Disclaimer: Obviously I don't know that much about the bible or angels or anything. Don't take this so literally and correct me or anything, I won't like it. The characters aren't my own but their personalities are. This is a Static Shock story for any of those who have read Fallen Angel, Risen Devil...this is sort of a prequel. And no I don't own Static Shock.
Res of Voluntas
Francis Stone has the devil for a dad and an angel for a mom. Literally. How the hell did that happen?
Chapter One: Troubles Below
Gabrielle knocked on the door, sure she would be turned away because her boss was busy. To her surprise, the heavy golden doors swung open and a deep voice beckoned her inside kindly.
"Hello sir." Gabrielle smiled, taking a few timid steps toward the enormous desk, littered with papers and objects of unknown origins, which lay before her.
"Gabi, a pleasure to see you as always my dear. How have your trainees been behaving?"
Like he didn't know already that Jason, her most excitable and enthusiastic trainee, had accidentally took the wrong soul the day before. Still, even if he was all knowing, it was still polite to make an attempt at conversation. "As well as can be expected from them sir. Initiations should go smoothly." Gabrielle answered as she knew she should.
"Very good. I'm glad you could come to see me today, I know you're very busy arranging shifts and that sort of thing but I have a special request for you."
"I would be happy to help you sir."
"There is a soul I am expecting in a few days' time. A man by the name of Conor Donnelly, age 35. Lung cancer, poor fellow doesn't even know he's sick."
Gabrielle nodded. "And the assignment?"
"It seems as if Lucifer has made some inquiries about Donnelly as well, he's even taken to following Donnelly around…even though he hasn't died yet, trying to coerce the fellow below. I can't stand for it."
"Doesn't it go against the rules sir? Even Lucifer knows the limits."
"But you forget Lucifer is conniving and clever. He has not presented himself to Donnelly, but he has been subtly manipulating the mortal by invading his dreams. Lucifer wants the soul for himself and he is trying to get Donnelly to rob a bank before he dies, successfully bringing the soul to him. Donnelly is on the edge as it is, some gang work in the 80s played against him. I need you to go and monitor Donnelly and ensure that Lucifer does not get him. Is that clear?"
Gabrielle suppressed her frown. She may be one of God's highest ranking angels, but even she didn't like the idea of tangling with the Devil himself. But no one said no to God. "Of course sir. Does Donnelly have any significance here in heaven, a future trainee?"
"Oh good gracious no. I just can't stand the thought of Lucifer obtaining the mortal by bending the Rules."
Gabrielle nodded. Such cases were becoming far more common recently. "I'll leave immediately."
God smiled and returned to his paperwork, an indication for Gabrielle to leave. "Very good. I will have Raphael assume your duties until your return. Good luck."
Gabrielle left God's office and headed for the gate to heaven. She would have to get clearance from Saint Peter to leave and that could take a few minutes.
"Gabi, hey Gabi!" Jason, one of her trainees, bounded across the clouds to her, a wild grin on his face. "I hear you you're heading to earth."
"You hear right Jason." Gabrielle stopped to let the younger angel catch up with her.
"What's your assignment?" Jason asked. "Better yet, what's mine? You were supposed to give me one today."
"I'm taking you off assignment for a week."
"What! Because of that whole soul mix-up?" Jason looked outraged. All angels loved to stretch out and fly around earth, see how things had changed from when they had been alive.
"That woman wasn't supposed to die for another year. Meanwhile the one in a coma is still sitting in Buenos Aires waiting for an angel." Gabrielle explained.
Jason pouted. "I said sorry."
"I know you are, but that doesn't change the punishment. Raphael knows not to send out as well so don't go expecting him to give you a new assignment while I'm gone."
"Raphael's in charge?" Jason grinned. "He's not going to be happy about that; his trainee group is the largest as it is."
Gabrielle sighed. "I will apologize to him when I return but I really must be going, good-bye Jason."
Jason pulled up short and waved as they approached the gate. "Bye, good luck!"
