IN HIS NEW HIDEOUT IN AN ABANDON HOUSE, HAJJI LAID on his makeshift mattress. He made sure that-no police nor the 2 dogs, would have access opportunity to surprise him when he was in his deep sleep…

But he could ‘not’ escape his haunting nightmares, of a broken promise…

… he dreamt that he was in A GHOST-TOWN, where-there was no human and animals at sight. He walked around, inspecting his surrounds of the new whereabouts, with 2 guns in his hands. He was hungry and thirsty…

… Hajji broke the lock of a Woolworths grocery-store, with the butt of his pistol and entered-inside. But all the racks were bare… with broken glass on the floor, and-was infested by big, dirty rats, swarming around.

He hated rats, that were big as cats – were in the last warehouse that he hid, had lots of them running around. They bothered his sleep and chewed on his long dreadlocked braids – as he had kept his poor personal hygiene when he went a fortnight without showering. That was then, where he decided to ‘chop’ his plaited locks, with his hunting knife.

Hajji walked to the confectionary racks, to find at least a mere-packet of cookie or biscuit, to satisfy his growling tummy. But all he found was a-heap of chewed up empty wrappers – and the Black-man was pissed mad, as he cursed and started shooting the fleeing rodents, with his 2-guns.

He shot one dead and wounded another, and the cussed Hajji stomped the injured the rat, to death with his boot. The bolting rodents were going into a back area, Hajji followed to corner them and kill more of the vermin. He saw a score of rats trapped in the darkroom, squealing in fear to the-feet of an-entity, in the shadows…

Hajji-heard a familiar voice…

“Do you think you can kill me with technology, Monkey-face?”

His sword then flamed brilliant – and THE HORNED RED-DEMON emerged from the dark.

“Do you think you can hide from me, why you-insolent primate – when I have ‘marked’ you…? Which means, there is nowhere you can go, run and hide like a-rat – because I would… eventually find you, you-filthy mandrill…!”

… Hajji dropped on his knees, placing his 2 guns on the dirty floor.

“No, apologies, O Lord Mercury – it's not’ my place to offend you…”

Hajji’s cheek bearing the crisscrossed ‘markings’ scars received from the Red-demon, at the zoo a while ago, where the demon spared his life, for his promise and skill of the black-art, to break a ‘certain’ spell of the highest order.

“Don’t be angry, O Lord Mercury – I’m ‘not’ hiding from you – but from the police… and those 2 ‘haram-jijik’ dogs, which are all-hunting for me…”

Unafraid, the rodents had climbed onto the one-armed demon’s body, where rats and mice were playfully squeaking, running around his body ‘chasing’ the demon’s moving-tattoos.

“What of my task I gave you – WHAT IS THE OUTCOME, Monkey-face – have you found the ‘CURE’ TO FREE the mortal Peter Walker?”

“Please my Lord, I need ‘more-time’ to excise this complicated High-spell of the All-Father…”

“Mediocre…! Useless…! You don’t give credit to Asmodeus as your excuse – where in 6 days, the Old-man would HIMSELF WALK the earth, as ‘Peter Walker!’”

“Please… don’t be angry…”

“I don’t understand why men and demons alike practise useless African jungle-voodoo – that don’t bring results! That equally useless T’Maru too, made some EMPTY-PROMISE when I confronted him-last, at the bar…”

“Please-please, it needs a higher source, like HER-BLACKSTAR, TO BREAK ‘THIS’ SPELL… and ‘only’ she would fulfil it.”

“Well, the spell-would ‘not’ break itself – why the delay with your jaunty-monkey-plays with me, GO ASK the bitch herself!”

“But… I fell-off the grace of Mother Blackstar…”

Mercury went berserk – and placed the tip of his burning sword to Hajji’s Adam’s-apple and threatened the Nigerian.

“I don’t care how you monkey-do it, but you get it ‘done,’ Monkey-face – whether you go beg, borrow or steal for ‘that’ favour, from that bloody-bitch – but I want Peter Walker to be freed!!! Or, the next time, I will kill you and condemn you to hell – and ‘not’ to your Abrahamic Paradise – where your virgin-bitches, awaiting you there in the afterlife!”

