15Chapter One
"So…" Hellboy hummed, "You're immortal?"
Alice stopped mid-step to turn around and gaze at him. She stared some time with a blank expression before it turned sour, "no shit Sherlock."
"Sorry." Hellboy said baffled and embarrassed, "I'm just excited…"
"Excited about what, kid?"
"Meeting someone immortal."
"Really?" Alice said stepping high to avoid dragging her heels in sewer juice, "It seems you haven't done a lot with your life."
"I'm only six." Hellboy replied.
"Damn."
"Damn what?"
"You're a big six year old." Alice replied before shushing him.
A gurgling sound echoed on the sewer walls from a slimmer corridor. Alice pulled out her pistol and turned to Hellboy, "Look kid, I know Trevor wanted you to tag along so you can help me kill this thing but I got it. You sit back and take notes."
Hellboy frowned unsure if he should be offended or flattered.
"I wanna help Miss Babik."
"Please call me Alice."
Hellboy continued, "I've killed creatures of the paranormal before."
"You're only six."
"So?"
"I'm like old enough to be your grandmother then add several hundred greats added beforehand. Just shut up and do what I say."
Hellboy grunted pulling out his own pistol just in case. Alice studied it before cracking a smile, "What the hell are you going to do with that puny revolver?"
"Bite me." Hellboy said rolling his eyes as Alice laughed.
"Hey when you get back to New Mexico ask the guys in artillery to make you a gun that matches your size and will fit in your purse next to your tampons." Alice laughed waving her own gun side to side.
"You're mean."
"Ah, don't mind me kid I'm poking fun at you." Alice said turning the corner. The slimmer corridor she thought she heard the noise come from was empty. Alice placed her free hand on her hip, "Dammit. Another empty one."
"So what's this thing look like?" Hellboy asked.
"I don't know. But from what it did to those people's bodies—it's got to be at least six feet."
"Or bigger."
Alice looked over her shoulder, "I can still handle it. No worries. Come on."
Alice nudged Hellboy out of the way as she continued to lead. They then came to an intersection where the sewage was particularly raw in smell and bubbly in sight.
"Ew." Alice said instinctively holding her nose, "What the hell IS THAT?!"
"Sewage. We are in the sewer." Hellboy said factually.
"Oh shut up!" Alice said holding her nose and stepping around to the right corner. She peeked seeing nothing but darkness then turned left to see the same thing.
"Left or right kid?"
"My instincts say left."
"Then we head right."
Hellboy frowned at her, "I don't want to be disrespectful Miss Babik but I'm an agent of the Bureau just like you and I think my opinions shouldn't be taken so lightly in a situation like this."
Alice peeked over her shoulder, "So you want your opinions to count, huh, newbie? I got an answer for that: Seniority rules. That's the end of it. I've been here longer than any other field operative and I'm not gonna let some large red six year old tell me what to do! You hear me?"
Hellboy frowned at her until Alice turned back around, "Now are you gonna sit there pouting or follow me?" Hellboy followed reluctantly behind Alice for another four miles.
After taking many turns left, right, left right and down into a deeper tunnel, Alice gave up and took out a carton of cigarettes.
"That's It." she said bitterly, "We're right under 44th street—can go any lower. Where the hell is this thing?"
"Perhaps it took a detour." Hellboy said, "I can't smell anything in the air here… accept sewage of course."
"No we need to keep looking." Alice said lighting up a cigarette, "Keep on till you find something. That's one of my rules kid. Never give up. That's what makes you a dependable operative when everyone else wants to call it a day and you don't stop till the job's done."
Hellboy nodded like a small school child and turned around to scribble that wise information down on a notepad he carried. Alice inhaled her cigarette calmly and released all while Hellboy watched in awe.
"What are those?"
"Cigarettes."
"Neat. Can I have one?"
"No you'll catch cancer or something like that." Alice warned, "Don't smoke."
"So it's bad for you?"
"Yes very bad."
"Then why do you do it?"
"Because I can't die."
