Nick and Vince picked up the GPS location of the van and found themselves parked across the street as they took stock of the vehicles parked in the driveway. Sure enough, they were the same ones from the barn and Dillon's bar where they had just left. It was clear they were in the right place, even though it looked deserted and was in bad need of repair.
"Let's go." Vince cocked his gun and went to step out.
"Hang on. Oz said that these mummies are probably the most vulnerable once the ritual has started."
"What ritual?" Vince suddenly realized that he didn't have the whole picture.
"Listen, they didn't take Lily just because she was Dani's child. They need a child to put the mummy's spirit into so he can live. Once he is mid-transition though, he's likely to be at least part human. So, we have to give them a few minutes before we go in guns blazing." Nick looked at him.
"How in the hell do you know so much?"
"Oz and I did a little research while Oz drove us to the bar."
"In 15 minutes? Jesus. Anyways, there's no way I'm waiting. I'm not taking the chance that she gets hurt."
"You have to Vince. It's the best chance we have at saving her."
"Or I could rip that monster's throat out."
"I know you're upset, but we have to still do this smart."
"Fuck smart. They hurt Dani and they have my little girl. I'm done being smart." Vince looked down at his still blood stained hands from holding Dani. That bastard and his little minions in there were responsible for hurting the love of his life and were trying to hurt his daughter. No one was getting out of that house alive.
"Vince, come on trust me. Please." Nick had never seen Vince like this, but then again he was tired of thinking that every time he saw the man interact with Dani. His mind let the image of Dani float back in and he froze. Vince would be devastated if he lost her. Nick prayed to anyone who was listening to save Dani in that moment, because the death of that woman would kill his partner too, and break his own heart.
"How long do we wait?"
"Let's walk up so we can hear, but promise me you won't go in until we see that it's started. And Vince..." He reached a hand out to put it on the other man's shoulder.
"Yea?"
"She's gonna make it you know, because it's Dani. She's the toughest woman I've ever met."
Vince nodded in response and they both got out of the car heading over to the house to listen for their chance. A quick look inside and they saw the living room was empty, so they eased the door open and entered slowly. From there, they heard chanting coming from the basement door that sat between the dining room and kitchen across from them. Nick pointed upstairs and Vince followed him so they could assure the house was empty.
Sure enough, a quick sweep of the upper floor and they were heading downstairs again. It was small place, just a three bedroom. And the downstairs was open enough that they knew everyone inside was in the basement. The house was bereft of furniture, and both men realized that it had been chosen and prepared for just this occasion. So, there was a great possibility that the basement had traps or something set up already.
Vince motioned to the basement door and Nick opened it a tiny crack. He listened through the small space, waiting for any indication that this ritual was underway. A loud chorus of chants was coming through as he let his eyes adjust to the dimly lit space before him. He could only just glimpse through a small space in the railing on the stairs to see candles lit in a circle on a large table of some kind.
Nick couldn't tell if anyone was on the table, only that it was surrounded by cloaked figures. The smell of incense wafted through the air stinging his nostrils. He listened closely, but was only able to make out a few words of the chanting. Nick cursed himself for his lack of proficiency in Latin. He knew a lot of Latin words, but had always sworn he would learn the entire language.
Vince tapped him from the side and Nick held up a finger as he listened intently. The chant started to repeat itself related to something about the body and the spirit. He tried to figure out the last word, when suddenly the chanting stopped. In the next moment, the figures knelt to the ground in unison and he saw lain out on the table a tiny red-haired girl with her eyes closed. Next to her lay the nude shriveled corpse of a man. Clearly, he was rotting away as bits of flesh hung from him.
Slowly, a red mist rose from the mummified flesh of the man. He looked at Vince and nodded before throwing his entire weight into the door and felt it collide with a figure that was just a few steps down. He made quick work of the stairs and in a few seconds he was on the basement floor while Vince put a bullet into the back of the man's head that had guarded the stairs.
"NO! Don't interrupt the transference." A woman shrieked and pulled her hood back standing up in front of the table.
"Move or you die first." Nick pointed the gun in her face and a gunshot rang out from his side. He squatted down near the figures and fired at the sound. He saw his bullet connect with the gunman's head and stood back up.
"Anybody else want to be a hero?" Vince chimed in behind him as he levelled his gun at the crowd.
"The master can bring us back, swarm them everyone." The woman found a bit of courage and moved forward. Nick ended her movement with one shot to her forehead and Vince took out the only other person that had jumped up with her.
There were still several figures crouched around the table as Vince stepped closer moving to pick up the tiny girl, whose eyes were closed as she lay there. Vince thought she looked like an angel. His arms wrapped around her protectively and he pulled her up and off the table cradling her against his chest.
When she was removed, the red mist suddenly sucked back into the mummy's flesh and his eyes opened. They were a dark shade of red and full of hate as he screamed out. Something in the cry made the rest of the figures rise up in an attempt to protect him. Nick was quick on the trigger as Vince backed up pulling his gun out and joining in the fire.
After a few more minutes, the room was silent. It was full of the smell of gunfire and that incense, both strong enough to make Vince's eyes burn. He shoved his gun back in his pants and pressed a hand to the back of the little girl's head hoping to shield her from the smell.
"Go upstairs. I'll check for anyone else. And, I'll text Oz to let him know we need a team here." Nick called out and Vince made for the stairs heading out to the fresh air outside before he pulled the small figure from his chest.
She coughed a little and opened her eyes a fraction as Vince fell to his knees on the porch. The eyes that looked back at him were familiar; catching his heart instantly just like her mother's had years ago.
"Oz is sending a cleanup. Is she okay?" Nick joined him on the porch a minute later, hovering over his partner who held the little red-haired girl in his arms.
"I think so, just a little sleepy. They probably gave her something." The little girl rubbed her eyes and yawned before opening them completely.
"Hey sweetheart; are you doing okay?" Vince smiled at her and waited.
