"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.
Huh. I did not expect
that. People really will make drinks out of
anything, won't they?
Finn shifts awkwardly. "I know. An angel killed my brother."
I lean back slightly, frowning. "I'm sympathetic, but… The angels generally-. I certainly-."
...On the upside, that's
that whole storyline neatly headed off.
"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…
...Just a
little bit, I think?
That stereotype is
really entrenched, though, so don't be ashamed for buying into it...
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?"
Like, say, Hellenism? I'm sure OL
could put a good word in for you with the deity of your choice...
Unless you want Apollo or Zeus. Although Apollo
might make nice considering that Finn's a doctor.
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."
Hooray for denominational factionalism.
"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?"
It's...
Complicated. Very complicated.
"'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?"
Um...
Well...
They must have had
some reason to target him?
"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."
Considering what we know about him from canon? He's probably in
good bad company, then.
"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."
Yeah, that's pretty
damning evidence.
"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."
...Eh, at least he has little chance of getting
promoted.
"I didn't know your brother. Did the angel kill anyone else in that area? Any confederates?"
"No? I.. don't think so."
To be fair, how would he know if anyone else was working with Declan. Most magicians do tend to be
solitary folks...
Ah, right. In story or out, Paul ends up pushing the rules, eh?
Jade clears her throat louder than is strictly necessary.
Right. Work.
OL, make a note to look into that in, say... 21 days?
"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."
Are you particularly wedded to the idea of them being there? I know, I know, the missus-to-be would
prefer it, but... Sometimes, it just
ain't gonna happen...
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.
...And I think she understands that. But sometimes you just can't help but
hope.
"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?"
Oh, ho.
Now who's tempted to put aside their vacation, hmm?
"There wasn't really anything to investigate. We knew who did it."
"Had he been in contact with anyone suspicious?"
...Like, say, a fellow in a trenchcoat, with a pack-a-day habit?
"He'd been on some odd websites. Occult stuff."
"Jade?"
...Oh, god. I can just picture the websites now...
All black and red, with spinning pentagram Gifs, goat skulls and twirly linework?
She glance at me. "You don't see the resemblance?"
I take in Finn's features, trying to.. place…
Yeah, that Constantine jawline's kind of
distinctive, isn't it?
"Okay, but there are a lot of blonde 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."
Oh, god. Please, don't
encourage him to meet John...
"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.
Looking to the
wrong Constantine, OL. Though you're right, John
does have
a few
kids out
there.
He and Sia make brief eye contact.
"Worth a try, I suppose. Just out interest, if nothing else."
Well, I hope OL adds plenty of warnings about associating with your
uncle.
"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."
Just the whole 'getting the bride
visibly pregnant before the marriage' thing, I hope. Though I doubt a
lot of ladies out here would be wearing white at the altar, if you know what I mean? I doubt he can
smell the Constantine luck.
"Any trouble with the vaccination program?"
"No? Why would there be?"
"I've been living in America for the last-."
"Say no more, mate."
Yeah, it's hardly
new. Despite what we might think, he's probably
not referring to
current affairs here.
"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."
I'm sure Kord Industries could come up with cold-tech-based medical containers. Pass them out to every work party (and hoping they don't get
stolen) would cut down on some issues...
