Three
Andrea watched the rain run down the window pane. Inside she felt as breakable as the glass but now was not the time to show the chink in her armour. Seth had clammed up and Colt was back in the clutches of Gabriel.
"What are you doing? Summoning me here like this." The masculine voice invaded the stillness of Sophie Harrogate's room. Andrea turned from the window.
"Sophie's dead."
"I know." The voice replied. "Her loss is a sad one but it has forced the Crown into risky action."
Andrea laughed out loud, but it was a noise devoid of humour. "Gabriel does not act rashly. He'll have covered his tracks flawlessly."
Mitch Peregrine stepped into the moonlight. The leader of the resistance looked as ruff as he's old leather coat. He had once been a handsome young man who lived to serve his country and paint balling. That life had all but disappeared and forced to rally some kind of rebellion against the Angel's rein had taken its toll on Mitch. He had lost his wife and young children to the war, their loss was reflected in his cold eyes. "He hired the assassin Griff, who in turn employed the Aurelius nuts when he learned of Colt's interest in Sophie. They attacked her and Seth on campus tonight." Andrea's slender jaw dropped at the news. "Colt's intervention saved them, but unfortunately he only prolonged Sophie's life by thirty minutes."
"Jesus..." Andrea knew how low Gabriel was prepared to go to keep his kingdom, but going after Colt's heart and soul was a low Andrea thought Gabriel wouldn't sink to. She had been proved wrong. "We have to get Colt away from him Mitch..."
"You've had the past ten years to do that Andrea. Colt's loyalty to Gabriel has proved to be stronger than we thought."
"He needs to learn the truth..." Andrea made to leave but Mitch caught her arm.
"You would tell him everything? I thought that wasn't an option for you."
Andrea tore away. "It wasn't but what else can I do? Gabriel has shown that he has no regard for his Grandson, I have to get Colt far away..."
"Gabriel would have you killed for treason before he lets you do that. Its suicide."
"What else are we going to do?" Andrea demanded. "Gabriel has grown too powerful, and with Michael by his side its impossible to get to him. Your rebellion is taking casualties daily. We are out of time Mitch. Colt is the only one powerful enough to go against them."
"You'd be breaking the promise you made to Holly." Mitch's words cut through Andrea deeper than a blade. "Not only would you be turning Colt's world upside down, you'd be leaving him alone to take on Gabriel, something Holly would never forgive you for."
"What do you want me to do?" Andrea hissed, desperation settling over her like a grey cloud. "Stand aside and do nothing! Watch Gabriel corrupt and use everything I love until one day he decides to be merciful and ends my torment?" She had said too much, knew it by the look on Mitch's scarred face, it wasn't wise to show your true feelings, they were always used against you.
Her position was one of suffering. Holly had placed Colt's care firmly in her hands. Holly had entrusted Andrea with the most precious thing she had had in her life, and Andrea had failed. Gabriel's lure and lies had won Colt over and Andrea had been forced to watch the boy she loved grow up into a twisted, tormented and haunted young man under Gabriel's influence.
"There's always another way Andrea." Mitch whispered. "We've found him."
Andrea's head snapped up. "What?"
"They move him around a lot." Mitch continued. "Never keeping him in the same place for more than a few days. But all our patience and diligence has finally paid off. He's in New York."
For the first time in a long while Andrea had something to smile about. "Are you positive?"
"A hundred percent positive." Mitch answered, "we keep tabs on the places he has been. My men saw them cart him in twelve hours ago. Michael himself was present."
"And that's nearly proof enough." Andrea added. "Where in New York?"
"The Garden of course. Michael has transformed that place into a fortress. Angels are posted on every roof top within a two block radius, as well as on the ground. It'll be near impossible to break in without being seen."
"Have you actually seen him?" Andrea asked her smile fading, "it could be just another decoy."
"Not seen him, no, but I've heard him. Whatever they're doing to him it doesn't sound good Andrea."
"They're torturing him?" The Headmistress gasped, shocked that Gabriel would inflict punishment on one of his own, a Brother he had been particularly close to.
Mitch nodded solemnly. "And there's only one reason why Gabriel would risk keeping an Immortal as powerful as he alive."
"They want the stone." Andrea finished. "I can't believe he's held out all this time. Michael is very skilled in making people talk."
"He is Lucifer." Mitch smirked, "it must be hell trying to torture the Angel who invented the word, but still after two years Andrea, you gotta believe he can't keep it up much longer."
"Clearly you don't know Lucifer." Andrea retorted. "But still...we have to get him out. He'll be enough to sway Colt."
"And he'll lead us to the stone. That's game over for Gabriel."
Andrea tried to share Mitch's new found hope but there was no way they could possible use the stone against Gabriel. The last time it had been used it nearly destroyed the world. It was too powerful to be let out, no matter how much Andrea wanted to. But it would still be a very persuasive barging tool. It was the only thing Gabriel feared; his reckoning. But first thing was first they had to get Lucifer out.
"I presume you have a plan..."