The rain poured down heavily.
Lightning darted across the dark and oppressive sky, creating a terrifying scene.
Boom! A muffled thunderclap sounded.
The torrential rain incessantly hammered on a car driving away from Kennedy International Airport.
Father York lay back in the rear seat, glancing at the ceaseless flow of rain against the window, feeling not terror but contemplation and calm.
Although New York, being one of the more humid cities in America, often experienced rain, it had been a long time since it had seen rain this heavy.
Turning his head, York looked at the person next to him.
Novice nun Eileen, dressed in a white novice's habit, sat properly with her body straight.
"Relax," Father York said with a gentle smile.
Boom! The thunder continued to roll.
Eileen tensed up instantly but managed to speak,
"I will, Father."
Noticing Eileen's hands tightly gripping her habit, Father York smiled.
"Are you afraid of the thunder?"
Eileen honestly replied, "A little, but please believe, Father, I will quickly adapt to the climate here and won't interfere with your work."
Hearing this formal response, York, accustomed to working alone, simply replied,
"Alright."
Just then, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.
"At this time?"
York glanced at the car's center console.
[22:21]
A call after ten at night usually meant something was up.
With this thought, York took out his continuously vibrating phone to check the screen.
Unexpectedly, the call was from an unfamiliar number, one he didn't recognize.
Yet, this unknown number reminded York of Hailey's girlfriend, Bridget, before he left on his trip.
Was her name Bridget?
Regarding the random mission, York didn't decline the unfamiliar call. Under Eileen's gaze, he tapped to answer.
Before he could speak, a crying voice, very soft, came through the phone.
"Father York! I'm Bridget, Hailey's girlfriend. There's something evil in my house! Can you come over, please save us!"
Hearing this string of words, York wasn't surprised but narrowed his eyes, instinctively analyzing.
The voice, mixed with exhalations and hoarseness, made him easily picture Bridget hiding somewhere, avoiding something, perhaps the demon he had predicted.
Thinking this, York didn't ask any questions but calmly said,
"Address!"
At that moment, Bridget on the other end seemed very relieved, coincidentally mentioning a location in the area of Kennedy International Airport, also known as the Queens area.
"Queens, Woodside on Tenth Avenue, Reed Apartments…"
However, as soon as the address was mentioned, footsteps and the sound of something scraping against the floor were heard.
"Hey! My darlings, where are you?"
Click, the call was abruptly ended.
York looked emotionlessly at his phone screen, recalling the last sentence with its devilishly teasing tone, silky smooth.
So, to what extent had the possession progressed? York looked at the driver arranged by the church.
"To Woodside on Tenth Avenue…"
By his nature, York would normally prepare a sufficient number of exorcism tools before acting, but unfortunately, there wasn't much time to prepare in this case.
The driver, sitting in the driver's seat, immediately nodded and changed direction.
"Alright, Father York."
York looked back at his phone screen, scrolling through his contacts.
"Father, what happened?" Eileen asked.
"A paranormal event related to a demon."
York smiled calmly and dialed Hannah, a hacker known for her intelligence gathering.
At this hour, she would still be awake.
He lacked much information, and the few words from Bridget weren't enough to trigger the random mission.
Of course, just going to Bridget's apartment building might trigger the random mission, but it wouldn't hurt to know more in advance.
Soon, the call connected, and Hannah's voice came through.
"Yo, yo, yo! Father York, got a job?"
Ignoring the implied meaning, York calmly said,
"Check the origins of the Reed Apartments on Tenth Avenue in Queens for me."
After speaking, York hung up.
Beep! Somewhere in a bathroom.
"Seems urgent, Reed Apartments…"
Hannah, lying in the bathtub, slightly raised her eyebrows, placed her phone aside, and stood up from the bubbles, revealing all.
Boom! The thunder continued.
While waiting for the information, York asked the driver,
"How much longer?"
The driver, calm, knew what was meant and replied,
"Ten minutes, Father York."
"Hmm."
York responded emotionlessly, thinking the wait a bit long but enough to prepare.
Seconds later.
Hannah, now covered by a blanket over her splendid figure, looked at the data on her laptop and hit the enter key.
"Sent!"
As she spoke to herself, a success notification appeared on the laptop screen.
Simultaneously.
York felt his phone vibrate, picked it up, and opened the encrypted email from Hannah, entering the password to begin reading.
Surprisingly, the history of the apartment building was quite complex.
According to Hannah's information, the Reed Apartments were built on the site of a bank from the early 20th century and were now old and near demolition.
But what caught York's attention was a historical photo in the data, showing two men, one a priest and the other a well-dressed capitalist, with a sign reading "Reed Bank" in the background.
York narrowed his eyes, muttering to himself, then smiled slightly as the mission prompt sounded in his ear.
[Random Mission Triggered] [Exorcise the demons from the entire Reed Apartments]
[Mission Reward: +27 Attribute Points] [Accept/Decline]
"27 points of difficulty, accept the mission."
York stared at the now accepted mission on the virtual window, turned off the email on his phone screen, having completed the mission trigger. There was no need to look further.
[Acceptance Successful]
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Although he had accepted the mission, the nearly thirty-point mission reward, coupled with the requirements, made Father York realize he might be dealing with more than just one demon.
"What situation could possibly warrant such a description? Demons throughout the entire building?"
Father York squinted his eyes, under the watchful gaze of Eileen, as he continued to scroll through his phone, directly contacting Officer Jeffrey, the only liaison he could think of.
The only explanation he could think of was that the residents of the entire building had been possessed or controlled by many demons, much like the nuns at the Saint Cata Monastery.
