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After almost a year of hunting down various angel abusers alongside an organization dedicated to protecting angels, Austin is finally on the threshold of busting one particular cult leader, Linus Covett. For roughly the past six months, the organization has been hounding this man, tracking him along numerous trails of skillfully stolen children. Really, the man has been on their list since this protection organization was.. well.. organized. With centuries of kidnappings leading back to the same culprit, the same cult, the same man, there's not a doubt that among the fakes, there must be a real angel among those who've been stolen, perhaps multiple, elongating his lifespan.
With the help of an inside source, the organization has managed to squirm their way into the inner workings of the cult leader's home, slowly replacing each member of Linus' guards with a member of their organization. The tall, broad man under the mask in the middle is Austin, clutching a handgun tight against his hip, awaiting instructions from his earpiece. Outside communicators are placed at each corner of the courtyard, and a task force of police and ambulances wait outside. They cut off the driveway and keep watchful eyes out for the right moment to strike. If they move in even seconds too early, it puts the entire operation in peril. Linus is cunning and well thought out, and the crowd is already riled up and desperate. They need him to have no escape, lest he says something to piston the crowd into defending him. When fear mixes with this kind of energy, it could become a crowd crush far too easily, then they'd all be in danger. But there's just one command he waits on, a woman far younger than him, perched on the west wall and waiting with bated breath. Jazmyn, the founder of this entire operation. Only a few more moments, just a few, hour-long seconds.
"Now, Austin." She whispers into the mic piece.
And with that one command and a single motion, Austin has the barrel of his gun aimed at Linus' champagne colored hair, fantasizing about staining it and the walls red. The crowd's clamor falls deathly silent, and the click of the hammer reverberates in the stone courtyard, followed by the rustles of gunmen on top of the tall courtyard walls. The silence makes the wailing of police sirens outside audible, and a heavy blanket of defeat rests over the crowds as people slowly raise hands.
"Hands, Linus." Austin says, voice cool and calm. He watches Linus' hands tighten on the angel boy in his hands and his heart leaps into his throat as those fingers bury painfully into the angel's throat, drawing a strangled gasp from him. The veins and tendons in his hands ripple before they slowly lift away, up into the air, and the angel all but collapses to the ground.
"I'll come back, Avery. Do not become complacent to the whims of the devil, do not trust. Lucifer looks to drag you into his sheets of fiery sin." Linus hisses towards the angel as he's cuffed by one of Austin's colleagues. Austin approaches Avery, and those wide, confused eyes turn to him, bruised legs folded underneath him, with all the innocence and otherworldly beauty as a fawn. Austin disarms his weapon and sticks it in its holster. He grits his teeth as he watches Avery begin to back away from him, dragging and pushing himself over the ground to escape. In a brief second, Avery launches to his feet, bolting over towards Linus, but Austin catches him around the waist, only narrowly missing. Avery fights, kicking his feet and writhing, clawing at Austin's arm in an attempt to shove him away. Austin slings the boy over his shoulder, clasping him tight so as not to let him squirm away. He cringes a bit as the rough motion draws a soft wheeze from Avery.
"No, no, no you can't! Father, please." Avery's begging goes from cries to screams. Austin holds tight to the angel, who's nails can't penetrate his thick clothing, and who's body folds under Austin's grasp. The angel's cries seem to stir something within the cult leader as he tugs at his arresting officers.
"I'll find you, Avery. I promise, I'll be back!!" He howls.
Austin struggles not to press on the still-bleeding wound on Avery's leg, but there's only so much he can do with the boy thrashing like an animal. Austin focuses on getting out instead, the sooner he can get Avery into a more controlled environment, the closer Avery gets to safety. He doesn't pay attention to the subdued masses, or the girls who are walked, single file, out of the manor.
By the time Austin has gotten Avery outside, where the air is lit up with flashing blue and red light, Avery has fallen still, fingers clutching tight to Austin's shoulders, legs curled up under Austin's arm, still quietly begging and sobbing. His wings hang limp, the muddy ground soiling their white tips. Austin approaches one of the ambulances, laying Avery down on a cot. The motion reignites Avery's fight, who once again attempts to launch himself out of grasp. Austin, however, is faster, slamming the angel back down, much rougher than he'd intended.
