Angels of War (Angels of War Trilogy Book 1) (19 page)

Joan stood on a five-foot high wooden platform with the angels Okura, Daisy Lane, and Maria. The angels wore the same uniforms as the soldiers except for the twenty-four karat gold angel wings pinned a half inch above their uniform left breast pocket. Near her stood several generals and other officers who wore their regular battle uniforms minus the white berets. All presented themselves before the soldiers. Both men and women filled the ranks.
 

General Black performed an inspection ceremony. The unit included all faiths that believed in God. No particular religious group dominated the new Special Forces unit. She removed and placed in a supportive role those troops who did not meet her rigid requirements. Even in Heaven certain angels did not fight battles.
 

General Black completed his inspection as fresh sunlight burned off the cool mist. Faint voices from those who fell in battle called out to her. Even the dead wanted Temeculus stopped.
 

She needed the troops to understand how to use a shield as a weapon, and the many ways steel can cut and kill. Their upcoming battle required blood and flesh, joined with a fearlessness fueled by faith.
 

Chaplain Rogelio Soto approached the pedestal. He bowed his head, asked the others to do the same to pray to God. His voice poured over the loamy field and echoed against the cool green hills. His sweet words rolled off his tongue with ease. He asked God for strength in battle, the bravery to maintain their calm, and if felled by the enemy’s sword, a place in Heaven.

Joan smiled as the Chaplain’s baritone voice ended the prayer with an Amen. God answered their prayers before Chaplain Soto took the podium. Joan followed with a soft hallelujah from her lips. Next, her eyes followed General Black’s crisp march to the podium. He surveyed the troops a brief moment before he began his speech.

“We face the terrible. We face things Hollywood conjures up for morbid entertainment. Now those horrors of our nightmares are real, threatening our families, our homes and way of life.
 

“At this moment, the world is watching us with braced breath, praying in their temples. The field we now stand on once witnessed a significant battle when our country sat divided. Now we will train here, to keep our world whole.”

General Black gripped the podium with his large hands. “For the next few grueling days, we will push you hard and bring you all closer to the final goal, where even the thought of death will not shake you. War is not pretty. The world called upon you to make the ultimate sacrifice for an entire planet.”
 

He gazed at the sky, and at the Guardians. “Some will appreciate this sacrifice, some will not, even though their freedom depends on your blood. So train hard, for God, for country, and for mankind.” General Black stepped away from the podium.
 

Joan took his place with no words in her mind. Birds twittered, a distant rooster crowed from beyond the tree line. “First I would like to say, we are honored you volunteered for this unit. My name is Joan. Next to me are Daisy Lane, Okura, and Maria.”

Joan fell silent for a second. “Juggernaut, who is not here at the moment, is also a part of our team. We must save this world from Satan’s Black Army. You will learn our method of warfare, which is close in fighting, with swords, spears, bows and arrows, and battleaxes.
 

“Your armor will be made of silver, along with silver shields and helmets. We do not use bullets, for bullets cannot destroy the monsters you will fight. Yes, some managed to kill a few, but too many died trying.”

For a moment, her mind drifted to Charles and William. She considered their deaths unfair, meaningless to God’s overall plan. “We want to teach you how to do the killing with weapons no modern army used in hundreds of years.”
 

She paused to take in their wide eyes and still faces, and to push back anger’s heat from her mind. “In this war fear is normal. Cowardice is not. I handpicked you. You agreed to join in this war. If you run, unless ordered to do so, I will kill you myself. Death here, will be glory in Heaven, so stand firm and keep your partners steady who stands next to you. You will need more than training and bravery to face this enemy. You will need faith.”
 

Joan smiled. The facial twist seemed an act. She wanted her husband and son. Hollowness opened near her heart. “Your body will go through some amazing things along with your mind once you realize explosions and bullets will not harm you. Nevertheless, those soldiers from Hell are the ones you must understand. Do not let them take your heads, for you will die in battle.”

Joan waited. She wanted her words to sink deep into their minds and hearts. The soldiers stood calm and steady.
 

