Franks could barely lift himself up. His quick inventory told him that everything was broken or leaking. The glass had sliced through his skin in several places, and a few lacerations were deep enough to render those muscle groups combat-ineffective. He still had two handguns, a grenade, some folding knives, and that broken halberd on him, but when he tried to draw a pistol, he discovered that the too-soft bones in his new hands were too broken to close around the grip.

I am going to lose.

Kurst had flung him fifty feet that time, and the demon was strolling over to finish the job. Somebody had gotten the emergency lights on, and Franks could see that his men were in the fight of their lives against the partially grown host bodies and the fully grown Nemesis soldiers. The factory was filled with explosions and gunfire, and if Franks didn’t finish Kurst off now, then the demons would kill his allies, flee this place, and grow themselves an army to conquer the world and ruin The Plan.

There had not been very many times over the last three centuries when Franks had implored the World Maker for anything, but it was not very often that Franks lost a fight. If you want me to complete The Deal, I require help now.

The demon prince paused to let Franks collect himself. “You seem surprised I defeated you so easily.” Kurst spied a pipe mounted on the wall, then ripped it free. Steam came shooting out of the gap. He tested the balance, swinging the big pipe back and forth like it was a baseball bat. Satisfied that it would be sufficient to beat Franks to death, Kurst put the pipe over one shoulder and strolled over. “You should know by now that demons always cheat.”

“So do humans, asshole!”

BOOM!

Kurst turned just in time to catch the large-caliber bullet with his teeth. Bits of ivory flew through the air as the back of his skull came apart in a burst of red. Agent Jefferson had braced a huge Barrett .50 rifle over the side body of a forklift. His next round punched through Kurst’s sternum and sent the demon reeling back. Kurst retaliated by flinging the pipe at Jefferson. It hit so hard that it tore the roll cage off the forklift and Jefferson disappeared behind it.

Kurst grinned. “Bia! Your human is here!” He pointed in Jefferson’s direction. Kurst was answered by a horrific shriek from the rafters high above. A purple winged form dropped from the darkness and shot toward the forklift. Jefferson shouted in surprise as the demon attacked him. There was a lot of gunfire and shrieking. “Enjoy yourself.”

Strayhorn came around the side of the stairs with a rifle shouldered. He moved toward Franks while laying down fire on Kurst. “Hang on, Franks!”