V. New Liberty Bell

Lilith and Darrus came to one of the brothel's innumerable ornate doorways. Lilith withdrew a key from her pocket, unlocked it, and slipped through, Darrus in tow. They were in a small room, about four feet to a side. Beyond it was another locked door which Lilith pushed open. Darrus was caught aback by the contrast beyond. While the rest of the house looked like a baroque mansion that was honestly trying too hard, the hall in front of him resembled the recently demolished New Liberty Hospital for the Mentally Ill. There were austere white walls, doors marked only by numbers, and institional carpetting illuminated by flickering flourescent lighting.

Lilith caught Darrus' reaction. "This is where we sleep alone."

"But this place is so...barren." he said.

"It's by necessity. It keeps costs down, of course, but the girls need a relief from the gaudiness out there, too. You try eating cake three times a day for a week and see if you don't want some plain white bread afterward."

Darrus understood the metaphor, but reflected that he hadn't actually eaten since he was alive--more than twenty years ago.

"Why the double locks?" Darrus asked.

"Because customers don't like to think of us as real people. That and it would clash with the whole image of this place." Lilith sighed in disgust.

Lilith led him down the hall to a room numbered 203. She produced another key and unlocked it. Behind it was a small, gently furnished room. They stepped inside, and Lilith shut the door.

"You know," said Darrus. "For a succubus, you certainly seem to loathe sex."

Lilith sneered at him. "Let's just say that I've come to regret the choice I made all those years ago."

"What would damnation be without regret?" Darrus said, more to the world in general than to Lilith.

"Regardless," said Lilith, examining a shelf in the corner. "You need to tell me just what I'll be creating a beacon for, what range it needs, and then we need to choose what object to attach the beacon to. You're familiar how they work, correct?"

"It's been awhile. As I recall, you attach a subconscious signal to a mundane object, which then draws all of the target audience within range towards the beacon. Correct?"

"Enough to understand how it works. So, what exactly are you looking for?"

Darrus lit a cigarette. "You've heard about the blast downtown by now, correct?"

"Days ago. The TV said it was Insurgent activity, as if anyone in the Outer Warrens gives a damn."

"It wasn't insurgent activity. I was there. There was some sort of lesser-known fallen angel called a Fury that was going after an inmate at the New Liberty Hospital for the Mentally Ill. Apparently they were soldiers in Lucifer's army who exclusively fought against the Big Man, not for Lucifer. When they lost, they refused to be cast into the Pit with Lucifer's loyalists, so the Big Man exiled them to the moon. This one found its way onto a shuttle from the moon and ran around Earth for a few decades. Then he started killing things that had no right to be killed--an angel first, then one of our Searchers. He was after a prophet at the NLHMI when I got there. Eighteen Guardians, myself, and a Nightmare I'd brought with me for protection were all there. I wounded the Fury; Szziszzigji, the Nightmare, killed it. The problem was, when it died, all its energy surged outward--that was the source of the blast, not some Insurgent bomb. It was divine energy, so all eighteen Guardians were destroyed. I leapt through a door, half-stunned, and drifted between worlds for three days before some would-be witches managed to summon me this morning. The problem is that the inspection team that disposed of the Guardians remains and created the insurgent rumor didn't know that a Nightmare was present during the blast. They weren't looking for one, but they didn't find one, either. Or any signs of one."

"So there's a Nightmare running around New Liberty with corporeal form?" asked Lilith, raising her eyebrows. "What does it look like?"

"Three legs, all different lengths. Six-inch fangs, two red eyes, horns, a red mohawk, two arms, a tentacle and a tail. It's about twelve feet tall at the tops of the horns."

"And you think something like this could hide out in one of the largest cities on Earth for three days without being detected, after surviving a blast that killed 18 Guardian Devils and nearly killed one of the most clever Searchers in Hell?"

Darrus smiled inwardly at the compliment. "Most likely. Szziszzigji isn't just a normal Nightmare. Whoever thought it up had a truly twisted mind. It's capable of regenerating damaged flesh simply lurking in the shadows, and can make itself invisible. It has no odor, doesn't eat, and would certainly have no trouble defending itself if attacked."

"Can it communicate?" asked Lilith.

"Yes, but not in a traditional way. Its mouth is all wrong for speech, and it can't communicate telepathically, per se. Whatever pertinent thought it has, it shifts over to you. Everything it wants you to know is implicit, but you can usually get the idea of what it's trying to say."

"Unusual."

"Very. I brought it here as protection, considering it's so good at survival. Now that seems to have backfired."

"I take it your boss is worried about it breaking free?"

"He didn't say so, but I suspect as much. Since it's not truly a demon--"

"Hell has no concrete control over it. I understand. This," Lilith picked a small hand bell off the shelf in front of her, "should do nicely. Step outside, I require concentration to make this bell into the beacon."

"Right." Darrus went outside and waited. After a few minutes, there was a flash from beneath the door. Darrus pressed his ear to the door and heard Lilith coughing.

"Is it done?" he called.

"Yes!" she answered between coughs. "Come in!"

The door was locked, but it was hardly a barrier. Darrus grabbed the handle and the tumblers slid open. He went inside. Smoke was everywhere, but it was quickly dissipating.

"Did something go wrong?"

"No. It always does that. Your beacon is ready."

"I have another request." said Darrus.

"What now?"

"Can I leave it here? I have no permanent location to draw Szziszzigji to."

Lilith gave Darrus a piercing glare. "For how long?"

"Three days."

"Forget it. Every nightmare in the city will be clustered here by then."

"A day, then." said Darrus. "With any luck, Szziszzigji will be the only thing it attracts, anyway."

"Luck." said Lilith. "Is not something I'm inclined to believe in."

"Come now, Lilith. Perhaps luck believes in you." said Darrus, a smile cracking his face.

"Very well. Twenty-four hours, then it's out of here. Understand?"

"Perfectly. It'll be thrown into the Lake of Fire by this time tomorrow."

"It had better. The last thing I need is more nightmares in my existence."