The Perdition Score (Sandman Slim 8)

“It would be distasteful.”

“The Abomination thing?”

“Yes.”

“If you can handle them, fine. But if they’re too much, I’m jumping in.”

?

??That’s acceptable.”

“Then welcome to the team. Here’s the deal: we need to get to a man named Norris Quay. He’s the head honcho of Wormwood down here. The problem is that he’s protected and we don’t want to go charging through the front door without knowing what’s inside. So, we’re going to kidnap his lady friend and make him come to us.”

She wipes her mouth with the back of her hand.

“It’s a sound plan. Where and when do we act?”

“Griffith Park and as soon as we can.”

I look at the others. “Okay, bushwhackers. Let’s get bushwhacking.”

Candy gets behind the wheel of the Unimog and the rest of us pile in. It’s a snug fit. Bill is squeezed up against Hesediel.

“Sorry about the tight quarters, ma’am,” he says.

“I’m a warrior. I’ve suffered worse.”

“I’ve had whores and drunks in my lap before, but never one of the Lord’s own.”

Hesediel just stares out the window.

“What Bill is saying is we’re glad you’re here, Hesediel,” I tell her.

“The sooner the battle begins, the sooner it will be over,” she says.

Candy starts the truck and we take off.

“I like your armor,” she says.

“Thank you,” says Hesediel.

“Stark wore armor when he was Lucifer. It was sexy. I called him ‘Tony Stark.’”

Hesediel looks at her.

“You know. Like Iron Man. Stark’s name is Stark and so is his.”

“How interesting.”

“You don’t know Iron Man? You should come with us to L.A. We have all the movies.”

“Perhaps,” says Hesediel, staring out the window again.

Candy says, “Angels don’t make a lot of small talk, do they?”

“It’s not in our nature.”

“No shit.”