Practical Demonkeeping Chapter 31-32

31GOOD GUYSAugustus so engage, Travis, and Gian biddy Gian were squeezed into the undersurface of drenchs pickup. As they approached Effrom and A soldierydas ho uptake, they spotted a beige Dodge parked in the driveway.Do you receipt what kind of car they drive? Travis asked.Brine was f alone oermatch. An old Ford, I depend.Dont slow rectify. Keep discharge, Travis state.But why?Id opine constantlyy involvement that Dodge is a police car. Theres a whip antenna pinned down on the put up.So what? You go throughnt done whateverthing illegal. Brine urgencyed to transmit it everywhere with and get some sleep.Keep going. I dont want to answer a lot of questions. We dont know what gismo has been doing. We posterior keep down punt later, after the police leave.The Djinn said, He has a point, Augustus Brine.All right. Brine gunned the pickup and sped by.In a few minutes they were sitting in jenny asss kitchen listening to the answering machine. They had gone in the back way to avoid the burnt, doughy tidy sum in the front yard.Well, Travis said, re strike come forwardting the machine, that buys us a little time onwards we live with to explain it to Jenny.Do you think overwhelm lead come back here? Brine asked.I hope so, Travis said.Cant you concentrate your give on bringing him back until we stern find issue if Amanda placid has the gutterdlesticks?Ive been trying. I dont understand this much more than you do.Well, I need a draw, Brine said. Is there anything in the house?I doubt it. Jenny said she couldnt keep anything in the house or her save would drink it. She drank in tout ensemble the wine last night.Even some cooking sherry would be fine, Brine said, feeling a little sleazy as he spoke.Travis began going through the cupboards.Should you find a sm every quantity of salt, I would be most grateful, the Djinn said.Travis found a box of salt among the spices and was poting it to the Djinn when the telecommunicate rang.They all fr oze and listened as the machine played Jennys outgoing message. After the cat there was a pause, then a womans congresswoman. Travis, pick up. It was not Jenny.Travis looked to Brine. No one knows Im here.They do now. Pick it up.Travis picked up the phone, and the answering machine clicked off.This is Travis.Brine watched the color drain out of the demonkeepers face as he listened. Is she all right? Travis said into the phone. Let me talk to her. Who argon you? Do you know what youre getting yourself into?Brine couldnt imagine what was going on in the conversition. all of a sudden Travis screamed into the phone, Hes not an Earth spirit hes a demon. How disregard you be so stupid?Travis listened for a moment more, then looked at Augustus Brine and pass through the receiver with his hand. Do you know where there be some caves to the northwesterly of town?Yes, Brine said, the old mushroom f subdivision.Travis spoke into the phone, Yes, I can find it. Ill be there at four. He s at down hard on one of the kitchen chairs and let the phone fall into its cradle.Whats going on? Brine demanded.Travis was shaking his head. Some woman is opposeing Jennifer and Amanda and her husband hostage. Catch is with her and she has the candlesticks. And you were right, there are ternary invocations.I dont understand, Brine said. What does she want?She thinks that Catch is some kind of benevolent Earth spirit. She wants his power.Humans are so ignorant, the Djinn said.But what does she want with you? Brine asked. She has the candlesticks and the invocations.Theyre in Greek. They want me to fork out the invocations or theyll kill Jenny.Let them, the Djinn said. Perhaps you can bring Catch under control with the woman dead.Travis exploded. They thought of that, you little troll If I dont usher up at four, theyll kill Jenny and destroy the invocation. then well never be able to ship Catch back.Augustus Brine canvas his watch. Weve got exactly an minute and a half to come up with a plan.Let us retire to the saloon and consider our options, the Djinn said.32THE interrogation OF THE SLUGAugustus Brine led the way into the Head of the Slug. Travis followed, and Gian biddy Gian shuffled in last. The saloon was nearly empty Robert was sitting at the bar, another man sat in the dark at a table in the back, and mavis was behind the bar. Robert turned as they entered. When he saw Travis, he jumped off the stool.You fucking asshole Robert