Rolling Luggage

Hideous. She hardly looked human. The caked blood, greasy clumps of hair; that wasn't it. Underneath the filth, she still wasn't human. Her eyes were pitch black, her skin mottled, a rainbow of reds and purples, her lips curled in a sneer, her mouth full of blood. Her throat looked like it had been ripped apart.

Daniel watched her through two-way glass. She watched him back. She could see his every move. She could see much more.

"You can see why we've taken several precautions to ensure she can't escape." Next to Daniel stood Jack Yeager, Director of Operations for MERGO, a company that was more mercenary than government contractor, though they claimed the latter. His three-piece suit made him look professional. His large class ring reminded Daniel of a used car salesman.

"You mean locking her up thousands of feet underground in a bomb shelter?" Daniel asked. While much of the building looked merely sanitized, plain white walls without windows, occasionally he came to an outer wall made of rigid, cold rock. "Yeah, I guess I can see that. But why come to me? Why not the military?"

"The military can't be trusted. They'll use her. We know she's dangerous but we have to know more before anyone else gets involved. And you Daniel, well. Most demon hunters are fakes. Your reputation precedes you. We've been watching you even before my organization was made aware of her," he said pointing to the girl in the interrogation room. She would resemble a caged animal except she seemed in total control. "Her name was Amanda. She doesn't go by that anymore."

"I bet," Daniel said. "What do you think I'm going to do for you?"

"We need information first. She won't cooperate with us. My predecessor tried to destroy her. Suffice it to say that doesn't work. We thought bringing in someone from the outside, someone with experience in these matters..."

"You know I don't trust you right?" Daniel said. "Not you. Not MERGO. Not anyone down here. You're like the military with less oversight."

"And yet you're here," Yeager said. He handed Daniel an ID card for him to wear. "She's chained to her chair and the floor. We've tested it thoroughly. You'll be fine."

"Can she speak?"

Yeager smiled. "No, actually, not without her... puppet. She knows sign language, however. The interpreter will be here in a moment."

"I know sign. I'd rather go in alone."

Yeager's smile broke open wider and Daniel shuddered. "I knew I made a good investment."

She sat sanguine, her hands folded in her lap, her chin lifted towards him, eyes unblinking, watching him enter and assemble himself. Her sneer was gone. Instead, she smiled softly, tilting her head. Coquettish. Bright lights blared on them from overhead, the white room becoming harsh and hostile. Daniel said nothing while he assembled his material, a tape recorder, pens, paper, her file, stuffed thick with papers and photos, a long list of frightening accomplishments in the weeks between she appeared to turn demon and MERGO captured her.

Finally, Daniel sat, scooted his chair back and forth, initiating that grating squeak and squeal until he felt comfortable.

"Hello Amanda."

She wiggled the fingers on her right hand, like they were flirting in a coffee shop.

"So you know sign language. But you were always hearing. How'd you come to sign?"

I know all languages, she signed. My master made me one with him and the universe.

"I see," he said, pausing before making a note on his notepad. It was easy to be scared in the presence of a demon. No matter how many times he'd done this, how many demons he'd vanquished, there was still risk. A small chink in his confidence and the demon could get the upper hand. It was nearly impossible to get it back after that. He knew demons. He knew monsters. But masters? He began his breathing exercises. He knew how to keep his cool. "My name is Daniel."