Zero II

by Jonathan Yanez

  12

  Present Day

  “He’s in there?”

  “All the way at the top. You’ll need to get access to the roof.”

  Alan suddenly felt uncomfortable. “And you’re not coming up?”

  Danielle shook her head. “Sorry, this is your time for answers. I’ll be here waiting for you when you’re done.”

  Alan looked out of the car window at the tall corporate building. From the outside it seemed as if the structure was made entirely of steel and glass. Sunrays beat off the glass windows and Alan squinted to see the top of the building.

  “Don’t be scared, he’s on our side.”

  Alan looked back at Danielle with every intention of lying and telling her he wasn’t scared, instead he asked, “Is Michael a—a—“ he was still having a hard time bringing himself to say the word.

  “Yes, but it’s not like he looks any different from you or me.”

  Alan nodded, gathered his courage and opened the door. It was a short walk up the stone steps and into the large ground floor. A security desk was stationed up front with a long aisle of elevators on either wall of the wide room.

  Alan tensed, the building looked too much like the building the wind had pushed him off of the first night he learned he had abilities.

  Alan forced his legs forward as people walked to and from the elevators. Most of the building’s inhabitants wore trendy suits. All but a few were busy either talking on their phone or looking down at them.

  Alan entered an elevator clogged with suits and briefcases. There were 107 floors. To Alan’s frustration, it seemed the elevator was set on making him visit each and every single one. The ride up gave Alan time to think about what he had just seen and what he was doing.

  I can’t believe she healed you like that. This is so far beyond what I thought was possible. But really what did you expect? You can run at the speed of sound. If someone came to you and told you that you were an alien or a mutant, would that make more sense? Would you accept that?

  Alan struggled with these thoughts and more as the steel box passed floor after floor. After what seemed like an eternity full of bad elevator music, Alan reached the buildings top story. He was the only one on the elevator at that point.

  The doors dinged open and Alan found himself walking down a well-kept hallway. No sound, no chatter of voices on phones or clicks of shoes on the wooden floor, nothing.

  Alan walked down the hall passing empty office after empty office looking for the stairwell that would lead him to the roof. After peaking in and out of a few doors he found the door he needed. The door was marked with the figure of a small man walking up a set of stairs.

  Alan opened the door and made his way up the last two flights of stairs to the rooftop entrance. He placed a hesitant palm on the long silver latch. He took a deep breath and walked outside.

  It was bright; even brighter than inside the stairwell. Alan blinked to get his eyes used to the sun’s harsh rays. No wind pressed against him and for that he was thankful. The building already reminded him enough of the one he had fallen off four years ago. The last thing he needed was to get tossed around by the wind.

  Eyes adjusted, Alan looked around the roof. It was a forest of air conditioning pipes and vents. Every few feet another metal outlet or steel topped pipe rose from the ground. Across the long rooftop Alan spotted what his brain told him couldn’t be possible. He blinked and squinted against his rational thought process. It was still there, a large brown desk.

  Alan slowly put one foot in front of the other. He looked down only for the briefest of moments to make sure of his footing. He was afraid if he took his eyes off the desk it would disappear.

  As he got closer, the rough image of the desk took on more shape. It wasn’t just any desk, it was a large dark brown wooden desk with gold drawings. The pictures were amazing. Images of clouds, stars and planets played across the desk as if they were in motion. Behind the desk, a high-backed chair faced away from Alan.

  Alan reached the desk and stared as the chair slowly turned. A middle-aged man with wavy brown hair and eyes that spoke of wisdom stood and extended a hand. “Hello, Mr. Price. It is so good to finally meet you.”

  Alan’s mouth was dry. Not only was he talking to someone sitting at a desk on a rooftop, but the man who was clearly not of this world was extending a hand. Alan forced his right palm forward and shook the stranger’s hand.

  “My name is Michael. Danielle briefly told me that you are skeptical. That’s to be expected, I know it is a lot to take in. Please sit.”

  Michael’s handshake was firm without being aggressive. There was the complete opposite feeling coming from him than Alan felt when meeting Dominic Drencher the night before.

  Alan broke the handshake. “Sit? Sit where?” The question faded almost down to as whisper as Alan looked behind him to see a chair where there had not been one just moments before. He twisted his head back towards Michael giving him a wary look.

  Michael smiled from his eyes to his mouth, “Sorry, too soon? I couldn’t resist. You should see the look on your face right now. Please sit. I have your answers for you.”

  Alan nodded and settled into the comfortable leather chair.

  “I’ll start at the beginning for you, Alan,” Michael said as he too took a seat. He leaned forward with both of his elbows on the desk, hands clasped together. A stare in his green eyes said that he could be trusted. “After that, if you have any questions I’d love to answer them all. Would you like to hear the story with affects or without affects?”

  Alan felt his eyebrows furrow all on their own. “With affects, I think.”

  “A man after my own heart,” Michael winked. “Here we go.”

  Out of nowhere the sun’s bright rays faded. In seconds the sky turned black and everything fell away. All that remained, was Michael, Alan, the desk and the chairs on which they sat.

