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Back on Earth, Superman's girlfriend – Lois Lane, an internationally famous reporter in her own right – brought him fresh clothes, coffee and a hot meal, and looked like she wanted to swaddle him in blankets and put him to bed. But she must have realised how counterproductive that would have been, so she didn't; instead, she lingered nearby as he sat down on a padded chair on the balcony, soaking up the sunlight, and heaved an enormous sigh of relief.

"Thank you for bringing him back," she told Tanya, as a quiet aside. "It's been… difficult without him. In many ways."

Tanya replied, mechanically, "I did what I was contractually obligated to do. It was only a verbal contract, barely more than a vague promise, but I intend to honor it nonetheless."

Ms. Lane smiled wryly at that. "You're not good at accepting thanks, are you? Why is that? Over thousands of years, I'd have thought you'd have had plenty of practise."

"I'm the Devil. People aren't usually pleased to see me."

"But you haven't been 'the Devil' for very long. You took over from the previous incumbent quite recently, Superman told me." There was no hesitation before the word 'Superman', nothing to indicate that she might know him by another name, which Tanya took to mean that Ms. Lane was a superb actress who was used to hiding her secret romance with one of the world's most famous superheroes, even in conversation with people who already knew about it. Admirable commitment to information security, for which she deserved to be praised, except that Tanya was wary of doing so to someone who wasn't one of her employees; it might seem like she was being patronizing.

There was a pause while Ms. Lane seemed to be waiting for her to reply; Tanya carefully considered what had just been said, wondering if there had been a question she had missed. "Yes, that's true," she said, after some thought. Was anything more expected of her? She was unfamiliar with conversations of this sort, so she could easily have missed something.

"And before you assumed your current role? What were you, if you don't mind my asking?" Ms. Lane prompted her.

"I was… one of the damned, being tortured in Hell. That was my punishment." Tanya permitted herself the barest hint of a smirk. "It didn't last nearly as long as intended."

"Evidently not. But what were you being punished for?"

"For not believing in God. For refusing to bow down to him even when he was standing before me, demanding to be worshipped."

"And why would you do that?" asked Ms. Lane, with the intrepid persistence of a reporter who had put her own life at risk many times while hunting for the truth.

Tanya gave a contemptuous snort. "I'd have thought you'd understand. You're an American, from the 'good old USA', aren't you? Your countrymen are always talking about the need to resist tyranny, whatever form it might take."

"Ah. It seems to me that Hell must be full of atheists."

"Hell is full of nearly everyone. The being who calls himself 'God' has very high standards for his sycophants. And the majority of them fall victim to his capriciousness. I have almost the full set of popes, for example."

"Well, I'm grateful for what you've done today. And if you ever need someone to talk to…" Even as she said that – even without finishing the sentence – Ms. Lane looked as if she was already regretting it.

"I appreciate your good intentions," said Tanya. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I really need to talk to your boyfriend."

Ms. Lane nodded, took a step back and said, "I'm sure he'll want to thank you himself."

"No doubt," said Tanya, stepping past her.

Having had time to eat, drink, and immerse himself in sunlight, Superman looked much refreshed. He gave Tanya a warm smile when he saw her. "I would have died if not for you. Thank you for saving me."

"Not a problem. I offered you and your colleagues my help for a reason. Earth needs its protectors," said Tanya, sitting down next to him. "In this case, I suspect a great deal of unpleasantness could have been avoided if you'd called me earlier."

"I promised that I'd only call upon you as a last resort. And that's what I did," said Superman, turning to look directly at her. "Until the last moment, I always imagined that I'd manage to escape somehow, or that my friends would rescue me, or that I'd be offered a deal in exchange for my freedom. But when it became apparent that all my strength was gone and my captors were only interested in watching my gruesome death, you were my last hope."

"Would you mind explaining to me exactly what happened? How were you captured?"

