"That feels much better. I really have to thank Father Anderson."
Morse stopped outside his apartment and released a relaxed breath. His conversation at St. Michael the Archangel Church had cleared his mind. Just as he reached for the door, loud voices came from the other end of the hallway.
"Danny, let me see what you found!"
Morse turned and saw three children approaching. Danny looked around sixteen and carried something wrapped in cloth. A little girl no older than six held his hand while trying to reach for the object.
"Come on! Let me see!"
"No, Casey. Stop asking."
A short-haired teenage girl followed several steps behind them. The children belonged to Lisa, the single mother who lived nearby. They were also one of the main reasons Morse had never wanted children.
He thought of Lisa's exhausted face and shuddered. Her younger sister had recently moved in to help with the children, yet both women already looked close to breaking down.
"Hey, Morse!" Danny called. "I heard your reversal surgery failed."
Morse ignored him and hurried inside. He had almost closed the door when Danny's mocking voice reached him one last time.
"Does that mean you don't have any balls now?"
"You little brat."
Morse shut the door and glared at it. The peace he had gained from Father Anderson vanished almost at once.
"Thank you, Father Anderson."
An elderly woman named Mrs. Yura smiled at him with open gratitude. Anderson had completed another private counseling session and maintained the gentle expression expected from a priest.
"The Lord is with you, Mrs. Yura."
The elegantly dressed woman opened her handbag and removed several bills she had prepared beforehand. She placed them inside the offering box before turning back toward him.
"Thank you for your donation. The Lord will recognize the sincerity in your heart."
Mrs. Yura gave a satisfied nod and left the church in a cheerful mood.
Anderson watched her go before returning to his parish work. He met with eight believers that day but Morse had been the only stranger among them. Unfortunately, he was also the only person who triggered a random mission.
The day had not been wasted. During his free time Anderson consecrated fifty grenades and two hundred ten rounds of ammunition in several calibers. Each weapon now carried sacred energy that could harm spirits and demons.
He also placed a large order with Ward Martin. The list included heavier grenades, revolving grenade launchers, rocket launchers, drones, and other specialized equipment.
The entire order cost more than six hundred thousand dollars. Anderson's available funds dropped to around three million.
That was why he always felt poor.
Weapons and ammunition consumed money at an alarming rate. Even a disposable launcher could cost nearly a thousand dollars before transportation, modifications, ammunition, and consecration were considered.
Another day passed before Ward's shipment arrived.
Anderson spent the waiting period consecrating every suitable weapon at St. Michael's. He also prepared several Bluetooth speakers so recorded prayers could be used during future exorcisms without forcing him to recite Scripture throughout the battle.
The constant use of Consecration had exposed a new problem. His plans had grown faster than his Spirit capacity. Eighty-four points no longer seemed sufficient when advanced equipment could consume dozens of points at once.
He assigned the points earned over the previous two days to Spirit.
[Spirit Increased: 84 → 85]
Father Mike still had not reported anything about Maurice Theriault when Anderson received another call from Ed Warren.
His prediction had been correct.
The Warrens had been offered another paranormal investigation. A television station and an outside expert wanted them to verify whether the reported activity was genuine.
"Father Anderson, should we accept the case?" Ed asked. "I can't explain it, but I feel that the nun is connected to this."
Anderson remained calm.
"Why wouldn't you accept it?"
Ed hesitated.
"But Lorraine—"
"Ed, you are an experienced paranormal investigator. You already know what happens when someone tries to escape a demon that has marked them."
Anderson's voice became firm.
"Either it continues hunting you until it succeeds or we confront it and destroy it."
Ed looked toward Lorraine. She had fallen asleep on the sofa after another restless night. His fear for her made it difficult to answer.
"I understand, Father."
"Don't worry. Darkness cannot overcome the light of the Lord."
Anderson raised his eyes toward the crucifix. Evening sunlight entered through the tall windows and covered the image of Christ in a warm golden glow.
"Pick me up tomorrow. We'll investigate it together."
"All right."
Anderson ended the call and stepped into the nave. Sunset light filled the empty church while Robert remained near the entrance and completed the final tasks of the day.
Since Robert began working at St. Michael's, the building had become spotless. The pews, windowsills, decorations, and floors looked newly restored each morning. The parishioners regularly praised his work.
Anderson was satisfied with his first employee. He also no longer needed to worry about finding lunch every day.
"Father," Robert called when he noticed him.
Anderson smiled.
