Chapter 1, Part 5
A friendship is formed
Jason shook his head "No. 'It' is Ashikel. She was a close friend before the fall, not to mention a fellow Healer when Raphael was still the ArchAngel of Healing. We worked closely together until Lu...the Dark One led so many of our brethren astray. I first saw her again a few years ago and have been getting together with her a couple times a year to discuss the state of things and the like. She appears to have gotten herself into a spot of trouble lately and she is currently under my _protection_." Jason stressed this last word, and his expression hardened as that of a mother protecting her young. The others in the group were taken a little aback by the sudden change that swept across the countenance of this normally gentle Angel of Healing.
Karen reached out a hand and touched Jason's arm. She said gently, "Don't worry, we're not going to hurt Ashikel...if anything in these times of change we might work towards getting her to change her ways? it sounds like she has had at least a change of heart. But that isn't something to worry about right now."
Jason relaxed at her touch. "I think I have pushed that avenue far enough for one day. Although I have seen some progress, I don't want to push things."
Just as quickly, the Cherub's expression reverted to its normal, genial state. "She was the one who told me about Michael's people and the new infernal tether, as well as how the Demons are dealing with the aftermath of the Silence. They all lost their Essence, but apparently quickly discovered the paucity of guardians and took full advantage of it. I thought it unwise to bring up the issue of my heart's current location, so I do not know where hers is."
Jason finished his coffee and looked directly into Lynne's eyes, "You can judge me as you like, regardless of your current situation. I stand by what I have done. And I will _always_ stand by my friends, no matter what they have done, or who they might be." There was defiance in his eyes, but they quickly relaxed again.
There was an almost palpable tension in the atmosphere at the table, the Mercurian rolled her eyes before meeting Jason's gaze evenly. "I can't fault you for your loyalty, that�s what you are," she said quietly, "But I also can't say I'm surprised that your friend Karl was so keen that Michael shouldn't find you. By all means make your own choices but don't expect me to approve. I do not think that I have ever favored my friends, because Justice must be blind and show neither fear nor favor, if I favored my friends that wouldn't be fair..."
She fidgeted absently with the cigarette packet for a moment, turning it between her fingers. Then she shrugged awkwardly, "Of course, that�s all in the past -- For your sake I hope this 'friend' of yours will eventually be redeemed or destroyed. That�s all."
"I'm sorry, it has indeed been a long day." Jason looked down at his empty cup "Maybe I should have had decaf instead." He chuckled.
This time she did smile, and left the half-full pack of cigarettes in the ash-tray. "Shall we call it pax? We're 5 hours ahead of you guys already from all the traveling which can't help -- and you're spot on about the tobacco, maybe that�s another bad habit I need to give up." The smile was faintly apologetic, on a face which wasn't used to apologizing. "I mean, I'm sorry .. please don't take it personally, I .. never was
too good at getting on with other angels."
"Come to think of it," she admitted, "I don't recall having ever had very many friends amongst celestials, for obvious reasons."
Jason stood and put out his hand and smiled "tell you what, I'll be your first real celestial friend, no strings and no questions asked."
She laughed and took the proffered hand, "I.. really don't understand you," she admitted. There is a sense of truth in the statement which ran beyond surface level. "But I guess life after D has to start somewhere, so it might as well be here. Thank you."
As he shakes her hand Jason attuned himself to his new-found friend and passed her his last Essence.
"Whilst I don't much care for the idea, it would be crazy not to follow up any angle we can find, but if your friend is an Impudite I'd rather not tag along. I think I would rather like to see the library though -- you think there is any way of using it to get to Yves' library, or does it only link with Notre Dame now? I also think I'd like to find out who this young doctor woman was that apparently helped Nat after he collapsed last night. Is there anything else? I guess we might as well try to be organized about this."
"I believe that the Tether only goes to Notra Dame, but that is something to check. I would like to check out other tethers in the area. Maybe check the New York Stock Exchange, a tether to Marc. I had not heard about Nathaniel's collapse prior to now or I would have investigated. I can check around and see if any doctors or EMTs I know heard about it."
Jason chuckled again "I'm afraid that Ashikel is indeed an Impudite. I planned to talk to her alone anyway. No need to make her nervous. What types of information would you like to know?"
Karen watched as the tension ensued and the friendship was formed. She remained aside from this, making no comment. Her expression stayed carefully neutral, although she looks relieved as the tension subsided.