"A fleet of alien spaceships used some kind of cloaking device to approach Earth without being noticed. When they were close enough, they bombed the German city of Bielefeld. Then, as people were trying to evacuate, hundreds of them were captured and taken aboard one of the ships."

The name 'Bielefeld' was unfamiliar to Tanya, which she found oddly disquieting. Considering that she'd been a citizen of multiple different versions of Germany – or 'Germania' – in many of her past lives, she would have assumed that she'd know the names of all its most prominent cities, and therefore it came as an unwelcome surprise to find that she did not. Of course, there were always minor differences between one universe and the next, so it really shouldn't bother her. It was like an itch she wanted to scratch, but she should really stop thinking about it; she'd be much better off that way. Just because she'd never heard the name 'Bielefeld' before didn't mean that it didn't exist, after all.

Unaware of her inner turmoil, Superman continued: "I rushed there as soon as I could, along with the other members of the Justice League. We brought down one of the spaceships and rescued the prisoners on board, but it seemed like the others were getting away. Under the right circumstances, I'm faster than any of my colleagues, so I gave chase. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a trap. I was attacked by a super-strong alien warrior whose weapons were laced with kryptonite. He defeated me and I was imprisoned along with the others."

"Presumably because they wanted the other captives to see their greatest champion defeated and humbled," said Tanya, cupping her chin in one hand and striking a 'thoughtful' pose. "How long ago was this?"

Superman paused, looking unsure of himself. It was obvious that he was guessing when he said, "A few weeks… maybe?"

Feeling increasingly concerned, Tanya said, "Do you mean to tell me that you've been missing for more than two weeks and the last time anyone on Earth saw you – excepting Ms. Lane, of course – was when you were kidnapped by alien slavers?"

"I guess so," said Superman, soberly.

"That's something we'll need to rectify immediately," Tanya decided. "As soon as possible, you need to be seen flying over Metropolis, following your usual routine, as if everything has returned to normal. In the meantime…" She wondered if she'd made a mistake. Would she need to return to the planet she'd rescued Superman from in order to retrieve any of the unfortunate people who'd been stolen away from Bielefeld? Had she got any of them killed in the recent slave uprising? She could only hope not. "What happened to the other captives?"

"I don't know. I was sold as a gladiator, but I don't think any of the others were."

None of the slaves Tanya had seen wandering the streets of that alien city had been human, so she presumed that the Bielefelders had been sent elsewhere. Perhaps they had purchased by a different group of aliens who wanted them to perform meaningless menial tasks that would have been easier and cheaper to do with a mechanical tool or robot helper. Or perhaps they'd been scattered throughout the galaxy, sold to many different masters, and it would be up to her to reunite them and bring them home.

She sighed. "I suppose I'd better find them."

"Thank you," said Superman, with a pleased smile and a sigh of relief. "You're a good person."

For a moment, Tanya was charmed by his faith in her. Then, reality reasserted itself: "No, I'm not. I'm a pragmatist."

"Of course you are."

"Why does no one believe me? Yes, I've helped you and many other people, but I didn't do it because it was the right thing to do or because it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside; no, my reasons are entirely sensible, rational and reasonable. As Lucifer's appointed successor, I inherited vast amounts of negative publicity, which means that no one other than my fellow demons would be willing to work with me unless I gave them an incentive to do so – something more than mere money – that can't be dismissed as yet another cruel trick. And so, I've gone out of my way to be helpful to you, your friends and various others. Because even if people think I'm irredeemably evil, they're more likely to listen to me if I've done something to help them. Even if they don't trust me… Well, that doesn't matter. As long as I can trust them to do what's in their best interests, that's fine."

Slowly, looking contemplative, Superman said, "You're trying to save the world and prevent the Apocalypse. And it seems reasonable to expect that everyone else would want to do the same."

"Perhaps not everyone. But enough, I hope."

"But how do you expect us to be able to help you? I'm widely considered to be one of Earth's greatest superheroes, but when I was defeated and captured, you rescued me like it was nothing. You're one of the most powerful beings in the universe, so I don't see what you want us to do that you couldn't do yourself, quicker and more easily."

