As the four companions were ushered into the president’s office, John noticed there were only two guards, unlike the seven or eight the last time he was in the other smaller office.

President Williams’ wife was also in the room. The couple smiled warmly as the companions took seats.

The president said, “Thank you all for coming on such short notice. I’m leaving for the summit later tonight and there’s business we need to take care of first. Since none of you are allowed to participate in future invasions, everyone’s a little worried and on edge.”

Lilly went to speak. Williams said, “One moment Meghan. Hear me out first.”

Lilly wanted everyone to call her Meghan now, the birth name of her current body. John told her he would call her Meghan whenever she started calling him John.

President Williams asked, “Amber, can you somehow contact the world seed? Stretch?”

“No, Mr. President,” replied Amber. “He visits me kinda often though. Why?”

The president scowled. “Damn. Okay. Meghan, my wife’s going to escort you down to the Presidential Emergency Operations Center. There’s, uh, we’ll say a sensitive issue you need to address with, uh, you’ll see when you get down there. We need those issues handled ASAP. Brief me after. Then we’ll all have dinner together and I’ll be off to the summit. I can’t have a no on this, Meghan. I need good news.”

Lilly nodded and was escorted from the room.

“You know you’re free to go wherever you want, right,” the president asked John after turning to face him. “There’s no reason to stay at that warehouse. Though we’d like for you to behave yourself. That pardon was for prior crimes, not future ones.”

“I know,” replied John.

The president gave John a strange look and took his time opening a laptop. He checked his watch and added, “And don’t take what the news says about war crimes against the demons to heart. You saved us all from what sounds a lot like slavery. People are just having a hard time adjusting.”

Ignoring his guests, President Williams began typing on his laptop for a few minutes.

John heard the word green come through an earpiece of one of the guards. The guard turned to the president and gave a thumbs-up. Williams nodded at the guard.

“I’m sorry for the deception,” said the president. “We have a sensitive issue to discuss. Had to be done this way. John, please maintain your calm. We’re just going to ask some questions. This isn’t an attack on anyone. We could be wrong. We’re only asking questions. We all good? We all going to stay calm and address this like adults without taking offense and getting violent?”

John was glad Amber and Hubaba had confused looks on their faces too. “Of course, Mr. President,” replied Amber. John and Hubaba looked at each other, both wondering what this was about, before agreeing.

“Do any of you have reason to believe Meghan is anti-Semitic,” asked President Williams.

John didn’t know what that meant. Amber asked, “Why?”

“There’s been a lot of families murdered. About half have been Jewish and there’s evidence they were targeted. The others seem to be opportunistic.”

John’s heart dropped. He asked, “How many?”

“A lot,” answered Williams. “We’re still finding new massacres that can be tied to…this. The first were Meghan’s parents the first day of the invasions.”

John said, “Her father abused her in a horrific way and her mother turned a blind eye toward the deeds. Those killings are understandable.”

The president nodded and picked a device up from his desk. He hit a button and a recording started to play.

“Listen. Amanda. Or anyone else. If you’re listening. If what I did…if that came out. I didn’t…it’s…it’s not what it seems like. Look, I’m a cheater. I like women. I cheat on you all the time. With women. Adults. Hot women. Some were young. Young as in twenty. I’m not attracted to children. They look like fucking pandas with their little nubby arms and legs and giant heads.

“I’m rich. I’m good looking. I can get hot women. And I do. All the time. Long legs, big titties, great asses. Women. Amanda, come on, how hot are you? I married you because you’re so hot. I don’t like children. You know I cheat, Amanda. How many friends of yours did I sleep with? Or try to. How many times did you catch me? I know it’s nothing to brag about. I’m sorry about that. But they were all women! I like women! You have to know that!

“Meghan. Our little baby. My little angel with all her medical issues. I loved her. I think…I think she’s evil. Sometimes…sometimes she makes me do things. Listen, I know this sounds crazy. I know I sound crazy. I think she killed Mark. I don’t think it was an accident. I’m sorry. I wanted a boy so bad and…I know you wanted to try again after Mark. I couldn’t. I didn’t want…”

The man on the recording started to cry. He sobbed for some time before collecting himself. “Sometimes she acts different. She’ll act like an adult. She makes me do things. It’s like…it’s like she can control me. She makes me…do things. I didn’t want to. It’s sick. It’s disgusting. You have to believe me!