  Alan could feel fear begin to creep slowly down his spin, his heart started beating faster and faster. He looked at Michael to see the man still smiling and now pointing to the dark sky.

  As Michael began to speak, images made out of golden outlines followed events that he described and performed across the dark sky. Alan’s mouth dropped open, his eyes fixated on the beautiful scene overhead as Michael started his story.

  “I’m going to date myself here but a very, very long time ago when the earth was still young a battle took place in Heaven. The battle was raged for the fate of both angels and man. One third of all Heaven’s angels sided with a usurper that staged a coup for the rule of Heaven and earth. He was mad with thoughts of grandeur and power.

  “The fighting was beyond bloody, it was horrific. The death toll on both sides would amount to more than those who would survive the engagement. The war went on for years. Finally, the power-hungry angel was defeated. He was cast out of heaven with the rest of his followers to wait their final judgment on earth.

  “To ensure that a war like this could never happen again, all weapons capable of killing an angel were destroyed. My brothers and sisters and I now watch over earth. The Creator has not abandoned mankind to live under the rule of the Fallen.

  “With inferior numbers and strength, the Fallen on earth will not engage us directly. In return we are content for them to live out their sentence here on earth until their day of judgment comes.

  “But just because they won’t defy us directly doesn’t mean our troubles are finished. Over the centuries tactics have changed. The Fallen have found their own followers to do their bidding. They have given certain powers and abilities to humans whom they use to do their will. It’s a loophole they have found to not engage us directly while still getting what they want.”

  Michael paused here as the scenes in the sky faded and the darkness regressed. In seconds the sun was out again and Alan felt himself breathing a bit easier. “They thought they were so smart. Little did they know that we are capable of the exact same thing. So now instead of a full-out war,
a kind of shadow game is being played on earth. The Fallen have their wayward followers and we have those whom we have chosen to represent us in this cold war.”

  Michael leaned back in his chair with his arms open. “So there it is, as honest and plain as I can put it. You have the truth. Now, feel free to ask any questions I’m sure you have.”

  Alan’s mind was blown. Dozens of questions were pushing to the front of his mind while he struggled to accept his new reality. The question that came out first was the one that he had wondered since the first night he knew he was different. It was short and simple but one that had haunted him for the past four years. “Why me?”

  Michael nodded as though he were aware that was going to be the question. “You need us, Alan. You needed us as much as we need you. We saw an opportunity to help each other.”

  Alan slowly shook his head. “But my depression, the anger I feel, the—“

  “All reasons that we chose you.” Alan’s confusion must have shown because Michael continued. “Think about it, Alan. You battle with depression; loneliness. You were bullied, beat up and abandoned and here you stand. Here you are still living and breathing as strong as ever. What you have thought of as your weaknesses your entire life have made you stronger, Alan. The battles that you fight day in and day out have forged your will into something few people possess.”

  Alan laughed to himself, “It doesn’t feel like a blessing.”

  “Regardless, it has made you stronger than the people beside you that don’t battle with these issues.”

  Alan slowly nodded letting the new information sink in before he asked his second question. “Are there others like myself and Danielle?”

  It was Michael’s turn to nod. “Yes, a very select few spread across the globe. It is an honor to be chosen. Very few are or will be. We select those where the need is the greatest, where the Fallen have chosen to actively recruit.”

  “What do you want me to do?”

  “For now we need you to learn and train. Speed is just the first of the many gifts you have at your disposal.”

  Alan remembered the beating he endured at the hands of Dominic Drencher. “Strength is another one and—“ Alan was reminded of the first night he found out he was different. “Flight?”

  Michael shook his head. “No, unfortunately not flight—I mean to say that it is very unlikely for a human with our powers to be able to fly. No human has been able to do it before.”

  “Then how did I…” Alan realized the answer to his question even as he asked. He looked at Michael with new found respect. “It was you, wasn’t it? You saved me that first night.”

  Michael shrugged. “Everyone needs a helping hand. Besides, you didn’t jump. The wind pushed you. Even then whether you knew it or not, you were fighting to survive. You are a survivor, Alan.” A sly smile spread across Michael’s lips showing perfectly white teeth underneath. “I’m proud of you despite the items you chose to borrow from; banks, grocery stores, clothing departments, malls, outlets, car dealerships, amusement parks, gas stations and zoos. Really? Alan, a zoo?”

  Color rushed to Alan’s face and he felt his palms begin to sweat as if on cue. “Oh, I uh. I—“ He felt as though he had been called into the principal’s office on a celestial level.

  “It’s okay,” Michael said. “I wished you would have found your way on your own but nobody’s perfect. Just reassure me that your thieving days are over.”

  Alan swallowed and nodded. “And for what it’s worth I returned that monkey back to the zoo.”

  Michael started to laugh. “Yes, I know you did. I’ve been keeping my eye on you.”

  A comfortable silence followed as Alan worked through this new revelation on his own.

  “That’s it?” Michael asked. “No more questions?”

