Chapter:  9

 

“Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.

 

Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home--these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.  In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.

 

In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"

 

Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals--these are the very things that destroy them.”

 

Jude 1:10

 

Marco DeCorsia was a man of the old school of the criminal persuasion.  At 45, he was the most prominent man in Las Vegas and the leader of the most ruthless organization in the underworld of crime.  By day, his business activities included investing in the stock market, acquiring large contracts for newly developed housing areas and his most famous legal casino business on South Casino Center Boulevard called the “Twenty-One Club”.

 

By night, his moneymaking adventures included illegal gambling, prostitution, drug trafficking and profits from all his other shares in the other illegitimate dealings in Las Vegas.  As the saying went in Las Vegas, “Marco owned everything that the eye could see in Vegas and some of things that you could not”.

 

DeCorsia had built his empire with blood, sweat and tears.  Of course, they were not his own.  He did not become who he was by using his own resources.  He created his fortune on the dead carcasses of his competitors and in this way he could afford risky business decisions without inheriting any lost from the outcome of a deal gone bad.

 

As he sat at his desk, signing agreements for his next business adventure, a knock came at the door.

 

“Come in!”

 

A young tall African-American woman dressed in a black satin shirt and pants came sauntering into the office.  She smiled devilishly at DeCorsia, her light hazel eyes beaming with mischief. She walked over to the desk and slid gracefully on to the edge of the desk, her deep seeing eyes capturing DeCorsia completely.

 

DeCorsia licked his lips, wondering what her mouth would taste like against his, what his white skin would feel like against her brown one. 

 

But he knew it would not be possible, not with this one.  She was different than the others.  She was what was known as untouchable. 

 

Not because of her place within the Las Vegas organized crime family.  Not because she was once married to the one of the toughest, meanest and vindictive man in Las Vegas, but because she was considered evil incarnate by any man in the Las Vegas vicinity.

 

It was known throughout the society of the Las Vegas Strip that Nadia Diaz was the most deadly woman that ever existed on the face of the earth.

 

To everyone who knew her, she was considered a very strong and intelligent woman.  Her knowledge of weapons and martial arts surpassed the men within the organization.  She was versed in the ways of seduction and was skilled at killing a man in twenty different ways. Her vices numbered almost nil as far as anyone knew. 

 

But Marco DeCorsia knew more than the average felonious individual. Before hiring Nadia as one of his leading lieutenants within the organized family, he did research on her background. He was not interested in her qualifications as much as he was interested in what he could use against her.

 

And he finally found it in the body of Archangel Michael Christopher Larabee, his number one nemesis. It seemed that Nadia and Archangel Michael had an old relationship that seemed to have never gone cold for Nadia.  When she found out that Chris Larabee was in Las Vegas and a very close associate of Marco DeCorsia, she took the job he had offered without hesitation.

 

She would not explain to DeCorsia what was her interest in Chris Larabee, only that she had one and that he was lucky that he had found the incentive that would entice her.

 

“Well, my dear, what brings you here?” he asked signing another contractual agreement.

 

“Archangel Michael has disappeared from Vegas.”

 

DeCorsia head snapped up from his paperwork to stare at her in shock.

 

“That’s impossible!  I would have heard about it.”

 

“Sorry to burst your bubble, darling.  But you’re informed as much as the rest of your group of cockroaches.”

 

“Listen, Nadia, my dear.  I put up with a lot of your insolence and disrespect for a long time now.  But I will not take it much longer.”

 

“I’d watch that animosity there, Marco.  You need me more than I need you,” replied Nadia with a smirk on her face.  She knew she had Marco by the balls and she knew Marco knew it too.

 

“I need Chris Larabee, too, Nadia.  And I need him alive.”

 

“I never said I wanted him dead.”

 

“But you never said you wanted him alive either.”

 

Nadia smiled deviously.  “But I never said anything.  You are just making your usual assumptions, Marco,” she said leaning closer, her voice low and almost purring.  “And you know what happens when you make assumptions, don’t you.”  Nadia touched his chin lightly with the tip of her nail and then backed away.

 

If it were in his power, Nadia would have been his a long time ago.  But right now, all he wanted was one Archangel who went by the name of Michael.  And if he had disappeared, so had his plan to merge his wealth into his.  Currently he was literally watching his dream go down the drain and he had one nasty bitch laughing at him while he drowned with it.

 

“Marco, Marco, Marco.  You know, I always thought you were an intelligent, bright man.  But now I see you just use your head to carry the mush you call a brain around in.  We still have a link to getting Archangel Michael.”

 

DeCorsia looked at her in confusion.  He did not understand what Nadia Diaz was implying.

 

Nadia saw the daze look on DeCorsia’s face and knew he did not grasp the situation.

 

“Listen up, DeCorsia.  We still know where Archangel Gabriel is.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Archangel Gabriel.  Vincent Gabriel Tanner.  Archangel Michael’s right hand man.”

 

Suddenly DeCorsia’s blue eyes brightened with clarity.  “Yes,” he thought to himself. “They knew where Vin Tanner was currently staying.  He was their link to Archangel Michael.  If they had him…”

 

“Yes, Marco,” said Nadia interrupting his thoughts.  “He is the bait to catch an angel.”

 

She had read his mind.

 

“Then what are you waiting for, my dear.  Bring him to me, I mean to us.”

 

Nadia nodded, stood up and walked quickly out of the room.  As she closed the door behind her, she heard DeCorsia say, “And do not harm him in any way, Nadia.  I know how hard you like to play.”

 

Nadia only laughed as she walked down the hall to the elevators that would take her downstairs to the lobby.  “This is going to be fun,” she said to no one in particular, as the elevator door opened and stepped in.

 

 

Vin Tanner slowly became aware of a radiating pain behind his eyes.  The sunlight coming through the bedroom window was too bright as far as he was concerned, so he groaned and tried to turn his face into the pillow behind his head. 

 

Unfortunately as soon as he tried to move, he wished he had not as soon as he felt a sharp pain stab him in the side.  He could not remember what happened and why he hurt so much.

 

Suddenly he found himself looking into the deep brown eyes of Nathan Jackson.

 

“You awake there, Vin?”

 

“Nathan, what happened?  Why am I in Chris’ bed?”

 

Then a thought came to him all of a sudden.  “Chris?  Is Chris alright, Nate?  Where is he?”  He struggled to get up out the bed and found Nathan’s strong hands restraining him.

 

“Now, calm down, Vin.  Take it easy.  You took a bad hit on the head and I think you got some cracked ribs.”  The healer then turned towards the door.  “Buck!  Ezra!  Get in here!  He’s awake!”

 

“Nathan, can ya keep it down.  My head already feels like it’s ready to come off and you yellin’ ain’t making it any better.”

 

“Here,” said the tall black man, handing him two white pills.  “This should take the edge off some.”

 

The young sharpshooter took the pills reluctantly, staring at them.

 

“Go on, Vin.  They’re not going to hurt you.”

 

“They ain’t the same thing Chris was takin’, are they?” questioned Vin, eyeing the pills suspiciously.

 

“Vin.  Take the damn pills.  You know, you boys are constantly trying my patience!”

 

“Okay, Nathan, okay.  Take it easy,” he replied, downing them swiftly.

 

“Here,” said Nathan passing him a glass of water.  Vin downed it quickly.

 

At that moment Buck and Ezra came walking into the room.

 

“I assume he’s awake?” questioned Ezra as he and Buck moved closer to the bed.

 

“Yep!  And as ornery as ever!” exclaimed Nathan frustrated by Vin’s uncooperative demeanor.  He knew that Vin was not well himself and although they were all worried about Larabee, he knew unless Vin took it easy, he would be another casualty to the list.

 

“Buck.  Ezra.  What’s going on?” 

 

Buck and Ezra looked at each other, both realizing that each did not know how to explain to the brown-haired young man about the disappearance of their friend and leader.

 

“He was gone when we found you,” explained Buck.

 

“And we need you to tell us what happened, Mr. Tanner.  Mr. Larabee’s freedom and life depends on it.”

 

Vin stared at them, confused by the statement Ezra had made.

 

“Tell me.”

 

“We came in and found you unconscious on the floor and Chris gone.  The window was open.  How many were there, Pard?”

 

“What are you talkin’ about?”

 

“How many of them came in and attacked you and Chris?”

 

“Buck.  There was no one.”

 

“What?!”

 

“There was no one.  It was Chris.”

 

“What do you mean, Mr. Tanner?”

 

“It was Chris who hit me with the vase and kicked me in the ribs when I was down.”

“That’s not possible!” yelled Buck as he started pacing the room.  “Chris would never…”

 

“Buck!  It wasn’t Chris.  Not the Chris we know,” replied Vin, struggling to his elbows.

 

“But both of Chris’ cars are still here,” said the tall moustache man.

 

“I know, Buck.”

 

“I think you had better elaborate, Mr. Tanner.  Mr. Wilmington here seems to be getting irritated by your commentary.”

 

“Ezra, I think JD and Josiah need to hear this also,” voiced the tall healer.

 

“I believe you are correct, Mr. Jackson.  I do not like the malodor of Mr. Tanner’s narrative.”

 

“What did he say?” queried Buck as he gaped at Ezra open-mouthed.

 

“Close your mouth, Buck,” started Nathan.  “He says that Vin’s story doesn’t smell right.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Listen. Ezra go get the others and I’ll ‘splain things.  In the meantime, Nate, I could use something to drink.  Preferably cold.”

 

“I’ll be right back with the others and your drink, Mr. Tanner,” replied Ezra, walking quickly out of the room.

 

Vin then looked at Buck and Nathan and saw the concern and fear in their eyes.  He knew it was not for him though.

