"You know, Archer. It's dangerous to just open the door for everyone in this city before knowing who they are." said John as he walked in.
A thin man of his mid-twenties sat on the couch in the poorly lit yet lavish apartment.
"But then again I am psychic.", said Archer, who then took a drag from a bong.
"It's good to see you John." said Archer as the drugs spread through his system.
"Likewise, Nigel(1)."
"I'm guessing this isn't a social visit"
"I need your help"
"I knew you'd say that." said Nigel, I've been getting these strange vibes this past day, like something major is coming; it started a while back, but yesterday: Wow! It's like whatever was sending these vibes was sitting in my lap."
"What kind of vibes"
"Hard to say."
"Want to tag along"
"I don't know John, you're my buddy and all. But your company isn't really walking in the park."
John was silenced for a minute, then decided some small talk was in order.
"So who pays for this"
"Lots of rich folk can use the services of a confide fortune-teller"
"You can't see the future, Nige."
"No I don't," said Nigel then chuckled manically, "But I get a sense of what they want me to say and I say it."
Nigel took a puff from his bong, "It's safe to say I sold out"
"We all sell out, Kid. One way or the pother."
"True. This stuff don't come cheap anyway." said Nigel, gesturing at the bong at hand.
"You know you don't need it"
"Yes I do. Not all the stuff I see is easy to take. You get a feel of what man is wiling to do to man, You'll be knocked out of your panties. And it works a lot better than church or vodka."
"This vibe; did it start six months back"
"Give or take a week, of course you can let me in on it"
"Quid pro quo, you lend me your senses, you'll get a front seat to the D-Day of the occult"
"I'm intrigues, and in." said Nigel as he took a last drag of the bong and put it out. John helped the drugged man up, who snickered like a mad man, and as the two head out, Nigel asked, "Are you smoking again?"
"Sixth sense, huh"
"No, I can smell it"
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The Devil approached Lilith, who kneeled onh the ground next to a man whose limbs were fastened to the ground by roots.
"Been driving drunk, drove off a cliff." she explained as she ripped the mans shirt open.
"He was the last my daughter had tainted." she followed as she ran her pointy finger on his stomach; it gruesomely opened and roots sprouted out the ground ad spread it open as the man screamed in complete agony, Lilith then scratched here wrist and lit her blood drip into the man's cavity, she then blew into the blood and it started to glow.
"We'll see her soon. Then she'll be yours to do with as you wish."
The Devil grinned darkly, first Ellie, and soon Constantine.
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Ellie was asleep on the bed while Gabriel and Eudaemon sat in the office.
"But why did you do it?" asked Eudaemon.
"You're young, Son. You're just as old as you look. Whereas I've been in existence from the beginning, from before there was a conflict, from before there was man. Just wait for a century then you'll be able to make a more enlightened decision."
"How could you be in existence from before man?"
Gabriel smiled in remembrance of a find memory, "I was a pure Angel once, no different from those eternally in heaven. But when the Adam descended to this earth, the father though it'd be best if I could watch over humanity, so he merged me with a human body and thus I became a half-bread."
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John descended down the stairs to club Midnite, the bouncer let him pass and then flashed a card at Nigel.
"A lion with a Cain."
Nigel followed John through the nightclub which was now at its busiest hour he tried hard to not look at anyone, for he knew who he was.
"I hate this place." he said as he gazed at John's feet and he rubbed his temples .
"They're in here."
Finally leaving the place behind, they entered the office and saw Eudaemon and Gabriel there.
"Gabe, Ed. This is Nigel Archer"
"Hi."
The fur filled into the bedroom where Ellie was waking up.
"That's Ellie"
"It's in her." hissed Nigel, "But it can't be! This is huge, and wrong."
"We need what science can't provide"
"Just let me be clear on one thing"
"That Angel outside and that Demon are having an affair, and have been expecting for six months"
"And you want me to give you a feel of what it is"
"Yes."
Nigel sighed as the situation was sobering him up, he then went to approach Ellie, "I won't hurt you, Honey."
Ellie looked at John who nodded in approval. Nigel pulled her shirt away from her swollen belly and carefully placed his hands, he shut his eyes in concentration, sweat instantly formed on his face, veins started to bulge, he was gasping for air before far and John started to worry.
"Nigel..."
The psychic exploded from across the room and almost crashed into a wall if it were not for Eudaemon who caught him and lowered him onto a couch.
"Good god!" said Gabriel as she ran to him and touched his wrist, it was racing but was slowing down.
"He's still alive, but he'll be out for a while."
John rubbed his head as he marveled at the power of the child. Ellie and Eudaemon were blown out of their minds as well.
Gabriel slowly approached John.
"Constantine, It's not safe here anymore"
"This place is the only safe place"
"Someone must have heard the noise. They probably have sensed something already. They know me, they know you're friend, and they know something is up. It's only a matter of time before someone comes in here with guns blazing and then were all going to be fucked."
"You're right."
As much as John hated to change his mind and agree with someone else, especially Gabriel; she was right.
"I'll call Frank, we'll go somewhere safe."
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Frank placed the still unconscious Nigel in the front seat as the rest sat in the back, Frank then slipped into the drivers seat and drive away.
"This better be big." he muttered.
"I said I'll pay you." said John.
"Where to now"
"You know anywhere secluded"
"Yeah. I've got just the place."
A few minutes later Frank looked at the mirror, that car behind looked suspicious, it had been behind them ever since they left the club.
