The Shoma

  She laughs lovingly and puts her arm around him. How can she be so in love with him and make out with that Demon at the club? It makes no sense to me; but, like the CP conversation, the subject of Miku and Jay will have to take a back seat, for now.

  The Originals had cleared out the city, just like they did before. On the rooftops are Paras, standing guard, and once again, the streets are lined with luxury cars. As we near the Hilton Hotel, the light mood gives way to tension.

  We are ushered to the top floor of the hotel, where the meeting is to take place. Once again, the Originals surround us and look down from their podiums.

  “Before we start, the team and I would like extend our condolences to Gabriel, the Original. Arden was always very helpful and kind. We are sorry for your loss,” Marcus says, looking up at the Original Para seated in the center.

  Gabriel looks pained and angry, but he doesn’t reply. He simply nods. The other Originals look at him with sympathy and await his signal before they continue with the meeting.

  “We have asked you here because Arden is just the latest in a string of Bryne deaths. The virus is spreading quickly. It has now infected over a thousand angels. We need to get the first Alpha as soon as possible,” the Original off to the far left says.

  “We are also concerned that Angels are dying. However, our position still stands,” Marcus replies.

  “You want us to allow an Akon into the light,” the Original replies.

  “We want you to allow a Guardian’s son into the light, given the fact that his mother has risked her life repeatedly, in the name of good,” Marcus corrects him.

  “It seems, Guardian, you want everyone to have access to the light: Akons, Quo, and soon, humans as well?” Michael, the Original, says.

  “We aren’t saying the Quo should have access,” Jay replies.

  “That’s exactly the way your leader’s wife is presenting it, Jayden.”

  “We think the Quo should have rights. I would not go so far as to say they should have access, but that can be discussed later. For now, we are here about the Sib. That is what matters to us,” Miku says.

  “But my daughter’s life didn’t matter to you?” Gabriel asks.

  “Again, we loved Arden. However, she didn’t die because of us. She died because no agreement was reached,” Marcus says.

  “Marcus, are you implying that I’m the reason my daughter died?” He asks, furious.

  “I am not here to place blame,” Marcus replies.

  “Well, I am. My daughter would have been saved if your second in command wasn’t foolish enough to lie with an Akon. MY DAUGHTER DIED BECAUSE OF A MORALLY BANKRUPT WHORE AND HER USELESS LEAD--!”

  The words didn’t even finish spilling from Gabriel’s mouth before Rage, Marcus and Jay took to the sky to attack. The rest of us call out for them to stop, but it’s too late; they are already in the air. The Paras send up a translucent shield that quickly divides the Originals from us.

  “Gabriel!” Michael scolds firmly.

  “Forgive our friend and colleague. He is grieving; Arden’s death has hurt us a great deal,” Raphael says.

  “I don’t give a damn. You call Ameana that again and we will take you out,” Marcus says his cold glare fixed on Gabriel.

  “Come now, Guardian, you’ll die in the process,” Michael says.

  “Maybe, but not before one of us gets to one of you,” Marcus challenges.

  “Okay, everyone please, remain calm,” the Original seated on the far right requests.

  “Uriel is right. We apologize for the rudeness and insensitive outburst, Ameana. We ask for your forgiveness so that we may proceed.” Raphael says, turning his attention to her.

  Normally, I think Ameana would have hurled Gabriel, Original or not, to his death. But the fact is, the Originals hold the fate of her son in their hands. And Ameana is smart enough to know that even if she doesn’t forgive, she had better play nice.

  “We understand grief first-hand,” Ameana says, signaling for the guys on the team to back down.

  It takes a few moments, but eventually, the guys head back to the ground. Rage, however, still looks ready to kill at any moment.

  “You called this meeting. What is it you want?” Marcus asks.

  “You said you will only go on the mission if we let the Sib stay in Noni. Well, we can’t do that,” Michael says.

  “Then good luck with Bryne and give our condolences to its future victims,” Marcus says as he signals for us to head out the door.