Finally she spoke, offering her opinions on the questions asked. "On the matter of the hearts of demons, perhaps when you speak to Ashikel you can mention we've heard that the hearts of demons are now within them, and see what she says... even if she refuses to tell or lies, her reaction may give us something to go on. As far as any other questions we might ask her go, I think the best thing is to carefully think about what we want to ask her before hand, and what responses we might expect. Although she has shown that she is willing to work with you Jason, I still have to say we'd be best to be cautious and not trust her with anything we don't have to. I'd be thrilled if she could ascend again as an Angel, but until she does so we can't be sure of her motives."
The Mercurian sat back in her chair and absently pulled a small metal-toothed comb through her already-perfect hair as she listens to Karen with the briefest of tight-lipped nods. It seemed that she feels she has already bent as far as she is able and its only out of respect to the cherubim that she wasn't suggesting questions along the lines of 'How many mortal lives did you ruin last week?' and 'So which is it to be? Redemption or death?'
"Ask her about Fate." Lynne asked abruptly, as if from nowhere. She pressed her lips together and looked down to the table again, as if searching for some inner calm.
Karen paused as Lynne suddenly speaks and looks at her curiously "Fate?"
Shaking her head slightly, Karen continued. "As far as the tethers are concerned, these are the ones I know of in this areas: the library, the Empire state building, a hospital, three churches, one graveyard and homeless hostel. I have checked the one at the hostel, and it might indeed be a good idea to check the others, if only to find out if there are any more with sentinels in the same state as Selindeal was. In fact, Selindeal should probably be one of the first we talk to about this. He (?) would most probably know how we can determine where the tethers now link to and also may have a way of contacting other sentinels - at least I�d assume that they'd have a means of keeping in contact despite their separation."
Lynne nodded in agreement with this and looks up finally, offering Karen a tired smile. "It sounds to me as though the one who went on holiday might have had the right idea... But if he is well enough to talk, I'd very much like to come along."
Karen looks at Lynne "Do you know any of the detail about this woman? Perhaps the name of a hospital or something? Anything we can start to work on as far as Nathaniel's presence goes?"
"We don't have many details right now, but we can find out." Lynne assured her.
Karen looked at Melanie before continuing "The other thing is that we do have access to police databases, so perhaps tomorrow we can do a search on similar crimes to that at the church... anything that could suggest Shedim and Kalabim forces working on the same thing. I'm not sure what that would turn up, but I have to assume that Nathaniel isn't the only one they're after, so there might be something."
Lynne said, "I don't know if either of you have had much of a chance to read the papers today? There have been various disasters going on all over the world. Judgments overturned, criminals released, accidents, murders, disasters.. you name it, its there. And all since last night. At a rough prediction, unless its been radically different here, your database might be a bit overloaded." Lynne smiles quirkily, "So better try to make that a narrow sort of search..."
Karen nodded in agreement, grinning as she glanced at Melanie "Indeed, although both Melanie and I have had a fair bit of practice at sifting through haystacks of information to find the needles we seek." At this Melanie smiled and rolled her eyes "Don't I know it!"
Karen grinned and squeezed Melanie's arm as she turned back to the others "So perhaps we can head back and chat with Selindeal, then we can spilt up with Lynne looking into finding Nathaniel, Jason can talk to Ashikel and I can do the rounds of the local tethers?" She glanced again at Melanie and added "Perhaps you should get some rest. I've been running you pretty ragged over the past few days."
Jason replied. "That sounds fine by me. Shall we try to get back together at the Library by 8:00 tomorrow morning?"
Jason suddenly seemed to put something together in his mind. "I'm not sure if this is related in any way to anything but when I went to speak with Hablashim his temporary secretary told me he was in Paris. I shook his hand and got a strong impression he would die within the next week and that his death would be unnatural, of celestial causes. It was _very_ odd. Such impressions are rare since they do not involve the symphony but rather a disturbance of it, but in this case I am positive he will die, and in terrible pain, at the hand of some celestial force. Ashikel mentioned that Demons were targeting servants of Celestials, so maybe he is next. Possibly this is the lead we are looking for."
