Awakening (Children of Angels) (25 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

T
housands of miles from the cavern, Leonara paced the floor of the
hotel room, furious at herself, and furious at
him
for being able to get the upper hand over her. She had no idea how he'd managed to do it, Mia was so well shielded that she couldn’t detect her from two feet away, so how he had managed to find her on a distant mountain top, she had no idea. Where he had taken her was equally as mysterious. And why no-one what coming when she called for them, she didn't know. As soon as she got back to the room and Mia was not there, she had Shifted back to the mountain. The mountain had gone, in the space of three or four seconds, from being in the midst of a full-blown blizzard, to picture postcard perfect. She knew almost instantly, upon arriving at the mountain and finding everything like this, that someone had taken Mia. He must have called the storm, knowing it would separate them.

She had tried desperately to pick up a trail, but he was too clever to leave one, no matter how hard Leonara tried to create the Truth that she
could
find them, the boy’s over-rode hers and crushed it. He would not be found unless he wanted to be found - and neither would Mia. Immediately, she had began trying to summon the others, but no-one had come or even replied. She had returned to the hotel room, checking that no-one had tried to enter, and they hadn’t. After calling a few more names, ones she would only ever call when she was in dire need, and getting no reply, she had gone looking for them.

They were nowhere to be found, which set alarm bells ringing in Leonara’s head. Even
home
was deserted. Where
else could they be? Why was no-one answering her pleas? Did they not
want
to find Mia? They
needed
her. But then again, if they weren’t listening, then they wouldn’t even know she was missing.

What Leonara failed to realize was that the same Truths which kept Mia and the boy hidden from her also applied to
her
. She would not be found, would not be able to communicate, nor would she be able to find any of her comrades unless
he
chose to let her.

It was unsettling, not being able to find anyone. Defeated, Leonara sat on the bed with her face in her hands. She had failed to keep the girl safe and most importantly - strange that something should be more important than her safety - she had failed to keep her away from that boy. They had prophecies, the Others, and if they were fulfilled it would almost certainly spell the end for the Angels and their battle. A battle that in truth, though she had not told Mia, they had been slowly losing ground on for eons.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

L
ucien waited impatiently for Leonara to check in. It was most unlike
her not to, and he was beginning to suspect that something had gone wrong. He should have checked the shielding on that room himself - now it was too risky for him to go there. If the room had indeed been compromised, he could be walking into anything. And if, as he feared, Leonara was lost it would almost certainly mean that Mia was dead.

It was peculiar, even to him, the way that he could think of this calmly and rationally, without the emotions that clouded human judgments. A human would be beside themselves with worry and grief at the thought that their only child was dead, or captured - possibly tortured. Lucien did not have these emotions within him, and it perplexed him. When he had found out all those years ago what Katherine had done, had snatched their child and left her to the wolves, he knew that it should have enraged him, left him distraught. But all it had done was annoy him, the inconvenience of it all. All the effort they had gone to, to have that child, just for
her
to hand the child over to the very ones the child was born to fight against.

Perhaps his daughter had followed in her mother’s example, and deserted their cause, joined the others willingly.
That
thought provoked a reaction within him - anger. Whilst Angels did not technically feel human emotions, certain ones were something of an exception, ones that proved useful - and anger was useful. It gave him a sense of direction, a sense of purpose and a sense of conviction. He had first experienced anger fifteen years ago - anger provoked by Katherine. She had made a fool of him, betrayed his trust, betrayed his child. He would never forgive her.

He pushed these unproductive and useless thoughts away, and did another sweep to try and pick up any indications of either his daughter or her protector’s presence, and could not find even the slightest glimmer of either of them. Perhaps they were both extinguished. That would be most unfortunate indeed. He made a decision, and whirled to face his aide, who was, as ever, standing just a few feet away, awaiting orders.

“Bring me five of our soldiers” he ordered.

“
Yes, sir. Are there any in mind? Or any particular skills you will require of them? So that I can better choose five that will please you, from your legions.
”
The aide bowed low as he grovelled.

“
Expendability.
”
Lucien's reply was cold, and his face hard.

The aide looked up briefly, then nodded curtly before turning and striding from the room to carry out the Master’s orders. He returned a short time later, bringing with him five competent, but by no means exceptional, soldiers he had found in the barracks.

“
Gentlemen - and lady,
”
Lucien greeted them warmly,
“
Please do come in. I have a very important task for you.
”
His tone grew serious, as did his expression.
“
George, please leave us. Close the door behind you. Wait outside, do not move, do not allow anyone to enter.
”
He barked the order without even looking at the other Angel – he knew it would be done.

