I wish I had a Veritas. It would help me answer the question. Muttonchops left his tarnished silver coin on a coffee table. I pick it up with my Kissi hand.
“You’re going to help me decide. Kill King Cairo or talk to Teddy Osterberg about the girl and Saint James?”
I flip the coin high in the air.
“Call it, Father.”
“Heads,” he says.
“Always an optimist.”
The coin hits the floor and I put my boot down on it.
It’s heads.
“You win. Which is it?”
“Go talk to Teddy Osterberg.”
I go back to the buffet.
“You didn’t care what the second choice was, did you? You just don’t want to make it easy for me to kill Cairo?”
He shrugs.
“Damned as I am, murder is still a hard thing for me to condone.”
“Like I said, you can’t help being a good guy.”
“Not yet.”
I wonder if Samael left any Maledictions downstairs.
“You don’t happen to have a cigarette on you, do you?”
Traven shakes his head.
“I don’t smoke.”
“I was hoping you’d started.”
I go back to the food and pick up the Aqua Regia. Set it down and pour myself some black coffee.
“Seeing your world. It’s frightening but exciting,” Traven says.
“Thanks, but the truth is I’d rather you cracked the books. I need information from someone I can trust. Is there a way into Blue Heaven? And what’s the Qomrama Om Ya? I know it’s a weapon and Aelita wants it. But that’s all. Maybe you can find out why.”
“If you think that’s how I can be of the most help.”
I go to the window and look out in the direction of the Hollywood sign. It’s going to take some time to get used to being home.
“Hey, Father. Is it me or did the sky turn green?”
Traven comes to the window.
“When did that happen?”
“I don’t know. What kind of fucked-up poison is this city spewing to turn the whole sky a different color?”