Part 44.5

Angel braced himself with all six arms as the massive fist of the alligator collided with him and sent the spider sprawling backward across the dance floor and against the concrete wall, flattening against it. Charging, Brutus attempted to grab the spider, but Angel leaped onto the wall, firing at the thick hide of the croc. The bullets seemed to bounce off the thick scales, so Angel changed his strategy, leaping up and over the creature as he kept firing.

Every. Single. One of them missed. And for a moment, fear gripped the spider, "You got two strikes, and I got two, big guy." The crocodile roared as he chased the spider, fast, hulking, and most of the bullets, although hitting him, bounced off him. They seemed more of an annoyance than a hindrance.

He was fast for his size. Angel and he had never done a shoot together, and Angel was happy about that, but he knew people who had, and he didn't want this monster running around anymore. Brutus swung wildly, and when his claw swatted Angel off balance, the massive scaled fist of the gator collided with his stomach, and Angel felt the punch as if Brutus was trying to hit something behind Angel, through Angel. It left the spider speechless and breathless as he collided with the floor, stunned and trying to breathe again.

When he tried to aim his second pistol, the giant claws of the croc clamped around his lower body, picking up the spider. But Angel was no slouch and, in a quick movement, reached into his chest tuft and withdrew his switchblade, stabbing Brutus with expert precision between the knuckles of the hand that held him and drove the blade down to the handle. The reptile dropped him, gripping his wrist tightly, trying to get the blade out as Angel went back to his guns.

Being reptilian and as big as he was, Brutus had his hide, thick as it was, wasn't completely bulletproof. Angel would need to be careful, though, as he had once seen the gator take a speeding vehicle to the hip and walk away with minor bruises. And a new bumper. And most of an engine block. But even so, the spider had plenty of practice with his guns. Angel aimed as the gator began his charge again. Little closer...little closer. Thump thump thump thump came the heavy footsteps.

Closing one eye to focus, Angel fired directly into the right eye of the gator, the bullet shredding through the soft and squishy orb in its head, dark green blood bursting outward from his large head. The giant beast tumbled as it screamed, clawing and grabbing at the bullet wounds in its face, pulling itself forward on the dance floor.

Angel jumped off the bar and landed with his feet against Brutus' jaw, standing on top of him. But as the pain began to subside, and the gator began to laugh, deep and throaty. "What's so fuckin' funny, you handbag?"

Those large, scaled lips curled upward in a savage tooth-filled grin, "one bullet left, princess~."

Angel pulled back on the hammer of his pistol, dropping the other five to the floor, "so where do you want it?" He teased.

The sound of glass breaking drew Angel's attention to the opposite end of the room as a bottle fell from the bar counter, and he wavered for just a moment, long enough for the massive fist of the gator to strike him in the stomach and knock the arachnid back to the floor. Brutus's hand grabbed both of Angel's ankles and lifted him by them, slamming him over his head down into the tile, then again in rapid succession.

Angel felt his body almost go slack, unable to get his guns to fire again, to stop, to do anything, as the beating seemed endless. Angel felt nothing when the gator swung him and threw him backward into the bar, the boy's body smashing into the wall of liquor bottles before hitting the floor, alcohol and glass showering him from above. He felt himself cough up blood and winced in pain as he felt his body rattle, but he couldn't move anymore, "Ok...that one kinda hurt."

The alligator strode up, growling almost proudly, as he smiled and rolled his head from side to side. He popped his neck on approach and grabbed Angel by his hair, pulling him back over the bar and into the strong arms of the gator that wrapped around him tightly, "I'm going to break you like my favorite toy, Angel Dust." He squeezed tighter, and Angel heard a pop in his back, screaming as he tried to free himself, his fists pounding on the gator's arms and face, trying to get away.

Through the gator's laughing and his own screaming, Angel heard his cell phone ring. "Pity you can't answer that, little whore-bug." Brutus laughed, "Wonder who's trying to call to fuck you." Angel felt his bones start to crack from the pressure; his screams now muffled cries.