The gates of heaven were massive. Stretching for up to a mile through the clouds, no one had ever measured exactly how high. There was no lock; Saint Peter was enough of a guard. The Saint was seated at his desk just in front of the gate, the largest book in the universe in front of him. In the book was listed the names of all those who had died and what they had done in their lifetimes. The biographies of billions of people lay before Saint Peter.
Gabrielle tapped lightly on the gate. Saint Peter turned from the queue before him and turned, smiling when he saw who it was. "Gabrielle, a pleasure to see you."
"Same Peter, I need clearance to New York please. Word from the big guy himself."
Peter nodded. "Let me just take care of this." The Saint turned back to the trembling man in front of him. "Robert, I'm very impressed. You've done quite some philanthropic acts for some vey grateful people. They send you blessings even now that you are here before me." He flipped through some pages. "Very well, welcome to heaven." The gates opened and the man stumbled through, muttering thanks.
Gabrielle slipped through before the gates closed. "Here are the papers." Saint Peter handed Gabrielle a small bundle of papers tied with a piece of string. Gabrielle slipped it into her pocket; they were the equivalent of angel passports.
"You have one week." Saint Peter reminded her. "Have a safe trip."
Gabrielle nodded and began the long trek past the line of souls waiting for the Saint's decision. Once she got to the end of the line, the clouds fell away, revealing a dark abyss that seemed to go on forever.
Gabrielle stepped off the edge and into the darkness.
She allowed herself to free-fall for a few minutes before a soft glow enveloped her body, her spectacularly green eyes glowing as well. Her body slowed and she floated gently down, the lights of New York City appearing beneath her feet.
Somewhere in that city was Conor Donnelly. Gabrielle flipped open her watch, a very intricate piece of clockwork that all angels and devils wore on their forearms, and followed the needle.
Conor Donnelley didn't know what was wrong with him. For the past week he had been having the strangest dreams and urges, like for instance right now. He was walking the same route he had walked to his job as an electrician for three years and his hand twitched in his pocket at the obscure and disturbing thought of plunging a live wire into his buddy Steve today on their shift. The most disturbing thing of all was that the thought didn't upset him; it seemed like a perfectly logical thing to think. Which he knew it wasn't…but still.
The street vendor who sold kugel was just opening and Conor stopped, pulling some loose bills from his pocket. He hadn't eaten in well over twenty-four hours and was starving.
With some food in his belly, Conor continued to work. A small voice nagged at the back of his mind as he passed New York Credit Union, a voice that hinted at his lack of money and the increasing job cuts the electrical company had been going through. He allowed his thoughts to drift for a few moments to actually robbing the place; his money woes would be gone.
Conor shook the thoughts away with a small shake of his head and dug through his coat for a cigarette, the last crushed carton he had with only a limp cigarette laying forlornly at the bottom. He lit up and inhaled greedily, smiling as the smoke filled his lungs and he exhaled a giant cloud of it into the cold air.
It didn't snow in New York anymore these days; the sky seemed to rain gray slush. Conor trudged through a mound of it piled on the sidewalk by some plow and got the bottoms of his pants soaked. Swearing under his breath, Conor walked so the wet cloth wouldn't hit his skin.
One of the young women who worked in the lingerie store smiled at him as he walked past and Conor grinned, walking taller in his worn out sneakers. For a guy going on his middle years, he wasn't too bad looking; he had a scruffy look about him.
"You're late, punch in and get in the truck. There's a call on Franklin Street." Steve Riley was sitting on the front steps of the electric company, a lit cigarette in one hand and a surly look on his face. If there was one thing Steve hated, it was tardiness. Conor liked to joke that he should've been a teacher.
Conor hurried inside and pulled on a baseball cap from his locker and punched his card, knowing his pay would be docked for being late, and ran to the garage. Steve was sitting in the driver's seat tapping impatiently on the wheel.
"Sorry man, I forgot about the whole spring forward shit." Conor jumped into the passenger side and slammed the door shut.
