Meanwhile on the West Coast…
Ethan was sitting in an apartment complex Bobby had taken him to for protection. It was a three-story building filled with Nephilim just like him. Four days ago, Ethan watched his sister being dragged through the snow by an unknown force and as for his parents he had no idea where they had gone, his grandfather wouldn't say a word about them or Ria. He'd been sitting on the end of the bed watching out of the window for days wishing Ria would just come already, it was so lonely without her.
Bobby, "You need to eat Ethan and the residents will lose their patience if you keep them waiting any longer." Ethan didn't respond, his grandfather had been pressuring him to meet this organization since arriving but still distraught over losing his sister he'd aggressively declined.
Ethan, "I'm not hungry and I don't want to see them. I want Ria back!" Bobby gritted his teeth; this damn brat had been saying the same thing for three days straight and it was becoming obnoxious.
Bobby, "I've told you we can't get Ria back until you speak to the people here. Your wasting more time the more you whine so do yourself a favour and grow up." Ethan flinched peaking at his grandfather's furious expression. It was almost like he was a different man when Ria left, he was so angry and cold it scared him.
Ethan, "Is Adam here?" he questioned out of the blue, Bobby bit his tongue, how did he figure that out?
Bobby, "Yes, he's one of the leaders. Come with me now we don't have all day." Not giving Ethan much of a choice he dragged him through the apartment complex until they reached a lobby filled with luxury red furniture and crystal chandelier. Bewildered he looked around nervously, he'd never been away from home before. Then two men entered through the main doors dressed in pure white, one of them was without a doubt Adam. Ethan put up his guard immediately knowing Ria didn't like that person.
Adam, "Ah Bobby it's been a while. How have you been?" he commented sarcastically noting his gashed face from climbing through the bedroom window.
Bobby, "Terrible you idiot. Ahem your majesty, pleasure to see you again." Ignoring Adam, he turned his attention to the taller male with white blonde hair just like Ria and piercing blue eyes, they looked menacing and provocative. Ethan jaw dropped seeing someone so similar to his sister.
"Is your only talent losing our assets Lake, your starting to annoy me indefinitely." Wow, Ethan thought he spoke so formally with a cool tone but hid some vicious tendencies around that voice. No-one dared speak to his grandfather like that. Then those blue eyes landed disapprovingly on the little boy tucked behind him.
"So, this is her brother, I'd be lying if I said I was happy with him. He's basically human, what use do we have for him here?" Such disgust in his voice as he slandered Ethan into the ground, this was usually the time when Ria would step in and defend him…
Bobby, "Ethan is the only one who could get her back, she has a soft spot for him." What were they talking about? They talked about him like a lure. Adam watched the young boy scan the man up and down curiously trying to work him out.
Adam, "It's nice to meet you Ethan. By the way this is Michael perhaps you've heard of him." Confused Ethan shook his head, he'd never heard that name. The man shot daggers at Adam silently requesting he keep his mouth shut.
Bobby, "He doesn't need to know that." Quick to step in he gave Adam an evil look.
Michael, "That's enough. I have things to discuss with you, come along. As for the boy send him back to his room I've seen enough." Storming away, with Bobby hot on his tail Ethan stood there nervously with Adam. Smiling a wicked grin, he guided his shoulder back towards the room. Ethan silently allowed him to guide him, however his instincts about this person wasn't wrong, he didn't like him one bit.
Adam, "Hey Ethan have you ever read the bible?" Startled by his enthusiastic tone he quickly shook his head, his parents never allowed him to read it, only Ria had read it but on the sly behind their backs. An excitement washed over Adam as he ushered Ethan into the room and sat down with him on the bed. Something didn't feel right about this at all.
Adam, "I'll tell you all about it, just sit tight and listen." Not able to refuse he pulled up his legs and suspiciously watched as Adam pulled a book from the bedside draws. It was a padded red book with the word 'Bible' written on the front. This was forbidden Ethan thought; he was warned to stay away from religion because he could get sick like before when he touched his mother's cross.
Adam, "It's a very long story but I'll give you a summary. You know who God is don't you?" Ethan didn't know much but he knew that god was the creator of mankind and the earth, it was Ria that told him that. He nodded sheepishly his bright blue eyes squinting at his disdained face.
Adam, "Good. God was in charge of heaven where the angels resided to guide the lost souls of humanity, of course only the good of mankind entered heaven whereas the rest were sent down to hell to suffer, which is where they became demons to torture the evil souls of the wicked. However, before hell was created God trusted two very powerful sons named Michael and Lucifer. They are archangels, the strongest warriors in heaven created to fight evil." Ethan began becoming fascinated in this story, his skin was starting to crawl slightly, but it wasn't painful enough to run away.
