Chapter 2

Zachary and Xavier climbed the narrow stairway. At the top, Zachary took a key off the gold chain around his neck. He unlocked a small trap door. This led them into an old barn, in fact it was the one behind Kristine’s house. There was tall grass growing through the cracks and the windows were covered with layers of dust. Cobwebs were spread like old rags everywhere and there was hay covering the ground. The barn was small and untended.

Zachary walked through the barn’s front door and Xavier followed behind. Looking around at this slightly unknown world, Xavier’s eyes took in the view with interest. It was not since he was a young boy that he last saw this place. It had changed much; some for better, some for worse.

The boys smiled at each other and started to walk away from the old barn. After walking some distance, Xavier stopped, took off one of his boots, and dumped the water out, then he did the same with the other one.

“Now I can let this scenery sink in more comfortably,” he said.

Zachary rolled his eyes, “Well, do you remember any of this?”

Xavier looked around, “Up there, I think there’s a wooded area.”

“Yes, and that’s where we are going.”

“Why?” asked Xavier.

“Because that’s where the girls will be.”

“Gotcha.”

Zachary started to explain what the two girls were like, then he noticed Xavier was not listening. “Do you want to know about the girls or not?”

“I’m freezing.”

“Well, who told you to fall into the water?”

“Hey, you’re the one who yelled.”

“Don’t worry,” smirked Zachary, “Nothing will rust.”

“Ha ha, I’m laughing.”

“Good, I always knew that I had a great sense of humor.”

“Very funny,” Xavier mumbled. Suddenly he stopped, “oh no!” he exclaimed.

“What’s wrong?”

“I think I forgot to feed my tiger!”

“Teether can probably eat the cage bars.”

Xavier nodded, “Without a doubt.” Then he noticed two figures behind the trees, “Is that them?”

“Is that who?” asked Zachary.

“The girls, remember, Mr. Romeo?”

“Yes! Be quiet and hide in the bushes behind them.”

They crept toward the bushes. The girls stopped and sat on the bench only a few yards away from their admirers.

“Nikki, those bushes give me the creeps.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. I guess I keep expecting something to jump out.”

“Really? How about a rabbit?”

“Nikki!”

Xavier smiled, “Who’s the raven haired beauty?”

“Her name’s Nikki,” whispered Zachary. “Now keep quiet.”

“I can’t we’re sitting on leaves.”

“Well, do your best.”

Xavier simply nodded.

“By the way, the red-head’s name is Kristine.” grinned Zachary.

Zachary and Xavier watched as a black car with ‘The Hell’s Angels’ sprayed on the side drove up to the girls. The car stopped near the bench and five men got out. All of them were dressed in blue jeans, white t-shirts, and jean jackets that had ‘Hell’s Angels’ on the backs. They had driven the car through the park and now they were walking towards the girls they’d spotted.

“Oh, shit!” Zachary whispered.

“What?”

“Those are the Hell’s Angels.”

“Who are the Hell’s Angels?”

“To make a long story short, they killed Nikki’s parents and now, they are trying to kill Kristine’s.”

“What!?! Why?”

“Forget the questions, just wait for the gang to make a move. We might have to make an unintended rescue.”

Kristine and Nikki stood up, wary of their unexpected visitors. Nikki took a couple of steps with anger in her eyes, “What do you want?” she hissed.

The leader, known as Scully, spoke up, “What do you have to offer?”

“To you, nothing.”

“Ah, I think we need to make a deal. Let’s say, you for your present family?” He leered at her.

“What are you talking about?” Kristine snapped.

“You know the saying? You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours. In other words, why don’t we have a little fun tonight?” He asked as his eyes raked over Kristine’s body.

“Over my dead body!” screeched Kristine.

“If that’s the way you’ll have it.” He shrugged and motioned to two of his gang members with a wave of his hand. They grabbed Kristine and Nikki around their waists and held knives to their throats.

Zachary moved his gaze towards the street light, near the gang’s car. He concentrated for a moment, then it clicked off. The park was suddenly enveloped in total darkness. Xavier caught on to Zachary’s plan. He crawled out of the bush towards Nikki. He took the knife out of his leg strap and stabbed the back of the man holding Nikki.

“Ahhhhhhhr!!” screamed the man, as Xavier pushed him to the ground.