 

**********************************************************************************************

 

Chapter:  10

 

 

Lucien Caymen

 

The Fallen Archangel

Lucifer

 

 

 

“The name "Lucifer" means "Light Giver" or "Light Bearer". Light giver referring to the morning or evening star, Venus. Actually the name meant to mean the "Brightest Star".

That later was translated to "Eosphorus" (Greek word for Morning Star) and finally to Lucifer. In mythology he is the son of Aurora (the Roman personification of dawn) and the father Ceyx (Greek).  Contrary to popular belief, Satan and Lucifer are two separate fallen angels. His banishment was because of his complete egotism and pure malice -- his sin, pride. This then indicates that Lucifer, not Satan was indeed the first angel to have sinned. Lucifer has been equated to Satan due to the misreading of the passage Isaiah 14:12 that was applied to the King of Babylon

 

..."How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! ...

 

Lucifer was a "great" Archangel, Prince, and the anointed Cherub (7th Dimension - Cherubim). Even after his fall he still seems to retain some of his power and ancient title. There are many different variations of stories and legends on Lucifer.

 

WHO IS HE?

Is Lucifer the opposite of God?

Lucifer cannot be God's opposite because he was created by God.

Lucifer is the opposite of Michael. (the Head Archangel)”.

 

http://www.steliart.com/angelology_fallen_heavens_war.html

 

 

Archangel Christopher Michael Larabee awoke, sweaty and hot.  His head was pounding with the thumping of his heart.  His body was trembling but it was not from being cold.  He knew it was one of the signs of withdrawal.  He did not remember where he was or how he got there.  The last thing he remembered was Vin telling him to get some rest.  The next thing, he awoke here, in a room, scarcely furnished and dark, lying on his back on a filthy sagging mattress bed. 

 

By the little he could make out within the darkened area, he could tell that he was in a motel room and a bad motel at that.  He also noticed that he was only dressed in black jeans and a black shirt, which was torn on one side.  He had no shoes or socks or coat to speak of and although the weather was not quite too cool, he knew it was out of his character to go anywhere without his favorite his duster.  Considering his condition, he knew things were not good.

 

He slowly raised himself up on shaky legs and stumbled over to the one shade-covered window in the tiny room. Broken floorboards and debris creaked and crunched beneath his naked feet as he finally made his way to it.  His trembling hands pulled on the shade string, sending it up into it’s housing. 

 

Although the haziness of the sky had diminished the light from the sun coming in through the window, his eyes squinted in reflex. He guessed that it was only approximately one hour before full sun up.  The shivering blond agent peered out through the dirty window and saw that it faced an alley filled with garbage and refuse.

 

Chris recognized the area.  It was in the not so affluent section of Las Vegas.  In fact, most the residents categorized it as a slum.  Most of the buildings were boarded up and the ones not, were being utilized as prostitution establishments, illegal gambling facilities, drug dens and housing for the homeless.

 

The tall, thin, blond Archangel shook his head.  He did not know how he had ended up here.  This was the type of area he had sworn that he would never end up in again and yet, here he was.

 

He was about to walk back over to the makeshift bed, when the door to the small room opened and a young blond hair man with blue eyes entered the room.  He was carrying a bag of groceries and when he saw Chris he placed them gently onto the floor and stood there staring at Chris hard.

 

“Lucien? What are you doing here?” asked the blond leader of the Archangels as he limped towards the young man.

 

“No thank you?”

 

“And just why should I thank you?”

 

“Don’t you remember what happened?”

 

“If I could remember what happened I probably wouldn’t be asking you, now would I?” stated Chris, now frustrated.

 

“You haven’t changed one bit, Michael,” replied Lucien, picking up the groceries and walking over to what looked like it was the bathroom.

 

“You know, you’re the only one who can get away with calling me that name.  Now, you want to tell me what the hell’s going on, or do I have to shoot you to find out?”

 

“You called me,” explained Lucien from the bathroom.

 

“I did? When was this?”  Chris was shocked by this information.  He did not remember calling the ex-Celestial agent.  In fact, they had not spoken since before the death of his wife and son.  He had always known where the young man was, but he knew how hard it was for both of them to talk about the night his wife and son died.  Lucien Caymen had blamed himself, much like Chris did for their deaths. Lucien had left Celestial three years before the incident, deciding there was not much he could do to change the way things were and when he found out about the death of Chris’ wife and son, he knew he was right. Life was never fair.

 

“Last night.  You told me that Vin and the others were holding you captive and you needed me to break you out.  So I did.”

 

“I don’t understand,” said Chris, running his hand through his ruffled blond hair.  “I don’t remember calling you.”  He started pacing the room.  “I haven’t talked to you since before Sarah’s and Adam’s funeral.”

 

“Yeah, I know,” said Lucien, walking out of the bathroom.  “That’s why I was surprised when you asked me to come get you.  When I got there, you didn’t even wait for me to come to the door.  You came bounding out the window, dressed like that.  Told me to get us the hell out of there, which I still can’t understand why you didn’t just take your own car.  What’s going on with you and the others?  I thought things were going well with the organization.”

 

“Yeah, so did I,” answered the blond with a confused look on his face.

 

“Are you in some kind of trouble, Michael?”

 

“Um, Lucien.  I need to ask another favor.”

 

“Sure, Michael, for you anything.”

 

“I need you to go to my house…and get a bag for me.  It’s black with a brass sigil with letters in Latin.  It’s in the hall closet near the entrance and I need you to bring it here.”

 

“S…sure, Michael, but I don’t understand why you can’t go?  Is there someone after you? What about Vin, and Buck, and the boys?  Won’t they help?  ” Lucien confused by the Archangel’s behavior about his men.

 

“The others?  Oh, yeah, yeah, the others. Um, I don’t know.  I think it better that you go.  In fact, if the others ask, don’t tell them you know where I am.  Matter of fact, where are we anyway?”

 

“On the south side of town.”

 

Chris glared at him.  “Tell me something I don’t know.  No, I mean exactly where?”

 

“We’re in the Motel 6 on Waverly Street and South Side. You pointed out this place and said you knew it always had a room available.”

 

“I did?  Oh, yeah, I did.”

 

“Michael, why don’t you want the boys to know where you are?”

 

Lucien watched as Chris’ eyes turned to one of fear and then quickly into disgust. Memories in pieces flashed in his mind.  One memory was waking to find Vin fast asleep in chair next to his bed.  The next was of raising a glass vase and using it against the back of Vin’s head, followed by a boot into the chest.  He could not believe that he had just attacked his closest friend.  In fact, he did not even know if he was still alive.

 

“I had a little argument with them, that’s all.  I need some time to myself and I can’t get it at home,” the blond agent simply explained. 

 

“Can you go do that for me, Lucien?  Okay?” Chris pleaded.

 

“You know the boys ain’t gonna let it go that easily.  Especially Vin and Buck.”

 

Lucien noticed that Chris did not respond to his statement.

 

“Michael?  Is something wrong?”

 

“Vin.”

 

“Yeah. What about Vin?”

 

“Lucien, I think… I think…” Chris stood there shivering even more.

 

“What Michael?  What about Vin?”

 

Chris did not answer.  He shuffled towards the makeshift bed and threw himself bodily onto it.  Covering his eyes with his arm, he fell silent.

 

Lucien walked to the bed and sat down on it next to Chris.  “Listen, Michael.  Whatever it is, we can pull through it.  We have before, remember?  You, me and the boys?”  Lucien was only met with silence.

 

“Don’t shut me out, Michael.  You did that once before.”

 

“And you betrayed us, Lucien.  You betrayed your own.”

 

“Not that again!” exclaimed Lucien standing up and walking over to the window.  He gazed out of it, remembering the day in a place just like this, he had lost the trust of not only Archangel Michael, but of all the other Archangels and the Celestial Organization.

 

“Listen, Michael.  I paid my dues.  I spent my life in hell for the past three years.  Remember, I’m Lucifer to the organization.”

 

“Yeah, I remember, Lucien.  I also remember that I had protected you from them, even at the expense of my own life.  And how do you repay me?”  Chris lowered his arm from his face.  “You owe me, Lucien.  Without question.”

 

Lucien sighed and turned to face Christopher Michael Larabee, who looked at him pleadingly.

 

“I don’t know why I am agreeing to this considering how much right about now I am not on the boys list of favorites.”

 

“Don’t exaggerate so much.”

 

“I don’t call someone trying to put a bullet in my back an exaggeration!”

 

“He only knocked your hat off.”

 

“And almost my head with it!”

 

“Vin was only playing with you.”

 

“Well, you boys sure do have a strange way of having fun.  Especially since it was my heart that almost stopped.”

 

“Lucien, please.”

 

“Stop begging.  I hate it when you beg.  Even Sarah said…” Lucien looked sadly at Chris.  He never meant to broach the subject.  At least not this soon or in the condition Archangel Michael was currently in.

 

“I’m sorry, Michael.”

 

“Yeah.  Forget it,” replied Chris.  “Now, go and do what I asked you to?”

 

“You know you’re not my boss anymore,” said Lucien snidely.

 

“Yeah, yeah.  Now go.  And don’t forget my duster either.”

 

Lucien rolled his eyes up towards the ceiling.  He knew he was heading for trouble.  As he walked towards the door, he said, “There’s some food in those bags in there, if you get hungry.  I also brought some juice and bottled water in case you get thirsty.  I don’t think you should drink anything that comes out of that bathroom sink.  Yuk!  I’ll be back soon.  And don’t open the door for anyone except me.”

 

“Yeah, yeah.  Just go.  And, one more thing.” 

 

Lucien turned back towards the blond man on the bed and perked his eyebrows up in a questioning motion.  “And that being…?”

 

“Bring Lightening with you too.”  Lightening was Chris’ gun.  It was named after the name of Archangel Michael’s sword, “The Blue Sword of Lightening”.