"So you smoke?"
"Take advantage of a situation if you can." Alice mused dropping the used cigarettes in the crap being carried off by the disgusting river of sewage. She began to light another as low growls were heard approaching.
Hellboy squinted down the tunnel trying to see what it was. He turned on his flashlight but the darkness seemed to swallow it whole.
"I think it found us." Hellboy whispered. Alice didn't seem to take notice or care as she carefully lit her second cigarette, finished and went for her third.
"It's coming." Hellboy said bending his knees. He drew he gun out again ready to attack. Alice looked at him amused as Hellboy waited.
Out of the dark tunnel a massive wolf standing several feet higher than Alice and Hellboy tromped forward hunching his back to fit through the opening. His muzzle was sodden in blood meaning it had found another victim. His claws were bared with long nails protruding untrimmed as his long teeth were bared with red eyes. He spotted the flashlight's beam of light and let out a terrifying howl.
"That's a warg." Alice said knowingly.
"A what?"
"An ancient nasty wolf!" Alice said throwing her cigarette in the sewage river. The warg slowly went down on all fours but he was still bigger and even scarier in his present position. He tromped slowly towards them then began to pick up speed.
"Fire Ms. Babik?" Hellboy asked alert, "Fire? Alice! Fire!"
"Do what you want kid!" Alice screamed charging towards the beast. Hellboy couldn't believe what he was seeing as he heard a loud thud; Alice had left hooked the beast in its muzzle. The warg hit its head against the stone wall cracking it slightly as it fell.
Alice backed off keeping her fists up and it was only seconds later before it charged again. This time Alice had timed it out and in the blink of an eye Alice had thrown another punch knocking the warg into the sewage river. He fell backwards splashing sewage juices everywhere even on Alice's suite.
Alice let out a frustrated scream as she looked herself up and down, "I just had this tailored yesterday!"
Hellboy stood stunned poising like a street cop. Alice wiped some slime off her pants legs seeing the rumbling bubbles under the surface of the water.
"Come on out!" Alice shouted.
With that the warg soared out of the water and pounced upon Alice. He knocked her over burying his claws into her chest. Alice shrieked seizing the warg's wrist using all her strength to pull his claws out of her. She jabbed her heels in his stomach causing him to burp. Finally Alice kicked off of her and rolled backwards and standing up waiting for his charge. He came flying at her this time but Alice caught him by his muzzle and closed his mouth. It was an odd sight to see. A petite female with small hands holding the jaws of a 400 pound warg shut with little to no effort. The warg tried fighting back but Alice forced it down on all fours. It was a power struggle; the warg was trying to knock Alice off as Alice tried force its head into the concrete floor.
"Hellboy!" Alice scream, "I gotta plan! Smash this thing's brains out?"
"Its brains?"
"Out! NOW!"
"Now?"
Hellboy ran over and aimed his arm over the beast's head. He swung his arm down hard on the creature's head and heard a loud crack. The warg stopped moving and all his weight fell forward as Alice continued to holding his jaws shut. Hellboy lifted his arm and saw the bloody imprint in the wolf's scalp as brains and blood began to seep up. Alice released its mouth and it fell lifeless.
Hellboy held his arm up higher unsure what to do next as Alice caught her breathe messaging her hands. Her suit was beyond repair, her hair was now tangled, her make-up smeared in sweat and the rest of her body, cut up by claws. She was bleeding, very little from having 12 inch claws forced throw her chest cavity and by the damage down from a warg she should've had internal bleeding from major arteries but Alice laughed off.
"Kid don't worry." Alice said nonchalantly leaning against the sewer walls, "I'm okay. Have you forgotten already: I'm kinda immortal?"
She began to chuckle to lighten up his mood, "You did a real good job kid. Really good. Handled this situation well. Wouldn't mind working with you again."
"Really Alice?" Hellboy asked excitedly.
Alice stopped smiling realizing what she had just said, "Yeah but um for now—we better get back up to the surface and clean off. Hey, I got an idea. You ever seen New York city before kid?"
