Constantine - The Novelization - Whoa is (Not)

Balthazar was writhing now. Wailing to himself as he felt the Gates of Heaven start to swingopen for him.Persuaded by the sheer conviction of Constantine's invocation of the rites, the demon felt itjust possible that he might indeed be forgiven - oh, the horror of being forgiven by God, and sentto a place of eternal peace, of eloquent silence, of that penetrating light that revealed every dank,guttering, shriveled comer of your soul!Constantine continuing:"...in the name of the Father..."No! The gate was opening! That light, the light that sees, was beginning to shine into him, probing -waiting for something!The demon felt himself on the very uttermost edge of the universe, teetering on the verge of acosmic precipice - but if you fell over that precipice, you fell up, instead of down. He must notfall up!"...and the Son," Constantine intoned, glancing at Balthazar. "...and the Holy Gh-""Sangre de dio!" Balthazar burst out, interrupting him. Anything to stop Constantine fromsaying those words. But what would Mammon do to him when he found out he had givenConstantine the secret?And Constantine was staring at him. Taking it in. As if wondering if he'd heard rightly.Sangre de dio?Balthazar nodded. "The blood of God.""How?" Constantine demanded. He made as if to recommence his reading, making a show oflooking for his place in the book.Balthazar groaned. "'What killed the son of God will give birth to the son of the Devil.'"Constantine finally put it together. The blood of Christ! From the Place of Skulls...He closed the book. Looked blankly at Balthazar."By the way - they wouldn't really have let you in. You have to ask for absolution - asshole."Balthazar looked like he wanted to bend Constantine in half and feed him his own extremities.But then he looked past Constantine... and he grinned through blood and crushed fangs. "Mywork is done."Constantine scowled. "What the hell are you smiling at?""Her," Balthazar said, staring at Angela. "You brought her right to us."She was in the open doorway - gaping at Balthazar. Her eyes wide. The wrong kind of gun inher hand. Looking at the wreckage - the small fires remaining in the room, and Balthazar.Constantine didn't want Balthazar aiming any curses at Angela. He picked up his shotgun andblew Balthazar away... quite literally. The demon's earthly body exploded under the impact ofthe shotgun blast, and his soul was tom free, to be driven down a long, long tunnel that appearedin the floor, down into the seething flame, the blizzard of ash, where Mammon's retributionawaited....A moment later the tunnel was gone. There was just what seemed like a shattered semihumanbody on the intact floor.Angela made a small sound in her throat, as if she might throw up. Without a word,Constantine turned and led her into the hallway.There was no time for adapting to magical reality. He was armed with knowledge now.Which might be useless - because it might already be too late to use it.--Francisco stood over the body of the hospital security guard, shaking his head and marveling.They were like little toys, these security guards in America. So easy to destroy. He had killedthis one with his bare hands - just to see if he still had it in him, not even using the iron spike.What was he to do here? He looked down the empty lime - green corridor. A light overheadwas buzzing like an insect....