To Assassinate an Angel

Chapter Twelve - Red sky at dawn

       

The Palace

10:15 AM

Gabriel ran down the corridor into the room where Chuck and Seb were starting to wake up.

"Oncle Chuck!  Oncle Chuck!" The little boy jumped on Chuck's bed and shook his shoulder.  "Wake up!  Wake up!"

The drummer groaned prising his eyelids open.  "Huh?  Gabe...?  What is it?"

Gabriel didn't answer, instead he grabbed his hand and pulled him from the bed and over to the window, pointing.  Chuck scowled blearily, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. 

"What-?" The words fled from his lips as he stared out the window.  There were dark clouds rolling across the sky.  That in itself wasn't unusual; it was the colour of them that caught the drummer's attention.

"Holy shit..."

Seb stirred,  "What, Chuck?" He lifted his head.  Chuck waved to him to come over to the window.  The younger man crawled out of bed and moved to stand on Gabriel's other side.

"Holy...they're red...I've never seen..."

"Neither..." Chuck shook his head and glanced down at Pierre's nephew.  "What do you think that is?"

Gabriel actually giggled.  "Tonton Pierre isn't happy..."

Seb scratched at his head, tousling his hair.  "Pierre's doing that?"

His nephew nodded.  "Kinda.  Cool, hey?"

"Cool?" Chuck snorted.  "That's scary.  That is."

Gabriel scrambled up on the windowsill and continued to stare out the window.  Chuck moved away and went to grab some clean clothes.  Seb leaned against the windowsill still staring out at the clouds, frowning deeply, wondering what it all meant.  The sound of yelling caught all three's attentions and they swivelled their heads and leaned back to see Pierre and Pat stumbling down the hallway yelling for everyone to get up.  Well, Pat was yelling; Pierre was leaning against him, head bowed, breathing hard.  Chuck blinked rapidly.  The singer looked awfully pale and exhausted as if he'd just run a marathon.  His shirt was hanging open, sweat glistening on his bare chest.

What the hell? Chuck moved to the doorway.  "Oi?  Where've you two been?  And why the hell do you look like shit, Bouvier?"

Pierre lifted his head and gazed wearily at the drummer. 

"I'll explain...once everyone's up and ready...just...need to clean up..."

"Yeah, true that...you stink."

Pat who was supporting him, snorted.  "Give it a rest, Comeau...he's been through the fucking wringer."

Chuck rolled his eyes.  "Can't wait to hear about it.  Go on, I'll make sure everybody else is ready."  He glanced toward the window again.  Pierre followed his gaze and smirked.

"Looks like a storm's coming..."

Chuck rubbed at his face.  "Gabriel said you had something to do with that...?"

Pierre shrugged.  "Maybe..." He glanced at Pat.  "Baby..."

Pat squeezed his arm gently.  "Come on.  Let's get you cleaned up." He shot a look at their friend.  "Meet us in Joscelin's office..." 

The drummer nodded but then paused.  "Should I bring Gabe?"

Pierre lifted his head again.  "Everyone needs to be there." Then he groaned softly.  Pat waved his hand at Chuck.