Constantine - The Novelization - Whoa is (Not)

Constantine and Angela slept for a murky, uncertain while, fully clothed, spooning in hisrumpled bed. He was sorry he hadn't changed the sheets lately, but she didn't seem to care.Later...After he took some medication. After they ate a spare breakfast. After what seemed like agallon of coffee... They talked. Made certain determinations.They didn't have a plan exactly. But they had a direction. Like when you're lost in thewilderness, and you decide to head downhill, following a stream, reasoning it'll take you tocivilization. They'd follow water down... to Hell.So Constantine filled the old-fashioned porcelain bathtub. The kind with clawed feet on it thatlooked like they were going to run away with you once you were in the tub.Angela cleared her throat behind him. "Um - John? Do I take off my clothes or leave themon?"He smiled, making her wait.“John?”''I'm thinking.... ""John!"There, he almost made her laugh with that one."On is fine."She stood there chewing her lip as he turned off the water. Talking to keep fear from takingher over. "Why water?""Water is the universal conduit. Lubricates the transition from one plane to another. Now askme if there's water in Hell." She didn't, so he said: "Sit."She grabbed his shoulder for balance, lowered herself in the lukewarm water, fully clothed.Immersed all the way to her neck."Normally," Constantine said, "only a portion of the body has to be suspended, but you wantedthe crash course .... ""Couldn't you have made it warmer?""It'll be plenty warm soon enough.""What will I see?"There was no way to prepare her for that. But she seemed to get a glimpse in his eyes of whathe might see. She swallowed."Lie down, farther," he said."Lie down?""You have to be fully submerged - you being an amateur."She blinked at him. He could see the decisive moment when she decided to fully trust him.She nodded. "For how long?""As long as it takes. Here..."He bent and cupped the back of her neck, held her face just above the water as she submergedherself farther. Breathing hard, through her nose. He could feel her pulse in her neck, thumpingfast."Last chance," he said.She just shook her head, once. "Then... take a deep one."She took a deep breath and held it. He pulled his hand away gently and she settled to thebottom of the tub, her eyes watching him from under the water. He kept hold of her arm, firmlygripping her bare skin just above the elbow.He reached out with his psychic feelers and drew astral light down to him, transmitted itthrough his hand to her, helping her find the vibration that would unlock the gate to Hell.He could see panic in her face as she started to run out of air. She started to come up but heshook his head at her, smiled reassuringly - and shoved her back under again. He could feel thekey vibrations circulating in the water, enclosing her. Yet she seemed to be psychicallyresisting....