Sam Spade 13: Case of the Chinaman's Takeover

Once we were alone Don Bruce said, "I guess I am your confessor. I know you already know what you are going to do Samantha. For that matter I am not even going to try and talk you out of it. But I would like to know the real reason."

Damn him he was right and we both knew it. I wasn't going to ask to have Angela back. She got what she wanted and that little bit of knowledge made the hurt I felt worth wild. He also knew I was going to go kill myself and this was all just an excuse to work myself up to it. "How many people have I killed in all the years you have known me?"

"So that is what this is about? You did what you had to do Spade end of story."

"I felt nothing about killing the thugs downstairs and still feel nothing. But the slave he had upstairs with him, I shot between the eyes just so she would not be in my way when I confronted him. I could have sent her fleeing in terror instead of shooting her. But I didn't I didn't want to. I wanted to splash her brains on the wall for the effect."

"And you enjoyed pulling the trigger and watching her die." Don Bruce said.

"Yes..." I whispered looking down.

"So now you are unclean, not worthy of your soul mate, and know deep in your heart that the moment our followers find out you're a monster they will leave too. It's better to kill yourself than face that." He paused and then added, "That's just what The Nose did. Funny thing was that we all knew and still cared for him even with his faults." Don Bruce looked at me until I looked back, "Spade, I like you. You took us in and saved our lives. But you are such a chump sometimes. Every one of your daughters and your son lived the experience as it happened to you. We lived through it through your essence. We knew when you beat him and went off to die. We accepted that fact and understood your need."

"You knew? But why save me?" I asked shocked.

"We didn't... Alvin, Kitten and Angela did. You missed the fight on the century when they brought you here. We wanted to allow you to die but those three refused. Alvin because he was not one of us, Kitten because she cannot understand your guilt and Angela just so she could tell you to piss off." I saw the Don Bruce of old then as he added, "Once you are gone, we will deal with that bitch once and for all."

"No leave her alone..."

"You'll be dead so have no say in our actions. We will have our revenge Spade and she will suffer a long time before we allow her to die." Don Bruce replied in a cold hard voice. "We will leave Maradith and Jason alone but if they try to stop us they will suffer the same fate."

"You stand no chance against them."

"We will raise an army the likes of which have never been seen before. No matter where they hide her, no matter what else happens or how many of us die; we will have our blood revenge." Don Bruce said angrily. "Before then we will help you die in peace and when you die our humanity and love will die with you," As he spoke he turned into a male succubae, an Incubus.

The incubus before me was made up of pure hate. I realized that if I killed myself it would start a war the likes of which had never been seen before. They would storm Maradith's place and take Angela. What they would do with her I could not imagine but knew she would suffer as they suffered from my loss. "So you are telling me that once I am gone you will start a war and pull civilization to its knees on the hopes that I will reconsider."

"No Spade. I am telling you so you know you will be avenged. The wheels are in motion already and you cannot stop it even if you wanted to."

"What do you mean I can't stop it?" I asked. "What have you done?" I imagined them sending a message to mother saying hand over Angela or else.

"Gathering allies," Don Bruce replied in a dead voice. "Let's see how well she likes it when her mother betrays her like she did you. Now if you excuse me, I have a date with the devil." Reforming into an old man he turned and left.

"Well I'm fucked...."

"You sure are," I heard Lucifer say from behind me.

Turning around I saw him sitting on the throne and looking around, "Nice place you have here."

"So you have your war," I said turning away.

"You have to stop them. It is not time for the final war between good and evil."

"You stop them, Lilith works for you remember? Without yours or her help it will not escalate out of control." I replied still not looking back at him. "What do you want from me? Am I so important to you that you would ruin the lives of everyone around me just to fuck with me?"

"It's not that simple Samantha Marie.,"

"You are too much," I said. "If I ask for my angel back I am damned. If I do nothing I am damned. If I kill myself, I am damned. Even if I were to ask her to give up everything for her memory the woman Angela is now would tell me to drop dead. She made that clear when she told me to never see her again." I sighed, "What the fuck do you want from me? Do you want me to admit I am damned? Okay I'm damned. What I want to know is why pick me as your new Job? I'm not religious and can care less on what happens to me when I die."

