“Anyway, we wanted to meet you and get introduced. Declan tells me he has given you a little insight into the entity we’re hunting,” Chris said. “It’s essential that you all understand just how dangerous it is. No officer or officers should approach a location that indicates her presence. She will be unstoppable with the weapons you have, and you’ve seen the violence she’s not only capable of but enjoys.”

“What does she want… here, in Burlington, Vermont?” Chief Park asked.

“We aren’t absolutely certain,” Chris said, “but…”

“We think she’s here for me,” Declan said, his tone easy, like having a powerful demon after you was nothing special. But Schulz was watching him and saw the tightening around the eyes.

“I’ve heard about you,” Chief Park said, and his tone wasn’t complimentary. “But why does it want you? And why not a direct attack on you?”

“Because Declan can put up more of a fight than she wants. In the right place and time, he’s likely her match. So she wants to control the place and time,” Chris said.

“You’re bait?” Park asked, clearly unhappy.

“In a sense. If I could leave and have her follow, I would, but again, as Chris said, she wants to pick the location and control the situation. If I leave, she’ll just start killing people here till I come back. So I’ll be here, doing my thing, while Chris and the team hunts her down.”

“How do you hunt a demon?” Lieutenant Weston asked.

“We’ll do many of the things that you all do. But we have methods and options that you don’t,” Chris said. “We’ll interview some of the same people you’ve already talked to. We’ll likely conduct our own analysis of the crime scene, if you’ll give us access, and we’ll be keeping a close eye on our young witch here,” he said, slapping the kid lightly on the shoulder. From the wince, Schulz didn’t think it was as light as it appeared.

The chief was frowning. “The crime scene is under our control,” he stated, clearly marking his territory.

“Yeah, listen, if you can handle her on you own, that’s awesome. The US Secret Service, the Washington PD, US Marshals, US Park Police, FBI, and DC National Guard will all want training in your techniques,” Chris said. His smile was gone. “Things didn’t go so well for any of them, and I’m told this one is worse.”

“Really?” Declan said, ignoring the staring contest between the chief and Gordon. “Barbiel? Surprised the Army of God didn’t have more to offer,” he said.

Schulz saw his boss swallow involuntarily and completely understood the feeling. Angels?

Park looked at the kid and Gordon followed a second later. “Limited intel. Incarnates can hide from them.”