The Kill Society (Sandman Slim)(86)

“I don’t know. But when they heard you were here, they knew you could mess up their plan. Now, though, now that you can’t leave, they can make things easier for you.”

I turn and go. It’s the only way to keep from wringing her neck. Cherry grabs me from behind.

“Don’t walk away from me. I don’t want to be alone down here and neither do you. You think Alice is going to stay in this pigsty with you? She’s got her wings, and the moment Heaven calls, she’s going home. I like you, Jimmy. We need to stick together. Wormwood can set us up nice.”

I turn and look at her hard. She stands her ground.

“You helped with Raziel, so I’m not going to kill you. But that’s the best I can do for you. Good-bye, Cherry.”

I head back to where Alice and the others are waiting. I only get a few steps when I hear the distinctive sound of the hammer being pulled back on a revolver. I turn around. Cherry is pointing a very shiny Colt Python at me.

“I swear to God I will, Jimmy. Wormwood will cut me off if you walk away. I can’t be alone down here anymore. You don’t know what it’s like.”

“Yeah. I do. I know exactly what it’s like.”

I head back to the others.

“I’ll do it. Take one more step.”

I look at her again. Crane my neck a little to get a better angle.

“Cherry. There are no bullets in that gun.”

Her hands start to shake like the Python suddenly gained fifty pounds.

She says, “I’m doomed, you know. They’re going to kill me. What am I supposed to do?”

“First off, when you’re bluffing somebody with an empty gun, don’t use a revolver. As for the other stuff, good luck and fuck off.”

I leave her there and go back to the others.

“What was that about?” says Traven.

“Nothing. Just saying good-bye to an old acquaintance.”

Alice is holding Vehuel up.

“How is she?” I ask.

“Bad. She wants to talk to you.”

Normally, an angel should already be healing by now. The fact Vehuel isn’t is a bad sign. I kneel down beside her.

“Shouldn’t you be getting up? Mr. Muninn is probably holding dinner for you.”

She smiles a little. Shakes her head.

“Alice will make my apologies for me.”

Alice’s hands and armor are stained with Vehuel’s blood.

“What can I do to help you?”

“Since when does Sandman Slim help angels?” Vehuel says.

“I’m not helping an angel. I’m helping Alice’s friend, so shut up with the halo stuff.”

Alice says, “Listen to her, Jim.”

“I am.”

“No. The ‘shut up and listen’ kind of listening.”

“Right.”

“I was here to test you, too,” says Vehuel.

“Yeah? How’d I do?”

“Even with all your anger, you didn’t want the Lux Occisor for yourself.”

“I didn’t need it. The na’at is a sword.”

“Hush,” says Alice.

“Right.”

“But your na’at is gone,” says Vehuel. “And you didn’t sacrifice Death’s blade even for someone you loved.”

“If the trick didn’t work, I would have.”

“So you say now. The important thing is that God has a message for you. Are you ready to hear it?”

Nothing good has ever come from anything that begins with “God has a message for you.”

“Sure.”

“He invites you to join him in Heaven, as a warrior or simply a resident. He also says that you know he could compel you to come, but he won’t do that. You may come to the golden city with us right now, but it must be your choice.”

“Free will. It always comes down to free will, doesn’t it?”

“Always.”

This isn’t what I was expecting to hear. I was ready for more of a “Thanks for not killing too many of the wrong people, now keep the hell out of the way, the grown-ups have work to do.”

I look over at Traven and the remains of the dog pack.

“Tell Mr. Muninn thanks, but I’ll stay Downtown.”

“Jim. No,” says Alice. “What are you trying to prove anymore? And don’t start in on the Abomination bullshit. If God doesn’t care, no one else will either.”

“First off, yes they will. If I know anything about angels, it’s that they’re a snooty bunch. Present company excepted.”

“Thank you,” says Vehuel.

I look at Alice.

“Second, I know that you’re all right. They like you up there and you can kick angel ass. That’s about as good as it gets. But third, there’s people down here who deserve better.”

Traven says, “Stark, don’t be a fool.”

“Until they can go, I can’t go.”

Alice says, “You are such an asshole.”

“I can’t argue with that.”

“What about me?” she says. “I’m just supposed to say ‘It’s been nice. See you around’ and just leave you here? If you don’t go, I don’t go.”