Chapter 27: To Vega

The night had been quiet in the desert, as the stars moved above in the cloudless sky. The road had been mostly uneventful, with a smattering of abandoned cars here and there, some which had been burnt to a crisp. It wasn't surprising to him, as he had seen much worse wreckage past the walls of Vega. The eightballs and humans alike had destroyed so much outside the settlement walls.

Alex glanced over at Noma who had fallen asleep as they drove towards Vega. She was curled up in her seat and looking beautiful as always. It had been difficult convincing him to drive to Vega, but she made a good point. Flying into the settlement would only start an all-out war, with the two of them as the only casualties. They would be immediately shot out of the sky, or at the very least met with a full Archangel Corps "welcome party." Alex had shouted and almost put his fist through a wall before he finally agreed with her. All he could do was think about Claire and their unborn child at the mercy of one of Gabriel's acolytes. Noma had held fast though, threatening to leave him at the hotel altogether if he didn't calm down.

Alex sighed as he looked at the road in front of him, the headlights illuminating only so far ahead of the truck. He regretted losing his temper. There was actual fear this time that Noma displayed for the briefest of moments. It wasn't lost on him. At that very second, he reined himself in. Something had changed in him and he knew it, but he didn't want her to be afraid of him. He would never do anything to hurt her or jeopardize her safety.

As a compromise, she agreed to fly at least half way there, knowing how much was at stake. Finding a working truck had been a whole other challenge, eating up more time and ratcheting his fear for Claire even higher. He had been quiet and not the most pleasant to be around for the past day or so. And yet Noma had been patient still, trying hard to distract him. As much as he had railed against the slow progression towards their destination, he had to admit that it had given him a lot of time to think. And perhaps just enough time to prepare himself for what was coming.