The rats from the horned demon jumped onto his blazing sword – their furry bodies and tails were on fire – when they leapt onto the black man's face. The fiery critters furiously bit Hajji’s face and body, as he sprawled-kicks on the floor, and was screaming of pain, and fear…

-O-

… Hajji screamed-awake, from his blood-curdling and chilling nightmare.

He was in a cold sweat, and he put his hands to his face, and felt his ‘scared and marked’ cheek, there were no rat-bites – but only mozzie-bites – another pest which he hated too.

Hajji breathes easy and was thirsty. He picked up a half-empty bottle of mineral water and drank. As he gulped, he heard…

… clacks-of-nail-claws hit on the floor…

… walking in the dark outside, of his locked room-door.

He cursed softly, as he picked up both his guns…

“They are here – those haram-jijik, bloody dogs are here…”

-O-

Outside the door, was the grey-Alsatian and the Belgium Malinois growling – and pounding their bodies – and scratching the wood-work… trying to enter in…

… Hajji stood-up and shot and finished the-clips, onto the locked door – he locked-and-loaded his extra-magazines to both his guns and shot again – as he cursed in his mother-tongue.

Piper knew guns kill – as he had ‘memorable’ occurrence before when he had wandered away from Perth – and ended-up, far-away from home, into the sheep-county of WA – where he befriended the ‘good’ dingo in her escapade-hunt…

… but she was killed by farmers, with guns.

The alpha-dog gave a warning-sense, to his current-partner to stand-down – and they would GET THE ‘BAD’ MAN… on another day.

… Hajji looked on bullet-holes ridden on the door, the dogs were ‘not’ there. He heard barks outside and looked out the window and saw the dynamic-furry-duo’s warning-snaps – as they both ran away in the dark. The Nigerian mocking-laughs was heard…

… as he cursed and challenged…

Now he too had to ‘evacuate,’ and move-house to another neighbourhood – as his gunshots had been heard fired, which would next attract the police…

… Hajji went into his cunning ‘routines,’ where he had been successfully kept himself BELOW-THE-RADAR – of evading eyes-of-the-law…

… and of-Insp Walker’s… since Samuel Wilson’s ABDUCTION CASE at the zoo.

<><>

AFTER MR FRED BAILEY’S ENGLISH CLASS, THAT WEDNESDAY, assistant-coach George Metcalf came to give out copies of memos from Coach Jonah, to Peter, Jane and Zoe – for the 3 of them to meet later, after school at the gym…

… Paul read the memo to blind-Jane, who was baffled of-why she had been called up by the school’s sports coach. It didn’t say much in writing, except it was, stated that its, school’s tennis mixed-doubles related.

Jane was ‘not’ feeling well that day, and was undergoing cramps from her monthly periods. She could ‘not’ focus well during her English pop-quiz, and made 5 mistakes, which was her record high. Ever since Alicia had been in a coma, she doesn’t have a good study partner – while, RELYING ON BOYYO alone, was mechanical and boring.

At the back of the class was Peter who reread the memo thrice, which he held in his singled gloved-hand…

‘Why was Jonah calling the 3 of 'us' later…?’

Since he hated his coach, he was thinking of all-negative ‘reasons’ of the memo, of Jonah would be addressing later at the meeting – to discard his PFC brand.

Just like how of him, BEING BANNED IN THE FINAL TERM from playing his game – and ‘that’ golden-break, had qualified Zubeer Khan as #3, in the Boy’s category ranking.

Despite raining outside. Jane and Paul were sweating a-lot, from their cursed-scars – resulting from the negative-vibes, coming behind, from the one-armed boy.

<>

BLIND-JANE WENT ALONE TO THE WEST-WING, where the gym was, aided by her AI Boyyo, directing her like a GPS. Peter caught up with her, and reminded her…

“Hey-Janey, once over there, let me do the talking, okay…?”

