Capítulo 1: The Contract

The warm New York sun finally flooded the whole of Gabriel's front room and reflected off the computer he was using. He was looking at news reports from all around the city, as well as conversing in a couple of chatrooms frequented by members of the Neighborhood Watch. The glare from the sun caused Gabriel to end his morning research. He powered down the computer and stood up to stretch, his back was sore from sitting too long and he decided to grab some food. He walked a few meters into the kitchen and opened his fridge. In terms of food the angel didn't need to eat, but in an attempt to feel normal he did it anyway. He grabbed some jarred hotdogs and moved on to his cupboards where he found some buns. Perfect. Hotdogs were probably one of Gabriel's favorite Earth customs, other angels wouldn't understand this but they tasted good.

He threw the hotdogs onto the pan and turned the stove on to heat them up, he then placed them quickly into the buns. Turning the stove off he squirted some ketchup onto the hotdogs and sat down at his dining table. Turning the TV onto a local news channel Gabriel grabbed one of the hotdogs and bit into it. After swallowing the bite he smiled, the thing was just the way he liked it. He continued eating his hotdogs, keeping an eye on the TV to see if anything had happened in the short time he was making food. Luckily it was a slow news day, the most interesting thing that had happened was a guy who got his head stuck in a washing machine. Gabriel smiled while eating. Humans and the things they get up to, he thought. Just as he was about to grab his second hotdog he heard the distinct ring of his phone in the next room. The sweet sounds of Elvis Costello's 'Waiting for the End of the World' filled the room. Gabriel sighed in frustration, he willed himself to be across the room by the phone and as he blinked he was there. Picking up the phone he glanced at who was calling but when he saw the name he was no longer mad.

Captain Jane Cooper. Commanding Officer of the Central Park Precinct, and Gabriel's partner in the police force. Being a consultant for the NYPD allowed the angel to do everything he was tasked to do on Earth. His task was to watch over Manhattan for any demons, which being on the police force you tend to see a lot. Demons love causing chaos, so they possess someone and force them to commit crime, then the person is arrested. It's Gabriel's job to make sure that if there is a demon, that it is destroyed before it can harm anyone else. Normal people can't see the demons of course but an angel has an eye for it, that's why Gabriel is useful to Cooper. She is one of the only normal people on Earth who knows of the existence of the heavenly and demonic forces operating in the mortal realm. Due to this she is able to cut Gabriel slack when it comes to him doing his job as an angel.

He swiped the answer button and put the phone to his ear, "What can I do for you Captain?" Gabriel said, his voice calm yet somewhat stern. As he was saying this he willed himself to be at his wardrobe. If the Captain was calling then it must be work related which meant he had to wear his suit. He looked at his collection of bright colored suits and decided for a white one before Cooper even uttered a word. "We have a situation. A guy just robbed a convenience store and we can't find him, we may need you're expertise," Cooper explained, her voice sounded stressed, something that Gabriel found to be common these days. After her promotion from Detective she'd been struggling to keep ahead of the workload. "I am on my way Captain, i will be there in 30 minutes," Gabriel concluded as he hung up the phone and put on his suit. He left his apartment and stepped onto Morningside Dr, then began walking towards the precinct briskly.

Ever since Gabriel left the his apartment he has had the overwhelming feeling that he was being watched. Despite how it might sound an angels whole life is spent being watched so he payed little attention to it. Instead he concentrated on the people, he loved watching them because they were funny little creatures. Always doing something you don't expect of them, today for example there was an old toothless man screaming about stars falling out the sky. "ITS COMING I TELL YOU! SOON THE SKIES WILL BE FILLED WITH SHOOTING STARS! THEY WILL FALL FURTHER THEN EVER BEFORE! LISTEN MAN IN WHITE THE WALL ASCENDS EVER FASTER! SOON THE SECOND CITY OF GODS WILL FALL" The man shouted, his voice crazed as he made eye contact with Gabriel who suddenly stopped as he heard what the man said. "What did you say?" Gabriel said walking towards the old man, who now seemed to be ignoring the angel completely. He was walking away, speeding up every step and before long the angel lost him in the crowds. Slightly concerned he put any thoughts aside and pressed on towards the police station.

Walking through the main door Gabriel greeted the security guard and entered the bullpen. A uniformed police officer told the consultant that the Captain was expecting him in Interrogation Room 3. "Have they caught the guy then?" Gabriel questioned after he received the message, the uniform stopped just outside the bullpen and turned around, "Not sure, all i know is that the Captain isn't happy. I recommend caution Myers," The officer said with a slight smile towards the end. Gabriel smiled and thanked the officer before heading upstairs to the interrogation room. When he reached room 3 he tapped lightly on the door of the viewing room and stepped inside. "So you finally decide to grace us with your presence?" Jane snapped as the angel walked in, he raised an eyebrow and was about to speak before the Captain cut in. "Damn officer brought him in because she thought he was going for a gun, He was pulling his ID out to show her!" She brought her hand up to her face and sighed.

The angelic consultant looked over to the man and frowned. Something was off, he couldn't place it but the guy made him uncomfortable. "I would like to talk to him," Gabriel announced looking over to the Captain, who despite seeming to be having a moment, nodded. "Maybe you can knock a confession out of him," She said waving her hand towards the door. Gabriel nodded exiting the room and walking straight into the one next to it. Immediately, he was hit with a sense of unease, in an attempt to get to the bottom of it he quickly slowed time around him. He didn't use this power often as it tends to drain him of energy extremely quickly. Walking towards the man at the table he decided to introduce himself, "Hello, i am Gabriel Myers. I am a consultant here." The angel said it clearly and was done by the time he sat down. He stared into the man's eyes, hoping to see the true form of the man, only to see nothing but a human. Gabriel frowned once more, "So why did you rob the place?" he said finally before leaning forward and waiting for the man to answer.

