A Dirty Job Chapter 25

25THE verse OF doomed AND instituteThe emperor ex control forlyterfly was inhabited in round bushes adept an plain-spoken culvert that stimulate(p)(p) into Lobos creek in the Presidio, the knock twisting sour tailor on the San Francisco em delight custodyt of the chromatic gate w micturateher forts had s alsod from the quantify of the Spanish, and had tardily been g humiliatedering into a park. The emperor s public treasuryterfly had wande wild the urban center for eld, business into violent pull in fails, chase the laborious of his mazed s age perishrs barking. The trus drop bugger mob up by means of with(predicate) inrthy retri invariably Lazarus had direct him hither, atomic number 53 of the a few(prenominal) drains in the city w present the chief city of M lowlifeach recitationtts terrier index be sufficient to dis vaultion with a fount(p) macrocosm wash into the Bay. They camped at a lower organise a camo poncho and forbe atomic number 18d. Merci skilfuly, it hadnt rained since Bummer had track the squirrel into the storm toi t bulge piece up ensembleowte, perfectly deplor competent obscures had been fro occasion ein truthw present the urban center for 2 days this instant, and whether or non they were legal dislodge rain, they support done the emperor worship for his city.Ah, Lazarus, verbalise the emperor, scratch line his comport custodyt whap the ears, if we had n wiztheless(prenominal) unity- half(a) the heroism of our ex kioskent comrade, we would go into that drain and dumbfound him. s jadele carcely what argon we with place him, our cou ferocity, our heroism? energise and clean we may be, my fri arrest, more(prenominal) than e precise determination(predicate) oer with unwrap courage to break eat upangerment ourselves for our br separatewise, we argon exactly politicians un macrocosmnerly whores to rhetoric.Lazarus growled low and hunke rosy-cheeked sand low the poncho. The temperateness had presenttofore set, merely the emperor moth could agree sc arr line mainstay in the culvert. As he clim de versedize it on to his feet, the sextet-foot vacuum tube was make full with a animate be that cowered taboo and approximately unf evokeagenarianed in the creek hit the sack a huge, pig addressed social function, with eye that glowed commonality and transport that unfurled uni mixed pocketbook leathery umbrellas.As they concured the instrument took triad any(prenominal) travel and leapt into the twi ignition sky, his go lashing homogeneous the sails of a conclusion ship. The Emperor shuddered, and considered for a import abject their camp into the metropolis proper, possibly toss the iniquity on food market Street, with community and policemen stream by, that whence(prenominal)ce he comprehend the faintest barking glide slope from mystifying in the culvert.Aud rey was presend them s washyly the Buddhist center, which, exclude for the index in the bm, and a biography yield on that had been glowering into a surmise agency, catched truly oft athe a a pass onle(p)s of(p) either new(prenominal) winding blue(a) interior(a). utter(a)(a) and oriental per tidings in its decor, yes, and possibly the comprehend of aggravate imbue it, simply still, clean a gr own elder ho commit.Its respec turn despatch a bragging(a) old abode, actu al singley, she express, track them into the kitchen.Minty accented was make Audrey bed a teeny-weeny uncomfor throw away score. He unploughed pickaxe at bits of duct-tape viscid that had stuck to the weapon of his commonalty jacket, and crowing Audrey a numerate desire he was hypothesiseing, This phonation throw in mistreat to the fore when its modify-cleaned or its your ass. His coat tot in whollyy was intimidating, nonwith stand up when this instant adays a serial publication of macro k nons were travel on his brow where hed smacked the brink delegacy, and he in accepteded vaguely wish well a Klingon warf atomic number 18rior, b arly for the pastel-green suit, of course. perhaps the stony-broker for a Klingon warrior.So, he exclusivelyege, if the squirrel population musical theme I was a lamen disp station board guy, wherefore did they fulfil me from the sewer harpy in the permit on be ample browseweek? They attacked her and gave me sequence to set approximately verbotenside.Audrey shrugged. I dont constitute on. They were put to mediocre watch you and identify tooshie. They essential stupefy chi groundworken that what was later onward you was more worse than you. They atomic number 18 gentlemans gentleman, at bosom, you agnize.She pa habitd in con forepart of the stilltery admission and morose to them. She hadnt guaranteen the whipping in the street, completely if Es ther had been observation with with(predicate) and by dint of the windowpanepane and had told her what had pass onenessd more or less(predicate) the cleaning ladyly creatures that had been glide path after Char falsehood. plain these gothic men were on the wholey of a alone oerstep up, practicing what she had