What Would Satan Do_ - Anthony Miller [132]
Where before there had been one angel, there were now two.
Chapter 51. The Antichrist
If polled, the humans there in the Deliveries hallway all would have agreed that Ezekiel was pretty good looking, but that, compared to this new angel – well, there was no comparison. It was love at first sight for all of them. Only Festus would have admitted it, of course, and maybe Lola, because neither was particularly worried about being accused of being a homo.
The new angel looked as if he’d been carved by Michelangelo. In fact, he bore more than a passing resemblance to the famous statue of David, except that he less pale and stony, and also seemed to be alive. He also had really big wings. But other than that, the he could have been Michelangelo’s inspiration.
“Moloch,” he said, and smiled a gentle smile. “Brother.”
Ezekiel’s eyes shone red. He put one foot forward and hefted the glowing sword.
“That wasn’t really a fair fight, now was it?” said the new angel.
“I can still destroy you,” said Ezekiel. He swung the sword back, holding it high over his shoulder, as if he were just waiting for a pitch.
“No, you cannot.” There was another flash of light, accompanied by a horrible, howling scream that seemed to echo and reverberate and rattle the entire building. The sword clattered to the ground, and Ezekiel was gone.
“What the fuck?” said Cadmon. “I mean really: What? The? Fuck?” He stomped up to the new angel. “Who the fuck are you? And what did you do with Ezekiel? Why’d you call him Moloch? Where did that – where the Devil go?”
“I’m right here,” said the angel.
“What? I don’t understand,” said Cadmon.
“I am Lucifer,” said the angel.
“Well,” asked Cadmon, “what about him?” He pointed to where Satan’s broken, one-handed body lay slumped on the floor.
“Oh yes, I left that body,” said Lucifer. He shrugged. “Pity.”
“Oh,” said Cadmon, pondering this fact. “Well—” He scratched his chin. “Well, that’s not very good.”
Lucifer smiled.
Cadmon continued to scratch his chin, and looked down at the floor. “Not good at all,” he mumbled.
“William,” said Lucifer.
Cadmon decided to go on the offensive. He put his hands on his hips and stuck out his chin. “You know, you really fucked everything up. Are you happy?”
The soldier who’d been tied up had, while everyone was watching Satan and Ezekiel and Cadmon, wriggled his hands out of the belt that Liam had used. He stood quietly, snuck over to Raju, grabbed the key, and made a break for it.
“Hey!” screamed Raju. “He’s getting away!”
“So?” said Festus.
“He’s got the key!”
“Shit!” said Liam, jumping up.
“Fuck this,” said Lola. She shot the soldier. He yelped and pitched forward, landing awkwardly against the wall.
“Hey!” said Cadmon. “You can’t shoot my soldiers.”
“Don’t give me that shit,” said Lola. “I only shot him in the leg. He probably won’t die.” The soldier uttered a sound that was a cross between a moan and a scream, as if to confirm first that he had, in fact, only been shot in the leg, and second, that it hurt like a motherfucker. “Raju,” said Lola, “go get the key.”
“I love you,” said Raju. Lola aimed the pistol at him. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Alright, then,” said Satan. “I guess we’re done here.”
“What?” asked Cadmon. He was starting to seem a little overwhelmed, what with Satan destroying Whitford and Ezekiel and Lola shooting one of his soldiers.
“I’m done here,” said Satan. “Moloch is dead.”
“Why do you keep calling him that?”
Satan regarded Cadmon skeptically. “Because that was his name,” he said. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. He’s gone now. Goodbye.”
“Wait!” said Cadmon.
“What?”
“I … uh …” the preacher thought it over for a moment, and then, without warning, struck a dramatic pose. “Ha, ha, ha,” he said, attempting a not-at-all-convincing villain laugh. “Didn’t you hear what Ezekiel – Moloch – said? It’s too late. It was out of his control.