  “Wait! We have a counter offer,” Raphael says.

  “What is it?” Marcus asks.

  “You think the Akon’s Sib should be allowed in Noni because he isn’t all evil. In fact, you say the Akon has shown a capacity for good,” Michael replies.

  “Yes, he has,” Ameana confirms.

  “Well, we would like to see that for ourselves. We want a third party to observe the Akon during the first mission. If this reviewer feels that the First Akon has the capacity for good, we will allow the Sib to stay in Noni. If not, we will then destroy it.”

  Rage and Ameana immediately object to their son’s fate being put in the hands of a stranger. Marcus takes the whole team aside to discuss it.

  “You can’t seriously be considering this, Marcus?” Rage protests.

  “Look, I don’t like this deal either, but it’s been weeks and I think it’s the only thing we’re going to get,” Marcus tell them.

  “No, they will find a way to make it look like I’m still the same Akon and my son will die!”

  “They just want to make sure that you have the capacity for good. Rage, you do. They will see that,” I reply.

  “I am not going to bet my son’s life on it!” Rage counters.

  “We don’t really have a choice,” Ameana says, sadly.

  “Ameana, what if I haven’t changed?” He whispers to her sadly.

  “Thomas, I have in faith in you. I know who you really are; you’re selfless, loving and kind. You can do this,” she says, taking his hand.

  “No, there has to be another way,” Rage insists.

  “Maybe there is, but we can’t wait around for a better deal. I’m not good with any more Angels dying,” Jay says.

  “I agree. We need to go on this mission now. They are meeting us halfway; I think we should take the deal,” Eta says.

  “That’s easy for you to say, it’s not your child’s life on the fucking line!” Rage shouts.

  “No, Rage, it’s yours. So if you want to save this kid, you better find a way to control your temper. Right now, the only one who can save your son is you,” Marcus warns him.

  “What have you decided, First Guardian?” Michael asks.

  “What will happen to the Sib while the Reviewer observes Rage?”

  “We vow to keep the Sib in the light until the Reviewer reports back to us.”

  “What if the Sib is born by then?” Ameana asks.

  “Our experts say that most likely will not happen.”

  “Who is this Reviewer asshole?” Rage asks.

  Marcus glares at him.

  “I mean, what is this Reviewer’s name?” Rage spits.

  “It was difficult to find someone because the being has to be human. That way they have nothing to lose or gain. Yet, that person will also be in danger, as your mission will no doubt bring with it a slew of Demons. In the end, we found a volunteer. His family has been involved in our world for centuries,” Michael informs us.

  “Where is this he?” I ask.

  “Right here,” a voice, says.

  We turn to find a tall hottie with piercing blue eyes and sandy blonde hair. His smile is magnetic and his body is sculpted perfection. He’s about seventeen and wears preppy clothes with a sophisticated edge.

  “This is Alex,” Raphael says to us.

  “I’ve heard a lot about this team. I look forward to working with all of you, ” he says, sounding very official.

  He shakes all of our hands, but when he ge
ts to Miku, he stops and studies her face.

  “I’m sorry for staring, it’s just…I always wondered what this moment would be like,” Alex says.

  “What do you mean? Have we met before?” Miku asks.

  “Well, no, but you know my brother.”

  “How do I know him?” Miku asks.

  “You killed him.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:

  OLD SINS…

  The members of the team are rendered speechless. Miku is the most affected by Alex’s words. Her eyes widen in horror and she stands, nearly frozen.

  “We should explain who Alex is,” Raphael offers.

  “No need. I can make my own introductions,” Alex replies.

  “Fine, then tell us who the hell you are and why you think Miku killed your brother,” Jay says, more than a little on edge.

  “Miku sought out a forbidden power from my father, Theodore Montrose. It was called Oxen. And, as per the agreement he had with The Council, it was my father’s job to keep the Oxen safe and away from evil.”

