The Creation: Chaos Rising

by Art Gulley Jr.

  "Well don't give up just yet. Maybe you'll meet Mister Right at the rally."

  Nina laughed. "We can only hope. And speaking of which; I want to thank you and the Misses again for donating most of the food. Are you sure you don't want anything in return? I can easily factor your expenses into our budget."

  Tony waved her offer aside. "Nah, you keep your money, Nina. It's a good thing you're doing for those kids, and we're just happy to be a part of it. Now go home and eat before that pie gets cold."

  Nina's stomach growled a reply. "You don't have to tell me twice." She made sure the pizza's lid was secure then made her way to the door. "Give Maria my love and I'll see you guys Friday evening."

  Nina left the shop feeling surprisingly upbeat. A welcome change from the stress she had endured while planning the upcoming rally for the Recreation Center. The process was tedious, but Nina felt it necessary to start things off with a bang. A festive gala to celebrate the Center's official opening fit the bill perfectly. She just wished the other preoccupation in her life could be handled as easily.

  The past couple of weeks had seen a decrease in the frequency of her premonitions, but what they lacked in quantity was more than made up for in clarity. A couple of them were so vivid they prompted Nina to make a few anonymous calls to the Detroit Police Department's fledgling psychic hotline. Whether or not her tips were acted upon she didn't know, but the fact that there was no mention of the forecasted events on the news or in the paper led the budding Prophet to believe the police had taken her warnings to heart.

  Perhaps Tyree was right about her abilities being Divine in nature. She had to admit the prospect of becoming a heavenly fortune-teller, though still ludicrous to her, was a lot more palatable than the fear that she was degenerating into a delusional nut-case; particularly if it saved lives.

  "Hello," Nina spoke to the three young men seated at one of the courtyard tables.

  The burliest of the three rose from his seat. "Hello, yourself!" He gave the pizza box and Nina's figure, nicely displayed in her beige cotton pant-suit, an appraising look. "That's a lot of pizza for a fine little honey like you. You sure you can handle all of it?"

  The predatory gleam in the big man's black eyes filled her with apprehension. "Oh, I think I can manage," Nina told him politely, tightening her grip on the box.

  "I'm sure you can," another of the three said as he and the third punk joined their companion. "But why bother? My buds and I would be glad to take some of that pie off your hands."

  Nina definitely did not like the direction this conversation was taking. "I appreciate the offer, fellas, but really I'm fine." Her heart rate increased when she noticed there were no other pedestrians around, and she was an unhandy distance from Tony's entrance.

  An angry look crossed number one's face. "What, you to good to share?" He snatched the pizza from Nina's startled grasp, and her fear gave way to indignation.

  "Hey, give that back!" She grabbed for the box, but found herself restrained by punks two and three, the latter placing a meaty hand over the struggling woman's mouth to prevent any screams.

  Nina was just starting to panic when the sound of a ball hitting a bat sounded in her ear. The hand covering her mouth fell away, and its owner dropped heavily to the ground.

  The smack was repeated, and Nina's second captor joined his partner on the sidewalk's unyielding concrete.

  The startled woman blinked several times, uncertain what to make of the bizarre turn of events. A shadow fell across her vision, and she gasped at the sudden appearance of the stranger now standing beside her.

  He was tall, dark-skinned, and dressed in a pair of gray khakis with a black polo-style t-shirt fitted tightly against an extremely muscular physique. Long black hair, braided in a thick strand, ran down his back. His eyes, a shade of brown so dark they almost seemed black, were fastened with disconcerting intensity on Nina's remaining aggressor whose own eyes widened with recognition.

  "Gabriel."

  The Celemor acknowledged the Disciple's muttered comment with a barely perceptible nod. "I believe you're holding something that doesn't belong to you."

  Azreal's hands tightened on the pizza box. He spared his cohorts a brief glance. Both had regained consciousness, and were now rising shakily to their feet. Azreal's baleful gaze shifted back to Gabriel's expectant glare, and a smug look settled on the Disciple's face.

