The Watchers Wake

Chapter 25 - The Deal

“So they kept us on with certain limitations.  Naturally we aren’t considered to be in the same class as the feathered Archangels, the white ones, and we are made well aware of that.  We might be arrogant at a personal level, but the white ones well to them it is all about status and position.  You might say that we are the black sheep.”

“What do you do?”

“Samy might be called our CEO, among other things she keeps the place running, Aze department is in destruction, you know – war, weaponry, violence, corruption and fraud.,” Jari smiled as he took in my expression.  

“And me, well I am look after the Towers and I am an Angel of Death.”

“Death?  You?”

“Yeah, there a couple of us, I am all about wrongful death.”

“Wrongful death?”

He just shrugged in a nonplussed way, “I don’t do old age. No, I don’t hang out at retirement villages.  Instead Aze and I work together a lot.” 

Jari looked at me like he had just told something insignificant like ‘I work in a bank as an accountant’, rather than ‘I’m the grim reaper of untimely death.’ 

I sat there stunned, half of me wanted to ask if he made the decision of who lived and who died but the part of me that really didn’t want to know, won out.  I was starting to understand why he didn’t want to tell me.  I was starting to wish he hadn’t told me.

“So although he took our feathers he couldn’t really get rid of us that easily.  So here we are.” He waved his hand around at the office.

I closed my eyes, I didn’t want to ask but I couldn’t stop myself, “Where exactly are we and what is this place?”

“I can’t tell you that but let just say - you know how Father Christmas has a naughty and nice list?  Well, we get the naughty list.” He laughed at his own analogy.

I just looked around in a daze.  Not real.  So not real.  Scott was my anchor on reality and he wasn’t here.  I felt the tears start again.  Jari pulled me to his chest.

"I know this is a lot to take in but things are going to start moving very quickly.  As much as I hate to say this, you are going to have to learn to work with Scott.  Whether I like him or not it seems that he is your Irin.  There is nothing I can do about that.  I think you love him too.  And there is nothing I can do about that either.  So you two are going to have to start trusting each other.”

He stopped and lifted my head so I could see his eyes before he continued.

“I am going to trade places with Scott, Natalie.  I will become Harold’s hostage and once that happens only Scott and you will be able to save me.  You are both directly descendant from Archangels so you will be an immensely powerful Irin and Qaddis.  If you can learn to work together you will be able to beat the brood.  And Natalie you don’t have to sleep with him, if you can love each other unquestionably and be willing to trust each other and give everything to the other then that will be a far more powerful bond than sex.  But you won’t have much time to achieve that link.”

“But, but...?” I stuttered as my brain, already spinning, went into overload.

“I know that this is a lot to take in and that it will take you a while to accept it as the truth.  Just know that I have always loved you.   You will have questions, but not now.  We don’t have much time.” Jari looked up and helped me up off the sofa as I swayed on my feet.  “I have to finalise some details. Can you wait outside?  You shouldn’t see some of this stuff.” He grimaced as he lead me out of his office.