The man was fidgety and always seemed to be looking past Gabriel at something behind him. "I um, well i'm poor and i needed the money," The man replied timidly, looking quickly at Gabriel then down at the table. Gabriel took a few moments to think, being in it's presence so long Gabriel was sure demonic energy was present around the man, an oddly small amount however, not enough for possession. "Have you come in contact with any strange people?" Gabriel said carefully, watching the mans face carefully, he seemed almost shocked at the question. At that moment Gabriel felt time start to speed up again as he couldn't hold it for too long, he decided to force the man to tell the truth, although it's much more gentle then it sounds. He placed his hands on the table and they released a gentle glow of golden light, which reflected into the man's pupils. As time sped up to its normal speed, the Captain would get her confession as the man began speaking.

"A man approached me on my way home yesterday, he seemed quite out of it looked like he hadn't slept in days. His eyes were so bloodshot, they looked entirely red. He told me that if i was to cause some chaos, then he would be able to provide money for my sick mother. I don't usually do this type of thing, I'm a good guy, i volunteer in a soup kitchen but my mother needs a new liver. I just thought he worked for some mafia or something, you know? Oh god what have i done?", The man suddenly burst out. After he was finished he seemed slightly relieved as if a weight was taken of his shoulders. Gabriel leant back in his chair and looked at the one way mirror where he assumed the Captain was. He gave the man a once-over and exited the room, only to be met with Jane exiting the viewing area. "You slowed down time didn't you?" The Captain said in a low voice leaning in, just as Gabriel was about to defend himself a detective by the name of Stuart Dowling walked round the corner, "Captain, Myers shots fired at West 111th Street, 26th are requesting backup they don't have the manpower" He said urgently, forgetting anything the angel might have done she turned to Downling, "What's going on down there?" She said while making her way forwards towards the stairs.

The detective seemed slightly uneasy talking about it, as Gabriel walked behind them both the detective looked back at him and then back to the Captain, "Well uh the building is you know the one you inquired about, a couple weeks back" He said choosing his words very carefully, Myers was confused and looked over at Jane. She glanced back at him while grabbing a bulletproof vest and smiled, "It's okay detective, he's my partner after all. You'll like this Myers, it's home to your type of people." Was all she said before heading towards the door, Myers followed quickly behind her wondering what she meant by that. Dowling followed Myers but as they reached the Captains car she ordered Dowling to coordinate with the 26th. "Me and Myers have got this under control, haven't we?" Jane said looking over at the consultant, who after a few seconds of confusion, hesitantly nodded his head.

"He doesn't even have a gun! He's useless in the field, look!" Dowling said unholstering his pistol and pointing it at Gabriel. Gabriel of course has inhuman reactions and as soon as the pistol was level with his head he disarmed the detective, pointing the gun back at him. The angel had also picked up a few skills over the 253 years he'd been on Earth. a small chuckle escaped from Jane's lips as the angel handed the pistol back to the detective who now seemed to have lost his confidence. Without another word Dowling walked back inside. Myers got in the '69 Chevrolet Impala and brought put on his seat belt. "So, West 111th Street?" The angel said innocently looking over to Jane who nodded and began driving.

They got to a warehouse which sported a large eye symbol with the infinity symbol as the pupil on the front of it, getting out the car Gabriel looked around the empty parking lot. "I thought the 26th were here?" He questioned summoning his angel blade. An angel blade is just one of the weapons assigned to angels at birth. Those who receive the blade are those who even at birth hold a large amount of power. The blade's abilities vary depending on the angel wielding it, even the strongest weapons from the heavenly arsenal will become useless to those who aren't worthy to wield them. Gabriel's blade was forged in the fires of Hell by God before the fall of Lucifer. It has the power to absorb demonic energy and convert it into heavenly grace, which strengthens the user. Gabriel had wielded it a few times over the last 2 centuries, more so in his recent years working with Jane and has used the power of it only twice. This is because every heavenly weapon has a cost for using its power.

"Probably withdrew as soon as they heard we were coming," Jane said bringing the angel out from a thought process about where they were. When they reached the door Gabriel managed to read the name of the organization that owned the warehouse, 'Natus Est Ignis' the angel shivered as he read. 'Born of Fire' was a name he'd heard before, long ago in a story his father told him. A story of prophets who would use life essence to power there abilities. All of a sudden the angel sped up and walked quickly into the building, he headed straight through the first door and into what looked like a throne room. What he saw horrified him, 11 dead men in robes covered in blood. Between them knelt a man who strangely Gabriel recognized. He was a spitting image of the man his father spoke about in the stories. Down to the scars across both eyes, and a medallion around his neck bearing the eye of providence.

The man was muttering two phrases over and over again. "The Valiard is returning, it comes for you my boy" followed by "The City born of Silver will fall like that of Gold, you must stop the second city of God from falling." Gabriel raised an eyebrow, he attempts to figure the meaning out from this obscure prophecy, however the only thing he recognizes is the Silver City. "Oh my god, hands in the air!" Jane shouted running into the room looking around, gun aimed at the prophet. Gabriel moved to stop her but before he reached her the prophet smiled and fell among his brothers...Dead.