The Perdition Score (Sandman Slim 8)

“So, what happened to it? And what happened to him?”

“He found results similar to ours,” says Allegra. “Microscopic amounts of the milk heal, while larger amounts are toxic.”

I look at one of them, then the other.

“Yeah, but what’s it for?”

Vidocq says, “Reuchlin believed it was used by warrior angels in battle.”

“You mean they went around melting other angels?”

“Here is where it’s frustrating. The treatise is incomplete. However, Reuchlin believed that while the base materials of the black milk were of angelic origin, it was refined here on Earth.”

This is when I want to be back home drinking.

“How? By who?”

Vidocq shrugs.

“I’m afraid the answer to that is among the missing sections.”

“Can you at least say if this stuff is medicine or poison?”

“Both maybe,” says Allegra. “Without knowing how the angels used it, we might never know.”

She gets all starry-eyed at me.

“Can you get more?”

“Hey, I almost died for this bottle. I don’t want any more.”

“All you all right? What happened?” she says.

“You two haven’t watched the news today, have you?”

“No. We’ve been working since last night,” says Vidocq.

“The short version is, an angel came to see me last night and words were exchanged. She did this to me.”

I take off my coat and show them my fried arm.

“Dammit,” says Allegra. “Why didn’t you tell me? Let me get you something for that.”

“Thanks.”

While she hunts around for some hoodoo Bactine, Vidocq looks concerned.

“I’m sorry about your injury, but how is it that your angel would be on the news?”

“The spat was kind of public. We broke part of Hollywood Boulevard.”

“You fought an angel in public?”

“She started it. That armored asshole about murdered my car.”

“Merde,” says Vidocq. “James, you are a reckless soul.”

“Hey, I’m the victim here.”