“Go and prepare yourselves. Call your families and rest for the day. For Tomorrow your training will begin.” Joan stepped from the microphone and fell in line with the other angels. From where he stood, General Black gave a command to his officers.

Joan turned and strode off the platform followed by the other three angels. She forced herself not to cry. With all her heart, she wanted her family home, in her arms. Why God did not choose a better way to get her attention remained beyond her.
 

The angels crossed the green field and hiked for two miles in silence. The group ended their journey at a dirt road lined with old oaks. They gathered under the thick branches for shade in a semi circle.

Joan’s brown eyes swept over the uniformed angels who stood before her. She pushed her heart back into its corner.

“Juggernaut is going to Denver with the Marines,” she said. “He’s going to help them create a stronger defense and survey the area where the back gate is located. American spies in Los Angeles delivered us much useful information on the Black Army’s actions within the city.”

Joan gave the angel’s time to absorb her words. “Temeculus is killing those who do not convert. Each convert is being branded with the number sixty-six on their forehead.” She paused. “The third six will be delivered by Satan after the Apocalypse is initiated.”
 

Daisy Lane, with hands on her curvy hips shook her head. “Well time is ticking away, Joan. We need to rescue Lucia from Hell’s Cathedral and the odds are against us.”
 

Joan sensed the sarcasm in Daisy’s voice. “Don’t tell me the odds. Yes, everything is happening fast. General Temeculus blitzed us. He took Los Angeles by surprise, so we must stay on our toes.”

Okura stared Joan in her eyes. “Will the army be ready?”

“The army will be ready for battle. Trust me. So, is everyone’s head together?” She regarded their solemn faces.

Okura leaned forward. “How powerful are we?” He slid shades over his eyes. “Maria here almost died fighting Black Angel, me and Daisy Lane almost lost to Saru in Japan. Are they stronger than we are? What about our personal lives, do we shrug off our filial responsibilities?”

Joan pursed her lips. “Look at me,” she said and spread her arms wide. “I weigh how much? One-fifteen, and I’m five feet tall. I fought Lord Goth on the White House lawn and handed his ugly ass back to him.”
 

She gave all three a cool stare. “I make no excuses, and neither should you.”

Okura lowered his head.

Maria smiled. Her face became bright and open. “I guess the first question is answered.”

Daisy Lane folded her arms. The morning sun poured warm golden light over the four. “Did Michael say anything to you? You two must indulge in some type of private conversation.”

Joan lifted her right eyebrow. “Heaven is preparing her army. God’s order after Black Angel snatched the Key.”
 

Daisy Lane still held her gaze. “Oops, I guess somebody is messing up.”

“No one is messing up,” Joan said.
 

Maria covered her mouth. Her forehead wrinkled as tears sparkled at her eyes. “Joan.”

“Not your fault, Maria. You came out of a long deep sleep. We all did,” she said and met Daisy’s eyes again. “I take the blame for Lucia’s capture. I allowed you to handle the difficult task because you lived so close.”
 

The mist broke and clear blue skies appeared above the four. In the distance, the soldiers called their cadences as they marched off the training field. She turned to her angels.
 

“We need to work as a team, angels. I understand this is surreal and a little daunting.”

“I would use the word, freaky…” Daisy said.
 

“…I call my trip to Hell freaky.” Joan shivered. “An ultimate wakeup call from Michael.” Joan knelt, ran her fingers over the thick grass beneath her. “Amazing how many horrors lay underneath so much natural beauty.”
 

Joan stood and wondered why Daisy pushed the nasty attitude. “We did volunteer for this mission,” she said and locked eyes with Daisy and Okura. “Accept this war. From this day, no complaints about how we got here or why. Understood?”

The angels agreed in unison.

“Good, now we move forward. What we need is a battle plan, and to organize the army.”

Daisy Lane raised her hand. “Joan, I don’t mean to spoil this meeting any further, but I want an apple fritter and some coffee.”

This drew laughter from the others. Joan didn’t crack a smile.

“Okay. Let’s get something to eat where no one recognizes us. Make sure to change into street clothes before we get into town.”

