The Fallen Angel
Chapter 7

Gabriel watched Jasmine search determinedly on the internet for a link to replaceing women with these special gifts. Chelsea still hadn’t been found and until Xavier gave her the say so she wouldn’t stop searching. That much Gabriel learned about her. She was focused and driven to a task no matter what it was, or how dangerous.

“The women have to meet or have been targeted by a group. The bouncer wouldn’t have known each one of the women were going to come there.” She said more to herself, but out loud for Gabriel to hear.

“The Temptress could have something to do with that. The pull she has on humans can be quite seductive. Even women with special gifts can’t resist the call to her.” That caught Jasmine’s attention then as she looked at Gabriel’s disappointed face. He placed his hand right by hers in means to lecture her as his tall frame hovered over her sitting one. “You shouldn’t have walked away from me.”

Jasmine scoffed. “Wow and just when I thought I escaped Xavier…here’s another.”

Gabriel looked confused as she stood up to walk off. “What is that supposed to mean?”

She turned annoyed. “It means I don’t need another bodyguard. I can take care of myself. Which means you can go back to your angelic duty because I don’t need you.”

Gabriel only raised his eyebrows as he folded his arms. “Oh?” He leaned then against the couch. “I suppose you humans know what’s best for yourselves then.”

“Yes. On the contrary to popular belief we do. We have no choice but to fend for ourselves especially now there are demons taking over humans and killing people. Killing my people. Where is your Almighty when a baby has just gotten shot or a woman is stabbed to death or when a random man is minding his business and gets shot while in the grocery store?” Her voice rose a higher octave as she spoke, hitting her thighs.

“Either I’m reading this wrong or you are angry at the Almighty. This seems to have nothing to do with Lucifer at all. What happened to you, Jasmine?” Gabriel asked, curiously and very intently as his eyes focused on her. “Why are you so angry?”

Jasmine took the remote from the table and clicked on it exposing the news and instantly bad reports started to swarm the room. Weather disasters and killings so brutal that Gabriel had to hold his breath, not including the racism that plagued the world more than the sickness. The earthly realm was in far worse condition than he first assumed. It was no wonder the carriers stayed so busy, more and more people were dying and suffering. Famine, war, depression of all sorts plagued human kind like it had many centuries ago. History was repeating itself.

“You ask why I’m angry? This is why. I hear them. Everyone I come close to…I hear their thoughts. The fact that humanity is suffering, mostly by our own hands, but I’m supposed to pray to a God that doesn’t listen?” Jasmine turned off the TV as she continued. “You have been up in the clouds watching and allowing…” She paused as her voice started to crack. Gabriel could tell for her fragile mind and crushed faith she had seen more than she would like to talk about. She had seen the worst of humankind through their most private thoughts. “I just want things to go back to normal.” She walked out slamming her bedroom door before Gabriel could say anything else.

He picked up the remote and pressed the big red button that said power and the screen erupted into color and sounds again. Testing out different buttons he finally learned how to change the channel, realizing the last time he watched it Jasmine did it for him, but once Gabriel was able to change the channels for himself he stopped at a church service playing. The pastor started to preach and then the camera panned around to show the audience. Bri Connors saw the “light” within him as all church goers should.

The knock on Jasmine’s door came hesitantly, but prompt as she shoved it open with an attitude. Gabriel pointed to the TV getting right down to the matter at hand. Her feelings would have to wait if she really wanted to help save the women.

“Where is this place?” He asked, unbothered by her being upset.

“The biggest church we have here. Messiah Springs Christian Church.” Jasmine replied. “It says a mouth full doesn’t it?”

“Bri Connors must’ve been religious. Is it possible to call Xavier for him to get that information?”

Jasmine couldn’t deny he was on to something. She hurried to take out her phone and called Xavier for the information. Turns out Gabriel was right. In fact both Bri and Chelsea attended the church. Jasmine started to put her shoes back on.

“Let’s go down there.” Gabriel nodded following her moves by placing on his shoes as well.

The church was a huge building comprised with images of a white man in a robe with a glow around it. It made Gabriel wince at the sight. The man’s hair was straight and long on his shoulder and his eye were blue like the typical white man that roamed the earth. Was this who everyone called God? The Almighty has no true form, just purity and light.

“Who is this man?” He asked, almost disgusted and felt disrespected as he pointed to the glass picture.

Jasmine scoffed as she closed the car door. “It’s their version of Jesus.” She noticed the way Gabriel just stared at the image. “I know it’s sickening to think that people really worship a man who is clearly false. Hair made of wool my ass.”

