by J Moon
Moments later, The Ark roared its way to the lower east side. Gabe pulled up to the curb of 89th Canal St. For the millionth time that night he checked his rearview mirror to make sure they weren’t being followed. He turned off The Ark and the roar of the engine came to a low rumble. Swiftly they got out of the car, and slammed the doors.
“Where are we going?” Nia asked.
The archangel reached into the inner right pocket of his camel coat. In one smooth motion of his hands, he put on his shades, and straightened his long camel coat. “To find some answers inside this bar called Afterlife.” Gabe stretched out his hand, “Stay close.”
A smirk swept across Nia’s face as she followed behind him. “Please…. I’m from Brooklyn. I can handle myself. “She cracked her knuckles as if they were headed to a bar fight.
Gabe curled his lip. “Some snot nose kids who like to rob the poor is one thing, but Afterlife is full of supernatural creatures both good and evil. While you're with me... you're under my protection. It’s a lot of vile individuals in there.” Then he leaned in her ear. “But I think you will love it,” he said with his eyes glinting with a childlike glee.
As she fell deep into the hazel pools of his eyes, Nia felt Gabe’s enthusiasm building the same anticipation and excitement in hers. It was as if the flames she saw in his had ignited the same thrill in her own. That thrill became infectious and made her excited. She folded her arms. “Like I said, I’m a Brooklyn girl and I can handle myself.”
“I still need you to stay close.”
The archangel scanned around the block. From the beginning he was taught to be aware of his surroundings. It was easy for demons to trail them.
They could posses anyone on the street, lurk in the shadows, or cloak themselves as the League grunts were so adapt to do. He casted his steely gaze around, and nothing or no one stood out to him.
As expected for a Friday night there were many people out walking the streets. The archangel lifted his chin, and took a big sniff of the air. There was no scent of sulfur, he was pleased.
Side by side they strolled over towards a Chinese takeout restaurant called Yummy Yummy. There was nothing exciting about the exterior. It looked like any other run down Chinese take-out. A half illuminated sign. Rust stains ran along the door. Pictures of a faded food menu plastered on the glass window.
“This looks mad suspect,” Nia murmured. Bells rung once they walked inside.
“How may I help you?” An older Asian man asked from behind the counter.
Gabe put his hand on the counter.“I want to order a number nine to go.”
“What’s your side?”
“Dead fish.”
The man nodded, “Pick it up around back.”
Gabe winked and led Nia around the corner, and into a closet sized bathroom.
Nia pinched her nose, “Jesus Christ it smells.”
Gabe flushed the toilet with his foot and the bathroom wall moved, revealing an elevator large enough to fit a group of six.
Nia’s face lit up in excitement. “A secret entrance.”
“Just wait until you see what’s downstairs.” Gabe waved his hand. “After you my lady.”
“Why thank you,” Nia said with a grin.
They stepped over the toilet to take the elevator down. Once the doors closed in front of them, the elevator descended with a quickness that made Nia feel like she was on a roller coaster.
Nia slammed her hands against the walls as she stumbled backwards. “Wait, I wasn’t ready!”
“Just hold on,” The archangel commanded as he leaned against the wall.
As the elevator whooshed down thousands of feet below, neon green and blue lights swept over them. A wave of fear washed of Nia as the speed of the elevator increased and the lights swept over them repeatedly. The lights prickled her skin with an uncomfortable heat.
She felt almost as if she was a young girl again at Coney Island when her dad took her to ride the Coney Tower. She remembered how her stomach felt weightless and twisted into knots. It felt the same way now.
Once the elevator landed on the bottom floor, the doors swung open, and Nia’s eyes grew ten times larger as she stepped off. The metal doors of the hidden lift stood open.
Now there was a long paneled corridor opening out to a dance floor. Music called from around the corner. Nia crept along the corner as Gabe lead the way out towards the music
Gabe clapped his hands, “So what do you think? Great huh?”
Nia looked around. She was stunned speechless. Afterlife looked to her like something out of a movie and nothing she’d ever seen before in New York. All at once she felt transported to a far distant future where she stood.
