Minor Demons (18 page)

“Was it good for you?”

Leech couldn’t help but crack a smile, as much as he fought it, and then he gave in to an all-out laughing fit. Shadow grinned too. When Leech finally regained his composure, he finally started in on the presentation.

“Alright, let’s crunch some numbers. Before we start, I need to know what state we’re going to be in. Shadow?”

“Utah.”

“It really depends what connections he has and where he starts out. If we have to start as low as marijuana, we can probably pull in about $500-$1,000 per pound minus whatever percentage we have to give to however many other people. Hopefully we can skip that level. If we go straight to meth, we can pull in $10,000 - $15,000 a pound. If we can make it to cocaine, it’s likely to be more in the realm of $20,000 - $30,000 a pound. What kind of connections does he have?”

Shadow checked the file again.

“He has a cousin named Diego. Apparently, he’s a top-level dealer in Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. He has some serious cartel ties. I bet he’d be willing to give his cousin a job, we just need to make sure he doesn’t kill him first for making the request.”

Lilith stopped them again.

“Can we involve prostitutes? I really think we should involve prostitutes.”

Shadow rolled his eyes at her.

“Yes, Lilith, I’m sure at some point this will involve prostitutes. We are about to help this guy become a drug dealer, after all. Any other stupid interruptions?”

“No, just that one. I’m good for now.”

“Actually, Lilith, why don’t you follow the local prostitution ring and see if you can figure out who the big players are in that realm? I need you to eventually get one of them to offer Carlos sex for drugs. Make them be insistent, so Carlos either has to accept or kill them.”

“And you guys?”

“We’re going to talk Carlos into becoming a drug dealer and then we’re going to take him gun shopping.”

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A
s Shadow and Leech made their way to Carlos’ house, Shadow couldn’t help but notice how many young kids were let outside by inattentive parents to roam the neighborhood. Children as young as 3 played in the streets without any form of supervision. Shadow smiled at what this implied about some of the regions of Utah. Many parents didn’t even give a shit about their own children because they were too lazy or selfish to watch them. One good car accident and...

Shadow shook himself. He couldn’t lose focus.

“The kids wouldn’t make much of a meal, even if they went to Hell.”

“You’re probably right, Leech. I just think it’s amusing how little these people care about their offspring. I know demons who are better parents.”

“Most demons are better parents. At least they’re around all the time to teach you how to be... you know... terrible.”

“Good point.”

“So why did you send Lilith off on her own? Was she getting on your nerves that much?”

“Yes and no. Honestly, I just don’t know how to relate to her. It’s kind of weird just being around her considering the fact that I...”

“...almost killed her in the death pit? Yeah, that is a little weird. Are you going to talk to her about it?”

“I don’t think she wants to and I’m not sure I care enough to bring it up. If she’s somehow moved on, then I’m good with leaving things the way they are.”

“Look, bro, I understand that we’re friends and everything but you’re still the leader. You can’t lead her if you have no idea if she still hates you or not. As mushy and as human as it may sound to suggest this, I think you need to talk to her.”

Shadow looked at Leech like he had lost his mind and Leech held up his hands in defense.

“It’s just a suggestion. You’re the leader and it’s your call.”

Shadow thought about it for a moment.

“You’d be alright on your own?”

“It’s talking a guy into considering selling drugs... to save his dying child. I don’t think it will take much persuasion.”

“Then I think maybe you’re right. I probably should take off and work with Lilith. I mean, I’ve known you for a while and I am just
barely
at the point where I can tolerate you now.”

Leech grinned.

“Back at you, asshole. You’re a good leader, Shadow. I’d follow you to Hell and back.”

Shadow laughed.

“That doesn’t mean much, Leech. We’re demons. We
live
in Hell.”

“Just make sure you know where her loyalties lie before you send her off again. We wouldn’t want the backlash of her running off or joining up with someone else after all we’ve made it through so far.”

“Alright. Just make sure you don’t screw it up with Carlos. I’m trusting you with almost the entire mission, Leech. Don’t make me regret my decision.”

