Chapter 4
New Orleans, 13 hours later
"So why are they in New Orleans?" Andy asked Constantine. "You said you might know."
"After doing some digging in the spiritual realm, I found that Charles Lee Ray was able to transfer his soul into a doll by using a powerful artifact called the Heart of Damballa." Constantine explained. "He lost the Heart after his human body died, and it went around for awhile before an old acquaintance of mine got ahold of it. I'm guessing the little bugger is going there."
"I see." Andy said, as they kept walking.
"So, how'd you and John meet?" Kyle asked Chas.
"We've been friends for as long as I can remember." Chase answered. "We've been through a lot, even at some of our darkest times. How'd you and Andy meet?"
"He was my foster brother for a while." Kyle explained. "After Chucky went after him on Christmas of '88, his mother was put in a mental asylum for a while, and Andy went to the same home as I did. Chucky came back two years later, and killed our foster parents, so we had to keep moving from foster homes again."
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that." Chas said softly.
"Ah, here we are!" Constantine said, approaching a stairwell that led under a bridge. Traveling under the bridge, the group found what seemed like an area full of mystic relics and rituals, and to their left was a door.
"Word of warning, he's not entirely friendly towards me." Constantine advised, before opening the door. Just as the group entered, a tall black man emerged from the shadows.
"John Constantine, what is your purpose here?" The man said in a thick jamaican accent.
"Hello, Papa Midnite." John greeted. "We've come to warn you."
"Go to Hell, Constantine." Midnite spat. "You're not welcome here."
"I've already been, and I gotta say, it felt like I stepped into a freezer and oven at the same time." Constantine mocked.
"Why don't you give me a reason why I shouldn't send you there myself?" Midnite said.
"Because someone's coming after you." Chas interrupted. "You have something they want."
"It's nice to see you, Mr. Chandler." Midnite said. "Nicer than seeing Constantine. But what could someone possibly want from me?"
"They want the artifact called the Heart of Damballa!" Kyle said, losing patience. "Have you seen the news lately about a murderer on the loose?"
"Ah, yes, the stories of the 'killer doll'." Midnite said. "I figured he'd eventually come here. It's true, I have the amulet. But why should I help Constantine?"
"Because you can get revenge." Andy spoke up.
"Who are you?" Papa Midnite asked.
"My name is Andy Barclay, Chucky first came after me when I was a kid." Andy said without missing a beat. "After he killed my babysitter and his former partner in crime, he went after his old voodoo mentor to learn how to escape his doll body."
"And what does this have to do with me?" Midnite asked.
"I'm assuming you're at least five, maybe ten years older than John and I, given the appearance." Andy guessed. "I also heard that you moved to New Orleans after your father, John Bishop, had supposedly died from a break in from his apartment."
"Andy…" Constantine warned.
"Gimme a minute, John." Andy interrupted.
"What are you suggesting?" Midnite asked.
"About an hour before the police arrived, my mother and detective Mike Norris tracked Bishop down, having just discovered he was Charles's mentor." Andy continued. "My mother said they found him bleeding to death, but there was no sign of an actual blade piercing him. They had also found a doll looking similar to Bishop next to him, with a tiny knife mark in the chest area. I'm guessing you can piece this together."
"How do I know you're not lying, boy?" Midnite asked, angered.
"Ask your sister." Andy said, pointing to a skull in a corner of the room. "From what I've heard, she can tell you if I'm bullshitting you or not." Papa Midnite approached the skull, which was his way of contacting his sister in Hell.
"Cedella, dear sister." Midnite spoke to the skull. "You see through the realm of the dead, and of the living. Tell me… does Andy Barclay speak the truth of our father?" Midnite held the skull to his ear, and heard a faint whisper on the wind.
"Indeed, Barclay, you are not lying." Midnite said reluctantly. "Come with me, I'll give you the amulet."
"Thanks mate." Constantine said, as Midnite scowled. "Think of it as your redemption for being involved in the Rising Darkness."
Flashback
New Orleans, 2015
"Why did you call for me, John?" Manny asked, frustrated at the demonologist.
"Because I've found out what you truly are." Constantine replied. He then threw his lighter on the ground, creating a ring of fire around Manny and revealing his trap. "I know you've been behind the Rising Darkness. Midnite told me everything after you tried using his sister as leverage." Papa Midnite then approached the two, to Manny's anger.
"Set Ende Mundem Morto-" John started, until Manny somehow used his powers to reach out and pull Midnite into the circle with him.
"If I'm going to Hell, he's coming with me!" Manny exclaimed.
"Midnite!" Constantine yelled, throwing him an old rifle he had borrowed months ago. Papa Midnite broke free and caught the gun, turned around and shot Manny in the chest, before jumping out of the circle of fire.
"Tor Testo En Inferno, Protemo Mortem!" Constantine finished, causing the fire to engulf Manny and send him straight to Hell, and finally stopping the Rising Darkness.
