I smiled, "Hoorah."

I turned to Simms, "You heard 'em. They ain't civilians, today. Get the others movin'. The rest of you, get ready. We got two more groups heading our way, and I want these people heading to safety.

I walked toward the area I had cleared, "Simms, set to thirty. I'll have someone guiding you out."

I clicked my coms, "They'll be on thirty."

"Copy."

Simms relayed the information to another NG. I didn't think Simms was leaving. He had sent the other half with the civilians.

The civilians started heading down the street. Khalib pointed south and said something to the woman. She shook her head. He pointed toward the children, and she grudgingly agreed and headed south. The same little boy never took his eyes from Khalib as she herded them along with the others.

Khalib shook his head in wonder, and turned to set himself up behind a Buick. He saw me watching and nodded to me. I smiled and turned to the cleared area, drawing my swords.

"Same as before, boys and girls! If anything gets by me, shoot it a lot!"

I stepped to the center of the street as the Kresh poured into sight. There were more soldiers in this group, and there were probably four to five hundred of the bastards.

I let the beast back out of its cage, and I think I was actually laughing as I leaped into the air and landed in their midst.

"Rash'Tor'Ri!" echoed down the street as I roared my battle cry.

I tore into their ranks with a joy, I admit, and that scares the shit right out of me. No one should enjoy this as much as I do. For a while I just lost myself in the rage that filled my awareness. I heard gunfire as several made it past me, and I glanced right to see a soldier closing on my men. I hurled my left hand sword that slammed the soldier to the wall.

Another was right behind that one and I threw the right hand sword through its head. Weaponless, screaming in fury, I dove into the midst of that horde and ripped Kresh apart with my bare hands.

Then there were no more and I stood there in the midst of the carnage pushing the monster back down into its cage.

"That definitely got their attention, Colin," Lyrica said over the com. "Looks like your plan is gonna work. They're heading toward you from everywhere."

"Is the area clear?"

"The folks with you are the only ones left."

"Guards pull back," I ordered, "Mages to the front. I'm going north on Amsterdam. When you get inside the 'kill box' unload everything. Buildings can be repaired. No more innocents die today."

"We'll be closing from the north," A familiar voice sounded on the com.

"Hi Sam, how the hell are ya?"

"Better than I was. There are five Mages in the north and we'll follow suit."

"Good man," I said. "They should be concentrated between 145th and 149th soon. We're gonna try to contain 'em between Broadway and St. Nicholas avenue."

"I'm goin' out on a limb here and guess you used yourself as bait?"

"Seems to have worked," I said.

"Seems so, we're inbound."

"Copy."

I turned to Simms, "Once I head up this street, I want you guys moving South. I want you down past 138th. You shouldn't have much trouble. They'll be coming after me with a vengeance."

I looked at the others, "All of you."

I saw them nodding. They weren't about to argue after seeing what I had just done.

"Yes, Sir," he said, "we'll move out immediately."

I turned and began walking, calmly up the street. I could see the darkness of the Demon presence closing from the North, East, and West. In an instant someone was walking beside me. I didn't even have to look to see who it was. I could feel her with my mind.

Her hand brushed against mine and I reached out to clasp it in my own hand. We walked together, hand in hand, straight into the horde of Kresh pouring down the Avenue toward us.

Together we Pulled and we kept walking, as everything around us was reduced to Rubble and ash. I've Pulled through another's Stream but this was something different. Our streams had intertwined and become some sort of twisted cable of power. I can feel the Source at the other end of my Stream, and I can feel how much power I Pull when I do. But it seemed there was so much more power available than I had ever felt before. I think, maybe, two Soullords, together can Pull like tenfold what they could Pull alone.

There was so much power flowing through our Streams, we had to release from within several times so the power didn't build too high in our bodies. That amount of power was like a high from a drug, and we were lost inside our meld for a while.

I heard a familiar sound as we neared the intersection of 147th.

"Hold up a sec," I said and we stopped Pulling for a moment as explosions rocked the block from down 147th street. Then a screaming Banshee swept past us leaving nothing but ash in his wake.

"Kevin?" Lyrica looked surprised and I realized that she had never really seen him in action before.

"The Kid," I said "Something to see in action wouldn't you say?"

She smiled and motioned forward up the street at the Horde of Demons pouring down Amsterdam, "Shall we?"

"Oh, we shall," I said and we strode onward with discs firing in every direction.

Chapter 39.

"There's a place for you in the Soulguard if you're interested," I said.

Khalib looked toward the tent that had been set up for the excess of injured people. Lyrica was busy inside, and I could see the Soul of the young woman who had been with Khalib when I had found him.

"Transportation is provided," I said, "to you and your family."

The word "family" struck a chord in the big man. I could see the longing in his Soul. I sensed he was a solitary person, and may not have known a family at all. He stared at the tent for a few moments and nodded to me. He turned and headed toward the tent.

I walked toward the command tent where Gasper ,and the Mayor of New York hovered over the map I had seen Gasper using the first time I was inside the tent. The Mayor looked up as I approached.

"I understand you're the man who just destroyed a rather large chunk of my city?"

"That would be true," I said, "though I didn't really have much choice in the matter."

"Yes, I heard the command when you gave it. 'Buildings can be repaired' I think it was."

