"Curse is a contagion. He has to spread it as far as he can. More exposure to it. Make himself stronger. A-apocalypse."

I took my foot off of his arm and smashed the motel's phone to pieces with the bat. I found his cell phone and crushed it, too. Then I reached into my pocket and dropped a quarter on the floor near him. "There's a pay phone on the other side of the parking lot, past a patch of broken glass. You'd better get yourself an ambulance." I turned and walked to the door without looking back. "If I see you again-ever-I'll kill you."

Michael and Sanya waited for me outside the door. Sanya's face held a certain amount of satisfaction. Michael's expression was grave, worried, his eyes on mine.

"It had to be done," I said to Michael. My voice sounded cold. "He's alive. It's more than he deserves."

"Perhaps," Michael said. "But what you did, Harry. It was wrong."

A part of me felt sick. Another part felt satisfied. I wasn't sure which of them was bigger. "You heard what he said about Shiro. About Susan."

Michael's eyes darkened, and he nodded. "It doesn't make it right."

"No. It doesn't." I met his eyes. "Think God'll forgive me?"

Michael was quiet for a moment, and then his expression softened. He clasped my shoulder and said, "God is always merciful."

"What you did for him was actually quite generous," Sanya said philosophically. "Relatively speaking. He might be hurt, but he is, after all, alive. He'll have a nice, long while to reconsider his choices."

"Uh-huh," I said. "I'm a giver. Did it for his own good."

Sanya nodded gravely. "Good intentions."

Michael nodded. "Who are we to judge you?" His eyes flashed, and he asked Sanya, "Did you see the snake's face, right when Harry turned with the bat?"

Sanya smiled and started whistling as we walked through the parking lot.

We piled into the truck. "Drop me off at my place," I said. "I need to pick up a couple things. Make some phone calls."

"The duel?" Michael asked. "Harry, are you sure you don't want me to-"

"Leave it to me," I said. "You've already got something on your plate. I can handle things. I'll meet you at the airport afterward and help you find Shiro."

"If you live," Sanya said.

"Yes. Thank you, Comrade Obvious."

The Russian grinned. "Was that a quarter you gave Cassius?"

"Yeah."

"For the phone?"

"Yeah."

Michael noted, "Phone calls cost more than that now."

I slouched back and allowed myself a small smile. "Yeah. I know."

Sanya and Michael burst out laughing. Michael pounded on the steering wheel.

I didn't join them, but I enjoyed their laughter while I could. The February sun was already sinking fast toward the horizon.

Chapter Twenty-nine

Back at my apartment, I called Murphy on her personal cell phone. I used simple sentences and told her everything.