Post by Kelly on Jan 17, 2011 15:14:25 GMT -8
January 15th, 2011
The Subaru Outback pulled out of the parking lot and turned down 45th ave. The driver, a woman with long dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, checked the rear-view mirror and nodded in satisfaction. Her passenger, a younger red haired woman, stared out the window, lost in thought.
After a few blocks, Laura cleared her throat. Aislinn turned her focus back from the shapes out the window and looked over at her friend. “They're not following us.” Laura said. Aislinn smiled slightly and nodded. “I'm not surprised. This wasn't that kind of meeting.” Her words made Laura shake her head.
“It could have been that kind of meeting, you know. It could've been a shoot out.” Laura said. “I know. That's why I brought you.” Aislinn's words and eyes were full of truth and trust. Laura would've dismissed it as naivete in anyone else. From Aislinn, though, it was strength of belief. Belief in Laura's abilities, belief that a higher power would let the chips fall where He wanted them and that all one could do is trust in that. Laura wished desperately she had the faith that Aislinn did. While Laura believed, Aislinn took it as fact. Not something that could be blown away by disbelief but something rock solid. As solid as the fists of the vampire that had pounded Laura's arms and legs into pulp, shattering the bones while he cackled with glee. He had stood over her, gloating, telling her just how long he was going to make her suffer before he drained her. Aislinn was suddenly there, though, the distracted vampire didn't see her until she was right in front of him. Laura felt rather than saw Aislinn glowing with light. The vampire had exploded in a shower of ash. Laura had been dying, she had felt a chill, a pull. Then all she could see was Aislinn, kneeling over her, crying, holding her, prayer tumbling from her lips.
“So what do you think of the fae, Laura?” Aislinn asked. Laura blinked and pulled herself out of her memories. “I'm not sure what I expected but it wasn't an ugly teenager and your ex. Oh, and did you see the third one?” “The man a few tables away? I could sense he was supernatural, suspected he was with them. I will admit, the fae are far less impressive when we cannot see their true forms. But they aren't to be underestimated.”
“Oh, I understand. They seemed to have sniffed out the Infernalists well enough. I wish I knew how they'd done that!” Laura said. “Me, too. At least that gives me a decent amount of evidence of their usefulness to give to Brother McKenzie. Maybe he'll be more inclined to trust my judgment when he hears how they are on our side in this.” “Speaking of, Cleary has been behind us for the last couple of blocks. Black SUV, you know the one.” Laura indicated the mirrors. Aislinn tilted her head and checked the side-view mirror. A familiar SUV dominated the road two blocks back.
“Did he...?”
“Nope. He was perceptive enough to catch up with us on the way back home but I lost him before we got to the restaurant.” Laura smiled, pleased with herself. Aislinn grinned and laid her hand on her friend's shoulder. “Good work. We can let them be confused for a little while longer.”
They drove a few more blocks in silence. Finally, Laura spoke again, hesitantly, her voice soft. “Do you really think of the fae as fallen angels?” Aislinn nodded. “I do. Not fallen like Lucifer; but in the war between God and His child, when He cast Lucifer from His sight, there were angels that would not take sides. They would not join the heavenly host and they would not join Lucifer's supporters. Lucifer and his followers were banished to Hell, but God felt that was too severe a punishment for those who didn't take sides. He could not let them stay in heaven, though, and so sent them to earth to walk among us. Does that make sense?” Aislinn looked over at Laura, trying to judge her reaction. Laura nodded, a contemplative frown on her face. “I think so. It makes sense enough.”
They pulled up in front of a simple gray-sided apartment building and Laura slipped the Subaru into park.
“So, now what?” She asked, her tone back to businesslike.
“Now we each go home and have a good night's sleep. Tomorrow morning I'll let the Cenaculum know I met with an official representative of the fae and we go from there. Got it?”
“Got it. Have a good evening, Aislinn.” Laura said as Aislinn got out of the car.
“Goodnight!” Aislinn called with a wave, closing the door. Laura waited until she was inside the building before pulling away from the curb.
