Red Light

The helicopter landed close by but did not shut down. The ramp in the back came down and a hand beckoned me inside. Getting on a helicopter in 1088 AD, what could go wrong? I thought to myself. This was no military chopper. It was a private luxury version with first class seats and long couches. Stern men in suits barely acknowledged me as I came aboard. One motioned me towards the front where I saw Father Torres in the habit of a monk sitting at a small table facing forward. He could pass here in 1088 or in 2020. Some things change slower than others I guess. Then it dawned on me. He was some kind of top demon hunter but not the type to show up on TV shows. The ramp came back up shutting out almost all the engine noise. I took a seat and put out my right hand.

“Sam Fallen.”

“Father Torres,” he answered shaking my hand warmly.

“So what brings us together here? Who are the suits?”

“Mr. Haak of course. Security. Coffee Mr. Fallon?”

“Yes please, black,” (Yes, I know and have manners.)

He requested one for himself as well.

“We have about thirty minutes to the cross-over back to 2020 and the about an hour and a half to Flagstaff. There, you and I will take a private jet to Tokyo.”

“What did I do to win this prize?”

“You come highly recommended Mr. Fallon.

“Now the problem is not Mr. Haak per se. It is the artificially intelligent beings his company is making. We don’t know his or their intentions. Be worth checking into no?”

“Yeah, we might want to know about that. Does the church have a stand on AI?”

“The Church is made up of people. Different people have different views. Some think Jesus can reach them, others not so much. So no, there is no official view I’m aware of.”

“The Japanese love robots.”

“They helped with some of the developments for sure. They are only one of several countries involved. We are looking for Mr. Ahrimani, one of Mr. Haak’s security people.-“

“I know him!” I shouted. I went on rather loudly, “He’s like me but sells his services to the highest bidder. I haven’t seen him in centuries. Some French peasants were trying to behead him. It did not work out well for the crowd. A big mess, a tragedy it was. I don’t know if he was just laying low after that or…”

“Keep your voice down. Amassing a rather large fortune. He has much more money than Mr. Haak. He just keeps it on the down low in Swiss banks, off shore accounts and small dictatorships here and there. In the end he will grow tired of Mr. Haak and show him what awaits in eternity. He will then make a deal to change God’s Judgment on Mr. Haak’s life. A deal that will relieve him of his fortune. Also a deal he has no authority to make, as you know.”    

“Mr. Haak will find his missing fortune the least of his worries in very short order. I never was really tempted by money. I can get all the material things I want without going totally dark. Demons are a funny bunch.”

“I guess that’s one way to say it,” Father Torres concluded.

We sipped our coffee in silence. I watched as a giant, purple smoke ring appeared in the sky ahead of us. In it was darkness. We left sunny 1088 for the darkness of 2020 with not so much as a bump. Who knew time travel could be so comfortable? Lights from towns and cities passed silently beneath us. The rest of the ride to Flagstaff was quiet. Father Torres dozed and I was left to wonder who my fellow passengers were. Government agents, military types, industry goons more priests, who knows? I’m sure the wondered about the large pick up from centuries ago as well. Whatever the case, no one was talking.            

We got to Flagstaff and Father Torres and I got on a Falcon 7 right away. I’m not sure what happened to the others. They quickly and quietly dispersed. I was just thankful to avid the usual airport hassles of security, delays and overpriced food. There was a rumor going around a new level of Hell was being modeled on twenty-first century airports. It would not surprise me. The Flight Stewardess, a tall elegant looking woman from India, told us we were waiting on a few others. The Falcon 7 is a pretty large jet. Some big money was behind this operation.

‘Hey Padre, who’s picking up the tab for this?”     

“I cannot give specifics; nations, business interests and The Church. I’ll leave it at that for now.

You and I are the only ones who know who and what you are. Keep it that way.”