Angel coughed, struggling for breath. His strength was leaving him, and his strikes became slower, with almost no power behind them. The gator glared at him through his one good eye and licked his lip, his thick tongue running over his large teeth. "I always wanted to know if you tasted as good as you look. Guess this is my last chance. Take pride in the fact that you will have satisfied at least one person in hell." The gator opened his jaws, leaning Angel towards them.

At that moment, Angel reached into his chest tuft, pulling out the shiny silver and blue grenade Cherri had brought to the warehouse, and primed it with a flick of his thumb, stuffing it down the alligator's throat. His arms wrapped around the demon's snout, keeping it clamped shut, "get ready, Daddy, it's gonna be a big load."

"You Fu-." Brutus couldn't finish his muffled statement, the grenade going off, and the sound erupted through the building as his body, in a mass of green and black blood, exploded; Angel tossed clear across the room and into a set of doors, striking through them and falling against the opposite end of the hallway.

The ringing in his ears blocked out all other sounds as he struggled to lean up. A black stain was now where the alligator had been, the floor charred, the rest of the body and viscera on fire. Angel had difficulty moving, finding the strength only to roll onto his back and stare up at the ceiling. He wanted nothing more than to rest a while, the fighting and the gunplay catching up to him. Angel blinked his eyes and had a hard time keeping them open.

Eventually, the ringing in his head stopped, and his exhaustion, possibly broken ribs and, more than likely, a concussion, were pressing down on him. He reached into his tuft and checked his phone. The screen was cracked. 'Missed call: Work'.

The implications were horrifying. Valentino had tried to call him. That meant Alex didn't make it. All these demons were gone, dead, and Alex was probably dead, too. He felt tears run down his cheeks, staring blankly. "Oh, fuck. Al?" His voice was weak, trying to call out, lying on the floor. No answer, "Al?"

He bit his tongue and put his phone to his ear, trying to move, 'You have one new voicemail. First message from,' the sultry voice of his boss crossed his ear, 'Valentino.' Beep.

There was silence for a moment, a heavy weight pressing down on Angel's chest, then he heard breathing, "H-hey...babe..." Alex! But, Something was wrong. Angel leaned his head up, trying to roll over, his chest burning. "H-he-" Another breath, a harsh breath. Alex laughed a little, coughing, "I'm...uh...not...feeling so good..." there was a slight chuckle and another laugh. "Val was...pretty strong." The laugh came again, and there was silence. A painful, lingering silence. Angel was starting to hear his heart in his ears and feel his pulse against his eyes as he tried to roll onto his side to get up. "I uh..." he coughed, "I need you to...do something for me."

The spider forced himself to his knees, looking down at the tile floor as his reflection. His eye wasn't dark anymore, his pretty eyes staring back at him. He watched his eyes fill with tears, then run down his white fur, disappear off his pink face, and onto his fluffy coat. He sniffled. "I know you're...gonna be sad...but...I," his voice was getting quieter, "I need you...to be good. Ok?" Silence, the sound of Angel's shuddering breath, a laugh, then his sniffles, a small sob, and him trying not to cry as his voice came back weaker, "ok, Angie? Be...good. I know it...hard sometimes...but try and...be good."

He tried to get up, but his arms wouldn't let him, and Angel fell back onto the tile, "I'm...pretty tired...Angie. I'm gonna...close my eyes for...just a minute. Ok?"

His arms were too tired. Angel lay back on the cold, smooth ground, cheek to marble, with tearful eyes. He pulled his phone closer. "I lo-." 'To delete this message, press one.'

Angel didn't remember much after that. His body wouldn't listen, couldn't listen.

His heart felt like it was sinking inside his chest, like he was swimming and would never come back up for air; his eyes began to feel heavy, like he could sleep them off and everything would be better in the dark.