"Nope. Only in magazines."
"How about it take you around town and show you sky scrappers and all the hot spots around here?"
"Are you sure my father wouldn't mind?"
"We'll play hooky." Alice grinned taking Hellboy by his hand.
Alice and Hellboy quickly found a sewage drain large enough for Hellboy to squeeze through. They were downtown Manhattan and it was around noon. Alice, smelling of sewage with a ripped suit quickly ditched her clothing and found a second hand shop and bought some old red dress. She found some shoes and a fountain in the park as bystanders stared in disbelief at Hellboy staring in the opposite direction of a half naked Alice showering in the fountain. Alice then found them a taxi willing to take them to Coney Island Beach.
The skies were clear with a few clouds and the sun was out warming the blue waters as little kids splashed and played in the golden sand. The Thunderbolt sat in the skyline with screams coming from carts as it went up and down; the Wonder Wheel was full of older couples enjoying their day out as the boardwalk held its seniors sitting on benches feeding gulls and pigeons. Alice led the way being on Coney beach several times as Hellboy looked around in awe.
"I'm assuming you don't get out much when you're in New Mexico?" Alice asked.
"No." Hellboy said, "I gotta stay on the base at all times unless father takes me overseas with him."
"Shame they're hiding you like that." Alice said nonchalantly taking in the sunrays. By now the cuts and bruises she had received no more than an hour ago were healing at unbelievable speeds. They only looked like mismatched scabs, scabs she said would soon shed and she'd have a new fresh layer of skin.
"You don't mind me asking Alice but um… how long have you been alive?" Hellboy whispered.
Alice looked up at him, "Why I think that isn't any of your business kid." Hellboy frowned and turned his head away like a chastised child, "But I'll give you a hint. I was there when Cesar was assassinated… I was there to witness the Renaissance… I was there when Marie Antoinette's head rolled away… I was there when indoor plumbing was introduced."
"Wow." Hellboy said in disbelief as Alice took out her pack of smokes and placed one delicately between her forefinger and middle finger. Hellboy was intrigued by the little white rolled up tobacco sticks that Alice took her sweet ass time to light and smoke.
"Are you sure smoking's bad for you?"
"Yes very bad you'll catch cancer and die from it in a month."
"So anyone can catch cancer?"
"Sure if you're smoking while you walk you can."
Hellboy blinked confused as Alice smirked to herself.
"Can I just try one?"
"No." Alice said more sternly, "So what do you want to do with the rest of your day off?"
Hellboy looked around on the beach and at the stalls and boutiques lined up on the boardwalk. He rolled his shoulders uncomfortably, "Well um… shouldn't we call my father first? He could be worried."
"We're playing hooky! Shush!" Alice said patting him on his arm, "Here let me ask this gentleman what he'd suggest we see with our spare time."
A large square Italian man with a fat head and rounded shoulders turned around in his booth to scowl but the flame in his eyes were extinguished at the sight of Hellboy.
"Excuse me sir." Alice said leaning on his stall, "Me and my friend here want to be entertained this quiet afternoon. What do you suggest we go see?"
The Italian gentleman looked at Hellboy directly startled by him and couldn't talk. Alice frowned and suddenly lashed over the counter pulling the man's face towards hers like a mother with their child.
"We want Entertainment. Now."
The Italian blinked returning to his senses and cleared his throat, "Nothing's going on here on the Boardwalk today. Maybe a few freak shows but that's about it."
"Freak shows?"
"Yeah. You know the ones. Straight from Europe. Usually some whack job veterans from the World War II. Pretty sad really—all of em are usually deformed Japs from that Hiroshima bombing but eh, hey! This is America. No one cares."
Alice glared at the Italian but didn't feel the need to reply, "Thanks."
She took Hellboy by the hand and led the way down the Boardwalk where this so-called freak show was settled.
"Freak show?" Hellboy asked, "What are Freaks?"