screamed. He stormed toward Travis with his fist cocked for a strike blow. He got four steps to begin with Augustus Brine threw out a massive forearm that caught him in the forehead. There was a flash of tennis shoes flailing in the air as Robert experienced the full participating range of the clothesline effect. A second later he lay on the floor unconscious.Who is that? Travis asked.Jennys husband, Brine answered, bending over and inspecting Roberts neck for any project vertebrae. Hell be okay.Maybe we should go some where else.There isnt time, Brine said. Besides, he might be able to help.Mavis Sand was standing on a plastic milk box peering over the bar at Roberts supine form. Nice move, Asbestos, she said. I alike a man that can handle himself.Brine ignored the compliment. Do you have any perceive salts?Mavis climbed down from her milk box, rummaged under the bar for a moment, and came up with a gallon bottle of ammonium hydroxide. This should do it. To Travis and the Djinn she said You boys want anything?Gian Hen Gian stepped up to the bar. Could I trouble you for a small quantityA salty dog and a draft, please, Travis interrupted.Brine wrapped one arm under Roberts armpits and dragged him to a table. He propped him up in a chair, retrieved the ammonia bottle from the bar, and waved it under Roberts nose.Robert came to, gagging. Bring this boy a beer, Mavis, Brine said.He aint drinking today. Ive been pouring him Cokes since noon.A Coke, then.Travis and the Djinn took their drinks and joi ned Brine and Robert at the table, where Robert sat looking around as if he were experiencing reality for the first time. A nasty bump was rising on his forehead. He rubbed it and winced.What hit me?I did, Brine said. Robert, I know youre angry at Travis, but you have to put it aside. Jennys in trouble.Robert started to protest, but Brine raised a hand and he fell silent.For once in your life, Robert, do the right thing and listen.It took fifteen minutes for Brine to relate the condensed version of the demons story, during which time the nevertheless interruption was the screeching feedback of Mavis Sands hearing aid, which she had cranked up to maximum so she could eavesdrop. When Brine finished, he drained his beer and ordered a pitcher. Well? he said.Robert said, Gus, youre the sanest man I know, and I believe that you believe Jenny is in trouble, but I dont believe this little man is a jinni and I dont believe in demons.I have seen the demon, came a voice from the dark end of t he bar. The figure who had been sitting quietly when they came in stood and walked toward them.They all turned to see a rumpled and wrinkled Howard Phillips staggering out of the dark, obviously drunk.I saw it outside of my house last night. I thought it was one of the slave creatures kept by the Old Ones.What in the hell are you talking well-nigh, Howard? Robert asked.It doesnt matter any longer. What matters is that these men are split uping you the truth.So now what? Robert said. What do we do now?Howard pulled a pocket watch from his vest and checked the time. You have one hour to plan a course of action. If I can be of any assistanceSit down, Howard, before you fall down, Brine said. Lets lay it out. I think its obvious from what we know that there is no way to evil the demon.True, Travis said.Therefore, Brine continued, the only way to stop him and his new master is to get the invocation from the second candlestick, which will either send Catch back to hell or empower Gian H en Gian.When Travis meets them, why dont we scarcely fringe them and take it? Robert said.Travis shook his head. Catch would kill Jenny and the Elliotts before we ever got close. Even if we got hold of the invocation, it has to be translated. That takes time. Its been years since Ive read any Greek. You would all be killed, and Catch would find another translator.Yes, Robert, Brine added. Did we mention that unless Catch is in his eating form, which must have been what Howard saw, no one can see him but Travis?I am fluent in Greek, Howard said. They all looked at him.No, Brine said. They expect Travis to be alone. The mouth of the cave is at least fifty yards from any cover. As concisely as Howard stepped out, it would be over.Maybe we should let it be over, Travis said.No. Wait a minute, Robert said. He took a pen from Howards pocket and began scribbling figures on a cocktail napkin. You say theres cover fifty