A subtle warning from a Cherub of War
Jason (New York just after 6pm)
<<It is probably the most disturbing event yet. The blast of trumpets signaling the final battle is expected, silence was never mentioned. Trusting in God's plan, Jason is not overly worried, but it is still a bit strange.>>
Jason stood, perplexed, looking about himself, as people push past in the early evening rush of the emergency ward. He had been a few minutes early to work, and wanted to speak to one of the nurses, of whom over the last few days, he had sensed some darkness gathering. But now, he has all but forgotten. Jason felt the change within himself after the Quiet. There, in his centre, he felt it. The inner glow. His Heart.
Jason blinked a few times at this unprecedented event. His Heart, his anchor, was within him. Without it in Heaven, in the keeping of Yves, there was nothing to guide him back, no means for return to Heaven.
More than this, all trace of essence Jason had stored within was gone, taken with the Quiet.
People rushed past unknowing. All about there was concern, and moments of pain and suffering. Jason was startled out of his reverie as two people he recognized, another ambulance team, pushed a stretcher past him almost at a run. Julie, he recalled the name of the woman, who was pulling more than guiding the stretcher and screaming at the top of her lungs for a doctor. She had two children at home, a mortgage of which the repayments were just increased and an ex-husband who had not paid alimony for four months. Here, though, her only concern was for others. But the body on the stretcher was already dead. Three more fatalities would result from the same car crash. Without essence, there was nothing to be done.
Jason knew that there was work to be done and despite his sudden lack of divine powers he still had the ability, and will, to help as best he could using more mundane methods. He buried himself in his work for the remainder of his 12 hour shift, putting off his desire to find out what was going on. He guessed that it would be a busy day. Throughout the day he contemplated what to do when his shift was over (07:00 AM).
The unfortunate prediction proved accurate. It was a very busy night.
Any number of accidents on the road, or in the home, seven mugging victims, one mugger and four police shot, three other miscellaneous shootings... the list went on and on into the night. It was noticeably bad, markedly so, the worst night in over a year. But with tireless hands and long experience, Jason attended to the many many cases that came before him. So many are too far gone, but some few are not.
Eventually, near dawn, the emergencies ebbed. Jason managed to take five minutes to think in the cafeteria, which was all but abandoned. The driver of an ambulance was here, drinking coffee from a mug, with the jug steaming nearby, half full. She nodded in a tired fashion to Jason. Julie. She must have stayed past her shift end at midnight. It was needed. As he looked at her, he realized she was close to giving in. Too much at once
"Bad night." she said stoically, hiding herself. "I lost four people. How did you do?"
Outside, the sky brightened with the approaching dawn.
Jason pulled up a chair next to Julie and put a hand on her shoulder.
"It was a really bad night. But remember, it isn't the ones you lose, they probably never had a chance, it is the ones you saved that matter. That nine year-old boy you saved from that wreck has his whole life ahead of him thanks to you. And thanks for staying late, again, you really made a difference." He patted her on the shoulder and poured himself a cup of coffee.
Julie shivered at his first touch, almost resisting the contact, but as he spoke, she listened to him without meeting his eyes. Jason felt what she needs to hear, and almost on instinct responds with those words.
A tired smile finally came to her lips, and Jason knew that the moment of danger had passed. "It just seemed necessary. So many people..." she said in a quiet voice. "I guess you just gotta hold on to your successes." She leaned back and sighed. "Lord, what a night. I am glad my mum has the kids. Don't think I could bear having to get them to school today, you know." She drifted into silence, and the two figures quietly sat, each in their own way but for similar reasons, awaiting the dawn.
Jason saw the first glimmerings of sunlight touch the tops of the buildings, through the window. It was going to be a clear day, from the absence of cloud outside. There was a slow rush of energy and light, a tone of sound, and essence flows into Jason from creation. A faint aubade greeted the dawn, almost reluctantly bidding farewell to the night.
Julie smiled again, then stood, nodded good night, or good morning rather, and quietly left to find a place to collapse.
Jason had one more hour on duty, and went to do it. Not much more happened in that time, and finally the nightmare shift was over.
Jason went to a nearby phone booth, and called an obscure phone number, leaving a message on the machine that answers, that a meeting after dusk would be a good idea in the usual place.
He then looked about for the local bus stop, and took a ride down into Queens. It took a bit of time, but eventually he ended up in a somewhat seedy area of town. A few youths gave him peculiar looks as he marches up to one of the apartment buildings, but none accosted him.
He found the apartment he wanted, and knocked on the door. It was answered by a very large black man, bald and clean shaven, bare chested and in torn jeans. Jason recognizes Karlial immediately. It would be hard not to. The Cherub of War cut an imposing figure.
