A/N1: Woot, here we are, another chappie! Hope y'all enjoy! (Pokes all) I didn't get any reviews for my new prologue though, guys! ;-) If you could review on that as well as on this chappie in the reviews for this chappie, that's be awesome. 'Member, critique encouraged!

A/N2 : This is an uber short chappie, uber short. As in, MINI. Just over a page.But I had to do it. It's part of the next chapipe on me site, but I like it better as a stand-alone. Don't worry, to make up for the shortness, I'll be quicker in updating the next chap. :P

Constantine: (Matter of factly) I'm not in this one.
Me: Yeah… so…?
Constantine: (Gets a piece of gum and chews) It's appreciated.
Me: …Why…?
Constantine: (Gives me a look before walking away)
Me: … (Sweatdrop)

An Innocent Murderer

Of course, by dinner, Constantine did not mean a date. He didn't even mean dinner. No, he meant something quite different: he meant going out into the world and becoming acquainted with seeing half-breeds. He meant getting used to what she saw and felt and learning how to control it.

That was why he didn't want her going out, doing her job as a detective, and not being able to handle all that she would now see. Especially now that she no longer wore the amulet, and especially not after he himself had turned the dial on her abilities further into "on mode." Once you started seeing, it was difficult to stop, to even slow down, especially if you barely knew how to control any of it. It was like trying to type wearing mittens one size too big. Maybe you'd get lucky and succeed, but chances were, you'd fail, and you would fail miserably.

Unluckily enough, there was no paperwork to do when Angela got to the office. Instead, there was a fresh homicide, and Angela was ordered to go to the scene. Of course, she could have said that her sister's death was still fresh in her mind, that she required some more time…

But she would not lie, and she wouldn't sacrifice her career either. But most of all, this was her job. This was what she'd signed on to do. She wouldn't leave some murdered person out there and not try to help them.

And so she went.

"Alicia Bennet, 26, lives four blocks down." Weiss was telling her as they walked over to the alleyway where the body had been dumped. "She was found behind the dumpster, wrapped in old blanket, fully clothed and nothing stolen. Been there from 8 to 12 hours. She was stabbed twice, bled to death."

"Did you order a rape kit?" Angela asked without missing a beat, walking towards the site—why were there always spectators, even when the scene of the crime was a secluded alleyway—and was about to lift the police tape when something caught her eye. She stopped short.

"As soon as she gets to the M.E.—Angie?" Weiss stopped as well, the hand of his right arm, the one that was not in a sling, frozen on the police tape.

But Angela barely noticed. Instead, her eyes were focused on one particular person in the crowd, a person who was not a person. A half-breed, and not one from up above with the ability to soar over tall buildings in a single flap.

Was that… it had to be. That was the bastard who'd "influenced" the killer, wasn't it?

Weiss, her partner, walked up behind her. "Detective? What is it?" He looked in the direction of her eyes, but he couldn't see a demon. All he could see was a kid, late teens, early twenties, with shoulder-length black hair, a tan, an old leather jacket, and black, baggy pants with chains and bondage straps. "Detective," he said quietly, so that no one else could overhear, "we don't profile."

Angela barely heard him, but somehow, she managed a response. "I'm not," she said quietly, haltingly, her eyes fixed on the half-breed. "I just… think he might have… seen something."

The half-breed had turned his head now, and he was facing her as surely as she was facing him.

He gave her a hellish grin, quite literally, before turning and walking away.

Angela couldn't help it; she began to walk after him. She didn't think, not about the consequences, not about anything. She knew they couldn't hold him and that she might be disciplined, but she didn't care. She knew that, in all likelihood, they couldn't even take him in for questioning. All she knew was that this bastard was somehow responsible, and even if they couldn't hold him, even if nothing could be done to him because the of the Balance, he could at least point them in the direction of the killer. And maybe, even with the Balance, she could somehow stop him from doing this to anyone else.

No wonder Pride was one of the 7 Deadly Sins.

That's against the rules, Angela… a voice rang in her head, a voice creepily similar to that of Constantine's, but she ignored it.

She couldn't let this jackass go around "influencing" rape and murder and only God and the Devil knew what else.

"Stop, police!" she called out, speeding up as she got closer and closer to the half-breed. It was taking every ounce of self-control she had to not draw her weapon. Weiss followed closely behind, now having given up on trying to make her see reason. There were how many other people here, besides policemen? At least fifteen, most of them now staring at Angela. Why did she single out the wanna-be Goth?