 

“Now how am I gonna find it?”

 

“It was in my bedroom, under my pillow.”

 

“And you think Vin and Buck or any of the others are gonna let me walk out of the door with it, right?”

 

“Lucien, you were always good acquiring things without consent.  Make it work,” retorted Chris, closing his eyes and turning his back towards the young man.

 

“Listen, Mickey.  You’re starting to get on my last nerve.”

 

“Well, then you better hurry up before it pops, now shouldn’t you?”

 

Lucien growled under his breath.  He knew Christopher Michael Larabee could be one of the meanest, sons of bitches that ever walked the Earth.  But today, it seemed he was way beyond that and Lucien did not like it one bit.  But he knew Michael was right about one thing.  He did owe him without question and he would do whatever Michael asked of him.  He walked quickly through the door wondering how he was going to get past not only Ariel, but the other six guard dogs that probably were stationed at Larabee’s too. 

 

“Well,” he thought to himself as he closed the door.  “It was a good life, while it lasted.”

 

 

 This is the Sigil of Archangel Michael in the Latin alphabet.


  

**********************************************************************************************

 

Chapter:  11

 

Nadia Diaz

 

The Archangel Israfel

The "Angel of Song" 

"Burning One"

Patron Angel of Entertainers

 

 

“Archangel Israfel is the "Angel of Song" and it is said that he has the sweetest voice of all God’s creatures. Israfel sings praises of God in a thousand different tongues. This celestial being holds dominion over music, inspiring music and feelings of new hope and embodying the creative word of God. It is written that the Archangel Israfel, at the end of the world, will descend to the earth and stand upon the holy rock in Jerusalem, and blow the awesome trumpet that will awaken the dead from their slumber and summon all who have ever lived to come forth and be judged.

 

It is said that Israfel looks three times each day and three times each night into the depths of Hell, and is so stricken with horror and grief at the plight of the damned souls that he weep so that his tears would flood the earth, if God did not prevent them from flowing.”

 

http://www.steliart.com/angelology_archangels_israfel.html

 

Archangel Vincent Gabriel Tanner sat gingerly on the couch in the house of Chris Larabee with his fellow associates.  His ribs did not hurt, as long as he did not breathe.  Of course, that was difficult not to do.

 

Nathan sat directly across from him in the rocking chair, his eyes moving back and forth between Vin and the tromping Buck. Nathan was waiting for the stubborn sharpshooter to fold and give up the couch for the bed he had just left. He did not know that he would have to wait until hell froze over for the young agent to do so.

 

JD sat silently on the other side of the couch from Vin, watching the tall boisterous man walk down the beige carpeting of the living room.  He did not understand why everyone was so upset about Chris being gone.  He also did not understand what Vin meant when he said that Chris was the one who had attacked him.

 

Ezra was getting feed up with all the yelling and screaming that had been coming from the moustache man for the last three hours.  He knew this would not accomplish anything and it would not help in the search for Larabee.

 

Buck had walked the length of the room for the hundredth time and Josiah’s patience was about to burst from watching. He was confused with Vin’s explanation of what happened earlier.  He could not believe that Chris would intentionally hurt them.

 

“That damn, ornery, son of bitch!” yelled Buck for the twentieth time.

 

“Buck, sit down before you get an aneurysm,” sighed Nathan.  “It’s not helping.”

 

“Vin, why would Chris attack you?  You said earlier he seemed more like himself,” said JD concerned.

 

“He was JD, for a little while.  He woke up and asked me what happened.  He didn’t remember anythin’ from earlier.  I told him we could talk about it later since he seemed out of it. He went back to sleep and I believed he was becoming himself again. I took a nap and the next thing I awoke to find ‘im standing over me with a vase in his hand.  The rest ya know.”

 

“But, Vin, I just don’t get it,” said Nathan thoughtfully.  “Why would he do it?  Why would he run away?  We were only trying to help him.”

 

“I don’t know Nathan.  I get the feelin’ there’s more to this than we know.”

 

“I believe you are correct, Mr. Tanner.  I was having an interview with one of my more talkative informants and there’s more to this than just Marco DeCorsia.  I just found out that one of the lieutenants of his outfit is the well-known Nadia Diaz.”

 

“Holy shit!” moaned Buck, running his hand through his hair.

 

“Oh, yes, Mr. Wilmington and she is back and with a vengeance.”

 

“Nadia who?” asked JD, perplexed.

 

“Nadia Diaz, once known as Archangel Israfel.  The Angel of Song,” volunteered Josiah.

 

“The bitch that tried to assassinate Chief Travis and Chris?” asked Vin, curious as to how much knowledge Josiah had on the subject.

 

“It was before you joined our group, JD,” supplied Ezra. “Nadia Diaz was an agent of the Celestial.”

 

“She and Chris had a thing goin’ on,” added Buck.  “A nasty, downright evil thing.”

 

Vin read there was dread and anger in Buck’s words.  Why, was the big question that Vin wanted answered and it seemed none of the others were willing to expand on it.  Vin had just been on board with the group for about a month.  He had heard about the failed assassination attempt and took part in the guarding and clean up afterwards, but had very little information on the relationship between Nadia Diaz and his best friend, Chris Larabee.

 

“How long was this thing goin’ on and what the hell was it?” asked the group’s healer, who also felt left out of the picture.

 

“Chris and Nadia were two of kind when it came to their personalities.  They worked very well together and they both had a dark side that made them comparable to each other.  They were a great team and Chief Travis knew it.  Then one day, Travis added Lucien to the mix,” explained Josiah.

 

“Lucien Caymen?” inquired Vin, surprised by this new revelation. 

 

He knew who Lucien Caymen was.  He had met him briefly when he first joined Chris’ band of misfits, although it was only a short while later when the young blond resigned from the agency.  Lucien was the biggest enigma of them all. 

 

At that time, he was Chris’ right hand man when Vin first came on board.  The young shooter had always thought Buck should have been placed in that spot.  But tall ex-convict had explained that he never wanted that position.  Buck had a superstitious theory on the position being bad luck for anybody in it.

 

And it proved to be true for poor Lucien.  In the end, he became Celestial’s fallen angel and he almost took Chris Larabee with him. Vin and Buck assumed that they had saved Chris from the same fate as his second-in-command, but now Vin was starting to wonder how true that statement was anymore.

 

“Yeah.  Nadia escaped before you joined, Nathan.  She also left a mess in her wake.  Lucien was a casualty of her leaving and Chris tried to put that broken man back together again.  Unfortunately, and that was about the time you got to know him, Vin, Lucien was only a shell of man.  The worst part was, as you know, he almost took Chris with him.”

 

“So, Buck, since Nadia Diaz is back in town, you think Lucien is not far behind?” concluded Josiah.

 

“You got it right, Preacher,”

 

“But I had assumed that the depraved gentleman was deceased,” remarked Ezra, walking over to the bar and pouring himself a drink from Larabee’s inventory of wines.

 

At that moment there came a knock to the front door.

 

“I’ll get it!” exclaimed JD, jumping up from his position on the couch and running over to the front door.

 

The others heard him speaking to someone just out of sight.

 

“JD?  Who is it?” asked Buck, suspicious.

 

“Ah, Buck. There’s someone here to see you and Vin.”

 

“Well, JD, who is it?” questioned Vin, now also worried.

 

“He says he won’t say unless you and Buck promise not to shoot ‘im.”

 

Nathan, Ezra and Josiah started smirking, knowing that whoever it was really knew Vin and Buck well.

 

Vin and Buck turned to each, surprise in their eyes. 

 

“We ain’t promising no such thing, JD,” piped up Buck.

 

“Then he says he’s leavin’,” replied JD.  “And he says it proves ya don’t care nothin’ about Larabee.”

 

Buck caught JD’s eyes and saw something akin to concern there.

 

“Alright, JD. I promise I won’t shoot ‘im,” answered Vin.  “Buck?”

 

“What?” asked Buck.

 

“Come on, Buck.  If I promised, then ya have to promise too.”

 

“Who said so?”

 

“I did, Bucklin.  Now do it!”

 

“Vin, you better hope I don’t regret this,” answered Buck grudgingly.  “Okay, JD.  Tell ‘im we won’t shoot him.”

 

JD nodded that he understood and turned to see that the visitor had heard their conversation.

 

“Thanks, Buck, Vin.  Appreciate your understanding,” said Lucien walking into the room.

 

Vin stood up from his slouched position on the couch, holding his ribs and grimacing in shock.  Buck stopped where he was, staring at the young man who had walked into the room.

 

“Lucien!” exclaimed Ezra.

 

“Lucien?” came Nathan’s query.

 

“Yep!  Lucien Caymen,” stated Vin simply.  “Ezra, it seems ya were right.”

 

“I usually am, Mr. Tanner.  I usually am.”

 

“Well, Lucien, you no good, low down, son of a bitch!” yelled Buck furiously as he strode closer to the young visitor.

 

Lucien finger came up and waggled in the air.  “Unh, uh, Bucklin.  Now you wouldn’t want to do something you would regret later, now would you?  Especially if you care about Michael.”

 

“Michael?” asked JD. “Who’s Michael?”

 

“Christopher Michael Larabee,” explained Josiah.  “Nice to see you again, Lucien.”

 

“I guess you are the only one, Josiah.  And how are you, Ezra?  Played any good hands lately?”

 

“I never leave anything to chance, Mr. Caymen.  And where is it you said Mr. Larabee was?”

 

Lucien smiled widely.  “I didn’t.  You haven’t changed one bit, Ezra.”

 

“Not when it comes to someone like you, Lucien.  And by the way, how is our wayward seraph?  I heard she was back in town.”

