The Night Beat

car or killing us, I’ll happily sign it over to you.”
    “Johnson, I heard you were Mister Personality from the pulpit. Why so negative now?” Did a fast rearview check -- all cars flying along behind us still. So, clearly, I wasn’t driving so dangerously that the others, including Bobby’s wife, in a Suburban loaded up with at least a dozen beings, couldn’t keep up.
    “Shutting up back here,” Johnson said. “Carry on not telling us what you’re planning.”
    We rounded another corner and once both right wheels were back on the ground I got a clear look ahead of us. Maurice hadn’t been kidding. The convergence chasm was out of control. It was at least four times bigger than when we’d been here last and it glowed.
    “That looks pretty,” Helen said cheerfully.
    “That’s how Hell gets here.”
    “Oh. Then, that looks pretty evil.” Helen seemed reasonably unfazed.
    I did another fast rearview check. She seemed relaxed. “You seem to be handling this rather better than anyone else, other than myself.”
    She shrugged. “It’s so nice to be able to say, ‘see that?’ and have someone else honestly say ‘yes’.”
    Johnson reached across Ralph and took her hand. “You could have told me, you know. You didn’t have to bear the burden alone.”
    “You had more than you needed already. And once Jerry went…bad, there didn’t seem to be a point to mention your wife was sort of crazy only not really.”
    “I honestly hate to interrupt this, and I hope you two get to continue in a little while, but we’re pretty much at the Evil Zone. Ready for my plan?”
    “Yes!” Chorused by all four of them. Cool. I truly wished I had one, they were so eager for it.
    I saw our troops. Interestingly, they were spread out on the side of the block that The Pleasure Palace, Killjoy’s, and the Sanctuary Center were on. The Three A’s were opposite them. Jack was there, separate from the Adversary. I didn’t see any other major minions, but there were more fallen angels than I thought good for our health. They were all in the big parking lot.
    I considered my meager options. Well, why not? We had a lot of cars to park, after all.

Chapter 70
     
    “Vic, what are you doing?” Ralph asked as I aimed the S-Class at Jack. Pointedly at Jack.
    “Parking. It’s the good driver thing to do.”
    “That’s your plan? Parking?” Ralph was barking. I was pretty sure sighing and the non-sexy growling weren’t too far behind.
    “Only part of it. Once we park, we’re going to cut off their escape and attack from the rear.”
    “Their escape is into the chasm.”
    “We’ll see.”
    Jack smirked and waved in that “come and get me” way and I pushed the pedal down hard. Yep, there was a little more the S-Class could give me. It leaped forward, a little faster than Jack had been expecting. We slammed into him and he went flying over the car.
    I didn’t pause. I knew he wasn’t dead. Probably wasn’t even hurt. However, I’d still enjoyed it.
    The Adversary jumped in front of us. Ploughed through Dear Old Dad, too. He chose to cling to the car and bellow. “Hellion child! Have you come to join us?”
    “Meet my father, one of the big baddies. We’re estranged.”
    “Good for you,” Johnson said.
    I put the car into a spin which took a variety of fallen angels by surprise. Some jumped or flew out of the way, but there were a few satisfying bumps before we finally came to a halt.
    The rest of our entourage followed our lead. I was particularly impressed with Bobby’s wife. She aimed right for Apollyon and did a spin at the same time. I was pretty sure she wiped out at least one fallen from the weight of the loaded Suburban alone.
    We waited until all our cars were parked, or at least close enough for government work. “Johnson, you’re going to need to pray, but in a specific manner. No naming bad guy names, including the Devil or Satan or Lucifer. Especially not Lucifer. You need to pray for the Gods and Monsters to save us, do you understand?”
    “No, not at all. However, I’m clear that, per Martin Luther, Father of the Reformation and Angel Superior, I’m to do what you say, period. What do I say, other than that?”
    “Nothing. I want you and all the other religious types to say that phrase, and that phrase only. ‘May the Gods and Monsters save us.’ Got it?”
    “Yes. Anything else?”
    I turned and looked right at him. “Yes. Remember this -- when it comes down to it, it’s