"Thanks for the assist mate." Constantine said, falling to his knees. "Oh, you can take your toy back as a token of gratitude."
"It was a pleasure." Papa Midnite replied before leaving. "But know this, John Constantine: the next time we see each other, you're a dead man."
Papa Midnite and the group went to another room, where Midnite revealed a box, opening it and retrieving the Heart of Damballa.
"Take it." Midnite said. "And kill that abomination for good."
"I'll take that, thanks." A voice said behind them. Everyone whirled around, Andy, Kyle, and Chas pointing their weapons. Blocking the doorway was Nica and Tiffany.
"Go to Hell." Andy said, loading his gun.
"Like I said Andy, if you kill me, you kill poor Nica." Chucky/Nica said.
"Don't make us do this." Kyle said, aiming her gun at Tiffany.
"Aw, but it's so fun watching you guys die!" Tiffany said gleefully.
"Hey Pops!" Nica said, raising a shotgun. "You really shouldn't leave your toys around!"
"Yeah, someone might trip and fall." Tiffany said, laughing. Nica then pulled the trigger, where the slug hit a corner of the room.
"You missed." Midnite smirked, but the slug ricocheted off the wall and hit the voodoo priest in the back.
"I'm told this gun never misses." Nica laughed, before blowing a hole through Chas.
"Fuck!" Andy yelled, and he ran at Nica, knocking the gun to the side and forcing her against the wall.
"Andy, you've been a thorn in my side for too long." Nica snarled.
"Feeling's mutual, Charles." Andy shot back.
"My name is Chucky, you little shit!" Nica yelled, kicking Andy away and grabbing the amulet.
"You fucked up, Charles." Andy taunted, while getting up. "You wanted your soul in a kid so no one would suspect you of a killer. And now you've put your soul into the body of someone you sent to a mental asylum for your crimes, and is currently wanted."
"Shut up! Just shut up!" Nica then raised her knife, preparing to stab Andy, but faltered.
"Nica, are you still in there?" Andy asked, noticing the pause. "Fight him!"
"No!" Nica/Chucky screamed, and lunged. As Andy and Nica began fighting, Kyle ran
over to Constantine, who was next to Chase and Midnite.
"Are they…?" Kyle began to ask.
"Chas will be fine! Midnite, not so much." Constantine said. "Just help out Andy! Don't let them get the Heart!" Kyle nodded, and ran to help Andy, only to get punched by Tiffany.
"Sorry, I can't let you help out Andy." Tiffany said. "That'd be a bit unfair, wouldn't it?"
"Fuck off." Kyle replied, before taking out her knife to fight Tiffany.
"Give up!" Nica shouted, trying to stab Andy. Instead, Barclay grabbed the knife and slashed at Nica's hand that held the Heart of Damballa. With a yell of pain, she dropped the amulet, and Andy kicked it away.
"The Heart!" Tiffany shouted, kicking Kyle and running over to the amulet and picking it up.
"Get out of here, Tiff!" Nica shouted. "You know what to do!" Without another thought, Tiffany ran out of Midnite's hideout and drove off. Just as Nica smirked, she turned around, and got hit with the stock of the shotgun by Andy.
"I'm sorry Nica." Andy said, before helping Kyle up. They walked over to Constantine, kneeling next to Midnite and Chas.
"I'm sorry, mate. This wasn't supposed to happen." Constantine said. "Bollocks, I shouldn't have given you back the Ace."
"Just promise me one thing, Constantine." Papa Midnite said, grabbing John's coat. "You send that outcast back to Hell." John simply nodded, and Midnite finally died.
"What about Chas?" Kyle asked.
"Chas will be alright." Constantine said. "He's able to survive much worse than this. But now, we have to carry him."
"Fine." Andy grumbled, taking one of Chase's arms. "John, take the other arm. Kyle, carry Nica."
"Isn't it Chucky?" Kyle asked.
"Yeah, but I got an idea." Andy said, as they left Midnite's hideout. Once they got outside, they were approached by a man in a light green suit, and a black beard.
"Hello Jim." John greeted, only to be punched in the face.
"Hi John." The man named Jim said. "From how this looks, you're gonna be charged with a double homicide and a kidnapping. I know that's not the case, so do you have anywhere you can go by now?"
"We'll have to go back to your cabin, Andy." Constantine said. "Where I'm holed up isn't suited for the mortal eye."
"Wait, you're Andy?" Jim asked. "As in, Andy Barclay? The guy who said his doll was possessed?"
"Yes." Andy grumbled.
"Hey, I'm not entirely doubting you." Jim said. "I've been with John enough to know that anything can happen. I'll stall the cops long enough." Nodding, John, Andy, and Kyle put Nica and Chas in the back of the car.
"Oh, one more thing." John said, and blew dust in Nica's face.
"What the fuck was that?" Andy asked.
"It's some voodoo dust I got from Midnite." Constantine explained. "It makes sure she's asleep until we decide to wake her up." The group then drove off back to Andy's cabin, in Illinois.
