The Getaway God (Sandman Slim 6)

“Why not?”

She takes out her handcuffs.

“Because you shot him. Along with four other agents standing guard. Chief Deputy Marshal Larson Wells, I’m placing you under arrest for murder.”

He looks at them, then at me.

“It’s true, Wells. But it wasn’t your fault.”

I turn to Julie.

“He was possessed at the time. I’ll testify to it.”

Wells gets up. Tries to look commanding. Dignity is all he has left right now. I’ll tell everyone that it wasn’t his fault, but I doubt that’s going to carry much weight with a bunch of Washington suits who think magic is Grandpa telling them to pull his finger.

“What happened in there, Stark?” he says.

“Mason started the summoning ritual, but I got the 8 Ball, so I think I stopped it before it finished. But the gate was open for a few seconds.”

The agents lead Wells away.

“Do something,” he shouts. “Fix this. Mason was your job, so it’s your responsibility.”

I hear it, but I don’t care. I’m already running to another part of the compound.

The door to Candy’s cellblock is jammed. I have to kick three, four times before the lock breaks.

She’s pressed against the bars trying to see who’s huffed and puffed and blown her door down.

“Stark?”

“It’s me,” I say, and go to her cell.

She grabs me when I get there and kisses me through the netting.

“What going on out there?”

“Just a party. These button-­down types get wild at Christmas.”

She wraps her fingers around mine.

“They’re putting something in my Jade potion. Doping me. I can’t think. I can barely stay awake. Take me out of here, please?”

“There’s no going back if I do this.”

“The world is ending. Who’s going to come after us?”

“The Vigil will. And it won’t be an arrest. They’ll shoot you like Old Yeller.”

“I don’t care.”

I slip into her cell through a shadow and she throws her arms around me. Not like it’s great to see me. More like she wants to make sure I’m not a drug illusion. She feels weak and drunk in my arms. She is definitely on something. I bring her to a shadow.

“Last chance to not be a fugitive forever.”

“Take me home.”

“I have to come back and talk to the Shonin.”