This was his chance.
Tony yanked his 9mm from its holster and barrelled into Diane, knocking her handgun aside so that it discharged harmlessly into the air. Tony pulled the trigger twice, burying two point-blank rounds into Diane’s guts and holding onto her as she fell. She let out an oomph like she’d been winded, and her eyes flicked back and forth. As they hit the ground, Tony’s face hovered right above hers. She was dying, but it’d been inevitable since the moment she’d pulled a gun on Thomas. Tony had kept her from accomplishing her dying wish, but if he hadn’t stopped her, she would have doomed them both. At least this way he was still in the game
I killed her to save myself.
Because I have work left to do.
Even though Tony could rationalise his actions, he still felt like the bad guy. He leant forwards, moving his mouth next to Diane’s ear. He could feel her bleeding out against his hip as he whispered to her. “Mass is alive, I swear to you. He’s alive and so is Maddy.” A raspy moan escaped her lips, and he wondered if she was trying to talk. He lifted his head and looked her in the eyes, still keeping his voice low enough so that only she could hear. “I’ll give General Thomas your regards when I kill him.”
Diane smiled, then closed her eyes. Another good woman dead. The last of Wickstaff’s friends gone.
Tony climbed up off Diane’s body, feeling a million years old. Her blood soaked his clothes, and its warm kiss seared him with guilt. He had taken away the dignity of her death, so now it was Tony’s duty to give it some meaning. Thomas had to die. Tony owed it to her.
Thomas grabbed Tony and turned him around. The general was furious. “Mass,” he said, raising a handgun of his own. “You didn’t kill him? I think you’d better start explaining, Tony, and it better be good.”
10
Tony was still holding his handgun, the muzzle smeared with Diane’s blood. He put his index finger through the trigger guard and let the gun dangle harmlessly. He raised both hands. “I was lying, sir. I needed to give her pause for thought so I could get the jump on her. As you can see, the plan worked.”
“I’ve known you a while, Tony, and you’ve never been one to act quite so ruthlessly.”
“With all due respect, sir, I’ve just spent several days on the road, hunting down a local legend more likely to kill me than I was him, all because my superior officer wanted me out of the way because he doesn’t trust me. He doesn’t trust me despite my having never done anything but follow his goddamn orders. I’m not in the mood for mercy, General, but if you’re dead set on executing me for whatever trumped-up accusation you want to level at me” – he stepped forward and glared right in the old man’s face – “then go right ahead. Either that, or fucking thank me for saving your life.”
Thomas was even more stunned than when Diane had put a gun to his head. Both of his eyes opened so wide it looked like they might fall out and land on his boots. His ruddy cheeks suggested anger, but the creases at the corner of his mouth slowly increased until he was smiling. “Well, I suppose if you can be honest enough to speak your mind like that, you’re honest enough to trust. You have my apologies, Tony. Perhaps I was wrong to doubt you. Thank you for your loyalty.”
Tony sighed. His words had been half gamble, half frustration, but he had decided that the only way to convince Thomas was by telling as much of the truth as he could. For a split second, he’d been too tired to give a shit.
But it had paid off.
Whether or not Thomas liked it, Tony had saved his life, and while he might never trust him completely, a new grace period had just begun.
Tony re-holstered his handgun. “Sir, I just want to kill demons. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. When you made me a colonel, things got more complicated than I cared for.”
Thomas stared at Livingstone’s still-bleeding corpse. “I would offer you a demotion, but I’m afraid I’m running low on officers. Perhaps we can discuss the matter later. What you said about a demon army, it’s true?”
“Yes, sir. Until we know what’s coming, we would be far better off behind Portsmouth’s walls.”
Thomas thought for a moment, then nodded. “Okay, give me an hour. I need to consider our options.”
“What’s to consider? We need to fall back, sir.”
“Colonel Cross, I have assembled most of Portsmouth’s fighters and promised them a march to victory. Do you know how much morale would plummet if I ordered a retreat before we’ve even met the enemy?”
“But, sir, I—”
Thomas put a hand up and halted him. “I’ll compromise, okay. Give me thirty minutes. Perhaps I’ll send out some scouts in the meantime.”
Tony sighed. Thomas had taken the threat seriously at least. He might order the retreat if left alone, but if badgered, the stubborn old bastard would definitely push onward. Tony had to accept the half-victory. “Okay, sir, I understand you need to think this through, but I strongly advise a full retreat.”
Thomas opened his mouth to speak, but screaming erupted at the army’s outer fringes. Gunfire responded, but not the pop-pop of a lone demon or two being dealt with. It was the ceaseless staccato of war.
Tony raised his rifle and cursed. “Your thirty minutes just ran out, sir. Your orders?”
Thomas ran a hand through his short grey hair and growled. “Colonel Cross, kindly find out what we’re dealing with, and then do whatever you need to obliterate it.”
Tony couldn’t help but smile. At least for now, life was about to get simple. He threw up a salute to the man he hated and took off in a sprint. Dendoncker and the other