“Look, when you hear this, I don’t know if I’ll be dead or not. If I’m dead, please believe me. I don’t want to be remembered as that. I would never. With my little girl. Any kid. They’re gross. They’re like little monkeys. I can get hot women. Why would I spend so much on hot women if I was like that? I’m not a good guy. I do bad things. You name it, I did it. Drugs, prostitutes, cheating, tax evasion, embezzlement. I’m a fucking lawyer. Of course I’m no saint. I lie, cheat, and steal all the time. But that? Never.

“Listen, even if you don’t believe me, just watch out for Meghan. She’s not right. And I mean, like, demonic possession or some shit. Supernatural shit. Like in Exorcist. But worse. Ten times worse. Be careful. I didn’t do that. She made me. I love you. Be careful.”

The president clicked another button on the device. “We found that in her father’s safe. There’s more evidence he collected. Some strongly support what he said about the death of her brother. Colonel Stoddard tells a similar story as Meghan’s father. We placed him under arrest. I hate this. I see the hurt look in your eyes, John. But we got to talk about this and make some hard decisions.”

The president picked up a new device and a large screen grew downwards from the left wall. A picture of a dead man and woman showed on the screen. The device in the president’s hand was clicked and a murdered family appeared. And then again and again and again.

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John only recognized people from one of the photos. Those he saw in New York City. It was the fourth massacre shown. Far more were shown after.

Two different types of footage from John’s battle with Yan started to play. President Williams said, “Wait till the fight’s over. This has been kept under wraps. We had to be sure, and we didn’t know what we were seeing. No audio. Too windy. The other view’s from satellite and not very helpful for this.”

One angle of footage John could barely make out. They both showed John on the ground, his head over his unconscious brother, Lilly draining Yan. Hubaba and Amber were standing unnaturally still. As John twisted his head and prepared to rise, Lilly reached behind his head, and he froze too.

Amber and Hubaba grabbed John and sat beside him as Lilly finished draining Yan of vital essence. Stretch, freed, went over to stand by the four. Lilly quickly snatched the five crystals before Stretch could.

Lilly took turns talking to all three companions while they sat still and unmoving. Hubaba and Amber stripped Yan of all his possessions.

Lilly then placed John, Amber, and Hubaba in specific spots. The three companions were unfrozen and started to move and act normally. Stretch began to rub against John and grab for his hand.

Amber loudly exclaimed, “Oh my God! That’s not how it happened! I don’t remember any of that!”

“Neither do I, and I remember that day very clearly. I remember Yan speaking and moving to attack John” said Hubaba.

As John watched, he remembered some. Like when his mind was deteriorated, flashes of images ran through his mind. Being shown what he just watched was like a thread he could pull on, and his mind raced to pull and pull on it. His wife betrayed him. He couldn’t remember to what extent or the details, but it was slowly coming back.

Amber said, “I can’t…how can I not remember any of that? It’s so crazy. All my memories…they seem so right. But I knew something was off! I knew it. What did we talk about for so long? I only remember the contract.”

John remembered what was talked about. His heart filled with hate and blackness. Amber got out of her chair and whispered in John’s ear, “She used my true name! I read her lips. It was definitely my true name. Oh my God! What do we do?”

John grunted. After waiting for a better reply and never getting one, Amber nervously returned to her seat.

President Williams was worriedly looking at John. “Hold on, now. Remember what we agreed to earlier. We’d all remain calm. No violence. Stay cool. We’ll take care of this. I promise you. But we need to talk first. We need her for now. At least until the end of the next invasion. She’s too important to too many projects. Major projects. Game changers. I’m trying to do the right thing here. Everyone said I should keep this from you three. Please don’t make me regret bringing you in on this.”

John wondered why fate seemed so intent on breaking him. He felt so heavy. He tapped into the bottomless well of anger he constantly suppressed to rid himself of the malaise dampening his mind. He cared little for what Williams wanted. He had had enough.

“John, come on, man. Relax. Take a deep breath. I promise you we’ll handle this. Think of the big picture here. We still have a lot to talk about. We still need her working on our side. We have no direct evidence. It just paints a picture. Let’s talk. We have some big decisions to make. And she’s in the PEOC, one of the most secure locations on this entire planet. You can’t get to her, and she can’t hurt anyone else now. Are we okay?”

John wasn’t okay. He went to face Lilly in a rage, trailing the scent she left. After the first door was broken through, the president was escorted away to safety. Amber and Hubaba quickly gave up on trying to talk him down. It was no easy feat to accomplish, but the PEOC wasn’t as secure as the president thought. Not from him.

The last barrier between John and Lilly fell. There was fear in her eyes. She asked, “What’s wrong? Why’d they lock me in here alone? Why’re you so angry, my dear heart?”

“I remember, Lilly.”

