Chapter Eleven

The Silver Tongue

“I was called a sociopath. So, I used it to my advantage. With my silver tongue, I could make God think they were in the wrong…”

Kevin Richardson spent his life using his charm, his talent to talk, his ability to argue any side of any argument; but what he was most proud of was his intelligence. He may only speak a few languages, only had a few degrees, but he was smart. Smarter than a lot of people he met, he was not conceited enough to think he was the smartest person in the world. He was not. He always picked up and learned things quickly, and he was always looking for new things to learn. After all, he was a freelance advisor to presidents and CEOs of major companies. He could turn any argument against them around. He honestly had not come across anything that he would not fight for or against, as of yet in his life. ‘

He wondered if there was something wrong with him at times. If he really was a sociopath, like one shrink stated when he was court ordered to see her, after a drugged up, drunken bender. He had been clean for ten years now, but once upon a time the only thing that could get his mind to slow down, so that he could feel normal, well feel anything, was drugs or booze. He had made a lot of mistakes in his life, but he did want to atone for them; but honestly, he did not know how. He looked at his library; it was impressive for a private library. Many would see chaos, with books all over the place, papers scattered from here to there, but he only saw comfort and calm. He loved his organized chaos. He thrived in it! 

Now if he could just find some type of meaning to his life using his knowledge, being an advisor paid well, but it was dull, boring, monotone, and, well, life sucking. He went over to his record player and put on some music from his childhood and lay back in his chair with a ginger ale. He snorted. Once upon a time it would have been a scotch and he would have been out at a nightclub trying to get his mind to stop. He closed his eyes and laid his head back. He would figure out a healthy way to keep his mind busy but not overwhelming his soul and killing him from the inside out.

 Leslie was getting sick of this. She had made a list of possible Keepers, but now she knew Abby had them again. She started trying to figure out who a Guide could be. Abigail, though an angel of extreme power, always was a bit predictable. She always waited to get the Guides last. She had one in mind. He was very public, and though that could be a brother to Abby sometimes, it meant he could also use that tongue and charm of his to keep attention off the Keepers and Protectors. 

Technically, Abby was the leader of a secret government team; after all, she could not get away with what she does without the governments knowing. All the world leaders bowing at her feet; Leslie sneered at the thought. Why could Abby not see that they could rule while giving mortals magic? It could make them life longer; it could make them more powerful! It could make those of Earth overtake those of other planets! She knew about them because of Jesse stated there were so many other life forms, different planets, older and younger, but Earth seemed to be Abby’s favorite. 

As it should be. Now if Abby could just figure out, they would be better together instead of enemies. She looked at the profile of the one she thought Abby would be going after to make a Guide. She smirked. Maybe it was time for a bit of a trade.

 Kevin was locking up his house when he felt a hit on his head and he went down. His last thought was he hadn’t gained redemption yet. ‘God, please, I have to gain my redemption.’ He saw green smirking eyes, and he blacked out.

 Leslie looked at the tied up little future Guide. She was bouncing around, getting ready to call Abby. She would find a way, and Leslie always did. Abby was her obsession in this life, even more than finding a way to give magic to the mortals. 

Alice was shaking her head. Alice thought they should just kill him and be done with it. She never really understood why Leslie wanted to play games with Abby. Leslie was insane; then again, Alice was not one that could lecture on sanity. She had fallen in love with a psychopath that was obsessed with a god. Alice sighed and checked Richardson. They tied him up tight and could not escape. Now Alice just had to make sure he did not die before Leslie got what she wanted out of Abby.

 Abby was listening to the police scanners in the hotel room they had just booked when the report came on about a kidnapping. She let out a growl when she heard the description. Damn Leslie straight to hell. No, she was not even worthy of that punishment. She turned on the phone that Leslie somehow always called and knew how to, no matter how many times the number had changed. And within moments, it was ringing. “Leslie.” She answered.

 Leslie gave a scary smile, which caused most of the people in the sisterhood to shiver in fear. A smile like that was never good. “Abigail, my angel of life, I have something you want.”

 “I know you Leslie, Kevin is already dead.” Abby sat back and drawled to give a cocky confidence over the phone, one she for sure did not feel. Dean and George looked like they were going to say something and the others looked shocked, but Abby held up a hand. “So in the end, you really don’t have something I want.” 

