Michael lowered his hands. “There are no bars or locks keeping you inside the Temple. If you want to leave, leave. If not, we have a lot to discuss before we are ready to depart including how we’re going to find Gabriel, the spell and the power source he now possesses.”
Michael already knew no one would leave. Despite their outburst, they were all good people. Concerned, yes, but loyal. Even Ardat, who some were justified in questioning, could be counted on. As the seconds passed and still no one left the table, Michael found Ardat’s eyes.
She would much rather go with him, he knew. Still Esther’s point couldn’t be denied. In order that others would trust her, they needed to see her make the right choices independent of his wishes. She needed to prove to everyone else she was the women he knew her to be.
Alan’s voice finally ended the hush. “No, you guys don’t get a say. You need to come with me.”
All eyes followed Alan’s as the three large canines stopped mid step rounding the table as if to go speak with Michael. The dogs looked at one another with lop sided grins then turned to retake their place behind Alan’s chair.
“Okay then,” Michael said. “This is what we’re going to do.”
Chapter 16
The next two hours were spent going over and revisiting every aspect of the plan. If it was possible, Alan found even more respect for the Archangel as he informed them all, what was going to take place through tired eyes and disheveled clothing. Alan knew everyone’s part to play in the coming days down to the smallest detail.
Everyone’s journey would be dangerous; still, he could see how Michael came to decide their present course of action. Each goal in Michael’s plan was necessary in order to fill in all the blank spaces in the story of Gabriel’s acquisition of power. It would also pressure their adversary on three sides instead of one.
When the plans were set and all the questions answered, the meeting was adjourned. The travelers would need rest and time to prepare for the events to come.
Ardat lingered only for a moment to whisper something in Michael’s ear. Whatever she said made the Archangel blush as she turned to leave the room.
Alan pretended he didn’t see the exchange. Instead, he followed the rest of the group out of the room. Michael’s voice forced him to pause mid-stride. “Alan, if you would be willing to remain just a bit longer?”
Seraphim traded an intrigued expression with Alan before she departed with the others. The doors leading to the Temple chamber closed leaving Alan inside the room. He turned toward Michael with questioning eyes. “Sure, what’s going on?”
Michael looked tired. Almost as tired as Artemis was acting at the meeting and just as weary as Alan felt. The long hours of creating Seraphim’s wing and all the emotions that went into giving her the actual gift were taxing. More than anything, he knew he needed rest, especially now on the eve of their departure.
“First, I just wanted to say how proud I am of you. You’re turning into the man I knew you could become.”
Alan smiled, and then replaced his grin with a question. “Are you talking about my lack of depression or something else?”
“Yes and yes. The way you are choosing to look after others now instead of yourself. Your interactions with the others is showing progress towards the leader you will become.”
Alan wasn’t sure what to say. The lack of any role model in his life made it hard for him to grasp the right feeling for the moment.
“You don’t have to say anything,” Michael said. “I just need you to know that I’m proud of the man you are becoming.”
Alan felt heat rush to his face as Michael held his gaze. He broke eye contact with a nod, “Thanks.”
Michael saved Alan from further embarrassment by changing the subject. “The other thing I wanted to tell you was to keep a promise I made.”
Michael’s tone caught Alan off guard. In a blink all affirmation was gone from his voice, worry replaced it just as fast. “I promised you that there would be no more secrets. I intend to honor that promise.”
A million things crashed through Alan’s mind as he steadied himself for what could come next. “You’re not going to tell me I’m some kind of experiment or I have to chop of Medusa’s head or that this is all a dream, are you?”
Michael’s serious expression cracked for just a second. “No, nothing like that. Your part in what’s to come is going to send you on a journey that will lead you to yet another Wonder of the Ancient World.”
Alan nodded. Michael already implied as much during the outline of their meeting. Ardat and Danielle were going to travel with him. Michael assured them that Ardat’s knowledge of the Wonders would be invaluable to their journey. The specifics were still hazy as to which Wonder they would be going to next and if they would be visiting them all.
“What do you know of the Statue of Zeus, Alan?”
Alan felt his lower lip push forward and his eyebrows rise with one motion. “I read a lot of Greek mythology while I was in high school. Zeus was the king of the gods. He lived on Mount Olympus, he had power over lightening, he…” Alan’s voice was lowering in volume as he listed off the things he knew about the Greek god. As he was speaking, memories of Michael’s weapon as he fought Gabriel triggered something in is thoughts.
“You used a spear made of lightening when you fought Gabriel,” Alan was speaking the words even as the ideas formed. “Gabriel, he used fire, just like the Greek god Hades.”
Alan’s mind was racing as more and more similarities from Greek mythologies shifted from legend to reality. “And Cerberus,” he whispered more to himself than for Michael to hear.
“You’re figuring out all of this faster than I anticipated,” Michael said. “Understand that these things were not kept from you. It’s just when you are talking with supernatural beings that have been around since the beginning of time, well, frankly there is a lot of history to cover.”
“Wait a minute are you telling me that you’re Zeus?”
