Chapter 11
By the time the afternoon rolled around, the entire household finally settled down. Andrew spent the past hour convincing Angel to come out of lockdown.
As she entered the living room, escorted by Andrew, Erik felt the need to chase Reece down and torture him lessen. The feeling was erased completely as Angel sat at his side upon the couch. "Hi." She meekly spoke as their eyes met.
"Hi, yourself." He slinked his arm around her and pulled her close. Angel eagerly scooted closer as Marie entered the room carrying a tray.
"I took the liberty to whip you up something filling."
Finn reached over and handed Angel first the bowl of soup. Her first bite made her realize how hungry she was. She had barely eaten breakfast, skipped lunch totally and would miss dinner with the 'family' later on—since she would be off on set.
"Thanks." She genuinely smiled, settling the room much deeper into relief that things were fine now. "I feel silly eating dinner with you all watching me." Angel chuckled before shoving another spoonful of chicken soup into her mouth.
"What time do you leave, Angel?" Meg sat up on her knees. Rehearsal went really well for her today. She felt really confident that she'd have the whole show memorized by opening night. She had only a few mishaps during Act 3.
"A couple hours." Angel looked curiously at her friend. "Why?"
"Well, I figured we could all play a board game. We don't get moments like these…at least not lately."
"Meg, that's a wonderful idea." Erik beamed.
"What do you suggest, Meg?" Angel continued as she ate.
"Something fun like…" Meg fell into thought.
"Well, I know it's slightly childish, but how about Chutes N Ladders?" Finn suggested. Meg lit up brightly. Just then, Tobias's cell rang.
"Sorry, count me out." He got up and left the room—deciding to take this call in the backyard. Meg quickly left the room and retrieved the game.
"Ok…so then it's me, Father Rashad, Father Keirnan, Angel, Erik and Mum." Meg took note.
"No, dear…I'll just watch. I'm not much for games." Marie shook her head.
"Ok, then that's five of us then." Meg said again. They each chose their color and the game began.
Tobias moved to the opposite edge of the yard, far enough from the door and positioned in a way so that no one could sneak up to him.
"Hello?" He answered, theorizing who the caller was.
"Bennett?" A feminine voice responded.
"This is Father Bennett." Tobias leaned against a tree.
"I was to contact you on behalf of Mr. Atkins. My name is Claire." The caller identified herself and her reason for calling.
"Ah, great! So you'll tell me what I need to do?"
"Yes, Father Bennett." Claire then proceeded straight into the details, "I hope you've planned to attend the after-show party for Skywalker."
"Yes, of course I'll be there." He replied, wondering what Skywalker had to do with how Reece was going to get Angel.
"Good. You'll be needed as a distraction for those that surround her."
That certainly got his attention. "What am I to do?"
"During one of the dances, a costumed figure shall interrupt her and her fiancée. This figure shall want to finish the dance with her."
"Let me guess. That's Reece?" Tobias was feeling giddy.
"Father, I would kindly wish for you to not interrupt. That isn't your place." Claire sternly warned him.
"Sorry."
"Now, as I was instructing…you'll lead the others on a wild goose chase in an opposite direction that the figure will be leading Angel. Do you think you can handle that?"
"Oh, yes of course. I shall not fail." Tobias quickly assured Claire.
"Good. Now you know you're role, you'll not be contacted any further until the day after opening night." Claire hung up without permission.
They had played a few games of Chutes N Ladders as Angel finished her early dinner. Soon it was time for her to leave. Erik was her choice of escort and despite his composition still in need of being completed, he didn't complain. Andrew took the opportunity to visit with Araphim and give him an update on what's happened so far. That left Finn and Tobias to stay behind with Meg and Marie.
Erik and Angel arrived on set with enough time to mingle with her co-stars within tonight's various scenes. However, minutes into the conversation, Pierre called Angel into his trailer office for a private meeting. That left Erik to handle the current conversation alone.
"Is something wrong, Pierre?" Angel sat down in the guest chair at his desk.
Pierre launched right into his reason for the meeting, "At first I thought this revelation was love for you, Angel, until I realized that it was something better."
She blinked in confusion, "I'm afraid I don't understand, Pierre."
Suddenly he was kneeling at her feet, "I'm to be a server—not a lover."
Angel jumped to her feet and backed away. She knew by server, he meant minion. "It would be a waste of your time, Pierre."
"Don't tell me you've already filled your servant quota!" He whined.
She frowned, "No. I just won't ever have a need for servants. Reece won't ever get me!"
"Ever?"
