Richard Kadrey: Kill the dead

I see a familiar face heading my way. She'd be hard to miss in a room twenty times this size.

"Hello you. You've been kind of scarce the last few days."

Brigitte nods, takes the glass from my hand, and finishes my drink.

"Yes, I needed some time alone to do what you Americans love most. Process my thoughts. Becoming a revenant wasn't something I'd planned for this trip."

"But you didn't. We stopped it in time."

"But I felt it. I felt the infection burning through me. I felt myself dying, but not truly dying."

"I don't know how many times I've been stabbed and shot. It's part of my job description. Taking a chance on getting bitten has to be part of yours."

"Of course it is. But there's the other thing."

"And what's that?"

She lifts a finger and Carlos brings us a couple of new drinks. She blows him a kiss.

"The way you left the Geistwalds, it upset some people, but I thought it was apt. If I'd been there, I would have helped."

"I know."

"But there's the other thing."

"So I hear."

"Your friend Candy was knifed. Your father is dead. Simon is dead. Lucifer himself almost died."

"Johnny is gone."

"Who was he?"

"Someone I only knew for a little while. A good guy. He had a sweet tooth."

"Light Bringer was canceled, of course. I heard that even the Golden Vigil has disbanded."

I sip the Jack and nod.

"It looks that way. I went by their warehouse to pull out Wells's spine, but he was gone and the place was empty. There wasn't a screw, a nail, or an oil stain on the floor."

"That's the kind of thing I mean by the other thing."

She pushes her way in closer so that we're side by side and leans against me.

"You're a lovely man. Do you know that?"

"I can hear a 'but' the size of the Titanic bearing down on me."

"People get hurt around you. They die. And worse."

"I'm a professional shit magnet. I know."

"You scare me to death, which, on the one hand, makes you more attractive, but you wear death like that long black coat of yours. I think if things had just been a little different, if we'd met at a different moment, I wouldn't feel quite so overwhelmed."

"If you're keeping score, don't forget Alice. I got her killed, too."

"Don't talk like that."

We drink without talking for a minute. She feels good against my side.

"So, where are you headed from here?"

"I'm staying with Gigi Gaston. Maybe you met her at the Geistwald party. She worked at the studio and has taken over since Simon is gone."

"Hooking up with the studio head is a smart move for an actress."

"And for my other work, too. Gigi is one of the ones I meant by 'my people' when I called for someone to take the bodies of the revenants from behind the bar."

"That work is over, you know. The Drifters are gone. They all died when the Druj broke."

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"Yeah. But worrying about it is a good excuse to go off with Gigi. If I was you, it's what I'd say."

"If you scared me just ten percent less."

"No. You're doing the right thing. Things are going to get strange again soon and I'm afraid I'm going to end up in the middle of it. If Gigi can take care of you, you should go with her."

She pushes away and looks at me, her forehead furrowing.

"You don't hate me? You don't think I'm a coward for deserting you?"

"Never. You were always the smart one."

She takes my head in her hands and kisses me hard.

"Take care of yourself."

"You, too. Go be a movie star. It'll be fun to see you fifty feet tall."

"Just for you."

She starts away and I yell after her.

"You know, you never told me your real name."

She smiles.

"I know. We'll just have to find each other down the road sometime and I'll tell you then."

And she's gone.

"Wow. Going out with you is a real boost to the ego," says Kasabian. "Shot down twice in one night. Even I'm doing better than that with these kinky Goth chicks."

"Drink up, Alfredo. I hope no one starts keeping their dirty socks in your bag."

I get up and start away from the bar.

"Where are you going?"

"To the men's room. You remember those?"

"Funny. When you get back you want to take me outside for a smoke?"

"Why not?"

I get the usual funny looks of recognition and curiosity in the men's room. It's not just civilians. Lurkers are just as likely to stare.

"If any of you want an autograph right this second, I'm going to have to do it in piss."

That usually breaks up the viewing party.

Marshal Julie is waiting for me when I come out of the men's room.

"Don't worry, officer. I washed my hands."

She nods and looks me over.

"You cost me my job, you know."

"Talk to Aelita about that. Or Wells. Besides, I thought you worked for Homeland Security. Just 'cause the Vigil is gone baby gone, why does that affect you?"

"When the Vigil died, Washington panicked and burned our whole operation out here. They cut everyone loose."

"And now you're roaming the countryside like a Ronin. If you're looking for money or sympathy, I'm fresh out of both."

"That's not why I'm here. I don't want us to be enemies."

"I can't play bridge, so don't ask me to be your fourth."

"I'm opening my own investigations agency. My father was a PI, so I have experience. If it pans out, I thought that maybe I can throw you work sometimes."

I listen to her heart and watch her eyes. She means it. Her soul pulses steadily in her chest, a shimmering silver. A good color. Not everyone's is that clear.

"Why not? I'm not doing anything else. But no hits. And I'm not doing any divorce stuff. No peeping in people's windows. But if you have something specific that you think I can do, why not?"

"Okay, then."

She turns and looks around the bar.

"I'd heard all about this place. Some of the other marshals sneaked in here. Some Sub Rosa girls I knew at school. I never really believed them when they said that Lurkers and humans could hang out together like this."

"You ought to see it on bingo night."

"You didn't really think it was going to be that easy, did you?"

"What?"

"You were going to stroll in here with the Druj and put me over your knee like a bad boy? That's funny."

Marshal Julie's mouth is moving, but it's Mason's voice coming out. Her eyes are dead and vacant.

"Yes, it's me. Sorry I can't be there in person. This is the best my little homemade key can do for now."

Then a Nahual beast man steps up.

"Trust me. I'm working on new and better keys all the time. And with Lucifer taking a powder, it makes my work that much easier."

A civilian in a T-shirt with a software company logo on it crowds in.

"I hear you fed a whole family to golems the other night. Good for you. We were always more alike than you and Alice wanted to admit."

The girl in the leather jacket that Spencer Church tried to bite the other night opens her mouth.

"I wish I'd been there to watch you feed Mommy and the boy to the zeds. How long did it take to eat them?"

I grab the girl.

"Druj or not, I'm going to kill you. Hard."

Marshal Julie again.

"You know where I am. I'll leave a light on for you."

They walk away, some to the restroom, some back to the bar, like nothing happened.

"Don't worry. I wouldn't ask you to do something boring and normal," says the marshal.

She smiles at me. I stare into her eyes, looking for Mason. She stops smiling.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I've just had too much to drink. I'm going outside."

"Give me your number before you go."

I tell her and head back to the bar.

"I'll call you if something comes through."

"Do that. Good luck with the agency."

I go to the bar to get Kasabian, but when he sees me he shakes his head and turns his eyes back to the Lamia chatting him up. I leave him to his succubus and go outside.