Ballistic Kiss (Sandman Slim 11)

They just stand there like that for a few minutes, Stein’s head resting on her shoulder. I stay on guard for the slightest sign of anger from dead boy.

Eventually, Flicker steps back. She touches his face and comes back to me. Stein shuffles into the dark looking as sad and lost as ever. I let the Gladius go out.

I frown at her.

“What the hell was that?”

“It’s definitely a woman he’s looking for,” Flicker says.

“That’s something at least.”

“There’s more. He said, ‘Zadkiel.’ Does that mean anything to you?”

I’ve never felt dumber. Of course it was an angel who killed him. Sliced him in half and cauterized the wound by killing him with her Gladius. Was Zadkiel Stein’s secret lover? The one who paid his rent but refused to let him stray too far? Did he know who she was? Did he try to break things off or was it something else?

“Stark? Does ‘Zadkiel’ mean anything?”

I nod.

“Everything.”

In the distance, Stein is shaking again, not like when he leaves the Thurl. More like an animal tensing for a fight.

“I think our boy is getting agitated.”

Flicker says, “We should go and let them get on with what they came to do.”

She raises her hands again, and the pavement flows back to normal, like nothing happened.

“We can’t just leave,” I say. “The wards aren’t holding. They’re going to break out and do this to the whole city.”

Flicker shakes her head.

“All the more reason to get in good with the King Below.”

As she says it she hands me another churro.

I say, “You’ve been waiting to spring this on me all evening, haven’t you?”

She smiles.

“A little bit. Are you going to do it?”

I use the black blade to rip a hole in a nearby lawn. Drop in the churro and cover it over with dirt.

“Am I supposed to say something?”

“‘Thank you’ is always nice.”

“Thanks, King. You’re a pal.”

As I slip the blade back in my boot I think of all the strange hoodoo I’ve seen tonight and it makes me wonder something.

I say, “Do you know anything about angels?”

“Not a thing. Why?”

“I have an angel problem, but I don’t know how to start or even if I should. Considering the source, it could be some kind of game.”