I awoke again, sprightly and brightly. The morning sun drifted in through the shades, giving a sleepy warm glow to my room as I did my morning pushups and situps. I felt a wonderful burn as I embraced all that the boon of vitality gave me, exulting in my morning routine in a way that I never had prior. I showered and was preparing to leave for work when my phone rang. It was LIzzie.

  Fuck.

  Stepping out onto the landing (it was cold as balls out this morning,) I answered. “What’s up LIzzie? It’s really fucking cold out here so this better be really fucking important.”

  “Hello to you too, asshole.” my sister replied. “LIsten, can you p l e a s e give mom a call? She’s been a mess. She and Daryl were thinking of ending their stay early and coming back to talk with you. Well mom was, Daryl is just along for the ride I think. Jeremy, just apologize to her. If you’re going to have a shitty Christmas already, that’s no reason to take it out on mom.”

  “Oh she might have to end her vacation early with her asshole of a husband who made her sell the house, the horror,” I oozed as much sarcasm as I could into the tiny phone mic.

  “Jeremy you aren’t actually mad about the house are you?”

  “Mad about the- Lizzie, she has gotten rid of everything that reminds her of dad. She has cut every memory of him out of her life. She used to care, she used to have a dream and a goal, working with Justice for Rhea. Now she’s… not. Dad didn’t just die for mom. He died for us too Lizzie. He was putting food on the table, a roof over our heads. And mom is using it to give Daryl the time of his life. They’ll use it all up and there’ll be nothing left from Dad. Is it about the house? Of fucking course it is. But it’s also about mom running away from what dad sacrificed for us, just so she can watch it snow in the Adirondacks.”

  “Oh my god, Jeremy. LIsten to yourself, you sound insane! Mom deserves time for herself more than anyone. She spent so much time mourning, and working with Justice for Rhea, of course she’d want some vacation, peace and quiet. Just because you can’t work a job that-”

  “Oh fuck off,” I cut her off. “You don’t do shit all day. If you had to do more than post on Instagram and Tik Tok, you’d feel differently too. And this isn’t just about her vacationing. She is erasing dad. She’s finishing what the cancer started. Fuck you for not seeing it.”

  “Jeremy you can-” I hung up.

  I sent her a text “I’m going to work, don’t bother calling again.”

  Well and truly riled, I definitely did not need to stop to get an energy drink the way I usually did. Between the vitality and the angry energy that LIzzie decided to share with me, I couldn’t have been wound down even if I tried. But it would feel weird to not stop at the 7/11 on the way to work so I did. I looked over some of the fancy small snacks, protein bars and such. I grabbed a couple and headed to the clerk. Paid for, I grabbed the bars and walked out. I almost hit a woman with the door as I opened it (with perhaps a bit more force than would be necessary) and she had to leap out of the way. Fortunately, the ice that had been around had a few warm days to melt away, so she didn’t wipe out.

  “I am so sorry,” I gushed, apologetically. “I didn’t mean to-”

  “It’s all right, no harm done,” she smiled. “Sometimes the only thing you can take it out on is the door.”

  “Yeah, poor door doesn’t deserve it. It’s just doing its job.” I held open the offending door so she could go inside.

  “Oh I’m not going in there. I was looking for you.”

  “Huh?”

  “Jeremy, yes?” Her head was tilted just slightly, quizzically.

  My features must have shown the concern, or perhaps anxiety that knotted my stomach immediately. “Oh, I’m a coworker.” She paused slightly before saying coworker, invested it with gravity.

  “But you don’t work at-” OH. “Wayward Souls?”

  She gave a short nod. “The same.”

  “How did you know?” Was I giving myself away somehow?

  “I am able to perceive those who owe allegiance to Hell. You practically glow when I look at you. I've been trying to get you alone, but kept missing when you left work. I finally caught you here.”

  For some reason, having the same employer didn't make me feel any better. Hackles a bit raised I queried: “Caught me for what?”

  “A common goal. I have found a couple other Lieutenants. We are all working together, sharing resources and information. It's dangerous here for us- especially separate.”

  “Listen, I don't even know your name.” I moved away from the doors, opposite the side the Redbox kiosk was on. “You expect me to just trust that you aren’t some agent of Heaven?” My hand had found the handle of my Implement, gripping it tightly. I didn’t remember even reaching for it.

