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"How am I special?" I say but he ignoresme.
"I saw them together, and before my eyes, he changed. I shook my head as if to clear it and blinked away the mist, but the apparition persisted. Darkness spread out behind them and then I could see him – his great black wings unfolded so that they blocked out the light from thecathedral."
That sends a wave of shock through me, my blood like ice in my veins as I remember Soren inMontana.
"You're supposed to wait until Agent O'Neil comes back." I close my eyes and rub my forehead. I don't want to think about him mentioning black wings. "Besides, I thought you said he was avampire."
"Julien, yes. But the other one. He wasStrigoi."
"Ademon?"
"Yes. An Ancient with great dark wings. All my life I've read about such beings." Now Antonio seems to warm to his subject and leans forward, his face almost beatific. "I am a true believer but still, to see a Fallen so close . . ." He slips a hand into some fold of his filthy clothing, retrieving a rough wooden crucifix on a leather strap. "I delivered the exorcism to chase the demon off. In the Name of Jesus Christ, our God and Lord," he says, his voice wavering at first, then growing louder, "strengthened by the intercession of the Immaculate VirginMary. . ."
I glance at the door, wishing it would open. "Are you a priest aswell?"
"No, never ordained. Merely an Exorcist. But I'm trained. Now it's my duty to watch over the flock, protect them fromHim."
This is clearly so absurd that I might as well stop the tape and shoo him out of the SCU but I playalong.
"What happenednext?"
"I stepped even closer, delivering the prayer of exorcism even though my knees were shaking, and my voice was barely a whisper. Mother of God," he says, his eyes wide. "Mother of the Blessed Michael the Archangel, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul and all the Saints, and powerful in the holy authority of ourministry. . ."
A drip of spittle falls from his lips as he stares off into space as if watching the scene in his mind'seye.
"The demon raised his eyes to me, baring his teeth, but I persisted." He holds up his wooden crucifix. "We confidently undertake to repulse the attacks and deceits of thedevil."
"Then," the old man says, his face crumpling. "Julien pulled free of the demon's embrace and turned towards me. "'You can't have him,'" I shouted. Then the demon held me down as if by some invisible power. I could do nothing but watch as the monster staked Julien like so," he says and mimics the action. "He picked Julien up and threw him across the clearing towards me as if he were nothing more than a bundle of rags." Antonio bends down over his knees and weeps, his face in his filthyhands.
"I no longer cared for my own life." Antonio looks up at me, his face wet with tears. "I dragged myself to him and felt for a pulse but there was nothing. I knew what I must do. I whispered the last rites into his ear even though I am not a priest, but I know God will forgive me. Into thy hands, Lord, I commend my spirit." The old man makes the sign of the cross. "Mary Mother of grace, Mother of mercy, do thou protect me from the enemy and receive me at the hour of mydeath."
I hand him a tissue and he wipes hiseyes.
"When I looked up, the demon wasgone."
I shake my head. He appears so crazy for he completely believes the story he justrecounted.
"You must stop him. You andMichel."
"Me?" How does he know aboutMichel?
Then the door opens and the moment passes as if a gust of wind has blown it away. The clock begins to tick loudly once again as time returns to normal, and the coffee pot hisses as an errant drop of moisture falls on the exposed burner. Ed apologizes to us and takes his seat across from Antonio. I examine the tape recorder on the table but I know that when we play it back, neither Antonio's words or mine will have beenrecorded.
"So," O'Neil says, "when I left, you claimed to have seen the murder itself. Please, describe what yousaw."
"It was dark." Antonio shrugs, now seemingly unwilling to recount hisstory.
"But you saw the murder? You saw themurderer?"
"I saw two shapes in the darkness, heard hushed voices. I couldn't see anything clearly. But I heard a scream and ran like the Devil himself was after me." He glances at me andwinks.
"That's everything? You left the park and ran to thecathedral?"
"Yes." The old man nods and with a furtive hand, tucks the crucifix away in apocket.
"You never told the rector that you saw themurder."
"Eh," he says and shrugs. "I had a lot todrink."