  His Master's question had been answered which meant that this little show was over. The Disciple was tempted to bring his own power to bear for the indignities suffered by his friends, but his instructions on the matter were clear. Azreal knew better than to risk Iblis' censure. Vengeance against the upstart Celemor would have to wait.

  He casually handed the shaken woman back her pizza. "Sorry for scaring you, lady." A hint of contrition colored his voice. "We were just having a little fun." His comment was directed at Nina, but his eyes never left Gabriel's face."

  Nina released an indignant snort. "You guys need to reevaluate your idea of fun!"

  Azreal's gaze briefly settled on the woman's trembling form then met the expectant stares of his companions, neither showing signs of their earlier discomfort. "Let's get out of here." He shot Gabriel a final scowl then followed his friends as they hustled up the street.

  The Celemor watched their progression for a moment then turned to Nina.

  "Are you alright?"

  Nina turned grateful eyes to her rescuer, and breathed a sigh of relief, most of the tension from her ordeal draining away. "Yeah, thanks to you! I'm not sure what would've happened if you hadn't popped up when you did."

  Gabriel smiled at the compliment. "I was on my way to grab a cup of coffee next door when I noticed what was going on. The situation looked a little tense so I decided to step in."

  "Well I'm sure as hell glad you did. I'm Nina, by the way." She extended her right hand, and Gabriel gave it a firm shake.

  "It's a pleasure to meet you, Nina. I'm Gabriel."

  "Well it's certainly a pleasure to meet you, Gabriel." She craned her neck upward so she could get a better look at his face.

  At first glance he appeared to be African-American, but there was a sharp element to his features that put her in mind of the Saed brothers who owned and operated the small, middle-eastern restaurant down the street from her apartment.

  Nina risked a glance at her attackers, and breathed another sigh of relief when she saw that they were already a good distance away. "Boy, you sure put the fear of God into those three."

  Gabriel couldn't help but smile at the irony of her statement. He was also glad she hadn't heard the Disciple identify him by name. That could have made things awkward. "Bullies like that always talk tough, but they're usually cowards. That's why they travel in packs, and pick on people they consider weaker than them. I'm just glad they didn't hurt you while they were trying to prove they're manhood."

  A chill ran through Nina's body. "So am I. I'm actually surprised this happened. This part of Jefferson's usually very safe."

  Gabriel shrugged. "There are always a few bad apples in every barrel. Not to be forward or anything, but I think it might be best if I escorted you to wherever it is you're going; just in case those creeps are still in the area."

  She searched his face for any signs of duplicity, but found only genuine concern mirrored in his eyes; that and a curious sadness. "That's fine by me. My apartment's only a few blocks away, but I'd sure appreciate the company. This whole incident's left me a bit jumpy."

  The Celemor offered his arm to her. "I'd say that's all the more reason to get you someplace where you'll feel safe."

  Nina gave his face another scrutiny then casually linked her free arm through his. It was like wrapping her arm around a piece of iron.

  "So what is it that you do, Gabriel," she asked as they headed down Jefferson in the direction she indicated.

  "I run a small security firm in the area."

  Nina's eyes widened with surprise. "Really; you mean like a
larms and stuff?"

  "Occasionally I do consulting work in those areas, but the majority of the time my contracts are more along the lines of personal protection and secure transportation."

  "Sounds like a pretty dangerous line of work."

  Gabriel's expression hardened. "Only when my clients fail to adhere to the precautions I set in place." Many were the times that subjects aware of his presence had taken advantage of their protected status, engaging in foolish activities knowing no harm would come to them. That, above all else, was the main reason the Celemor preferred to keep his presence concealed.

  "I can see how that could be a problem." Nina wondered how anyone under this man's care could work up the nerve to defy him. "Well I can assure you that I'll be maintaining my position at your side until you've delivered me safely to my door." Her facetious statement produced a smile on his face. "So what's the name of your company?"

  A mischievous glint lit Gabriel's eyes. "Heaven Sent Security."

  Nina's left eyebrow arched upward. She hadn't pictured him as the religious type. "That's an Interesting name. How did you come up with it?"

