Father William emitted a hideous gutteral yell, tried to get to his feet, and actually got one leg planted before he grabbed at his chest and collapsed, panting heavily.

Virtue closed her eyes and fought the urge to vomit as the Angel got to his feet, walked over to Santiago’s body, and looked down at it, studying the contorted face.

“Well, you’ve got your story,” he said at last.

“It was gruesome!” she said weakly.

He turned to her. “Death usually is.”

Suddenly a single gunshot rang out.

For a moment nobody moved. Then the Angel, a trickle of blood starting to run out of his mouth, turned to the door, swaying slightly.

“Fool!” said Cain softly. “Do you think Santiago can be killed that easily?”

He fired another shot, and the Angel dropped to his knees.

Father William laboriously raised himself onto his elbows.

“You poor dumb bastard!” he rasped with a derisive laugh. “You murdered the wrong man!”

Cain advanced slowly across the room.

The Angel, puzzlement and pain reflected on his face, tried to speak, coughed up a mouthful of blood, and finally forced the words out.

“Then who is Santiago?”

Cain held up his right hand and displayed an S-shaped wound that was still oozing blood.

“I am now,” he said.

“Poor sinner!” grated Father William. “Everybody knows that Santiago can’t die!” He roared with laughter and was still laughing when he passed out.

The Angel reached inside his coat for a sonic weapon, and a third shot rang out. He flew backward as if hit by a sledgehammer, then lay still.

Cain turned to Virtue. “Go get a doctor.” he ordered.

She got up and began putting her camera into her satchel.

“Leave it,” said Cain.

“Not a chance,” she said, glaring at him. “I risked my life to get what’s in there.”

“It’ll still be there when you get back.”

“Then why can’t I take it?”

“Because I want to make sure you return. We’ve got things to discuss.”

She looked at the camera, then back at Cain again. “You promise you won’t touch it?”

“Unless someone dies because you stood here arguing.” he replied. “If that happens, I swear to you that I’ll blow it to pieces.”

She seemed about to argue with him, then turned and went out the door. Cain briefly examined the four bodies on the floor, two of them living, two of them dead, then walked to the bar, poured himself a drink, and waited.

Virtue returned alone about two minutes later, her face flushed from running.

“There’s quite a crowd gathering outside,” she remarked.

“Where’s the doctor?” asked Cain.

“I told him he was going to need a lot of help,” she replied. “He’s getting his staff together, and hunting up a vehicle that can transport everyone to the hospital.”

“How soon will he get here?”

“I don’t know. About five minutes, I suppose.”