At least this way, he could keep his eye on the whole affair, make sure it didn't go too far. She was his partner and his friend. He wasn't about to let her go rushing off alone.

But… had her sister's suicide really screwed Angela up this much? Was it even safe for her to be in the field?

Like the good, innocent citizen, the half-breed didn't run. Instead he turned, giving the two detectives a charming, innocent, yet shameful smile. "I'm sorry, did I disturb anything over there? I just saw everyone crowding, and the police tape and…" He shrugged. "Well, you know."

Only Angela saw him for what he really was; she couldn't stop. It flashed in and out of focus, true, but mainly in. She saw the hell-fiend underneath his human mask, and she was disgusted. He had to be the influencer. Why else would he be there? To see his work first-hand, no doubt. She couldn't picture any demon glorifying in the victory of another.

Sick bastard. If this was what the Balance was, it didn't deserve to exist. It didn't deserve to be maintained, not while innocent people like this Alicia Bennet were brutalized and murdered.

Before Angela could say a word, Weiss spoke up from behind her.

"I'm sorry, maybe we have you confused for someone else." Angela gave him a look, part outrage, part disbelief. Couldn't he see…? "Did you see anything here last night, around midnight?"

The half-breed offered an apologetic grin. "Sorry, I was fast asleep. Have to stay sharp for the day, you know." Only Angela caught his eyes flicking over to her.

Angela struggled to control herself. "We'd like you to come in for questioning, just in case."

He blinked, giving an appearance of innocence and bemusement. "I'm sorry, but must I really? I really can't right now, and I really have to go. Maybe some other time." The half-breed offered a wan smile and began to turn, to walk away.

Damn it, what could she do? She could take him in and be fired; as if she'd even be able to take him in.

"Hey, kid!" Weiss called, and again, Angela was surprised to hear his voice. "What's your name, address, number? Just so we can check back with you in case you remember anymore."

Why not, right? He'd long ago learned to trust Angela's instincts. Maybe she was right in suspecting this kid. Besides, he could feel that there was something not quite right about him.

Only Angela saw the half-breed's leering grin, the rotting, despicable flesh underneath his façade. "Why sure, I'd be happy to." And although she didn't know his motives, or even if he was telling the truth, Angela took out her notepad, fighting the urge to draw her gun.

"What is it, then?" she asked, "You know, just in case?"

And he gave it to them, and strangely enough, as Angela would soon find, he told them the truth. But she had absolutely no idea why he would. The half-breed Dameon, however, knew very well why he was doing this: he was bored. He was tired of this whispering in people's ears shit. He yearned for an opportunity to do more than simply influence, and this was it. Who was going to stop him? Daddy Devil wasn't omniscient, and oftentimes, he turned a blind eye to these sorts of antics anyway. He was the Lord of all Evil or whatnot.

After he was gone, Weiss turned to his partner, who he could tell was still very much unnerved. He was no longer wondering what the hell she'd been thinking. "You know, I think you were right. There was definitely something very off about that kid."

Vagrant: Nope, you're right. Very necessary to the plot. Sorry it didn't have much more action, but this fic kinda moves slow, the beginning is kinda expository. Getting into the plot here, though. I hope you like nonetheless.

ann: Thank you, on all counts! . Hopefully, the rest of me fic shall be as good as it has been so far. Munches on cake and offers yousa some

heraldtalia: Thank yousa on all counts! . I'm glad I got John down. Actually, I find him easier than Angela, strangely enough. O.o And I shall try to get you your angst, but I wouldn't worry if I were you. I'm a queen of angst. Hopefully, my prologue might sate you for a bit, but if you really want an extremely angsty Constantine fic and don't mind NC-17 for sexual content, go to me site and read "For I Have Sinned." It's a one-shot with John. Tell me what you think if you do read it!

kissed: Thank ya, and thank ya!

Slvrbldrain: Thank ya! . I'm glad the card bit came out well. I really enjoyed writing it. Hoping yousa like the rest as well!

MP: Thank you! .

HoD: Thank you! Dontcha worry, I shall. :D

Vagrant (again :P): Thank you! .

Danielle: Thank ya! Technically, it's NOT really dinner tho'… but it's the terminology dear old Constantine uses. He's special.