go stand with you in battle until order is restored. Let me move the team into safety, then--"
"Hold up, D," Carlos said carefully. "Your primary mission is here."
If a glare could have cut, Carlos would have been feeling his throat for the slice. Fury tore through her. "I know my primary mission, brother," Damali said coolly, making the room go still. "I also know that it is not in our code as Neterus to abandon a friend." She returned her gaze to Cain. "The civil unrest, how bad do you sense it? I can--"
"No," Cain said, his breaths becoming more ragged as he spoke. "He is right. The blade of Asuar is the only thing that has kept the peace for many years. I could not in good conscience put you in harm's way, although you are more than worthy as a warrior. The hybrid beings on the side of Light are in the minority. Angels only rarely transgressed the edict not to mingle with humans... there are not many of those, and even some of them have gone dark. However, as you can imagine, the other side... the scales are unbalanced. The human breaches must stop. Each invasion creates a taunt, drives frenzy throughout Nod. Each incident wreaks unimaginable havoc."
Cain's eyes became sadder as he glanced around the team and allowed his gaze to again settle on Damali, their minds meeting with silent understanding. "Soon, I will not be able to keep them from the ravine or learning how to cross the barrier as the veil weakens. Then your plane will be overrun, Hell's weakened gates will open to join the legions with those hybrid forces. But the hybrids are impossible to delineate in their untransitioned forms, and they can conceal themselves within your human population making your people vulnerable day and night to attack. Humans could accidentally annihilate themselves, mistaking a demon-hybrid for one of their own. Karmic debt would spiral, adding to the minions of Hell's army. Therefore, I must return and guard the veil to ensure that never occurs."
"If you go back alone, then, you have to go back strong. What can I do?" Damali said nearing him, her voice tightening with worry.
"Your counsel is wise, but I do not know the answer to your question," Cain murmured, ignoring all others in the room while gazing at Damali. "I do not fully understand this earth realm now. When I walked the earth as a man, the weapons were different. The inventions were different, even while based upon our foundations of knowledge. I have read all there was up to the point that Nod was swept into the void and cloaked behind the veil. Ours was an advanced civilization, but there are new implements that leave me unknowing."
His eyes held an apology as he continued to stare at Damali for answers. "I have received impressions, from you. But that is not full knowing or comprehension of what has been witnessed. I have pondered... dwelled, on the many things your beautiful Neteru eyes have shown me. There is so much that I saw. Things... types of illumination, panels, poison darts..."
"He's talking about the lab, tranquilizer guns, all this modern technology shit... the computers and whatever else he's seen from Damali." Rider ran his hands down his face and let out a tension-riddled breath. "Don't get me wrong, the guy is definitely an awesome fighting machine and the wildest healer I've ever witnessed, but he's out of time. A few centuries short on what's happening or what we're up against, D. If he goes with us, it would be like putting the fastest gunslinger in the West up against a semiautomatic--yeah, he'd get a shot off before the other gunfighter could draw, but he'd probably die from the still-firing rounds of a dead man. We've gotta find a way to send him back before he takes a bullet."
Cain tore his gaze from Damali's to briefly stare at Rider. "What is this, bullet?"
Damali closed her eyes and gave Cain a hug, ignoring Carlos's instant bristle.
"I can show him, D. No problem," Carlos muttered. "A nine, hollow point--"
"If you have a legitimate grievance," Cain said, extricating himself from Damali's hold, "state it. Outside. Not where innocent women or children could be harmed, or the mother-seer will be traumatized further. Shall we?"
"No," Damali said as Carlos headed for the door. "One team. We have to get our squad to safety; Cain is weakening in this density--"