Page 43 of A Chip on Her Shoulder

“Justify that statement, please.”

“If my brother waits until a more dire point, I will be very eager to rid this Earth of these people, and you will get to enjoy tormenting them in a very special place in my hells, for I will be highly motivated to give them their fair share of attention.”

“Okay. Lucifer is all right with this. I can handle some suffering for a good cause, and if it does good down the road, then it’s worth it to me.”

“Your capacity for good is only equal to your capacity for…” The archangel sighed.

“Evil?” I suggested.

“Viciousness might be a better word. You do not precisely do evil. You work for a greater cause.”

“I can get vengeance on behalf of those who cannot get it for themselves.”

“Yes, and while your method is rather vindictive, you do so with good intentions, so I cannot precisely call it evil. You are the swiftest hand of justice available, but you are as brutal as you will be swift. You have chosen your weapon well.”

“Well, unleashing the powers of hell on Earth to get rid of a few bastards is a bit overkill on the weaponry front.”

“The powers of the heavens, too. You are in league with both the heavens and the hells for this.”

“Does that mean I can storm the heavens, too?”

“Would you like to?”

I laughed at the curiosity in Michael’s voice. “Perhaps. Do you think I could get away with it?”

“I am sure He might grant you an audience at some point.”

Huh. “For someone like me?”

“You stormed the gates of hell for the sake of another. He finds things like that admirable. Not many can say they have spoken with Him. It might be worth your while.”

“You know what? I’d like that. I think I have a question for him.” I glanced at the Devil, who engaged in a one-sided glaring match with my poisoned roses. “I’m a curious mortal.”

“That you are. There is one thing you will need to know.”

“Tell me, please.”

“You may permanently lose some memories because of this venture, but they will be painful ones you are better off without. Do you consent to that?”

I thought about it. “Do those memories define me?”

“No, but they would redefine you in ways you would not appreciate,” the archangel replied. “Without them, you can define yourself.”

There were worse things I could do than place a little trust in an archangel. “Then I do, although if I need to know one day in some future, I am trusting you to make things right in its proper time and place.”

“I shall,” he promised.

A shiver passed through me, as though some gentle hand touched somewhere deep in my chest. The feeling faded, but unnerved, I asked, “What’s next?”

“Amuse my brother with one of your spots while I handle the matter of bringing the police and someone in the appropriate safety gear so they are not also sickened. I will see you soon.” Michael hung up.

I handed the phone to the Devil. “Michael has suggested I amuse you with one of my spots.” I pointed to the one on the back of my neck. “I recommend this one.”

The Devil’s amusement would be my enjoyment, and if my memories would fail me soon enough, I wanted to remember his gentle affection.

Chapter Nine

Just keep your hands from wandering inappropriately.