“Well I suppose no one in this age has seen him, but why even make a picture then if no one knows with certainty what he looks like?” Gabriel asked, nearly touching the glass.

“To give them,” Jasmine gestured to the picture, referring to his color. “power over everyone else.” She grabbed his arm then nudging him forwards as he hesitated at first, but then decided to walk along with her. “They have other versions of Jesus now. Some of them look like you and me.”

“What do you mean?”

Jasmine ran her hand to the back of her knuckle. “I don’t know how you operate in Heaven, but skin tone is everything here.”

“Why?”

Jasmine shrugged. “It places us in a box.” She replied as they started up concrete stairs to the main entrance of the church. On the steps there was a man, distressed and crying. Jasmine didn’t want to pry in his thoughts so she continued to walk without asking, but Gabriel squatted in front of the man, jerking away from her hold.

“What has you distressed?” he asked in such a soothing tone that caused Jasmine to turn around. He placed his hand on the man’s back to comfort him unafraid to touch as most people would’ve been. There was pure compassion in his hands as he showed legitimate concern for the stranger’s well-being, something Jasmine hadn’t seen in a long time.

“They kicked me out.” The man replied, hands shaking and sobbing low. “My mother refuses to talk to me. The pastor refuses to talk to me. I feel so lost.” He confessed so openly to Gabriel. Perhaps because he was an angel people felt compelled to confess them to him as Bri Connors had done.

“What reasoning did they give you for kicking a lost man out of a building dedicated to the Almighty?” Gabriel asked, now rubbing his shoulders, without wincing or fear, no judgment.

“I’m a sinner.” The man replied.

“Aren’t all humans?” Gabriel responded quickly, confused.

The man shook his head. “Apparently loving on another person of the same sex is considered an abomination to God.” The man sniffed. “I thought he loved us all, right. If he can forgive a man for slaughtering his family what crime have I committed by loving another man? I don’t understand. Why doesn’t God love me?”

Gabriel touched the man’s cheeks gently lifting his head up to look at him. “Humans seem to place limitations and rules on who you call God. The fact that you refer to The Almighty as He has already showed me you know nothing. The Almighty is not human. Thus the Almighty cannot be placed under your societal rules and regulations. At the end of it all there is no judgement you should concern yourself with except The Almighty’s.” Gabriel stood then, looking at the building in mere disgust. “This place is only where society deems fit to praise and honor your God, but that is not so. The Almighty requires no building, no roof, no sanctuary to hear your prayer.” Gabriel took his hand then holding it tight. A glow appeared and the man looked to Gabriel in complete awe. “Forgive them for their ignorance, but seek the Almighty for yourself.”

Fresh tears started to form in the man’s eyes. “Thank you.” He hugged Gabriel, patting him on the back for a moment. Jasmine had to admit she was on the verge of smiling as she could feel the warmth surrounding them. Slowly they both watched the man walk off, wiping his tears and feeling liberated now that someone had talked to him without judgement. Gabriel turned to her then as they proceeded to walk up the stairs into the church.

“That was nice.” Jasmine said once they were inside. Gabriel looked at her confused. “What you did for that man. That was nice. People are rather judgmental, more these days than ever.”

Gabriel continued to walk looking around in front of him at the décor of what they deemed holy and angels with nothing but a sheet on with arrows. His human stomach rolled in protest. Statues and window panes of glass, sparkling ceiling chandeliers hung expensively. This church was making him physically ill with its representations.

“What about you?” He spoke so distantly as he looked around the unseen territory that Jasmine almost didn’t hear him.

“What about me?”

“Do you believe the man is condemned for loving another man?” His eyes met hers then as he stopped walking to give her his full attention. She could sense he was angry with the situation already. Even though Jasmine was not one to hold her tongue she had to tread lightly on what she said. Her beliefs were not necessarily everyone else’s especially since she lost her faith in everything, humanity and God.

She shook her head before she spoke. “I have seen the minds of evil people. He wasn’t one of them. I believe people should love who they want as long as it’s consensual. God has turned his back on everything else so why should we care who goes to heaven or hell. We all will be walking the fiery line if I’m honest, but everyone wants to believe what they believe to be true and nowadays opinions are like assholes…” She saw the look Gabriel gave her in confusion as she continued the saying. “Everyone has one.”

Gabriel was going to reply, but a burst from the church sanctuary caught both of their attention. “Hey we are just about to close. May I help you?” A man dressed in his Sunday finest walked over to them, scoping them out, judging them with his eyes. Gabriel looked at the man as he eyed Jasmine and nearly ignored him.