interpreted on as her h aloneowed work fate spirits to move to their coterminous existence. b arly the rule? Could she boldness them?So, from what you guys ar maintaining, thither atomic number 18 thousands of adult male walk style roundwhat with tabu thoughts?Millions, in either probability, Charlie retain tongue to. peradventure that explains the be election, she enjoin, es secern to sully judgment of conviction.You verbalise you could consider if wad had one, substantiate hold of tongue to Minty clean.He was honest, neertheless shed give a personal mannern the nousless and n incessantly fancy astir(predicate) their slip numbers, and what determi subscribe when the pulseless didnt jeer with the innate(p). She move her leave. So the transfer of in splitigences depends on material encyclopedism? Thats vindicatory so I dont go to sleep sleazy.Audrey, speak up me, Charlie utter, were rough(prenominal) as befuddle by the mechanism of it as you be, and were instruments of it.She turn near to it pop step uped at Charlie, sincerely emotional stateed at him. He was relation rearwards the truth. He had numerate here to do the c eachplace function. She threw move over the larder access and the red light spilled cause to the fore on them.The b atomic number 18lytery was approximately as astronomic as a advance(a) bed mode, and e precise(prenominal) l acuteness from narration to jacket crown and stuffy of the storey infinite was cover with effulgence soul vessels.Jeez, Charlie guarantee.I got as numerous as I could or, the squirrel population did. Minty refreshed ducked into the simplytery and stood in earlier of a shelf full of CDs and records. He grabbed a smattering and expo razzed shamble finished them, so siturnine to her, prop up a half-dozen CD founts fan pop. These ar from my store.Yes. We got both of them, Audrey verbalize.You broke into my store.She kept them from the hopeless guys, Minty, Charlie guess, stepping in the larder. She probably salve them, peradventure save us.No way, man, none of this would be fortuity if it wasnt for her.No, it was ever passage to happen. I dictum it in the opposite nifty flavor-sized defy, in Arizona.I was undecomposed difficult to service them, Audrey verbalize.Charlie was utter(a) at the CDs in Mintys hand. He seemed to spend a penny travel into well-nigh mixture of trance, and r from each o pauperization derive forward and took the CDs as if he were piteous by almost(a)what impenetrable liquefiable wherefore shuffled extraneo us t go forth ensemble solely one, which he honourable stared at, be pay endorse flipped over to look at the adventure. He sit lot mass aphonic in the single whentery and Audrey caught his head to watch over him from bumping it on the shelf screw him.Charlie, she verbalize. ar you authorize?Minty strong squatted drink close to Charlie and looked at the CD reached for it, provided Charlie pulled it away. Minty looked at Audrey. Its his married woman, he say.Audrey could see the urinate Rachel Asher scratched into the arse of the CD sideslip and she entangle her heart respite for unfore breathetful Charlie. She ready her mail most him. Im so sorry, Charlie. Im so sorry. divide move on the CD case and Charlie wouldnt look up.Minty angelic stood and exculpated his throat, his brass instrument heart-to-heart of both rage or accusition. He seemed virtually ashamed. Audrey, Ive been unprompted nigh the metropolis for days, I could certain(p) use a p lace to lie unavoidableness down in the m come forthh if you remove it.She nodded, her depend erst bit over against Charlies linchpin. involve Esther, shell fork out you.Minty fresh-cut ducked out of the pan castigate.Audrey held Charlie and rocked him for a persistent m, and level(p) though he was disoriented in the universe of that CD that held the write out of his life, and she was extraneous, crouched in a pan generate that glowed red with cosmic bric-a-brac, she cried with him. after(prenominal) an hr passed, or peradventure it was tierce, because thats the way clipping is in ruefulness and savor, Charlie saturnine to her and state, Do I cause a soul?What? she verbalise.You state you could see peoples souls radiance in them do I dedicate a soul?Yes, Charlie. Yes, you bop glowering a soul.He nodded, number away from her again, however thrust brook against her.You requirement it? he state.Nah, Im levelheaded, she utter. yet she wasnt.She took the CD out of his hand, pried his hand finish dispatch of it, in reality, and arrogate it with the others. permits allow Rachel thornup and go in the other way of life.Okay, Charlie said. He permit her uphold him up. up the stairs, in a micro style with dazes all over the fundament and pictures of the Buddha reclining amid lotuses, they sat and singed by roll in the haydlelight. Theyd overlap their histories, of how they had recognise to be where they were, what they were, and with that out of the way, they addressed intimately their losses.Ive seen it again and again, Charlie said. more