Jack Tramell was sweating and nervous, not conditions he was used to. He stood behind three rows of state trooper cars, staring over them into the distance.

Twenty state troopers and deputies with rifles poised, curiously scanned the distance, not entirely sure what to expect. Jack heard the continuing reports coming in over the radio. He was almost glad the thing had finally shown itself, almost. He was not as confident as the young troopers, but he was ready. This was his town he was protecting.

The Beast saw the spinning lights of the roadblock. "I have no time for this," he snarled. "There is a champion to devour!"

The troopers stared wide-eyed as it approached. The Beast's skin looked like rotted leather and his phallic tongue moved like a struggling python, whipping through the air.

After the initial shock passed, the troopers began to fire. Hundreds of shots rang out, but the creature continued forward, oblivious to the lead barrage.

When the Beast came upon the first police car, it paused and smiled.

Fleas...it thought. It began to pick the cars up one by one and toss them aside like shells on a beach. Troopers trapped in the cars screamed as they were crushed or burned, but the Beast felt only minor pleasure. It did not seek to kill, only pass.

As suddenly as it had begun, it was over. Jack Tramell lay on the side of the road, his leg broken and bleeding. He looked at the creature's back as it headed to town. He turned around and saw the carnage behind him. Troopers screamed and wailed, or simply lay dead, scattered along the road.

"Lord help us," Jack declared out loud.

Ethelinda and Jacob sat silently in the waiting room. They could hear Albert using the prybar to break into the office next-door. Ethy was staring rather hard at Jacob and it seemed to make him a bit uneasy.

"I'm not a sideshow attraction, you can stop staring at me."

"I'm sorry, but come on, you're an angel! I didn't even believe you guys existed until yesterday. What's it like? Is it kind of like a job you're born into? I mean, you don't apply for it do you?"

"No, it's pretty well understood that angels are part of the hierarchy of Empyrean. You are selected based on your talents for whatever position you end up in. It was pretty obvious I was never going to be a warrior, but I did display a talent for attention to detail and numbers."

"This just seems so odd," Ethelinda said shaking her head, "angels are hard enough to believe in, but bureaucratic angels. Just so odd. What's he like, God?"

"You mean the Well...," Jacob decided not to correct her, "God is, well...God, hard to fathom at times, sympathetic to all life, a force for good. Can be a bit aloof. Great boss though, quite awe-inspiring."

Ethelinda chuckled, "Poor Albert, it's hard to imagine him stuck in the middle of this. He's such a mild soul. I have to admit I'm impressed by this side of him. I would've imagined he'd be a blubbering mess by now."

"It is quite a surprise to me as well, I wish I knew what he wanted me for. I can't fight, just not very good at it, and that's an overstatement, I'm terrible at it, I'm just not a fighter."

A shout suddenly came from out in the hall. It was Albert, "Jacob, I need you to come here now, it's time for that favor you promised. Bring the duffel bag."

Jacob got up and turned to Ethelinda, "I guess that's my cue. See you in a bit."

Ethy sat silently, thinking about all she had learned, when suddenly Jacob's stunned voice echoed in disbelief through the hall, "You want what!?"

After about fifteen minutes, Albert and Jacob re-entered the waiting room. Albert seemed very determined and the Angel seemed both confused and put out.

"Well?" Ethelinda asked.

"Well, I think it's time we prepare for our guest," Albert said with surprising calm, "Jacob could you take the sword, lawn chair, and the rolled rug out of Ethy's car and set it up in the parking lot like we talked about. I'd like a word with Ethy alone."

Jacob did not appear pleased, "Now I'm doing a porter's job. First that scene in in office, now this."

"Would you rather face our all-consuming friend, I'll be glad to have you take my spot," Albert said with more than a note of annoyance in his voice.

"I'm going, I'm going, you've become quite the tyrant." He left the office.

Ethelinda looked at Albert with renewed respect, "This is a side of you I've never seen. How can you not be absolutely terrified?"

Albert laughed, "Who says I'm not? I have to focus just so I don't pass out." He looked into Ethy's eyes and became serious, "I've been bullied and beaten up my entire life. You know what my biggest regret is? It's not that I was beaten, it's that I never stood up to my bullies, not once. I let Jack fight my fights. I just took it.

"That demon is just another loud mouth bully, I believe it when it says it will find me wherever I go. If it's going to get me anyway, at least I can stand up to it on my terms. I don't want to run anymore. I don't want someone else fighting my fight"

Ethelinda looked very concerned, "But it will kill you," she smiled sadly, "I need you alive. You promised to help with my book."

Albert laughed, "I knew it," he turned serious, "You're a dear friend and I'm sorry I dragged you into this. I need you to leave before it gets here."

Ethelinda's voice was stern, "What kind of friend do you think I am that I would leave you alone? I'm not going anywhere!"

Albert knew her mind was made up. "All right, but stay in the building with Jacob. If things go sideways, promise me you'll get out of here as soon as possible, promise."

"I promise," she said gently.

"Good, now I'm going outside to get ready, I'll send Jacob in." Albert picked up the duffel bag and left the office."

Albert studied the nearly empty parking lot and nodded in satisfaction at the odd tableau that Jacob had set up. A small Persian rug was laid out on the asphalt. Upon it was a lawn chair facing the entrance to the lot. The Golden Sword was laid directly in front of the chair facing outward.

Jacob approached Albert.

"What exactly is the point of this?" Jacob asked.

"Well," Albert began, "that thing is faster, stronger, and more vicious than me, agreed?"

"Absolutely," Jacob responded a little too quickly for Albert's liking.

"Exactly. If it attacks me as soon as it sees me, I won't even have time to take a breath. I need to confuse it for a moment or even amuse it. I need that thing to approach me at least a bit slowly, knowing that the sword is on the ground and I can't possibly reach it in time."

"Do you really believe the demon will pause in his attack?"

Albert smiled, "The one thing I noticed about the monster is that it shares a common trait with all the human bullies I've known in my life. It likes to gloat, it's arrogant and needs to hear it's own voice. If it doesn't attack immediately, I'm certain it'll pause to tell me how great it is and how weak I am. I need those few seconds."

"To do what exactly? You never told me."

"You'll see, I don't want to jinx it. Go on inside and mind Ethy. You can watch from the broken window. Make sure she gets out of here if things go bad." Albert said calmly.

Jacob turned to go inside, "I will, Albert."

After Jacob went inside, Albert seated himself in the lawn chair, placed the duffel bag on his lap and waited. He hoped it wouldn't be too long, fearing he might lose his nerve. He took a deep breath and thought about his childhood.