“It certainly didn’t improve my first teleporting experience,” Sampson joked. “I think I’ll stick to flying.”
They all laughed, even Taylor, but then Gabriel became serious. “Sampson, I….I owe you my life, man,” he said.
Sampson kept grinning. “Damn right you do. I have already started making a list of how you can reward me. You can start with no more story-telling about all the stupid stuff I’ve done over the years!”
Gabriel joked back: “Anything but that, please!”
“I should’ve left you back in prison,” Sampson said. “So, are you reenergized after your little snack? I don’t think you actually chewed anything.”
“Yeah, it sure beat prison food, that crap was awful. I think I’m ready to speak to the Elders now.”
“Forget about it,” Chris said. “You need to rest for a while and let those that are older and wiser than us worry about it. They will summon you when they are ready to talk.”
Gabriel yawned. “I guess I could use some sleep.” He rose from his chair.
Taylor stood up, feeling awkward. “I’ll, uh, walk you to your room.”
Sam, Chris, and Sampson burst out laughing. “Do either of you actually know where you are going?” Sam asked.
Taylor and Gabriel looked at each other and then simultaneously shook their heads. “I’ll show you,” Chris said, still smiling. “We took the liberty of assigning you adjoining rooms.”
After leading them to their rooms, Chris said to press triple 1 on their phones if they needed anything. Gabriel thanked him and closed the door. “Taylor, I—” he started to say.
“Shhhh, we don’t need to talk about it now. I was pissed off, but now I’m not. I told you in the dream that I still love you and I do. I sort of understand why you did what you did and I know that you tried to save me in the end. You did a lot of stupid things, but I forgive you for them, which might be a mistake, but it is mine to make.”
“Thank you, but….what dream?” Gabriel asked.
“You mean you didn’t…? I had a dream a few days ago where you told me you loved me. I thought you had entered my dream to tell me you were okay.”
Gabriel shrugged. “That would’ve been a good idea, but I didn’t think of it and I doubt there was sufficient light in my cell to allow it. You must have dreamed me up all on your own,” he said slyly.
“Don’t get a big head.”
“In all honesty, Tay, I thought about you every second we were apart.” In one motion, Gabriel scooped her up and carried her to the bed, laying her down gently.
They held each other for hours, and although Gabriel fell asleep almost immediately, Taylor stayed awake to watch him sleep. His sleep was peaceful, his chest rising and falling with each slow, deep breath. It was probably the first good night’s sleep he’d had since his capture. Taylor felt silly watching him, but she couldn’t stop. She knew she shouldn’t have forgiven him, shouldn’t have taken him back, but her sixth sense—which she had ignored at the beginning of their relationship when it warned her about Gabriel—had changed its opinion and urged her to forgive him.
Eventually, there was a sturdy knock on the door. Taylor got up slowly, trying not to disturb Gabriel, but he stirred anyway. “What is it?” he asked.
“Someone’s at the door, I think it’s time to go.”
Confirming her guess, Taylor found Chris, Sam, Kiren, and Sampson at the door. “It’s time,” Chris said.
The strange group of angels, demons, and humans quietly departed Gabriel’s room. With Chris leading they made their way through the dark network of tunnels and passageways. Torches provided the only light, and the eerie glow made it feel like they were attending a séance. No one spoke as they walked, not even Sam or Sampson, the loudest ones in the bunch.
Chris and Kiren nodded to a couple of demons that passed them along the way, but didn’t break stride to speak with them. Taylor gripped Gabriel’s hand tightly as they followed the group, bringing up the rear. She noticed that Sam was not holding Chris’s hand. It seemed that whenever Chris was in work mode, she knew better than to distract him with their feelings for each other.
Eventually, the path spilled into a small alcove. A transporter was waiting for them in silence. The glass pod looked futuristic, like something you would see in a movie or on a ride at Disneyworld.
They entered the pod. “Hang on,” Chris said.
