Eden's Gate

Chapter 29 - We will bring you home, my Angel (Joseph's POV)

The Reckoning is upon us, my children have been preparing. All that's left is the last piece... my Angel. My brothers and I found out about our shared mate when we were reunited. Each of us bore the same mark, a pair of scales. I knew what was coming, I knew the devastation that was approaching so we decided to save as many as we could. God showed me the way, we set up in Hope County and began guiding the citizens towards the truth. We grew and expanded, buying property, building bunkers and stocking up supplies. We accepted anyone with open arms, both willing and reluctant.

Our expansion led us to a young woman, fragile and broken, she was so entangled in addiction's grasp, but we helped her see the light, freeing her. Her name was unknown at first, but we recognised the very familiar symbol she bore and she joined us. Her old name was abandoned, adopting the new name Faith Seed, she became our sister and introduced us to a new plant, Angel's Trumpet. She showed us its properties, we began introducing it to some of our children who struggled with the truth or their circumstances. Faith began producing the plant in a powder form that we called Bliss, before distributing it all around the county. Our group was met with resistance from those who opposed us fiercely, but we help strong.

As the Reckoning grew closer, we became desperate for our mate. John grew frantic, he threw himself into the confessions to try and detract himself, but it only worked for moments before his worry grew exponentially. But God showed me the truth. On the brink of the Reckoning, a group would enter our church, three blackened silhouettes and one with a glowing gold aura that seemed to take the shape of wings behind their back... a pure angel amongst these sinners. I felt drawn to the angel, a sign from God he would bring our mate to us at the most crucial moment. God had shown me our mate, our search for her grew. Jacob sent some of our children to other counties to search for our mate and spread God's warning. None of them could find our mate, nor any trace of someone with a connection to my brothers, my sister or I...

Until Nancy came.

-0-0-0-

I sat in my office, reading through plans and reports from my children and siblings. The resistance was slowly losing in John's territory, Faith's angles were increasing Bliss production and Jacob's training was proceeding as planned despite the resistances attempted interference. A knock on the door drew me from the reports.

"Please enter," I said, placing the papers back on the desk. A young woman entered, dressed in a police uniform, her blonde hair tied up in a bun.

"Hello Father, I'm sorry for coming here with no warning but I must ask something." The young woman asked. I smiled, this woman as deputy Nancy, one of our children from the police station. I gestured for her to sit, which she gratefully took.

"Of course, what troubles you, my child?" I asked. Nancy would not come here personally for a silly reason.

"Well Father, I was wondering if any other of your followers had been sent to work at the police station too?"

"No, it's only you at the station, why?" I asked, Jacob oversaw stationing our followers and he hadn't mentioned putting anyone else in the station.

"Well, a new rookie deputy has started at the station." Nancy took a photo out of her pocket and slid it across the desk to me. The photo was of a young woman in a police uniform, her black hair tied up in a high ponytail, her sapphire blue eyes looking straight ahead like she was looking straight into his soul. "When a new deputy starts, we have them do a physical. I accidentally walked into the room and she had the Eden's Gate cross on her back with these black lines trailing off to other body parts," My head sprung up at the comments. The Cross on her back, just like I had.

"Where did the lines go? Where there any other markings?" I asked, I kept my face neutral and my breathing steady whilst my heart raced.

"I walked in when her back was to me, I only saw her back. The lines led to her arms and her legs. I'm sorry, Father." She apologised, bowing her head. I shook my head, giving her a soft smile.