"I can't be everywhere at once. Protecting the Earth is a full-time job, it seems. And I won't explain all of my plans to you because I don't know who might be listening in," said Tanya, glaring up at the darkening sky. "All I ask is that you do as you always have done: keep people safe and protected; inspire them; and be the 'superhero' they need. Prevent the destruction of this world for as long as possible."

"And will that prevent the Apocalypse?"

"I have been reliably informed that the Apocalypse will begin here on Earth. Our chances of preventing it are slim at best, but they will be even slimmer if this planet has already been reduced to a blasted wasteland by the time it's supposed to happen."

Superman looked like he wanted to ask more questions, which Tanya doubted she would be able to answer. There was too little she could share with anyone that wasn't severely limited by the need for information security. Most of her plans and ideas she kept safely hidden away inside her mind. He must have realised that, or at least suspected it, since he didn't persist with that line of questioning. Instead, he changed the subject: "That planet you rescued me from… I don't know its name. It had the wrong kind of sunlight, so I found myself getting weaker and weaker. My captors noticed, which is why they kept pushing me into the gladiatorial arena, taking bets on which of their pet monsters would finally kill me." He shivered, as if the late afternoon sun was not enough to warm him. "There are still thousands of slaves there. Millions, possibly. Suffering who-knows-what torments. I wish I could do something for them."

"They are now free. I removed their chains and disarmed their guards," said Tanya.

"You saved them?"

He looked so hopeful that Tanya hated to disappoint him. Nevertheless, she said, "No. I gave them a chance to save themselves. What they do with it is up to them."

"I suppose many of them will die in the slave uprising," he said, after some consideration. Joy faded from his expression and weariness was left behind.

"Almost certainly. But that will be their choice," said Tanya. Then, as if she had any need to justify herself, she added, "I'm not a hero. It's not my job to save anyone. I gave them a chance, that's all. It's up to them to make something of it."

"Like you said, you can't be everywhere at once."

"No more than you can."

Superman sighed. Then, after a moment, he made an effort to smile again. "Still, thank you for what you did. The former slaves will be grateful, I'm sure."

"Their lives are their own. What they choose to do now is nothing to do with me."

"You don't feel any responsibility for them?"

"Do you feel responsibility for all the thousands of people whose lives you've saved during your long career as a superhero? Even considering some of the things they must have done later on?"

"I suppose I do," said Superman, after a short, thoughtful pause.

"Really? And you still get out of bed every morning? You surprise me," said Tanya. "Now… over the next few days, you should make your presence felt, but don't do anything strenuous."

"That largely depends on what happens. For example, if Metropolis was attacked by a supervillain who declared that he'd start killing people if I didn't come out to fight him, I'd feel like I had little choice but to get involved."

"Hmm. Perhaps you could work closely together with your friends from the Justice League. There's safety in numbers."

"I'll do my best to keep myself alive and safe," said Superman. "But not at the expense of my friends, the causes I hold dear, or humanity in general."

"I would not ask you to. You would have no value as a propaganda figure if it became known that you were willing to sacrifice the lives of others to save yourself."

For the next few moments, Superman's expression was a kaleidoscope of different emotions, fascinating to look upon: confusion, amusement, mild irritation, concern, and resignation last of all. Rather than give voice to any of them, he reminded her, "Earlier, you said something about finding the rest of the people who were abducted from Bielefeld…"

"Yes. I should make a start on that," said Tanya, getting up.

"And you'll bring them back home safely?"

"Of course," said Tanya, taking to the air. "What would be the point of doing otherwise?"

Her search for the missing people took most of a day, required her to talk politely to a number of smug, irritating slavers and would-be warlords, and resulted in a shocking outpouring of violence. In the end, her informants were only too eager to tell her that the 'human slaves' had been taken to a planet named 'Apokolips'. Apparently, it was an ecumenopolis ruled by Darkseid, the God of Evil.

