This time the Bishop did not detain him, and Ethan resolutely walked away from the training ground. And the Bishop took a rosary from his pocket and began to sort through it, moving his lips.
Penny broke out in a cold sweat.
The alpha they had missed the day before went straight to the demon nest. Here's how.
At first glance, it might seem that the demon was easy to kill: a silver bullet consecrated in the temple, stuffed with gunpowder mixed with the bark of blackthorn and myrrh, was enough. Of course, you should shoot only from consecrated weapons, although this is true for any evil spirits.
But the main power of demons is not in fangs or claws, but in how they are able to influence a person, forcing him to show the darkest sides of the soul: cowardice, cruelty, stupidity, fury, vindictiveness – and there are so many sins in people's souls? Therefore, the losses every time they stormed the buildings where the demons were sitting, were huge. Snipers were mostly sent against the demons, but now time was too precious to sit in ambush. If demons have Ethan's blood... Not even days, but hours count.
On the way back to the communal tent, Penny ran into Corinne again. She sat by the fire with the guys from the High Inquisitor's personal squad and cleaned her Walter.
"I should go on the assault with you," she reasoned, "but the High Inquisitor knows full well that I am much more valuable as a strategist than as a brute force.
"Because as brute force, you're not worth anything at all."
All the commissioners were silent, and Penny was sure they shared her opinion, though they would never tell Corinne aloud. She's a girl.
"That angel won't be with us either," Corinne continued. "Devil's spawn, her place is in hell, of course, but she is useful. The High Inquisitor is too protective of her, he is noble to the tips of his fingernails. The fallen are able to take souls like demons and break human will like succubi. The Holy Church believes that it is this evil spirit that will destroy us, it will be worse than all the others. As if this Penny...
"Corinne, we shouldn't challenge the High Inquisitor's decisions," Sean interrupted, the largest and most silent in the squad, the second man after Ethan. "You'd better check your weapons carefully. Tomorrow will be no laughing matter.
"Tomorrow will be a glorious battle!" Rick exclaimed. "The demons are not waiting for an attack, we will shoot them like chickens!"
"You'll shoot me," Sean snorted. "You'll definitely shoot me." The High Inquisitor knows what he's doing. If he decided to go into the demonic lair with his bare hands, it means that he knows something that we do not know. Have we ever had unsuccessful missions? Well, this one will be successful, for the glory of God.
***
When Penny pulled back the tent canopy, the High Inquisitor was already inside. He was sitting at his desk, and the blue glow of his laptop painted his face.
"Where have you been?" Why do you go everywhere, when I have made it clear to you that you should not be seen by anyone and not leave here?
"I... Excuse me, sir. I lingered.
In fact, Penny had been making up her mind to go here for a long time. She circled around the tent like a ghost around her own grave. The desire to see Ethan was unbearable, but she didn't think Ethan would be happy with her.
"Undress." I want to see you.
Ethan got up, walked to the exit, and fastened the curtain from the inside. Then he pulled down the curtain on the window.
"But...
"Undress."
Ethan turned and looked at her. Penny touched the zipper of her jacket and froze. He bit his lip and looked at Ethan stubbornly.
"Tomorrow is the mission.
"That's right," Ethan crossed his arms and lifted his chin, which was already showing stubble from his morning shave.
"Am I going too?"
— No, I don't. You'll stay here and sort out my papers.
"But I finished today.
"You're not done," Ethan snapped. "I'll show you tomorrow what needs to be done." When you're done, you'll go to the dining room and help out there. I'll warn you.
"But...
"Undress." I. I want to. Thee. See. Ethan walked over to the table, pulled out the bottom drawer and looked thoughtfully at something that lay there, and then looked up at Penny. "Why aren't you moving?"
"I... Penny stepped closer. "Let me go with you." She put her hands on Ethan's shoulders and then took his face in her hands, trying to look into his eyes. "To protect you.
"I don't need protection!" Ethan pushed him away. "You, stupid angel, where are you going?" Alpha has your blood...
"Yours too!" Penny shouted. "Ethan...
"Don't call me that!" Ethan shook her shoulders and then pulled down the zipper of her jacket.
He threw it off Penny's shoulders to the floor and grabbed the clasp of the fleece. Penny tried to resist, but it was like resisting a hurricane. Very soon she was left without a fleece and without a T-shirt, she had to unbutton her pants herself: she was afraid that Ethan would simply tear the zipper and break the belt buckle - she would have to walk in only her underpants.