Constantine had gone home. When he'd finally stepped back into the sanctuary it was empty. Andrew was gone. It was fine. John really didn't want to confront the Cherub before he had to. He knew the angels had known he was present, on the slight reactions of the angels in the lobby. Andrew would know he'd been there and that was all he'd know.
He unlocked the door to his apartment, and shut it behind himself, locking all the locks both visible and invisible. He removed the small black book from his inner coat pocket, hung his coat on its proper hook. Set the book on its small shelf. Stepped to the hidden chain and pulled it, opening all the shutters and letting the city's lights in.
John didn't want to use the girl for his mission. It wasn't fair, and it wasn't right. Using people was something he was very good at, almost talented at, but this girl was an innocent. An especially pure innocent. A shiver sped down his spine as he remembered the psychic wave that spoke of her virginity.
Lots of virgins had been witness to visions, manifestations from God. The purity of mind and body from human sexuality made their connections clearer, truer. God had chosen a virgin birth for His son, hadn't He?
"A fucking virgin. That's a new one for my list." John pulled a glass from the open cupboard and grabbed for the whiskey with his other hand. It explained why her mental touch had stayed with him. It was like a drug in its purest form. You never achieved the same high as your first hit ever again but you always tried.
He sat in the chair, a finger of whiskey in the glass, half a pack of Chicklets on the table. Alone. Again. Like always.
"How was your day, John?" he asked. "Fine, thanks for asking, John." He sneered back at himself, the glass to his lips. A knock at the door. He finished his drink, but instead of getting up, cast out his psychic vision.
Elizabeth was at the door.
John knocked over the chair getting up, rushing to the door. He didn't want to scare her off but she was playing into his hand and that made her more easy to use for his case. He paused for a moment, letting her start to get the wrong idea, before opening the door.
"What." He eyed her through the barely cracked door, the chain still on.
"Please. Can I come in?"
"Why? You must really hate your job if you keep hanging around 'forsaken' places."
"I saw his thoughts." Her eyes were wild with fear. John slid the chain free and opened the door. The wards carved into the jam whispered over her as she stepped inside. He motioned her towards the table, relocking the door.
"What did you see?" Elizabeth sat in the chair he'd previously occupied. She shook her head, in a bit of disbelief. She'd been spooked enough to seek him out. John poured a bit more whiskey into his glass and offered it. She slammed it, shuddering as she set the empty glass back on the table. "What did you see, Elizabeth?"
"Nothing."
John just looked at her.
"There was nothing there. His mind was blank! I've never felt a blank mind before!" She wrapped her arms around herself, rocking a bit like she was chilled to the core. "Silence, emptiness, nothingness. There was no sights, no sounds, not even the buzz of life. I've never been in an empty mind."
"What happened?" John pulled the other chair over and sat across from her. She continued to rock a bit, rubbing her arms, not looking at him as she spoke.
"I thought about what you asked. I've never looked into someone's mind on purpose… ok, not true, but never because I was asked to. I've read enough to know about you, that you never show up to somewhere without a big reason behind it. I've got this gift; maybe it was time to use it. So I went down by his office. No one's allowed in his office. No one. Sometimes, if I try hard enough, I can focus on someone in the next room. So I stood outside the door…" she flinched hard, remembering.
"Tell me, Elizabeth." Constantine directed her firmly.
"I stood outside his door and dropped everything, focusing on him. And there was nothing! Nothing there but what I told you. Emptiness. Blinding white emptiness! It was engulfing me, almost like it sensed me. It felt alive!" She screamed then. John dove around the table and clamped his palm over her mouth, wrapping his other arm around her, trying to stifle her voice. Her screamed continued for a few more painful seconds before she fell unconscious. John's fingers finished drawing the rune, catching her as her body slumped in the chair.
