The trouble with the Organization was that they never learned not to play with their food. Now their lax attitude toward Hunter survivability made some sense. It didn’t matter how long we lived, only that humans killed demons. They’d tried other combinations, I was sure. Demons killing demons. Demons killing humans. Neither got them whatever bullshit soul magic they were after. There were always more desperate humans out there to join the Org. But they had no idea what to do with me every time I bounced back.

“If we do this, there’s no going back.” I held up a finger as I stated the obvious.

[We would need to destroy the portal device and the Rodney’s technology.]

The Blank pulled a face. “I’m still rather lost, but I’ll nod along as it seems everyone else understands.”

Pearl stepped over to the window. “We are protected from demons here, but the Org has humans groups in the area, correct?”

“Yeah.” I rubbed my forehead. Fair enough - we could vanish off to Hell now, but we’d be leaving the other two here undefended.

“I might be able to help there,” David offered. “Well, there’s like an emergency protocol in the Church… It’s possible I could get the closest sects over to keep the mansion locked down?”

“With guns?” I asked. “And magic?”

“The power of the divine, yes.” He pulled a face. “If you don’t mind your place crawling with the Church, of course.”

“Get the Exorcist in charge and I’m fine with that.” I gave him a nod. “It will mostly be to protect you two, us three will be going to the Mids and… well, we’ll go from there.”

[I suggest we try to break away from the Org at the same time. While the David fixes the Rodney, you and Pearl destroy the technology, and I will break my pact vessel.]

Over by the window, Pearl gasped. “You said my name properly! Also… you can do that?”

[Eric. The Rodney. Pearl. The David. Hmm, how odd. But yes, I believe I can.]

“Shit,” she replied. “This is getting pretty serious. Couldn’t have one day of marital bliss before existence has to fuck us up, huh?”

“Destiny is a bitch.” I grimaced in return. “Rodney, we’ll need to go old school soon. David will update you when you can understand it… but there’s a polished silver tray in the cupboards next to the cooker.”

He nodded, that part of the instructions not tripping his lack of memory. It seemed like a decade ago we were in my grimy apartment kitchen with chicken blood and awkward smarm. Now we were on the precipice of taking the great evil that we had used as an excuse for my descent into madness.

Part of it hadn’t really sunk in. I was still reeling from the wild day I just had. Only partially recovered from becoming the fully formed Last Lantern, I had then become soul bound to the demon I loved, and all but decided it was time to go against the Org.

While my brain tried to gain traction on some of the plates spinning wildly out of control, I didn’t notice Pearl come back up beside me. Her hand came up around my side, infiltrating the bottom of my untucked shirt so she could grip at my bare skin.

“You’ll find our bond has other benefits, too. It goes both ways.” As she held her other hand out, flame licked at the air before it coalesced into something.

Dark black metal flecked with deep crimson specs. A hardy wood of vibrant brown. She grinned and pushed the brim of her hat up with the long barrel of her lever action rifle. “Now this, I love.”

Despite the gravity of the situation, I couldn’t help but grin. The gathered cliches were things I had grown to cherish. Even without moving, I could tell her soul had given me a boost to strength and speed. “Time enough for you to go all out, then?”

She cocked her head to the side and rested the firearm across her shoulder. “My peak has been dulled - that is the other cost of soul binding. We meet in the middle.”

“So your insistence for me to grow in power…”

“I’m a demon, Eric.” She gave me a soft smile. “I have pride in my strength, and wanted us to be powerful together. If we bonded sooner, then we would both be far below an acceptable level.”

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We would soon be going against a group of Higher demons and whatever the Org could muster our way. Pragmatic of her to push the maximum we were capable of. With more time, I could have probably gotten closer to her upper limits, but our hearts and fate couldn’t wait any longer.

“Anything we should know when you pop your vessel, Wight?” We had a lot of pieces to get in the right order now to start this event off unscathed.

[I am already untethered from needing to be at one or the other, so I should have no issue returning to you. In the event that I cannot return to the mortal plane, we should have somewhere in the Mids to reconvene.]

I raised an eyebrow at Pearl.

“Pinkjade, right? Let me talk to my realtor.” She relinquished her grip on me and walked out of the room.

David rubbed at his temples. “Married into money, at least, huh?”

“Yeah.” I sighed. “Shame I probably won’t live long enough to use it.” So much weight to the situation that it hardly felt real. We knew we’d be at odds with the Org eventually… but now. It was difficult to grasp at what we were about to do.

Still, I had been molded for this specific task.