In the distance, Alex could see the sky slowly brightening, as the sun got closer to the horizon. Daybreak would be along soon.

~~~**D**~~~

"You should slow down, Alex," Noma suggested, lightly putting her hand on his arm.

Ever since the sun came up, Alex had been speeding faster and faster towards Vega. He could see it off in the distance and all he wanted to do was get there already.

"Slow down, Alex!" Noma slapped his arm.

"It's fine, Noma!"

"It's not fine! They see us already! You want them to shoot us before we even get there? Slow down!" Noma chastised.

He groaned and eased up on the pedal. She had a point.

The closer they got, the more he realized that something was different. He was expecting Archangel Corps to be there, guarding the gate and the walls. But what he wasn't expecting was the black-clad soldiers holding heavy artillery and guarding the entrance with several trucks and gun turrets aimed at them. He slowed to a stop, far enough away to still make a hasty retreat if needed.

"That's different," Noma said, more to herself.

"DECLARE YOURSELF!" a voice echoed out over a loud speaker.

"Maybe we should leave," Noma said, her hand gripping his arm. She probably didn't even realize that she was holding on to him.

Alex rubbed her hand and then slowly pealed it off of his arm. "This is what we came for. I'm going out there. You stay here." He glanced at her and then slowly slipped out of the truck, making no sudden movements.

"What? No!" Noma retorted, followed suit.

He walked out in front of the truck with his hands out, palms facing towards them, showing that he was unarmed. "ALEX LANNON."

Stopping in front of the truck, he waited for Noma to stop beside him and put her own hands up, a wave of irritation and trepidation rolling off of her. He wondered if he was going to regret his actions, being at the mercy of whoever the black-clad soldiers were at the moment.

"STEP CLOSER. ONLY ALEX LANNON."

He glanced at Noma who shook her head, again grabbing at his arm. "We need to find out what is happening, Noma."

Sighing, she let go of him and he stepped forward, shouting, "WHERE IS THE LADY OF THE CITY?"

Slowly walking forward, he squinted at the wall of black and all of the guns facing him. Oddly, it didn't frighten him. "WHERE IS CLAIRE REISEN?" He stopped, making sure to stand in front of Noma's line of sight, hoping they would aim at him and not her if it all went sideways.

A different voice came over the speakers. A familiar voice. "ALEX LANNON, THE DESERTER RETURNED FOR REDEMPTION?"

Alex cringed. David Whele's voice was dripping with derision as usual. There was movement by the gate, and Alex took a step back, wondering if they were about to be shot down. After a tense moment, two people revealed themselves. One of them moved out into the open while the other stayed close to the soldiers.

David Whele, cocky as usual, walked forward just enough to be distinct from the crowd. He had a smirk on his face as he studied Alex. "Why are you here, Alex Lannon?"

"Where is Claire?" Alex called out.

"It was stupid of you to return here! Especially with… with one of them!" David said, gesturing to Noma.

"Let me speak with Claire and we'll be on our way!"

Angrily, David yelled, "You dare come here with an angel? After everything that has happened?"

The tension among the soldiers seemed to increase with his every word, some taking a few steps forward with their rifles trained on their every movement.

Noma's voice held a hint of panic as she suggested, "We should leave, Alex. This doesn't feel right."

Alex took another step back, feeling Noma's hand on his back as he stepped closer to her.

"You have some nerve, Alex Lannon." David put his hands on his hips; reining his own anger in. "And your precious Claire…" he shook his head.

"What? Where is she?" Alex tensed, wanting to step forward, but Noma held fast to his arm as she looked around her. The soldiers were moving, slowly surrounding them from all sides.

David smiled at him, "You have no idea what's been going on here."

"Enlighten me then, Consul." Alex spat.

"Claire hasn't been seen for days. It seems she's jumped ship." David stood tall, staring at him.

"I don't believe you!" Alex yelled. "Where is she?" he yanked away from Noma and rushed toward David, stopping just shy of him as two rifle barrels shoved right into his chest. But it didn't stop his anger as he yelled at David, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?"

David grinned at him, but it didn't touch his eyes. In all his anger, Alex hadn't noticed that David's behavior was somehow…different. There was something wrong with the way he was acting. Brazen and arrogant was typical for Whele, but fear… there was fear behind those eyes. And not fear of Alex.

"What's going on here? What happened, David?" Alex softened his voice, ignoring the guns shoving against him making him take a few steps back, creating more distance between the two.

David's face betrayed him for a moment longer and then it was immediately covered up by a cocky grin. "You have no idea! Vega has become stronger, better even!"

Alex studied the soldiers standing close to him as he continued to keep his hands splayed out. Their faces were completely covered in black with only their eyes showing. The way they moved was different than the Archangel Corps that he was used to. They were fluid and seemed to move almost in unison. "What happened to the Corps?" he asked, glancing back at David.

David swallowed and then glanced back at the woman standing by the soldiers. The woman seemed familiar and then Alex realized it was Arika who stood out among the crowd, dressed in one of her dark purple flowing outfits. Alex could tell they were exchanging a non-verbal understanding, almost as if he were asking for her permission. Turning back to Alex, David responded, "We have heightened security after a string of threats against Vega. The Corps is still alive and well inside the city walls."

Alex's eyes narrowed as he noticed David's brow sweating just a little bit despite the cold breeze that moved through all of them. Something was wrong with Vega and David was not at liberty to discuss it. Stepping back again, Alex and Noma tried to move closer to the truck, but the black-clad guard now surrounded them. There was no turning back.

"It seems you will be our guest now, Alex Lannon. And your angel friend will be as well." David stepped back, making room for the two to walk past him and towards Arika.

Neither of them trusted his words, both refusing to move forward. Noma's hand tightened on Alex's arm. "This is wrong, Alex."

Arika's voice rose over the distance. "If you fly now, you'll not leave unscathed."

Noma looked over at the woman and then glanced at the wall. It had reinforcements that were not there before. "She's right," she whispered to Alex.

Alex gave her a sideways glance and then turned back to David and Arika. The guard had moved closer, slowly ushering them along as Alex and Noma walked past David. Arika turned and sauntered through the entrance to Vega, her guard surrounding her at all times. The two of them followed behind her with their own entourage of guards.

And then all pretenses fell away. The onslaught happened swiftly.

As soon as they passed the gate, Noma was yanked backwards, putting distance between her and Alex. Several guards overwhelmed her and quickly pulled her to the ground, attempting to put a black harness-like device on her torso.

Before Alex could take a step toward Noma in order to help her, something sharp pricked the back of his neck. And then a heartbeat later, the world began to tilt. He stumbled for a moment and fell to his knees, watching blearily as Noma's wings emerged and she knocked several of the guards away.

A fleeting thought trickled past: She's a fighter. He blinked, trying to clear his vision and stay upright, but his body felt heavier and heavier and soon the ground rushed up to meet him.

"ALEX!" Noma's voice echoed in his mind as his eyes closed one more time.