Karen listened to Jason, frowning at the mention of servants of Celestials being targeted. She looked at Melanie and murmurs to her while the others spoke "Perhaps we should simply stick together? I'm not going to lose you..." Although she paused at this point, the pain that glanced through her expression suggested that she left the word 'too' off the end of the sentence. Melanie smiled with understanding and murmured back "I'll be fine...you know I can look after myself."
Lynne finished her coffee, which was cold by now. She let a smile drift across to the waitress who came around with refills, then watched the woman walk away with an almost unreadable expression on her face.
"Sorry... OK, it sounds to me like a question of priorities. If the infernals are getting active then, well, we are only three. We can't be everywhere and protect everyone. In this case it does sound like a decent lead, if only because his angel ought to be grateful to you if you can keep his backside out of the fire. You think you can cope with it, Jason, or will you want backup? I'd feel happier if I had a holy pistol but.. we'll find a way."
Jason smiled "Like I said, I'm a much better Celestial fighter than a Corporeal one. Some backup would be much appreciated."
There was another pause. "I don't suppose Raphael might be able to get hold of a... " she paused and stifles a giggle, "Mmm.. I guess that maybe wouldn't be too appropriate for an angel of healing, right? If you get the chance, Jason, I'd really appreciate it if you'd ask him if he could make time to talk to me."
Jason paused again as he tried to sort through the things to be done and in what order they should be pursued. "I would have attuned myself to him to try to get more information, but with all the pain and suffering I have seen, and without enough Essence even to go celestial, I didn't want to risk it. Not to mention the fact that I am not much of a fighter, at least a Corporeal fighter. However, now that there are a few of us it would probably be a good idea. I had told him that I would come back with a note to forward to Hablashim. So I will write to him and give him a little update on what we have found and attune myself to his secretary. Then we can wait for our Celestial friend(s)."
Karen shook her head, a slight smile crossing her lips as Jason mentioned communicating by letter, but she refrained from commenting on that. "Well I guess I'm a fairly decent Corporeal fighter...much better than Celestial at least. I'm happy to be backup. You'll be contacting him tomorrow? Well then I guess that gives me time to wander about tonight after we talk to Selindeal. "
Jason smiled, "Great, then I will write something up for Hablashim's secretary and deliver it to him before I go to work tomorrow."
Jason looked around the table to see if there was general agreement before he proceeded. "I will ask Ashikel about hearts and about Karen's Shedim and Calabim, and any general activity she knows about. I want to try to study tonight to get some Essence back and I am supposed to be at work around 8:00AM tomorrow. I think I'll tell them I won't be in so I can watch Frederick, Hablashim's secretary. I can get you some contacts in local hospitals who might know if Nathaniel was admitted anywhere. I would also suggest talking to some of the locals, but not at this time of night."
Lynne nodded and made a few notes on a small notepad. She glanced at her servant and focused a bright encouraging smile at him. He made an effort to return it. "OK," she said, "I'll be interested to know if that Rite works. Is there any way we have of contacting each other? I've got a mobile if you guys want the number..."
Jason took a card out of his pocket and handed it to Lynne "here are my pager and cell-phone numbers, along with my home address and phone number. We can use my place as a base if you like, it is only a few blocks from here, or of course we can use the Library. Speaking of which, should we start heading back? You can talk to Selindeal and Raphael, and I can see what Ashikel has to say."
Lynne stifled a laugh and smiled at Karen, "Sorry, you don't really need the number, do you? I really haven�t worked with other celestials for such a long time..."
Karen smiled at Lynne and shook her head "it's Ok...I guess it takes a bit of getting used to." She then glanced at Jason and nodded "If you can get me those contacts I can start checking them out while you study tonight... It seems there's quite a few places to visit"
Karen followed Jason's example and handed out a card with her contact details on it to Jason, Lynne and Josh. She also held her hand out in the centre of the table and paused before she said softly "If you wish it I can attune myself to all three of you. Once this happens I�ll be able to find you, and be able to talk to you by phone at any time, even if you don't have one. I'll also be sworn to protect you until the attunement is removed. Simply touch my hand for it to happen." She then left it to the others to decide for themselves whether they'll do it or not.
Jason both attuned and allows himself to be attuned.
Karen then nodded and stood up. "We should head off, there's lots to do and Raphael is probably worried about us by now. I really don't mind where we base ourselves, although right now we should head back to Raphael." She again scanned the restaurant, then beckoned the waitress over to deal with the bill, although she had left her drink mostly untouched.
Karen then lead the way back to the library...