Become What You Know

In the end they don't catch Jepha Howard, he hands himself over. Or, well, he puts a brick through the rental car's window. Ducking down he leans into Bob's space, mouth next to his ear.

"You here to bring me in?" he asks, "Here, let me help you." He yanks on the back door handle, stopping short when he finds it locked, "You have to unlock it. It's on the door--yeah, there you go, jackass."

He gets a look at Nell and rolls his eyes. In front of him she unbuckles and turns around in her seat. She narrows her eyes and punches him as hard as she can, watching him slump forward. Bob laughs.

When he finally wakes up they're in a nondescript apartment building owned by the government, and provided by Nicole. Mikey loves it because of the high tech security. Jepha glares at her.

"What the hell was that for?" Jepha glares, "I was cooperating."

Nell puts her hands on her hip and glares back, pushing her glasses up her nose, "I am NOT emo."

"Oh," Jepha says, looking slightly nervous.

"That's right bitch," Nell says with a smirk, pointing at her temple. Bob laughs again, and Nell smiles his way, because she's totally Bob's favorite. She can tell.

Nicole steps into the room and everyone automatically tenses. It's disconcerning to not be able to feel a piece of yourself. The only person unaffected is Frank. He's fluttering his wings back and forth, taking turns jabbing Tarra and a short kid named Sonny. He'd caught them making out while they were waiting to take Bob and Nell's place on the street.

Nicole clears the room of everyone but Jepha and Mikey. They're tenative partners in this thing now.

"Okay," Nicole says, sitting down across from Jepha, "Let's talk."
_______________

"Uriel," Heaven says, standing just inside the gate of his garden.

She hates coming to the Ever After, or what the people on Earth call Heaven. The sun is six times brighter than on Earth, the colors are deeper, and it gives her human born brain a headache. Uriel turns, a lecherous smile on his face.

"I haven't seen you in years," he smirks, "Not since--"

"1965, in Earth years," Heaven says, fingering the rosary ever present around her wrist, "You been watching Earth lately?"

"Not really," he shrugs, spreading his wings wide. At his hip the hilt of his sword gleams in the sunlight, "I've been a little busy."

She looks around, and it seems that his garden has grown since the last time she'd visited.

"That's a nice bridge," she says, steppingdeeper into the growth and looking toward the pond is hovered over.

"Took longer to dig the pond than it did to build the bridge," he says proudly. Heaven rolls her eyes, because that is such a man thing to do. A woman would just build a bridge for aesthetic. A man needs to build a pond to put the bridge over.

"So, you haven't checked in on that whelp of yours lately?" she asks.

"I looked on him a few months ago," he says distractedly, fingering the gun at her hip, "He's just a boy, why?"

"He's a man by human law. He's also sprouted wings, and is looking for you."

Uriel tugs her closer by her gun holster, "Ever the messenger," he teases, "I've got a message for you. Tell Haner I said to blow me."

"Yeah, no thanks," Heaven says, "He'll take it as blow your head off."

"I guess I better go deal with my offspring, "Uriel sighs, looking over his garden, "Damn. I was going to build a gazeebo."

_____________

Frank is sleeping when he hears it. A loud thump on the balcony of his room. Peeling his eyes open, he slides to the doors and pushes them open. Stepping out he walks to the edge and frowns. When he turns there is a man standing behind him. He lets out a frightened squeak, jumping back. The railing digs into his back, and he's windmilling his arms and falling.

"Use your wings, moron," the guy is yelling at him, but it's too late, because he's already caught Frank by the ankle, hovering a few feet off the ground. He drops Frank on his head.

"The fuck," Frank says, rubbing at the newly forming bump, "I can't fly. These things barely listen to me as it is."

"You've got wings, idiot. Of course you can fly."

"You'd better be my father," Frank says seriously, "Otherwise I'm going to rip your nutsack off."

"That's my temper speaking, that is," Uriel says proudly, "Come on, let's talk."

"Holy shit!" Frank yells when his feet leave the ground, "Oh shit, I'm floating."

Uriel rolls his eyes in a very human gesture.