...
"Guy, you're really not leaving?"
After a long absence, the portly Officer Beck stopped and turned to look at Jeffrey, who was sitting in his office, frowning at the files and sighed, "It's almost eleven."
A recent murder case had kept them extremely busy, yet they hadn't been able to track down any useful leads. It could be ruled as a suicide, but Jeffrey was unwilling to give up.
Hearing the voice, the lean Jeffrey looked up from the investigation materials.
Beck and the colleagues staying late were gathered at the door looking at him.
Jeffrey shifted his gaze, instinctively glancing at the clock on his desk.
[22:23]
"Is it that time already?" Jeffrey then looked towards Beck and the colleagues waiting for him.
"Get ready, I'll be right there. You guys go ahead, don't wait for me."
Jeffrey continued to lower his head, comparing the scene's materials and photos.
Beck and the visibly tired colleagues exchanged looks, all showing a hint of resignation.
"Alright, don't stay too late. We still need you for the hotel murder case."
Hearing Beck's words, Jeffrey didn't even lift his head, "I know my limits, I won't exhaust myself."
Beck shook his head, preparing to leave with the colleagues still working overtime.
"Let's go, leave him be."
Just then, a ringing phone made them all instinctively stop and look over.
"Hm?"
Jeffrey frowned at the continuously vibrating phone on his desk, and upon seeing the caller ID, his eyes widened slightly.
"Father York?"
Jeffrey immediately picked up the phone, knowing that Father York wouldn't call without reason.
"Father?"
Meanwhile.
Following the communication signal, Jeffrey's voice also resounded in the car headed towards Woodside amidst the rain.
Hearing this voice he hadn't heard in a long time, Father York calmly said.
"Officer Jeffrey, I need a favor."
Jeffrey's expression turned serious, surely another supernatural event.
"Speak, Father York."
Recalling all related conjectures, Father York calmly said.
"Tell your superiors to blockade Reed Apartments on Tenth Avenue in Woodside. No one is allowed in or out."
After speaking, Father York hung up the phone, his words enough for Jeffrey to grasp the seriousness of the situation.
Indeed, after the call ended, Jeffrey looked towards Beck and the other colleagues at the door, still not departed, and grabbed the suit on his chair.
"Emergency! Everyone, let's move out!"
Having done this, Father York put his phone back in his pocket and looked towards the front, calmly asking.
"How much longer?"
The driver, with skilled driving, smoothly turned a corner.
"One minute and twenty seconds, Father York," the driver's voice was very calm.
Father York responded calmly, beginning to organize the remaining equipment he had.
Only 17 rounds of 40×51mm grenades were left for the MK14 revolving grenade launcher.
Other items, such as the unused Ryan Bawer and 60 rounds of .50 caliber bullets.
Plus the 15 holy hand grenades that hadn't been used.
Just these were enough to handle the situation.
Thinking this, Father York felt the car slow down and looked through the window to see an apartment building soaked in the rain.
"Father York, we have arrived," the driver announced as the car stopped at the curb.
"The building ahead should be your target."
Turning his gaze away, Father York twisted the door handle, glanced at Eileen, and said.
"Brother Kenny, take care of my deaconess."
Eileen pursed her lips, understanding her duty from his words—to stay put.
Brother Kenny, also a burly man driving, looked up at the rearview mirror, seriously saying.
"I will, Father York."
But then, looking at the mirror at the priest preparing to disembark, he added.
"Father York, do you need backup?"
"No need. Coordinate with the officials later, and tell them, no one is allowed into this building until I come out."
Leaving these words, Father York stepped out of the car.
Coincidentally, as he disembarked, the downpour gradually became a drizzle.
Father York looked up at the building in front of him, a forty-story apartment with no lights, its silhouette looming in the darkness.
This Reed Apartment Building, situated at the intersection of two roads, indeed looked quite old.
Because of its age, the surrounding district also appeared ancient, and the heavy rain left the streets deserted, spreading a sense of oppression.
The sparse lights from the surrounding buildings seemed unaffected by the event.
Remembering the mission requirements, Father York walked to the car's trunk, unlocking all the backpacks, and picked up the exorcism tools he had contemplated in his mind.
Revolving grenade launcher, revolver, holy hand grenades, Bluetooth speakers...
Father York's movements were swift; in no time, he was fully equipped, carrying a bag with several Bluetooth speakers and the grenade launcher, walking towards the Reed Apartment Building under the cover of night.
His figure, as seen from the car by Brother Kenny and Eileen, appeared imposing, eventually disappearing into the unseen darkness.
Brother Kenny glanced at Eileen, seated obediently in the back, then looked at the rearview mirror.
Police cars with flashing red and blue lights appeared in the mirror.
"Stay here," Brother Kenny said to Eileen before stepping out to coordinate with the arriving police officers.
"Okay," Eileen nodded.
Brother Kenny then left her view, approaching the parked police cars.
Eileen exhaled softly, looking towards the dark apartment building ahead, closing her eyes to pray for her Father.
"Lord, please protect Father York."
However, Father York would never hear this prayer, as he had already reached the main entrance of the apartment building.
Looking up, as if hearing sounds above, he kicked the closed main door.
Bang! The door was forcefully kicked open.
Father York, expressionless, took out his phone, found the Bluetooth connection app, pressed play, and walked in.
[...]
[...]
Prayers and chants emanated from the small bag on Father York, attracting demons like moths to a flame...
___________________
(Support with power stones, comments or reviews)
If you guys enjoy this story, In support me on Patreon and get access to +200 advance Chapters
Read Ahead
Patreon.com/INNIT
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