"No more innocents die today," I added, "That's the most important part of that quote."

"Right you are," he said, "We owe you and your Soulguard a debt."

"We're just doing our jobs," I said, "the best way we can."

"Mister Rourke," Gasper said, "it looks like all of the portals are shut down. Will you be staying here for any length of time?"

"Doubtful," I answered. "What they sent here is a drop in the bucket to what can come through the Great Gate in Kansas. I'll be heading back there soon. It appears the wait may be at an end. They'll hit there again sooner or later. I pulled in another hundred and fifty Guards to help get things here back in order, but they may be pulled at any time if another city is hit. NG's will be the ones doing most of the cleanup after our mess, it seems."

"The new National Guard handled itself pretty well today," Gasper said. "Some thought it was a mistake to put so much into them but I think they'll work out fine."

"Nothing wrong with those boys," I said, "and I have the utmost faith in them. I've worked with quite a few, back in Kansas, and they have as much dedication to protecting this country as anyone I've ever met. Thanks to the new structure of the National Guard, they're receiving the same training as any other branch of the Military."

"I just wish we had some way of knowing when and where the bastards will hit us," he said.

"I know," I said, "but so far, all we've had to go on is best guess. This hit wasn't what I was expecting, but you can't expect the enemy to do what you want, I guess."

"That's why they're called the enemy."

"True," I agreed and nodded to the Mayor, "It was good to meet you, although, I wish it had been under better circumstances."

"We're glad your people were here, Mister Rourke. Without your Soulguard this would have been much worse."

I turned and walked out of the tent to find Rictor waiting for me. He motioned toward the tent where Lyrica was healing injured.

"How long we gonna stay and let her do her thing?" he asked, "She could be here a damn year, and never heal all the people in this city that need it."

"I think we can give her a few days, at the least."

"You know, a couple of us are goin' down into Manhattan for some food at one of the restaurants in a few hours. They're tired and a few are injured. You know, the ones who weren't out holdin' hands, and havin' a romantic stroll through the city."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah," he said with a smile, "Didn't think you would. You and the other one who probably doesn't know what I'm talkin about want to join us?"

"I'd say, most likely a yes to that."

"Good."

He turned and headed toward the rest of my Company. I had a feeling I would hear about that little stroll for a while. I can't ever do anything and have the good luck that they would forget it.

I watched the various Guards as they boarded the plane. I saw several people look my direction as they too approached the airstrip.

I recognized several gang members who had stood at my back in that little altercation on Amsterdam. The one who the others seemed to be looking to for guidance approached me.

"Yo Mistah Rourke," he said with a nod of his head, "What I got to do to join yo Soulguard?"

I was watching the man's aura and he was completely sincere. I think he expected me to say he couldn't join.

"What's your name?"

"C-Train."

"Your real name-" I said with a touch more force than I really intended, "-you join my Guard, you leave all this behind. There are no more rival gangs. No more preying on another human. You've seen what we fight. You have to be willing to fight that fight for total strangers or the man who was your most hated enemy yesterday. This is the dedication I require from my soldiers. If you can accept this, you're welcome to join."

"Mah name is Cordell Fortrain. I'll swear to yo oath. Dis be much biggah than any gang."

I pointed toward the plane, "Board the plane, Cordell. I'll see you in Kansas."

"Yes, Sir."

I looked to the men who had followed him, "Same goes for all of you. I'll hold you to the oath and I'll deal harshly with anyone who breaks it."

There were nods all around and they all headed toward the plane. I shook my head in wonder as they made their way to the line of men and women boarding the plane.

"That was unexpected," I muttered.

I looked to my left and saw Mr. Khalib and his small group standing there looking at the plane. He said something and turned to walk toward the plane.

The boy who was always staring at him stood beside Dreanna. There was utter despair rolling through his aura.

Khalib stopped about twenty feet away and looked back.

"You coming?"

I felt a lump in my throat as the little boy was off like a rocket. He had started running before Khalib had even finished his question. There was a small smile on Dreanna's face as she followed at a slower rate.

Khalib reached down and caught the boy as he ran right into his arm. He lifted the child up, and I saw the complex emotions rolling through his aura. He was amazed and a little bit dazed. I think he was feeling things he had never had the opportunity to feel before.

He turned and walked toward the plane with the boy in his arms. Two boys and a girl followed in a row, and the beautiful black woman with another child in her arms bringing up the rear.

That lump in my throat is why I can place myself in between them and the enemy. There are so many people who are deserving of a life that doesn't include the Kresh and their evil plans. People who crave a family, need that someone who completes them. I want to give them a world where they can have that. If I could figure out how to stop what was coming I would do it. I would do it in a heartbeat.

As it stood, I intended to stop the bastards, but as they had shown us here in New York, it was going to be bloody. There were millions of people in the cities in just the US. If they had chosen to hit all over the world at the same time, the death toll would be unimaginable. This is the dread that I live with. They'll stop trying to focus on us and come out everywhere.

The only thing I can think of is to make sure they know I am in Kansas. They hate me so much, it may cause them to come at me, even if it makes no sense. It's, maybe, not the brightest plan but it's the only thing I can think of to do. I have to be the bait that keeps them coming somewhere we are, at least partially, prepared for them.