Lipgloss on your Wings - Branded Angel Novels book 1

Chapter 12

   Rick was already there when I walked around the corner, Jarryd succumbed to my argument and was parked just outside the industrial estate that housed the units where Rick’s garage was situated.

   I noticed Rick give me the once over, as if assessing my seriousness and capability. I felt unworthy, confirmed by the lightning fast smirk that disappeared from Rick’s face as quickly as it had come. He took a set of keys from his pocket, and I totally did not for one moment think he was pulling a gun on me, not at all. He opened the office entrance to his unit and motioned for me to follow, flicking on the lights as he preceded inside.

   It was a completely standard mechanics office, papers everywhere, a smudge of grease or dirt on every surface. A desk with coffee rings linked all over, like the mechanics equivalent of the Olympics logo. I saw a little wire tray with Simon’s name on with various bits of paperwork in and was once again thankful that Rick never chose my brother to take on the angel assassins legacy.

   Rick sat in a swivel chair and motioned for me to sit in the plain wooden chair shoved in the corner. Despite our seemingly formal and slightly hostile, though brief, telephone conversation and greeting outside he suddenly leant forward, elbows on knees and gave me a sympathetic look. His soft expression revealed his real age and he looked like every other squidgy faced Grandpa about to dish out Wurthers Originals.

   He motioned for me to begin, “I’m not here to beat around the bush, I want to see documentation from the… organisation’s previous cases. I assume you keep these sorts of things, for history or training purposes?”

   Rick shook his head but not for denial of my question, “I’m interested to know how you know about all this in the first place, first. As you can probably guess this ‘organisation’ as you put it, isn’t very widespread with only a handful of members in each city, worldwide.”

   I was actually surprised to hear that, but then I thought Angels like Ori aren’t branded, so they’re not recognisable, the Sicarius only go after the guardian angels that have the brands, completely clueless that angels are everywhere. I wondered what the ratio was between angels noticed by the Sicarius and the ones that go unnoticed.

   I didn’t have any means to stall for time on how to answer that question so came out with the first thing that came into my head, “Liam told me.”

   He quirked a brow, “Why would he do that?” He asked suspiciously.

   “We’ve been seeing each other, he just came out with it and I didn’t believe it could be true, I’m interested.” I shrugged feigning nonchalance even though I guessed it was too late since my desperation came out on the phone earlier.

   He shrugged an acceptance even though his expression told me he didn’t buy my story, though I was certain he wouldn’t guess the truth, I knew I’d made a crucial mistake when he replied with,   “Look kid, there’s files, sure. At the pentagon.”

   “America?” I questioned feebly, “As in American government?”

   He gave me an apologetic nod but he wasn’t sorry. “So what can you tell me personally about all this?” I felt deflated knowing me and Jarryd could never break into the pentagon to read actual files, but maybe word of mouth accounts would give us at least some sort of clue.

   “Not a lot, if Liam has told you this much you probably know as much as I do. Like I said it’s a secret and miniscule organisation in comparison to some operations, and as far as I can tell in the past few hundred years there have been less and less cases of actual angel sightings let alone capture.” 

"I see.” I felt no need to go on, but had to tie up my loose ends, “Could you not mention any of this to Simon? He doesn’t know about me and Liam, and I’m er- thinking of calling it off anyway, you know, between us.” I was stumbling over my words in my disappointment and sudden need to be out of that office.