Michael nodded. “Not a title I picked. Over the centuries, Angels and Fallen have been given many names. When there is conflict requiring our attention in a more noticeable form, humans needed a way of coping with things they didn’t understand. If they could place us in a category and rationalized what they saw, they were better able to accept it and avoid panic.”
Alan was following Michael. He could accept the man he was speaking to could have been labeled Zeus at one time, but Gabriel as Hades just didn’t make any sense. “How could Gabriel be Hades if he has been in hiding since the War in Heaven?”
“I know you want all the answers now. However, it would be impossible to give you a lecture on our lives since the beginning of time at the moment.” Michael took one look at Alan’s raised eyebrow. “All right, you are correct. I told you no more secrets. There is just so much that has happened.”
“Give me the abbreviated version.”
“Our Greek aliases became necessary when a group of Fallen were under the impression that it would be entertaining to break the law and reveal themselves to humans and control them like gods. A few of my captains and I were forced to intercede and follow suit until the situation was handled. During that time, we heard of a Fallen that was referring to himself as the god of the dead, A.K.A., Hades but we never did find him. Once we managed the Fallen leading the uprising, Hades faded back into obscurity and then so did we.”
Alan was shaking his head as he imagined how many other legends and stories could be real. Not only real, but so close to the truth. “We’ve almost had it. I mean, as humans, we’ve been on the right track.”
“The best lies aren’t lies at all, Alan. They’re just veils placed over the truth. What better way to hide among the pages of history than to be dismissed as; urban legends, monsters or aliens… Every culture has different stories and, in a way, they’re all true.”
“So, you’re telling me; vampires, werewolves, Bigfoot, they’re all actually real?”
“I’m tel
ling you it’s not easy policing the world. Different members of the Fallen become restless awaiting their judgment and choose either to past the time or entertain themselves having ‘fun’ with the human race, or in some cases, seriously lose it and go on killing sprees. It’s our job to keep them in line.”
“Dracula?”
“Yes, a member of the Fallen race.”
“Zombies?”
Michael nodded.
“Okay, how about that story about alligators in the sewers?”
“No, that wasn’t a supernatural being getting out of line. We looked into it. That was just some crazy making up a story to scare kids.”
Alan had a dozen other questions to ask. He sensed the time wasn’t right so he bottled them inside for a later time. Everything Michael said was making sense. The implications of a supernatural race hiding beside humans since the beginning of time made for endless possibilities of their two worlds colliding.
“I can see you’re hardly containing yourself,” Michael laughed. “I sincerely wish I had more time but for now what you need to know was the Greek stories you read are real. Angels and Fallen took on the roles of gods to men and women for a period of time. The Statue of Zeus was erected in our memory after we defeated the Fallen who positioned themselves as gods over humans. We don’t know how the statue was destroyed but if I was a betting Archangel, I’d have my money on Gabriel being involved.”
“You think he destroyed the statue?”
“Now that I know he’s been alive all this time, I can almost guarantee it.”
“And you think somehow the statue made him more powerful?”
Michael shrugged with a reluctance that said he wanted to say more but couldn’t. “The statue didn’t have power in and of itself; still, the monument did stand for strength. I’m grasping at theories here, but you’ll have to go see for yourself. There is more of course, but there’s a little girl in my head who says this is your story to uncover. You have to find out for yourself.”
Alan understood. “A little whisper in your head, huh? I know what you mean.”
---
Everything depended on her believing him. If Michael’s plan was going to work, Kyle would have to give a performance of a lifetime. For someone who had never even taken a drama class, he was less than prepared for his debut role as a double agent.
If he was going to live through the next day, even the next few minutes, he needed to keep his cool. Besides, it was the least he could do to prove to everyone that he was not the person Ardat had so easily manipulated previously. He couldn’t even bring himself to look in her direction during the course of the meeting.
For her part, she hadn’t bothered to say a word to him since she arrived at the Temple. That was fine with Kyle. Dealing with the woman who had twisted his mind into following her wasn’t his primary concern. He was more upset with himself for allowing anyone to use him. Ultimately, the blame came back to rest on his shoulders. Anyway you cut it; it was his fault that a good man died.
Now it was his time to make the first small step towards paying a debt he didn’t know if he could ever fulfill. Still, it was a start.
Kyle replayed Michael’s strategy for the upcoming events in his head. He traveled the last few yards to the holding cells where Triana and the others were being held prisoner. The plan, the backup plan and all the contingencies Michael made him memorize should the scheme deviate from the desired course.
For Triana to take him anywhere near Gabriel, she needed to believe him beyond any question. Although the Fallen shape-shifter didn’t know where her leader was, she was still the best bet at finding him.
Kyle turned a corner and nodded to the two Angels guarding the cell door to Triana’s holding room. The soldiers were hand picked by Esther herself. They knew their part to play. With any luck, they would be better actors than Kyle.
“I’m here to see the prisoner under Michael’s orders,” Kyle said in a loud steady voice he hoped would penetrate through Triana’s cell door.
