Body Surfing

back in the day—that would be King Solomon’s day, which was even before my time. No one was ever able to make it work, though, or no one I ever heard of, but one suspects that was because the technology wasn’t there yet. In the last few years, though, what we’ve learned about how consciousness functions and its concomitant implications about the nature of the Mogran have brought it closer and closer to reality. No doubt there are a dozen gatherers in as many countries who all have a version sitting on their mantel. Really, all that was needed was a test case. And now, finally, we have one.”
    Q. shook his head, felt the wires jiggle as he did so.
    “I don’t get it. Who? You?”
    “Oh, hell no. I decided a long time ago that no one’ll choose my final curtain call but me. And when I do go out, you can be sure it’ll be with a bang—a big fucking bang. No, I was thinking of our mutual friend. The younger and much lamented Mr. Van Arsdale.”
    “Jasper.”
    “Unless John there has another son, then yes, Jasper. Duh .” The demon shook his head. “So what was the plan? I found the sleeping pills. Presumably you were going to drug JVA there and hook himup to the Solomon jar and then, what, try to get me to jump into him?”
    “We thought you were in Dr. Thomas.”
    “Someone’s in Dr. Thomas, and I’ve got about nine guesses who it might be.” The demon laughed. “Were you going to make Michaela whore herself just to capture me? Maybe I misjudged you. That’s genuine cold-blooded reasoning. You know how I love to fuck.” The demon leered at the boy, licking his lips, then laughed again when Q.’s panic showed on his face. “Oh, not just yet, Q. Not just yet. First we have to find out if your little toy works.”
    Q. looked down at the circuit board. He thought about ripping it apart but the demon wagged a finger at him.
    “I know what you’re thinking, and it’s a bad idea. Not only will I make you pay for doing something like that, but I’ll also make Mommy and Daddy Qusay pay, and Michaela, and Michaela’s family, and anyone else you ever had a pleasant conversation with in the course of your short, well-heeled life. Are we clear?”
    Q. looked one more time at the bit of circuitry dangling on his chest, then lifted his eyes balefully. He nodded.
    Leo smirked. “Another demonstration that the concept of enlightened free will is fundamentally sound. Now. Listen up, because I’m only going to say this once, and then I’m going to start breaking bones. You’re going to call Jasper. You’re going to tell Jasper that he needs to get out of Michaela’s body, because his presence makes her a target of my anger. And you’re going to tell Jasper to jump into you.”
    “I’m what?”
    The demon rolled his eyes. “I knew I should’ve augmented your senses while I was in you. I said,” the demon raised his voice, “you’re…going…to…tell…Jasper—”
    “I heard what you fucking said. But why would I do something that stupid?”
    Leo pointed to the bodies hanging from the wall.
    “Okay, fine,” Q. said. “But why would Jasper?”
    “Because you’re going to tell Jasper you’ve decided to step up.You’ve taken the responsibility of being the Legion’s new hunter on your young shoulders. Leo made you as invulnerable to injury as a human being can possibly be, and Jasper could make you even stronger. With Jasper inside you, you can eliminate all the big bad demons like Leo and the Alphas. And Jasper, with his all-too-human moral compass, will be as seduced by this idea as a normal Mogran is seduced by the well-rounded ass of a seventeen-year-old of either gender. He’ll kiss Michaela goodbye and head for his bestest buddy in the world. And then, well, then we’ll see if the Solomon jar theory is correct.”
    Q. stared at the demon. Leo sat on the jar of applejack, looking like a farmhand getting ready to head out into the field, save for the sneer that twisted his mouth. He seemed so sure of himself, like a poker player who’s just drawn the ace that completes his royal flush.
    “This—” Q. shook his head. What the hell was this? “This is crazy. Just crazy .”
    Leo licked his lips, but before he could answer another voice spoke.
    “For once, Q.,” Ileana said, “you and I are in total agreement.”
    Demon and human heads whipped toward the front of the barn. Ileana leaned heavily against the doorframe, her face ghostly white and dripping with sweat. But her