the wall, against the floor, and into the very rock of Masada. The ghosts of Masada stopped moving and shrieking and began to silently weep. They dropped down on their knees and then turned to whomever they were next to and hugged and rocked and wept. Whole families became reunited, and then slowly men stood. Three hundred men stepped forward along with the ancestors and every felled Guardian of the past, turned in unison and faced Carlos, ready for war.
The team and clerics stared in awe and fell silent, not sure what it was that Carlos had shown the dead that made them quiet, or what it was that had made their eyes burn with re solve.
"It was the dark coven energy they were sensing," Damali said to the group, opening her arms. "The ghosts of Masada were confused - they couldn't tell who we are. Even with the prayers, something really dark was blocking their read of our vibrations. It might be her," she said, pointing at Lorelei. "Just her foul presence here is probably arcing a dark current down to Lilith's ground troops." Damali raked her fingers through her locks in bitter frustration. "I swear I'll throw her skank ass over the wall this time and not catch her!"
"No, let me," the angel hybrid said, looking at Lorelei. "I missed the battle in Nod, but I want to be in this one. Let me guard her."
"Done," Carlos said. "You keep an eye on that bitch, and if she tries something stupid, do her."
Damali turned away from Lorelei and the hybrid rebel from Nod as Carlos's next command quickly positioned the team.
"Tacticals on the walls, supercharging all surfaces, espe cially the winding snake path up here, any cables overhead, and the earth around our perimeter - me and D will send cold
body seeking white light pulses behind that. On D's call, Mike, you start the party and fire up those demon for mations on the ground. No hits to the palace; send it south."
"I'm on it, boss," Mike said, leveling the bazooka.
"Clerics, four corners, to keep this mess at bay and to put up a prayer dome against an overhead attack - 'cause once Mike fires, it's on. Everybody, automatics up. If it gets stupid, Carlos can throw up a shield, but he needs to leave you open to fire as long as humanly possible." Damali looked around. "Minimum to zero damage up here and to the cable cars. This is a shrine. The Roman ramparts they can rebuild later, but this, where we are, can't be."
Carlos nodded. "All right. Dan, you fall back, even though you're a tactical - I want you lobbing hallowed earth and silver shrapnel explosives. You got dead-aim, brother. I want an acid line of holy water... clerics on the four walls, that's all you. Bobby, 'Nez, Juanita, Jasmine, you're water runners and our radar from all sides - Bobby, you got da wizard moves to lift that water, steady stream from the pipe system like a fire hose, passing by clerical prayers - you're my flame-thrower, man - not a water boy, so don't get it twisted. I need your head right, and you work with Krissy on that, got it? Keep the Covenant in water, anything liquid, that they can bless and hurl over the walls."
"Got it," Bobby said, standing up taller.
"Got it," Krissy said, slapping her brother five.
"Berkfield, you're a gunner, with Rider, Jose, and Tara. One of y'all on each of the cardinal points with a cleric, a seer for radar, and a flame-thrower. Mike and Dan will move around at your holler. Marj, you lead the wall jolts, you and Heather, with Marlene, power of three," Damali said, nodding.
"Then Shabazz, J.L., and Dan can keep sending shock-waves down the walls between clicking off rounds to keep 'em back," Carlos said, his gaze going around the team.
"Everybody got it?"
"Yeah," rang out in a variety of timbres.
"Move out." Damali waited a beat until everyone took their places. "Mike, fire it up."
"As the lady asks," Mike said, releasing a bazooka blast that made him take two steps back.
The hit rocked the dirt, sending a plume of dust up with sulfuric smoke. Eight demon legions immediately erupted from the ground like lava, splitting the earth in angry gashes and fissures as hellfire flared up behind them. Spaded-tailed, black Roman armor-clad nightmares with black blades, red, gleaming eyes, mangled fangs, and huge bat wings positioned for an aerial attack.