Alice didn't like the word freak. Neither did she like people using it to describe others with disabilities. She bit her tongue, toning down the message she was about to send to the young innocent Hellboy: "Something me and you are Hellboy. Unique."
Hellboy blinked unsure how to respond.
"Kid this is your first time dealing with people outside that base. In that base they are officials with no right to say what they want to cause that's their job. Out here they are stupid and reckless people who aren't afraid to call you something mean when they don't understand you, okay?"
Hellboy nodded unsure if Alice was beating around the bush with her answer.
"It's something you'll learn when you're older. Believe me."
A colossal circus tent with white and red vertical stripes stood in the horizon flapping lightly in the breeze. A flag perched high up top danced in the gentle wind as people began to crowd inside for the one o'clock show. Around the tent were smaller ones and stalls with cotton candy, peanuts and other sweet fatty treats were being sold. At one stall a loud rambunctious man stood shouting for kids to throw coins to the bearded lady. Immediately Hellboy became excited and Alice gave him a couple of bucks to go and get himself something. Alice got in line behind a happy couple with their four year old son named Billy.
Billy was a happy kid, Alice could tell. Holding both his parents hands as the swung him up and down to keep him patiently Little Billy laughed bringing more color to his rosy cheeks and asked sweetly, "What kind of freaks will we be seeing momma?"
"Oh all kinds dear." Said the scarlet haired woman, "I heard they have a four armed man!"
"You sure he won't be scared dear?" asked the father.
"Course not. His father is a War Hero, yes?" said the woman smiling and planted a kiss on her husband's cheek.
Alice rolled her eyes as Little Billy laughed and asked if he could go and throw another coin at the bearded woman.
Alice bit into her lip rethinking the idea that she should take someone like Hellboy to see a show like this. It would be exposure to what unfairness life can bring but was the big guy ready for that? He was only six. He had never been off the base before in the REAL world and he was in public for once and people were staring and weren't saying anything but how long would it take Hellboy to realize he was considered a freak by those who he tried to protect? This predicament puzzled Alice as she wondered if they should just walk up and down the boardwalk and call Bruttenholm to come pick them up. Besides, Hellboy wasn't her responsibility. It should be Bruttenholm telling him the woes of his existence. Still… with her being immortal she felt they had a connection of being outsiders; Hellboy just didn't know it yet.
"I got you some blue cotton candy."
Alice looked up to see Hellboy standing right next to her stuffing his glob with peanuts.
A woman behind them let out a shrill shriek then covered her mouth.
Hellboy looked at her funny but redirected his attention to Alice, "And some peanuts. Do you like peanuts?"
"Yeah I do. Thanks." Alice said taking a bag. "Hey Hellboy how about we go and keep walking down the boardwalk? I'm pretty sure we can find some rides suitable for your height."
Hellboy grimaced at Alice, "But I wanted to see the Freak Show."
"No you don't." Alice said as nicely as she could, "C'mon. We'll have more fun somewhere else."
Alice took Hellboy by his left arm and felt him becoming warmer. She rolled her eyes instinctively as his tail wagged dog-like while she led them away from the line.
"And where are you going my pretty?"
Alice and Hellboy turned around seeing a tall slender gentleman dressed from head to toe in a purple and gold Torero outfit with white and black striped socks, and black character shoes. Hellboy couldn't help his wide grinning as he started chuckling loudly; Alice frowned at the man placing her hand on her hip, "Excuse me?"
"I meant where are you headed milady because if you leave now you will miss my show." Said the man in a calm, seductive tone.
If it was not for his odd attire Alice would have noticed first-off his charming looks. The gentleman before her had a handsome shaven face except for his rugged chin covering the small dimple. He reminded Alice of that actor her friend Sophie liked so much, Charlton Heston and suddenly Alice felt her own body temperature growing higher.
Alice stared him in his dark eyes as he smiled flashing his pearlies, "C'mon miss I was just poking fun at you."
"And who are you, again?" Alice asked.
The gentleman rolled his shoulders back standing up straight, "I'm Galileo Sweeney owner and ringmaster of the Sweeney Wonder Freak Show and Co."