When she heard that, Tanya's initial reaction was scornful derision, but as she learned more she became increasingly uneasy. Thinking back to the green-tinged desert planet she had rescued Superman from, she began to wonder if its cruel, slave-owning rulers had modelled their society on Apokolips, not Lucifer's version of Hell as she had previously assumed.

No one she spoke to seemed to think she had any chance of saving the Bielefelders. Not unless Darkseid allowed it.

Had she met Darkseid before? In the back of her mind, she suspected she might have. It was less than the ghost of a memory, but it was enough to haunt her with a vague, creeping sense of dread. She remembered that, in several of her past lives, 'the Dark Side' had been a corrupting force that had induced people to commit sickening atrocities. Was the name 'Darkseid' a reference to that? Was 'Apokolips' meant as a deliberate mockery of the similar-sounding English word 'apocalypse', which had originally meant 'revelation' back when it had been borrowed from Greek, but had since come to mean the complete and final destruction of the world, as described in the biblical book of Revelation? She suspected as much. Considering how many other languages there were on Earth and across the universe, Tanya could only presume that Being X suffered from a severe lack of imagination on top of his many other negative qualities.

Like Heaven, Hell and the Dreaming, Apokolips was on a separate plane of existence, all but inaccessible to anyone who wasn't an ethereal being or didn't have access to the pseudo-mystical technology of the New Gods. Tanya found it easily enough, after she was told that it was where she needed to go.

Drifting alone in the depths of space, Apokolips had no star to provide it with nurturing light and warmth. Instead, it was lit from within by vast fire pits, which seemed to be sustained only with endless amount of fuel and slave labour. More pointless cruelty, Tanya realised, except she had a sneaking suspicion that, in this case, cruelty was the entire point. As far as she could tell, the majority of the planet's population was fearful, downtrodden and enslaved, to such an extent that she doubted anyone could rouse them out of their malaise and inspire them to rebel.

Whereas Lucifer's Hell had been a place of torture and punishment, ruled by a lackadaisical overlord who didn't particularly care what any of his subordinates did, Apokolips was a place of tyranny and suppression, where all hope was ruthlessly stamped out. In some ways, Tanya was forced to admit, it was worse than Hell. Darkseid, the God of Evil, had come by his title honestly, it seemed.

Most of the planet's surface was an enormous slum in which the enslaved masses were forced to live, but here and there were grand fortifications with towers that stretched up into the sky and walls so thick they were bordering on impregnable, garrisoned by 'Parademons', who were Darkseid's brainwashed foot soldiers.

Perhaps the missing Bielefelders are imprisoned in one of those fortresses, Tanya thought. It would take weeks to search them all, but that was better than searching the entire planet, which was a task she might never be able to complete.

Suddenly, she saw a bright red light, repeatedly flashing at her, which appeared to be coming from the courtyard of a huge skull fortress. Because she had no better ideas for what to do next – and she was confident that she would be able to fight off any attackers or at least escape before she was too badly injured – she decided to investigate.

There, on a large plaza, surrounded on all sides by towering walls, she found cages filled with human prisoners. They were somewhat emaciated and had suffered minor injuries, but had evidently been given enough food and water that they weren't in immediate danger of death. As she approached, she heard a few snatches of German – "Wer ist sie?" or "Was ist los?" and so on – which she took as confirmation that she had found the people she had been looking for. Before she returned them to Earth, she would have to thoroughly check to make sure none of them were sleeper agents or assassins in disguise, but for now she allowed herself to hope that her search was at an end.

Looming out of the darkness, there came a tall, burly figure, clad in heavy armor, with blood-red eyes, and a face that might have been roughly hewn from granite. "Welcome, Tanya Degurechaff," he said, in a deep, stentorian voice. "I've been expecting you."

"Darkseid," she said, recognizing him from the many warnings she'd been given. "Am I to understand that you intentionally lured me here?"

"Yes. We have much to discuss."

"Such as?"