She took two steps out of the corridor, and her eyes went to the grandiose chandelier like structure in the middle of the room. An intertwining orb of red, blue and green lights. Her gaze rowed over to the large Pink sign ran across the bar that read Afterlife.
Slowly she took in the room. There were two levels in Afterlife. A dance floor right across the elevator with a floating bar to the far left corner of the room.
Above the dance floor were seated lounges filled with creatures she had never seen before. Half of the members in the bar looked like people, she assumed some were angels like Gabriel or demons, the others were freaky.
Girls dancing in cages that were entirely blue with three breasts and long hair. Waitresses that looked more feline than human. Men that looked reptilian. Men that looked like goats. A seven foot girl with glowing white skin, and large brown eyes that looked like a doe, walked past her.
Up on the balcony in the corner she spotted demons covered in tattoos, ordering more drinks and girls to their table. She shuddered at the sight of their razor sharp teeth and long talons. They reminded Nia of the thugs she sees every day in her project. All of this right here in the lower east side and no one knew.
Gabe leaned in her ear, “Do you still think you can handle yourself?”
Neon flashing lights pulled her to the dance floor as synth heavy music thundered all around, “This place looks like a club in Tokyo or Vegas on acid. This is my type of party. It’s lit!” She walked cautiously ahead. “Damn, I wish I knew I was going out. Here I am looking like a bum.” She smoothed loose hairs back into her big messy high bun.
Gabe laughed. “Nonsense you look gorgeous. Come on let’s have a drink,” he said as he lead her over to the bar.
“Yo Gabe, my man... what’s going on?” The bartender greeted in a heavy New Yorker accent. His skin was made up of bluish green scales. His eyes reminded Nia of a frog while his needle like red hair looked completely alien.
Gabe pulled him into a hug. “Tommy, how’s it hanging?”
“Oh my God,” Nia blurted. She stared at him, stunned and speechless. It was very rude and uncomfortable, but she couldn’t pull herself out of the awkward moment.
“Can I help you with something sweetheart?” He asked in an offended tone.
“I’m sorry I just never met an-”
“Angrolian before?” he inserted.
She shook her head, “Nope.”
“So what are you drinking?” Gabe asked with a nudge.
Nia side eyed Gabe, “Are angels supposed to be drinking?”
Gabe shrugged, “Well no but those are the newbies. You see that there," he pointed up a massive orb that appeared as a black and gold chandelier. “Those lights keep the higher ups and lower downs from looking in. Afterlife is a neutral zone.”
Nia smiled, “Okay then.”
“What are you having?” Tommy asked. He cleaned shot glasses, as his words came out like spit fire. “You know we have a special on A positive. All cocktails made with goat urine is half off. Rattlesnake venom in a shot is buy one get one. Rail drinks is four dollars, and top shelf will cost you an arm and a leg, maybe even your spleen."
Nia leaned over, “Did he say A positive as in blood?”
Tommy tossed his rag on the bar and rested both palms on
the edge. “Look around sweetheart, there is a large fang crowd to cater to.”
Nia glanced over her shoulder, and one dread locked brother flashed her a flirty smile with seven inches of aroused fang. She shuddered at the sight, and turned her attention back to Tommy. “How about some Hennessy? Can I get a Henny on the rocks?”
Tommy shrugged, “We got Hennessy if that’s what you want?”
Nia nodded her head like a schoolgirl. “Yes, please.”
Gabe slammed a few bills on the counter, “Sounds good make that a double.”
Tommy poured and handed them two glasses filled to a third of Hennessy.
Gabe pointed his brows, “Here’s to your first adventure, Nia Carter.”
“I’ll drink to that.”
Nia and Gabe clinked glasses, and turned their cups up. Gabe smiled at the smooth taste. “What’s this called again?”
“Hennessy,” Nia stated.
“I think I might have found a new drink.” He hit the bar, “Now back to business. I’m here to speak with Mei Ling. What kind of mood is she in today?” He asked.