For a moment, he thought the plan was already in jeopardy. The Angel on his right, a tall, muscular woman, looked to the Angel beside her. “I wasn’t aware the prisoners were allowed to have guests. Were you, Caleb?”
The equally tall Angel gave Kyle a wink. “No, not that I know of. What did you say your name was?”
Kyle gave a sigh of relief. The Angels were far better actors than he was. “Michael sent me here. If you have a problem with that, you should take it up with him. I’m only doing as I’m told.”
The Angels looked at each other and shrugged. They paused as they pretended to think it over. “If it’s Michael’s orders,” the female Angel said as she turned to unlock the cell door.
“They are.”
She produced a key from the inside of her white cloak and placed it in the lock. With a sharp click, the tumbler turned and the door swung open.
Kyle stepped inside. The cell wasn’t even really a cell. The room was about the size of his own. The only major difference was that a steel door kept anyone from leaving, likewise there was no fireplace in the wall.
A single candle gave the darkness pause in its quest to consume the room in a black embrace. It took Kyle a moment for his eyes to shift. He heard the door close behind him as he caught motion to his left. Triana was sitting with her knees pulled to her chest. Forced to live in her true form as the young blonde woman, she played with the collar around her neck. “Come to take this thing off for me?”
Kyle was taken back for a moment by her question. He lowered his voice and gave his most sincere stare. “Actually, yes. I want you to get me out of here.”
Triana raised an eyebrow. “Really? I was being sarcastic.” Recognition crossed her face. “Wait a minute, aren’t you Ardat’s play thing? That kid who had the knowledge of the Chronicle?”
Kyle hated that, this was how he’d made a name for himself but decided to concede the point. “Yeah, my name’s Kyle Brown. I was with Ardat and I thought I could join Michael but I was wrong. I don’t belong here. I should have never come in the first place. I want you to take me to Gabriel.”
Triana barked a dry laugh. “Yeah, okay well, even if I did know where he was, sport, we have a few problems. Not only do I not trust you, but if you haven’t noticed, we’re underground in the Temple of Artemis in a cell. There’s more supernatural power between here and the exit than I can imagine, and I can imagine a lot of power. If all that wasn’t enough, I have this stupid collar on that’s keeping me from being able to use my abilities.”
Kyle reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny, silver key. “Don’t worry. I have a plan. I stole the key to remove your collar from that old, idiot inventor. I can get you out of here if you trust me. We both want the same thing.”
Triana looked at him sideways. Kyle’s heart picked up tempo. This was it. This was the moment she would start to trust him or he would fail everyone. Was he too aggressive, too eager in his request to help her?
“All right, Kyle, I’ll buy what you’re selling. I want you to know that if this is some kind of trick, I won’t need my powers to kill you.”
“That’s fine. Here.” Kyle took a few steps forward. He reached for her collar as he forced his hands to quit their trembling. Anything could give him away at this point.
“So, what’s the plan now? We politely ask the guards at the door to let us exit and have Artemis herself escort us to the surface?”
Kyle found the keyhole in the collar Gideon made. With a quick twist, the slender, silver collar was off Triana. It fell with a soft thud on the bed beside her. “No, give me a second to deal with the guards at the door. They won’t expect anything from me. When they’re out, we’ll make a run for the exit.”
“Seems a bit brash don’t you think?”
“You have a better idea?”
“Good point. What about the others that were captured? Coralline, Drake, Crux, they must all be here somewhere.”
Kyle felt his gut cl
ench. Here was one of the many contingencies Michael built into the plan. At all costs Kyle was supposed to sway Triana’s idea of freeing the others. One prisoner escaping would be easy enough to manage. Four would be another battle they wanted to avoid.
They also needed to follow Triana and Kyle. If the Fallen member Crux was freed, he could simply open a portal for them to travel through. Michael and Seraphim would lose their trail in the blink of an eye.
“There’s no time to free them. If we have any advantage, it’s surprise. Once I deal with the two guards at your door, that advantage decreases with every passing second. Do you want to escape or do you want to play hero and save your friends?”
Triana stood and rolled her head from side to side. She massaged the place on her neck where the collar rested moments before. “You talk a good game, Kyle Brown. Now can you back it up?”
“Watch me.”
“And you’re going to just walk out there and deal with them how?”
Kyle gave her the best villainous grin he could muster. “Do you know what my ability is?”
“My, my, you do get more interesting as the time passes. No, I don’t.”
“I can absorb and use the powers of any supernatural beings that are around me. That means I can shape shift like you. I can also hypnotize anyone I want thanks to the abilities of the female Angel standing outside your door.”
Triana bought his lie with a smirk on her face. “If you’re half as good as you say you are, I’m sure Gabriel will have a place for you under his command.”
Kyle was beginning to feel comfortable with his new persona as he flashed her another quick smile. “Wait here, this will only take a moment.”
---
Alan licked his lips. He was peering around the corner and down the hall where the two guards stood sentry outside of Triana’s cell. If things went bad, he was the first to jump in. Artemis was peering around the corner with him, ready to send out an alarm telepathically if they needed the others to help.
Alan Price and the Temple of Artemis Page 18
