29th September 2012
18:49 GMT +3
"…parents, because they want us to get married in a church."
Sia's a pleasant local woman-. Ah, she has a Kenyan accent, anyway. She's also six months pregnant. Finn reaches over and puts his hands on hers as she explains the situation to us.
"Are you not religious? Because I've personally been to Heaven and met angels. There's no need to doubt the reality of the mythology.
"
The food in… Well, it's not really a restaurant so much as a canteen. Today it's serving fried tilapia, fried potato slices and… For some reason, coleslaw? The locals all appear to consider this perfectly normal, but I'm using my ring to covertly remove the mayonnaise from the otherwise acceptable shredded salad. The
beer made with bananas is… Certainly
interesting.
Finn shifts awkwardly. "I know. An angel killed my brother."
I lean back slightly, frowning.
"I'm sympathetic, but… The angels generally-.
I certainly-.
"
"
Declan." Finn looks away for a moment. "Wasn't a very nice man. But he was my brother. I don't have any other family."
Is it a sign of deep seated religious prejudice that I'm surprised an Irishman only has one sibling? I mean, The Republic has a Protestant minority…
Jade gives me a sidelong look that implies to me that she's wondering whether I'm being intentionally obtuse. I mean, I could apologise, but I didn't ask the angels to attack other people, and I've yet to hear anything about them going after anyone who was innocent. I don't feel bad about Declan's death. The only thing I really feel is a desire to look him up to check whether my instinctive response can be supported by available evidence.
"Have you considered a different religion?
"
He smiles weakly. "I'd prefer a civil ceremony, but I'd accept another religion if Sia's parents would."
Sia shakes her head. "My parents are strong Anglicans. Another religion would be even worse."
"Well, darn. I know both an angel and a marriage goddess, but it sounds like all I can offer you is sympathy, then.
"
Finn frowns. "You know an angel? I thought they tried to kill you?"
"'Tried' nothing. I got a burning sword shoved through my skull. How did you think I got to Heaven?
"
"Do you think Declan got into Heaven, then?"
"It shouldn't be too hard to find out. Ah, usually Zauriel's not keen on answering that sort of question, but under the circumstances he would probably be prepared to answer you. Ah. Though I… Have to say, everyone
else they killed-.
"
Finn bows his head, nodding. "He's probably in Hell."
"Depends. Do you know
why they killed him? I mean, if it was apostasy then there's a fair chance that he went to a completely different afterlife or reincarnated.
"
"I went through his house after he died. What was… Left of it. I think he'd gotten involved with magic."
"Oh? Do you know what sort? Because they're usually-.
" He shakes his head.
"To the best of my knowledge, they targeted two types of magician. Those who failed them in the past, and those who were
seriously into demon magic. And if he was into demon magic, then he was probably operating within the monotheistic mythos.
"
"So you do think he's in Hell."
"I didn't know your brother. Did the angel kill anyone else in that area? Any confederates?
"
"No? I.. don't think so."
"Then-.
"
"
AHM."
Jade clears her throat louder than is strictly necessary.
Right. Work.
"Then… I suppose it doesn't matter. You don't want to get married in a church because angels killed him, not because you think they were objectively wrong about something. There are no facts in dispute. I could probably find a licensed registrar who could
pretend to be a priest, if that's any good?
"
"No. Look, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but…" He shakes his head. "It's no good. They want a church wedding, and I'm saying
no to churches."
Jade nods. "Could you get married in a registry office and agree to have a religious ceremony later?"
Finn and Sia look at each other, and she nods.
"That is probably what we will end up doing. But I would prefer it if my parents would agree to be there."
Jade nods. And she's studying Finn's face. "Did the police look into it?"
"There wasn't really anything to investigate. We knew who did it."
"Had he been in contact with anyone suspicious?"
"He'd been on some odd websites. Occult stuff."
"Jade?
"
She glance at me. "You don't see the resemblance?"
I take in Finn's features, trying to.. place…
"Okay, but there are a lot of blond men with that brow and chin and those eyes around the world.
" Finn frowns at me.
"You look a little like someone we know. I wouldn't have thought about it, but you mentioned 'magic' and he's
really into that.
"
"I look like-?" He looks uncertain. "Mam adopted me. I don't know who my blood family are."
"Well… Then, with your consent, in a month, I can do a genetic test and, if it's a match, I can see if they're okay about meeting you. Of course, it might be nothing.
"
Because while it wouldn't surprise me at all if John Constantine had bastard children around the place, even
he isn't precocious enough to have started at… What, ten? I sort of assumed that Ambrose was older than John, but they don't look all that similar up close. And if Welsh John is anything like his apparent physical age then he's right out.
He and Sia make brief eye contact.
"Worth a try, I suppose. Just out of interest, if nothing else."
"Ah… Perhaps we should move onto lighter subjects? I didn't.. plan on digging like that.
"
He shrugs. "It just sort of comes up sometimes. Hollis -Father Hollis, he's the local priest- has a go at me about it whenever he sees me."
"Any trouble with the vaccination program?
"
"No? Why would there be?"
"I've been living in America for the last-.
"
"Ah."
"Yes.
"
"No, no problem with that at all. The biggest problem is antivenoms. The snakes have taken a liking to hiding in the cocoa plants, and it takes too long to get back to the clinic with some types. And they can't take the antivenoms with them because they need to be refrigerated."
I nod.
"I'm sure we can come up with something.
"
