Devil Said Bang (Sandman Slim 4)

“Is that the idea? You resurrect the Golden Vigil with a bunch of inbred junkie berserkers? Kill ’em all and let God sort them out.”

I turn to the room.

“Is that what the Sub Rosa is about these days?”

“Like God, the ways of the Sub Rosa are mysterious,” says Aelita. “But in the end, they’re for the good of all humanity, Sub Rosa and civilian alike.”

Someone makes a break for the door. A woman wearing a blue fur coat. She looks like a plush toy. I snap out the na’at like a whip, grab one of her ankles, and lift her off the floor. Drop her down on a bunch of blue bloods still holding their teacups.

“Next person that runs, I take their head.”

I retract the na’at and lean on the desk. Aelita rolls away from me a few inches.

“What about the freaky little girl with the knife? Is she part of your good works or are you running a thrill-kill day-care program?”

“Is the great Sandman Slim afraid of a ghost child?”

She makes a tsk-tsk sound.

“Don’t concern yourself with the girl. We’re dealing with her.”

“Deal faster. She killed someone tonight. A Sub Rosa who stopped in for a drink. Not bothering anyone. Playing with his damn phone.”

“If you’re so frightened, why not come in under the synod’s protection? Our psychics tell us that things aren’t going well in Hell. We can protect you from your enemies in this world and the celestial realms.”

“A two-for-one sale. How much?”

“Nothing you need. Burdens really. Give me the singularity and the Qomrama Om Ya and you’ll officially be under the Sub Rosa’s protection.”

So that’s what the Magic 8 Ball is called. It sounds like a Hellion sneezing.

“I survived Hell. I think I can survive Hollywood.”

“Then just the Qomrama.”

“Why don’t you try possessing me again? Then I’d just hand it over.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Liar.”

“I’ll get it from him.”

Cairo finally means business. He reaches into his velvet coat and pulls out two gold knives. Long curved saw-tooth blades, the kind that hurt going in but hurt worse coming out.

“Hey, Chuck Norris, have you been listening to your boss? Tell him who I am these days.”

She raises her eyebrows and speaks to Cairo.

“He’s the Devil in the flesh. The vile thing that stands before you is the new Lucifer.”

“Ha!” yells Cairo in that hoarse voice. It’s hard to tell if he’s really laughing or not. Everything out of his mouth sounds sarcastic.

“If he’s Satan then I’m Spider-Man.”

He charges. He’s fast with the knives but I’m faster. I pull the na’at. I want him hand to hand. He slashes at my stomach. It’s an easy parry. With the other hand he goes for my leg, trying to slice the femoral artery. I twist out of the way and rabbit-punch him. He goes down on one knee, and when I think he’s going to fall, he slashes straight up with one hand. The blade scrapes sparks off my armor. I look down at my ruined shirt. Cairo is up and grinning. He looks puzzled when he sees the armor and I kick him in the chest. He goes ass over elbows across Blackburn’s desk. Aelita is fast too. She rolls the office chair back out of the way and Cairo lands on the floor.

I go around the desk and get Cairo in a choke hold from behind, not because I need to but because I really want to choke this guy.