SEVEN

"Let me just see if I have this right. You want to hire one or our residents to go after a witch. Is that about the size of it?"

Gangus was head of the Overworld and Caprick had told Cole he'd need to speak to Gangus if he wanted to hire one of the residents of the Overworld. Gangus looked almost human. Except for the glowing red eyes, pale blue skin, and forked tongue, he might even have passed for human.

"That's right," said Cole. "Caprick told me your 'guests' had to help support the Overworld since you can't get what you need from the Underworld. I could use a little help getting to the witch and I figure I'd help you out in the process."

"Well now, that does present a bit of a dilemma. For obvious reasons most of our residents want to keep a low profile. Killing a witch isn't exactly low profile. Not to mention that a great many of them wouldn't stand a chance against a witch. Especially one like Katie Palmer. She's been a thorn in our side for quite a while now. She vanquishes demons wherever she finds them regardless of whether they a threat to her or not. Going up against her is virtual suicide."

"I don't expect them to win. They just need to distract her long enough for me to kill her. They don't have to actually fight her. Just keep her occupied long enough for me to get into position."

"You said you met her on the street. Why didn't you just kill her then? Surely you weren't concerned with having to kill the two children as well."

"And risk someone having seen us together? That was too great a risk. Once I kill her I'll need to be above suspicion. Being suspected of murder is a complication I don't need."

"So," said Gangus, "you just need someone to distract her? You don't expect them to actually attack her?"

"They'll need to attack her. Or at least make her think they are. That way they'll be focused on them and won't notice me. Once they've distracted her they can shimmer away and come back here if they want."

"That could be dangerous. She could vanquish them before you can get into position. I don't know many demons willing to take that risk. Especially with someone who hasn't yet proven themselves."

"Well now, that's what this mission is designed to do. Establish me in the Underworld. And what I have in mind should expose the demon to the minimum possible risk. Plus I'm willing to pay a premium price for their help. Payment I'm sure you can use."

"That's certainly true. So tell me. How exactly do you plan to get close enough to kill the witch once she's been distracted?"

"She's invited me to dinner at her home in a couple of hours."

"And you plan to kill her then away from the prying eyes of any outsiders, is that it?"

"No," said Cole. "I need to get inside her home to learn the layout of it. To decide the best way to handle the situation. It will also reinforce the impression that I'm not a threat to her. Then, later on tonight, I'll shimmer in and take care of her. That's where the demon I hire will come in."

"It seems a quite efficient plan. And it could just possibly work. Did you have any particular demon in mind?"

"Someone of low enough level that they won't be tempted to try and take the witch themselves. Their role in this is simply to distract the witch. I don't want them getting any delusions of grandeur and messing up any plans I might have."

"I think we just might be able to help you, Belthazor. Now, let's talk proper compensation. No matter how minor a role the demon plays there's still a chance of something going wrong. Compensation should reflect not only actual role but the possible risks involved with that role."

"I couldn't agree with you more," said Cole, smiling at Gangus.

Cole stood outside the orphanage where Palmer and her children lived. It was nearly midnight. The demon Gangus had selected to assist Cole should be there at any minute. Cole had all ready paid Gangus so he had no worries the senior demon would abide by their agreement. He was a potential source of future income for the Overworld so he would want to keep his word.

Suddenly a demon shimmered in next to Cole. It was just over 5 feet tall and was a uniform dark green all over. Its eyes were a dull yellow that glowed slightly in the darkness. It had high pointed ears that were capable of picking up sounds even great distances away. Even considering its fearsome appearance it was low level, not even having a human form. It was usually used as messengers and "errand boys" by higher level demons.

"Gangus told you what I want?" Cole questioned without looking at the demon.

"Yes," replied the demon with a hissing sound to its voice. "You want me to attack the witch. Then I'm to shimmer away and leave her to you."

"Yes. But you aren't to harm her. Once you shimmer she'll probably attack immediately. You may not even have to attack at all. Just get her concentrating on you. That will give me the opportunity to strike the witch down."

"What powers does the witch have? If I am to avoid being vanquished it is necessary that I know what powers to protect against."

"She has telekinesis," replied Cole. "The light in her room has been out for almost an hour. She's either asleep or practically asleep by now. Once she notices you there she'll probably react instinctively. Use her power to throw you back so you can't get to her. It will take a moment or two for her to get her senses back to her. You just shimmer away once she's attacked. She'll be looking for you and won't be expecting me."

"And what if she's not as confused as you think?"

"There is an element of risk. There always is when you go up against a witch. But you're being paid well for your services. More than enough to compensate you for the risk."

"Gangus is getting paid," insisted the demon. "I'm taking all the risk."