"Of course," Alice thought, "he's the ringmaster. Why couldn't I look at his outfit and tell."
"We don't want to see your show." Alice heard Hellboy say, "We're going somewhere else."
"Perhaps we should see what um… Mr. Sweeney has in store for us, and then maybe, we'll see his show." Alice quickly said to Hellboy then directed her attention back to Sweeney.
He smiled, "of course miss. Let me name them off. The Bearded Woman, the Four Armed Man, the Midget Dumplings of 8, The Great One Eyed Wonder Who Can See Through Clothes—"
"And that's exactly why we are not interested in your show Mr. Sweeney." Alice said, "I have no interest in seeing you exploit those with disabilities in your sick circus."
Hellboy nodded, "Amen." And directed Alice in the opposite direction.
"Wait!" Galileo called, his European accent seeping out, "I wasn't finish… we also have a few exhibits that are in the back for those who pay extra."
"Oh! Like throwing coins at a hairy lady isn't demeaning at all?" Alice asked.
"No not those—" said Galileo, "I meant… things of the unordinary. Supernatural things."
Both Hellboy and Alice's ears perked up. "What kinds of things?" Hellboy asked.
"Oh just shrunken heads, voo-doo spell books, amulets, werewolf claws… just about anything you can think of."
"It's a scam." Hellboy said. "Just a scam."
"Well I can assure sir that it's…"
"It's a scam." Hellboy said a bit more gruffly. He pulled Alice toward him in a protective way.
"He has a point Mr. Sweeney. None of these things sound interesting." Alice agreed and this time she began to walk off faster but Galileo had one more trick up his sleeve.
"Wait! I also have the Philosopher's Stone!" Galileo shouted.
Alice stopped dead in her tracks. She stopped walking so sudden that she jerked Hellboy back as those words bounced in her head: "The Philosopher's Stone".
She turned around seeing Galileo eyeing her and she abruptly walked back to him. Her eyes were wide and her throat parched. Galileo noticed he had her full attention and smiled drawing out a gun from his holster.
There were a few surprised shrieks from those watching from the sidelines as Galileo put the pistol in his mouth, "I will now attempt to shoot myself and prove that I Galileo Sweeney do have the real Philosopher's Stone."
There was a brief applause but he didn't have Hellboy fooled.
"Oh really?" he asked, "Let's see it."
"Of course," Galileo said smugly putting the gun down, "Anything for the big red baboon."
Someone in the crowd sniggled but everything stopped when Galileo pulled out a necklace hidden tightly under his ruffled shirt. It was nothing more than a jagged emerald knotted on some brown hemp string. Hellboy snarled cocking his head to the side, "You really think these people are going to believe that's the Philosopher's Stone?"
"As some of you may not know!" Galileo yelled turning to the crowd, "The legend of the Philosopher's Stone! Created many centuries ago to turn any material to gold and to give its holder immortal life! Today, I am the present owner and I present to you an appetizer of its power! Watch and be amazed!"
Galileo turned back around to face Alice whose face was now flushed.
Alice knew well of the Philosopher's Stone… how could she not? It was created to give immortality to mortals but if someone like her, it had the opposite effect. She could age… she could die. And she knew it was the real thing… it had to be… the power, aura coming from the stone. She wanted to reach out for it, take it and run away to a safe place and study it.
"Here madam." Said Galileo handing her the pistol, "Shoot me."
This made Alice clock back into reality as she held the pistol dumbfounded. Galileo took a few steps back and spread his arms and legs with a smirk, "I'm ready when you are milady."
"Shoot you? I'm not going to shoot you."
"Why not? If you believe in the power of the stone no harm will be done to me!"
"Are you serious? I could kill you with this!"
"But I am immortal when I wear this. Guns, swords, death… it does not scare me!"
The crowd oh-ed in astonishment as Galileo egged Alice on.
"No." Alice said, "I'm not shooting you."