  “My father knew how dangerous the world of Angels and Demons could be, so he tried to keep us out of it. For the longest time, most people didn’t even know he had children, but my brother Junior loved the spotlight so he pushed himself into it. And, one night, Miku tracked him down at a club and ripped his heart from his chest in order to get the Oxen. She left him to die, alone in an alley.”

  “I…I didn’t…it wasn’t me…Redd…she did things and I…” Miku stammers, helpless.

  Jay comes to her side and takes her hand.

  “Miku was not responsible for that,” Ameana replies.

  “I won’t play the blame game, I’m just going by the facts; he was alive, he met your teammate, and he died,” Alex counters in very cool and matter of fact tone.

  “You can’t seriously think this guy is going to be impartial! He hates us,” Marcus spits.

  “He volunteered,” Michael says.

  “He did that because he can’t wait to have my son killed to exact revenge for his brother’s death,” Rage accuses.

  “We need a human to be the Reviewer. We can’t just post an ad on Craigslist, asking for a human volunteer now, can we? Alex and his family have known about our world for centuries. He’s the natural choice,” Raphael replies.

  “No, there has to be other people in the Montrose organization that can do this,” I insist.

  “No other human is willing to risk his or her life. And as head of the Montrose family, Alex has made it clear they are losing faith in the ties that bind Angels to humans. Allowing them to review the Sib situation will let them know their opinion still matters to us. It will go a long way in terms of rebuilding a bridge with them,” Gabriel says.

  “I don’t give a fuck about rebuilding a bridge. This is my son’s life on the line!” Rage shouts.

  “Akon, you swear once more in this meeting and you will be shown out—by force, if need be,” an Original warns Rage.

  “I can understand emotions are high, but I assure you, I will be fair. My job is not to get vengeance for the past, but simply to observe the Akon,” Alex says simply.

  “I’m not okay with this. We have no way of knowing if he’s going to screw us or not,” Marcus protests.

  “We believe this should help the situation,” Michael says.

  He sends two quarter sized onyx colored stones flying into the air; one stone heads straight into Rage’s hand and the other into Alex’s.

  “These are Truth stones,” Michael announces.

  “I’ve worn something like these before. Isabelle gave them to me. They measure desire.”

  “You can program them to measure different things, Jayden. These Truth stones measure intent. If Alex is vengeful or plotting in any way, the stone in the Akon’s hand will start to crack.”

  “And conversely, should the Akon orchestrate a good deed simply to appear good, or commit a good deed for the sole intent of impressing the Reviewer, Alex’s stone will likewise start to fracture. This will keep both parties honest,” Raphael adds.

  “What happens if a crack appears on the stone?” I wonder.

  “Emerson, you have asked a very important question. Should the cracks encircle the stone three times, the Review will be over. And we will be back to our present dilemma. So, please, both of you, be mindful of that,” an Original replies.

  “How long will he be monitoring Thomas?” Ameana asks.

  “You have three missions. He will accompany you on the first one. He will be with you night and day,” Raphael says.

  “Do you agree to our terms, Marcus?” The Original next to Raphael asks.

  “We don’t really have much of a choice, do we?” Marcus says bitterly.

  “This is the best we could do,” the Original answers.

  “The best you could do was give us a guy whose brother I killed?” Miku says, traumatized.

  “As the humans say, old sins cast long shadows.”

  “This isn’t going to work, Ameana,” Rage pleads.

  Ameana walks up to Alex and studies him closely.

  “I swear on my son’s life, you do anything that has even a hint of unfairness and I will hunt you down; then call for every organ in your body to come to me. Your death will make your brother’s seem merciful.”

  “Ameana Jones, your reputation precedes you. I’ve only known you for a few minutes and you’re threating murder and torture, let’s hope the Akon doesn’t take after you,” Alex replies.

  “Do we have a deal, Guardian?” Gabriel asks.

