Escape
Ella's jaw, which was already open, seemed to drop even further down when she saw the beautiful gold-patterned wings of Gabriel. His feathers shone not quite as white as Lucifer's, but the streaked gold made them glitter like a water surface. Banned, Ella unconsciously moved towards Gabriel.
With a huge leap Gabriel flew forward, Lucifer acted likewise. The two angels met at a height of five meter and Chloe saw only a tangle of feathers.
Concurrently, Dan leaped forward and knocked Ella to the floor. The mighty wing of Gabriel rushed over them only inches away. From a distance, the feathers looked very fluffy, but Dan's feeling should prove true. Above them was emerged a sound like thousand knives scraping against each other.
In addition to the noise, the aerial combat also caused a hell of a wind, which enveloped the gravel roof in a cloud of dust. The three involuntary witnesses crouched on the ground, dazed, their arms crossed protectively above their heads. After a few minutes the dust finally settled and Chloe peered cautiously into the sky. However, there was no sign of the two angels.
For protection, Chloe and the others moved back towards the windows. Now that their companion and his brother had turned out to be celestial beings, it seemed most sensible to seek shelter in a building.
„DOWN!", she heard Dan shout and instinctively flattened herself on the ground.
Not a second too late. Several projectiles shot past her like gun shots and got stuck in the wall in front of her. As Chloe turned, she saw gold-rimmed feathers stuck in the wall like blades. Some of them still vibrating through the power of the impact.
Worried, she searched for Lucifer.
He just fled from of his brother who flew close behind him, hurling a swarm of razor-sharp feathers after him. Chloe would have cried out if she wouldn't have been so fascinated by Lucifer's defensive maneuvers. In the middle of the flight, he spun around at an insane speed, his wings wrapped around him like a cocoon. The missiles bounced off of his shiny white armor and were deflected by the turn. The feathers behind her on the wall must have found their way to them through something similar.
„Quickly, get to the station before more duds meet us!", exclaimed Dan, who had already climbed halfway over a broken window. Ella and Chloe hurried after him.
When Dan tried to help Ella over the shards she made a sharp scream. At first, Chloe thought she had hurt herself, but the scream sounded more baffled than painful, and her widened eyes were focused on one point behind Dan. As Chloe stood behind Ella, a delighted scream escaped her, too.
„Damn it, what are you three still doing here?"
Dan spun around. It couldn't be. This voice…
„Lieutenant!", Ella squeaked in delight. „How is that possible?" She stormed toward him and buried him in a heartfelt embrace. „He slit your throat…I saw you die…. Oh, I'm so sorry! But how... Are you an angel, too?", she asked with wide, admiring eyes, eyeing Pierce an arm's length away.
"Ha", snorted Pierce, shaking his head with a sad smile. „Miss Lopez, I'm about as far from being an angel as Lucifer is from celibate."
Ella inclined her head questioningly. Her gaze remained on the blood-covered wound that showed on the lieutenant's neck. But it wasn't fresh blood. As if in reflex, Ella's hand jerked forward and brushed the blood aside, Pierce winced. But on his neck only a narrow, already fading scar came to light.
„How is that ...", began Ella, startled.
„I'll explain later", interposed Pierce, „but first; where is Lucifer? Gabriel didn't beat him, did he?"
As if on command, all three shook their heads and pointed into the sky behind them.
Pierce's mouth tightened into a narrow line. „That explains the angelic commentary from earlier..."
„…but not why you three are still here." He turned back to the pleased but confused friends.
„We wanted to be gone long ago", Dan started, „but somehow the two brawlers always block the way!"
„Brawlers!", chided Chloe with a smile, „Don't let those two murderous angels of death hear that, or they might…Wait, where are you going?"
Pierce had pushed past them without comment and ran down the roof.
His destination; a panting Gabriel, standing in a dust-fog in front of a half-kneeling Lucifer. Both looked as if they had fallen into a shredder. A wing of Lucifer hung strangely limp. His head slid exhausted on his chest.
„No…", Chloe breathed, then she ran too.
