The Complete Archangel Wars Series: A Shared Universe Series (The Archangel Wars)

by Jonathan Yanez

  Alan’s voice finally ended the hush. “No, you guys don’t get a say. You need to come with me.”

  All eyes followed Alan’s as the three large canines stopped mid-step rounding the table as if to go speak with Michael. The dogs looked at one another with lopsided grins, then turned to retake their place behind Alan’s chair.

  “Okay, then,” Michael said. “This is what we’re going to do.”

  Chapter Ninety

  The next two hours were spent going over and revisiting every aspect of the plan. If it was possible, Alan found even more respect for the Archangel as he informed them all about what would take place, despite his tired eyes and disheveled clothing. Alan knew, down to the smallest detail, everyone’s part to play in the coming days.

  Everyone’s journey would be dangerous; still, he could see how Michael had come to decide their present course of action. Each goal in Michael’s plan was necessary in order to fill in all the blank spaces in the story of Gabriel’s acquisition of power. It would also pressure their adversary on three sides instead of just one.

  When the plans were set and all of the questions answered, the meeting was adjourned. The travelers would need rest and time to prepare for the events to come.

  Ardat lingered for only a moment to whisper something into Michael’s ear, and whatever she said made the Archangel blush as she turned to leave the room.

  Alan pretended he didn’t see the exchange. Instead, he followed the rest of the group out of the room though Michael’s voice forced him to pause mid-stride. “Alan, if you would be willing to remain just a bit longer?”

  Seraphim traded an intrigued expression with Alan before she departed with the others. The doors leading to the chamber closed, leaving Alan inside the room. He turned toward Michael with questioning eyes. “Sure, what’s going on?”

  Michael looked tired. Almost as tired as Artemis had been acting at the meeting and just as weary as Alan felt. The long hours of creating Seraphim’s wing and all of the emotions that went into giving her the actual gift had been taxing. More than anything, he knew he needed rest, especially now, on the eve of their departure.

  “First, I just wanted to say how proud I am of you. You’re turning into the man I knew you could become.”

  Alan smiled, then replaced his grin with a question. “Are you talking about my lack of depression, or something else?”

  “Yes, and yes. The way you’re choosing to look after others now instead of yourself. Your interaction with the others is showing progress toward the leader you will become.”

  Alan wasn’t sure what to say. The lack of any role model in his life made it hard for him to grasp the right feeling for the moment.

  “You don’t have to say anything,” Michael said. “I just need you to know that I’m proud of the man you’re becoming.”

  Heat rushed to Alan’s face as Michael held his gaze. He broke eye contact with a nod. “Thanks.”

  Michael saved Alan from further embarrassment by changing the subject. “The other thing I wanted to tell you was I need to keep a promise I made.”

  Michael’s tone caught Alan off guard. In a blink, all affirmation was gone from his voice, quickly replacing with worry. “I promised you there would be no more secrets. I intend to honor that promise.”

  A million things crashed through Alan’s mind as he steadied himself for what could come next. “You’re not going to tell me I’m some kind of experiment, or I have to chop off Medusa’s head, or that this is all a dream, are you?”

  Michael’s serious expression cracked for just a second. “No, nothing like that. Your part in what’s to come will send you on a journey that’ll lead you to yet another Wonder of the Ancient World.”

  Alan nodded. Michael had already implied as much during the outline of their meeting. Ardat and Danielle were going to travel with him, and Michael had assured them that Ardat’s knowledge of the Wonders would be invaluable to their journey. The specifics were still hazy as to which Wonder they would be going to next, or if they would be visiting them all.

  “What do you know of the Statue of Zeus, Alan?”

  In one motion, Alan’s lower lip pushed forward and his eyebrows rose. “I read a lot of Greek mythology while I was in high school. Zeus was the king of the gods. He lived on Mount Olympus, he had power over lightning, he…” Alan’s voice lowered as he listed off the things he knew about the Greek god. As he spoke, memories of Michael’s weapon triggered something in his thoughts.