 

“I don’t know what you are talking about, Ezra.  But that’s normal, of course.”

 

“Israfel?  Nadia Diaz?”

 

Lucien’s smile turned quickly to a scowl.  Nadia Diaz was not good news.  He still carried the scars of her last visit.  He smoothly returned to smiling at them and walked over to the couch, sitting down slowly next to the standing Vin.

 

“I didn’t know she was back in town.  If I had, …well, you know.”  The young blond then turned to the still form of Vin Tanner.  “Sit down, Vin.  We were friends briefly at one time.”

 

“I wouldn’t say we were friends, Lucien.”

 

“Well, at least acquaintances.  I’m sorry that we never really got to know each other.”

 

“But I sure did, Lucien,” answered Buck angrily.

 

“Ah, Bucklin, you and I had something else in common.”

 

“And what might that be?”

 

 “An archangel by the name of Michael.”

 

“You know, I should have killed you when you walked into the door,” said Buck, his voice low and threatening.

 

Lucien rolled his eyes in exasperation.  “And then where would you be, Bucklin?  Larabeeless, maybe?”

 

“I still don’t know what Chris saw in you!” growled Buck, grabbing Lucien by the collar and lifting him up from the couch.

 

Vin swiftly pulled Buck off the ex-agent, standing between the two men, trying to prevent one from killing the other.  His main concern was Chris right now and Lucien was their only lead to where their blond leader was.

 

“Buck calm down now,” said Nathan, taking over where the brown-haired shooter had left off.  “We need him to find Chris.”

 

“He’s right, Buck.  Right now we have no idea where Chris is and he could be in trouble,” sounded JD. 

 

“For a little fella you sure do know a lot,” replied Vin, trying to lighten up the mood in the room.

 

Josiah walked over and helped Nathan to lead Buck over to one of the chairs on the opposite side.

 

Once Buck was seated, Josiah took a post standing next to him.  He did not want Buck to do something he would regret later or something that would cost them the life of their friend and leader.

 

“Very well, Lucien, my friend.  Why don’t you reveal the whereabouts of our dear, Mr. Larabee?”

 

“Did you think it would be that easy, Ezra?”

 

“I had high aspirations.  But of course, I should have known that a cutthroat like yourself would never divulge pertinent information out of the generosity of one’s heart.”

 

“So, so, true, my dear Ezra.  As you and the others can attest to, I have no heart to speak of.  But you should keep in mind that of all the things that is near and dear to my heart, one Christopher Michael Larabee is one of them.  Whether you believe it or not.”

 

“And you won’t mind if we don’t,” said Vin snidely.

 

“Didn’t expect you to.  Now to the business at hand.  First of all, I should let you know that I did not come here because I wanted to.  No, in fact, if this was the last place left standing in the world, I still would not have come.  But it was requested of me from your imperious leader.”

 

“Chris asked you to come?  Why?” asked Nathan, now worried about the circumstances that brought Lucien to them.

 

Lucien knew he was flirting with death at this moment, but he also knew that Michael was in trouble and these men were the only ones that probably could help him.  “Well, basically,…he doesn’t trust you.”

 

At this comment, Buck and Vin both jumped up from where they were sitting, avoiding the others’ grasps, they started pummeling Lucien with punches.

 

It took the four others together to remove Vin and Buck from the immediate vicinity of Lucien Caymen.  Of course, once they were lifted and pulled away from the young blond, there seemed to be not a part of his body that was not either bruised or bleeding. Both Vin and Buck had made perfect physical contact with whatever they were aiming at.  Lucien knew he could of avoided their anger by dodging the blows, but he also knew that sooner or later it would have still come to the same outcome in the end.  He decided it was best to get it over with, but he still did not have to like it.

 

Lucien felt all the places that hurt on his body as he slowly rose from the floor. He swore silently to repay Tanner and Wilmington in kind in due time.  As his anger rose rapidly, he could no longer contain it behind a façade of humor.   He had enough of being blamed and beaten up for Archangel Michael’s indiscretions and mistakes. 

 

“You stupid assholes!” yelled Lucien, as Ezra held him back from getting to Vin and Buck.  “And you wonder why Michael doesn’t trust you?  You can’t even keep it together long enough to help him!”

 

“At least we were there for him.  You were going let him fry because of your love for Nadia!” shouted Buck back.

 

“Love?  For Nadia?  Are you out of your cotton pickin’ mind?  You are an imbecile, aren’t you?  Nadia only loved one person, if you can call what she felt as love, and that was Archangel Michael.  All she had for me was hatred and a desire to make me an eunuch.”

 

“But you helped her escape, if I remember correctly,” stated Vin, eyeing him with malice.  He remembered hearing how Archangel Lucifer had helped Archangel Israfel escape from custody after her botched assassination of Chief Travis and her almost kidnapping of Archangel Michael.

 

“Do you really believe that Nadia needed help in escaping from those morons Chief Travis assigned to guard her?  Do you, Buck?  Josiah?”

 

“No,” replied Buck reluctantly.

 

“He’s right, Vin.  Nadia was very good at what she did.  There is no way in hell she could not have taken those men out,” stated Josiah.

 

“Well, I would still have to withhold my judgment on whether or not you helped her.  But that brings me back to one thing,” started Ezra.  “Where is Mr. Larabee?”

 

Lucien devilish smile returned, his blue eyes shined brightly with laughter.

 

“That, I can’t tell you.”

 

“What?” exclaimed Vin.

 

“I can’t tell you.  I promised Michael that I would not reveal his whereabouts until he was ready.  He said he needed some space.”

 

“Then why are you here?  Why even bother telling us you know where he is?” asked JD, not liking the outcome of this conversation.

 

“Because, I told you before, there is not much in this life that I put a value on, except for Archangel Michael and since I owe him my life, there is not much that I can refuse him.  As such, I am here to do him a favor.  Although, I do realize that there is something not right about this whole situation and that Michael is not being reasonable or acting in his right mind.”

 

“That is because Chris is not well, Lucien,” elucidated big ex-preacher.  “We were taking care of him when he fled from us.”

 

“Yes.  I know.  I kind of assisted him in that escape. “

 

“That’s why Chris didn’t take one of his cars!  It was you!” bellowed Buck, glaring angrily at the young ex-agent.

 

“Yes.  He called me on his cell phone stating that he needed my help.  What was I suppose to do?”

 

“Ya should have told him no!” yelled Vin.

 

“He is my friend, Vin, whether you want to believe it or not.  I could never refuse him anything.”

 

“Even if his judgment has been impaired?” queried Ezra.

 

“Impaired?  How?”

 

“Nathan?” asked Vin, turning to the young African-American healer.

 

“Nathan? And who are you?”

 

“Nathan Jackson.  I joined the organization after you left.   I am also the resident physician for the group.  We discovered a couple of days ago that Chris had developed a dependency on prescription drugs.  We don’t know where he got it from, but we saw the results from it.”

 

“I can’t believe that of Michael.  He knew how Sarah felt about drugs and their usage and how she abhorred it.”

 

“But Sarah’s dead, Lucien and so is Adam, and now it looks like Chris intends to try to join them,” said Josiah, stating what no one wanted to voice out loud.

 

Lucien was shocked at this revelation.  Archangel Michael was the warrior, the fighter, and the savior of Celestial.  The contemplation of suicide by apathy was something he did not think would even apply to the blond ex-reprobate.  But it seemed that the others did.

 

“So, Lucifer?  What are you planning on doing?” asked Ezra, teasingly, knowing how that title irked the young man.

 

“Lucien to you, Barakiel,” spat Lucien, sneering angrily at the gambler.  “You may think since you have the ability of lightening quick hands that it gives you the power of guile over others, but you can’t fool the devil.”

 

JD glanced from one to the other.  He felt the electricity that flew between the two men and knew there was even more about Lucien’s past relationship to the others that did not even scratch the surface from what he gathered from their exchange with the young stranger.

 

“I plan on honoring my word to Michael.”

 

“Liked you’ve done in the past?” came Vin’s sarcastic remark.

 

“Listen to me, Vincent Gabriel Tanner…” began Lucien.

 

Josiah knew this did not bode well.  Lucien was using Vin’s full name and that meant trouble.  He calmly inched closer to Vin and Lucien, leaving Buck hopefully in the capable hands of Nathan Jackson.

 

“Michael means more to me than you could ever understand!  I have not, and will not, ever betray him!”

 

“Mr. Caymen, please, sir…” started Ezra.

 

“Don’t sir me!” shouted Lucien, boiling in anger now.  He then stood up and walked purposely over to the closet in the hall.  Opening the door, he quickly reached inside on the floor and picked up a black bag.  Once he had his prize in his hand, he turned to face the others.

 

“As far as we are concerned, gentlemen, I’ll see you in hell!” and he quickly opened the front door and walked out.

 

Everyone was stunned at what just happened.  Vin and Buck jumped up to follow the enraged tall blond out of the door, but Josiah and Ezra held both back.

 

“Now, now, boys,” said Josiah, pulling on Vin’s arms, as Ezra was doing the same to Buck. 

 

“Do you think it would be that easy, gentlemen?” asked Ezra, cocking an eyebrow at the two struggling men.

 

“Ya just gonna let ‘im go?” screamed Vin.

 

“We are not letting him go, my young friend.  Do you really believe that Lucien Caymen, a man who is known for his guile and evasiveness would be easily tracked, even by the best in Vegas?”

 

“ I can do it, Ezra.  Ya need to let me go after ‘im.”

 

“My dear enthusiastic individual.  You must remember that Lucien is no novice at this and you might be putting Mr. Larabee in danger by confronting him.  We do not know who he might be in league with.”

 

“So, what do you suggest, Ez?”