The blind-girl did ‘not’ respond to the bright-red ‘glow’ – as she silently kept on walking and was listening to Peter’s bad-mouthing of Coach Jonah. She was sweating and removed her beanie which she wore, to wipe her brow.

Soon they reached Coach Jonah’s office and saw the middle-aged man with Zoe and the 2 reserve players – but Douglas Zimmerman was ‘not’ there. And, after a moment of waiting, Peter saw and scoffed at the senior-boy appeared running… making his grand entrance at the door, like-some SHS superstar-player.

“Sorry Coach… and everyone, I had a history test…” Said the senior student.

With the 6 of them present, Coach Jonah TOLD WHY he had called this ‘urgent’ meeting. Apparently, the district-school-council had faxed him, that they were pushing the dates ‘up’ from end-of-the final term-to next Monday – for Stamford High’s mixed doubles entry – for ‘only-one’ pair in the quota. Which means the date was set for the knock-out qualification – between PFC WITH DOUGIE AND ZOE, to be played ‘NEXT-MONDAY.’

But Douglas protested…

“What? But Coach Jonah, Zoe has some minor wrist injuries…”

Peter responded with delight…

“Great! So, it’s a walkover then – so Coach, can I suggest my PFC, have a play-off with ‘these’ 2-mediocre reserves – and later, you can submit to the sports-council, of us – the winners, okay?”

Zoe objected…

“No-way! Coach. I will recover fast – and we will all meet next Monday, and decide who is the deserving-best pair, on the court. I didn’t come all the way with my hard-earned effort-to GO-WASTED, for some blind-school here, to have her easy-glory!”

Peter cheered…

“YAY, GIRL-FIGHT! Whatever, as long you both don’t use your rankings as excuses as a refusal for a ‘rematch’ – you, Doug-being #2… and Zoe as #1 of SHS – anyways, as for us-the-PFC – the YouTube proof-of-record still stands the test of time-reminder… that we the ‘Perth’s famous couple,’ had trashed you-2 before… in the viral video… with half a million views to date!”

“BRING IT ON!” Cried, Zoe Williams.

But Jane Wilson was quiet, the entire time… neither had-listening nor been-offended…

… of being insulted by their argument…

… as she was ‘stuck’ in her mind – with hearing 2 words of – next Monday…

… it was THE ‘DAY’ OF THE FULL BLOOD-MOON IN THE SPHINX – where the demon All-Father, WOULD WALK THE EARTH, in Perth.

-O-

After a heated meeting at Coach Jonah’s office, Peter needed to pee on a rainy morning – so he headed to the nearest boys room, which was at the ‘same’ gym… with an attached sports changing-room.

When he was done, he out to wash-his-hand… and stopped, when he heard 2 voices nearby… of someone comforting-another somebody, who was sobbing…

… that was happening in the changing room...

… being a busybody, Peter walked in – and saw assistant-coach Metcalf, who also coached the cricket-team…

… seated on a bench with a certain someone, who was crying softly…

… Metcalf saw the one-armed boy, and in surprise-acknowledge him…

“Peter?”

The tearful teen turned his head – Peter recognized him…

… by his bandaged-wrist, as the SHSs’ cricket team captain, Bruce Bronson, known by all as BB – who had VIDEOED THE PFC BREAKUP, a couple of weeks ago…

… and he got supernaturally ‘injured’…

… the angry teenager, stood-up… and shouted at the tween…

“YOU!!!”

Coach Metcalf grabbed the furious, bigger-in-sized Bruce, of the boys… obstructing BB from advancing at one-armed Peter.

“YOU TERRORIST! How are you still here in this school – why didn’t they LOCK YOU UP? Had your mother pull some bloody-strings for you, TO GET-YOUR-FREE-PASS!!!”

The annoyed Peter pointed at him, with his only arm…

“Hey-you-BB, be civil – NO MOTHER MENTIONING HERE… and for the police-record, I’m ‘not’ a terrorist criminal, okay!!?”

