Chapter 5

The next ten months flew by leaving Chloe with little to no answers. It didn't help that she was running this investigation without the resources of the LAPD. She knew the answer to this mystery was at the fertility clinic, but getting access to her own records wasn't an issue. She took her time combing through page after page of her record, but nothing had jumped out at her as being illegal.

"Why couldn't they have given these documents to me in chronological order instead of stuffing them haphazardly into this box?"

"Chloe, I have to go. I cannot stay here any longer."

Chloe jumped hearing Remi's sudden entrance. She set the piece of paper she was holding back inside the box, and she focused her attention on her new friend. "Remi, you have to slow down and explain what's happening."

"He is coming to Earth, Chloe."

"Who's coming to Earth, Remi?"

"My brother," Remi said, shaking her head.

"Remi, you have a truckload of siblings. Which brother is coming and why?" Chloe rose to her feet and placed her hands on Remi's arms, halting her pacing.

"Amenadiel is coming, Chloe. He would only make the trip here if Sam…Lucifer was on the Earthly plane again instead of in Hell."

Chloe's eyebrows rose and she bit her lip. "Lucifer's here on Earth?"

"Yes, he is. Amenadiel cannot know that I have been here with you and the girls all this time."

"I don't understand. Why is that a bad thing, Remi? I mean your Father knows where you've been over the last ten months. He doesn't seem to care, so why would Amenadiel?"

"My Father is very good at keeping secrets, Chloe. I have been lying to my older brother for months neglecting my duties in the Silver City."

"What have you been telling him?"

"I have told him that I am training for the final battle."

Chloe frowned and cocked her head. "What final battle? Wait, the final battle in Revelations? Please tell me that my two daughters aren't in danger, Remi."

"Rory and Trixie are safe for now, Chloe. Humans have been misinterpreting Father's words for centuries. But Amenadiel despises Lucifer, and he would use any means to get our brother back into Hell."

"Are you saying he'd hurt Rory and Trixie?"

"No, Amenadiel would never break Father's rule. We are forbidden from killing any human."

"But you think he'd still find a way to use them against Lucifer if he found out about them."

"Yes, I know he would. When he has returned to the Silver City, I will return to all of you and will resume my duty as the girls' protector."

"Where are you planning to go?"

"I will go to the place neither of my brothers would ever expect me to step foot in."

"You're going to hide down in Hell aren't you?"

"Yes, it is the best place for me to…lay low… I believe you mentioned those very words last week."

"Well, you aren't a bad guy, Remi. No matter what Amenadiel thinks," Chloe said, smiling.

"Thank you, Chloe. I will see you and the girls in a few days time."

"Please be careful down there and stay safe," Chloe said, releasing her hold on Remi's arms and taking a step backwards.

"I will," Remi promised.

Chloe watched the Archangel walk out of the beach house and sighed. She still couldn't believe how close they'd become over a few months' time. If she'd been told this ten months ago, she'd have told them to think again. She'd learned a lot from the warrior angel, but she knew no amount of training would help her defeat Amenadel in a fight. Seeing how afraid Remi was about Amenadiel coming to Earth, Chloe knew she'd have to keep a closer eye on her surroundings. At least she had the next two days to spend with the girls before she'd have to leave the girls with Mrs. Bergstrom.

She sat down at her desk and picked up her phone. Making the call, she was relieved when the older woman said she was able to watch after the girls on Monday. She eyed the box of paperwork again after hanging up her phone, narrowed her eyes, and dug in with a new purpose in mind. There had to be something among them to explain how Jess carried then gave birth to a little girl that wasn't her own. If there was, she was going to find it.

Hours later once Rory and Trixie were asleep for the evening, Chloe stared at the document she held in her trembling hand. It was a consent form signed by a Chloe Decker, but the signature wasn't her own. She reread the document for the hundredth time still in shock the fertility clinic fell for the forgery. The document had been drafted by Jessica Wheeler, and according to the letterhead was a Family Attorney at Wheeler & Associates. Why had Dan lied about what kind of attorney Jess was? Was he in on her insane plan?

I Chloe Jane Decker do hereby authorize Los Angeles IVF to release my remaining frozen embryos into the custody of my attorney Jessica Wheeler for donation to another couple of my choosing.

