Angels and Demons, Two

London. Crowley's Mayfair flat. Aziraphale and Crowley continue their breakfast conversation on the couch.

So as usual you'll be practicing with your sword while I'm away?

Oh yes. It takes many years to progress in kendo.

How's Pepper doing, by the way?

My word, she's getting quite fast and fierce. I missed a parry the other day, and she landed a blow on my backside that smarted, I can tell you. Inoue Sensei was impressed. He evidently also has a black belt in aikido. Would like to start instructing Pepper in that. Believes such training in a more defensive art would sharpen her offensive technique. Curb a tendency to rashness.

And how did Pepper take that?

Was all for it. She's spending four afternoons after school every week now, working on martial arts.

Good move on your part, getting Inoue Sensei to retire to Tadfield.

Yes, that's working out surprisingly well, isn't it? Janet and Georgia seem pleased as well. Although Georgia suggested firearms training next, if you can imagine.

Yes, I can imagine. Wants me to let her shoot my old Colt .45 some time. Americans and their guns.

One of your human body guards is a woman, yes?

Leysa. A dead shot. Practices krav maga. Has got the Erics driving like proper security guards now. They've got drifts and y-turns down cold. You should see Adam and them practicing on the course some time. Jimmy is starting to complain about the tires and transmissions upkeep.

I'm surprised it's Wensleydale who wants to fly helicopters, not Adam.

Adam can fly all on his own if he feels like it.

Oh. Yes. Quite. I tend to forget. He's so lowkey.

If I'm ever discorporated again and Beelzebub won't let me go, give Adam the Bentley, will you?

Really my dear. Don't torment me with such thoughts.

Let's have a kiss.

Some minutes later:

Crowley, I think we should ask Uriel to let The Twins know that Daji is up and active again. So they can alert Xuanwu.

Was thinking the same thing myself.

Isn't that a bit treacherous on your part?

Crowley smiles snakily.

London. Evgeny's office in the shabby Triple S Security building. Crowley, Evgeny, and Bohdan are seated around the desk. Evgeny and the demon are having shots of vodka. Bohdan is an abstainer. Crowley shows the two men the picture of Daji on his phone. The small female demon is calmly glaring at him as if she'd rip out his gizzard for tuppence.

What a sweetie.

That's just what she looks like at the moment. She's a shapeshifter. Animals included. She favors the white tiger, Angel informs me. And for everyday evil, a six-tailed fox. Apparently she made the mistake of using the fox shape when trying to slip through the Red Army's siege of Changchun. The peasant soldiers recognized her immediately and chopped her to bits.

And you want to bring her into our organization. Hold your friends close, but your enemies closer, eh?

Exactly. Her treachery and cruelty are notorious, even among the demons of Hell. Guessing that's why Beelzebub had her sidelined in a menial office position. Nonetheless, she managed to send up not only a powerful department head, but his second-in-command as well.

Impressive.

She'd be perfect for the China operation. We're losing too many agents there.

Bohdan interjects gloomily:

My friend Meihua was executed last summer. They thought she was CIA.

There are no more CIA agents in China. The ones who couldn't escape were executed years ago.

The CCP doesn't think so.

Bohdan considers a moment.

Maybe that was just their cover excuse to kill Mei.

Well, if Daji can't slip through their firewall and surveillance, I don't know who can. She's been on the ground there since the beginning. Can read oracle bones. Likely she set up that system of prophecy. Speaks the major dialects, including the all-important Fujianese. Has been all over Indochina as well.

What's it worth to her to not betray us if it becomes convenient?

Revenge. Hatred. The Heavenly Host is backing the Chinese Communist Party, you know. They love the idea of an authoritarian regime that encourages humans to behave themselves. That social credit system they're setting up has Heavenly Host fingerprints all over it. And Daji already has a score to settle with the Red Army.

How do we slip her in? What cover? Multiple passports are useless these days.

Crowley looks extremely snaky.

I have an idea. Will try a preliminary foray on Monday to see if I'm on the right scent.

The three sit in silent thought for a long while. Evgeny pours two more shots of vodka. He and Crowley toast, down their liquor in one gulp. Bohdan's lips twitch in a wincing smile and he murmurs:

Life in interesting times.