The Archangel screamed. The noise deafened Hunter. All of Denver would be awake now from the powerful roar that Michael unleashed as Barbie fell back against the corner that Patrick occupied a second ago before he retreated. A coward in a cloud who took the saint’s soul in the palm of his pale hand.
Barbie slid down, rolling over onto her face at the end, no longer in control of her motion. She had been taken, her life, her everything, and the Archangel that loved her lost control as he flew from the stairs into the spot where Patrick had disappeared.
“No!” the Archangel whipped his head around searching for Death to reemerge.
The thought freaked Hunter out. He placed his back to the wall, his drawn pistol ready to fire. There was no stopping Patrick with his terrible abilities and his monstrous appetite for making people suffer. He could do them all right now and no one could lift a finger to stop him. Scout couldn’t shoot him. Michael couldn’t catch him. And now Barbie lay sprawled face down by the open front door with the rising sun spreading over her corpse at the Archangel’s feet.
Hunter felt sick with emotions from having lost a friend, someone he could have loved if not for the love he felt for Molly. Barbie was adventurous, free spirited, and fun. Yeah, they fought a lot, but not like people who hated each other. Hunter had to admit that if Scout didn’t already hold the title, Barbie could have easily been his best friend. Not anymore.
The Archangel stepped out of the house to the porch and down to the street in full view, not caring who saw his angel wings. He looked all around for Patrick, but the Horseman of Death had succeeded in his business, and now the others were going to have to learn to survive without Barbie.
And survival had been hard enough before.
Scout came down the stairs, his gun no longer in his hand. He passed Raven, who hadn’t moved since jumping out of the way when John fell down the stairs with bullet holes in his chest. Scout stepped into the new daylight that streamed through the doorway and looked out, the angel on his knees in the street, face buried in his hands. Scout looked down at Barbie’s body, a twisted mess of arms and legs attached to a torso. Her head attached, but not quite right. Scout’s eyes finally turned to Hunter.
“What the fuck did you do?” Hunter said.
Scout stared at Hunter like nothing registered, and Hunter doubted anything ever would again.
Raven said, “Shouldn’t somebody, you know, heal her like you did me.”
Scout turned his head at Raven and she stepped away, closer to the dead John on the stairs than the body of Barbie.
Except for Raven, the rest of them did not know the person Barbie was before God had answered her prayers and by granted the saint the use of the girl’s body. They needed Michael to bring the girl back to life.
Hunter said, “Scout.”
Scout turned back. His flat stare made Hunter tremble underneath his foreign skin.
Hunter said, “Ask Michael to come in here and heal this girl, if he’s willing.”
Scout blinked, the first sign that he might return from whatever dark place he had lost himself. He may have even nodded, Hunter wasn’t sure. Scout walked into the sunlight, hopefully to get the Archangel’s help.
Hunter limped forward and painfully knelt beside Barbie. He rolled her over on her back and straightened out her limbs, and then he noticed her eyes, open but gone. He closed them with his fingers and then bent over and kissed her forehead. When he sat back up, he caught his breath because her eyes were open again. He tried one more time to shut them, but they wouldn’t close. It was as if she refused to let go, and this was where she had decided to make her stand. Hunter closed his own eyes and prayed.
Dear God, Please forgive us this day. We all have failed a lot, and now we have lost two friends, although we have gained one in return.
Hunter peeked one eye at Raven standing alone next to the large mound of John. Hunter didn’t know if she even had a concept of what her new world had become. He shook his head and closed his eyes again.
Please forgive Scout. I’m sure when he comes around, he’ll be asking you plenty, but I wanted to make sure he had a head start, because we don’t know where we’re going, and if we’ll even make it. Death is everywhere.
Hunter shook his head again, agitated from the stupid way he prayed, but knowing that stupid prayers were better than none at all.
Anyways, Michael could really use your help right now. I know he’s hurting, so I would ask that you give him strength. Bless him, Lord, and let him get in here so that he can heal this poor girl who has been through more than I will ever understand.
Oh, and I could really use help finding wherever this Jack guy took my body. But you know what, I’d be happy if you took care of the other stuff right now. Especially Scout.
Thanks… I mean, Amen.
Hunter opened his eyes and now Barbie’s were closed, bringing a great deal of comfort to his already fragile state.
Michael returned, his face lined with sorrow, so unlike Samuel’s normal appearance. He knelt opposite Hunter across Barbie’s still form. “Your message was received.”
“That quick?”
The Archangel nodded. “Thank you.”
“Not a problem.”
Michael moved a strand of Barbie’s dark hair back in line with the others. “Your body is on its way to Cozad. I’m told you are familiar with the place.”
Hunter felt a cold lump grow in the pit of his stomach. He nodded. “I know it.”
He knew it was the place that haunted his nightmares. A place where he had found Barbie. A place where he first met Famine and his band of hellish children that the Horseman had possessed and unleashed on the kids in that town hiding in a building, waiting to be eaten while they starved to death. A place where he had stabbed boys in a dark cell and then burned them alive, trapped in their cages.
He knew Cozad.
Michael said, “Jimmy is there now. Famine is there with him.”
