Martha McGillicuddy thanked all the gods in the universe that years of good nutrition and very good genetics had blessed her with great hearing. Standing in the hallway just outside of Veronica Janssen's classroom, the older secretary pulled out a cellphone. "Gary? It's Martha. I think we've got a problem."

Angelos danced gleefully down the halls of Hamelton Elementary school. The Captain of the Host was smart, but, this time, he had finally underestimated his opponent. Did he not think that two humans snooping around with two -angels- at their guard wouldn't act like a warning beacon to him of what was to come? Especially when the angels so carelessly revealed themselves. No, this time he was fully ready for Captain Tal and the pathetically small group stationed in Hamelton. [And this time,] he thought, [It will be the Heavenly Hosts who will be in for the shock of the ages...]

Scully was usually a patient woman, even in the best of circumstances, but watching two dozen children under the influence of some psychotic hypno-suggestion and simply 'waiting' for one of them to come out of it was starting to grate on her last nerve. Turning to the angel sitting next to her she sighed, "This has gone on long enough. I'm going to wake one of them..."

"Wait!" exclaimed Monica, "You don't know what it would do to the children."

"Well, what do you suggest we do? We can't wait here forever."

A familiar voice behind them replied, "Well, we -could- go follow up on this lead, but if you want to keep on waiting, go ahead..."

Scully nearly jumped off the swing at the sound of Mulder's voice. "What have you got, partner?"

"Miss Janssen overheard the children discussing their other 'teacher'. She gave us a name, but she didn't have anything else."

"Well, at least we -have- a name now," replied Scully, grateful to finally have a human foe to focus her energies on.

"I agree. We should split up, check with the teachers at the other schools. An-" Realizing what he was about to say, Mulder stopped himself. "-Scully-, why don't you and I work on the Thomas children's school. Monica, Andrew, you'll take the Jones children's school?" At Monica and Andrew's nod, Mulder encouraged them, "All right then, we'll meet at Myrtle's in an hour. I want to make sure Tess is aware of what's going on before we go in there. Let's go."

Myrtle's
11:30 am

Myrtle looked over at Tess for what had to have been the fifth time that morning as the other woman wiped down tables in preparation for the incoming lunch crowd. Even though Tess had only been working for her for a few days, the two women had started to build a warm, caring friendship. And it didn't take a rocket scientist to tell that Tess had something on her mind. Leaving her own rag on the counter, Myrtle crossed the length of the restaurant and laid a hand on the other coman's shoulder. "Tess," she asked, "Are you okay?"

Tess had been so distracted by thoughts of her two young charges that she hadn't noticed Myrtle was nearby until the woman spoke. Taking a moment to calm down, Tess smiled warmly at her new friend. "I'll be all right, Myrtle. I've just got some things on my mind."

"Anything I can help with?"

"No," sighed Tess. "Just make sure you pray for those kids. That'll be help enough."

Now Myrtle was confused. Sure, everyone in town was worried about those kids-had been for weeks. But Tess had only been in town for two days. "Tess, is there something you're not telling me?"

Before Tess could come up with a truthful answer, Mulder, Scully, Monica and Andrew rushed into the restaurant, heading straight for the older angel. Politely, Tess turned to Myrtle and asked, "Will you excuse me, Myrtle? I think they're looking for me."

Her questions unanswered, Myrtle was barely able to exclaim, "But-" before Tess was already off in a corner with the four agents. After a few moments of intense conversation, Tess turned back to her friend and called out, "Myrtle, can you handle lunch without me? There's something important I've got to take care of."

"Sure," replied Myrtle immediately, "But-"

Before Myrtle had a chance to get out another sentence, though, Tess had already replied, "Thanks, Myrtle!" and run out the door after the rest of the group, who piled into one car and sped away. Realizing that she wasn't going to get her questions answered -yet-, Myrtle simply sighed and picked up her cleaning rag, once again saying another prayer for those children...and throwing in a prayer for Tess along with it. "Whatever she's doing," mumbled Myrtle, "Keep an eye on her, Lord. I have a feeling she's going to need the backup." Then she picked up the phone. "Tom? It's Myrtle from the diner. You left me one of those cards about the prayer meeting a while back...anyway, y'all met, right? You're still praying? Great. Can you make sure everyone's praying right now?" Staring out the window at the Taurus now speeding away from the parking lot, Myrtle insisted, "I just have this feeling that something big's about to happen very, very soon."