With Avery's terror-filled eyes still fixed on Austin, a paramedic slips a needle filled with a barbiturate into Avery's wrist, and Austin watches as he's dragged down into an induced stupor, head slowly dropping back and eyes becoming hazy and unfocused. The ambulance doors slam shut, and the sound jolts Avery's half-asleep state. Barely conscious, but just conscious enough to react with a fearful shudder as his tunic is pulled upward.
Austin holds Avery's leg upwards as the paramedics press hard onto the wound with gauze, holding the awkward position. The procedure draws a pained whine from Avery, and if he wasn't sedated, Austin is sure he'd be fighting to his last breath. The bleeding is stopped by the time the ambulance pulls into the emergency room entryway, and Austin keeps out of the way while Avery is wheeled down the hall, keeping up at a brisk lope. The entire process is a lot more underwhelming than Austin normally expects from an ER. It's busy and late at night, so Avery's leg is sewn and bandaged up by a tired looking nurse who rushes just a bit too much for Austin's liking. While Avery is being tended to, Jazmyn enters the room. Austin is only vaguely aware of Avery's half open eyes fixed onto him, seated in a chair next to the bed, his attention is too captivated by Jaz, far too many questions forming their way into his already crowded thoughts, so he asks the simplest one.
"Updates?" Austin asks, arms folded across his chest.
"No other residents found, girls are all human," Jaz starts. She hesitates, looking over at Avery. She leans over to grab a second chair from the bed next to them. She sits across from Austin, crossing her legs. "We... don't have any more rooms. We can't take the boy." She says, gesturing to Avery.
"Avery." Austin corrects. "His name is Avery. At least that's.. that's what Linus called him." Austin says, sighing heavily. His foot taps erratically against the ground. "So where's he going?" He asks, brows knitting together, looking over to the boy, their eyes meeting. Normally he'd be the first to look away with this kind of situation, but Avery's eyes are captivating. Dizzying if he glances away and absolutely magnetic. Jazmyn shrugs, watching the nurse finish up and leave.
"A foster home, maybe. Probably a mental hospital, considering how he acted on the way here." Jazmyn says, folding her arms and looking towards Avery, lifted brows pinching together with worry.
A mental hospital? He doesn't like that idea. It works for some people, but he gets the feeling that they won't be sympathetic to his cause as an angel. A foster home doesn't sound much better at all. They're always full and chaotic, and putting angels in the hands of strangers is a risky business. For all they know it could be out of the frying pan into the fire for him.
"I'll take him." Austin says, finally pulling his eyes away from Avery. Jazmyn looks at him, opening her mouth, closing it again, and opening it once more. He's pretty sure he can see the five stages of grief go through her face in a matter of seconds.
"Austin," she starts, then stops, squinting her eyes. "I- fine. Okay. Yes." She says, nodding. Her reaction is both amusing and unsettling. He can't tell if she's truly okay with the idea or just taking a leap of faith.
"Are you sure?" He asks. Her glare in response is enough to raise his hands in surrender. "Don't answer that." He snorts, his cheek dimpling on one side as a crooked grin takes over his face. She rolls her eyes and stands.
"Don't hesitate to call if you need. I am your sister, after all. You're allowed to ask for help." She sighs, heading for the door. She glances back at him with a small smile, and for a split second, she reminds him of their mother. Austin nods and watches her turn to leave. He leans back in his chair and turns towards Avery, who has been watching him this whole time. He huffs and stands.
"Welp, let's get you discharged and home, I guess." He sighs, heading for the door.
He manages to find the reception desk and signs the discharge papers for Avery. Considering Avery's lack of government identity, it's a complex process, and by the time Austin is back to Avery, the sun is rising, and the angel is upright. Tired, but definitely awake.
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Thanks for reading :)