He nodded. It was true enough.She tilted her head to l<strong>is</strong>ten. "Gonna rain."'Weather report says no."But then he heard it pattering on the roof. Pretty heavy."I take it John <strong>Constantine</strong> <strong>is</strong> still looking for the big score. To set things right.""You got any better ideas?"She tossed the cigarette into an ashtray, and found the pack in the tom sheets behind her. Shetapped another out and lit it with a flame jetting from her fingertip."Anyway, Ellie…" He coughed, just once. Okay, twice. Well, three times. But short ones."Just keep your ear to the ground.""Most nights that's where it ends up anyway." She smiled wanly. "I do love it when you'refeeling self destructive. You know - I'm gonna m<strong>is</strong>s having someone up here I can... relate to."She scooped up the Jack Daniel's and passed it to him, k<strong>is</strong>sing the back of h<strong>is</strong> neck. Her tailswitched behind her. He saw its serrated pink spike flashing in the mirror.He drank deep from the bottle.--Chaz and <strong>Constantine</strong> sat in the cab, looking through the thin rain at the <strong>The</strong>ological Society."It's like that place grew there," Chaz said. "I can't see it being built here. Like with anarchitect.""Plans were from a certain small cathedral in the South of France. Cathar country,"<strong>Constantine</strong> said vaguely.<strong>The</strong> rain had eased off some by seven A.M. John was still drunk, but that had eased off sometoo. Coffee and aspirin kept the consequences of excess at bay. He'd only thrown up once. <strong>The</strong>booze was in its nervous energy phase now. <strong>The</strong> fatigue would set in soon. He needed to getmoving. ''I'm pretty sure I can get you in here, Chaz."Chaz looked at the <strong>The</strong>ological Society's gothic towers. "What? To see the Snob? Pass."He shoved the meter down and it began its inexorable ticking. <strong>Constantine</strong> grunted inirritation at himself. Everything reminded him of mortality.Pull yourself together, fool.He got out of the cab and, only swaying a little, made h<strong>is</strong> way into the building. <strong>The</strong> rain feltgood on h<strong>is</strong> forehead.A priest was talking with a b<strong>is</strong>hop in the vaulted chamber of the nave as <strong>Constantine</strong> walkedthrough. Pausing at the holy water to take a splash, cross himself with it. And to light a fewcandles at the shrine to St. Anthony, the patron saint of the Society. <strong>Constantine</strong> wasn't Catholic,but what could it hurt?In the library, he found two men standing at the big fireplace - it was big enough for a child ofConsuela's size to walk right into. <strong>Constantine</strong> paused to look them over. One of them, anyway,was a man. <strong>The</strong> other only seemed to be. <strong>Constantine</strong> recognized him: h<strong>is</strong> semblance and h<strong>is</strong>spirit, both. <strong>The</strong> semblance wore a cream-colored Armani suit. He was handsome in a delicateway, with high cheekbones and a narrow chin, thick hair. Prettily pale, startling green eyes.Body as feminine as masculine. An androgyne. <strong>Constantine</strong> knew that th<strong>is</strong> androgynous man,th<strong>is</strong> being, had been aware of him the moment he'd entered the door - probably before he'd comein. <strong>The</strong> other man at the fireplace, more rugged, was Father Garret.A young servant - probably a priestly intern of some kind - appeared at <strong>Constantine</strong>'s elbow."May I take your coat, Mr. <strong>Constantine</strong>?""No thanks. I'm not staying long.""How about you, ma'am?"<strong>Constantine</strong> turned to see a young woman, lovely but with a grim purpose about her. Auburnhair, full lips, hazel eyes. Pretty enough to never bother with makeup. An air of strength, evendanger, in a skirt, a white blouse. She seemed... he realized she was a cop of some kind. You
didn't need to be psychic to sense that, only streetw<strong>is</strong>e. And he'd seen her before somewhere.<strong>The</strong> hospital, at the elevator.<strong>The</strong> vulnerability was there too - h<strong>is</strong> feelers told him she was grieving. She'd lost someonerecently. He suppressed the psychic contact, not wanting to intrude. <strong>Not</strong> unless it was needed."I'm not staying long either," she said.<strong>The</strong>re was something else about her... the field around her was strong, and seemed to castabout, almost without her intending it.''I've got to talk to him," she said. "It's very important.""First come, first served," <strong>Constantine</strong> said. Mostly to see what her reaction would be."So you're rude, no matter where you are."She looked at him for the first time, sizing him up, and he was uncomfortably aware that h<strong>is</strong>clothes were overdue for washing, h<strong>is</strong> chin for shaving, h<strong>is</strong> teeth for brushing, and he probablysmelled of liquor.He hoped he didn't seem drunk. Why do you care what she thinks?It was odd. He usually didn't care what people thought.Garret and the man with him shook hands - with just the faintest suggestion of a bow fromGarret toward the other man. Acknowledging rank.