“Alright.” I shook my head off. Became the leader that we needed. “David, call your boys in as soon as they’re able. Rodney, grab the tray and get anything you need sorted. Go to the time-out room when David’s done. Pearl and I will get to the basement and prepare the devices for destruction, waiting for Wight’s signal. You’ll be the starter fuse, pal.”

[Understood, Eric.]

And thus the wheels were in motion. Things became a blur as my head tried to come to terms with everything that had happened. Everything that was about to happen. The buzz of the destiny I hadn’t asked for now circling the drain. Dam was about to burst, and we’d be along for the ride, whatever happened.

Before I knew it, I was back in the basement, fingers drumming idly on my holster. Pearl was with me, eyeing up the portal. Wight sat on the recliner, waiting his turn to go to the Org and get this party started. My boots took me over to the open time-out room where Rodney was sitting and looking out of sorts.

“Doing alright, Rods?”

He pulled a face and shrugged. “Kinda? My memory seems to be all over the place, but I get this gist of things. We’re going against the Org, huh?”

I nodded slowly. “There’s a chance that once I’m gone… I’ll never be back. Just wanted to say that… well, you’ve been like a little brother to me. You’re family and…”

“Blood brothers,” he interjected. “You asshole, Eric.”

He stood and we hugged it out. Either I’d be dead, or oath-bound to never return to the mortal plane. Never thought I’d grow attached to the dweeb, but we’d been through a lot together.

“Whatever happens,” I said as we pulled apart. “Live and be happy, alright?”

“I’ll do my best.” He grinned and looked past me as David made his way down the stairs.

“They’re on their way.”

I nodded. “Great. Make sure they keep you both safe. I’m sure they’re keen on not having me as an enemy.”

Rodney jostled me from behind. “There’s something else we need to do if we are splitting from the Org.” He pointed to his ear. “Passage wants out.”

[The Passage is unlike a pact demon in that his connection is more literal. What the Rodney is asking for is also a literal separation.]

I grimaced. “Oh. What will happen once he is split from you?”

The Blank withdrew something from his pocket. It looked like a smartphone, but different. Had a little slot that looked like it would fit his earring in. “Will just allow him to speak, that’s all. It won’t notify the Org so let’s do this first? And… if I could ask Pearl to do it?”

She nodded. “I’ll grab the numbing spray.”

Part of me felt put out to not be the one asked to maim him, although I’m not sure I really wanted to either. Wight would probably go overboard, and David was too squeamish. Pearl had just the right amount of emotional distance and practiced care to do the deed. He trusted her too, a far cry from that awkward table-bound conversation when they had first met.

I left the room as they prepared to do the deed and approached David to distract him. “How many are they sending over?”

“Around two dozen in the next twenty minutes. The Exorcist is bringing in another fifty or so, but that’ll be in groups over the night. He’s sending Father Urius - he’s trustworthy - in the first group and will join us in a couple of hours.”

That was a lot. I whistled, which didn’t quite cover the loud gasp coming from the time-out room. The numbing spray could only do so much.

Pearl strode out of the room. “Twenty minutes until the cavalry arrives? How long will you need to pop the vessel, Wight?”

[Around ten minutes, Pearl.]

She nodded. “Let’s give it ten and then start, alright?”

We agreed. Rodney stepped into the doorway, a bandage clasped to his ear. The first blood spilled for our cause. Certainly not the last, although hopefully the rest wouldn’t be from our group.

And that was possibly the quickest ten minutes of my life.

Perhaps it was the tension that clung to the basement walls. The silence between us as we each tried to spin up a possible future without the Org, and what it would entail. A looming possibility that we’d be fighting Higher demons or worse in taking down their plot in Pinkjade.

“How will I know when you’ve done it?” I asked my pact demon, as my eyes watched the clock tick around. It was time.

[Oh, you’ll know. Trust me.]

“With everything I am.” I held out my arms, and he came in for a hug. Odd and potentially unnecessary, but he had been a key figure in my life for the last few years. Saved my life and brought me to this point. Family and part of me, even if I was soon to be dust.

He relinquished and then stepped over to Pearl to give her one too. We’d see each other soon, I was sure of it. Didn’t stop us from feeling like we were about to sky dive without a parachute.

[Until we meet again.]

Wight faded away into mist. Clock was set, things in motion no longer able to be halted.

David gave me a brief nod and went into the safe room with Rodney, the door pushed to so that he could hear us give the word. Pearl drew her sword and stood over by the portal device on the floor. Revolver spun up into my hand and I walked over to the chair containing the rest of the Blank’s Org-given technology.

My breath held, a rumbling in my soul keeping me on edge as we waited once more.

Killing time.