"Never!" Angel fumed. "No damn Prophecy is ever going to tear me from Erik." And with that, she stormed out.
Erik glanced up from the conversation in time to see Angel brush right past him. She had just wanted to film these scenes and return home with Erik, so she was already in 'work' mode.
The first scene they would film was to be set somewhat near the middle of the movie. As Sophie, Angel was to play a coy cat-and-mouse game with her co-star—the man who seduces her later. The second filmed scene would be set more towards the beginning. Sophie's seductive suitor would watch and observe her with other clubbers. The final scheduled club scene was set more towards the end of the movie, after Sophie's key seduction scene. For that scene, Sophie furiously intended to deny her feelings for her suitor by mingling exclusively with another—resulting in a large scale club brawl.
As Angel was finishing the second scene, a few fan girls approached Erik. The girls had seen Angel arrive with him, so they pestered him for an autograph from her. When he tried to ignore them, they turned on him with questions about his mask.
"Girls, girls!" A feminine voice broke into the situation. Erik glanced up, a flustered look on his face, and felt he knew the owner of the voice from somewhere. The woman joined him, but looked at the girls, "If you want an autograph, then wait for a meet and greet session like everyone else." The woman waved the girls away.
"Thanks." Erik breathed in relief.
"Don't worry about it."
Erik nodded. "Don't I know you from somewhere?"
The woman smiled, "Skywalker rehearsals…I'm one of the dancer girls with Meg."
Erik lit up in recognition, "Ah, of course. You're Meg's new friend. Claire...wasn't it?"
"Yes, that's right."
He turned and gave a nod to where Angel was occupied within the filming of the final scene for the night. "So what brings you here?"
"Consider me here to return the support." Claire smiled at his confused expression. "Oh, I mean since you both came to one of our rehearsals…"
"Ah, yes. Right." Erik smiled back. "That's very kind of you."
"Oh my god!!" A female's voice cried out.
The area fell silent then as an angry male voice bellowed, "Give me the girl and no one gets hurt!"
This isn't part of the scene. Erik remembered reading this part the script with Angel when they first received it. He looked over to see a crazed man holding the entire present cast and crew hostage with a loaded weapon. It was too real to be a scene prop.
The man snatched Angel's hand and pulled her to him. No one dared to intervene. When Erik attempted to make a move, Claire clutched his arm to hold him in place without giving away that she was in on this. Erik also saw Angel subtly shaking her head against his worried expression. "Which trailer is yours, pretty one?" The man snarled at her and then proceeded to lick his lips while eyeing her figure.
No! Erik thought wildly. Oh God no! He's going to rape her! In his panic, he forgot about Angel's prophetic power. Just as Erik was about to move again, he heard Angel's voice.
She laughed as if someone just told the world's funniest joke. "Pretty one?" Angel shook her head in amusement at the threat, "I don't believe I've been called that before." The moment that the man had announced his presence, Angel grew alarming furious at the interruption of filming. Her anger swelled quickly within her, making her unable to resist the public display of her abilities—especially against this man. Angel looked him dead in the eye, showing no fear of the gun he waved at her. "But I bet you say that to all the girls."
Claire managed to keep her amused grin tucked behind a frown, since she didn't want to appear suspicious. Master Atkins will be upset to have missed this.
The man nervously screamed at Angel again—hoping to scare her enough to do his wishes—yet she countered. Apparently the man wasn't told of her powers when Claire (on Reece's behalf) hired him to play out this little scene. But then again, it wasn't really common knowledge to ANYONE at this point—and Reece stated that he wanted her to expose herself. That's the only way, Claire. Just like when she was a child…the more she used it…got a taste of it…the more she wanted of it.
Within moments, Angel had the gun safely in her hands and the man kneeling at her feet. But as she turned to face Erik, the crowd around her caught her attention. They began kneeling or bowing, having also been affected by the power of her voice. She then realized that she had gotten carried away. Actually, for the moment, she had let it control her—allowing it to spread to the others around her instead of just focusing on the man who threatened her.
Pierre started to approach her then, "Yes! Yes!! Now you see! Now you all see!" He started crazily praising the crowd for their respectful bowing to Angel. Quickly he turned to Angel and gently clasped his hands around one of hers, "See how they await your command?! What is it that you wish for us to do, Your Highness?!"
Angel sharply pulled her hand free and stepped back once. Her eyes swept over the crowd and again she realized she had gone too far—but thankfully this crowd was rather small in size. "No. No. NO!" She fearfully shook her head. When Pierre attempted to bathe her in phrases she wished not to hear, she turned a cold glare at him, "ENOUGH! I'm not your Highness…I'll never be…" Quickly she turned to Erik, "Take me home."
