It was turning dark and Monica glanced at the clock. She would be able to leave in five minutes. Then she would look for Tess again. Suddenly a voice inside of her told her not too. Could God, perhaps, be telling her that Tess did need to be alone? Monica wasn't sure. Her love for her supervisor blocked out the voice. She would find her supervisor, even if led up to disobeying God. What? Did she just think that? What was happening to her mind?

"Monica?" Gloria asked from her spot at the computer. "It's six o' clock. Shouldn't you be leaving?"

"Yes, Gloria. I'm on my way out," the Irish angel said and grabbed her coat.

"I'll just be here ten more minutes. I'm almost done with installing this program," Gloria told her supervisor. Monica nodded and smiled. Then, leaving the building, she totally forgot about her assignment that sat at the front desk, about to leave too.

Monica's eyes pierced the dark streets with wonder. Where could Tess have gone? She was going to find her. It bothered her to think of her supervisor in pain.

"Monica?" a voice behind her asked. Monica whirled around and her eyes light up with delight. Andrew stood there, dressed in jeans and a black leather coat.

"Andrew!" the Irish angel exclaimed. She ran to embrace her friend. He had been gone for over a month. "I missed you," she said softly.

Andrew leaned down and planted a quick kiss on her forehead.

"I missed you too. I shouldn't be back yet, but…" his words trailed off. "Where's Tess?"

"I'm looking for her," Monica replied. Her voice wavered in fear. "Something's wrong with her, Andrew."

"I know, Monica. The Father told us not to pursue her so let's just stay put until we get word…"

"Andrew!" Monica cried. "I am going to find her. She's my…our supervisor and I love her a lot. I'm not about to let anything bad happen to her. And she's going through something terrible and alone. If something were bothering me she'd do the same."

"Not if God instructed her not to, Monica," Andrew told his friend. He peered deeply into her brown eyes until he saw the realization in them.

"Okay," Monica promised.

"Now, why don't I go get Gloria and we can all go get a bit to eat," Andrew suggested. Just then Amy walked out of the office.

"Monica," she said. "You forgot your purse." she handed the angel a small black bag.

"Oh, thank you, Amy," Monica cried. She placed the bag around her shoulder and smiled. Amy nodded and started walking towards a blue car.

"Who's she?" Andrew asked after a moment.

"Oh, my goodness, Andrew," Monica gasped. "I forgot all about her. She's my assignment!"

"Then you better get to work, Angel Girl, Tess would not be happy if she found out about this."

"Something must be getting in the way of my thoughts," Monica proposed.

"Like Tess?" Andrew asked with a worried look on his face. "Monica, I'm sure everything is going to be all right."

"I know it will, but nothing like this has ever happened to Tess. She acts like she hardly knows me. It's like she's so far away from us."

"Maybe that's a sign that she needs to be alone. Say, I have to leave again tomorrow. My assignment in France isn't quite finished. I just stopped by to say hi on the over from California."

"My, you sure get around a lot, Andrew," Monica remarked.

"Yeah, being an angel of death isn't so bad after all."

"Have fun," Monica told her friend. He put his arm around her and smiled.

"I will."

Monica and he walked down the street and back into the building where they got Gloria. The three angels strolled down the park to where they caught sight of Amy. She sat all alone on a park bench. Her blond hair blew freely in front of her face. Monica told her two friends that she would go talk to Amy.

"Hello," the Irish angel said.

Amy looked up a bit startled. She smiled when she saw Monica.

"Hey, Monica. What are you doing here?" she asked. "It's such an icky day today. The sky is turning dark and the air is muggy."

"I'm just with two of my friends. You know Gloria," Monica said as she pointed to Andrew and Gloria who sat on two swings.

"Yeah, she's your secretary. Who's he?"

"My friend Andrew," Monica said. "We sometimes work together."

"Boyfriend?" Amy inquired.

"Oh, no. Just a friend," Monica prompted with a laugh. "Would you like to join us?"

"No thanks. I'm fine. I was just leaving, actually. I'll see you tomorrow though."

"You have a good attitude when you're not in work," Monica laughed.

"That place gives me a headache. Sorry if I acted grumpy today. Long day."

"I see," Monica said with her Irish accent. "Well, have a nice evening."

"I'll try," Amy replied. She stood up and walked towards her car.

Monica started towards her two friends when someone stopped her.

"Hello, Monica," the voice chanted.

"Who are you?" she asked in a scared tone. Behind her stood a man dressed all in black. He took her hand and shook it even though Monica had no intentions of doing so.

"Just call me Vern," the haunting voice replied.

"Do I know you from somewhere, Vern?" she asked, her Irish accent shaking.

"No, but I know you."

"Excuse me?"

Just then Andrew glanced up and saw the black figure talking to Monica. Instantly he stood up and started to run towards the two.

"I guess you just don't get it, Monica. I've come for you. Someone calls your name and I'm his messenger," Vern said in an icy tone.

"I don't understand," a scared angel said.

Before Monica could say anymore, Vern grabbed her hand and jerked her towards him. She struggled to escape from the strong grasp that was withholding her tightly. Now she understood when she looked into the eyes.

"Monica!" Andrew cried. He tried to entangle Vern's hands from Monica's wrist but Vern's grasp was so tight that Andrew became exhausted.

"Vern, let go of her!"

"No, Andrew, I can't do that. I won't give up that easily this time," he complied. "This isn't like last time."

Just then Vern picked up Monica and ran with her faster and faster each time a foot touched the ground. His face carried a dark smirk. Andrew threw himself on top of the man in black. Monica rolled out of Vern's arms and struggled to stand up. Andrew and Vern fought on the ground. Monica gasped as Andrew laid a fist to Vern's cheek.

"Andrew, no!" Monica screamed. Neither one of the men listened. Gloria came running up behind Monica and wrapped her arms around her supervisor, trying to comfort her.

"Monica," she breathed. "We need to…" Suddenly both Gloria and Monica felt tight arms engage their bodies. Two muscular men easily pushed Monica and Gloria to the ground. Andrew, just realizing that someone else had his two friends jumped up and ran towards the two men. He tried to push his way through to the kicking and screaming angels but couldn't. He was outnumbered. There was no way he could. Suddenly the two men, Vern, and Monica disappeared in a dark light. Gloria, crying loudly lay on the park ground, beaten badly. Andrew reached down and touched her arm and all the bruises healed in an instant. The helpless angel looked up at the angel of death, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"A…Andrew," she stuttered. "They took her with them. Mon…Monica is g…gone."

Andrew began to cry to. Then he looked at his hand and realized that he had just laid his hands on Vern. He had fought with someone. Fighting was never the answer. What had come over him?

"Andrew," Gloria cried. She sat up slowly and Andrew wrapped his arms around her and they both sobbed. Andrew held her tightly. His blond hair blew in front of his eyes and stuck to his tear stained cheeks. Monica had just been captured by evil.