From Hell with love

"I am down here because I don't want to be found," I said. "There's important work to be done and I don't wish to be… distracted."

"I know. Roger and I have been listening," murmured Harry.

"Fascinating stuff," said Roger.

I met his gaze squarely, just to show I could. "You're one of Hell's creatures, Roger. What do you know about the Apocalypse Door?"

"Not a thing," said Roger. "Can't help you, Eddie."

"Are you, by any chance, getting ready to run out on the family again, Eddie?" said Harry.

"And leave you in charge again?" I said. "I don't think so. Not after the balls-up you made of things the last time I stepped out for a moment. I'm not abandoning my family; I'm just preparing to do my duty as a field agent. I have a history with Doctor Delirium, and that makes me the most suited agent to track him down and step on him hard, before he does something silly with the Apocalypse Door. How do you feel about the Door, Roger? Looking forward to seeing old friends again?"

"Now who's being silly?" said Roger. "I like the world just as it is. So many opportunities for pleasure… people are such easy prey. And I do so enjoy being better than everyone else. I don't see the need for any competition."

"Droods have had dealings with the Inferno before," said William, quite offhandedly. "And the Courts of the Holy, of course."

We all looked at him, struck silent. He blinked a few times, and smiled uncertainly.

"We have pacts, with Heaven and Hell?" I said, trying to keep the shock out of my voice.

"Of course," said William. "You have to work with all sorts, in this job. And be prepared to talk to absolutely anybody. Goes with the territory. This family has long-standing pacts with the Nightside, Shadows Fall… aliens, elves, etc…"

"Etc.?" I said.

"Oh yes," said William, chuckling in a quiet, u

"Very definitely etc. This family is responsible for a lot more than most people realise, and contains secret departments within secret departments. Like those Russian dolls, you know… All to deal with the things that no one else wants to admit exist."

"First I've heard of this,"? said Rafe. "You mean… there are special agents out there, apart from the regular field agents?"

William sat down suddenly, as though all the strength had gone out of his legs. He looked older, and very tired. "The more I remember about this family, the less I like it. Discovering the true nature of the Heart, and the price we paid for our original armour, weren't the only things that broke me. Yes, there are undercover agents, out there in the world… doing secret, necessary, unpleasant things, in the name of the family."

"Hold on," I said. "I actually ran this family for a while, and no one ever told me about this!"

"There was a war on," said William. "You didn't need to know. Only the Matriarch knows everything. The keeper of secrets. She carries the burden of knowledge, so the rest of us don't have to, for the good of the family."

"And perhaps," said Harry, "for plausible deniability, should any of this ever blow up in our face."

"Who are these other agents?" said Rafe.

"If I ever knew, I've forgotten," said William. "Perhaps… I made myself forget."

I looked at Harry. "I have to go after the Apocalypse Door. The whole world, all of Humanity, is in danger. I need you to do something while I'm gone."

"Do tell," murmured Harry. "I live to serve."

I looked from him to Roger, and then back again. "The family needs to send someone down into the Pit, as an emissary, to negotiate on our behalf. So that if Doctor Delirium should try to open the Door, Hell will keep it shut from the other side. And there's only one person here suited to that task."

"You want to send Roger down into the Inferno?" said Harry. "Are you crazy?"

"Why would the fallen and the damned choose to remain in Hell?" said Roger.

"Find something else they want, and? offer them that," I said. "Bargain. Hell does so love to make a deal."

"And the Enemy might not want to start an Apocalypse he isn't sure he's ready to win," said Rafe. "If Hell rises up, Heaven will come down. In a full-out war, timing can be everything."

"Good point," said Roger. "Very well, I'll go. It's been a while… but I do know a few people I can talk to."

"People?" said Rafe.

Roger smiled unpleasantly. "You know I don't like to name-drop."

"Hold it, hold it!" said Harry. "I don't like the sound of any of this. What if they don't let you out again? This is Hell we're talking about, the afterlife, not some road trip to a holiday dimension!"

"My body won't be going anywhere, Harry," Roger said patiently. "Just my spirit. My body will remain here, in the Hall, properly guarded. I have done this before, you know. In fact, I'm quite in the mood to pay a visit to the old homestead. I've done far too many… good things, since I joined up with this family. I feel the need to… rededicate myself. It's not easy being a half-breed; you get drawn in so many directions…"

"If you're going, I'm going with you," said Harry.

"No you're not," Roger said immediately. He took both of Harry's hands in his, and looked at his partner firmly. "You can't go where I must go. You're only human. You wouldn't get out again. I need you here, to stand guard over my body while I'm gone. Protect me, from my enemies." He didn't look at me. He didn't have to. "Listen to me, Harry. The Hall is a dangerous place, these days. Who else can I trust, but you?"

Harry glared at me. "This is just your way of keeping me out of circulation, while you're gone!"

"No," I said. "Just a useful side effect." I paused, as a thought struck me. "Should we send an emissary Above, as well? To the Court of the Holy, on the shimmering plains? Just to let them know what's going on?"

"I think we can be pretty sure they already know," said Rafe. "Comes with the territory…"

"The last thing we need is for this to escalate," said William. "Or we'll be hip deep in angels and smiting. You know what they did in the Nightside; the poor bastards are still rebuilding. Angels are even more hardcore than Droods."

CHAPTER SIX

Lord of the Flies If there's one thing in life I can rely on, it's that every time I go home to Drood Hall, just when you think things can't get any worse, they do. We all looked around, as yet again there came the sound of approaching footsteps. They were slow and unhurried, not even trying to hide themselves. Rafe threw up his hands, and looked like he might actually stamp his foot. I'd never seen him this angry before. It was quite entertaining.I'd "I don't believe it! Who the hell is it this time? Am I going to have to put up barbed wire and lay down some land mines, just to have to put up barbed wire and lay down some land mines, just to get a little privacy around here? This is not a lending library!"

"I came down here to get away from the family," said William, wistfully. "Now it seems they're following me down here. Maybe we should lay in some more cots. And another chemical toilet. I'm not sharing."

"I don't think they're here for you," I said.

"How very typical," murmured Harry. "You always assume it's all about you, Edwin."

"To my continuing displeasure, mostly it is," I said. "I think I recognise those arrogant, overbearing footsteps. Over here, Cedric."

The Sarjeant-at-Arms appeared at the end of the stacks, paused briefly to fix us all with a fierce glare, so we could all get a good look at him, and then he strode officiously forward, heading straight for me. I struck a casual pose, just to a

"Edwin Drood," he said, in his best formal voice, "I am here to arrest you, on behalf of the family."