yards from the caves? Brine nodded. Robert did some scribbling. Okay , Travis, exactly how big is the print on the invocation? Can you remember?What does it matter?It matters, Robert insisted. How big is the print?I dont know its been a long time. It was handwritten, and the parchment was pretty long. Id guess the characters were perhaps a half-inch tall.Robert scribbled furiously on the napkin, then put the pen down. If you can get them out of the cave and hold up the invocation tell them you need more light or something I can set up a telephoto lens on a tripod in the woods and Howard can translate the invocation.I dont think theyll let me hold the parchment up long enough for Howard to translate. Theyll suspect something.No, you dont understand. Robert pushed the napkin he had been writing on in front of Travis. It was covered with fractions and ratios.Looking at it, Travis was baffled. What does this mean?It means that I can put a Polaroid back on one of my Nikons and when you hold up the parchments, I can picture show them, hand the P olaroid to Howard, and thirty seconds later he can start translating. The ratios show that the print will be readable on the Polaroid. I just need enough time to focus and set exposure, maybe three seconds. Robert looked around the table.Howard Phillips was the first to speak. It sounds feasible, although fraught with contingencies.Augustus Brine was smiling.What do you think, Gus? Robert asked.You know, I eternally thought you were a muddled cause, but I think Ive changed my mind. Howards right, though theres lot of ifs involved. But it might work.He is quiet down a lost cause, the Djinn chimed in. The invocation is useless without the silver Seal of Solomon, which is part of one of the candlesticks.Its hopeless, Travis said.Brine said, No, its not. Its just very difficult. We have to get the candlesticks before they know about the seal. Well use a diversion.Are you going to explode more flour? asked Gian Hen Gian.No. Were going to use you as bait. If Catch hates you as much as you say, hell come after you and Travis can grab the candlesticks and run.I dont like it, Travis said. Not unless we can get Jenny and the Elliotts clear.I agree, said Robert.Do you have a better idea? Brine asked.Rachel is a bitch, Robert said, but I dont think shes a killer. Maybe Travis can send Jenny down the hill from the caves with the candlesticks as a condition to translating the invocation.That still leaves the Elliotts, Brine said. And besides, we dont know if the demon knows the seal is in the candlesticks. I think we go for the diversion plan. As soon as Howard has the invocation translated, Gian Hen Gian should step out of the woods and we all go for it.Howard Phillips said, But evening if you have the seal and the invocation, you still have to read the words before the demon kills us all.Thats right, said Travis. And the process should begin as soon as Rachel starts reading the words I translate, or Catch will know something is up. I cant bluff on the translation a t my end.You dont have to, Brine said. You simply have to be slower than Howard, which doesnt sound like a problem.Wait a second, Robert said. He was out of his seat and across the bar to where Mavis was standing. Mavis, give me your recorder.What recorder? she said coyly.Dont bullshit me, Mavis. Youve got a microcassette recorder under the bar so you can listen to peoples conversations.Mavis pulled the recorder out from under the bar and reluctantly handed it over to Robert. This is the solution to the time problem, Robert said. We read the invocation into this before the genie comes out of the woods. When and if we get the candlesticks, we play it back. This thing has a high speed for secretaries to use when typing dictation.Brine looked at Travis. Will it work?Its not any more risky than anything else were doing.Whos voice do we use? Robert asked. Who gets the responsibility?The Djinn answered, It must be Augustus Brine. He has been chosen.Robert checked his watch. Weve got a ha lf hour and I still have to pick up my cameras at The Breezes trailer. Lets meet at the U-PICK-EM sign in fifteen minutes.Wait we need to go over this again, Travis said.Later, Brine said. He threw a twenty-dollar bill on the table and headed toward the door. Robert, use Howards car. I dont want this whole thing depending on your old motortruck starting. Travis, Gian Hen Gian, you ride with me.