"And what can I do?" Barrel asked.

"Play the drums," Shock said, sweetly. "[i]Perfectly[/i]. Won't Lock be just [i]delighted[/i] to hear he missed it? And [i]just[/i] to make sure he can't claim we're lying just to fuck with him..."

She left the room for a moment to go to one of the storage closets in Oogie's lair. She came back with an old-fashioned tape recorder.

"...Here's our proof. When I feel like giving it to him, anyway."

Barrel grinned when he saw what his sister came back with.

"A perfect band session--" he started.

"--[i]And[/i] perfect vengeance--" Shock contiuned.

"--To start with," they finished together.

Shock would think of something more creative to [i]really[/i] stick it to him later. Right now, this would be fitting. Taking Lock's place for the moment, she started the warm-ups, and then began to direct the band.

~~~

It took a while to get to the Serpent's Tongue - for those without wings, anyway. There was a bit of cutting through the sewers, then climbing up to the hidden place to get there. Lock figured Lillith would beat him there. He'd long since abandoned any thoughts of mercy from his older sister, and decided to just focus on what Lillith wanted from him. Worrying about what was coming later wouldn't do him any good.

"All right," he said, once he got inside. "I'm here. No tricks, as promised."