The Known/Unknown Quantity

Chapter 37: No More Olive Juice

Chapter 37: No More Olive Juice

When Anathema called Crowley with the news, the angel decided to answer for him by swiping the phone from his hand. The demon twisted the wheel of the Bentley to the left, nearly taking out a fruit stand.

"Why is there always a fruit stand? Or two guys carrying a plait-glass window?"

"That's for when you're walking, Crowley," Aziraphale grumbled. "Try not to kill us, will you?"

Crowley grinned at him and released the wheel. He waited until the angel cursed, which he always liked to hear, before putting his attention back on the road. Aziraphale glared daggers at him.

"Sorry, dear, we were out and about. What? You have news?"

Crowley threw on the breaks, sending them both forward, and causing the angel to nearly lose his grip on the phone. "What the hell are you doing! You can't just park in the middle of the street!" He looked about. "In the middle of an intersection, no less!!"

"Look harder, angel," the demon explained. Aziraphale took a second glance out the window. The traffic smoothly flowed around them as if they were an island. And with his attention diverted, Crowley took back his phone, much to the angel's chagrin. "Alright, B.G, let's hear it."

The angel watched as Crowley's face froze. "I see."

"What is she saying?"

"No...makes since....no I was starting to wonder if it was a changeling myself, but I get along right well with both sides of the Court. No grudges there."

"Crowley," the angel uttered, stunned. "You know the Fay?"

The demon covered up the phone," Oh, everyone knows the Fay, they just don't know they know. Little troublemakers are more imbedded than dryer lent---Yes I'm still here." He uncupped his hand from the phone and heard out the rest. "No, I'll tell him. We'll call you back in a while. Yeah, many thanks, B.G. Many thanks."

The demon put down the phone and sat back. The angel was practically dancing with expectation. "Well!?!"

Crowley turned to him, but didn't see him. "A homunculus."

Aziraphale's jaw dropped. "An artificial being? But that's...that's impossible."

Crowley shrugged non-committedly," In this day and age? Look at AI."

"Not what I mean and you know it! This is old stuff, and you need all the proper ingredients to achieve success, and a risky outlook on life. Dear boy," he touched the demon's face in order to focus him, "Didn't you say...oh this is hard to ask.... didn't you say you.... destroyed the..."

"Tyrant, let's just call her a tyrant."

"Didn't you say you destroyed her, down to the last bit?"

"Body and soul. I'm certain."

"Oh, oh bother, Crowley, get us out of this intersection so we can talk properly."

"Where then?"

"Anywhere! One of your lookout points, a secluded one." Crowley moved as if in a trance, his face unreadable. The angel began to worry if he was going into shock. His response didn't make the feeling go away.

"Are we going on a picnic, angel?"

"No," Aziraphale said softly, "By all that is holy, I wish we were."