The Night Beat

L.K. were dealing with some of the other minions hanging around. But I didn’t see Jack or the Adversary, nor could I spot Nero. However, what I could see was the fact that I’d been wrong earlier -- there were indeed humans here, they were just floating up against the ceiling. I couldn’t tell if they were alive, dead, held in suspended animation, or worse. But I knew without asking that once the spell holding them was broken, they were going to tumble down the four stories and splat onto the floor.
    Apollyon used my temporary distraction grab my stomach and start that horrible insides burning thing the fallen liked to do. It was boil like a cabbage or let him toss me off. I picked flying through the air, landed and scrambled to my paws. Apollyon had his sword in hand again, but he was backing away.
    I would have congratulated myself on being totally badass, but I knew he’d hurt me more than I’d hurt him. I also spotted Abaddon backing away from Ralph. I risked a look around. Our troops were arriving.
    The momentary relief washed away as I looked around some more. The minions were still backing away -- all of them, Hitler included. But they didn’t look worried or defeated. They looked smug.
    Smug minions is never a good thing. Risking a look upward, I saw a variety of angels covering the floating humans. Okay, so it wasn’t that. I looked behind again. Nope, our guys were filling the Little Church right up. So, why the happy looks on our enemies’ faces? Something was wrong, and I had to figure it out fast.
    A fact reared up. The Adversary was nowhere around. If this was the big battle, then the Adversary was supposed to lead it. If he wasn’t with us, then what was really going on?
    The base of my tail wanted a word. Just one word. It shared the word and I knew it was right. “It’s a trap!” I bellowed. “All Enforcement personnel clear out!”
    Sadly, this didn’t have the effect I was hoping for. The minions continued to smirk and my side didn’t turn and run. Nothing for it.
    I leaped and landed on the podium where the microphone was. “Clear out! That’s an order!”
    The mic was on and I’d been shouting at the top of my lungs. Anyone who missed that was deaf, because I was loud enough to raise the dead. Some of the Enforcement side started to do as they were told.
    The angels, in particular, didn’t. I knew they were trying to save the humans. But a thought occurred. “They’re an illusion,” I broadcast. “All the humans are tucked away in their homes, waiting for whatever automaton orders may be coming. But those aren’t real.”
    Jack made it over to me. “Are you crazy? Retreat? We can stop them.”
    “It’s a trap. We need everyone out.”
    “How so?” Ralph and the others were with us now.
    “Illusion. It’s all illusion, like the Hellfire was. It’s not the start of Armageddon. It’s a trap to get rid of all of us.”
    I heard a horrible rumbling sound, like the depths of Hell were coming out through the bowels of the Earth. The doors that had been blasted off the front of the church reappeared and slammed shut. I reminded myself that the bad guys knew how to fake a being into thinking they were getting Godly assistance when they really weren’t. The windows and glass all went black. I didn’t need to ask if they were covered with something we couldn’t get through. I heard a great deal of slamming, indicating that any and all exits were now firmly shut.
    As I was wondering just what was coming next, a voice I knew well but sure didn’t want to spoke up.
    “You were always too smart for these creatures.”
    I turned around. Sure enough, there he was, in all his so-called glory. Twelve feet tall, looking like some sort of cross of every horrible, icky thing in all the planes of existence. Dear old Dad. And, lucky me, there was the Mother of the Ages, standing with him. Family reunion time. I couldn’t wait.

Chapter 54
     
    The Adversary shifted -- now there was what looked like a man in front of me. It always interested me that, when using human form, the Adversary went for a Big Harp likeness more often than Little. By all accounts, they looked enough alike that it probably didn’t matter, but I figured he liked being larger because it was more intimidating.
    My mother beamed. “Eudora, time to come home.” She took the Adversary’s hand like they were normal beings. “Your father’s been very patient with you, but you must stop this