Fuck it. This wasn't the time for shame or games. Carlos looked at the group hard. "You remember what our international messengers look like, don't you?"
"Huge mothers," Big Mike replied, nodding. "She made you take one of those, then, forewarned is forearmed."
Both men nodded.
"But she didn't die," Marlene said in an urgent rush. "That may be our only hope."
"You sure she didn't?" Jose asked, his voice cracking from his obviously dry throat. "I mean, I'm not trying to be negative, or anything... but how do we know?" His eyes darted between Damali and Carlos, then back toward Marlene.
"Jose's got a point," Dan chimed in. "No offense."
"No offense taken. Definitely a valid point." Carlos could almost feel Marlene's gasp pass through his skeleton. "We shouldn't take anything for granted. There were periods when I wasn't conscious."
"C'mon, man," J.L. protested. "Wouldn't you know if she died on your watch, even if it happened during your daytime sleep?"
A slight smile tugged at Carlos's mouth. "That's not necessarily when I was out." They just didn't understand.
"Je�"
"Don't say it, Rider," Marlene warned, holding up her hand. "If she died in your arms, and came back... say within minutes... oh, I don't know."
"I will kill you," Jose said slowly, moving forward in preparation for a foolhardy lunge, but was stopped by Shabazz's arm.
"Gives a whole new meaning to petite mort," Rider chided, shaking his head.
"How about a grand mal seizure," Damali whispered, sidling up to Carlos. "Let's get out of here, baby. We told them enough... and I'm hungry. I can tell you're starved, too."
Again the room went stone-cold still.
"No," Carlos said firmly. "Baby, listen. I've gotta go to Hell, handle a few things - "
"Do you hear yourselves!" Rider was walking in a circle, arms outstretched. "Where's my f**king clip?"
"Got one you can borrow," Shabazz said, tossing Rider the spare ammo clip from his shoulder gear, and pulling Sleeping Beauty from his hip again.
Jose eyed the crossbow that Rider had discreetly taken from his side, noting that it was too far away for a quick grab. Opting for the available, he unsheathed a bowie knife, stripping it from Rider's belt. In a lightning move,J.L. had snatched the largest knife from the carving set, and had tossed Dan one that was only a bit smaller.
"I take it this has hallowed-earth-packed rhinos locked and loaded?" Rider asked Shabazz with a sneer in Carlos's direction.
"You know me, brother," Shabazz said in a tight voice.
"Would you people relax?" Damali said, thoroughly annoyed. "We're just going out and will be back in a few."
"No, D. They're right. That's how this all got started in the first place. Me and you were gonna go and just talk at Father Pat's... and it got crazy. Then, you were gonna take the shortcut home from Brazil, and wound up staying waaay too long in my Rio lair. Then, St. Lucia was supposed to be a one-night pit stop, but lasted longer. So, I'm out. Remember what I said - no humans, ever."
"Oh, so you're just gonna leave - just like that?" Both hands were on Damali's shapely hips, and the outrage that glittered in her eyes was like a magnet.
Carlos paused, then shook off the temptation. "I have to." He had to get away from her before he changed his mind.
"Yeah, he does," Marlene agreed, telling Carlos with one look that it was time to go. "He's getting stronger, though... each time we see him - I don't know if that's bad or good."
"Bad sign," Rider said fast. "We were real happy to have you on our side down in Hell, and in the Amazon, but turning our li'l sister was not a part of the dealio."
"You got that right," Jose said, his voice low and dangerous.
"Mar," Carlos warned, ignoring the other guardians. "She was made by a master with council-level lineage. Hear me? From all indications she rolls like a female master, not a second-generation."
"Marlene, what's he talking about?" Jose stood back to allow Carlos an opening to pass.