“I’m Jasmine Peters I’m with the local police. I wanted to speak to someone who knows Chelsea Daniels and Bri Connor.” She said very professionally pulling out her temporary badge.

“We are in the middle of our nightly worship. What do you need to know about those sinners?” The man asked, looking away as if he had something to hide. Jasmine couldn’t help herself then. She pierced the man’s mind as he nervously thought about Bri in the pew next to him and then flashed to him watching her as she talked to the pastor.

“You called them sinners?” Gabriel’s voice brought her back to the scene in front of her and out of the slimy goop that was the man’s mind covered in what he deemed holy and right.

“They went to that club on the other side of town. They thought they were being discreet about it, but I knew.”

“How exactly did you know?” Jasmine asked defensively. In his mind he was there as well following Bri like a creep. Jasmine wanted to punch him for his judging tone and he was the one that was clearly in the wrong.

“I just know. Those girls used to wear tight clothes to Sunday service. It made me appalled. I had to pray for them.” Gabriel and Jasmine glanced at each other as if reading each other’s mind. Gabriel could smell the lies on the man and shook his head as he spoke. “Why are you asking about them anyways? What they do?”

Neither one of them answered. Thankfully the pastor opened the doorway and came out causing the disciple to become stiff and obedient. His thoughts were blank with everything except the visitors.

“Deacon Ellis. Do we have guests?” He asked, suave and calm, welcoming and open.

“They are with the police department asking about Bri and Chelsea.”

“Follow me to my office.”

They did just that to a nice well equipped office. This church was providing for their pastor. Taking care of a man more so than they were taking care of their God. Gabriel noticed this and Jasmine already knew it. Seeing this church justified enough of why she didn’t go anymore.

“Welcome to the house of the Lord. How may I help you detectives?” The pastor asked, sitting comfortably in his chair.

Gabriel leaned on the desk pressing mighty close to the pastor as his fists were bunched, holding back the anger he felt. “Whose Lord? You or The Almighty?” he asked sarcastically.

The pastor’s eyebrows rose in challenge. “Excuse me?”

Gabriel stood up straight with intimidation as he looked disgusted at the office, the expensiveness of everything and the audacity of a pastor to use people’s faith to gain popularity and money. The world was truly gone when people started to use the Lord’s name in vain.

“This office…this church…It’s…”

“Beautifully blessed? Holy?” The pastor tried to complete Gabriel’s sentence.

“Wasted material.” Gabriel finished. “This building Is supposed to represent your faith. Bring in lost souls and feed the spiritual needs of the hungry, but you…” Gabriel shook his head clearly disappointed at the man. “You dare turn your back on someone because of your own selfish desires?”

The Pastor looked confused then and clearly busted. “What do you…”

“Chris Tanner. The man outside on the steps crying for your help.” Gabriel started to shout as he pointed to the outside.

“Chris Tanner is tainted with evil.”

“And you aren’t?” Jasmine asked quickly backing Gabriel up which caused him to glance at her with pride for a brief moment before he turned back to the Pastor.

“He is an abomination to this church and everything we stand for.” He stood becoming defensive. “I thought this was about the girls? Did you come here to patronize me?”

Gabriel stood in his face then. Jasmine even worried he was going to hurt him, grabbed his hand to calm him but he didn’t move from him. “Do you know who I am?”

“Am I supposed to?” The pastor asked, looking to Jasmine for answers. “Who are you people really? Are you from St. John’s?”

Gabriel shook his head, taking a step back for Jasmine. “You are supposed to be the beacon to your God, but yet you cannot see an Angel in your face, but I can see a devil when there is one.”

“I am a pastor! I know the word like the back of my hand.”

“Lucifer knows the word you humans wrote better than you do.” Gabriel replied, turning his back with a sigh. “Ask your questions to him, Jasmine. I will be outside.” Gabriel walked out the office clearly pissed beyond words as Jasmine was now alone with a pastor who didn’t know the half of what was going on.

“What…”

Jasmine held her hands up. “I just need information on Bri Connors and Chelsea Daniels. They were members of this church?” She asked, trying to stay focused.

“Yes. They were. Has something happened to them?”

“Bri Connors is fine, but I have reason to believe someone is after her. Perhaps members of this church that has special gifts.” Jasmine explained, sitting in front of the desk causing the Pastor to relax.

“Chelsea could sing, but I’m not sure about Bri. She was shy and stayed to herself. She didn’t even attend Sunday school or morning prayers.”