Taylor remembered Sam telling her about the last time she was in a similar transporter with Chris; he had said the exact same thing. That was a magical ride for her friend; she and Chris had just confessed their love for each other.
The doors slid shut noiselessly and the vehicle thrust forward, gaining speed with each passing second. Sampson looked impressed by the machine, likely comparing it to the hybrid elevators/transporters at angel headquarters. “Woohoo!” he yelled, as they reached maximum speed. The rocky walls whipped by on all sides. As quickly as it had accelerated, the transporter decelerated and slowed to a stop at a lonely recess carved into the tunnel.
They exited and passed through a wide open foyer that was lit by dozens of fireplaces on either side. Ignoring the demon at the security desk, Chris led them into the Elders’ Chamber, where they were expected. More than 150 pairs of eyes turned to watch them enter. A table and six chairs had been set up for them.
Clifford motioned to the table and they sat down in a line, facing the Elders. Taylor felt like she was sitting at the bride and groom’s table at a wedding reception. Coincidentally, she and Gabriel were placed in the direct center of the table, where the bride and groom would normally sit, flanked by Chris and Sam on the left, and Sampson and Kiren on the right.
Clearing his throat, Clifford began, “Thank you all for coming. We have a lot to be thankful for. Today we successfully completed two dangerous and challenging missions. However, in the process we lost one brave soldier, Dominique Rhodes. Let us begin with a moment of silence for our fallen brother.” All heads bowed and a respectful silence ensued.
Continuing, Clifford said, “We obviously have some decisions to make regarding our future strategies in the War, but first, I would like each mission leader to brief us on their respective mission.” He nodded to Sampson. “Why don’t we start with the rescue mission, Operation Traitor. Sampson?” Taylor’s head perked up, as she waited anxiously to hear the tale of her boyfriend’s escape.
Remaining seated, Sampson said, “I’d like to start with a quick background on my involvement. Two years ago, I came to the demons in the hopes that they would take me on as a warrior in their army. I had heard a number of things regarding the Archangel Council’s ultimate desires, nicknamed The Plan, which were strictly confidential. Needless to say, I did not like what I heard. The Elders immediately recruited me as a spy and I have been feeding them information ever since.
“When the opportunity arose to help the demon cause while also assisting an old friend in Gabriel, I was very willing to do my part.” Taylor saw that Gabriel’s eyes had not left his friend’s face while he was speaking. He was clearly surprised at hearing how long Sampson had been spying on the angels.
Sampson then told of the planning process for the mission. “A mission of this complexity could not have been pulled off without significant resources on the inside. While, intentionally, none of the spies know who each other are, I believe there are about thirty in total?” He looked at Clifford for confirmation. The old demon nodded. Sampson continued: “And most importantly, we have one spy at the highest of levels, who arranged for us to access high-security areas, such as the prison.”
Upon hearing this, Gabriel interrupted, “Are you telling me someone on the Archangel Council is working for the demons?” He looked incredulous at the mere suggestion of such insurrection.
Sampson said, “Yes.” Gabriel folded his arms and leaned back in his chair, his eyebrows arched and his mouth filling with a bubble of air. What he had just learned was clearly blowing his mind. He let out the stored up breath in a long, slow bl
ast.
Sampson then told the story of their escape. When he reached the part about Lucas’s murder of the young demon, both Chris and Gabriel clenched their fists, as if they were ready to leap from their chairs and seek revenge immediately. When he finished his story, silence fell over the room.
Clifford let the information sink in for a minute before moving on. “Christopher, while you were the Operations Leader for both missions, Kiren was the Mission Leader for the retrieval of Taylor and Samantha—Operation Humanity. Kiren, why don’t you take us through it.”
In a very high level of detail, Kiren told the story of the car chase. By the end of her monologue, everyone was on the edge of their seats, and when she described the fire-boulder attack and the resulting destruction of the angels’ high-end cars, there were a few cheers and claps amongst the audience. Kiren beamed at the response.
