A/N: Waited a bit too long to get back on writing but here be the third and final part of Four Horsemen, Archangels of Revelation. Hopefully I'll fit in plenty of mind screws along with the story. Spot the cameos here!

Disclaimer: Recognize it? (c) VALVe, Samael (c) docmilbury.

Chapter 1: Video Recording 009

[The video camera comes alive, static peppered with distorted voices from PNCA ads...

"Be on the look-out for the Devil-" "Dare not question your-[static] judgment; our nation will rise again" "Do not be afraid of death..."

The owner of the video camera is considerably sullen as he reloads the guns he's held so dear. Ellis is still exactly the same physically but his blue eyes, now perfectly glowing in the dark, show a considerably older and mature person. He knows the camera's on and a weathered smile later, he turns to face it. He's wearing a dark hooded jacket and he takes off his trucker hat to adjust the gas mask he's bringing around.]

Iss been almost one year since all th' shit happened in Chicago but ain't nothin' changed in people. But if yew look real closely, it's all been downhill from then. Guess I shoul' start with why I'm gearin' up fer a fool's errand. [He cocks his head towards the sword leaning against the wall.] But how'd ya start explainin' ev'ry li'l detail tha's happened t' lead up t' it? Start with th' big picture...

Proserpine Pharmacy Group started dev'lopin' a new vaccine fer the Flu just a few days after Lilith was killed. I ain't seen th' results but ev'ryone who knows th' truth don't trust it at all. Th' whole deal was an' shoulda been a disaster fer the PNCA an' the big pharma but tha' summabitch Samael spinned it an' made it our fault. Tha' the' Beast was proof tha' th' Apocalypse was here an' here t' stay. Got ev'ryone an' their mothers lookin' fer us but didn't even provide a picture; jus' t' feed th' paranoia. I heard a client jus' say, "Th' only good heathen is a dead heathen." [Sarcastic glare] Yeah yew heard righ'; we're bein' called heathens. I may not know much 'bout history but we kinda left th' Salem Witch Trials a few centuries ago. Now we jus' have Witches.

Austin hasn't seen muchuva change since the St. John's massacre an', yeah people are scared but fer some reason, they ain't worryin' tha' much. I ain't watchin' th' news lately but th' lull migh' be 'cause two more cities have come back online. [Sad smile] We're now up t' 27 now...but th' Infection's still around. Th' zombies are still runnin' aroun', NOT dyin' from starvation as fast as th' Military thought they would. Seems they found a way t' feed each oth'r though I'd rather not think 'bout how, I enjoy sleepin'. In fact, last time I was outside th' walls, I was damn sure th' Tanks got stronger. It's a reality now, t' be honest; the Green Flu's gonna be 'round fer a long time.

Speakin' of cities, City 2 is officially become Mob Town, just like th' 1920s. Boss Giorgetti was found burned an' dismembered t' a crisp 'round th' same time CEDA and Proserpine announced th' vaccine. Nick had this quiet rage in his eyes when we saw those news; like he knew som'thin' th' rest of us didn't know. I never ask 'im wha' happened th' day Selene died but it don't take much t' figure out he suspected tha' his former capo had som'thin' t' do with it. I coul' see it an' frankly, it got me worried 'bout his mind. [El rubs his forehead, recalling the memory] I haven't talked 'bout his mental break tha' day but I know it's som'thin' I won't want t' know. Tha' thing was beyond a Hunter, or even a Tank...it was as if Nick tapped into the fires o' Hell an' took some of it back up. He even felt hot but tha' was just his body cuz th' moment he remembered who he was, he cooled down.

He must've loved Selene a lot though, t' jus' snap like a twig. Makes me wonder who's this man in my bed...[There's a momentary wistful shine to those eyes] Woul' he do th' same for me? Woul' I give up my mind fer him?

[There's a knock on the door and a pair of green eyes glimmer as the older man comes into the room. "We're on in twenty, Sport," the stranger announces, spotting the camera.] Yeah, I'm almost done, I'll meet ya up there. [The man in the black suit then leaves the hick rather pensive for a second then resumes the video.] Easier said than done but...thought's what counts.

He's th' main reason I'm comin' with in this job. Tha' an' Keith. [A straight glare at the lens is all the viewer needs to know] Tha' prick Leon took Keith from me. My best friend, righ' in my face. Me an' Nick have been hoppin' 'round cities all across th' United States, lookin' fer him. We've been usin' leaked documents t' track 'im down but he's a slippery prick these days... We've covered Cities 1 through 5: New York, Chicago, Boston, Philly, Miami...nothin'. I ain't losin' hope: I'mma find Keith an' Zoey. I still have faith in God, ev'n if I'm an abomination, as th' PNCA keeps tellin' me. Wha' Samael has done t' me an' my family, [Eyes flicker red for a moment and his voice is feral for a moment] is unforgivable.

It's kinda weird goin' back t' New Orleans after all we've been through. I still remember my first week in Meridian, dealin' with Cole an' his ultra-patriotic bullshit but even I feel bad fer him. Las' week, our li'l informant, codename Marie Antoinette, sent Rochelle th' official step-down notice from th' higher-ups to "delegate Experiment capture t' other associated branches." [The hick chuckled a bit] Okay, I lied; I don't feel bad at all. Too bad he was th' lesser o' th' two evils. Th' leaked information ain't helpin' our cause in th' least; som'thin' about Revelation. I haven't read th' Bible in a while but don't that come after th' Rapture? If then, why

Maybe I need help makin' sense; haven't had a proper thought in a while. I'm startin' t' have these weird dreams tha' jus' leave me all drained an' shit. Worse yet, I'm startin' t' think I'm losin' my mind...I'm hearin' voices an' seein' people tha' ain' there. Las' week, after th' raid in Miami, I coulda sworn I saw a man with glass an' a labcoat in th' auto shop, talkin' in I think is German. A blink later an' he's jus' gone! Is th' experiment finally drivin' me into th' funny house? Took its damn time then! Or is it all a plan t' come back by th' Ice Queens?

[Ellis shakes his head for a moment and raises his hands in a dismissive motion] Yeah, I'm getting' too ahead of myself now. They got my body but they nev'r got my mind or my soul. Me an' th' others ain't som' animals t' just play 'round with then put down when we don't follow their rules. And t' think we said yes t' 'em almost two years ago.

In happier news...Nick proposed t' me. Got on one knee an' ev'rythin'. I guess he knows where he stands in our relationship but I told 'im t' wait jus' a bit longer. I know I love 'im but I want th' best fer him. An' th' best for 'im is t' get our freedom back. He didn't seem tha' sad but he knew what I meant. He keeps tellin' me tha' we'll find Keith an' Zoey an' he'll make me a "proper lady" yet. Tha' got his nuts kicked; las' I checked I don't spend three hours in th' bathroom fer a job.

[The mechanic checks his watch and hisses] Ah shit! I'm late! This is Ellis [BEEP!] an' I'mma raise hell in New Orleans t'night. [The camera shuts down as it is shoved back into the duffle bag. It can be heard being stuffed into a small metal enclosure, possibly a locker while its owner rushes away.]