Adam, "Between the two sons, Lucifer was classed as the most loyal and was therefore closest to God. They formed a strong bond which overruled any other angel including Michael. Then, God chose to create a new race to watch over the earth which was humanity. During this time, he showered the humans with love and began neglecting the angels under his care, Lucifer felt this loss the deepest and as a result rebelled against heaven and his father. Threatened by the prince God sent him to the deepest depth of the earth filled with misery and fire, this is where Lucifer resided for hundreds of years watching over the evil souls bound to his new space." In Ethan's mind he had no idea the man he spoke of was his father, only Ria knew that secret. Deep down he decided this man was jealous of his father's new creation which is why he rebelled.
Adam, "While Lucifer resided below Michael took rulership of the angels while god tended to the humans. Then one day God disappeared from heaven, the angels searched high and low for him but to no avail. While God was in rule, he kept up a barrier between heaven and hell as well as the earth so when he left, that barrier left with him. Demons, angels and humans began mixing with one another which lead to near extinction, war began breaking out and people like us, the Nephilim became hunted because they viewed us as a symbol of acceptance. That two different races could love eachother and procreate." Ethan felt a sharp pain in his chest, Bobby said he'd brought him here to be among the Nephilim which meant either John or Jane was an angel or a demon.
Ethan, "W-wait but my mom and dad weren't superiors?" Adam looked at him in awe for a while before bursting into hysterical laughter. Ethan unnerving watched as tears steamed down his face.
Adam, "Wow they really kept you in the dark huh kid. The truth is your father is—"
Bobby, "Don't you dare!" They both jumped as Bobby stormed in cutting Adam off mid-sentence.
Adam, "Oops busted, see ya later kiddo." With that Adam bolted out of the room before Bobby could get his hands on him.
Bobby, "Dammit! What did he say to you!" Bobby had come back in an even fouler mood than he left in, that man Michael must have gave him a hard time Ethan thought when that name clicked inside his mind. Didn't Adam say the second archangel was named the same?
Ethan, "G-Grandfather, was that man archangel." His expression grew even darker hearing that word.
Bobby, "Sh*t! Yes, he is so don't piss him off." Ethan shuddered and backed away from him, this wasn't the soft-hearted grandfather he knew…
Ethan, "Why are you being so mean, I don't like it when you're like this. I want Ria back!" Lunging forward he grabbed Ethan by the collar where grey eyes met blue in fear.
Bobby, "Tough luck brat this is the real me, as for your sister we'll get her back so stop your f*cking whining before I leave you for dead." Ethan felt tears trickle down his face, this man was purely evil, why wasn't Ria here to protect him…
The Facility- Sam's cell
Sam, "Ria if you don't talk to me, I won't know what's wrong." Still buried in his chest she refused to let go because his scent was calming to her. Sam's comfortability had disappeared for a moment but returned feeling her hot breath through his shirt on his skin, that throbbing in his chest returned until he was becoming afraid. In a swift moment he grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back taking a deep breath. Ria shyly looked away hiding her puffy red eyes from crying. Letting her white hair fall over her face she wandered to the far wall and sat down sliding to the floor, her hands covered in blisters from the climbing apparatus.
Sam, "What happened to your hands, they didn't hurt you did they?" he gripped them stroking the swollen skin, Ria shook her hand and slipped them back into her possession. Sam sighed and sat opposed waiting for her to confide just a little in him, she had come here for a reason. Out of all the places she could have gone she decided to come to a murderer's cell.
Ria, "Why were you locked up in here, we never finished our conversation." Bypassing her own issues, she decided to focus on Sam's, seeing she was avoiding her own pain he reluctantly played along. Maybe her perception would change about him if he told her, yet again she didn't seem like the type to judge people.
Sam, "You can leave after I tell you, I would understand." He shifted nervously on the bed avoiding Ria's eyes, she felt guilty for asking something so personal but from her perspective Sam didn't deserve to be in here.
Sam, "Um…I was trained my whole life to hunt and kill superiors by my father which I'm sure you can relate to. Training brutally seven hours a day until sometimes I would pass out, because he wanted me to be the most successful hunter in the world to do that, I had to follow his every rule. One day when I was five years old after working hard to make him proud, I came across a nest of superiors meeting in the village discussing the slave trading, my father always told me never to hesitate so I barged in killing every single one until a late member arrived and captured me. Which turned out to be the leader of this facility, he looked at me as a confused child so decided not to kill me but to try and tame me seeing I was also a superior. Lucifer spent years trying to help me but I was brainwashed against their morals until one day it dawned on me that this place wasn't evil and neither were majority of the superiors, In fact it was humanity that were the corrupted ones…" Ria sat in silence soaking in his story, this was the exact opposite to what Bobby had told her, he said Sam was human and was also killed by her birth father for crossing his path. Sam watched the sadness in her eyes envelop him, this wasn't sympathy…it was understanding.
Ria, "I'm sorry you had to go through that. Your father sounds nothing like the man I knew, but I also understand that masks can be made of metal not just paper. I can't believe I trusted that man…" Sam sighed he wanted to talk to cheer her up but only pushed her deeper into a depression.
Sam, "You're not an idiot for trusting him Ria, you were raised with principles like that because it was all you knew since birth. Bobby always wanted to challenge the superiors since they began roaming the earth, then when they started helping humanity, he couldn't accept that." Ria thought about that for a while, he truly hated them from the depth of his soul which she understood under the illusion they had killed his son. Yet that boy he's plastered a fake grave over was right in-front of her. Sam became conscious of her stare.