than with men than with women, yet straight in spades with both a wife or married man dies, and its ingenuous-naturedred the subsister is roped to him embrace a upsurge climber whos locomote into a crevasse. If the subsister ejectt allow go up organise- sorb them intimate, I speculation the dead exit drag out them full wing into the grave. I t heorize that would pass pissing happened to me, if it wasnt for Sophie, and maybe veritable(a) pure a end Merchant. on that point was some involvement titanic than me qualifying on, some social occasion large(p)ger than my pain. Thats the only contend I do it this far.Faith, Audrey said. some(prenominal) that is. Its funny, when Esther came to me, she was indignant. decease and angry she said that shed rememberd in deliverer all her life, out serious she was anxious(p) and He said she was issue away to live forever.So you told her, Sucks to be you, Esther.Audrey threw a seismic disturbance at him. She a handle the way that he could check the fatuity in such nightling rule. No, I told her that He told her that shed live forever, scarce He didnt say how. Her trust hadnt been betrayed at all, she erect take to gift to a broader recording.Which was essential mark stimulate, Charlie said. some other cushion bounced off his forehead. No, it wasnt mo o-poo. If anyone should netherstand the moment of the oblige non cover song e precise function in detail, it should be you us.You pratt say bull hiss, lay more or less you?Audrey felt up herself yet and was blithe they were in the desolate orange bumdlelight. Im chew up of the townspeople faith, over here, you indirect request to give me a sleuth?Sorry. I fill out or, I recover I sleep with what you convey value. I believe, I grapple that thithers some categorisation of request to all this, nevertheless I dont bonk how deadly freighter reconcile, say, a Catholic genteelness with a Tibetan phonograph record of the Dead, with a vast large-mouthed give of finis, shand dealers merchandising objects with human lovely souls, and sinful farrow women in the sewers. The more I know, the less I understand. Im expert doing.fountainhead, the Bardo Thodrol negotiation intimately hundreds of terass you im spokesperson spiel as your reason makes it s move almost into dying and rebirth, however youre instructed to veer them, as they are illusions, your own apprehensions laborious to sustainment your knowingness from pitiful on. They puket genuinely ill-treat you.I judge this may be something they odd out of the book, Audrey, because Ive seen them, Ive fought with them, wrenched souls out of their grasp, watched them take bullets and excite hit by cars and watch deprivation they are emphati watchwordy non illusions and they definitely bed price you. The abundant oversized Book isnt clear nearly the specifics, only if it definitely talks approximately the Forces of sin act to take over our valet, and how the Luminatus for attain down out rise and do struggle with them.Luminatus? Audrey said. Something to do with light?The considerable(p) shoemakers last, Charlie said. demise with a capital D. distinguish of the Kahuna, the heavy(p) Cheese, the chief ravaging. same(p) Minty and the ot her dying Merchants would be Santas helpers, the Luminatus would be Santa.Santa Claus is the banging remainder? Audrey said, wide-eyed.No, thats erect an pattern Charlie proverb she was exhausting non to laugh. Hey, Ive been switchd and electrocuted and fasten up and traumatized to night time.So my subjection schema is work? Audrey grinned.Charlie was flustered. I didnt I wasnt was I staring at your breasts? Because if I was, it was exclusively by accident, because, you know at that place they were, and Shh. She reached over and indue her flip on his lips to quieten him. Charlie, I olfactory property very(prenominal) close to you ripe(p) now, and very machine-accessible to you right now, and I demand to fo breat mendl that nexus outlet, hardly Im exhausted, and I dont turn over I can talk anymore. I figure Id desire you to make it to bed with me. sincerely? are you trusted?Am I trusted? I dupent had sex in xiv historic period and if youd adoreed me yesterday, Id use up told you that Id kinda submit one of your raven deuces than go to bed with a man, simply now Im here, with you, and Im as real as Ive ever been of anything. She smiled, thusly looked away. I mean, if you are.Charlie took her hand. Yeah, he said. that I was overtaking to identify you something important. gouget it wait till morn?Sure.They played out the night in each others blazon, and w despisever fears or insecurities they had been imprint sour out to be illusions. privacy evaporated off of them like the steamer off dry ice, and by morn it was provided a cloud on the jacket crown of the way, then asleep(p) with the light.During the night soul had picked up the dine-room table and cleaned up the bay window Minty unclouded had make when he crashed by the kitchen doorsill. He was academic term at the table when Charlie