<strong>The</strong> woman went straight to Garret; <strong>Constantine</strong> went to the other man: Gabriel, who wasnow standing facing the fireplace - with h<strong>is</strong> wings spread. You had to look close to see them;they were usually inv<strong>is</strong>ible, in th<strong>is</strong> world.<strong>The</strong> lady cop walked out with Garret, talking in low tones, as Gabriel sat in a large, highbackedwooden chair facing the fireplace; he sat on the edge of the chair, leaning forward, andwatched the flames with unblinking eyes.<strong>Constantine</strong> had the careful walk of a man not wanting to show he had been drinking. But ofcourse Gabriel would know he was anyway.Telepathically, Gabriel said, Flame consuming wood. Time <strong>is</strong> fire, <strong>Constantine</strong>, for themortals. Time consumes. Aloud he said, "I know what you want, son." Gabriel's voice was silky- not a pleasant silkiness, to <strong>Constantine</strong>. Gabriel always seemed snobb<strong>is</strong>h. Maybe he had aright, being divine."Still keeping your all-seeing eye on me, Gabriel? I'm flattered.""I could offer how a shepherd leads even the most wayward of h<strong>is</strong> flock, but to you it mightsound d<strong>is</strong>ingenuous.""So you're going to make me beg?""It wouldn't help. You've already wasted your chance at redemption." Gabriel smiled, thoughh<strong>is</strong> eyes remained icy green, like frozen seawater. "You're not going to the fair, John."'What about the minions I've sent back? Sending minions to Hell saved innocent lives. Thatalone should guarantee my entry-""Still trying to buy your way into Heaven, son? How many times must I tell you? It just won'twork."<strong>Constantine</strong> shoved h<strong>is</strong> f<strong>is</strong>ts in the pockets of h<strong>is</strong> coat - to keep from using them. "Haven't Iserved Him enough? What does He want from me?""<strong>The</strong> usual. Self-sacrifice. Belief.""I believe, for Chr<strong>is</strong>t's sake!"Gabriel shook h<strong>is</strong> head gently, looking at <strong>Constantine</strong>. Who shuddered - feeling Gabriel'sgaze on the soul within h<strong>is</strong> flesh. "No. You know. <strong>The</strong>re's a difference. As I have told youagain and again, entry into Heaven requires faith. Meaning belief without proof. You believebecause you have seen.""A technicality. I never asked to see. I was born with th<strong>is</strong> curse.""A gift, John! One which you have squandered on self<strong>is</strong>h endeavors."<strong>Constantine</strong> suddenly felt the fatigue catch up with him. He wanted another drink, maybe anIr<strong>is</strong>h coffee.
- Page 2 and 3: Styrofoam cooler. Last month, openi
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moment perhaps glimpse a snarling f
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Balthazar was writhing now. Wailing
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"It's okay now." Yet his voice was
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"Xavier.""Why am I not surprised."T
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infused with sacred symbols, divine
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"You know," Constantine said, ponde
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of him that was ultimately more rea
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Constantine cooked a pan of religio
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Chaz looked at Midnite more serious
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He'd sound like those lunatics who
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The darkness reached its maximal th
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madman, yet freighted with meaning
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Constantine had come out of the con
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second-sight. "You think Satan's so
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mumbling castings, so that they wer
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NINETEENConstantine and Chaz burst
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oaring out:"Into the light I comman
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He was supposed to be immune. He ha
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seconds?"Satan thought about it....
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his lips were too heavy to move. He
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Gabriel cleared his throat. "Then..
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the smoke away, and went to the fir