Chapter 6 LN: Angel Meet Cop

Corporate Alliance Territory

Eden City// Cordell Industries Central Territory.

"The latches are on the back." Mike instructed as Jack helped him strip the body.

This was crazy. Jack was afraid that Mike would have blown a gasket or at worst, turned him in. However, upon seeing the body, Mike immediately went to work.

He didn't ask questions, he didn't give Jack any lip or berate him. He just ordered Jack to put his sister to bed. When he returned, Mike was undoing the merc’s armor and stuffing it into a plastic bag.

"Aren't… aren't you gonna ask why?" Jack asked after the duo had finished tearing the clothes off the woman's body.

"No time kiddo. We need to get her body to the Rip-Off-Doc, clean this place up, and dispose of her armor. How's Jillian?"

"Jill's ok, she has a little cut, but she should be fine." The entire ordeal had tuckered the girl out, putting her to sleep quickly.

"Good. Get the extra large duffle bag from across the hall. The one in the closet, here's my key." Mike tossed his apartment key to Jack, not bothering to look up as he began folding the woman's limbs.

Jack quickly ran across the hall, fumbling with the lock on Mike's apartment for a moment before getting through.

Mike's unit was similar to Jack's; the only difference was it was extremely cluttered and messy. The man never picked up after himself, forcing Jack to navigate the labyrinth of dirty laundry, nudy mags, and random nick-nacks to get to the closest.

Forcing it open, Jack eyed the duffle bag with an XL on it that hung on a hanger. He grabbed it, quickly trudging his way back to his apartment where Mike was busy breaking the corpse's limbs. Jack paused at the sight. The sound of bones cracking causing him to wince.

"What took you so long? Hand me the bag kiddo," Mike held a hand out, not bothering to look up at the boy as he positioned the body.

Jack obliged, sitting to the side and watching mortified as Mike quickly stuffed the humanoid torso into the bag with deft hands.

"Listen kid, I'ma head out to Cisco and then to the department to take care of everything. When I get back we'll discuss whatever the HELL happened here, but don't open this door for anyone, understood?" Mike ordered, his usual jovial expression nowhere to be seen. "Kid, I need to know if you understand."

Jack shook himself from his stupor. "Yea. Yea I understand."

Mike's face made a strange expression before he placed a firm hand on Jack's shoulder.

"Everything is going to be ok. Whatever happened I'm sure it wasn't your fault. Stay with Jillian, I'll be back shortly." Mike said softly, pulling Jack close and hugging the boy before exiting the room.

Jack suddenly found it hard to breathe as the door closed behind Mike. He stumbled a bit, using his shoulder to prop himself up on a nearby wall while he tried to catch his breath. He just took a human life. The enormity of what he'd just done and everything that had happened suddenly came crashing on top of Jack.

Not only was it the fact that he'd just murdered someone, but also that she was a member of the Angel's Mercenary group. Sooner or later someone would notice and come looking for her, tracing her steps which would lead them directly to him and Jill.

Sitting on the ground, Jack tried to get his panicky breathing under control. Everything was going to be ok. It had to be.

"Are you alright?," Sahaqiel said, her head appearing in Jack’s lap looking up at him.

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"What … what happened back there?" Jack asked, the woman’s nudity no longer bothering him as he recounted the feeling of rage and anger that appeared when he choked the life out of Jill's attacker.

"You desired power and I answered, temporarily Awakening you and allowing you to use one of your body's latent skills." Sahaqiel stated flatly, almost as if it was the most common thing.

Processing the information Jack began to look down at his new hand. "What was that screen? The thing that said absorption?"

“Your system silly, or well, soon to be. Once you actually Awaken. Every Awakened gets one, though yours is a bit different seeing as it isn’t yours per se and I’m still having a hard time molding your core to Awaken.”

Systems? Cores? He didn’t have a clue what the angel was talking about, although now that he thought about it, Jack did recall something about Awaken having some kind of system. It was a general rumor, one of those things that everyone knew about but was never confirmed.