A body flies out of a back door to the left corner of the bar. Out stepped a frumpy looking Filipino woman wearing a matching blue sweat suit that has an angry looking Siamese cat on it. She was holding a double sawed off shotgun in her hand, which she cocked and shot at the man’s head. “You better not let me catch your ass around here again!”
Tommy spun his head over to Gabe, “That kind of mood. You better be careful.”
Mei Ling adjusted her thick glasses, and then turned towards the bar. “Oh crap it’s you!” She shouted as she glimpsed at Gabe.
“Yes it’s me.” He turned to Nia, “Come on.” He smacked his glass down on the bar, stood, and walked towards Mei Ling.
Even with her glasses on Mei Ling was still squinting. Gabe walked over, and she peered up at the archangel who towered about three feet over her. “Why are you back here again?”
Gabe took off his shades, and folded them in the right pocket of his camel trench coat, “I have more questions.”
“I might have answers. Come on back,” Mei Ling stated as she turned to go back in the room. She led him to a room around back. It was junky and filled with several photographs and cat figurines. They sat at a round wobbly oak table and she sat across from them.
Mei Ling was one of the last powerful prophets on Earth. Prophets are recognized as having received public or private revelation directly from the Creator himself.
Many have already been murdered or assassinated since the great Battle of the Seals. The Sons of Chaos who were SMITE’s prime opposing force, have been very successful over the last few decades in their efforts to usher in the apocalypse and eliminate all who fight for the Creator.
Ever since the Battle of the Seals, the amount of individuals born with the ability to perform miracles, and chosen to fight alongside the angels has dwindled down to none. No one in SMITE could understood why but that wasn’t their job to do so.
Since the dawn of creation, The Creator has used his prophets, his angels, his anointed and his SMITE to protect mankind. They were not created to question their father, even though he has become so elusive.
SMITE battled all those who follow Lucifer, a fallen archangel who called himself Light bringer. It was their job to anticipate and analyze all of his agents’ moves.
Whoever stole Moses’ staff blindsided SMITE and none of the higher up were happy about that. The pressure surmounting Gabe was incredible, and that was why he was serious about completing his mission. How Nia factored into all of this was a true mystery to him. He was hoping the prophet would have more answers.
With her hands clasped she said, “I know why you’re here.”
Gabe sat forward in the chair, his hands making a tent around his mouth. “You do?”
Mei Ling leaned closer, her voice dropped almost to a whisper, “Still looking for the staff.” She said this with a twinkling glee in her worn and wise eyes.
Gabe nodded, “That’s right. What’s the word?” He leaned in. “Have you had any visions lately?”
Mei Ling adjusted her glasses and sat back. “I did, right before you came. One of your boys took it. Why did they do that?” She asked rhetorically as she adjusted her glasses again. “They are going to hand it to Legion, and then we are all screwed.”
Gabe sat up. Confusion engulfed his expression. “An angel did this? Who?”
“Don’t know. Not clear. But she will give it to Legion at a nightclub in Harlem.”
Gabe turned his head up, “She?”
“Yes, she.”
Gabe stroked his chin as he pondered which archangel was powerful enough to accomplish such a task. Who would be this treacherous he asked to himself. None of his sisters came to mind but indeed he intended to find out. Whoever it was would be dealt with, and brought justice by Gabriel's hands.
Gabe reached into the left side of his coat casually, pulled out a small silver notepad, and a very sleek pen. With a flick of the risk, he opened the notepad to a new page. “What’s the name of the club?” he asked.
“Cotton Club,” She responded.
Nia’s face twisted in confusion. She had been sitting on the side trying to get the full gist of what’s going on. Now she was as confused as ever. “The Cotton Club? Ain’t that like a museum. Who would be up in there?”
“Not in 1926,” Mei Ling corrected.
Gabe dropped the notepad. “So she time traveled?”
Mei Ling smacked the table. “Yes, she went back in time.”
“Then she has Power status,” he uttered to himself. The rumors he heard from Kevin were true. In his head he desperately tried to narrow down who could be the culprit, but no one came to mind. He stood from the table and paced. “Who would risk their grace or voluntarily relinquish it?”