Included with this authorization is the court decree showing proof of my divorce from Daniel Espinoza made final on June 11th, 2007…

Chloe felt sick to her stomach. This document took planning and time to develop and implement. Her doctor never told her how many embryos had been viable for freezing after she got pregnant on the first attempt. All she knew for sure was there had been some left. What happened to the rest after Jess got pregnant? Were they still frozen somewhere or did Jess destroy them once she got pregnant?

Did Dan get cold feet and back out of the plan after Jess died? His words to her that fateful day made more sense now after reading this forged document. But what was the plan to begin with? And how many people were involved in it besides Jess and Dan? She'd have to wait until Monday to confront Dan. This was a conversation that needed to be done in person and not over the phone.

~~~

"Hey, Decker, how was your weekend?"

"It was eye opening, Malcolm. How was yours?"

"Very productive," Malcolm said, grinning like a cat who just ate the canary.

"That's great, Malcolm. Have you seen Dan this morning?"

"Yeah, Dano is over by the coffee machine getting a cup of Joe. How's those two girls of yours doing?"

"They're good, thanks Malcolm," Chloe said, pushing past the annoying cop. She walked up to Dan grabbing his arm and pulling him which sloshed the hot coffee in his mug.

"What the hell, Chloe!"

"Why did you lie to me, Dan?"

"What are you talking about?"

"The day I met Jess, you told me the affair started two weeks after I got pregnant with Rory. but that was a lie. When did it actually start?"

"It never started, Chloe."

"What?"

"Do you really want to do this here in front of everyone?" Dan's eyes narrowed as he glared at her.

Chloe opened her mouth then closed it. She wanted to say it didn't matter where they had their fight. It wouldn't be long before the gossip mill continued their whisper campaign behind her back. But this fight was different. It held a lot of illegal implications that could end Dan's career. As much as she wanted to say Karma was a bitch and he deserved every punishment under the sun, she couldn't bring herself to do it.

"We've got an hour before we have to clock in. Let's go to the coffee shop down the street."

"Fine," Dan said, pouring out the black sludge in his mug.

The moment they walked out of the precinct Chloe pounced. "When did the affair start, Dan?"

"I told you it never started," Dan snapped.

"Explain that to me," Chloe said, glaring over at Dan as they walked down the street.

"I cheated on Jess with you, not the other way around."

"What?"

"Jess and I were married when I met you."

"And that explains why you wanted to go to Vegas. You wanted to elope with me so that it was under the table and not interfere with your legal marriage. Did you actually love me?"

"No, I never loved you, Chloe."

Chloe bit her lip and slowly nodded her head. "So, I was nothing more than another notch on your bedpost."

Dan laughed and shook his head. "I wouldn't call what we did in bed a very fun experience for me, since you never really rocked my world."

Chloe seethed in anger, but she held it back. She couldn't lose her cool yet. She still needed information from him. "How much did Jess know?"

"She knew about it from the beginning. It was her idea actually," Dan said, giving her a cruel smile.

Her hand flew then, connecting with Dan's face. "Which part was her idea, Dan? The part where you charmed and seduced me into your bed, or the part to steal my fertilized embryos?"

"Your fertilized embryos…what are you talking about?"

"Stop lying to me, Daniel!"

"I'm…"

Chloe grabbed his arm and yanked him backwards. "Do not finish that lie, Daniel! You just told me you were married to Jess from the beginning. So, what was the plan to ensure I went to the fertility clinic?"

Dan glared at her anger flashing in his blue eyes. "I had a vasectomy done right before we went to Vegas. I had been contacted by an organization who was very interested in you right before we met. They offered me two million dollars if I could secure some of your eggs for them. They never said why they wanted them or for what purpose. I didn't ask either because frankly I didn't give a shit what they did with them once they got them."

"You found me because of them."

"Yeah, they contacted me again after I agreed to the offer. They told me where I could 'run' into you. Jess didn't like the idea of me possibly getting you pregnant, so she insisted I have the vasectomy. And when you suggested IVF I agreed without any argument. It was a perfect plan. Jess drafted the consent form and forged your name, then got one of her dirty judges to sign off on 'our' divorce."

"But she changed her mind and decided she wanted to keep one of my eggs."

"She did," Dan said, a sneer on his lips. "I told her we still had time to have a kid of our own, and that's when she told me she couldn't have kids. Her plumbing worked, but her eggs were no good."

