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FIFTEEN

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“I’M CLARA KRATOS. MY husband, Detective Lieutenant Frank Kratos, was brought here recently by ambulance,” Clara explained to the ER nurse. “I need to see him right away. It involves the case, and is a matter of extreme importance.”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Kratos, but your husband is in surgery,” the nurse replied. “You’ll have to wait for the surgeon or one of the team to come out in order to find out any information. As far as speaking to him, that’s just not possible right now.”

“Where can we wait that one of the team may find us?” Clara asked calmly.

“I can lead you to the ICU waiting room, but it’s for immediate family only,” she said, eyeing the others.

“This is Frank’s sister, Marrisa, and her daughter Priscilla, they’ve been staying with us,” she lied easily.

“Very well, ma’am, if you’ll follow me?”

Nothing was said about the deception Clara had passed on the ER nurse, it was more expedient than trying to explain all the reasons why they were together. Once in the ICU waiting room, she turned toward Marrisa.

“Do you think you can find out where Hamilton is?” Clara asked in a stage whisper.

“Probably, it’s not a very big hospital,” Marrisa replied. Why do you want to know?”

“There are some wards Raquel can place on his room to keep anyone associated with the demonic bunch from entering, but she has to be physically in the room,” Clara explained.

“I’m sure there will be several guards posted, as well as who-knows-what else after Frank was injured,” Marrisa reminded her. “And, do we even know what exactly happened to Frank? Was he shot?”

“There was an explosion at the door just as he opened it, and he flew backward into the room,” Pris explained.

She had told her part of the story to at least three officers or detectives, and Clara, but now realized her mother had not been privy to any of those conversations. She hit the high points again so as not to delay the quest for Ham.

“When I get back, or when there’s a dull moment, you will explain to me how a Warrior Angel can just take over my body, right?” Marrisa asked pointedly of Clara.

Eyes flashing, Raquel spoke. “In days past, some considered it a rare honor to be the vessel for any angel, especially one of the warrior caste,” she stated rather aloofly.

“And given the choice, I would be honored to do the same,” Marrisa said to mollify the angel. “I just want to hear how it can be done without my permission.”

“And so you shall, at the very next dull moment we have,” Raquel assured her.

Marrisa went off down the hallway toward the main lobby, ostensibly to find a directory to inform her of where Ham might be. Pris turned her gaze on Raquel to ask other clarifying questions about the recent events, only to find Clara gazing once again at nothing.

“Clara?” she asked. There was no reply.

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IN THE MAIN LOBBY, which was closed now after hours, lights were dimmed and the only person in sight was a custodian running a floor buffer. Walking to the directory marquee, she ran a finger down the list of departments until she found the general in-patient ward. It was on the second floor, in the other wing of the building. Turning to look for the elevator, she noticed the custodian watching her leave.

Looking back, she was shocked to see his eyes glowing a bright golden hue. Hurriedly punching the call button, she prayed for the elevator to arrive before he made a move toward her. She was afraid he was a demon. When it arrived, the janitor turned his back to her.

Backing into the car, she glanced over to locate and press the button for the second floor. She had looked away for no more than two seconds, but when she looked back into the lobby, the janitor was nowhere in sight. The waited nervously until the elevator doors closed without incident.

When she stepped off the elevator, she was in radiology, and it was closed. A sign on the wall pointed her to the in-patient ward, and she moved in that direction. Coming to a set of closed double-doors with no knob or pull handle, she could see down the long hallway to where a policeman was standing watch outside a room. Nurses and other staff bustled about on the floor, and she watched for several minutes, trying to judge her best way of getting them all into Ham’s room. The elevator behind her dinged.

Freezing, she glanced around quickly, but she saw no place to hide and nothing to use as an impromptu weapon. Deciding instead to go with the lost, looking for the bathroom routine, she turned to see who else was getting off in radiology after hours. The custodian from the lobby stepped off and strode unthreateningly toward her.

“I’m a little lost,” she said with a self-deprecating laugh. “I was looking for the ladies room and...”

His eyes flashed gold momentarily, and he smiled disarmingly as he spoke softly. “I respect your desire to stay out of trouble, but that is the second-most lame excuse anyone uses for being where they aren’t supposed to be.”

“And what’s the first?” Marrisa grinned. “God, I hope you’re an angel; otherwise, I’m in deep doo-doo.”

“I do so love all the colloquialisms of your language,” he said, chuckling silently. “I can help you get into Hamilton’s room, but I doubt seriously the rest of you can join in,” he said, still smiling.