  “Easy, easy. I get it,” the woman said. She stepped back from me and pulled out a sleek ebon knife, unmistakably an Implement. It juxtaposed sinisterly with her floral print dress and cream jacket. Her face was round and earnest as she appraised me with deep brown eyes, behind small square lenses. Her brown hair was in a short bob, framing a face a little red with the cold. The dress didn’t look all that warm either. “I swear on my Implement that the following is true-I’m Sandra. I’m a Lieutenant of Hell, same as you. I have been looking for other Lieutenants to combine forces with and ensure we’re ready to face whatever is thrown at us.” The knife glowed red-hot, as Sandra gripped it, teeth clenching. As soon as it began to subside, she slammed it back home in its sheath, hidden neatly beneath her jacket.

  So she was telling the truth. At least for that little bit. “Okay. Say I believe you.” Sandra gave a quick nod. “What benefits do I get joining your little confederation?”

  “Mutual aid, strength in numbers, intelligence on the enemy.” She answered almost automatically, clearly borne of fielding the same questions from other suspicious Lieutenants. “It’s difficult at first. Everyone in this job immediately assumes it needs to be secretive and selfish. But we can work together and share in the spoils and power.”

  It didn’t sit right. It felt too auspicious. “Yeah… I’m not interested. Thanks for the offer though, and good luck.” I turned and began to walk toward work.

  Sandra headed me off and stood in front of me. “Why don’t you take some time to consider it? Meet me at the Chick Fil A just outside of your fake job after your shift? That gives you some time to think.” Her features were painted with concern… maybe desperation?

  I looked into her eyes, which were wide and pleading. “I’ll think about it.”

  “Okay, I look forward to talking with you, Jeremy. See you this afternoon.”

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “Yeah. Seeya.” I walked around Sandra, tearing open a protein bar and mechanically biting from it. For some reason, I barely tasted it.

  ******

  “Mr. Owens, I’m asking you because Mr. Trent said you knew best where Ms. Leone is.” Sherrie looked slightly disapprovingly at me through lowered spectacles. “If you are in contact with her, could you please let her know that was her last absence and she will be receiving a verbal warning when she comes back.”

  “Sherrie, I don’t know why Tracy isn’t here. I’m not in charge of her. I’m going to go start my shift.” I stood up from the desk to head back out onto the floor.

  “Mr. Owens, did I say I was done?” I gave her the most baleful glare I could muster, reseating myself across from her.

  Sherrie shrugged her shawl back up onto her shoulders before continuing. “I can’t see this going well for you. Falling in with someone like Ms. Leone is a bad move for a young man such as yourself. You should keep her as an acquaintance. You are much better off associating with workers like Mr. Burrows. I don’t want to see you throw away your future for some floozie.”

  “Are you seriously calling one of your employees a floozie?” I stared at her incredulously. Beyond that, her suggestion of associating with Smith made me even more guarded. What if they were in it together? What if she was also working for Heaven? Sherrie didn’t seem the type, but maybe Heaven had ways of ensorcelling people too. The idea of Smith commanding Sherrie to lean on me to get me to befriend him seemed ludicrous on its face, but then again, so was a magic knife that made people do what I said.

  “Just a piece of advice, Mr. Owens,” Sherrie said blithely.

  “Yeah, thanks.”

  “You may go now.” Sherrie went back to looking at her notepad, probably noting my glare down for future grudges. Or to report to Smith.

  I went back out onto the floor and found Matt ringing folks up. I opened my register and began to work mechanically (if a bit agitated). When we had a moment, I accosted him. “Why the everliving fuck did you tell Sherrie to ask ME about Tracy?”

  “Thought it’d be funny. It is,” Matt said, his grin glinting with mischief. “She used to ask me about Tracy like I knew what the fuck she was up to. Figured I’d put the target on your back instead.”

  “Thanks, friend,” I muttered, injecting anything but friendliness into it.

  “Don’t mention it.”

  As the day progressed I kept seeing Sandra out of the corner of my eye, but when I looked, it was just someone else who looked like her. But I still couldn’t shake the feeling of being observed. It was beyond relieving when it came time to clock out. I didn’t intend to wait to talk with Sandra. I didn’t know what I’d do tomorrow, but it did not involve waiting around to find out. I had to focus on spying on Smith tonight. Into the belly of the beast.

  As I hurriedly walked home, a white Escalade pulled up next to me, and the window rolled down. Unsurprisingly, it was Sandra.

  “Hey, did you forget that we were gonna talk?” Her tone showed she knew I had done anything but forget, she was merely giving me a social out.

  “I decided no deal,” I said. “I’ll fly solo, you have fun.” I didn’t stop walking, forcing Sandra to creep along next to me.

  “Jeremy, please. Christmas Eve is going to be a bloodbath for all the small-timers like you. We have to band together or we’ll all get run out.”

  “All you’re doing is making your group easier to notice, more likely to give something away,” I countered surlily. “I intend to lie low, get through it, and pick things up again after the new year. I suggest you do the same before you get smote or unicorned or whatever Heaven does to our people.”