“How long do you think until I can access it?” If trouble was coming Jack was going to need all of the tools he could get. Sahaqiel pursed her lips before responding.

“Mmmmmh, probably by the end of the night.”

“Can you do it faster? I want to be ready in case something happens.”

“Oh you greedy boy. You know I’ve been working non-stop since we’ve fused. Give a lady a break why dontcha? I’m only one Angel. Plus…” Sahaqiel disappeared, only to reappear again behind Jack where she draped herself over his shoulders and whispered sinisterly. “In your state, you’d get yourself killed long before you’d help me get my revenge.”

“So then what do I do?”

The pair sat in silence for a while as Sahaqiel used a finger to draw circles on Jack’s chest.

“I don’t know Jack. You’re the host here, it’s up to you to decide. But whatever you choose I’ll do my best to support you as long as you honor our covenant.” And with that Sahaqiel faded away, leaving the boy alone to stew in his thoughts.

Jack sighed. "Very helpful."

After their discussion, Jack wandered around his apartment for a while, pacing anxiously in front of Jill’s door as he waited for Mike to return. He checked the locks, pistol magazines, and even stood around analyzing ways to safely evacuate his sister.

Eventually the doorbell rang causing Jack to spring up in alarm from his introspection. He grabbed the gun, chambered it and held the barrel against the door before looking through the spyglass. He was caught unawares once, he wouldn’t be caught off guard again.

Jack breathed a sigh of relief, seeing the familiar police uniform, It was only Mike. Jack tucked the gun away and disengaged the lock, allowing the man to come through.

“You ok kid? No one’s been through here right? You’ve kept the door closed?” Mike rattled off, turning around to check the hallway before closing the door behind him. “There was a report of shots fired but I called in a code green, you want to tell me what the HELL all this was about?!”

Jack didn’t know where to begin. So he started with the beginning. Mike put on a cup of noodles as he listened to Jack explain everything that had happened. From the explosion, to the memories, to his fusion with Sahaqiel, all the way up to his encounter with the Awakened who threatened Jill’s life.

Jack felt a weight fall from his shoulders as he told his adoptive dad the story, but while he did so, it seemed so incredulous that even Jack was beginning to doubt it was all real.

After it was all over the duo sat in silence at the sparse dining room table. Neither speaking as both parties tried to comprehend what had been said.

Maybe I died and this is just me hallucinating in my final moments. Jack thought to himself.

Mike cleared his throat, finally breaking the silence. Jack felt himself shrinking in his chair as he waited for his adoptive dad to call him crazy.

“So an Angel huh. An actual Angel… I’ll be honest kid, this all seems… rather unbelievable.”

“But it's true!” Jack exclaimed, slapping his hand on the table. “I swear it Mike-”

“Now hold on! I’m not saying I don’t believe you. I do.” At Mike’s words, Jack was both confused and relieved.

“Wait, really?”

“It makes sense kiddo. No way in hell you’d take out an Awakened by yourself. Plus, the entire city is in a hissy fit. Kagawa, Liu, Cordell. Even Barrington has contracts out looking for your “Friend”. Hells bells kid, you’ve kicked the hornets nest on this one.” Mike leaned back in his chair, taking a cigarette out and lighting it. “Cisco is a greedy little fuck, but he keeps his mouth shut. Maybe we can swing by and he can see about this Angel nonsense. Maybe even remove it from you.”

“It wouldn’t work.”

“What the hell?!” Mike hollard out, falling from his chair with an audible thud but recovering quickly with his weapon drawn.

Sahaqiel had suddenly appeared, lying on the table between Jack and Mike while leisurely twirling her hair between her slender fingers.

“Are… are you the Angel?” Mike asked, his eyes darting between the naked woman and Jack but not lowering his pistol.

“The one and the same,” Sahaqiel said, flashing a smile and extending a hand. “Let’s get better acquainted shall we?”