  “You used a spear made of lightning when you fought Gabriel,” Alan said, even as the ideas formed. “Gabriel, he used fire, just like the Greek god, Hades.”

  Alan’s mind raced as more and more similarities from Greek mythologies shifted from legend to reality. “And Cerberus,” he whispered more to himself than to Michael.

  “You’re figuring out all of this faster than I’d anticipated,” Michael said. “Understand that these things were not kept from you. It’s just that, when you’re talking with supernatural beings who’ve been around since the beginning of time, well, frankly there’s a lot of history to cover.”

  “Wait a minute. Are you telling me you’re Zeus?”

  Michael nodded. “Not a title I chose. Over the centuries, angels and the Fallen have been given many names. When there was conflict requiring our attention in a more noticeable form, humans needed a way of coping with things they didn’t understand. If they could place us in a category and rationalize what they saw, they were better able to accept it and avoid panic.”

  Alan was following Michael. He could accept that the man could have been labeled Zeus at one time, but Gabriel as Hades just didn’t make any sense. “How could Gabriel be Hades if he’s been in hiding since the War in Heaven?”

  “I know you want all the answers now; however, it would be impossible at the moment to give you a lecture on our lives since the beginning of time.” Michael took one look at Alan’s raised eyebrow. “All right, you’re correct. I told you no more secrets. There’s just so much that’s happened.”

  “Give me the abbreviated version.”

  “Our Greek aliases became necessary when a group of Fallen were under the impression it would be entertaining to break the law and reveal themselves to humans and control them, like gods. A few of my captains and I were forced to intercede and follow suit until the situation was handled. During that time, we heard one of the Fallen was referring to himself as ‘the god of the dead’—aka Hades—but we never did find him. Once we managed the Fallen who were leading the uprising, Hades faded back into obscurity, and so did we.”

  Alan shook his head as he imagined how many other legends and stories could be real. Not only real, but also so close to the truth. “We’ve almost had it,” he said. “I mean, as humans, we’ve been on the right track.”

  “The best lies aren’t lies at all, Alan. They’re just veils placed over the truth. What better way to hide among the pages of history than to be dismissed as urban legends, monsters, or aliens… Every culture has different stories and, in a way, they’re all true.”

  “So, you’re telling me: vampires, werewolves, Bigfoot … they’re all actually real?”

  “I’m telling you it’s not easy policing the world. Different members of the Fallen become restless awaiting their judgment and choose to either pass the time or to entertain themselves having ‘fun’ with the human race. Or, in some cases, seriously lose it and go on killing sprees. It’s our job to keep them in line.”

  “Dracula?”

  “Yes, a member of the Fallen race.”

  “Zombies?”

  Michael nodded.

  “Okay, how about that story about alligators in the sewers?”

  “No, that wasn’t a supernatural being getting out of line. We looked into it. That was just some crazy, made-up story to scare kids.”

  Alan had a dozen other questions to ask, but he sensed the time wasn’t right, so he bottled them up for later. Everything Michael said was making sens
e. The implications of a supernatural race hiding beside humans since the beginning of time made for endless possibilities of their two worlds colliding.

  “I can see you’re hardly containing yourself,” Michael laughed. “I sincerely wish I had more time. But for now, what you need to know is the Greek stories you read are real. Angels and the Fallen took on the roles of gods to men and women for a period of time. The Statue of Zeus was erected in our memory after we defeated the Fallen who’d positioned themselves as gods over humans. We don’t know how the statue was destroyed, but if I was a betting Archangel, I’d have my money on Gabriel being involved.”

  “You think he destroyed the statue?”

  “Now that I know he’s been alive all this time, I can almost guarantee it.”

  “And you think somehow the statue made him more powerful?”

