That night, at a private airport outside Philadelphia, the Sword stood in his uniform, Dark Mystic beside him. Mystic grinned. “Only three left to go.”
The Sword frowned. “Four: Revelator, the Empress, the Defender, and Captain Revolution.”
Mystic laughed. “Oh, come on. It’s hardly necessary to hold up the flight for a sidekick.”
A gruff voice behind them said, “I’ll sidekick you, Mystic.”
They turned. Revelator stood with four suitcases at his feet. His black and blue uniform, which had a lightning bolt emblazoned from left shoulder to right ankle, accented his once-lanky frame and held in his middle-age paunch. “You won’t let me read your thoughts, but your face says you’re pretty surprised to see me.”
Mystic flustered. “You’ve not always been Mr. Reliable. At the university, you had quite a drinking problem.”
Laban smirked. “You know, DM, you really are the devil. A funny thing happened when I came out to my car. Somebody had slit my tires.”
Mystic sighed. “It’s a sad thing that these crimes occur.”
“Bull. You did it or got someone else to do it.”
“Yes.” Mystic sneered. “With my knowledge of the Dark Arts, as well as the time consumed on planning this operation, it would make perfect sense to run around the city playing sophomoric pranks.”
“It doesn’t make sense. That’s why you did it.”
The Sword shook his head. Laban was being absurd. “What do you even mean?”
Revelator glared at Mystic. “He works for the devil. The Devil never does what you expect, so you have to look for the opposite of what you expect.”
The Sword laughed. “Who do you think he is here, the Joker? This isn’t a comic book.”
He paused. “Yet.”
Of course, this part would be on the cutting room floor. No sense in making his sidekick look bad, and accusing Dark Mystic of slicing his tires was downright weird. Maybe a lesser dispute would work. The Sword shook his head.
Dark Mystic looked down at the four pieces of luggage at Revelator’s feet. “You sure are bringing a lot of luggage. This isn’t a cruise.”
Revelator snorted. “With you at the helm, I don’t doubt that. I’ve got a mobile chemistry lab, emergency supply rations for two days, and other odds and ends.”
“That really won’t be necessary.”
“Look, Jesse bought a good plane. It can handle my luggage! You are not going to tell me what I can bring on the freakin’ plane. Who do you think you are? The freakin FAA?”
Dark Mystic tsked. “Temper, temper. I thought you were a Christian?”
Revelator took a menacing step towards Mystic, gloved fists tightening. “Yeah, and I know one demon I’d like to cast out.”
The Sword put his hands on their shoulders. “Enough. Laban, take what you want on the plane, but there is no need to attack our friend.”
Revelator grabbed the Sword by the shoulder and pulled him twenty feet back from Mystic. “Jesse, I’m telling you for the last time. This guy is going to turn on you.”
“He’s been a good ally against the terrorists. You may not like where he gets his power—” The Sword spoke in a whisper. “—I don’t like it. But we’re in a war for our lives against radical Islam. I need whoever I can get with the power to help.”
“Yeah, sure. Can’t discount Satanic Americans.” Revelator loaded his suitcases on the plane.
Continued Next Monday…
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