"Watch your mouth, what's with you lately? You've been badmouthing everyone." Steve turned the key and the engine thrummed to life. He eased the truck out of the garage and into the early morning traffic.
Conor frowned and settled back in the seat. "I dunno, I think my mouth has a mind of its own."
"Just so long as you don't talk like that in front of the clients. Palmer will murder me if we lose another job because of something small like that." Steve scowled out the window at someone honking at him.
Gabrielle found the white truck easily; her watch led her in the direction of her assigned charge. The truck was stuck in traffic; one muscular arm was hanging out the window of the driver's side. Gabrielle flew down and landed lightly on the street, glad no one could see her until she chose for them to.
The man in the passenger seat was Donnelly, she knew it was. He looked out the window, almost right at her and then towards one of the parks littering this area of New York.
Gabrielle frowned. His eyes were blanker than most mortals' were. Someone otherworldly had been playing with his mind.
"No need to look any further angel, I'll gladly take responsibility for this human." A cold voice spoke behind Gabrielle and she shivered, the hair rising on the back of her neck.
"Lucifer." Gabrielle said slowly, every angel knew that voice, it was taunting and haughty and it crept onto her last nerve. Gabrielle spun and glared at him.
The devil was standing before her, looking as impeccable as ever in an expensive looking suit Gabrielle knew was just an illusion. He smirked at her, the look completely at ease on his handsome features and the look in his eyes was daring, daring her to reproach him.
Gabrielle would not disappoint. "How dare you play with the Rules and meddle in mortal affairs where meddling is strictly forbidden. I order you on behalf of the Lord himself to return to hell and leave Conor Donnelly be."
Lucifer's smirk grew wider. "Brave little angel aren't we? For your information I am not breaking the rules or slighting them in the least little bit. I am simply making a few suggestions…"
"…in Donnelly's sleep, yes I know. While not strictly breaking the rules, it is not encouraged. Immortals are not to play a role in mortals' demises or livelihoods." Gabrielle interrupted him.
Lucifer frowned. No one had interrupted him in quite a long time. "I would like to see you try and stop me then Gabrielle."
Gabrielle's eyes widened in surprise. He knew her name.
Lucifer's smirk returned. He knew pulling her name would throw her off. "Catch me if you can angel." He stepped back and vanished in a small burst of foul-smelling smoke.
Gabrielle whirled around, suddenly realizing what Lucifer had done. The truck was gone; it could take her some precious minutes to find it. In the meantime the devil could convince Donnelly to do something hellish.
Sitting on top of the truck as it sped down the street, Lucifer frowned. He had not been expecting the angel so soon. Donnelly wasn't supposed to die for another three days and he was sure his meddling, though it was slight, had not been noticed.
It would appear he had been wrong.
Lucifer thought through his plan. He really wanted Donnelly; the man was quite clever and would serve as a good devil in a few hundred years. The question became, was Donnelly worth all the fuss?
Lucifer shrugged. Why not? Hell needed a fresh face.
Slipping through the metal top and into the front of the truck, Lucifer sat between Conor and Steve, neither talking as the radio played quietly. Lucifer reached out a hand and touched Conor's shoulder, smiling ever so slightly.
Conor's eyes widened and he gasped. The image was so clear in his mind. Him, grabbing the wheel from Steve just as they were driving along Houston Street and turning the car into New York Credit Union. Steve slumped in his seat, blood on his face, and him getting out of the car and walking up to the desk…
Steve nudged him as he turned one-handed onto Houston Street. "You alright buddy? You went awfully pale just then."
Conor looked back and forth between Steve and the street in front of them, gasping for breath. He could see the bank.
"Conor?" Steve asked again.
Gabrielle flew as fast as she could, speeding through parked cars and traffic, dodging around a stoplight strung on a wire in the air. She saw the van turning, if only she could catch up to it and throw the devil from the cabin she could save Conor Donnelly, at least for this moment if his soul was truly not tainted.