One demon who was not smiling was Clifford. A frown crossed his face. “That was quick-thinking and I commend you on your actions in the heat of battle, young lady, but I am more worried about a few of the key facts from your story. First, we had a spy in our midst. Adrian was assigned to this particular mission because we thought he could be trusted, but evidently we were wrong. The information that he must have fed to the angels almost single-handedly brought down the entire mission.
“Second, the angels’ willingness to attack in broad daylight is particularly troubling. Our experience with them is that they are generally very cautious, but their actions bordered on reckless abandon. What do you make of it?” Clifford directed the question to the Elders, but it was Gabriel who answered.
“They will do whatever it takes to recapture Taylor.” All eyes fell on Gabriel. He paused, then said, “As cocky as the angels are, they’ve realized that they can’t defeat you guys without Taylor’s help. And they let her slip through their fingers, which really pissed Dionysus off. He will be willing to take massive risks to get her back. Our only choice is to take them down first.” He said the last sentence so confidently, that even Taylor thought it sounded like the right thing to do; that is, until she realized that he was volunteering to help.
“No!” she said sharply.
Gabriel turned towards Taylor, a surprised look washing over his face, as though, in the heat of the moment he had forgotten she was there. “I have to do this,” he breathed.
“You’ll get yourself killed,” she said matter-of-factly. Continuing calmly, she said, “The way I see it, I am the key to everything.” She smirked, enjoying her own joke. At least, it would have been a joke if it hadn’t been true. A couple of the Elders chuckled. Sam smiled at her, evidently proud of the boldness of her friend.
Taylor continued: “So…if I am the key, then there are really only two options here. One, you kill me, or I kill myself….” Gabriel froze at her suggestion. She quickly added, “But I would prefer to not have to die, if possible. That leaves the second option: hide me away until the angels can be defeated.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Gabriel staring at her—his face was proud. He touched her leg under the table, but she ignored it.
One of the female Elders broke the short silence, “I think option two sounds pretty good. We protect Taylor here, until we are able to win the War. As Gabriel said, the angels will be forced to take risks to get her back and we will be waiting to exploit them.”
Clifford nodded slowly. “It sounds reasonable to me, if Taylor is willing.”
“I am,” Taylor said.
A surprising interruption came from the end of the table. “What about school?” Sam asked. “And Taylor’s father?”
“Easy,” Chris said. “We can teleport into the student registry office at night, hack a few systems, and ensure her grades are good and her meal plan is used. To her dad, it will look like she is still going to school there. Anytime she needs to make an appearance, we can teleport her wherever she needs to be.” He had it all figured out.
“And what about me?” Sam asked.
Chris looked down at his hands. Clifford said, “You should go back to school to help cover for Taylor. But you can come back as often as you like: after class, on the weekends, whenever you want. We will send Kiren with you, along with some other guards, to protect you.” Chris leaned towards her and Taylor heard him whisper, “I’ll bring you back every single night.” Samantha smiled.
Clifford scanned the panel of Elders. “Does anyone have any reservations regarding this plan of attack?”
Gabriel squirmed in his seat, as silence filled the room. When no one else offered an opinion, he stood up and said, “I’m not trying to be rude, but the only decision we have made is to keep Taylor here to protect her. You just referred to it as our ‘plan of attack’. It seems more like a plan of defense. What about our strategy for attacking the angels and ending the War?”
Clifford sighed. “Young angel. You see, there is the fundamental difference between our two races. Sometimes the best act is to not act at all. The Archangel Council might have been successful in destroying us already if they weren’t so eager to use Taylor’s power. In this case, we will wait and let Dionysus make the first move. Then, when the opportunity presents itself, we’ll attack.”
Gabriel looked around and saw only nodding heads. It seemed no one else in the room shared his desire to act quickly. He resigned himself to the decision that had been made and, reluctantly, sat down.
“If no one else has anything to discuss, I adjourn this meeting and will leave it to Chris, as the Operations Leader, to make any necessary arrangements.” With that, Clifford and the other Elders began disappearing in bunches from the room—apparently the teleporting rules did not apply to them.
