prayer just as we opened
this transmission, for these are dangerous days."
As the group quieted and settled down to listen to Father Patrick, his mental voice entered Carlos and Damali.
I saw this coming, the elderly cleric murmured into their minds. This is why, no matter how disillusioned I became on that airplane when we were all together before, I also knew the time was so close. Near death will bring clarity for a man of my years, and I wanted to be a part of this final battle... if I walked away, I would not be able to assist with resources that my organization, for better or worse, can assist you with. You have no idea how much I would have given to be with you at that historic battle against Cain. But I had to go with God's will, not my own, and put my ego and disillusionment behind me for those who will carry on beyond me. Do you understand?
Yes, Damali murmured, closing her eyes. We finally get it... and when you come, there's, uh, something I have to show you.
I've missed you, Father...seriously , Carlos said, releasing a hard sigh. Will be good to have you back with us, side by side again.
I've missed you both, too, and wished I could have been there to anoint the dead and dying on the battlefield... there is so much team healing to be done. I have prayed over your spirits that they may be given respite and never broken. If just for a little while. Both Neterus nodded as though Father Patrick could see through the phone. When he said
"Good, now let us go in prayer," Carlos and Damali smiled as their eyes slid shut.
"Bless you, Father, Imam, Rabbi, revered Monk," Marlene said as the prayer ended.
"Ashe."
Collective "good-byes" rang out and once the room was quiet, Damali clicked off the speakerphone, her gaze going around the beat-down team. She surveyed their ragged condition as did every woman in the room.
"We kicked their asses," Carlos said with a slow-dawning, lopsided smile. Shabazz and Rider pounded his fist, and then Mike did, too, with his left, uninjured hand.
"We stomped dey asses good, y'all," Mike said, a sheep ish grin peeking out on his dirty face.
"Shot the shit out of 'em," Rider said, shaking his head and raking his fingers through his hair. "But one of 'em was sweet on our boy - was a shame to kill him; he was kinda cute." The male Guardians burst out laughing as Carlos play fully shoved Rider in the arm.
"This old warhorse did a vamp snatch on an incoming that was so freakin' lovely, I had to laugh - just gripped her up by the throat," Carlos said, miming the incident, and then glanced at Tara. "Slammed her ass down on the bar, and said, 'Not in the throat, bitch.' I thought I would lose it up in that piece, just bust out laughing and break character from that shit. Rider, man, where you learn that, holmes? You saw her coming like you had three-sixty!"
"No, you the one who's crazy, man," Shabazz said, taking center stage with a wide-legged stance. "This insane brother goes running - by himself - a half-mile into pitch blackness. My locks are standing up and shit because I can feel sure death slithering down the walls, bats inching along deciding to attack or not, 'cause they figure, his bold ass must have been called by Lilith."
Shabazz held the room for ransom, reliving the tale like a camp counselor telling spooky campfire stories. "So, I'm like lighting wall torches for dude from where I'm at, hitting it
with tactical blue charge and making shit back up 'til we can get some brothers in there and cover him. Me and J.L. are hauling ass trying to catch up with him, when we skid to a halt because this huge-ass hydra, head the size of a VW, uncoils from under Lilith's bed."
"Her regular lay," Carlos said, shaking his head. 'The bitch is twisted. Literally." Shabazz and J.L. slapped him five, then pounded his fist, and burst out laughing, ignoring the stunned female faces in the room.
"Nasty," Carlos stated with a shudder and making a face. "Snakes all in girlfriend's bed. I don't know how Dante or Cain dealt." He shivered and shook it off, causing another round of raucous male jeers and laughter.
"But C-los blew they asses up, yo. It was too crazy!" Jose slapped J.L. five.
"What about the damned dogs -