33

The four angels found a small mom and pop eatery in a town called Farmville, an hour southwest from Richmond, Virginia, but a one-minute travel time for the angels. They sat before cleaned plates. A light crowd filled the restaurant. Fresh brewed coffee mingled with fried food hung its greasy aroma thick in the warm air. Outside the small country restaurant, people went about their morning business.
 

Joan sipped her strong bitter coffee after her fried catfish, grits, and fried country potatoes with onions breakfast. Daisy Lane still worked on her apple fritter. She savored every bite as she took slow contemplative chews. Maria ate eggs over easy with toast. Okura nursed his tea in a red coffee cup, his gaze far beyond their present world.

Joan enjoyed the cozy booth they found, with brown cracked leather chairs and white Formica tables stained from years of spilled coffee. Laughter erupted at the front door. A bell jingled when the door swung open and a group piled into the diner to find their seats.

Joan tapped her spoon against her coffee mug to get their attention. “The Guardians are comprised of ten thousand mortal troops. Here’s the breakdown, two thousand cavalry, two thousand infantry times two, two thousand arches and two grand left over. I’ll take two thousand cavalry as the first attacking force.”

Daisy Lane set her coffee cup down. “I’ll handle the infantry. Two thousand and the same for big ol’ Juggernaut.”

Joan nodded. “We need more infantry.”

“I’ll take a battalion.” Maria spoke up. “Two thousand.”
 

“Two thousand are left.” Joan nodded at Okura who gazed out the window, oblivious to their conversation as he sipped his tea. “I need you to lead the archers, Okura.”

Okura slid his eyes towards Joan. “No problem,” he said in a short tone. He lifted his cup to drink his tea. His eyes studied Joan over the rim. He lowered his cup. “Why such a small number of troops, Joan?”

“They are volunteers. Not everyone is able to do what these people are going to face, Okura.”

“It should be an army of angels, not these…lambs going to slaughter.”

Joan wanted to reach across the table and slap Okura. Heat flushed under her brown skin. “The Key,” she said.
 

Daisy Lane gritted her teeth. “I’ll go and get her, Joan.”

Joan decided to place Daisy Lane as her second in command. Daisy displayed an aggression required to handle difficult situations. The others mulled over problems too much. Daisy’s personality matched an unapologetic killer. “Okura, I need you to join Daisy on this mission to rescue the Key.”

Okura placed his cup on the table, the porcelain rattled against the saucer. His right eye twitched, his face furrowed for a brief second. He did not like her decision, but she wanted to test his loyalty.

Okura nodded. “I can do that,” he said.

Joan pointed a finger at Maria.

Maria sat up straight. “Yes.”

“I need you to go to Washington State. Once in Washington, go to Fort Lewis and escort the Rangers and Special Forces troops to Denver. Help them out in any way you can. Also, our spies told us Lord Goth is headed to San Francisco to take the city. Intercept him.”

“Thanks for giving me a second chance, Joan. I’ll stop him.”

“No problem, Maria. Be aware, Goth is not better than Black Angel, but he’s good in his own right.”

“Ok, I understand.”

Daisy leaned forward. “I need to get something clear, Joan.”

“Shoot, Daisy.”

“Why now? What is Temeculus thinking about trying to open the second gate into Hell?”

“They want to dictate the Second Coming. And they want Heaven and earth in flames.” Laughter rose in light bursts from the front counter. Joan figured these people to be either oblivious to the current events, or their faith remained so strong they did not worry about Hell’s surprise attack on earth.
 

Okura grunted. “What about our families, Joan? We raised families before this, and cultivated personal lives. Do we go back after this fight is over?”

Joan sat back against the chair. “After this is over, you can go back, Okura. Everybody can.”

“This won’t be over for awhile.” Daisy Lane warned Okura. “I can bet you a cold beer. What are you going to do? Resign.”

Okura displayed small, even, white teeth towards Daisy Lane. “I can’t resign. All I’m asking about is our families.”

Maria placed a hand on Okura’s hand. “I’m willing to do everything I can to protect my family, Okura, even if I die doing my job. I love them, and they are worried sick about me. However, I will stand firm and protect my kin.”