  Michael shrugged with a reluctance that implied he wanted to say more but couldn’t. “The statue didn’t have power in and of itself; still, the monument did stand for strength. I’m grasping at theories, here, but you’ll have to go see for yourself. There is more, of course, but there’s a little girl in my head who says this is your story to uncover. You have to find out for yourself.”

  Alan understood. “A little whisper in your head, huh? I know what you mean.”

  ---

  Everything depended on her believing him. If Michael’s plan was going to work, Kyle would have to give the performance of a lifetime. For someone who’d never even taken a drama class, he was less than prepared for his debut role as a double agent.

  If he was going to live through the next day, even the next few minutes, he needed to keep his cool. Besides, it was the least he could do to prove to everyone he was not the person Ardat had so easily manipulated previously. He couldn’t even bring himself to look in her direction during the course of the meeting.

  For her part, she hadn’t bothered to say a word to him since she arrived at the Temple, and that was fine with Kyle. Dealing with the woman who’d twisted his mind into following her wasn’t his primary concern. He was more upset with himself for allowing anyone to use him. Ultimately, though, the blame came back to rest on his shoulders. Anyway you cut it, it was his fault that a good man had died.

  Now, it was his time to make the first small step toward repaying a debt he didn’t know if he could ever fulfill. Still, it was a start.

  In his head, Kyle replayed Michael’s strategy for the upcoming events as he traveled the last few yards to the holding cells where Triana and the others were being held prisoner—the plan, the backup plan, and all the contingencies Michael had made him memorize should the scheme deviate from the desired course.

  For Triana to take him anywhere near Gabriel, she needed to believe him beyond any question. Although the Fallen shape-shifter didn’t know where her leader was, she was still the best bet at finding him.

  Kyle turned a corner and nodded to the two angels guarding the cell door to Triana’s holding room. The soldiers had been handpicked by Esther herself. They knew their part to play. With any luck, they’d be better actors than Kyle.

  “I’m here to see the prisoner under Michael’s orders,” Kyle said in a loud, steady voice he hoped would penetrate through Triana’s cell door.

  For a moment, he thought the plan was already in jeopardy as the angel on his right—a tall, muscular woman—looked to the angel beside her. “I wasn’t aware the prisoners were allowed to have guests, were you, Caleb?”

  The equally tall angel gave Kyle a wink. “No, not that I know of. What did you say your name was?”

  Kyle gave a sigh of relief. The angels were far better actors than he was. “I’m Kyle, Michael sent me here. If you have a problem with that, you should take it up with him. I’m only doing as I’m told.”

  The angels looked at each other and shrugged, pausing as they pretended to think it over. “If it’s Michael’s orders,” the female angel said as she turned to unlock the cell door.

  “It is.”

  She produced a key from the inside of her white cloak and placed it into the lock. The tumbler turned with a sharp click, and the door swung open.

  Kyle stepped inside. The cell wasn’t even really a cell; the room was about the size of his own with the only major difference being a steel door that kept anyone from leaving. Likewise, there was no fireplace in the wall.

  A single candle gave the darkness pause in its quest to consume the room in a black embrace. It took a moment for Kyle’s eyes to adjust, and as he heard the door close behind him, he caught motion to his left. Triana was sitting with her knees pulled to her chest, forced to live in her true form as the young blonde woman. She played with the collar around her neck. “Come to take this thing off for me?”

  Kyle was taken aback by her question. He lowered his voice and gave his most sincere stare. “Actually, yes. I want you to get me out of here.”

  Triana raised an eyebrow. “Really? I was being sarcastic.” Recognition crossed her face. “Wait a minute, aren’t you Ardat’s plaything? That kid who had the knowledge of the Chronicle?”

  Kyle hated that this was how he’d made a name for himself, but decided to concede the point for now. “Yeah, my name’s Kyle Brown. I was with Ardat, and I thought I could join Michael, but I was wrong. I don’t belong here. I should have never come in the first place. I want you to take me to Gabriel.”

