enjoyed them immensely. She was teaching Seth about black history, the same way she used to do with Marcus. Only when Aunt Rose told of black history, whether it was 1780 or present-day, she was there. When Kyle entered the kitchen, she was talking about the time she met President Lincoln.
He poured another cup of coffee, a newspaper tucked under his arm. The look on Eliza’s face all but asked, “Did he find out anything?” Kyle, wagering on his ability to read minds, shook his head and walked to the table.
“Now, see, I thought you were there when good ol’ Abe got shot,” said Kyle, sitting at the table.
“Was,” Aunt Rose answered. “But I ain’t there yet. I’m still on our love affair. What’s that you’re reading, Kyle?”
“Check this out.” Kyle held up the paper. “About eight months old. I bought a few copies because Marcus was mentioned on page three. Cut the article out of another copy, but never read the paper. I am today.” He opened a page. “Holy shit! The Pittsburgh Pirates were sold to Salt Lake City.”
“What about Salt Lake?” Marcus asked as he walked in.
“Pittsburgh sold the Pirates to them,” Kyle said.
“I never knew that.” Marcus sat down. “Search update: nothing yet. Herbie is looking, too.”
“That’s reassuring,” Kyle said sarcastically. He slid the paper to Marcus. “Here, read, you’re on page three.”
“Really?”
“Who’s everyone lookin’ for?” Aunt Rose asked.
Seth replied, “Michael.”
“Oh, him.” Aunt Rose nodded.
A pot lid dropped from Eliza’s hand. “Oh him? Aunt Rose, it’s Michael the Archangel.”
“Why’s everyone looking for him?” Aunt Rose asked.
“He left last night and hasn’t come back,” said Eliza. “We’re concerned. The new soldiers are here. He made them come, now he’s supposed to train them.”
Seth spoke up. “I think he’s here. I think he’s just sitting somewhere thinking.”
Kyle tilted his head. “If so, your mom will find him.”
Aunt Rose shrugged. “Maybe he ain’t coming back. Maybe his job was to get the soldiers, and it’s Marcus’ job to train them.”
Silence. Kyle laughed.
“Sweet Lord,” Eliza gasped. “Please.”
Offended, Marcus shifted his eyes. “What? I don’t think it’s so funny. Not that…”
“Guys!” Herbie burst into the kitchen, out of breath. “Reggie said we should head to the training field. She’s found Michael.”
<><><><>
“It was not something we expected...” the male voice echoed. Michael walked over the rugged ground. The emptiness of it was cave-like, dark, the walls of stone burnt, the earth crumbling with every step he took. “ He strikes through his fear...”
Michael’s breathing reflected his concern as he moved through the huge, cold place. The only sound was air blasting from his mouth.
“Seven thousand years of damned souls... gone in an instant.”
“Michael. Michael!” Reggie called.
Michael ran his hand down his face and looked up at her.
“Are you all right?” She walked to him. “I’ve been looking for you.”
“Reggie.” Michael stood and laid his hands on her shoulders.
He wore a look she had never seen. It lacked confidence. “Michael? Everyone’s waiting.”
Michael slid his hands from her. He walked past her in the direction of the training area.
“Michael, wait.” Reggie grabbed his hand.
“Reggie, we must go. They wait.”
“No, they can wait a little bit more.” She pulled him back. “What’s wrong?”
Michael shook his head and closed his eyes.
“I’ve been looking for you for a while. Can you at least tell me where you’ve been?”
Frightened, he opened his eyes. “Hell.” A pause. “And it is empty.” Michael walked off.
St. Louis, Missouri
Since dawn, Leonard had been gathering volunteers to man the front line of defense. The first place Michael would strike was a prison full of captured souls who could not be freed. The plan was pretty
He poured another cup of coffee, a newspaper tucked under his arm. The look on Eliza’s face all but asked, “Did he find out anything?” Kyle, wagering on his ability to read minds, shook his head and walked to the table.
“Now, see, I thought you were there when good ol’ Abe got shot,” said Kyle, sitting at the table.
“Was,” Aunt Rose answered. “But I ain’t there yet. I’m still on our love affair. What’s that you’re reading, Kyle?”
“Check this out.” Kyle held up the paper. “About eight months old. I bought a few copies because Marcus was mentioned on page three. Cut the article out of another copy, but never read the paper. I am today.” He opened a page. “Holy shit! The Pittsburgh Pirates were sold to Salt Lake City.”
“What about Salt Lake?” Marcus asked as he walked in.
“Pittsburgh sold the Pirates to them,” Kyle said.
“I never knew that.” Marcus sat down. “Search update: nothing yet. Herbie is looking, too.”
“That’s reassuring,” Kyle said sarcastically. He slid the paper to Marcus. “Here, read, you’re on page three.”
“Really?”
“Who’s everyone lookin’ for?” Aunt Rose asked.
Seth replied, “Michael.”
“Oh, him.” Aunt Rose nodded.
A pot lid dropped from Eliza’s hand. “Oh him? Aunt Rose, it’s Michael the Archangel.”
“Why’s everyone looking for him?” Aunt Rose asked.
“He left last night and hasn’t come back,” said Eliza. “We’re concerned. The new soldiers are here. He made them come, now he’s supposed to train them.”
Seth spoke up. “I think he’s here. I think he’s just sitting somewhere thinking.”
Kyle tilted his head. “If so, your mom will find him.”
Aunt Rose shrugged. “Maybe he ain’t coming back. Maybe his job was to get the soldiers, and it’s Marcus’ job to train them.”
Silence. Kyle laughed.
“Sweet Lord,” Eliza gasped. “Please.”
Offended, Marcus shifted his eyes. “What? I don’t think it’s so funny. Not that…”
“Guys!” Herbie burst into the kitchen, out of breath. “Reggie said we should head to the training field. She’s found Michael.”
<><><><>
“It was not something we expected...” the male voice echoed. Michael walked over the rugged ground. The emptiness of it was cave-like, dark, the walls of stone burnt, the earth crumbling with every step he took. “ He strikes through his fear...”
Michael’s breathing reflected his concern as he moved through the huge, cold place. The only sound was air blasting from his mouth.
“Seven thousand years of damned souls... gone in an instant.”
“Michael. Michael!” Reggie called.
Michael ran his hand down his face and looked up at her.
“Are you all right?” She walked to him. “I’ve been looking for you.”
“Reggie.” Michael stood and laid his hands on her shoulders.
He wore a look she had never seen. It lacked confidence. “Michael? Everyone’s waiting.”
Michael slid his hands from her. He walked past her in the direction of the training area.
“Michael, wait.” Reggie grabbed his hand.
“Reggie, we must go. They wait.”
“No, they can wait a little bit more.” She pulled him back. “What’s wrong?”
Michael shook his head and closed his eyes.
“I’ve been looking for you for a while. Can you at least tell me where you’ve been?”
Frightened, he opened his eyes. “Hell.” A pause. “And it is empty.” Michael walked off.
St. Louis, Missouri
Since dawn, Leonard had been gathering volunteers to man the front line of defense. The first place Michael would strike was a prison full of captured souls who could not be freed. The plan was pretty
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