Tal and Guilo watched the two agents and three angels speed away from the diner, Tal's satisfied smile a stark contrast to Guilo's barely contained excitement. Everything was falling into place, Guilo was sure of it. It -had- to be time! But Guilo also knew full well that this was -not- his call. He turned to his friend and Captain, only to see the older angel barely containing his laughter. Confused, Guilo asked, "What is it, Captain?"

"You, old friend," replied Tal, chuckling, "You're always bouncing with a child's joy just before a battle."

"So is it time?" asked Guilo, the excitement in his heart building rapidly.

"Yes," replied Tal. "It is time. Sound the call."

"With pleasure, Captain. With pleasure." Lifting the long trumpet up from just under the ground, Guilo blew out a resounding blast that shook the heavens as both angels revealed themselves in full glory, robes and wings glistening in the noonday sun. Raising his sword, Tal followed the trumpet blast with a call that brought all the Heavenly Host to it's feet:

"For the Saints of God and for the Lamb!"

When the two angels heard the resounding call echo throughout the area, they took to the air, following the agents to their battleground.

From the minute Mulder pulled out of the diner parking lot, he started to describe exactly how they were going to rescue the children, whom he believed were being held somewhere on the grounds of Gary Gregorson's two acres of property. "Okay, here's the plan. Scully and I will confront the suspect and question him while Monica and Andrew search the house..."

Andrew's voice called from the back seat, "Mulder, stop the car."

Undaunted, Mulder continued, "Scully, call Judge Warrington in Washington. Tell him you're working with me and explain the situation. We'll get the war-"

"MULDER, STOP THE CAR NOW!" yelled Andrew.

Shocked by the loud voice behind him, Mulder reflexively hit the brakes. Grateful that there had been no other cars on the road, the agent pulled over.

Before he could turn around to yell at the angel, though, the three angels had already jumped out of the car, apparently listening to something neither he nor Scully could hear. By the time the two agents had caught up, it had begun to feel like they were intruding on a very private moment between three old friends...

A single tear rolled down Monica's cheek. "Do ya really have ta' go, Andrew?"

Andrew's tears flowing freely, he wiped them away from his cheeks as he nodded. "From the moment we touched down in Hamelton I knew why I had been called here. That call means it's time."

Her own voice choking with emotion, Tess declared, "Well, you best be sure and come back to us, Angel-boy. We still need you around here, you know."

Turning away from the sound of the call to face his friends, Andrew swept up the older angel in a fierce hug, barely able to whisper, "I promise, Tess. I promise."

Turning back to face the call now ringing in the angels' ears, Andrew felt the familiar weight on his back. He knew now what he had to do. Pulling the gilt-edged sword from its sheath, his wings spread out to their full breadth as he responded to the call by echoing it, "For the Saints of God and for the Lamb!" The angel then leapt into the air, his wings carrying him along the strengthening wind, and in a flash of light, he was gone.

Mulder turned to his partner and couldn't help but notice the awestruck look on her face that he was sure matched his own. "Did you -see- that, Scully?"

Finding her voice again, Scully replied, "Yeah, Mulder. I don't believe it, but I saw it."

Mulder's expression changed from one of awe to one of surprised satisfaction. "Great! I'm not the only one this time." He knew that only meant they would be arguing about the event for years to come, but he was looking forward to -that- part. For now, he simply relished the fact that, for once, they had been able to share in the experience. Nudging his partner back to the car, Mulder encouraged, "C'mon Scully. They can't help us if we don't help ourselves." Turning his attention to the two remaining angels, who hadn't moved since their friend had left, Mulder called to them, "Tess! Monica! Don't just stand there! We've got work to do!"

The wind ran freely through Andrew's hair as he flew across the countryside. He had always loved flying...but now was not the time to revel in simple pleasures. At Bacon's Corner his battalion had clear orders, direction as to what they were to do. Today he had no such direction...sure enough, Guilo and Tal were just ahead of him. Racing to catch up, he called out, "Captain!"

Without turning back, Tal called out to greet his old comrade. "Andrew! Glad you could join us!"

"Yes," chimed in Guilo, "I believe the human expression is, 'Welcome to the party...pal?'"

Andrew chuckled. The Lieutenant never did use human slang all that well...[Kind of like Monica.] "Captain, what are my orders? Am I to join up with my old battalion?"

"No," replied Tal, "The children are being held in the basement, each one of their souls restrained by seven strong demons. Monica and Tess are going to be sent in to retrieve the children's human forms. Your orders are to make sure that the demons are in no shape to follow. Guilo will help you while I take care of Angelos."

Calling out with confidence, Andrew responded, "Consider it done, Captain!"

