Black and White

---Chapter 17: Unwanted Help---

It was dismissal time, and the sun began to set down. Every student from our school had begun their chats and plans for hanging out. 

Caleb and I walked down the school steps, both deep in thought about the newcomer. I had goosebumps just looking at him, although when I tried to read his mind, nothing came out, Which means he is either and angel, or a demon.

Caleb kept on silent beside me, no doubt trying to process the happenings on this day, 

"So, what do you think about Carter?" he asked out of the blue, as he stopped walking. 

"He's...." I started, trying to find the correct word to describe him. "He is a peculiar fellow. I don't sense a human presence in him. And definitely, I don't see an angel nor demon aura"

"Exactly" Caleb nodded. "Which is why I advise you to stay away from him until we know more. I can tell he's dangerous"

"How do you know?" I asked. "Caleb, we can't judge people that easily. Let's give him a chance." I suggested kindly.

Before Caleb could shoot a retort, the sleek black car that I usually ride in going to school in the morning appeared, and stopped in front of us. The door opened and out came Gabriel, in his usual white shirt.

"Gabe? What are you doing here? I thought you were with the others" I told him.

"We need to talk" Gabriel said gravely, his eyes shone with worry.

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"I don't get it why he's here" Caleb growled, pointing at Carter, who was sitting beside Gabe with an amused expression.

"Because" Gabe said slowly. "We need him. He is a spy in the underworld."

Caleb stared at Carter, his eyes calculating. I sipped my coffee and sighed. We were in a cafe which mortals call Starbucks, and the store was half empty with some people in business suits holding their laptops or other technology the humans had created.

"He knows about Constantine" Gabriel continued. "And the things he's about to do. Carter, please explain". The blond guy gave me a twisted smile and began talking.

"He plans to kill Haniel here" he said, not taking his eyes off me. "and I don't know how. But he also plans on getting you" he looked at Caleb. "off his trail. He plans on using someone to do that. Oh, and he's also bringing back your past?"

"My...past?" Caleb looked confused, and so did I. "And how do we know that you're telling the truth?" Caleb asked, after a few moments, narrowning  his eyes in suspicion.

"Because you don't have any idea what Constatine is planning, and you have no idea how he's going to act" Carter said as-a-matter-of-factly.

"What do you want in return?" I piped up, bringing down my drink.

"What?"

"I said, what do you want in return?" I repeated, meeting his gaze. "Aftre all the trouble of telling us this, I won't believe that you don't want anything.". Carter smiled slyly.

"I just want your trust and a part in hunting him down" Carter said simply, like he just said 'pass the salt' or something.

"No" Caleb said automatically. "We don't know anything about you, so how are we supposed to trust you that easily?"

"Well, since you insist, I am neither angel nor demon. Nor even human" Carter answered. "I am a fallen"

We all fell silent at that, but Gabriel kept on being calm, like he knew that part already. But nevertheless, Caleb and I were speechless. 

A fallen was exiled by God, and was removed from divine service. All his/her powers were to be removed, but mortal sickness, death, and aging would not affect him. Carter would be at least a few hundred years old.

But a fallen could not be always trusted. There are others who continue to work for Father, and do good in the world. Hoping that they would be shown mercy and be put back to service-- though it happens rarely, because it depends on the sin that was created.

There are also others who work fo the devil, and becae demons themselves, consumed by earth's temptations. The fallen who joined the devil are those who were most powerful.

But today, Carter is suspicious. He could be working for Constatine himself, or one of us. 

"We could not trust you that much Carter" I said slowly. "But we'll give you a chance. If Gabriel puts his trust on you, I think I can give you a little bit of mine too"

"I don't fully trust him either." Gabriel interjected. "But he's our only chance of finding Constantine's whereabouts"

"Whoa" Caleb waves his hands frantically. "I definitely don't trust you" he glared at Carter. "Why should we trust him? He could be an agent of the devil" he looked at me like I was crazy.

"I could say the same thing to you, demon" Carter said darkly to Caleb. I knew they were starting a fight, so I got between them before they blow stuff up.

"Okay. Like I said, I'll give Carter a chance to prove himself" I gave Caleb a dirty look. "If you have shown disloyalty" I gave Carter another dirty look, silently saying that he should shut his trap. "I will have to destroy your soul and you, will be erased from the universe"

"That would mean suicide" Gabe said. "You know how much power that would take"

"I can't worry about that now, you know" I told him. "I only need to focus on finding Constatine. So, what say you, Caleb?"

I turned to him. His face was in deep concentration, like solving a really hard math problem. Then he spoke.

"Alright" he said finally. "But if you hurt Haniel or break our trust, I will have to break your neck"

I stared at him, surprised that he could say something about me like that so openly. Or even in front of my brother, who is technically overprotective.

"It's still an unwanted help, you know" Caleb pointed out after a few moments.

"Okay, so, Carter" Gabe turned to Carter. "What are we going to do?"

"We find out Constantine's plan. But first, we need to track down some demons" Carter said. "And follow them to the caverns of hell. But we need something to conceal you" he looked at me. "from those demons in order for them not to kill you"

"That's crazy" Caleb commented.

"The world is" Carter added.