  Gabriel's smile deepened; to Nina it seemed to take on a secretive edge. "It's a long story."

  "I'd like to hear it if you'd like to share it."

  For a brief moment, the Celemor considered doing just that, but decided against it. "Maybe someday I will." He tried to imagine what her reaction would be when she did learn the truth. "And what about you; what do you do when you're not picking up pizzas?"

  Nina laughed. "I'm a stock and real estate broker by trade, but lately I've been spending most of my time trying to get a new Recreation Center going for this area."

  "That's a noble cause," Gabriel complimented her.

  "And a demanding one! Had I known all the trouble opening a center would be, I might've taken the easy road and made a donation to Detroit's Youth League."

  Gabriel gave her face a sidelong glance. "Somehow I don't picture you as the ‘just-make-a-donation' type."

  Nina released a tired sigh. "Yeah I guess you're right. And to tell you the truth I really don't mind all the headaches. Detroit's a great city, but she's got a lot of problems. It's up to those of us who are a little more fortunate than others to do something about it."

  Gabriel chuckled. "Spoken like a true Samaritan."

  "Oh hush." She gave his arm a playful pinch, and nearly broke a fingernail against his bicep. This guy must live in the gym. "You're not much better."

  He turned questioning eyes on her. "How so?"

  "As a bodyguard I'm sure you spend the majority of your time putting yourself in harms way for the sake of others. If that's not a conspicuous display of selflessness, I don't know what is."

  Gabriel's respect for his charge went up another notch. Weeks of observation had already shown her to be a woman of strength and character; he could now add compassion to that list. "I suppose. But I'm not as passionate about my job as you seem to be."

  Nina grimaced. "Sorry. I tend to get a carried away when it comes to helping others."

  "Don't apologize. It's nice to meet a genuinely good person."

  Nina turned tender eyes on him, this time giving his arm a gentle squeeze. "Same here." A stab of regret pierced her heart when the Jeffersonian's front sign came into view. "I'm afraid this is my stop."

  "Then I guess my job is done." Gabriel reluctantly relinquished her arm.

  Nina was heartened by the fact that he too appeared disappointed that their impromptu date was coming to an end. "Thank you for walking me home and listening to me ramble on."

  Gabriel laughed. "It was my pleasure, madam, and I enjoyed our conversation."

  "Ah, so you're a gentleman and a good liar," she teased, drawing another smile from her new friend.

  "No seriously, I did. I'm sorry we had to meet under such poor circumstances but I'm glad we did."

  Sensing his attraction to her, Nina decided to throw all caution to the winds. "Maybe we can see each other again sometime,"

  If Gabriel was surprised by her forwardness he didn't show it. "When did you have in mind?"

  Nina couldn't suppress the girlish grin that rose to her face. "How about this Friday? You can be my guest at the rally I'm holding at the Recreation Center." She reached into her purse and fished out one of the event flyers. "Here's the address. We've got lots of activities planned, plus Tony's is providing most of the food."

  "In that case, I'll definitely be there," he beamed, graciously accepting the flyer. "Until then you take care of yourself."

  "And you as well." Not bad, Nina-girl, she mused as she watched him go. A cutey-pie with manners and a job!

  She couldn't wait to see the expressions on Tony and Maria's faces when she told them the good news. Boy would they be surprised!

  Actually Nina had surprised herself. She didn't normally warm up to strangers this quickly, but there was something about Gabriel that just felt…right. Judging by his eager acceptance of her invitation, he must have felt it too. This could be turn out to be a good week after all.

  Easy, Nina; you should probably wait a date or two before you start calling him your knight in shining armor.

  She watched until he had completely faded from view then made her way inside.

  "Good evening, Miss Delcielo," Carl greeted her as she sauntered through the apartment's reception area.

  "Hello, Carl."

  Carl took note of the gleam in her eyes. "You're looking pretty chipper this evening. It wouldn't have anything to do with that handsome chap that walked you home, would it? Misses Watson's going to be pleased."

  Nina shot the guard an unscrupulous look. "You, my friend, spend entirely too much time in front of those monitors!"