There must have been a hell of a meeting somewhere. I almost would like to have seen it. Three others boarded the plane, two men and a woman. If Father Torres knew these people, he was not saying. I learned a long time ago keeping my mouth shut was a part of being good at my job. If nobody wanted to talk for eleven to thirteen hours, fine by me. They could not be random people going to Tokyo who happened to see a thirty million dollar jet warming up and headed that way. No, they belonged here. We took off, got up to cruising altitude and ate. Then the woman, small Japanese and professionally dressed, walked back to us introduced herself.

“I’m Dr. Nori Uneo, Micro Engineering.”

“Sam Fallen, old friend of Mr. Ahrimani and this is Father Torres,” I answered.

She shook hands with both of us.

“And those two?” I asked eying the two men.         

“Dr. Volkov, Physics and Dr. De Veen Medical Neurology.”

“It is our understanding that Mr. Ahrimani had funded the creation of intelligent machines and placed them in bodies indistinguishable from humans. We are not a hundred percent sure. We are all here to find out if this is true. If it is true, we want you to  find them. The implications for humanity and science are incalculable.”

“And I thought this was just a get rich quick scheme,” I answered.

“Don’t let his smart answer give you any doubt. Sam is the best one for the job. Please take this seriously, Sam. What she says is true,” Father Torres said.

“Nobody spends this kind of cash on a rumor. How close to sure this has been done are you all?”

“99.9%” Dr. Uneo answered and added “But until one is found we cannot say 100%.”

“I see. So this will at the least change the world as we know it or end it. What do you intend to do with the existing examples?”

“I intend to further science.”

“And you have the final say?”

“No, that is still being worked out.”

“I was afraid you would say that. I can look deep into your soul Dr. Uneo. You serve good. Not everyone else does.”

This made her uncomfortable.

“I’ve just met a lot of people in my time. I think I can read them well.”

“Thank you.” 

“Sure sure. Now Tokyo is thirty-seven plus million. Anyone know where Mr. Ahirmani might be?”

‘The Red Light District,” Dr. Uneo answered.

“The Red Light District? Not just any Red Light District, the largest one in the world. Coming along Father Torres?”

“No. This is why you are here. Get you close enough and you two will find each other.”

“Oh, come now you and the doctor can come along, think of the joke potential!”

“I can be you guide in Tokyo. I grew up there,” Dr. Uneo added totally missing my master level humor. 

“No doctor, Sam works best alone. I would just slow him down and he knows Tokyo quite well,” Father Torres said.

Yes, I had been there before but that was around four centuries ago. I think a time or two before that but I’m not quite sure when. One perk of being a demon is there is no language barrier. I can read write and speak all but a very few of your languages. Look at a map, catch a cab or a bus and I’m there.

We got into Tokyo around 11:30PM and parked in a private hanger. Of course it was raining like hell. I told Father Torres I would call him tomorrow. He and the three doctors were pretty wiped after such a trip. My day was getting started. There is something to be said for huge Asian cities in heavy rain. They have a timeless beauty. One bus and two taxis later I had arrived at my destination. All I had to do was walk around take in the sights, sounds, smells along with the feel and taste of rain. Krim would show himself sooner or later. Yes, I’m on a first name basis with Mr. Ahirmani. You might say we used to run together back in the day, way back in the day. I liked this location better than a high school football for a meeting place. It did not take long to find Kirm in the process of taking a soul.

Taller than me, Krim loomed over a pitiful figure who had been a crime boss feared by many. Had he stuck with killing other criminals, he might have been okay. But human trafficking and selling children are guarantees of meeting myself, Krim or one of our many associates upon death.    

“Heart attack,” Krim informed the now dead man. “Not a bad way to go for someone in your condition.”

“What happens now?” The frightened man asked.    

“Divine justice,” Krim answered smiling.

The guy saw me, “Help!”

“No, you are in good hands.” 

Krim turned and lit up when he saw me. We strode toward each other and embraced in the classic bro hug while hungry, dark shadows dragged the screaming man down into the earth.

“They sent you Sam?”

“Yes.”

“We are too evenly matched to try and fight it out.”

“And this is too valuable to be collateral damage,” I answered gesturing toward all the brothels with outstretched arms.

“How about some noodles? I know a good noodle shop not far from here. We can catch up and talk.”

Please lead the way, Krim.”