“How...okay, time to do some ‘splainin’ Lucy,” she said, the smile on her face being replaced by a frown of uncertainty.

“My name is Uriel, and Raquel is my sister,” he said. “It was I who inhabited your body recently, a fact of which I am sorely remorseful. There was no alternative if I was to protect the anointed one and my sister at the same time.”

“Wait, wait,” Marrisa stammered. “You inhabited my body and fought off the bad guys, including, apparently, a second-hierarchy demon?”

Looking startled, Uriel lowered his eyes briefly, before looking back into hers. “Indeed, it was a first-hierarchy demon, Berith to be exact. He was a prince of the Cherubim before the great battle.”

“So, you killed him, using my body?” Marrisa said, aghast.

“No, it is almost impossible to kill any of my brothers and sisters, regardless whether they reside with my Father or...elsewhere.” He explained. “All I did was to destroy the vessel which Berith inhabited.”

Shaking herself, Marrisa recalled her mission. “There’s plenty of time, I hope, to ask all the questions I have, but right now I need to get Raquel into that room,” she said, pointing down the hall. “She needs to ward it against demons? Did I say that right?”

“Indeed, you said it exactly right,” Uriel replied. “And I can help you there. I can walk these halls freely in this vessel, thanks to the good man who actually is the custodian. Say hello, Carl.”

The fire in Uriel’s eyes vanished, and a pair of soft brown ones regarded her humbly.

“So, we gets ta be Archangel vessels, huh?” he asked, grinning. “Sumpin’ ta tell muh grankids ‘bout, cep’in I ain’t got none, and dey wouldn’t b’lieve me anywho.”

“Well, Carl, there was a little difference for you and I; my use wasn’t consensual,”

Marrisa said, blushing when she thought how she made it sound like they had been intimate.

“Nutin’ much mo’ inimate dan havin’ a angel inside ya, huh?” Carl replied, reading her face.

Grinning, Marrisa extended her hand in the time-honored gesture of friendship. “Nice to meet you Carl, but Uriel and I have places to go.”

Shaking her hand, Carl said, “My pleasure, ma’am,” and then his eyes flared golden again. “Follow me,” Uriel said.

Taking a pass card from his breast pocket, he swiped the sensor on the wall and the red light turned green. There was a soft click, and the right-hand door snicked open about two inches. Slipping his fingers into the crack of the handle-less door, Uriel pulled it open and stood aside; allowing Marrisa to enter first. They walked abreast up the hallway to Ham’s room, and stopped in front of the officer.

“There’s a mess in there I need to clean up, and this is my helper,” he said to the officer. His eyes flared brightly, and a warm, welcoming smile sprang onto the officer’s face as if he had just recognized a favorite long-lost relative.

“Certainly, Carl, go right on in,” he replied readily. “You too, miss.”

As soon as they entered, Ham was on high alert, as was the officer seated on the other side of the bed.

“Sorry, you can’t be in here,” the officer said. “And what happened to Phil?” he finished, reaching for his sidearm and radio simultaneously.

“Its fine, Daniel,” Uriel said, holding out his hand placatingly. His eyes glowed a mellow gold and the other officer relaxed noticeably.

“Oh, well, alright,” Daniel said. “I’ll just wait out in the hall.”

When the door closed, Ham looked from Marrisa to Uriel and back. “Are you okay, or are you being held hostage by this demon?” Ham asked fiercely. He had his right arm drawn back, fist clenched.

“I’m good, Ham; it’s fine,” Marrisa rushed to assure him.

Uriel, for his part, chuckled softly. “Well done, young warrior. Your world needs more willing spirits such as you.”

“Sorry, Raquel’s eyes glow white, so I figured a different color meant...” Ham said by way of explanation.

“All of my brethren have slightly different influences on their vessels,” Uriel explained. “But if the eyes are any shade of white, silver, golden, or even a light bronze, in one case, there’s an angel inside. It’s the red, yellow, and bright green eyes of which you need be wary.”

Moving about the room, he was gesturing and muttering under his breath. “We can’t stay very long, but perhaps Marrisa can fill you in on what has happened today while I finish my warding.”

Three minutes later, Ham knew the basics, and the room was well guarded. “No demonic presence or servant can enter this room now,” Uriel informed them. “If they are forced into the room, their bodies will die instantly.”

“How long will the protection last?” Ham wanted to know.

“It is not the room, but you who are warded, young warrior,” Uriel informed the gaping teen. “Any room you are in is likewise warded against demonic intrusion.”

“And how long will that last?” Ham insisted.

“Until I remove it,” Uriel said simply.