Empty Is the Grave Read online

His attention locked on Hugh.

  No choice now.

  Hugh fired.

  The bullets spat from his gun, spraying the three men with lead.

  The crate crashed to the rocks as all three men fell. While he heard what sounded like wood splintering, the crate remained mostly intact, its contents safe from anyone who might try to use the weapons against him.

  Blood spattered the rocks around the three men. Maybe one of them was still alive and could provide intel.

  He turned to one of the men beside him. “You’re with me. Come on.”

  They scurried down the rocks.

  While the guy covering his back watched the entrance to the cave, Hugh knelt beside the first prisoner and felt for a pulse.

  Nope.

  He moved on to the second prisoner.

  A gurgling sound came from the man’s mouth, which moved in silent cries. Blood trickled from the corner.

  This guy didn’t have long.

  But how long did it take to relay information?

  He knelt beside the man. “How many are inside?”

  Wide eyes regarded him.

  He pressed his gun into the man’s side. “How many!”

  “Don’t know.” The voice was raspy, the words labored.

  “Ten? Twenty?”

  Footsteps pounded inside the cave. The man keeping watch for him showered the currently empty entrance with bullets as a warning.

  Time was short.

  “M-m-more.” The man’s breathing quickened. His skin took on a gray pallor that matched the rocks beneath his body.

  “Who’s in charge?”

  “L-l-lady.” The effort of that one word cost the man. “Russian.”

  Russian?

  He didn’t know any Russian adversaries personally, but he bet Bruce would know.

  “What’s her name?”

  The man’s eyes flitted. “Help me.”

  Yeah, right.

  He’d gotten all he was going to get from this jerk. Guy didn’t have much time left, anyway.

  Pushing to his feet, he moved to the final man.

  Dead.

  “Fall back.”

  He scurried back across the rocks to where Bruce and the rest of his men waited.

  Bruce narrowed his dark eyes on him. “What’d he say?”

  “We’re up against a lot of people. Couldn’t give me a number but said it was more than twenty.”

  Bruce’s jaw twitched.

  “Also said that they’re being led by a woman. Russian.”

  Bruce cursed. “Oksana.”

  So. Bruce did know her. By name even.

  “Who is she?”

  “Ex-KGB.” Bruce spat the words. “Suffice it to say that I used her and she used me, but I won in the end.”

  Interesting.

  If she was anything like Bruce, she wouldn’t have taken that well.

  This was personal.

  One look at Bruce’s face confirmed it was personal for both of them.

  And only one could win.

  The question was if he stood on the winning side.

  Thirteen

  The quiet should have been reassuring, but Josiah knew better.

  It wasn’t peace. More like being in the eye of the storm.

  Movement in his peripheral drew his attention.

  A demon slowly descended to the path in front of them, his gaze barely flicking over Rush before resting on Josiah.

  His pulse thundered in his ears and his breathing accelerated. What did the creature want?

  Josiah’s steps slowed, his arm coming out to keep Rush back.

  Rush glanced around. “You hear something?” His words, barely above a whisper, registered in the back of Josiah’s mind.

  Josiah stared at the creature, waiting.

  It had sought him out for a reason. Likely to try to plant doubt. Maybe taunt.

  Rush was going to think he’d lost his mind.

  “Josiah, man, if you hear something…”

  Josiah didn’t take his attention off the demon, who regarded him with narrowed eyes. “Not hear. See. The enemy is here.”

  “Where?”

  “You think you’re something special, don’t you?” The creature’s voice was as smooth as melted chocolate. “Because you can see us. Because you dispatched one of ours earlier. But you are nothing. Less than nothing. We will crush you.”

  Ah. Taunting and intimidation.

  He held the creature’s gaze. The smirk faltered and doubt broke through.

  It wasn’t as confident as it wanted him to believe. “You can never crush me, because I am secure in the hands of Jesus.”

  The creature hissed as though burned.

  “Crush you? I didn’t say anything about crushing you.” Rush sounded thoroughly confused.

  As he should.

  The demon chuckled. “Yes, go ahead and tell him about me. He won’t believe you.”

  No, he likely wouldn’t. It didn’t matter. Josiah wouldn’t lie, not even to save his reputation.

  Josiah glanced at Rush. “I see the supernatural. Angels and demons.”

  Rush stared at him for a heartbeat too long, then managed a chuckle that sounded forced. “Ha! Good one. You had me going. But honestly, you really think this is a good time for jokes?”

  Josiah didn’t smile, didn’t laugh, didn’t encourage.

  Instead, he waited, his gaze locked on Rush.

  Rush’s smile faded. He rubbed the back of his neck and averted his eyes. “You’re, uh, you’re serious.”

  “I am.” Josiah looked back at the demon, who grinned, exposing a mouth full of gleaming pointy teeth. “There’s a demon right there. You can’t see him, but I’m about to bind him.”

  The demon lunged forward, stopping with his face inches from Josiah’s. “Not today, you aren’t. You don’t have the authority you think you have. You’re nothing.”

  The stench of decay emanated from the creature, filling Josiah’s senses.

  His stomach lurched.