Jasmine soaked everything in and as she talked to him she scanned his mind for any information regarding the girls, writing down key information more so from his mind than what he said out loud. There wasn’t anything sinister which she was thankful for. Telling Gabriel anymore about the pastor would’ve set him off so she did her job got what she needed and left the office. As she stepped out she noticed Deacon Ellis on the phone around the corner, whispering and being secretive. Gabriel must’ve walked completely out leaving her to follow Ellis on her own.

Once Gabriel walked outside the office, the people that were having the late services were walking out. Children ran out playing and laughing and the saints came out hugging each other and loving one another. These people were the real believers, the true followers of The Almighty. An older woman turned noticing him. He was tall, past six feet, so he would definitely stand out.

“Hello, son.” She greeted as she walked over with her cane. Gabriel took her hand and shook it with a reassuring smile. “I know you.”

Gabriel leaned down to the woman then. “Do you?”

The older woman nodded. “I know an angel when I see one. You escorted my departed mother to heaven. I remember it like it was yesterday. Your wings…your beautiful wings.”

“Grandma?” A younger woman walked up to her, wrapping her arms around her defensively. “I’m sorry sir if she is bothering you.”

“No not at all.” Gabriel objected. “I was enjoying her conversation.” Because he wanted to learn more about the human who saw him carry her mother decades ago. It was nice to be recognized in the house of believers.

“This is a holy man, Trisha. He has beautiful wings…”

“Nonsense grandma. Come on, let’s get you home to take your medication.”

“Please wait…” Gabriel needed to speak with the older woman some more as he looked at the woman, Trisha. His beating heart started to ache now seeing the aura around her grandmother. She was dying and another carrier would appear to take her away soon. It made Gabriel sad in a way he didn’t understand. He knew this was balance, but yet seeing on the other side was a different feeling. Trisha stopped and the older woman smiled at him as he took her hand. “Maria Griffin, daughter of Marsa Griffin. I remember you.” He replied, rubbing her hand slowly. Her life force was fading away from her, but she went about her days as if nothing was wrong with her. “Tell me, are you afraid?”

Trisha looked confused as to what the man was talking about as they had their secret conversation. Maria only held his hands, placing the right hand on top of his, covering it. “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, whom shall I fear?” She quoted as a response, patting his hands. “I know who I worship and it’s not earthly things.” She released his hands as her granddaughter, Trisha asked her what that was about as they walked off. The corner of Gabriel’s mouth tugged up. After the worst of the worst with Deacon Ellis and The Pastor, he needed someone that would give him hope. It would be the worst if an angel lost faith in humanity too.

Once he thought about it that made him look at the pastor’s door to check on Jasmine. The door was opened already and Jasmine was walking around the corner following Deacon Ellis. Gabriel followed behind her. She was listening to his conversation which caused Gabriel to become suspicious of the man as well. There was something wrong about Ellis Bryant. The stench on him was too strong to ignore and he knew Jasmine would pick up on it. No one believed his bullshit.

Before Deacon Ellis turned around to stop his private conversation, Gabriel wrapped his arms around Jasmine’s waist pulling her back out of sight. Jasmine nearly jumped out of her skin as she yelped, but Gabriel covered her mouth to not blow their cover. Her legs were now off the ground as Gabriel held her tight to him until she calmed down. He released her as she turned hitting his arm, only hurting herself.

“Make a noise or something next time you sneak on me.” She whispered, but her posture showed her screaming. “I can’t read your mind…so just…”

Gabriel placed his finger over his mouth to caution her to be quiet as he leaned over, placing her behind him gently while Ellis opened the church door in the back way letting someone through. Jasmine and Gabriel recognized the man from the club, one of the other bouncers. Ellis handed him some money and mouthed the words “replace her or get me someone new”.

“Sex Trafficking.” Jasmine whispered to Gabriel who glanced down at her for a moment. “It’s an organization that kidnaps young girls and sells them in the sex market.” She explained realizing he wouldn’t know what that meant.

Gabriel’s eyes squinted then. “The price for a woman who has spiritual gifts must be high.”

Jasmine agreed. “Sadly. That’s what it looks like.”

Deacon Ellis finished his exchange with a nod and continued to walk back to the front of the church thinking he was undetected. “Should we confront him now?” Gabriel asked, his teeth were back on edge and he was ready to leap into action if needed.

“No. We wait. It will be grueling, but if we confront him now there may not be another chance to replace Chelsea. The others could go into hiding. We tell Xavier and see how he wants to proceed. We have his name and face.” Jasmine replied, watching Ellis walk off.