U
sing the fog that had appeared after a light rain, Shadow was able to locate Lilith at Sugar House Park. She was walking around looking unsure of what her next move should be. It wouldn’t take Shadow long to reach her there, but by the time he arrived her situation would have changed drastically.

Three dark forms were slowly closing in on her. She hadn’t realized it yet, but she was about to be surrounded. As Shadow recognized who was closing in on her, he started sprinting and knew he had to make it there in time.

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A
fter Shadow had given her an order to get her out of the way, Lilith found the nearest park and walked around, waiting. It was unlikely that any prostitutes were going to attempt anything in the daylight so she had plenty of time to think. If no prostitutes decided to hang around Sugar House Park, she could simply move on to another park and cross this one off of her list.

Lilith realized once again the same thing she had battled for years. She didn’t play well with others. She knew she could flirt and make everyone’s jaw drop but she never belonged anywhere and was no good at being part of a team. She had always thought that it stemmed from the fact that she didn’t have a mother, but maybe she was just born weird. Leech sure seemed to think she was crazy and Shadow didn’t know what to do with her, which is why he sent her off on her own to do a whole lot of nothing.

For a moment, she considered crying but quickly banished the thought. She wasn’t some weak-minded little girl. Self-pity wasn’t the answer. Rage was. She wasn’t weird enough that Leech and Shadow needed to send her off like they had. After all, she thought that the two of them would understand her. Leech had been underestimated his entire life and Shadow was raised by one parent, just like she had been. The appropriate response was definitely rage...

As she was thinking this while walking around the park, she bumped into something solid, tripped, and fell backwards. When she looked up to see what she had run into, she saw the grinning faces of Nightmare, Andras, and Valefor. She immediately hopped back up on her feet and pulled her whip off from her belt.

“What’s a pretty girl like you doing wandering around this park all by herself? Did Shadow get sick of you already and kick you to the curb?”

Lilith hoped she could lie her way out of the situation she was in.

“I’m not here alone. We’re scouting a prostitution ring that operates out of this park. Shadow and Leech are around, so it would be wise for the three of you to leave.”

Nightmare looked to the left and then to the right.

“I don’t see your buddies anywhere, babe. They abandoned you. I guess there’s a sure-fire way to find out though. Valefor, Andras...”

Valefor and Andras began to walk towards her as she backed away. From the look in their eyes, she knew what they were planning on doing. More than anything she hated Shadow for sending her off on her own to be attacked by
his
enemies. She cracked her whip at Andras’ face as Valefor lunged at her. While Andras took the hit and started bleeding from his nose, Valefor tackled her and pinned her arms to the ground. Andras was there seconds later pinning her legs. Nightmare slowly made his way toward her, smiling down at her. Lilith cried out in horror and continued to struggle but she knew there was nothing she could do. She closed her eyes, preferring not to view what was about to happen when a small drop of liquid fell on her forehead.

She opened her eyes to see what was going on. Valefor’s facial expression was nothing more than a blank stare. More liquid dripped from his face onto her forehead and then she saw the blood pouring down his face in streams originating from a large knife that had sunk in almost to the handle between Valefor’s eyes. He fell over and Lilith pushed his lifeless form off of her.

Lilith sat up and realized what she should have done at the beginning of this fight. Andras was still pinning her legs, but he was also looking around wildly to pinpoint where the knife had come from.

“HEY!”

Andras looked at Lilith and she grinned back at him.

“Attack Nightmare.”

Andras got up and obeyed. Nightmare saw Andras walking towards him with a raised blade and quickly delivered the punch that knocked him out.

“That’s not a great way to motivate your team, Nightmare. You just let one of them die and then you knocked out the other one yourself.”

Lilith stood up and turned around to see Shadow grinning at her. She readied her whip and turned to face Nightmare as Shadow walked up next to her and slowly drew his swords from his belt.

“What’s it going to be, Nightmare? You seem to think the three of you picking on Lilith is a fair fight. What are you going to do now that the tables have turned?”