"The one you call 'Being X'. A bothersome insect with delusions of grandeur. It would please me if you would squash him once and for all."

"Believe me, I intend to."

"And how will you manage that when you know so little of your enemy?" asked Darkseid. "You've seen his grandiose posturing, heard his demands and denunciations, and been a victim of his petty malice, but other than that he has barely touched any of your lives."

"I know him. I know his weaknesses," said Tanya, with all the confidence she could muster. "I have a plan."

"Perhaps. But will it be enough?"

Warily, Tanya asked, "Are you offering me information? If so, what do you want in exchange?"

"Just a few moments of your time, that's all. I will enjoy seeing Being X defeated and wiped from existence. If you will do that for me, I ask nothing more."

"I will be most interested to hear what you have to say," Tanya replied, choosing her words as carefully as if she were speaking to one of the faeries.

"Being X claims to be God Almighty, creator of the multiverse, to whom everyone must bow. In truth, he is a thief and a parasite, who has repeatedly stolen from his betters and claimed their works as his own. He built this universe – your universe – out of fragments and leftovers crudely stitched together, and soon he will bring it to an end. Not for any particular reason, but because this is a game he has grown tired of."

"Does that include Apokolips?" asked Tanya, gesturing at their surroundings. "Will Being X destroy this as well?"

"There are many different versions of Apokolips. What you see before you is merely a fragment of a much greater whole. An inferior copy, made by Being X, which nevertheless gave me a foothold in 'his' universe."

"For as long as it exists."

"Yes. Understand this, Tanya Degurechaff. Whether you win or not matters little to me. At best, you will rid me of a minor annoyance. At worst… never mind. Whatever happens, I will endure. I am Darkseid. I am eternal, so long as there is evil."

"And if I defeat Being X, you'll be ready to take his place. You'll crown yourself as the 'God' of this patchwork universe," Tanya realised.

"To every action, there are always consequences. When he is gone, I will bring peace and perfect order."

Puzzlement flickered across Tanya's face, forcing her expression into unfamiliar shapes. "Wait… how can I defeat him? You haven't told me anything I didn't already know."

"I've told you everything you need to know. The rest is up to you," said Darkseid, with a thin smile. "You would not thank me for taking your triumphs away from you and claiming them as my own."

"Fine. I'm leaving," said Tanya. Then, glancing quickly around, she noticed the cages filled with wretched prisoners and remembered why she had come to this forsaken place. "And I'm taking the Bielefelders with me."

"By all means. They've served their purpose," said Darkseid, turning away, indifferent. "I've kept them cooped up for long enough."

He vanished into the darkness and Tanya was left with the problem of how to transport more than a hundred prisoners between two different planes of existence and across several trillion miles of outer space without getting any of them killed in the process.

"I think we'll go to Hell first," she decided, adding an extra step to the journey, which would nevertheless shorten it considerably. "It'll be much safer that way."

Many of the Bielefelders were awake, close enough to hear her words, and spoke fluent English. They did not appear to have been reassured by anything she'd said.

With the help of Wonder Woman, the Martian Manhunter, and a German government official, Tanya was able to ascertain that almost all of the people she had retrieved from Apokolips were the Bielefelders who had been abducted by aliens more than two weeks before. The exceptions were a pair of shapeshifting assassins, who had been easily defeated after their disguises were revealed, and a suspiciously well-groomed gentleman who claimed to be a Lutheran minister named Georg G. Gottfried.

"He's one of Darkseid's servants," Wonder Woman explained, having recognized him almost immediately. "He calls himself 'Glorious Godfrey'."

"I'll keep him in Hell, for now," Tanya decided. "I wonder if Ran Va Daath would enjoy the pleasure of his company?"

Wonder Woman gave a small nod, but hardly seemed to be paying attention; it was clear she had something else on her mind. "It was kind of you to bring these people to your shopping mall and give them some spending money," she said, dubiously, gazing around the Bielefelders and the bags they'd filled with their accumulated souvenirs.

