No time for self-flagellation, as fun as it is, I laid out the general plan of attack. “Azrael isn’t gonna be expecting us, so the idea is to lay low until we have a shot to snatch the key pieces. He’s gonna be super pissed when he sees us, so I want everyone to stay out of his way as best you can. I’ll draw him off and let you deal with whoever ends up winning the tug-o-war.”
“You looking to get yourself killed, Frank?” Rahim asked, more than a hint of accusation in his voice. Scarlett stood behind him glaring. McConnell had a glimmer in his eye.
“Not particularly, no. Azrael has it in his head that butchering me goes against an oath he gave a long time back. While I figure he’ll get annoyed with me enough to void that agreement at some point, his possible hesitance might give us the time we need to pull something off.” Besides, I had a little surprise in store for old Grim.
“So in essence, the plan really hasn’t changed from the last one: grab the key and try to be the first into Heaven?” Katon asked as I nodded, passing him his sword to help soften the lack of a cohesive idea.
“With Rahim, Poe, and Santa Claus, we’re packing a little more firepower than we were before. If you guys can hold the gate while Scarlett contacts Uriel to shut it down, we might have a chance. With a little backup, maybe Uriel or Forcalor can spare a moment to try and rouse Metatron.”
Their eyes told me just how little hope they had.
“We all know we’re farting in the wind, but it’s all we’ve got. If something better presents itself, don’t hesitate to take it, but keep your eyes on the ball. If the bad guys get into Heaven, we’re done.” I handed Eve to Scarlett, then turned to Michael and Poe. “I want you two to keep an open channel with me, and keep Rachelle in the loop. If things change, I want to be able to redirect on the fly. Any questions?”
Stone-faced, they all looked at each other, then back to me. No one said anything.
“Okay then. Seats in the upright position, we’re ready for takeoff.” I looked to Rachelle and asked her to open a portal.
Once the shimmering blue settled, we were on our way back to Iran, and to the earth-side entrance to Eden. We were headed to war; a ragtag bunch of wizards, mentalists, mystic, vampires, demons and angels, along with a couple hundred humans with minimal powers but lots of guns.
It was like we were the first soldiers to step off the boat at Normandy. My breath held as we filed through the gate, there was a heaviness that pressed down overtop, weighing on me. Despite all the trials I’d been through, despite all the furious battles I’d managed to scrape through, there’d always been a glimmer of hope off in the distant horizon. I couldn’t see it now.
A tear ran cold down my cheek.
Chapter Twenty-One
A ways from the gathered Nephilim, Rachelle set us down on one of the foothills of the mountains that ran to the south of Eden’s gate. An almost full moon and the height allowed us to see the grassy plain while being far enough away to avoid letting them know we were there. The men and women of DRAC rustled around, nervous energy making the whole group ripple-like waves as they waited to engage.
Rahim magicked a viewer into place so we could watch the Nephilim as if we were right there beside them.
Azrael had yet to attack apparently, the half-breeds still milled about. Though they didn’t look like an army, their people scattered all over the place without any obvious discipline, there was no mistaking their ability to do harm. Easily five thousand of them clustered on the plain beneath Eden, each with some kind of weapon. They were ready to fight. Just seeing them gave me chills.
“It looks like we’re early.” Just as I spoke, the Nephilim broke out in a panic. “Or not.”
Through the viewer, we saw the clusters of the Nephilim turning in on themselves, pockets of activity springing up all over. Flashes of gunfire boomed to life as they reacted to the invisible threat, the muted sounds hitting us seconds later. In their frenzy, a number of the half-breeds fell from friendly fire.
Unsure of what had riled them up, it was a few more seconds before we realized what was happening. From the ground, immaterial vampires drifted up in their midst. They solidified and attacked, then sunk back into the bloody earth below as the Nephilim mounted a frantic defense. Bodies crumpled in their wake.
“How come I’ve never seen you do that?” I asked Katon.
He shook his head. “Because I can’t.”
He looked a little jealous, so I let it go, my attention back on the battle.
Within just a minute, the vampire sneak attack had sown chaos. The Nephilim ranks began to spread out to better see the vampires as they materialized, the edges of their lines fraying. That only helped the vamps pick them off. Uncertainty spreading like wildfire, the half-breeds began to panic, jittery shots claiming more of their own lives than those of the enemy.
Near the center of the Nephilim a thick cluster of them pulled together and formed a tight circle of bodies. Unlike their brethren, they held their ground and fought smart, working together to minimize their losses. The Nephilim around them slowly drifted further away from the pack, isolating the group more every second.
From where they sat, it was a subtle thrust, but from up high it was very telling. Whoever was leading the attack, Azrael or Grawwl, knew what they were doing.
Katon said aloud what I was thinking. “The vampires are a scouting mission more than they are an attack.”
Scarlett and Michael looked at him with wide eyes neither a tactician. Poe just nodded, clearly seeing what we had.
“The Nephilim only worried about their skins are scattering under the assault. Those who have a greater purpose are closing ranks and fighting with passion and discipline,” Katon explained.
Rahim cut in. “They’re fighting to defend the key piece.”
Katon nodded, giving Scarlett a gentle smile as she too caught on.
“Azrael doesn’t have the numbers for a direct assault,” Poe noted. “That’s why he’s singling out the piece holder. He’ll bring in the lycanthropes once they’re isolated.”
A hopeful thought popped into my head. “He doesn’t think he can beat the Nephilim at full strength or he wouldn’t be separating them.”
“Who could?” Rahim asked.
The glimmer of hope I couldn’t see earlier suddenly winked to life at Rahim’s words. “Katon, find me Venai in that clusterfuck down there. She’ll probably be a part of the organized group.” He started scanning the viewer immediately. “Rahim, once we find her, I need you to port me down there.”
“You think popping in to that is a good idea?” He pointed to the manic swirl of ants in the distance.
“No, but if I can get Venai to crack the whip and get the rest of her people organized, it might be worth it.” I shrugged, trying not to think about what I was getting myself into. “If Azrael could wipe the Nephilim out himself, he would have done it without a second thought. He wouldn’t be hiding behind the vamps and shifters and he certainly wouldn’t be fighting a technical battle unless he felt he had to. He’s either holding back to save his energy for the battle in Heaven, or he doesn’t have it in him to beat five thousand half-breeds. Either scenario works in our favor.”
Katon called out that he’d spotted Venai. Rahim raised a furry eyebrow as if to ask if I was sure.
I borrowed a white shirt from one of the security force and scavenged a vial of Lucifer’s blood to take with me. Then I handed my bag to Katon and turned back to face Rahim. “Just keep an eye out. Azrael and the weres are bound to be in play soon. I’ll stall them when they show, but if the Nephilim can’t pull it together, we aren’t looking at much time.”
Rahim nodded, sharpened teeth showing his disapproval. “Be safe, Frank.”
I was gone before I could respond, appearing a short distance from the clustered Nephilim, my head nodding imbecilely. Several of the half-breeds turned to look at me and I waved the shirt, my makeshift flag, before they got it in their head to shoot.