“What’s happening?” shouted Scully.

Zachary jumped up, grabbing the other man around his neck. He pulled the man from Kristine, then slit his neck with his own knife. During the commotion, Xavier and Zachary put their hands over the girl’s mouths and pulled them into the bushes.

“Shhhhhh,” Xavier whispered, “We’re going to get you out of this.”

“I don’t need your help,” Nikki snapped, “If you don’t let me go, I’ll scream!”

“X, keep her quiet!” warned Zachary.

“How, Zach?”

“Find a way!”

“Okay,” replied Xavier, “Hey, please be quiet.”

“Nobody that has a name like X is going to shut me up!” hissed Nikki.

They all became silent when they heard a gun click. The Hell’s Angels were intending to find them even in the darkness. Zachary took Kristine by the hand and crept away with Xavier and Nikki following.

“When you get at least five yards away from here, run,” Zachary instructed.

“Why should we listen to you?” Kristine asked.

Zachary looked at her straight in the eyes. He put his hand on her cheek and said, “Trust me.”

“Listen!” Nikki said, “I don’t need anyone’s help. I can do all I need to by myself.”

“So why were you so scared back there?” Xavier questioned.

“What makes you think I was scared?” she retorted.

“I felt you trembling.”

“Oh sure! I bet that…”

Zachary was running out of patience with Nikki. “Run!” he yelled. “We’ll handle them.”

“Hey man, remember, I could have handled this myself!” Nikki stopped when she saw the look in Zachary’s eyes. “But I’ll let you handle this one.”

Xavier watched the girls run off, then turned to help Zachary fight the street gang.

“Are the girls out of sight?” Zachary asked.

“Enough.” He pulled out a throwing knife. “Here, I want to finish the leader off by hand.”

“Aren’t we going by measures a little drastic?” asked Zachary.

“Do you honestly think so?”

“Definitely. I think we’re giving some others who decide to come out of the Underearth, bad examples.”

“I never said we were saints.”

“Let’s just give them a warning.”

Xavier sighed and said, “Okay, I understand.”

Both men looked up at the night sky. They tilted their heads back. An eerie chanting began to flow between them, “bu’halla wahani…bu’halla wahani…bu’halla wahani…”

Something began to happen as they began to look less than human. Their eyes changed into a soft, liquid red. Their leathers shifted into a soft form fitting dark material with leather strings running down the sides of their pant legs, holding them together. Their hair was full, thick, and looking windblown. Each one arched their backs and gave a bloodcurdling howl.

The Hell’s Angels stopped in their tracks. Speechless, they turned and ran back to the car. The street light flickered back on. The first member to reach the car looked up and saw a strange being on top of the car. He was crouched with one hand and its wickedly long claws curled around the top of the door. He appeared ready to attack at the slightest movement. Zachary smiled wickedly at the man, baring his sharp teeth with elongated canines.

Maybe this is the one we’ll deliver the message to, he thought.

Xavier stealthily walked up behind the man and growled, “Leave the girls alone or we will take you and deliver you back to your friends piece by piece.”

“Listen man, nobody, and I mean nobody threatens the Hell’s Angels!”

“Except us,” Zachary growled, taking off his dark glasses. He revealed eyes of glowing red.

“Hey punk, is this some sort of joke? You know my friends are on their way right now.”

“This is no joke,” Xavier hissed. He grabbed the man’s hair, pulling his head back. Xavier placed his claws against the man’s throat, pressing just enough for emphasis. “If you keep up those remarks,” he growled, “you might just become a permanent resident of this ground here.”

The man started to shake, “C’mon, let me go. I…I’ll tell the leader to lay off the girls okay?”

“What do you think, Zach?”

Zachary nodded, “We could have a deal.”

Xavier let go of the man. He and Zachary silently melted into the shadows, not a trace of them was left behind. As the man whirled around searching for them, it was as if they’d never been there.

Xavier and Zachary quietly made their way toward the old barn behind Kristine’s house. The one that was partly hidden in the tall grass. The one that appeared old and broken down. The one that held a trap door that could unleash another world, carefully protected and preserved.

Author's Note: bu’halla wahani is a phrase from the made up language that will be used in this story. The translation for it will be explained soon, so be patient, I don't want to give it away just yet. ;-)