 

“What I suggest, my dear reverend sir, is a slight of hand that would envy even the magicians of Las Vegas,” replied Ezra, smiling widely, his gold teeth twinkling in the light.

 

At that comment, all the others found the smile infectious.  They had some idea as to what Ezra had in mind.

 

Yes, they would definitely outsmart the trickster and get Chris Larabee back from his conniving hands.

 

*********************************************************************************************

 

Chapter:  12

 

“The Fallen Host”

 

“These are angels that have fallen from God's grace. Although rarely mentioned in biblical scripture these beings serve as a warning to the reader of what the wrath of God can bring.

 

Fallen angels can be split into two main groups namely: 

 

The angels who sided and allied with Lucifer during the war in Heaven are the fallen Watchers or Grigori.
In both of these cases the angels turned on God, their creator, by misusing the free will that had been granted to them by God.”

 

http://www.steliart.com/angelology_fallen_heavens_war.html

 

 

The young blond opened the door to the motel room that he shared with Archangel Michael, expecting the older blond to be fast asleep.  He was taken by surprised as Christopher Michael Larabee grabbed him none too gently and pulled him inside.  Without a second thought, he threw the young agent against the left wall, knocking the breath out of the young ex-agent and almost destroying the already half broken mirror on the wall.

 

Lucien looked into the face of the man that held him and saw such hatred and anger there that it gave him shivers down his spine.  This was the Archangel Michael that everyone was so afraid of.  In fact, Lucien had only seen this side of Michael only one time in his whole career at the agency.  It was the day that the organization hired Nadia Perez as an agent.  That was the day that Lucien fell from the heavens and landed in hell.

 

“Michael, it’s me, Lucien.  Don’t you remember?  I got what you wanted,” he said holding up the black bag to the man.

 

“Who did you tell I was here, Lucien?  Who?” growled Chris at the young agent, shaking him by the shoulders hard.  Chris knew his enemies would not be far behind the young agent.  It was only a matter of time before Marco DeCorsia and Nadia Perez, who he had heard was back in town, would try to determine his weakness, the chink in his armor. 

 

“No one knows you’re here, Michael.  I made sure I covered my tracks coming here.  They don’t call me the trickster for nothing, you know,” he said, forcing a smile to his face.  He felt the heat that was radiating from the man’s hands through his shirt.  It was not a good sign.

 

“Okay, okay, then we’re fine…we’re fine,” said Chris with relief, releasing his grip on Lucien.  

 

Lucien watched as Chris nervously sat back down on the bed, resting his head in his hands. Lucien knew that Archangel Michael’s demeanor was not normal.  He was at first hesitant to believe what the others had told him back at the Larabee residence about his hero.  But now, he was suspecting that he might have made mistake in not listening to the others.

 

Lucien carefully placed the black bag and the bag of food and necessities that he held in his hands and arms onto the floor of the small motel room.  He then walked carefully over to Archangel Michael, taking care not to startle the already jumpy man.

 

“Listen to me, Michael.  Things are going to work out,” he said speaking in a soothing voice and touching him lightly on his shoulder. 

 

Larabee brought his head up with a jerk.  Defiant green eyes glared at the young man.  “And just who are you?” he asked Lucien.

 

Lucien rolled his eyes in exasperation at the question. He knew this was going to be a long day. “Who am I?  Who am I?  It’s me.  Lucien Caymen.  Remember?”

 

Chris shook his head as if it would remove the confusion from his mind. He remembered talking to the young blond man earlier, but everything from a few seconds ago had become muddled.

 

Lucien also hoped that things would become clearer for Michael, but he could see it was not going to happen.  Michael needed the others and it seemed he needed medical attention also.  But Lucien knew he had to walk softly around Archangel Michael.  He knew as skittish as he was, Michael would make a run for it at the first sign of betrayal.

 

Suddenly, Chris glared at him with distrust. “No!  I don’t’.  And I don’t like you being in my room.  How did you get in here anyway?” asked Chris annoyed.

 

Lucien could see that he was in serious trouble with the warrior Angel. His memory lapses were increasing over time and his paranoia was no better.  He did not want to call the others.  They would only blame him for the situation and no matter what happened, he still had little faith in their ability to watch Larabee’s back.

 

“Listen, Michael, why don’t I get us something to eat?  Huh?  I’m sure you’re hungry and I’m sure I can find…”

 

“No, no, no!” said Chris, banging on the edge of the mattress.  “No one leaves.  Not you, not me!  Not until I am sure that no one followed you.”  Chris rubbed his forehead vigorously.  “And who are you again?”

 

“Lucien.  I’ve said it several times now.  I am Lucien Caymen, your friend.”

 

“That’s not possible.  I don’t have any friends!  Lucien Caymen died a long time ago.” exclaimed the older blond vehemently.

 

“Oh, oh…kay there…uh,…guy.  Whatever you say,” voiced Lucien, holding up his hands and slowly backing away from the bed.  “I think we just need to step back for minute.  How about I get us something to eat, huh? You need to eat to keep your strength up, you know?  You really don’t look well and I think you need some food to get you on the right track.  Don’t you agree?” 

 

Archangel Michael swiped at the sweat that was running rivulets down his neck.  He knew Lucien Caymen.  Lucien Caymen was his friend once upon a time.  But the man had betrayed him and had paid the ultimate price in the process.  Yes.  This young blond did remind him a lot of Lucien.  But Chris knew there could be no way that this person was actually Lucien Caymen.  At least, not in Chris’ baffled mind.

 

Lucien also noticed that Michael was becoming rather pale and sweating more than necessary. He knew at this point that Michael was delirious and he was afraid that under the circumstances the ill Archangel would commit an act that would end up hurting the older blond.  He tried to grab on to his arm to lead him towards the bed, but Larabee pulled his arm from the man’s grasp with a yank.

 

“I’m…fine!  I just need something…” and he spied the black bag on the floor, near the entrance door. Swiping a drop of sweat away from his eyes, he got up quickly and grabbed the bag.  Tossing it upon the bed in a frantic move, he zipped it open with a desperate speed.  Chris knew what he needed from the bag.  Although something in the back of his mind was telling him that what he needed was a danger not only to himself, but to his friends as well, he ignored the warning.  He just wanted the pain behind his eyes to stop and the rolling of his stomach to be still, even if only for a little while.

 

“I meant to ask you, Michael,…umm…what is in that bag that’s so important?”

 

Chris did not answer.  He rapidly took out a prescription bottle, opened it, put two pills into his hand and chased it down with a bottle of Gin that was also pulled out of the black bag.  Once that was done, he put everything back into the bag, zipped it up again and waited for the chemical reaction to do its job.

 

Lucien watched as Michael held on to the bag as if it was the key to his survival.  He knew he had miscalculated Larabee’s condition and he was too proud to admit it to the others that he was wrong and seek their help.

 

“What happened to Blue?” asked Chris, startling Lucien out of his thoughts.  He found the blond leader memory was coming and going like the flow of a tide. One moment he could remember what happened a couple of hours ago and the next he could not even remember who Lucien really was.

 

“Blue?  Oh, Blue.  Well, I did not have a chance to retrieve it considering the welcome I got from your friends.”

 

Chris started laughing hysterically.  Lucien gaped at him and wondered if this was the end of the great Archangel Michael. 

 

As Chris green eyes fell on the stunned face of the younger agent, he just started to laugh even harder, the black bag dropping to the floor as his hysteria racked his body.

 

“And what’s so funny?”

 

“You,” was all the blond could reply through his fits of laughter and coughing.  “You and your beliefs.”

 

“Michael…what are you talking about?”

 

“Seven Angels with the Seven Plagues,” replied Chris as he started to pace around the room.  His voice starting to take on the characteristics of a raving lunatic.

”Huh? Michael?  What’s going on?”

 

But Chris did not listen.  He continued to recite and walk back and forth.  He saw his vision so clearer and the he felt had to say the words.  “I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign, seven angels with the seven last plagues--last, because with them God's wrath is completed. And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name. They held harps given them by God and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb.”

 

“Archangel?”

 

"They sang, Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy.  All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed."

 

Lucien gave up trying to get through the now feverish man.  He knew that the drugs and alcohol mixture that Michael had taken had been a hazardous combination. 

 

He still could not believe that Michael was capable of destroying himself without a thought to what type of impact his death would bring to the organization and to his friends.  But he had to admit that he had been out of his life for a long time now and that during that time Michael had lost a big part of his soul with the death of Sarah and Adam.

 

He decided to take on the responsibility and blame for Michael’s situation.  If he had not left him to wallow in his own sorrow and if he had not let Nadia Diaz ruin both of their lives, maybe Michael would not be in the position he was in today. 

 

But then he also heard Michael’s voice from past tell him not to blame himself for something he had no control over.  At that, he smiled and knew that he had to do everything in his power to help the older Archangel.

 

“Michael, what about the others?  What about your friends?  What about Vin and Buck?  What about JD who has come to depend on you?  And Nathan and Josiah.  And, oh, let’s not forget Ezra.  What about Chief Travis?”

 

“Yes, what about?”

 

“Don’t you think they deserve better than this?”

 

“Don’t you see?  Don’t you understand anything here?”

 

“No, Michael.  I don’t.  Tell me.  What is going on?”

 

“No.  No.  Cannot let the enemy in.  Need time to think.  Need time…” murmured Chris frantically.

 

“Listen, Michael, why don’t you lay down and get some rest. I’ll see if I can find us some other wheels and maybe we can find a place to stay that’s more…let’s say habitable, okay?”

 

“More time.  Need more time to…think…to plan.”

 

Lucien realized he was not listening to him.  He slowly walked over to Chris, taking him by the elbow and gently led him towards the bed.  As he laid him back onto to the rough mattress, Chris did not resist.  In fact it seemed that with his mind still in such a confused state, he did not have the will to fight anyone and that frightened Lucien even more.

