A meeting in the library
It was late evening on Sunday 30th of August, late summer. In the New York Public library, an auspicious gathering occurred in a private reading room.
Jason approached the room with an element of caution in his step, and overheard the end of a conversation. The voice was faintly familiar, again from a long time ago, but not immediately recognizable.
She said, "I can give the essence I have to your cause, and if there is a source of electricity close by I can draw in more in about two hours. As for where to start.." pause, possibly for effect, "Perhaps beginning with healing the healers. The hurt in this world is so severe that countless healers will be needed to even begin to repair the harm. Heal yourself. Heal those who can help us to heal others and then send them all out to heal the mortals. Even Melanie and I, who are by no means healers, know songs that will help those in pain."
She paused for a moment, considering her words "Above all, I believe that we need to find a way of stopping the hurt in the first place. How can we save the man by healing his knife wounds, while ignoring the one that is continuing to stab him..."
"I believe we need to gather all the knowledge we have of what happened and what is happening and try to figure out somewhere to start. Melanie and I have discovered some things, and I�m sure your knowledge and that of Jason and Selindeal are fixed on quite different aspects. Perhaps drawing it all together we can find a starting place."
Jason entered the reading room cautiously, looking around to find exactly who was there. He left the door slightly ajar so he can get back out if he needed to. He asked, "So Raphael, which friends are we among?" in an inquisitive, but not suspicious, tone.
Wearing nice looking jeans, a loose red T-shirt and clean white sneakers, Jason was hardly an imposing figure. Not overly tall, he was somewhat unobtrusive. He was apparently in his late 20's-early 30's. Of Anglican descent, he had tan skin and short brown hair and brown eyes.
In the room was Raphael, blind and wounded, but quietly a presence. Nearby, a faint tinkle of broken glass indicated that Selindeal was still near.
A woman sat unobtrusively near Raphael, seeming more than a little in awe of Him/Her. She managed a small smile and a hello, but not much else. She had dark brown hair and a dark Asian complexion. Her facial features and mannerisms reflected both a Malaysian and American background, and her accent was fully American (Southern Californian) unless upset or very distracted, at which times she had a slight Malaysian accent. She was a very small woman, only coming up to Karen's shoulder, although it was obvious that she used whatever she has to best advantage. Her movements were both graceful and determined, and she frequently had a no-nonsense attitude towards things (Although not when being stunned by walking into the Angel of Healing and feeling his pain.)
Jason was intently aware, almost painfully so, of the celestial form of the remaining person in the room. A giant winged panther suffused with a golden halo was superimposed upon her, intent, loud, present. This angel's aura was glaring for any with the eyes to see, and must have been so because of some form of dissonance. The fur of the beast was deep and soft and jet black, and the eyes glowed large and golden with a broad slitted pupil. In bright lights, golden tracings of spots were just visible on her dark coat. Dark mottlings were also just visible on her wings in bright light, although they in no way marred the perfection of the brilliant gold feathers.
Behind the image, the vessel was a very large, very tall woman, however she doesn't appear overly strong. Her movements were generally very smooth and controlled. She had shoulder-length jet black hair, although there are currently dull golden tints to some of the strands, as if sun bleached. Her skin was dark, although it was hard to tell whether that was natural or from tanning. Her facial features were mostly Caucasian, although there was a slight Asian cast to her appearance (aside from her height and size), particularly to her eyes. She was wearing casual clothes; jeans, blouse and a jacket.
Jason recognizes Karathiel, an angel of the same choir as he, and servitor of Jean. Their lives had taken different paths, and it had been four or five thousand years since they last spoke to each other.
As Jason walked in, Karen was sitting near both Melanie and Raphael, looking with great concern at Raphael, and holding Melanie's hand in one of hers. There was no evidence of the other person whom Raphael had alluded to.
Seeing the present company Jason relaxed visibly. Looking over at Karathiel he said "Karen, it has been too long my old choir-mate. I read the article about you in the Washington Post back in May. I had no idea you were so close or I would have come to visit you. I assume that this is Melanie Wills," he gestured to the small woman next to Raphael and smiles a friendly smile.
Karen smiled, although it turned out more like a worried grimace than anything else, at Jason, nodding as she recognized him. "It has indeed been far too long." She smiled at Melanie and again squeezed her hand, trying to lend as much support as she could to Melanie to let her overcome her awe of the company. "And yes, this is my partner Melanie, though the name Lonard now goes along with that ring on her hand, amongst other things."
Almost automatically, Karen did a quick check on all her attunements to make sure they were where they should be and all right. All present and accounted for.
Looking back at Karen, Jason continued "I caught a snippet of your conversation before entering, and am hoping that we can indeed share some information and maybe get to the bottom of what is going on. But before we start I have a another decision to make."