  “I am a servant of the Lord Most High.” How many times did he have to tell these creatures that? “I come on His authority. And you have no power over me.”

  The demon assessed him for a second before shifting his colorless eyes to Rush. “Maybe not, but I do over him.”

  Josiah stepped between the demon and Rush, not that his body could stop a spirit. “No. He belongs to Jesus and you’ll not touch him.”

  He felt a nudge inside. It was time to end this.

  “In fact, you won’t touch anyone.”

  The demon’s eyes widened momentarily before narrowing into slits. “Leave now and I’ll let you live.”

  He would not fold to the threats of a demon. “In the name of Jesus Christ–”

  “Shut up!”

  “–I bind you–”

  “No! No, no, no!”

  “–And command you to leave this place.”

  The demon screamed, a soul-chilling, bone-rattling sound that reverberated in Josiah’s core.

  It was crazy to him that Rush couldn’t hear, couldn’t feel this, yet he knew from experience that no one else noticed.

  He smelled the smoke before seeing the tendrils seeping through the creature’s skin.

  The thing writhed, it screamed, it spat curses and threats then, in a blinding flash, it vanished.

  Two burned spots marred the dirt in front of him, where the demon had once stood.

  “What the heck was that?” Rush’s voice carried disbelief mingled with a hint of fear.

  “What?” He turned to look at Rush, whose dark face held a slightly green hue. “Did you see something?”

  “I–I don’t know.” He moved back a step and blinked rapidly. “I mean, there was something… light, and darkness… and why do I smell smoke?”

  Josiah felt a slow grin spread on his face. “Congratulations, brother. You just witnessed your first demonic encounter.”

  “No. I mean, that stuff isn’t real.”

&n
bsp; “It’s very real. In fact,” Josiah gestured at the dark swarm swirling above, “we are surrounded by them right now. This battle we’re facing, it’s driven by spiritual forces you can’t see.”

  “You’re crazy.” The words lacked conviction. In fact, his tone begged Josiah to agree.

  “I wish I were, but there are forces at work bigger than the both of us.”

  Rush crossed his arms and looked around as though searching for an escape. Or a distraction.

  “Think about it. Remember your Bible history. Jesus cast out demons. Angels appeared to people. Do you really think all that stopped sometime between now and then?”

  Rush shook his head slowly. “I guess I thought that kind of stuff only happened in third world countries.”

  “It’s everywhere, brother.”

  Rush finally looked at him. “So there are… I can’t believe I’m saying this… demons here?”

  “Hordes. I’ve never seen so many in one place.”

  Rush’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “And angels? Are they here, too?”

  Josiah paused. Other than the one in the lighthouse, he hadn’t seen a single angelic warrior since leaving the boat. Why?

  Father?

  The answer slipped into his soul and he smiled, then turned to Rush. “Soon. They will be here soon. In the meantime, pray without ceasing. We could use all the help we can get.”

  ₪ ₪ ₪

  “Trouble!”

  Viktor whipped toward one of his men as the man skidded out of the tunnel and into the main storeroom.

  Breathing heavily, the man doubled over, resting his hands on his knees. “There’s… shooters… and they’re dead!”

  Dang. That explained the gunfire he’d heard.

  He’d hoped it had been his crew warning one of the prisoners, not an indication that someone had tracked them down.

  Oksana stepped toward him, eyes narrowed on the man who was practically hyperventilating. “Make some sense.”

  The man straightened and visibly worked to even his breathing. “There’re guys outside with guns. They shot Mikhail. And those two cons you sent with the crate.”

  Guys with guns. Had to be Lewis’s men, right? Who else knew about this place and would come in with guns blazing?

  “Did you see them?” His question drew the man’s attention to him. “How many there are?”

  The man shook his head. “I was too busy trying not to get shot.”

  Viktor suddenly realized that all activity in the room had ceased. A quick scan showed that the cons were frozen, watching the exchange, as were his own men.

  All awaiting Oksana’s command.

  Oksana turned and pointed to two of their men. “You. Go down the tunnel, circle around, and take them–”

  Gunshots echoed from the tunnel at the back of the room. Seconds later the door slammed and Nikolas burst from the center aisle.

  “Gunmen in the tunnel!”

  Viktor’s throat closed. The room seemed to shrink around them.

  Lewis had boxed them in.

  They were trapped.

  ₪ ₪ ₪

  Rush fell into step behind Josiah and fought through the fog bogging down his mind.

  God, help me.

  He wasn’t sure if he was praying for their current situation or his sanity.

  Angels and demons.

  Seriously? Who was Josiah kidding?

  And yet, he’d seen something, hadn’t he?

  It’d been brief, a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye. A flash of darkness followed by light so bright he couldn’t bear to look.

  There were singed marks on the ground. And the smell of smoke.

  He sure hadn’t imagined all that!

  Besides, he knew Josiah. The guy walked with God like no one he’d ever met. If anyone would have supernatural abilities, wouldn’t it be Josiah?

  Josiah froze, then grabbed his arm and jerked him behind some shrubs. “Come on.”

  He knelt on the ground beside the preacher.

