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Angela floated face-up in the reservoir like a dead log.
Soren never took his eyes off her.
Then a ragged man shuffled in through the doorway.
He didn't even glance at the corner where Soren, Carrie, and Papa Midnight were hiding. Like a puppet on strings, he walked straight to the water's edge, reached down, and clamped both hands on the back of Angela's neck. He shoved her under.
The freezing water closed over her. The sudden lack of air jerked Angela awake. She thrashed, clawing at the arms pinning her, but they didn't move an inch.
The pressure built until her eyes snapped open.
What she saw wasn't the reservoir anymore. A blood-red sky choked with smoke stretched overhead. Corpses missing half their skulls stood in a silent ring around her, like they were waiting for royalty.
Angela felt it behind her and whipped her head around.
A two-meter-tall demon—skin stretched tight over bone—shambled toward her on unsteady legs.
Terror locked every muscle. She tried to scream, tried to run, but her body wouldn't obey.
The demon stopped right in front of her.
"Angela—"
It stroked her cheek. Her mouth opened on its own.
The demon dissolved into black mist and poured straight down her throat.
In the real world, the homeless guy holding her suddenly flew backward like he'd been hit by a truck. He slammed into the concrete wall and slid down.
Ripples spread across the water. Angela rose slowly. Her pupils were gone—only milky white showed.
She turned her head toward the corner where Soren's group crouched and let out a low, inhuman hiss.
Soren watched a thick wave of demonic power roll out of her body.
"Holy shit," Papa Midnight whispered, heart hammering.
The corpse perfume held. Mammon-possessed Angela only glanced their way before looking up again, like she was waiting for something.
Then the floor exploded with red light.
The voodoo array Papa Midnight had painted earlier flared to life the second it sensed the demon. Glowing chains of energy snapped around Angela's body. Where they touched skin, they sizzled and smoked.
"Ah!"
Angela screamed—except it wasn't her voice anymore.
Mammon thrashed under her skin, trying to rip free. The interlocking runes flared brighter, slamming the demon prince back down inside her.
Angela's eyes rolled shut. She collapsed into the water.
"Only a natural psychic like her could even handle Mammon's power," Soren muttered from the shadows. "Anyone else would've been dead on arrival."
Everything was still on track. All he had to do now was wait for Gabriel to show up in the flesh and "deliver" the demon prince. Then Soren would make his move.
A new set of footsteps echoed from the hallway.
"Constantine?!"
Soren watched the exorcist burst into the reservoir. He hadn't expected the guy to track them here.
He fought the urge to knock Constantine out cold. Gabriel was probably already on site. Stepping out now would get them all spotted.
"Angela!"
Constantine hauled her out of the water and laid her on the concrete.
"Angela? Wake up—talk to me!"
When she didn't answer, he slapped her cold cheeks.
Angela gasped and jolted awake. She ignored him completely, staring down in horror.
Constantine followed her gaze and froze.
A grotesque demon head was pushing out from her stomach.
Mammon.
Constantine's brain short-circuited. He hadn't expected the demon to move this fast.
"Get it out! Get it the fuck out of me!" Angela screamed, clawing at his arm.
"Hold on—just hold on!"
Constantine pressed both hands to her swollen belly and started the rite fast.
"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus—"
It did nothing.
The faded red light on the floor suddenly blazed again. The voodoo array kicked in, forcing Mammon back down.
Constantine dropped onto his ass, staring at the glowing runes in total disbelief.
"You really are full of yourself, John."
A mocking voice floated down from above.
A figure dropped from the ceiling and stomped straight onto Constantine's face, pinning him to the floor.
Constantine grunted in pain and stared up at the holy, perfect features.
"Gabriel! Why the hell is it you?!"
He bared his teeth. "What the fuck do you get out of letting demons rule the world?!"
"You criticizing me now?"
Gabriel tapped Constantine's cheek with his foot, amused. "I'm just trying to bring out humanity's true nature."
"So you hand the whole planet over to the Devil's son?!"
Constantine glared up at him.
Gabriel crouched, fingers wrapping around Constantine's throat.
"You humans are born with God's favor."
His eyes were ice-cold. "Murderers, rapists, child abusers—doesn't matter. One quick sorry on your deathbed and you're welcomed back into His arms."
He shook his head sadly. "The universe is so vast. Why do only you humans get that privilege?"
"It's not fair."
Gabriel flung Constantine aside like garbage, sending him skidding across the floor into the far corner.
"If a merciful God loves you people so much… then I'll make sure you deserve it."
Having passed judgment on humanity, Gabriel stood up slowly.
Then something caught his eye. He turned toward the corner where Soren's group was hiding.
"I thought we had a few little rats sneaking in."
Gabriel lifted his chin, a hint of surprise in his voice.
"But it's you—"
"Soren."