Back | Next
Contents

Chapter 71

The odd ship lifted hesitantly, then moved with greater speed and surety. Glibspet leaned back, watching it soar quietly into the darkness, a pale blue trail of fire burning at its back. He stretched gratefully. That was Averial, all right. He grinned and returned himself to his human form, and straightened his clothes. Company was coming.

His clients popped onto the field with a phalanx of devils and demons in tow.

"All right, Snippet, where is she?" Venifar snapped. His head had been removed and sewn on backwards, and he didn't look happy about life. Evidently he and the Maleficent One weren't seeing eye-to-eye on timetables. Pity. "We all felt her, and she hasn't ported."

Glibspet raised his hand. "Hold on, Ven," he said. "First things first. I found her, so the contract is now payable in full, yes?"

"Yes, yes. That is agreed," the fallen angel assented. "Now. Where. Is. She?"

"Ah," said Glibspet. "That's another matter. If you'll check, you'll see there wasn't anything in the contract about conveying the information to you. I just had to find her."

"Of course you have to tell us," Kellubrae said.

"Uh-uh," Glibspet said. "You were all so busy being outraged at my Linufel clause and bearing down on her that you just didn't read as closely as you should have." He grinned toothily. "You, of all people!"

"What do you want?" Linufel said tiredly.

"That's easy," Glibspet said. "The same again, but double time with you, sweetcakes."

"We could crush you like a bug," she said dangerously, and he felt the pressure build.

"Yes, you could," he said. "But the information you want has a very short half-life. Less than a minute probably. By the time you crack me, you've lost her, and you have to go explain to the big L just how it happened—this time." The pressure eased. "I just happen to have a contract with me. I must warn you that you probably don't have time to read it through." His smile stretched wide.

The fallen angels looked at each other. Glibspet brought out the paper. "Need a pen?" he asked.

"There will be an accounting someday, little devil," Linufel hissed as she added her sigil to the other two.

"And maybe you'll be my love slave by then," he said, and pinched her.

"Gobbet!" Kellubrae warned.

"Well, I suppose I must let you know, then, mustn't I?" He sighed, drawing it out. Then he stared into the evening sky and pointed. "See that moving dot over there? She's inside it."

"Shit!" Venifar yelped.

The trio and their minions vanished.

Craig walked up to him. "Dom?" he said brokenly. Glibspet laughed.

"Life's a bitch, isn't it, kid? If it's any consolation, you were a pretty good lay, for a man."

"Freeze! Police!" A harsh voice shouted at them, coming from the office area.

Startled, Mindenhall swung around, the gun still in hand and clearly visible beneath the pale luminous field lights.

The bullets that tore through him left him no time to explain.

Glibspet looked down at the dying man and chuckled. "But maybe in the end that doesn't count for much." He blew Mindenhall a little kiss—the last thing he saw before life left his body. "See you in Hell. Someday." He ported out.

 

Back | Next
Framed