Draiks and Angels: Rescued

17 - Blinded

Daniel hated grading papers. Professor Ertenmiter was in class right then and had left Daniel to grade the mid-term papers of the first-year students. How did most of them even get into college?! He heard a knock at the door and yelled for them to enter without looking up.

"Are you Daniel Kinter?" a male voice asked.

Daniel finally looked up; red pen poised. There were three men standing in the doorway, wearing various colors of tee shirts and dark jeans. They looked to be older than him by about ten years. They looked serious.

"Yes," Daniel laid down his pen and sat up straight.

"We have read about you in the newspaper," the front man started.

That article again. But this time Daniel didn't say anything. Something about these men concerned him.

"We think it would be wise," the man continued, "for you to stop talking about people with wings."

Daniel raised his eyebrow, "Really. Why?"

"It would be in your best interest."

Daniel smiled, "I have never been very good at self-preservation. I need a better reason." He hoped by giving them the chance to explain a different way, they wouldn't immediately attack him.

The lead man narrowed his eyes, but said, "Our employer would rather not have people looking for winged people."

"Why not?" Daniel gambled, "Does your employer know of one? I do. Several in fact."

"We are not at liberty to say what our employer may know."

"Well, I don't trust you. If your employer wants me to stop, they'll have to talk to me directly," Daniel hoped he could glean more information from whoever this employer was.

The men conferred and one of the others asked, "Do you have a phone I could use?"

Daniel pointed across the room to Professor Ertenmiter's desk. The man walked over and picked up the receiver. He talked so quietly that Daniel couldn't hear what he was saying. He hung up after a minute and returned to the other men. They talked quietly.

The leader turned back to Daniel, "Come with us now. Our employer will meet with you."

Daniel didn't want to grade papers anyway.

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They drove in awkward silence from SSU into the heart of Volatum. They parked next to an apartment building and the leader, who was driving, told him to get out. There was yet another man standing next to the fire escape, which had been let down. He merely pointed up. Daniel started climbing.

He was out of breath by the time he reached the top. It was only four stories, but that was enough. He looked around and only saw the little structure for the door to the roof. He walked forward toward it, and as he rounded the corner, he saw a man facing him with his arms folded. He had light brown hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a white tee shirt and jeans. He looked to be a few years younger than Daniel. Daniel thought he saw something and glanced at the man's feet, which were shod with sandals, and saw a large white feather behind his leg.

"You are Daniel Kinter," the man said.

It was not a question, but Daniel answered anyway, "Yes."

"My men tell me you refused to cooperate unless you talked with me."

Daniel assumed he was the employer, but he was awfully young, "Who are you?"

"My name is Andrew."

Andrew? Mara mentioned him! The feather! "Angel!"