~~~**D**~~~

The room was warm and welcoming. A small relief from the harsher elements that Alex had gotten used to. He was sluggish still from the drugs flowing through his veins. His lolling head was hard to keep upright as he sat on the couch they had dumped him on.

For a prisoner, they had treated him rather well. Blinking in the bright light, he looked across from him to find Arika sitting in an oversized ornate chair. Her legs were crossed, with her dress riding up just enough to show off the tops of her legs. Her hands were motionless on the armrest and she wore a small smile as she stared at him. The poise of an elegant woman, but the energy of a prowling cat.

It was fitting that David slowly paced behind her, oddly adding to the effect of her predatory nature. He didn't look as calm and poised. If anything, the man looked anxious.

"Take your time, Alex Lannon," Arika spoke as she continued to gaze at him. "That little wonder drug is a special concoction of my elite guard. It is long acting and is effective for interrogations such as this. Keeps you docile and compliant."

Feeling as if he were sinking into the fabric of the couch, Alex tried to sit up only to find that his hands were in handcuffs linked to chain that lead further down, presumably to his ankles. He couldn't tell because he couldn't sit further forward. His body wouldn't cooperate with him. The heaviness waxed and waned as he looked around, noticing a few of the guard standing nearby, ever ready.

"Where is Claire?" he slurred, finally able to get his mouth to work.

"We went over this, Alex," David chimed in. "She's gone missing. I gather she left when she had the opportunity. Probably shirking her duties, much like her father."

Alex bristled. It made him angry that he would think so low of her, but he could only barely shift his body in response. "Where is Noma?"

"Why have you returned, Alex?" Arika took control of the conversation. "Why have you brought an angel to my city?"

"Noma? What did you do with her?" Alex's mouth was slowly working better than it had the moment before.

"She is fine. Safe."

David shook his head. "Yes. Safely tucked away."

Alex stared blankly at both of them. Since when had Vega become Arika's city? What was going on here? He wondered if David was covertly trying to tell him something, but he couldn't understand in his drug-addled state. "I worried for Claire, for the people of Vega." He paused, assessing how much he should say. "Gabriel still has acolytes in the city. No one is safe here."

Arika didn't move. Her smile didn't waver, but David stopped moving finally, fully studying him. "Acolytes? In the city?" A false laugh escaped him. "Clearly. The dead senators were our first clue."

"What do you think they are after?" Arika asked quietly. She looked like she knew the answer and was only humoring him.

Alex moaned for a moment, frustrated by his situation. "Gabriel wants Vega for his resources, of course! The nuclear energy, Archangel Corps, the crops, all of it."

David scoffed. "He won't get it. None of this…the acolytes may try, but this…this isn't happening."

"He's coming. And he will try to take over Vega," Alex warned.

"Isn't that what we've warned against for years?" David said with a dramatic sigh. "Luckily, Arika has been so gracious to assist us. Her guard has doubled our numbers in soldiers within the city walls. We'll be ready for a war if need by. But it won't come to that!"

David sounded like he was in denial, but Alex could have sworn that he saw a shake of the man's head. As if his own body was denying the words coming out of his mouth. His whole posture made him look defeated. As if he already had lost a war.

Alex glared at Arika. "You are not safe here! No one is safe here! And there is no way to know who is loyal to him."

Arika smiled with a calm demeanor and glanced over at David who paced forward. "We have it sorted, don't you agree, David?"

David stared at Alex, his eyes giving him a glimpse of the angst behind them. He blinked and then plastered a grin on his face. "Of course, we do, Arika."

Alex stared up at him. "What is happening? Why are you both so calm?"

Arika nodded to someone behind him and suddenly hands were placed on Alex's shoulders. They grabbed him roughly, yanking him upwards and onto his feet.

David called out, "Don't fret! We're perfectly safe here."

"David! Don't-"

"That'll be all, Alex," Arika cut him off. Still sitting in her chair, poised like a queen would.

Alex was dragged away and pulled into an elevator by three elite guards.

David followed behind them, looking down at the floor mostly. "You must trust in those in charge, Alex. Your well-being depends on it."

Alex was roughly pulled into the elevator. He stared at David who paused just outside of the elevator doors. The guards held Alex tightly as he tried to move forward and hoarsely whispered, "Don't do this! David, this is all wrong and you know it."

The doors began to close but just before Alex lost sight of him, David looked up and stared back at him. His tired blue eyes startled Alex with their defeated look, a glimpse of the man's vulnerability. The grim expression on David's face mirrored how Alex felt.

Helpless.