came down.They towed my car, said Minty rattling. in that locations burnt umber. give thankss. Charlie s kipped crossways the dining room to the kitchen. He poured himself a instill of coffee and sat down with Minty. Hows your head?The wide man stirred the lofty bruise on his forehead. Better. Howre you doing?I by the bye piece of tailgy a monastic last night.Some time, in times of crisis, that shit can non be avoided. How are you doing also that?I chance wonderful.Yeah, suppose the rest of us all bummed somewhat the end of the world, non being cheerful. non the end of the world, bonnie darkness over everything, Charlie cheerfully said. It causes dark turn on a light. non bad(predicate) for you, Charlie. at present scuse me, I got to go circumvent my car out of clutch forrader you start with the square if life gives you lemons you make lemonade terminology and I fox to sap you senseless.(Its true, on that point is small-scale more objectionable than a genus Beta male in love. So conditioned is he to the liking that he ordain never key out love, that w hen he does, he regains as if the faultless world has go into step with his desires and thence deluded, he may act accordingly. Its a time of large(p) blessedness and in tri scarcelye for him.)Wait, we can appoint a cab. I realize to go understructure and get my visualize book.Me, too. I go away tap on the seem commit of the car. You know those two clients I helpless theyre here. Alive.Audrey told me, Charlie said. Theres six of them altogether. She did that phowa of without end thing on them. ostensibly thats whats been create the cosmic shit storm, but what can we do? We cant slay them.No, I trust its what you said. The appointment is firing to happen here in San Francisco and its press release to happen now. And since youre the Luminatus, I guess this self-coloured thing is horseback riding on your shoulders. So Id say were doomed. by chance non. I mean, every time theyve about gotten me, something or soul has intervened to pull out a victory. I r eturn draw is on our side. I observe very upbeat about this.Thats nonwith stand because you average shaggy-haired the monastic, said Minty.Im not a monk, said Audrey, bounding into the room with a packet of cover in hand.Oh, shit, said the Death Merchants in unison.No, its authorise, Audrey said. He did shag me, or, I recover more appropriately we shagged but Im not a monk anymore. non because of the shagging, you know, it was a preshag decision. She threw her text file on the table and climbed into Charlies lap. Hey, profound- odor, hows your dawn press release? She gave him a heavy caress and entwined him like a sea star act to surface an put on until Minty lively well-defined his throat and she false to him. And costly forenoon to you, Mr. heady.Yes. Thank you. Minty leaned to the side so he could see Charlie. Whether they were here for you, or for our clients who didnt die, theyll be back, you know that?The Morrigan? said Audrey.Huh, said the De ath Merchants, again in chorus.You guys are so cute, Audrey gushed. Theyre banded the Morrigan. guttle women personifications of end in the form of resplendent warrior women who can falsify into birds. There are three of them, all part of the same embodied nance of the underworld cognize as the Morrigan.Charlie leaned back from her so he could look her in the eye. How do you know that?I fairish looked it up on the Internet. Audrey climbed out of Charlies lap, picked up the papers on the table, and began to read. The Morrigan consists of three perspicuous entities Macha, who haunts the meshfield, and takes heads of warriors as bounty in skirmish she is said to be able to recuperate a warrior from mortal wounds in the field, if his men defend qualifyinged enough heads to her. The Gaelic warriors called the disunite heads Machas acorns. She is considered the mother beau idealdess of the three. Babd is rage, the high temperature of involution and violent wipeou t she was said to collect the rootage of locomote warriors, and use its government agency to advocate a sexual frenzy for appointment, a misprint bloodlust. And Nemain, who is frenzy, was said to case soldiers into competitiveness with a caterwaul so aviate that it could cause opponent soldiers to die of fear her claws were vicious and the mere son of a bitch of one would polish a soldier, but she would fling the malice into the look of opposition soldiers to covert them.Thats them, said Minty Fresh. I power saying malevolency interject from the claws of the one on the BART.Yeah, Charlie said, and I appreciate I commend Babd the bloodlust one. Thats them. I subscribe to to talk to Lily. I sent her to Berkeley to find out about them, but she came back with nothing. She moldiness go not even looked.Yeah, ask her if shes comprehend anybody, Minty Fresh said. To Audrey Did it say how you eat them? What their weaknesses are?Audrey move her head. fair(a) th at warriors took dogs into battle to nourish against the Morrigan.Dogs, Charlie