"Then let's not waste time," ordered the Captain. Stretching his right arm further in front of him, the Captain disappeared in a rush of light an wind.

Letting out their own whoops of excitement, Andrew and Guilo soon followed.

Jeff Materian paced in front of Hamelton's only police car, hoping the Feds wouldn't pass right by him. This was the only route they could have taken to get to Gregorson's house, and he wasn't about to let them go in and handle something in -his- town without him standing right there next to them.

Besides, in his hands he held the one piece of paper they couldn't go on without. The search warrant. If it hadn't been for the stupid battery in the stupid cruiser...

"God," he prayed, "Don't let me have missed them." Laughing, he realized that must have been the fifteenth 'quickie' prayer he had prayed that morning, which amounted to more times than he had prayed in his entire life to this point. [Anything to get those kids back.]

Moments later he saw the blue Taurus speeding toward him. Waving his arms wildly, he didn't stop trying to attract their attention until the car pulled up behind his own. Moments later the male agent [What was his name again? Oh, right...Mulder] got out of the car and walked toward him. Before the man could ask him any questions, though, Jeff volunteered his own information. "Agent Mulder, I wanted to make sure I got to you before you got to the house. This warrant just came in for you."

Mulder looked down at the pieces of paper the sheriff had just thrust in his hands. "A warrant for the arrest of Gary Gregorson and for the search of his premises...yes, everything appears to be in order. Thank you, Sheriff."

"You're welcome," replied Jeff. "Now, since my car is a little conspicuous, would you mind giving me a lift to Gregorson's house?"

Mulder's eyes widened slightly. He had no idea what they were going to see when they got to Gregorson's house. Bringing the two angels into the situation was one thing, but this... "Sheriff Materian, while I appreciate your going out of your way to make sure all the paperwork was in order, this is a Federal investigation-"

Jeff was prepared for the argument. "I am aware of that, Agent Mulder, but I am also aware that you are about to apprehend a potentially dangerous felon, and I'm your only backup within ten miles." Unable to take no for an answer, Jeff simply headed toward the car. Turning back to face the bewildered agent, Jeff simply suggested, "Shall we go?"

[Would someone like to tell me -when- I lost total control over this investigation?] thought Mulder. Immediately he answered his own mental question. [Oh. Right. Sorry.] Shrugging his shoulders in defeat, he simply motioned for the sheriff to get into the car.

Outside the newly abandoned cruiser, a tall, powerful man was sitting atop the car's trunk, having a good laugh with two of his colleagues. Tossing his long, blond hair away from his face, Mercurius asked his new comrades, "So, Lieutenant Sigma, should I let them out now?"

The older angel cocked his head to the side slightly, listening to see if the car holding the agents and angels was safely on its way. Smiling with satisfaction, he hopped off the trunk with the assumption that the other two angels would follow his lead. "Open the trunk, Mercurius."

"With pleasure, Sir," declared the younger angel. Tapping on the trunk to get it open, Mercurius and Mota soon pulled out two of the ugliest demons the angels had ever seen. Their leathery black wings had been covered with a slimy film that bore a resemblance to both crude oil and toxic waste. Both demons were scrawny things, with frail-looking arms and limbs that belied their surprising power. Watching the two demons now cowering before him, Mercurius became grateful that he did not have the humans' sense of smell. The odors coming from the foul red vapors these two breathed could not be pleasant. Every minute that Mercurius spent with the pair made him all the more grateful for Hamelton's newly strengthened prayer cover. He would have hated to face these two empty-handed on a battlefield.

As it was, though, that was not something he was going to have to trouble himself with. A moment after the two demons were liberated from their prison, Mota beheaded one of them into oblivion and the other was being grabbed at the neck by Sigma. Fighting with all of his great might to keep control over the slimy demon for the moment, the older angel declared, "I'm going to send you back to your master now, prick. But I want you to take him a message from us." Turning to the younger angel of his two charges, Sigma called out, "Mercurius? Would you care to give our little friend here your message?"

"With pleasure, sir." Pulling out his gilt-edged sword, Mercurius proceeded to carefully carve the image of a cross into the demon's arm. When the monster's roaring howls had died down to whimpering sobs, Hamelton's angel held the sword to the demon's throat as he declared, "Pride goes before destruction, demon. That is what is has happened to your friend, it is what it will happen to you, and it is what will happen to your master very, very soon. Hamelton belongs to the Almighty, and we -will- reclaim it. That is my message. Deliver it quickly."

As Mercurius sheathed his sword and turned his back on the demon, Sigma flung the offending survivor to the skies. Turning back to those who had set him free, the demon hissed, "You have not heard the last from me, angels. Be assured of -that-."

