The Impact (Book II)

The Rescue

By the time I returned to the base, my wings were sore. When I shifted back, my arms felt like they were being held down with weights. Chris was waiting for me outside to let me in, his face tight with anxiety. When he caught sight of me he relaxed.

"Bout time you came back, Corvus; was starting to get worried. I trust your mission was a success?" He asked as he placed his hand on the wall.

"You could say that. Will in his office?" My tone was curt.

He looked at me grimly. "With that demon girl you sent our way. Not sure how to feel about that, but if you trust her, that's good enough for me."

We walked down the tunnel. I said, "Orlene is a fugitive, as well. She's the princess and she ran off the first chance she got. And, she's my niece."

"Please tell me she's like you and not like the rest of your deranged family," he groaned.

"She is."

He followed me into Will's office, where Orlene sat on the edge of his cot, rubbing Belua's chest. She beamed at me but sobered when she saw my stricken expression. Will sat behind his desk and looked up from his communicator. He stood.

"Any news?" he asked.

"They have Zach. Tavor was whipping him, asking where the base is, but Zach refused to tell him." I said clinically. I hated how hard this war made me. I yearned to cry but the tears wouldn't come, not even for my child.

Orlene stilled and looked like she was fighting back tears. Belua, sensing my turbulent emotions, whined and looked at everyone's sober expressions.

Will swallowed hard and looked down. "I knew they took Zach; I deliberately told Sariel not to tell you because I feared you would try to rescue him on your own."

[Ass,] Rayi hissed.

"You knew? You knew and you didn't say anything?!" I stormed up to him and beat his chest with clenched fists.

He let me until I ran out of steam and he wrapped his arms around me. I sobbed dryly, "I can't lose him, too. I can't bear to lose another child, Will!"

"We'll get him back alive. I swear it." Will whispered into my hair.

"How are we going to do that? I imagine this place is a fortress." Chris cut in.

Orlene whispered, "I think I have an idea."

**********************************************

"This is the dumbest idea," one of the Lesser Angels hissed.

"Shut up" I snapped, glaring at the six Lesser Angels, Orlene, and Sariel. "Unless you have any bright ideas, we're doing this. Everyone ready?"

I got affirmatives and sprinted out into the street where a small squad of soldiers was standing about.

"P-please, you have to help me! My son! T-they took my son!" I cried hysterically, rushing to the leader of the squad.

Immediately, he looked concerned and the other alert. "Who took your son?"

"The angels! Please, this way! Hurry!" I tugged on his arm.

"Come on, men; let's fight some pigeons!" He called, shaking me off to follow me down the dark alley where the others lied in wait.

As soon as the last squad member turned the corner, the angels and Orlene jumped them. I grabbed the leader and snapped his neck. The others did the same before tearing the demons' heads off.

"Quickly, into the uniforms!" I whispered.

They did as they were told and I frowned. None of the uniforms would fit me; I was too small. Sariel, who kept a bandana wrapped around the lower half of his face, noticed my struggle and questioned, "What do you want to do? You're the squad leader."

Nibbling my lip. "I'll be your prisoner. I'll be myself."

"No, that's too risky. Will said not to do anything that would-"

I cut him off, growling, "Zach is my son and I'll do whatever I can to save him. Now, then, one of them should have a power neutralizer cord somewhere..."

As I spoke, I checked the pockets of a guard and sure enough, pulled out the glowing white cord. I handed it to Sariel and stared at him expectantly. "Well, it's not going to tie itself, is it?"

With a sigh, Sariel tied my hands behind my back. He murmured, "I hope you know what you're doing."

[I hope so, too,] Rayi and I thought simultaneously.

We walked with Sariel keeping a grip around my bicep. For added effect, I struggled and cursed. When we got to the prison, the guards aimed their weapons at us. We stopped.

"Who's this?" The Human-Turned-Demon guard rumbled, staring at me with four glowing yellow eyes.

"Melanie; traitor to the demons," Sariel replied.

"Really now? Slippery one, wasn't she?" He leered down at me, then said, "A nightmare for some. For others, as a savior I come. My hands, cold and bleak, it's the warm hearts they seek. What am I?"

Damn, they change the riddle every time? I swore.

Sariel released my bicep and removed his bandana. With a whisper, his breath touched the Human-Turned-Demon, who collapsed to the ground, dead. "Death."

The second guard opened his mouth to cry out, but one of the Lesser Angels had pierced his heart. As the last demon fell, Sariel adjusted his bandana and suggested lightly, "Shall we continue?"

Orlene cut the cords around my wrists and I led them through the prison, heading toward the yard. It was strange, though; no one was in the hall and when we got to the yard, there were no soldiers milling around. It made me uneasy, but we pushed on.

As soon as we entered the stone building where Zach was, we all broke into a run. Once again, the place was deserted.

[Girl, I don't like this; something isn't right,] Rayi whispered.

I was about to answer, but I was blinded by relief when we came to Zach's cell. One of the angels picked the lock and I rushed inside, kneeling in front of him and stroking his face.

His eyes opened and he breathed, "Mom?"

"I'm here, Zach. We're going to get you out of here. You two, help me get him up."

With a muffled groan from Zach, the two larger Lesser Angels had one of his arms thrown across their shoulders as they hoisted him up. We moved as fast as we could without injuring Zach further as we got to the yard.

What greeted us there made fear flood my veins.

Zane stood there, hair white and eyes black as beetles, alone. His hands were clenched at his sides and covered by his cestuses. When he saw me, his dead eyes came alive.

"Where do you think you're going, Mels?" he called with his voice flanging.

"Take Zach out of here; I'll hold him off," I ordered.

Sariel protested, "You don't know what he's capable of anymore."

As I stared at my brother, who was decked in black and yellow light armor, I acknowledged Sariel was correct. "You're right, I don't. But that also means he doesn't know what I'm capable of anymore. I'll be fine. Just get Zach out and I'll meet up with you shortly."

With great reluctance, my little group made a run for it. Surprisingly, Zane permitted them to leave, though I had no doubt he could have stopped him and there would have been little I could do about it. As the adrenaline from the anticipation of the fight to come ran through my veins, Rayi pressed her face against the thin mental barrier.

[I suppose it cannot be helped,] she said, contrite. I had to remind myself it wasn't just my brother we were going to fight. We would go against hers, too.

The remaining black strands of my hair turned white. "No, it can't."

He sneered, "You've gotten arrogant if you think you'll be able to survive against me. This will be over quickly."

I felt consciousness slip away as Rayi stepped through the barrier and switched places with me. The last thing I heard before everything went black was her purr, "Yes, it will be over quickly, indeed."