  “Besides training, what do you want from me? What am I training for?”

  The smile slowly disappeared from Michael’s lips. “I wish I knew, Alan. Something is happening. The Fallen have increased their activity and their followers’ numbers are swelling. Something is coming down the pipeline. Rumors are spreading and talk of some kind of uprising on earth is making its way to our ears. Whatever it is we would like you and Danielle to be ready for it when it comes.”

  “And the Fallen? What if—“

  “No, you don’t have to fear them. They haven’t engaged us or one of our chosen since the war in Heaven. They know they don’t have a chance. You only have to worry about those they have corrupted, like Dominic Drencher. Danielle will have more information for you and certain tools you will be able to use to keep you safe. Trust me, once you tap into your full potential people like Drencher won’t be bothering you.”

  Alan sat quiet. Everything—all of the questions he had wondered for the past four years were slowly being answered. Far from the answers he expected but still answers.

  “You are not alone, Alan. You never were. Take some time to adjust to the truth. Danielle is assigned as your support. She can answer any other questions you have. And I am always available to you as well.”

  Alan stood sensing an end to their meeting. He felt numb from the crown of his head to the bottom of his feet, still trying to process his new reality and draw connections to how his life would continue.

  Michael extended a hand. Alan took it as Michael made eye contact. “I’ve been around for quite a long time. There are just some things I know. I know you’re stronger than you think you are, Alan. Trust me.”

  13

  Present Day

  “How’d it go?”

  Alan took a moment to gather his thoughts as he closed the car door behind him. He stood silent for a moment staring at the gray car dash before answering.

  “Oh my gosh, you’re in shock! Alan, Alan, are you okay?” Danielle turned to him and placed a hand on his arm. Her eyes were huge as she searched for an answer on his blank face.

  “I’m not in shock. I’m fine. I mean as fine as I can be after having a heart to heart with an angel.”

  “Archangel.”

  “What?”

  “Michael is an Archangel. He’s like the boss of all the angels. I just kinda left that part out. I figured you had enough on your plate. You should probably start reading up on this kind of stuff.”

  Alan raised an eyebrow in Danielle’s direction and noticed she still had her hand on his arm. Danielle must have noticed it at the same time because she retracted her arm like she had been burned. “Oh, sorry. Ummm… So yeah, crazy stuff right? I remember when I was first told the truth.”

  Danielle pulled into the busy midday traffic and headed back towards Alan’s penthouse. “So, first things first. We’ll go to your place and gather your things. Since they know where you live now it won’t be safe there anymore.”

  Alan was woken from his daze at Danielle’s words. “Wait a minute, I’m moving? Where?”

  “Yep, we can’t have you stay at your penthouse anymore. You’ll move in with me into the facility the organization provided for us. It’s pretty cool, lots of—“

  “You’re still going to call them ‘The organization’ even though I know that they’re angels and I’ve talked to Michael?”

  Danielle shrugged as she switched lanes. “Why not? Unless you can think of another name we can safely use in public without drawing attention. And it’s really not that far from the truth, they are a kind of celestial organization.”

  Alan had to admit she had a point. They couldn’t go around talking about angels and demons in public, at least not without a fair amount of stares. “What are we called now?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Yeah, we have angels which are apparently real and our employers, the Fallen are demons. But what are the humans called that have entered this war on both sides?”

  “Nephilim.”

  “I’m sorry, what?”

  “The technical term for us would be Nephilim. It’s Hebrew and refers to the combination of angels and humans. I mean it’s not a p
erfect translation we aren’t half-breeds but it works. You know the saying, ‘When you have oranges’.”

  “I don’t think you’re saying that right.”

  “Of course I am. When you have oranges, make orange juice.”

  “It’s lemons.”

  Danielle turned from the road and fixed Alan with a look that said she realized she was wrong but was not going to admit defeat. “Let’s agree to disagree Alan.”

  Alan let out a deep breath as he stared out the window. Danielle’s insistence wasn’t what was bothering him, not after his conversation with Michael. Life would never be the same. He looked at unsuspecting people walking to and from stores. He saw hands hailing cabs, drivers tuning radios and talking on cell phones. They had no idea what was really going on, and now that Alan did, life for him would never be normal again.

  14

  Present Day

  “Don’t worry about packing things like a toothbrush or shampoo, we have all of that,” Danielle said as she wandered around Alan’s penthouse. “Sweet place by the way. You really went all out with that stolen money thing.”

  Alan was in his room throwing clothes into a dark duffle bag. He smirked as he was reminded how he had thrown money into the same bag years before. Then a thought crossed his mind. “Danielle?” he said over his shoulder as he threw another pair of jeans and socks into his bag.

  Danielle popped her head into his room. “You have a home gym and a library?”

  Alan looked up at her and smiled. “Yep. Lifting and reading, two great thing to do to pass time when you’re a loner. Hey, I’ve been wondering about something. What about all the money I took?”

  “What about it?”

  “I mean, am I going to get punished for stealing all those years? I Can’t imagine angels are big on things like theft.”