Hey, everyone! Sorry for taking so long to update. I caught someone's cold and have been away from my computer. Also, I live in Arizona, so this past weekend was a bit crazy with the Super Bowl and all. Anyway, thanx 2…

littleGloriafaith

GrimlockX4

…for all the reviews! And I thank all my readers for their patience. Enjoy!


"False prophets will arise and do great signs and wonders to deceive…even God's people."

The five angels had gathered at the town pond. Andrew, Monica, and Gloria were sitting on a park bench, the youngest one scattering breadcrumbs for the birds to eat. Rafael was lounging beneath an evergreen tree, enjoying its shade. Tess stood by the water, her back to them, a distant look in her eyes.

"But why here?" Monica asked. "Why now?"

Tess turned around to face her charges, a serious look on her face. "I don't know, angel girl. But this isn't the first time that evil forces have come into this town. They've been here before. And now, they've come back to finish what they started all those years ago."

"So, what are you saying?" Rafael asked, rising from his seat, brushing leaves off his clothes. "It's up to us to save them?"

"No. No, no," the supervisor shook her head. "It's not our battle to fight. As man is God's greatest creation, so is man God's greatest love. And to be worthy of that love man must undo the mistakes that they've created for themselves."

Monica nodded, understanding. "Redemption."

"It is the common man who is redeemed by the selfless act of God."

"And exactly which man are we talking about here?" Andrew wondered, leaning forward in his seat.

Tess gave him a look. "I think you already know the answer to that, angel boy."

"What? Travis? He's not ready to take on something like this."

"Guys," Gloria interrupted, speaking up for the first time. "I think that's the reason we're supposed to be here."

Both Tess and Monica smiled proudly at the youngest angel. She was finally learning.

As the angels continued to talk, formulating a plan, the sky grew dark. Huge, ominous storm clouds rolled in, blocking out the sun's rays.

"We better hurry, babies," Tess warned, glancing up into the heavens. "We're running out of time."


Andrew followed Travis to the police station that afternoon, remaining unseen. He sat atop a stack of evidence boxes, watching his assignment warily. For some reason, the man had requested to see the case file from his wife's murder. Something he hadn't seen since the day it had happened.

As Travis flipped through the crime scene photos, the horrible memories flashed in his mind. The pictures only intensifying them. Travis paused on a particular photo. He stared down at it, face white. Andrew immediately slid off his seat and went to see what had caught the man off guard. Travis was breathing, but nothing more. Frozen from the inside out. Andrew glanced over the man's shoulder and what he saw made his heart go sick. It was a full photograph of the victim. The brunette woman's hands and feet were bound with barbed wire and a chisel was sticking out of her chest, covered in blood. The angel shook his head sadly. He still couldn't understand how one human being could be so cruel to another.

Andrew stood beside Travis feeling his tension, hearing his breathing. He put a hand on the man's shoulder, lending strength. "You can do this."

Feeling something urging him on, Travis closed his eyes, took a calming breath, and continued sorting through the photos. It wasn't long until he found the picture he was looking for. A couple of paramedics, the detective in charge of the case, and Travis himself stood surrounding a gurney covered with a white blanket waiting to be loaded onto an ambulance. But there was someone else there. Someone who didn't belong.

Andrew had to do a double take when he saw the photo. He recognized the extra person in it. It was one of the men dressed in black. The blonde one. He'd been there the day Mariam had been murdered. What was he doing there…?

Both he and Travis were so distracted by the photo that they didn't notice that someone else had come into the station. She was just about to leave when she spotted Travis in the next room. She kept glancing over at him, ignoring the deputy's attempt to ask her out.

"Hey!" Both Travis and Andrew jumped at the sound of her voice. Travis spun in his seat and found a blonde woman smiling at him. She looked vaguely familiar.

"Travis, right?" At the puzzled expression on the man's face, the woman elaborated. "You brought your dog to me. I'm Morgan, the vet." She saw the recognition flash across his face. "I'm very sorry I couldn't do more for your dog."

"Max is fine," Travis told her plainly.

Morgan arched an eyebrow. "You're kidding. He had full-blown distemper."

Travis shrugged, turning back to face the table he'd been working on. "He got better after I buried him."

The blonde vet gave him a strange look before allowing herself to be escorted out to the lot. Travis followed soon after. Before he had exited the station, Andrew had seen the man discreetly stuff the photo into an inside jacket pocket. He casually strolled out of the building, trying to look as innocent as possible even though he'd just stolen police property. Travis, what are you up to?

Andrew appeared outside just as Travis spotted Morgan getting ready to climb into her car. He smiled when he saw a familiar redhead sitting on the hood of the vet's car, visible only to her fellow angel. Monica returned his smile as he came to stand next to her, leaning against the front end of the vehicle. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they both focused in on the conversation that was happening in front of them.

Travis was showing Morgan the photograph he'd taken from the police station. He pointed at Blondie. "You recognize that man?" He was quick to explain when she gave him a confused look. "I'm asking you because I don't get into town much…maybe you've seen him around."

Morgan looked uneasy. "Uh, look, I'm new around here, so I don't know if I'm the best person to ask—"

"Have you seen him?" Travis pressed, now actually handing her the photograph for her to have a closer look at.

Monica slid off the hood to have a look for herself. Her eyes went wide when she saw the familiar dark figure that had been caught on film. She looked up at Andrew questioningly. The angel of death nodded slowly, confirming that it was who she thought it was.