 

“Michael, I want you to stay here until I get back, okay.  I brought you some junk food until I can get us some real food if you’re hungry.”

 

“O…kay,” came Chris’ slurred words as green eyes started to close.

 

“That’s right, Michael.  You get some rest.”

 

Suddenly, Chris jumped up, searching for the black bag.  “My bag!  Where is it?”

 

Lucien picked up the bag from where Michael had dropped it and placed it down on the floor next to the bed.  “It’ll be here waiting for you when you wake up.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Yes, yes.  I promise.”

 

“Fine,” replied Chris curtly and let his eyes closed.

 

Once Lucien was assured that Archangel Christopher Michael Larabee was truly asleep and resting, he walked towards the door, knowing what he had to do.

 

First, he was going to look for another automobile.  He knew the others would have no problem finding the one he stashed not far from here. 

 

The second thing he was going to do was take Michael to a hospital.  He knew it would be betraying his friend’s trust, but he had decided that it would better to loose the man’s trust than to loose the man’s life.  He would also then contact the others.  He finally realized that he could not do this alone.  Not without jeopardizing Archangel Michael’s life.

 

He closed the door silently, making sure to lock it from the outside.  It would not do to have Larabee leave before he got back with help.

 

What he did not see was the older blond open his eyes as soon as the door was shut and jump off the bed.  He went to the window, waiting to see if the young blond had left the building.  Once he had confirmed that the man had truly left, Chris sat back down on the bed, trying to rub the pain out from the back of his neck. 

 

He thought, “I’m sorry, Lucien.  I am so sorry.  But I must do what I must do.”

 

At that, he grabbed the black bag off the floor, opened it up and took out what looked like a steel lock pick.

 

“Thank you, Ezra for all your training,” exclaimed Chris excitedly out loud.  He then busily started to open the door.

 

******************************************************************************************

 

Chapter:  13

 

“The First Heaven”

The 1st heaven, Shamayim borders the Earth and is ruled by Archangel Gabriel.

This is the lowest of the heavens. It borders our world and is thought to be the dwelling place of Adam and Eve. This heaven being the first and closest to Earth acts as a shading agent for the Earth.

This heaven has clouds, wind and upper waters. It is the home to two hundred astronomer angels who keep watch over the stars.  To complete the visual picture of this heaven one would see legions of guardian angels of snow, ice and dew living in this vicinity.

In the Apocalypse of St. Paul this region is called the "promised land." It is described as , "Now every tree bore twelve harvests each year, and they had various and diverse fruits, and I saw the fashion of that place and all the work of God, and I saw there palm-trees of twenty cubits and others of ten cubits, and the land was seven times brighter than silver".

 

http://www.steliart.com/angelology_7_heavens.html

 

Nadia Perez sat in the dark blue sedan, her eyes never leaving the six figures that stood on the corner of Waverly and South Side.  Her prey, specifically the young brown curly haired, blue-eyed tracker, was currently unattainable. 

 

His colleagues, who were busily surveying the area, encircled him constantly, never far from his physical being.  Nadia did not know what they were looking for or what they were doing here.  She had only found out about their appearance from an informant of DeCorsia’s who had cell phoned her only a few minutes ago. 

 

She sat in the car, trying to become invisible to these men.  Her objective was to retrieve the young marksman and bring him to DeCorsia.  But Nadia had something else in mind.  Her eyes took in the lean figure of the scruffy looking blue-eyed hunk of a man.  She licked her lips in lust and in anticipation.  Oh, she loved every inch of the body that was Larabee, but Tanner would be a delicious tidbit before the main meal if she had her way.

 

The one constant attribute of ex-Archangel Israfel, the Burning One, was patience.  She had acquired the skill while working under one Christopher Michael Larabee in which patience was a virtue and a necessity.  During the time they spent together working, Christopher, as she sometimes called him, constantly held her at bay, stating that his love and his soul belonged to his wife and son.  But of course, that never dissuaded Nadia from trying.  And try she did.

 

Nadia was a realist and she told Christopher she knew that any kind of love between him and her would be a waste of time and energy.  She preferred to just have the lust she felt for him sated whenever she desired and if Michael would give that to her, then she would give him the world on a platter.  But unfortunately, Michael never took her seriously and it cost him for not doing so. You see, Nadia did not know how to loose gracefully.  She would see Michael dead before she would loose him to his wife and son. 

 

Luckily for the blond Archangel leader, her plan failed and in the end she had to go into hiding, leaving behind a mess of destroyed and nearly dead men and all her possessions behind. 

 

It was not easy for Nadia to recreate herself in the image of the wife of a mob king, but she did.  It took her years and when she finally had made a place for herself in the organization, someone decides that her husband needs extermination and she looses the one man beside Larabee that she cared enough about to want to marry. 

 

Of course, Nadia had her suspicions about who put the contract out on her husband.  And if she ever found the proof of it, she would rip that person’s heart out and shove it down their throats.  As it was, she was caught up in the war between father and son with no one to blame. 

 

Marco, naturally, had his own strategy once he realized Nadia was now available.  If he could convince Nadia to marry him and join forces, he would become one of the most powerful and richest men in the world of organized crime.

 

Currently, Nadia owned everything that belonged to Marco’s brother and business rival, Sergio, including his vote in the cartel counsel.  Marco knew the only way of insuring absolute control of the West District in the organization was to marry Nadia and gain control of that vote. 

 

The only person who would object to such a union was the same person that Marco needed to convince.  And she was not buying into it. 

 

The other person that Marco had to worry about was his father, Roberto DeCorsia and getting his blessings was like waiting for hell to freeze over. That was because Roberto did not get along well with his second son, to say the least.  Nadia knew it for what it was between them.  Absolute hatred.  Nothing more, nothing less.

 

In fact, there was a rumor floating around the crap tables that Marco had tried to get his father removed from power permanently through violent means and unfortunately, it failed.  There was also the rumor that Roberto had a suspicion that it was his son, but with no solid proof, there was nothing he could do at the moment.  Or at least, that was the way the rumor went.

 

Nadia knew differently.  Being the widow of Roberto DeCorsia’s favorite son, made you privy to all the internal conflicts and secrets in the cartel.  She knew that Roberto had enough proof to have a contract put on his betraying son, but because of his value to the organization, it was not sanction by the other members.  Father Berto, as Nadia had nicknamed him, was not stupid.  He knew to piss off the other members of the cartel by killing off their number one profit maker, was asking for trouble.  He would be impeached by a .357 hole in his head.  That would not due for Father Berto.

 

And if Marco was not good at acquiring new businesses that increased the cartel’s bank accounts, he would have been out a long time ago.  Now he was trying to acquire the business of one Archangel Christopher Michael Larabee. 

 

Too bad Marco did not know that Christopher was an agent of the Celestial organization.  If he did, he would not be in so much a rush in having Nadia retrieved Vin Tanner.  But who was Nadia to interfere.  Marco wanted Christopher’s business and Nadia wanted Christopher.  She did not care how it was done as long as she got what she wanted.

 

Breaking from her reverie, she watched as the other Archangels of Celestial stood looking at each building in the area.  She wished she was a fly on the wall so that she could know what they were searching for, but her sixth sense told her that it was probably a prize that Nadia would pay dearly for.  A prize called Archangel Christopher Michael Larabee.

 

The six men decided to split up into three groups.  Nathan and Josiah took the north area of the block, checking the motels and buildings located within the area.  JD and Ezra decided to man the van they came in which housed their surveillance equipment.  JD surmised that the availability of this type of assistance, they would surely close in on Archangel Lucifer and Michael more quickly.  Vin and Buck were designated to take the south side of the area.

 

Vincent “Gabriel” Tanner scanned the area of the dilapidated buildings that existed in this part of Las Vegas.  He could not comprehend why Chris would deem it necessary to stay here.  It had to be one of Lucien Caymen’s ideas.  What would be the reasoning behind it?  He knew Chris owned several places in and around the Vegas area that he had kept secret from them.  They had to be better accommodations than this.

 

Buck walked up to him, concerned about the young blue-eyed tracker’s health.  Although Vin had not complained about any pain, Buck knew different by the way he favored the side where Chris had kicked him.  The thought of Chris doing any harm to Vin was too alarming to Buck.  Buck knew how Chris had felt about Vin.  It was the same way that Buck had cared about Chris and JD.  They were considered brothers.  Maybe not by blood, but especially in deed and in thought and he could not understand what would drive Chris to try to hurt Vin. 

 

The only possibility that Buck could come up with was that the blond leader had finally lost his mind from the hell he endured in the past few months of losing his wife and only child.  And now with the reappearance of Nadia and Lucien, Buck knew it did not bode well for the rest of Chris’ fragile mind.  He could feel something bad was coming around the corner.

 

“Hey, Buck!”

 

“Yeah, Vin, what is it?”

 

“I think we need to split up.  At the rate we’re goin’, Chris could be hittin’ the highway by now.”

 

“And if you keep goin’ the way you’ve been, Nathan’s goin’ to be hittin’ you!”

 

“What?”

 

“Listen, Junior.  I’ve seen the way you holding on to that side of yours.  How long you think before Nathan grounds you?”

 

Vin did not answer him.  He just gave him the best Larabee glare that he could muster and continued to walk over towards one of the nearest motel buildings.

 

“I can’t believe that people pay to stay here,” he said, trying to change the subject.

 

Buck knew that Vin was trying to deflect the conversation away from his well being.  But Buck also knew that if he did not take care of Vin, Chris would never let him hear the end of it when he returned to normal. That is if he returned to normal.  Buck dreaded the feeling of losing Chris.  He had already lost part of him when his wife and son were killed.  To loose what was left of the man would tear Buck apart, to say the least of what it would do to Vin.

