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Riell stared into the toilet and waited: she had to throw up to get rid of her migraine. She knew Shrazz would make fun of her motion sickness. It was rare among winged half-angels like her.

When she was younger she couldn't fly for more than an hour without having to stop and throw up.

Her stomach had grown stronger since, but space travel seemed to be where it drew the line. Even after she made it to The Falling Curtain's low orbit station via shuttle, she had to endure long distance teleportation to reach her destination.

After she threw up several times she checked herself in the mirror. She looked like hell, but she didn't want Shrazz eye-screwing her the whole time either. She sighed: it was time to get her visit over with.

While she walked down the white and blue halls of the hospital to Shrazz's room, she wondered why she had endured such a trip for him.

Riell stood outside Shrazz's hospital room and considered leaving.

Why had she come at all?

He had not contacted her for centuries, but still had her as his primary emergency contact. She told herself she just wanted to see Shrazz in critical condition for the first time for satisfaction and the chance to gloat.

But, when she saw his battered bandaged body she forgot about her migraine, went back downstairs to the hospital's food court and purchased 500 barbeque "hot as hell" wings from his favorite restaurant Burnin' Wings.

Burnin' Wings was the only place that served authentic demon meat, a controversial move for a half-breed owned restaurant. Their popularity eventually eclipsed criticisms, but Riell would never allow herself such a taboo regardless of how delicious it was.

She loaded the food on a cart and sought out a copy of his tournament tape to watch with him while he ate.

He would want to talk about the fight with her.

She made her way back to the room and stood outside the door. She could not bring herself to enter. Had he missed her at all? Had he changed, or was he still the womanizer she had always known? She decided to at least set the massive wing buckets in his room.

Riell opened the door quietly, unloaded the wings and was half-way out the door when he stirred.

"Riell? You brought me wings?"

She turned around and saw him sitting up with a gleaming grin on his smooth, hairless face.

"Hey Shrazz."

Riell tried not to smile, but her thin lips curled up regardless. She knew then she had missed him, and it frustrated her.

"So, can I get a hug?"

She crossed her arms.

"You look rough," she said.

"It was a rough fight. You don't look great yourself. Baggy sweats? Usually you're proud of your curves. And you're lookin' thin. You know your cheekbones stick out when you're underweight. Your tan looks nice though. Never thought you'd be able to get one of those." Shrazz smiled.

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"You're still suave as Bond, Shrazz."

Shrazz laughed, and even though Riell was irritated from his remarks, she chuckled.

"I uh, got a copy of the tournament. We can watch it while you eat if you want. The officials I spoke to said if it leaves the building they'll put a price on my head. What kind of tournament was this?"

"Yeah. Let's," Shrazz said through a mouthful of meat and bone. "I'll tell you more about it all in a second. Hungry."

"How can you eat those whole... disgusting," she said as she put the DVD inside the television hanging from the ceiling. "How long are you supposed to be in here?"

"A few days."

Shrazz's agility made Riell gasp: he was a black blur; the camera could barely follow him.

"Impressed?" Shrazz grinned. "By my count I killed at least twenty in the first minute. Most of them didn't even see me coming."

Riell sat down next to him on the bed.

"Okay, Shrazz. Yes. I'm impressed. You've improved drastically."

"I'm sure you have too," he said and smiled at her.

Riell's heart fluttered when she saw his large lips turn up into a smile and had to look away. When he smiled like that he looked like he genuinely cared, and his dimples made him almost look innocent.

Riell tried to ignore her reaction and took a deep breath.

"These half-breeds you're fighting... a lot of them are high ranking officials from numerous organizations. What was this tournament for, Shrazz?"

"It was a chance at a mission," Shrazz garbled through a mouthful of meat and bone. He swallowed it all faster than Riell expected and burped loudly.

Riell's electric green eyes widened before disgust rolled them back into her head.

A knock sounded from the door.

"Come in," Shrazz said.

A nurse came in with an envelope.

"This letter came for you. There is no return address."

"I'll take it. Thanks."

The nurse left, and Shrazz tore into the envelope.

"What is it?" Riell asked.

"I'll read it," Shrazz said. "You have been selected for the mission based on your tournament performance. Congratulations. This mission is of the utmost classified nature. Please insure your privacy before reading further."

"Who is it from?"

"The Duo, I'm guessing," Shrazz lied. "Who else would it be from?"

"Okay. Why are you staring at me? Read it!" Riell said.

"Alright, alright. Your first order is to recruit Riell Frallt. We want her to work beside you." Shrazz realized Satan had injured him in order to ease Riell's recruitment.

Riell stood and took a step away from him.

"Well what do you say, Riell? They want us together again."

"I'm declining. I know a ruse when I see one."

"This was merely a coincidence. Don't you want to hear the rest?"

"Fine. Whatever." She sat back down.

"The mission will include the live apprehension of an angel. Time of the target's arrival is not known. You will be informed of details as they become available."

Shrazz looked up at her after he finished reading.

"An angel? What kind of payment will we get for this?"

Shrazz looked down and pretended to read.

"Riell will receive an advance payment of 10 million curtain credits," Shrazz said. "And a payment of 50 million credits once the mission is complete."

"What?! Let me see." She reached for it.

Shrazz set the letter aflame, and she gaped at him.

"Sorry, it was an accident. I guess I got excited."

Riell frowned.

"It's fine... you really were not aware they wanted you and I to work together?"

"No," he laughed, "of course not."

She stared at him, and he smiled at her. Reading him was impossible. More than anything she wanted to say yes to see if she could trust him and spend a little more time with him. At that thought, she knew it was time to go. She had already invested more emotions in him than she had meant to.

Riell sighed and wished she had just left the wings with a nurse. That would have been less complicated.

"I'll consider it," she said.

"Better than a no. Are you leaving?"

She walked for the door.

"Yeah. Goin' home."

Riell put her hand on the handle.

"Where is home these days?"

"I have more houses than I can remember. I'm staying in an apartment in upper limbo for the privacy right now. You?"

"An abandoned building in Nuevas Cruces."

"You've acquired taste in my absence."

They laughed together, their duet of mirth reminded both of them of a companionship they had thought lost forever.

"Thank you."

They were silent. She turned the handle and waved.

"Well, enjoy the wings. You've grown into an impressive warrior. Took you long enough."

He laughed.

"Yeah. Thanks. Thanks for stopping by. Let me know about the mission?"

"I will."

Riell left the room.

Shrazz marveled at Satan's genius.

He buzzed the nurse and had her bring him a tablet pc so he could ensure he would have cash for Riell's advance if she accepted the offer. He smiled, he had more than enough. He ate his fill of wings and fell asleep watching his DVD.