  Sandra pursed her lips and pulled slightly ahead. “Jeremy. Wait. I’ll give you an offer none of the others got. I… I intended to slowly take over the other Lieutenants’ cells- make them beholden to me. But I don’t need to do that with you. We could both be in charge.”

  Like giving up her plan would somehow make me trust her more? “Listen, I’m proud of you for screwing over people I don’t know. You can get into insurance adjusting, you’ve got the heart for it. I don’t want any part of your group disaster”

  “We’re not enemies,” Sandra said, a bit quietly. “But I can be one. Sharing power is difficult, but it’s a lot easier than facing down Heaven by yourself. If you change your mind, I’ll be at the table outside after your shift for the rest of this week. We can talk then. I hope you see reason.”

  Her scattergun approach, pleading, threatening, worrying, none convinced me. “Yeah, you do that.” Something didn’t feel right about it. She had done little to convince me that I would be anything more than a sacrificial token to throw to Heaven when things got rough. It was even weirder that she wanted me so badly. What did I have to offer that any other Lieutenant did not?

  I walked past my apartment and kept going. Even though the Escalade had sped off almost immediately, I didn’t trust Sandra not to try and figure out where I lived. I ducked into the nearby subdivision and made a circuitous route back to the apartment complex, using the trail behind the subdivision to get back. Hopefully she didn’t follow.

  Now I just had to worry about a dinner date with the enemy.

  *****

  “You look weird,” Tracy stated bluntly.

  “Thanks.” I tugged a bit at the collar, which felt absurdly tight.

  “You really think you have to wear slacks and a nice shirt for this? You look ridiculous.”

  “And you look like someone who hasn’t worked in three days and is going to get fired,” I returned.

  “Yeah, because I’m not a fucking idiot. Why do you keep going to work? I did something useful today and identified some people I think I can bring in. Unlike you being a corporate shill.”

  “Really? You found some people? Why are they good fits? How are you bringing them in?”

  Tracy rolled her eyes. “Yeah, my real job, you dumbfuck. There are a few people that Chevy and I have hung out with before. Wouldn’t take much. Get them drunk, a little high, a little stoned, they’d come around easy. Like letting you stab them easy.”

  “Okay, but what do they bring to us?”

  “Uh, more people?”

  “Yes, but what do I do with them? My apartment is full, it’s expensive to feed Craig, let alone the rest of us. Until we can get our footing, I don’t want to keep adding more people who will just end up costing me time and money.”

  “Jeremy are you saying that Carl doesn’t cost you time and money?” Tracy asked incredulously.

  “Carl was my first task. Since then I’ve only stabbed his dad, who’s pretty goddamn loaded. We can assemble an army once we have a place to put them. If you find anyone who could be useful, good job, nice place, something like that, let me know. If it’s just going to be someone else who sits in my apartment and complains at me, don’t bother.”

  Tracy ground her teeth. Chevy piped up “I haven’t complained once.”

  “Yes, and I appreciate that,” I said. “How do I look?”

  “Like you’re a sixteen year-old interviewing for that sweet gig at Baskin-Robbins.” Chevy considered. “I might know someone, but it would take some work. He’s got some land up in the foothills, a little off the highway. I”ll talk with him. I was out with Trace all day, so I’m gonna head home now. Your couch isn’t very comfortable.”

  “Thanks Chevy.”

  “Hey Trace, you’re my ride,” Chevy said as Tracy hadn’t moved and continued to glare at me.

  Tracy finally spoke without breaking eye contact. “Yeah, I’ll take you home.” Standing up she walked to the door, a bit stiff with anger.

  I finally hit send on the text I had typed up for Smith. It wasn’t much, just letting him know I’d be ready, but I had lingered on pressing it for a good half hour now. In some ways I did feel that sort of anxious nervous energy from interviewing for a first job. I had no idea what Smith wanted, why he cared so much. And not only that, I needed to figure out how best to make an in with him.

  “As I said lad, just note things. Can break them down once you return. No saying things, no doing things that’ll get his back up. Might make him see you. Might show Heaven right to you. None of that.” Craig hadn’t spoken since I came out in my outfit. We had discussed earlier a little bit of what to do, mostly to just note anything that looked like a possible in with Smith. And his sweet, sweet lucre.

  “That’s the plan. You can find me?” Craig had agreed to tag along, swearing that he could go unnoticed. If I needed a swift rescue, I could at least count on one lemure to have my back. A deranged and dirty lemure, but I’d take any help I could for this.

  “Easy enough.” Craig gave me a slap on the back. “Luck.”

  “Luck,” I said in reply, feeling anything but fortunate.