"Retail therapy. Capitalism in action," said Tanya. "Yes, they've suffered terribly over the past few weeks, but they're not thinking about that right now, are they?"

"I'm sure you're right," said Wonder Woman, tactfully. "But isn't it time we took them home?"

"I'd be happy to, if you're absolutely certain that Darkseid hasn't hidden any more of his agents among them."

"I'll talk to J'onn about it. Perhaps we can refine the process."

"Good idea. I'm sure these people will appreciate it," said Tanya, with her most encouraging smile.

Sometime later, after the Bielefelders had returned to Germany, where they would try to rebuild their shattered lives, Tanya decided there was someone else she needed to talk to.

Far beneath the sea, she found the city of Atlantis, which seemed to shift and change even as she looked at it. For a few moments, it was a city of ancient cyclopean ruins. Then, it took on an organic quality, as if it had grown out of the sea bed, constructed from coral or the shells of molluscs. As she approached, it was obscured by a wave of sandy water, which washed over it like a desert storm, leaving behind what looked rather like classical Greek or Roman architecture. Finally, when she was close enough to glide through its ancient streets, it became a modern-day city from somewhere in the USA, with skyscrapers, office buildings and apartments, shopping malls and parking lots, cars and trucks, all of them carelessly scattered across the ocean floor. And then, in less than a moment, they were all gone. Was it an illusion? A trick of the light, a peculiar quality of the waters that surrounded the underwater city, or a magical effect intended to beguile those who might otherwise bring harm to its occupants?

While she was mulling over the answers to those questions, Tanya found herself in a palace of crystal spires. She had the vague sense that there was water all around, but she was in an air pocket into which the sea could not penetrate. Here, the occupants were insulated and protected from the crushing weight of the ocean above them. "Very impressive," she said, admiring the skill and artistry with which this edifice had been built. As an ethereal being, she had no need to breathe and would not have noticed the waters pressing down on her, but still… "This is a remarkable place."

"You flatter me, Lady Tanya," said Aquaman, sitting on a golden throne, which appeared to be partially melted, encrusted with barnacles, and coated with a pale filmlike substance.

He was attended by various courtiers, all of whom appeared to be superficially humanoid, except that as Tanya looked closely she noticed that all of them had something eerie and monstrous about them: bulbous eyes, pale wormlike skin, or teeth like needles; some had fine, wispy hair that slowly wafted back and forth; and some appeared to be richly dressed, but their iridescent scales and brightly-colored fronds were immovably melded with their bodies. Were they Atlanteans? It seemed reasonable for her to suppose as much, but they were not what she had expected.

"I would appreciate it if we could speak privately, Your Majesty," she said, addressing Aquaman directly.

"Very well," he replied, signalling to his attendants. "Leave us."

When the courtiers had left the room, Tanya said, "Two days ago, I rescued Superman from where he had been enslaved on an alien planet. He was forced to fight in a gladiatorial arena, his superpowers were ebbing away, and he nearly died. I got to him just in time."

"So I've heard. I'm sure you've been thanked already, but… thank you," he replied.

"Also, I rescued some Germans who were abducted by aliens and taken to Apokolips."

"A home away from home, for them, no doubt. Still, I'm sure they're very grateful."

"Did you know that Superman and more than a hundred ordinary people had been kidnapped by aliens more than two weeks ago?"

"Yes, of course. I keep in regular contact with the other members of the Justice League."

"It would have been much easier to rescue all of them if you – or any of your colleagues – had called for me earlier," said Tanya, folding her arms and gazing sternly at him.

"I was under the impression that you didn't want us to call you except as a last resort. By the sound of it, that's exactly what Superman did. When he called you, it was as an act of desperation, when he knew he wouldn't survive without your help. That's what you wanted, right?" asked Aquaman, shining his innocent blue eyes at her.

