Queen Victoria XXX staggered over to Chester A. Arthur XVII and helped free him from the metal spike through the rightmost part of his chest.
“You alright?” she asked, gently helping to lift him.
“More than likely. I’m pretty sure it’s not entirely fatal,” said Chester A. Arthur XVII, wincing as he was removed from the exposed reinforcement bar. “How about you?”
“Bleeding profusely, but I’ll probably live. I don’t think he got anything important.”
“That’s good.”
Queen Victoria XXX smiled. She lifted Chester’s arm and put it around her shoulder, then the two of them attempted to stand. It was a valiant effort. They got about half way to vertical before falling backwards and landing on their asses.
“Maybe we should just sit here for…”
“Yeah…”
They sat there for a moment, surveying the wreckage and watching the blood pool around Quetzalcoatl’s broken skull, before Victoria asked, “Where’s Billy?”
“And Phil? And the scientists, for that matter?”
William H. Taft XLII and Phil, having dispersed the philosopher army, decided to rejoin their comrades in the dispatching of Quetzalcoatl. Before they could enter the fray, however, they came across a clutch of non-burning prostitutes trapped within a burning building. All hopped-up on being the good guys, William H. Taft XLII and Phil rescued the hookers from the building—well, a decent percentage of them, anyway—and brought them to safety.
They were still being rewarded for their heroism.
The scientists, however, having been less than useful in both the dispersal of the philosophers and the saving of the prostitutes, were not being rewarded. They were, nevertheless, still with Phil, William H. Taft XLII, and the hookers, just watching. Judy, especially, felt that was reward enough. She was kind of a weird girl.
“I hope they’re OK,” said Queen Victoria XXX.
“Where’s the helicopter?” asked Chester A. Arthur XVII.
The helicopter was where they had left it.
“What’s that matter? It’s not like we can fly it without a pilot.”
“Sure we can.”
“You can fly a helicopter?”
“Well, no,” replied Chester A. Arthur XVII. “But I’m a quick study.”
“You’re an idiot, Charlie.”
Queen Victoria XXX and Chester A. Arthur XVII, each supporting the other one, lifted themselves from the ground with a deep breath and a heave. They began staggering back toward the helicopter when Catrina approached them.
“You guys OK?”
“We will be,” said Queen Victoria XXX. “We’re going to take the helicopter and find some help.”
“Good idea,” replied Catrina. “Good luck.”
“Thanks,” said Chester A. Arthur XVII. “We’ll swing back here when we’re done. If you’re already gone, we’ll meet you back at the hotel.”
“Do you ever turn off?”
“No,” replied Chester A. Arthur XVII with a smile.
Catrina waved at the president and the queen as they walked away. They turned a corner and Catrina turned to look for Thor. He was standing off to the side, leaning on his sledgehammer and staring at the roiling hole in the heavens. Catrina walked up to him.
“Well, shit,” she said, also looking at the broken sky.
“Yup,” said Thor.
“So, uh, assuming you’re right,” said Catrina, crowding closer to him, “what happens now?”
Thor put his arm around her and shrugged.
“The end of everything, I guess.”