  Triana barked out a dry laugh. “Yeah, okay, well, even if I did know where he was, sport, we have a few problems. Not only do I not trust you, but if you haven’t noticed, we’re also in an underground cell in the Temple of Artemis. There’s more supernatural power between here and the exit than I can imagine, and I can imagine a lot of power. And if all of that isn’t enough, this stupid collar is keeping me from being able to use my abilities.”

  Kyle reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny silver key. “Don’t worry. I have a plan. I stole the key from that old, idiot inventor to remove your collar. I can get you out of here, if you trust me. We both want the same thing.”

  Triana gave him a sidelong look, and Kyle’s heart picked up its tempo. This was it. This was the moment she’d either start to trust him or he’d fail everyone. Was he too aggressive, too eager in his request to help her?

  “All right, Kyle. I’ll buy what you’re selling. I want you to know, though, that if this is some kind of trick, I won’t need my powers to kill you.”

  “That’s fine. Here.” Kyle took a few steps forward and reached for her collar, forcing his hands to quit their trembling. Anything could give him away at this point.

  “So, what’s the plan now? We politely ask the guards at the door to let us exit and have Artemis herself escort us to the surface?”

  Kyle found the collar’s keyhole and, with a quick twist, the slender, silver collar slid off Triana, falling with a soft thud onto the bed beside her. “No. Give me a second to deal with the guards at the door. They won’t expect anything from me. When they’re out, we’ll make a run for the exit.”

  “Seems a bit brash, don’t you think?”

  “You have a better idea?”

  “Good point. What about the others that were captured? Coralline, Drake, Crux? They must all be here somewhere.”

  Kyle’s gut clenched. Here was one of the many contingencies Michael had built into the plan. At all costs, Kyle was supposed to sway Triana’s idea of freeing the others. One prisoner escaping would be easy enough to manage; four would be another battle they wanted to avoid.

  They also needed to follow Triana and Kyle. If the Fallen member, Crux, was freed, he could simply open a portal for them to travel through. Michael and Seraphim would lose their trail in the blink of an eye.

  “There’s no time to free them. If we have any advantage, it’s surprise. Once I deal with the two guards at your door, that advantage decreases with every passing second. Do you want to escape, or do you want to play hero and save your friends?”

  Triana stood and rolled her head from side to sid
e, massaging the place on her neck where the collar had rested moments before. “You talk a good game, Kyle Brown. Now can you back it up?”

  “Watch me.”

  “And you’re going to just walk out there and deal with them, how?”

  Kyle gave her the best villainous grin he could muster. “Do you know what my ability is?”

  “My, my, you do get more interesting as the time passes. No, I don’t.”

  “I can absorb and use the powers of any supernatural beings around me. That means I can shape-shift like you. I can also hypnotize anyone I want, thanks to the abilities of the female angel standing outside your door.”

  With a smirk, Triana bought his lie. “If you’re half as good as you say you are, I’m sure Gabriel will have a place for you under his command.”

  Kyle was beginning to feel comfortable with his new persona as he flashed her another quick smile. “Wait here. This will only take a moment.”

  ---

  Alan licked his lips as he peered around the corner and down the hall where the two guards stood sentry outside of Triana’s cell. If things went bad, he would be the first to jump in. Artemis peered around the corner with him, ready to telepathically send out an alarm if they needed the others to help.

  “Do you think he did it?” she asked.

  “I hope so.”

  “Me, too. He’s such a good kid. He just wants to help and fit in.”

  Alan dismissed the fact that the ten-year-old girl just referred to Kyle as a kid. “You always see the good in people, don’t you?”

  “I try. We’re all capable of fighting for the Light. There’s a battle waging in all of us every day. We’re—oh, look, there he is.”

  Alan’s eyes had already caught the movement. Kyle stepped from the cell, and the angels closed the door behind him. He looked over his shoulder to where he knew Alan and Artemis would be waiting and gave them a thumbs-up.

  “Okay, here we go,” Alan said. “You know what to do.”