Radicle (Terminal trilogy #2, can stand alone)

38: Out

 "Three people aren't able to decide for a group consisting of twelve." Kell said as we walked in, perhaps having held that thought on his mind since we left.

"Where is Lane anyways?" I said nonchalantly as I took a seat. "Anyways, like two or three of you are dead at this point and the rest are off spree murdering- though, I'd expect one or two of them to also be dead by this point."

"We still stand as a governing body that requires time to replace missing members and consult others on issues brought to us."

"This will be short." Michael said, but I noted something sore about his voice and raised a hand to keep him quiet.

"We would like you to surrender." I said as calm as I could muster, but I feared the sound of my heartbeat would somehow betray me.

"We?" Stacy said snidely.

Michael turned his head and looked at me, and I didn't want to meet his gaze. He knew I was lying, and I could see him struggle not to speak the truth. But he held his tongue.

The rest of the occupants in the room were waiting.

"Even if every angel in Heaven dies, even if you burn the city and wreak its walls- the Brothers of Blood will continue to live." My voice shook, and I found myself focusing on my eyes. Trying not to cry confused tears at my words. "They will live and die and live again. And there is no solution to that. They will kill you all."

The Brothers had nothing to say on the matter. Kell, still casually upset, leaned back. "I've dealt with the immortal before, and I swear, usually they're a bit nicer than this."

"When did you..." I started, but dropped the subject. "Heaven would like you to surrender before you waste any more lives."

"Why are you the one speaking?" Glenn said.

The Brothers behind me were still clueless as to why Michael had brought them here, and Michael himself had retreated to a state of serene stillness.

"It is my duty to do whatever Michael asks me to."

"With matters like these, I'd rather not hear anything from a man who can't make up his mind about what he is."

"I haven't changed." I said. "And I never will."

"What exactly are you asking of us then?" Kell said. "Lay out your terms."

I did not know about the future. That was supposed to be Michael's duty, to know what I never could of yesterday and tomorrow. But I looked at him, again, sitting by my side and I remembered how good I was at bullshitting answers.

"Stop your siege. Surrender your blades. Lose your weapons. Dismantle your army. End this war."

"What will you do then?" Stacy asked, perhaps asking about me instead of my family, but I choose to ignore that.

"Mourn our dead. You should too."

"So just like that then? End it all?" Glenn said sadly. She wasn't the sort to feel remorse over peace, so perhaps it was purely the era that she was going to miss.

"Yes." I said. I had been keeping my eyes narrow and sharp the whole conversation, careful not to cry or wince. But then I twitched my nose and gazed to the floor. "And let the angels come here."

"You want every angel to come to Hell?" Kell said harshly. The Brothers beside me had no reaction.

"To reap the reward of war, let us take your city." I told him. "...They need to get out of there."