"Not all of it. You're just distracting her. You don't even need to get close to her." He pulled one of his athames out of belt. "I have to get close enough to use this. It seems to me I'm taking the biggest risk. Of course, you're welcome to go back to Gangus and tell him you're backing out on our deal."

"No. I'll do the job. But why use an athame? Why not just use a fireball or energy ball to destroy her? You wouldn't need to get close to her for that. For that matter, why not just shimmer in and attack her before she has a chance to wake up? A sleeping witch is just as easy a target as any other human."

"My reasonings are my own," said Cole. "Just do your part of the job. I'm going to shimmer into her room and get into position. Wait a moment after I shimmer and then follow."

"As you wish."

Cole just smiled and then shimmered out. Nearly instantly he shimmered into Parker's bedroom, standing in a far corner from the bed. The demon had asked some legitimate questions. And his answers were simple. The woman was a witch. Her magic would protect her even while she slept.

And as his former mentor, Isladec, had once pointed out, a witch would be expecting a magical attack. She would mostly likely sense his attack. And he would only get once chance at this. He had to take advantage of every opportunity he had. And right now his athame was his best chance of getting the witch.

After a moment the demon shimmered into the room in a corner near the window. It glanced over at Cole and then looked at the woman sleeping in the bed. Cole just smiled at the demon and then reached over picked up a pitcher sitting in a small bowl on the table next to him. He held the pitcher out and let it fall to the floor.

The pitcher hit the floor and shattered with a resounding crash. Palmer came awake and sat up in the bed. The demon was partially illuminated from the full moon streaming in the window. Palmer looked over and simply a figure standing in the corner.

"Who's there?" she demanded straining to see the figure more clearly.

The demon moved toward the bed, one of its clawed hands raised, ready to strike. Palmer didn't hesitate. She reached out with one of her hands and tapped into her telekinetic power. Suddenly the demon was thrown backward, crashing through the window and falling to the ground below.

She jumped from the bed and ran to the window. She looked out on the ground outside the window but the demon was nowhere to be seen. She glanced around the yard thinking to catch a glimpse of the demon as it fled for its life. The demon was nowhere in sight.

Suddenly she sensed rather than heard another presence in the room. She spun, ready to face whatever intruder was still there. But Cole was fast. As she came about facing into the room, Cole was only mere inches from her. She stiffened slightly and a look of confusion crossed her face. Then she looked down and saw the athame, Cole's hand still on the hilt, protruding from her chest. For a moment she wasn't sure what had happened. She tried to speak but only a gurgling sound came out and then she collapsed, her life's blood pouring from the wound. Cole caught her as she fell to the floor.

"Nothing personal," he whispered to her. "but you've been too much trouble for certain individual. Don't worry about your kids. I have no orders to harm them. They'll be perfectly safe."

As Palmer died, Cole gently laid her on the floor. Then he reached down and removed the sea shell bracelet from her wrist. He looked at it in the moonlight and smiled to himself. He checked her body to make sure she was dead. There was no pulse. He pulled the athame from her body, wiped it on her nightclothes, and shoved it back into his belt. Suddenly the door to her room opened and a young girl of perhaps 6 or 7 stood in the doorway.

"Katie, I can't sleep," said the young girl. "Can I sleep in here with you?"

The girl's eyes widened as she saw Cole bent over Palmer's lifeless body. Instantly Cole shimmered out of the room and an instant later appeared on the other side of San Francisco. He glanced around and found a policeman walking along the deserted street. Cole reached into his pocket and pulled out his pocket watch.

"Excuse me," he said, walking up to the policeman. "Would you happen to know what time it is? I have this dreadful habit of forgetting to wind my watch."

"Certainly," said the policeman, pulling out a watch of his own. "It's 12:17. My wife winds my every morning for me. Perhaps you should ask our wife to do the same. It would solve your problem."

"Cole Turner," said Cole, extending his hand. "I'm afraid I'm not married so that won't do me much good. I guess I'll have to come up with some other way to remind me to wind it."

"I guess so," replied the policeman. "I'm Officer Newsome. Well, Mr. Turner, you have a good evening. It's rather late and some of the less desirable elements of the city are about this time of night. You should be heading home."

"I was just on my where, Officer Newsome. It was a pleasure to meet you. Perhaps I'll see you around again."

"You can find me in this part of town most nights. You have a good evening, Mr. Turner."

Cole turned and headed back toward the orphanage. He decided to walk the entire way. And his alibi was set. Even assuming the little girl had seen and recognized him, he had the best alibi he could have. One of San Francisco's very own public servants. Any identification the girl made of him would simply be chalked up to the dark night and her overactive imagination.