 Leslie blinked. She had not expected that. “No, he is alive.”

 “Well, then you will have to send me proof of life, darling. You know the rule. No proof of life, no little exchange. What is it you want this time, Leslie?” Abby bit her lip and waited.

 “Magic for us mere mortals, of course.”

 “You know I won’t do that Leslie. I will kill every single mortal first before I allow that.”

 Leslie sneered. “Then I will kill your little wannabe Guide!”

 Abby looked at the timer. She knew that a contact of hers started tracing the moment the call came in; it is why she had people in the know all over the world, though it was America’s turn for the Keepers, Protectors and Guides. For all the horribleness and hate in America, for as bloodthirsty as the baby country was, it produced some of the best out there. “Look, Leslie, you will never change your ways. You are predictable. You are not even that great. Your name would never have appeared on a list. You manipulate, you lie, you use, but you aren’t great, even as the leader of that damned sisterhood of yours.”

 Leslie sneered. “I am a queen to them! I have enlightened them to what is going on really with the world, and how our creator lives among us, yet denies us power to worship her properly!”

 “I don’t need nor want worship, Leslie.” Abby spat out.

 “And that is why we have rules to worship you! The bible is full of you saying to worship you, as you are a jealous God!”

 “I only ever gave rules, so I rewarded every mortal upon their death. I only have one rule, Leslie, love each other, but that is broken every microsecond of every day. And you, Leslie, are looking to get a fate worse than hell when your soul’s time is over in this world.” Just then, there was a beep from Abby’s other phone. 

‘Three blocks south of you.’ The text message stated. 

She smirked, putting the phone on mute. “Martin, George, Dean, go get Kevin Richardson. They are three blocks south. That is why the paper wasn’t telling us. Sneak in, sneak out, do not engage.”

 The three men nodded and took off out the door, leaving Abby to her conversation. Dean looked at the other two. “Let’s get ourselves a Guide.” He clapped his hands.

 The other two nodded, and they came across an abandoned building just three blocks from the hotel. Martin was eyeing it. “Best place to put a prisoner will be top floor, but these people are crazy. They probably went middle. So we go through the top.” He pointed to the fire escapes.

 George nodded. “Good idea.” They moved to climb to the roof, sneaking glances in the windows that were not boarded to see if they could see Kevin.

 Dean stopped midway up. “We can get in through here. Look, it is just one guard, and they tied him to a table. We can take out the guard, untie him, and then use garbage shoots to slide out of here.”

 Martin looked around. “Let’s do it.” They broke through the boards into the room, startling the one guard. Martin did a chop to the neck, and the guard went down. They quickly untied Kevin and carried him to the shoot. “George, go first, then I and Dean will send Kevin, and then Dean right after, followed by me.” Martin stated as he kept an eye over his shoulder. He glared at Dean, who was going to protest. “George and I are the Protectors, Keeper. Let us do our job.”

 Dean sighed and nodded. He knew these two were going to annoy him with the whole trying to protect him thing, but he would protect them as well. Right now it was better to send the bigger Protector down, followed by their Guide, then him and Martin following. “Got it.” Dean nodded and held open the shoot and George slide through, then Martin and he slid down Kevin and Dean jumped in. “Catch you on the flip side.” He laughed and slid down.

 Martin rolled his eyes but followed him down to find George and Dean had Kevin propped up on their shoulders to make it look like they were helping a drunk home. “Let’s get back to Abby.”

 “Go ahead of us; check if the coast is clear.” George stated. Martin nodded and they slowly and cautiously made it the three blocks back to their hotel.

 Abby was trying very hard not to panic. But she had four out there, one had been kidnapped, and she had to listen to Leslie go on and on about her delusions of grandeur. Finally, the door opened and she let out a sigh of relief. She smirked and cut off Leslie. “Leslie, dear mortal, this has been fun, but I really do have to fly out. I have nothing in this city anymore. So, you will just have to bother someone else.” She ended the call and looked over at them. “Sakura, check Kevin.” She demanded. “Any problem, boys?”