Jason looked over toward Raphael and continued "Raphael, I brought someone back from my meeting. She claims to be in trouble and asked for sanctuary. Although by nature I am a trusting soul, under the circumstances I think that this could be unwise. Can one of the staff watch over her, while keeping her from possibly learning of our conversation, or do you think I should invite her in? If she can be trusted her input and perspective might be of value. I ask you because you may already have a better idea what Karen has to say. If you are not sure I would suggest having our conversation without her and making a decision when we know more."
Raphael frowned fractionally in Jason's direction, and shook His/Her head slightly. "I am afraid I am not sure about all of what Karathiel has discovered, she only just has arrived. As to whether we can trust Ashikel..." She/He shrugged slightly. "You would be able to estimate that better than I. You know her in her current mind more than I do."
Karen looked between him and Raphael as they spoke, then asked "Your meeting? Have you been in contact with other celestials? I've been searching for contact with... well... anyone ever since it happened. Raphael is the first I�ve managed to pin down long enough to actually talk to, though I�ve seen a number of others briefly" She pauses and looks up at Raphael. "Including a tall massively built man, with ebony skin who was watching the aftermath of the fire that..." She gestures to his wounds "Anyway, I�m sure I know him from somewhere, and he was certainly watching me..."
Karen then drifts back to matters at hand "So who is this person and what trouble does she need sanctuary from? Perhaps we could invite her in for a moment and listen to her troubles before we share the information that we know?" She looks expectantly from Jason to Raphael.
Melanie seemed to recover a little, having blushed over the attention she had received, especially over her ring and child. Finally gathering herself out of her awe, she said in a helpful little voice, "If you want, I could watch whoever it is while you talk... I think that you probably have lots to catch up on, and I can hear whatever is necessary from Karen... er Karathiel ... later."
Raphael seemed still a little uncertain as Karen spoke. Inclining head to Jason He/She asked, "I am not sure what trouble she is in, and why she has agreed to come here with you. Perhaps you could elucidate that before we decide whether to bring her into our confidence. I take it she is reticent about my presence?"
Jason appeared to think for a little while about what Raphael had said, but still seemed to be unsure as to what to do. Finally he seemed to make up his mind. "You are right, I will tell her tale and we can make a decision at that point. It will also highlight much of my knowledge to this point. But I will try to make this brief as I told Ashikel to hide when I heard voices. Today has been full of all too many nasty surprises for me not to take some precautions." He gave a little smile.
Jason took a look out the door before closing it and began his story. "As you might remember" he motioned to Karathiel "Ashikel was an Angel of Healing who I worked closely with, and who was a good friend of mine, before the Fall. Unfortunately she was 'seduced' by the Symphony that Lu... the Dark One had created." He looked a little sad as he recounted this, apparently thinking of all those who were lost.
"I had not seen her, as so many others, for thousands of years, until one night a few years ago. I saw her by an OD victim's body and recognized her. She fled, but a couple of months later, while investigating a Symphonic disturbance I saw her again. This time she was injured and begged me not to turn her in. I assured her that I wouldn't. I have been getting together with her a couple of times a year since then. Finding out what is going on and generally keeping in touch. Maybe this was a mistake...but I don't think so." He gave a quick, questioning glance at Karathiel, who remained quiet, but then moved on quickly.
"After the disturbance I finished work and went in search of some of the Angels I knew, and left a message for Ashikel to meet me tonight. I apparently had similar luck talking to other Angels as you had, but I have just returned from my meeting with Ashikel, which was longer and more informative. In her defense, Ashikel and I have known each other closely for a very long time, and I like to believe that she has been honest with me. Maybe not telling me everything, but at least not lying about what she has told me. On the other hand, I am not so naive as to believe it impossible that a Demon lied to me and said all the right things to make me trust her. In normal times maybe I would be more trusting, but these do not appear to be normal times." Jason paused and let what he had just said sink in.
"Ashikel claimed that to the best of her knowledge the Demons did not cause this. She says that there were an awful lot of Demons doing rites this morning. They did however take advantage of the confusion to come to the Corporeal plane and mess with as many Angelic servants as they could find. It appears that Laurence's guards are not at their posts.�
"The reason Ashikel asked me for sanctuary was that she was apparently in charge of guarding a newly formed tether in the area and a group of Angels came by. Apparently Karlial was one of them, in case you don't remember he is a Cherub of Michael, a very large black man, bald and clean shaven, bare chested and in torn jeans. He was one of the Angels I went to see this morning, but he was talking to Michael who was in his Ender of Light form, the one he used when he kicked a certain ex-Angel out of Heaven. Karlial made it obvious that I should get out and fast. When I mentioned having heard Michael, Ashikel told me this story. Anyway, there was another 'person' there with a police badge who everyone was taking orders from. But Ashikel didn't recognize her. Apparently she was about 5 feet high, red hair, smoking and wearing a trenchcoat. Ashikel was VERY worried that she was basically stuck between a rock and a hard place. Was it Michael who was out to get her? I think she had a pretty good idea what would happen to her if she went back to her master after failing in this assignment. She mentioned intestines and piano-strings I believe." Jason took another deep breath before continuing.