  Carl flashed an ingenuous smile. "That's my job, Ma'am."

  "That and keeping up with the latest gossip," Nina told him, smiling to take the sting out her words.

  Carl gave her a lascivious wink. "Only the juicy stuff."

  Nina burst out laughing. "Yeah, I'll bet! Well at the moment I've got nothing…juicy to share. But if something develops, I'll be sure to let you know."

  Carl tipped his hat in appreciation. "I can always count on you, Miss Delcielo. Have a good night."

  "You too, Carl." She gave him a cheery wave then boarded the elevator.

  *

  Perched atop a nearby broadcast antenna, Gabriel's enhanced vision easily discerned Nina in her apartment going about her bedtime rituals. The Celemor didn't know if the Avon products she was lathering on her face really did all the miraculous things for skin that they claimed to, but he had to admit they added a pleasant fragrance to her natural scent.

  "I see you've made plans for Friday evening," Omen's deep voice sounded in Gabriel's ears as the Overseer materialized in the air beside him. "Does this mean that our burgeoning Harbinger has managed to unlock the iron-gate around your heart?"

  Gabriel sighed. "Give me a break, O. You of all people should know that I never allow my Tasks to get personal."

  "So that curious smile on your face was brought about my arrival."

  Gabriel gave the Overseer a trenchant look. "Is there a reason for this visit, or do you just enjoy annoying me?"

  "Causing you grief is entertaining, but in this case I am here to discuss the attack on the Harbinger." Omen shifted his hooded gaze toward Nina's now darkened apartment. "It would appear that Iblis has taken an interest in her."

  "Yes it does, and given that the Disciples are involved I've decided to assume a more visible position in her protection."

  A wave of surprise emanated from Omen. "That's a different approach for you."

  "I know, but Azreal's restraint told me that our little sortie was just a test to see if Nina was being protected."

  "Possibly," said Omen. "And depending on what Iblis's intentions are, you're next encounter with that brutish simian and his cronies may not be so benign."

  "I was thinking along those same lines, which is why I need to
be ready."

  Omen took a moment to consider the Celemor's point. "Your reasoning is sound. I will, of course, be monitoring your progress." The Overseer accorded Gabriel a slight nod then vanished.

  "Nothing like babysitting the babysitter," Gabriel muttered as he resumed his vigilance of Nina's apartment.

  Chapter 9

  Iblis's wings fanned slightly outward as he listened to Silas's account of his Disciple's first confrontation with Nina.

  "Gabriel." He let the name roll slowly off his tongue. "The new Harbinger must be of significant importance if my brothers have assigned that dullard the Task of protection."

  Silas pursed his thin lips. "Dullard or not, he is lethally efficient."

  Iblis smiled, his blue eyes sparkling. "That goes without saying. The question now is: how can I take advantage of the situation."

  "I'm afraid we won't know that until we ascertain how the Delcielo woman figures into the Almighty's overall plan. Given the Archangel's coddling of her, I've a feeling she's more that just a simple Harbinger."

  Iblis regarded the Morphling in thoughtful silence for a moment then folded his wings tightly against his back so he could relax into his chair. "You're right, of course, but with Gabriel alerted to my interest we'll have to use a more subtle form of scrutiny."

  "Shall I assign one of the Desomors?"

  A tender smile played on Iblis' lips "No, I'll handle it." He mentally projected the name Mayhem into the Celestial ether.

  Within moments, an attractive mortal woman materialized before his desk. She was dressed in tight black leggings and a low-cut lavender blouse that amply displayed her heavy bosom. "You summoned me, my lord?" Her voice was a sensual purr, and Iblis's smile deepened.

  "Yes, Mayhem; I have need of your talents in regards to a new Harbinger."

  A predatory gleam appeared in Mayhem's brown eyes. "And where would you like the body displayed when I'm done?"

  Iblis chuckled at the Desomor's destructive eagerness. "No where at the moment. The Harbinger's name is Nina Delcielo. I need you to discover the reason behind her sudden Emergence, and the extent of her abilities."