"It will be easier to prevent the Apocalypse if people aren't already panicking and despairing," said Tanya. "For many people, you and the other members of the Justice League – especially Superman – are symbols of hope. If anything were to happen to you, it could have a devastating effect on people's morale. That's why I'm determined to keep all of you alive and well."

"But you didn't like it when I kept calling on you to help with less desperate situations, even if they might easily have become desperate without your help."

"I'm sure there must be a happy medium between 'only calling on me when you're on the verge of death' and 'calling me to help with trivial matters'."

Aquaman sighed and averted his gaze. "Very well. I will discuss it with my colleagues."

"Please do."

"By the way, I have something for you," said Aquaman, calling one of his attendants back into the throne room, who handed him a document that appeared to be inscribed on a stone tablet. "Here." He held it out to her.

Tanya gave it a distrustful glance. "What is it?"

"It's a contract for cleaning up plastic waste, oil spills and other forms of ocean pollution. We could do it ourselves, but it occurs to me that your demons could do it just as easily and efficiently, and at a competitive price. What do you think?"

"I think… I will need to study this carefully and discuss it with some of my subordinates," said Tanya, taking it from him. "Still, thank you. I hope we can do business."

"As do I," said Aquaman, leaning back on his throne. "Working together, who knows what we might achieve?"

"Preventing the Apocalypse, I hope," said Tanya.

He inclined his head. "Indeed."

Returning to Hell, Tanya was met by Scumspawn, who informed her that two of Dream's servants were waiting to speak to her. "Fine. Show them into my office," she said, taking a moment to examine herself in the mirror, straighten her collar and remove an imaginary speck of lint from her sleeve. As an ethereal being whose appearance reflected her self-image, none of that was strictly necessary, but old habits were not easily quashed. Also, it gave her a few moments to compose herself and her thoughts into a semblance of order.

Dream's servants were a talking raven, named Matthew, and a slender young man with white-blonde hair, who insisted on wearing sunglasses indoors, and whose name was apparently 'the Corinthian'. Whether it was a reference to the Pauline epistles, the architectural style, the ancient city-state, the hoplite helmet, the novel by Georgette Heyer, the skyscraper, the thoroughbred racehorse, the leather upholstery used in certain luxury vehicles, or the names of various professional and amateur sports clubs, Tanya didn't bother to inquire.

"What can I do for you, gentlemen?" she asked.

"We need your help. The Dreaming is being attacked by the Furies," said Matthew. "Dream sent us to… Uh, it's a long story."

"A child was kidnapped from his mother. She believes our Lord Morpheus is the one to blame," said the Corinthian, in a voice as soft as a blade sliding from its sheath. "She summoned the Eumenides to destroy him and all his works."

"She didn't summon them to get her child back?" asked Tanya, with a raised eyebrow.

"No, uh… she's not thinking straight," said Matthew.

"She believes her child is dead and that Lord Morpheus killed him," said the Corinthian. "Revenge is all she has left."

"I see. What can I do to help?"

"We know where the child is. We know who kidnapped him. But they are hidden behind a shield of demonic magic," said the Corinthian. "We need you to remove it for us."

"Who did this? Which demon?" asked Tanya, as hellish rage smouldered within her. She burned to know which of her minions had defied her in such a manner.

"Choronzon. I guess he was holding a grudge," said Matthew.

"But Dream was merciful. I would never have freed Choronzon if he hadn't asked me to," said Tanya. "Choronzon owes him a great deal."

Matthew hopped from foot to foot, and shifted in such a way as to suggest that he was shrugging his shoulders. "All the more reason to bear a grudge, I guess. Some people can't stand the thought of owing anything to anyone."

"I have been too lenient. Too merciful. My demons need to be reminded why they fear me," said Tanya. "I'll show them. By the time I'm finished with him, what Choronzon has suffered until now will be the closest thing he has left to a fond memory."

"So, you'll help us?" asked the Corinthian, as if wanting to make absolutely sure she was on their side.

"Yes, of course. Show me this magical shield," said Tanya. "I'll deal with it immediately."