 “No. They only had one guard on them. She must not have known we were this close.” Martin helped hand over the new Guide to Sakura. “Sloppy is what it was.”

 Abby nodded. “Leslie deals in finding quick places and then abandoning them. Sakura?” 

“He is fine. They just gave him a sedative. He will wake probably in an hour.”

 Abby nodded. “Daisy, August, Kendra, and I will go on a food run. Hold the fort down.” She said to the boys and grabbed the keys to her car. “Joseph, you and George should go get some phones and tech stuff for everybody while we are in town.”

 “Got it, Angel!” Joseph called and grabbed a credit card. “Let’s go, Navy! We got a lot to buy to get you all up to speed on tech!”

 Kevin groaned when he came to. He heard the clicking of silverware and muffled conversations. He then sat up with a gasp as he started remembering what had happened. He heard the noises he heard upon waking stop. “Where am I? Where were those other crazy women?” He looked around, afraid this was a trick.

 Abby smiled. “We got you from them. We will take you to your apartment tomorrow to gather some things if you want to accept my job offer, and if you don’t, Martin will make sure security is up to snuff.” She smiled. “Come eat, and we will explain. I am Abigail Elyondottir, this is Dean Cooper, George Noble, Joseph McKinley, Kendra Porter, Daisy Johnson, Martin Nunez, Sakura Hoshi, and August Shepherd.” She pointed to each as she introduced them. “It is nice to meet you in person, Kevin Richardson.”

 Kevin stood there and blinked. He tried to make sense of it. But the food smelled heavenly. 

 “Dude, ass in the seat and food in the mouth.” Dean stated and went back to his food after leaning back and grabbing another beer. “Want one?”

 “No, I don’t drink anymore.”

 “No problem, we got some ginger beer or ginger ale. Auggie can’t drink either. He is only nineteen.” Dean smiled and threw him a ginger ale.

 Kevin caught it and sat down. “So, who are you all?”

 “We are the only people standing between the end of all existence for the Earth and life continuing.” Dean stated with a smile. “Pretty cool, huh? I mean us folk are saviors of the Earth! It is amazing.”

 “Can someone who isn’t insane explain?”

 The others laughed as Dean, if someone asked him, did not pout. “I ain’t that insane.”

 “Please Jarhead, you are crazier than most, I mean you are a Jarhead.” George pointed his fork at him.

 “Shut it, Squid.” Dean stated, but no heat to his voice.

 Abby rolled her eyes. She looked at Kevin, she knew he had a hard test, to be written off as a sociopath to be avoided until he was useful, to have a mind that runs all the time, to have to find a way to shut it down. She felt sorry for him, but every mortal had their tests in this life to gain their rewards in death. “So, you know the myth of the ley lines right?” At his nod she continued. “Totally real, they feed magic in to world through a series of catacombs and mines hidden from all mortals but select few. The five Keepers, in this case that would be Dean, Kendra, August, Sakura, and Joseph, they each have a brilliant mind, yes, even Dean, each their own specialty to find the magical artifacts in the world and make sure they remain in the right hands. The three Protectors, George, Martin, and Daisy protect them and the two Guides, so far you and we will be picking up the last one soon. The Protectors, of course, go out on the missions with the Keepers if they have to hunt down an artifact, example if a Crowned Jewel went missing. They have authority in law enforcement offices and such to help the Keepers track it down through legal means. And then we have the Guides. They help get the ‘ping’ so to say. They research where the magic is flowing, where weird events are popping up; research the people who have procession of the artifact to see if they are worthy to weld it, etcetera. They make sure that I don’t ever have to destroy the world I created.”

 Kevin blinked. “So you are God?”

 “No, I am the angel he created for Balance between his eight sons. I and my brothers created this world to gain his approval but that is a long story that is for another time. So are you in?”

 Kevin looked at the table. This was his chance. His chance to do good, his chance at a life that meant something, to use his talents to protect the world and gain his redemption. He looked at her. “I am in.”

 Abby clapped her hands. “Good. Now eat.”

 Kevin grabbed a plate and helped himself to the roast and potatoes. “So who is the last Guide?”

 “Jennifer Bradly, thirty three: Boston, Massachusetts.”