The Subaru Outback pulled out of the parking lot and turned down 45th ave. The driver, a woman with long dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, checked the rear-view mirror and nodded in satisfaction. Her passenger, a younger red haired woman, stared out the window, lost in thought.
After a few blocks, Laura cleared her throat. Aislinn turned her focus back from the shapes out the window and looked over at her friend. “They're not following us.” Laura said. Aislinn smiled slightly and nodded. “I'm not surprised. This wasn't that kind of meeting.” Her words made Laura shake her head.
“It could have been that kind of meeting, you know. It could've been a shoot out.” Laura said. “I know. That's why I brought you.” Aislinn's words and eyes were full of truth and trust. Laura would've dismissed it as naivete in anyone else. From Aislinn, though, it was strength of belief. Belief in Laura's abilities, belief that a higher power would let the chips fall where He wanted them and that all one could do is trust in that. Laura wished desperately she had the faith that Aislinn did. While Laura believed, Aislinn took it as fact. Not something that could be blown away by disbelief but something rock solid. As solid as the fists of the vampire that had pounded Laura's arms and legs into pulp, shattering the bones while he cackled with glee. He had stood over her, gloating, telling her just how long he was going to make her suffer before he drained her. Aislinn was suddenly there, though, the distracted vampire didn't see her until she was right in front of him. Laura felt rather than saw Aislinn glowing with light. The vampire had exploded in a shower of ash. Laura had been dying, she had felt a chill, a pull. Then all she could see was Aislinn, kneeling over her, crying, holding her, prayer tumbling from her lips.
“So what do you think of the fae, Laura?” Aislinn asked. Laura blinked and pulled herself out of her memories. “I'm not sure what I expected but it wasn't an ugly teenager and your ex. Oh, and did you see the third one?” “The man a few tables away? I could sense he was supernatural, suspected he was with them. I will admit, the fae are far less impressive when we cannot see their true forms. But they aren't to be underestimated.”
“Oh, I understand. They seemed to have sniffed out the Infernalists well enough. I wish I knew how they'd done that!” Laura said. “Me, too. At least that gives me a decent amount of evidence of their usefulness to give to Brother McKenzie. Maybe he'll be more inclined to trust my judgment when he hears how they are on our side in this.” “Speaking of, Cleary has been behind us for the last couple of blocks. Black SUV, you know the one.” Laura indicated the mirrors. Aislinn tilted her head and checked the side-view mirror. A familiar SUV dominated the road two blocks back.
“Did he...?”
“Nope. He was perceptive enough to catch up with us on the way back home but I lost him before we got to the restaurant.” Laura smiled, pleased with herself. Aislinn grinned and laid her hand on her friend's shoulder. “Good work. We can let them be confused for a little while longer.”
They drove a few more blocks in silence. Finally, Laura spoke again, hesitantly, her voice soft. “Do you really think of the fae as fallen angels?” Aislinn nodded. “I do. Not fallen like Lucifer; but in the war between God and His child, when He cast Lucifer from His sight, there were angels that would not take sides. They would not join the heavenly host and they would not join Lucifer's supporters. Lucifer and his followers were banished to Hell, but God felt that was too severe a punishment for those who didn't take sides. He could not let them stay in heaven, though, and so sent them to earth to walk among us. Does that make sense?” Aislinn looked over at Laura, trying to judge her reaction. Laura nodded, a contemplative frown on her face. “I think so. It makes sense enough.”
They pulled up in front of a simple gray-sided apartment building and Laura slipped the Subaru into park.
“So, now what?” She asked, her tone back to businesslike.
“Now we each go home and have a good night's sleep. Tomorrow morning I'll let the Cenaculum know I met with an official representative of the fae and we go from there. Got it?”
“Got it. Have a good evening, Aislinn.” Laura said as Aislinn got out of the car.
“Goodnight!” Aislinn called with a wave, closing the door. Laura waited until she was inside the building before pulling away from the curb.