I said turned and looked at him, "So now that I have admitted my eternal damnation, stop the war. I will not ask for my angel back. She deserves to be happy just as everyone else I care about."

"But she still will not recall her mate and stop the coming war."

"If you want her back beside me then do it yourself," I said standing. "I refuse to play your game anymore. So deal me out!" I made a move to turn away and found my body was frozen in place.

Lucifer grinned at my outburst, "Daughter this is not resolved you cannot leave."

"What are you going to do? Make my life a living hell? Guess what, you're too late. You have already taken care of that issue." I looked at Lucifer, "Want to dance? I will do the same to you as I did to Yang before I die." I laughed, "That would get me blessed and I would be the first of my kind in heaven. People would be lining up at the complaint desk for sure after I showed up." I got control of my emotions and said, "If you want a resolution then ask Angela. Tell her everything and let her decide what she wants."

A moment later Angela was standing beside me and looking as if she had been in the middle of play. "What do you want Spade? I told you I did not want to see you again," she said nastily.

"Daughter, do not flaunt your ignorance. Samantha Marie did not bring you, I did," Lucifer said. It seemed as if time passed without me because the next thing I knew Angela was flying and slamming into the far wall and he was standing where she had been. He looked at her and said, "It would almost be worth having the final war just see how long you last once Samantha's followers get you."

A moment later Lilith appeared and looked around confused. To my surprise she knelt with her head lowered, "You sent for me father?"

"Take her, give her to the others. Do not return with her until her spirit is broken and she begs for death."

After Lilith disappeared with Angela I asked, "Now what?"

"You will decide her fate. Will you return to her playmates that are not anywhere near done with her? Or will you allow your angel lose her emotions and keep the memory of all that has transpired?" Lucifer replied. "A slow death or the memory of her brutal betrayal while everyone else other than you two forget anything about it."

I was about to give in when I heard a Lilith's voice softly saying in my mind, "It's not real."

I don't know why but it gave me strength of will. Looking up at him I smiled, "Instead of giving in, I think I would rather watch as I feed." I found I could move and took a step towards him, "In fact I am going to enjoy watching as your head bounces along the bottom of the lava river next to Yang after I kill you. When a look of fear crossed his face I knew it was on the right track. "Get out of my house. The next time I see you I will not be so nice." I channeled all my hurt and anger towards him.

"This round to you Spade," he said and disappeared. The next thing I knew I was lying on my back in the dark.

"I need to speak to her," Angela's voice said.

"No Angela," Alvin replied. "Samantha has been through enough. I don't want you upsetting her more than she is."

"Oh god not again..." I thought.

I heard the sounds of a scuffle and then Angela's cold voice, "I will speak with her brother with or without your permission. Leave now."

"Five minutes Angela," Jasmine said.

I heard sounds of feet and then silence. "I know you can hear me Samantha. I know what happened and what you went through for my happiness. I want you to know I love you and will never leave your side." I heard the sounds of her crying and she added, "Please forgive me love..."

Suddenly our minds flowed together and I realized she had lived all that I had dreamed. Now her emotional state was that like Kitten. She was very clingy and needed to be close to me.

"That's enough Angela," Jasmine's voice said softly. I felt Angela lifted away.

"Can't I stay and hold her hand?"

"Okay Angela," Alvin replied. "But you will be bored silly and she won't feel your hand in hers." His voice paused and then he said, "We are going to put you to sleep now Sam."

I was helpless to complain as I fell asleep.

When I awoke I was in my bed and felt the presence of someone else in the room with me. At first I felt fear and then realized it was Angela sitting in the chair beside the bed. "Angela?" I asked softly. "Is it really you?" Crying she came to me and we clung together as if letting go would cause the other to disappear. We made love to each other tenderly both trying to please and reaffirm our love for the other.