"And you were willing to steal my child from me just because your wife wanted to be a mother! No, excuse me, she wanted to carry a baby! My God, Dan, you could have adopted a baby and Jess could have been a surrogate for someone else instead of attempting to steal my daughter!"

"Trixie wouldn't even be here had it not been for Jess and me, Chloe! Think about that!"

"You don't know that for…" Chloe paused as the weight of his words hit her like a punch to the gut. He was right. By Jess taking her remaining fertilized eggs from the clinic, there wouldn't have been any for her to use to create Trixie. "Where are the rest of my fertilized eggs, Dan?"

"I don't know."

"What the hell do you mean you don't know?"

"I don't know, Chloe! After I delivered the cooler, I took my cash and left. I told you I didn't care what happened to them once the cooler was out of my hand. Why are you so mad about it now anyway? I gave Trixie to you after Jess died!"

"But had she not died Dan, the two of you would have kept my daughter from me!" Until her wings appeared then there was no telling what they would have done with her.

"But she did die and you have Trixie, so get off my fucking back, Chloe." he turned away from her pulling his arm out of her loose grip and began to walk away.

Chloe reached for his arm again, locking her hand around his wrist trying to get him to look at her again. "Hey, what were the details of the deal?"

"I don't remember, Chloe. That was over three years ago," Dan growled, yanking his wrist out of her grasp. "The only one who'd know the details died on March 1, 2008," Dan spat over his shoulder as he answered his ringing phone.

Chloe let him go as her tears finally started to fall as she turned around and walked in the opposite direction. It was almost time for her to punch in, and she needed to freshen up before she did. Once she left the bathroom, she clocked in and walked through the bullpen only to see the lab techs scrambling with their gear. A body must have dropped if everyone was running around like chickens without their heads. And that's what Dan's phone call must have been about since he was a newly promoted detective in the department. How many people did he have to bribe to get the promotion she wondered as an African American walked up to her desk wearing dark sunglasses and a red Angels ball cap.

"You see, I respect the rule of human law. Which is why I'm seeking your assistance in a matter of utmost importance. A robbery has occurred."

Chloe glanced at the man in front of her from his head to the top of the…was that swimming trunks…and shook her head. She turned sighing as she reached for the clipboard before facing the man again. She was not in the mood for this bullshit. "Okay, what was stolen?"

The man leaned forward and lowered his voice. "My necklace."

Chloe dropped her gaze to the form to keep from rolling her eyes. What was so special about this necklace? Was it supposed to be a secret, and that was why he'd whispered his answer to her? She wrote his answer down on the form and glanced up for the next question. "The estimated value?"

"It's hard to say really. Ah, it's not of this world. So, there's that." He paused for a moment then nodded his head. "Priceless beyond measure," he replied.

Chloe bit her lip and nodded her head. "I'll just put forty dollars. Where did the incident occur?"

"In an alley south of Kangunaga and Franklin."

"Kawanga," Chloe corrected him.

"Kangunaga and Franklin…now, this thief was armed and…oh yes, I made a rendering. And I do believe that this should help you with your quest."

Chloe took the folded paper from him and unfolded it. "So, a Jack O'Lantern stole your necklace?"

"So, you know this man. Where can I find this Mr. O'Lantern?"

She leaned back on her heels sizing up the man before her. Why did she have this feeling they'd met before? "You know it's a crime to file a false report…right?"

The man didn't seem to appreciate her concern and snatched the crude drawing from her hand. "You think I would lie?"

"What?" Chloe glanced down hearing her cell phone ring. "Sorry, excuse me for just two seconds. Mrs. Bergstrom, is everything alright with the girls?"

"Hello, Chloe, I'm afraid Mrs. Bergstrom is permanently unavailable to babysit these two very beautiful girls of yours."

Chloe froze, panic gripping her heart. Who was this man on the other end of the line? Had he hurt Rory or Trixie? She glanced up surprised to see her robbery reporter was still standing at the desk, but now he no longer looked relaxed. His body language told her he was focused solely on her and her phone call. She dropped her gaze, focusing on the man who had her precious girls.

"Please, don't hurt them. They're just babies."

"Oh, I have no intention of harming a single hair on either Nephilim's head…yet."