 

At the thought of the man’s name, Buck watched as the blue-eyed tracker stood stark still, staring at a particular building with an unusual hard look.

 

“What is it, Vin?”

 

“Buck, look at that building over there.”

 

“Yeah?  And?”

 

“Don’t ya see it?”

 

“See what?” asked the tall mustached agent, scrutinizing the building thoughtfully.

 

“The Devil himself,” answered Vin angrily. Buck saw that he was not mistaken.

 

As he and Vin stood staring at the white building across the street from their position, they watched as a young blond slowly crept his way into the building, all the while turning his head, this way and that.  He wore a hat pulled down over his head and a long black duster; much like the one Chris would wear.  As he quickly scanned the area before entering the building, Vin and Buck caught a glimpse and knew for sure that it was Lucien Caymen, the very man who could lead to Larabee.

 

“So how you wan’na do this, Junior?”

 

“I say you call the others and let them know we’ve found the place where Chris is,” replied Vin, who started to walk across the street towards the building’s entrance.  He quickly glanced around making sure he was not seen.

 

“Wait a minute, Vin.  You ain’t leaving without the rest of us,” said Buck, trying to catch a hold of Vin’s arm, but unfortunately missing it.

 

“Buck, the longer I stand here and wait for the rest of ya, the more time Lucifer has to get away with Chris and I ain’t about to let that happen.”

 

Buck could only watch as Vin ducked into the building and disappeared up the stairs.  He took his Nextel from his pocket, “Nathan, Josiah, meet me on the south side near Waverly.  We think we found Chris.  Get Ezra and JD over here too, while you’re at it.  It’s building 302.”

 

“On our way, Buck!” came Josiah’s voice over the Nextel.

 

Buck closed the Nextel and studied the building again.  Damn!  He should of stopped Vin from entering that building without backup.  He knew Lucien was very devious and could easily run circles around them.  Vin, of course, did not know this because Lucien was gone by the time he was assigned to their division from his beat in California. The tall moustache man could only hope that the others would arrive there soon.

 

*******

 

Lucien reached the room that he and Archangel Michael shared only to find the door wide open and Michael, along with the black bag, gone.

 

“Shit!  When did he learn that trick?” he exclaimed to no one in particular.  “Damn.  I’m going to be dead meat if I don’t find him and fast.  Mickey!  Why did you do this to me?”

 

Lucien closed the door with a slam and went to the stairs.  He had started to take the elevator down, but decided the stairs would be quicker.

 

He did not know at the same moment, one Vin Tanner had decided also to take the stairs.  Only he was coming up to the tenth floor where he noted the elevator had stopped.

 

As Lucien approached the fifth floor stairwell, he noticed someone coming up from the fourth floor.  The person looked familiar.  The long hair, the lean body and the way the man carried himself as he ran up the stairs peeked Lucien’s interest.  He knew this man, but it seemed to be just out of the reach of his memory.

 

Suddenly, it came to him.  “Ah, hell!”  It was that scruffy looking, blue-eyed, bulldogging tracker, Vin Tanner.   Lucien turned and started to run back up the way he had come, hoping to get to another level so that he could jump into the elevator and go in the opposite direction.  But unfortunately, it was too late.  The tracker had caught sight of the young ex-agent and started to give chase.  Lucien knew if he caught him, then he would have a lot of explaining to do which he was not in a position to do right now.

 

As Lucien cut around the corner of the seventh floor hallway, walking at a fast pace trying not to draw attention or create any noise as to his location.  He kept an eye on the stairway exit, making sure that he stayed ahead of indomitable tracker.  He started pushing the elevator down button frantically, hoping the elevator would arrive before the tracker reached the floor.

 

He was about to give up hope as he heard the sound of running footsteps getting closer and closer, but abruptly the elevator bell rang and the doors of the elevator opened swiftly.  What came next, Lucien did not expect.

 

Lucien found himself looking into the barrel of a .357 magnum, black steel handgun and a large hand was holding the trigger at bay.

 

“Uh, Josiah, uh, nice to see you again?”

 

“Back up, Lucien.  Now,” said Josiah, waving his weapon towards the other side of the floor.

 

“Can’t we talk about this?”

 

“Nope.”

 

At that moment, Buck came running through the stairway exit, with Nathan, Ezra and JD bringing up the rear.  Vin was nowhere to be seen.

 

“Well, isn’t it my ole friends.  And, uh, where is your sniffer, huh?”

 

“Right behind ya,” came the soft drawl. 

 

Lucien turned towards the window that held the fire escape.  Archangel Gabriel slowly squeezed through the open window, cradling his sore ribs.

 

“Did ya think ya could run from me, Lucien?”

 

“Well…I thought I could try,” said Lucien, smiling wickedly.

 

“Wipe that stupid smile off your face or I’ll rip your heart out you sonafabitch!” exclaimed Buck, grabbing the young blond by the lapel of his jacket and throwing him up against the wall.

 

“Buck!  Put him down now!”

 

“But Nathan, he knows where Chris is.”

 

“I know, Buck. But we can’t get any answers out of him if he can’t speak.”

 

Buck glared at Nathan, but reluctantly he let go of the man’s jacket.

 

“Listen, Lucien, all we want is our friend back,” started Vin, leaning heavily against the wall. 

 

Nathan did not like the way Vin’s skin tone had turned a deathly pale of white.  He knew climbing up that fire escape was not doing the man’s cracked ribs any good.

 

“Vin, Buck, why don’t we take him back to the ranch and we can question him there,” suggested Nathan.

 

“I say we can’t wait!  Let’s question him now!” shouted Buck, his anger taking control again.

 

“I have to agree with our resident physician, Mr. Wilmington.  This…ah…place is not a very clean and safe environment to conduct business in.”

 

“Unfortunately, Buck, I…have to agree with Ez here,” said Vin, breathing roughly.

 

Nathan knew that the young man was probably suffering from pressure on his cracked ribs.  What he hoped was that none was broken or had punctured a lung from the foolhardy stunt he had just pulled by climbing the fire escape.

 

“Where’s Chris, Lucien?” asked Josiah, inching closer to the man.

 

“I don’t know,” answered Lucien truthfully.  They looked at him in disbelief.  It was true.  He did not know where Chris was now that he had left the room they shared.  “I really don’t know.  Truly!  He was here, but he is gone now!”

 

“How can we believe you?  You have lied before, Mr. Caymen,” said Ezra softly.

 

“I’m telling the truth this time, Ezra.”

 

“We shall see.  We shall see.  Mr. Wilmington, would you please help Josiah escort our internee to our vehicle for transporting.”

 

“It will be my pleasure,” answered Buck, grabbing the man by the arms and leading him to the stairway exit. 

 

Lucien smirked but said nothing as he was led downstairs to their van.

 

“Nathan, you and JD help Vincent to the van.  I believe he is not well at all.”

 

Vin was about to protest, but Nathan did not give him a chance.  He and JD helped the young shooter from the wall and to the elevator.  Before they got in to leave, Nathan turned to Ezra and said, “And what will you be doing in the meantime, if I may ask?”

 

“I need to do some recognizance of the location that Mr. Larabee was staying at.  I might be able to retrieve some evidence as to where he might proceed next.”

 

“Okay, Ezra.  But make sure you watch your back,” stated Nathan as the elevator doors started to close.

 

“Always do, Mr. Jackson.  It’s called the survival instinct.”  He then gave him a two-finger salute as the door shut with finality and turned to start his assent to the 10th floor of the building.  He knew Chris was out there somewhere.  He just hoped that he did not get caught up in the illusion of the First Heaven.  The drugs and the alcohol was not the way to get there.

 

**********************************************************************************************

 

Chapter:  14

 

“The Second Heaven”

 

The 2nd heaven Raquia is ruled by the Archangels Raphael and Zachariel, and, according to Enoch, it is within this heaven that the fallen angels are imprisoned waiting final judgment in complete darkness. This was at one time supposed to be the dwelling place of John the Baptist.

 

http://www.steliart.com/angelology_7_heavens.html

 

Archangel Nathan “Raphael” Jackson had done all he could to ease the young tracker’s pain.  He had explained to him that his cracked ribs were sore because of his earlier trapeze act.

 

He had given Vin some pills to take the edge off the pain and told him he needed to take it easy and rest, but of course, he knew the young brown-haired Texan was not going to listen.  Not as long as the source of his concern still existed.

 

“Vin, I need you to take it easy for a while.  Those ribs are not going to heal miraculously.”

 

“I’m fine,” answered Vin, trying to rise from the oversize couch that belonged to one Chris Larabee. 

 

They had returned to the ranch, hoping beyond hope that Larabee had awakened from his madness and return home.  But as of yet, there was no such luck.

 

Nathan pushed Vin back down upon the couch, taking care not to injure his ribs.  “Vin!  You need to listen!  This ain’t no game.  If one of your ribs breaks, it might puncture a lung or something worst. Relax!”

 

“Nate, I can’t relax thinkin’ about what Chris is doin’ and where he might be.  DeMarco is not gon’na wait until my ribs are healed.  He’s goin’ ta kill Chris and we ain’t got a lot of time left.”

 

“Vin, you can’t help Chris if you’re in the hospital.  ‘Cause that’s where you going to go if you aggravate your condition,” said Nathan sternly, eying the young man as a disapproving father.

 

Vin glanced away, knowing that the young black doctor was correct.  He felt so powerless at not being able to protect the wayward Archangel.  He was trying his best not to give in to his fear, but it was hard not to.

 

They had always sworn to watch each other’s back.  Vin felt that he had let Larabee down.

 

Nathan knew what the young tracker was feeling.  He too felt like that they had deserted their friend and leader.  He also felt that keeping the young, blue-eyed, brown-haired young man alive was the best way he could make up to Archangel Michael.

