasted for what seemed an eternity. When one man was finished, another took his place. She screamed as loud as she could and tried to move, but it was impossible as man after man had their way with her. She thought of her parents and the love they had for her. She had to be brave for them, she decided, until the next man came along.

Maria did not count the six men. To her, they seemed never-ending. When the last man finished, the clamp that held her head was removed before it was strapped. She could feel the chair convert into a table. Then, her legs were uncuffed and re-cuffed. They were held tightly together.

Now, she could only see the ceiling and a figure that stood above her. She heard something about the woman’s lord, Satan and saw the dagger above her head. She whispered, “Thank you, Jesus, it’s over” as she saw the woman’s hands come down fast.