AZRAEL'S POV

DRURY LANE, LONDON 10 YEARS AGO

For all of Mum's bluster, she was soft. That's all I'll remember her as.

And she wanted me to be soft, too. She'd be appalled to see how I turned out.

I hold the gun, trigger finger poised for action. From the side of my eye, I catch the glint of the embossed plate on the side of the pistol. Alejandro Simon Michigan. Not Azrael, of course. Nobody knows my first name is Azrael.

You have too many names, my brother ...