“DON’T LIE, I was there, at the cafeteria! You are ‘somehow’ involved with the terrorist activity of the phone-bombings! Look at my hand, YOU BLOODY MAIMED IT and ruined my cricket sports career! You even blinded Charlotte Thompson – IF SHE IS HERE, she will say it so too – that you are responsible for the phone-bombs, THAT MADE MY GIRLFRIEND BLIND!”

His coach calmed the ex-captain, but failed – as irked Peter spoke out…

“WHOA-HEY BB, don’t do bloody-BLATANT ACCUSATIONS IN-HERE! Have you ever thought of that – the bitch-karma had taught you a lesson… of YOUR ‘BAD’ AND MALICIOUS INTENSIONS of taking that video, of US-PFC BREAKUP!!? Have you ever ever thought about that, BB…?”

Coach Metcalf shouted out…

“Peter WALKER – GET OUT of this locker-room now!”

“FINE-COACH… I’m out of here…!”

But angry-Peter was nattering, on the way out…for he was ‘not’ done…

“… welcome to the SHS’ CLUB OF THE HANDICAPS – and I’m your host and president – The One-armed Bandit…

“… and-you-BB… meet me at my ‘office’, and I will teach you some new tricks and tips, of how to use your ‘other’ hand – to eat, and jack-yourself off… whenever you get lonely…”

<><>

MEANWHILE, AT THE SEEIN TEMPLE IN KAMPUCHEA, the Red-demon, the Mother-of-Virgos and the Man-lion were still waiting-out in secret-dimension Buddhist-world, hiding from Asmodeus’ army of soldiers and bounty-hunters. At the courtyard of the sanctuary, the trio was strategizing a revolution, against the All-father of the Underworld.

The Man-lion was irrational in his discussion and was also confrontational – because it was ‘that’ moment in time – while the full blood-moon was gradually happening in Egypt, and meanwhile in Africa, was the would-be eclipse-of-the-sun was happening simultaneously. And, since Leeu was the son of The African God-of-Sun – the anomalies were affecting him emotionally, in a negative way…

“We just kill the ‘vessel,’ and be done with it!”

Mercury protested back aloud…

“No-you fool, I will ‘not’ allow that!”

Venus the all-beauty, saw both of the hulking god-demons, were at each other’s throats, and before long, they would then draw their weapons, and pit against each other. She heard her mate spoke aloud…

“Who is the ‘fool’ here? Why are you worried about some ‘fortune-telling’ council of zodiac-gods? Even I-myself is a ‘one’ of those signs, of those 12 houses – but now I don’t care anymore… because mortals out-there don’t ‘believe’ anymore, in that ‘way-of-life-in-destiny,’ since the world had been infected by science and technology!”

Venus intervened and spoke to Mercury, in the Roman language, their shared mother-tongue.

“Mercury, he is right...! WE DON’T HAVE the numbers.”

The horned Red-demon ignored her… and continued to shout at Leo.

“Bah! You Africans are useless, just like your mediocre voodoos! And, of the millions of-the African-gods, they had bloody-chosen ‘you’ – why-because you are the son-of-so-and-so – and ‘that’ was the gravest mistake, the zodiac-council did make, in the first place!”

It angered the lion, and it roared back…

“Then-be ‘the’ fool you are, and be left out – while I lead my army then, into my ‘own’ revolution against the All-father – and, kill the ‘vessel’ and prevent him, to walk the earth!”

Mercury drew his sword, and it flamed bright…

“No! Peter Walker would ‘not’ die on my watch – and that’s final!”

The feuding demons were noisy and disturbing the tranquillity of the peaceful and serene ‘aura’ of the holy-temple. Even meditating monks, came outside to see ‘what’ the noisy-fuss was all about.

Venus in tears pleaded out…

“No, you-2, don’t FIGHT AND KILL yourself? Mercury, tell me WHAT YOU WANT?”

The raging lion roared at her.

“’ Why’ go ask him, woman…? You are my ‘mate’… you don’t go ask nor beg to him!!!”

The newly-enlightened Mercury, REVEALED HIS ‘PLAN’…

“We stick to the initial plan, Vee – where we use the blind-One, and guide her 3rd-eye to observe and infiltrate the Underworld – and let her be there, to ‘steal’ Peter Walker’s soul… which is hidden by the Dark-one, the All-father – so that he would ‘not’ walk the earth!”

