The Known/Unknown Quantity

Chapter 159: The Sentence

Chapter 159: The Sentence

As they made their way back in, Crowley asked," Why did you bring the others, Adam?"

The kid winced. "They want to say their piece to you." He tried to open the door to the kitchen, but the demon gently pushed it back. Adam looked up at him.

"They are here to judge me."

"They're here to understand why."

"Why? I have no good explanation for why!"

Adam didn't move.

"M'eh. Knew it would come to this, "the demon growled, dropping his hand, then motioning forward. "Well, go ahead! Let's go! Now's as good as time as any to face the firing squad."

There they were, two other children. Arms folded, waiting.

Adam was right. Warlock was not the obnoxious little shit they thought he grew into. He was narcistic in bearing, and shrewd. But he was not stupid or uncaring.

The other one was a bit of an unknown. All Crowley knew was from the Them. And now, even that information was changing.

Very reluctantly, Crowley told them, as simply as he could, about what had happened that night almost 12 years ago. About why he had done it, and why he and the angel proceeded for the next 11 years.

He told them a simple truth, without apology or defense. The big kid was unreadable. Warlock just kept sneering at the demon with sarcastic scrutiny.

When he finished, they remained silent. Finally, Johnson said," Is that all? You didn't do nothin' else?"

Crowley grumbled," I handed over a baby."

Warlock rolled his eyes," You weren't to blame? Good little soldier, commanded to do Satan's bidding?"

"Another demon could have done much worse," Crowley hissed threatenly. "Be glad you got the lazy, sneaky type."

"You didn't answer my question," Warlock sighed. "Does all that...wriggling around the rules...does it make you less responsible?"

"No," Crowley admitted flatly. It was the first open confession of his thoughts on the matter in years. "But there was no cruelty intended toward you. Not in anything I did."

"No cruelty?" Warlock laughed. "Just mischief? Side-stepping? Those can't do as much damage as just being mean?"

"Is that all you do," Johnson added gruffly, "Just bend the rules like your snake body? Make you feel better? To do, like, just enough?" He let his arms slide off his belly. "Bring in the switcharoo kid? Say something smartass in a great, big, angry crowd? Throw one stone? Shoot one bullet?"

"Start the fuse?" Crowley growled. Johnson shifted, but didn't back away.

Warlock watched them with amusement. "No. He watches. He may say things to get people thinking, just not enough for someone to grab a pitchfork or Molotov cocktail."

"Such kind words, kiddo."

Warlock sneered at him, "Mr. Anthony J Crowley doesn't like to start anything...if he doesn't have to. He does everything he can, in fact, to follow orders without actually hurting anybody.....too bad."

"I don't think I need you on my defense team."

"Just doing his job, right?"

"Right sneaky," Johnson couldn't help but grin. "But I'm impressed."