I stop twirling the knife, slowly setting it down on the table. “Are they using veils?”
“We cannot say for certain, though this is an older archangel, made before the Punishment. The odds of him being well-versed in the skill are higher than the usual Speculatores.”
“Have your subordinates compose a report of everything we know about this Messenger. Figure out the identity of the girl, too, and do the same for her.” I pause. “Who was in that initial patrol? Lower angels?”
“Yes, Sir. Two junior agents, not considered nobles. Both have outstanding service records.”
And they have proven themselves to be more useful than some of our actual archangels. “Have them promoted a rank. And give them special recognition, something very public, to make sure they are well-recognized for their good work.”
“I will see to it.” He moves to retake his seat at the marble table. “If there are no further questions, this concludes my report.”
"Sir, if I may?" Amezarak asks, waiting for my permissive head nod before proceeding.
"The modern nation of Israel holds several critical sites of Armageddon, including those directly mentioned in the prophecy and those still unknown to man. We should be able to use the airport's surveillance technology to determine which direction their car was last seen heading. If they were driving East, then the obvious answer is Jerusalem. But if they were going West, then, well... The entrance to the Abyss isn't far. And if the human really does have a peculiar signature in her soul..."
A fair observation. “It’s possible. Bat, get the statisticians to run the probability of this girl being the Key to the Abyss.”
Ana gasps, forgetting the etiquette of these formal meetings. “But that would besoahead of schedule?—”
“I’m aware,” I cut her off with a glare before turning my attention back to Batriel. “Which is why I want the probability thoroughly investigated by our team. If it’s true, then we need eyes inside the Abyss. Some of the best you can spare, Bat.”
“Understood,” he says with a curt nod, scribbling into the notebook before him. “As long as their trading pipeline remains open, their entrance has weaknesses. I will prepare Elara and Thalios to become a rotating intel team.”
My eyebrows pull together in concern. “You would put two of your oldest children in such a high-risk position? You know what will happen to them if they’re caught.”
“Yes.” He looks up from his paper, his shadowed face both stoic and proud. “If this human is truly the one who can open the Abyss, then theywould gladly accept the risk. They’re the only ones I’m confident can remain undetected by the locusts.”
“Very well.” I dip my head, trusting his judgment. “Onto our next topic, then. The U.S. election is rapidly approaching. I need a full status update on our proposed mission’s risk analysis. Tamiel, you may proceed.”
11
KAE
Iwake up in the morning to the sound of strange grunting.
Camels, it turns out.
I stare at them through a slip in the curtain, watching as one stoops for Dusk to load our luggage onto its back. How polite of him. The distinguished gentleman!
Not Malak, of course, but the camel.
The angel is still on my shit list after last night.
Turning back to the room, I find a desert-appropriate outfit laid out for me. It’s long and loose, clearly designed to keep my pale skin from frying to a crisp under the punishing Israeli sun. I waste no time getting dressed and ready to go, shoving my remaining items into my small leather backpack.
By the time I’m out the door, four camels stand waiting. Two are saddled for Dusk and me to ride, while the other two carry our luggage. I give mine a good scratch on the head when it stoops for me to mount. “What’s this one’s name?”
“Sally,” Dusk calls over his shoulder from his camel, which stands at the front of the line. “Do you need any help?”
“Nope.” Swinging my leg over, I pull myself into the saddle with practiced ease. In that way, it’s very similar to riding a horse. But this thing istall. I’m taken aback by how high I rise when she stands. And when we begin to move, I’m momentarily thrown off by the strange, jerking rhythm she walks with. Other than that, though, it’s like riding a bike.
With a chatty Amit walking at the end of the line, we set out for the Abyss’s entrance.
Quite inconveniently, it happens to be located inside an Israeli intelligence base.
The moment Amit takes a brief pause in his idle chatter, I jump in. It takes a bit of shouting to make sure he hears me way back there. “Hey, Amit! How, exactly, are you getting us onto the base?”
“My second cousin has gate duty this morning! Well, second cousin once-removed. He’s a fine young man. Been through a bit of hard times lately. He recently lost his leg, you see, in a horrible accident with a dairy bull…”