"No, I haven't," Morgan said from beside Monica, shaking her head. She returned the picture to Travis. "He does look a little like this artist I used to date…"

"He was on my hill twice," Travis said, oblivious of the weird look he was getting from the blonde vet. "Then I had this flashback that I'd seen him before, and I had. He was in the crowd when—" He hesistated. "when they found my wife's body."

The look on Morgan's face changed at Travis' admission. He couldn't help but notice the same strange look he'd seen in his late wife's eyes at times. A cross between concern and empathy.

"That blonde man was on my hill," he repeated, trying to look anywhere but at her. "Once with two other men and then once alone. Then I saw him out at Miss Macon's farm with this guy named Brandon Nichols," he spat the name out as if he had a bad taste in his mouth, "who knows all about me—knows all about everybody." Then quite suddenly he turned and began heading toward his own car, muttering something about needing a digital camera.

Morgan and the two angels watched as Travis walked away, not sure what to make of that unusual conversation.


There was something about the coming of night that changed things. As the sun turned bloody red, then winked out behind a distant ridge; as the sky faded from blue to black; as the night voices of nature began to mourn, click, yelp, and chatter, the angels felt all their fears returning like a slow-working potion, spreading through their minds in perfect cadence with the deepening of night. It never came invited, but it was there for a reason: there was something out there to be afraid of.

Monica stood outside Miss Macon's house with her arms crossed, looking up at the moon. The golden glow of the barn's lights shone behind her. All the excitement was happening down at the barn, but she had other things on her mind. Ever since they'd come to Antioch, she'd felt uneasy. There was something about this place. Something familiar.

"Hey, Monica!" came Gloria's voice from behind her, pulling her from her thoughts. "Come on, they're coming."

The Irish angel turned and gave her friend a warm smile before following her down to the barn.

There were already dozens of people there making their way inside the make-shift meeting place. And there were more arriving. As the two angels walked through the "parking lot," they caught sight of a familiar red Cadillac pull in. The driver gave them a brief glance and a smile before going off to find a space. A line had formed outside the barn where Sheriff Henchle and Matt Kiley stood confiscating cameras and the like. Apparently, those kinds of things weren't allowed inside for some reason.

Falling in line behind a very talkative teenager, Monica and Gloria spotted Travis and Andrew just a few people ahead. They saw the blonde angel give Travis a quick sideways glance as the man discreetly slid a new-looking digital camera into his pocket, keeping it hidden so it wouldn't be taken away.

When they all finally got into the barn, they were amazed at how different it looked. The last time any of them had been there, the place was a mess; the floor covered in straw and the air smelling of animals. Now, the place looked positively breathtaking. Bales of hay were neatly stacked by the walls and in corners. Foldable chairs filled most of the room, arranged in neat rows with an aisle down the middle that led to a brand new stage complete with state-of-the-art equipment. Candles flickered softly from all over the stage, giving the area a warm glow.

As they each found a place to sit or rather stand, as all the seats had been filled, the angels suddenly had the strange feeling they were being watched. Gloria looked around and gasped. "They're here."

The two older angels heard her and looked up to find the three men dressed all in black standing around the barn. Though they seemed to be keeping a watchful eye on all the people that were filing in, they were also watching the angels like hawks. It was really unnerving.

Brandon suddenly appeared on the stage, drawing their attention. He walked up to the microphone and began to introduce himself.

"Hello, people of Antioch. My name is Brandon Nichols." He held for applause then continued, "Now, I know most of you are here because of some of the signs and wonders that have been going on around town…and you want some answers. Well, you've come to the right place…"

As Brandon continued to drone on, the angels saw Morgan, Michael, and Rafael wander into the barn. While his mother hung back by the entrance, Michael kept going, finding a seat next to Darlene and her mother. Rafael also stayed behind to join his friends. The angels exchanged a quick greeting then focused their attention back onto the stage.

"All miracles are possible if you believe," Brandon was saying. "There's a gift in store for each and every one of you. All you have to do is have an open heart and a willing spirit." His eyes searched the crowd, his gaze resting a moment longer on the angels, before he found who he was looking for. "Natalie Davis. Will you please stand up?"

The young brunette who's eyes were hidden beneath a pair of dark sunglasses rose from her seat, looking a bit uneasy.

Brandon noticed her discomfort and chuckled. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you."

He climbed down from the stage and walked up to Natalie and studied her for a moment. All this time, the angels watched curiously, wondering what he was up to. "How long have you been blind?" Brandon asked, taking the girl by surprise.

"Three years…ever since the ac—"

Brandon cut her off. "Three years, huh? What would you call me if I said you didn't need to hide behind those sunglasses anymore?"

Natalie laughed. "Crazy."

"You're right." Brandon smiled a strange smile. "I am crazy." He gently pulled her sunglasses off her face, despite her protests, revealing pale, vacant eyes that seemed to be looking through him.

He extended his hand to her and the blind girl took it willingly.

There was a crackle of electricity and the angels felt a familiar chill sweep through the room. The unseen force was still as dark and powerful as before. Gloria wrapped her arms around herself, shivering—from cold or fear, she wasn't sure. But then she felt an arm wrap around her shoulders. She gave Rafael a grateful smile, leaning into his embrace.

Andrew watched Monica worriedly. She didn't seem to be doing so well. The Irish angel was rubbing her head like she was having a really bad migraine.

"Monica, are you okay?"


Uh oh…what's up with Monica? Review to find out!