“I won’t forget this, Shadow. You killed Valefor and you’re going to suffer the cons...”

“So run back to Hell and tattle on me. In the mean time, understand this. If I
ever
catch you attacking Leech or Lilith again, I won’t hesitate to kill you. Valefor’s death today could have just as easily been yours. This is your only warning.”

Nightmare looked like he might attack even though he was outnumbered, but he was able to contain his rage. He picked up Andras, placed him on his shoulder, and ran away.

Lilith turned and punched Shadow in the face. He stumbled backwards and fell over. She stood over him, breathing heavily and Shadow wondered if she was going to continue to attack him.

“You know what bothers me the most about this entire situation, Shadow? It wasn’t the fight I was almost drawn into. It took me a minute to remember my ring, but I could have had both of Nightmare’s minions turn on him. It was the fact that even though I’ve proven that I’ll fight all of your enemies with you, you sent me off here alone with a task that I doubt is related to your plan. So explain to me what the hell you were thinking or I’m just going to turn and walk away.”

Her voice broke towards the end of her speech and Shadow saw tears starting to form in her eyes. Shadow felt his nose and drew back a hand with blood on it. Lilith definitely packed a mean punch when she was angry.

“Lilith, I don’t know how to lead you because I have no idea where we stand. You seem to enjoy picking on Leech, annoying me, and doing everything possible to entertain yourself. You’re not the same girl I fought in the death pit who was filled with ambition and ready to do anything to get ahead.”

“Did it occur to you that I’m trying to change so that people don’t just hang around me because of what I look like? My ambition never went away. I’m a minor demon, same as you. I
allow
you to lead us. I’m alright with taking the back seat. It’s clear you don’t trust me though and you’re willing to do terrifying, horrible things to me. You turned into that horrible creature in the death pit and there was simply NO REASON. You still would have become a minor demon if you had taken second place or third place. So I’m left to just think it was vain, selfish ambition. Ambition that you can’t control.”

“It wasn’t.”

“Your ego...”

“My ego had nothing to do with the decision. It wasn’t about simply becoming a minor demon or a need to take first place. I was literally
terrified
of coming in second.”

“Why? You uncle was going to recruit you no matter what.”

“No he wasn’t.”

“You’re being evasive again, Shadow. Why can’t you just trust me?”

Shadow realized that while Lilith’s voice was steady, she had let two tears roll down her face. He also realized that she was right. Even though he recruited her after Leech and he didn’t fully understand her motivations, he knew he needed to trust her. She at least deserved an explanation of why he had to win.

“If I didn’t take first place...”

“Yes?”

“If I didn’t take first place, my uncle was going to kill me.”

Lilith’s jaw dropped and she just stared at him. Shadow continued.

“He told me a long time ago that if I didn’t leave the trials in first place not only would he not recruit me, he would kill me. His image means a lot to him. My mother thinks family is first for Cain, because he tried to save my father. I think she’s full of shit. My uncle watches out for me to the extent that it makes him look good. That’s the way it has always been and that’s the way it will always be. I received other minor demon offers after the trials but I didn’t make any of them public. My uncle would have killed me. If I had lost to you or Nightmare in the death pit, he would have killed me. I’m honestly amazed he didn’t consider killing me since it came down to a tie breaking vote. So if you want me to trust you, there you go. That’s one of my big secrets. I didn’t want to torment you in the death pit, but I didn’t want to die either.”

“I saw General Cain carry you out of the death pit and then he had the medic heal you.”

“I was in first place when he did that. I was bloody and broken, but he knew that defeating Nightmare put me in first. He did it for show and he had what he wanted at that moment.”

Lilith looked at him for a long time. She finally decided she could believe what he had told her.

“Why didn’t you just tell me all of that when you were trying to recruit me?”

“Would you have believed it? I wouldn’t blame you if you don’t even believe me right now.”

“Alright then. I can believe your story. Was prostitution even going to play a role in your plan? Why did you send me off on my own?”