“
Yes, my Lord.
”
George bowed to the Master, then turned and bowed to the five soldiers. It was a game he and the Master had played many times before. It would give the soldiers in the room a sense of importance, of urgency of the matter, of superiority that they were the only ones to know of this confidential mission. Which was, in all likelihood, a suicide mission. He doubted very much they would all return. If there was a chance of making it back, the Master would have gone himself. He backed out of the room, still bowed, and closed the door behind him, making sure to noisily turn the large key in the lock, before standing to attention outside the room. Anyone passing would know there was something important happening in the room. All of it a ruse, to give the poor saps inside a false sense of confidence.

He stood and waited, his curiosity getting the better of him, he allowed his hearing to drift to what was happening in the room.

“
Well, I
’
m glad you were all able to come on such short notice. I thank you for your dedication.
”
The Master nodded respectfully and appreciatively at the soldiers standing before him.
“
I need five strong, able soldiers to perform a very special task for me. You cannot tell anyone where it is that you are going, or what your task is. If anyone enquires, simply tell them to take it up with me - your section leaders included. I will endeavour to send messages to them all once you decide whether you wish to undertake this task - for of course, the decision is entirely yours.
”

Five heads nodded back at him gravely, but of course there was no question of them saying no, not to the Master.

“
You are about to become privy to some extremely sensitive information, none of which is to be discussed outside this room - is that understood?
”
Five heads nodded at him once more.
“
As
you are aware, almost sixteen human years ago, a prophecy was fulfilled when I became a father. The first of our kind to father a child, and none has done it since. As you are also aware, that same night we suffered one of the greatest betrayals in history, second only to the Betrayal of the Brother, when Katherine took that child and handed her over to
them
to be killed, before she left our cause and joined theirs. It was a great loss.” he paused for dramatic effect, and five solemn faces stared back at him, nodding gravely. There wasn't an Angel amongst them who didn't know the story – it was, after all, how Lucien had become their Master.

“
Recently, intelligence was brought to me suggesting that they had not, in fact, killed my daughter,” There was a tangible change in mood in the room, none of them had expected this. They had all been certain the child was dead, “and that she was in fact, alive and well and being raised by humans. It seems that they let her slip through their fingers, and then could not find her afterwards.

I have sent an aide to guide her, since she knew nothing of her true heritage and purpose until very recently. She is just now coming into her powers, and is in great danger. At this time, I can get no response from her aide, and naturally am greatly concerned for the safety of my child. The child is not responding either, I fear the worst.” He paused and five faces continued to stare gravely back at him. “I need you to physically go and search for her, on every plane. I cannot sense her from here, she is weak, her light is dim, she has not developed her powers yet. The closer you are, the more likely you are to find her. Find her and bring her to me - and you shall be richly rewarded.”

The five nodded again, of course they would accept such a noble and honourable task. Renewed hope flowed through them all, the girl was alive, all was no longer lost.

“
So will you all accept?
”
Lucien spoke in commanding tones that told them it wasn't really a request.

“
Yes, sir!
”
chorused the determined and confident reply.

“
You are all fine soldiers.
”
He flattered them, further buoying their confidence.
“
George will assign you with your planes, he does not know of this task, so I do not wish you to discuss it with him. Merely ask him
‘
so?
’
and he will reply with a plane, randomly chosen.
”

Again they nodded.

“
You are dismissed. Please change your attire to human clothing, I do not wish you to frighten my child, nor attract any unnecessary attention to yourself. Go now, do not hesitate.
”
He waved them away dismissively, then returned to gazing out of the window, and trying to search out Leonara
’
s light amongst all those burning brightly through all the planes. Trying to find one single Angel light was like trying to spot the same firefly once it had moved ten times in amongst a cloud of others. They were all out there, like a sea of candles in the darkness, but constantly shifting and moving, and so hard to keep track of. If that light were dimmed for whatever reason, it would be almost impossible to find them, unless they wanted very much to be found. And of course, there was always the chance that she did not
want
to be found. He leaned his head against the glass and sighed, his breath misting up the pane.

“
George, come in here please.
”
He called wearily to his aide, who he knew would be listening for his summons.

George obeyed with his usual swiftness, and was by his side in moments.

“
Yes, my Lord?
”

“
You assigned their planes?
”

“
Yes, my lord.
”

“
Good.
”

“
If I might be so bold, sir, what exactly is it they are doing?
”
Playing dumb was always best. The Master probably would not be best pleased to find him eavesdropping, and in all likelihood, the story that he had told the soldiers was not true anyway.