3 Prologue | Escape, Part 3

"Is it so surprising? You demons have it all the time, yet you find it astonishing when a human has it?" Annaliese stated. "I've been watching them, you know… weeks of observation. Just in case you happened to have forced them into this business. If that were the case, I would have raised the alarm and let them escape before exploding the building. They did at first but I didn't see, hear, or feel any of their resistance. They gave in to Baal's miasma. So, if you thought I gave a damn to mortals who betrayed their own race just to satisfy their greed and desires, you are sadly mistaken…"

"But let's not dwindle on that," Annaliese said. "Answer my questions truthfully, and I might be merciful enough to give you a quick painless death."

Mr. West grew hesitant. Annaliese, a codename feared by many demons and passed down every Saint's generation, was a completely different person. He thought of her as weaker than the Seven Greatest Saints, a follower with those pathetic, idealistic virtues that the SAINTS Organization shared. Yet now, he witnessed her capability of overtaking a Marshal like him alone without breaking a sweat and wasn't afraid to sacrifice mortals in the process. Mr. West couldn't help but admire this girl.

"What are you smiling about?" Annaliese said warily.

Mr. West sneered. "Why is a cold killer like you on the side of the Saints?"

Annaliese frowned.

"Your behavior is far better suited for those within Baal's Order. Yet you are still groveling under the Saints' whim."

"I have my own reasons, demon. None of which is any of your business," Annaliese stated. "If not sparing a few mortals in the process makes me known as a killer, then your definition of murder and violence is considerably dim. Now quit making such irrational, hypocritical remarks and answer my question."

The demon narrowed his eyes. He didn't know how Annaliese could tell he was lying before. So, this time he decided to test her.

"We have around… 60,000 nuclear weapons," Mr. West said truthfully. "Though, with only five plants left, those weapons may be down to around 42,000."

"I see." The brat seemed satisfied with the answer. "I also want you to tell me the names of the Saints that joined Baal's cause."

"What?!" Mr. West exclaimed. "How would I know anything about that?! The Kings didn't tell me anything-!"

"Do you think I care?" Annaliese said blandly. "Your life is on the line, Mr. West, and I know you must know at least the names of some of your allies."

Mr. West gritted his teeth. The blood around his wound has stopped seeping, which meant he was starting to heal. He had to delay the brat.

"Well?" the girl said impatiently.

"The major clans...I believe one of them is a Travis," Mr. West lied. There was no way this brat was getting the names from him! Maybe he could convince the Kings to turn her their ally!

Annaliese narrowed her eyes and sighed dramatically. "Traitors…to think they would change." She pressed the device again, and Mr. West nearly yelled when he saw another of his industrial plants burst into flames.

"Didn't I tell you to quit lying to me?" the girl hissed. "Perhaps you need better encouragement." She directed her gun towards his chest and shot again in the same exact spot!

Mr. West roared in pain. His chest wound and right hand were badly injured.

"How are you doing it?!" he gasped. "H-how could you tell I was lying?!"

"I'll admit that the facial expressions and the tone of your voice make your lies sound very convincing," Annaliese replied. "In fact, if you were facing another Saint unlike me, I'm sure you would have tricked them."

"T-then how…"

"Simple. It's your heart."

The demon nearly gasped out of shock. His heart? The brat was listening to his heartbeat? Then that would mean…

"Yes, Mr. West. I can feel your heartbeat the moment you bleed," Annaliese said with a smug smirk as her eyes went wide. She looked like she had gone crazy as she stared at him. "Do you know that every time a person lies, that no matter how good a liar they are – their heart, the source of their blood, always reveals the truth? There is always something that changes in rhythm. Some more slight than others, but it's always there."

Mr. West slumped down, suddenly realizing the harsh dilemma he was in. Was it possible…that he was at a loss?

"Good," Annaliese stated. "You are finally starting to show fear. Your heartbeat is going in such a frenzy right now. I wonder what I did to speed it up."

"Shut up!" Mr. West screeched. His life be damned – he could always regenerate, but he would make sure that this brat went with him! He lunged forward with the intention of grabbing the brat's neck-!

Instead, he felt something pierce his own neck.

The demon choked, blood instantly seeping out of his mouth. His opponent's calculating gaze upon him. He had been paying so much attention to the mortal gun in her left hand that he didn't bother to consider the girl was a Blood Element controller and she could use it anytime she wants.

"I mentioned at the beginning that I've read up on you," Annaliese mumbled as she looked down on him coldly. "The information was hard to dig up, but to think the hollow part of your throat was your weak spot, not bad for an Achilles heel."

