44: Medina Family

[dannydiez]

[{TW=≠=AH }]

“Rabbi, no!”

    A portal tore open in the Austrian home of the Weiss family. Amelia popped out first, then Kai.

    Udo, shocked by the sight of the time travelers, dropped his broken glass bottle.
    “Oy vey. I must be—“

    Drunken and shocked beyond belief, Rabbi Udo collapsed mid-sentence. Lying on his back, he remained sound asleep and completely oblivious with broken shards of glass beside him.

    Frau Weiss and Paula Silber fled into the bedroom. Jonas Weiss was frozen by fear. Dr. Khalil took his glasses off for a moment, wiped the lenses clean, then put them back on.

    “Uhhh, hm. This is awkward,” Amelia said, breaking the silence like ice. “Sorry for the intrusion. Not sure if there’s anything I can say which explains this. Yo, Kai—you wanna help me out here?”

    Kai shook his head and groaned. Dr. Khalil approached Amelia with reluctant curiosity.

    “This is truly a paranormal phenomenon. As strange as it is unexpected, I would say.”  The doctor adjusted his glasses once more. “I suppose it goes to show, anything is possible these days.

    “I am Khalil. You are. . .?”

    “Folks call me Anti-Hero. This unkempt vagabond is my partner, Kai. He’s the one who brought us here. To put it simply, he does magic tricks and portals and stuff. Don’t worry about him, though. He may look angry and homeless, but he’s a softie. A softie who tends to get us constantly thrown all around the timeline of this crazy universe.” Amelia chuckled.

    Kai grunted at Amelia. “My apologies, Madame. I merely assumed you did not want to be blown to pieces by that reptilian suicide bomber. I will take responsibility for this if it is your wish, but know one thing: time magic is sacred. I ask you do not refer to my craft in such a demeaning way.”

    “You come from the future, hm?” Jonas stepped behind Dr. Khalil. “You speak perfect German.”

    “So it may seem,” Kai explained. “In reality, several of us are talking in completely different languages. However, it is my mystic aura which allows for everyone within my reach to understand each other in their own native languages.”

    “Pretty snazzy, Kai. Now I know why I keep ya around,” Amelia teased.

    “I am not alone,” Kai said in his most serious voice. “Doctor Khalil, Guardian of the Pharaoh’s Tomb. You are a time warden. There is no mistaking it. Your aura is the same as mine—I have felt it since we arrived. You can drop the act and tell these people the truth.”

    Frau Silber emerged from Emil’s room. “Jonas, come now! Quickly! Your mother, she’s . . .”

    “W-What has been done to her? H-Hm,” Jonas blurted.

    “If you will allow me,” Dr. Khalil said. “Young Time Warden and Anti Hero, if you will excuse us for a moment. We will resume this conversation later, yes?”

    “Sure, no objections from my end.” Amelia said, “What about that unconscious drunk dude? You need us to watch him for ya? Can’t say we have anything better to do until Kai gets us the portal re-opened.”

    “This man seems familiar,” Kai said as he examined Udo.

    “I am sure you will figure it out on your own, my perceptive young comrade,” Khalil replied. “Now, if you shall excuse me.”

    Khalil followed Frau Silber into Emil’s room.

    Jonas scowled. “If it were not for my brother’s health, I’d surely kick the both of you out on your ends.”
   

[{TW=≠=AH}]

    “Señor Medina. Long time no see.” Noah adjusted his glasses and stood from his desk’s rolling chair. “You snuck your way in here without a single alarm going off. Breaching through Heaven’s Gate has never once been done by a single agent. It’s really quite impressive you didn’t get yourself killed. I don’t suppose you are here to turn yourself in.”

    Nick paced around the PIA office, glancing at the pictures of the Augustine family hung on the walls.

    He narrowed his eyes at the agent. “Noah Augustine, my man. Would have thought you’d be in charge here by now. Maybe the reason you carry such a grudge against me is because you’re still down here in the basement doing the grunt work.”

    “You remain so ignorant. I saved your son’s life for this. You must not’ve heard how I put down Isaac Blackbourne, a damn PIA director, just to save his ass. What have you done for him, Nick?”

    “What have I done for my son? You dare question my loyalty to my family? You’re the loser who drugged his own daughter and let his wife die without saying goodbye to her. Or do you not remember?”

    Nick’s words triggered Noah’s rage. “You call me a loser, but you are nothing but a violent monster who takes his anger out on the world. Nothing more, nothing less.”

    “You skinny little pencil-pushing PIA bastard. You mess with my family, I have no sympathy left for you. I will spray your blood on the goddamn walls!” Nick’s hair became wavy, his muscles bulging.

    Nick tore off his shirt as he began to change forms, his eyes glowing crimson red.

    “Damn, it’s the incubus! This thing is out of control!” Noah spoke into a walkie-talkie. I’m going to need some backup in here ASAP!”