"What…" Chloe quickly cleared her throat and tried again. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't mess with me, Chloe," the man growled. "We both know just how special and unique Rory and Trixie are. This is a first in human history. You should be honored, Chloe. Perhaps history will give you a name just like it has with my own family." The man chuckled but to Chloe it sounded more like nails on a chalkboard.

"What are you talking about? Where are my daughters?"

"Oh, they're sitting right here beside me. And you know what I'm talking about. I know you are in the know when it comes to all things Celestial. You've known about it for a very long time."

Chloe glanced at the man standing at the desk. Even though he was still wearing the sunglasses, Chloe's gut told her he was getting angry. His jaw muscle ticked and his hands clenched into tight fists. She remembered Amenadiel stood like that…well, they were in the air when she saw him clench his hands into fists just as the man was doing right then. Was this man before her Amenadiel?

"Okay, yes, you're right. I do know about Celestials," Chloe said, locking her blue eyes on the man at the desk while the words tumbled from her lips. "And yes, you're right about Rory and Trixie, but they're still babies. They can't do anything more than any other toddler their age."

"That's where you're wrong, Chloe. And I'm looking forward to discovering exactly what they can do."

Chloe's hand clenched into a fist, her anger overriding her fear. "If you hurt them, I swear to God I will find you and…"

"And you'll what, Chloe…kill me? Please, if I can't succeed in killing myself after a millennia of trying, I know a puny mortal woman won't be able to. That's the whole point of being cursed with immortality I suppose. But I'm tired of watching friends and lovers grow old then die. I will do anything to be rid of this curse."

"They are just babies," Chloe insisted. "They can't free you from your curse. They don't have magic."

"They may not have the ability to weld magic, but they have Divinity running through their veins. If I have to pluck every feather from their backs, I will."

"Take me instead," Chloe pleaded. "Let Rory and Trixie go, and you can have me. I'm a…I'm a miracle from God, so maybe I can free you from your curse. I'll trade places with them."

"Just as any mother would," the man replied. "How about a deal, Chloe? I know just how much Rory and Trixie's father loves making them with us mortals."

Shit…how did he know who Rory and Trixie's father was? Had there been an inside person working at the fertility clinic? That would explain why they…no, he wanted the rest of her fertilized eggs. If he still had them, why did he kidnap Rory and Trixie?

"Yes, you're right. He does enjoy making deals with us, but I have a question for you. Why did you kidnap Rory and Trixie if you already had my fertilized eggs from the clinic? You'd have several Nephilims beside you."

"So, that cat is out of the bag it seems." He sighed and Chloe just caught the sound of a horn blowing off in the distance. "I did have two little Nephilims running around here, but in the blink of an eye they were gone."

"They're dead?" Chloe collapsed into a chair, her eyes filling with tears.

"No, they aren't dead, Chloe. They were stolen from me by their Grandfather. I guess he didn't like the idea of the First Murderer raising an army of half angels."

Oh, God, now he had Rory and Trixie. Was God going to step in again and steal them away too? If He did, she knew she'd never see them again until after she died. She knew He would take them to the Silver City where He took her other children. No, she wouldn't allow that to happen. She'd find a way to get to them even if she had to cut through the Gates of Heaven to do it. She quickly wiped away her tears and cleared her throat.

"You said you wanted to make a deal with me, First Murderer. I'm listening. What's the deal?"

"I want you to forge a couple of weapons for me, but it's not like any weapon you can make here on Earth. You'll need to be in Hell to forge what I want."

Her brain spun and she felt sick. Had she not already been sitting down, Chloe knew she'd have collapsed onto the floor. Hell…he wanted a hell forged blade. Why? "I'm not going to allow you to be near my daughters for decades just because you want a weapon from Hell."

"Oh, Chloe, you misunderstood me. I'm not waiting until you die to get my blades. No, as you said, you're a miracle. Which means when you die your soul will go straight to the Silver City. I want my blades now."

"But it's impossible for me to go to Hell. I'm not dead."

"Have you not heard of the stairway to Heaven?"

"Yes, it's a great song. What does that have to do with me going to Hell?"

"It's not just a song. It exists as do portals to Hell. You just have to know where they are."

"Okay, if you know where they are, why don't you do it yourself?"

