been to war for our country already have to deal with that. But then when you put angels in the mix, me, for one, I ain't blowing up shit until I know for sure. It has to present fangs, first--feel me?"
Damali nodded. "Primary order of business is for me to figure out how to get into that dimension. It's not about calling anything through the rip until we know which entity is coming through the tear, where it hails from lineage-wise, and what its agenda is."
"I have to ask a delicate question before you go anywhere, though," Marlene said. She stared at the telephone. "If we take the team--"
A loud single cough stopped her words.
"The team can't go?" Marlene glanced at Damali.
Two coughs sounded.
"By herself isn't advisable, either, given Cain's interest in her."
Silence echoed in the room.
"All right," Marlene said calmly. "Let me ask it this way. Is there some reason why a human team cannot go with their Neteru in search of the other Neteru?" Two coughs sounded.
"This twenty questions is kicking my ass," Berkfield said, running a palm over his bald scalp. "C'mon, Father, talk to us."
"He can't," Damali said flatly. "Nor does he know the way in." Two coughs answered.
"If Heaven knew that this natural disaster was headed in our direction, they knew the rip would occur before the Armageddon kicked off, right?" Damali stared at the telephone.
Again, two loud coughs filled the speakerphone.
Damali began walking to help herself think. The Light always had a very good reason for anything it did or allowed. Figuring out the puzzle and adhering to what was the underlying message in the lesson was the tricky part.
"Okay, guys," Damali said, lost deep in thought. "Just like the Darkness was trying to do, the Light is concentrating, pulling in what was theirs to amp up for major battle. My guess is they're banking on mercenary soldiers from their far-flung angel corps, the ones over there in Nod that could help sway the balance and have superhuman powers, but also are grounded by a human soul and choice factor. Those that are ready in Nod have gotten themselves together and served their time well. Maybe they're supposed to cross over through the rip and really be of service to humankind in the last days."
Another excited series of loud coughs filled the phone.
"Cool," Damali said flatly as she leveled her gaze at the group and then Juanita. "So, maybe my prayer wasn't a mistake, after all? Maybe it was part of the grand cosmic design, and as a Neteru warrior, I was supposed to rally those troops, ya think?" Vindicated, she strode away from the telephone, now truly irritated.
"But the Light wouldn't allow the planet to be flooded by half-demons, no matter what." Marlene began walking, raked her hair, and looked out of the window. "There has to be something that's keeping the bad guys at bay. So there has to be something in a Neteru's ability to summon them through the rip. Maybe Neterus are the only ones that can do it, so we have to be careful what we summon."
Two more aggressive coughs greeted Marlene's statement. The team stared at her.
Now Damali was really confused, because an honorable Cain had come through. He spoke of humanity, of art, of the positive-- while also having one thing on his mind as he apexed, like Carlos would. She knew the cosmic lesson would spank her natural butt, but had no idea it would be something like this. And the hardest part of it all to deal with was he'd come through more awesome than her man.
All eyes were on Damali. Silence again filled the room with tension. Yeah, she'd asked for it, but never in a million years thought something like that could be possible. Up until now, her man had been the baddest mutha on the planet... but she hadn't really had a chance to look around, and before all that mess had really never wanted to. Apparently Carlos got his wish, too. Something stronger than she, more alluring than anything she'd encountered, with everything that could blow her mind, had rolled up on her and weakened her resolve... had a little vamp in him counteracted with pure silver Neteru, too? She staved off an inappropriate shudder as the entity's image came into her mind. The man was fine. Period. No matter who his daddy was. Halfway served Carlos's ass right for even going there. But the fact remained: the not-so-fun part of