Saints or Martyrs?

The mood in McGinty's was subdued. The usually noisy pub was quiet albeit the large crowd gathering inside. Doc supposed that was how it should be when you've laid one of your own to rest. Greenbeans hadn't always been one of the crowd but he became one of Doc's boys.

The old man drew another glass of lager and set it on the bar in front of Dolly. “D-drink up, FUCK! ASS!” D-David wouldn't want to see such a long face.”

Doc thought back to the last time they had done this, after Rocco died. The mood then had been somber too since he had thought Rocco wasn't the only one gone. It was a full week before Doc got a call letting him know the twins were alive and with their Da. They had missed Rocco's wake.

But they were here for David's sitting at the end of the bar.

Connor was quiet starting down at the pint in front of him. Murphy on the other hand would would occasionally sniffle his breath hitching as he fought back tears. Doc raised his head as the door opened ready to remind a determined patron that the bar was closed like the sign outside said. He relaxed as Smecker came in.

“Doc, let me have a scotch, neat.” Smecker greeted him glancing at the twins sitting at the end of the bar. “How are the boys taking it?”

“As w-w-well as you could expect. Connor hasn't said a word. FUCK! ASS! Murphy is doing his best not to break down.” The old man said refilling Smecker's glass. “They don't like waiting. They need something to take it out on.”

Smecker nodded. “We all do, Doc. We all do.” Smecker picked up his drink and went to the end of the bar and spoke quietly to the boys for a minute. They nodded at the man picked up their drinks and headed off to a booth.

*****

“Lucifer,” Apophos nodded. “Have you thought about the fact that Lilith may only be strengthening the foundation of their faith?”

“Of course I did and we both know that nothing she does changes anything. As long as she sticks to them.” Lucifer settled back in his chair sipping at the hot tea in his cup. “The bitch is easy to manipulate. I believe you said her vanity was almost equal to mine? That's what drew me to her in the first place but with a difference.

My vanity in the end comes down to an excess of pride in my father's greatest creation, me. Make no mistake I am his greatest creation, one which even he cannot bear to disfigure or mar.”

“Isn't that sort of thinking exactly what landed you in this situation?” Apophos questioned.

“Don't you think he would have cursed me if he wished to do so?” Lucifer chuckled. “Eons after the fall I remain the beautiful creature he created. I glory in his creation Apophos.

Lilith however glories in herself. She thinks that being rejected by Adam makes her special in some way, that she was somehow too good for a mere mortal man. The fact that she managed to bring about the fall of man and have the blame laid at the feet of Eve has only reinforced her delusions.

Lilith will never admit that she is nothing in the grand scheme of things, but left to her own devices she could stumble across a way to undo all that has been so meticulously crafted so far. So I manipulate her into thinking that toying with these saints is of such great importance.”

“You're saying it's not?” Apophos sat up straighter. "Then why am I wasting time keeping them from harm?”

“Because they occupy her.” Lucifer said. “And it pleases me for you to do so for other reasons entirely my own.”

*****

“Well Juan are you ready for a shock?” Eunice asked her hand on the door handle.

“I'm not sure. I'm still reeling from the first shock you gave me.” Ybarra answered. He had went in to work as usual only to find that he had been reassigned, to Boston as Eunice Bloom's partner. He barely had a chance to rush home and throw a few necessities into a suitcase before he found himself boarding a plane heading to Boston.

“I'm sorry I had to rush you but we needed to be here this afternoon.” She answered.

“Here? A bar?” Ybarra questioned looking up at the sign that read McGinty's. He felt like he should have known the name for some reason. Sighing he followed her into the dim interior.

For a bar it was damned quiet. Conversations were held but in low voices. The old man behind the bar pointed to a booth near the back and Juan found himself trotting at Bloom's heel like a well trained pup. That was until he locked eyes with the man sitting there. The hair was a bit shorter but there was no mistaking Paul M Smecker.

