If you meet me, have some sympathy 12

Mephisto’s troops were beginning to gather – they must have smelled the fighting but still couldn’t quite locate us, sniffing around the tower blocks like hopeful dogs.

Theresa was on her feet, ready to go. ‘Are you sure you’re up to this?’ I asked, but regretted it almost immediately.

She grinned. ‘You’ve changed, Sam,’ she said. ‘I’m beginning to wonder whose side you’re on.’

I spat on the floor. ‘I work for myself; always have, always will.’ But I noticed she was still smiling and it riled me.

As the pale sun rose, we fell on them and slaughtered the lot, their screams reverberating as they were sucked away leaving the air reeking of smoke and sulphur. It was a tedious battle – Theresa seemed in her element, but I’ve never had much enthusiasm for that sort of thing. Is that ironic? So be it.

Still, we worked well enough together and the killing didn’t take too long. Then the alarm went out and we had to disappear rapidly. By nightfall the city was far behind us and I found myself in the corner of a field, struggling to assemble a tent. This mission was going to be stranger than I’d anticipated.