Rick Mofina - If Angels Fall

A task force?

Keller swallowed. His throat was dry. Almost raw.

So be it. His mission was sanctified.

Squeak-creak. Squeak-creak.

The abductions have shaken the Bay Area to its verycore.

“It’s every parent’s nightmare.” Charlene Munroe toldreporters as she, along with her ten-year-old daughter and twelve-year-old son,combed Golden Gate Park’s wooded areas. “We helped in the search for DannyBecker. I’m a mother, too.” Charlene swept aside some grass with a stick, thencalled her children, who had ambled a few yards from her. “Stay close to me,guys! I just hope this works out for the best.”

Squeak-creak. Squeak-creak.

Vince Vincent went on about the intense investigation,the rumors about a psychic being called and contacts with police who facedserial child murder cases in Atlanta, New York, and British Columbia.

Keller switched his set off. Scattered around him werethe early editions of the major Bay papers. He had read every word, studiedevery picture, graphics, locator maps, everything on the case.

Let them search.

It was late, but he was not tired. He went to theworktable, looked through the heap of journals, binders and notes, stopping tostudy the time-worn snapshot of his three children: Pierce, Alisha, and Joshua.Laughing. A few weeks before they drowned.

They never found the bodies.

So let them search. For Raphael. For Gabriel.

They’ll never find the bodies. The Truth was revealedto him. His children were not dead. They were waiting to be reborn in celestiallight. Only God’s Angels could rescue them, transfigure them. Then togetherthey would walk in the Kingdom of God. How could police know his DivineMission? They were mortals. How could they comprehend what was preordained?

They could never know the Divine Truth as he did.

It had been revealed to him. He had been chosen. Hewas the enlightened one who would show the world God’s wonder. Edward Kellerhad been ordained; he was the light beyond sorrow, the light beyond the veil ofdeath, destined to fulfill a Holy Mission.

He was cleansed in the light of the Lord.

Soon everyone would know God’s love, His name, Hisglory.

Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus. Dominus Deus sabaoth.

The Angels, soldiers of God’s merciful love, were sentto him.

Keller smiled, for it was true. He had found thefirst.

Danny Raphael Becker, Raphael of the Powers. Healed byGod. Chief of the Guardian Angels. Guardian of Mankind. Protector of Children.

And he had found the second, concealed as GabrielleNunn. Gabrielle. Gabriel. God’s ambassador to earth. The Angel who heralded thecoming of the Messiah. Gabriel had come to him. She was the messenger. She washis.

She was in the basement with Raphael.

It went according to his prayers.

Thanks to be to God. Praise Him.

Keller found the silver crucifix and slipped it aroundhis neck. Then he reached for the binder with the names of his eldest son,Pierce, and the third Angel, caressing his meticulous notes inside. One moreAngel to complete the choir. One more to complete his Holy Mission. One moreand God would initiate the transfiguration. He would find his children. Be withthem. Bring them back. Nothing could keep him from his holy destiny now.Nothing. He held his crucifix in a white knuckled grip. He’d come too far,endured too much pain. Nothing must go wrong now. Suddenly he heardsomething--

Screaming? Yes. Screaming.

Hysterical screaming from the basement where theangels were.

Something as big as an elephant was inside Gabrielle’s head beating to get out.It hurt.

She tasted something horrible in her mouth, likevinegar and medicine. Open your eyes. Can’t. They’re too heavy. Maybe they’restuck shut. Lying on something soft. A bed? Where is she? It didn’t smell likeher room. Her house. It’s smelly here, like something rotten, like a scaryplace. Where was she?

Squeak-creak .

Where is she? What happened? The party. JoannieTyson’s birthday party at the park. The carousel. Butterflies in her stomach.Rhonda King throwing up. Gross! The man outside the bathroom. Jackson. He foundJackson. A quick secret peek in his truck. Want a soda? You spilled somebut-the wet cloth-can’t breathe-Jackson barking-the cloth drippingmedicine-fighting-kicking.

Squeak-creak. Squeak. Creak.

Don’t open your eyes!

Something-someone touched her cheek. A soft warm hand.Small.

Please. Please. Please. Don’t hurt me.

She had to open her eyes. Had to. Okay. A little boy.On his knees looking down at her. A boy who was smaller than she was, staringat her. She blinked at him and sniffed. The boy looked sad.

“Who are you?” he said.

“Gabrielle Nunn. Who are you?”

“Danny.”

“Where am I? Have you seen my dog, Jackson?”

Danny didn’t answer.

“Where’s Mr. Jenkins? He knows my dad.”

Danny just stared at her.

“Where is this place?”

Danny said nothing.

Gabrielle sat up and looked at him until a tiny lightof recognition glimmered on her face. “You’re the little boy on TV, the one whogot kidnapped-you are!”

“Where’s my daddy?” Danny said. “Can I go home now?”

Newspapers covered the basement window. It looked darkoutside. Were those bars, like jail? A dim bulb hung from the ceiling, like inGabrielle’s dad’s garage, painting the grungy, cracked walls in a pale light.Where’s the TV? Were there people who can take her home? Where was Jackson?Where was Mr. Jenkins? She was confused. She didn’t like this place. There werethree mattresses, ripped, with stuff coming out of them. They smelled. Whythree? The door was closed. Garbage and stuff plastered the floor. Yech!

“Danny,” she asked, “who lives in this place?”

He just sat there, his face dirty and white, like hewas sick or sleepy or something.

“I don’t like this place. I want to go home now,” shesaid.

Danny offered her a chocolate-covered, vanilla creamcookie.

“It’s got a bite already.” She didn’t touch it.

Danny bit into the cookie.

Gabrielle knew she was with the boy who got kidnappedand had his picture on TV everywhere. The boy everybody was looking for allover the place. Suddenly she realized a terrible thing.

She was kidnapped, too!

“Danny, where is this place?”

He just stared.

“What’s going to happen to us now?” she asked.

Danny’s fingers were sticky from the cookie. He wasreally littler than she was. His chin crumpled and his eyes clamped shut and hebegan crying in a ragged voice like he had been crying forever. Gabriellewanted to cry, too, but something inside took over. Big kids look after littlekids, they told you in school. Gabrielle put her arm around him.

“Don’t cry, Danny.” She sniffed. “My daddy will takeus home.”

“I want to go home, now.”

“Me, too. I wonder who lives in this place?”

Danny pointed a tiny finger to the door. “The man whotook me.”

Squeak-creak. Squeak-creak . He was out there!

Gabrielle’s stomach bounced. Gooseflesh crawled alongher arms.

Squeak-creak. Squeak-creak .

She hated Mr. Jenkins, whoever he was. He had trickedher. He lied. Where was Jackson? He must have stolen Jackson from her. He was abad man. She was in trouble now. Her mommy and daddy told her never talk tostrangers. No matter what. But he had Jackson and said he knew Daddy. Nomatter what. She broke the rules and it was all her fault. Mom and Dad weregoing to be mad. She had to tell them she was sorry she broke the rules. Theywould come and get her if she told them everything. Maybe she wouldn’t be intoo much trouble. Gabrielle knew what she had to do. She had to tell her momand dad. But how?