The six at the long table arose slowly and wordlessly. As they passed through the foyer and back onto the transporter, Sam asked, “What should we do now?”
“Let’s just enjoy the holidays,” Chris said with a smile.
Chapter Ten
Taylor awoke and sighed with satisfaction. She felt warm. She felt loved. Complete even. Her arm was draped across Gabriel’s bare chest. She could feel his pectoral muscles flex gently each time his lungs filled with air.
Ever so gradually, she lifted her arm from across him, making a conscious effort not to wake her sleeping boyfriend. Just when she thought she was successful, Gabriel’s eyes shot open, his strong arms pulling her back onto him. Taylor laughed in surprise as he kissed her face, her neck. When he reached her lips, he lingered for what could have been an eternity, or just a few seconds—Taylor couldn’t tell which.
Taylor had forgiven Gabriel for all of his lies, for his treachery, even for putting her own life in danger. He had paid for his sins while in prison, by nearly losing his own life. But she did have one requirement of him, which he had readily agreed to. “Come on,” Taylor said, pulling her lips away from his. “It’s story day.”
Gabriel cringed. “Maybe we should just wait until after the holidays, then I will tell you everything.”
“You promised,” Taylor said. “You owe it to me.”
“Okay, you’re right. Today is story day.”
“True story day,” Taylor reminded him.
“Right.”
Ever since Taylor’s discovery that Gabriel had woven lies into his story about the evolution of angels and demons, she had been itching to hear him tell the true story. Chris offered to tell her, but she refused—she wanted to hear it from Gabriel.
It was the 30th of December, and Taylor wanted to hear the story before she became distracted with the New Year’s celebrations that the demons were planning. According to Chris, despite being nonhuman, they really knew how to throw a party.
Taylor had showered the night before, so she got ready quickly—she never did her hair or used makeup—and waited patiently for Gabriel to shower and dress. Despite her efforts, Taylor and Gabriel were the last ones to arrive at breakfast. Chris and Sam had already finished, while Sampson and Kiren had apparently just arrived too, and were only beginnin
g to eat.
Taylor filled her plate; the demon café was set up similar to the college dining hall: buffet-style with various options scattered throughout the café. Within minutes she was finished eating, while Gabriel was taking his sweet, old time—he must have been chewing each bite at least thirty times.
The second that the last forkful of sausage hit his tongue, Taylor said, “Okay, who’s ready for story time?”
Surprisingly, the first to answer was Kiren. “I am definitely in. When else will I get the opportunity to listen to an angel tell the dark truth about his people?”
“Hey!” Sampson objected. “I’ve been helping the Elders out for years.”
“Oh, sorry, Sampson. I wasn’t counting you as one of them.”
“And I am?” Gabriel asked.
“You’re still a recovering angel as far as I’m concerned,” she replied. “You have to make it through the 12-step program before I will fully believe you.”
“What are the steps?” Taylor asked.
“Well, step one is what he is about to do.” Kiren motioned to Gabriel. “Admit he was wrong, that he lied, that most angels are evil, that sort of thing. I’ll tell you the rest of the steps later. We don’t want to overwhelm him just yet.”
“Good luck, buddy,” Sampson said, slapping his friend on the back. “You should have taken the easy route like I did, and just become a spy.”
Gabriel smirked. “Thanks for the advice.” Looking at Kiren, he added, “And don’t you worry. I am going to show you that I am committed to helping you take down the Archangel Council and anyone who supports them.”
“Okay, then let’s start with step one, angel-boy,” Taylor said.
“I’ve got the perfect spot,” Chris said, winking at Taylor.
As they walked, Chris spouted off facts about the Lair.
The Lair was comprised of a labyrinth of tunnels, alcoves, caves and cisterns. The massive underground network covered five square miles, including escape access tunnels and natural resource reserves. In typical demon style, there was very little rhyme and even less reason to the floor plan. Rather, over the years additions were made as random offshoots from the original underground structure.