crucifix?”
“Might come in handy if we come up against a nest of vampires,” I said. “But no, I have something else in mind. And you’re really not going to like it, Harry.”
“What else is new?”
“How brave are you feeling?” I said. “And how much do you really love Roger?”
“What kind of a question is that?” said Harry angrily.
“A relevant one. You’re not here for duty or vengeance, like me. Or even to fight Satanists. You’re here to find, and hopefully rescue, the hellspawn Roger Morningstar. You’re the only one who came here just for him. Because you love him. And there’s no place for love in any place possessed by Hell. So I think you should armour down and walk into that corridor, and trust to your love to protect you.”
“Maybe. But I think it’ll work. If you’re up for it.”
“I knew it,” said Harry. “You want to get rid of me!”
“You’re here for Roger! That’s what matters to you! So is he your love true or not? Because if he isn’t, this is where you get to find out the hard way. If he is, Hell itself won’t be able to stand in your way.”
“Love conquers all?” said Harry. “Aren’t you a little old to be believing in that?”
“I believe in evil because I’ve seen it,” I said. “And I believe in good because I’ve seen it. And I believe in love. My Molly went into Limbo, into the shadow of death itself, to find me and bring me back. Do you dare do less for your love? Whenever Hell intrudes on Earth, Heaven is also there. What we do in Heaven’s gaze has Heaven’s strength.”
“You are so full of it,” said Harry. He looked down the possessed corridor standing between him and Roger. He looked back at me. “You really want me to do this?”
“I’ll be right there with you,” I said.
“I’m not sure I believe in this,” said Harry. “So you’d better believe enough for both of us.”
He armoured down, and so did I; and then he walked slowly forward into the living corridor, an ordinary- looking man, in his smart suit and wire-rimmed spectacles, with a face trying hard to be brave and determined. I walked behind him, but he didn’t look back once. He walked steadily forward into the foul and stinking air and the bloodred light. His foot came down on the thick, pulpy tongue that had replaced the floor, and it shrank back from him. Where Harry’s foot came down it was suddenly ordinary corridor floor again. He didn’t hesitate, or look down after the first incredulous glance; he kept walking forward . . . and Hell retreated before him. The tongue fell back, and the rotting flesh of the walls retracted in sudden jerks, revealing patches of ordinary wall. Jagged teeth fell out of the walls, disappearing before they hit the floor.
About halfway down the corridor, the decaying flesh still on the walls bunched up, thickened and threw itself at Harry, trying to engulf him; but it couldn’t reach him. It dissipated and fell apart, made mist and dust and less than dust. Harry walked down the corridor, all the way to the end, with me right behind him. And when he finally stopped and turned around and looked back the way he’d come, there was nothing left to show that Hell had ever had a place on Earth there.
Harry looked at me. He was trying to smile, but he was too shaken. I was trembling a bit myself.
“I wasn’t altogether sure that would work,” I said.
“Now you tell me.” Harry took a deep breath and let it out. “I . . . am going to have to consider the implications of what just happened. And when I get to Roger, maybe I’ll sing him a quick chorus of ‘The Power of Love.’ Roger always did love Frankie Goes to Hollywood.”
“I’ve always had a soft spot for ‘Welcome to the Pleasuredome,’”I said. “Great video.”
Harry looked at me. “You’re full of surprises, aren’t you, Eddie?”
“You have no idea,” I said cheerfully.
“You really think Heaven’s watching?” said Harry.
“Maybe.”
“Well, I didn’t do this for Heaven. I did it for Roger.”
“Then let’s go tell him,” I said.
We started off, and then Harry stopped abruptly and looked at me. “What would you have done if it hadn’t worked?”
“Oh, I’m sure I’d have thought of something else. . . .”
“I could have died!”
“Every plan has its drawbacks, Harry.”
“I hate you.”
“Careful,” I said. “You never know who may be listening.”
We moved on, deeper into the building. Harry seemed to know where he was going, so I followed him. And soon enough we reached the conspiracy’s control centre. It was a function room at the back of the hotel, right next to the old bell tower, presumably chosen because it was closest to the last remnant of the deconsecrated cathedral. The door was not only not locked or guarded; it was standing half-open so those inside could get a breath of fresh air on such a hot, sunny day. Harry and I armoured up and strode right in, and there was Roger Morningstar, looking perfectly human, along with half a dozen assistants, and two armed guards having a quiet sit- down on a smoke break. They were all watching what was happening outside on a series of large display screens. It was pretty obvious the fight was over. The Sarjeant-at-Arms was directing moppingup operations on the few surviving Satanists in the car park.
Roger looked round suddenly and saw Harry and me. He nodded slowly. His assistants and the two guards looked round. The guards went for their guns, and Harry and I killed them quickly. The assistants bolted out the back door, and I let them go. I could have caught them, but I’d had enough of killing. Let the Sarjeant deal with them. They weren’t what we’d come here for. Harry advanced on Roger. I stayed back by the doorway.
“You did come,” Roger said to Harry. “I wondered if you would. Hello, Harry.”
“Hello, Roger,” said Harry. “I think we need to have a serious talk about where our relationship is going.”
Roger looked at me, and I looked back. I wasn’t ready to leave Harry and Roger on their own together, not yet. Roger got up from his chair before the display screens to stand before Harry. The two men looked at each other for a long moment.
“I’ve missed you, Harry,” said Roger.
“I’ve missed you, Roger. Now tell me what the hell this has all been about.”
“A test,” said Roger. “I’m afraid, in the end, this has all been about me. I knew you’d come here with the Drood army, and so did my superiors. This is my final test of my loyalty to Hell. I have to kill you, Harry, here and now, to prove to them and to me that the emotions of this world no longer have any hold over me. That my only allegiance is to the forces of Hell.” He held up one hand to show off a small device. “Our new weapon designers made this for me. A simple toy, based on something the Armourer once used. A clicker that can temporarily force Drood armour back into its torc, against the wearer’s wishes. Leaving the wearer helpless and vulnerable. All I have to do is use this and then kill you, Harry. And you, too, Eddie; I wouldn’t want you to feel left out. And then . . . I will finally have proved which side I’m on. I will be made one of the generals of Hell, and when the Gates of Hell are finally thrown open, and all the damned come forth to tread the Earth and all its peoples under our cloven hooves, I shall be a prince of the Earth and have dominion over mankind. Everything I ever wanted, in return for killing you, Harry. It’s not much of a choice, is it?”
“But you never wanted any of those things, Roger,” said Harry.
I wasn’t so sure about that, but I said nothing and stayed where I was. I wanted to see how this was going to work out. The forces of Hell had retreated before Harry’s conviction; that had to mean something. And I . . . had faith in Harry and Roger.
Roger looked at the simple device in his hand, and then back at Harry. He held the clicker up and all my stomach muscles tightened, and then Roger opened his hand and let the clicker fall to the floor. He stepped on it hard, and I heard it break and breathed a lot more easily.
“How about that?” said Roger. He seemed honestly shaken. “I couldn’t do it. I thought I could, but I couldn’t. I thought I wanted power, and prestige, and to take my revenge on a world that’s always rejected me . . . but in the end, all I wanted was the only thing I’ve ever really wanted. And that’s you, Harry.”
