Demon by Erik Williams Page B

Prince’s name and description. Fax it to them as well.”
    Gunny ran out of the tent without saying anything.
    â€œMajor,” Mike said, “I need to leave now. I need to get to Basra in case my boss needs real-time intel.”
    Greengrass nodded and offered his hand. Mike shook it.
    â€œAppreciate the help, Mr. Hosselkus,” Greengrass said.
    â€œDon’t know what I really provided.”
    â€œDidn’t provide. Just accelerated. But we needed the kick. We’ll get this guy before he gets to Basra.”
    â€œBe sure you do.”

CHAPTER NINE
    S emyaza found the highway without any problems. Hank’s memory had proven reliable. It was not long before he found himself on the outskirts of Basra.
    Along the way, he had passed many vehicles heading both in and out of the city, but none of the drivers or passengers had resorted to savagery. Why? What had changed?
    I defeated the soul, Semyaza thought. I am spirit and the soul is spirit. Where we battle, chaos follows. When I prevail, so does order.
    As long as he had control, savagery did not reign. But as soon as he entered another body, the battle with the soul would begin again, and chaos would spread around him; that much he was sure of. Two spirits cannot occupy the same earthly flesh.
    Lucky for them, he thought as more cars passed. But soon he would have to pick one and invade it. Not yet, though. He was not strong enough.
    Semyaza had planned to enter the first man he had come across. He halted, though, knowing he would lose. To jump into another and commence another fight so soon would only lead to failure. No, he needed time to recover. Needed to maintain his current vessel for as long as possible. Yet he could not postpone the battle indefinitely. If he did, the body would completely disintegrate, and he would find himself yanked back into Uriel’s prison.
    â€œTiming,” Semyaza said. “You must master the timing.”
    Semyaza looked in the rearview and saw bone. The skin on his forehead and cheekbones and mouth had completely peeled away, exposing the ligaments around his jaw and the muscles in his face. An animated cadaver.
    Not much time left, he thought.
    His hands, nothing more than skeletal digits, gripped the steering wheel tighter. In the distance, Basra grew closer.
    â€œYou are fighting a losing battle, Semyaza.”
    The words spoken in the Ancient Tongue caused him to jump slightly in his seat before realizing who had spoken them. Next to him, Uriel appeared. Not in the form of radiant light and mist as he had earlier. Instead, he assumed the appearance of a man with long black hair and clothing similar to his own. Khaki pants. A flannel shirt.
    â€œI escaped your prison.”
    â€œYou are still in prison.” Uriel shook his head. “You never learn. I am surprised how much your arrogance has persisted. I thought, after you fell and were imprisoned, you would learn. Not the other Fallen but certainly you.”
    â€œWhy am I special?”
    â€œBecause you were better than them. Because you know following them was unwise. You knew it then and you know it now.”
    â€œIf you are hoping to hear me lament, you will be here for eternity.”
    â€œOf course. It is clear you have done nothing but plot for your own selfish gain rather than be penitent.”
    â€œPenitence brought me nothing.”
    â€œYou were never sorry. And look at you now, living like a virus.”
    â€œI will do whatever I have to,” Semyaza said. “I will gladly hop from human to human forever rather than return to your prison.”
    â€œThis is folly. You cannot succeed. With every battle, more humans will destroy each other in your presence. Will you continue until they are all dead?”
    â€œIf I have to.”
    â€œYou will not succeed.” Uriel looked out the window at the passing landscape. “You have forgotten much, even your sentence.”
    It had been so long since