But outside...

Alex shivered as the phrase echoed in her head, abruptly reminded of Derek saying similar words after he had finished translating the Testament of Golgotha. What had he said? That they needed to �discuss it elsewhere.� They had gone out to the griffin...

�It�s all right,� she heard his voice say softly. She looked up to see understanding on his face as he held out his hand. As she took it, she felt his strength. Yes, this time there was nothing to fear.

They walked out to the pool in silence, along the path to the beachside bungalows. She was surprised that he continued to hold onto her hand as they strolled down to the edge of the pier where a boat had brought them to the island only that morning. She tried to sense something from him but could not. Derek released his hold, then kept walking along the length of beach. The others paused and exchanged puzzled looks before they followed behind him. Eventually the precept stopped under several coconut trees in a secluded spot. There was silence, except for the gentle waves rolling into shore.

�I guess I should begin my story with Alex,� Derek said quietly, his eyes meeting hers. �After I knocked you out, I hurried back to the house and went in through... a private entrance.� The young woman sat on a fallen tree and smoothed her dress, trying to conceal the flash of anger at the memory of what he had done to her.

�I called you and Rachel,� he turned to Nick, �saying that Alex had been attacked. I knew that the two of you would rush to the griffin, and I knew you would presume that I was with her. As soon as you left the house, I locked and bolted the door behind you.� Her eyes noted the tightening of the security chief�s jaw, but he was silent. Maybe one day he and the precept would discuss it, but they had come to hear Derek�s story.

�After I had done that,� the older man resumed, �I saw a black flash... a shadow, some sort of human form, out of the corner of my eye. I followed it down the stairs to the sub-basement. It disappeared, but it was no matter.�

�Why no matter?� Alex asked calmly. She played with the sand to keep her hands from shaking.

�Because the portal was already clanging against its seals,� he replied, his voice as hushed as hers. "It was worse than I imagined. Flames were shooting out of the sides. The moans of the damned filtered through with the roars of� demonic beasts. The end seemed very close." His fingers began to rub together in earnest. �And then I saw the sepulchres.�

Her eyes went wide as she stared at him. She glanced at the others and could see the shock in their expressions.

�But they were locked up, bolted behind that huge iron and steel door,� Rachel said, fear in her voice as she drew her jacket closer to her. �How...�

�Those small, black forms, I would imagine.� There was a bitter smile on Derek�s face. �I was a fool to believe that I could keep those damned things safely locked up and away from evil. They were in front of the portal, arranged in the form of a pentagram, and a light shone from each of them. At that instant...� He looked at each of them as if it were the last time. Sadness emanated from him, before it evaporated. It lingered on her soul, for she heard his finished thought.

�I made the decision then and there that it was time to bury them once and for all.� He shook his head. �How many more lives, how many more souls would they claim. Here was a chance to finally...� Again that slight grin that tugged at her heart. �Kill two birds with one stone. I resolved to stay and make certain that they would be destroyed and the portal sealed.� He looked at each of them, and for several moments there was silence.

"So you were lying when you said you were coming out." Nick held his anger under control as he stared at his precept, defying him to lie now. �When I called you over the microphone...�

Derek nodded to the ex-SEAL. �I told you that I was coming out when I knew full well that I was going to stay and detonate the C-4.�

�You weren�t...� She felt very cold as the reality of his words struck her. �You weren�t going to come out...�

"I'm sorry, Alex. No, I was not." His eyes held hers in a sympathetic embrace before he looked once more at the others. "I removed the Rosicrucian Cross from my belt and began the incantation to remove evil. I had barely started it when my father appeared." This time it was her eyes that held compassion. "I know," he said softly. "I know that it was a demon appearing to me as my father."

He gazed at the sun setting on paradise, or maybe he was looking at something far beyond her vision. "We exchanged words, fought... He tried to get me to join him, and... without warning the cross was in his hand instead of mine."

She jumped when he unexpectedly laughed, one tinged with bitterness. After a brief period, his voice quieted. "He said that the prayer and translation were simply diversions to give him the time he needed to gather the sepulchres. He offered me one last chance to join him. I refused and he began his... summons to the Antichrist."

He sighed as he turned back to them. "The noise from the portal banging against its seals grew louder as more fire sprang from the sides. The lights from the sepulchres grew brighter as he completed it. And I grasped the timer tighter in my hand," he said as his fingers clenched. "He had been too busy taunting me to notice my fingers in my pocket as I flipped the detonator switch to manual override."

She felt the color drain from her face as he casually described the events that were leading him closer to his death... or something far worse. Her head bent forward as she studied her hands to regain her composure. When she raised her face to his, that small smile materialized once more.

"He was quite surprised when I told him to go to hell and I held out the timer. I knew that the time on it had run out and was flashing zeros." His smile grew wider. "I had the enormous satisfaction of seeing the look of horror on his face before I pressed the button."

Alex gasped as Rachel said, "Oh my God."

"You hit the switch?" Nick's voice mirrored the surprise of that revelation.

Derek slowly nodded. "Immediately there were all these white� entities flying around us. Or maybe I only saw them as such because a brilliant white light engulfed me. I...� He hesitated and looked away, shrugging his shoulders. �I presumed that the C-4 had detonated. I was suddenly blinded, unable to see, and I vaguely heard these... moans of terror. For some period of time I was weightless, floating in this radiant light. I...I don�t know how long it lasted. Then, in the distance, I could hear voices calling to me..." His voice faded and silence took control.

�Derek?� Rachel spoke gently, breaking the spell. She reached out to touch him but he walked closer to the water�s edge, as if sensing her intention.

�I found myself outside,� he continued quietly as he gazed out upon the lagoon. �Lost, unsure of where I was. I could smell the night air, feel the cool breeze on my face, hear buoys in the harbor. Someone screamed my name.� He turned to Alex, and his hazel eyes melted as they captured her brown ones.

�Then I saw you... And I knew I was home."

End part 11