The Night Beat

We’ve dusted Hitler and his cronies, so you’re down a few, but you’re a go-getter, and I know you’ll find more. Just not here, and not now.”
    “That is not in our plan, Victoria, I’m sorry.”
    “Pity. It’s in mine. Oh, want to hear the rest of my plan?”
    “She’s willing to tell the beings representing ultimate evil but not her partners?” Benny whispered to Ralph.
    “Vic has her own style,” Ralph replied in kind. “It’s the kind of style that gives you ulcers, but it’s a style, nonetheless.”
    The Three A’s, Jack and my darling mother flanked Lucifer. They were all glaring at me. Lucifer wasn’t. He was looking at me like I was an interesting creature, so far below him that concern wasn’t an issue. He inclined his head. “Please.”
    “We’re going to send you all back to the Depths of Hell, without any destruction of the planes of existence, without Armageddon…and without me.”
    He smiled. “We’ll see.”
    The Adversary and Jack both moved towards me, in lock step, which was beyond nauseatingly freaky. But Lucifer put his hand up. “You’ve already failed me.”
    “Minor setback,” Jack snarled.
    “Utter failure,” Lucifer replied. “I note who she’s standing with. Let me emphasize the word ‘with’.”
    Abaddon aimed his Hellfire bow at Ralph. “Not for long.”
    Lucifer sighed, reached out, and wrenched the bow from Abaddon’s hands. “You and your partner have also failed.” He looked around at the others. “In fact, I see nothing but failure as I look at all of you. A perfect plan, approved by the Prince himself, and yet you all managed to destroy it.” He looked back to me. “I’m sure you’re as disappointed in them as I am.”
    “Totally.” I had no idea where Lucifer was going with this. For all I knew, he’d snapped and was on the other side of crazy. But playing along until an opening presented itself was something I’d learned to do a long time ago. “So, since the plan’s all wrecked, why don’t you all trundle along to plot another, better takeover bid, and we call it a night?”
    “No, it cannot be that easy. You destroyed our warlock.”
    “You left him there as punishment and you know it.”
    Lucifer smiled slowly. “True. He assured us all was in readiness, that nothing had been left to chance.” He pointed to Jack. “That you would do whatever he asked.” Lucifer shrugged. “Clearly Hitler was wrong. He and his direct reports have failed the Prince constantly over the years. They will be no loss to his Great Army.”
    “You’re not raising the Army of the Damned tonight, or any other night.”
    “What will you offer me in return if we do not?”
    This was a good question. Pity I didn’t have a good answer.

Chapter 71
     
    I knew Lucifer had a plan, and that he expected me to figure out what it was so I could conveniently foil it and he could retreat with the rest of the minions. This whole thing had been his plan, after all. Set in motion centuries before, effective and terrifying, yet created to fail without blame resting on Lucifer himself.
    I was pretty sure the Prince wasn’t going to be appeased with the loss of the Three A’s or Lucifer. I was willing to dust them -- well, the Three A’s, Jack and my mother. My concern about what I’d do when face-to-face with Lucifer was coming true -- I didn’t want to destroy him, I just wanted him to leave and take all the creeps with him.
    “We want what he holds,” the Adversary said, pointing to Benny.
    “No can do, Pops, sorry.”
    “You will refer to me as Father.”
    “I’ll refer to you as dust. I don’t respect you and never will.” I remembered what was in my hand. I looked at the Adversary and Jack. They were moving in unison, but they weren’t joined. “It backfired.”
    “What?” Lucifer asked pleasantly.
    “The plan to have me turn Jack into a werewolf.” I thought about it. “Because of me. Because I won’t join the Prince.”
    Jack snorted. “Why would you matter that much?”
    “Oh, please. This from the guy created to be my own personal will-o’-the-wisp to lure me to the Depths of Hell? Clearly I’m important.” I held up the totem of Adlet. “And I think this is why.”
    Apollyon made a sound of disgust. “That is your destruction, not ours.”
    “Not you and your partner’s, no. But I think it’s causing some problems for the Adversary. Werewolves are your weakness, aren’t they, Daddy-o?”
    “Hardly.” The Adversary