“Eunice you made it. And with your new partner!” Paul said standing and hurrying over to give Bloom a quick hug before she continued on to the booth. Paul held out his hand. “Special Agent Ybarra. Welcome back to Boston.”

Juan found himself shaking the man's hand. “Uh' want to explain what is going on here, I sent flowers...”

“Yes, a beautiful arrangement if I recall. As you can see, reports of my death may have been a bit...premature.” Smecker chuckled as he started walking toward the table in the back.. “Eunice said you wanted to give the Saints a medal for taking out Castro. Good to know I didn't misjudge you. You were one of the names on my list to take over the Saints case but you were doing good things in Miami and I didn't want to take you from that.”

“What is going on.” Juan asked as Paul stopped and two men stood up looking at him curiously. “Special Agent Juan Ybarra, Meet Connor and Murphy MacManus, The Saints.”

Juan stood there dumbfounded. Smecker was alive and Eunice was standing between two serial killers that were on the edge of having their photo posted in every post office in the US and not arresting them? What was going on?

“I thought ye said he was smart? Seems a bit confounded ta me.” Connor said.

“Aye. Looks like he's not too swift on tha uptake.” Murphy said with a grin.

Juan blinked as it clicked. “You're helping them?”

“Of course, we've a common goal after all.” Connor said. Protectin tha innocents in the world from evil men.”

Murphy handed Juan a glass of lager. “Ye have ta admit, tha authorities bungle it more often than not. Somebody has ta make sure the Castros and Yakavettas o the world get what comin to em.”

“Christ!” Juan turned toward Smecker. “You realize how high their body count is? They've killed a hundred men!”

“One hundred and three.” Smecker answered “And every last one of them has a rap sheet as long as I am tall. But those one hundred and three haven't harmed another single person since crossing their path.

Tell me Juan what's more important, making an arrest or stopping these sorry bastards from hurting anyone else? Would you rather drag one of the bastards into a courtroom just to have him walk or to know that that particular motherfucker won't be pulling another El Paso?”

Juan turned back to twins and shook their hands. “Well when you put it that way.”

“Smecker, I got it.” Everyone was looking behind him now. Ybarra turned to see a typical city plainclothes detective standing behind him waving the thick Manila envelope.

“Duffy! I knew you could handle it.” Smecker said accepting the envelope. “Why don't you go on over and have a drink with Dolly?”

“I think I will. He's pretty broken up.” Duffy said glancing back at this partner. “If this leads to anything, we want in. Greenbeans was our friend and partner and we want the son of a bitch.”

“Aye, Duff.” Connor said “Ye know we'll include ye.”

“But for now, tone down tha Irish before ye hurst somebody tha doesna deserve it.” Murphy cautioned. “Save it for when he know who ta be directin it at.”

Smecker picked up his drink and drained it. “I'll leave you all to get acquainted. I'm going to head home and see if I can't figure out something from this.” Smecker gave the envelope a little shake. “Greenley was a good guy, he didn't deserve what happened. I come up with something you'll be the first to know.” The group watched Smecker stop at the bar and speak to Dolly and Duffy for a moment before sitting back down in the booth.

“I have to admit this feels a bit awkward.” Ybarra said. “Castro wasn't the first shithead I was glad to see you take out. Just the only one I was personally chasing.”

“From wha we hear ye did everything ye could, he just knew the system.” Connor spoke. “It happens.”

Ybarra glanced at Murphy's hand, then his arm and made his way up to his neck. “That's a lot of tattoos with a religious theme you've got there.”

Murphy looked down at his hand. “Tis because I'm a believer, just like me brother. Preety much all o our tattoos have a spiritual meanin behind them. But ye don't need ta see em all to understand why we do what we do.”

Connor held out his left hand displaying the word 'Veritas'. Murphy held out his right displaying the 'Aequitas' on his finger. “I'm a lefty, Murph is right handed. Truth and Justice.” Connor picked up his glass and took a drink.

“Tis not me and Connor what takes tha fuckers down.” Murphy said. “Tis Truth and Justice.”