Sam, "Is there something on my face?" There was that rude switch again almost like a barrier.
Ria, "N-No I was just thinking your eyes are pretty, just like emeralds." Wide eyed and looking away self consciously he smirked, how could they have turned a corner on this conversation so swiftly.
Sam, "Thanks, I don't get told that very often." Ria chuckled at his flushed face; it was hilarious to think this boy was 30 years old in mind.
Ria, "Of course that would be the case cooped up in here all of the time. You mentioned Lucifer tried to help you, if you accepted does that mean you can leave this cell?" Sa turned his head alarmed met with hopeful violet eyes. Why did she want him outside after finding out about his sins?
Sam, "I'm not too sure. If I was to be let out, they would keep me under close observation, they would also keep me far away from you too. They did before with the orphans when I was little." Ria felt a chill run down her spine, so comfortable with his presence it never even occurred to her to tell Sam her true identity. Sam noticed her glassy eyes lost in thought as if worrying about something.
Sam, "Ria, are you okay?" Slowly Ria stood up and took a deep breath, this was going to be a tough icebreaker. Maybe he would hate her after this.
Ria, "I also have something to tell you, you can throw me out right after but please listen until the end." Sam shuffled back onto his bed nervously, her attitude changed like the flip of a coin. It was a mixture of sadness, insecurity and strangely strength. Ria played with her fingers nervously feeling the beads of sweat form on her palm, why was this so difficult. Finally, someone could hear her story.
Ria, "When I was born…I was adopted by Jane and John Lake. They saved me from a terrible place and raised me as their own daughter for five years until Bobby came along. Honestly, I also have a twin brother named Ethan, but he wasn't brought here with me…" Ria paused feeling her lip tremble, while she struggled to put her thoughts together Sam was in shock. He had no idea his little sister was still alive never mind married and adopting two children.
Ria, "For three years I trained with Bobby getting ready to hunt down the man who I had been raised to hate for my whole life. The man Bobby told me killed his son, and also the man who allowed my birth mother to die after having Ethan and me. But I learned a few days ago that this man wasn't who I thought he was." Sam expected this person to be a superior or even a human in the facility, but he was not prepared for what Ria was going to say.
Ria, "Sam…Lucifer is my father." Showing nothing but a cold blank expression they stood in silence, Ria's toes edging towards the door ready to escape rejection. Sam blinked a few times, now that he considered it Ria did have his rare hair colour.
Sam, "That's…not possible he said he would only keep…" Cutting himself off his mouth gaped engulfing Ria in a new light. There was no way this kind young girl was the prodigy…this had to be a lie. Ria looked away from those piercing green eyes trying to hide her insecurity, why did people look at her like that all of the time it was so uncomforting.
Ria, "Don't worry I'm leaving." She bolted for the door when Sam gripped her wrist and spun her around pinning her against the door with his arm. Those eyes now looked enraged rather than fascinated and for the first time she felt afraid.
Ria, "Let me go!" Pushing against him he wouldn't budge; this had been a mistake. As her legs began shaking and her head throbbing Ria glared at him fiercely until he snapped from his daze.
Sam, "Even knowing who you are, you chose to come here. Why? Why would you trust me so much to let me know your darkest secret, tell me!" Startled she tried to speak but her tongue tangled blocking her airway, she was starting to panic. Gulping down a breath she finally plucked up the courage to argue back.
Ria, "Because your just like me! Your trapped, lonely and afraid. When I talk to you, I feel better about myself, because just like you I don't like who I am or accept it. So…I want to change it!" Sam felt his arm weaken as he backed away from her. Not only had she read him right, she'd just admitted how much she despised that reflection that stared back at her.
Sam, "I've done unspeakable things, yet you feel most comfortable when you're with me? Bullsh*t, you came here to make yourself feel better yourself because you know fully well, I'm the most hated person in this facility." Sam wasn't listening and if anything, playing the bad guy most likely to drive her away but Ria wasn't going to let go so easily.
Ria, " Maybe your right, maybe I enjoy talking to you so much is because your at rock bottom but doesn't it strike you as strange that the first time we met you let me inside without knowing who I was yet you clicked with me immediately. You can be in denial all you want and if you want me to never come back, I'll respect your wish. But deep down you know...I can save you." Sam stood there in awe wondering if she really understood what she was saying. People had been trying to save him for thirty years, yet he'd pushed them all away stuck in his self-hatred. Ria's point had struck him, pointing out she was the first person he'd let in willingly. Hearing nothing else from his lips she sighed and left the room leaving Sam with this tickling urge in his chest. Seeing her leave made his heart panic when he realised, the same feeling caught him off-guard previously. He sat down thinking for a while when a sudden thought took over his body, waling briskly to the cell door he whistled through the gap. Within two seconds a guard was there waiting for his request.
Sam, "Tell the Lord I have something to discuss with him."