11:00am

Cedael was walking through the cemetary. His head was down. Suddenly, he looked up.

Gabriel sat on the well. "Hi, Cedael. It's been a while."

Cedael shook his head. "Not long enough. So, you found me. What do
you want?"

Gabriel jumped down. "Only what's mine. Heaven. Either I keep my high rank above humans, or they stay out. Can't have it both ways. Look..I know you're with Danyael. How many are here?"

"I can't."

Gabriel stepped forward. "You will. I promise, it won't hurt..much. Tell me where and how many, and I'll make it quick. Tell me!"

The younger one ran past him. "Sorry, can't!!" He vaulted over the well and continued towards the trees.

The seraph sighed. "Damn. Hate it when this happens." He took off after him, but he could see that Cedael was gaining speed. Gabriel opened his coat. The coat became wings and he soared into the air. Gabriel landed silently on the high limb of a tree. He looked down. There were trees, huge boulders..and two boys. "Ahh. Mark and Henry, young monkeys." He noticed that they fired a crossbow--which looked hand-made--at a tree.
Mark was trying to get a bolt out.

Gabriel sighed. "Come on, Cedael. I'm waiting." He folded his wings,
they became his trench coat once more.

Below, Mark yelled excitedly, "Hey, what a great shot!" He was trying to pull the bolt out of the trunk.

Henry nodded. "Yeah..but the sight's not right yet."

Then, Cedael walked by the tree.

The boys looked up.

"Shh, quiet. Anyone else here?"

Mark said, "Just us."

The angel sniffed. "No. He's here."

Henry asked, "Who? Who's here?"

Cedael replied, "*Him*! The enemy.." As he looked up, he saw it was too late.

Gabriel jumped down, using both feet to land on the angel's shoulders.

Cedael was immediately on his back, with Gabriel standing on him. "Ughhhh...."

Gabriel walked off and pulled him to his feet. "Time's a wasting, Cedael. Get down to business. How many?!"

Mark gasped, "YOU. What are you doing-"

Gabriel held a hand up. "Shh. Doesn't concern you." He grabbed his
enemy and flung him against the tree. Then he punched him repeatedly,
each strike knocking his adversary to the big rocks.

Cedael tripped on a branch and fell. He got up slowly.

Gabriel picked him up, holding him above the bolders. Then, he threw him down on the rocks.

"Aghhhhh!!! Punk!"

"Don't want to tell me, huh? That's too bad." He bent over, opening Cedael's jacket. "Have it your way..give me your heart."

Henry pulled the cable back on his crossbow. He put a bolt in the shaft.

Mark asked Henry, "Hey, what are you doing?"

Henry answered, "Have to. He's going to kill that man." He fired.

The bolt flew into Gabriel's thigh. "Aghh!! Fool!" His trumpet fell out of his coat, landing in between the stones. He got up, taking the bolt out. He walked towards the boys. He pointed at Henry. "Now, *this* is going to really hurt."

Henry put another one in and pulled the lever back. He fired a shot.

"Ooof! You.." It went into his chest, putting him on his back.

Mark looked at his cousin in shock. "My God..you killed him! I can't believe this."

But it wasn't over. Cedael rose to his feet, some of his strength returning. He whispered, "I better get out of here." He ran over the rocks, to the road. Not looking back. He continued to sprint.

Gabriel sat up. He pulled the blood-covered bolt out of him. He slowly got up, running to the boys. Before the armed boy could prepare the weapon again, he swatted it away, knocking it to the ground. He looked behind him.

Cedael was gone.

Gabriel pointed a finger at Henry, who was very surprised to see him walking. "Pest. You just cost me five minutes..but I'll find him. This isn't over, boy. You have NO idea what's happening around you." He walked on, headed after the other angel.

Mark looked up. "Weird. He jumped down from up there..so high. He
didn't even sprain himself. And that bolt. You shot him, Henry. Twice! It would've killed somebody."

Henry nodded. "I know. It should have. But he forgot something." He walked over to the rocks, followed by Mark. He picked up the instrument. "His trumpet. Oh..did you know him?"

"Yes. That's Gabriel. The man I told your parents about a couple nights ago."

"Hmm..Gabriel and his trump. So..Biblical." He laughed. "Isn't *that* amusing?"

"He should have stayed down. The bolts are bloody. But he still ran off unaffected. And his victim, he should have had some broken bones from the fall here. Yet he just got up and ran off, as if he'd merely slipped."

"Right..that's unusual. Mark, we should keep this a secret. Don't tell anyone. They wouldn't understand and they'd surely lock us up."

Mark agreed with that. "Okay. I won't tell them."

"Good. Come on. Let's go back home."

Mark nodded. That sounded like a good idea.