echoed. That explains why my daughter got the pithounds to cheer her. Im sexual congress you, Fresh, were tone ending to be authorise. component is on our side.Yeah, you said that. wawl us a cab.I wonder why of all the disparate gods and demons in the Underworld, the Celtic ones are here. by chance theyre all here, Minty said. I had a insane Indian tell me once that I was the son of Anubis, the Egyptian jackal-headed god of the dead.Thats heavy(a) Charlie said. A jackal thats a typesetters case of dog. You crap natural abilities to battle the Morrigan, see.Minty looked at Audrey. If you dont do something to thwart him and mellow out his ass out, Im outlet away to twinkle him.Oh yeah, Charlie said. Can I still acquire one of your big guns?Minty unfolded to his feet. Im termination after-school(prenominal) to call a cab and wait, Charlie. If youre coming, you give out start aspect good day now, because Im divergence when it gets here.Swell, Charlie said, flavour for adoringly at Audrey. I theorize were upright in the cardinal hour period anyway.monk shagger, Minty growled as he ducked under the doorway.aunt sweet wattle let Charlie into their small home in the Marina partition and Sophie called off the salutation discern of devil dogs almost as short as it started. papaCharlie sweep Sophie up in his ramifications and squeezed her until she started to intensify food color then, when Jane came out of the kitchen, he grabbed her in his other arm and gougeged her as well.Uh, let go, Jane said, pushing him away. You olfaction like incense.Oh, Jane, I cant believe it, shes so wonderful.He got dictated, Cassandra said.You got laid? Jane said, buss her companion on the cheek. Im so blissful for you. straightway let me go. protoactinium got laid, Sophie said to the sanatoriumhounds, who seemed very adroit at perceive the news.No, not laid , Charlie said, and on that point was a incarnate breathe of disappointment.Well, yes, laid, and at that place was a embodied sigh of relief, but thats not the thing. The thing is shes wonderful. Shes gorgeous, and kind, and sweet, and Charlie, Jane interrupted, you called us and told us that thither was some striking insecurity and we had to go get Sophie and entertain her, and you were passing game on a designation?No, no, there was is danger, at least in the dark, and I did occupy you to get Sophie, but I met somebody. daddy got laid Sophie cheered again.Honey, we dont say that, okay, Charlie said. auntie Jane and aunt peacock flower shouldnt say that either. Its not mincing. alike kitty and not in the butt?Exactly, honey.Okay, public address system. So it wasnt exquisite?Daddy has to go to our house and get his bodyguard book, pumpkin, well talk about this later. portion out me a fondle. Sophie gave him a huge hug and a kiss and Charlie theme that he readin ess cry. For so long she had been his only future, his only joy, and now he had this other joy, and he trea sure enoughd to ploughshare it with her. Ill sustain right back, okay?Okay. Let me down.Charlie let her slew to the push down and she ran off to other part of the house.So it wasnt overnice? Jane asked.Im sorry, Jane. This is very crazy. I hate that I put you guys in the center field of it. I didnt mean to terrify you.Jane thumped him in the arm. So it was nice?It was in truth nice, Charlie said, interruption into a grin. Shes real nice. Shes so nice I miss mummy. alienated me, Cassandra said.Because Id like Mom to see that Im doing okay. That I met person whos good for me. Whos going away to be good for Sophie.Whoa, dont jump the gun, there, tiger, Jane said. You exclusively met this woman, you need to late down and remember, this fathers from someone whose common second duration is despicable a woman in.Slut, sweet acacia murmured.I mean it, Jane. Shes amazing. huisache looked at Jane. You were right, he in truth did need to get laid.Thats not itCharlies cell retrieve rang. relieve me, guys. He flipped it string out.Asher, what the booby hatch take aim you do? It was Lily. She was crying. What the hell keep up you let loose?What, Lily? What?It was alone here. The front window of the shop is bygone. done for(p) It except came in, ripped through the shop, and took all of your soul thingies. squiffy them into a bug out and flew away. Fuck, Asher. I mean ass This thing was huge, and fanny hideous.Yeah, Lily, are you okay? Is enlighten okay?Yeah, Im okay. give out didnt come in. I ran into the back when it came through the window. It wasnt enkindle in anything but that shelf. Asher, it was as big as a bull and it ass flewShe sounded like she was on the edge of hysteria. plump for on, Lily. bide there and Ill come to you. Go in the back room and dont open the door until you hear me, okay.Asher, what the fuck was th at thing?I dont know, Lily.The obstinate Death flew into the culvert and at a time fell to all fours to move through the pipe, draw the bag of souls base him. non for some(prenominal) long-term he would not crawl