"Here let's raise the bargain." Galileo said, "How about if you shoot me and when I get up—WHEN I get up—I take you on a date to Sardi's, naturally because that's where the stars go beautiful… and you, might I say, Miss Myrna Loy, are gorgeous."
The crowd did a romantic ah that made Alice turn redder than Hellboy who's glow of scarlet wasn't because of natural skin color but it was his apparent dislike for Galileo.
"Here I'll shoot him." Hellboy said taking out his own gun.
BANG.
Alice let out a gasp as some in the crowd screamed. Smoke rose from Hellboy's gun as he smirked a bit seeing Galileo lying on the ground. A bullet hole was now in his lower abdomen where his right lung was located. His eyes were closed but the apparent frown on his face showed the discomfort of being shot.
Alice immediately ran to his side putting his head on her lap. She checked his breathing. He wasn't. She checked for a pulse. There was none. She probed the wound and it was still warm then she gasped again, "Hellboy you killed him!"
"Did not!" Hellboy said innocently, "he said he was going to live!"
"He was lying!" Alice shouted terrified.
"Well—it's his fault!"
She didn't know what to do. Not only had she brought the B.P.R.D.'s secret outside of his secluded hole without permission but he had committed murder.
Then there was a grunt. Alice looked down seeing Galileo's eyes blink profusely as focused them staring back at hers. He smirked then asked, "So I guess this means you owe me a date, Miss Elizabeth Taylor?"
Alice could not help but smile as the crowd began to applaud. Hellboy stood bewildered holding his gun as Alice helped Galileo up.
"I want to go home." Hellboy said interrupting the two.
Alice looked up from her daze as Galileo frowned, "This your red baboon?"
"I'm not a baboon. Alice I want to go home." Hellboy said again.
"Please, one moment." Galileo said caressing Alice's cheek, "Sardi's at seven… is that okay with you?"
"Sure…" Alice said breathlessly.
"Seven." Galileo whispered.
"I'M READY TO GO HOME." Hellboy said a bit louder.
When Hellboy and Alice returned to the Plaza she got a quick chewing out from Professor Bruttenholm. Though he was happy both had returned safely and that the warg was dead, he was very unhappy hearing they had taken a detour and went to the Boardwalk.
Alice quickly smoothed it out and told Trevor where the body of the warg as located: if they wanted. She wasn't going back down there to get it. She didn't have the time.
Quickly, she took a taxi to the hotel where the B.P.R.D. was staying until the investigation was closed. She showered, she groomed herself, she curled her hair then cursed herself for cutting it so short. She found her pearl necklace, an evening dress some suitable make-up then glanced at her clock to see that it was only 5:30.
Knock, knock.
Alice looked up to hear someone knocking at her hotel door. She bit her lip. She hoped it wasn't Jerry, her soon to be ex-fiancé or Trevor. She opened the door and it was Hellboy, pouting.
"Don't go on a date with that creep. It was a cheap trick, I tell ya. He's just weird." Hellboy said.
Alice smiled and was so touched. Not only had the big brute become her protégé but he had developed a crush on her. Alice leaned on the door and chuckled, "it's just a friendly dinner date. I owe him."
"No you don't. He's creepy."
"You'll understand when you get older, kid. Trust me."
"Well what about Jerry?" Hellboy asked, "I heard father say he likes you. Jerry's a nice guy."
Alice instinctively glanced over at her engagement ring sitting on the coffee table. The poor kid… he didn't know a thing.
With that Alice went over to her coffee table and gave Hellboy the ring.
"Here. Keep this as a memento for the first mission you had with a partner."
Hellboy's golden eyes widened as Alice smirked, "Yeah I'm your partner in crime or… in killing paranormal things. Always will be, you hear me kid?"
"Yeah."
"Now go on… I'll see you later, k?" Alice said.
Hellboy nodded smiling and caressed the ring as he walked down the hall to his room.
Little did he know that would be the last time he saw Alice Babik for another thirty odd years.
Thank You for Reading. Reviews, please. Chapter Two Will be Up SOON.