From a distance, the old-hunchbacked, monk-woman shouted and cursing in Kampuchean Khmer dialect, at the unwelcome-visitors…

… to cross-back into their ‘own’ dimension-to… where they came from…

… the trio was nothing but trouble since they came here to hide from the Underworld – where they were polluting the ‘minds’ of the youngster-monks, with ‘filth’ of their unclean-nature.

Leeu picked up his double-bladed spear, and turned to the crying Venus, and reminded her…

“I know it will come to this, woman… and-just I had said once before – that there would be only ‘one’ demon who will have ‘you!’”

The Man-lion charged forward-offensive across the temple courtyard, towards the battle-ready Red-demon. His burning sword clashed hard on to the swinging spear-attack… and molten-lava of metal-drops, burst-out with each blow. The agile Mercury somersaulted over, the attacking lion-beast.

The sky grew dark and redder above the fighting demons. Storm-winds were coming from the west of the horizon, with bolts of lightning and frightening-loud thunders...

Then THE EYE-OF-ARGUS opened, as-big as a full-moon… was-set upon the Kampuchean skies and – was blinking before…

… it stared below, at the fugitive-trio.

The supernatural-anomaly terrified the monks below, as they fled back into the temple, and shut the main door. The 2 demons stopped fighting, and saw up at the ‘eye’ …

Mercury pointed at it, with his single arm…

“Asmodeus has found us!”

A dark-portal opened, out-came the army of hundreds of demon-warriors descending… on the green-pasture of the hilltop temple. Their-feral cries were heard, while the horde charged over to the courtyard. They clashed with the 2 renegade demons, who skilfully killed many of them, cutting and chopping them-down on the holy-ground.

-O-

Inside the temple… the brave and wise-old 120-year-old MONK – assembled his monks for a counter-attack…

The SeeIn Temple was a decedent of the grand Shaolin Temple of the Great-China, before they migrated to Kampuchea, to spread their sacred-faith and premonition-messages and warnings of the future-to-come.

The temple main-door reopened, disrobed-bare-bodied monks rushed outside with war-cries, brandishing broad-swords in their hands. Even the young, servant boy-monks…

… were running out holding hatchets.

They joined the 2 fighting demons, who were all-bloody thick, into-their carnage-making – as they slew many fiends, of the army from the Underworld. They defeated the waring-monsters with major casualties…

… then a loud siren, from their portal-from-hell blared…

… then the 2nd legion army, of more demons, ran out of the gateway to engage the surviving foes. Mercury and Leo were battle-ready, standing alongside with the monks and boy-servants, with massacred-dead below their feet.

And, the 2nd-wave began…

-O-

While the next-battle went on, Venus was seated on the ground, and she meditated and prayed to her gods… while also summoning her ‘own’ portal – THE CUBE OF APOLLO…

… to escape from the Mayhem of Kampuchea.

The charging army of demons, hacked-down more mortal monks… who had fought bravely, to stop an invasion to their temple. Both Mercury and Leo were tiring-fast – as they fought too-many of the savage opponents – and they both heard Venus…

… calling from behind...

Both the demons saw the Cube-of-Apollo and the waiting Venus…

… IT WAS SUICIDAL to remain and to keep fighting. Mercury and Leo ran towards the portal, chased by scores of the killer-army…

“Quick!” Cried, Venus.

The Cube-of-Apollo disappeared into oblivion, the moment the 2 demons rushed in, entering the portal – leaving the perusing demon-soldiers behind, growling mad when their bounties had escaped in thin-air. The soldiers, at once turned back…

… and attacked the monks instead…

… slaughtering and hacking every one of them dead, who were last-standing… before returning disappointed into their own portal – under the WATCHFUL EYE-OF-ARGUS…

-O-

…who reported Kampuchean-MISSION-FAILURE, to the Underworld to-its master, Asmodeus…

… that THE 3 FUGITIVES have escaped again.