"What's up, my man." Karlial said in such a way as to make it a statement. He blocks the doorway by remaining still, and Jason could not see beyond, although he could make out sounds of what must be a room full of people. "I have a bit of a meeting happening. You understand. Important people." He put a stress on this. "Don't know if I will be around later. Was it important?"
"Nothing urgent. I just wanted to talk about something I didn't hear last night."
Jason handed Karlial his card. "Beep me if you have a chance. I'll be here and there, but my pager accepts text."
Karlial took the card, and nodded. "Thanks. I will try." He looked nervously over his shoulder (nervously... what was wrong here?) and continued "Might be a bit of a while though, m' man. Things to do, people to see." His tone was somewhat difficult to read.
A level, deep voice arose from behind him in the room. Something was vaguely familiar about that voice, but on the instant Jason could not place it. "Who's out there, Karl? Why don't you invite them in?"
Over his shoulder Karlial said "And old friend. He is probably busy..." his voice sounded almost hopeful.
A low chuckle. Karlial turned his head back to you. He didn't say anything, but his eyes were yelling warnings.
Trying not to sound too much like himself, Jason said: "Thanks for the invite but I have a couple of other people to see before I get back to work. I'll catch you later." He turned and headed back down the stairs, listening carefully behind him without slowing down.
Karlial nodded at Jason with relief as he turned to go, and turned to shut the door. Very faintly Jason did make out someone talking for a few moments as he walked away.
"Who was that, Karl." The familiar deep voice. Not a question, a statement.
"Oh, just an old friend. I don't know if we should bother him about this." Karlial's voice, barely audible.
"You know better than to lie to me, even by omission, Karl. Who is he." was the last thing Jason made out as he walked out the lobby of the apartment block.
Jason decided to put a little distance between himself and Karlial's apartment. Not running, or obviously hurrying, but making good time. Jason was not in the mood to talk to anyone who made a Cherubim of Michael nervous.
Wisely deciding discretion is the better part of valor, Jason makes his way past the gangs of youths, who again watch but make no other action, back to a nearby bus stop.
Since he was already downtown he figured he would stop by and see if Hablashim was around. On the way he tried to remember why that voice sounded so familiar. Almost definitely a Celestial, and a powerful one at that... but who?
Jason wracked his brain. It was so long since he had heard that voice. Thousands of years, easily. Methodically, he ran through the list of possibilities, excluding each in turn. Finally, on the bus, he got it.
That was the Archangel Michael, in one of his less used forms. The form given the name Photiotellion in the middle Greek Apocrypha: the Ender of the Light. The form he was in when he personally tossed Lucifer the Light Bringer out of Heaven at the end of the War.
Jason was still contemplating the alarming connotations this invoked, when he arrived at the foot of Hablashim's building.
Wall Street was busy today. Jason entered the lobby of the building and ascended via the elevator to the seventh floor. Hablashim's secretary was the seventh door from the right, and Jason moved to the desk, making himself known.
"Hello Mr ...?" He said offering his hand and standing from his desk. Jason does not remember this secretary.
Grasping his hand and shaking it firmly, Jason introduced himself.
�Good Morning Frederick�, using the name from the plaque on the desk, �I'm Jason. I was wondering if Hablashim might have some time to speak with an old friend."
Jason had a strong impression this man will die within the next week as he touched his hand. But the death would be unnatural, of celestial causes. Normally such impressions were rare, since they did not involve the symphony but rather a disturbance of it, but in this case, Jason was sure. He would die, and in terrible pain, at the hand of some celestial force.
While the shock of this hit Jason, the man spoke.
"How do you do, Jason. I am afraid to tell you that Mr Hablashim was called away yesterday evening by an important snap conference. I believe he caught the first flight to Paris. Is there anything I can do to help you?"
"Hmmmmm. How unfortunate. Do you know when he will be returning? It is nothing urgent, but I did want to get in touch with him in the next week or so."
Frederick nodded. "I am afraid his last orders were to clear all appointments for the foreseeable future, and he did take his normal secretary with him, so I am afraid I do not know when he will be returning. But if it is, as you mentioned, not urgent, then I could certainly include a missive from yourself the next time any faxes or documentation is to be sent to him. It would be no trouble at all."
"That would be great. I'll stop by in the next day or two and drop something off. I actually want to talk to a couple of other people first. Thanks for your help."
Jason unobtrusively looked around Frederick�s desk for any information that might be useful in keeping track of Frederick over the next week.
Frederick was currently unfortunately keeping a very clear desk, and Jason saw nothing of use except a closed file-o-fax on his end of the table.
Jason turned and left. After getting off the elevator he walks over to Battery Park and picked up the N or R train to Queens. 0 for 2 so far, he hoped his luck turned and he was able to speak with Nathaniel.