The Night Beat

about him?” I’d never felt the need for this before, but the base of my tail said this was a good idea and that if Jude said no I should hurt him in some way.
    “I suppose so. Why?”
    Lucky Jude, no hurting from me coming. “We have major minions in this realm and you have to ask?”
    He grinned and put his hands on my head. “Okay, don’t hurt me. I don’t do this often, but you’re probably right to take the precaution.” He put his forehead to mine. I felt a flutter inside my head that lasted for a few long moments. “All done.”
    “Good. This way, if I do have to face him, no one else will realize I’m concerned about it.” Or read any other thoughts about Lucifer I might have.
    “No one but the two of us can access your thoughts about him now. Well, other than Yahweh.” Jude patted my back. “When the time comes, if it comes, you’ll do what’s right, Victoria. That’s why you’re so important. You always make the right choice.”
    “I don’t think so.”
    “I do.” He nodded towards the back of the room. “And so does he.”
    “So it was the right choice to break up with you?”
    Jude chuckled as he opened the door. “I meant in terms of the greater fight. In terms of your personal life, sorry, you screw up just like all the rest of us.”
    “Dang.”

Chapter 35
     
    I felt funny back on the sidewalk. A big chunk of my early undead life was tied to Jude and it was unsettling to realize my present undead life was now wrapped up with him again.
    Happily, Jack looked a little calmer. “You get any other insights into my impending doom?”
    “Don’t buy long.”
    He laughed. “Good to know. Where to next?”
    “No idea.” I decided my wrist-com hadn’t gotten enough work recently. I tried HQ, hoping I was going to hear good news. “Agent W-W-One-Eight-One-Niner reporting in.”
    Nothing.
    I tried Hansel and Gretel. Nada. Tried Ralph. Got static.
    “Things suck at Headquarters.”
    “Great.” Jack rubbed the back of his neck. “Should we head over there?”
    “Let’s check in on everyone else.” Just to give optimism a go, I tried to raise Amanda and Maurice. Then Ken. Then Monty. I quickly raced through the entire extended team. No one was answering. “Okay, before I totally freak out, we need to go back into the Salvation Center.” I didn’t wait to see if they were following, I ran through the door.
    Jude was waiting for me. “I think it’s intentional interference, not that everyone’s dusted or worse.”
    “Great. Any way we can tell for certain?”
    He coughed. “Yeah. They’re all alive.”
    I didn’t have to ask who was providing this reassurance. Of course, I was the only one.
    “You mind expanding on that?” Jack asked.
    “Yes, I do. Some things do require faith. Or the acceptance that the short answer is all you’re going to get.” Jude didn’t seem too upset, but he didn’t seem overly amused, either.
    Jack and Freddy both started to argue, but Sexy Cindy cocked her head and stared at Jude. Then she looked around the Salvation Center. “Guys? I think we can take it at face value.” She looked at me. “If it’s good enough for you.”
    “It is.” Interestingly, Jack and Freddy both quieted down. “Jude, any suggestions for our next steps? Any help would be appreciated.”
    He got a faraway look, which I knew meant he was listening to someone talking inside his head. I also knew full well who that someone was. Well, said someone did have a direct line to Yahweh, and that was good enough for me.
    Jude came back to the rest of us. “Go to Necropolis Enforcement.”
    “Why? Just curious and all.”
    He shrugged. “I think everyone else is heading there.”
    “So, either things are wicked bad at HQ, or everyone’s heading back to home base to report and regroup.” I stared at Jude. He didn’t indicate which answer was the right one. “Thanks, you’re a great guy.”
    Jude grinned. “You used to think so, yeah.” He shrugged. “You know the rules, you don’t get a lot of freebies when you don’t need them.”
    I made the exasperation sound. “Fine, great. Heading off. Hopefully to a happy team reunion, not to a pre-Armageddon party.”
    We left again, but this time we headed for the car. It was a relief to move away from the convergence chasm, I had to admit. I didn’t want to have to visit this block again for a long time, if ever. Pity the base of my tail said we’d be back, and a lot sooner than I wanted.
    Jack handed me