The girl quickly withdrew her weapon, blood smearing her face and parts of her dress suit while doing so. "Make sure you take your sweet time in hell. Say hello to your buddies for me."

With that said, Mr. West breathed his last as his body dissolved into a pool of black tar.

Annaliese surveyed the damage. There were now numerous cracks on the walls and damaged furniture. It was a good thing she applied some Veil before entering the room. The noise of her battle with the Marshal demon would have alerted unwanted attention. She placed her gun back into her chest strap and took off the black wig she had on, revealing a flaming red hair that went just past her waist. Once she has done so, her cell phone started ringing in her pocket.

"Annaliese," she responded, and quickly drew the phone away on reflex as the person on the other end started shouting:

"YOU CERTAINLY TOOK YOUR DAMN SWEET TIME, MISS HUNTER! WHAT WERE YOU DOING PLAYING AROUND? HOW DARE YOU MAKE ME WAIT SO LONG IN THIS RIDICULOUS WEATHER?"

"Sorry, Hugh," Annaliese said with a taunting tone of voice as she rolled her golden eyes. "I just didn't think any bullets should be wasted on a creature like him-"

"WHAT NONSENSE IS THIS?! BULLETS ARE MEANT TO BE USED! NOT AS A LAST RESORT, YOU IDIOT!" Hugh Travis, her teacher, continued to berate her.

Annaliese started rubbing her forehead, her eyebrow twitching in annoyance.

"Now unlock this door already! Security is starting to get crazy out here!" Hugh yelled, his anger slowly residing. "You're finally alone, right?"

Annaliese closed her cell and walked over to the computer lying on the glass desk. Based on what Hugh had instructed her, she quickly found the right files and buttons, successfully unlocking all doors to allow strangers into the compromise. After around 10 minutes, a lean-built, middle-aged dark-haired man appeared on the other side of the room, a briefcase in hand.

"You could have just used your mind control, you know," Annaliese accused him as she walked around the table.

"What a mess," Hugh muttered, looking at the room in disgust. "At least you have some sense to keep the computer undamaged, or my presence here would be meaningless."

"Yeah, whatever, Hugh."

Hugh only huffed in response before plugging in his hard drive into the computer. His fingers soared across the keyboard as he quickly hacked into the system. Files were popping out and in a matter of minutes, Hugh had successfully downloaded every critical data into the hard drive while inserting a well encrypted virus to destroy any trances.

"Now, let's get out of here. With those hectic explosions earlier, there's bound to be some flies," Hugh said, now with a smile. He gave Annaliese a glance and his smile froze. "Are those bloodstains on the suit?"

Annaliese cursed in her mind.

"YOU BETTER DRY CLEAN THAT UNTIL THAT SUIT IS SPOTLESS, YOU HEAR ME?" Hugh shouted. "I AIN'T GONNA TOLERATE DEMON FILTH IN THE HOUSE!"

"Yes, Hugh," Annaliese said, exasperated as the two of them left the room. Her ears were still wincing from Hugh's yelling. She still wondered if Hugh was doing it on purpose just to aggravate her. And he is starting to get on her nerves for the day.

"Don't forget to do the laundry, either."

"I know."

"Her desk is starting to gather dust; I expect you to clean it once we get back."

"Got it."

"Also don't forget-!"

"Rearranging the bookshelf, cleaning up the arena, and preparing dinner," Annaliese finished. 'Oh lord, I really did have a lot to do later,' she added sarcastically in her mind.

Hugh narrowed her eyes at her.

Oops… she forgot Hugh is a mind reader.

"What did I say about interrupting me?"

"I'm sorry, Hugh."

Once the two were outside, they found Hugh's silver Pagani Huayra located in the edge of the road. There were already numerous reporters and news vans present due to the explosions, but no one batted an eye at the dark-haired man and his accomplice as they walked right by.

Annaliese paused and looked up to the sky, her golden eyes taking note of the dark fog that had nothing to do with the smoke coming from the flaming nuclear plants. Baal's miasma… the essence of darkness is stronger in this place. Anytime the humans in this plant will lose their minds, and they will become just like the Saints who had given in to Baal's voice – a demon.

When they were finally situated in the car, Hugh gave her a sweet smile.

"What are you waiting for, Annaliese? Blow up the rest."

Annaliese nodded.

They were already at a distance away when they heard it: the sound of buildings crashing down that would inevitably destroy the rest of the weapons supply. Annaliese saw the smoke rising into the sky from the rearview mirror. Based on what little she gathered from the Marshal demon, things were really much worse than they had thought. Well, at least they were able to strike a blow against the enemy.

She pitied the one who must report this to the Kings of Baal's Order.