Nia turned to Gabe, “Grace?”
“It’s a part of us angels, like a badge of honor but it’s more than that,” He answered with his hands flailing. Then he continued. “It’s fused in our essence and it’s what grants rights to ascend into Heaven. An angel with no grace has either fallen or been thrown into the pit.” Quickly the archangel switched topics as he struggled to identify which of his sisters would betray SMITE.
“Whoever the rogue is has to be a Power too. We’re the only ones with the license to time travel, and she must have an Ark.” He had heard enough. The archangel snatched the notebook and slipped it into his coat pocket. “Thanks, Mei Ling.”
“No problem, Gabe.”
He turned to Nia, “Let’s go.”
Before they could leave the room Mei Ling grabbed Nia by the arm, “You are blessed do you know that? I can sense the blood upon you.”
Nia gasped, “Well thank you. I don’t what that means but okay.”
Mei Ling looked straight to Gabe, “Make sure you protect her. Legion needs her for the staff.”
Gabe cocked his head, “Why?”
Mei Ling threw up her hands. “I don’t know.”
Gunshots erupted from just outside the door. Shortly following came the sound of chaos. Every cell in the archangel's body vibrated. He could smell the stench of sulfur and burnt oil in the air, grunts were near.
Mei Ling stood up. “Holy shit. What’s going on?”
Gabe held up a finger, “Shhh.”
Static crackled above as a speaker struggled to get out a message. After a few seconds of delay, the message came out and loud and clear. “Archangel Gabriel, will deliver Nia Carter to the League or face Annihilation!” A robotic voice bellowed over the speaker.
Somehow the grunts found them, and the archangel wasn’t too pleased. In his head he calculated an exit strategy as well as fighting tactics against the League grunts. He looked over to Nia, “Stay here. I have some smiting to do.” Gabe faced the door with his eyes blazing gold, readying himself to battle.
Chapter Four
Gabe raised his smartwatch to his eyes and saw that it was half past two in the
morning. He had started the mission nine hours ago, and somehow it seemed to spill over into the wee hours.
Time was of the essence, and the archangel could feel the thief’s path growing cold. With his chest tight he paused to take in the commotion surrounding him. Through the open door came the screams of a panicking crowd along with the ongoing throngs of music. Why was the music still playing?
The screams were accompanied by the metal clicks of machinery and cold voices.
Sulfur, Gabe noted, as he sniffed the air. He’d definitely detected the stench a few minutes ago but figured it was a few demons hanging around the bar.
The scent was a hell of a lot stronger now.
He walked further in the hallway just to take a glance at the commotion. The crowd leapt from the dance floor in a massive blur, flailing and screaming in hysteria as grunts aimed guns towards them.
They were followed.
Gabe balled his fist in frustration. He should’ve anticipated this, and now everyone at the bar was in danger. He pulled off his coat and tossed it back into the room.
Mei Ling glanced down at it then back to him with her mouth slack. She turned to Nia, “We stay here. Don’t move and we’ll be safe.” Then she shut the door in front of them.
At the top of the stairs was a gated ventilation shift. Gabe snatched off the cover, and entered the shaft swiftly. He pulled himself inside, and crawled until he came to the other side that faced the dance floor. He was a hawk in search of prey, as he peered below and tapped his smartwatch, “Assess.”
A golden light glossed over his eyes as the matrix of the smartwatch assessed the danger facing him. The SMITE matrix was the next step in angelic evolution to make all the archangels more lethal and advanced on the battlefield. Various angles, vantage points, and ways to attack his enemy calculated in the matrix as the archangel scoped out the scene in front of him.
With a final chime signifying a completed SMITE matrix assessment, the results relayed to Gabe’s ear. “There are thirteen League grunts on the floor and one League striker that has a hostage.” A cheery and feminine voice announced. “All of them are heavily armed and dangerous. SMITE intelligence assesses a max total of three minutes to clear the room of all threats.”