    Several PIA bounty hunters charged through the doors, guns drawn. A wave of gunfire bursted through the air, bouncing off their target like pebbles.

    One of the hunters wearing goggles gazed in horror, yelling to Noah, “What the hell is going on, Augustine? How did this thing get in here?! We’re out of our league!”

    Nick grabbed the agent in goggles by the neck and held him up like a rag doll. Several more shots hit Nick’s chest and fell to the floor, failing to provide aid to the hostage.

    “Damn right you are,” Nick’s voice said in a low, demonic tone. “Now it’s time for you all to die.”

    Noah extended his arm, holding up his hand at Nick. “Put him down, Nick. You don’t need to resort to this. You have to believe me. I was not the one who put out the hit on you or Nate. Please believe—“

    “Mr. Augustine! What the hell is going on here?” Nate came through the door, glaring at the incubus.

    Nick released the hostage, throwing him on the floor. He looked at his son through the eyes of the demon and said, “Nate, why did you . . .”
   
“Dad? You are an incubus, too? I should have known. That’s why these people want us. You must have known this all along. At what point will you stop hiding the truth?!”

    “Wait a minute, Nate. Let me talk to him,” Noah said. “I swear on my daughter’s grave, Nick, I don’t know why the hit was put out on you both. Our current director is the one who decided this.”

    Nate raised an eyebrow. “The director? You mean you aren’t even aware—?“

    “Stand down, men.” Noah said. “Nick, you can see Nate trusts me. We can talk about this. I need your cooperation.”

    Nick’s eyes returned to their natural brown hue and his muscles retracted. In human form once more, he released the hostage. He looked to his son and sighed.

    “You have no reason to be here,” Nick said, pointing to Nate. “Noah Augustine is not to be trusted. I don’t know what he told you, but he’s lying. He has always been a stone cold liar.”

    Nate sighed. “I could say the same about you, Dad.”

    Noah cleared his throat. “Ahem. We can deal with the family matters later. What I said before was completely true, and Nate can confirm it. I was the one who put down Blackbourne, the previous director. I allowed Nate to walk out of this same facility unharmed, long ago.”

    “That’s a piece of the truth,” Nate said. “Mr. Augustine may have messed up before, but it’s different now. I was hoping you came here to work things out with him. The man saved my life, I trust him as an ally.”

    “Maybe I was wrong,” Nick said. “Noah, you have my apologies. If the circumstances are what my son say they are, we will need your help clearing the Medina family name.”

    Noah nodded. “Okay, then. Clear it out. I have some private matters to discuss here myself.”

    Hearing this, the remaining PIA hunters flocked out of the room like frightened chickens, leaving only the two Medinas and Noah Augustine left in the office.

    “We’ll need to get out of here, then. Those guys saw what they saw,” Nick said.

    Nate sighed. “More running?”

    “Perhaps not. I can sense there is a disturbing presence coming for us now,” Nick said, his demon eyes glaring once more.

    Footsteps approached, and a large man in camouflage wearing a dead skin mask entered the door. His badge read “Paranormal Investigation Alliance Director in Charge”.

    “No more running, incubus,” the masked man said. “Not for you or traitor Augustine.”

    Noah’s eyes widened. “You. You can’t be . . .”

    “Th-This explains everything,” Nick said, stuttering in a a manner completely foreign to Nate. “My God, this is a damn nightmare.”

    Nate scowled at the director. “So the new director who put a hit out on my family decides to finally show his face. Or at least, a masked face. Just who are you, fucking freak?”

    “Your worst nightmare.” The director spoke in an assertive, barbaric voice. “Exterminate you Medina rats, I shall. No mercy for any who associate with rat.”

    “Nick, I’m sending Nate out of here. I don’t want to risk him getting involved. You and I will handle this,” Noah said.

    “Wait a second! I want to help you guys fight!” Nate’s eyes glowed red. “I can control my incubus form now. Let me help.”

    “No can do,” Nick said. “This guy is way out of your league. We’re going to do our best. I want you to live to see another day here, and the only way I can be sure of that is if we get you out of here while we have the chance.”

    Noah dropped an unusual grenade on the floor which blew open a spiraling portal.

    “Dad! Remember what you promised? You can’t—“

    “No more talk,” the director said as he raised his hand.

    A force field blew Nick off his feet and sent him flying against the wall. Waves of energy irradiated from the Masked Man.

    “Son, I promise.” Nick hunched over. “Noah. Do it now.”

    “Got it,” Noah said. “Alright then, kid. You know how this works. We’ve been through it before. Off you go.”

    Nate screamed. “Dad! Mr. Augustine! Please don’t!”

    Unrelenting to Nate’s protest, Noah grabbed the young man’s arm and threw him into the portal which closed up immediately behind him.