 

Josiah walked into the bedroom of Chris Larabee to find his closest friend and physician taking care of his closest friend and sharpshooter.  He also noticed the pain and the anguished that adorned both faces and knew that the missing Chris Larabee was the cause.

 

But Archangel Uriel also knew that they were beating themselves up over something they had no control over.  It was not their fault for what happened to Christopher Michael Larabee.  They did not desert their friend and trusted leader.  Fate had played a terrible trick on them and now it seemed the team was suffering from it.

 

“Hey, Josiah, is Ezra back yet?”

 

“Not yet, Nathan.  You think maybe something went wrong?”

 

“Don’t know.  Knowing Ezra it could be anything.”

 

“You want me to go back to the motel and see if everything is okay?

”

“I’ll go,” piped in Vin.

 

“No you won’t,” stated Nathan, giving his best Larabee glare at the young man.  “Send Buck,” he said turning to Josiah.  “He needs something to do to keep his mind busy.  He’s been thinking of ways to kill Lucien, slow.”

 

Josiah knew that Buck Wilmington was as close to Chris as Vin was.  In fact, each of them was in their own way.  But Buck had been through Chris’ hells even more than others. 

 

He knew Chris from the time when they were children and he knew Sarah from the beginning, before Vegas.  He knew the secrets that were apart of Larabee’s inner soul and which he hid from the outside world. 

 

Only two people could get through to Chris during his violent rampages and self-enforced exiles.  Buck was one and Vin was the other.

 

“Where’s Buck now?” queried Josiah.

 

“Standing guard over Lucien down the hall.”

 

“You left Buck alone with Lucien?” asked Vin surprised.  He did not think that Nathan could be so cruel being that he had sworn on the Hippocratic oath as a doctor.

 

“Of course, not.  Do you think I’m crazy?  JD is also with them.  He’s not going to let Buck do anything stupid.”

 

“Are you sure about that, Nate?  JD is kind of gullible when it comes to Buck,” suggested Josiah.  He knew that the Kid worshipped the ground Buck walked on, although he would never admit it.  That meant that Buck when needed could easily manipulate him.

 

“But even JD wouldn’t want to kill an innocent man,” stated Nathan, matter-of-factly.

 

Vin and Josiah both turned to stare open-mouthed at the young doctor.

 

“What?  You think Lucien is innocent?” questioned Vin.

 

“Yeah, I do, Vin.”

 

“And how’s that, Nate?”

 

“Well, Josiah, based on the fact that Chris left Lucien like he left us, I came to the conclusion that Lucien knows as much about what’s going with Chris as we do.”

 

“That ain’t saying much, Brother.”

 

“No, it ain’t.  I don’t rightly know about this, Nathan.  Are you sure?”

 

“Vin, do you remember when Lucien came to the house?  Remember his attitude and what he said?”

 

“Yeah.  He felt that Chris could not trust us to watch his back.  At least that’s what I came away with.”

 

“And, that Chris had told him that we were holding him against his will,” interjected Josiah.

 

“Yes.  Chris had told him.  That was what he said.  I think Lucien is being led by the nose just as we are.”

 

“So you think Chris has planned all this?” came a voice from behind them.

 

They all turned to find Ezra standing in the doorway.

 

“Ezra.  When did you get back?”

 

“Just a few minutes ago, my dear physician.  I came to see how Mr. Tanner was faring considering his depleted state awhile ago at the motel.”

 

“I’m fine, Ez.  Did you find out anything more at the motel about where Chris might have gone?”

 

“Unfortunately, I did not, Mr. Tanner.  It seems that our illustrious leader has absconded from the area.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“He said that Chris has left the area,” explained Josiah.  “So what’s next?”

 

“Well, I did happen to converse with the proprietor of the motel and it seems that our Mr. Larabee is a frequent resident there.”

 

“What?”

 

“Yes, Mr. Tanner.  It seems that Nathan’s theory is becoming plausible.  Our lost angel has been scamming us and I do mean scamming.”

 

“Ezra.  That’s the first time I ever heard you use such a low-life word,” smirked Josiah.

 

“My dear reverend sir, I have never used words that can be categorized as low-life in all my born days and I would appreciate it, sir, if you would refrain from the defaming my character,” replied Ezra, feigning indignation and smiling slyly at the big preacher.

 

“I apologize for my assumption, sir,” Josiah said bowing to Ezra as Ezra smiled wickedly back at him.

 

“So, Ezra, it seems like you’re in charge at the moment since Vin is out of commission and we can’t trust Buck to think straight right now,” stated Nathan solemnly.

 

Ezra rankled at the fact of being told that he was officially the temporary leader of the group.  Although he had taken charge of getting things done, Ezra was not one to bask in the limelight.  He was more of the covert type and tried to keep it that way.  Nathan’s statement had just destroyed all that.

 

Vin knew how the young gambler felt.  He too never did like to be associated as a candidate for leadership.  It was the one reason why they all loved Chris.  It came natural to him.  He was a born leader and as such accepted responsibility much better than Ezra, Vin, Buck or any of the others.

 

“Firstly, I am not in command, by proxy or otherwise.  Secondly, I just would like Archangel Michael back in his vocation so that my lifestyle can return to normality as it has been for the past few years.  So, if I have to be as you say, “in charge” of things, to get what I want, then so be it.”

 

Vin face lit up with laughter.  That was Ezra for you.  Always denying the undeniable.

 

“Okay, Ez, you can be a ghost leader, if that makes you feel better.  But no matter what, we need a plan to get Chris back on to the right track.  Right now, our lost angel is still lost and I think if we don’t do something soon, we might not only loose him, but our group as well,” replied Nathan.

 

Suddenly, JD came running into the room.  “Guys!  We got a problem!”

 

“Mr. Dunne.  Please take a breath and tell us exactly what the problem is.”

 

“Well, Ez if you must know…” started JD, his face smiling widely.  “…Chief Travis is on the phone!” he exclaimed, his face now showing fear of discovery.  JD knew that the Archangel Metatron, King of Angels, would sooner or later revoke Archangel Michael’s, Prince of Angels, current parole status and disband their merry little group to the depths of Vegas hell.

 

“Calm down, JD,” responded Josiah.  “Just take it easy.”

 

“Josiah, Chief Travis says that if we don’t produce Archangel Michael by tomorrow or at least tell him where he is, he’s revoking his parole and putting out a warrant for his arrest.  He also said that the rest of us will be joining him in prison.”

 

Josiah looked at each of them.  He knew that JD would not survive in prison for long and the end of Nathan’s free clinic would be closed. 

 

Ezra’s mother would probably be able to get him off with the lawyers she had employed and of course, Vin was a decorated war hero.  Of course, the Judge in the hearing probably would take that in account when deciding his sentence.  He’d probably get off easy, but Josiah knew he would never see daylight and neither would Buck once they saw their previous criminal record.

 

Although the others had committed criminal acts before their employment at Celestial, none of their crimes were as severe as that of Chris and Buck.  Even Josiah, who had almost killed a man because he had raped his sister, was not even considered in the same ballpark as that of Chris and Buck.

 

But they would all suffer due to association and that was the worst of it.

 

“I think we need a parley with our friend in the next room,” recommended Vin.

 

“I believe you are very insightful, Mr. Tanner.  JD, how is our associate doing?”

 

“Fine the last time I look.  Which reminds me.  I need to get back to him.  I left him alone with Buck.”

 

“You what?”

 

“Well, Nathan, I had to answer the phone and then I had to come and tell you guys about the Chief.”

 

“And you left Lucien alone with Buck?” asked Vin, exasperated by JD’s decision making capabilities.

 

“Well, yeah.  Buck said he would watch him…Wait.  You don’t think Buck would…”

 

“We’re talking about Mr. Wilmington, Mr. Dunne.  What do you think?”

 

“I guess I wasn’t. Thinking that is.  I was getting worried about the Chief.”

 

Josiah turned for the hallway, “Come on, JD.  Let’s go save Lucien before Buck tears him a new asshole.”

 

JD started giggling hysterically.  “I would be surprise if he didn’t.”

 

Josiah grabbed the young boy by the hood of his jacket and pulled him down the hall towards the guest room.

 

“Nathan, I think we’re going to need your assistance after Buck finishes his conversation with Lucien.  Can you come join us?” asked Ezra, starting to follow Josiah and JD down the hall.

 

“I’ll be there as soon as I finish with a stubborn young man,” answered Nathan, glaring at Vin.

 

“Aw, Nathan.  I ain’t goin’ nowhere.”

 

“I know you’re not.  I’ll be there in little while, Ezra.”

 

Ezra gave him a two-finger salute and started down the hall.

 

Nathan then turned to the young shooter who had blue eyes of pain.  He knew the pain was not all coming from a physical pain, but the mental one he was suffering from the lost of their friend and leader.

 

“Let’s get you settled here so that I can go see about Lucien.”

 

“Nathan, do you think we’ll find him?”

 

“With Ezra leading the way?  Of course we’ll find him.  You’ll see.  Now take these painkillers and get some rest.  I’ll let you know when you wake up how it went with Lucien.”

 

Vin could only nod.  He had been fighting off the pain for the past couple of hours. 

 

He knew Nathan was right.  He did Chris no good by not taking care of himself.  He needed to be strong to help them with the search.  He took the pills and swallowed them quickly with the glass of water Nathan had handed to him.

 

“Thanks, Nate,” he said lying down upon the pillows that Nathan had set up on the couch.

 

“If you need anything, just call,” said Nathan, walking down the hall towards the guest bedroom that held Lucien.

 

Vin only nodded.  His eyes started to slowly drift close as thoughts of where Larabee might be.

 

TBC

 

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