"So, she asked me for help. I told her that I would bring her here, where hopefully she would be safe for awhile while she figured out what to do. I told her about Raphael's condition and she appeared saddened by the news, and willing to see him, although she did not want Raphael to look on her with pity, as someone sick with a disease of the mind or soul." He walked around a little bit and finished with, "that is the short version of Ashikel's story. Obviously if what she has said is true it gives her another reason to betray us, in order to get back in with her boss. I do not know."
Jason finished his explanation, and there was silence for a few moments as all present consider his words. Karen looked as though she was about to speak, when abruptly her mobile phone rang.
"Scuse me." She muttered, opening the little device.
"Hi, I'd like to speak to Officer McKinnon, I had this number from a radio report..." said the voice at the other end. Jason's ears were good, he could overhear the conversation. The voice seemed familiar to both he and Karen, familiar but distantly so. It is female, breezy, English -- when Karen introduces herself she can almost hear the person on the other end smile, just from the tone of her voice.
Karen replied "Yes, this is Karen McKinnon..." She then listened.
"I understand you're heading up the investigation into the arson at St Sebastian's church? I wonder if we could arrange a time to meet, my name's Lynne and I'm a journalist with the News of the World. This is something I'd like to follow up..."
Karen paused for a moment, covering the mouthpiece of the phone and quickly whispering to Melanie, "Wasn't 'News of the World' one of the papers that you were going to chase up? Does the name Lynne ring a bell? She's one of the journalists there and her voice seems familiar to me." Melanie frowned and nodded. In a tight whisper she said, "Yes... Lynn Hunter. One of the staff writers for that article you pointed out to me."
Karen then uncovered the mouthpiece and said "Yes, I am investigating that arson case. Were you interested in an interview to find out the facts about the case, or were you wanting to perhaps provide additional information? I'd be interested in knowing what your interest in this case stems from."
"Right.." said the voice at the other end. There was a pause for a moment.
"Well I'm always interested in facts, of course, but we've been talking to people who used to worship there and so forth, naturally I'd be only too happy to help the police in any way I can if there�s anything I've heard which might be useful," she said, ultimately cool and businesslike.
There was another ambiguous pause. Karen was sure she remembers the voice but could not place it.
"Actually Nathaniel is an old friend of mine and I was worried about him before I got here. That�s how I'm involved." It was a celestial, she was sure, but from so long ago, that she could not place it. Finally deciding this was an opportunity of some kind, Karen went with her instinct, and spoke.
"Well... I think it is best we meet to discuss what we may have heard or not heard over the last day or so. How about the Gardener Cafe, a block from the public library. At about 9:30?"
"Fine," came the reply, the faintest breath of relief colouring her voice, "I'll look forwards to it."
They both hung up.
Jason picked out most of this conversation, but because of the distance and haziness of the phone, had no better idea about the identity of the mysterious voice.
Raphael looked up blindly. "Some one else follows as we search for answers, it appears." She/He said mysteriously, then changed the topic back. "Well, I am uncertain what to do about Ashikel. I would not cause her pain by my presence, and she has not asked specifically to be involved in this matter, so perhaps it is best if she remain where she is, which is just as safe as within our sight, I suppose... But I am willing to listen to other's ideas. And perhaps she can shed light upon our situation." He/She shrugged uncertainly.
Jason looked at Karen and asked, "If it OK by you I will let Ashikel know that all is well and that she is safe where she is. And I'll get one of the staff to watch out for her until we are finished and possibly want to ask her anything."
Karen nodded in agreement, then waited until Jason returned before continuing.
Jason got one of the staff, a quiet and attentive Soldier named Brad with mostly desk duties at the tether since a bad incident in Afghanistan.
Ash seemed to be comfortably resting between the works of Dickens and Dostoievsky in the fiction area, flicking though a few books. She looked up worriedly when Jason came into view, but then, upon seeing his expression, smiled.
"Hey Ash, everything is OK. I spent all morning trying to find an Angel and none were about, now they are all over the place. This is Brad" he motioned to the staff member, "He will watch out for you until we are done."
She blinked at the mention of many angels and nodded. "I will be quieter than a mouse." pause. "Say Hi to Raph, will you." Jason tells her he will, and returns to the others.