  What was he doing? Taking orders from a prison preacher? Hiding in the shrubs like some kind of outlaw?

  No! He was in charge here and–

  Footsteps pounded toward them. Several sets of footsteps.

  He hunched down lower.

  Half a dozen men, dressed head to toe in black and carrying automatic weapons, jogged by.

  The world tipped.

  This was the second time Josiah had sensed trouble coming and hidden them away.

  It didn’t make any sense. He was the one with the military background. He was the one with tactical training. He was the one who should be protecting Josiah, yet Josiah had saved his neck twice now.

  Maybe three times, if that demon had any power to hurt him.

  A minute passed before Josiah rose. “We can go now.”

  “How did you do that?” The question slipped out without conscious thought.

  “God told me.” Josiah’s grin stretched across his face. “God is with us, my friend.”

  “That’s it? Just God told you?”

  “Isn’t that enough?” One of Josiah’s unruly eyebrows quirked. “Besides that, demons hover above each of these men, feeding them wicked and ruthless thoughts and fueling their fury. So God tells me they’re coming, and the demons confirm it.”

  “You’re telling me that all this,” he flung his hand to the landscape around them, “Is because the devil made them do it?”

  Had he really said that?

  He’d always resisted such thinking. Men chose their own path. The devil didn’t make them do anything.

  Or did he?

  “No.” Josiah’s head moved with purpose. “The enemy can plant ideas, but ultimately mankind chooses for himself which course to take. James 1:14 says that each of us is tempted by our own desires, which entice us to sin. That’s why it’s so important to guard the things that enter your head, for they will surely find their way into your heart.”

  Yeah, he remembered hearing that verse before.

  Gunfire pulsed from not far in front of them.

  Rush grabbed Josiah’s arm and jerked him toward the ground.

  That sounded close.

  “Stay low.” He hissed the words as he crawled forward, gun held tightly in his hands.

  Just ahead of them, the hill crested. Whatever was going on must be on the other side of that ridge.

  He approached the top and dropped to his stomach, army crawling until he reached the top of the small incline and could see down the other side.

  A rocky terrain dotted the landscape before him, ending in the sparkling blue waters of the Pacific.

  Seven bodies, four of them in orange jump suits, sprawled on the rocks. A large wooden crate rested at a strange angle next to two of the bodies.

  A cluster of men stood near the mouth of a cave, their backs to him. Each man had a semiautomatic rifle in his hand. Many had other weapons strapped to their bodies.

  Beyond the men, resting on the rocks, were several boats.

  Their freedom, so close, yet so inaccessible.

  Was there any way to reach them without being seen?

  He studied the area.

  No. The only way he might possibly make it to a boat without being seen would be to approach by water, but even then, they’d see him when he tried to get away with the boat.

  He dropped his head to the ground.

  All this effort, for nothing.

  He’d have to face the people back at the lighthouse, people who were counting on him, and tell them he’d failed.

  He couldn’t save them.

  “God alone has power to save.” Josiah’s whispered words settled over him.

  How the heck had Josiah known so clearly what he’d been thinking?

  No point in asking. To call Josiah a mystery was like saying that they were in a little trouble.

  At any rate, Josiah was right.

  Salvation came from the Lord.

  He’d just hoped that may
be God would use him to deliver them from the evil facing them today.

  Well, if he couldn’t secure a boat to get them off the island, the least he could do was try to gain some intel.

  He watched the men in front of him.

  What were they doing? They seemed to be interested in that cave, yet no one would venture…

  Movement from the darkness within sent the men scattering seconds before the telltale popping sound met his ears.

  So.

  There was someone inside the cave. Someone who didn’t like the guys outside.

  Further confirmed his theory that they were up against two rival groups here. What the objective of those groups was remained a mystery, but somehow he and his crew had managed to get caught smack in the middle.

  They better get back to the lighthouse.

  The longer they were out here, the greater their chances of being discovered.

  He slid backward, bumping into Josiah, who had moved closer while he’d observed. “Let’s get back before they see us.”

  After scooting back a few more yards, he rose and led the way down the trail.

  He should get on the radio and let Cortez know that he’d failed.

  His finger touched the button and he stopped.

  No, he’d tell them in person. It’d give him more time to think of a positive spin for this.

  Assuming he could find one. This was bad and no amount of positivity would change that.

  Besides, he knew at least one of their enemies had a com, so anything he said would be overheard.

  He and Josiah moved down the trail and around a corner.

  Some brush rustled.

  He whipped toward the sound as a man in a wetsuit pointed a M-4 Carbine at his head.

  “Put it down.” The man gestured toward the ground.

  Rush tried to swallow, but the lump in his throat blocked the movement.

  Was this guy alone, or were there others? If it was just this guy, he might be able to get a shot off…

  Movement to his right told him Wetsuit man wasn’t alone.

  He held up his fingers and slowly lowered his gun to the ground.

  Not only had he failed to get them off the island, he’d failed to protect himself and Josiah.

  The only consolation was that he wouldn’t have long to contemplate that failure.

  He hoped they killed him first.

  The last thing he wanted was to watch Josiah, the man who might be crazy or who might have the inside track to God, get shot right in front of him.