Lilly moved backwards as she said, “Adon. John. My lord. You’re overreacting. It’s not what it seems.”

John slowly moved towards Lilly. She started to cry and sat on the ground. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I know something’s wrong with me. I’m ready. I’m ready to get help. Serious help. Medication. It’ll stop. I want it to stop. I want to be better. Normal. I just…I just need you. I need you to help me. It’s not my fault I’m like this. You know that. You know what my father did to me. And what this body’s father did to me too.”

John laughed madly. “I know what you did to him! Is there nothing you haven’t lied about?”

Crying and sobbing, Lilly said, “Anything, not nothing.” John noticed Lilly’s hands were shaking. “Please, please stop looking at me like you’re going to kill me. You’re scaring me.”

“Good! That’s exactly what I’m going to do. No more. I’ve had enough.”

With both anger and fright in her voice, Lilly said, “You promised! You promised we’d talk. When I made the ritual for your body refinement, you promised we’d talk if you ever wanted to kill me. You lied too. You’re a liar too.”

“WE ARE TALKING!”

Lilly jumped and shook as John screamed. She said, “Please. Just listen. Okay? I’m going to lay it all out. The truth. The whole truth. This body’s dad – he was fucking gorgeous. Like, supermodel hot. You know how much it sucks being horny all the time and none of the hottest guys are attracted to you? You know how gorgeous I am. Or I was and will be. This part of a new body fucking sucks, man. What am I supposed to do? It’s not like you were any help.

“I don’t want to be this way. I don’t. I never wanted to betray you. You have to see how much I love you. You see it, don’t you? I need help. I just need help. And I’ll get it. I’m serious about getting help and getting better. I want to be better.”

John sighed. “Why? Why do you do it? Any of it. What does all the killing do for you?”

After some time crying and sobbing, with a low voice, Lilly answered. “I was going to lie and say I just did it to strengthen myself. That’s just a small part of it. See? This is good. Telling the truth proves I’m serious about getting better. And it builds our trust back.

“The truth is…I don’t know really. It makes me feel better. When I kill people, when I see a happy family and I make them go from having fun and laughing to…just…just pathetic and screaming and miserable, it’s like with sex – knowing what’s about to happen, God! Nothing feels so good. And while it’s happening, I feel amazing. It’s amazing. It feels…indescribable. Once you torture and kill a kid in front of their parents, it’s…”

Lilly kissed her fingers and then threw the kiss in the air. “Mwah! Chef’s kiss. Just the anticipation soaks my panties. It fills the hole in me. For a little while. Man, I love talking about this stuff with you. After all this time. This is really good for us, you know? Finally talking openly and truthfully about this. Finally.

“You also fill the hole in me, but it’s too big for just you. I don’t want to be this way. I know it’s wrong. Medications will help. Help fix my chemistry. Everything will be okay. You’ll see. This is the bottom. We can only go up from here.”

John sighed again. “It won’t, Lilly. You’ll never stop. You’ll never be okay. You’ll never fill the hole. The best you can be is dead. I love you. I’ll always love you. But no more of any of it.”

Lilly wiped her eyes with her sleeves. She stood. She smiled brightly and widely, as if to show off how many of her milk teeth were missing. The love John saw on her face, love for him, the only thing about Lilly he thought was true, broke his heart.

“Before you kill me, just let me hold you one last time. I love you so much. Just let me hold you once more. Before…”

John interrupted by nodding his assent. Lilly let out a loud and relieved sob along with her breath and she started to cry again. She smiled wider with joy as she approached John to hold him, and the smile on her face was split in half as John cut her in two, from head to groin. He continued to cut her up into little pieces as a spirit formed, his heart nearly bursting from sorrow and regret and uncertainty.

John wished he knew more of louvre dolls and the correct ways to trap the soul of a witch. He didn’t look forward to their next meeting. As Sunshine said, Lilly would be an awful enemy. He wished it didn’t fall on him to do what had to be done, but it did. There would be no more. For some years, at least.

Lilly talked often of her business dealings. John wished he had paid closer attention when she did.

A place called the State Department had given him a servant some time ago. He called for her. She didn’t come. A man did. The man refused to do as he was told so John took his head. Hours passed before someone else was sent to him. The new man obeyed his orders.

Every ruler of the nearly two hundred countries of Earth received a box. The box contained two items. The first item was a letter that read –

“In this box is a piece of my wife. I loved her dearly, but she betrayed me. Many countries made deals with her, and many other members of your countries did too. Those deals are transferred to me.

Before any think to betray me, ask yourself if I have any love for you.”