Everything in his mind screamed for him to do it. Steve wouldn't die and if he did, who cared? He had no family and the company would pay for his funeral. Conor's hands actually twitched and he moved for the wheel.
Steve batted him away. "What are you doing? Knock it off man, you're scaring me."
Gabrielle flew in through Steve's open window and grabbed Lucifer around the chest; they went straight through the solid metal on the other side and landed on the pavement. She sprang back to her feet holding her arm.
"You can't save him, you never could." Lucifer said calmly, still sitting on the asphalt and watching her.
Gabrielle stared at him with wide eyes and jumped into the air to follow the truck, but even as she watched, she knew there had never been a prayer to save Conor Donnelly from his doom.
"Sorry." Conor lunged for the wheel, whipping the truck ninety degrees to the left across the sidewalk and into a building. Steve screamed and threw up a hand in front of his face as the window broke, showering them both with glass and plaster as the truck mowed through the front of the building.
Everything got quiet for a moment, the truck was stuck half-way through the building's outer wall. Running footsteps peppered the sidewalk outside.
Conor gasped, raising his head and struggling to see through blurry vision. He coughed, and didn't stop coughing, opening the door of the truck and falling out into the debris onto his side. He lay there, coughing raggedly into his hand; flecks of red sprinkled his palm. People around him were screaming and running. A policeman knelt by his side, trying to help him up as the coughing grew worse, his chest ached.
Conor looked around him in confusion and finally noticed that his side was wet, he could feel his shirt sticking to him. There was a dull throb that grew louder and more painful. The last thing Conor saw before the blackness overcame him was the sign for New York Credit Union, the building next door to the one he had driven through.
Gabrielle sighed and put a hand over her eyes in disappointment. She had flown to slow, gotten there to late. She stood across the street on the roof of a building, watching paramedics pull a sheet over Conor Donnelly's body. Steve Riley had been taken to a hospital with internal injuries. The only fatality was Donnelly, and yet it was enough.
"Don't take it too hard Gabrielle. Donnelly had been having dreams of robbing a bank long before I got to him. It was a childhood fantasy of his, clearly unstable. He wouldn't have made it into heaven in the first place." That voice again. Gabrielle gritted her teeth and turned on Lucifer, standing serenely behind her with his hands thrust nonchalantly into his suit pants.
"Stop it, stop mocking me. So you won the soul. One soul out of millions, billions. Consider it a victory for you, oh great and powerful devil, because believe me," Gabrielle stepped close as Lucifer actually stepped backward in surprise. "I will never lose to you again."
They stood like that for a moment, bodies within an inch of touching. "O-okay then." Lucifer stuttered…he actually stuttered.
Gabrielle smiled sweetly but with a dash of venom concealed discreetly in the grin. "Good, bye then."
Gabrielle jumped off the roof and started to float upwards. "Wait! Gabrielle!" She turned her head at Lucifer's call.
The devil looked unsure of himself, his face even flushed slightly but Gabrielle couldn't see properly from a distance. "Will you be bringing Donnelly to hell then?"
It was an angel's duty, to escort souls to their eternal residence. She would barely be back in heaven before one of the angels, probably Michael, would send her right back down to claim her botched soul. "I suppose."
Lucifer smiled and watched as Gabrielle floated away from him, eventually losing sight of her in the golden rays of the morning sun as day broke out over New York City.
Author's Note:
I would also like to add that I have never been to New York City, don't write to me about that either if I got something wrong...I tried to make everything kind of accurate. I made up New York Credit Union. I do not encourage people to go driving cars into buildings. Ummm...and Lucifer is mean but he is also the devil soooo, kind of evens out. Conor was always going to hell, Lucifer didn't do that much to him. He wasn't that great a guy.
This is going to be a short three chapter thing I think. Next Chapter: Gabrielle and Lucifer are alone in hell. No lemons although this is when Francis is conceived. God he's a messed-up kid isn't he? Or at least that's how I make him.
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