The cold lump exploded, sending chills throughout Hunter. “What? How do you know this? Why is Jimmy there?”
“God has shown this to me. Jimmy was on route to help search for you when he was captured.”
Hunter stood, no longer hampered by the pains in his new limbs. This news spread through his mind, giving his body a direction that would not be deterred.
Michael said, “There is more.”
Hunter stared down at the Archangel with dread.
“The others are heading to Cozad now.”
Hunter closed his eyes, breathing in deep. “What others?”
“Molly, Catherine, Ginger, Mark, Dylan. You may want to sit back down.”
Hunter reopened his eyes, but couldn’t meet the angelic face that had become the bearer of such bad news. He turned to the wall instead, clenched his fists in a futile action of defiance that he was unable to perform. “Give it all to me.”
“Billy was compromised again. He stole your nephew in the night at the behest of War. The others forced the information from her that the babe was being taken to Cozad. They followed, but their trip was interrupted.”
Hunter didn’t even realize that Billy had been found much less returned to Independents. All Hunter had been interested in was finding his own body. What possible reason could the Horsemen want with his nephew James?
The Archangel answered his unspoken question as if they still shared his mind. “They intend to raise the beast that will crack the Earth and form a new world for Lucifer.”
A noise sounded from upstairs. Hunter looked at Raven who in turn looked up the stairs behind the sight of her drawn pistol.
“Do not be alarmed,” Michael said, his attention on Barbie’s form in front of him. “It is the girls of this establishment. They are afraid.”
One must have been braver than the rest. “Cal? Johnny? Are you guys all right?”
Hunter stood beside Raven and looked up, her gun still aimed at the top. “They’re dead, but it’s okay. We aren’t here to hurt you. You can come down and leave, or you can stay until we’re gone. That won’t be long.”
Silence followed at the top of the stairs.
Hunter patted Raven on the shoulder. “Can you keep watch a little while longer?”
“I’m not going anywhere without you guys, but somebody had better go outside and find Scout. I don’t see him out there anymore and I know he doesn’t want to see me. Not sure I blame him.”
“Don’t underestimate yourself or the love Scout feels for you.” Hunter didn’t have time for this, but he needed Scout straight, and Raven was the best person to straighten him out. “He was hurt when you left. Really hurt. He looked all over for you, and then he found Joan. Don’t forget that Joan was just the person in your body. He still loves you. Always has.”
“You’ve changed a lot.”
“You mean physically or what?” Hunter managed to smile despite the turmoil of his worries crashing down on him. “Don’t answer that.”
“How is Molly? Still a handful?”
“And still beautiful. I’ll go look for Scout in a second, but think about what I said. If you’re still interested, you may want to give him another try. It couldn’t hurt, and he certainly needs you now.”
Hunter returned to the angel who had begun the act of bringing Barbie’s body back to life with the original person at the controls, now that the saint’s life force, her soul, had been stolen. He looked down at Barbie and wondered whom she would be when she woke up, and if she’d be okay.
Hunter left the angel to his work and walked outside to find Scout. It didn’t take long. Scout faced the street with his back against a large maple tree. The sun shone in his eyes. They were bloodshot, either from lack of sleep or staring at the bright light.
“Everything is happening in Cozad,” Hunter said.
Scout looked up, but nothing registered until Hunter began to fill him in. The mention of Mark, the mention of James, the mention of what the Horseman planned to do battered at Scout’s indifference to the world and what it had turned him into over the past twenty-four hours. Scout picked himself up.
“I’m going to need some time,” he said.
“I know that.”
“I’m sorry.”
Hunter sighed. “You’ve always been sorry. That’s why I hang around you. I like your sorry ass.”
Scout rubbed his afro and smiled. What he had to smile about, neither could say, but someday they would have plenty more smiles together. Now, they needed to ride to Cozad.
“Are we still cool?” Scout asked.
“We’ll get there. You’re lucky things are working out.”
Scout shook his head. “I’d hate to see when things aren’t working out.”
Michael walked out the door carrying Barbie in his arms with Raven following, gun still drawn. Hunter saw Barbie’s chest rising with new breath that came with returned life.
“You better lose those wings before she wakes up,” Hunter told the angel.
The wings shimmered away. “Better?” Samuel said.
“Oh, it’s you now.” He smiled at his brother’s best friend. “You up to speed?”
“And good to go. I’d fly on ahead, but Michael wants us to stick together. Apparently the Big Guy has a plan and a schedule.”
“So I’ve heard. We need to get the bikes and a car for you and her.”
Samuel looked down at the stranger in his arms. “I can’t believe Barbie is gone.” He turned his gaze to Scout.
Hunter knew what he thought without it being said aloud.
Raven walked to Scout and reached out to take his hand.
Scout looked up, and they embraced.
“Well, hello handsome.” Hunter and Samuel found Barbie awake and staring at Samuel with a sleepy smile on her face. “My name’s Bobbie Sue. What’s yours?”
“Uh, Samuel…”
“Hello, Samuel. Thanks for rescuing me. I assume that’s why a big strong boy like yourself is carrying me in his muscular arms.”
Samuel’s smile lit the world on fire.
Hunter groaned. He turned and led the group away, shambling like a monster in the light.