"Expecting any company?" asked Frank.
"What do you mean?"
The car then took a turn and despaired.
"Nothing, I was being paranoid."
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The cab stopped in front of a run down apartment building, Nigel had woken up and stood on the outside with John as the couple made their way inside.
"What did you see?"
Nigel lit one of John's Silk Cuts and said, "Not much, the child. It's half-human, but it's still very powerful"
"Did you get a good look at it?" asked Gabriel.
"I saw something, Crimson skinned, barbwire like markings all over. I didn't see much about it, I got cannonballed across the room before I could dig deep; It has a cranky mood."
He took a few drags, "I did see some things, A man with bits of cole in his hands. Five guys in cloaks, their leader is shorter than the others. I saw an Iron Shield."
"What else"
"Snippets we see everyday I'm afraid. There was this one man, big guy. Seven feet tall, hair reaching to his hips, yellow eyes. Scary fella."
John head back in, he walked into the empty apartment Eudaemon and Ellie have resided in and started carving symbols into the walls with his knife.
"Masking Segals?" asked Gabriel.
"Yeah, No half-bread can sense anyone here now. Only dumb luck could lead them here."
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"She's gone!"
The Devil turned to the kneeling Queen of the succubae, still gazing at the pool created in the stomach of Ellie's final conquest.
"What?"
"Some kind of magic is shielding her from me. Some kind of segal is hiding her from me."
Filled with Anger, the Devil grabbed Lilith by the neck and lifted her up in the air.
"You think of me as a fool, do you?" hissed Lucifer, squeezing her violently, "You think you can let me down?"
"It wasn't my doing, Dear Devil. I know where she was last: The City of Angels."
The Devil dropped her to the ground.
"Los Angeles, Huh?" he said gleefully, "In close proximity with John Constantine I reckon. This situation may work for our benefit"
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John got into the cab once again along with Nigel and Gabriel, ten minutes later Gabriel noticed Nigel was squinting and grabbing his head painfully.
"Is he alright"
"After a seeing that strong there might be some sort of astral hangover." said John.
After dropping Gabriel off by a few minutes, Nigel screamed at the top of his lungs, causing Frank to be startled for a second and he crashed into a parked car.
"What's your problem you bleeding idiot!" shouted Frank.
"He's coming, he's coming"
"Who"
"The Child is coming." said Nigel as his premonition subsided.
"Frank, Go back."
Frank obliged, the damaged Taxi raced through LA and was soon back in the place, all for got out and as soon as the doors were shut they heard the horrible screams of Ellie screaming with a sound worthy of a Demon of Hell.
They raced into the apartment to where Ellie lay on her back screaming bloody murder, while Eudaemon stood by the door, scared, confused and not sure what to do.
"It's her time!" whispered Eudaemon frightfully, "She's having the baby!"
"Aw, crap." was all Nigel managed to utter before he passed out and fell to the floor, suffering tole of his drug habit, visions and the stress of the arousing situation.
"You!" Hissed Ellie with a demonic voice, "YOU ASSHOLE! YOU DID THIS TO ME, YOU PUT IT IN ME AND NOW IT'S CUTTING IT'S WAY OUT!"
"I'm sorry, Ellie," said Eudaemon tearfully, "You know I love you."
"Horeshit! Miracle of BIRHT MY ASS! THIS FEELS LIKE PUISSING A FOOTBALL!"
John wasn't sure what to do, he thaught of calling an ambulance, but he couldn't risk it. He shouldn't have sent Gabriel home, she might have knew how to wing it at least.
"Where's Midnite when you need hem?"
John thought about calling for Frank, he's witnessed a lot of childbirths in his time, with being a Cabbie and all. Maybe he'll know what to do.
As John ran out he was caught by someone's fist shooting to his jaw, he managed to duck and slip on his brass knuckles simultaneously, then punched the assailant in the ribs and watched him fall.
"What the hell?"
The assailant was decked in black, he had no wings, he had no trace of demon either, he was... human.
He ran back to the apartment, there he saw Eudaemon battling it out with several men all human as well. Normally an Angel could hold his own fighting a hundred men, but they did something to weaken him, there was something red splashed all over him; John knew that spell that could be used to weaken an Angel using Dog's blood.
As Ellie scrammed John lifted a 2x4 from the ground and attacked the men, two fell before someone kicked him in the face and sprayed him with pepper spray, and as his vision blurred, several boots kicked his chest and stomach as he was on the ground. H was chained to the wall while the others put something around Eudaemon's neck.
Slipping to the unconscious, his vision weakening at every second, John could make out a tall man walk in, he was human too. The man stood before Ellie who lay helpless on her the dirty mattress, the men circled the bed as well.
John didn't know if the Child was born at the instant or if he had blacked out and came back t witness it. But he could make out a harrowing cry on an infant that wasn't meant to be, and what a sound it was.
The tall man took the child in his arms and turned to face John, for a second john could see the child very clearly, it's skin was glimmering crimson, black barbwire-like marks covered it entirely, it's eyes glowed in violet.
It was all too hard for John to stand, as the men left with the child, John gave in and had a deep nightmare ridden sleep.
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The Devil stood before his army of demons, his scavengers of the bottomless pit, all longing to be unleashed on earth and allowed to raise some hell.
Satan quietly uttered the name;
"Nergal."(2)
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(1) Nigel Archer is a character from the Hellblazer comics as well.
(2) Nergal is a character from the Hellblazer characters; a particularly vicious demon warrior.