The moment Angel was gone from the premises; everyone seemed to awaken from their stupor. Claire had already moved off from the scene and was already in contact with Reece. "You should have seen it, Sir. She is phenomenal. You were right! Even if she tried resisting at first, she soon had the whole crowd in her control." Claire walked back to her car as she listened to his reply. "Yes, I shall give you a full in person report upon my return." She hung up the phone, climbed into her car—driving away after starting her car.
When Angel had left that evening with Erik, Andrew visited Araphim to update him of Angel's situation.
"You had an encounter with him at the park earlier?" Araphim was surprised at Reece's boldness. Andrew nodded in confirmation. "Did she warn you in time?"
Andrew knew that Araphim referred to her sensory ability, "Just barely—yet still too late. Before we had a chance to react, she was in his arms."
"Oh good Heavens!" Araphim was apparently flustered by the revelation. "Is this why you visited me? To inform me that you lost her to him?!"
"Oh no, Your Grace…on the contrary, he let her go within moments and left willingly."
Araphim blinked in confusion, "He did?"
Andrew nodded, "It's odd. Every attempt he's made towards a chance at her, he retreated so quickly."
Araphim leaned forward and clasped his fingers together, "Reece and I go back a long time, Andrew."
"Angel mentioned that." Andrew interrupted.
"What did she tell you?"
"Just a light mention that you were the one that got her away from him."
Araphim nodded to Andrew's answer, "Yes…I kept tabs on them during the eight years he trained her. I stayed to the side for as long as possible, but I had seen too many subtle acts from him to her and knew I had to get her away."
"Do you think maybe he's got a plan of sorts?"
"I know he does. It wouldn't be like him to not have a plan." Araphim sighed and rubbed his temple. "Skywalker opens the day after tomorrow, right?"
"Yes, on the 2nd." Andrew replied.
"Good. Then tomorrow I shall join you for dinner. It will be nice to see her again."
"As you wish, Your Grace."
Finn had teamed up with Marie and they both stared on making dinner. Meanwhile, Tobias and Meg kept each other company as they watched a holiday movie. "On Sunday, after Skywalker's opening night, Angel and I are going to get as much Christmas shopping done as possible." Meg began one of their many conversations during the movie.
"Dinner is ready, you two." Marie saved Tobias from heartbreakingly revealing not only his traitorous ways, but the fact that Meg's planned shopping trip would never happen. To him, it was even foolish to consider it wishful thinking. Andrew arrived home as they made their way to the dining room.
"Father Keirnan, how did the meeting with Chancellor Cheyvon go?" Finn greeted his friend as they all sat down.
"It went well, Father Rashad. But I merely informed him about the past few encounters with Reece." Andrew turned to Marie then, "Ah, Marie, Chancellor Cheyvon shall be joining us for dinner tomorrow."
"Of course. We would love to have his company." Marie replied with a nod as she passed a bowl of corn to Meg.
"He wants to visit Angel, doesn't he?" Finn asked.
"Are you going to tell Angel?" Tobias added.
Andrew glanced over to Tobias, however, directed his reply to both of them, "Either tonight or tomorrow morning. She might be too exhausted when she gets home."
"Do you think she'll want to see him?" Finn recalled the night she ran away as a teen. That was something that shared with the entire Sanction—especially, when years later she began turning up on theatre screens everywhere.
"I don't know, Father Rashad. She hasn't really expressed much about her personal feelings of him." Soon the conversation for the remainder of dinner fell into casualty.
Reece invited Claire to join him for a private dinner. Once they sat down, he eagerly awaited for her report.
"As you requested, I hired a willing random fan of hers to just walk right on set during a scene and act crazed." Claire began. "He came right on cue, but apparently thought to take the whole ordeal a bit further."
"How so?" Reece asked more out of curiosity than alarm.
"Let's just say the poor fool thought he could score with her."
Reece burst into laughter, "And what did my sweet Angel do?"
"At first she seemed totally pissed at the interruption, but after he called her Pretty One, she burst into laughter exactly as you had done. I think it made him a bit mad."
"That's my girl. No fear."
"Exactly." Claire nodded. "She looked him straight in the eye and soon had him on his knees before her. But the moment I saw others kneeling as well, I knew I had to leave."
Reece understood. Claire might have been unknowingly exposed had she stuck around. "Ah, good job then, Claire. I see a little bonus for you on the holiday."
"Thank you, Sir." She smiled at him and Reece gladly returned it.
Next Chapter Soon