  Marcus looks at his team, then at me. I shrug my shoulders slightly. He’s thinking the same thing I am; this situation sucks, but the more we wait, the more Angels die.

  “Well, First Guardian…?” Gabriel pushes.

  “Yes, we have a deal.”

  “I’m overjoyed to hear it; now Raphael can inform you about the three Alpha pieces, as we are running out of time thanks to your childish reaction to the Sib situation,” Gabriel says, clearly not done with Marcus.

  I look over at the First Guardian and I know it’s all he can do not to tackle Gabriel. Jay signals to him to let it go and Marcus wisely complies. We now focus on the Original super gamer, Raphael.

  “A clue will be given to you as to where the first Alpha is located. The Shoma is very advanced; it has been programmed with intelligence.”

  “Meaning what?”

  “Think of the Shoma as a very advanced three piece puzzle. It knows it’s supposed to be put together by Marcus and his team. So it has given clues that only Marcus and his team will be able to solve.”

  “So the clues will be taken from our past experiences on the missions?” Jay asks.

  “Not just the missions; everything in the lives of this team will be factored in, in order to form a clue. For example, if one of you was an expert skier and had vast experience on a certain mountain, the name of that mountain could be the answer to the clue.”

  “So anything from our past could be relevant now?” I ask.

  “Yes. It will gather info from as far back as when the Guardians were human, to as recently as last night.”

  “What will the first Alpha look like?” Marcus asks.

  “It’s hidden in a Triplex. You will not know it’s there unless you know it’s there.”

  “Great, really helpful,” Rage says bitterly.

  “It may help to know that each piece has the symbol of the council on it. When you find the first Alpha, there will be a clue that leads you to the second, and that will lead you to the third and final Alpha piece.”

  “So there will be three clues in all?” Eta asks.

  “Three written clues. Let’s say, for example, the first clue leads you to a library. You will not find another written clue once you get there. Instead, you may find a book that has meant something to one of you in the past, improperly categorized or a librarian with the same name as a loved one.”

  “So the clue at the start of each mission will be writt
en, but then they will lead us to clues that are then visual?”

  “Visual clues, audio, just about anything.”

  “Got it. Anything else?” Ameana asks.

  “Yes, Lucy will do anything to stop you and your team from putting the Shoma back together. She knows once you do that, a new Council will form and limit her reign of evil.”

  “We know how much Lucy wants us to fail. And we know she’ll send Demons after us, we’re not stupid,” Ameana snaps.

  “Demons? Oh no. Not Demons,” Raphael replies sadly.

  “Then what?” I ask.

  “That’s just it. We don’t know, but our sources say she has a new inventor. We are told he was put in place especially to stop your team from completing this mission.”

  “You mean an inventor like the Hun?” I ask.

  “From what we have been told, this inventor is worse. Unlike the Hun, this inventor is an actual creation of Lucy’s. The evil he will create is said to surpass that of the Goumy.”

  “How is that possible?” Marcus asks.

  “Lucy lost her son. That has created a thirst for vengeance so pure it has even taken Lucy by surprise. She is too malevolent now. And when the Council is reformed, they will destroy her. So, not only is she fighting to avenge Kairo, her son, she’s fighting to save herself.”

  “Do you know what she has invented?” Jay asks.

  “All we know is that she had the new inventor create three creatures. Each one is more dangerous than the last.”

  “But these creatures don’t know where to find the Alphas, right?” Marcus asks.

  “No, that is why Lucy will spy on you. She will use nature to accomplish this. She will poison the wind that that surrounds you, so that it whispers your conversations back to her. She’ll position birds in the sky that appear to be normal; all the while they will report back to her. It is safer to assume that Lucy is everywhere because…she is.”

  “How do we stop her?” Eta asks.

  “You can’t, Quo. All you can do is get to the Alpha. Once that happens, Lucy’s creatures appear. You will then have to destroy them or lose the Alpha.”

  “Why doesn’t she try and take us all out now?” Marcus wonders.