Rakkim didn’t move. The sound of the skeleton men jabbering bounced off the walls, a worse sound than the snakes rattling their warnings.

“The believers shall have the power to pick up serpents…and they shall not be harmed,” said Malcolm, offering the snake to him. “They shall not be harmed, pilgrim.”

His hand trembling, Rakkim took the rattler. The snake wrapped around his arm, squeezed gently.

Malcolm swayed, eyes half closed as the music boomed and the rattlesnakes hissed.

The walls moved in time with the music and it looked to Rakkim as if he had been mistaken-the church was not made of sticks and branches, but of snakes, and the serpents were coming alive now, welcoming their brethren. The timber rattler tightened around him and Rakkim looked into its eyes, and they were Malcolm’s eyes, pulling him closer…closer.

The rattler struck quickly, buried its fangs in Rakkim’s upper arm, and he pulled it off him, threw it hard against the floor.

Malcolm nodded.

Dumbass.

Rakkim didn’t bother looking. Too busy now tearing at his arm as the fire crawled through him. Too busy…too late. He sat down on the floor as Malcolm went back to the basket for more snakes. The more the merrier. The venom turned from fire to ice. His teeth chattered, his fingers already going numb.

You just going to sit there and die? It was one of the skeleton men talking.

“Leave me alone,” said Rakkim.

The skeleton man shimmied off his costume. Light filtered through the roof. A slender man with a cocky grin. It was Darwin.

“You’re dead,” said Rakkim. “I killed you.”

I was playing with you and you got lucky. That’ll teach me a lesson.

“I had an angel…my guardian angel,” said Rakkim.

I hate being dead.

The other skeleton men were throwing snakes at each other, talking in tongues, all of it happening in slow motion; Rakkim could actually see the snakes’ scales shift in midair. Malcolm glanced over at him but didn’t get any closer.

Pay attention. I’m talking at you.

“What do you want?”

I want to be alive.

“I’d just kill you again.”

Darwin smiled.

“What’s so funny?”

Can’t you tell? You would have never said something like that before. Now you’re a big, brave killer. Seeing you like this…it’s almost like being alive.

Rakkim watched the timber rattler that had bit him approach. Then stop, head flicking from side to side. Watched it retreat.

You know what I’m talking about, don’t pretend you don’t. You should be grateful.

Rakkim waved him away, felt himself drifting. “Go away. I got no time for ghosts.”

Ghost? Oh, I’m a lot more than that. Ask Sarah.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Do I seem different to you? He mimicked Rakkim’s voice perfectly. One of the last conversations he and Sarah had had, the two of them in bed, right after making love. You’re more playful lately, Darwin said, imitating Sarah now. More fun. Not so serious. I like that.

Rakkim stared at him.

God, she’s a hot bitch. What I wouldn’t give to ramrod her all by myself. I’d teach her some tricks. If I had known how tasty she was, I’d have fought my way back sooner.

Rakkim tried to get to his feet. Sat back down.

Don’t tire yourself out. Darwin moved closer. You don’t look so good.

Rakkim thought of Sarah…their renewed passion the last few months. “You’re not really here.”

You know better than that. You’ve sensed me before now. The thoughts you’ve had, the things you’ve done…You had to have known. I give you more credit than that.

“You don’t give anything. If you’re here…if you’re here it’s only because even the worms couldn’t stomach you.”

Slow your heart down. You need time to metabolize the venom. Slower.

“I don’t need your help.”

You need something. Pathetic. Darwin shook his head. I still can’t believe you killed me. It’s embarrassing.

It was Darwin. No mistaking that assassin smile and those cold eyes. He looked better the last time Rakkim had seen him, mouth wide, Rakkim’s blade driven deep into that grin.

What’s so funny?

“You.” Rakkim kept remembering things. Odd sensations over the last year…the unfamiliar memories. They were getting stronger too. “I killed two men in Seattle. Bodyguards for a Black Robe. I…I’m not sure how I did it. Was that you?”

Darwin took a bow.

Rakkim tried to move his fingers. A little better now. “Killing the Texas Rangers…going out of my way to do it. Was that you too?”

Me? Darwin laughed. It sounded like wasps buzzing. No, that was all you. Surprised me too. Made me a little proud, I have to admit. All that blood. Kind of intoxicating, isn’t it?

“I’m not like you.”

Darwin winked at him. Don’t worry. You’re getting there. And those things you told Crews, wanting to burn the whole shithouse down…pure poetry.

“Are you…are you in my head all the time?”

Every minute.

Rakkim watched him. “Liar.”

Darwin shrugged. Okay. It takes a lot of work. Not easy being dead. You’ll find out.

“Dead’s where you belong.” Rakkim tried to stand up. Almost made it this time.

You want some advice?

“No.”

Be careful of that redheaded son of a bitch.

Rakkim moved closer. “You know about Gravenholtz?”

I know more about him than you do. General Kidd never told Redbeard, but the Fedayeen lost over twenty men that one summer.

“And then it stopped.”

It stopped because I took care of it. About ten years ago, some honcho in the Belt set up a facility turning out Fedayeen killers-hardcore mercenaries with a graphite-composite second skin under their own. Jap jobs, they called ’em, after the gook scientist developed it. Very expensive, but better than body armor. The early models took heavy casualties, but that scientist kept making improvements, changing the recipe. Just a matter of time till he got the batch just right. So Kidd sent me into the Belt. Redbeard didn’t know anything about it. Darwin grinned at the memory. I went through the facility like a fox through a henhouse. Killed twenty-seven in postop. Twice that many still in transition. I’m not even counting the guards. Oh, the fun I had. You’re probably the only one who could really appreciate what I did.

Rakkim rubbed his eyes. Darwin was hazy now. He could almost see through him.

Darwin licked his lips. You should have seen them, lying in bed, bandaged up from stem to stern, just watching me as I moved in, their eyes getting bigger and bigger. Near the end, I started getting really creative. Professional courtesy. Then I killed the gook scientist and his staff. Destroyed all the records, all the research. Up until I met you, I considered it the highlight of my career.

“You didn’t get Gravenholtz.”

Darwin’s smile flickered. His lips moved but no sound came out.

Rakkim stood up. “What?”

…left something for you to do. Why should I have all the fun? Darwin faded.

Malcolm stepped right through Darwin as though he were made of smoke. “Pilgrim.” Sweat poured down his face, streaked through the grime. He grabbed Rakkim’s hand, traced the brand in his palm with a fingernail. “Didn’t I tell you-those who believe, they shall handle snakes with their bare hands and not be hurt? Didn’t I say it?”

Rakkim saw men slumped over chairs while others gathered up the last of the snakes. Four of the skeleton men were being carried out.

Malcolm followed Rakkim’s gaze. “Not everybody has the faith needed.”

“I’m not feeling too good myself.”

“Shit, pilgrim, I never heard anybody talk in tongues like that after getting snakebit. You were going a mile a minute, just flowing, using these two different voices. Wasn’t sure at first if you’s possessed by an angel or a devil, but you survived, shrugged off that poison like it was a touch of bad pork. You’re no Prince of Lies. You’re saved to the bone, just like me.” Malcolm leaned closer, smiling like Christmas. “Once we get our hands on what’s in that mountain, you and me, we’re going to bathe the world in blood.”