It Never Rains (But It Pours)

Divine Mission

"Not even half past noon on a Thursday, and already so much fuss!" Frank grumbled curmudgeonly. "And me running around in my skivvies! Can't an old man sit around drinking beer, eating cold pizza, and watching TCM for one blasted day?!"

"Please, sir, Blake's hurt real bad!" Adam urged. "Can you help him?"

"I can see that he's hurt, boy! I may be old, but it's my bowels that aren't working right, not my mind!" The older man knelt down with a pop of joints and a burst of flatulence. Ignoring both, he peered down at Blake and indicated his wrists. "What the hell have you gotten yourself into, messenger? How'd you end up tied into a human body with barbed wire?"

"Barbed wire? I see golden chains." Adam quickly started to explain about the warlocks and their binding spells.

Frank waved a hand. "Alright, alright, shut up, you had me at 'warlocks.' I should have guessed those two assholes were somehow involved. So the angel is theirs, huh?"

"What? No! They're trying to capture him!"

"Kind of looks like they succeeded." Frank indicated Blake's wrists again. "Two ties, huh? You know one leads to you?"

"Yes, Sir." Adam was eyeing Frank. "The only other person outside of the warlocks who could see them was a little girl. She saw stars, but she didn't say anything about them going to me."

"She may not have been able to see that much," Frank explained. "The innocence of a child isn't like what I've got, kid. But you've got yourself a whole pack of trouble. Daly and Raymond won't come knocking on this door. The girls made it very clear they were not welcome a while back, when I first came to this city. So while you're here, you're safe enough. But I don't run a hospital ward for beat-down messengers stupid enough to get themselves caught by warlocks!"

"Hey!" Adam was about to argue, but Blake was struggling to get up, and immediately drew Adam's attention. "Hey, Blake, what are you doing, buddy? Just lie still."

"Mission," Blake gasped. "Let me go. I have to complete my mission!"

"Holy shit!" Frank exclaimed. "He talks? What the hell is going on here?"

Adam frowned as he helped Blake sit up. "Yes, he talks. That surprised the warlocks, too. You mean Gwen and Alicia don't talk? Not even telepathically?"

"Tele...?" Frank huffed. "Boy, I have had my girls most of my life, and never, not once in all my years, have I ever heard a word from them. Most of the time they just watch over me, don't try to communicate with me or interact in any way at all. But if they do have something to tell me, they get the point across clear enough with their song, or more frequently, some wicked nasty looks they've given me through the years. But angels don't talk unless they're way high up on the totem pole. We are talking archangel level here, son, and your Blake is only a messenger! I think you better tell me a bit more about these warlocks... After Blake here finishes his mission, that is, apparently."

Blake was struggling to his feet, pushing at Adam as Adam tried to gently prevent it. "Let me go! You said you would help me?"

"I did, and I will, but Blake, you're hurt bad! You need to..."

Blake pushed at Adam again. "No! Let me go! I have to do this!"

"Let him go, boy," Frank ordered. "Interfering with a heavenly messenger on a divine mission is not a good idea. Whatever he's got to do, it's important. So take your hands off of him unless you're going to help him, got it?"