Rolling his eyes, Mercurius grumbled, "Of that I have no doubt, demon. Of that I have no doubt." Bringing his attention back to his comrades, Mercurius' focus changed immedately. "So, I take it the battle is not over?"

Sigma let out a low whistle at the angel's innocence. Obviously this was a first fight for him. "On the contrary, my friend. It has only just begun."

Nodding his understanding, Mercurius followed the lead of the two older angels as they disappeared with a leap in the air and a flash of brilliant light.

As Andrew touched down in the field behind the Gregorson house, he had prepared himself to see many things; the horrors of battle that he had seen so long ago. He assured himself that even though the battle around him would be intense, God had given him instructions to carry out, and he would be ready to follow by whatever means necessary.

He was hardly prepared for the scene that lay before him.

If there were any other angels within five miles of the complex besides himself, Tal, and Guilo, Andrew definitely could not see them. Instead, all he saw were demons. Thousands of them, it seemed. And the biggest one stood front and center. Seven feet tall, he was probably about two feet across the chest with his muscular build alone. And that didn't include the leathery black wings folded behind him which could have shielded six of his men when fully outstretched.

But the demon's imposing form wasn't the key toward the revelation of his identity. No, that key was written all throughout the demon's arrogant grin. It was, apparently, a look that Tal recognized as well. "Angelos, I presume?"

"Captain Tal!" exclaimed the demon. "How wonderful to meet the angel of such great reputation face-to-face." Turning to two of his men, Angelos stretched out a bony claw finger and pointed it in the direction of the angels, a silent capture order.

Instantly Guilo's and Andrew's swords were drawn, ready and waiting to send any demon who crossed their paths into oblivion. Tal's hands on theirs, though, stopped both angels from starting the fight. Moments later the angels felt their wings forcibly folded and their hands painfully pushed behind their backs. With a wave of his claw, the angels were being pushed and shoved, taunted, teased and abused by those who sought to go against God with every rancid breath. The temptations to be angry or afraid were there, teasing at the edges of Andrew's consciousness. Did he come so far only to end up being swallowed into oblivion?

It was then that he saw it. Out of the corner of his eye, a small light pierced the overpowering darkness, and Andrew had to fight back the urge to smile. Whatever was going to happen to him in the next few moments was simply part of God's plan to save those children.

The armies of God were on their way.

Mulder had to shake off an attack of goosebumps as he emerged from the car less than a block from the home of Gary Gregorson. As his partner came up beside him, Mulder asked, "Are you feeling the same thing I'm feeling, Scully?"

Scully nodded. "It's too quiet. No breeze, no animals, not even a mosquito buzzing. It's eerie."

Mulder nodded his agreement even as he squinted while watching the bright, sunlit scene. "Kinda feels like walking into a graveyard at midnight."

Scully shrugged in response. "Not like we haven't done that before."

Jeff Materian, Tess and Monica climbed out of the back seat, feeling the same sense of dread hanging over Mulder and Scully. Jeff shivered and stuffed his hands in the pocket of his jacket, while Monica whispered over to her supervisor, "Have you been praying, Tess?"

"Every chance I get, baby," Tess whispered in reply. "Every chance I get."

Once the group was assembled, they moved silently toward the house, not wanting to disturb its occupants for fear that they would escape, possibly with the children in tow. Mulder, Scully and Jeff kept their hands on their weapons as a precaution as they ascended the stairs to the front porch. When everyone was in position, Mulder knocked on the door. He yelled to anyone who might be inside, "Gary Gregorson? Mr. Gregorson, we know you're in there. FBI, we have a warrant to search these premises. Open the door."

Many had a difficult time remembering what had come first. Some said it was the blinding light that enveloped their very being and prodded them in relentless pain. Others said it was the roaring battle cry that stung them in the very depths of their being. Whatever it was they believed-none of them would ever forget the battle that followed.

If they were fortunate enough to live through it.

One minute the demons were enjoying the very heights of power and strength, pushing around three of the most powerful of 'angels' like they were mortal. The next minute, though, those three were forgotten as it seemed the entire host of heaven had fallen out of the sky to come to their rescue.

The weakest of demons perished quickly, disintegrated either by the blinding light of so many angels in full glory or by the equally punishing power of their many swords. Those who had lived through a few battles fared better, possibly getting in three or four blows with their own swords before losing their heads to one of heaven's warriors.

As the cloud of red smoke rose high above the battlefield to be carried away by the winds, the strongest among the demons let out a collection of painful sighs. It was going to be a -very- long day.