"How stupid do you think I am, Chloe? My patience is wearing thin. Do we have a deal? I'll exchange Rory and Trixie for two Hell forged blades that you have forged. I'll know if you try to give me a demon blade."

Having heard that horn, Chloe knew the First Murderer was somewhere on the docks. But knowing where the girls were didn't help much, because it was still a huge location for her to search. Would she have enough time to find a way to get to Hell before the girls' kidnapper got tired of waiting on her to deliver his blades? She didn't know, but she wouldn't stop until she found a way to get to Hell.

"Yes, you have a deal. I'll find a way to get you your Hell forged blades. How do I contact you once I have them?"

"I'll contact you. I've been watching you for a very long time," he said, then the line went dead.

Chloe slowly pulled the silent phone from her ear. She looked up to find her robbery reporter gone. Damn it, she needed to find him. He did tell her where the robbery occurred, so that was as good of a place to start as any. She climbed to her feet, grabbed her jacket, and headed for the elevators. She shoved her hands into her jacket pockets and glanced around biting her lip as she walked toward her patrol car parked on the roof of the building. She reached her car and was about to open the door when she caught a reflection in the glass causing her to spin around.

"Where the hell did you go?" Chloe glared at the robbery reporter standing before her.

"I got tired of waiting for you to finish your phone call, so I left."

"No, that's not it. I know you were listening to every word I was saying. Where did you go?"

"I couldn't hear what you were saying. How could I?"

"I thought angels didn't lie. Isn't it a sin against your Father or something?"

"My Father…angels…I don't know who you think I am, but you're very mistaken, Officer Decker," he said, reading her name tag. "I just came to report my necklace stolen."

"Yeah…I don't believe you. This is what I think. You heard me when I told my daughters' kidnapper that I knew about Celestials. It wasn't until that moment I recognized you. What I don't know is why you didn't recognize me when you walked up to my desk this morning…Amenadiel."

He opened his mouth then closed it, his shoulders slumped as he sighed. "I did recognize you, Chloe. I was just hoping you didn't recognize me."

"I never saw your face before today. I think your Father didn't want me to see either you or Lucifer until I was meant to. So, if you thought I hadn't recognized you, what were you about to do?"

Amenadiel slowly removed his sunglasses with one hand and gently touched her shoulder with his other. "I was going to offer you my assistance. I'm still offering you my assistance. I heard you call the kidnapper the First Murderer. What does Cain want with your daughters?"

Chloe took a deep breath and slowly released it. Remi had been very adamant that Amenadiel would use Rory and Trixie against Lucifer in order to get what he wanted. Could she trust him? He had been there for her two out of the three times she needed saving, and not once had she sensed any danger from him. But this was a totally different matter entirely as the girls weren't the offspring of just any angel in Heaven. They were Lucifer's daughters, and Amenadiel wasn't on good terms currently with his brother.

"They're Nephilims…which I know you also heard me mention to Cain. And I'm sure you've figured out who their father is by now. If you even think about using them against Lucifer, I swear to your Father I will make you regret hurting them. Angel or not, my girls are just innocent babies who will not be a part of your conflict with Lucifer. Do I make myself clear?" Even though Amenadiel had his hand on her arm, Chloe took a small step forward invading his personal space.

Amenadiel raised a single eyebrow, swallowed hard, then nodded his head. "I give you my word Chloe, I will not harm your daughters. I also will not involve them in my war with Lucifer. You have nothing to fear from me. All I want to do is retrieve my necklace and help you save your daughters from Cain."

"All right," Chloe said, taking a step backwards nodding her head. "Now, why would Cain want my daughters? He mentioned something about a curse of immortality."

"Yes, my Father tasked me with marking Cain after he murdered his brother Able. What does he want from you? I know it has something to do with Hell."

"Yes, he wants me to go to Hell and forge him two blades. Once I do that he'll exchange Rory and Trixie for them. So, if you could just fly me down to Hell that'd be great."

"Chloe, I'm sorry, but that's not possible."

"Why?"

"You're a living soul. You wouldn't survive the trip. I won't risk your life like that. I'm sorry. We'll have to come up with another way."

"Then we have a problem, Amenadiel. I will find a way to get to Hell whether you help me or not."