"You can go home early tonight."
Robert glanced toward the clock.
"My shift isn't over yet."
"It's fine. You don't need to remain here any longer today."
Anderson waved and left before Robert could argue. The employee watched him go with a confused expression.
That night Anderson entered the underground armory beneath his home.
Ward Martin's shipment had not arrived, but Anderson already possessed a large supply of consecrated grenades, holy water, sacred ammunition, Bibles, and blessed crosses. The Bluetooth speakers added another useful tool and would allow him to conserve his voice during prolonged confrontations.
Even with those preparations, the demonic nun made him uneasy.
A demon powerful enough to corrupt the image of a nun could not be treated like an ordinary possession. Anderson wanted something stronger than the weapons he normally carried.
He crossed the basement and stopped before a sealed container that had remained untouched for years. Nostalgia appeared in his eyes as he opened it.
Several tightly wrapped blocks of C-4 rested inside.
Anderson had purchased the explosives soon after arriving in this world. At the time he knew that demons and supernatural creatures existed but had not yet developed enough strength to confront them confidently. The C-4 had served more as reassurance than equipment.
His current abilities changed its value.
C-4 was stable during storage and required a proper detonator. That made it easier to transport than many improvised explosives. More importantly, Anderson could control the amount used for a specific target.
Consecration would add sacred properties while enchantment would strengthen the explosive's original destructive force. Combined with the physical blast, the result could become far more powerful than one of his holy grenades.
The exact outcome remained uncertain.
Anderson could also adjust the yield by changing the amount of explosive material. A larger charge could deliver power comparable to heavy artillery.
"Could this become excessive?"
He rested one hand on the packaged C-4.
The demon did not frighten him. The possibility of destroying everything around it was a greater concern.
After considering the risks, Anderson settled on a charge powerful enough to demolish a three-story apartment building. Its explosive force would be roughly equal to twenty-four kilograms of TNT.
"Let's begin."
He prepared the C-4 with an electronic detonator and enclosed it in a reinforced metal casing. When the physical construction was complete, Anderson began pouring his abilities into the device.
He remembered the enchanted grenade used inside the Jesse Building. That weapon had carried one hundred twenty points of Magic and produced far more force than its original design should have allowed.
A reckless smile spread across Anderson's face.
[160 Magic Points Consumed]
[65 Spirit Points Consumed]
The newly created explosive absorbed both forms of power.
In another corner of the basement Annabelle sat behind the glass of her cabinet. The other cursed vessels remained around her beneath consecrated crosses and sacred restraints.
Their already weakened presences faded even further.
Every spirit in the room seemed determined to remain silent and avoid attracting the priest's attention.
Anderson worked through the entire night and finished his preparations by morning.
An eight-seat SUV eventually stopped outside. Ed and Drew climbed out as soon as they saw the familiar equipment bags beside Anderson.
"Father Anderson."
Ed reached for one of the bags while Drew moved toward another.
Anderson lifted the backpack containing the newly created consecrated explosive himself. The device inside carried enough force to destroy a three-story building and he had no intention of letting anyone else handle it.
The other equipment was loaded into the SUV before he entered the rear passenger area.
Lorraine was already waiting inside.
"Father Anderson."
He placed the backpack near his feet and studied her tired face.
"I'm all right, Lorraine."
A shadow passed through her eyes. The nun had begun appearing in her dreams more often. Each vision showed Ed's death with greater clarity.
"She keeps coming back," Lorraine said. "The dreams are becoming more frequent."
"Her influence will grow stronger as time passes."
Anderson removed a crucifix he had prepared and handed it to her. Sixty-four points of sacred energy had been invested in it. The divine presence surrounding the cross was stronger than any personal protective item he had made before.
"Wear this. It should allow you to sleep without her entering your dreams."
Lorraine accepted the crucifix and placed it around her neck. The moment it touched her chest, the fear that had followed her for days began to recede.
A long-forgotten feeling of peace returned.
"Thank you, Father."
Gratitude filled her eyes.
Anderson smiled before looking toward the front seats. Ed and Drew had already entered the vehicle and were watching them.
"Ed, show me everything you received about the case."
"Yes, Father."
Ed glanced at Lorraine before retrieving a prepared file and a tablet.
"The television station and the expert who contacted us sent this footage."
Anderson accepted both items and opened the file.
"Let's go."
Ed started the SUV while Drew settled into the passenger seat. The vehicle pulled away as Anderson silently reviewed the information about their destination.