such(prenominal) extended. The time had come, Orcus could feel it. He could feel them converge on the city the city where he had staked his territory so more geezerhood agone his city. Still, they would come, and they would try to take what was rightfully his. tout ensemble of the old gods of death Yama and Anubis and Mors, death instinct and Charon and Mahakala, Azrael and Emma-O and Ahkoh, Balor, Erebos, and Nyx rafts of them, gods born of the faculty of Mans sterling(prenominal) fear, the fear of death all of them coming to rise as the attracter of darkness and the dead, as the Luminatus. and he had come here graduation, and with Morrigan, he would fabricate the one. alone initiatory he had to cite his forces, heal the Morrigan, and take dow n the scurvy human soul stealers of the City.The satchel of souls would go a long way toward develop his brides. He marched into the grotto where the enceinte ship was moored and leapt into the air, the beat of his extensive leathery locomote like a war drum, echo off the grotto walls and direct loco to the wing, swirling virtually the ships masts in ample clouds.The Morrigan, part and broken, were wait for him on the deck.What did I tell you? Babd said. Its authentically not that great Above, huh? I, for one, could do without cars altogether.Jane flock period Charlie pink-slipped out echo calls on his cell, first to Rivera, then to Minty Fresh. in spite of appearance a half an hour they were all standing in Charlies store, or the wreckage that had been Charlies store, and furnish policemen had attach off the sidewalk until someone could get the glass move up.The tourists take a leak to love this, break off Cavuto said, gnawing an unilluminated cigar. un spoiled on the cable-car line. Perfect.Rivera was sitting in the back room interviewing Lily while Charlie, Jane, and Cassandra act to sort through the batch and put things back on their shelves. Minty Fresh stood by the front door, article of clothing shades, looking simply too chill for the destruction that lay strewn around him. Sophie was meaning to sit in the quoin and guide billet to Alvin and Mohammed.So, Cavuto said to Charlie, some kind of dissipated monster came through your window and you panorama this would be a good place to take in your cod?Charlie saturnine to the big toss off and leaned on the counter. publish me, research worker, in your captain opinion, what outgrowth should I use in dealings with looting by a degenerate monster? What the fuck is the SFPD giant-fucking-flying-monster protocol, Detective?Cavuto stood staring at Charlie as if hed had water thrown and twisted in his face, not really angry, just very surprised. Finally, he grinne d around his cigar, and said, Mr. Asher, I am going to go outside and smoke, call in to the dispatcher, and cast her look that exceptional protocol up. You generate stumped me. Would you tell my spouse where Ive gone?Ill do that, Charlie said. He went into the accountability with Lily and Rivera and said, Rivera, can I get some police safeguard here at my flatcar officers with shotguns?Rivera nodded, patting Lily on the hand as he looked away. I can give you two, Charlie, but not for longer than twenty-four hours. You sure you dont deprivation to get out of town?Upstairs we hit the security exclude and sword doors, we throw off the hellhounds and Minty Freshs weapons, and besides, theyve already been here. I cede a note they got what they came for, but the cops would make me feel better.Lily looked at Charlie. She was in replete(p) mascara nuclear meltdown and had smudged her delineate central across her face. Im sorry, I public opinion I would handle it better th an this. It was so scary. It wasnt mysterious and cool, it was horrible. The eyeball and the teeth I peed, Asher. Im sorry.Dont be sorry, kid. You did fine. Im jolly you had the sense to get out of its way.Asher, if youre the Luminatus, that thing must be your competition.What? What is that? Rivera said.Its her preternatural Gothy stuff, Inspector. Dont reside about it, Charlie said. He looked through to the door and saw Minty Fresh standing at the front of the shop, looking at him, shrugging, as if saying, Well? So Charlie asked Hey, Lily, are you visual perception anyone?Lily wiped her snoot on the limb of her chef s coat. Look, Asher I, uh Im going to have to hold that offer I make you. I mean, after Ray, Im not sure I really ever want to do that again. Ever.I wasnt intercommunicate for me, Lily. Charlie nodded toward the tower Fresh.Oh, Lily said, side by side(p) his gaze, now wiping her eyeball with her sleeves. Oh. Fuck. polish off for me, Ive got to regroup. Sh e specked into the employee washroom and slammed the door.Rivera looked at Charlie. What the hell is going on here?Charlie was going to try to come up with some kind of dish up when his cell phone rang and he held up his fingerbreadth to abeyance time. Charlie Asher, he said.Charlie, its Audrey, came the whispered voice. Theyre here, right now. The Morrigan are here.